Saturday, May 23, 2020

Katrine Madsen - Winter Sun

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2020
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 41:13
Size: 94,9 MB
Art: Front

(4:06)  1. Alfie
(5:56)  2. Both Sides Now
(2:58)  3. Winter Sun
(6:20)  4. A Lovely Summer's Dream
(6:00)  5. Send in the Clowns
(4:22)  6. Traveler
(6:40)  7. In Your Embrace
(4:48)  8. You Are so Beautiful

Winter Sun is a pure solo project in which Katrine Madsen accompanies herself on the grand piano, and this is the first time the singer with the warm and hearty voice chooses to provide both vocals and music. On her previous albums Katrine Madsen has always performed with orchestras of varying size and composition. With 'Winter Sun', she takes a step away from this setup and places herself in the group of jazz vocalists who, through time, have accompanied themselves. And on the record you can find inspiration from singers such as Shirley Horn and Ernestine Anderson, while Katrine Madsen's compositions lead listeners' thoughts on musicians such as Toots Thielemans and Bill Evans. The repertoire of 'Winter Sun', recorded in 'The Village Recording', is a mix of American song tax classics and compositions. Translate by Google https://www.gatewaymusicshop.dk/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=1563

Winter Sun

Friday, May 22, 2020

Andrea Tessa - Jazzy!

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2010
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 43:15
Size: 100,0 MB
Art: Front

(4:27)  1. Arthur's Theme
(3:58)  2. Comecar de Novo
(3:56)  3. You Can Leave Your Hat On
(3:26)  4. So In Love
(3:33)  5. Holding Back The Years
(6:06)  6. Caruso
(4:40)  7. I Just Wanna Stop
(3:16)  8. Sentencia
(4:20)  9. You Don't Know Me
(5:31) 10. Eu Sei Que Vou Te Amar

Singer Andrea Tessa debuted in 1979 while representing Chile at Viña del Mar's Festival with a song called "Decir te Quiero," composed by Scottie Scott. An appearance on a TV show called Lunes Gala performing "Lost Love Concerto" soon followed. Andrea Tessa's spontaneous and sparkling personality allowed her to get a deal hosting a TV show called Estudio 26 and in 1984, Más Música, becoming the first Chilean VJ. In 1989, the artist played a role in a soap opera called Bravo, acting along with Latin star Roberto Vander and local Bastián Bodenhofer. In 1994, following one of her priorities, Andrea Tessa recorded Páginas, an album produced by Juan Carlos Duque. ~ Drago Bonacich https://www.allmusic.com/artist/andrea-tessa-mn0002303239

Jazzy!

Thursday, May 21, 2020

Helen Merrill - Dream Of You

Styles: Vocal
Year: 1956
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 39:41
Size: 92,8 MB
Art: Front

(2:35)  1. People Will Say We're In Love
(3:24)  2. By Myself
(4:11)  3. Any Place I Hang My Hat Is My Home
(3:34)  4. I've Never Seen
(3:02)  5. He Was Too Good To Me
(3:10)  6. A New Town Is A Blue Town
(3:26)  7. You're Lucky To Me
(2:46)  8. Where Flamingos Fly
(2:55)  9. Dream Of You
(4:08) 10. I'm A Fool To Want You
(3:09) 11. I'm Just A Lucky So And So
(3:16) 12. Troubled Waters

One thing that set Helen Merrill apart from other '50s jazz singers was her acutely dramatic vocal style. Her earnest phrasing, elongated notes, and incandescent tone might even strike the contemporary listener as qualities more appropriate for the Broadway stage than a jazz club. On 1955's Dream of You, though, Merrill found reconciliation, sounding both melodramatic and swinging within Gil Evans' darkly spacious, yet economical arrangements. Suitably, torchy ballads are prominent. On the somewhat grandiose side there's "Where Flamingos Fly" and "I'm a Fool to Want You," which find Merrill in a pensive mood amidst a variety of tempo and timbre shifts. More subdued ground is covered on "I've Never Seen" and "He Was Too Good to Me." Briskly swinging numbers like "People Will Say We're in Love," "By Myself," and "You're Lucky to Me" balance the program and feature the demure, yet fluid delivery Merrill favored on fast numbers. What is most impressive on this date is a group of sultry, medium tempo numbers including "Anyplace I Lay My Hat Is Home," "Just a Lucky So and So," and in particular "A New Town Is a Blue Town." The programmatic quality of Merrill's coyly sensual voice and Evans' slightly askew, bubbling reeds and languid rhythm conjure up dramatic, balmy southern scenes á la Tennessee Williams. In the picturesque arrangements one also hears the seeds of Evans' own future collaborations with Miles Davis. Even though her collaborations with Clifford Brown and others are great recordings, this one with Gil Evans shows off more of Merrill's expressive vocal talents, due in no small part to the sympathetic and urbane arrangements. ~ Stephen Cook https://www.allmusic.com/album/dream-of-you-mw0000090446

Personnel: Helen Merrill - vocals;  Gil Evans - arranger, conductor;  John LaPorta - clarinet, alto saxophone;  Jerome Richardson - flute, alto saxophone, tenor saxophone;  Danny Bank - baritone saxophone;  Art Farmer, Louis Mucci - trumpet;  Jimmy Cleveland, Joe Bennett - trombone;  Hank Jones - piano;  Janet Putnam - harp; Barry Galbraith - guitar; Oscar Pettiford - double bass;  Joe Morello - drums

Dream Of You

V.A. - Maestros of Cool : A Tribute To Steely Dan Vol. 1 And Vol. 2

Styles: Jazz-Rock, Fusion
Year: 2007
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 129:11
Size: 298,6 MB
Art: Front

 1. Nathan Haines - Fm ( 4:39)
 2. Stereo - Remember ( 5:02)
 3. Debbie Deane - Any World ( 4:08)
 4. Raw Stylus - 37 Hours ( 5:24)
 5. Nash Kato - Dirty Work ( 3:37)
 6. Pam Bricker - Home At Last ( 4:58)
 7. Tony Gallo - Black Cow ( 5:39)
 8. GrooveTHing - The Fez ( 5:30)
 9. David Garfield - Josie ( 5:40)
10. Carl Orr - Tomorrow's Girls ( 4:21)
11. Liquid Blue - Rikki Don't Lose That Number ( 4:44)
12. Jango - Joyful Caravan ( 4:33)
13. David Garfield - Babylon Sisters ( 6:26)
14. Chuck Loeb - Maxine ( 5:26)
15. Don Braden - Kid Charlemagne ( 6:38)
16. hr-Bigband - Pretzel Logic ( 5:26)
17. Justin Morell - My Rival ( 4:47)
18. Abebi Stafford - Green Earrings ( 4:09)
19. Gustavo Assis-Brasil - Aja ( 7:02)
20. Stolen Van - Aves of Altamira ( 5:40)
21. Alex Gunia & Philipp Van Endert - Third World Man ( 6:45)
22. Cornelius Bumpus - Chain Lightning ( 5:06)
23. Ben Lacy - Hey Nineteen ( 3:16)
24. Trinity - Steal It Again Dan (10:04)

A fabulous compilation of cover versions of songs from Steely Dan, MAESTROS OF COOL is far too good for the tribute album stamp. What we've got here is a compilation disc featuring an incredibly wide assemblage of musicians, most of whom, although likely unknown to listeners, have not only been influenced by Steely Dan, but have gone on to create spectacular and unique music that ventures far beyond that of their mentors. 24 tracks on 2 CDs with artists from the USA, Europe and Australia. Featured artists include Donald Fagin, Bernard Purdie, Randy Brecker, John Patitucci and Dave Weckl. https://www.amazon.com/Maestros-Cool-Tribute-Steely-Dan/dp/B000H8SE58

Maestros of Cool: A Tribute To Steely Dan

Wednesday, May 20, 2020

Sammy Davis Jr.- A Man Called Adam

Styles: Soundtracks, Jazz 
Year: 1966
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 45:56
Size: 105,8 MB
Art: Front

(3:01)  1. Main Title - All That Jazz
(3:22)  2. I Want To Be Wanted (Song)
(2:06)  3. Go Now
(3:09)  4. Someday Sweetheart (Song)
(3:17)  5. Ain't I
(3:55)  6. Soft Touch
(2:57)  7. Claudia
(3:06)  8. All That Jazz (Song)
(5:09)  9. Back Of Town Blues (Song)
(3:57) 10. Night Walk
(3:16) 11. Whisper To One (Song)
(3:55) 12. Claudia
(2:54) 13. Crack Up (Playboy Theme)
(1:46) 14. All That Jazz (Song)

FSM revives the "Retrograde Records" label for its first new release since 1998: A Man Called Adam, a classic jazz album as well as movie soundtrack. A Man Called Adam (1966) was an independent production starring Sammy Davis Jr. as a troubled jazz trumpet player, costarring Cicely Tyson, Ossie Davis and ratpacker Peter Lawford. Louis Armstrong and Mel Torme appear in the film and on the soundtrack album as does the famously versatile Davis. Adam was notable for its prominence of African Americans both in front of and behind the camera (it was produced by Ike Jones, an associate of Nat "King" Cole). The film's composer was Benny Carter (1907-2003), who may be little-known to soundtrack collectors, but was a hugely respected jazz artist as well as a pioneering figure for African Americans in fact, the first black composer to receive screen credit for an original score for television (on M Squad). Carter worked on numerous classic musicals of the 1940s and '50s and became, on A Man Called Adam, one of only a small number of African Americans to score a motion picture.

The musical requirements of A Man Called Adam called almost entirely for jazz source music, particularly that for the lead character's band (the reason we are issuing it on our Retrograde label). Carter composed and arranged a variety of small band numbers, taking care to achieve not only musical excellence but story appropriateness in reflecting the on-screen performers. ("Night Walk," track 10, is the only score cue on the CD.) The studio musicians include Nat Adderley (who "ghosted" Davis's trumpet performances), Bill Berry, Kai Winding, Tyree Glenn, Junior Mance, Billy Kyle, Buster Bailey, Danny Barcelona and Jo Jones. Original lyrics are by Al Stillman. Unavailable since the Reprise Records LP in 1966, A Man Called Adam is a jazz classic soundtrack with historical significance, and has been remixed here from the three and four-track master tapes for excellent stereo sound. Liner notes are by Jon Burlingame, documenting the film, Carter's importance, and the various selections. https://www.filmscoremonthly.com/cds/detail.cfm/CDID/382/Man-Called-Adam-A/

A Man Called Adam

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

Tuesday, May 19, 2020

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

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

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

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

Saturday, May 16, 2020

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

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


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

Friday, May 15, 2020

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

Thursday, May 14, 2020

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

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

Wednesday, May 13, 2020

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

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

Tuesday, May 12, 2020

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

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


Monday, May 11, 2020

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