Janet Carroll - Lady Be Good

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2010
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 72:51
Size: 169,1 MB
Art: Front

(4:59) 1. The Lady is a Tramp/ Oh, Lady Be Good
(6:27) 2. Black Coffee
(5:39) 3. Willow Weep for Me
(3:59) 4. I Love Paris
(4:12) 5. Skylark
(4:55) 6. I Thought About You
(3:58) 7. What is This Thing Called Love
(4:40) 8. I Just Don't Know
(3:58) 9. Mountain Greenery
(5:12) 10. Georgia on My Mind
(4:15) 11. Takin' a Chance on Love
(6:04) 12. I Hadn't Anyone Till You/ There Was You
(5:31) 13. Besame Mucho
(6:17) 14. Fore Day Creep
(2:36) 15. You'll Never Know

Janet Carroll may not be a name that jumps out to seasoned jazz fans, but the veteran singer/actress has built an extensive résumé in film, television, and on-stage, in addition to several earlier self-produced jazz albums. The gifted alto has performed extensively with jazz bands, and this 2010 Arbors release is a sure bet at getting her much wider recognition in the jazz world. Starting with Cole Porter's whimsical "The Lady Is a Tramp," she sticks closer to its original (though somewhat dated) lyrics, but injects them with a personal touch and sense of humor, then seamlessly segues into "Lady Be Good." She captures the essence of "Black Coffee" (a hit for Peggy Lee and other female vocalists), with Warren Vaché adding a playful second voice on muted cornet. One of the biggest surprises is her choice of Ida Cox's "Fore Day Creep." She dives headfirst into this vintage blues from the '20s, with David Finck providing a delicious walking bassline and tenor saxophonist Harry Allen adding gritty backing while she inserts amusing asides. The midtempo setting of "What Is This Thing Called Love" is a refreshing departure from the usual racehorse tempi on record dates, opening in a bossa nova mood then transforming into bop. Carroll is also very relaxed when she sings the original Spanish lyric to the bittersweet "Besame Mucho." Her final selection is a dreamy rendition of "You'll Never Know," backed solely by Mike Renzi's elegant piano. ~ Ken Dryden https://www.allmusic.com/album/lady-be-good-mw0002040746

Lady Be Good

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Karel Boehlee Trio - Silent Nocturne

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2004
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 63:40
Size: 146,8 MB
Art: Front

(6:15) 1. Another Life
(5:19) 2. Nocturne Op. 9
(5:40) 3. Orange City
(5:30) 4. Good Morning Heartache
(5:19) 5. Northern Moon
(4:17) 6. Telkens Weer
(4:04) 7. Amazing You
(5:32) 8. What Are You Doing the Rest of Your Life
(6:06) 9. Wherever You Might Go
(6:27) 10. It Never Entered My Mind
(4:52) 11. Song for Sad
(4:14) 12. A Thousand Stories

Karel Boehlee (April 23, 1960), a pianist and composer.From his youngest years Boehlee was a revelation in the Dutch jazz scene. From his birthplace he started from his 16th to play with various bands and jazz artists. His first records were an immediate success, especially in Japan. And since 1989 he was invited with his European Jazz Trio for several performances in Japan. Over the years, Boehlee emerged himself as one of the greatest pianists in the Netherlands which resulted in performances with the very greatest international jazz musicians. He has been playing for over twenty years as a pianist with such as Toots Thielemans and Philip Catherine. He also plays regularly with our national jazz greats like Toon Roos, Fay Claasen and Trijntje Oosterhuis. He is also in demand as a session musician with pop artists like Gino Vanelli and many others. His recognizable piano playing and compositions are also increasingly being asked in Japan, Korea where Boehlee increasingly performs as a solo artist. Besides his career as a pianist Karel Boehlee is also main piano teacher at the Conservatory van Amsterdam. https://karelboehleepiano.wordpress.com/bio/

Silent Nocturne

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Peter Asplund - All My Septembers

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 2020
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 67:34
Size: 155,8 MB
Art: Front

(1:58) 1. Ozymandias Melancholia
(5:44) 2. Hermanos Del Alma
(9:01) 3. Le Grand Michel
(9:10) 4. All My Septembers
(5:33) 5. Viudo
(6:20) 6. Melancholia ll
(8:41) 7. She and Me
(5:28) 8. La Escogida
(9:48) 9. A Lotta' Love
(5:47) 10. Lullaby for Melina

Peter Asplund is one of Sweden's foremost trumpet players. Or why not say it like it is? He is one of Europe's or even the world's foremost trumpeters. Why draw a line when there is no need to? Jazz is not limited by any national borders. It has been written: "A fantastic musician who always plays straight from the heart" and to which we can all readily agree! Over the years he has developed his dynamic and energy-loaded, slightly melancholic and melodic trumpet style until he can express what he feels when he feels. This applies when he plays a standard by, say, George Gershwin, Cole Porter or Duke Ellington. And it also applies when he plays some of his own original compositions, tunes with a distinct accent on melody, "my own standards" he calls them. Of his new release, he writes: "I was born in September. There is something special about that month. The light, the air, the scent of nature. For many it is a beginning of something, for others, an end. You reminisce. You look forward in time. You pause and regard the present. Wherever you happen to be, September brings forth both feelings and thoughts on life. These are mine. "All my Septembers stay with me forever."http://www.cede.com/en/movies/?view=detail&aid=17095712

Personnel: Peter Asplund -voc, tpt, flh; Hans Andersson - b; Johan Löfcrantz Ramsay d; Lars Jansson - p; Joakim Milder - ts, ss; Isabella Lundgren - v; Asplund Big Band Horn

All My Septembers

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John McNeil & Tom Harrel - Look to the Sky

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 1996
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 57:12
Size: 131,5 MB
Art: Front

( 5:46) 1. Chasing the Bird
( 8:05) 2. Namely You
( 6:47) 3. Terrestris
( 6:18) 4. Little Dancer
( 6:27) 5. Look to the Sky
( 7:29) 6. Unit 7
(10:15) 7. Look to the Sky - Take 1
( 6:01) 8. Chasing the Bird - Take 1

An expressive, harmonically nuanced jazz trumpeter, composer, and educator, John McNeil has carved a distinctive path over his 50-year career, moving ably between straight-ahead jazz, standards, and more avant-garde-leaning productions. A California native, McNeil first arrived on the scene as a freelancer in New York in the 1970s, playing often with the Horace Silver Quintet. He caught the attention of SteepleChase Records, which signed him to a recording contract and released a handful of well-regarded standards-based albums beginning with 1978's Embarkation. From there, he recorded intermittently in the '80s and '90s, and moved increasingly into teaching, including maintaining a long association with Boston's New England Conservatory. Since the '2000s, McNeil has remained quite active, balancing his time between teaching, and performing with his progressive ensemble Hush Point. Born in 1948 in Yreka, California, McNeil taught himself trumpet and learned to read music on his own. By his late teens, the young trumpeter was playing in combos throughout Northern California; by the mid-'70s he was freelancing in New York City and gaining a reputation as an innovative, lyrical player. He performed with the Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Orchestra at the Village Vanguard, and led his own groups at various area clubs. By the latter part of the decade, McNeil had joined the Horace Silver Quartet and secured a solo contract with SteepleChase. The label issued a flurry of McNeil releases, including 1978's Embarkation and The Glass Room and 1979's Faun and Look to the Sky (with Tom Harrell).

In the '80s, the trumpeter continued to work as both a sideman and leader. He appeared as a soloist with Gerry Mulligan's band, and formed the John McNeil Trio/Quartet for 1983's I've Got the World on a String. He toured internationally, and was recognized by the contemporary jazz community as a go-to writer, arranger, and producer. McNeil went on to issue a series of critically acclaimed albums, including the Kenny Burger collaborations Hip Deep (1996, Brownstone) and Brooklyn Ritual (1998, Synergy). Also during this period, he dedicated more of his time to teaching, joining the faculty of Boston's New England Conservatory. Away from teaching, McNeil continued to record. Released in 2001, Fortuity featured a few pop-inspired numbers, like a Latin-flavored interpretation of the Beatles' "I Will." The Latin influence continued with 2003's This Way Out (Omnitone), which McNeil recorded in Barcelona with tenor saxophonist Gorka Benitez and bassist Giulia Valle. Since then, McNeil has kept busy, releasing Sleep Won't Come in 2004, East Coast Cool in 2006, and Rediscovery in 2008. Two years later, he paired with longtime collaborator, saxophonist Bill McHenry for the live album Chill Morn He Climb Jenny. Around this time, he formed the forward-thinking jazz outfit Hush Point with saxophonist Jeremy Udden, bassist Aryeh Kobrinsky, and drummer Anthony Pinciotti. The group debuted in 2013 with a self-titled release, followed a year later by Blues and Reds. In 2017, McNeil was back with the ensemble for Hush Point, Vol. 3. ~ Johnny Lotus https://www.allmusic.com/artist/john-mcneil-mn0000223613/biography

Personnel: John McNeil - trumpet, flugelhorn; Tom Harrell - trumpet, flugelhorn; Kenny Barron - piano; Buster Williams - bass; Billy Hart -drums

Look to the Sky

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Caterina Valente - Estrellita - The Great Caterina Valente

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2020
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 33:07
Size: 77,3 MB
Art: Front

(2:25) 1. Estrellita
(2:49) 2. Besame Mucho
(2:48) 3. My Shawl
(3:08) 4. Malaguena
(2:36) 5. Poinciana
(3:04) 6. More
(3:01) 7. La Paloma
(2:26) 8. The Peanut Vendor
(2:51) 9. What a Difference a Day Made
(3:10) 10. The Breeze and I
(2:34) 11. La Golondrina
(2:13) 12. Amapola

A gifted singer, guitarist, and dancer, Caterina Valente is a multilingual artist who emerged in Europe during the 1950s and became one of the most beloved and iconic performers of her generation. Born in Paris, France in 1931, Valente grew up in an Italian circus family. Her mother was a clown and her father was an accordion player; as a child she worked in the circus as well. She performed in Europe as a singer for several years (and in a duo with her brother Silvio Francesco), but her career as an internationally known vocalist began in 1953 when she joined Kurt Edelhagen's band in Germany. She was soon signed to Polydor and made her recording debut, Bouquet de Mélodies, in 1955. Her first big hits came soon after that on albums like The Hi-Fi Nightingale and Olé Caterina. Two songs written by Cuban composer Ernesto Lecuona charted in Europe and eventually England and the U.S. "Malagueña" was her first big hit, followed by "Andalucia," which, when re-released in an English version as "The Breeze and I," became a Top Ten hit in both the U.K. and the U.S. By this time, Valente had become a truly multilingual artist, performing her cabaret act and issuing recordings in six languages: French, German, Italian, English, Spanish, and Swedish. During the '50s and '60s she notched hits in the charts of many countries, including Italy ("Till," "Personalita," "Nessuno al Mondo"), Germany ("Ganza Paris Träumt von der Liebe," "Wo Meine Sonne Scheint," "Steig in das Traumboot der Liebe"), and France ("Bimbombey," "39 Fievere," "Saitôn-Jamais"). Her version of "La Golondrina" appeared on one of the first charity albums, 1963's All Star Festival, whose proceeds aided refugees.

In the mid-'70s, Valente married her musical director, British jazz pianist Roy Budd, although the marriage was short-lived. She continued recording into the mid-'80s, issuing Caterina 86, a recording made with the Count Basie Orchestra. Valente retreated into semi-retirement in the '90s, making the occasional live appearance. In 2002, just prior to her official retirement, she paired with harpist Catherine Michel for Girl Talk, which found her revisiting some of her favorite songs from her career. The following year, she was bestowed an ECHO Lifetime Achievement Award.~ Stacia Proefrock https://www.allmusic.com/artist/caterina-valente-mn0000166279/biography

Estrellita - The Great Caterina Valente

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Stanley Cowell - Reminiscent (Plus a Xmas Suite)

Styles: Piano Jazz, Christmas
Year: 2015
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 64:59
Size: 149,9 MB
Art: Front

( 4:10) 1. Intermezzo
( 6:05) 2. Re-Confirmed
( 7:54) 3. A Child Is Born
(10:02) 4. Medley: A Xmas Suite
( 6:44) 5. Peace
( 9:06) 6. Midnight Diversion
( 3:33) 7. Hear with Me
( 6:48) 8. Time
( 5:11) 9. Reminiscent
( 5:21) 10. Sweet Song

'Reminiscent' includes a featured program of Christmas melodies ("A Xmas Suite") as well as Stanley Cowell originals and compositions by Brahms, Thad Jones and Richie Powell. His trio includes the acclaimed bassist Jay Anderson and drummer Billy Drummond. Since his retirement in 2013 from the professorship at the prestigious Rutgers University, where he led its jazz department, pianist/composer Stanley Cowell has been increasingly active on the scene both in concerts and recordings.

In a glittering career Cowell has recorded for labels such as Strata-East - the cult jazz label he started with Charles Tolliver, ECM, Galaxy, and as a sideman on Blue Note, Atlantic, Muse, Impulse! and many others. He has recorded with an array of jazz stars, including Bobby Hutcherson, Stan Getz, Johnny Griffin, Art Pepper, Max Roach, Charles Tolliver and Clifford Jordan. "It's a great pleasure to hear Stanley Cowell's It's Time: a finely crafted collection of mostly originals that is at once sophisticated, both aggressive and pensive, and simply fascinating to listen to."
~ Greg Simmons, All About Jazz(on 'It's Time') https://www.amazon.es/Reminiscent-Plus-Suite-Stanley-COWELL/dp/B011Q9HDCG

Personnel: Stanley Cowell (piano, thumb piano), Jay Anderson (bass), Billy Drummond (drums)

Reminiscent (Plus a Xmas Suite)

R.I.P.
Born: 05-05-1941
Died: 17-12-2020

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Scott Hamilton - Live at Museo Piaggio

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2020
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 79:36
Size: 183,6 MB
Art: Front

(10:53) 1. If I Were a Bell
( 8:49) 2. When the Sun Comes Out
( 9:47) 3. Groovin' High
( 6:31) 4. Anos Dourados
( 8:46) 5. Wrap Your Troubles in Dreams
(13:47) 6. Cherokee
( 6:00) 7. If You Could See Me Now
( 8:37) 8. Tiny's Blues
( 3:14) 9. Meglio Stasera
( 3:08) 10. Pure Imagination

Live at Museo Piaggio is Scott Hamilton’s sixth DSD release from Fone Jazz available at NativeDSD Music. Scott Hamilton is considered to be one of the greatest Jazz sax players today. His Fonè albums have been appreciated by music fans all over the world. All recorded in places with natural acoustics but without the presence of the public. This time Fone brings you the first live recording with the great American saxophonist in the company of three great jazz musicians Paolo Birro, Aldo Zunino, and Alfred Kramer, his usual partners when he performs in Italy.

This is a Live to Stereo DSD recording made at the Piaggio Auditorium located inside the famous Museum in Pontedera, the place where Piaggio was born and where it still continues to produce today. Inside the Museum every year the public from all over the world can admire the Piaggio production made over the years, all the models of the Vespe and Ape, all the Aprilia, Gilera and Moto Guzzi motorcycles that have won national and international awards over time. It is a live recording with great pathos. You will experience great realism, great dynamics, great music in an album not to be missed. Each listener, closing his eyes, will be able to relive the emotion of the live performance as if you were present at the performance of these four great artists. https://www.nativedsd.com/catalogue/albums/sacd209-live-at-museo-piaggio/

Personnel: Scott Hamilton on saxophone, Paolo Birro on piano, Aldo Zunino on bass and Alfred Kramer on drums

Live at Museo Piaggio

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Andrew Hill - Show Me

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2019
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 110:13
Size: 254,2 MB
Art: Front

( 5:35) 1. Carolyn
( 6:15) 2. Ghetto Lights
( 4:12) 3. Flight 19
( 7:18) 4. Me 'N You
( 7:02) 5. Dedication
( 9:46) 6. Spectrum
( 7:19) 7. Catta
( 6:37) 8. Idle While
( 7:49) 9. Three Way Split
( 6:40) 10. Les Noirs Marchant
( 7:04) 11. New Monastery
( 6:44) 12. No Room for Squares
(10:00) 13. Dialogue
( 8:28) 14. Jasper
( 5:30) 15. Carolyn II
( 3:48) 16. Flight 19 II

Andrew Hill was a great and even groundbreaking composer and pianist, yet the relatively circumscribed scale of his innovations might have originally caused him to get lost in the shuffle of the '60s free jazz revolution. While many of his contemporaries were totally jettisoning the rhythmic and harmonic techniques of bop and hard bop, Hill worked to extend their possibilities; his was a revolution from within. Much of the most compelling '60s jazz was nearly aleatoric; Hill, on the other hand, exhibited a determined command of his materials, however abstract they might sometimes be. His composed melodies were labyrinthine, and rhythmically and harmonically complex tunes like "New Monastery" from his Point of Departure album exhibit a sophistication born of mastery, not chance or contingency. As a pianist, Hill had a flowing melodicism and an elastic sense of time. Like his composing, Hill's playing had an ever-present air of spontaneity and was almost completely devoid of cliché. He began playing the piano at about the age of 13. As a youngster in Chicago, Hill was encouraged by pianist Earl Hines. Jazz composer Bill Russo also took an interest, and introduced Hill to the renowned classical composer Paul Hindemith, with whom Hill studied from 1950-1952. While in his teens, he gigged with prominent jazz musicians passing through the Midwest, Miles Davis and Charlie Parker among them. In 1955, he recorded So in Love with the Sound of Andrew Hill for the Warwick label. He moved to New York in 1961 to work with singer Dinah Washington. After a brief foray to Los Angeles with Rahsaan Roland Kirk's band in 1962, Hill moved back to New York, where he began his recording career in earnest.

He made several records for Blue Note from 1963-1969, both as leader and sideman. Hill's Blue Note work featured some of the best and brightest post-bop musicians of the day, including Eric Dolphy, Joe Henderson, Woody Shaw, Tony Williams, and Freddie Hubbard. Like many jazz musicians, Hill eventually turned to academia to make a living. He relocated to the West Coast, teaching in public schools and prisons in California. He eventually landed a teaching position at Portland State University, where he established the school's Summer Jazz Intensive. In addition to his teaching, Hill continued to perform and record in the '70s and '80s, making records for the Arista/Freedom and Black Saint/Soul Note labels. In 1989 and 1990, Hill recorded twice more for Blue Note, Eternal Spirit and But Not Farewell. Hill moved back to the New York area in the '90s; a series of performances and new recordings helped place him back in the jazz spotlight. Hill formed a new Point of Departure Sextet for the Knitting Factory's 1998 Texaco Jazz Festival. The band included saxophonists Marty Ehrlich and Greg Tardy, trumpeter Ron Horton, bassist Scott Colley, and drummer Billy Drummond. The band went on to play New York club engagements to much acclaim. In 2000, Palmetto Records released Dusk, which was named the best album of 2001 by Down Beat and Jazz Times magazines. It was followed by A Beautiful Day in 2002, Passing Ships in 2003, and Black Fire in 2004, as well as a solid series of Blue Note reissues of his '60s work that included bonus tracks and new liner notes. His 2006 album, Time Lines, reunited him with both trumpeter Charles Tolliver and the Blue Note label. Hill also participated in a 17-piece big band, and a January 2002 engagement at New York's Birdland was filmed and recorded by Palmetto for future broadcast. After battling lung cancer for many years, Hill succumbed to the disease on April 20, 2007, leaving behind a stunning legacy of work. ~ Chris Kelsey https://www.allmusic.com/artist/andrew-hill-mn0000034617/biography

Show Me

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Harry Allen - The Bloody Happy Song

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2020
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 44:52
Size: 103,4 MB
Art: Front

(4:22) 1. The Bloody Happy Song
(3:13) 2. Sweet Little Things
(5:53) 3. I Got Lost in His Arms
(4:33) 4. Too Close for Comfort
(5:24) 5. The Summer Knows
(4:37) 6. More
(4:28) 7. Somebody I Just Met
(2:36) 8. Should I?
(5:59) 9. The Single Petal of a Rose
(3:44) 10. I Get Along Without You Very Well

Harry Allen is excited to announce the release of his latest CD, The Bloody Happy Song! Recorded exclusively during the pandemic lockdown, it is a totally new kind of recording for him and the one of which he is the most proud (of over 70 CDs as a leader). https://myemail.constantcontact.com/A-New-Kind-Of-CD-from-Harry-Allen.html?soid=1103577314899&aid=iShI4H1q4qo

Stay healthy everyone!

"Harry Allen's playing is nothing less than perfect" - John Pizzarelli

The Bloody Happy Song

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Nancy Walker - Layers of Rust and Time

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2004
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 38:27
Size: 89,3 MB
Art: Front

(3:56) 1. Dreamwalker
(2:59) 2. Good For Her
(4:25) 3. December Song
(3:56) 4. Big Sky
(4:08) 5. Here's Lookin At Love
(3:41) 6. Bury Me Beneath The Willow
(4:41) 7. One Man's History
(4:34) 8. Corinna Corinna
(4:13) 9. Quecreek Was Water
(1:50) 10. Talk About Sufferin

I’ve been singing all my life as far back as I can remember. As a young girl my first experience working with a private music teacher began with piano lessons which later led to guitar lessons. In my late teens I toured professionally (in a top 40 band performing covers) and began exploring singing in different genres. After years of performing with different groups I started writing original songs and went on to record and release 3 CDs. As a performing songwriter I found my home for many years working with a trio from Chicago called Sons Of The Never Wrong. While living in Chicago I created showcases for artists who were writing original songs and later, following a move to NY, I coordinated and hosted an open mic. specifically for my voice students.

“...Nancy is the focus of the room. That feeling, that depth of knowledge and experience, allows her to inhabit every song, whether it’s singing for the souls of miners or recalling her Old Town School of Folk Music roots...” ~ Michael Eck, Multi-Instrumentalist and freelance writer https://yourvoicecoach.net/nancy-walker

Layers of Rust and Time

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Steve LaSpina - A Change in the Weather

Styles: Jazz, Post Bop
Year: 2020
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 66:24
Size: 153,0 MB
Art: Front

(5:48) 1. A Change in The Weather
(5:29) 2. Clouds
(7:29) 3. Always Believe
(6:25) 4. The Road Ahead
(7:24) 5. Life In The Cove
(5:41) 6. Moving Forward
(4:56) 7. No Way
(7:11) 8. Serenety
(6:21) 9. So Dance
(2:22) 10. Lost Lullaby
(7:12) 11. When It's Time Again

Bassist Steve LaSpina has been contributing his phenomenal musicianship both as performer and composer to this label since the late 90s. Since his debut album New Horizon SteepleChase has been LaSpina’s main outlet for his marvelous compositions. This is his 12th leader album, which explores some of his old tunes as well as new works, giving us a rare opportunity of experiencing how originalcompositions in jazz develop after decades of live performance on stage. https://www.jazzmessengers.com/en/83831/steve-laspina/a-change-in-the-weather

PERSONNEL: Steve LaSpina - bass ; Joel Frahm - tenor & soprano saxophone; Luis Perdomo - piano; Eric McPherson - drums

A Change in the Weather

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Steve Lacy, Don Cherry - Evidence

Styles: Saxophone And Trumpet Jazz
Year: 1962
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 33:10
Size: 76,4 MB
Art: Front

(5:45) 1. The Mystery Song
(4:59) 2. Evidence
(6:42) 3. Let's Cool One
(4:28) 4. San Francisco Holiday
(5:48) 5. Something To Live For
(5:26) 6. Who Knows

Digitally remastered two-fer containing two albums from the Jazz great. Contains the complete 1962 album Evidence, which was Lacy's fourth album as a leader. It presents him in a piano less quartet with Don Cherry on trumpet, Carl Brown on bass, and Billy Higgins on drums. The repertoire consists of four pieces by Thelonious Monk, and two by Duke Ellington. As a bonus, we have added Lacy's complete first LP as a leader, Soprano Sax (1957), which also includes compositions by both Monk and Ellington. Poll Winners. Opiniones editoriales https://www.amazon.com/Evidence-Don-Cherry-STEVE-LACY/dp/B006A9XS04

Personnel: Soprano Saxophone – Steve Lacy; Trumpet – Don Cherry; Bass – Carl Brown ; Drums– Billy Higgins

Evidence

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Rebekka Bakken - Winter Nights

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2020
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 45:19
Size: 104,5 MB
Art: Front

(4:01) 1. Wonder in Your Eyes
(2:55) 2. Kyrie Eleison
(4:21) 3. This Year Is Different
(3:51) 4. Last Christmas
(5:29) 5. Calling All Angels
(3:35) 6. May the Night Be Gentle
(3:31) 7. Fairytale of New York
(4:12) 8. Mary's Child
(2:30) 9. Angels Never Sleep
(2:35) 10. December Nights
(4:29) 11. In the Bleak Midwinter
(3:43) 12. Silent Night

2020: The new normal consists of distance and hygiene rules, contact restrictions as well as postponed and canceled concerts. But in these uncertain times there are still constants. The fact that the musical pre-Christmas season is now slowly approaching was as certain as the amen in church. Fortunately, you ca n't go wrong with Rebekka Bakken's "Winter Nights" if you want to come to your senses during the next lockdown. The record not only offers cover versions of various Christmas classics, but also seven tracks from the native of Oslo. She also arranged all the pieces. Just jazz , it doesn't even appear on the album, which is not surprising. The now 50-year-old had always emphasized that she does not see herself as a jazz singer. The opening original composition " Wonder In Your Eyes " features mostly timid piano and acoustic guitar sounds, over which Bakken puts her emotional, multi-octave voice. At the end, background choirs join in, which ensure a soulful conclusion. In the reinterpretation of Ingvar Hovland's " Kyrie Eleison " you can hear a little unobtrusive use of steel guitars here and there, so that the angelic vocals don't miss their creepy effect.

The Bakken piece " This Year Is Different " finally invites you to the saloon with its casual string sounds and economical piano swabs. But the lyrics are not as lively as the music. Ahead of its release, the Scandinavian said: " 'This Year Is Different' is a song about how to spend Christmas for the first time after a loss. The anticipation itself to see someone's absence for Christmas can be so painful. I wrote this song after my father passed away, but with an eye on those who, like me, did not have the advantage of having the experience and maturity to face this challenge. " She then underlines the sadness of the text with her cover version of the Wham! -The number " Last Christmas " when her voice floats lonely through the room to restrained piano and spherical organ sounds. She also had something to say about the feelings she associates with the song: " 'Last Christmas', what a depressing song about being betrayed and knowing that you will be betrayed again. It's so strange that this song, when it came out by Wham !, was received as the happiest Christmas carol of all time. "It's just a shame that even their approach doesn't change much about the fact that you can no longer hear the piece because it's on the radio every year anyway is played up and down until vomiting.

The reinterpretation of Jane Siberry's " Calling All Angels " afterwards compensates for this, which slowly builds up with acoustic guitar and melancholic piano, only so that towards the middle the vocals move in clear, ethereal spheres. Towards the end, the drums tighten the dynamics a bit, so the track ends in a heartbreaking finale. This dynamic ensures that cheesy moments are the absolute exception rather than the rule in the rest of the songs. Only the bells and the contemplative background choirs in the Bakken piece " Mary's Child " shouldn't have been.

But when the Scandinavian in " Angels Never Sleep " conjures up wistful memories of her childhood, carried by sweeping steel guitar and beautiful piano sounds, then you can ignore such small blemishes. Here every single note sits, just like in the new setting of Christina Rossetti's Christian poem " In The Bleak Midwinter ", the bakken to gentle whisk, atmospheric strings and accompanying piano sounds, which briefly attract powerfully, from their vulnerable and intimate side shows. The cover of the most famous Christmas carol in the world, " Silent Night ", finally forms a beautiful conclusion with weightless country-style tones and her heavenly voice, which soars to dramatic heights here and there, which sounds as warming as a fireplace. In any case, "Winter Nights" cannot be described as typically Scandinavian at all, as Rebekka Bakken's preference for wistful American sounds shines through in the arrangements. Vocally, the Scandinavian presents herself at the height of her ability, i.e. as variable and adaptable as possible. Review by Toni Hennig https://www.laut.de/Rebekka-Bakken/Alben/Winter-Nights-115323

Winter Nights

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Milt Jackson - Soul Believer

Styles: Vibraphone Jazz
Year: 1979
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 40:05
Size: 96,2 MB
Art: Front

(5:27) 1. Ain't Misbehaving
(4:30) 2. Don't Worry 'Bout Me
(4:04) 3. I've Got The Blues
(4:09) 4. Heartstrings
(2:19) 5. Roll 'Em Pete
(3:51) 6. Yes Sir, That's My Baby
(5:08) 7. I've Grown Accustomed To Her Face
(2:58) 8. I've Got It Bad And That Ain't Good
(3:33) 9. Someone I Love
(4:01) 10. Parking Lot Blues

As vibraphonist Milt Jackson relates in the liner notes of this CD, he was a singer before he ever played vibes. This is one of his very few vocal albums and Jackson (who also takes some solos) is reasonably effective, displaying a personable voice and a gentle swing in his style. The backup utilizes synthesizers on three of the ten selections (a very unusual event at Pablo) but otherwise the lineup for these ballads and jump tunes is comprised of old musical friends, most notably pianist Cedar Walton ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/soul-believer-mw0000276236

Personnel: Vibraphone – Milt Jackson; Bass – Ray Brown; Drums – Frank Severino; Guitar – Dennis Budimer, John Collins; Piano – Cedar Walton; Tenor Saxophone – Plas Johnson

Soul Believer

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Lisa Hilton - More Than Another Day

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2020
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 45:15
Size: 104,0 MB
Art: Front

(4:37) 1. More Than Another Day
(4:19) 2. Retro Road Trip
(3:31) 3. Secret Beach
(4:49) 4. I’ve Got You Under My Skin
(6:15) 5. Blues & Beauty
(4:33) 6. No Sleep Until
… (4:06) 7. Dear Life of Mine
(3:56) 8. Karma Chaos
(4:18) 9. Today I Looked at Love
(4:46) 10. So This Is Love

More Than Another Day is the latest jazz release by composer/pianist/producer Lisa Kristine Hilton, this time showcasing a trio with Luques Curtis and Rudy Royston. Hilton, Curtis, Royston and bandmate JD Allen were halfway through their 2020 tour when the U.S. corona virus lockdown began. Fearful for a family member who was stuck and sick in Italy, and worried about the health and safety of the world, Hilton turned as always, to her creative side. “I grew up in a small quiet town where it seemed nothing ever happened. I always turned my abundant energy into creativity is lockdown just reminded me of those early days. To me, quiet propels my creative side.” https://lisahiltonmusic.com/more-than-another-day/

Personnel: Lisa Hilton/piano, Luques Curtis/bass, Rudy Royston/drums

More Than Another Day

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George Coleman - Manhattan Panorama

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1985
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 59:43
Size: 137,4 MB
Art: Front

( 3:31) 1. Mayor Koch
(19:12) 2. New York Suite
( 6:12) 3. Subway Ride
( 6:03) 4. El Barrio
( 9:39) 5. New York Housing Blues
(15:04) 6. Ray Of Light

Why George Coleman is not immediately mentioned when the discussion turns to great tenor sax veterans is baffling, because there are not many better mainstream/blues stylists. Other than a good-natured but ultimately empty vocal, Coleman was routinely brilliant on every number during this live Village Vanguard set originally issued on Theresa vinyl. Pianist Harold Mabern's bluesy, vibrant phrases and bassist Jami Nasser's supple licks and accompaniment are ably punctuated by Idris Muhammad's capable drumming. There is a no-nonsense (the opener aside), no-frills attitude exemplifed by the quartet. ~ Ron Wynn https://www.allmusic.com/album/manhattan-panorama-mw0000201197

Personnel: Alto Saxophone – George Coleman; Bass – Jamil Nasser; Drums – Idris Muhammad; Piano – Harold Mabern

Manhattan Panorama

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Kate Ceberano And Her Sextet - Kate Ceberano And Her Septet Live

Year: 1987
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 54:17
Size: 126,0
Art: Front

(2:30) 1. Im Beginning to See the Light
(3:53) 2. My Baby Just Cares for Me
(3:03) 3. Midnight Sun
(4:56) 4. Love Me or Leave Me
(3:09) 5. Ill Wind
(5:31) 6. Memory Serves
(3:46) 7. Two Sleepy People
(2:43) 8. Heart
(2:44) 9. Im Hip
(6:16) 10. Lush Life
(2:41) 11. One Note Samba
(2:23) 12. And the Angels Sing
(6:05) 13. Im Afraid the Masquerade Is Over
(4:29) 14. Yeah Yeah

One of Australia's most gifted and versatile performers, Kate Ceberano's music crossed several genres and made her one of the most popular female vocalists of the 1980s and '90s. Ceberano first rose to prominence as the teenage lead singer of Australian funk-pop outfit I'm Talking in 1985. Their debut (and as it transpired, only) album, Bear Witness, produced three hit singles, including "Love Don't Live Here Anymore." I'm Talking disbanded in 1987, and Ceberano released her debut solo jazz album in that same year. Kate Ceberano and Her Septet, featuring her brother Phil and veteran session musicians Alex Pertout and Jex Saarelaht, became a huge hit, and was followed in 1988 by You've Always Got the Blues, which featured Ceberano and Wendy Matthews as vocalists. In 1988 the first single from Ceberano's eagerly awaited first pop album was released. "Bedroom Eyes" became the highest-selling Australian single of 1988 and helped Ceberano win two ARIA awards for best female vocalist in 1988 and 1989. The album, Brave, was released in 1989 and went triple platinum. "Young Boys Are My Weakness" was also released as a single from this disc. Another jazz album called Like Now followed in 1990, then her second pop album, Think About It, appeared in 1991. However, it could not build on the success of Brave and failed to produce a strong single. 1992 saw a stage production of Jesus Christ Superstar open in Australia. Ceberano won the part of Mary Magdalene, and performed alongside John Farnham, Noiseworks frontman Jon Stevens, and former Rose Tattoo lead singer Angry Anderson in the show. The Australian cast album went four-times platinum and Ceberano's song from the production -- "I Don't Know How to Love Him" -- was released as a single. In 1996, another pop album, Blue Box, was released, and this was followed in 1998 with Pash. The '60s-influenced pop of the title track became her biggest hit since "Bedroom Eyes." A best-of collection entitled True Romantic appeared in 1999. ~ Jonathan Lewis https://www.allmusic.com/artist/kate-ceberano-mn0000363528

Personnel: Vocals – Kate Ceberano; Bass – Stuart Speed ; Drums – Peter Jones ; Guitar– Phillip Ceberano; Piano, Arranged By – Jex Saarelaht; Saxophone [Sax] – Robert Bourke; Trombone – Russell Smith ; Vibraphone [Vibes], Percussion – Alex Pertout

Kate Ceberano And Her Septet Live

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Jamie Cullum - The Pianoman At Christmas

Styles: Vocal, Piano, Christmas
Year: 2020
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 39:08
Size: 90,8 MB
Art: Front

(3:14) 1. It's Christmas
(3:30) 2. Beautiful, Altogether
(4:56) 3. Hang Your Lights
(3:04) 4. The Jolly Fat Man
(4:35) 5. The Pianoman at Christmas
(4:15) 6. Turn On The Lights
(3:28) 7. So Many Santas
(2:42) 8. Christmas Never Gets Old
(6:01) 9. How Do You Fly?
(3:18) 10. Christmas Caught Me Crying

With his first holiday-themed album, 2020's The Pianoman at Christmas, Jamie Cullum strikes a festive balance between swinging traditional pop and heartfelt singer/songwriter introspection. It's a balance the singer and pianist has been perfecting ever since breaking through in the early 2000s, moving between urbane re-interpretations of jazz standards and his own lyrical pop/rock originals. It's also a formula that has helped him remain a Top 20 chart regular in the U.K. with albums like 2014's Interlude and 2019's Taller. The Pianoman at Christmas makes the most of these skills as Cullum brings all of his varied experience to bear on a set of original holiday songs. Produced by Greg Wells, the album is a fittingly lush production, recorded at the legendary Abbey Road Studios with a varied mix of big band, orchestral, and small group arrangements. Tracks like "It's Christmas" and "Christmas Never Gets Old" are big swinging numbers that capture a Frank Sinatra fireside sparkle. Similarly vintage-sounding, "Hang Your Lights" is a snappy, minor-key jump blues rhumba in the Louis Prima tradition, while "So Many Santas" crackles with a Las Vegas high-kicking chorus-girl energy. We also get the bluesy, Ray Charles-sounding "Jolly Fat Man" with its wry, nightclub sense of humor. While much of the album evokes the 1950s and '60s golden age of traditional pop, there are more introspective moments as Cullum settles gently into the Billy Joel-esque title track, the ebullient '70s soft-rock anthem "Turn On the Lights," and the dusky, cinematic string romanticism of "Beautiful Together." The Pianoman at Christmas isn't just a great holiday album, it's a great Jamie Cullum album. ~ Matt Collar https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-pianoman-at-christmas-mw0003441306

Personnel: Vocals, Piano – Jamie Cullum; Alto Flute, Clarinet, Tenor Saxophone – Martin Williams (2), Paul Booth (2); Alto Saxophone, Flute – Graeme Blevins, Howard McGill; Backing Vocals – Aisha Stuart, Naomi Miller, Shanna Goodhead; Baritone Saxophone, Bass Clarinet, Clarinet, Flute – Claire McInerney; Bass [Upright Bass], Electric Bass, Backing Vocals – Loz Garratt; Cello – Bozidar Vukotic, Chris Worsey, Ian Burdge, Tony Woollard; Conductor, Piano, Saxophone, Bells [Sleigh Bells], Tambourine, Backing Vocals – Tom Richards (5); Double Bass – Chris Laurence, Richard Price; Stacey Richard Watton; Drums – Ed Richardson (tracks: 2); Drums, Backing Vocals – Brad Webb; French Horn – Alexei Watkins, Angela Barnes, Laurence Davies, Michael Thompson (2), Richard Bissill; Guitar – Tom VarrallHarp – Hugh Webb; Piano – Ross Stanley; Trombone – Alistair White, Mark Frost, Nichol Thomson, Trevor Mires;Trombone [Orchestral Trombone] – Chris Traves, Dave Stewart (2), Mark Nightingale, Tracey Holloway; Trumpet – Louis Dowdswell, Rory Simmons, Tom Rees-Roberts, Tom Walsh (12); Tuba – Mike Poyser, Owen Slade; Ann Beilby, Helen Kamminga, Julia Knight, Kate Musker, Lydia Lowndes-Northcott, Reiad Chibah; Violin – Beatrix Lovejoy, Ben Buckton, Ciaran McCabe, Daniel Bhattacharya, Dorina Markoff, Everton Nelson, Jeremy Isaac, Kate Robinson, Marianne Haynes, Max Baillie, Natalia Bonner, Patrick Savage, Rita Manning, Steve Morris, Tom Pigott-Smith; Violin, Leader – John Mills (8)

The Pianoman At Christmas

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Champian Fulton - Christmas With Champian

Styles: Vocal, Piano, Christmas
Year: 2017
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 59:20
Size: 136,8 MB
Art: Front

(3:39) 1. White Christmas
(3:32) 2. Pretty Paper
(3:41) 3. I'll Be Home For Christmas
(4:10) 4. Winter Wonderland (Feat. Stephen Fulton)
(6:24) 5. Gracias A Dios (Feat. Stephen Fulton)
(5:03) 6. The Christmas Song
(4:17) 7. Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas
(6:00) 8. Christmas Time Is Here (Feat. Stephen Fulton)
(4:33) 9. The Christmas Waltz
(4:28) 10. Sleigh Ride (Feat. Stephen Fulton)
(5:21) 11. A Child Is Born (Feat. David Williams)
(3:28) 12. Let It Snow (Feat. Stephen Fulton)
(4:36) 13. Merry Merry Christmas

Pianist-Vocalist Champian Fulton's long awaited release, "Christmas with Champian" is being touted as the best new Jazz Christmas album of the year. With her personal song selection, listeners are invited to sit back and celebrate the season with Champian as she swings her way through this charming program of her favorites. Worth noting is Champian's beautiful rendition of the Los Panchos & Eydie Gormé hit, "Gracias a Dios", a selection inspired by her Mexican heritage; also listen for her original song "Merry Merry Christmas", written as a gift to her fans. "Christmas with Champian" spotlights veteran Jazz royalty David Williams on bass and Fukushi Tainaka on drums, who performed for over 30 years with Cedar Walton and Lou Donaldson respectively; and features Clark Terry protegé (and Champian's father) Stephen Fulton on trumpet and flugelhorn on a stunning rendition of "Christmas Time Is Here." A perfect balance of Christmas spirit and Jazz sensibility, "Christmas with Champian" is guaranteed to make your season bright.

"Champian Fulton, with a gleaming smile built in Santa’s workshop, is a charming vocalist and pianist with a fine entry into the Xmas canon. Christmas with Champian is a nice mix of standard and unusual material, filtered through a voice that surprises in its shifts between child-like and seasoned and a touch at the keys that is sweet without being saccharine." ~ Andrey Henkin, NYC Jazz Record

"Fulton's piano approach especially in her solo turns is a bit quirky, highly original, always inventive. Her vocals brim with appealing, fluid phrasing and gorgeous intonation and soul. " ~ Dan McLenaghan, All About Jazz

“Holiday genialness comes naturally to Champian.... Christmas with Champian finds her dispelling the deadening familiarity of dry evergreens... allowing listeners to hear a shopworn lyric and melody as if for the first time. 4 STARS” ~ Frank John Hadley, Downbeat

I can not think of anyone today who does more to preserve the American classics than Champian. As a musician and a vocalist, she takes the tunes of the masters and brings them to life today; and she does it with such a grace and 'swing' it seems like she has been doing it since birth..." ~ StreetCred Music

"Champian Fulton’s piano combines Erroll Garner’s serendipity and Ahmad Jamal’s dynamic calibrations. Combined with her impish vocals, Christmas With Champian (champion.net) makes a worthy soundtrack to any holiday gathering." ~ Kirk Silsbee, ArtsMeme

"Champian Fulton...has emerged in recent years as the most exciting vocal and pianistic talent on the straight-ahead jazz scene. This is a very nice collection of holiday standards (“White Christmas,” “The Christmas Song,” etc.) and more unusual choices: Willie Nelson’s “Pretty Paper,” for example, and an old Los Panchos & Eydie Gormé number titled “Gracias à Dios,” as well as a lovely original. As always, Fulton and her band swing powerfully and she sings like an unusually creative and playful angel. And her dad, trumpeter Stephen Fulton, makes a guest appearance as well. There’s simply nothing about this album that isn’t delightful, and since there’s a good chance that your library serves some of her growing legion of fans, I’d strongly recommend this one to all collections." - Rick Anderson, CD Hot List

"To be successful, Christmas albums, need to exude a certain joy of the season and this one does, from the finger-snapping backbeat of “White Christmas” (nice work by drummer, Fukushi Tainaka, throughout) to the closer, “Merry, Merry Christmas”, a lovely original number by Ms. Fulton. The rest of the album is filled with familiar songs of the season but thanks to Ms. Fulton’s first-rate piano work and the rock-solid backing of her sidemen; Mr. Tainaka, bassist David Williams and Champian’s dad, trumpeter Stephen Fulton, these tunes have new life." - Curt's Jazz Cafe

"This is a great jazz record in a Santa hat. Fulton never ceases to find both poignancy and exuberant fun in the least expected places."
~ NY Music Daily https://www.champian.net/news/2017/10/19/people-are-raving-about-christmas-with-champian

Christmas With Champian

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Don Patterson - Holiday Soul

Styles: Jazz, Post Bop
Year: 2015
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 38:30
Size: 89,8 MB
Art: Front

(3:15) 1. Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer
(5:38) 2. What Are You Doing New Year's Eve?
(3:01) 3. You're All I Want For Christmas
(2:57) 4. Silent Night
(3:13) 5. O Holy Night
(5:34) 6. Santa Claus Is Coming To Town
(6:05) 7. Merry Christmas Baby
(8:43) 8. Jingle Bells

With December ushering in the holiday season, it seemed logical to allow this month's column to address two items that fall under the category of jazzy Christmas fare. Although the repertoire in this area is really quite limited, some of the more memorable holiday jazz sides include works by Ella Fitzgerald and Jimmy Smith. For my money however, among the best sets is a pair of 1964 sides cut for Prestige by Bobby Timmons and Don Patterson. The idea for successful Christmas music adaptations has always been about utilizing the formats of such traditional pieces as a launching pad for substantial jazz performances and both Timmons and Patterson do that in a way that allows their own personalities to rise to the surface. A staple of the Prestige catalog, organist Don Patterson turned out a substantial number of albums for the label during the sixties, with Holiday Soul (Prestige 7415) being among his rarest and hardest to find. Serving somewhat as a house rhythm section for Prestige at the time, Patterson is heard with guitarist Pat Martino and drummer Billy James and the threesome generates the kind of energy that belies the group's modest size. The centerpiece is a lengthy groove on "Jingle Bells," launched by a modal vamp that leads into a string of choruses from both Patterson and Martino. "Merry Christmas Baby" takes on an azure hue with "down home" statements from our lead voices, a clarity of purpose evident in both the solos and Rudy Van Gelder's classic engineering for an organ combo. Even "Rudolf the Red Nosed Reindeer" swings like crazy, Martino's Wes-inflected octaves being of particular interest.

When it comes to pianist Bobby Timmons, most consider his main contribution to the music to be a gospel-tinged/funky outlook that ushered in a whole genre of soul-jazz that is still in favor among today's younger set. As such, his collection of Christmas favorites as assembled under the same banner of Holiday Soul (Prestige 7414) is even more individualistic than Patterson's. "White Christmas" is as far removed from its usual maudlin tone as is possible, with a bluesy feel that finds Timmons romping across the snow banks with blissful ease. It's a funky vamp that launches "Winter Wonderland" and over several choruses Timmons and bassist Butch Warren get to speak their piece, supported ever so tastefully by drummer Walter Perkins. Both of these holiday sets stand firmly on the grounds of being good Christmas music, but they also offer considerable jazz performances to boot. The shame is that even with Fantasy's ambitious reissue programs of late, each of these records has yet to be reissued on compact disc (however, two selections from each album do appear on the compilation The OJC Christmas Collection ). Their reappearance at some point will be a welcomed gift to jazz fans of the hard bop persuasion. In the meantime, keep a look out for these vinyl trinkets and best wishes for a healthy and happy holiday season! ~ C.Andrew Hovan https://www.allaboutjazz.com/don-patterson-bobby-timmons-holiday-soul-by-c-andrew-hovan.php

Personnel: Don Patterson - organ; Pat Martino - guitar; Billy James - drums

Holiday Soul

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