Wolfgang Muthspiel, Scott Colley, Brian Blade - Angular Blues

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 2020
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 53:54
Size: 124,0 MB
Art: Front

(7:20)  1. Wondering
(5:55)  2. Angular Blues
(5:15)  3. Hüttengriffe
(7:42)  4. Camino
(3:50)  5. Ride
(6:52)  6. Everything I Love
(7:41)  7. Kanon in 6/8
(3:34)  8. Solo Kanon in 5/4
(5:41)  9. I'll Remember April

Guitarist Wolfgang Muthspiel's fourth leader date for ECM Records and his second trio outing for that storied imprint, following Driftwood (ECM Records, 2014) is a marvel of ingenious interplay, musical sensitivity and absolute sincerity. Joining forces with drummer Brian Blade, a longtime band mate, and bassist Scott Colley, a playing partner from the '90s, Muthspiel delves into the deepest recesses of his mind and sound, delivering a program which is as absorbing as it is refreshing.  Recorded in Tokyo after a three-night, six-set run at that city's Cotton Club, Angular Blues provides a picture of an outfit which is at once relaxed and attentive. The opener "Wondering," with Colley's warm and wide bass in a featured role is marked by gossamer graces and substantial suggestions, as all three parties weave and dance in five while taking to shadows and light. Switching gears with the title track, Muthspiel and company actively engage in somewhat evasive maneuvers, which have a quirky brilliance and mercurial character all their own, while owing acknowledged debts to both Chick Corea's Three Quartets (Warner Music, 1981) and the music of Thelonious Monk. Then, trading in shifty ideals for pure beauty, the trio delivers the soothing "Hüttengriffe." With gorgeous slow-flow aesthetics and a less-is-more outlook, it's easily one of the most attractive tunes on the record (and in Muthspiel's entire catalog).

Muthspiel works with acoustic guitar on that opening third of the album a choice which adds to the quiet and nuanced draw of the music but electric guitar owns the remainder of the program. In some places when he comps behind Colley on "Camino," for example the difference is almost unnoticeable. But the subtle boost in presence, timbre and tonal sustain all become a bit more apparent when he's out front there and in feistier settings, like "Ride." Ultimately, though, Muthspiel's personality remains intact and persuasive, regardless of which instrument he chooses to use. While Angular Blues focuses on original music with those first five numbers, the dynamic "Kanon in 6/8" and the mesmerizing "Solo Kanon in 5/4" all originating from Muthspiel's pen and mind the guitarist breaks from the norm of his previous ECM efforts by including a pair of standards in this set. "Everything I Love," with one of Colley's most memorable solos and some playful trading with Blade, and the album-ending "I'll Remember April," prioritizing melody and vibe, both prove to be standouts and complementary inclusions.
 

Calling this Muthspiel's strongest set for Manfred Eicher's lauded label may downplay the strengths of its forerunners, but that doesn't make it any less true. Angular Blues, both aligned with and apart from that which precedes it, is a winner through and through. ~ Dan Bilawsky https://www.allaboutjazz.com/angular-blues-wolfgang-muthspiel-ecm-records

Personnel: Wolfgang Muthspiel: guitar; Scott Colley: bass, acoustic; Brian Blade: drums.

Angular Blues

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Halie Loren - After Dark

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2010
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 61:03
Size: 140,8 MB
Art: Front

(3:56)  1. After Dark
(4:27)  2. Waters of March
(4:17)  3. Gray to Grand
(4:28)  4. La Vie En Rose
(4:17)  5. Thirsty
(4:06)  6. Bye Bye Blackbird
(5:50)  7. Ode To Billie Joe
(3:53)  8. Tango Lullaby
(4:17)  9. Beyond the Sea
(3:38) 10. In a Sentimental Mood
(4:36) 11. Happier Than the Morning Sun
(4:35) 12. Give Me One Reason
(4:38) 13. It's You
(3:56) 14. Time to Say Goodbye

Halie Loren conceives a new style of jazz singer on her fourth album, After Dark. While the lively alto is not averse to putting her own stamp on evergreens like "Bye Bye Blackbird" and "In a Sentimental Mood," her conception also extends to songs borrowed from various branches of the pop/rock era including folk-rock singer/songwriters (Tracy Chapman's "Give Me One Reason" and Joni Mitchell's "Carey"), pop/R&B (Stevie Wonder's "Happier Than the Morning Sun"), and country-pop (Bobbie Gentry's "Ode to Billie Joe"). She is also willing to take on material closely associated with notable interpreters (Antonio Carlos Jobim's "Waters of March," Edith Piaf's "La Vie en Rose"), and to mix in the occasional composition of her own. The package is not as eclectic as all that might make it seem, since Loren sticks to one of two sets of backup musicians, either cutting in her own studio in Eugene, Oregon, with her stage trio (pianist Matt Treder, bassist Mark Schneider, and percussionist Brian West) or outside Nashville with such noted local jazzers as guitarist Jack Jezzro and bassist Jim Ferguson. They find the jazz feel in such seemingly unlikely material as "Ode to Billie Joe," given a bass/drums accompaniment with some sax work by Bryan Cumming, and "Give Me One Reason," which actually is simple enough to provide a platform for improvisation. Throughout, Loren sings with a light touch, even when she's dipping into Portuguese, French, or Italian. When she takes on the classical crossover standard "Time to Say Goodbye," the nominal closing song ("Carey" is billed as a "bonus track"), it has none of the histrionics applied by the likes of Andrea Bocelli. Loren and her musicians never lose sight of their duty to entertain, and that keeps this lengthy, varied set floating along to its conclusion. ~ William Ruhlmann https://www.allmusic.com/album/after-dark-mw0002073052

Personnel: Vocals – Halie Loren, John Shipe (2) (tracks: 9); Baritone Saxophone – Bryan Cumming; Bass, Backing Vocals – Mark Schneider (6); Cello – Dale Bradley; Clarinet – Denis Solee (tracks: 9); Drums, Percussion – Brian West (2); Piano – Matt Treder

After Dark

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Gary Smulyan - Our Contrafacts

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2020
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 66:21
Size: 153,5 MB
Art: Front

(8:39)  1. Quarter Blues
(6:10)  2. Drink Up
(7:41)  3. Homebody
(5:43)  4. It Happens
(7:30)  5. Miles Tones
(8:11)  6. Good Riddance
(4:55)  7. How Deep
(6:46)  8. Tritonious Monk
(4:20)  9. What's Her Name
(6:21) 10. Sourpuss

A contrafact, a longtime jazz convention, is an original melody superimposed over the chord progression of a preëxisting song. If, in the course of listening to “It Happens,” from the baritone saxophonist Gary Smulyan’s intriguing album “Our Contrafacts,” you find yourself humming Michel Legrand’s “Watch What Happens,” well, you’ve got the idea. Smulyan, a mainstream master of the big horn, has devoted previous albums to contrafacts composed by others; here, he and his sterling associates, David Wong on bass and Rodney Green on drums, contribute their own clever adaptations, which provide fertile terrain for improvisation invention upon reinvention, as it were. ~ Steve Futterman https://www.newyorker.com/goings-on-about-town/night-life/gary-smulyan-our-contrafacts

Personnel: Baritone Saxophone – Gary Smulyan; Bass – David Wong; Drums – Rodney Green

Our Contrafacts

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Dave Stryker - Blue To The Bone IV

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 2013
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 61:44
Size: 141,8 MB
Art: Front

(8:32)  1. Blues Strut
(8:33)  2. Workin'
(5:25)  3. For The Love Of You
(5:43)  4. Come On In My Kitchen
(7:41)  5. Big Foot
(7:20)  6. Blues For Brother Jack
(8:00)  7. Shades Ahead
(7:09)  8. Fun
(3:16)  9. Soul Power

Dave Stryker s music is deeply rooted in blues, having performed with Jack McDuff in the 80s and Stanley Turrentine in the 90s. Dave s special blend of jazz and blues culminated first time in 1996 in the form of Blue To The Bone I (SCCD 31400). Since then the project has become a popular on-going series. The fourth addition features Stryker s regular organ trio (Jared Gold on B-3 and McClenty Hunter on drums). There are solid solos from all hands throughout the album .... 

Based on the personnel and the feeling of these performances, I'd like to catch this group live . (Owen Cordle JazzTimes on Blue To The Bone III SCCD 31465) As great as the first set was, it's without hesitation that I deem this new one a valiant leap forward. .....They, along with the charts and an elation that the blues almost paradoxically provide, make for an end product that is indeed greater than the sum of the parts (C. Andrew Hovan-AAJ on Blue To The Bone II SCCD 31524) ~ Editorial Reviews https://www.amazon.com/Blue-Bone-IV-Dave-Stryker/dp/B00AZAJXDU

Personnel:  Dave Stryker – guitar; Freddie Hendrix – trumpet; Steve Slagle – alto sax; Vincent Gardner – trombone; Gary Smulyan – bari sax; Jared Gold – Hammond B3 organ; McClenty Hunter – drums

Blue To The Bone IV

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Freddie Hubbard - The Black Angel

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 2005
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 45:42
Size: 105,2 MB
Art: Front

(16:58)  1. Spacetrack
( 8:20)  2. Eclipse
( 8:20)  3. The Black Angel
( 6:41)  4. Gittin' Down
( 5:21)  5. Coral Keys

Freddie Hubbard released The Black Angel in the same year as the landmark Miles Davis album Bitches Brew. Its obvious Hubbard wanted to appeal to the emerging crossover rock/jazz crowd of the era. The presence of bop, however, still permeated Hubbard's playing, unlike Miles who had long since dropped the form. The opening Hubbard composition "Spacetrack" contains fiery avant garde interplay between Hubbard, James Spaulding on alto and Kenny Barron's electric piano. Thanks to Spaulding and bassist Reggie Workman, much of the playing here maintains intensity. 

The other Hubbard penned originals, "Gittin Down" is an urgent hard swinging boogaloo and the ballad "Eclipse" features Spaulding on flute and Barron on piano. "Coral Keys" written by Walter Bishop, Jr. and Barron's "Black Angel have a Latin tinge highlighted by Spaulding's soaring flute and the congas of Carlos "Patato" Valdes. An enjoyable session leaving the impression Hubbard was preparing to take a different musical direction. ~ Al Campbell https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-black-angel-mw0000054744

Personnel: Trumpet – Freddie Hubbard; Alto Saxophone; Piano, Electric Piano – Kenny Barron; Flute – Jimmy Spaulding ; Bass – Reggie Workman; Congas, Maracas – Carlos "Potato" Valdes; Drums – Louis Hayes

The Black Angel

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Thad Jones, The Mel Lewis Orchestra - All My Yesterdays: The Debut 1966 Recordings at the Village Vanguard (Live)

Album: All My Yesterdays: The Debut 1966 Recordings at the Village Vanguard (Live)  Disc 1

Styles: Jazz, Hard Bop 

Year: 2016

File: MP3@320K/s

Time: 48:36

Size: 112,0 MB

Art: Front

(13:22)  1. Back Bone

( 4:22)  2. All My Yesterdays

( 5:51)  3. Big Dipper

( 4:49)  4. Mornin' Reverend

(14:25)  5. The Little Pixie

( 5:45)  6. Big Dipper

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Album: All My Yesterdays: The Debut 1966 Recordings at the Village Vanguard (Live) Disc 2

Time: 76:51

Size: 177,2 MB

( 4:38)  1. Low Down

( 5:25)  2. Lover Man (Oh Where Can You Be?)

(10:08)  3. Ah, That's Freedom

( 4:28)  4. Don't Ever Leave Me

( 6:15)  5. Willow Weep for Me

( 5:51)  6. Mean What You Say

(12:45)  7. Once Around

( 4:02)  8. Polka Dots & Moonbeams

( 5:49)  9. Mornin' Reverend

( 4:25) 10. All My Yesterdays

(12:59) 11. Back Bone

Offering: Live at Temple University (Resonance Records, 2014), Getz/Gilberto '76 (Resonance Records, 2016), Moments in Time (Resonance Records, 2016)...and these are just the most recent (not to forget several Wes Montgomery) releases. Resonance Records steps up (again) and releases what can only be considered the apotheosis of live jazz performance, All My Yesterdays: The Debut 1966 Recordings at the Village Vanguard. Before even considering the music, there is the captured ambiance. Recorded by a then 19-year old amateur engineer, George Klaban, the period technology may be lacking by today's standards. Maybe even Klaban's amateur status could call things into question. However, the results provide the listener with a very intimate listening experience that only lacks the smell of just-lit Lucky Strikes and Cutty Sark on the rocks. Klaban's gig pack included a Crown Professional two Track stereo tape recorder, an Ampex four-input mixer and six mics (Neumann U67, Bayer and AKG professional mics and an Electro Voice 654 Dynamic, the last used for the bass). Klaban details that he placed one mic each for the reeds, trombones, and trumpets, the fourth for the bass, the fifth for the piano and the last for the leader, Thad Jones. The result of this alchemic paradigm is a presence, not in the audience, but up over the middle of the band looking (hearing) down (a physical impossibility given the compressed confines of the Village Vanguard).

Nonetheless, the sound and atmosphere is electrically charged and immediate. The sound is spacious enough to get up and walk around in, passing through all of the sections. It is musical arrangement as subatomic metaphor...each musical element interacting with and against one another to produce a compounded product of rare substance and beauty. It is immediately evident that there is something special taking place. Queue up the first performance of the Thad Jones composition and arrangement "Back Bone" and listen. Alto saxophonist Jerry Dodgion spits out an unaccompanied blues chorus of spurred on with shouts and encouragement from the band with Thad Jones himself anticipating the entry of the whole band with a grand, "Yeah!" This is unbridled joy in music making. Evidence of Bill Basie is all over the charts, in both the riffing and solos. Altoist Jerome Richardson introduces "Little Dipper" twice and pianist (and Thad Jones' brother) Hank Jones channel the spirit of the still living Count Basie. This is, simply, what live music is all about: invention, spontaneity, improvisation, and spring freshness. Hear from where all big band since has come. ~ C.Michael Bailey https://www.allaboutjazz.com/all-my-yesterdays-the-debut-1966-recordings-at-the-village-vanguard-thad-jones-resonance-records-review-by-c-michael-bailey.php

Personnel: Thad Jones – flugelhorn; Mel Lewis – drums; Hank Jones – piano; Richard Davis – bass; Sam Herman – guitar; Jerome Richardson – alto saxophone, soprano saxophone, clarinet, bass clarinet, flute; Jerry Dodgion – alto saxophone; Joe Farrell – tenor saxophone, clarinet, flute; Eddie Daniels – tenor saxophone, clarinet, bass clarinet; Pepper Adams – baritone saxophone; Snooky Young – trumpet; Jimmy Owens – trumpet; Bill Berry – trumpet; Jimmy Nottingham – trumpet; Bob Brookmeyer – trombone; Jack Rains – trombone; Garnett Brown – trombone; Cliff Heather – trombone

All My Yesterdays: The Debut 1966 Recordings at the Village Vanguard(Live)Disc1,Disc2

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Dee Dee Bridgewater - This Is New

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2002
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 61:25
Size: 140,8 MB
Art: Front

( 3:47)  1. This Is New
( 5:36)  2. Lost In The Stars
( 6:31)  3. Bilbao Song
( 4:56)  4. My Ship
( 5:38)  5. Alabama Song
( 4:54)  6. The Saga Of Jenny
( 3:54)  7. Youkali
( 5:50)  8. I'm A Stranger Here Myself
( 4:17)  9. Speak Low
( 4:40) 10. September Song
(11:15) 11. Here I'll Say

JazzSet host Dee Dee Bridgewater has a new album: This is New, a collection of songs by German composer Kurt Weill. The CD, released in Europe at the end of May 2002, is now out in the US and worldwide! Dee Dee's interest in Weill dates to her performance at a centennial tribute concert in Poland in March of 2000. https://www.npr.org/programs/jazzset/ddcd.html

Personnel: Dee Dee Bridgewater - Vocals; André Ceccarelli - drums; Ira Coleman - double bass; Thierry Eliez - Hammond organ, piano; Minino Garay - percussion; Antonio Hart - flute, alto saxophone; Daniele Scannapieco; Denis Leloup - trombone; Juan José Mosalini - bandoneon; Louis Winsberg - guitar; Bernie Arcadio - String Arrangements; Cecil Bridgewater - Arranger, conductor

This Is New

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Kenny Barron - Live At Bradley's

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2001
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 65:51
Size: 151,5 MB
Art: Front

(15:29)  1. Everybody Loves My Baby But My Baby Don't Love Nobody But Me
(11:26)  2. Solar
( 9:40)  3. Blue Moon
(13:23)  4. Alter Ego
(15:51)  5. Canadian Sunset

Kenny Barron is most famous for his role as leader of the trio, which backs the majority of the 'big names' in jazz, at one time or another. He is so good at it, that he could even get along well with Stan Getz, who was notoriously critical of everyone he played with. There are not too many pianists who are both sympathetic to the featured artist in an accompanying role and outstanding soloists themselves; Oscar Peterson is one, Kenny Barron another. Kenny is also a remarkable jazz educator, he has taught many of today's younger musicians. Like Peterson he combines excellent technique with perfect taste and never fails to swing. The support role on this occasion is played by Ray Drummond who plays in just the right way for this sort of trio, always sensitive to the soloist and with a fine tone on the instrument. Drummer Ben Riley confirms something I have felt for a long time, you don't have to make a lot of noise to swing!

There are five tracks; some 65 minutes of music, each track is long enough for us to here Kenny's creative improvisations on each sequence. 'Every body loves my baby' was a favourite tune of Fats Waller, but Kenny Barron turns it into something new and exciting. 'Solar' is a Miles Davies composition and the treatment is be-bop piano at it's very best. 'Blue Moon' the Rogers and Hart standard, is an old tune we have all played many times, but once again the treatment it receives here revives it. Even the sadness of the lyric is reflected in parts of the performance, even though there is no vocal! 'Alter Ego' is the composition of another jazz pianist James Williams and the performance reflects it's romantic theme. 'Canadian Sunset' is a very well known tune, but it has not occurred on any other CD in my considerable collection. This interpretation makes me feel it should be heard in a jazz setting more often, or is it that Kenny Barron has a knack of making every tune he plays sound like a great jazz vehicle? The record was recorded at Bradley's, which once upon a time was a famous Piano Room in New York, where everyone on the New York jazz scene congregated, before and after work. If Kenny Barron was there often I'm not surprised! 

http://www.musicweb-international.com/jazz/2001/Feb01/barron.htm

Personnel: Kenny Barron - Piano,  Ray Drummond - Double Bass,  Ben Riley - Drums

Live At Bradley's

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Lisa Loeb - The Very Best Of Lisa Loeb

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2006
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 60:05
Size: 139,1 MB
Art: Front

(3:43)  1. I Do
(3:00)  2. Underdog
(4:07)  3. Falling In Love
(2:45)  4. Let's Forget About It
(3:49)  5. How
(3:38)  6. Fools Like Me
(3:27)  7. Bring Me Up
(3:13)  8. Single Me Out (Theme From #1 Single)
(3:23)  9. Furious Rose
(3:03) 10. Stay
(2:58) 11. Truthfully
(2:53) 12. Wishing Heart
(2:38) 13. Sandalwood
(3:08) 14. Waiting For Wednesday
(3:29) 15. All Day
(3:19) 16. Taffy
(3:53) 17. Do You Sleep?
(3:30) 18. What Am I Supposed To Say?

Lisa Loeb had only one big hit and it was with her first single "Stay (I Missed You)" a tune that took her from obscurity to minor celebrity when it was included on the soundtrack of Reality Bites. Although she never had another smash hit, "Stay" was hardly the end of her career: she continued to release records every few years, racking up five additional chartings singles that usually appeared in the lower reaches of Billboard's Hot 100, and a bit higher on their Adult Top 40 charts: 1995's "Do You Sleep?," 1996's "Waiting for Wednesday," 1997's "I Do," 1998's "Let's Forget About It," and 2002's "Underdog." All six of those charting singles, along with album tracks and significant soundtrack contributions (like "How," which wound up on both the Twister soundtrack, where it was originally intended, and on Jack Frost the Michael Keaton classic about a jazz musician who is reincarnated as a giant talking snowman so he can set things right with his son), on 2006's The Very Best of Lisa Loeb, which also includes the brand new "Single Me Out," the theme song from her '06 reality show #1 Single. While Loeb never strayed very far from the sweet, gentle template she laid down with "Stay (I Missed You)," she always was friendly, melodic, and rather ingratiating. These qualities are better heard on The Very Best of Lisa Loeb than on her proper albums, which can tend to be a little samey and sugary. Those tendencies aren't completely absent here, but distilled to her best songs, Loeb is an endearing folk-pop singer/songwriter, as this enjoyable collection proves. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-very-best-of-mw0000471655

The Very Best Of Lisa Loeb

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Kenny Burrell, Art Blakey - On View At The Five Spot Cafe

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 1960
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 63:42
Size: 146,7 MB
Art: Front

( 9:48)  1. Birk's Works
(10:00)  2. Lady Be Good
( 8:23)  3. Lover Man
( 9:52)  4. Swingin'
(11:43)  5. Hallelujah
( 4:35)  6. Beef Stew Blues
( 5:29)  7. If You Could See Me Now
( 3:48)  8. 36-23-36

Kenny Burrell and Art Blakey played together infrequently during their careers, so this meeting of jazz minds is a welcome occasion. On View is a rather short set issued from club dates at the Five Spot Cafe in New York City. No matter the configuration, this is come-what-may jazz that has no pressurized content, and a relaxed atmosphere allowing the music to organically breathe and come alive naturally. This feeling comes to the fore right away on Dizzy Gillespie's "Birk's Works," a rather polite version as Burrell tosses out his discriminating versions of the melody. Incorrectly identified as "Lady Be Good," this is actually an adaptation reworked by Thelonious Monk titled "Hackensack." It's a fast jam kicked off by a signature Blakey solo, where the band flies by the seat of their pants, and good feelings are fostered through the simple and solid tenor work of Tina Brooks. Though not penned by Duke Ellington, the elegance he displayed and Burrell revered is quite evident during the ballad "Lover Man." Randy Weston's "Beef Stew Blues," Ray Brown's obscure "Swingin'," and the classic Tadd Dameron ballad "If You Could See Me Now" further illuminate how good this group could have been had they turned into a working unit. As the dawn of the '60s saw new breed jazz fomenting, Burrell, Blakey, and company proved you could still swing and remain melodic while creating new sonic vistas.~ Michael G.Nastos https://www.allmusic.com/album/on-view-at-the-five-spot-cafe-mw0000191601

Personnel: Kenny Burrell - guitar; Tina Brooks - tenor saxophone (tracks 1–2, 4); Bobby Timmons - piano (tracks 1-4); Roland Hanna - piano (tracks 5-8); Ben Tucker - bass; Art Blakey - drums

On View At The Five Spot Cafe

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Antonio Carlos Jobim - The Story Of... Antonio Carlos

Styles: Bossa Nova, Brazilian Jazz
Year: 2018
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 57:48
Size: 133,3 MB
Art: Front

(2:06)  1. Triste
(3:21)  2. Manhã de Carnaval
(2:07)  3. A Felicidade
(2:42)  4. The Girl From Ipanema
(3:09)  5. Antigua
(4:28)  6. Captain Bacardi
(2:46)  7. Desafinado
(2:23)  8. Jazz Samba (So Danco Samba)
(2:26)  9. Corcovado
(2:44) 10. Lamento
(2:35) 11. Dindi
(2:37) 12. Dreamer
(3:17) 13. Meditation
(4:19) 14. Chega de Saudade
(2:19) 15. Look To The Sky
(3:37) 16. O Morro
(3:23) 17. Berimbau
(2:17) 18. One Note Samba
(2:28) 19. Hurry Up And Love Me (Preciso de Voce)
(2:36) 20. Favela

It Has that Antonio Carlos Brasileiro de Almeida Jobim was the George Gershwin of Brazil, and there is a solid ring of truth in that, for both contributed large bodies of songs to the jazz repertoire, both expanded their reach into the concert hall, and both tend to symbolize their countries in the eyes of the rest of the world. With their gracefully urbane, sensuously aching melodies and harmonies, Jobim's songs gave jazz musicians in the 1960s a quiet, strikingly original alternative to their traditional Tin Pan Alley source. Jobim's roots were always planted firmly in jazz; the records of Gerry Mulligan, Chet Baker, Barney Kessel, and other West Coast jazz musicians made an enormous impact upon him in the 1950s. But he also claimed that the French impressionist composer Claude Debussy had a decisive influence upon his harmonies, and the Brazilian samba gave his music a uniquely exotic rhythmic underpinning. As a pianist, he usually kept things simple and melodically to the point with a touch that reminds some of Claude Thornhill, but some of his records show that he could also stretch out when given room. 

His guitar was limited mostly to gentle strumming of the syncopated rhythms, and he sang in a modest, slightly hoarse yet often hauntingly emotional manner. Born in the Tijuca neighborhood of Rio, Jobim originally was headed for a career as an architect. Yet by the time he turned 20, the lure of music was too powerful, and so he started playing piano in nightclubs and working in recording studios. He made his first record in 1954 backing singer Bill Farr as the leader of "Tom and His Band" (Tom was Jobim's lifelong nickname), and he first found fame in 1956 when he teamed up with poet Vinícius de Moraes to provide part of the score for a play called Orfeo do Carnaval (later made into the famous film Black Orpheus). In 1958, the then-unknown Brazilian singer João Gilberto recorded some of Jobim's songs, which had the effect of launching the phenomenon known as bossa nova. Jobim's breakthrough outside Brazil occurred in 1962 when Stan Getz and Charlie Byrd scored a surprise hit with his tune "Desafinado"and later that year, he and several other Brazilian musicians were invited to participate in a Carnegie Hall showcase. Fueled by Jobim's songs, the bossa nova became an international fad, and jazz musicians jumped on the bandwagon, recording album after album of bossa novas until the trend ran out of commercial steam in the late '60s. 

Jobim himself preferred the recording studios to touring, making several lovely albums of his music as a pianist, guitarist, and singer for Verve, Warner Bros., Discovery, A&M, CTI, and MCA in the '60s and '70s, and Verve again in the last decade of his life. Early on, he started collaborating with arranger/conductor Claus Ogerman, whose subtle, caressing, occasionally moody charts gave his records a haunting ambience. When Brazilian music was in its American eclipse after the '60s, a victim of overexposure and the burgeoning rock revolution, Jobim retreated more into the background, concentrating much energy upon film and TV scores in Brazil. But by 1985, as the idea of world music and a second Brazilian wave gathered steam, Jobim started touring again with a group containing his second wife Ana Lontra, his son Paulo, daughter Elizabeth, and various musician friends. At the time of his final concerts in Brazil in September 1993 and at Carnegie Hall in April 1994 (both available on Verve), Jobim at last was receiving the universal recognition he deserved, and a plethora of tribute albums and concerts followed in the wake of his sudden death in New York City of heart failure. Jobim's reputation as one of the great songwriters of the century is now secure, nowhere more so than on the jazz scene, where every other set seems to contain at least one bossa nova. ~ Richard S.Ginell  https://www.allmusic.com/artist/ant%C3%B4nio-carlos-jobim-mn0000781837/biography

The Story Of... Antonio Carlos Jobim

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Lisa Loeb - Firecracker

Styles: Vocal
Year: 1997
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 42:12
Size: 98,2 MB
Art: Front

(3:43)  1. I Do
(4:07)  2. Falling In Love
(2:58)  3. Truthfully
(2:45)  4. Let's Forget About It
(3:49)  5. How
(3:23)  6. Furious Rose
(2:53)  7. Wishing Heart
(3:38)  8. Dance With The Angels
(3:01)  9. Jake
(3:30) 10. This
(2:37) 11. Split Second
(5:43) 12. Firecracker

Lisa Loeb's debut, Tails, failed to deliver on the promise of her first single, "Stay," drifting into generic alt-pop territory when it should have played up her lilting, melodic soft side. Firecracker, her second record, suffers from similar flaws, although in many ways it's a better album. For starters, it's considerably more eclectic, with a varied, textured production ranging from jangly folk-pop and pounding rockers to lush pop. However, variety isn't always the spice of life instead of sounding accomplished, Loeb simply sounds unfocused. Still, there are a number of strong moments on the record that confirm Loeb is a talented melodicist when pushed but if she wants to make a great record, she simply needs a little more direction. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine https://www.allmusic.com/album/firecracker-mw0000596112

Firecracker

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Lisa Ono - Cheek To Cheek

Styles: Vocal And Guitar Jazz 
Year: 2009
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 45:21
Size: 104,4 MB
Art: Front

(3:11)  1. Take The A Train
(3:06)  2. Baubles Bangles And Beads
(4:00)  3. Cheek To Cheek
(3:02)  4. Satin Doll
(3:46)  5. Fly Me To The Moon
(3:29)  6. I Got Rhythm
(5:51)  7. Caravan
(3:35)  8. All Of Me
(3:44)  9. Hello Dolly
(4:01) 10. The More I See You
(3:06) 11. It Don't Mean A Thing
(4:23) 12. Caravan (Instrumental)

Lisa Ono is one of the best Japanese interpreters of contemporary bossa nova. A singer, violonista (acoustic guitar player), and songwriter, she has had her albums released internationally. To date, she has recorded 12 albums (Catupiry, 1989; Nanã, 1990; Menina, 1991; Serenata Carioca, 1992; Namorada, 1993; Esperança, 1994; Minha Saudade, 1995; Rio Bossa, 1996; Essência, 1997; Bossa Carioca, 1998; Dream, 1999; and Pretty World, 2000) with special appearances by top artists like Tom Jobim, Sivuca, Paulo Moura, Danilo Caymmi, and Toots Thielemans. Having lived in Brazil until she was ten, she took advantage of her father's connections he was a nightclub owner in the city of São Paulo and was Baden Powell's manager. Moving back to Japan, he opened the Saci Pererê nightclub, where Lisa Ono began to perform the Brazilian repertory, especially samba and bossa nova. She also founded the label Nanã, which promotes Brazilian music in Japan. ~ Alvaro Neder https://www.allmusic.com/artist/lisa-ono-mn0000413875/biography

Personnel: Lisa Ono - vocals, guitar

Cheek To Cheek

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Paul Asaro, Neville Dickie - Just You, Just Me

Styles: Piano Jazz

Year: 2000

File: MP3@320K/s

Time: 77:03

Size: 178,5 MB

Art: Front

(3:57)  1. Just You, Just Me

(5:11)  2. Wolverine Blues

(3:35)  3. Alligator Crawl

(4:29)  4. Smashing Thirds

(3:20)  5. Anitra's Dance

(5:18)  6. Tishomingo Blues

(4:12)  7. High Society

(4:39)  8. Finger Buster

(3:46)  9. All by Myself

(5:05) 10. Blueberry Rhyme

(3:51) 11. Kansas City Stomp

(4:40) 12. After You've Gone

(4:12) 13. If I Could Be with You (One Hour To-Night)

(5:02) 14. Wrap Your Troubles in Dreams (And Dream Your Troubles Away)

(2:45) 15. I Wish I Were Twins (So I Could Love You Twice as Much)

(4:00) 16. Doin' the New Low-Down

(3:44) 17. Squeeze Me

(5:08) 18. Tiger Rag

Paul Asaro is known as one of the finest of a select group of pianists who have mastered the demanding two-handed jazz and ragtime piano styles from the first half of the 20th century. The Stride piano of James P. Johnson, Willie “The Lion” Smith and Fats Waller, the New Orleans styles of Jelly Roll Morton, the ragtime of Scott Joplin and Eubie Blake, stomps, boogie woogie and swing, Asaro plays them all with a fine ear for detail, blending the elements into his own personal style. Indeed, most of Paul’s earliest influences were more recent pianists such as Dick Wellstood, Ralph Sutton and Butch Thompson, musicians who worked within these traditions while at the same time developing their own unique approach..

In a career now spanning two decades, Paul has performed at theaters and clubs worldwide and has appeared at such major venues as the Chicago Jazz Festival, Ravinia, the Toronto Jazz Festival, the Festival International de Jazz de Montreal and the Ascona Jazz Festival in Switzerland. He has performed onstage with such musical legends and luminaries as Leon Redbone, Steve Allen, Marian McPartland, Butch Thompson, Jeff Healy and Vince Giordano. He was the featured pianist in the Obie award winning Broadway production of “Jelly Roll! The Music and the Man”, performing solo and accompanying the show’s creator and star Vernel Bagneris. Asaro also played for the national tour and numerous regional theater productions of “Jelly Roll!” including a run in Philadelphia resulting in a Barrymore Award nomination for best supporting actor. Asaro has had long runs as house pianist aboard the legendary New Orleans steamboat “Delta Queen” and in Chicago with Jim Beebe’s band featuring former Louis Armstrong All-Star Barrett Deems and the legendary tenor man Franz Jackson.

Currently Asaro tours the country as accompanist to Leon Redbone, playing concerts as a duo as well as appearing on NPR’s “A Prairie Home Companion” and “Mountain Stage” and recording for Leon’s latest studio album. Paul’s piano can be heard on two recent albums by singer and guitarist Loudon Wainwright III including the 2010 Grammy Award winning “Charlie Poole Project”. Recent appearances include solo and two-piano duets with Butch Thompson and Jon Weber for the Twin Cities Jazz Festival’s “Stride Piano Night”, an extended solo tour for Allied Concert Services, and onscreen with Vince Giordano’s band in the HBO series “Boardwalk Empire”. When not on the road Paul holds down the piano chair in the seven piece jazz band “The Fat Babies”, performing weekly at the long established Chicago jazz club The Green Mill and at the Honky Tonk BBQ. The group plays a wide variety of jazz from the 1920s through the 1940s and has released two albums to critical acclaim with their Delmark Records release “Chicago Hot” being named one of the best jazz album releases of 2012 by the Chicago Tribune. https://www.jazzmusicarchives.com/artist/paul-asaro



Neville Dickie is one England's foremost stride and boogie-woogie pianists. A regular performer on BBC Radio, Dickie has made hundreds of appearances as a soloist or with his trio. One of the few British jazz pianists to score with a hit single "The Robins Return" in 1969  Dickie has continued to be embraced by British jazz enthusiasts. His 1975 album, Back to Boogie, sold more than 100,000 copies. A native of England's County Durham, Dickie spent years playing piano in working men's clubs. After serving a stint in the Royal Air Force, he relocated to London, where he continued to plow his field in the city's pubs. Auditioned by the BBC, Dickie attracted the attention of Doreen Davies, the head of BBC radio 2. With Davies' support, he became one of BBC Radio's leading artists. Dickie remains active, performing in the London area with his trio and with a band, the Rhythmakers, that he formed in 1985. ~ Craig Harris https://www.allmusic.com/artist/neville-dickie-mn0000329656/biography

Just You, Just Me

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Benny Carter - Skyline Drive and Towards

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2020
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 72:53
Size: 170,2 MB
Art: Front

(5:04)  1. Doozy
(4:35)  2. I'm The Caring Kind
(7:03)  3. Easy Money
(4:21)  4. Gorgeous! Georg!
(4:34)  5. Stompin' At The Savoy
(6:05)  6. I Want To Be Happy
(6:00)  7. Love For Sale
(8:10)  8. When Lights Are Low
(3:29)  9. I'd Love It
(3:10) 10. I Never Knew
(3:07) 11. Symphony In Riffs
(2:47) 12. Some Of These Days
(2:48) 13. Gloaming
(2:50) 14. My Buddy
(3:04) 15. I'm Coming Virginia
(2:50) 16. I'm In The Mood For Swing
(2:47) 17. Sugar

The bulk of this CD reissues a brilliant 1982 session featuring altoist Benny Carter with the tenors of Plas Johnson and Jerome Richardson, plus a variety of top European mainstream players including altoist Arne Domnerus, clarinetist Putte Wickman, trumpeter Jan Allen, and pianist Bengt Hallberg. Some of the music is reminiscent of Carter's famous European four-saxophone session of 1937, and these renditions of "Doozy" and "Easy Money" are quite definitive and exciting. In addition to the eight original selections on the LP, eight other numbers from the 1929-1939 period have been added to the set to double its length. 

These include examples of Carter's work on both alto and trumpet with McKinney's Cotton Pickers, the Chocolate Dandies, and Lionel Hampton in Europe in the 1930s, and with Teddy Wilson/Billie Holiday ("Sugar"). All in all, this CD acts both as a reminder of how strong Carter's 1982 date was, when he was a mere 75, and as a retrospective of his musical legacy. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/skyline-drive-and-towards-mw0001011137

Skyline Drive and Towards

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Paul Asaro, The Fat Babies - What A Heavenly Dream: The Fats Waller Rhythm Project

Styles:  Jazz
Year: 2012
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 54:27
Size: 125,4 MB
Art: Front

(4:27)  1. Truckin
(3:56)  2. You're My Dish
(3:29)  3. Abdullah
(3:16)  4. Got No Time
(3:55)  5. Baby Brown
(3:29)  6. Your Feet's Too Big
(5:01)  7. Lonesome Me
(3:40)  8. I Wish I Were Twins
(4:11)  9. Sweet and Slow
(3:12) 10. I'll Dance at Your Wedding
(4:14) 11. Blue, Turning Grey Over You
(3:24) 12. Don't Let It Bother You
(2:59) 13. Winter Weather
(5:08) 14. Ain'tcha Got Music

In this highly-anticipated release, Paul Asaro and The Fat Babies pay homage to the recordings of "Fats" Waller and His Rhythm. Asaro, already well known to jazz aficionados for his long association with Leon Redbone, takes center stage here with piano and vocals that recall the humor, wit, and sublime pianistic talents of Waller without ever resorting to slavish imitation. With him are The Fat Babies, favorites on the Chicago jazz scene, who fully capture the spontaneous excitement of the original Waller recordings with a fresh twist. In addition to Asaro at the piano, the band includes Andy Schumm, cornet; John Otto, clarinet; Jake Sanders, guitar; Beau Sample, bass; and Alex Hall, drums. CD includes a 12-page illustrated booklet with liner notes by Paul Asaro. https://rivermontrecords.com/products/2222?variant=39571024335

What A Heavenly Dream: The Fats Waller Rhythm Project

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Alan Broadbent - Me Time

Styles: Piano Jazz 
Year: 2019
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 72:25
Size: 166,6 MB
Art: Front

(6:33)  1. Reflections
(3:16)  2. Waterfalls
(4:47)  3. Oneness
(5:41)  4. New Horizons
(3:34)  5. Inner Harmony
(6:46)  6. Open Spaces
(5:16)  7. Find Your Space
(6:19)  8. Circles
(5:58)  9. My Time
(6:26) 10. Harmony
(3:58) 11. Be Centered
(6:45) 12. Empathy
(7:01) 13. Simple Things

Alan Broadbent was born in Auckland, New Zealand and in 1966, at the age of 19, received a Downbeat Magazine scholarship to attend Berklee College of Music in Boston. In 1969 he was asked to join Woody Herman’s band as his pianist and arranger for 3 years. In 1972 he settled in Los Angeles, beginning a musical relationship with the legendary singer Irene Kral (no relation to Diana Krall). Soon he was also invited into the studio scene as a pianist for the great Nelson Riddle, David Rose and Johnny Mandel. In the early 90s he was asked to be a part of Natalie Cole’s famous “Unforgettable” cd, at which time he toured as her pianist and, a little while later, as her conductor. At this time he wrote an orchestral arrangement for her second video with her dad, “When I Fall In Love”, which won him his first Grammy Award for “best orchestral arrangement accompanying a vocal”.

Turning Points:
Shortly after, he became a member of Charlie Haden’s Quartet West, touring the festivals of Europe, UK and the USA. It was while with this group that he won his second Grammy, an orchestral accompaniment written for Shirley Horn of Leonard Bernstein’s “Lonely Town”. As a soloist and with his jazz trio, Broadbent has been nominated for Grammys twice for best instrumental performance, in the company of such artists as Herbie Hancock, Sonny Rollins and Keith Jarrett. In 2007 he was awarded the New Zealand Order of Merit, an honor he holds in high regard.

The Now:
Broadbent is Diana Krall’s conductor for her occasional orchestra concerts and is the conductor on her “Live in Paris” DVD. Recently he has been the arranger on Glenn Frey’s cd with strings, “After Hours”, and wrote six string arrangements for Sir Paul McCartney’s “Kisses On The Bottom” with the London Symphony. He has just returned from solo piano concerts in the UK, Poland and France. It has been his lifelong goal, through his orchestral arrangements and jazz improvisations, to discover, in popular music and standard songs, deeper feelings of communication and love. https://www.alanbroadbent.com/

Me Time

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Donald Byrd - At The Half Note Café Vol 1 And Vol 2

Album: At The Half Note Café Vol 1

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 1960/1997
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 63:34
Size: 146,9 MB
Art: Front

( 1:20)  1. Introduction By Ruth Mason Lion
(10:34)  2. My Girl Shirl
( 9:57)  3. Soulful Kiddy
( 8:46)  4. Child's Play
(11:18)  5. Chant
( 6:49)  6. A Portrait Of Jennie
(14:47)  7. Cecile

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Album: At The Half Note Café Vol 2

Time: 58:12

Size: 134,4 MB

(12:52)  1. Jeannine

( 6:11)  2. Pure D. Funk

( 9:55)  3. Between The Devil And The Deep Blue Sea

(10:53)  4. Theme From Mr. Lucky

(12:01)  5. Kimyas

( 6:18)  6. When Sunny Gets Blue

This 2004 remastered Rudy Van Gelder edition of Donald Byrd's At the Half Note Cafe (the original double-disc version was only issued for the first time in 2000) appears to add one extra track  "Theme (Pure D. Funk)," which clocks in at 1:51 and is also on the second volume in its full form, and a slightly shorter version of "Cecille." Here it clocks it at 12:52; on the 2000 issue it was 14:46. The sequence has also been altered slightly. The real deal is that, while this is the live date showcasing the Byrd quintet with Pepper Adams (and with Duke Pearson, Lex Humphries, and Laymon Jackson in the rhythm section), there is little here to make this worth purchasing yet again if you have the previous set. The sound is only marginally better and is likely only to be noticed by audiophiles. However, if you don't have the originals, this is one of the most essential hard bop purchases in the canon. 

The performances of Pearson of his own four tunes, five by Byrd, and the standards showcase his improvisational acumen at its height. His soloing on studio records pales in comparison. This was a hot quintet, one that not only swung hard, but possessed a deep lyricism and an astonishing sense of timing, and one need only this set by them to feel the full measure of their worth. Forget the Riverside date that caught them live early on; this is the one. ~ Thom Zurek https://www.allmusic.com/album/donald-byrd-at-the-half-note-cafe-vols-1-2-mw0000594775

Personnel: Trumpet – Donald Byrd;  Baritone Saxophone – Pepper Adams; Bass – Laymon Jackson; Drums – Lex Humphries; Piano – Duke Pearson

At The Half Note Café Vol 1 And Vol 2

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Tianna Hall, The Mexico City Jazz Trio - Lost In The Stars

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2007
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 64:46
Size: 149,2 MB
Art: Front

(5:21)  1. You Don't Know Me
(3:36)  2. Fever
(6:31)  3. Lost In The Stars
(4:35)  4. The Way You Look Tonight
(4:19)  5. In The Wee Small Hours Of The Morning
(4:07)  6. Pure Imagination
(5:06)  7. In The Still Of The Night
(3:27)  8. It's Alright With Me
(4:45)  9. As Long As He Needs Me
(4:22) 10. If I Were A Bell
(4:25) 11. What A Difference A Day Makes
(4:03) 12. Cool
(5:50) 13. At Last
(4:13) 14. Old Friend

Rising star in the world of vocal jazz, Tianna Hall delivers with an exceptionally creative album featuring the musicianship and improvisational skill of her band, the Mexico City Jazz Trio: Agustin Bernal-Bass, Miguel Villicana-Piano & Gabriel Puentes-Drums. Then, of course there is her buttery phrasing and lush tone... purrrrrrfect...

Tianna Hall is a 27 year-old Vocalist from Houston, Texas and a former titleholder of the Miss America Organization. She began honing her craft at the age of 4 and only found her musical path and rightful destination three years ago in jazz. She was working professionally in regional musical theater houses & performing as a 'legit' operatic vocalist for 10 years before Houston pianist/composer/arranger Paul English encouraged her to pursue jazz. Her natural ability and instincts would allow her to blossom into an exceptional jazz vocalist and she soon became the most sought after working singer in the city. 

Tianna has been blessed to work with some of the finest musicians in the world and is thrilled about this release with her band from Mexico. She was encouraged by bandleader, bassist and mentor Agustin Bernal to come down to Mexico City to record with his trio and this spectacular musical endevour is the end result. Some of Miss Hall's musical mentors and influences include pianists Dave Catney, Fred Hersch, Paul English, Hal Lanier, Vocalist Dana Rogers, and Duke Ellington Orchestra alumnus Marsha Frazier. Tianna's vocals are influenced by varied artists such as Otis Redding, Al Green, Marvin Gaye, Gladys Knight, Patti Labelle, Cecilia Bartoli, Renee Fleming, Maria Callas, Tony Bennett, Sarah Vaughan, Ella Fitzgerald, Diana Krall, Harry Connick, jr., Kurt Elling, Michael Buble & Jane Monheit. 

For more information please visit TiannaHall.com * jazzhouston.com. https://www.fye.com/tianna-hall---lost-in-the-stars-pid.2572340946.html

Lost In The Stars

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Chick Corea Elektric Band - Eye of the Beholder

Styles: Piano Jazz 
Year: 1988
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 53:28
Size: 122,9 MB
Art: Front

(2:43)  1. Home Universe
(4:51)  2. Eternal Child
(2:58)  3. Forgotten Past
(4:55)  4. Passage
(7:55)  5. Beauty
(1:53)  6. Cascade - Part I
(5:18)  7. Cascade - Part II
(5:50)  8. Trance Dance
(6:38)  9. Eye of the Beholder
(6:54) 10. Ezinda
(3:26) 11. Amnesia

During an era when the word "fusion" was applied to any mixture of jazz with pop or funk, Chick Corea's Elektric Band reinforced the word's original meaning: a combination of jazz improvisations with the power, rhythms and sound of rock. Eye of the Beholder, which found guitarist Frank Gambale, saxophonist Eric Marienthal and bassist John Patitucci displaying increasingly original solo voices, is one of this group's finest recordings and ranks with the best fusion of the latter half of the 1980s. ~ Scott Yanow  https://www.allmusic.com/album/eye-of-the-beholder-mw0000652324

Personnel: Chick Corea – synthesizer, piano, arranger, keyboards, producer, engineer, liner notes, mixing; Frank Gambale – guitar; Eric Marienthal – saxophone; John Novello – synthesizer (track 2 only); John Patitucci – bass;  Dave Weckl – drums

Eye of the Beholder

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