Banu Gibson - Love Is Good For Anything That Ails You

Styles: Vocal
Year: 1998
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 51:46
Size: 118,5 MB
Art: Front

(2:41)  1. Love Is Good For Anything that Ails You
(4:44)  2. Downhearted Blues
(2:52)  3. Me Minus You
(3:01)  4. Bacause Of Once Upon A Time
(3:02)  5. My Ideal
(2:54)  6. Wrap Your Cares in Rhythm and Dance
(3:15)  7. The Very Thought of You
(4:05)  8. Dinah
(4:02)  9. Junk Man
(2:56) 10. My Melancholy Baby
(2:18) 11. Eeny Meeny Miney Mo
(3:51) 12. Louisiana Fairy Tale
(2:33) 13. S' Posin'
(4:16) 14. As Time Goes By
(2:37) 15. 'Long About Midnight
(2:31) 16. How's About Tomorrow Night?

Banu Gibson, arguably the top singer in the trad jazz field of the '90s, not only understands the idiom but has a strong and versatile voice. Gibson is a well-rounded and good-humored entertainer, has very good taste in picking out material, and leads one of the hottest bands in classic jazz. For this CD, Banu uses her regular group (trumpeter Duke Heitger, Tom Fischer on clarinet and tenor, trombonist David Sager, pianist-arranger David Boeddinghaus, bassist Mike Karoub, and drummer Jeff Hamilton) plus rhythm guitarist Hank Mackie. The band often sounds like Fats Waller's Rhythm; Heitger brings back the chance-taking excitement of Bunny Berigan, and at one point, goes quickly from Jack Teagarden to a close imitation of Tricky Sam Nanton. 

Banu, whose roots are in the '20s, actually looks more toward the music of the mid- to late '30s this time around. A few of the numbers (particularly "As Time Goes By" and "The Very Thought of You") probably didn't need to be performed again, but they are more than compensated for by such obscurities as "Junk Man," "S'posin'," "How About Tomorrow Night," and "Wrap Your Cares in Rhythm and Dance"; on the latter, Gibson not only sings but tap dances a bit. Another highlight is "Me Minus You," which has Gibson overdubbing her voice to bring back the three-part harmony of the Boswell Sisters. Highly recommended to classic jazz fans, as are all of Banu Gibson's Swing Out releases. ~ Scott Yanow  http://www.allmusic.com/album/love-is-good-for-anything-that-ails-you-mw0000247620

Personnel: Banu Gibson (vocals); Hank Mackie (guitar); Tom Fischer (clarinet, soprano saxophone, alto saxophone, tenor saxophone); Duke Heitger (trumpet); David Sager (trombone); David Boeddinghaus (piano); Jeff Hamilton (drums).

Love Is Good For Anything That Ails You

---

Jessica Williams - In the Key of Monk

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1999
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 63:05
Size: 144,9 MB
Art: Front

(4:38)  1. Bemsha Swing
(4:31)  2. Just a Gigolo
(6:02)  3. Reflections
(3:01)  4. I Love You Sweetheart of All My Dreams
(5:12)  5. Monk's Mood/Crepuscule With Nellie
(5:09)  6. Monk's Hat
(5:28)  7. San Francisco Holiday
(4:44)  8. I Remember Monk
(5:46)  9. The House That Rouse Built
(5:22) 10. Pannonica
(6:29) 11. Ask Me Now
(6:36) 12. Blues Five Spot

Jessica Williams' career took off during the 1990s with a series of memorable recordings for the Canadian label Jazz Focus, and this solo piano tribute to Thelonious Monk is one of her best live performances. She establishes her own voice right away with a playful approach to "Bemsha Swing," playing part of the introduction while muting the piano's strings with one hand, making use of the full range of the keyboard in the body of the piece. She throws Monk-like twists into her interpretation of one of his favorite standards, "Just a Gigolo." 

Not satisfied with just covering Monk's best-known works and songs by others that he enjoyed playing, she delves into the pianist's less-frequently played compositions, such as the discordant "San Francisco Holiday" and his loping "Blues at the Five Spot," while also dedicating pieces of her own to Monk (the reflective ballad "I Remember Monk") and his longest-serving sideman, tenor saxophonist Charlie Rouse (the alternately tricky and jaunty "The House That Rouse Built"). Highly recommended. ~ Ken Dryden   http://www.allmusic.com/album/in-the-key-of-monk-mw0000058695

Personnel: Jessica Williams (piano); Jeanette Williams (piano).

In the Key of Monk

---

Lee Ritenour - Dreamcatcher

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 2020
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 53:12
Size: 124,3 MB
Art: Front

(4:22) 1. Dreamcatcher
(4:16) 2. Charleston
(4:55) 3. The Lighthouse
(4:28) 4. Morning Glory Jam
(4:01) 5. Starlight
(3:13) 6. Abbot Kinney
(4:30) 7. Couldn't Help Myself
(4:47) 8. For DG
(3:14) 9. Via Verde
(3:25) 10. Low & Slow
(2:41) 11. Storyteller
(4:10) 12. 2020, Pt. 1
(3:07) 13. 2020, Pt. 2
(1:56) 14. 2020, Pt. 3

It's hard to believe that in his over-50-year career, guitarist Lee Ritenour has never released a solo guitar album. He rectifies that fact on 2020's warmly delivered Dreamcatcher. The record follows Ritenour's star-studded 2015 album A Twist of Rit, in which he reworked songs from throughout his career with a bevy of special guests. Dreamcatcher finds him taking a more introspective, stripped-down approach, but one that still showcases his lyricism and adept fretboard skills. Recorded during the COVID-19 pandemic, Ritenour produced the album himself at his home, working remotely with studio assistance by Gary Lee and Brian McShea. There's an intimacy to the recordings that has the feeling of a small private concert, or it's as if you're eavesdropping on Ritenour just jamming for his own pleasure. Comfortable in electric and acoustic settings, and with a career that has straddled the rock, jazz, and pop worlds, the guitarist takes an equally expansive approach on Dreamcatcher.

He dips into folky acoustic balladry on "Starlight," draws upon the sophisticated hollow-body style of Wes Montgomery on "The Lighthouse," and weaves a delicate patchwork of nylon-string harmonies on the classical-leaning title track. He even rips into far-eyed electric jazz-rock on "Abbot Kinney." There's a shimmering, textural quality to many of these songs as Ritenour laces together his warm melodies using just a modicum of aftereffects. We also get the nicely arranged "Couldn't Help Myself," a flowing instrumental that evokes Ritenour's '70s fusion work and features a mix of synths, percussion, and over 20 guitar tracks. Dreamcatcher is a relaxing, deceptively understated album that showcases Ritenour's laid-back virtuosity.~ Matt Collar https://www.allmusic.com/album/dreamcatcher-mw0003441954

Dreamcatcher

---

Beverley Beirne - Dream Dancer

Styles: Vocal
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 53:51
Size: 125,7 MB
Art: Front

(3:17) 1. Let's Face the Music and Dance
(4:58) 2. Weaver of Dreams
(3:46) 3. Now We're Just Friends
(3:46) 4. Let's Dance
(5:24) 5. Day Dream
(5:53) 6. Temptation
(4:10) 7. Fascinating Rhythm
(3:42) 8. Bill
(2:55) 9. Old Brazil
(4:56) 10. Winter Moon
(6:42) 11. Dream Dancing
(4:16) 12. Pieces of Dreams

Why haven't I heard this great singer before? I've been asleep on the job. This is Ms Beirne's third album, new takes on songs to do with dancing, a very enjoyable listen with a tinge of sadness for the late Duncan Lamont, ace saxman, who features on his own songs Now We're Just Friends and Old Brazil. No messing around, it's straight in from the start, fast drums and bass on Let's Face the Music and Dance, and a rich alto voice which can take higher notes in its stride.

A Weaver of Dreams gives us skilled bass accompaniment and solo work from Flo Moore, which really does flow more (joke, couldn't resist); Lamont's lyrics on Now We're Just Friends are unusual, 'We slashed at our lives, like children with knives'; Let's Dance is a samba with an extended coda, which Bowie, who wrote the song, would have loved.

Temptation is a Latin number with hand drums and voice introduction and a flute solo which reminded me of snake charming; Winter Moon is somewhat menacing, with a slow click on drums, sung feelingly, all about loneliness. The title track Dream Dancing is a swinger with sax and piano solos. Pieces of Dreams, is thought-provoking, apparently about finding an identity, an unusual song for the final track.

Beverley Beirne, a professional singer since the age of 19, began by singing classically, studied acting, completed a degree in English and Drama, worked for BBC Yorkshire TV, had a supporting role in Emmerdale, studied jazz with Tina May and Alan Barnes, performed at festivals and clubs in the UK and Europe and is currently the artistic director for Ilkley Jazz Festival, which is the venue for her next live show.https://lance-bebopspokenhere.blogspot.com/2021/06/cd-review-beverley-beirne-dream-dancer.html

Personnel: Beverley Beirne (vocals); Sam Watts (piano); Flo Moore (bass); Ben Brown (drums, perc, conga); Rob Hughes (sax, flute); Duncan Lamont (sax track 3, 9); Jason Miles (Fender Rhodes, strings, Hammond B3 on various tracks); Romero Lubambo (guitar track 9) Cyro Baptista (perc track 9)

Dream Dancer

---

Susan Wylde - Shambhala

Styles: Vocal And Piano Jazz
Year: 2009
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 55:26
Size: 128,6 MB
Art: Front

(4:05) 1. Fire In My Heart Will Burn Away These Blues
(4:14) 2. Let's Fall In Love
(3:52) 3. Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word
(3:26) 4. Driven To Shine
(4:00) 5. All Or Nothing At All
(4:01) 6. Nothing Compares To You
(3:55) 7. Fragile
(3:40) 8. Still Believe In Love
(3:25) 9. Eye Of The Hurricane
(4:00) 10. When We Kiss Another Angel Gets Her Wings
(3:47) 11. Miss Celie's Blues
(4:52) 12. Love's Divine
(4:46) 13. Icecream
(3:16) 14. Your Truth

Susan Wylde is a vocalist/songwriter/pianist. She has lived and/or performed in such culturally rich locations as Europe, Thailand, Hawaii, Japan, China, USA, Canada and Cuba. Susan is a classically trained pianist and a graduate of the Western Conservatory of Music. Her love of singing lead her into performing in musical theatre at a young age in Canada. Her new CD, co-written with Eddie Bullen, is called Shambhala. The 14 tracks on this CD draw from pop, traditional and contemporary jazz as well as blues and R&B. Susan’s songwriting and voice speak of clarity, vibrancy, emotional depth and soulfulness. “Not a copy act, she focuses attention on the individuality of her own artistic sensibilities” ~ JAZZ TIMES. Susan has worked with several other artists (vocal, piano, percussion) in the studio and on stage. However, this is her first jazz CD.

Shambhala has been nominated for a jazz award and several jazz festivals in Canada and outside Canada have invited her to perform on their mainstage. Susan’s diverse influences include: Herbie Hancock, Joe Jackson, Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald, John Legend, Sting, Spyro Gyra, Steeley Dan, and Joni Mitchell. Susan’s writing partner, Eddie Bullen, is a Juno award-winning producer, writer and performer. In 2008, Eddie was chosen for the job of music director for the Beijing Summer Olympics music gala.

Susan has shared the stage or studio with the following musicians: Charlie Wilson, Julian Fauth, Delfeayo Marsalis, Gonzalo Rubalcaba, Hilario Duran, Simon Wilcox, Brian Griffith, Danny Lockwood, Emm Gryner, Esthero, Harrison Kennedy, Grace Kelley, Diana Braithwaite, Chris Whiteley, Jack Dekyzer, Jeff Rogers, Marissa Lyndsey, Adam Soloman, Adrean Farrugia, Kate Schutt, Eddie Bullen, Jochim Nunez, Ken Whiteley, Reg Schwager, Don Thompson, Roberto Sibony, Melissa McClelland, Kevin Dempsey, Mark Cashion, Cindy Fairbank. This year has been a great year for Susan Wylde Quartet. Highlights are: performing in Japan, New Orleans, Miami,New York City,Hawaii,China and Cuba, opening for Grammy Award winner Delfeayo Marsalis, working with prolific jazz musicians Reg Schwager and Don Thompson.

Susan is the Creator, producer and artistic director for Goddess Charity Events. These events have raised thousands of dollars for women’s and children’s shelters and have helped World Vision and several environmental charities. Susan has received a nomination for an Ontario Independent Music Award. The awards will take place at the Phoenix Concert Hall - Toronto. www.myspace.com/susanwylde You can join Susan Wylde on TWITTER and FACEBOOK Festival/Club Agents,Promoters, Reviewers,Licensing etc. - Check out Susan Wylde on Myspace and Sonic Bids.com. Radio - Music Directors, Reviewers etc. - Susan Wylde's music is available - Radiosubmit.com and Musicsubmit.com https://musicians.allaboutjazz.com/susanwylde

Shambhala

---

Paul Warburton & Dale Bruning - Our Delight

Styles: Post Bop, Guitar
Year: 1987
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 41:48
Size: 96,6 MB
Art: Front

(3:40) 1. Our Delight
(4:55) 2. You Go To My Head
(5:03) 3. Nothing Ever Changes My Love For You
(6:34) 4. Ill Wind
(3:45) 5. Delaunay's Dilemma
(4:45) 6. You Don't Know What Love Is
(3:35) 7. Limehouse Blues
(6:11) 8. Recado Bossa Nova
(3:17) 9. Grant Street Azure

Here's One Of Those Unknown Gems That Has Everything I Like In An Album: Two Great Musicians Playing Jazz Standards And An Exceptional Recording To Boot. Dale Bruning Plays A D.W. Stevens Guitar And Paul Warburton Plays An 1888 Joseph Bohmann 5 String Bass Recorded Direct To Two-Track Digital. Tunes Are: "Our Delight," " You Go To My Head," "Nothing Ever Changes My Love For You," "Ill Wind," "Delaunay's Dilemma," "You Don't Know What Love Is," "Limehouse Blues," "Recado Bossa Nova" And "Grant Street Azure." "Recado Bossa Nova" Is One Of The Showcase Pieces On The Album. Words Cannot Describe The Brilliance Reflected By Both Players. Warburton's Solos On This Piece Are Astounding. https://www.audiophileusa.com/item.cfm?record=104228

Our Delight

---

Bill Evans - On A Friday Evening

Styles: Piano Jazz
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 60:36
Size: 139,1 MB
Art: Front

( 6:54) 1. Sareen Jurer (Live At Oil Can Harry's / 1975)
( 7:04) 2. Sugar Plum (Live At Oil Can Harry's / 1975)
( 7:43) 3. The Two Lonely People (Live At Oil Can Harry's / 1975)
( 5:10) 4. T.T.T. (Twelve Tone Tune) (Live At Oil Can Harry's / 1975)
( 5:18) 5. Quiet Now (Live At Oil Can Harry's / 1975)
( 6:20) 6. Up With The Lark (Live At Oil Can Harry's / 1975)
( 5:53) 7. How Deep Is The Ocean (Live At Oil Can Harry's / 1975)
( 5:26) 8. Blue Serge (Live At Oil Can Harry's / 1975)
(10:44) 9. Nardis (Live At Oil Can Harry's / 1975)

Captured in 1975, On a Friday Evening is an engaging and deeply intimate album that finds pianist Bill Evans and his trio in performance at Oil Can Harry's in Vancouver, British Columbia. Recorded by radio host Gary Barclay, the album was initially broadcast on Barclay's CHQM jazz show before languishing unheard for the next 40 years. Fully restored, this 2021 archival release finds Evans backed by one of his best latter-career rhythm sections featuring bassist Eddie Gomez and drummer Eliot Zigmund. Radio broadcasts of live concerts were not unheard of in the '60s and '70s, and On a Friday Evening works as a nice companion album to the similar 2017 radio restoration On a Monday Evening, which featured the same lineup and some of the same tunes.

That said, On a Friday Evening is an even better sounding restoration and truly represents the intricate group dynamics and virtuosity they'd developed on tour together. While Gomez had been with Evans since 1968, the trio's warm and enveloping style becomes even more impressive when you realize that drummer Zigmund was barely into his first year with the pianist when they hit the stage at Oil Can Harry's in June of 1975. Together, they play with a lithe focus that balances Evans' close-eyed intensity with moments of lively, contrapuntal group interplay. Particularly enrapturing is their take on "Sugar Plum," which Evans kicks off by himself, anchoring his twirling right-hand lines with steady left-hand chords before Gomez takes his own lyrical solo. We also get equally inspired renditions of such Evans' favorites as "Sareen Jurer," "Quiet Now," and "How Deep Is the Ocean."~ Matt Collar https://www.allmusic.com/album/on-a-friday-evening-mw0003518440

Personnel: Bill Evans - Piano; Eddie G¢mez - bass; Eliot Zigmund - drums

On A Friday Evening

---

Freddie Redd - Reminiscing

Styles: Piano Jazz
Time: 61:47
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Size: 141,9 MB
Art: Front

(6:08) 1. Oh! So Good
(7:46) 2. Love Is Love
(7:39) 3. Shadows
(8:30) 4. Blues Extra
(9:15) 5. Once In A Lifetime
(9:28) 6. Reminiscing
(6:19) 7. Blues X
(6:40) 8. There I Found You

Reminiscing is a slate of eight Redd compositions, on which New York ace Matt Wilson plays drums and Baltimorean Michael Formanek takes the bass. (There are also two guest saxophonists tenor Brian Settles on six tracks and alto/soprano Sarah Hughes on two.) Redd’s batch of tunes impress. They’re soulful, swinging, and deceptively lyrical; the phrases are so simple and catchy that the unconventional forms Redd deploys slip right past you. The title tune, for example, stitches together no less than five different four-bar sections; the moody ballad “Shadows” cycles through four. While the opener, “Oh! So Good,” has only two strains, it lures you in with an A so pithy it could be an ostinato, then sends you reeling with a linear, complex B.

It’s Redd’s piano playing, though, that delivers the knockout. There are no breakneck tempos here the leader has nothing left to prove. He doubles down on the melodicism instead. The solo on “Love is Love” is a reduction of the theme (albeit one with dense harmonies), and Redd’s spaces and condensations of the phrases are expressive. Where the speed does ramp up, as on “Blues X,” he takes it in stride, keeping pace through a scorching Settles solo. When it’s his turn, though, you can almost see him pulling the reins: He lets the first four bars go by without a single note, then digs deep into the blues at a leisurely, in-my-own-good-time gait, only to pick up again to comp for Linde’s solo.

Then comes Baltimore Jazz Loft, on which it’s quickly clear that Warren has also turned to making his point without fireworks. It’s Redd who’s the loquacious one on “Among Friends,” in which he unfurls chorus after improvised (if well-crafted) chorus. When Warren takes the spotlight, he doesn’t even break the walking bass cadence, firing off three measured blues choruses that could have been accompaniments. He does the same on “A Little Chippie,” which also has Warren playing the sly lead melody line, making him a bit more forthright here, though that melody is not flashy either.

When he lets loose with a more conventionally melodic solo, on the bossa nova “Barack Obama,” it’s tight, carefully constructed, and succinct. (He audibly says “OK” to the band after one chorus.) It’s also remarkably thoughtful and beautiful. Yet one quickly realizes that Warren expresses himself as clearly in his supporting role as in improvising. As lovely as he can get on “Barack Obama” or the standard “I Can’t Get Started,” there’s something profoundly declarative in the deep, resonant notes he places under Redd and Linde’s work on those same tracks.

Teaching a lesson on mastery through economy doesn’t seem to have been Linde’s goal with the releases. Throughout both albums, he’s not a run-on player, but not taciturn either. All the same, Linde has aged eight years since they were recorded and watched both revered veterans pass away in the meantime. One wonders how he, and his multitudes, will process their legacies in projects to come. https://washingtoncitypaper.com/article/511940/two-new-releases-keep-freddie-redd-and-butch-warrens-legacies-alive/

Personnel: Freddie Redd - piano; Brad Linde - tenor saxophone; Michael Formanek - bass; Matt Wilson - drums; Sarah Hughes - soprano saxophone (on track 5), alto saxophone (on track 3); Brian Settles - tenor saxophone (on tracks 1,2,4,6-8)

Reminiscing

---

Susan Wylde - In the Light

Styles: Vocal, Piano
Year: 2002
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 17:54
Size: 41,4 MB
Art: Front

(3:46) 1. One Real Man
(4:05) 2. I Can't Tell New Orleans Goodbye
(3:43) 3. Love Me All Night Long
(2:46) 4. Lovely Push Up Bra
(3:32) 5. In The Light

Susan Wylde is a vocalist/songwriter/pianist.She has lived and/or performed in such culturally rich locations as Europe, Thailand, Hawaii, Japan, China, USA, Canada and Cuba. Susan is a classically trained pianist and a graduate of the Western Conservatory of Music.

Her love of singing lead her into performing in musical theatre at a young age in Canada. Her new CD, co-written with Eddie Bullen, is called Shambhala. The 14 tracks on this CD draw from pop, traditional and contemporary jazz as well as blues and R&B. Susan’s songwriting and voice speak of clarity, vibrancy, emotional depth and soulfulness. “Not a copy act, she focuses attention on the individuality of her own artistic sensibilities” - JAZZ TIMES. Susan has worked with several other artists (vocal, piano, percussion) in the studio and on stage. However, this is her first jazz CD. Shambhala has been nominated for a jazz award and several jazz festivals in Canada and outside Canada have invited her to perform on their mainstage.

Susan’s diverse influences include: Herbie Hancock, Joe Jackson, Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald, John Legend, Sting, Spyro Gyra, Steeley Dan, and Joni Mitchell. Susan’s writing partner, Eddie Bullen, is a Juno award-winning producer, writer and performer. In 2008, Eddie was chosen for the job of music director for the Beijing Summer Olympics music gala.

Susan has shared the stage or studio with the following musicians: Charlie Wilson, Julian Fauth, Delfeayo Marsalis, Gonzalo Rubalcaba, Hilario Duran, Simon Wilcox, Brian Griffith, Danny Lockwood, Emm Gryner, Esthero, Harrison Kennedy, Grace Kelley, Diana Braithwaite, Chris Whiteley, Jack Dekyzer, Jeff Rogers, Marissa Lyndsey, Adam Soloman, Adrean Farrugia, Kate Schutt, Eddie Bullen, Jochim Nunez, Ken Whiteley, Reg Schwager, Don Thompson, Roberto Sibony, Melissa McClelland, Kevin Dempsey, Mark Cashion, Cindy Fairbank. This year has been a great year for Susan Wylde Quartet. Highlights are: performing in Japan, New Orleans, Miami,New York City,Hawaii,China and Cuba, opening for Grammy Award winner Delfeayo Marsalis, working with prolific jazz musicians Reg Schwager and Don Thompson.

Susan is the Creator, producer and artistic director for Goddess Charity Events. These events have raised thousands of dollars for women’s and children’s shelters and have helped World Vision and several environmental charities. Susan has received a nomination for an Ontario Independent Music Award. The awards will take place at the Phoenix Concert Hall - Toronto. www.myspace.com/susanwylde You can join Susan Wylde on TWITTER and FACEBOOK Festival/Club Agents,Promoters, Reviewers,Licensing etc. - Check out Susan Wylde on Myspace and Sonic Bids.com. Radio - Music Directors, Reviewers etc. - Susan Wylde's music is available - Radiosubmit.com and Musicsubmit.com https://musicians.allaboutjazz.com/susanwylde

In the Light

---

Doc Houlind With John Boutté - Doc Houlind Ragtime Band meets John Boutté

Styles: Post Bop, Vocal
Year: 2013
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 72:56
Size: 171,8 MB
Art: Front

( 5:13) 1. Shake Rattle and Roll
( 7:46) 2. The Gypsy
( 5:36) 3. Climax Rag
( 4:06) 4. Gloryland
( 4:18) 5. You can depend on me
( 5:05) 6. This Little Light of Mine
( 6:47) 7. West end blues
( 7:27) 8. Move the Body Over
( 4:35) 9. Mean to Me
( 5:42) 10. If I Had my Life to Live Over
( 5:54) 11. Sensation Rag
(10:23) 12. Just a closer walk

Søren "Doc" Houlind - Drums and Vocals, also band leader. Born in Lemvig, and began playing drums in high school in 1964. Soren travelled in 1971 for the first time, out of many, to New Orleans, the birthplace of jazz, where he studied drumming at the legendary Cie Frazier. After returning home, was Søren quickly became known as one of the finest and most respected drummers, and this gave him the drum chair with famous Papa Bue & his Viking Jazz Band, and also at Lillian BouJé & her music friends. After 40 years as a top revival drummer shaped Doc Houlind. So in 2002 its current All Stars Band, where he has fulfilled an ambition to stand in front of the orchestra as a trumpeter. Doc Houlind have attracted attention all over Europe, with its hot and lyrical trumpet playing, inspired by Bunk Johnson, Kid Howard, H. Red Allen, and of course Louis Armstrong. Doc Houlind has been selected as trumpeter touring with the European all Stars in 2005. https://www.colchesterjazzclub.co.uk/about-colchester-jazz-club/musician-profile/?name=Soren%20Doc%20Houlind&id=540

Personnel: Drums – Doc Houlind; Vocals – John Boutté; Bass – Annie Hawkins; Clarinet – Jesper Larsen; Piano – Andy Finch; Trombone – Bjarne Emilo; Trumpet – Søren Fechtenberg; Vocals – John Boutté

Doc Houlind Ragtime Band meets John Boutté

---

Sharel Cassity - Relentless

Styles: Flute And Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2009
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 47:27
Size: 108,9 MB
Art: Front

(4:01)  1. Say What!?
(6:24)  2. Still
(7:10)  3. Relentless
(4:36)  4. Call to Order
(5:20)  5. Love's Lament
(5:37)  6. Song of Those Who Seek
(5:36)  7. No Turning Back
(8:39)  8. On the Nile

Sharel Cassity's second release as a leader gives the alto saxophonist a bit more opportunity to show off her chops, as she adds both soprano sax and flute, while she also focuses extensively on her own compositions, something she omitted from her debut CD, Just for You. Though very youthful in appearance, she's a seasoned musician who started playing young, then detoured from her initial plan to finish her music education at Berklee by opting to play in New York City, where she earned a bachelor's degree at the New School and a master's degree at Juilliard. She has also toured with the all-female Diva big band and Jimmy Heath's big band. Old friend Michael Dease is once again on hand playing trombone, while trumpeter Jeremy Pelt appears on several tracks, with a top-notch rhythm section consisting of veteran pianist Orrin Evans, bassist Dwayne Burno, and drummer E.J. Strickland. Cassity begins on soprano with her delightful brisk blues "Say What?," an intricate number that inspires stimulated improvising all around. Dease, who wrote several numbers for the leader's debut date, penned the warm bossa nova"Relentless," which includes an expanded group with the leader on flute, guests Don Braden on alto flute, flügelhornist Thomas Barber (who also appeared on Just for You), and tenor saxophonist Andres Boyarsky. Cassity's emotional alto sax fits the mood of her bittersweet ballad "Love's Lament," with lush backing by Evans. Cassity doubles on soprano sax and flute (the latter only in the introduction) in Charles Tolliver's enticing, exotic "On the Nile," a harmonically rich arrangement that recalls the power of driving post-bop of the mid-'60s. This is a fine effort by Sharel Cassity, who is clearly one to watch. ~ Ken Dryden https://www.allmusic.com/album/relentless-mw0000824850

Personnel: Sharel Cassity (flute, soprano saxophone, alto saxophone); Don Braden (alto flute); Andres Boyarsky, Andres Boiarsky (tenor saxophone); Jeremy Pelt (trumpet); Thomas Barber (flugelhorn); Michael Dease (trombone); Orrin Evans (piano); E.J. Strickland (drums).

Relentless

---

Massimo Faraò, George Cables - Planet Piano (Live)

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2020
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 54:04
Size: 124,4 MB
Art: Front

(10:24) 1. A Beautiful Friendship
( 5:20) 2. The Gipsy
( 8:42) 3. Someday My Prince Will Come
( 5:19) 4. You Stepped out of a Dream
( 7:36) 5. Stella by Starlight
( 5:09) 6. All the Things You Are
( 7:35) 7. Billie's Bounce
( 3:56) 8. It Could Happen to You

Massimo Faraò:"The blackest of Italian pianists" was born May 16th, 1965, in Genoa. He studied piano with Maestro Flavio Crivelli and began his career collaborating with musicians from the Genoa Area, especially with the bassist Piero Leveratto. In 1993 he was invited for the first time in the USA. He plays with Red Holloway and Albert "Tootie" Heath on a tour on the West Coast. In the same year he founded "We love Jazz" Workshop, now become one of the biggest events in Europe for jazz teaching. In 1994 he was hired by "Monad Records" in New York and back in the United States as pianoplayer and music director of Shawnn Monteiro's band, with Keter Betts and Bobby Durham. https://www.jazzmusicarchives.com/artist/massimo-farao

Planet Piano (Live)

---

Sharel Cassity - Fearless

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2020
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 43:57
Size: 101,2 MB
Art: Front

(4:54) 1. Whimsy
(5:26) 2. Fearless
(4:19) 3. North Street
(5:09) 4. Road to Dukhan
(5:39) 5. Surrender
(4:51) 6. Ballad for Roy
(4:35) 7. The Very Thought of You
(3:41) 8. Not a Samba
(5:18) 9. Last Minute

Offering her fifth album as leader, saxophonist Sharel Cassity unveils an aptly titled collection of originals and a couple of standards in an album of special significance and meaning in her life, as she confronted a personal health issue that threatened to silence her musical voice forever. This project is not only about producing a delicious bebop sound one will not soon forget but, it is also a testament to her faith and courage in confronting an illness she refused to fear, and finally defeated. Except for Ray Noble's classic standard "The Very Thought of You," and pianist Richard Johnson's finale tune "Last Minute," Cassity presents seven new originals she penned for this recording while battling Post Lyme Disease. Besides piano man Johnson, also accompanying the saxophonist on this musical journey are Alexander Claffy on bass and Mark Whitfield Jr. rounding out the quartet on the drums.

Holding nothing back, Cassity and crew open up with the rapid-tempo up beat burner "Whimsy" which, adequately describes the fanciful and playful performance of the leader and band on an explosive starter. The title track is no less fearsome just a tad more serious as the saxophonist wields her instrument with force. The bebop sound is in full swing on "North Street," as the mood shifts to a Middle Eastern style reflective of the time the leader lived in Qatar which inspired "Road to Dukhan. The music takes a softer turn on "Surrender" which highlights bassist Claffy and the pianist on marvelous solo moments.

The gentle side of the set continues on the "Ballad for Roy," followed by Cassity's unique version of "The Very Thought of You," and though composed as a ballad, there's plenty of fire from the leader and band on this one. The brief but moving "Not a Samba" contains slight elements of the Afro-Cuban flavor with the leader on soprano and drummer Whitfield Jr. driving the percussive flair of the piece. Taking to the tenor on the finale ("Last Minute") the saxophonist and cast deliver another blistering performance bookending the session with a lot of heat. Loaded with exceptional solo moments from everyone in the quartet, Fearless is an exciting, swinging and vibrant documentation of bebop at its best. Sharel Cassity provides a heart-felt performance drawing from her inner strength and will in conquering a personal obstacle with a musical sword and an intrepid assurance.~ Edward Blanco https://www.allaboutjazz.com/fearless-sharel-cassity-relsha-music

Personnel: Sharel Cassity: saxophone; Richard Johnson: piano; Alexander Claffy: saxophone, tenor; Mark Whitfield Jr.: drums.

Fearless

---

Ray Bryant - In the Back Room

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2008
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 59:41
Size: 137,6 MB
Art: Front

(3:06) 1. Lullaby
(4:22) 2. Keepin' out of Mischief Now
(7:16) 3. Black and Blue
(1:45) 4. The Impossible Rag
(6:55) 5. Jitterbug Waltz
(4:38) 6. In the Back Room
(3:04) 7. Little Girl
(6:01) 8. Ain't Misbehavin
(5:09) 9. If I Could Be with You
(4:41) 10. Honeysuckle Rose
(6:00) 11. Easy to Love
(6:38) 12. St. Louis Blues

Solos done live in performance are nothing new for Ray Bryant, but stylistically, this recording does have the masterful, blues-based pianist digging into some new material of his own, along with the music of Fats Waller. Recorded live on two separate dates at Rutgers University, Bryant hints at his blues background on these tracks, but concentrates more on carefully and lovingly constructing Waller's famous melodies. Four of his originals are tacked on as he wends his way through a mostly laid-back set of music that shows he's mellowed with age and wisdom through decades of playing jazz to its professional hilt. He's actually a bit polite on songs like "Keepin' Out of Mischief Now" and patient for "Ain't Misbehavin'," but jumps into some witty and classic stride piano, especially on the two-fisted chords of "St. Louis Blues." Originals like the rhapsodic "Lullaby," the active, boogie-styled title track, or the rip-snorting, under-two-minute jam "The Impossible Rag" show Bryant still has chops to burn at an advanced age. Yet the program overall has a relaxed, laid-back feel, best exemplified during the lighthearted Waller number "Black & Blue," or the yearning, slow "If I Could Be with You." Fans of Ray Bryant will be very pleased with this effort, as recent recordings have come few and far between, but this one reinforces his legendary stature as one of the giants of American-based piano jazz music.~ Michael G.Nastos https://www.allmusic.com/album/in-the-back-room-mw0001709253

In the Back Room

---

Brian Simpson - All That Matters

Styles: Piano Jazz
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 42:31
Size: 98,4 MB
Art: Front

(4:07) 1. So Many Ways
(4:13) 2. What I'm Waiting For
(4:32) 3. Mystical
(5:10) 4. Sunlit Sea
(4:30) 5. A Soft Touch
(3:34) 6. Bonita
(4:14) 7. When I Found You
(3:40) 8. Whisper To Me
(3:50) 9. Daybreak
(4:37) 10. All That Matters

All That Matters is Brian Simpson's 10th full length recording. He pulls from all of his experiences in Jazz, R&B, Funk and Soul, to create an album that is vintage Brian Simpson. Guests in the creative process here include guitarist and labelmate Steve Oliver, keyboardists Nicholas Cole and Oliver Wendell, and saxophonists Najee and Steve Alanis. With the release of All That Matters, Brian Simpson concludes, “I have the greatest job in the world. I simply love the fact that there are people out there in the world getting good feelings from my music. I never take for granted how fortunate I am.” Let's see what's up!

The album begins with So Many Ways. The track has a wispy type of feel, as the strings hit you immediately, and the main piano part grabs your attention. everything is going here with the bass and the funky drums. Simpson turns up the piano play toward the end, to really finish on a high note. What I'm Waiting For is next. Keeping up with Simpson's piano is Steve Alanis on sax. We constantly say that horns enhance the song, and this is no different. The two instruments play well together and the uptempo groove will put a smile on your face.

In Mystical, Najee joins with his flute. This is an R&B based track with some clever drum fills that give the track a modern feel. This song may be the definition of cool for 2021. Simpson breaks it down with Sunlit Sea. Sensuality is front and center, as you can sense the emotion coming out of the piano notes. The trumpet play takes the song up a notch. In A Soft Touch, there is some funky guitar play to go along with piano. Steve Oliver co-wrote and lends his musical talent to the track. The bassline is the standout here, and the track rides the fine line between fun and sophisticated.

Bonita is up next. At first listen, you can sense that he is telling a story of a loved one, and that they have been separated for quite some time. Once again that guitar sound enhances that Latin flair, and quite frankly, we need the song to be about two minutes longer. All That Matters is Brian Simpson's 10th full length recording. He pulls from all of his experiences in Jazz, R&B, Funk and Soul, to create an album that is vintage Brian Simpson. Guests in the creative process here include guitarist and labelmate Steve Oliver, keyboardists Nicholas Cole and Oliver Wendell, and saxophonists Najee and Steve Alanis.

With the release of All That Matters, Brian Simpson concludes, “I have the greatest job in the world. I simply love the fact that there are people out there in the world getting good feelings from my music. I never take for granted how fortunate I am.” The album begins with So Many Ways. The track has a wispy type of feel, as the strings hit you immediately, and the main piano part grabs your attention. everything is going here with the bass and the funky drums. Simpson turns up the piano play toward the end, to really finish on a high note. What I'm Waiting For is next. Keeping up with Simpson's piano is Steve Alanis on sax. We constantly say that horns enhance the song, and this is no different. The two instruments play well together and the uptempo groove will put a smile on your face.

In Mystical, Najee joins with his flute. This is an R&B based track with some clever drum fills that give the track a modern feel. This song may be the definition of cool for 2021. Simpson breaks it down with Sunlit Sea. Sensuality is front and center, as you can sense the emotion coming out of the piano notes. The trumpet play takes the song up a notch. In A Soft Touch, there is some funky guitar play to go along with piano. Steve Oliver co-wrote and lends his musical talent to the track. The bassline is the standout here, and the track rides the fine line between fun and sophisticated. Bonita is up next. At first listen, you can sense that he is telling a story of a loved one, and that they have been separated for quite some time. Once again that guitar sound enhances that Latin flair, and quite frankly, we need the song to be about two minutes longer.

If you want a song to add to your "Lazy Sunday" playlist then When I Found You is the one. This is something you would play while just relaxing with your favorite beverage. Whisper To Me is another R&B based track. This one almost needs a vocalist. If you listen close enough, you almost hear some vocal scats in the background. The title of the track just fits. Listen for the breakdown toward the end. That change is like the icing on the cake. Daybreak gives us that classic Brian Simpson sound, with the mid-tempo groove and his signature keyboard hits. you have some sax fills and drum play that is off the charts. The set concludes with the title track, All That Matters. We get a little EDM groove with this track, and it really reminds us of the late Robert Miles. Contemporary Jazz piano over a dance beat will always be in style, and Simpson knocks this one out of the park! 2021 is giving us some great music, and All That Matters is right there. Ten instrumental tracks with some of the best musicians in the game..there's nothing better than that. Take a listen and enjoy the music. https://thejazzworld.com/review-all-that-matters-by-brian-simpson/

All That Matters

---

Carly Johnson - Demons EP

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2018
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 21:45
Size: 50,0 MB
Art: Front

(4:10) 1. Demons
(3:31) 2. Hit the Ground Running
(5:11) 3. Get Alone with You
(3:55) 4. I Don't Care (Zirophux)
(4:56) 5. Eternally Hopeful

“New singer Carly Johnson is a revelation versatile, tuneful, and with an emotional range that floats from first-person intimate to brassy belting with the greatest of ease.”~ Jacob Duncan, Liberation Prophecy

“...the sort of voice that can rile listeners into fiery elation, or ease them into a blue velvet-lined dream.” - Lara Kinne, LEO Weekly

“The power and scope of her voice takes on epic proportions. She can burn like fire just as easily as she can flow and crash like water.” – TOPS Magazine https://www.carlyjohnsonmusic.com/artist-page

Demons

---

Dave Koz, Cory Wong - The Golden Hour

Styles: Saxophone, Guitar, Smooth Jazz
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 39:56
Size: 92,6 MB
Art: Front

(3:05) 1. Today
(3:28) 2. Getaway Car
(4:09) 3. Feed The Id
(4:01) 4. The Golden Hour
(3:43) 5. Junkyard Dunebuggy
(4:02) 6. Little Rascals
(3:54) 7. Family Reunion
(3:06) 8. Engine 71
(3:42) 9. Your Side of Town (Art of Keynoise)
(5:25) 10. Together Again
(1:15) 11. Gratitude

“Getaway Car”…”Junkyard Dunebuggy”…”Engine 71”… For GRAMMY®-nominated artists Dave Koz and Cory Wong, there’s a method to the freewheeling madness in titling three key tracks from their rockin,’ jazzy, groove-intensive album, The Golden Hour, with a vehicular theme. For saxophonist/entrepreneur Koz and hipster funk guitarist/songwriter Wong (Vulfpeck, the Fearless Flyers, Cory and the Wongnotes), it’s their spirited attempt to capture in words the high octane spontaneous combustion and wind-in-your-hair carefree coolness that’s possible when musical masters of two different generations venture fearlessly off their regular career paths. Hightailing it into a live-in-the-studio, socially distant session with Wong producing and a powerhouse ensemble backing them, they’ve created a momentum-shifting project that puts them on fresh creative trajectories. https://www.davekoz.com/golden-hour-dave-koz-cory-wong

Personnel: Dave Koz - Saxophone; Cory Wong - Guitar

The Golden Hour

---

Butch Warren & Freddie Redd - Baltimore Jazz Loft

Styles: Bebop, Hardbop, Jazz
Time: 55:29
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Size: 127,7 MB
Art: Front

(1:25) 1. Prelude
(8:41) 2. Nothing But The Blues
(7:01) 3. I Can't Get Started
(6:41) 4. I Remember Monk
(5:33) 5. A Little Chippie
(7:50) 6. I Hear You
(9:09) 7. Among Friends
(4:26) 8. Barack Obama
(4:38) 9. There Will Never Be Another You

This music comes from a performance complementing a session that was organized to record unheard compositions from Freddie Redd. The album title recognizes a kinship with the informal loft sessions of the fifties and sixties where a special style of jazz was refined. Present here from that golden age are two of the most singular voices on their instruments who, over fifty years hence, retain the relentlessly creative spirit that forged this music. Both have a signature sound that is instantly identifiable, and both are outstanding, though under recognized, composers. The group is completed by two players who have consistently linked the past and future of this music. The genesis of this effort was Matt Wilson's desire to meet and make music with Butch Warren, though it was Brad Linde's organizational abilities and contacts that brought it all together. Despite being contemporaries on the New York scene of the early 60's and sharing a recording label then by both their memories Butch and Freddie first played together at a joint event in December 2010 and since then did perform together several times in the greater Washington, DC area. Sadly these songs reflect their last performance together, as Butch passed to ancestry on October 5, 2013.

What you will hear is a spontaneous and joyous selection of music performed on a snowy evening in Baltimore - without rehearsal or set list or in most instances lead sheets - and with no overdubs, retakes or "do-overs". The intimate atmosphere lent itself to a sense of musical exploration and adventure that held the audience spellbound through a special evening. Fine examples of Freddie's characteristic inventiveness abound as he teases melodic ideas from each other and his limitless musical imagination. When Matt is not leading the exchange of ideas (Butch's style lends extra space to creative drummers) his attentive and sympathetic counterpoints draw rhythmic interactions from both of the masters. Butch's deceptively easygoing walking quarter note pulse provides the swinging foundation that also highlights his punctuation and solos. Brad deftly managed the stand throughout an open-ended evening and contributed strategic statements to enhance the musical framework. Together the group brought new inspiration to a particular style of jazz that remains timeless in their hands.

Tracks 1 and 2 are indeed the first notes the core trio played together and exemplify the melodically rooted improvisation that defines Freddie's musical conception (here within a remarkable spontaneous composition that seems to have leaped from his mind fully formed). With this show being Butch's evening, several of his most notable compositions are featured, along with another spontaneous creation and a standard or two. This date was not planned for a release since the performance was scheduled primarily as an opportunity for Matt to get acquainted with Butch. The recording captured some of the joy of that moment and reflects the cohesion in a different approach to making music than a practiced formal repertoire. Perhaps the most difficult thing for a musical collective is to freely improvise over structure. Within this set the spirit never wanes while the creative spark flickers and burns. With the foresight to leave recording equipment in place we are pleased to have the opportunity to present this unique insight into the musicians' collective artistry.

We wish to thank the musicians, Henry of An Die Musik for providing an outlet for fine music in Baltimore, Sean, Michael Formanek, Bertrand, Marc Goodman, and all fans and supporters of this music, present that night or not. ~John Cook https://bradlinde.bandcamp.com/album/baltimore-jazz-loft

Baltimore Jazz Loft

---

Eldar Djangirov - Rhapsodize

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2020
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 68:02
Size: 156,4 MB
Art: Front

(4:42) 1. A Night in Tunisia
(6:35) 2. Airport
(6:52) 3. Anthemic
(6:19) 4. Willow Weep for Me
(6:42) 5. Burn
(6:11) 6. Black Hole Sun
(4:36) 7. Variations on a Bach Prelude
(6:50) 8. In July
(6:59) 9. Rhapsodize
(5:37) 10. Devotion
(6:34) 11. Blackjack

Eldar Djangirov... None other than Dave Brubeck declared him a genius. Dr. Billy Taylor called his music a "brilliantly complex discipline." So, when inevitably asked who the masters of their craft may or may not be, does Eldar Djangirov immediately roll off anyone's tongue? More than likely not. And, with more than a handful of hot releases the 2007 Grammy-nominated Re-Imagination (Sony Music), the flawless and much acclaimed Three Stories (Sony Music, 2011) and the mad energy rush of an eighteen year old on Live at the Blue Note (Sony Masterworks, 2006) who's to blame for that? It's anybody's guess, but here's hoping the peppery fury personified on Rhapsodize brings the pianist back into the active discussion.

In a noble struggle not to blaze and burn too fast, too soon, Rhapsodize finds Djangirov and his biting-at-the-bit cohorts drummer Jimmy McBride and bassist Raviv Markovitz frenetically taking on "A Night In Tunisia" with a purely logical chaos. It bashes and cross-currents, cuts left and right with a laser-like veracity. That same take-no-prisoners aesthetic carries over into the original "Anthemic," a torrential rush of flash and prowess whose barnburner left hand groove, cool breaks and virtuoso intervals are more than enough to keep you guessing long after the trio has moved on.

But between "A Night In Tunisia" and "Anthemic" there's the oddly, or perhaps the oddly refreshing, 1980s-sounding groove of Djangirov's first of seven sparked and emboldened originals, "Airport." A tale of needed inertia among a world always moving, "Airport" rolls with an all-out, locked-in mind meld of Djangirov, McBride, and Markovitz, and their uncanny ability to amaze at any moment. "Willow Weep For Me" displays all the delicacy and humor of Art Tatum's take of 1949 and Tommy Flanagan's 1957 cover.

"Burn" quickly does just that with a fast moving, hard-bop fire. Redefining Soundgarden's grunge standard as this generation's latest jazz cover, "Black Hole Sun" is loosed of its strict rock architecture and set free. It's a marvelous performance, neatly on par with Brad Mehldau's equally expansive rock interpretations (ie: Nirvana's "Smells Like Team Spirit" and "Lithium.") A particularly coltish and frolicsome bounce pervades "Variations on a Bach Prelude" with the lush, "In July" quickly picking up the mantle. Fortunately, Rhapsodize doesn't stop there. And neither should we.~ Mike Jurkovic https://www.allaboutjazz.com/rhapsodize-eldar-djangirov-twelve-tone-resonace

Personnel: Eldar Djangirov: piano; Raviv Markovitz: bass; Jimmy McBride: drums.

Rhapsodize

---

Paquito D'Rivera - Cariberian

Styles: Clarinet, Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2020
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 69:20
Size: 159,5 MB
Art: Front

( 8:58) 1. Danza del Fuego
( 7:40) 2. Nocturno en la Celda
(10:20) 3. Concierto de Aranjuez
( 4:04) 4. Adagio Mozart
( 2:09) 5. Afriberian
(10:05) 6. Madrid-Granada
( 6:20) 7. Pasodoble y Olé
( 7:04) 8. Basstronaut
(12:36) 9. Frente al Escorial - Andalucia

And Cargo Music from CLAZZ, is proud and honored not only that Paquito is the official godfather of our festival since the first edition in Madrid and Barcelona in 2011, but also of representing and presenting it in Spain and Europe since 2018.

Today, the Maestro is preparing a new repertoire for the new 2019 tour, CARIBERIAN TOUR by CLAZZ. The universal Cuban music fan will not only enjoy but will be surprised when he hears pieces from the classic Spanish repertoire of Falla, Albéniz, Rodrigo and Tárrega, in the key of Latin jazz …http://jazzbluesnews.com/2020/12/13/cd-review-paquito-drivera-septeto-cariberian-2020-video-cd-cover/

Personnel: Paquito D’Rivera (clarinet, saxophone), Pepe Rivero (piano), Reinier Elizarde (bass), Michael Olivera (drums), Manuel Machado (trumpet)

Cariberian

---