James Clay - Tenorman: The Kid From Dallas

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 66:37
Size: 152.5 MB
Styles: Saxophone jazz
Year: 2011
Art: Front

[3:28] 1. In A Sentimental Mood
[4:36] 2. The Devil And The Deep Blue Sea
[4:30] 3. Easy Living
[4:32] 4. Minor Meeting
[3:40] 5. Airtight
[4:46] 6. Willow Weep For Me
[4:27] 7. Three Fingers North
[4:12] 8. Lover Man
[4:16] 9. Marbles
[2:41] 10. It's Allright With Me
[5:29] 11. Scrapple From The Apple
[6:15] 12. Out Of The Blue
[5:31] 13. Sandu
[8:07] 14. Cheek To Cheek

James Clay (ts), Bobby Timmons (p), Jimmy Bond (b), Peter Littman (d), Lorraine Geller (p), Red Mitchell (b), Sonny Clark (p), Lawrence Marable (d).

In the summer of 1956 James Clay was a 20-year-old tenor saxophonist from Dallas, who had been living and playing in Los Angeles since mid-1955. At that time his colleagues were all young and independent experimentalists, completely outside of the flourishing West Coast jazz movement – players like trumpeter Don Cherry, bassist Billy Higgins, and altoist Ornette Coleman – and though he said he was not an outside player, he worked easily within the unconventional settings of Coleman’s compositions.

Paradoxically, however, his only recordings were straight ahead, not at all in line with Ornette’s controversial music. On them his ideas flow melodically, especially in ballads and mid-tempos. On faster tunes, his blowing statements come from the strong swinging style and hot tone that characterized other Texas tenors such as Illinois Jacquet and Arnett Cobb, with a hard-bop approach clearly influenced by his idol Sonny Rollins. This CD contains all James Clay studio performances on tenor sax while the young kid from Dallas was living in Los Angeles in the mid Fifties.

Tenorman: The Kid From Dallas

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Ralph Peterson - Triangular III

Styles: Jazz, Post Bop
Year: 2016
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 66:56
Size: 154,4 MB
Art: Front

(6:20) 1. Uranus
(5:09) 2. Beatrice
(6:18) 3. Inner Urge
(7:09) 4. Backgammon
(5:55) 5. Manifest Destiny
(7:16) 6. Skylark
(9:27) 7. 400 Year Ago Tomorrow
(6:14) 8. The Art of War
(7:31) 9. Moments
(5:32) 10. Blues for Chooch

At the age of 53, Ralph Peterson has come full circle in terms of his role in modern jazz. Back in the '80s, he was considered a "young lion" when he debuted with hard bop collective Out of the Blue. These days, he can be considered an accomplished jazz elder, giving back generously to a new generation of up and comers as a dedicated educator. It is in this spirit that he has assembled a new piano trio group with two of the best and brightest talents on the current scene, pianist Zaccai Curtis and his brother Luques Curtis on bass.

The first installment of the Triangular series goes back to the 1989 Blue Note session featuring Geri Allen. Then in 2000 the sophomore set would spotlight pianist David Kikoski. This latest incarnation is something different altogether, both in the fact that it is a live recording and that there's a special element contained in the work of the Curtis brothers that seems to really inspire Peterson to new heights. Furthermore, this is a musician-owned product bearing the imprimaturs of both Onyx Records and Truth Revolution.

A mentor of Peterson's, pianist Walter Davis Jr. gave the drummer an early education in growth and development as an artist. One need go no further than a listen to Davis's Steeplechase set Scorpio Rising to hear the innate potential of the young drummer. Peterson repays the favor by featuring three of Davis' sublime originals. The opening "Uranus" is a genuine flag-waver, with its ingenious use of an eight note repeated vamp that provides the underlayment for one of Ralph's incendiary solos. "Backgammon" is notable for a sublime statement from Luques, a fully developed story that hits the high points and low points and everything in between. The bassist also ushers in "400 Years Ago Tomorrow," a stately melody that is contrasted against a swing-inflected blowing section.

A tip of the hat is given to a pair of Blue Note saxophonists, although uniquely fresh arrangements are the order of the day for this trio. Sam Rivers' "Beatrice" opens with the vamp figure from Coltrane's "Syeeda's Song Flute." The entire piece is an example of how Zaccai can set a mood through his mature storytelling. The Curtis' Latin roots can be heard in the 5/4 clave that transforms "Inner Urge." Ralph maneuvers his way through the thorny grove, adding further textures via the use of jam block and cowbell. Zaccai contributes two of his own originals to the set. "Manifest Destiny" seems to be cut of the same cloth as Joe Chambers' Blue Note compositions of the late '60s. Of a more introspective nature, "Moments" starts with Ralph using his mallets on the toms to establish a mood. He then uses a tambourine attachment to accent key phrases along with the pianist's right hand. With a distinct sense of ebb and flow, this beautiful piece might be one of the highlights of the entire set.

Ralph's own compositional genius is represented by an upbeat "The Art of War," a swinger that alludes to the drummer's martial arts background as a fourth-degree black belt. "Blues for Cooch" is a reference to a young Peterson's fascination with trains, but its form evades the customary. Eschewing the 12-bar form of the blues, this original actually is structured in eighteen bars, made up of three groups of six. Pay close attention to how Zaccai and Luques make it all sound so natural. Not an easy feat to be sure. Recorded just prior to Peterson undergoing hospitalization for some serious health issues, there is a sense of joy and abandon in these proceedings that is palpable. Aided and abetted by a fine recording job, it is no exaggeration to suggest that this might be one of the drummer's finest recorded moments and it certainly speaks volumes in terms of the potential of the Curtis Brothers.~ C.Andrew Hovan https://www.allaboutjazz.com/triangular-iii-ralph-peterson-onyx-music-label-review-by-c-andrew-hovan.php

Personnel: Ralph Peterson, Jr.: drums; Zaccai Curtis: piano; Luques Curtis: bass.

Triangular III

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Amanda Tosoff - Words

Size: 100,6 MB
Time: 39:58
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2016
Styles: Jazz: Piano Jazz, Vocals
Art: Front

01. Daffodils (6:03)
02. Cool Embrace (4:50)
03. Simultaneous Windows (4:07)
04. Too Late (2:05)
05. Owl Pellet (3:25)
06. Living In The Past (4:45)
07. Down To The Water (6:18)
08. The First Day Of Winter (4:37)
09. Little Bird (3:46)

Amanda Tosoff is a B.C-raised Toronto-based pianist, composer, and bandleader, with five albums to her credit. Along her fascinating career path, Amanda has performed with such internationally recognized artists as Ingrid Jensen, Emilie-Claire Barlow, Phil Dwyer, Christine Jensen, Brad Turner, Kelly Jefferson, and Jodi Proznick. She has also opened for jazz legends Bobby Hutcherson, Renee Rosnes, Oliver Jones, and Brazilian singer Luciana Souza, and her groups have recorded for CBC Radio programs Hot Air, Tonic, Jazz Beat, Canada Live, and Espace Musique’s series, Portraits Jazz.

On her brand new release Words, Amanda takes an adventurous leap beyond the confines of conventional jazz. She has taken poems and lyrics that possess a personal resonance for her and framed them in original new compositions that utilize vocals for the first time (sung by highly-regarded singer Felicity Williams of such bands as Hobson’s Choice, Broken Social Scene, and Bahamas). The result is an eclectic collection that incorporates elements of jazz, art song, classical, and folk/pop.

Words

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Clare Foster - Learning To Love

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2009
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 66:02
Size: 152,6 MB
Art: Front

(4:27) 1. Sentimental Journey
(4:46) 2. What Is This Thing Called Love?/Quest For Love (Hot House)
(6:15) 3. Seraffa's Smile
(5:53) 4. A Breath of New Life (Adam's Apple)
(4:43) 5. The Trolley Song
(5:39) 6. Adoraçao
(4:48) 7. If I Should Lose You
(5:47) 8. The Mohican and the Great Spirit
(3:20) 9. Ballad In Blue
(5:15) 10. How Deep Is the Ocean?
(4:41) 11. Early Autumn
(5:53) 12. Love Is Here To Stay
(4:31) 13. Back In Your Own Back Yard / Full Circle

JAZZ singer Clare Foster has travelled the world to immerse herself in music and her thirst for learning has proved unquenchable.

Moving to New York at the age of 20, Clare attended the workshops of renowned jazz pianist Barry Harris and then went on to study and live with the acclaimed American singer Judy Niemack. On her return to the UK in 1990, she decided to take a one-year jazz diploma course at the Guildhall School of Music. She later discovered a love of Brazilian music after a period spent in Holland, where she performed a weekly residency in a Brazilian club. With four albums under her belt, including her latest release, Learning to Love, Clare shows no signs of slowing down. Audiences can enjoy her wealth of experience when she comes to Southend for an outside show at the bandstand in Priory Park in August. She says:“I usually have a line-up of piano and guitar and this time it is a cello and a baritone saxophone and jazz vocals. “There will be a lot more gaps between the music for vocals and it gives me a chance to take a different approach.”

Clare, who lives in Westcliff with her partner and two children, adds: “We will be playing music from the American Songbook. “We had a great response with the show when we performed at the Civic Centre and I think the repertoire really works.” The talented musician likes to keep her music interesting and challenging. “I do like to have variety in my work and I like Brazilian music because it is something that you have to study. “A lot of jazz musicians will be able to play a Latin rhythm, but in South America every part, like Colombia and Brazil, have their own beat. “I started playing with a Brazilian band 18 years ago and have been listening to it for 20 years, and I am still learning. “Jazz music is great because it is like a big pot and you can take influences from all over the place and pour them out and mix them into something different. As long as you do your homework I think you can create something valuable.”

Clare finds she still gets a lot of support when performing on home turf. “When I gig in Essex I tend to look out into the audience and recognise people, but I never know where from,” says the 41-year-old. However, she does believe more should be done to promote jazz in the area. She says: “It would be nice if the arts could come before money and I think it is a real shame jazz events like the Southend Jazz Festival and the jazz room at the Cliffs Pavilion have closed.” Clare admits fans might be surprised by the sound of her new album Learning to Love. She says: “I have gone in a different direction with this album, there are a lot more grooves, whereas before it would have been mostly swing. “It means people do not necessarily have to be fans of jazz to enjoy it. “I have to pinch myself sometimes. I am doing something I love. https://www.echo-news.co.uk/news/4516006.clare-brings-blended-jazz-to-the-bandstand/

Personnel: Clare Foster - vocals; Jason Rebello - piano; Alec Dankworth - bass; Winston Clifford - drums; Shanti Jayasinha - trumpet/flugelhorn/cello/percussion; Jean Toussaint - tenor/soprano saxes ;Fayyaz Virgi - trombone ;Ryo Kawasaki - guitar

Learning To Love

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Rossano Sportiello - That's It!

Styles: Piano Jazz
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 69:20
Size: 160,4 MB
Art: Front

(5:32) 1. Smoke Gets In Your Eyes
(4:22) 2. She Is There
(4:19) 3. Stars Fell On Alabama
(4:38) 4. Song For Emily
(4:19) 5. Guilty
(3:01) 6. Fine and Dandy
(3:44) 7. I Couldn't Sleep A Wink Last Night
(4:11) 8. That's It!
(3:52) 9. Take, O Take Those Lips Away
(4:55) 10. Someone To Watch Over Me
(2:44) 11. Nonno Bob's Delight
(3:54) 12. How Do You Keep The Music Playing
(2:55) 13. Thou Swell
(5:51) 14. Medley: A) Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered; B) Prelude N. 1 In C Major, BWV 846
(3:22) 15. Ain't Cha Glad?
(2:54) 16. The Sheik Of Araby
(4:38) 17. Tomorrow, It Will Be Bright With You

Imagine having Rossano Sportiello drop by your house and spontaneously decide to play your recently-tuned piano in your living room for an hour or so. That’s It has the relaxed informality of that type of solo recital, one that is full of brilliance. Sportiello starts off with a melodic version of “Smoke Gets In Your Eyes” and his “She Is There,” as if he were trying out the piano. Having convinced himself that he had made the right decision, he next performs a medium-tempo stride version of “Stars Fell On Alabama” and then really cooks on his “Song For Emily” which is a little reminiscent of “I Wish I Were Twins.” One can easily imagine Teddy Wilson or Fats Waller having fun with the latter tune.

During his set, Sportiello performs 17 pieces including five of his own, mixing together a few standards with superior obscurities. It is particularly nice to hear such songs as “Guilty,” “Ain’t Cha Glad” and “I Couldn’t Sleep A Wink Last Night” being revived in this setting. Among the other highlights are a romping version of “Fine And Dandy” (which abruptly ends, as if the pianist said to himself “enough of that”), his “That’s It” which sounds like a lost standard of the 1930s (it deserves to be covered by others), “Nonno Bob’s Delight” beginning as a waltz from the 1890s before it swings hard with basslines worthy of Dave McKenna, and a rapid yet episodic version of “Thou Swell.”If this musical dream had happened, it would be one of the finest hours that your piano ever experienced. Happily, one can experience this fantasy by simply putting on this rewarding CD.~ Scott Yanow https://syncopatedtimes.com/rossano-sportiello-thats-it/

That's It!

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Wendell Eugene's New Orleans Jazz Band - - If I Had My Life To Live Over

Size: 133,5 MB
Time: 56:52
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2013
Styles: Dixieland, New Orleans Jazz
Art: Front

01. Lily Of The Valley (3:37)
02. Darktown Strutters Ball (3:29)
03. Mama Inez (5:03)
04. Bourbon Street Parade (4:25)
05. If I Had My Life To Live Over (3:38)
06. High Society (4:19)
07. When You're Smiling (Feat. Jamie Wight) (3:10)
08. The Young Get Old And The Old Get Cold Blues (5:51)
09. Bye Bye Blackbird (4:32)
10. Bogalusa Strut (2:55)
11. Basin Street Blues (Feat. Jamie Wight) (3:26)
12. Please Don't Talk About Me When I'm Gone (4:07)
13. South Of The Border (4:27)
14. Muskrat Ramble (3:46)

Peronnel:
Lars Edegren – Piano
Jamie Wight – Cornet, Trumpet
Jason Marsalis – Drums
Richard Moton – Bass
Tom Fischer – Clarinet
Wendell Eugene – Trombone

Wendell Eugene is an American jazz musician from New Orleans, Louisiana. He is a popular trombonist on the New Orleans jazz scene[4] and has recorded with artists such as Lionel Ferbos, Harold Dejan, and Kermit Ruffins. He is the second oldest active jazz musician in New Orleans next to Lionel Ferbos

This compilation showcases the best of Traditional New Orleans Jazz Musicians and celebrates Wendell Eugene's 90th Birthday and 75th Anniversary as a New Orleans Jazz Legend.

If I Had My Life To Live Over

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Rebecca Martin - Middlehope

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 44:08
Size: 101.0 MB
Styles: Vocal jazz
Year: 2001
Art: Front

[5:35] 1. The Sweetest Sounds
[3:51] 2. A Fine Spring Morning
[6:04] 3. The Midnight Sun
[5:25] 4. Dindi
[4:24] 5. How Do You Say Auf Wiedersehn
[5:33] 6. Bewitched
[3:11] 7. Then A Wall Came Up Inside Me
[3:07] 8. One Flight Down
[3:26] 9. Ridin' High
[3:27] 10. Where Is Love

Rebecca Martin's Middlehope starts out as a quirky collection of jazz ballads. But about halfway through, the vocalist turns her attention to two pop/rock-oriented songs by Jesse Harris, who happens to be one of Norah Jones' main songwriters. In fact, the second of these two, "One Flight Down," appears on Jones' debut disc, Come Away With Me. Martin and Jones do seem to share a fondness for the contemporary singer/songwriter aesthetic, but Martin is more of a jazzer; her world-weary drawl gives a lift to old tunes like "Bewitched," "The Sweetest Sounds," "Dindi," and Johnny Mercer's "How Do You Say Auf Wiedersehn." Martin's band includes husband/bassist Larry Grenadier, drummer Jorge Rossy, and tenor saxophonist Bill McHenry, but the album's truly defining sound is created by guitarists Kurt Rosenwinkel and Steve Cardenas, a twosome who has graced ensembles led by Paul Motian and Marc Johnson. (They're pretty easy to tell apart; Rosenwinkel takes most of the solos.) Without any other accompaniment, the guitarists frame a particularly vulnerable performance by Martin on the closing "Where Is Love," weaving together shimmering, intersecting lines that obliquely define each unfolding harmony. The band communicates with utmost sensitivity on "A Fine Spring Morning," which is played entirely rubato. And McHenry beautifully shadows the chromatic descending lines of "Midnight Sun" with carefully chosen harmonies. He also sings (who knew?) on "Dindi," doubling the tender melody an octave below Martin. Highly recommended. ~David R. Adler

Middlehope

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Rhoda Scott & Kenny Clarke - Jazz In Paris: Rhoda Scott & Kenny Clarke

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 41:37
Size: 95.3 MB
Styles: Soul jazz
Year: 2001
Art: Front

[3:26] 1. Bitter Street
[5:18] 2. Satin Doll
[6:07] 3. It's Impossible
[5:43] 4. Speak Low
[3:01] 5. Now's The Time
[4:35] 6. Out Of Nowhere
[5:29] 7. What Are You Doing The Rest Of Your Life
[3:19] 8. Toe Jam
[4:34] 9. On Green Dolphin Street

Originally recorded in Paris at a pair of two-day sessions in 1977 and then released as a BarClay Records LP that same year, this fine duo set features the sturdy soul-jazz organ of Rhoda Scott paired with Kenny Clarke on drums, and together they create a remarkably full sound. It is worth noting that two of the best numbers here are Scott originals, "Bitter Street," which opens the album, and the funky "Toe Jam." ~Steve Leggett

Jazz In Paris: Rhoda Scott & Kenny Clarke

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Cannonball Adderley - Swingin' in Seattle : Live at the Penthouse 1966-1967

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 73:05
Size: 169,1 MB
Art: Front

( 0:13) 1. Jim Wilke Introduction I.
( 8:49) 2. Big P
( 0:24) 3. Spoken Outro I
( 0:14) 4. Spoken Introduction I
(11:10) 5. The Girl Next Door
( 0:48) 6. Spoken Introduction II
( 4:33) 7. Sticks
( 0:06) 8. Spoken Outro II
( 0:12) 9. Spoken Introduction III
(10:44) 10. Manhã De Carnaval
( 0:12) 11. Spoken Outro III
( 0:34) 12. Spoken Introduction IV
( 5:04) 13. Somewhere
( 0:16) 14. Jim Wilke Introduction II
(10:38) 15. 74 Miles Away
( 0:31) 16. Spoken Outro IV
( 6:47) 17. Back Home Blues
(10:44) 18. Hippodelphia
( 0:57) 19. Set-Closing Outro

Cannonball Adderley and his merry men brother/cornetist Nat Adderley, bassist Victor Gaskin, backbeat king drummer Roy McCurdy and bursting-at-the-seams-with-new-ideas pianist Joe Zawinul were having themselves a high time during 1966-67, that Renaissance time of adventure between Cecil Taylor's Unit Structures (Blue Note, 1966), Miles Smiles (Columbia, 1967) and the colorful, imagination emancipations of Sgt. Peppers' Lonely Hearts Club Band (Capital, 1967) and Charles Lloyd's live Forest Sunflower (Atlantic, 1967). Into this froth drops Cannonball's earthy and jocular soul/blues/jazz and "Mercy, Mercy, Mercy" is tapping the national Top Ten and later takes home a Grammy for the storied LP Mercy, Mercy, Mercy Live at The Club!(Capital, 1966).

Recorded pre and post that milestone release, Reel to Real Recordings gives us Swingin' In Seattle: Live at The Penthouse (1966-1967) and it's really hard no, it's damn impossible not to feel on a cellar-level the celebratory joy these guys share and create with, as they peak and peak, night after night.

And, yes, of course there's a whole provenance of discovering unheard tapes and the human wrangling that goes on behind the scenes to get these things into the grateful listening sphere, but that could be a whole other essay. Meanwhile, "Big P," the break-from-the-gate opening track, swings and it gooses and it gets the audience up early and often. "Big P, that's a familiar way to open," Cannonball outros laconically, "Seems like we always begin to play "Big P" in Seattle. Maybe that's uhh, how we feel about things." Well thank you for that, a million times thank you!

These guys could do no wrong to whatever they brought their hearts to and "The Girl Next Door" is mercurial proof of that. From slow romance to dance floor fling with sky-high solos and tempo shifts that defy any metronome, the quintet just flows on its own time, in its own space and we step into that river as true disciples and ride the tide. "Sticks," a then new Cannonball composition, barrels from the get go and doesn't stop. One feels that, edited to perhaps the four-minute mark, this would have a made a great follow-up single with its punchy, chorus-like theme and soaring sax.

After a spirited, though pop-oriented, swing through the easy bossa nova of "The Morning of the Carnival" and Leonard Bernstein's elegiac "Somewhere," the band gets back to brass tacks and fires the cylinders for Zawinul's percolating spiral "74 Miles Away," with a for-the-ages Nat solo. A brazen run through Charlie Parker's "Back Home Blues" has Nat sitting out while big brother takes center stage. Julian and Nat keep being mentioned, but none of this sustained exuberance is possible with McCurdy, Gaskin, and Zawinul who take the task at hand and charge head on with it. The raucous "Hippodelphia," another gem from Zawinul's youthful, hyperactive pen, brings the October '67 night to a rousing close. A real early contender for best of 2019 lists.~ Mike Jurcovik https://www.allaboutjazz.com/swingin-in-seattle-live-at-the-penthouse-1966-1967-julian-cannonball-adderley-reel-to-real-review-by-mike-jurkovic.php

Personnel: Cannonball Adderley: alto saxophone; Joe Zawinul: piano; Victor Gaskin: bass; Nat Adderley: cornet; Roy McCurdy: drums.

Swingin'in Seattle: Live at the Penthouse 1966-1967

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Corinne Mammana - Yes, No, Next

Styles: Vocal
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 39:10
Size: 90,4 MB
Art: Front

(3:03) 1. Blue Skies
(3:06) 2. Painter Song
(4:29) 3. Lovesong
(4:49) 4. Smile / Put on a Happy Face
(4:13) 5. In Need of a Good Night’s Sleep
(4:38) 6. Music of the Night
(4:12) 7. This & That
(6:14) 8. Yes, No, Next
(4:21) 9. The Best Is Yet to Come

Vocalist Corinne Mammana follows her 2016 EP Under An August Moon (CD Baby) with her full-length debut, Yes, No, Next. Blending the tried-and-true (Irving Berlin's "Blue Skies" taken straight ahead) with the downright inventive (The Cure's "Lovesong" rendered as a smooth samba), Mammana demonstrates a dense and fearless creative mettle not frequently equalled by her peers. With a voice at once coquettish and confident, Mammana reveals an ability to address any vocal genre, doubtless from her theater experience. Capably supported by the core trio of pianist Sean Gough, bassist Gene Perla and drummer Ian Froman, with wind input from Lorenzo Branca, the singer is able to showcase her impressive vocal chops, always tasteful and never over-the-top. Mamanna makes it all sound too easy.

A full-service singer, Mamanna arranged the nine selections (ten, including the CD-bonus "Everybody Needs A Best Friend") on the release. Her arrangements are capable and utilitarian until they become sheer genius, as on the thoughtful mash-up of Charlie Chaplin's "Smile" with Strauss and Adams' "Put On A Happy Face." It is a well-presented, acute juxtaposition of two quite different songs, seamlessly linked thematically and musically. Few singers could have pulled this off, but Mammana does so with gusto. The singer is a composer also, cooing her way through a blues infused "This And That," while allowing Gough a searing organ solo. In a market clotted with the refuse of much lesser talent, Mammana distinguishes herself as the total package, with an omnivorous appetite for music... any music.~ C.Michael Bailey https://www.allaboutjazz.com/yes-no-next-corinne-mammana-corinne-mammana

Personnel: Corinne Mammana: voice / vocals; Gene Perla: bass; Ian Froman: drums; Sean Gough: piano; Lorenzo Branca: flute.

Yes, No, Next

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Harry Connick, Jr. - Alone With My Faith

Styles: Vocal
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 57:44
Size: 134,2 MB
Art: Front

(5:54) 1. Alone With My Faith
(3:33) 2. Because He Lives
(4:19) 3. Be Not Afraid
(3:42) 4. Benevolent Man
(4:51) 5. Amazing Grace
(5:50) 6. The Old Rugged Cross
(3:58) 7. How Great Thou Art
(5:34) 8. God And My Gospel
(4:03) 9. Old Time Religion
(4:28) 10. All These Miracles
(3:47) 11. Look Who I Found
(4:53) 12. Thank You For Waiting (For Me)
(2:47) 13. Panis Angelicus

Harry Connick, Jr. spotlights his spirituality as well as his adept multi-instrumental chops on his intimate 2021 album Alone with My Faith, recorded on his own while in lockdown during the COVID-19 pandemic (with some mixing and production assistance by Tracey Freeman). Connick has recorded big band, small group, and orchestral albums in the past, not to mention his work on Broadway. Here, he adds yet another genre to his resumé, interpreting traditional hymns and gospel songs alongside similarly soulful originals. It's not quite as easy a fit as his past ventures, but Connick achieves some transcendent moments on the record, thanks in no small part to his omnipresent virtuosity, playing every instrument on every track. You might expect that an album Connick recorded in isolation would be a pared-down affair featuring little more than his voice and a trusty old piano, but he proves to be a pretty self-sufficient one-man band, performing keys, horns, guitar, percussion, and backing harmonies. Connick's aw-shucks brand of charisma has often shined best on standards of the American pop tradition, making Alone with My Faith something of an unexpected side-step. This album feels more in line with his forays into Stevie Wonder-esque soul and pop on 1996's Star Turtle and 2015's That Would Be Me. It's a facet of his repertoire that feels joyful and exuberant, even if it's not perhaps the best use of his charming sincerity as a performer. From the '80s drum machine on the title track to the analog synths of "Thank You For Waiting (For Me)," the vintage R&B sound that pervades much of the album clearly holds a place in his heart, and it grows on you as he moves from track to track. Meanwhile, the gospel organ and twangy guitar of songs like "That Old Rugged Cross" and "Old Time Religion" conjure a rousing, Ray Charles-like old-timeyness that fits squarely in Connick's wheelhouse.~ Matt Collar https://www.allmusic.com/album/alone-with-my-faith-mw0003478816

Alone With My Faith

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Thad Jones - The Fabulous Thad Jones

Styles: Trumpet Jazz 
Year: 1958
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 63:36
Size: 146,3 MB
Art: Front

(8:47)  1. Get Out Of Town
(7:33)  2. One More
(4:56)  3. Bitty Ditty
(5:16)  4. More Of The Same
(5:15)  5. Elusive
(2:50)  6. Sombre Intrusion
(6:08)  7. I Can't Get Started
(3:51)  8. I'll Remember April
(3:33)  9. You Don't Know What Love Is
(3:45) 10. Chazzanova
(7:33) 11. Get Out Of Town (Alternate Take)
(4:03) 12. One More (Alternate Take)

Trumpeter Thad Jones made his debut as a leader for Charles Mingus' Debut label during 1954-55, music that has been reissued as a single CD in the OJC series and as part of a huge 12-CD Mingus Debut box set. The 12 performances (which include two alternate takes) really put the focus on Jones' accessible yet unpredictable style. Half of the music showcases Jones in a quartet with pianist John Dennis, bassist Mingus and drummer Max Roach. while the other six numbers are more in a Count Basie groove with Frank Wess on tenor and flute, pianist Hank Jones, Mingus and drummer Kenny Clarke. 

The originals tend to be tricky, and even such standards as "I'll Remember April," "You Don't Know What Love Is" and "Get Out of Town" have their surprising moments. ~ Scott Yanow http://www.allmusic.com/album/the-fabulous-thad-jones-mw0000262510

Personnel includes: Thad Jones (trumpet); Frank Wess (tenor saxophone, flute); John Dennis, Hank Jones (piano); Charles Mingus (bass); Max Roach, Kenny Clarke (drums).

The Fabulous Thad Jones

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Lisa Lindsley / La Belle Epoque - Wouldn't It Be Loverly?

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2017
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 32:42
Size: 76,0 MB
Art: Front

(4:38) 1. Everybody Want to Be a Cat
(3:51) 2. I Could Have Danced All Night
(3:36) 3. Jeepers Creepers
(4:55) 4. The Heather on the Hill
(3:49) 5. Wouldn't It Be Loverly
(3:58) 6. Got a Lot o' Livin' to Do
(4:36) 7. Isn't It a Lovely Day
(3:15) 8. That's Entertainment

Wouldn’t It Be Loverly is a new and noteworthy CD by chanteuse Lisa Lindsley. She performs on two continents, usually around the San Francisco Bay Area in the U.S. and, when in France, with her group La Belle Époque. This recording was made with her French group which includes Lauren Marode, piano; Jeff Chambers, bass; Mourad Benhammou, drums; and multi-instrumentalist Esaie Cid on tenor sax, flute, and clarinet.

Ms. Lindsley has a mellow voice with clear diction. Her group just plays the pretty notes and gives her lots of space in which to operate. Permit me to ramble a bit on my observations about the function of supporting musicians. I had opportunity to see late pianist Paul Smith perform at a number of Dick Gibson jazz parties, the so-called Super Bowl of jazz parties. He was versatile with great chops. When necessary, he could improvise with appropriate musical quotations providing humor to the ensemble’s music. However, when he came to Pensacola in 1985 as accompanist to Ella Fitzgerald, he just played the right notes to make the singer sound wonderful. This illustration, I hope, gets the point across when I said Ms. Lindsley’s ensemble performs to enhance the vocalist. https://syncopatedtimes.com/wouldnt-it-be-loverly-lisa-lindsley-and-la-belle-epoque/

Wouldn't It Be Loverly?

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Monty Alexander - Love You Madly: Live at Bubba's

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2020
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 91:55
Size: 211,5 MB
Art: Front

( 7:41) 1. Arthur's Theme
( 8:08) 2. Love You Madly
( 6:26) 3. Samba De Orfeu
( 5:57) 4. Sweet Lady
( 9:35) 5. Eleuthra
( 7:49) 6. Reggae Later
( 6:45) 7. Blues for Edith
(10:07) 8. Fungii Mama
( 6:05) 9. Consider
( 7:06) 10. Montevideo
( 7:21) 11. Body and Soul
( 3:53) 12. Swamp Fire
( 4:56) 13. SKJ

Risk and reward is honored in the selection of this premium sound night club gig from nearly forty years ago. Just how such a recording is going to play in a current climate is tricky business. Is it vintage or is it outdated? Is it a fond remembrance or better left forgotten? The answers are of course in the ear of the beholder. Certainly, the spirit and energy play well in any time period.

Jamaican born pianist Monty Alexander first made an impression on the jazz circuit as far back as the early to mid-nineteen sixties. While he didn't fully embrace his Jamaican roots until years later, there was always a certain swagger in his lines. He perhaps held that back a bit until he was more firmly entrenched as an artist. At any rate, by nineteen eighty-two, the year this was recorded, Alexander had begun to incorporate it into his swing. It occurs that being in the transitional development and growth stages of what is now his widely known jazz and Jamaican fusion, is key to the freshness and improvisational nature of the performance. Indeed percussionist Robert Thomas Jr. is brought in to infuse his hand drumming with bassist Paul Berner and drummer Duffy Jackson.

"Arthur's Theme" was a very popular song at the time. The tune from the movie Arthur(Warner Brothers, 1981) is given quite the jazz makeover and won the audience over in a heartbeat. The Duke Ellington composition, and title track, follows, and an evening of live jazz quartet music is underway at Bubba's Jazz Restaurant in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. What was most striking about the next few tunes that completed the first set is Alexander's remarkable proficiently in shifting tempo, Jackson and Berner had an opportunity to stretch out during "Reggae Later," before stretching during the break. Berner noteworthy in his Ron Carterish grooves and sounds.

"Blues for Edith" set the mood for the second set with a bluesy feel. But one that seamlessly built into a briskly paced number. They sailed on into "Fungii Mama," and the house lit up. Alexander then took the risk of dropping way down into a slow and earnest melody. He was rewarded when "Consider" had the crowd in total silence, not wanting to miss a single note of the Alexander penned ballad. Unlike the first set when the tempo changes during songs were notable, this time it was the sequencing that was the ticket. "Montevideo" seemed to blast off like a spaceship coming off such a now quiet space. The orbit continued to soar with an impressive and charismatic vision of "Body and Soul." Alexander and company then proceeded to burn the house down in a "Swamp Fire." The Milt Jackson written "SKJ" closed the show amid band introductions and zealous fan appreciation. It is cliché to say that this record is a must for any Monty Alexander fan to add to their collection. It is, at the very least, of no risk and high reward.~ Jim Worsley https://www.allaboutjazz.com/love-you-madly-live-at-bubbas-monty-alexander-resonance-records

Personnel: Monty Alexander: piano; Paul Berner: bass; Duffy Jackson: drums; Robert Thomas Jr.: percussion.

Love You Madly: Live at Bubba's

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Gloria Reuben & Marty Ashby - For All We Know

Styles: Vocal And Guitar Jazz
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 33:22
Size: 80,1 MB
Art: Front

(3:15) 1. I’ll Close My Eyes
(2:39) 2. A Time For Love
(3:38) 3. Time After Time
(4:15) 4. For All We Know
(3:51) 5. I Get Along Without You Very Well
(3:53) 6. The People That You Never Get To Love
(4:06) 7. Maybe You’ll Be There
(2:13) 8. How High The Moon
(2:56) 9. Where Do You Start?
(2:32) 10. Sing My Heart

The deeply felt farewell on vocalist Gloria Reuben's Perchance To Dream (MCG Jazz, 2015) a duo take on "Here's to Life," with guitarist Marty Ashby foreshadowed the arrival of this intimate date. It may have taken five years for this pair to find their way to this work, but it was destined to happen at some point. This is quite simply a meeting that was written in the stars and the trailing suggestions of its predecessor. A testament to the power of two, For All We Know finds guitar and voice exploring the odyssey of love unfulfilled, unrequited, unmasked and unavoidable.

Neither mired in absolute sadness nor drawn to pure hope, this album prefers to explore intermediate states while linking timeless songs into one seamless quilt. It's a reminder that for all we know, we truly know nothing. The heart, in fact, does the knowing for us.

Opening on "I'll Close My Eyes," Reuben and Ashby use the introduction to bewitch before switching gears and swinging on through. A compact winner that gets its point across in less than three-and-a-half minutes, it lays out the concise approach in all that follows. There's balladic beauty, taking hold with "A Time For Love"; a verse introduction leading to a bossa-esque, moonwashed "Time After Time"; a relaxed take on the title track that speaks to what may be, what might have been, and where it can all lead now; and the ultimate statement of wrestling with love and denial "I Get Along Without You Very Well."

Furthering the picture of a mind concerned with love's past and future, Reuben and Ashby enter varied states of understanding and transmission. Everything from singer-songwriter Rupert Holmes' 1979 hit "The People That You Never Get To Love," to the heart-wrenching Johnny Mandel/Alan Bergman/Marilyn Bergman-penned "Where Do You Start?," to the 80-year-old "Sing My Heart" by Harold Arlen and Ted Koehler comes into play in the proper light. And this pair has its way with all of them. With keen interpretive skills, good taste and an eye on making creative connections, Gloria Reuben and Marty Ashby illuminate aspects of life and love that plenty can relate to.~ Dan Bilawsky https://www.allaboutjazz.com/for-all-we-know-gloria-reuben-and-marty-ashby-mcg-jazz

Personnel: Marty Ashby: guitar; Gloria Reuben: vocals.

For All We Know

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Lori Mechem - Return To Ipanema

Styles: Brazilian Jazz
Year: 2009
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 54:29
Size: 126,0 MB
Art: Front

(4:07) 1. Wave
(4:17) 2. The Girl From Ipanema - Return To Ipanema Album Version
(4:59) 3. Corcovado - Instrumental Version
(4:02) 4. Agua De Beber - Return To Ipanema Album Version
(3:59) 5. How Insensitive
(4:58) 6. Zingaro
(4:21) 7. One Note Samba - Return To Ipanema Album Version
(4:29) 8. Meditation
(4:50) 9. Desafinado - Return To Ipanema Album Version
(4:11) 10. So Danco Samba - Return To Ipanema Album Version
(5:14) 11. Once I Loved
(4:57) 12. Dindi

Lori Mechem is one of the active leaders of the Nashville Jazz Workshop, which is a jazz education program consisting of live performances and classes featuring local musicians and, occasionally, nationally known musicians. Return to Ipanema is the pianist's salute to the music of Antonio Carlos Jobim, with contributions by Denis Solee (tenor and soprano saxes plus flute), guitarist Pete Huttlinger, bassist Roger Spencer, drummer Chris Brown, and percussionist Dann Sherrill, playing the arrangements of Jeff Steinberg. The performances are enjoyable background music, though they are a little too conservative as Solee is the only musician who is improvising most of the time, while the strings provide more of a background feel. An example is "The Girl from Ipanema," where Solee's tenor takes a few chances (though not nearly enough), while Mechem sticks very close to the melody during her single chorus. Mechem does loosen up in "One Note Samba" and Solee's adventurous soprano seems to stimulate the leader a bit in the breezy "So Danco Samba." But because these compositions have been recorded so frequently in a jazz setting, they deserve to be played a little looser than many of them are on this session.~ Ken Dryden https://www.allmusic.com/album/return-to-ipanema-mw0000820786

Return To Ipanema

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Greg Abate - Magic Dance: The Music of Kenny Barron Disc 1, Disc 2

Album: Magic Dance: The Music of Kenny Barron Disc 1

Theo Hill - Promethean

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2017
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 54:29
Size: 127,9 MB
Art: Front

(4:09)  1. This Here
(3:40)  2. Hey, It's Me You're Talking To
(5:00)  3. Finger Painting
(4:07)  4. I Love Music
(5:25)  5. Pee Wee
(4:59)  6. The Phoenix
(5:16)  7. Blasphemy
(5:26)  8. Is That So
(6:24)  9. Litha
(4:15) 10. Chance
(5:43) 11. Citadel

Promethean captures Theo Hill at a significant juncture in his development. The record is ample evidence that the thirty-something New York City-based artist is rapidly securing a place in the crowded field of noteworthy contemporary jazz pianists. On the one hand particularly during medium and up-tempo cuts such as "This Here," "Hey, It's Me You're Talking To," "Litha," "Is That So," and "Citadel"youthful exuberance and a cocky certainty imbue everything he plays. On the other, his improvisations are resourceful, well ordered, and hang together as a whole. Hyperliterate, thrill ride choruses are the norm. Throughout the eleven tracks the present state of his art speaks for itself and points to the future. Hill's efforts practically shout out: "This is what I can do now; but stick around, because in a matter of months or a year or so, my music will be in an even better place." With the exception of one original composition, the program is comprised of material by Bobby Timmons, Herbie Hancock, Kenny Kirkland, Duke Pearson, Tony Williams, Victor Lewis, Chick Corea and Hale Smith. Though these names may be used as a general stylistic compass, they're not an invitation to label Promethean as some sort of tribute record. Hill is way past any sort of fealty to his influences, and so the compositions serve as templates for an impressive skill set. A precisely calibrated relationship between his left and right hands is a hallmark of Hill's pianism. Generally speaking, the right hand does most of the talking, while the left enacts hurdles to leap over, swerve around, or surmount. Even at his most active, the deep-seated connection between his two hands is apparent and his touch never falters or sounds strained. On the head of Hill's original, "The Phoenix," the chords are as weighty as blocks of granite. Throughout the solo his left hand slices, dices, and chops, while the right feverishly moves forward. In contrast, during portions of Hancock's "Finger Painting," Hill's left hand takes on the character of subtle brush strokes. Though Mark Whitfield, Jr's rambunctious drumming and Yasushi Nakamura's solid bass lines make significant contributions throughout, Hill's solo on Kirkland's "Chance" shows that he's more than capable of sustaining momentum on his own. In the end, Hill's interpretations of a wide range of material and his exhilarating improvisations make Promethean an impressive recording. ~ David A. Orthmann https://www.allaboutjazz.com/promethean-theo-hill-posi-tone-records-review-by-david-a-orthmann.php

Personnel: Theo Hill: piano; Yasushi Nakamura: bass; Mark Whitfield, Jr: drums.

Promethean

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