Rachael Beck - This Girl

Styles: Vocal 
Year: 2014
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 41:27
Size: 95,2 MB
Art: Front

(4:24)  1. Send In The Clowns
(4:11)  2. Only Girl (In The World)
(4:23)  3. State Of The Heart
(5:13)  4. Running Up That Hill
(3:21)  5. Sun & Moon
(5:47)  6. Love Is Everything
(3:26)  7. Bluebird
(3:22)  8. One Hand One Heart
(3:37)  9. Make You Feel My Love
(3:38) 10. Perfect Day

The success or failure of an autobiographical cabaret show is not dependent on the person’s achievements, scandals or even their prominence. Of course, scandals sell tabloids, but honesty and humility are the key ingredients in this delicate cabaret form. Rachael Beck, one of the darlings of Australian musical theatre, always performs with honesty and humility, and the result is a truly engaging account of the various roles, and life roles, of an amazing woman. Rachael Beck’s This Girl,a cabaret show sharing the name of her recently released debut solo album, is an enchanting insight into the life of a lady who has been in the limelight since the tender age of 13. We travel with Beck through her formative years, where she was seemingly unbeatable at the local eisteddfods with her Sesame Street inspired routine, through her child prodigy years in CATS, onto her ‘girl-next-door’ phase in Hey Dad! and beyond.

With all of this experience behind her, it is clear that Rachael Beck belongs on the stage. The ease of her dialogue delivery, which links her various life events with the musical score, is artful. There are times however, when the dialogue and the music are curiously incongruent, giving the impression of two competing shows running in parallel: ‘This is the story of my life’ and ‘This is an album I’ve just released’. But in all honesty, who cares? Rachael Beck’s voice is the star of the show. Her rendition of Send in the Clowns was stirring, her I Dreamed a Dream was haunting and her One Hand One Heart was pure and simple. The duets with Michael Cormick were both charming (Sun and Moon and State of the Heart) and provided an excellent device to corroborate Beck’s history through a reliable third party. This Girl also provided the opportunity for Beck to delve outside the world of musical theatre, and perform numbers like Rhianna’s Only Girl (In the World).ll technical aspects of the production were cohesive and the band (which occasionally employed tracks to beef out the sound of a 4 piece) was exceptional. Rachael Beck proves that there is much, much more to this Australian musical theatre icon than meets the eye. It takes hard work, head aches and heart aches to play a Disney princess  and even then, you don’t always live happily every after. This Girl is forever changing. https://aussietheatre.com.au/reviews/rachael-beck-girl

This Girl

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Lonnie Plaxico - West Side Stories

Styles: Jazz, Post Bop
Year: 2006
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 65:27
Size: 151,5 MB
Art: Front

( 6:41)  1. West Side Stories
( 7:22)  2. Climb Every Mountian
( 3:30)  3. I Want It To Be
( 6:27)  4. Robin's Dance
( 3:45)  5. One Less Bell To Answer
(10:06)  6. Funkadelic
( 6:03)  7. I Want To Know What Love Is
( 3:50)  8. Longer
( 7:15)  9. Duke It Out
( 6:56) 10. Speaking In Tongues
( 3:27) 11. Your Love Speaks To Me

West Side Stories, Lonnie Plaxico's eleventh recording as a leader, draws from memories of growing up in Chicago and listening to a variety of sounds from the '70s R&B, popular music and smooth jazz as well as his collaboration in the development of advanced M-Base musical concepts in the '80s. To coin a phrase from none other than the Godfather of Soul, James Brown, Plaxico might just be one the hardest working bassists in the business. He is a player with clear abilities, intensity and keen ideas who has contributed to many recordings, including releases by Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers, Greg Osby and Cassandra Wilson.

The credits for the recording suggest an M-base class reunion. Prominent stars like vocalist Cassandra Wilson and saxophonists Gary Thomas and Steve Coleman bring their progressive skills to the project. Starting with the title track, "West Side Stories, you get a hint of Plaxico's flair for music off the beaten path, complete with turbulent ostinato patterns and killer horn arrangements. Even though the bass is somewhat lost the in mix, the band handles the complex arrangement precisely, thanks to tight writing and performance. Bringing back the memories of yesteryear, covers include Burt Bacharach's "One Less Bell to Answer (featuring Steve Coleman's alto sax and Cassandra Wilson's smoky vocals) and a jazz radio-friendly version of the '70s rock group Foreigner's hit "I Want To Know What Love Is (featuring Carla Cook on vocals). Though Plaxico brings the funk on a number of tunes impressively via some serious thumb-slapping on his electric axe, upbeat joints like "Speaking in Tongues Out become exhausting and repetitious. Yet the slower tunes, "I Want It to Be and the smooth "Your Love Speaks to Me, both sung by Wilson, linger all the more in this somewhat mixed bag of new and old grooves by a clearly talented bassist.~ Mark F.Turner https://www.allaboutjazz.com/west-side-stories-lonnie-plaxico-plaxmusic-review-by-mark-f-turner.php

Personnel: Lonnie Plaxico: all basses, keyboard (3); Cassandra Wilson:vocals (3,5,8,11); Carla Cook: vocals (7); Gary Thomas: tenor sax (1,2,4,6,7,9,10); Ravi Coltrane: alto sax (6); Steve Coleman: alto sax (5,8); Gary Pikard: tenor sax (8); David Lee Jones: alto sax (11); Alex Norris: trumpet (1,2,4,6,7,9,10); Jeff Hermason: trumpet (8); Kenny Growhowski: drums; Jeff Haynes:percussion (3,8,11); Khalil Kwame Bell:percussion (6,7,11); George Colligan:B3 organ, piano, Fender Rhodes.

West Side Stories

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Ralph Moore - Furthermore

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1990
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 49:04
Size: 113,7 MB
Art: Front

(7:59)  1. Hopscotch
(8:00)  2. Monk's Dream
(8:08)  3. 310 Blues
(5:56)  4. Phoebe's Samba
(6:57)  5. Girl Talk
(7:44)  6. Into Dawn
(4:17)  7. Line D

Tenor saxophonist Ralph Moore offers up a satisfying array of neo hard bop numbers on Furthermore which features some of the up and coming stars of the Wynton Marsalis retro trad jazz school, including trumpeter Roy Hargrove, pianist Benny Green, and bassist Peter Washington, as well as veteran drummers Kenny Washington (Peter's brother) and Victor Lewis. The CD opens with the thematically rich Moore original "Hopscotch" (reminiscent of Coltrane's "Moment's Notice") and works its way through Green's driving "Phoebe's Samba" and Hargrove's Wayne Shorter inspired mood piece "Into Dawn," with all three tunes providing prime vehicles for the innovative yet restrained soloing of these young players. Abetted by streamlined sound production, the urbane and cool mood of this recording crystallizes in Moore's sinuous tenor lines and mellifluous tone heard to great effect on his readings of Neal Hefti's pop gem "Girl's Talk" and his own "310 Blues." 

Moore and company leave the full-blown delivery of Ben Webster and Coltrane behind in favor of economical performances, and as was the case with many of the original hard bop albums, it takes its cues from Sonny Rollins' Saxophone Colossus and Lee Morgan's Sidewinder. Furthermore does not break the mold so much as provide a pleasurable listening experience of the highest order. A potential dinner party classic; subtle enough not to disturb the guests, but provocative enough to elicit comments.~ Stephen Cook https://www.allmusic.com/album/furthermore-mw0000309674

Personnel: Tenor Saxophone – Ralph Moore;  Trumpet – Roy Hargrove (tracks: 1,3,4,6);  Bass – Peter Washington;  Drums – Kenny Washington (tracks: 1,3,5), Victor Lewis (tracks: 2, 4, 6,7);  Piano – Benny Green

Furthermore

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Norah Jones - Pick Me Up Off The Floor

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2020
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 45:30
Size: 105,1 MB
Art: Front

(4:42)  1. How I Weep
(3:21)  2. Flame Twin
(3:26)  3. Hurts To Be Alone
(4:12)  4. Heartbroken, Day After
(4:58)  5. Say No More
(2:38)  6. This Life
(4:28)  7. To Live
(4:16)  8. I'm Alive
(5:16)  9. Were You Watching?
(3:53) 10. Stumble On My Way
(4:16) 11. Heaven Above

Once she came to the end of the promotional cycle for 2016's Day Breaks, Norah Jones decided to challenge herself by recording a series of swift sessions with a rotating cast of collaborators. The intention was to release the results quickly, issuing them as a digital single at a time, and Jones followed through on this plan, releasing a new song every few months throughout 2018. These tunes were rounded up on 2019's Begin Again, but that wasn't the end of the project. Jones cut a number of songs during these sessions that were unreleased but not forgotten by the singer/songwriter. She kept listening to the rough mixes, eventually coming to the conclusion that these tracks would make a strong album of their own accord. Pick Me Up Off the Floor proves her instincts were correct. Lacking the purposeful digressions of Begin Again an album where the digressions were the entire point Pick Me Up Off the Floor is a tighter affair than its companion record, firmly rooted in the after-hours jazz-folk-pop hybrid that's Jones' calling card. Some of the cohesion may be due to how a good chunk of the album is anchored by her standby drummer Brian Blade, but it's also true that this record's collaboration with Jeff Tweedy is the amiably rambling "I'm Alive," a number that is firmly stationed within Jones' wheelhouse. The same could be said about Pick Me Up Off the Floor in general. There are accents and flourishes that distinguish the tunes "Flame Twin" is charged by curlicues of guitars and smears of organ, "To Live" is graced by muted horns straight out of the Big Easy but as a collection of songs, Pick Me Up Off the Floor winds up emphasizing how Jones slyly and elegantly synthesizes a pop sensibility with a jazz execution, a fusion that is comforting yet relies on her idiosyncratic twists. This blend of warmth and invention is what's so appealing about Pick Me Up Off the Floor: the shape may seem familiar, but the construction of the songs and the inventiveness of the performance keeps it fresh and surprising even after the first listen.~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine https://www.allmusic.com/album/pick-me-up-off-the-floor-mw0003360325

Pick Me Up Off The Floor

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David Hobson, Rachael Beck - My Baby Just Cares For Me

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2014
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 39:36
Size: 92,7 MB
Art: Front

(2:27)  1. Get Happy
(3:19)  2. Baby, It’s Cold Outside
(2:26)  3. Almost Like Being In Love
(2:30)  4. I Got Rhythm
(4:42)  5. Bewitched, Bothered And Bewildered
(2:48)  6. You Stepped Out Of A Dream
(2:35)  7. Let’s Call The Whole Thing Off
(5:24)  8. The Sound Of Music Medley
(2:50)  9. Stranger In Paradise
(3:06) 10. My Baby Just Cares For Me
(2:42) 11. But Not For Me
(4:41) 12. Truly Scrumptious

In a must-have Mother’s Day release from ABC Music, two of Australia’s best-loved singers combine for their first recording together. Featuring favourites from screen and stage, the album includes classics such as ‘Baby It’s Cold Outside’, ‘Get Happy’ and ‘Stranger in Paradise’. Rachael Beck is one of Australia’s most well-known and prolific stage and TV performers; David Hobson has enjoyed a career in opera and on the concert platform that has included numerous best-selling recordings and awards. Their first recording collaboration is sure to be one of the year’s finest releases. https://www.abcmusic.com.au/discography/my-baby-just-cares-me

My Baby Just Cares For Me

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Richard "Groove" Holmes, Les McCann - Players

Styles: Hard Bop, Soul-Jazz
Year: 2020
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 69:04
Size: 159,3 MB
Art: Front

(5:34)  1. That Healin' Feelin'
(4:30)  2. God Bless the Child
(3:24)  3. Next Spring
(6:21)  4. Them That's Got
(4:23)  5. How Long Blues
(8:13)  6. Good Groove
(5:57)  7. Willow Weep for Me
(5:18)  8. Just Friends
(3:12)  9. C.C. Rider
(4:08) 10. Licks a Plenty
(9:10) 11. Deep Purple
(4:43) 12. St. James Infirmary
(4:04) 13. Seven Come Eleven

Revered in soul-jazz circles, Richard "Groove" Holmes was an unapologetically swinging Jimmy Smith admirer who could effortlessly move from the grittiest of blues to the most sentimental of ballads. A very accessible, straightforward, and warm player, Holmes was especially popular in the black community and had been well respected on the Philadelphia/Southern New Jersey circuit by the time he signed with Pacific Jazz in the early '60s. He started receiving national attention by recording with such greats as Ben Webster and Gene Ammons. Best known for his hit 1965 version of "Misty," Holmes engaged in some inspired organ battles with Jimmy McGriff in the early '70s before turning to electric keyboards and fusion-ish material a few years later. The organ was Holmes' priority in the mid- to late '80s, when he recorded for Muse (he also had stints throughout his career with Prestige Records and Groove Merchant). Holmes was still delivering high-quality soul-jazz for Muse (often featuring tenor titan Houston Person) when a heart attack claimed his life at the age of 60 in 1991 after a long struggle with prostate cancer. He was a musician to the end, playing his last shows in a wheelchair. ~ Alex Henderson https://www.allmusic.com/artist/richard-groove-holmes-mn0000848952/biography

Players

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Ima - Smile

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2007
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 41:49
Size: 97,0 MB
Art: Front

(3:19)  1. At last
(3:58)  2. Smile / What a wonderful world
(3:20)  3. Jardin d'hiver
(3:45)  4. Que sera sera
(3:07)  5. Fire
(2:57)  6. Petite fleur
(2:57)  7. Le sourire de mon amour
(3:44)  8. Gracias a la vida
(3:51)  9. Laisse-moi t'aimer
(3:19) 10. Un homme (C'est beau)
(3:52) 11. Et pourtant
(3:34) 12. Reviens

French Canadian singer Ima was born Marie-Andre Bergeron on May 11, 1978. Growing up on the southern bank of Montreal, Ima spent much of her spare time learning dance, theater and song, ultimately choosing to focus on theater. In her adult life she took part in a number of successful film projects, including appearances in The Bone Collector and Eye of the Beholder. Not entirely satisfied with her dramatic career, she decided to turn her attentions to music, taking the performance name Ima, for imagination. After five years Ima recorded her first single, a song called "In Your Eyes" that was featured on an album dedicated to late Brazilian race car driver Ayrton Senna, Tribute to Ayrton Senna Her participation in a series of singing contests in 2000 and 2001 put Ima in contact with François Guy, who strongly encouraged her to make a record in French. Under the direction of drummer/industry veteran Dominique Messier (Celine Dion, Lara Fabian), Ima assembled repertoire from the country's finest songwriters for her 2002 self-titled debut release. A few years and some regional touring later, Ima set to work on her follow-up project with collaborators Tino Izzo and Alessandro Cerondolo. Pardonne Moi Si Je T'aime was released in 2005. Though targeting her French-speaking audience had treated her well, Ima chose a different direction for her third time out in 2007. Smile featured repertoire drawn from the jazz genre, sung primarily in English. Ima has since maintained a busy regional touring schedule in support of the project, which has earned slots on airplay charts throughout Canada. ~ Evan C.Gutierrez https://www.allmusic.com/artist/ima-mn0001322547/biography

Smile

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Ahmad Jamal - Digital Works

Styles: Piano Jazz 
Year: 1985
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 63:45
Size: 146,6 MB
Art: Front

(8:28)  1. Poinciana
(3:34)  2. But Not for Me
(3:22)  3. Midnight Sun
(5:14)  4. Footprints
(3:19)  5. Once Upon a Time
(7:18)  6. One
(5:23)  7. La Costa
(3:59)  8. Misty
(6:32)  9. Theme from Mash
(4:28) 10. Biencavo
(6:41) 11. Time for Love
(5:23) 12. Wave

Ahmad Jamal was never as distinctive on electric piano as he was on the acoustic counterpart, making this two-LP set, Digital Works, (which finds him doubling) a slight disappointment. Jamal does play well throughout, engaging his sidemen (bassist Larry Ball, drummer Herlin Riley, and percussionist Iraj Lashkaryl) in close interplay, but no new revelations occur on such remakes as "But Not for Me," "Wave" and Jamal's greatest hit, "Poinciana." Good music overall, but not essential. ~Scott Yanow  https://www.allmusic.com/album/digital-works-mw0000188321

Digital Works

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Klaus Doldinger - Doldinger's Best

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1992
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 70:41
Size: 162,8 MB
Art: Front

(6:10)  1. Blues For George
(6:07)  2. Two Getting Together
(4:24)  3. Minor Kick
(4:59)  4. Quartenwalzer
(4:51)  5. Fiesta
(3:37)  6. Viva Brasília
(3:35)  7. Guachi Guaro
(7:37)  8. Raga Up And Down
(6:41)  9. Saragossa
(3:04) 10. Watz of The Jive Cats
(2:36) 11. Comin Home Baby
(4:06) 12. I Feel Free
(7:47) 13. Stormy Monday Blues
(5:02) 14. Compared To What

"Klaus Doldinger is the only European jazz musician I know who has always been able to use the diverse elements in jazz as a means of self-expression.Our ways crossed in 1962 when Klaus went professional with his quartet, then being voted Germany’s best tenor player in modern jazz - and best clarinet player in traditional jazz. I was the label manager for Jazz at Philips Records at the time and would not rest before getting the chance to record Klaus’ new band. At the age of 22 I became his producer and recorded him for over a decade. Our friendship has never ended. This "Bluesy Collection" is my view of "Doldingers Best" from that period. The music reflects his deep understanding of jazz and blues and his ability to play Rhythm & Blues like no other European tenor saxophone player." (Siegfried Loch)

Doldinger's Best

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Ima - A la vida !

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2009
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 47:46
Size: 110,0 MB
Art: Front

(3:01)  1. Drôle de vie
(4:19)  2. Valparaiso
(4:01)  3. Les yeux ouverts
(3:21)  4. À quoi ça sert l'amour
(3:35)  5. Le temps des fleurs
(3:57)  6. Vai
(4:09)  7. Me & Bobby McGee
(3:59)  8. Cucurrucucu paloma
(4:14)  9. Tu verras
(3:51) 10. Matin
(3:23) 11. Dis-moi
(5:51) 12. Mourir dans tes bras

Ima's fourth album, A la Vida!, is an ornately produced collection of international pop standards, most of which date back to the 1960s and '70s. Her previous album, Smile (2007), was similarly comprised, featuring mostly French-language standards along with a little bit of original material. It was likewise produced by Guy St-Onge. Ima's vocals are once again front and center, backed by subtle string arrangements and light Latin rhythms. There isn't much differentiating A la Vida! from its predecessor other than the choice of standards. The album opens strongly with tropical-inflected versions of Véronique Sanson's "Drôle de Vie" and Paula Moore's "Valparaiso," the latter of which is the first of two English-language songs featured on the album. The other is Kris Kristofferson's "Me & Bobby Mcgee," a great country-rock song that isn't a good fit for Ima's vocal style. Elsewhere on A la Vida!, there are a couple of songs associated with the Beatles that are adapted to French: the 1966 favorite "Here There and Everywhere" and Mary Hopkin's 1968 hit "Those Were the Days," which was originally produced by Paul McCartney. Another French-language adaptation is "Yeux Ouverts," a version of "Dream a Little Dream of Me." Highlights among the French standards include Edith Piaf's "À Quoi Ça Sert l'Amour," Claude Nougaro's "Tu Verras," and Salvatore Adamo's "Mourir dans Tes Bras." Other standouts include a version of Tomás Méndez's "Cucurrucucú Paloma." Sung in Spanish by Ima, the Mexican standard is often associated nowadays with Brazilian singer/songwriter Caetano Veloso's memorable performance of it in the Pedro Almodóvar film Talk to Her (2002). A la Vida! also includes a couple originals, most notably "Matin," a charming song written by St-Onge. Too bad there wasn't more original material like this. The cover material is well selected but occasionally too familiar. ~ Jason Birchmeier https://www.allmusic.com/album/a-la-vida%21-mw0000813653

A la vida !

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Chihiro Yamanaka - Rosa

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2020
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 44:22
Size: 102,8 MB
Art: Front

(3:34)  1. My Favorite Things
(4:36)  2. Falling Grace
(5:16)  3. Piano Sonata No.8 Third Movement
(3:57)  4. Donna Lee
(4:41)  5. Old Folks
(4:14)  6. Rosa
(4:22)  7. Take Love Easy
(4:28)  8. Symphony No. 5
(5:16)  9. Yardbird Suite
(3:54) 10. Someday Somewhere

Chihiro Yamanaka is a jazz pianist but she is also a composer, arranger and producer. He is also head of the CHIHIRO YAMANAKA TRIO. Famous at home, it is also loved abroad especially in the United States and Europe. During his school years he studied at Municipal North Junior High School in Kiryu, Toho Girls' High School and later moved abroad, more precisely to England, to the Royal Academy of Music to finish in Boston at Berklee College of Music from which comes out with flying colors. Soon Chihiro's skills are noticed and he starts releasing records. The first to be released in 2001, "Living Without Friday", remains at the top of the modern jazz HMV chart for 4 weeks. In 2002 "When October Goes" was released, a record that received the award for best jazz album of the year from HMV. A year later the first "Leaning Forward" DVD went on sale. Followed by "Madrigal" in 2004, "Outside by the swing" in 2005 which achieved the first position both in the HMV jazz ranking but also in the Tower Record jazz ranking and is also the first album under Universal. In 2006 it was the turn of "Lach Doch Mal" which a year later was also released in Europe by the EMarcy label. Shortly after Chihiro is ready with the album "Abyss" which reaches the first position in several charts and wins the Japan Jazz Prize of the 41st Jazz Disc Award. Two months later the DVD "Live In Tokyo" was released.

Chihiro's fame is now remarkable, both in Japan and abroad, and his concerts are all sold out. The following album, "After Hours", received the 23rd Japan Gold Disc Award as the jazz disc of the year. Bravogue will follow in 2008, "Runnin 'Wild" in 2009 (tribute album to Benny Goodman, a famous jazz artist of the early 90s) "Forever Begins" in 2010 and "Reminescence" in 2011. The latter manages to enter the daily Oricon ranking at 10th position and it is also the first album that can be purchased in Italy. In 2013 he returned to perform in Italy, with two concerts on March 6 in Naples and the following day in Milan. https://www.jmusicitalia.com/chihiro-yamanaka/biografia/

Rosa

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Peter Asplund Quartet - Asplund meets Bernstein

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 2011
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 62:25
Size: 143,7 MB
Art: Front

(10:57)  1. Mass: A Simple Song
( 6:03)   2. Candide: Glitter and Be Gay
(12:23)  3. Wonderful Town, Act II: It's Love
( 4:35)  4. On the Town, Act II: Some Other Time
( 5:41)  5. Candide: It Must Be So
( 5:41) 6. West Side Story (arr. M. Halling): Act II: I Feel Pretty
( 5:41)  7. West Side Story (arr. M. Halling): Act II: Somewhere
( 5:41)  8. West Side Story (arr. M. Halling): Act I: Tonight
( 5:41)  9. Peter Pan, Act III: Never-Land

After two CD albums with the Peter Asplund Quartet: "Lochiel's Warning" (PCD 071) from 2004 and "As Knights Concur" (PCD 093) from 2008, in which we combined our own compositions with American standards, it is now time for an album with a specific theme and it feels quite natural to have chosen as that theme the music of Leonard Bernstein. The challenge to us as a jazz group is to succeed in playing Bernstein's music in our own way and thus even developing it for improvisation. It is now time for me to present my quartet, already a strongly knit unit, in a new light, this time together with a larger ensemble. For the purpose of interpreting Bernstein's music we chose to collaborate with a symphonic orchestra.To discover the essence in Bernstein's music, bring out the jazz oriented aspects, illuminate the special characteristics of the quartet and combine this in the most effective way with the symphony players, was the great challenge facing the arranger. 

The choice of arranger went to my good friend and trumpeter colleague, Mats Hålling.Dalasinfoniettan is the symphony orchestra of the Dalarna (Dalecarlia) region of Sweden and which makes up a section of the Musik i Dalarna regional organisation. It is a full-time professional ensemble consisting of 28 musicians and was formed in 1988.The reason that Dalasinfoniettan was the right orchestra with which to collaborate is best described by a quotation from out of the official presentation of the orchestra:"Our ambition is to be a many-sided, flexible and exciting orchestra with a broad program both in relation to the classical repertoire and in collaboration with musicians from other genres." https://peterasplund.com/index.php?sida=disco&coll=par&record=6

Personnel: Trumpet, Flugelhorn, Liner Notes – Peter Asplund; Bass – Hans Andersson; Drums – Johan Löfcrantz Ramsay; Piano – Jacob Karlzon

Asplund meets Bernstein

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Aimee Nolte - Up Til Now

Styles: Vocal And Piano Jazz
Year: 2005
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 44:16
Size: 103,1 MB
Art: Front

(4:34)  1. Alpine Field
(4:35)  2. Up Til Now
(5:20)  3. Losing Love
(5:48)  4. Dear Tom
(5:07)  5. You Give Love
(3:03)  6. To Remember (for Miles and Ella)
(4:24)  7. How Strong is a Woman
(2:25)  8. Afterthought
(8:54)  9. The Way it Was

Most young jazz artists would find it difficult to create a unique sound while simultaneously paying due homage to the greats. Aimee Nolte deftly pulls off such a balancing act, presenting jazz stylings that craftily capture the epic sound of America's jazz legends without smacking of mimicry. Aimee's voice and instrumental prowess are superb and her lyrics draw you in with such power that by each songs end, you're left feeling as if you've been jerked and jostled on an emotional roller coaster. But Aimee doesn't attempt to be a one woman show; she allows the musicians that accompany her to shine in roles that are far from simply complimentary. Aimee is a fabulous artist and her CD is a gem! I highly recommend it to all music lovers. ~ Grover W. L. Alford, Jr. https://www.aimeenolte.com/recordings/up-til-now

Personnel:  Aimee Nolte: piano, vocals, harmonica; Joshua Payne: guitars; Mitch Lee: drums, percussion; Geoff Rayback: bass; Natalie Rayback: violin; Daniel Hoops: cello

Up Til Now

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Sara Groves - Tell Me What You Know

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2007
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 46:50
Size: 108,4 MB
Art: Front

(3:42)  1. Song for My Sons
(4:50)  2. In The Girl There's a Room
(3:19)  3. Say a Prayer
(4:27)  4. Love Is Still a Worthy Cause
(4:12)  5. When the Saints
(5:39)  6. Honesty
(3:59)  7. Abstraction
(4:18)  8. I Saw What I Saw
(3:49)  9. It Might Be Hope
(5:06) 10. The Long Defeat
(3:23) 11. You Are Wonderful

One cannot approach Tell Me What You Know, Sara Groves' sixth album, expecting a lot of surprises. Sure, Groves is a perennial favorite among Christian music critics and audiophiles, but her high marks aren't necessarily a result of innovation or avant-garde career moves as much as of a strong, rock-solid track record of equally strong, rock-solid songwriting about Christian living and faith. Despite being a pop artist at heart, a lot of her depth is lost on more mainstream, radio-weaned Christian audiences, mainly because she dwells in the more sophisticated, triple-A side of pop, not the commercial, big-time pop/rock of, say, a Casting Crowns or a Chris Tomlin. Still, Groves is very comfortable at what she does, so much so that Tell Me What You Know could appear as if it was cut from the same mold as her celebrated The Other Side of Something and Add to the Beauty projects. Of course, Groves realizes how easily this brand of piano-based adult pop comes to her, so she tries to distance herself from her core strengths by way of offbeat, alternative pop never more evident than in the poignant "Song for My Sons" and the eccentric mini-masterpiece "In the Girl There's a Room." After that, though, she quickly retreats to what she does best namely, bouncy, quirky pop pieces ("Love Is Still a Worthy Cause"), tender folk dialogs ("Say a Prayer"), and pensive, piano-based balladry ("I Saw What I Saw"), all of which, while not mind-blowingly novel, are indeed moving, thought-provoking numbers, performed with finesse and inspired by Groves' newfound passion for reaching out to the least of these. In this regard, Tell Me What You Know deserves a mention, if not for its overall uniqueness, then for continuing to solidify Groves as one of the most important, consistent Christian singer/songwriters of the new millennium. ~ Andree Farias https://www.allmusic.com/album/tell-me-what-you-know-mw0000582810

Tell Me What You Know

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David Binney - Here & Now

Styles: Saxophone Jazz 
Year: 2018
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 41:59
Size: 97,2 MB
Art: Front

(2:28)  1. Forj
(4:46)  2. We Will See Our Way Through
(5:00)  3. To the Coast
(5:04)  4. Here & Now
(6:05)  5. Belgrade
(5:41)  6. Majesty
(6:29)  7. The Boats
(3:53)  8. Freeway
(2:28)  9. Forjtwo

Saxophonist David Binney is one of the most prolific jazz musicians on the scene today.The new album. Further compositional and musical explorations. Elements of a lot of Electronic music, improvisation. Featuring some fine musicians including Louis Cole. The new album Here & Now is a departure from earlier records. A direction that I am very into and excited about. It's much more electronic yet features live players too. I hope that you enjoy this album as much as I enjoyed making it! David Binney

Acclaimed as a considerable and highly individual compositional talent, saxophonist David Binney is one of the most prolific jazz musicians on the scene today. Winning praise from critics and colleagues alike. David's distinctive saxophone sound and innovative compositions have been heard from basement clubs in New York to jazz festivals in Europe and the world. In addition to his extensive work as a leader, he has been sought after as a sideman, appearing on record with Medeski, Martin & Wood, Uri Caine's Mahler Project, and hundreds of others. David has also appeared on stage with Aretha Franklin, at Carnegie Hall, and with Maceo Parker, to name a few. He has produced all of his own 22 albums, and many others including two of the Lost Tribe releases, Scott Colley's The Architect of the Silent Moment, and 8 Donny McCaslin releases, including the highly acclaimed Casting For Gravity, Fast Future, and Beyond Now. 

David Binney also put together and produces the band that became the band on David Bowie's Blackstar. He has won the DownBeat Critics Poll 3 different times in the Alto Saxophone category. And placed in Producer, Album etc.. As well as in the JazzTimes polls and polls worldwide. He has had front cover features in DownBeat, JazzTimes, and many other publications. Editorial Reviews https://www.amazon.com/Here-Now-DAVID-BINNEY/dp/B07SXQR6KW

Here & Now

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Daryl Sherman - Lost In A Crowded Place

Styles: Vocal And Piano Jazz
Year: 2018
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 54:09
Size: 126,5 MB
Art: Front

(2:30)  1. The Land Of Just We Two
(5:38)  2. Stars Fell On Alabama
(3:38)  3. At Sundown
(6:22)  4. Lost In A Crowded Place
(5:32)  5. Turkquoise
(5:37)  6. You Go To My Head
(4:21)  7. Azalea
(5:06)  8. The Lorelei
(4:03)  9. If We Never Meet Again
(3:01) 10. Everything But You
(3:29) 11. New Sun In The Sky
(4:48) 12. Rainbow Hill

Personnel:  Daryl Sherman (piano, vocals); Jon-Erik Kellso (trumpet); Don Vappie (guitar, banjo, vocal); Jesse Boyd (acoustic bass); Boots Maleson (acoustic bass)

Daryl is the quintessential seeker, finding immense pleasure probing the oeuvre of America’s most beloved and respected composers. One would think there is little left to discover, but Daryl’s tenacity and perseverance once again find the archival equivalent of 18K gold. A quick glance at the titles will inspire our shared delight in the joy of hearing melodies and lyrics which have been hiding in the shadows. And we needn’t make any effort at all. Daryl has done all the heavy lifting for us, and quite skillfully too. All we need do is sit back and savor the fruits of her research as the generous gifts they are… Let us safely assume Daryl will continue to locate many more gems on her endless quests into the countless unopened or forgotten treasure chests of American popular song. We can but live in eager anticipation. ~ Carol Sloane https://darylsherman.com/lost-in-a-crowded-place/

Lost In A Crowded Place

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Peter Asplund Quartet - Lochiel's Warning

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 2000
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 62:28
Size: 143,7 MB
Art: Front

(10:12)  1. In a Sentimental Mood
( 7:23)  2. 26 Steps
( 8:26)  3. The Boys from Syracuse: Falling in Love with Love
( 6:59)  4. I Loves You Porgy: Summertime
( 5:48)  5. Lochiel's warning
( 8:37)  6. Let's Face It: Everything I love
( 2:30)  7. Lose the blues
( 9:25)  8. Carpe noctem
( 3:04)  9. Beate

When record releases of 2004 were summarized, the album "Lochiel\s warning" (Prophone, PCD 071) by Peter Asplund Quartet was picked by many Swedish critics as the best jazz album of the year. Johannes Cornell, a music critic for Sweden's biggest daily newspaper, Dagens Nyheter (DN), wrote that the album is "an instant classic" and one of the best Swedish jazz albums of all times. In addition to all the great reviews, Asplund as recently received two very prestigious awards. Peter Asplund Quartet is a dynamic and closely united group who represent some of the strongest voices to be found on the Scandinavian jazz scene today. With honest expressions, with respect for the tradition tastefully combined with a natural will of pioneering and with genuine charisma Peter Asplund Quartet manage to reach every single one in the audience. https://peterasplund.com/index.php?sida=disco&coll=par&record=4&view=about

Personnel: Peter Asplund (trumpet), Jacob Karlzon (piano), Hans Andersson (bass) & Johan Löfcrantz (drums)

Lochiel's Warning

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Sara Groves - Add to the Beauty

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2005
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 56:01
Size: 129,7 MB
Art: Front

(5:44)  1. When It Was Over
(4:34)  2. Just Showed Up for My Own Life
(5:13)  3. You Are the Sun
(5:35)  4. It's Going to Be Alright
(4:10)  5. Add to the Beauty
(5:09)  6. Rewrite This Tragedy
(3:43)  7. Something Changed
(4:00)  8. How Can I Tell
(1:25)  9. To the Moon
(4:55) 10. Kingdom Comes
(3:47) 11. Why It Matters
(3:48) 12. Loving a Person
(3:54) 13. When It Was Over - Reprise

Some Christian pop music subordinates music to message, taking cookie-cutter chord progressions and cheap emotional gimmicks and pressing them into pastoral service. It's music that has much more to do with preaching than with communicating, and that is intended strictly for an audience of the already-converted. Then there's the Christian pop music that seems embarrassed by its doctrinal content, hiding it in double-talk about love that could as easily be physical as spiritual. There's a place for both kinds of music, it seems, but much more satisfying is the music that neither apologizes for its witness nor underestimates the importance of the tunes and arrangements and grooves. That kind of music is much rarer, and it's the kind that Sara Groves has become adept at producing. On her latest album she continues to sing like a wonderful combination of Dar Williams and Dolores O'Riordan, and her songs continue to be a revelatory blend of bell-toned pop guitars, judiciously applied strings, sturdy rock & roll grooves, and hook-laden melodies. 

Subtle and artful elements include the oboes and drum loops on "When It Was Over," the gorgeously understated slide guitar solo on "Loving a Person," and the combination of gospel-tinged backing vocals and Beatles-worthy chord progression on the gently remonstrative "How Can I Tell." If you already know you hate Christian pop music, then nothing here will change your mind. But if you just wish it were more consistently transcendent, then this album will give you cause for hope. ~ Rick Anderson https://www.allmusic.com/album/add-to-the-beauty-mw0000405500

Add to the Beauty

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Ralph Moore - Images

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1989
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 52:48
Size: 121,2 MB
Art: Front

(8:07)  1. Freeway
(5:32)  2. Enigma
(7:40)  3. Episode from a Village Dance
(8:36)  4. Morning Star
(5:39)  5. This I Dig of You
(5:06)  6. Blues for John
(7:02)  7. Punjab
(5:03)  8. One Second, Please

The particularly strong material and the all-star lineup (tenor saxophonist Ralph Moore, trumpeter Terence Blanchard, pianist Benny Green, bassist Peter Washington, and drummer Kenny Washington) make this a particularly enjoyable set from the tenorman. Although still displaying the inspiration (soundwise) of early-'60s John Coltrane, Moore had developed an increasingly original style within the modern mainstream throughout the 1980s. Highlights of this excellent set include J.J. Johnson's "Enigma" (a ballad feature for Moore), Hank Mobley's "This I Dig of You," and Moore's "Blues for John" (written in tribute to Coltrane). One of Ralph Moore's more significant recordings to date.~ Scott Yanow  https://www.allmusic.com/album/images-mw0000201085

Personnel: Ralph Moore – tenor saxophone; Terence Blanchard – trumpet (tracks 1, 3, 5 & 7); Benny Green – piano; Peter Washington – bass;  Kenny Washington – drums

Images

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Charlie Spivak - At The Palladium

Styles: Trumpet Jazz 
Year: 2010
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 42:55
Size: 99,2 MB
Art: Front

(0:34)  1. Theme And Introduction
(3:09)  2. Diggin' Groove
(2:42)  3. I Miss Those Little Things
(3:00)  4. Fla-Ga-La-Pa
(3:30)  5. Elegy
(2:38)  6. That Old Devil Moon
(2:58)  7. Ain't Goin' Nowhere
(2:44)  8. Either It's Love Of It Isn't
(3:57)  9. Three Deuces
(3:47) 10. I Want To Thank Your Folks
(4:06) 11. The General Jumped At Dawn
(1:57) 12. Put Your Arms Around Me Honey
(3:57) 13. The Dreamer
(3:53) 14. You Can Depend On Me

Despite coming up in the jazz world and spending his life around jazz musicians, Charlie Spivak rarely improvised and was most notable for his pretty tone. He moved to the U.S. with his family as a small child and grew up in New Haven, CT. Spivak began playing trumpet when he was ten, gigged locally as a teenager, and worked with Don Cavallaro's Orchestra. During most of 1924-1930 he was with Paul Specht's Orchestra, primarily playing section parts where his tone was an asset. Spivak was cast in the same role with Ben Pollack (1931-1934), the Dorsey Brothers (1934-1935), and Ray Noble. He worked in the studios during most of 1936-1937 and then had stints with the orchestras of Bob Crosby, Tommy Dorsey, and Jack Teagarden. Spivak formed his own band in November 1939 (financed by Glenn Miller) and, although his first orchestra failed within a year, his second attempt shortly after was more successful; in fact, Spivak became a major attraction throughout the '40s and he kept his band together until 1959. Spivak lived in later years in Florida, Las Vegas, and South Carolina, putting together orchestras on a part-time basis, staying semi-active up until his death at the age of 75. Among his better recordings were his theme "Let's Go Home," "Autumn Nocturne," and "Star Dreams." Charlie Spivak, who recorded as late as 1981, was married to singer Irene Daye (who was formerly with Gene Krupa's Orchestra). ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/artist/charlie-spivak-mn0000214702/biography

At The Palladium

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