Seth MacFarlane - In Full Swing

Styles: Vocal, Swing
Year: 2017
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 48:57
Size: 113,7 MB
Art: Front

(3:53) 1. The First Time It Happens
(2:48) 2. Almost Like Being In Love
(3:40) 3. Isn't This A Lovely Day (To Be Caught In The Rain?)
(3:08) 4. For You, For Me, For Evermore
(3:26) 5. Like Someone In Love
(2:35) 6. That Face
(3:06) 7. If I Had A Talking Picture Of You
(3:07) 8. I'm Glad There Is You
(2:29) 9. You Couldn't Be Cuter
(3:54) 10. I Like Myself
(2:25) 11. You Can't Love 'Em All
(3:06) 12. Have You Met Miss Jones?
(2:22) 13. A Kiss Or Two
(3:51) 14. But Beautiful
(2:58) 15. Moonlight Becomes You
(2:01) 16. My Buick, My Love and I - Bonus Track

Standing in contrast to the moody 2015 set No One Ever Tells You, 2017's In Full Swing contains some of the sunny brio its title suggests. Chalk it up to the songs Seth MacFarlane selects, of course. There's nary a song of heartbreak among the album's 16 numbers, and he doesn't rely on overly familiar tunes, either. This lighthearted batch of songs is given effervescent arrangements by Joel McNeely, who gladly keeps the proceedings cool and breezy. As always, MacFarlane and McNeely are so besotted with Frank Sinatra's classic long-players for Capitol that their act can seem like a bit of swinging cosplay, with MacFarlane mimicking Old Blue Eyes' finger-snapping charm and McNeely penning love letters to Nelson Riddle, but their execution is expert and, since the touch is light, In Full Swing feels looser and better than its predecessors. MacFarlane and McNeely have taken Frank's advice to take things Nice 'n' Easy to heart, and they're the better for it.~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine https://www.allmusic.com/album/in-full-swing-mw0003085768

In Full Swing

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Jeff Denson, Lee Konitz - Jeff Denson Trio + Lee Konitz

Styles: Contemporary Jazz
Year: 2015
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 54:50
Size: 127,5 MB
Art: Front

(3:38) 1. Baby
(5:00) 2. Dust
(4:51) 3. Blue Skies
(4:30) 4. East Thirty-Second
(6:07) 5. Subconscious Lee
(5:46) 6. Body and Soul
(6:34) 7. Background Music
(5:25) 8. Kary's Trance
(4:48) 9. Skylark
(5:13) 10. 317 East 32nd Street
(2:52) 11. Subconscious Lee (Solo)

After more than a decade as a co-leader of the internationally acclaimed trio Minsarah, bassist Jeff Denson is forging into new territory with his trio that features Dan Zemelman on piano and Jon Arkin on drums. Each season, Jeff will select an outstanding featured guest featuring the project as, The Jeff Denson Trio +1. For the 2015/2016 season the special featured guest will be legendary alto saxophonist Lee Konitz. Jeff has performed with Lee since 2007 and was a member of the Lee Konitz New Quartet, the only permanent group that the eminent saxophonist has ever led.

There are a couple of elements that largely set this album apart from other projects that Jeff and Lee have worked on together: Improvisation between the alto saxophone, bowed double bass and their voices. After largely focusing on standards for the last decade, they take a fresh look at some of the Music of the "Lennie Tristano School" (compositions by Tristano, Konitz, Marsh and Bauer). Jeff takes an unusual approach doubling the complex themes of the Tristano School and interweaving the solo lines like the historic duo of Konitz and Marsh. "Jeff is an exceptional musician who is a creative force on the double bass and has an original approach and voice on the instrument." ~ Lee Konitz https://www.jeffdenson.com/jdtkonitz

Personnel: Jeff Denson: bass, vocals; Lee Konitz: alto saxophone, vocals; Dan Zemelman: piano; Jon Arkin: drums

Jeff Denson Trio And Lee Konitz

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Peter Ind - Looking Out

Styles: Post Bop, Jazz
Year: 1960
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 33:29
Size: 77,9 MB
Art: Front

(7:29) 1. Blues at the Den
(3:16) 2. Arak
(6:01) 3. Yesterdays
(3:40) 4. Renee
(9:24) 5. Love Me or Leave Me
(3:38) 6. Ind Imp

This British bass player has been a professional musician since he was in his early twenties, and literally played his way over to the United States by working on the house band (or should we say ship band) on the Queen Mary for three years, beginning in 1949 before finally settling in New York City in 1951. From this new home base, Peter Ind taught music as well as performing and recording with pianist and composer Lennie Tristano and Tristano disciple, alto saxophonist Lee Konitz, with whom Ind worked regularly between 1954-1957. Being associated with Tristano and the musicians who played with him meant a certain style of playing, sometimes described as "cool." These players created quite elaborate melodies, their improvisations sometimes influenced as much by Bach as by "Bird" jazz giant Charlie Parker. A bassist in one of these groups had to develop a very even approach, had to keep time perfectly without any kind of hysterical showmanship, and had to understand how to create an inventively moving harmonic bottom for the many variations, substitutions, and permutations of the chord changes the soloists would come up with. Ind has not totally stuck to this style of playing, however. He performed with a gentleman from the extreme opposite musical conception, drummer and bandleader Buddy Rich, perhaps the greatest jazz showman to ever live. He also performed and recorded with hard bop players such as tenor saxophonist Booker Ervin or the dark-hued, brooding pianist Mal Waldron. Once again in great contrast, this time to Waldron, Ind also recorded an album with guitarist Slim Gaillard, who doesn't seem to be able to play it straight for a minute.

Ind has always had an interest in the recording process that has rivaled his activities as a bassist. His first move once he had earned enough money from his New York gigs was to buy his first tape machine in 1953, a simple single-track tape machine. By 1957, he had laid out the moolah for much more state-of-the-art equipment and was one of the first engineers to record live jazz in stereo. Many recordings were made in Ind's New York loft in the '50s and early '60s, including sessions with tenor saxophonist Zoot Sims, baritone saxophonist Gerry Mulligan, and dynamic trumpeter Booker Little. Ind set up his own recording studio in 1957, and began his own label, Wave, four years later. This establishes him one of the earlier jazz musicians to realize that self-determination was the only way he would be able to release projects of his own choosing, a typical handicap for musicians such as bassists who are often stuck in the sideman role, but a problem that could also happen to players of any instrument. One of the first projects he assembled for this new label was the album Looking Out (1958-1961), which featured bass solos plus duos with the interesting guitarist Joe Puma and drummer Dick Scott, as well as tracks recorded with a trio and a quartet. He was an early experimenter in the process of overdubbing or multi-tracking, as well as manipulating the speed of a recording. That he was fooling around with such techniques in the '50s is impressive enough, but he was also doing it in the context of jazz, a genre which did not involve itself in studio processes such as this until well into the heyday of the studio-crazy psychedelic rock era, at least 15 years after Ind. Of course at the time, he was criticized by jazz purists. He claims to have created the very first set of rhythm tracks to be recorded apart from a soloist, taped together with drummer Jeff Morton. These were in turn used by Lennie Tristano for his now legendary recordings for Atlantic, including Descent in the Maelstrom. Ind also worked as a sound engineer for labels such as Atlantic, Verve, Bethlehem, and Warwick.

Ind relocated to the West Coast, enjoying the idyllic climate of Big Sur, CA, from 1963-1966. During this period, he began focusing on full performances as a soloist, and was certainly one of the earliest performers to do this. He presented both live concerts and radio broadcasts of his unaccompanied bass music. Eventually, he recorded several solo bass albums, including one consisting totally of walking bass lines for players to improvise over. In 1965, he again played with Konitz and another Tristano disciple, tenor saxophonist Warne Marsh. Ind decided to return to England and continued to perform, teach, and manage his label. Activities with Konitz and Marsh continued, including tours in 1975 and 1976.

In 1984, he began another chapter in his activities. All musicians love to sit around complaining about the clubs they have played and how lousy the managers are, but how many musicians have taken it upon themselves to actually try and manage their own nightclub? Ind did just this when he opened the Bass Clef in London, which for a period was one of the city's most popular jazz clubs. Musicians also liked it, as it is possible that dealing with one of their own in a management capacity might be pleasant. One of Ind's appreciated qualities was his insistence on having decent dressing rooms for the players, as well as the club providing an on-premises set of accommodations for touring acts. Tax problems were attributed to be the single biggest cause of the Bass Clef's demise, and there was even a legendary extension granted when the tax inspector called onto the case turned out to be a jazz fan. Ind has continued to focus on recording projects and his label.~ Eugene Chadbourne https://www.allmusic.com/artist/peter-ind-mn0000329540/biography

R.I.P.

Born: 20 July 1928

Died: 20 August 2021

Looking Out

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Bud Shank, Bob Cooper - The Swing's to Tv (Remastered)

Styles: Saxophone, Flute, Oboe Jazz
Year: 2012
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 37:52
Size: 87,7 MB
Art: Front

(4:20) 1. When You Wish Upon a Star (From Disneyland)
(3:09) 2. Put Your Dreams Away (From the Frank Sinatra Show)
(4:31) 3. Thanks for the Memory (From the Bob Hope Show)
(2:55) 4. Tenderly (From the Rosemary Clooney Show)
(4:38) 5. Danny Boy (Londonderry Air) [From the Danny Thomas Show]
(3:22) 6. Dinah (From the Dinah Shore Show)
(3:45) 7. As Long As There's Music (From the Eddie Fisher Show)
(3:39) 8. A Romantic Guy (From the Bob Cummings Show)
(4:12) 9. Steve Allen Theme (From the Steve Allen Show)
(3:16) 10. The Love Nest (From the Burns and Allen Show)

Proof positive that any well-executed idea translates to the jazz idiom snobs and purists be damned The Swing's to TV pairs altoist Bud Shank and tenorist Bob Cooper for a moody, nuanced collection of late-'50s television theme songs. Granted, it's not like the duo is interpreting the opening themes to Gilligan's Island or The Brady Bunch at the time in question, many series employed familiar standards as calling cards but the basic concept behind the session is the kind of populist nod one rarely associates with cool-school jazz. Thing is, The Swing's to TV is great stuff, a cerebral and atmospheric set of ballads performed with sincerity and affection Shank and Cooper always make for a compelling tandem, and songs like "When You Wish Upon a Star" and "Put Your Dreams Away" are well matched to their respective talents.~ Jason Ankeny https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-swings-to-tv-mw0000900673

Personnel: Bud Shank - alto saxophone, flute; Bob Cooper - tenor saxophone, oboe; Claude Williamson - piano; Don Prell - bass; Chuck Flores - drums; Jack Pepper, Eudice Shapiro, Bob Sushel - violin (tracks 1, 2, 4 & 5); Milt Thomas - viola (tracks 1, 2, 4 & 5); Ray Kramer - cello (tracks 1, 2, 4 & 5)

The Swing's to Tv

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Judy Niemack - Long As You're Living

Styles: Vocal
Year: 1996
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 60:42
Size: 140,1 MB
Art: Front

(5:33) 1. Long As You're Living
(4:20) 2. Waltz For Debby
(6:10) 3. The Maestro
(7:25) 4. Good Bye Pork Pie Hat
(3:13) 5. Caribbean Fire Dance
(7:10) 6. The Island
(3:31) 7. Monk's Dream
(5:01) 8. You've Taken Things Too Far
(3:38) 9. To Welcome The Day
(4:45) 10. Out Of This World
(3:48) 11. I Should Have Told You Goodbye
(6:03) 12. Infant Eyes

The term "jazz singer" has been misused so often so long that one hesitates to employ it. But if it has any meaning at all, the marvelous work of Judy Niemack is a veritable definition. She is a musician in the truest sense, having mastered her instrument (a beautiful one) and her chosen language and crafted her own style (...) There isn't one insincere or tawdry note anywhere in this fine, varied program which displays the full range of Judy Niemack's voice, imagination, and perhaps above all, taste a rare comodity in this or any other age. If you want to know what real jazz singing can be (but rarely is), listen to Judy Niemack, who never takes things too far, just far enough. ~ Dan Morgenstern http://www.judyniemack.com/albuminfo.aspx?ID=905

Personnel: Judy Niemack vocals, Fred Hersch piano, Joe Lovano tenor saxophone (on 1, 4, 8 and 11), Scott Colley bass, Billy Hart drums

Long As You're Living

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Heath Brothers - As We Were Saying

Styles: Jazz, Post Bop
Year: 1997
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 59:18
Size: 136,4 MB
Art: Front

(6:21) 1. The Newest One
(7:15) 2. Bop Again
(4:49) 3. For Seven's Sake
(3:32) 4. South Filthy
(7:41) 5. I'm Glad There Is You
(6:09) 6. Dave's Haze
(6:48) 7. DayDream
(8:23) 8. Nostalgia
(8:19) 9. This Is What It Is

Oh man. Does this swing from the get-go, or what? And such a deal. Not only do you get the three Heath brothers: Jimmy on tenor and alto, Percy on bass and cello, and Al ("Tootie") drums, but they’re joined by the one and only Slide Hampton on ‘bone, Stanley Cowell on piano and kalimba, Sir Roland Hanna on piano, Jon Faddis on trumpet and flugelhorn, and Mark Elf on guitar. Plus James Mtume, Jimmy’s son, on percussion.Need I say more? Just look at the CV’s on these guys. The brothers have played with a hall of fame’s worth of masters: Dizzy, Monk, Miles, Trane, the MJQ, on and on and on. Let’s not slight Herbie Hancock, Yusef Lateef, J. J. Johnson, and even, by way of Mtume, electric-funk Miles. This thing charges out of the gate with the delightful "The Newest One," featuring brief but potent solos from Faddis and Hampton, followed by Sir Roland on piano and Jimmy on tenor sounding like they invented jazz and own all the patents. Next time the kids come by with their Counting Crows and Smashing Pumpkins discs, show them what real music sounds like with "Bop Agin," the second track. Yep, everybody plays excellently. Mark Elf wraps things up with a guitar solo and bar-swap with Jimmy that’s sunny but a trifle pro-forma; Elf isn’t a legend, but at this point, who’s counting?

"For Seven’s Sake" is a Coltrane-ish, spiritual number (not to say these guys are derivative. Coltrane probably got the idea from them), more introverted and serious than the first two, with some affecting work by Cowell on kalimba. "South Filthy" is a tribute to the Heath brothers’ lovely home town, featuring the brothers in a jaunty mood joined only by Mtume’s triangle. Jimmy’s horn here is hypnotically assured. It’s really something to hear his complete command of his instrument, a command unmatched by altogether too many younger players. The listener can tell here what it means to perfect a craft over fifty years. Check out his work solo on Jimmy Dorsey’s "I’m Glad There Is You." To borrow a phrase, it’s like watching Michelangelo sculpt.

The other two brothers hold up their end. Percy shines on Fats Navarro’s "Nostalgia" and "Dave’s Haze," another bright number featuring Elf turning in a fine blues line backed up by the solid rock of Percy and Al. The final track is called "This Is What It Is," and no better title could be found for the whole album. Inquirers into jazz should be directly referred to this CD: this is what it is. These three and their sidemen played a large part in making it what it is, and here is a little sampler of what they do with the experience they’ve amassed and the mastery they’ve achieved.

The album is actually called As We Were Saying..., which I take to be a reference to the fact that the brothers haven’t played together since 1983 (They were interrupted by the MJQ and scads of other activity). I’m sorry for the interruptions, but it seems clear that what the brothers have gained in all their years of separate activity is the beautiful ease and control that enriches this disc.~Robert Spencer https://www.allaboutjazz.com/as-we-were-saying-concord-music-group-review-by-robert-spencer.php

Personnel: Acoustic Bass, Cello [Jazz Cello] – Percy Heath; Drums, Percussion – Albert "Tootie" Heath; Guitar – Mark Elf ; Piano – Sir Roland Hanna; Piano, Kalimba – Stanley Cowell; Tenor Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone – Jimmy Heath; Trombone – Slide Hampton; Trumpet, Flugelhorn – Jon Faddis

As We Were Saying

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George Wallington Quintet - The Prestidigitator

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2005
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 38:31
Size: 88,8 MB
Art: Front

(4:59) 1. In Salah aka In Shalah
(5:46) 2. Composin' at the Composer
(6:01) 3. Jouons
(4:30) 4. Rural Route
(5:43) 5. Promised Land
(4:54) 6. August Moon
(6:35) 7. The Prestidigitator

Sicilian-born pianist "George Wallington" (his given name was Giacinto Figlia) had more than ethnicity in common with Dodo Marmarosa. Both men were active in the burgeoning bop scene of the early and mid-'40s, both made important contributions to the evolution of modern jazz, and both withdrew from public activity for protracted periods of time. Most importantly, both of these excellent pianists left enough great music in their wake to warrant a reappraisal of their legacies. Wallington named Mel Powell, Al Haig, and Bud Powell as his favorite contemporaries; primary influences were Art Tatum, Count Basie, and especially Earl Hines. He collaborated and consulted with Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, Oscar Pettiford, and Max Roach during bop's formative years; later he would befriend young Mose Allison and help him to get established as both recording artist and jazz essayist.

Recorded in early April 1957 and released on the East West label the following year, Wallington's album The Prestidigitator is an excellent example of his creative approach to the art of jazz. His quintet/quartet on this album consisted of bassist Teddy Kotick, drummer Nick Stabulas, Detroit-born tenor saxophonist J.R. Monterose, and bass trumpeter Jerry Lloyd, who sounds for all the world like a valve trombonist. Three of the seven pieces were composed by Mose Allison, two by Monterose, one by Lloyd, and only one the quirkily titled "Composin' at the Composer" by Wallington himself. This was the first time that anyone besides Mose Allison recorded Mose Allison's original compositions.

Even Allison hadn't yet recorded "Rural Route" when Wallington worked it into this pleasantly bop-based album of early modern jazz. Allison's "Promised Land" is particularly soulful and straight-ahead. Stylistically, this stuff lands somewhere amongst Art Blakey's early Jazz Messengers, Hank Mobley, Sonny Stitt, Johnny Griffin, and some of that mid-'50s Mingus with John LaPorta. That means it's really good and maybe you ought to check it out. For those who are squinting at a digitally condensed thumbnail reproduction of the album cover and trying to decipher what's going on, it depicts a magician (or prestidigitator) as seen from upstage rather than from the audience's point of view. As he prepares to pull a rabbit out of his inverted hat, the animal is clearly visible inside of a wooden box on a collapsible stand, held in readiness by a child or midget concealed within.~ arwulf arwulf https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-prestidigitator-mw0000565954

Personnel: Piano – George Wallington; Bass – Teddy Kotick; Drums – Nick Stabulas; Tenor Saxophone – J. R. Monterose; Trumpet – Jerry Lloyd

The Prestidigitator

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Swing Out Sister - Where Our Love Grows

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2005
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 47:14
Size: 109,1 MB
Art: Front

(4:19) 1. Love Won't Let You Down
(3:54) 2. Where Our Love Grows
(3:42) 3. When The Laughter Is Over
(4:06) 4. Certain Shades of Limelight
(4:41) 5. From My Window
(4:28) 6. Caipirinha
(2:02) 7. Where Our Love Grows (A Cappella)
(4:01) 8. Let The Stars Shine
(4:01) 9. We'll Find a Place
(4:14) 10. Happy Ending
(3:40) 11. La Source
(4:01) 12. Love Won't Let You Down (More Love)

The opener of Where Our Love Grows, Swing Out Sister's eighth proper studio album, will knock out fans of the group's perfectly huge and swanky production. "Love Won't Let You Down" is a brassy stunner and a great way to high kick the door open, but it gives way to the lesser title track, a sweet number but nothing approaching a single. That's the problem for outsiders looking for another "Breakout," and it's been the problem for a while. So why is this stuck-in-a-rut band so beloved? It's the structure of the songs grand and warm with winks and giggles from the string and horn sections and Corinne Drewery's lovely and powerful voice, as bright here as it ever was. It's a delightful combination and almost enough to carry the listener through the album's low points. The Brazilian-flavored "Caipirinha" is a pointless "ba-ba-ba-bu-da" number that sounds like the band parodying itself, and the reprise of "Where Our Love Grows" stuck in the middle of the album is an instant skip.

Luckily, the album's second half makes up for some of it with the snappy "Let the Stars Shine" and "Happy Ending," which has some twists and turns you'll want to stick with. There's a whole lot of references to time lost, regrets, and other wistful reflections, and the lyrics just hang on, slipping into cliché too often and in dire need of a Hal David touch. Of course, nobody does style over substance better than Swing Out Sister, Where Our Love Grows being a great example. If it's a sunny, breezy day and you're in bubbly love, go ahead. Just don't expect to remember you own a copy come fall.~David Jeffries https://www.allmusic.com/album/where-our-love-grows-mw0000403164

Personnel: Backing Vocals – Gersende Giorgio, Gina Foster, Guitar – Matt Backer, Tim Cansfield, Lead Vocals, Vocals [Ensemble] – Corinne Drewery, Percussion – Luis Jardim, Piano, Organ, Vibraphone, Guitar [Fender Jazz Bass, Keyboards, Synthesizer, Piano [Fender Rhodes], Vocals [Ensemble] – Andy Connell, Saxophone – Nigel Hitchcock

Where Our Love Grows

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Frank Foster - Soul Outing!

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1998
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 35:52
Size: 83,1 MB
Art: Front

(5:54) 1. Show The Good Side
(4:23) 2. While The City Sleeps
(7:55) 3. Skankaroony
(8:54) 4. Chiquito Loco
(8:45) 5. Night Song

This 1966 session lives up to its title, offering the strong, comfortable appeal of a solid Lee Morgan record. Soul Outing was Foster's second Prestige record after concluding an 11-year stint in the Count Basie band in 1964 (the first, Fearless, was also recently issued on CD). Although he'd developed a reputation as an ace arranger, Foster spotlights his own warm, muscular tenor soulfulness here.

He's in a compatible quintet performing three originals and two numbers from the Broadway play Golden Boy. Foster's "Show the Good Side" has the gospel soul of a Bobby Timmons number. And the Lee Morgan stamp is all over the Sidewinder-swing of Foster's "Skankaroony" and the Latin lilt of "Night Song." The two covers get muscular samba readings and trumpeter Virgil Jones makes a good foil as Lee Morgan to Foster's Hank Mobley. Guitarist Billy Butler is also featured in a small rhythm role on "Show The Good Side" and "Night Song."

Foster went on to form his own jazz orchestra, the Loud Minority, and a stint with Elvin Jones before returning as director of the Basie orchestra. Today he's back to making strong, terrific music like this strong, timeless jazz classic. Recommended.~ Douglas Payne https://www.allaboutjazz.com/soul-outing-frank-foster-fantasy-jazz-review-by-douglas-payne.php

Personnel: Frank Foster: tenor sax; Virgil Jones: trumpet; Pat Rebillot: piano; Billy Butler: guitar; Bob Cunningham: bass; Richard Davis: bass; Alan Dawson: drums, congas.

Soul Outing!

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Joan Chamorro, Marçal Perramon - Joan Chamorro Presenta Marçal Perramon

Styles: Clarinet, Saxophone Jazz
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 76:06
Size: 176,4 MB
Art: Front

(5:29) 1. The End of a Love Affair
(4:07) 2. This Year's Kisses
(4:53) 3. Tristeza
(4:52) 4. I Don’t Stand a Ghost of a Chance With You
(5:48) 5. it’s All Right With Me
(4:48) 6. I've Never Been In Love Before
(4:45) 7. Nobody Else But Me
(6:01) 8. Johnny Come Lately
(3:42) 9. Little White Lies
(5:29) 10. Harry's Last Stand
(5:47) 11. Time to Smile
(4:13) 12. Bahia Com H
(6:00) 13. Bluesuses
(6:07) 14. Hey, Look!
(3:58) 15. I'm Confessin' That I Love You

Marçal Perramon, from a family of musicians, started with the clarinet from a very young age. At the age of 11 he began to play the tenor sax, which has become his main instrument. At the age of 12, he was transcribing and memorizing Ben Webster, Lester Young. It was an immense pleasure to teach him. I immediately incorporated him to the Sant Andreu Jazz Band, in which he was between 2012 and 2020. At present, I continue to count on him for other projects. In 2014 he sat in the chair of the first tenor sax of the saxophone string of the SAJB and no longer got up. It has been really wonderful to see its evolution in all aspects. On an instrumental level, as their sound was acquiring with each passing day, more nuances, more depth, more warmth, inspired by the great tenors of jazz history. The phrasing got better every day. The ideas, improvised, based on the language acquired by listening and daily transcription, took a different form as he made them his own.

And all these aspects were accompanied by self-assurance, knowing that he was on the right track. Practice and study, the commitment to music, the love and passion that he shows in every note that comes out of his vintage tenor saxophone (I remember exactly the day he decided to buy it ... what a good decision!) Make Marçal a musician from jazz from head to toe. And all this evolution has been recorded in the more than 30 cd's that he has recorded with the SAJB or with related projects, some with musicians of the stature of Joel Frahm, Scott Robinson, Scott Hamilton, Dick Oatts or Joe Magnarelli himself, that is present on this disc. In this presentation album, Marçal is sublime, both with the tenor saxophone and with the clarinet. His phrasing is forceful in the fast beats, swinging in the middle beats, as well as deep and sensitive in the ballads. It is a disc full of nuances, an album that moves through different sounds with some touches of Brazilian themes, performed by Alba Armengou on vocals, a big band theme with all the Sant Andreu jazz band and a vocal theme performed by Andrea Motis . He also shares a couple of songs with his colleague Joan Martí, who is also releasing a presentation album at the same time. We have luxury guests such as the aforementioned Joe Magnarelli or Perico Sambeat and Carlos Martín. Also the presence of Joan Mar Sauqué on trumpet, on Marçal's own original theme, “Bluesuses” and a wonderful rhythmic section with Joan Monné on piano, David Xirgu on drums and Josep Traver on guitar in some themes. Marçal Perramon is not only a very good musician, sight reader and original improviser. Marçal is a professional you can fully trust. Therefore, if you need a solvent tenor saxophone and clarinetist, don't hesitate, Marçal Perramon is the one.Translate By Google https://santandreujazzband.bandcamp.com/album/joan-chamorro-presenta-mar-al-perramon

Joan Chamorro Presenta Marçal Perramon

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Carol Kidd - Crazy for Gershwin

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2000
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 55:41
Size: 127,9 MB
Art: Front

(3:31) 1. I Got Plenty O' Nuttin'
(3:53) 2. I've got a crush on you
(3:28) 3. Ain't necessarily so
(5:39) 4. Someone to watch over me
(4:05) 5. Little jazz bird
(4:29) 6. Do it again
(3:58) 7. Stormy weather
(3:53) 8. Summertime
(2:19) 9. Sometimes (not often)
(3:32) 10. Is you is or is you ain't my baby
(4:42) 11. Smile
(5:16) 12. Porgy
(3:46) 13. Drifting
(3:02) 14. Rock-a-bye your baby with a dixie melody

For over a decade, jazz singer Carol Kidd has managed to consistently pull in accolades, "Best Awards," and honors from an arena consisting of all-time greats such as Peggy Lee, Ella Fitzgerald, and Sarah Vaughan. Born in Glasgow, Scotland, Kidd has known since she was five years old that she was a singer. While raising three children and running a hotel, she sang part-time all over Britain, performing on-stage and on television. Her full-time professional career began in 1990 when Frank Sinatra issued her an invitation to appear live with him at Ibrox Stadium, Glasgow, in front of a capacity crowd. British jazz lovers gave rave reviews and Kidd was invited to sing at London's internationally acclaimed Ronnie Scott's Club, where she was heard by Tony Bennett. The momentum of her success picked up and she was voted the Best Performer at the Edinburgh International Jazz. In 1990 she also signed with Linn Record, and the label released her debut album, The Night We Called It a Day. The album was voted Best Jazz Recording at the U.K. Musical Retailer's Awards. After being named Best Vocalist at the Cannes International Jazz Awards, Kidd began to receive invitations to appear all over Europe, the Far East, and the United States.

Kidd's respect for the integrity of lyrics often set her apart from other jazz singers, but it was her combination of big band songs and jazz, always sung in perfect pitch, that captured fans. Linn released her sophomore album, I'm Glad We Met in 1991, and Kidd continued performing worldwide throughout the '90s. In 1998, Linn released one album for her, and the Honest label released two more, including the extra popular All My Tomorrows. Honest also came out with a compilation, The Best of Carol Kidd, Vol. 1, in 1998. In April 1998, Kidd had the honor of presenting the prizes at The Duke of Edinburgh's Awards, held at Holyrood Palace in Edinburgh. That same year she met with the Queen and Prince Philip in Windsor Castle at a Reception for the Arts, and she was also listed on The Queen's Birthday Honours List. This was followed in October 1998 by Prince Charles presenting her with the MBE (Services to Jazz) award in Buckingham Palace, and his also requesting that Kidd send him some of her CDs.

Some of the other awards bestowed on Kidd during the '90s were: Best Vocalist from Cannes International Jazz Awards; Best Performer, from Edinburgh Jazz Festival; Best Vocalist, from U.K. Jazz Awards; and Best Jazz Recording, from U.K. Music Retailers Awards. In 2000, Linn released both the compilation Linn Box Two and the album Crazy for Gershwin, which reflected the world's love both for the endearing Gershwin songs and for Kidd. By 2001 three of her tracks had become theme songs for TV soaps in Asia where she had become a major star. In Korea, her rendition of "When I Dream" became the background music for the Korean film Shiri, and she held the number one spot week after week on the Asian Music Box charts over names like Britney Spears, Celine Dion, and Mariah Carey. Linn released A Place in My Heart, with Kidd singing with the legendary Robert Farnon Orchestra, in May 2001. Farnon (born in 1917, Toronto, Canada) lives in Europe and has decades of big band experience composing, arranging, and conducting popular and light music. Recording together, Kidd and Farnon pulled rave reviews with 12 favorite tracks such as "Pennies From Heaven," "The Sunny Side of the Street," "I Get Along Without You Very Well," and "Bewitched, Bothered, and Bewildered." Kidd filled the rest of 2001 with three major concerts in Singapore and one in Cambodia, plus returning once again to her homeland to do a major concert at the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall.~ Eleanor Ditzel https://www.allmusic.com/artist/carol-kidd-mn0000795936/biography

Crazy for Gershwin

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Kirk Lightsey - Isotope

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1983
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 55:02
Size: 126,5 MB
Art: Front

( 7:00)  1. Isotope
( 5:03)  2. Oleo
( 9:51)  3. Pee Wee
( 8:03)  4. Witch Hunt
( 5:34)  5. A Monk's Dream
(12:49)  6. Little Daphne
( 6:40)  7. I'll Never Stop Loving You

Kirk Lightsey has long been an underrated modern mainstream pianist. He has a fine workout on this trio set with bassist Jesper Lundgaard and drummer Eddie Gladden from 1983. Of the six selections, Sonny Rollins' "Oleo" and Joe Henderson's "Isotope" are best known, but the other four tunes (by Johnny Griffin, Wayne Shorter, Tony Williams and the obscure Rudolph Johnson) are rarely performed. The strong interplay between the musicians and the interesting material uplift the set above the average trio date. 

~ Scott Yanow http://www.allmusic.com/album/isotope-mw0000100262

Personnel: Kirk Lightsey (piano), Jesper Lundgaard (bass), Eddie Gladden (drums).

Isotope

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Marcin Wądołowski Trio - Standards

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 64:20
Size: 147.3 MB
Styles: Guitar jazz
Year: 2016
Art: Front

[7:48] 1. Equinox
[7:05] 2. Solar
[6:54] 3. All The Things You Are
[7:57] 4. Central Park West
[5:26] 5. Giant Steps
[6:50] 6. Nardis
[5:32] 7. Take Five
[4:57] 8. I Love You
[6:20] 9. Have You Met Miss Jones
[5:27] 10. Now's The Time

This is the fourth album by Polish guitarist Marcin Wądołowski, recoded in an intimate trio setting with the superb Polish Jazz bassist Piotr Lemańczyk and Canadian Drummer Tyler Hornby. The trio performs ten Jazz standards, three of which are by John Coltrane and two by Miles Davis. The album is dedicated to the two great Masters of Polish Jazz guitar: Marek Bliziński and Jarosław Śmietana, both sadly no longer with us.

Previous recordings by Wądołowski flirted with Jazz to some extent, but this one presents him for the first time as a bona fide Jazz player. The delicate arrangements, the careful selection of the tunes and their wonderful execution are all kept within the strict Jazz idiom, shearing away all the Blues-Rock or Fusion elements present on his older recordings. The transformation is quite remarkable.

Wądołowski's approach is very minimalistic and remarkably clean. The music is kept low key, almost acoustic, in order to emphasize every single note and chord, which thanks to the excellent recording quality are all perfectly audible. The guitar plays long beautifully structured solos, often introducing the tunes alone before the bass and drums join in. Even when the whole trio plays together, the music is still very unobtrusive and deliberately constrained. A wonderful atmosphere of relaxation and contemplation is present through out the entire duration of the music.

Overall this is a wonderful album from start to finish: fascinating guitar licks, breathtaking bass solos, superb selection of tunes and innovative nontrivial arrangements make it a brilliant listening experience. Yes it's mainstream and yes these are standards – this is exactly what was supposed to happen here and the result speaks for itself. In retrospect I am very glad Wądołowski recorded this album and proved his versatility and his skills as a player to all those who dismissed him in the past. This is definitely one of the finest Polish Jazz guitar albums ever recorded and a solid tribute to the past Masters. Hats off! ~Adam Baruch

Standards

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Liz Gillies, Seth MacFarlane - Liz Gillies and Seth MacFarlane: Songs From Home

Styles: Vocal
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 21:18
Size: 49,8 MB
Art: Front

(2:29) 1. It’s A Good Day
(2:16) 2. Ain't We Got Fun?
(2:51) 3. Calcutta
(2:57) 4. Drinking Again
(2:40) 5. Come To The Mardi Gras
(2:45) 6. Better Than A Dream
(2:31) 7. This Could Be The Start Of Something Big
(2:46) 8. It Doesn't Cost A Dime To Dream

Liz Gillies and Seth MacFarlane have put together quite possibly the strangest musical duo, giving us a throwback right to the swinging fifties with their newest single: Ain’t We Got Fun. MacFarlane has already established himself as a strong and confident voice in the world of modern swing, but Liz Gillies was certainly a welcome surprise.

A lot of people, and especially young adults of this generation know the singer as the rebellious teen Jade West in Nickelodeon’s Victorious, and to see her tackle a project like this was unexpected to say the least. Vocal jazz has been an art only kept alive by a very small selection of artists, such as Michael Bublé, Tony Bennett, and MacFarlane himself. The Family Guy creator is an embodiment of Sinatra himself – the swagger, the charm, and the tone are all present in this record. His presence in this record gives so much life to the sound already beautifully crafted by the band, but it’s really Seth that brings you back to a time of old as soon as he starts singing.

Liz does a wonderful job as well, though her performance maybe pales a bit in comparison to the jazz veteran, but her voice’s contrast with MacFarlane make for a wonderful duet that both feels vintage and true. Their banter between the melodious phrases give all the more charm to this tune – you can almost hear them smile recording this record, and I believe that that’s the point of this record. Traditional pop in this style is fun and snappy, and that’s exactly what this song manages to send out to its listeners. The melodies are energetic and the production feels full of life, giving new listeners a window into music’s golden years. This single, as well as the rest of the LP, is a fun collaboration between two incredible talents, and the chemistry feels as lively as the soul in the swing of Ain’t We Got Fun.~ Nicholas Gaudet https://musictalkers.com/reviews/7700-review-ain-t-we-got-fun-%E2%80%93-liz-gillies-seth-macfarlane

Personnel: Seth MacFarlane, vocals; Liz Gillies, vocals; Andrew Synowiec, guitar; Culbreath, vibraphone;Dan Higgins, woodwinds; Dan Fornero, trumpet; Alex Iles, trombone; Tom Ranier, piano; Chuck Berghofer, bass; Peter Erskine, drums

Liz Gillies and Seth MacFarlane: Songs From Home

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Artur Akhmetov - Somewhere on the Other Side of the World

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 2016
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 43:50
Size: 100,8 MB
Art: Front

(5:32) 1. Have a Passion (Dedicated to McCoy Tyner)
(5:02) 2. Train to Swana
(5:34) 3. Iceberg
(6:25) 4. Sleep to Dream
(0:47) 5. Bass Intro
(7:39) 6. Somewhere on the Other Side of the World
(6:01) 7. C.S
(6:45) 8. The Hive

Artur is an outstanding jazz guitarist who will play the compositions of his own album Somewhere On The Other Side Of The World, recorded in 2015 in New York City. He will perform along with musicians from the Warsaw scene: Maciej Kadziel, Cesar Guerson, Franciszek Pospieszalski and Stefan Wienken – percussion https://goout.net/en/artur-akhmetov-group/szyridj

Somewhere on the Other Side of the World

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Red Garland - Soul Junction

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 42:22
Size: 97.0 MB
Styles: Bop, Piano jazz
Year: 1957/2013
Art: Front

[15:24] 1. Soul Junction
[ 6:46] 2. Woodyn' You
[ 7:31] 3. Birks' Works
[ 6:12] 4. I've Got It Bad And That Ain't Good
[ 6:27] 5. Hallelujah

Bass – George Joyner; Drums – Arthur Taylor; Piano – Red Garland; Tenor Saxophone – John Coltrane; Trumpet – Donald Byrd.

Pianist Red Garland's very relaxed, marathon blues solo on the 15-minute "Soul Junction" is the most memorable aspect of this CD reissue. With such soloists as tenor saxophonist John Coltrane and trumpeter Donald Byrd, plus steady support provided by bassist George Joyner and drummer Art Taylor, Garland gets to stretch out on the title cut and four jazz originals, including "Birk's Works" and "Hallelujah." Coltrane is in excellent form, playing several stunning sheets of sound solos. ~Scott Yanow

Soul Junction

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Dan Siegel - Faraway Place

Styles: Piano,Accordion Jazz
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 42:47
Size: 99,9 MB
Art: Front

(4:17) 1. Old School
(4:27) 2. Sentimental Story
(4:08) 3. Tried and True
(3:41) 4. Something You Said
(3:57) 5. Curves Ahead
(4:07) 6. Faraway Place
(4:20) 7. Some Time Ago
(3:16) 8. Bluebird
(2:19) 9. Your Smile
(3:54) 10. Looking Up
(4:14) 11. Once Again

Like many titles released in 2021, Dan Siegel's Faraway Place is a product of the COVID-19 pandemic. It was conceived and recorded mostly in isolation by a stellar cadre of musicians: drummers Vinnie Colaiuta, Steve Gadd, and Omari Williams, saxophonist Eric Marienthal, trumpeter/trombonist Lee Thornburg, guitarist Allen Hinds, acoustic bassist Brian Bromberg, electric bassists Abraham Laboriel and Dwayne "Smitty" Smith, and percussionist Lenny Castro. Brazilian vocalist Rogerio Jardim also appears on two tracks. Siegel composed the music in isolation and attended two socially distanced sessions in a Los Angeles studio with Gadd and Colaiuta. He sent the finished rhythm tracks with piano demos to his cast and had them add their parts, then added finished piano, accordion, organ, and other keyboards to frame these 11 short to mid-length jazz tunes, offered in a variety of styles. "Old School" commences with a funky soul-jazz vamp à la the Cadet era Ramsey Lewis Trio, appended by Castro's bubbling congas around the piano and grooving horns with a chart as fine as Lee Morgan's "Sidewinder." Siegel layers a B-3 organ under his meaty piano fills and accents before Hinds adds funky wah-wah guitar atop Bromberg's bassline as the jam begins to cook. "Sentimental Story" is a midtempo ballad framed by Castro's fluid percussion and Gadd's intricate brushwork. Hinds' chord voicings and Bromberg's resonant bassline allow Siegel to explore a melody that nods to the influence of Vince Guaraldi.

"Tried and True" commences with a slippery, funky piano groove but quickly evolves as the horn section, bassline, and lead guitar lines build a groove recalling Gaucho-period Steely Dan. "Something You Said" is the first of four tunes to feature Siegel's accordion playing. Here it whispers under the shimmering piano that crisscrosses folk and pop lyricism as Hinds and the rhythm section dance around them. Siegel's solo expands the tune into post-bop territory. "Curves Ahead" with Williams on drums and Smith on electric bass, weds the vintage soul-jazz to Latin and contemporary jazz with a smoking electric piano solo and wafting organ. The brief "Your Smile" weds a classical chamber piece with Baroque overtones to samba. Only two-minutes long, it features Jardim's airy, wordless vocals atop piano, upright bass, bassoon, English horn, and viola. Hinds' pulsing wah-wah guitar and Laboriel's simmering electric bassline underscore the prog rock-cum-contemporary jazz groove that colors "Looking Up." Colaiuta's rolling breaks and accents frame Siegel's crystalline chords and canny right-hand fills before he delivers a downright funky solo. Closer "Once Again," offers stylish contemporary post-bop with just the hint of a Latin tinge as Siegel walks the line between swing and soul and Bromberg digs deep into wood to extract the groove with the elegant syncopation of Colaiuta. Faraway Place stands with Siegel's best work for its complex yet utterly accessible approach to rhythmic interplay and kaleidoscopic harmonic invention, all rendered in relatively brief but beautifully arranged compositions.~ Thom Jurek https://www.allmusic.com/album/faraway-place-mw0003544032

Personnel: Piano, Keyboards, Accordion: DAN SIEGEL; Guitar: ALLEN HINDS; Acoustic Bass: BRIAN BROMBERG; Electric Bass: ABRAHAM LABORIEL (3, 7, 10), DWAYNE “SMITTY” SMITH (5); Drums: VINNIE COLAIUTA, STEVE GADD (2, 9), OMARI WILLIAMS (5); Percussion: LENNY CASTRO; Trumpet, Trombone: LEE THORNBURG; Saxophone: ERIC MARIENTHAL; Vocal: ROGERIO JARDIM (8, 9); Violin: CHARLIE BISHARAT; Cello: JACOB BRAUN English Horn: CHRIS BIETH Bassoon: DAMIAN MONTANO Hymn Choir: TOM McCAULEY, ALLEN HINDS, DAN SIEGEL (7)

Faraway Place

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Claudia Rezende - The shadow of your smile

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2019
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 31:54
Size: 74,3 MB
Art: Front

(3:19) 1. The look of love
(3:44) 2. Moon river
(2:37) 3. Voce me ganhou
(3:16) 4. The shadow of your smile
(2:26) 5. You belong to my heart
(4:05) 6. The way you look tonight
(3:12) 7. If you went away
(3:06) 8. The very thought of you
(3:31) 9. Autumn leaves
(2:33) 10. How about you

Amina Figarova - Come Escape With Me

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2005
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 63:55
Size: 149,2 MB
Art: Front

(5:40)  1. Come Escape With Me
(7:02)  2. Hot on the Trail
(7:08)  3. Flight of Fancy
(4:05)  4. Mr. T.M.
(5:22)  5. Dancing in the Wind
(3:15)  6. Buckshot Blues
(6:19)  7. Zealot
(4:35)  8. Awakening
(3:00)  9. Blues for Wiro
(4:46) 10. Destiny
(7:14) 11. Market Place
(5:25) 12. Reaching Out to You

The title of Come Escape With Me resembles the debut recordings of Norah Jones and Nellie McKay within the past few years, and the photogenic cover shot of Amina Figarova on this album seems to announce the arrival of another singer/songwriter. Alas, marketing being what it is, this is neither a debut nor a singer. Jazz pianist/composer Amina Figarova is an Azerbaijan native now residing in Rotterdam who has led this group for several years. This is her fifth album for Munich Records. 

The strength of this release is the pianist's sense of composition and arranging skills, as well as the quality of the musicians in her septet. The dozen tunes are all originals and all fit well within the jazz mainstream. In fact, it is hard to differentiate these Dutch musicians from the many well-known jazz combos that have played and recorded over the past few decades here. Most impressive are the work of flautist Bart Platteau (Figarova's husband) on the ballads "Reaching Out To You" and "Awakening"; the alto sax of Tom Beek on "Market Place" and "Reaching Out To You"; and the trumpet work of Marcel Reys on "Dancing in the Wind." "Destiny" is a reflective piano piece for Amina Figarova. ~ Michael P.Gladstone  http://www.allaboutjazz.com/come-escape-with-me-amina-figarova-munich-records-review-by-michael-p-gladstone.php

Personnel: Amina Figarova, piano;  Bart Platteau, flute, Bb-flute, wooden flutes;  Marcel Reys, trumpet, flugelhorn;  Tom Beek, alto and soprano sax;  Kurt van Herck, tenor sax;  Wiro Mahieu, bass;  Chris Strik,drums

Come Escape With Me

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Brandee Younger - Somewhere Different

Styles: Harp Jazz
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 43:35
Size: 101,9 MB
Art: Front

(6:42) 1. Reclamation
(7:11) 2. Spirit U Will
(4:31) 3. Pretend
(5:21) 4. Somewhere Different
(5:41) 5. Love & Struggle
(7:05) 6. Beautiful Is Black
(4:02) 7. Olivia Benson
(3:01) 8. Tickled Pink

Harpist and composer Brandee Younger has joined Impulse! Records to release her major-label debut album Somewhere Different. The album blends the sounds of jazz, classical music, R&B, hip-hop and funk into one genre-defying recording.You can listen to the first single Reclamation right here. Somewhere Different was produced by Dezron Douglas and recorded at the legendary Van Gelder Studio in New York between November of 2020 and February of 2021.

The eight-track recording features drummer Allan Mednard, bassist Rashaan Carter, trumpeter Maurice Brown, tenor saxophonist Chelsea Baratz, flautist Anne Drummond and drummer Marcus Gilmore. It also features guest vocals by Tarriona “Tank” Ball from Tank and the Bangas and a special appearance by legendary bassist Ron Carter.A boundary-pushing musician and composer, Younger has shared the stage with major names in jazz, hip hop and R&B including Ravi Coltrane, Christian McBride, John Legend, Pharoah Sanders, Common and Lauryn Hill.

Younger’s last release was Force Majeure, a duo album recorded with Dezron Douglas and released in December.With Somewhere Different, the artist touches on a number of musical and emotional themes while maintaining a cohesive, contemporary sound with a refined focus.“I hope it is enjoyable to listen to, not hard to listen to, nothing to be analyzed or over-analyzed, but that people will just enjoy it,” Younger tells music journalist and author Marcus J. Moore in the record’s liner notes. “Everything has a groove, and that’s me.” https://jazz.fm/brandee-younger-somewhere-different-impulse-records/

Somewhere Different

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