Don Grusin - Laguna Cove

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2007
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 42:39
Size: 99,1 MB
Art: Front

(3:56)  1. Laguna Cove
(3:50)  2. No Tanlines
(4:16)  3. Sunburn
(4:05)  4. Sunset @ Peggy's
(4:05)  5. Cats of Carlsbad
(4:36)  6. Heartbeat
(3:44)  7. Kickin' Back
(5:06)  8. Odalisque
(4:09)  9. Naked Truth
(4:47) 10. Crazy

Contemporary Jazz and World music with classic melodies and deep harmonies soaring over grooves that feel good, all supported by strong acoustic piano playing. This project was recorded in Laguna Beach at Award Records by Mike Hatcher and all my guys came down from Los Angeles to play the spirit of the Laguna Beach air, water, hills, sunsets... These players brought their hearts and musical depth to the party:
https://store.cdbaby.com/cd/dongrusinmusic2

Personnel: Gerald Albright - Sax, Sal Marquez - Trumpet, Walfredo Reyes Jr - Drums, Guitarist Wayne Johnson, and Bassist Armand Sabal-Lecco.

Laguna Cove

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Vivian Buczek, Norrbotten Big Band - A Womans's Voice

Styles: Vocal, Big Band
Year: 2019
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 64:11
Size: 147,6 MB
Art: Front

( 8:56)  1. Throw It Away
( 9:20)  2. Infant Eyes
( 6:54)  3. Lighthouse
( 7:00)  4. Imorron (Estate)
(11:33)  5. Tales
( 6:13)  6. Here's to Life
( 7:53)  7. Yesterdays
( 6:20)  8. I Think It's Gonna Rain Today

An ambitious project from Sweden: vocalist Vivian Buczek joining forces with the Norrbotten Big Band using song to illustrate life from a woman's perspective. Buczek says: "It's about taking the step from a girl to a woman, looking back in time and then to the future, finding my place in the world and daring to go my own way."  With this album she celebrates some of her main sources of inspiration, artists who have made a lasting impression over the years: Ella Fitzgerald, Nina Simone, Abbey Lincoln, Carmen McRae, Wayne Shorter, Sarah Vaughan, Shirley Horn and Sweden's own Monica Zetterlund. She starts with Abbey Lincoln's "Throw it Away," a defiant "no regrets" anthem with a solid, catchy melody, about a woman rummaging through her belongings and trying to make sense of her life. It was by penning such songs that Lincoln celebrated her release from the marital clutches of Max Roach. "Infant Eyes" switches the mood, joyfully celebrating maternity, with lyrics by Jean Carm added to a tune by Wayne Shorter, which amply demonstrates the saxophonist's gift for melody. Buczek draws on her considerable scatting abilities to get the song going, and the big band kicks it into touch with a powerful but sympathetic accompaniment. Next up, "Lighthouse" examines the course of true love from an adult perspective. The imagery is a trifle forced, at times downright pedantic, but its heart is in the right place. "I Morron (Tomorrow)" is about longing for a new start with a new day. It contradicts the nostalgia of Jerome Kern's "Yesterdays" which crops up two numbers further on. "Tales," about an innocent abroad, is musically reminiscent of that awful old chestnut "Nature Boy" and contains some strained imagery concerning "the trenches of your mind." With "Here's to Life" Buczek pays tribute to the late, great Shirley Horn who made the song her own. The closing number, Randy Newman's lachrymose little masterpiece "I Think It's Gonna Rain Today" is unsuited to its big band arrangement. With this Buczek alas! goes out with a rather sad and messy whimper, which is a shame because much of what went before was very good indeed. ~ Chris Mosey https://www.allaboutjazz.com/a-womans-voice-vivian-buczek-prophone-records-review-by-chris-mosey.php

Personnel: Bo Strandberg: trumpet; Jacek Onuszkiewicz, Magnus Ekholm, Dan Johansson: trumpet, flugelhorn; Hakan Broström, Janne Thelin, Mats Garberg, Robert Nordmark, Per Moberg: reeds; Michal Tomaszczyk, Anders Larsson, Christine Carlsson: trombone; Martin Sjöstedt: piano, Fender Rhodes; Petter Olofsson: bass; Johan Löfcrantz Ramsay: drums.

A Womans´s Voice

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Acker Bilk - Clarinet Moods

Styles: Clarinet Jazz 
Year: 1997
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 48:52
Size: 113,5 MB
Art: Front

(3:09)  1. Stranger on the Shore
(2:52)  2. Summertime
(3:49)  3. Night and Day
(2:47)  4. I Wonder Who's Kissing Her Now
(3:43)  5. Long Ago (And Far Away)
(3:00)  6. Fly Me to the Moon (In Other Words)
(2:51)  7. Body and Soul
(4:42)  8. Stardust
(3:10)  9. Embraceable You
(2:39) 10. I'll Get By
(3:43) 11. That Old Devil Called Love
(2:17) 12. Ole Buttermilk Sky
(2:39) 13. Pennies from Heaven
(3:22) 14. South of the Border
(4:02) 15. Try a Little Tenderness

For many, Jazz clarinet is synonymous with one man: Acker Bilk. His unique tone, rich, versatile and as expressive as the human voice, has become a benchmark against which other Jazz clarinetists are measured. In the '60s Bilk became a cult figure, a popularity matched by some stunning chart successes. This collection of great standards was recorded in 1995, and demonstrates that Bilk's apparently effortless delivery of melody, and his ability to draw from the clarinet a wealth of colors and tones, remain apparently unquenchable. EMI Gold. 2007. ~Editorial Reviews https://www.amazon.com/Clarinet-Moods-Acker-Bilk/dp/B000MV91QG

Clarinet Moods

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Slide Hampton - American Swinging In Paris

Styles: Trombone Jazz, Swing
Year: 2003
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 33:55
Size: 78,2 MB
Art: Front

(10:01)  1. In Case of Emergency
( 7:14)  2. Last Minute Blues
( 7:55)  3. Chop Suey
( 4:42)  4. Lament
( 4:02)  5. Impossible Waltz

Slide Hampton has been a fine trombonist and arranger since the mid-'50s, helping to keep the tradition of bop alive in both his playing and his writing. After working with Buddy Johnson (1955-1956) and Lionel Hampton, he became an important force in Maynard Ferguson's excellent big band of 1957-1959. He led octets in the 1960s with such sidemen as Freddie Hubbard and George Coleman. After traveling with Woody Herman to Europe in 1968, Hampton settled overseas where he stayed very active. Since returning to the U.S. in 1977, he led his World of Trombones (which features nine trombonists), played in a co-op quintet called Continuum, and been involved in several Dizzy Gillespie tribute projects, recording in the 1990s for Telarc. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/artist/slide-hampton-mn0000748827/biography

Personnel: Slide Hampton, trombone; Joachim Kuhn, piano; Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen, bass; Philly Joe Jones, drums

American Swinging In Paris

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Eliane Elias - Love Stories

Styles: Vocal And Piano Jazz
Year: 2019
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 43:39
Size: 100,8 MB
Art: Front

(3:15)  1. A Man And A Woman
(5:02)  2. Baby Come To Me
(5:52)  3. Bonita
(5:25)  4. Angel Eyes
(5:52)  5. Come Fly With Me
(3:59)  6. The Simplest Things
(4:04)  7. Silence
(5:48)  8. Little Boat
(4:17)  9. The View

A Grammy-winning Brazilian pianist and songstress with a sultry voice, impeccable phrasing, and romantic flair chooses to take on the many feelings and emotions of love for her next record. That would seem like a natural fit. To say that this is in the wheelhouse of Eliane Elias is to be the master of the obvious. But if you listen intently you will hear just how fervently she dove into the deep end of the pool of love. The love scenes about to unfold were romanticized by lavish strings and orchestration prevalent throughout the bossa-nova-tinged Love Stories. As if a temptress leading you on to your next liaison, the record opens with a provocatively hushed Elias melding with the broad orchestral arrangement in the theme song from the 1966 Oscar winning French film A Man and a Woman. Now more than a light and catchy pop song, "Baby Come to Me," has an array of spices added to the recipe. Take 6 vocalist Mark Kibble mixes a dash of his rich harmony to Elias's tasty come-hither ingredients. The instrumental arrangement on this tune is among the most flavorful on the album. "Bonita," written by Antonio Carlos Jobim, is sung with unfeigned delight and with the sincerest of Elias' expressionism. Her piano offers a soft, yet significant, role in the elegance of its presentation. A tune generally thought of in connection with Frank Sinatra is next as the romance continues to develop. Elias gives "Angel Eyes" a wink and a sparkle that make it her own. One great Sinatra tune begets another as the high-spirited "Come Fly with Me" kicks in.

Sinatra took listeners to a wonderous fantasy land that they could revisit every time they heard him sing it. Elias emotes an earnest invitation of frankness (no pun intended) to a beautiful place to which listeners might actually travel. Elias stretches instrumentally and rides a vibrant groove with her ensemble. The relationship gets mature with the Elias original, "The Simplest Things." It's a song of imagery that few could sing with such feeling, vulnerability and believability. Lyrically profound, it eschews the superficial and dares to appreciate what matters most. The anguish of love is addressed with "Silence." Elias digs deep into her soul in order to touch listeners. Love is beautiful. Love is sweet. But "Silence" examines the heartbreaks in genuine and truthful fashion. Brighter days are found as we sail in her "Little Boat." The mood kicks way up with an adventurous piano solo that ripples along the coast of the sea of orchestration. The story comes to a close with an exploration of the sexy and passion-laced allure of love. Elias bids us adieu, until we meet again, with the full flight of her voice, phrasing, and discerning pianism on "The View." This amorous aspect of love is illustrated by Elias's signature poetic sound. ~ Jim Worsley https://www.allaboutjazz.com/love-stories-eliane-elias-concord-jazz-review-by-jim-worsley.php

Personnel: Eliane Elias: vocals and piano; Marc Johnson: bass; Mark Kibble: background vocal; Marcus Teixeira: guitar; Daniel Santiago: guitar; Robert Menescal: guitar; Edu Rieeiro: drums; Rafael Barate: drums; Paulo Braga: drums; Celso de Almeida: drums.

Love Stories

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Buddy DeFranco - You Know I Know

Styles: Clarinet Jazz
Year: 2018
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 124:42
Size: 288,3 MB
Art: Front

(4:23)  1. If I Should Lose You
(2:54)  2. I Got It Bad (And That Ain't Good)
(3:08)  3. Samia Shuffle
(5:21)  4. Lover Man
(4:04)  5. Left Field
(6:11)  6. You Go to My Head
(3:10)  7. The Way You Look Tonight
(3:33)  8. Deep Purple
(3:16)  9. Show Eyes
(4:23) 10. It Could Happen to You
(8:02) 11. The Things We Did Last Summer
(6:27) 12. Mine
(2:49) 13. Sweet Georgia Brown
(4:42) 14. Tenderly
(7:03) 15. But Not for Me
(5:08) 16. Ferdinando
(3:15) 17. Sophisticated Lady
(2:42) 18. Street of Dreams
(7:52) 19. Bass on Balls
(2:52) 20. Gone with the Wind
(3:56) 21. Autumn in New York
(2:49) 22. Get Happy
(3:08) 23. Just One of Those Things
(3:00) 24. Carioca
(7:33) 25. Autumn Leaves
(6:36) 26. Gerry's Tune
(2:50) 27. Cairo
(3:22) 28. Lover Come Back to Me

Buddy DeFranco is one of the great clarinetists of all time and, until the rise of Eddie Daniels, he was indisputably the top clarinetist to emerge since 1940. It was DeFranco's misfortune to be the best on an instrument that after the swing era dropped drastically in popularity and, unlike Benny Goodman and Artie Shaw, he has never been a household name for the general public. When he was 14, DeFranco won an amateur swing contest sponsored by Tommy Dorsey. After working with the big bands of Gene Krupa (1941-1942) and Charlie Barnet (1943-1944), he was with TD on and off during 1944-1948. DeFranco, other than spending part of 1950 with Count Basie's septet, was mostly a bandleader from then on. Among the few clarinetists to transfer the language of Charlie Parker onto his instrument, DeFranco has won a countless number of polls and appeared with the Metronome All-Stars in the late '40s. He recorded frequently in the '50s (among his sidemen were Art Blakey, Kenny Drew, and Sonny Clark) and participated in some of Norman Granz's Verve jam session. During 1960-1963 DeFranco led a quartet that also featured the accordion of Tommy Gumina and he recorded an album with Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers on which he played bass clarinet. Work, however, was difficult to find in the '60s, leading DeFranco to accept the assignment of leading the Glenn Miller ghost band (1966-1974). He has found more artistic success co-leading a quintet with Terry Gibbs off and on since the early '80s and has recorded throughout the decades for many labels. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/artist/buddy-defranco-mn0000638918/biography

You Know I Know

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Polly Bergen - Act One Sing Too

Styles: Vocal
Year: 1963
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 34:09
Size: 78,9 MB
Art: Front

(2:28)  1. The Continental
(2:28)  2. They Can't Take That Away From Me
(3:07)  3. The Way You Look Tonight
(2:58)  4. Through A Long And Sleepless Night
(2:36)  5. As Time Goes By
(2:42)  6. Cheek To Cheek
(2:20)  7. Easy To Love
(3:10)  8. For Every Man There's A Woman
(2:26)  9. Bye Bye Baby
(3:00) 10. You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To
(3:47) 11. Hi-Lili-Hi-Lo
(3:01) 12. Aren't You Glad You're You

Polly Bergen's final Philips LP Act One-Sing, Too is also her most alluring. Arranger Jerry Fields channels inspiration from contemporary pop and jazz to create a hip, stylish atmosphere that perfectly complements her dusky voice. Fields introduces melancholy horns, vibes and other accents that underscore the session's after-hours atmosphere, while Bergen responds with a thoughtful performance that fully capitalizes on the world-weary sophistication of her distinctive approach. The material's a bit tame and predictable, but at least the forward-thinking arrangements compensate. And while it's inaccurate to suggest that Bergen reinvents chestnuts like "The Way You Look Tonight" and "As Time Goes By," she certainly approaches them from interesting angles. ~ Jason Ankeny https://www.allmusic.com/album/act-one-sing-too-mw0000855707

Act One Sing Too

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Kenny Wheeler Quintet - Butterfly Flutter By

Styles: Flugelhorn, Cornet Jazz
Year: 1988
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 48:33
Size: 112,4 MB
Art: Front

(9:33)  1. Everybody's Song But My Own
(5:11)  2. We Salute The Night
(9:21)  3. Miold Man
(8:51)  4. Butterfly Flutter By
(8:23)  5. Gigolo
(7:14)  6. Little Fella

Recorded at a time when trumpeter Kenny Wheeler was playing regularly in bassist Dave Holland's band, this quintet outing with Holland, Stan Sulzman (who switches between soprano, tenor and flute), pianist John Taylor and drummer Billy Elgart features six of Wheeler's originals, some of which were written quite a few years before. "Everybody's Song But My Own" and "Flutter By, Butterfly" are probably the most memorable of the compositions but each of the performances (which feature consistently rewarding solos) are worth hearing.

 ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/flutter-by-butterfly-mw0000197545

Personnel: Kenny Wheeler - flugelhorn, cornet; Stan Sulzmann - soprano saxophone, tenor saxophone, flute; John Taylor - piano; Dave Holland - bass; Billy Elgart - drums

Butterfly Flutter By

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Ralph Sharon - Portrait Of Harold

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1996
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 60:07
Size: 139,5 MB
Art: Front

(4:01)  1. My Shining Hour
(4:01)  2. Ill Wind
(2:02)  3. Let's Fall In Love
(3:53)  4. This Time The Dream's On Me
(2:32)  5. It's Only A Paper Moon
(5:05)  6. Portrait Of Harold
(2:42)  7. Come Rain Or Come Shine
(3:04)  8. It Was Written In The Stars
(3:13)  9. Between The Devil And The Deep Blue Sea
(4:07) 10. The Man That Got Away
(3:53) 11. I've Got The World On A String
(4:39) 12. Out Of This World
(3:56) 13. Sing My Heart
(3:42) 14. A Sleepin' Bee
(2:36) 15. Hit The Road To Dreamland
(3:03) 16. Right As The Rain
(3:30) 17. That Old Black Magic

Subtitled "The Harold Arlen Songbook," this 60-minute disc finds the Ralph Sharon Trio with Douglas Richeson on bass and Clayton Cameron on drums highlighting the work of the most jazz and blues oriented of the Broadway and Hollywood composers of the 1940s and '50s. Sharon is typically subtle and swinging, never losing the sense of Arlen's bluesy melodies, but elaborating on them with intricately played figures that never seem to show the effort they must take to achieve. ~ William Ruhlmann https://www.allmusic.com/album/portrait-of-harold-mw0000183247

Personnel: Piano – Ralph Sharon; Bass – Douglas Richeson; Drums – Clayton Cameron

Portrait Of Harold

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The Jazz Messengers - The Legacy Of Art Blakey: Live At The Iridium

Styles: Straight-ahead/Mainstream 
Year: 1998
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 66:04
Size: 152,0 MB
Art: Front

(10:21)  1. One By One
(11:41)  2. A La Mode
(11:08)  3. Whisper Not
(10:51)  4. Oh, By The Way
(10:04)  5. Plexus
(11:58)  6. Blues March

Seven years after drummer Art Blakey's death, a Jazz Messengers reunion group was formed for a tour and this recording. Led by tenor saxophonist Benny Golson (who acts as the band's musical director), the sextet also includes trumpeter Terence Blanchard, trombonist Curtis Fuller, pianist Geoff Keezer, bassist Peter Washington and drummer Lewis Nash (in Blakey's spot). Together they perform Wayne Shorter's "One By One," and Cedar Walton's "Plexus," and compositions by Blanchard and Fuller, plus a pair (including "Blues March") by Golson. The overall results are predictable and very much in the hard bop tradition but full of spirit, not so much adding on to Art Blakey's legacy as much as simply revisiting it. ~Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-legacy-of-art-blakey-mw0000597768

Personnel: Benny Golson (saxophone); Terence Blanchard (trumpet); Curtis Fuller (trombone); Geoff Keezer (piano); Peter Washington (bass); Lewis Nash (drums).

The Legacy Of Art Blakey:  Live At The Iridium

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Louis Armstrong - New Orleans Nights

Styles: Vocal And Trumpet Jazz
Year: 2008
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 35:59
Size: 83,8 MB
Art: Front

(5:04)  1. Panama
(6:39)  2. New Orleans Function
(5:58)  3. Struttin' With Some Barbecue
(5:49)  4. Basin Street Blues - Pt.1 & Pt.2
(3:42)  5. My Bucket's Got A Hole In It - Single Version
(8:45)  6. Bugle Call Rag / Ole Miss

Verve's 2008 reissue of New Orleans Nights, a Louis Armstrong album originally released on Decca in 1957, is a compilation of recordings made in 1950 and 1954 by two different bands operating under the noble mantle of Louis Armstrong and the All Stars. "Panama," "New Orleans Function," "My Bucket's Got a Hole in It," and "Bugle Call Rag" testify to the integrity of the earlier group, with Armstrong leading Jack Teagarden, Barney Bigard, Earl Hines, Arvell Shaw, and Cozy Cole, who is granted extra long drum breaks during the "Bugle Call Rag." On "Struttin' with Some Barbecue" and "Basin Street Blues," Tea is replaced by Trummy Young, Hines by Billy Kyle, and Cole by Kenny John. Tenor saxophonist Bud Freeman sat in on "Basin Street"; it's a pity that he didn't participate on "Barbecue," as the warmth and ease that characterizes this elegant update of Lil Hardin Armstrong's magnum opus would have fit Freeman's personality like a favorite pair of argyles. ~ arwulf arwulf  https://www.allmusic.com/album/new-orleans-nights-mw0000752071

Musicians: Louis Armstrong — vocals, trumpet; Jack Teagarden — trombone; Barney Bigard — clarinet; Earl Hines — piano; Arvell Shaw — bass; Cozy Cole — drums; Trummy Young — trombone; Billy Kyle — piano; Kenny John — drums

New Orleans Nights

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Gerald Albright - Slam Dunk

Styles: Saxophone Jazz 
Year: 2014
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 48:49
Size: 113,9 MB
Art: Front

(4:39)  1. Slam Dunk
(5:33)  2. True Colors
(5:16)  3. Because Of You
(5:43)  4. It's A Man's, Man's, Man's World
(4:17)  5. The Duke
(1:30)  6. Sparkle In Your Eyes - Interlude
(4:13)  7. Sparkle In Your Eyes
(4:46)  8. Where Did We Go Wrong?
(3:04)  9. Fiesta Interlude
(4:38) 10. Split Decision
(0:39) 11. The Gospel - Interlude
(4:27) 12. The Gospel

On his latest disc, Gerald Albright offers a high-energy contemporary jazz set that puts the veteran saxophonist’s dizzying array of talents amply on display. Not only does the album showcase Albright’s formidable skills on alto, soprano, tenor and baritone sax, it also demonstrates his facility on flute, bass and vocals, as well as his talents as a composer, producer and arranger. Stylistically, Albright stays on familiar terrain, not venturing far from his trademark R&B-flavored sound, but the tunes on the album are so likable, and so energetic, that they draw you in and keep you interested. The title track, which opens the disc, sets the tone. An ebullient urban-jazz number, it features punchy horns, a muscular alto sax lead and some very funky bass from Albright. The saxophonist played in Phil Collins’ 1998 Big Band project, and on Slam Dunk he tips his hat to his former bandleader by covering “True Colors,” a hit for both Collins and Cyndi Lauper. Both pop stars recorded the song as a ballad, but Albright’s version-which features background vocals by the saxophonist and his daughter Selina-picks up the tempo a bit, pairing a peppy alto lead with a midtempo groove. Albright delivers a slow-burning take on James Brown’s “It’s a Man’s Man’s Man’s World,” the intimate, sultry open gradually escalating into a big, full production with Albright serving as his own horn section. Two tracks on the album memorialize people close to Albright. The saxophonist celebrates his old friend George Duke, who passed away last year, with the gently grooving “The Duke,” and pays heartfelt tribute to his late mother-in-law with the sweet, appropriately titled closer, “The Gospel.” ~ Lucy Tauss https://jazztimes.com/reviews/albums/gerald-albright-slam-dunk/

Recorded in Denver, Colorado and Wallingford, Connecticut (hometown of co-producer/co-writer/keyboardist Chris "Big Dog" Davis), Albright is also supported on this CD by drummer Jerohn Garnett, guitarist Rick Watford, and his daughter, Selina Albright, on vocals.

Slam Dunk

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Lee Morgan - Live At The Lighthouse Disc1, Disc2, Disc3

Album: Live At The Lighthouse Disc 1

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 1996
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 63:16
Size: 145,4 MB
Art: Front

( 2:00)  1. Introduction By Lee Morgan
(15:16)  2. The Bee Hive
(22:42)  3. Absolutions
(11:22)  4. Peyote
(11:53)  5. Speedball

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Album: Live At The Lighthouse Disc 2

Time: 64:44

Size: 148,7 MB

(17:50)  1. Nommo

(18:58)  2. Neophilia

(13:01)  3. Something Like This

(14:54)  4. I Remember Britt

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Album: Live At The Lighthouse Disc 3

Time: 55:44

Size: 128,1 MB

(13:47)  1. Aon

(16:06)  2. Yunjanna

(12:10)  3. 416 East 10th Street

(13:39)  4. The Sidewinder - Live

This double LP, which was trumpeter Lee Morgan's next-to-last recording, contains four lengthy side-long explorations by the trumpeter's regular quintet of the period (with Bennie Maupin on tenor, flute and bass clarinet, pianist Harold Mabern, bassist Jymie Merritt and drummer Mickey Roker). The music is very modal-oriented and probably disappointed many of Morgan's longtime fans but he had gotten tired of playing the same hard bop-styled music that he had excelled at during the past decade and was searching for newer sounds. The influence of the avant-garde and early fusion is also felt in spots but the trumpeter's sound was still very much intact and he takes some fiery solos that still sound lively decades later. ~ Editorial Reviews https://www.amazon.com/Live-at-Lighthouse-Lee-Morgan/dp/B000005H1P

Players Include: Lee Morgan (trumpet); Bennie Maupin (flute, tenor saxophone); Harold Mabern (piano); Jymie Merritt (bass); Mickey Roker (drums); Jack DeJohnette (drums)

Live At The Lighthouse Disc 1, Disc 2, Disc 3

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Les Blue Stars - Pardon My English, Henri Salvador Plays The Blues

Styles: Vocal, Guitar Jazz
Year: 2000
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 57:32
Size: 132,5 MB
Art: Front

(2:58)  1. Jumpin' At The Woodside
(2:35)  2. C'est La Vie
(3:10)  3. Broadway At Basin Street
(2:34)  4. Grapevine
(2:23)  5. I'll Remember April
(2:27)  6. A Smooth One
(2:38)  7. All Of A Sudden My Heart Sings
(2:42)  8. Small Talk
(2:57)  9. I'm Lost Without You Tonight
(2:00) 10. Move
(2:35) 11. Did You Close Your Eyes (When We Kissed)
(2:30) 12. Bernie's Tune
(2:46) 13. Don't Be That Way
(3:43) 14. Please Be Kind
(2:52) 15. Stardust
(2:25) 16. Promises And Lies
(7:02) 17. Salvador Plays The Blues
(3:27) 18. Don't Blame Me
(3:38) 19. Stompin' At The Savoy

In 2002, Universal Music released Pardon My English/Plays the Blues, which combined a four-song 1956 EP and the 1957 LP Pardon My English by French jazz vocal group Les Blue Stars, as well as a three-song 1956 session by French jazz guitarist and vocalist Henri Salvador on one compact disc. ~ Tim Sendra https://www.allmusic.com/album/pardon-my-english-plays-the-blues-mw0000234381

Personnel: Double Bass – Pierre Michelot (tracks: 17 to 19); Drums – Jean-Baptiste "Mac Kac" Reilles (tracks: 17 to 19); Guitar, Vocals – Henri Salvador (tracks: 17 to 19); Vocals – Blossom Dearie (tracks: 1 to 4), Christian Chevalier* (tracks: 1 to 4), Christiane Legrand (tracks: 1 to 4), Claudine Barge (tracks: 5 to 16), Fats Sadi (tracks: 1 to 4), Henri Tallourd (tracks: 5 to 16), Jeannine De Waleyne (tracks: 1 to 4), Jean Liesse (tracks: 5 to 16), Jean Mercadier (tracks: 1 to 16), Mimi Perrin (tracks: 5 to 16), Nadine Young (tracks: 1 to 16), Roger Guérin (tracks: 1 to 4)

Pardon My English / Henri Salvador Plays The Blues

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Lisa Bell - Back Seat

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2019
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 51:37
Size: 119,2 MB
Art: Front

(4:19)  1. Back Seat
(3:56)  2. I Can't Stand the Rain
(3:56)  3. The Road is Always Longer
(4:46)  4. Take Me to the Other Side
(4:24)  5. I Don't Know What You Want from Me
(4:13)  6. Always Chasing Darkness
(4:02)  7. What Went Wrong
(4:23)  8. My Love
(4:34)  9. India
(4:15) 10. Get in the Flow
(4:01) 11. Inspiration
(4:42) 12. Meet Me in the Space Between

Everything began in an off-the-grid cabin in the Colorado backwoods, where Bell wrote the bulk of Back Seat's 12 songs. The title track "Back Seat," which doubles as the album's only co-written tune (penned alongside fellow Coloradan Andy Ard), kicks things off with sultry vocals and the story of a career in motion, while "The Road is Always Longer" mixes blasts of brass with a subtle salute to blues-rock icons like Bonnie Raitt. Elsewhere, Bell gets atmospheric with the lushly layered "India,” gives herself a pep talk during "Get in the Flow," and rides a punchy, keyboard-heavy groove with "What Went Wrong," all before bringing Back Seat to a soothing stop with the chill, mid-tempo "Meet Me in the Space Between." Sharing the spotlight with electric piano, organ, electric guitar, saxophone, and even ukulele. With production by Evan Reeves  a fellow resident of Boulder, Colorado Back Seat is her most focused album to date, with songs that show the full range of her abilities. https://store.cdbaby.com/cd/lisabell14

Back Seat

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McCoy Tyner, Bobby Hutcherson - Manhattan Moods

Styles: Piano, Vibraphone Jazz
Year: 1994
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 57:48
Size: 133,7 MB
Art: Front

(8:40)  1. Manhattan Moods
(7:57)  2. Blue Monk
(6:50)  3. Dearly Beloved
(3:58)  4. I Love You Porgy
(6:54)  5. Isn't This My Sound Around Me?
(6:00)  6. Soul Eyes
(4:49)  7. Travelin' Blues
(5:53)  8. Rosie
(6:42)  9. For Heaven's Sake

The pairing of pianist McCoy Tyner and vibraphonist Bobby Hutcherson had them teamed up with firebrands of modern jazz in the '60s, but some 20 years later they made this recording in duet performance with their minds focused on the mellow side. That's not to say their progressive ideas are completely harnessed, but this recording is something lovers of dinner music or late-night romantic trysts will equally appreciate. They play a mix of standards and originals with the genius inventiveness and spontaneous interplay you would expect, while also elongating beautiful melodies that will warm any cold or bitterly emotional situation. Where Tyner's single-minded witty and improvisational extrapolations are always a part of his musical persona, Hutcherson varies the sonic imprint, playing the noble wooden marimba on several tracks, lending a more earthy, organic feeling. 

There's magic in the air, or at the very least a common ground of shared values that makes this combination of two great musicians turn everything golden. A take on Thelonious Monk's "Blue Monk" is a shining example of how to make a well-worn standard all your own, as the pianist imbues a pure Kansas City blues flavor into the tune, and Hutcherson's marimba leads it carefully into new, woodsy territory. Mal Waldron's "Soul Eyes" is interpreted as faithfully and profoundly as the original, but with new voicings sans a rhythm section, taking the adoring melody into deeper fathoms. Tyner's signature chord accents during "Dearly Beloved" echo the splendid title as tacked onto Hutcherson's shimmering vibes, while the pianist's penchant for modal foundations is clearly exuded on his partner's relaxed marimba-coded original "Isn't This My Sound Around Me?" and the definitive, dependable Tyner staple "Travelin' Blues." "Manhattan Moods," penned by the pianist, is solemn as can be, considering that it is dedicated to the rat race borough of New York City, while Hutcherson's other composition on the date, "Rosie," is as pleasant a waltz as you will hear short of what Randy Weston might do. These groundbreaking musicians are not rotating the Earth or signaling any new directions with this effort. They are completely in touch with their own hearts and souls, as well as those of humankind in general, on this exquisite and gorgeously crafted set of pure unadulterated jazz. ~ Michael G.Nastos https://www.allmusic.com/album/manhattan-moods-mw0000118821

Personnel: McCoy Tyner: piano; Bobby Hutcherson: vibes, marimba

Manhattan Moods

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Pamela Joy - I Thought About You

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2007
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 38:48
Size: 89,3 MB
Art: Front

(3:43)  1. Just Squeeze Me
(2:58)  2. You're Looking At Me
(3:59)  3. Beautiful Love
(3:24)  4. It Might As Well Be Spring
(2:31)  5. Evening
(3:22)  6. I've Grown Accustomed To His Face
(3:00)  7. You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To
(2:33)  8. I'm An Errand Girl For Rhythm
(3:31)  9. Close Your Eyes
(3:32) 10. Whisper Not
(4:04) 11. I Thought About You
(2:06) 12. Devil May Care

It is undeniable that some voices were simply made for jazz, and Pamela Joy has one of those voices. Like some of the genre’s most beloved and beguiling singers, she combines a velvety sound with a gift for understatement. It’s that pleasing combination a warm, intimate sound and cool, unpretentious style - that has won Pamela fans among a notoriously hard to please group: jazz musicians. They praise her hip approach to timing, her intimate way with lyrics, and her innate ability to swing with the best of them. A longtime San Francisco resident, Pamela Joy made her public singing debut in the San Francisco Cabaret Competition. Though new to the stage, she charmed the crowd and the judges, advancing through two rounds into the finals. Formal jazz studies followed, primarily at The Jazzschool in Berkeley, where she took classes and workshops from the likes of Kurt Elling, Tierney Sutton, Mimi Fox, Sheila Jordan and Wesla Whitfield. Any emerging vocalist is bound to draw comparisons to other singers. Pamela inevitably brings to mind the old-school vocalists. She sings with a graceful simplicity reminiscent of Astrud Gilberto, Chet Baker, or even Blossom Dearie. Her honeyed sound recalls the sensuousness of Peggy Lee or Julie London. Stylistically, she has much in common with June Christy and Anita O’Day. Pamela has performed at some of the Bay Area’s premier music venues, including The Plush Room, the Herbst Theatre, Jazz at Pearl’s and The Jazzschool. Her CD I Thought About You, dubbed “a very fine debut album” by KCSM’s Jesse “Chuy” Varela, was recently repackaged for release in Japan by Vivid Sound, and two of the CD’s tracks were picked up for a new High Note compilation called Late Afternoon Jazz Voices. https://musicians.allaboutjazz.com/pamelajoy

I Thought About You

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Paul Desmond - Glad To Be Unhappy

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1965
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 56:25
Size: 130,0 MB
Art: Front

(5:44)  1. Glad to Be Unhappy
(7:17)  2. Poor Butterfly
(6:23)  3. Stranger In Town
(4:25)  4. A Taste of Honey
(5:23)  5. Any Other Time
(4:41)  6. Hi-Lili, Hi-Lo
(6:18)  7. Angel Eyes
(6:15)  8. By the River Sainte Marie
(4:30)  9. All Across The City
(5:26) 10. All Through The Night

Even though Desmond was kidding when he described himself as the world's slowest alto player, this record bears out the kernel of truth within the jest. Here, Desmond set out to make a record of love songs and torch ballads, so the tempos are very slow to medium, the mood is of wistful relaxation, and the spaces between the notes grow longer. At first glance, Desmond may seem only peripherally involved with the music-making, keeping emotion at a cool, intellectual arms' length, yet his exceptionally pure tone and ruminative moods wear very well over the long haul. Again, Jim Hall is his commiserator and partner, and the guitarist gets practically as much space to unwind as the headliner; the solo on "Angel Eyes" is an encyclopedia of magnificent chording and single-string eloquence. Gene Wright returns on bass, spelled by Gene Cherico on "Poor Butterfly," and Connie Kay's brush-dominated drum work is pushed even further into the background. A lovely recording, though not the best album in the Desmond/Hall collaboration. ~ Richard S.Ginell https://www.allmusic.com/album/glad-to-be-unhappy-mw000045501

Personnel:  Paul Desmond - alto saxophone; Jim Hall - guitar; Gene Cherico, Eugene Wright  - bass; Connie Kay - drums

Glad To Be Unhappy

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Brian Culbertson - Secrets

Styles: Piano Jazz, Post Bop
Year: 1997
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 45:01
Size: 104,1 MB
Art: Front

(4:12)  1. So Good
(4:29)  2. On My Mind
(4:02)  3. Backstreet
(3:53)  4. Straight to the Heart
(5:04)  5. Secrets
(4:35)  6. You'll Never Find
(4:47)  7. One More Day
(6:00)  8. You're the One
(7:55)  9. At the Backroom

One of smooth jazz's brightest young keyboardists seems to be caught in the same marketing trap as his contemporaries aiming to please radio programmers first, and waiting till very late in the running order of the disc to challenge himself and listeners who have many other new and similarly likeable keyboard releases to choose from. When he finally blows his lid on Secrets and goes for broke, it's a joyous affair, as the eight-minute closing track "At the Backroom" finds Brian Culbertson jamming hardcore blues/funk and bouncing off the inspirations of older cats like Jeff Golub (guitar) and Ricky Peterson (wicked on the Hammond B-3). The tune sounds like an outtake from Golub's more adventurous solo efforts. Surprises abound Culbertson seems to close the piece, then after a short bit of silence, comes back playing smokin' trombone, giving the whole affair an authentic New Orleans club flavor. On the eight previous tracks, Culbertson once again shows a mastery of cool groovin', easygoing melodies, and some tight ensemble action and yet beyond the bouncy opening cut "So Good" and the Paul Brown-produced soul-inflected "Backstreet," he's just cruising in the middle of the road with pals like Gerald Albright and Dwight Sills. As a balladeer, oddly he has never matched the compelling emotion of the home recorded "Beautiful Liar" from his 1994 debut. That song had an urgency, just as "At the Backroom" does. Much of Culbertson's middle ground between those peaks has found him a bit too complacent. ~ Jonathan Widran https://www.allmusic.com/album/secrets-mw0000595468

Personnel: Brian Culbertson - piano, keyboards & drum programming; Steve Cole - tenor saxophone; Dwight Sills - guitar; Richard Patterson - bass; Lenny Castro - percussion; Nanette Frank - lead & background vocals; Teresa Davis & Dianne Madison - background vocals

Secrets

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