Roy Hargrove's Crisol - Habana

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 1997
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 70:45
Size: 162,7 MB
Art: Front

(10:02)  1. O My Seh Yeh
( 8:08)  2. Una Mas
( 5:25)  3. Dream Traveler
( 6:20)  4. Nusia's Poem
( 5:32)  5. Mr. Bruce
( 4:54)  6. Ballad For The Children
( 8:07)  7. Mountaings
( 4:47)  8. Afrodisia
(11:01)  9. Mambo For Roy
( 6:23) 10. O My Seh Yeh (reprise)

From the cigar band across the cover of the compact disc to the inclusion of Cuban pianist and leader Chucho Valdes, as well as the title itself, Roy Hargrove's change in direction toward irresistible dance music in the Afro-Cuban tradition has fans all over wondering, "Is this for real?" Yes, it certainly is, and the appearance of his band Crisol at major jazz festivals has spread the message. Crisol, which means "melting pot," includes Valdes, conguero Miguel "Anga" Diaz, drummer Horacio "El Negro" Hernandez, and timbalero Jose Luis "Changuito" Quintana from Cuba. Rounding out the lineup are proven straight-ahead jazz artists Frank Lacy on trombone, Russell Malone on guitar, David Sanchez on tenor and soprano saxophones, John Benitez on bass, and Gary Bartz on alto and soprano saxophones. Additionally, because they (fortunately) happened to be appearing at the winter festival in Orvieto, Italy, when the recording took place, special guests on Habana are pianist John Hicks, bassist Jorge Reyes, and drummer Idris Muhammad.

Hargrove, who was turned on to the music of Clifford Brown by his high school Algebra teacher, considers Brown's virtuosity and warm sound a big influence. Working in his late teens with Woody Shaw, James Morrison, Frank Morgan, Jimmy Owens, Clifford Jordan, and Barry Harris, the trumpeter developed a post-bop approach that has resulted in more than ten albums as a leader in the past eight years. Habana's change in direction is merely a growth pattern, since the trumpeter has always respected the Afro-Cuban big band work of Dizzy Gillespie. Hargrove organized his New York City big band several years ago; the big band included Crisol members Lacy, Sanchez, and Malone. Standouts on the album include Kenny Dorham's "Una Mas" and "Afrodisia," which feature both Hargrove's warm trumpet and Bartz's spirited alto sax. Malone delivers a loose, blues-oriented guitar solo on the latter that recalls his recent appearance in the film Kansas City. Frank Lacy's "O My Seh Yeh" and Gary Bartz's "Nusia's Poem" account for a World Music approach that combines contemporary sounds with the traditional. Chucho Valdes' "Mr. Bruce" and "Mambo For Roy" offer the up-tempo big band fire that one would expect from such a lineup, based in both New York City and Havana. It's a stylistic change-up for trumpeter Roy Hargrove, but successful, and proof that the trumpeter is capable of following his instincts. Highly recommended. ~ Jim Santella https://www.allaboutjazz.com/habana-roy-hargrove-verve-music-group-review-by-jim-santella.php?width=1920

Personnel: Roy Hargrove (trumpet, flugelhorn); Gary Bartz (soprano & alto saxophone); David Sanchez (soprano & tenor saxophone); Frank Lacy (trombone); Jesus "Chucho" Valdes, John Hicks (piano); Russell Malone (guitar); Jorge Reyes (electric bass); John Benitez (bass); Horacio "El Negro" Hernandez, Idris Muhammad (drums); Miguel "Anga" Diaz (congas); Jose Luis "Changuito" Quintana (timbales).

Habana

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Booker Ervin - Tex Book Tenor (Remastered)

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2005
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 37:37
Size: 86,6 MB
Art: Front

( 7:27) 1. Gichi
( 7:38) 2. Den Tex
( 5:53) 3. In A Capricornian Way
( 6:16) 4. Lynn's Tune
(10:21) 5. 204

I always thought the ultimate performances of tenor saxophonist Booker Ervin were on (arguably) the greatest studio recordings of Charles Mingus, Mingus Ah Um and Blues and Roots. This magnificent and long-overdue reissue of a Booker Ervin Blue Note session from 1968 has caused me to alter my opinion. I think this was the tenor saxman's greatest session, and given the company he found himself in, particularly trumpeter Woody Shaw and pianist Kenny Barron, it is little wonder that a magic glows from every tune.

What made Ervin such an exquisite partner with Mingus was his big, brawny, keening, and sometimes downright snarling tone. Just like the famed Mingus sensibility, comfy like a giant ball of uncoiling steel wool, could coax those extra abrasive notes from Ervin's sax, a really cooking, perhaps even frantic, Woody Shaw seems to bring out the fire in Ervin. The stupidly titled "Den Tex" Blue Note had this annoying habit of titling whole albums and tunes based on trivial word play (in this instance Irvin's Texas heritage) is a dazzling example of Shaw and Ervin egging one another on, with some substantial pushing from pianist Barron, who dances around their changes. Drummer Billy Higgins plays at full throttle while bassist Jan Arnet is along for the galloping ride.

Most of the five tunes, none with memorable hooks per se, follow this formula, and it all works as a truly classic hard bop session of distinction. Ervin was a major voice in transmuting the Texas R&B sound into bop, and the sheer emotional forcefulness of his sax sound was never better captured than on this fiery session which, by the way, is released in a "limited edition" "connoisseur's" edition, so the clock is ticking before this recording becomes unjustly unavailable again.~ Norman Weinstein https://www.allaboutjazz.com/tex-book-tenor-booker-ervin-blue-note-records-review-by-norman-weinstein.php

Personnel: Booker Ervin: tenor saxophone; Woody Shaw: trumpet; Kenny Barron: piano; Jan Arnet: bass; Billy Higgins: drums.

Tex Book Tenor (Remastered)

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Enrico Pieranunzi, Marc Johnson, Paul Motian - The Copenhagen Concert

Styles: Piano Jazz, Post Bop
Year: 2020
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 61:18
Size: 141,1 MB
Art: Front

(10:06) 1. Abacus
( 7:02) 2. The Night Gone By
( 8:53) 3. Invitation
(16:18) 4. Medley: Body & Soul / If I Should Lose you
(12:19) 5. Everything I Love
( 6:37) 6. Pannonica

Enrico Pieranunzi has been a popular guest in Copenhagen for over 30 years, where he has played with elite Danish musicians like Mads Vinding, Alex Riel and Jesper Lundgaard. In recent years he has collaborated closely in a duo context with the phenomenal bassist Thomas Fonnesbæk and the two, together, were soon able to achieve new heights of creativity. Pieranunzi is an exceptional pianist, whether he’s playing solo, duo or trio. Melodically, harmonically, and not least of all rhythmically, he is “out of this world”. He has something you simply don’t hear with other musicians. Part of the explanation is likely due to a unique combination of influences, from his deep roots in classical and Italian music to his collaboration with iconic film composer Ennio Morricone and jazz giants like Chet Baker and Art Farmer. The rest and most importantly is due to Enrico himself.

On this recording, from December 1996 at the legendary and now closed Copenhagen Jazzhouse, he is joined by two masters in their own right; Marc Johnson on bass and Paul Motian on drums. This trio plays with virtuosity and force that shines through on every note and beat.

The album opens with the tempo filled track Abacus, written by Motian. A track that has a playfulness and displays the three musicians’ genuine interaction and functions as a conversation between the piano and bass. Both the technique as well as feel is top-level as the musical resources are in free flow. The Night Gone By, written by Pieranunzie, starts with more of a ballad feel before a bass solo transcends the track into a higher tempo midway lead by the piano, before coming back to its initial softer feel at the end.

Album closer Pannonica, a Thelonius Monk penned classic, has more of a swing feel to it, has more of a swing feel to it and closes the album in style. Pieranunzi, the Italian piano master, is recognized as one of the best European jazz pianists and as a pianist, composer and arranger he has recorded more than 70 albums.https://storyvillerecords.bandcamp.com/album/the-copenhagen-concert

Personnel: Enrico Pieranunzi - Piano; Marc Johnson - Bass; Paul Motian - Drums

The Copenhagen Concert

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Magnolia Jazzband, Lillian Boutté - Molde Revisited

Styles: Vocal, Big Band
Year: 2012
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 61:33
Size: 142,9 MB
Art: Front

(3:47) 1. Royal Telephone
(7:45) 2. He Touched Me
(5:21) 3. Strange Things Are Happening
(7:26) 4. His Eyes Is on the Sparrow
(6:16) 5. Shake the Devil Off
(5:20) 6. Do You Know My Jesus
(7:22) 7. Just a Little While to Stay Here
(5:38) 8. Louisiana 1927
(7:21) 9. Lead Me Guide Me
(5:11) 10. This Little Light of Mine

A versatile singer based in New Orleans, Lillian Boutte is capable of singing both New Orleans Dixieland standards and New Orleans R&B, swing-era tunes, and contemporary originals. She sang as a child (winning a vocal contest when she was 11), performed with her college's gospel choir, and then in 1973, was hired by Allen Toussaint as a backup singer for the many projects recorded in his studio. Boutte appeared as an actress and singer in the musical One Mo' Time during 1979-1984, recorded a gospel album with the Olympia Brass Band in 1980, and in 1982, made her first jazz album. Boutte has spent time alternating between living and performing in Europe and New Orleans, and she has been closely associated with reed player Thomas L'Etienne who usually leads her backup groups. Through the years, Lillian Boutte has recorded for many labels (mostly in Europe) including Herman, Feel the Jazz, High Society, Turning Point, Timeless, Southland, Storyville, GHB, Calligraph (with Humphrey Lyttelton), Blues Beacon, and Dinosaur Entertainment.~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/artist/lillian-boutt%C3%A9-mn0000291690/biography

Magnolia Jazzband (established 1972 in Oslo) plays New Orleans-based traditional jazz mixed with gospel and rhythm and blues. The band was started by trombonist Gunnar Gotaas and is today one of Norway's oldest bands in continuous operation. Whether it is at a concert, at a party or at church, Magnolia always has her very special "beat" and her warm "sound" with her. Magnolia Jazzband has toured i.a. in Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Germany, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Belgium, France, England, Spain, Italy, Russia, Singapore, Dubai and Colombia. In 2012, the band was invited to play at the largest jazz festival in the United States - the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival. The musicians in the Magnolia Jazz Band have made several pilgrimages to New Orleans, the birthplace of jazz, and some of the total of 14 records the band has released have been recorded right there. The band sometimes has singing soloists, among others. Topsy Chapman, Lillian Boutté, Majken Christiansen, Karin Krog, Anne Marte Slinning, Marith Endresen, Tracee Meyn and Harriet Müller-Tyl, and have also collaborated with the artist Adam Douglas. One record that left a mark was New Orleans Gospel in Molde with Lillian Boutté (1981). The band's latest album is called Old Fashioned Love (2016). New album, Blessed Moment - Hymns from Scandinavia, was released in December 2020. Translate By Google https://www.magnoliajazzband.com/om-oss

Personnel: Lillian Boutté Vocal; Anders Bjørnstad - trumpet; Georg Reiss - clarinet - sax; Gunnar Gotaas - trombone; Morten Gunnar Larsen - piano; Børre Frydenlund - banjo/guitar/vocal Sebastian Haugen - contrabass; Torstein Ellingsen - drums

Molde Revisited>

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Attila Zoller - Gypsy Cry

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 39:50
Size: 91.2 MB
Styles: Post bop, Guitar jazz
Year: 1970/2005
Art: Front

[2:40] 1. Wild Wild Wes
[4:05] 2. Another Kind Of Love
[3:57] 3. Horns
[4:46] 4. Meet In Berlin
[3:48] 5. The Birds And The Bees
[5:14] 6. Alicia's Lullaby
[3:45] 7. At Twilight
[7:58] 8. Gypsy Cry
[3:35] 9. Sweet Hustler

Bass – Reggie Workman, Victor Gaskin; Drums – Sonny Brown; Guitar – Attila Zoller; Piano, Electric Piano – Herbie Hancock; Tárogató – Lew Tabakin. Recorded at A & R Recording Studios, New York.

Hungarian-born guitarist Attila Zoller was perhaps the least-known guitarist in jazz to the general public. His 50-year-long career, which ended with his death in January of 1998, was filled with professional heights and the wide acclaim of his peers and bandmates, who included at various times: Joe Zawinul (back in Budapest), Lee Konitz, Red Norvo, Benny Goodman, Ron Carter, Tal Farlow, Herbie Mann, Herbie Hancock (who is the pianist on the this date), and others too numerous to mention here. This set is comprised of two dates, both of them recorded in 1970. Hancock plays both acoustic and electric piano. He was struggling to find his new voice after semi-leaving the Miles Davis band to go on his own; Victor Gaskin and Reggie Workman both play bass for reasons that shall be explained in a moment, Lew Tabakin joins on a track or two, and so does drummer Sonny Brown, who disappeared from the face of the jazz world shortly after these sessions. Produced by Mann, the music here is divided into two distinct camps: the "commercial" music as Zoller called it in cadence, music that was in some way accessible to people as jazz, and his freer music, the music that was inspired by Ornette Coleman and Don Cherry, two of his classmates at the Lenox, MA, jazz school. It hardly matters, however, because Zoller wrote all the material here. From his warm and breezy "Wild Wild Wes," which is a tribute to the late guitarist, and his open string chord voicings to the knotty electric charge of "Meet in Berlin" that features Hancock riffing away on the electric piano and trading eights with Zoller, to the gorgeous title track built on Hungarian folk melodies, Zoller's tone is always just on the soft side of raw; it is edgy and full of passion and pain no matter how smooth his chords or riffs were. He could go around edges but never completely round them off. On the funky "Sweet Hustler," which ends the album, Zoller's stinging runs turn around the entire harmonic structure of the tune, even though it's just a funky soul jam. He manages to move through the chord progression turnaround and slip the melody inside out, changing both harmonic and lyrical concerns from straight singing lines into modal intervals. This was Attila Zoller just doing his thing, and on Gypsy Cry he was at his best doing it. This album is a kind of groove-jazz masterpiece. One more word on the Collectables jazz reissues series, called the Collectables Jazz Classics. It's true that many of the titles in this series are lesser-known works, far from the standard canonic lines that make labels like Blue Note or Fantasy's original jazz classics or even Verve such trademarks. But that should matter little because the route Collectables has taken is to insure that very deserving recordings like this one or any one of dozens of others gets the decent presentation, good liner notes, and fine sound it deserves in reissue. In fact, Collectables is doing in its own way what may other labels should have been doing a long time ago: the research to seek out the finest and most overlooked records and get them out onto the marketplace at a price where they can either be reconsidered by those who may have overlooked them, found at last by the few that revered and treasured them in the first place, or discovered in the first place by an entirely new generation of jazz fans. Bravo. ~Thom Jurek

Gypsy Cry

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Sophie Alour - Enjoy

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 48:30
Size: 111,8 MB
Art: Front

(6:17) 1. La chaussée des géants
(4:03) 2. Songe en forme de palmier
(4:25) 3. Songe en forme de fougère
(5:11) 4. Fleurette égyptienne
(5:28) 5. Joy
(4:50) 6. Un ciel plus grand
(2:53) 7. For foot and spirit
(6:30) 8. Exil
(5:01) 9. Sous tous les toits du monde
(1:44) 10. Duo
(2:02) 11. Les coeurs combattants

Born in 1974, Sophie Alour learned the saxophone on her own, after having studied clarinet at the music school of Quimper. It was on stage, in vivo, that she learned jazz and very quickly, in 2000, she joined the big band "the Vintage Orchestra" which brought together the best of her generation. In the same year, she created a sextet with Stéphane Belmondo and joined in the same momentum the big band of Christophe Dal Sasso who recorded the album "Opening" (Nocturne). A new step was taken when Rhoda Scott hired him in 2004 to form his quartet.

The same year she plays in the big band of Wynton Marsalis and takes part in Aldo Romano's project. In 2005, she recorded her critically acclaimed first album "Insulaire" (Nocturne). She is invited to take part in several recordings and can be found on Alexandre Saada 's records "Be where you are" or "Panic circus" as well as on Rhoda Scott' s Lady quartet album.

As a leader, she produced her second album in 2007 "Uncaged" (Nocturne) which brought together Laurent Coq on the fender rhodes, Yoni Zelnik on the double bass and Karl Jannuska on the drums and for which she debauched the guitarist Sébastien Martelof the rock scene. The public is as enthusiastic as the critics (disc of emotion Jazzmag, Choc Jazzman and ffff Télérama) and she obtains the Django d'or 2007 for young talent. For 2 years, she gives dozens of concerts with this group, in France and abroad (East Africa and Central America), re-explores her repertoire, deconstructs it, seeks its limits, to come back to Jazz, refreshed. and a new album, this time in trio, “Opus 3” (Plus loin music, 2010) (Choc Jazzman, ffff Télérama and So Jazz).

In 2011, she participated alongside prestigious musicians such as David El-Malek , Pierre de Bethmann or Frank Agulhon in the recording of Christophe Dal Sasso's new album “Prétextes” for the Bflat label. In June, she took part in Rhoda Scott's record recorded live on the main stage of the Vienna festival. Translate By Google http://www.sophiealour.com/

Enjoy

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The Boswell Sisters w/ The Dorsey Brothers Orchestra - That's How Rhythm Was Born

Styles: Vocal,  Big Band, Swing
Year: 1995
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 60:56
Size: 141,7 MB
Art: Front

(2:45)  1. Rock And Roll
(3:04)  2. Between The Devil And The Deep Blue Sea
(2:44)  3. Lousiana Hayride
(3:11)  4. Shuffle Off To Buffalo
(3:08)  5. Sophisticated Lady
(3:20)  6. Song Of Surrender
(2:59)  7. Sleep, Come On And Take Me
(2:56)  8. That's How Rhythm Was Born
(3:08)  9. The Sentimental Gentleman From Georgia
(3:01) 10. Coffee In The Morning And Kisses In The Night
(3:15) 11. Forty-Second Street
(3:08) 12. Minnie The Moocher's Wedding Day
(3:09) 13. The Darktown Strutter's Ball
(2:49) 14. If I Had A Million Dollars
(3:20) 15. It's Written All Over Your Face
(2:25) 16. Charlie Two-Step
(3:10) 17. Trav'lin' All Alone
(2:49) 18. St. Louis Blues
(3:04) 19. Dinah
(3:21) 20. The Object Of My Affection

This 1995 CD has a sampling of the Boswell Sisters' recordings, 20 titles from the premier vocal jazz group's prime period. A few of the tunes are rarities (particularly "Song of Surrender," "Coffee in the Morning," and "Trav'lin All Alone"), while some others have been reissued numerous times ("Shuffle Off to Buffalo," a classic "Sentimental Gentleman from Georgia," and "Minnie the Moocher's Wedding Day"). Although one hopes that all of the Boswells' recordings will be reissued in chronological order someday (this collection skips around a bit), the CD acts as a strong introduction to the music of this magical and innovative group. The Dorsey Brothers Orchestra (with trumpeter Bunny Berigan) provides accompaniment on many of the titles. ~ Scott Yanow http://www.allmusic.com/album/thats-how-rhythm-was-born-mw0000178529

That's How Rhythm Was Born

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Randy Sandke - Trumpet After Dark

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 2005
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 67:11
Size: 155,3 MB
Art: Front

(3:47) 1. Quiet is the Night
(5:45) 2. Nocturne
(4:36) 3. Being Human
(4:41) 4. Goodbye For Now
(4:41) 5. Star Crossed Lovers
(4:16) 6. Etude in E
(4:06) 7. Le Jour Ou La Colombe
(4:43) 8. Monk's Mood
(5:04) 9. A Blues Serenade
(3:19) 10. Can She Excuse My Wrongs
(6:16) 11. Lullabye for Karen
(4:58) 12. Blues for Sandy
(5:38) 13. Lush Life
(5:15) 14. Soul Eyes

There is much to admire in this album, subtitled Jazz In A Meditative Mood. Trumpeter Randy Sandke has been actively recording since 1985, largely in a postwar swing and mainstream style, although Mainstream Meets the New Music, his 2002 venture into free jazz, raised some eyebrows and garnered new fans. Sandke is comfortable working in a "jazz with strings" setting, and his arrangements here are quite attractive. Many of these selections recall the albums that cornetist Ruby Braff made under a "Mood Jazz" heading with strings or brass ensembles during the 1950s. However, Trumpet After Dark improves on the past. Sandke's jazz quartet features pianist Bill Charlap, bassist Greg Cohen, and drummer Dennis Mackrel. He has chosen a viol quartet, Parthenia, and it is likely that this is the first instance in which the viola da gamba has been used in a jazz context. Parthenia's deep sonorous timbre, as heard in the opening of "Being Human,"sounds like Renaissance music before Sandke's clarion melody statement, without seeming out of place.

Randy Sandke has contributed five originals, of which two, "Quiet Is The Night" and "Nocturne," were written specifically for this album. Both "Nocturne" and and "Lullabye For Karen" are standouts. Most of these tunes are performed in ballad or mid-tempo with, oddly enough, the swingingest track being Chopin's "Etude In E." I enjoyed the eclectic choice of material from a variety of sources, such as a song taken from a Nana Mouskouri album, another from English composer John Dowland, and a piano duet with Charlap on "Monk's Mood." In addition, the standards "Lush Life" and "Star Crossed Lovers" blend in well. Throughout the album, Bill Charlap provides his usual sensitive accompanist role, as well as soloing to match Sandke's lyrical trumpet work.~ Michael P.Gladstone https://www.allaboutjazz.com/trumpet-after-dark-randy-sandke-evening-star-records-review-by-michael-p-gladstone.php

Personnel: Randy Sandke: trumpet; Bill Charlap: piano; Greg Cohen: bass; Dennis Mackrel:drums; Rosamund Morley: treble viol; Beverly Au: treble and bass viol; Lawrence Lipnik: tenor viol; Lisa Terry: treble and bass viol.

Trumpet After Dark

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Duke Pearson - Introducing Duke Pearson's Big Band

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 75:17
Size: 172.3 MB
Styles: Bop, Big band, Piano jazz
Year: 1968/2000
Art: Front

[3:04] 1. Ground Hog
[6:01] 2. New Girl
[5:28] 3. Bedouin
[7:00] 4. Straight Up And Down
[2:56] 5. Ready When You Are C.B
[5:34] 6. New Time Shuffle
[2:32] 7. Mississippi Dip
[5:27] 8. A Taste Of Honey
[4:08] 9. Time After Time
[5:50] 10. Disapproachment
[5:30] 11. Tone's For Joan's Bones
[6:38] 12. Minor League
[4:24] 13. Here's That Rainy Day
[4:38] 14. Make It Good
[6:00] 15. Days Of Wine And Roses

Alto Saxophone, Flute, Bass Clarinet – Al Gibbons; Alto Saxophone, Flute, Piccolo Flute – Jerry Dodgion; Baritone Saxophone, Clarinet – Pepper Adams; Bass – Bob Cranshaw; Bass Trombone – Kenny Rupp; Drums – Mickey Roker; Piano – Duke Pearson; Tenor Saxophone – Frank Foster, Lew Tabackin; Trombone – Benny Powell, Garnett Brown, Julian Priester; Trumpet – Burt Collins, Joe Shepley, Marvin Stamm, Randy Brecker. Recorded At – Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey.

Duke Pearson had always displayed a flair for arranging, even on small combo albums, so it shouldn't have come as a surprise that he would attempt his own big band record. What is a surprise is how successful Introducing Duke Pearson's Big Band actually is. Pearson leads 13 other musicians through a selection of nine songs, including four originals, two contemporary jazz tunes by Chick Corea and Joe Sample, and three standards. His originals are continually unpredictable and memorable, and his arrangements, especially of the standards, are provocative and intriguing. While it might not appeal to fans of Pearson's wonderful small-group hard bop sessions, it is unquestionably an experiment that works, and one that confirms his remarkable skills and talents. ~Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Introducing Duke Pearson's Big Band

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Ann Burton - Everything Happens

Styles: Vocal
Year: 1988
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 38:42
Size: 89,9 MB
Art: Front

(2:29) 1. I Didn't Know What Time It Was
(4:06) 2. Everything Happens
(2:45) 3. Gentleman Friend
(2:43) 4. Dreamer
(2:37) 5. It Don't Mean A Thing
(4:03) 6. Time Was
(3:47) 7. Again
(4:19) 8. Nice And Easy
(3:43) 9. I Won't Dance
(2:42) 10. That's All
(3:31) 11. Nobody Else But Me
(1:51) 12. Afterthoughts

Ann Burton started her career as a singer in a quintet in Luxembourg and she started off by singing in the Doris Day style. Records of Billy Holiday drastically changed her style. Back in Holland she performed in a jazz repertoire with the trio of Frans Elsen. When Ramses Chaffy founded his “Shaffy Chantant” , Ann Burton was one of the first whom he contracted as a singer. In a long engagement in this group Ann became known at a larger audience.

Her breakthrough came in 1968, working with John J. Vis with whom she made her debute as Blue Burton, accompanied by the trio of Louis van Dijk. With John Vis she also made the albums Ballads and Burton and Ann Burton sings for lovers and other strangers. Further success had to wait till 1973, when she went to Japan, which was the land of the rising sun for her, because in Tokio, Ann Burton became the second most loved Jazz-singer, next to Ella Fitzgerald.Anneke Muller (1953) tried to get the exclusive Ann Burton closer to the public by writing this book over her life. The story also pictures an image of the way in which Ann maintained herself in the roaring and constant changing world of Jazz. https://www.jazzmusicarchives.com/artist/ann-burton

Personnel: Vocals – Ann Burton; Bass – Harry Emmery; Drums – Frits Landesbergen; Piano – Rob Agerbeek; Trumpet – Ack Van Rooyen; Vibraphone – Frits Landesbergen

Everything Happens

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Gary Smith - Jazz Around the World

Styles: Guitar Jazz
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 47:12
Size: 109,6 MB
Art: Front

(4:51) 1. A Night in San Juan
(4:38) 2. You're Never Far Away
(4:01) 3. Groovin High
(3:25) 4. Echos of Andalucia
(3:38) 5. Samba De Amor
(3:52) 6. Te adoro
(4:03) 7. Spirit Dancer
(4:23) 8. Young Again
(3:46) 9. The Girl from Varadero
(3:00) 10. Django Moods
(3:32) 11. Mountain Greenery
(3:59) 12. Fado de portugal

Gary Smith is an avant-garde guitarist, improviser and composer from the United Kingdom. He is known for developing dense extended techniques on electric guitar. Gary Smith has released close to twenty albums in solo, group and live settings with Shoji Hano, Rhys Chatham, John Stevens, Hugh Hopper, Masayoshi Urabe, Chie Mukai, Aufgehoben No Process, and Bill Fay. Gary now discovered the smooth jazz genre. Consequently he has released the album Jazz Around The World (2021), which is available on all digital platforms. https://smoothjazzdaily.wordpress.com/2021/05/12/gary-smith-jazz-around-the-world/

Jazz Around the World

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Jane Bunnett, Maqueque - On Firm Ground/Tierra Firme

Styles: Flute And Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2019
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 51:38
Size: 120,0 MB
Art: Front

(3:49) 1. La Linea (The Line Up)
(4:45) 2. Monkey See, Monkey Do
(3:20) 3. Momentum
(4:54) 4. On Firm Ground
(4:35) 5. Habana De Noche (Havana At Night)
(4:19) 6. Sky High
(4:33) 7. The Occurance (To Amelie)
(6:34) 8. Reencuentro ( Re United)
(3:56) 9. Broken Heart
(3:12) 10. Mystery Of Jane's House
(2:32) 11. Pa' Con Paz
(5:03) 12. Musica En El Alma ( Music In The Soul)

On the final track of Maqueque’s self-titled debut five years ago, Jane Bunnett spiked the punch with her longtime collaborator Hilario Durán and a few other heavyweights. For the band’s third album, Tierra Firme, the most prominent guest stars are Maqueque alumni Daymé Arocena and Melvis Santa on vocals, plus sacred steel guitarist Nicole “Nikki” D. Brown.

That proactive evolution is typical for Bunnett, who has always ensured that paying her dues becomes a long-term investment. Early in her career, she dismantled gender bigotry by holding her own with rugged male elders like Dewey Redman, Don Pullen, and Billy Hart. And after she fell in love with Cuban music on her initial trips to the island in the 1980s, she returned again and again, fundraising instruments for children and absorbing wide swaths from a panoply of genres. Her decision to form an all-female group of younger Cuban musicians has opened a creative portal for both the ever-changing members of Maqueque (which translates to “energy of a girl’s spirit”) and the leader herself.https://jazztimes.com/reviews/albums/jane-bunnett-maqueque-tierra-firme-linus/

Personnel: Jane Bunnett: soprano saxophone, flute and trompeta china; Dánae Olano: piano and vocals; Tailin Marrero: contrabass, electric bass and vocals; Yissy Garcia: drums; Mary Paz: percussion and vocals; Joanna Majoko: vocals; Special Guests – Daymé Arocena: vocals; Melvis Santa: vocals; Nicole “Nikki” D. Brown: vocals and sacred steel.

On Firm Ground/Tierra Firme

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Barbara Lea - Do You Know What It Means To Miss New Orleans?

Size: 113,5 MB
Time: 48:17
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2006
Styles: Jazz Vocals, Dixieland
Art: Front

01. Doctor Jazz (2:50)
02. A Ghost Of A Chance (6:12)
03. Moon-Faced Starry-Eyed (3:12)
04. My Dreams Are Getting Better All The Time (2:45)
05. Shimme-She-Wabble (6:15)
06. My Ideal (3:53)
07. Jazz Me Blues (3:06)
08. You Took Advantage Of Me (4:50)
09. I Never Knew (4:20)
10. I Couldn't Sleep A Wink Last Night (3:13)
11. No Moon At All (3:04)
12. Do You Know What It Means To Miss New Orleans (4:32)

An excellent singer who was associated with swing and Dixieland, Barbara Lea never broke through with the general public, but she recorded quite a few worthy albums. She sang with Detroit dance orchestras while in school, performed with the college jazz band (the Crimson Stompers) at Harvard, and worked on the East Coast in the 1950s. She recorded for Riverside (1955) and Prestige (1956-1957), using such sidemen as trumpeter Johnny Windhurst and pianists Billy Taylor and Dick Hyman. In the 1960s, Lea worked as a stage actress and taught. In the 1970s, she sang with Dick Sudhalter and Ed Polcer and recorded in the 1980s for Audiophile, including a tribute to her idol and influence, Lee Wiley. She continued to perform and record into the 21st century, and died of Alzheimer's disease in December 2011 at age 82. ~by Scott Yanow

Do You Know What It Means To Miss New Orleans?

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Attila Zoller - Memories of Pannonia

Styles: Guitar
Year: 1986
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 36:59
Size: 85,2 MB
Art: Front

( 6:12) 1. Circle Waltz
(14:05) 2. Memories Of Pannonia
( 7:22) 3. Beam Me Up!
( 4:56) 4. Sophisticated Lady
( 4:21) 5. Obsession

Attila Zoller, a Hungarian jazz guitarist who has been at the forefront of the music scene since the 1960s, has played in many groups including Klaus Dinger, Don Friedman, Hans Koller, and many others. It is a trio album with Michael Formanek (b) and Daniel Humair (dr), and the delicate touch of the electric acoustic guitar and the unassertive rhythm section in the background are a perfect match. This is a trio album. (Chee) https://organicmusic.jp/en/products/attila-zoller-memories-of-pannonia

Personnel: Guitar – Attila Zoller; Bass – Michael Formanek; Drums – Daniel Humair

Memories of Pannonia

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Lauren Henderson - Musa

Styles: Vocal
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 54:53
Size: 126,3 MB
Art: Front

(6:54) 1. I Concentrate on You
(4:23) 2. La Marejada
(4:21) 3. Forget Me
(3:33) 4. Corazón, No Llores
(6:58) 5. Wild Is the Wind
(6:08) 6. Luz
(5:03) 7. Leeward
(4:15) 8. Ahora
(3:02) 9. The Sweetest Sounds
(5:06) 10. Musa
(5:04) 11. Leeward (Love)

Even if this album will not shine on the innovative side, the fact remains that the fabulous voice of Lauren Henderson, who sings in English or Spanish, is a pure marvel. Towards the start of the pandemic, the New York artist sought to record an album weaving the traditions that influence his sound: “I wanted my next record to be a mix of jazz, flamenco and Afro-Latin music” , Henderson explains, “a kind of fusion of everything that makes up my cultural and musical identity”. Let's admit all the same that the Flamenco consonances are here more a Hollywoodian vision than a real Flamenca interpretation of the guitar which accompanies the singer… but once again, here it is the voice which is the main actor, therefore…

Lauren declares: “I like being a musician because you are constantly learning and growing ”. Contributed to this opus: Sullivan Fortner on piano, Eric Wheeler on bass and Joe Dyson on drums. When Henderson felt ready to share her music, she reached out directly to Fortner, her longtime collaborator, who has performed on all of her albums since 2011. “Sullivan is the first person I usually see to share. my original music , ”she says, “ just to get feedback from someone I trust, someone who I know will give his honest opinion on what he thinks about music. ”After a socially distant duo rehearsal, Henderson set the dates for the recording.“As a songwriter, I want to prioritize honesty and integrity,” Lauren says. “As a singer, it is my responsibility to deliver a story to the listener and share my interpretation of the story. I just try to be fairly straightforward with my compositions and let things breathe. It has been such an honor - and a blessing - to work with the people I have chosen for this project, because they add so much life and their own vision to the music. ”

Bassist Eric Wheeler casts vivid shadows of tension and tenderness on “La Marejada”, while Paco Soto's guitar radiates over Henderson's melodies and interludes. Full of grace and syncopation, “Luz” stages a characteristic play between Henderson and Fortner, supported by the nuanced and thoughtful touch of Dyson. “Wild is the Wind” reveals the impact of intimacy - contemplative, purposeful and engaging a mixture of temporal sensations. “Leeward”, the only original English song on the album, is a hymn to the enduring nature of love.Translate By Google https://www.paris-move.com/reviews/lauren-henderson-musa/

Personnel: Lauren Henderson (voice); Sullivan Fortner (piano); Eric Wheeler (bass); Joe Dyson (drums); Daniel J. Watts (spoken word); Marquis Hill (trumpet); Paco Soto (guitar)

Musa

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Django Reinhardt - Peche A La Mouche (2-Disc Set)

Legend has it that guitarist Django Reinhardt was at his absolute peak in the 1930s during his recordings with violinist Stephane Grappelli and that when he switched from acoustic to electric guitar after World War II, he lost a bit of his musical personality. Wrong on both counts. This double CD documents his Blue Star recordings of 1947 and 1953 and Reinhardt (on electric guitar) takes inventive boppish solos that put him at the top of the list of jazz guitarists who were active during the era. Most of the earlier tracks feature Reinhardt in the Quintet of the Hot Club of France with clarinetist Hubert Rostaing but the eight later selections in which he is backed by a standard rhythm section are most interesting. These well-recorded performances hint at what Django Reinhardt might have accomplished in the 1950s had he lived longer. Highly recommended. ~Scott Yanow

Album: Peche A La Mouche (Disc 1)
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 46:54
Size: 107.4 MB
Styles: Swing, Guitar jazz
Year: 1992
Art: Front

[2:33] 1. Pêche à La Mouche
[2:46] 2. Minor Blues
[2:54] 3. For Sentimental Reasons
[3:01] 4. Danse Norvégienne
[2:51] 5. Blues For Barclay
[2:49] 6. Folie A Amphion
[3:14] 7. Vette
[3:31] 8. Anniversary Song
[2:47] 9. Swing 48
[3:19] 10. September Song
[2:45] 11. Brazil
[2:39] 12. I'll Never Smile Again
[2:35] 13. New York City
[3:07] 14. Django's Blues
[3:06] 15. Love's Mood
[2:51] 16. I Love You

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Album: Peche A La Mouche (Disc 2)
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 50:00
Size: 114.5 MB
Styles: Swing, Guitar jazz
Year: 1992
Art: Front

[3:04] 1. Topsy
[2:23] 2. Moppin The Bride (Micro)
[3:15] 3. Insensiblement
[2:55] 4. Mano
[2:43] 5. Blues Primitif
[3:02] 6. Gipsy With A Song (Take 1)
[2:58] 7. Gipsy With A Song
[3:00] 8. Night And Day
[3:02] 9. Confessin' (That I Love You)
[3:19] 10. Blues For Ike
[2:31] 11. September Song
[2:49] 12. Night And Day
[3:05] 13. Insensiblement
[2:34] 14. Manoir De Mes Rêves
[3:13] 15. Nuages
[2:24] 16. Brazil
[3:35] 17. Confessin' That I Love You

Peche A La Mouche(Disc 1)(Disc 2)

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John Boutté - Good Neighbor

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2008
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 41:52
Size: 97,1 MB
Art: Front

(2:13)  1. Door Poppin
(2:26)  2. Good Neighbor
(2:48)  3. Showing Up For The Party
(2:21)  4. The Eternal Now
(4:08)  5. Southern Man
(3:51)  6. Wake Up
(2:07)  7. Cutting Heads
(4:38)  8. Sisters
(4:41)  9. Broke Down The Door/Thetreme Song
(3:30) 10. Love Ya Mean It
(3:00) 11. My Life
(3:38) 12. Foot Of Canal Street
(2:24) 13. Accentuate The Positive

At a club called d.b.a., along a boisterous strip of Frenchmen Street, singer John Boutté regularly silences the Saturday-night tourist conversations. For the locals who press up close to the stage, these weekly gigs are cathartic ritual. In performance, Mr. Boutté moves like a flyweight boxer: hanging back, shifting his weight, thrusting forward without warning. Even on CD, he conveys that sense bouncing silkily along until he delivers a stinging high note or devastating flurry of melismata. Born into a large and musical Creole family, Mr. Boutté has roots in gospel and traditional jazz. He frequently taps out syncopated beats on a tambourine. But he fits no convention. On "Good Neighbor," the sweetness and grit of his tenor voice is supported by an enviable list of New Orleans musicians. Trumpeter Leroy Jones, a frequent collaborator and local hero, adds subtle, pungent counterpoint to several tracks. "Foot of Canal Street" owes its revival-tent energy in part to the growls and purrs of brothers James and Troy Andrews on, respectively, trumpet and trombone. And when Mr. Boutté laments a loss of innocence on "Wake Up," the drama is unforced. Beneath his formidable musical talents lies a gift for elegantly telling the truth. Singing His Heart Out for the City of New Orleans ..."there was both authority and magnetism in his version of Steve Goodman’s “City of New Orleans.” Mr. Boutté recorded it several years ago with a bluegrass band called Uptown Okra, and his arrangement with Mr. Duke preserves a similar rollicking feel." Nate Chinen, NY Times, June 8, 2007 ..More https://store.cdbaby.com/cd/boutteworks2

Personnel: Vocals – Dave Pirner, Debbie Davis, John Boutté, Paul Sanchez; Bass – Peter Harris ; Bass Drum, Tambourine, Congas – Herlin Riley; Drums – Herman Lebeaux; Electric Piano – Ian Neville; Guitar – Todd Duke; Pedal Steel Guitar – Dave Easley; Piano, Shaker – David Torkanowsky; Trombone – Craig Klein, Troy "Trombone Shorty" Andrews; Trumpet – Leroy Jones; Trumpet, Vocals – James Andrews

Good Neighbor

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Philip Dizack - Single Soul

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 2013
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 56:59
Size: 131,2 MB
Art: Front

(1:00)  1. Single Soul (Intro)
(8:14)  2. Jacob And The Angel
(2:49)  3. Benny's Tune
(7:20)  4. Take Me With You
(5:21)  5. Single Soul
(7:57)  6. Twins Of A Gazelle
(4:37)  7. Book Of Stones
(5:02)  8. Joy And Sorrow
(5:28)  9. It's Not Just In Some Of Us
(5:52) 10. Sasha Anne
(3:13) 11. I Got It Bad And That Ain't Good

Young trumpeter Philip Dizack is a new name on the Criss Cross record label but not a new name for those who closely follow the New York jazz scene. Since his arrival in New York, Dizack has been making waves and winning awards with his beautiful tone and dark intensity, both of which were on full display on his last album, End of an Era (Truth Revolution Records, 2012). For his Criss Cross debut, Dizack continues his maturation as a composer and player, contributing seven original tunes to this inspired recital. On "Single Soul," Dizack is accompanied by fellow newcomers to the Criss Cross label, Ben Wendel on tenor sax, and Eden Ladin on piano, also both young musicians who have been steadily gaining attention on the New York scene. Filling out the band are Criss Cross veterans, Joe Sanders on bass and Eric Harland on drums, giving the group a strong rhythmic foundation. After the fanfare-like intro, the group begins with the gently grooving Ladin original, "Jacob and the Angel." Sanders also contributes an original tune to the album, "Joy and Sorrow," which starts out as a gentle ballad and continues to build and crescendo right up to it's final climactic seconds. Ladin's and Sanders's original tunes prove to be good choices for inclusion on this album as they showcase both Dizack's unique tone and the group's strong chemistry and attention to dynamics. Dizack's original tunes are diverse and captivating, from the driving swing of "Take Me With You," to the lilting groove of "Single Soul." "Twins of a Gazelle" is a lively tune that leads the group into some of their best solos and interplay on the album. Dizack chose to record "Book of Stones" as a trio with just Sanders and Harland, and they masterfully lay down the groove. Harland never fails to keep the tune interesting and supports his Dizack and Sanders perfectly, but never overplaying.

The remaining two original tunes serve as a nice way to wind the album down. "It's Not Just in Some of Us" is an intense piece and gives Dizack and Ladin a good chance to show off their soloing skills. "Sasha Anne" is a delicate and soulful ballad, starting as a duet between Ladin and Dizack before the whole band joins in to bring it to it's joyous conclusion. The remaining two tunes on the album are thoughtful takes on standards and are elegant nods to the past. Dizack and Sanders give us a duet version of Lionel Loueke's "Benny's Tune," which is short, but tasteful. The duet has a lovely intimate quality and Dizack's and Sanders's warm tones on their respective instruments were perfectly recorded at Systems Two Recording Studio in Brooklyn. The album closes with an even more intimate take on Ellington's classic "I Got It Bad and That Ain't Good." Dizack chooses to play the ballad a cappella, letting his tasteful phrasing and elegant tone do the talking. "Single Soul" is a strong addition to this young trumpet player's growing portfolio, and it shows that he has versatility, talent, and taste. In 2007, Downbeat Magazine named Dizack as one of "25 Trumpet Players for the Future." On "Single Soul" Dizack proves that "the future" is here and that he is one of the strongest young trumpet players on the scene today. ~ Andrew Luhn https://www.allaboutjazz.com/philip-dizack-single-soul-by-andrew-luhn.php

Personnel: Philip Dizack: Trumpet; Ben Wendel: Tenor Sax; Eden Ladin: Piano; Joe Sanders: Bass; Eric Harland: Drums

Single Soul

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Mette Juul - Moon on My Shoulder

Styles: Vocal And Guitar Jazz
Year: 2012
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 63:38
Size: 146,3 MB
Art: Front

(6:18) 1. Moon on My Shoulder
(6:04) 2. Be Cool
(5:36) 3. In This Life
(4:46) 4. Henya
(5:45) 5. Ask Me Now
(2:34) 6. Hum Drum Blues
(5:17) 7. When We Leave the Riverbank
(5:44) 8. For Jan
(1:56) 9. From This Moment On
(5:29) 10. How Many Hours Must I Travel Alone
(4:40) 11. April in Paris - Bonus Track
(4:51) 12. Once Upon a Summertime - Bonus Track
(4:32) 13. Softly as in a Morning Sunrise - Bonus Track

On her 2012 release, Moon On My Shoulder, jazz vocalist Mette Juul has created a fervent and elegant sound, and turned away from the full orchestration in order to produce a personal vocal jazz album that forms a beautifully calming and homogeneous soundtrack to hectic, modern lives. Mette Juul blasted her way into the hearts of many jazz critics back in 2010 with her debut album, “Coming In From The Dark”, with the legendary rhythm champion Alex Riel and his trio. Distinguished musicians such as trumpeter, Palle Mikkelborg, and guitarist, Poul Halberg, furthermore supported the young singer on her debut. The album was released on Cowbell Music and received a lot of great reviews in Denmark, Sweden, Germany, Finland and Japan.

On this album, Juul has teamed up with the international jazz icon and hot Blue Note trumpeter, Ambrose Akinmusire, (born in 1982) from New York City. Despite Akinmusire’s young age his discography includes collaborations with jazz icons such as Wayne Shorter, Gretchen Parlato and Ron Carter so once again the young singer and winner of the International Jazz Artist Competition for vocalists (2007) has worked with a true jazz hot shot. The rhythm section consists of a strong line-up of bass player and cellist Lars Danielsson and drummer Morten Lund, and the album is additionally blessed with the Danish pianist Nikolaj Hess, who besides playing piano has also co-produced the album along with Mette Juul.

Juul’s dazzling voice, Akinmusire’s soft trumpet laying and Hess’ rich, simple piano touch characterizes “Moon on my shoulder”. The record contains no technical postulated phrasings and long pretentious solos, just simple well-organized jazz music focusing on telling a story. While the 1st album, “Coming In from The Dark”, mainly contained jazz standards and five of Juul’s own compositions the new album, “Moon on my shoulder”, shows how Mette Juul has searched the songbook of jazz for more unknown songs and made them her own. She has chosen six songs in the genre ranging from modern jazz to the singer-songwriter tradition, e.g. Thelonious Monks’ “Ask Me Now”, Joni Mitchell’s “Be Cool” and a radical reinterpretation by Cole Porter’s “From This Moment On.”

She has also composed some songs of her own: “When We Leave The River Bank” and “In This Life” and included her signature song “How Many Hours Must I Travel Alone”, a remake from her first album – this time re-arranged and stripped down to the tunes of Juul’s vocals and Akinmusire’s trumpet without the grandiose Riel Orchestra. Mette Juul has re-arranged the title track by Lyle Lowett, “Moon On My Shoulder”, and made it entirely her own and she is accompanied by Lars Danielson on cello. Akinmusire has moreover contributed with a remake of one of his songs, the almost meditative “Henya”. Altogether the album contains ten wonderful vocal jazz songs focusing on simplicity and an ambition to interpret the songs in an intimate and direct way and give life to the songs at a more metaphysical and universal level as a way to make both lyrics and music relevant and meaningful to the audience. https://www.storyvillerecords.com/products/moon-on-my-shoulder-1014333

Personnel: Vocals, Guitar – Mette Juul; Piano – Nikolaj Hess; Trumpet – Ambrose Akinmusire; Bass, Cello – Lars Danielsson; Drums – Morten Lund

Moon on My Shoulder

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Stéphane Grappelli - Swing From Paris 1935-1943 Vol.2

Styles: Violin Jazz, Swing
Year: 2004
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 58:07
Size: 136,2 MB
Art: Front

(3:09) 1. Hot Lips
(2:58) 2. Ain't Misbehavin'
(3:01) 3. H.C.Q. Strut: H. C. Q. Strut
(2:37) 4. Swing from Paris
(3:02) 5. I've Had My Moments
(2:45) 6. Smiles: Time On My Hands
(3:15) 7. Scatter-Brain
(3:30) 8. Ting-A-Ling (The Waltz of the Bells)
(3:01) 9. Lying in the Hay
(2:29) 10. Playmates
(3:05) 11. Sweet Potato Piper
(2:58) 12. Twelfth Street Rag
(3:04) 13. Beat Me, Daddy, Eight to a Bar
(2:39) 14. I Never Knew
(3:28) 15. Body and Soul
(3:33) 16. Wide and Handsome: The Folks Who Live on the Hill
(3:10) 17. Weep No More, My Lady
(3:06) 18. That Old Black Magic
(3:07) 19. Heavenly Music

Jazz's most famous and most popular violinist, Stephane Grappelli was born in Paris on 26January 1908. His Italian father Ernesto(translated by the Parisians to Ernest) had come to the French capital as arefugee at the age of nineteen. A studious and refined individual who in hisyouth had been an aspiring dancer, he served in the Great War and althoughsubsequently a struggling business entrepreneur did his best to encourageStephane's artistic inclinations. Stephane's mother had died when he was threeyears old and he spent his early life in a Paris orphanage. Largely self-taughtat first in piano (a sample of his playing on \It Had To Be You" opens StephaneGrappelli Vol.1, Naxos 8.120570), he also trained at the Isadora Duncan schoolof dance but, inspired by classical music began to take a serious interest inthe violin at the age of twelve. His father taught him tonic sol-fa and having already mastered theharmonium at twelve he enrolled in piano and violin classes at theConservatoire, paying his way meanwhile by playing violin on cafe terraces.

In 1921, Stephane first heard Louis Mitchell's Jazz Kings atthe Coliseum and, by 1924 was himself actively playing (mainly piano) in summerseasons and in silent cinemas. Already an avid student of the latestdevelopments of American jazz, he was greatly impressed by the recordings ofLouis Armstrong, Bix Beiderbecke and, especially, by the Philadelphia-bornviolinist Joe Venuti (1903-1978) who, like Grappelli, had entered the world ofjazz via more classical channels. At first his engagements were centred aroundsmall jazz ensembles at Parisian society functions but from 1926 he performedin a piano duo within the band of Gregor et ses Gregoriens, a Jack Hylton-esqueband resident at the Casino de la Forât, and it was at this time that he firstmade the switch from piano to Venuti-style violin. In June 1930 the groupsailed to Buenos Aires and, on their return in October, toured the south ofFrance. At the end of 1930,Grappelli was back in Paris and by 1931 was regularly engaged at the Croix duSud, an avant-garde bohemian establishment frequented by, among other talents,Django Reinhardt.

By October 1932, he was playing piano once more with Gregorat the Paris Olympia. With this group he toured to Zurich, Lugano, Milan andRome and, prior to its permanent disbanding, to St. Jean-de-Luz, in 1933. Thefollowing year (with Django, Django's brother Joseph and Roger Chaput onguitars and Louis Vola on bass) he formed the Quintette du Hot Club de France,which made its first recordings in December 1934 and swiftly won renownthroughout Europe and the USA. Soon, the Club's two major protagonists werehousehold names and from 1935 Stephane and Django also recorded with ColemanHawkins' jazz ensemble before the Quintette first visited London, in 1938.

Their reputation on several recorded imports (includingtracks 1-6 here) having preceded them, the much-f?â?¬ted Hot Club made anotherappearance in London (at the Palladium) at the outbreak of World War II, inSeptember 1939. By this time Stephane was already domiciled in England and, onleaving the Quintette, remained to pursue a more solo profile, particularlywith George Shearing. Although in poor health and speaking little EnglishStephane was kept working in London throughout the blitz, assisted primarily byvocalist Beryl Davis and her father, Harry Davis, who fronted Oscar Rabin'sband. During late 1939, at the invitation of his friend the pianist ArthurYoung, he joined the resident band of Hatchett's Restaurant in Piccadillywhich, rivalled only the Cafe de Paris, ranked among London's plushest eatingand dancing establishments. Although a group known as the Swingtette was already in existence at therestaurant, Grappelli's arrival on 3 December 1939 was viewed as a major coupboth by Hatchett's and by Stephane himself. Up to that time little more than a well-intentioned societyband, the Swingtette now boasted a hot Parisian extra in the form of "TheWorld's Greatest Swing Violinist". Stephane, too, had cause for jubilation,having found a new niche as well as a new home: "I always think of England asmy second country", he later averred, "because I was welcomed during the warlike a brother, and I will never forget it"

From 29 December 1939 the group (on average a ten-partensemble, plus vocalist) recorded on a regular basis for Decca (the firstsession included Ting-A-Ling, a seemingly unlikely revival of a British popnumber of 1926 vintage and a characteristically swung version of FrankieMasters' imported American novelty Scatter-Brain). The "corny element" of theNovachord offset by Grappelli's swinging fiddle set the trend for an extendedfurther series of popular recordings, which ranged from various jazz'revivals', including Euday L. Bowman's Twelfth Street Rag (1916) and JohnnyGreen's Body And Soul (1930) to Lying In The Hay (an Anglicised version ofFrench cabaret-star Mireille's 1933 tune 'Couches dans le foin') and the latestAmerican dance and film material (by Don Raye, Jerome Kern, Harold Arlen andthe like). In the summer of 1940,soon after the outset of the Battle of Britain, Arthur Young was injured in anair raid and had to resign from Hatchett's. His place was taken in the Swingtette by the blind,twenty-year-old American George Shearing, heard here in the sessions of28February and 9April 1941 and 7July and 6October 1943. https://naxosdirect.co.uk/items/grappelli-stephane-swing-from-paris-143842

Swing From Paris (1935-1943)

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