René Marie - Black Lace Freudian Slip

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2011
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 69:07
Size: 159,6 MB
Art: Front

(4:32)  1. Black Lace Freudian Slip
(6:29)  2. This For Joe
(5:53)  3. Wishes
(7:28)  4. Thanks, But I Don't Dance
(4:52)  5. Free For A Day
(6:24)  6. Ahn's Dream
(4:18)  7. Gosh, Look At The Time
(5:39)  8. Rim Shot
(6:04)  9. Fallin' Off A Log
(5:23) 10. Deep In The Mountains
(2:56) 11. Serenity Prayer
(4:06) 12. Rufast Daliarg
(4:56) 13. Tired

Budding jazz instrumentalists are often told that they need to find their own voice but, ironically, those who use their actual voices are often expected to adhere to the sonic standards of those who came before. Fans and press who value originality in jazz instrumentalists wring their hands in frustration when more John Coltrane clones come into the picture but, on the other side of the coin, the masses applaud and herald singers with voices crafted in the images of jazz icons (e.g. Madeleine Peyroux's Billie Holiday-like voice), creating a double standard that does a disservice to those singers who don't fall in line.

While the ability to interpret songs from The Great American Songbook, and understand and borrow musical mannerisms from notable artists, has undeniable merit, vocalists like the one and only Rene Marie deserve to be measured for their originality in voice, spirit and song. Marie's steadfast commitment to her own vision of music has won her wide acclaim for a string of fine recordings, and placed her in controversial situations, as with her "Lift Every Voice" rewrite of "The Star Spangled Banner," but she always remains confident in her artistic decisions, never letting populist ideals or the changing winds of the music industry sway her from her chosen path.  Black Lace Freudian Slip comes closely on the heels of Marie's personally patriotic Voice Of My Beautiful Country (Motéma, 2011), but the focus is now on Marie-as-composer. Ten of the thirteen tracks on this album are Marie originals and, while her honesty and spirit shine through in each and every performance, she touches on various themes and styles throughout.  

"Black Lace Freudian Slip" is a study in contrasts, as Marie uses a sensuous delivery that shows off her feminine wiles, while also infusing her vocals with the type of boastful braggadocio usually reserved for male rappers, but that's only one side of this complex individual. Elsewhere, she touches on a folk-country hybrid that leans toward the sound of Ray LaMontagne ("Wishes"), boisterous pseudo-samba ("Rufast Daliarg"), stunning, soulful displays of vocal intensity ("Deep In The Mountains"), and music with earthy bass and tom grooves that wear textural designs often found in the work of Cassandra Wilson ("Ahn's Dream"). While Marie rails against the notion of people comparing her to other famous voices like Ella Fitzgerald and Sarah Vaughan during her aural response to a club owner who told her that jazz singers should interpret rather than write ("This For Joe"), it's hard not to notice a Nancy Wilson-like zeal in her voice on the waltzing "Free For A Day." Here, and on her ode to a drummer's accent ("Rim Shot"), Marie is at her most lighthearted. With so many different styles and sounds coming in and out of the mix, Black Lace Freudian Slip doesn't really come off as a statement from a jazz singer. Instead, it arrives as a musical gift from one of the most arresting and complex vocal personalities performing today.~ Dan Bilawsky   http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/article.php?id=40710#.UwKeRYVQE9c
 

Personnel: Rene Marie: vocals; Kevin Bales: piano; Rodney Jordan: bass; Quentin Baxter: drums; Bill Kepper: acoustic guitar (3); Lionel Young: electric guitar, fiddle (10); Dexter Payne: harmonica (3); Michael A. Croan: vocals (10).

Black Lace Freudian Slip

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Louis Armstrong - Oldies Mix: Satchmo

Styles: Vocal
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 93:04
Size: 218,2 MB
Art: Front

(3:01) 1. C'est Si Bon
(3:07) 2. Georgia on My Mind
(3:25) 3. La Vie En Rose
(5:13) 4. Sweet Lorraine
(2:46) 5. When the Sants Go Marchin'in
(3:20) 6. Blueberry Hill
(3:12) 7. Down by the Rivers Side
(4:18) 8. I Get a Kick out of You
(3:21) 9. Jeannine
(3:20) 10. If
(3:58) 11. Makin' Whoopee
(2:59) 12. Linger in Your Arms a Little Longer
(2:59) 13. Sittin' in the Sun
(2:56) 14. That's What the Man Said
(6:26) 15. You Go to My Head
(3:51) 16. A Fine Romance
(5:53) 17. Cheek to Cheek
(3:52) 18. I Got Plenty O' Nuttin'
(3:46) 19. Can't We Be Friends
(3:42) 20. Cottontail
(5:03) 21. Duke's Place
(4:00) 22. Black and Tan Fantasy
(2:21) 23. Little Ol' Tune
(3:44) 24. Rocky Mountain Moon
(2:21) 25. Bye Bye Blues

Louis Armstrong was born in New Orleans, Louisiana on August 4, 1901. He was raised by his mother Mayann in a neighborhood so dangerous it was called “The Battlefield.” He only had a fifth-grade education, dropping out of school early to go to work. An early job working for the Jewish Karnofsky family allowed Armstrong to make enough money to purchase his first cornet.

On New Year’s Eve 1912, he was arrested and sent to the Colored Waif’s Home for Boys. There, under the tutelage of Peter Davis, he learned how to properly play the cornet, eventually becoming the leader of the Waif’s Home Brass Band. Released from the Waif’s Home in 1914, Armstrong set his sights on becoming a professional musician. Mentored by the city’s top cornetist, Joe “King” Oliver, Armstrong soon became one of the most in-demand cornetists in town, eventually working steadily on Mississippi riverboats.

In 1922, King Oliver sent for Armstrong to join his band in Chicago. Armstrong and Oliver became the talk of the town with their intricate two-cornet breaks and started making records together in 1923. By that point, Armstrong began dating the pianist in the band, Lillian Hardin. In 1924, Armstrong married Hardin, who urged Armstrong to leave Oliver and try to make it on his own.

A year in New York with Fletcher Henderson and His Orchestra proved unsatisfying so Armstrong returned to Chicago in 1925 and began making records under his own name for the first time.More.... https://www.louisarmstronghouse.org/biography/

Oldies Mix: Satchmo

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Lavay Smith & Her Red Hot Skillet Lickers - Miss Smith To You!

Styles: Vocal, Swing, Big Band  
Year: 2009
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 55:48
Size: 128,2 MB
Art: Front

(2:58)  1. Miss Brown To You
(3:38)  2. It Don't Mean A Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing)
(4:39)  3. Daddy
(6:37)  4. With My Man
(3:23)  5. I'm Not Evil
(2:54)  6. 'Deed I Do
(5:52)  7. I Ain't Got Nothin' But The Blues
(5:06)  8. Boogie Woogie (I May Be Wrong)
(4:21)  9. On The Sunny Side Of The Street
(6:17) 10. Need A Little Sugar In My Bowl
(4:13) 11. Jumpin' In The Morning
(5:45) 12. When The Saints Go Marching In

The third CD from the swingin' jazz vocalist Lavay Smith. Her last album received a prestigious 4 & 1/2 star review in Downbeat magazine and reached the top 10 on the national Billboard Jazz charts. https://www.cdbaby.com/cd/lavaysmithhrhsl

“Lavay is wonderful! She and her band are a breath of fresh air. It is so unlikely and so exciting that a band would appear on the scene today that plays classic jazz and blues so well and so convincingly.”~ Johnny Otis

“The San Francisco-based Lavay Smith & Her Red Hot Skillet Lickers are a notable exception to the retro-swing norm. The saucy vocalist and her eight-piece crew actually know the difference between jump music and bland R&B in corny suits. They have been a working unit since 1989 and sound as tight as the legendary musicians they choose to emulate.”~ Bob Blumenthal, Boston Globe

“A lush vocal style recalling both Bessie Smith and Dinah Washington.”~ Don Heckman, Los Angeles Times

“Splendid vocals and exemplary material.”~ Frank-John Hadley, Downbeat

“Hands-down the best thing to come out of the jump/swing revival...the gal can sing her tail off.”~ Paul de Barros, Seattle Times

“First-rate vocals...magnificent arrangements...the best combo in town.” ~ Phil Elwood, San Francisco Examiner

“A living testament to the jump-blues era, Lavay is an impassioned singer.”~ William Stephenson, Jazziz

“As close to the real deal as you can get.”~ Adam Mazmanian, The New York Press

“Pure class and a sense of humor...a time machine in vintage threads.”~ Tom Hyslop, Blues Revue

“As a singer, Smith is both ravishing and compelling, and her band, led by pianist Chris Siebert, is world-class.”~ Marian Wallace, Alternative Press Magazine

“Outstanding...the real deal. Unlike some retro-swing outfits that put posturing above musicianship, Smith and her red-hot musicians are schooled in the nuances of blues, swing, and bop.”~ Lee Hildebrand, East Bay Express

“The Skillet Lickers are bona fide jazz players, proffering chops and Basie-esque arrangements to shame all other modern groups of their ilk. Then there's Smith, whose sultry vocals readily betray the influence of Billie Holiday, Little Esther and Dinah Washington while sounding slavish to none.”~ Buddy Siegal, Orange County Weekly

“Folks, no matter how bad your day has been, this CD is guaranteed to make you feel better.”~ Dan Akroyd (a.k.a. Elwood Blues), House of Blues Radio Hour

“I love this band-they’re great!”~ President Bill Clinton

Miss Smith To You!

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Dave Schildkraut - Last Date

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1979
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 60:53
Size: 139,7 MB
Art: Front

(9:23) 1. All The Things You Are
(6:14) 2. Cherokee
(7:41) 3. Now's The Time
(6:18) 4. Lover Man
(6:16) 5. Thou Swell
(5:31) 6. It Might As Well Be Spring
(7:24) 7. Confirmation
(3:12) 8. 52nd Street Theme
(5:32) 9. Polka Dots And Moonbeams
(3:19) 10. Stars And Stripes Forever

The fact that the name Dave Schildkraut doesn't always ring bells among the jazz cognoscenti constitutes one of the sad realities of jazz history. He appeared with a flourish on a Miles Davis Prestige session, Solar (on alto), in 1954. He played with some notables before and after that, and appeared as sideman on a few other records, but mostly was lost in a haze of obscurity. To me he epitomizes the "falling off the face of the earth" syndrome. What happened? There are reasons. He apparently turned down some key opportunities, to record for Norman Granz, etc. Why that was I do not know. I only know that on the basis of the Miles session I knew from the first hearing that this was a very promising, even important saxophonist. Over the years I was only able to track down one old LP, a private recording where he was playing in a pickup group for one of the sides. It was a poor recording and didn't do justice to Dave's playing.

I recently found out through the kindness of saxophonist/author Allen Lowe that there was something else. Dave recorded in a New Haven club in 1979, right before he retired. In fact Allen was the man who ran a tape recorder to capture the gig. And the CD has apparantly been out since 2000. Last Date (Endgame 005) ironically, is also the only (real) date of Schildkraut as a leader. With the proviso that "last" is not least, I was very happy when Allen was kind enough to send me a copy. And listening to it for a number of times now, I am not disappointed in what is on there. It's a home tape recorder that captures the extended set and the balance is not entirely perfect. But Dave comes through loud and clear, on tenor and alto, sounding a bit more evolved than what he did in 1954, occasionally faltering a little in his phrasing, but also unleashing torrents of bop/post-bop phrasing that show a sound his own and a sense of timing and line weaving that fully justifies the legend that he is in some circles. It's not a perfect recording; he is not perfect on that last date; the band is OK but doesn't stand out, though pianist Bill Triglia gets some decent solo time.

It is Dave playing bop standards and songbook standards in ways that suggest he of course had internalized Bird, and had some relation in his playing to early Trane and the Tristano saxophonists (Konitz, Marsh). But really he falls from the sax tree to a place of his own. Since we don't have a lot of documentation of his playing this CD becomes an indispensible record for all who would seek to dig him. He was good. VERY good. Original? Sounds that way to me. Listen!~ GREGO EDWARDS https://www.allaboutjazz.com/news/dave-schildkraut-last-date-august-12-1979/

Personnel: Alto Saxophone, Tenor Saxophone – Dave Schildkraut; Bass – Jeff Fuller; Drums – Frank Bennett; Piano – Bill Triglia

Last Date

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Lisa Ekdahl - Grand Songs

Styles: Vocal
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 37:15
Size: 87,5 MB
Art: Front

(3:08) 1. Wish You Were Gay
(4:20) 2. You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'
(3:34) 3. If I Were a Boy
(3:49) 4. Stop! In the Name of Love
(3:50) 5. Most of the Time
(3:26) 6. I Should Have Known Better
(4:07) 7. Till the Rivers All Run Dry
(3:06) 8. Dream a Little Dream of Me
(3:48) 9. Take a Giant Step
(4:03) 10. You Can Close Your Eyes

After more than 20 years of career, 2 million albums sold and 200 million streams on platforms, the Swedish singer with the unique vocal signature releases an album with English covers of great songs pop of yesterday and today: Grand Songs. The choice of songs is a message in itself. It's a time machine, reflecting the dizzying abundance of the digital age. A secret advantage of covers is also to modestly send very personal messages, through the words of another. "This is true for me as it is for any listener. If a song touches you deeply, it's often because it offers expression to intimate feelings", Lisa explains.

Upon arrival, "Grand Songs" is a very interesting step in Lisa's musical journey. Charming, tender, surprising. Her versions of Billie Eilish or Beyoncé show that she can connect with the most contemporary pop, while remaining faithful to her style. Grand Songs turns out to be dreamlike, poetic and timeless, Jazzy with a pinch of Soul and Folk. The quintessential 'Feel Good' album! https://www.bengans.se/sv/artiklar/ekdahl-lisa-grand-songs.html

Grand Songs

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Pasadena Roof Orchestra - The Very Best Of Disc 1, Disc 2

Album: Disc 1

Styles: Big Band, Swing, Vocals
Year: 1996
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 74:38
Size: 171,5 MB
Art: Front

(3:04) 1. Home In Pasadena
(4:12) 2. Singing In The Rain
(3:26) 3. The Lullaby Of Broadway
(2:55) 4. Charleston
(3:37) 5. Creole Love Call
(2:58) 6. It Don't Mean A Thing
(3:22) 7. As Time Goes By
(2:29) 8. Eccentric
(4:53) 9. Georgia On My Mind
(3:27) 10. Dream A Little Dream Of Me
(3:00) 11. Good News
(2:41) 12. Sugarfoot Stomp
(4:42) 13. The Mooche
(3:26) 14. What Is This Thing Called Love
(2:53) 15. Soft Shoe Shuffle Blues
(3:00) 16. Three Little Words
(2:48) 17. Cheek To Cheek
(3:34) 18. I Won't Dance
(4:05) 19. You've Got Me Crying Again
(3:11) 20. I Told Every Little Star
(3:33) 21. Honey Pie
(3:14) 22. I'll See You Again

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Album: Disc 2

Time: 74:42
Size: 179,0 MB

(2:18) 1. The Teddy Bears' Picnic
(2:40) 2. Sunday
(4:01) 3. Isn't It Romantic
(5:23) 4. Stormy Weather
(2:16) 5. Everything Stops For Tea
(2:55) 6. Choo Choo
(3:03) 7. My Canary Has Circles Under His Eyes
(3:12) 8. Nagasaki
(3:12) 9. That's My Weakness Now
(2:57) 10. Sing, Sing, Sing
(3:57) 11. Whispering
(4:04) 12. Skokiaan
(2:47) 13. Vo Do Do De O Blues
(4:00) 14. The Show Must Go On
(3:05) 15. The Varsity Drag
(3:28) 16. The Duke Steps Out
(3:13) 17. She's A Latin From Manhattan
(3:03) 18. Hey Miss Moonlight
(3:56) 19. Love In Bloom
(3:09) 20. Me And Jane In A Plane
(2:17) 21. Paddlin' Madelin' Home
(3:07) 22. Holding Hands
(2:27) 23. Here's To The Next Time

The British Jazz Age revivalists of the Pasadena Roof Orchestra present the range of their talent on this 45-track, two-CD compilation. Nominally, the PRO is a re-creation of a 1920s society dance band in the manner of those of popular bandleaders of the time such as Paul Whiteman and Ben Selvin. But over the course of many records, the group has expanded its perspective somewhat, to take in other music of the ‘20s and early ‘30s, including hotter jazz groups like Duke Ellington's Jungle Band as well as Broadway show tunes and movie songs. Still, they tend to play them at what, in the '20s, was known as foxtrot tempo, so that, for instance, "Singing in the Rain" bounces along quickly, as it did when it was first performed, not when Gene Kelly danced to it in the movie of the same name in the ‘50s.

Among these selections, the PRO occasionally crosses the time and style barrier of the Swing Era that began in the mid-‘30s, even to the point of performing the Benny Goodman barnburner "Sing Sing Sing" and presenting "As Time Goes By" in an arrangement reminiscent of the way it sounds in the ‘40s film Casablanca. In fact, the group time travels farther forward, incorporating the Beatles' "Honey Pie," which is at least a ‘20s pastiche number even if it has a 1968 copyright, and Queen's "The Show Must Go On." The orchestra plays the material straight, if with a distinctly British feel, particularly in the vocals, despite much of the music having an American origin. This makes for occasional oddities, none odder than the singer on the novelty "Paddlin' Madelin' Home," who not only cannot bring himself to drop that "g" in "paddlin'," but then adds another to preserve the rhyme, actually singing, "paddling Mad'ling home"! But that may only show that the PRO does have a sense of humor about its music after all.~ William Ruhlmann https://www.allmusic.com/album/home-in-pasadena-very-best-of-the-pasadena-roof-orchestra-mw0000742346

The Very Best Of Disc 1, Disc 2

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Nahuel Jazz Quartet - Nahuel Jazz Quartet

Styles: Cool Jazz
Year: 1963
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 33:58
Size: 82,0 MB
Art: Front

(2:13) 1. Serenata
(6:07) 2. Tranquilo
(5:04) 3. That old feeling
(2:54) 4. Donna Lee
(6:05) 5. Here it is
(4:31) 6. L.R. 361
(4:13) 7. But no for me
(2:48) 8. Taste of honey

Like some musical virus, jazz spread across the world in the 1920s. It was, in a very real sense, the first global 'world' music. Due in part to the improvisatory and open form of jazz, it lent itself very easily to merging with, and adopting to, local musical styles, structures and instrumentation; its protean nature meant that it was coopted and embraced by musicians across the world, from Japan in the far east, the northern expanses of Scandinavia, down to the myriad of cultures across African continent and further on to the deepest and farthest reaches of South America. And one of those South American countries that took jazz to its heart was Chile.

From its first arrival in the 1920s until the 1940s, jazz was an immensely popular music in Chile, often seen as a sign of sophisticated modernity. The latest dances such as the charleston, shimmy and one-step were popular among the middle classes who saw themselves as the vanguard of the new emerging cultural force who were taking Chile into the club of modern, industrial economies. The first established jazz group in Chile was the Royal Orchaestra led by Pablo Garrido, founded in 1924. Other key figures in this crucial foundation period were band leaders and directors like Isidro Benitez and Bernado Lacasia and musicians such as trumpeter Luis Aranguiz, drummer Victor Tapia and tenor saxophonist Mario Escobar. Building upon the pioneering work of these key early figures, the period of the late 30s and mid 40s saw the jazz movement in Chile become less of a popular style with mass appeal and more of an aesthetic 'lifestyle' that saw conscious and deliberate establishing of fan clubs, networks of record collectors and aspirant musicians building a homegrown, hungry culture focused around jazz clubs, most notably the Jazz Club of Santiago, founded in 1943. Major figures during this period include Domingo Santa Cruz, José Hosiasson and Jose Luis Cordova as well as groups such as Santiago Stompers, Chicago Blue Star and Retaguardia Jazz Band.

But it was from the mid-50s and into the early 60s that saw the emergence of a newly sophisticated and talented set of musicians who were to show the way ahead. This was the era of the rise of the modernist school of jazz: bebop, 'cool jazz' and modal jazz, exemplified by the stylistic leaps being made in the USA by the likes of Charlie Parker, Miles Davis, Bill Evans, and John Coltrane. Foremost among the Chilean musicians who took direction from this were key figures such as Mariano Casanova, Roberto Lecaros and, most notably, a pianist and composer who was to have a critical influence on the development of modern jazz in Chile, Omar Naheul. Nahuel was to prove a pioneering and guiding figure in the consolidation of modern jazz in Chile and, more broadly, South America. As a composer and musician, he showed that Chilean artists could perform and record high quality, convincing jazz.Indeed, Nahuel would go on to record the very first album by a jazz group in Chile, the eponymous Nahuel Jazz Quartet, in 1963.

To be strictly accurate, the Nahuel Jazz Quartet was a somewhat flexible ensemble; it could be a quintet or a trio depending upon what was being asked of it. In fact, Nahuel's frst group in 1959 was a trio, something of a prototype for his later groups. However, it would be the classic quartet line up that was to prove the most influential and significant jazz group in Chile during the whole of the 1960s. Made up of leader and pianist Nahuel, bass player Alfonso Barrios, drummer Orlando Avendano (replacing original drummer Sergio Meli) and saxophonist Patricio Ramirez, the quartet would make an indelible mark on Chilean music, one that still casts a long shadow over their jazz scene to this day. From the moment they were formed in 1960, the Nahuel Jazz Quartet looked and sounded the part of a modern jazz group suited to the times. They were organised and professional and their arrival set a new standard: fresh, dynamic, clean and cool. They immediately made an impact and were soon a regular and popular act making appearances at the Concepción Jazz Festival and International Jazz Festival of Mar del Plata.

Nahuel even went as far as managing his own jazz club in an effort to foster a secure, creative space within which modern jazz could flourish in Chile. The Nahuel Jazz Club in Agustinas Street would be a crucible to modern and avant-garde players. The group's debut album, recorded in May 1963, was to prove a great incentive to many other Chliean jazz acts, not least the Chilean Jazz Messengers and the Village Trio. However, the album proved more that just a motivator and inspiration to others, it stands by itself as a solid, tight jazz album. Recored for the independent label Ediciones LR Ortiz and engineered by Rafael Hidalgo, it was a genuine milestone by being the first full jazz album recorded in Chile by a professional Chilean group. The personnel on the session is the 'classic' Naheul Quartet line-up: Omar Nahuel (piano), Patricio Ramírez (alto sax), Alfonso Barrios (double bass) and Orlando Avendaño (drums). The core quartet is augmented with Patricio Lara (clarinet) on the original composition 'Tranquilo', as well as two bebop covers: Charlie Parker's 'Donna Lee' and Dizzy Gillespie's 'Here it is'.

After the release of the album, there were a few line up changes as Avendaño left the group in 1963 and Ramírez followed in 1964, and there were further band changes in the following years as Nahuel began to modify the line-ups of his ensembles, incorporating drummers like Waldo Caceres and Jaime Farfan, bassists Boris Castilla and Nelson Gamboa and tenor player Mario Escobar Jr. Sadly, the important strides made by the group would be tragically cut short when Naheul was killed in a car accident in February 1969 while travelling to the branch of his jazz club in Viña del Mar. He was only 33. However, in the short years of his active music career, Naheul made a lasting impression on Chilean jazz and, as musicologist Álvaro Menanteau says in his book The History of Jazz in Chile, “the '60s were born and died with Omar Nahuel”. https://eatingstanding.bandcamp.com/album/s-t-3

Personnel: Omar Nahuel - piano; Patricio Ramírez - saxo alto; Alfonso Barrios - contrabajo; Orlando Avendaño - bacteria; Patricio Lara - Clarinete

Nahuel Jazz Quartet

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Sergio Mendes - In The Key of Joy Disc 1, Disc 2

Album: In The Key of Joy Disc 1
Styles: Bossa Nova
Year: 2019
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 43:37
Size: 102,1 MB
Art: Front

(4:11) 1. Sabor Do Rio
(3:20) 2. Bora Lá
(2:54) 3. La Noche Entera
(3:56) 4. Samba In Heaven
(4:13) 5. Muganga
(3:13) 6. In The Key Of Joy
(4:15) 7. Love Came Between Us
(3:11) 8. Catch The Wave
(2:57) 9. Romance In Copacabana
(2:56) 10. This Is It (É Isso)
(4:26) 11. Times Goes By
(3:58) 12. Tangara

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Album: In The Key of Joy Disc 2
Year: 2020
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 58:00
Size: 134,6 MB

(2:39) 1. Mas Que Nada
(4:03) 2. Agua De Beber
(3:57) 3. Primitivo
(3:24) 4. Lamento (No Morro)
(3:14) 5. Pais Tropical
(4:52) 6. Reza
(3:19) 7. Consolacao
(3:05) 8. Going Out Of My Head
(2:43) 9. The Frog
(4:29) 10. Morro Velho
(2:43) 11. The Look Of Love
(3:18) 12. Constant Rain
(4:26) 13. So Many Stars
(3:25) 14. Tonga (A Tonga Da Mironga Do Kabulete)
(4:16) 15. Never Gonna Let You Go
(4:01) 16. Fanfarra – Cabua-Le-Le

With exuberant Brazilian beats variously smoldering and at full flame, In the Key of Joy (Concord Records, 2019) archives the sound and the ambiance that defines Sergio Mendes. In 2020, the composer, keyboardist and vocalist celebrates more than sixty years in the music industry with this release. No matter how many beautiful songs and engaging records Mendes has provided over the years, many of a certain age will always first conjure up Sergio Mendes and Brazil '66. The 1960s produced a musical tapestry that was near limitless in its emotional depth and diversification. Mendes firmly yet delicately grabbed hold of that joy with both hands and has never let go. He has expressed it in pop, jazz, Brazilian and beyond. In 1968 we were treated to his spicy take on Burt Bacharach's "The Look of Love" and the heartbeat of Latin romance was within us. That sound and mood has playfully filled the air ever since.

In the Key of Joy kicks off with a visit from Common on the feisty "Sabor Do Rio." This, along with the title track, with rapper Buddy, illustrate Mendes' ability to stay current and explore new territory, while never sacrificing any of his core sound. Chico Brown's catchy acoustic guitar work is augmented by vocalist Shelea on "Catch the Wave." Mendes shuns the collaborative with his own jaunty piano skills on "Romance in Copacabana." His days with bossa nova legend Antonio Carlos Jobim are remembered with pianist and co-writer Joao Donato playing a duet on the upbeat "Muganga." It's also a family affair as Mendes' wife, singer and muse Gracinha Leporace joins in the fun and Joe Pizzulo's daughter, Sugar Jones, sings "Samba in Heaven." Pizzulo himself adds a reconnect with Mendes on "Love Came Between Us." Long time collaborators Hernan Pascal and Guinga join the party as well. A true celebration of family, friends and music. On the final track, Guinga's snappy guitar grooves signify that the celebration continues.

Released in conjunction with a bright documentary of his career, In the Key of Joy is at once a homage to the past and a step forward. This is a concept record. Breezy, bright, and infectious tunes are generally not the making of a concept record. But again, Sergio Mendes does what he does best. The concept is simple. Relax, get comfortable and breathe in the joy.~Jim Worsley https://www.allaboutjazz.com/in-the-key-of-joy-sergio-mendes-concord-music-group

Personnel: Sergio Mendes: pianos; Leo Costa: drums; Andre de Santana: bass; Paul Jackson Jr.: guitar; Mika Mutti: acoustic guitar, synths & rhythm design, percussion.

In The Key of Joy Disc 1, Disc 2

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René Marie - How Can I Keep From Singing?

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2000
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 62:47
Size: 145,4 MB
Art: Front

(3:43)  1. What A Difference A Day Makes
(6:44)  2. Tennessee Waltz
(1:28)  3. Motherless Child
(6:11)  4. Four Women
(5:01)  5. The Very Thought Of You
(4:07)  6. I Like You
(6:47)  7. Afro Blue
(6:21)  8. A Sleepin' Bee
(6:04)  9. Hurry Sundown
(5:08) 10. God Bless The Child
(5:25) 11. Take My Breath Away
(5:41) 12. How Can I Keep From Singing?

A forty-something singer who retired to raise a family in the Virginia-D.C. area, Marie is making a comeback, and it's a welcome egress. She has a strong individualistic, enjoyable voice which includes parts of Ella, Sarah, Dinah, Betty Carter, Nancy Wilson, and Teri Thornton most closely Thornton. She's smooth but never slick, easy on the ears, with a good range and a deep, rich instrument that can easily belt when commanded. Pianist Mulgrew Miller, guitarist Marvin Sewell, and drummer Gerald Cleaver comprise the glue of these sessions, the ultimate musical accompanists and button pushers. Marie tackles some interesting re-arrangements, like the quick samba version of "What a Difference a Day Makes," atypical hard scattish bopping "God Bless the Child," and Sewell's Duane Allman-ish slide guitar during a bluesy swing take of "Tennessee Waltz" with Marie moaning, groaning, and yeah-ing on the bridge.

"Motherless Child" starts with Ugonna Okegwo's bass and Marie's voice, then merges to light Fender Rhodes based funk for Nina Simone's tale of the black Aunt Sarah, yellow woman/white fathered Sefronia, tan prostitute Sweet Thing, and brown toughie Peaches on "Four Women." Most in the mainstream, Marie sings with Miller in duet and trio on the ballad "The Very Thought of You," the cute, standard, easily swung "A Sleepin' Bee," and on the edge, the delineated, slow 6/8 "Afro-Blue" with jungle percussion by Jeffrey Haynes, soprano saxophonist Sam Newsome, Oscar Brown's deep lyric, and Marie's nervous oohs. As a songwriter Marie shines on the best cut of the date, "I Like You," a hip, swinging modal piano buoying an exhaustive, extended lyric where she likes this special someone more than just about anything. There's also the light bossa original, not the pop tune, "Take My Breath Away" with Sewell's acoustic guitar, and the Enya penned title track, using various pop, folk, and ethnic nuances with Newsome and hand percussion inserted. All in all this is a credible effort that should pave the way for much more, as Marie is quite capable and talented. Recommended. 

~ Michael G.Nastos https://www.allmusic.com/album/how-can-i-keep-from-singing-mw0000064441

Personnel: Rene Marie (vocals); Sam Newsome (soprano saxophone); Mulgrew Miller (piano, Fender Rhodes piano); Marvin Sewell (guitar); Ugonna Okegwo (bass); Gerald Cleaver (drums); Jeffrey Haynes (percussion).               

How Can I Keep From Singing?

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Maxine Sullivan - The Great Songs from the Cotton Club

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2014
File: MP3@192K/s
Time: 47:26
Size: 67,5 MB
Art: Front

(2:09) 1. Happy As the Day Is Long
(3:38) 2. You Gave Me Ev'rything but Love
(2:39) 3. As Long As I Live
(4:10) 4. Raisin' the Rent
(3:39) 5. Neath the Pale Cuban Moon
(5:04) 6. Ill Wind
(2:57) 7. Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea
(2:14) 8. I Love a Parade
(2:54) 9. Harlem Holiday
(2:39) 10. Get Yourself a New Broom
(3:21) 11. Stormy Weather
(3:26) 12. In the Silence of the Night
(3:18) 13. That's What I Hate About Love
(2:17) 14. Primitive Prima Donna
(2:55) 15. I've Got the World on a String

“Maxine Sullivan was in a class by herself. Sullivan gave her all to a song, and in so doing made the song a celebration of the best in classic American popular music rather than an occasion to show off her vocal prowess. It is one of her best albums, and should be heard by all.”~ Lawrence Schulman, ARSC Journal

Back in print for the first time in more than a decade, Harbinger Records’ award-winning album, MAXINE SULLIVAN: THE GREAT SONGS FROM THE COTTON CLUB BY HAROLD ARLEN AND TED KOEHLER is making it’s long-awaited debut on iTunes and other music download sites. Nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Female Vocalist and winner of the NAIRD award in the same category, the album features many previously unrecorded songs by the famous songwriting team of Harold Arlen and Ted Koehler. In addition to the first-time recordings, Sullivan interprets such standards as “Stormy Weather” and “Buds Won’t Bud” with her patented gently swinging style. Hailed on many 10 Best lists, Great Songs from the Cotton Club, brought Maxine Sullivan’s 50-year career to a highpoint and led the way to two more highly regarded recordings for Harbinger, Together: Maxine Sullivan Sings Jule Styne and The Lady’s in Love with You: Maxine Sullivan Sings the Music of Burton Lane.

Maxine Sullivan got her start at a remarkably named nightclub, The Benjamin Harrison Literary Club, in 1934. She sang with Claude Thornhill’s band and had a smash hit with her recording of the Scottish standard, “Loch Lomond.” In the ‘40s, she and her husband, jazz musician John Kirby, became the first black jazz stars to have a regular radio program. She appeared in the films St. Louis Blues and Going Places, the latter in which she and Louis Armstrong introduced the song “Jeepers Creepers.” She and Armstrong had a long friendship and appeared together in the fabled Cotton Club and on Broadway in the musical Swinging the Dream in which Maxine introduced the jazz standard, “Darn That Dream.” She later appeared on Broadway in the show My Old Friends for which she received a Tony Award nomination.

After retiring to raise her children, Maxine created The House That Jazz Built in the South Bronx where she supported programs encouraging young talent and introducing children to the world of jazz. In 1967 she returned to recordings with jazzman Bob Wilbur. Her three albums for Harbinger Records came soon thereafter giving new audiences a chance to hear one of the greatest jazz singers of all time. This long-awaited reissue brings this tremendous album to her legion of fans and to a new generation who can rejoice in the great vocals and great songs of the Cotton Club era. https://www.musicaltheaterproject.org/maxine-sullivan-the-great-songs-from-the-cotton-club.html

Personnel: Vocals – Maxine Sullivan; Alto Saxophone, Clarinet – Phil Bodner; Bass – Phil Flanagan; Drums – Jackie Williams ; Guitar – Marty Grosz; Piano – Keith Ingham

The Great Songs from the Cotton Club

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Sue Raney - Late In Life

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2015
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 49:55
Size: 117,1 MB
Art: Front

(3:05) 1. I Didn't Know What Time It Was
(4:44) 2. At Last
(2:16) 3. Till Him
(5:02) 4. Late In Life
(2:31) 5. You Are Not My First Love
(3:10) 6. The Second Time Around
(4:07) 7. It Amazes Me
(4:36) 8. You Taught My Heart To Sing
(4:21) 9. On My Way To You
(3:11) 10. Something New In My Life
(4:58) 11. My Ideal/Long Ago And Far Away
(3:30) 12. You Stepped Out Of A Dream
(4:17) 13. When I Look In Your Eyes

I will always remember the day I was with Shelly Markham and he shared his new CD, Things Ive Learned Along the Way. He especially wanted me to listen to one of the songs he had written (with lyrics by Adryan Russ) called Late in Life. I played it and began to get tears in my eyes. It was the most moving and remarkable moment. The song touched me so much, I knew I had to sing it. A few weeks later, I called Shelly and told him that I would like their song to be the title song of my new CD. I asked him, also, if he would be my music director and produce the CD. Fortunately, he said yes and we began to choose songs that followed the same subject mattersongs that tell stories of meeting someone when you least expect ita happening that becomes the most wonderful event of someones life, and the blessing of everything one has always hoped and wished for.

Shelly became not only my producer, but also my arranger and orchestrator providing his innovative musical ideas, his devotion to making everything as perfect as possible (which he did). I am grateful to him for his great talent and enduring friendship. This CD is also a dedication to my most wonderful husband, Carmen, whom I did meet later in my life and felt, when I met him (and still feel), very lucky that we found each other. Thanks to Andy Waterman and Umbrella Media for creating a perfect studio situation, and for lending his expertise to every song. From the beginning of this project to the end result, each moment of this endeavor was, without a doubt, some of the most rewarding musical adventures I have ever had the privilege of experiencing. https://www.freshsoundrecords.com/sue-raney-albums/6252-late-in-life-digipack-edition.html

Personnel: Sue Raney (vcl), Shelly Markham (p), Jeff Driskill (as, ts, cl, fl), Barry Zweig (g), Kevin Axt (b), MB Gordy (d, perc)

Late In Life

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Steve Coleman and Five Elements - Havesting Semblances and Affinities

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2010
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 52:55
Size: 121,5 MB
Art: Front

( 8:33) 1. Attila 02 (Dawning Ritual)
( 5:43) 2. Beba
( 7:26) 3. Clouds
(14:05) 4. (Middle of Water)
( 6:49) 5. Flos Ut Rosa Floruit
( 3:33) 6. Attila 04 (Closing Ritual)
( 6:42) 7. Vernal Equinox (Initiation)

As the founder of the M-Base movement, alto saxophonist Steve Coleman has been at the forefront of advances in jazz composition for 25 years. Culled from traditions with roots in the diverse music of the African Diaspora, M-Base's intricate fusion of syncopated rhythms and polyphonic harmonies has provided a vivacious, forward-thinking alternative to staid conventions for over two decades. A veteran scene leader and mentor, Coleman has aided the careers of peers like Geri Allen, Greg Osby and Cassandra Wilson, as well as nurturing the development of such heavyweight modernists as Vijay Iyer, Steve Lehman and Rudresh Mahanthappa. Coleman's seminal innovations are also manifest in the work of former students such as Ravi Coltrane and Jason Moran, yet for the past few years Coleman's own output has been relatively sparse.

A concept album inspired by the passage of time and seasonal renewal, Harvesting Semblances and Affinities is Coleman's first widely available domestic release in almost a decade, and a persuasive reminder of his visionary artistry. A philosophical polymath, Coleman transposes the cyclical progression of the seasons into a labyrinthine opus of tetrachord progressions, contrapuntal polyphony and shifting polyrhythms. Arranging these multi-layered compositions into a fluidly expansive suite, he circumvents preconceived notions of cerebral impenetrability with an accessible program that gracefully modulates from the primal ("Beba") to the sublime ("Clouds").

The album's ritualistic deportment is superbly executed by a stellar incarnation of Coleman's venerable Five Elements ensemble. Trumpeter Jonathan Finlayson, trombonist Tim Albright and vocalist Jen Shyu are veterans of this flagship unit, while bassist Thomas Morgan and drummer Tyshawn Sorey are ubiquitous rhythm partners in the New York scene. Of all the sidemen, Sorey has garnered the most acclaim as a budding composer, though his skills as an improviser remain his primary talent. Unleashing pneumatic maelstroms of unbridled virtuosity on the session's funkiest cuts, he reveals a longstanding debt to M-Base with some of his best playing on record.

Coalescing into a kaleidoscopic array of timbres, Shyu's mellifluous vocalese provides constant counterpoint to the thorny staccato interplay of the three horn frontline. Her wordless vocals, culled from folk traditions around the globe, balance the sextet's urban tonality with a humanistic air. On a lush interpretation of Danish composer Per Norgard's "Flos Ut Rosa Floruit," she transcends concepts of Eastern and Western harmony with her euphonious delivery of the Latin text, imbuing the album's sole cover with a universal spirituality.

Coleman allows his sidemen a modicum of solo space, contributing a few stunning intervallic alto runs himself. The project's focus is dynamic group interplay however, and each statement is concise and thematically related to the written material far removed from the informality of a blowing session. Filled with cantilevered rhythms, intertwining melodies and oblique harmonies, Harvesting Semblances and Affinities is one of the strongest albums of Coleman's career and compelling proof of his continued importance in the development of contemporary jazz.~Troy Collins https://www.allaboutjazz.com/harvesting-semblances-and-affinities-steve-coleman-pi-recordings-review-by-troy-collins

Personnel: Steve Coleman: alto saxophone; Jonathan Finlayson: trumpet; Tim Albright: trombone; Jen Shyu: vocals; Thomas Morgan: bass; Tyshawn Sorey: drums; Marcus Gilmore: drums (5); Ramon Garcia Perez: percussion (5).

Havesting Semblances and Affinities

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Brian Bromberg - Jaco

Styles: Jazz, Post Bop
Year: 2002
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 57:45
Size: 133,2 MB
Art: Front

(4:48) 1. Come on, Come Over
(7:40) 2. Continuum
(4:52) 3. Teen Town
(6:57) 4. A Remark You Made
(2:54) 5. Portrait of Tracy
(6:12) 6. Three Views of a Secret
(3:44) 7. The Chicken
(5:59) 8. Tears
(4:52) 9. Slang
(4:49) 10. Come on, Come Over (instrumental)
(4:52) 11. Teen Town (Piccolo Bass)

If you look closely at this CD's cover photo of acoustic and electric bassist Brian Bromberg, you'll see that it's styled exactly like that of legendary bass player Jaco Pastorius's first solo recording from 1976. For Bromberg, who played with Stan Getz, Horace Silver, and Lee Ritenour, the magical and mercurial Pastorius was to the electric bass what Jimi Hendrix was to the guitar. On this tribute, with keyboardist Jeff Lorber, saxophonists Bob Mintzer and Eric Marienthal, and percussionist and (ex-Jaco bandmate) Alex Acuna, Bromberg extends and elaborates on Pastorius's unique blend of jazz fusion, world, and soul influences. Bromberg skillfully reinterprets Pastorius's brilliant bass lines on the acoustic and electric bass and changes up the groove on a number of his compositions. "Continuum" and "Three Views of a Secret" are redone with Afro-Caribbean tinges and a funky big-band feel. The two versions of "Teen Town" rock with hip-hop-friendly backbeats, while "The Chicken" and "Come On, Come Over" recall Pastorius's love for the rhythm & blues stars Sam & Dave. The tour de force of the CD is "Slang(ish)," a solo spotlight where Bromberg shows off advanced string-tapping skills that would have made his idol proud.~Eugene Holley Jr. https://www.amazon.ca/Jaco-Brian-Bromberg/dp/B00006LHYJ

Jaco

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Jimmy Durante - The Great Schnozzle

Styles: Vocal And Piano Jazz
Year: 1998
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 72:16
Size: 166,3 MB
Art: Front

(3:07) 1. Inka Dinka Doo
(3:07) 2. Can Broadway Do Without Me?
(2:59) 3. Hot Patatta
(2:42) 4. Umbriago
(3:14) 5. Durante, The Patron of the Arts
(3:12) 6. Start off Each Day With a Song
(3:03) 7. Who Will Be With You When I'm Far Away?
(3:11) 8. So I Ups to Him
(2:48) 9. Joe Goes Up-I Come Down
(3:08) 10. Jimmy, The Well Dressed Man
(3:18) 11. There Are Two Sides to Every Girl
(3:13) 12. G'wan Home, You Mudder's Callin'
(3:01) 13. I'm Feeling Mighty Low
(3:00) 14. I'll Do the Strutaway in My Cutaway
(3:02) 15. I'm the Guy Who Found the Lost Chord
(2:56) 16. Little Bit This, Little Bit That
(3:07) 17. Chidabee, Chidabee, Chidabee (Yah! Yah! Yah!)
(3:03) 18. It's My Nose's Birthday
(3:01) 19. (I'll Never Forget) The Day I Read a Book
(3:03) 20. Fugitive from Esquire
(4:44) 21. The Song's Gotta Come from the Heart
(3:14) 22. A Real Piano Player
(2:51) 23. Inka Dinka Doo

Jimmy Durante's jokes weren't always that funny, but his personality and appearance could breathe vitality into practically any worn-out punchline. The comedy skits and songs on The Great Schnozzle are occasionally a hoot, but Durante's humor was more fun to watch, and some of the tracks leave one yearning for the visual portion. Mastered from vintage 78s and acetates from 1929-1949, The Great Schnozzle includes Durante's most famous song, "Inka Dinka Do," in two versions, and 21 other tracks of piano-pounding, word-mangling craziness. Durante was a one-of-a-kind character, and the possessor of real musical talent to boot.~ Greg Adams https://www.allmusic.com/album/great-schnozzle-mw0000046531

The Great Schnozzle

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Erin Bode - Don't Take Your Time

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2004
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 55:32
Size: 127,7 MB
Art: Front

(3:46) 1. Don't Take Your Time
(4:14) 2. Here, There and Everywhere
(5:02) 3. In The Pines
(4:51) 4. Tonight I'll Be Staying Here With You
(4:55) 5. Time After Time
(4:01) 6. But Not For Me
(3:16) 7. Junior and Julie
(4:18) 8. If It's Magic
(3:50) 9. I've Never Been In Love Before
(4:15) 10. You
(4:18) 11. I Walk A Little Faster
(3:43) 12. Gee Baby Ain't I Good To You
(4:57) 13. Count Your Blessings

Erin Bode's frail, delicate vocal delivery gives her a quality that just wants to grow on you. She's got a friendly manner, and her song selection comes from what we've grown accustomed to over the years. Cyndi Lauper, the Beatles, Stevie Wonder, Bob Dylan and older heroes of the Great American Songbook provide examples of her eclectic taste. It's popular stuff that we welcome all the time. However, Bode's limited vocal range and shallow breath support, while emphasizing her fragile demeanor, serve to restrain the emotional content of her performance.

The lightweight appearance of her vocal delivery give Bode a warm quality that works well on ballads such as "Time After Time" or "You," where folk singing and pop music combine to create lovely melodies and smooth harmony that lingers and remains pleasant to the ear long after the song is over. They're memorable. A piece that contains dramatic aspects, however, such as Bill Monroe's "In the Pines," requires natural force. Heartfelt passion is sorely missed during much of this program.

"Junior and Julie," a quaint jazz selection by Matt Dennis, provides opportunities for a singer to croon and swoon. It's one of those nightclub ballads that should be worn on one's sleeve late at night or in the wee hours. Here, the interpretation fails because a harder-hitting emphasis is needed. The same expectation comes from "Gee Baby, Ain't I Good To You," where a little hip swinging and head swaggering is called for. Instead, the performance turns this one around, with a coy smile and a shy grin.

Better are songs such as Cy Coleman's "I Walk a Little Faster," where the mood swings gaily from side to side, with whispers becoming appropriate for the lyrical message under consideration. "Count Your Blessings" also wears very well, with creative accompaniment from Bruce Barth, Larry Grenadier and Steve Nelson. Under Bode's control, the Irving Berlin chestnut lies still and personal like evening prayers, and settles in for a restful evening. Bode represents a new face on the scene. Her appeal lies in the way she relates to her audience as the quiet girl next door.~Jim Santella https://www.allaboutjazz.com/dont-take-your-time-erin-bode-maxjazz-review-by-jim-santella

Personnel: Erin Bode- vocals; Adam Maness- piano; Bruce Barth- piano, electric piano; Larry Grenadier- bass; Montez Coleman- drums; Adam Rogers- acoustic guitar; Steve Nelson- vibraphone; Meg Okura- violin; Sydney Rodway- tenor saxophone on "Don't Take Your Time"; Jerry Barnes- background vocals on "Time After Time."

Don't Take Your Time

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Patricia Barber - The Cole Porter Mix

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 56:15
Size: 128.8 MB
Styles: Jazz vocals
Year: 2008
Art: Front

[3:36] 1. Easy To Love
[5:14] 2. I Wait For Late Afternoon And You
[4:29] 3. I Get A Kick Out Of You
[3:39] 4. You're The Top
[3:47] 5. Just One Of Those Things
[4:45] 6. Snow
[3:37] 7. C'est Magnifique
[4:22] 8. Get Out Of Town
[5:02] 9. I Concentrate On You
[5:25] 10. In The Still Of The Night
[3:59] 11. What Is This Thing Called Love
[4:11] 12. Miss Otis Regrets
[4:01] 13. The New Year's Eve Song

Jazz songwriter and pianist Patricia Barber's 2006 album Mythologies, a song cycle based on Ovid's Metamorphosis, is a sprawling work of poetic and musical adventure. Upon its release, it garnered universal acclaim from critics and responsive concert audiences across the United States and Europe. After this rigorous undertaking, Barber could have been forgiven for taking a breather. And on its surface, that seems to be what the Cole Porter Mix is. But in Barber's case, this is far from true. While she claims in her bio that she's been singing his songs for years, and that he's her favorite songwriter, she does anything but a "standard" read on his tunes, though she never undermines their integrity. The album is called a "mix" because Barber has woven three of her own tunes -- written after the manner of Porter's -- into the fabric of the album. Given her austere yet highly original readings of his songs, they fit in seamlessly. She is accompanied here by her longtime backing group of Neal Alger (guitar), Michael Arnopol (bass), and Eric Montzka (drums), with drummer Nate Smith alternating on three tunes, and guest saxophonist Chris Potter appearing on five.

Commencing with the opening number "Easy to Love," with its skeletal bossa nova rhythm (Barber doesn't play in the body of the tune and only contributes a wonderfully economical piano solo), and the relative austerity of her voice, it's obvious this isn't an ordinary standards set. She is faithful to the intent of these songs both lyrically and musically, but she shifts their arrangements in such a way that they are more suited to her deliberately restrained singing voice, and her own vocation as a songwriter. It's the songwriter she is paying tribute to here -- not the tradition. "I Concentrate on You" also carries within it the kernel of bossa, but this time, with her piano fills and artfully incisive manner of accenting, to quote Porter, "how strange the change from major to minor" without invoking the blues (the standard for doing so). Barber's pianism is elegantly idiosyncratic, even enigmatic. Her "cool" singing voice peels away the weight these songs have borne over the years, and instead returns to them their subtlety and gentle sense of humorous irony. There are some wild moments here -- such as the Latin polyrhythms at the heart of "In the Still of the Night," that set up a space for some serious blowing tenor by Potter -- but the spirit of "song" is never compromised. Barber's originals are truly canny, empathic evidence of her true understanding of Porter. "Snow," with its minor-key piano intro opens with: "Do you think of me like snow/cool, slippery and white? Do you think of me like jazz/as hip, as black as night?" The mysterious, dull ache of love and lust in "New Year's Eve Song" evokes the forlorn aspect of Porter but the strange, covert voyeurism of poet Robert Lowell's "Eep Hour": "Will he/peek in the mirror while she/knowing he's watching her tease/stripping the gown with ease/bare as the New Year, she/so in love with her is he..." All the while, the sense of a taut harmonic melody is inseparable from the lyrics, unveiling the secret intent in the song for both listener and singer. The Cole Porter Mix is a very modern form of imitation, as evidenced not only by interpretation but in her evocative compositions too; they mark the greatest form of flattery. But it is also an ingenious manner of reconsidering Porter -- and Barber -- with fresh ears. ~Thom Jurek

The Cole Porter Mix

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Johnathan Blake - Homeward Bound

Styles: Jazz, Post Bop
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 43:28
Size: 104,0 MB
Art: Front

(0:59) 1. In The Beginning Was The Drum
(9:13) 2. Homeward Bound (For Ana Grace)
(7:59) 3. Rivers & Parks
(4:51) 4. Shakin' The Biscuits
(3:24) 5. Abiyoyo
(1:03) 6. On The Break
(6:10) 7. LLL
(9:44) 8. Steppin'Out

Jonathan Blake, one of the most respected and sought-after jazz drummers on the scene, carved a path through the contemporary jazz with some powerful albums released under his name (The Eleventh Hour; Trion) as well as fruitful collaborations with Tom Harrell, Kenny Barron and Dave Holland, Dr. Lonnie Smith, Jaleel Shaw and Maria Schneider. For Homeward Bound, the fourth entry in his personal discography and his debut on the Blue Note Records, he convenes a freshly formed quintet, Pentad, which features prodigious musicians such as saxophonist Immanuel Wilkins, vibist Joel Ross, bassist Dezron Douglas and pianist David Virelles.

A one-minute drum intro prepares the terrain for the title track, a beautiful theme that Blake composed for saxophonist Jimmy Greene's daughter, Ana Grace, whose life was taken at the age of six during the Sandy Hook elementary school shooting in 2012. Marvelously expressed with odd meter signature, the piece is illuminated by a slick harmonic progression and radiant melodic insight. It also encapsulates mesmerizing improvisation from Ross and Wilkins, who alternate bars with a focused sense of direction, and then Virelles, who scrumptiously blurs the picture with impeccable note choices. Blake also shines, becoming lyrically busy over a vamp marked by contrapuntal adorn.

Boasting a silky synth-soaked texture, “Rivers & Parks” has everyone swinging and grooving, but it’s Wilkins who leaps out, exploring outside boundaries and heating his vocabulary with fervid figures. His mesmeric improvised flights also come into view during the extroverted reworking (in six) of Joe Jackson’s 1982 electropop hit “Steppin’ Out”. Virelles, who enters the stage alone on this one, provides wonderful comping throughout while bass and drums embrace this delicious state of ecstasy.

The two other tunes that didn’t come from the pen of Blake are “Shakin’ the Biscuits”, a bouncy, funkified, bopish frolic written by Douglas that will put you in a great mood, and “Abiyoyo”, a traditional South African children’s song in sextuple meter whose lullabyish melody runs in circles. Blake’s “LLL”, a dedication to the late drummer Lawrence 'Lo' Leathers, is a stirring post-bop number that gives Ross plenty of time to showcase his progressive mallet prowess. The elegant drumming of Blake permeates the album. His accomplishment here is not just a direct result of an accumulated experience throughout the years, but also the refined taste that shows up in everything he does. https://jazztrail.net/blog/johnathan-blake-homeward-bound-album-review

Personnel: Jonathan Blake: drums; Immanuel Wilkins: alto saxophone; Joel Ross: vibraphone; David Virelles: piano; Dezron Douglas: bass.

Homeward Bound

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Lionel Loueke - Close Your Eyes

Styles: Vocal And Guitar Jazz
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 59:58
Size: 140,2 MB
Art: Front

(6:03) 1. Footprints
(6:41) 2. It Might as Well Be Spring
(4:16) 3. Countdown
(4:15) 4. Moon River
(3:39) 5. Solar
(6:24) 6. Blue Monk
(4:38) 7. Body and Soul
(7:44) 8. Close Your Eyes
(7:12) 9. Skylark
(5:26) 10. We See
(3:35) 11. Naima

There is so much to enjoy in Close Your Eyes, guitarist Lionel Loueke’s first ever album of standards, released (*) today. The recorded was made in September 2017 on a one-day break between overlapping tours with Chick Corea and Herbie Hancock. Loueke plays electric guitar throughout. I was first captivated by his wonderful lightness, almost weightlessness of touch in It Might As Well Be Spring. But he finds all kind of expressive possibilities and directions to take. And with bassist Reuben Rogers and drummer Eric Harland he is in top-flight company. Moon River it is all about the silences, the spaces in which to daydream and take one’s time.

Skylark and Wayne Shorter’s Footprints have been the singles which were released on streaming services in advance of today’s release, and both of those are stories with an African angle. In Skylark, the tune emerges from hi-life motifs, and Loueke has a similar way to Martial Solal of of relishing and circling round some favourite contours the tune. Footprints steps into the open from African polyrhythms and a guitar sound and technique which imitate the kora. We are in a place where disguise and surprise are the norm. Coltranes’s Naima, the album closer, is even more effectively disguised.

Solar, on the other hand, is a feverish trio work-out at a ‘you-can’t-be-serious’ tempo, with Eric Harland invited to play out an ending which feels like an elegant and stately denial that any of the ferocious mischief which has gone before it ever actually happened. Blue Monk is a slow walk, where Reuben Rogers lords the time magnificently and empathetically, Loueke finds the dirtiest of blues licks and Eric Harland has something creative, individual and apposite yet out-of-the-ordinary to add at every moment.

The longest tune is the title track Close Your Eyes at nearly eight minutes, but everything flows so easily and naturally, the time passes far too quickly. (*) To be pedantic this album is actually a re-release, in the same way that Hope was. That album had previously been part of high-end vinyl specialist Newvelle’s second season (Reviewed here), with Lionel Loueke in duo with pianist Kevin Hays, and subsequently released as a separate album on Edition Records.This new Sounderscore release is Loueke’s contribution to Newvelle’s Season Three, with this CD presentation adding three tracks to the eight which were on the original release. Sounderscore is run by Swedish/Italian New York-based bassist Massimo Biolcati. https://londonjazznews.com/2021/10/22/lionel-loueke-close-your-eyes/

Personnel: Vocals, Guitar – Lionel Loueke; Acoustic Bass – Reuben Rogers; Drums – Eric Harland; Guitar – Lionel Loueke

Close Your Eyes

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Eddie Henderson - Realization / Inside Out (Anthology: Volume 2 The Capricorn Years)

Styles: Trumpet And Cornet Jazz
Year: 1973
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 77:28
Size: 178,0 MB
Art: Front

(10:09) 1. Scorpio-Libra
( 8:53) 2. Mars In Libra
( 8:48) 3. Anua
( 2:34) 4. Spiritual Awakening
( 7:14) 5. Revelation Realization
( 9:00) 6. Moussaka
( 2:17) 7. Omnipresence
( 5:07) 8. Discoveries
( 3:34) 9. Fusion
( 7:22) 10. Dreams
( 9:27) 11. Inside Out
( 2:56) 12. Exit #1

Balancing a career in psychiatry with his love of forward-thinking post-bop and fusion, trumpeter Eddie Henderson has cut a distinctive path in modern jazz. Mentored by Miles Davis in his teens, Henderson emerged as an original member of Herbie Hancock's Mwandishi band in the 1970s, appearing on the landmark jazz-funk album Sextant. From there, he embarked on a solo career, issuing several of his own cross-pollinated funk and disco-infused albums for Capricorn, Blue Note, and Capitol Records. These albums, and especially his breakthrough U.K. hit "Prance On" from 1978's Mahal, were influential touchstones for later hip-hop, electronic, and acid jazz musicians. A licensed psychiatrist with a degree from Howard University, Henderson often split his time playing jazz and working in medicine. From the late '80s onward, he has remained a vital presence on the New York City jazz scene, releasing a bevy of well-regarded acoustic jazz albums like 2010's For All We Know and working as a member of the hard bop supergroup the Cookers.

Born Edward Jackson Henderson in New York City in 1940, Henderson grew up in a family steeped in the jazz tradition. His mother was a professional dancer at the Cotton Club, while his father was a member of the legendary Charioteers vocal group. Encouraged to play music, he first picked up the trumpet around age nine, and famously received an early lesson from Louis Armstrong, whom his mother knew from her days in Harlem. During his teens, Henderson moved to San Francisco with his family, where he continued to progress as a musician. A driven, highly disciplined student while in high school, he balanced his music practice, with studying, playing sports, and participating in competitive figure skating. It was during these years that he first met his longtime idol Miles Davis, who stayed at his parent's house when playing in the Bay Area. From the late '50s on, Davis was a heavy influence on the trumpeter's approach to jazz. It was also through Davis that Henderson first met future boss and bandmate Herbie Hancock.

After a stint in the Air Force, Henderson enrolled for medical school, earning his undergraduate degree at the University of California, and later finishing his medical studies at Howard University where he graduated in 1968. During his time at Howard, he would often spend the weekends driving from Washington, D.C. to New York to study with Freddie Hubbard and Lee Morgan. After earning his M.D., he then returned to the Bay Area where he served out a psychiatric residency and played jazz in his off-hours. While there, he was asked to join Herbie Hancock's innovative funk and fusion-based Mwandishi ensemble for a week-long run of shows in San Francisco. This led to a full-time appointment, and from 1970 to 1973, Henderson toured and recorded with the group, appearing on the influential 1973 album Sextant. As a leader, Henderson debuted with two well-regarded albums on the independent Capricorn Records label, 1973's Realization and Inside Out. Produced by Skip Drinkwater, whom Henderson met via his work with guitarist Norman Connors, these albums essentially featured the Mwandishi band with Hancock on electric keyboards, Bennie Maupin on reeds, Patrick Gleeson on synthesizers, Buster Williams on bass, and Billy Hart on drums. There were also contributions from drummers Lenny White and Eric Gravatt, as well as future-Headhunters percussionist Bill Summers. Both albums showcased a funky, avant-garde, electric fusion style similar to Henderson's previous work with Hancock. More Drinkwater-produced albums followed on Blue Note, including the psychedelia-dipped Sunburst with George Duke and 1976's Heritage, which featured a young Patrice Rushen on keyboards, sax, and flute.

Around this time, Henderson signed with Capitol Records and released three albums beginning with 1977's Drinkwater-produced Comin' Through. These productions built upon his previous efforts, but found him moving in even more of a cross-over direction with a less spacy, more dance-oriented approach to jazz-funk. In 1978, he scored a U.K. hit with the disco-infused "Prance On," off Mahal. His Capitol era culminated in 1979's equally disco- and soul-leaning Runnin' to Your Love. Although somewhat dismissed as "commercial" in the decades following the fusion era of jazz, Henderson's electric recordings enjoyed great popularity with hip-hop and electronic musicians, and are often cited (along with Miles Davis' and Herbie Hancock's work) as influential on the development of trip-hop and acid jazz. Moving to New York full-time in 1985, Henderson's solo recordings slowed somewhat as he worked increasingly as a physician. Nonetheless, he stayed active, appearing on albums with Billy Hart, Leon Thomas, Gary Bartz, and others. With 1989's Phantoms, he returned to regular recording with a series of albums that found him embracing an acoustic hard bop sound. He presence continued to grow throughout the '90s with harmonically nuanced, hard-swinging albums like 1994's Inspiration, 1995's Dark Shadows, and 1999's Reemergence. These albums still found Henderson indebted to Davis, but displaying his own brand aggressive, post-bop lyricism. It was an approach that only deepened as he entered his sixties, delivering such albums as 2004's Time and Spaces, 2006's Precious Moment, and 2010's For All We Know. Along with his own work in the 2000s, Henderson also played with the Mingus Big Band, Benny Golson, and others. He worked regularly with Billy Harper, eventually joining the saxophonist in the all-star ensemble the Cookers alongside longtime associates drummer Billy Hart, pianist George Cables, and bassist Cecil McBee, as well as trumpeter David Weiss and saxophonist Donald Harrison. A regular at New York's Smoke nightclub, Henderson has released several albums for their in-house label, starting with 2015's Collective Portrait. That same year, he celebrated his work with Hancock on 2016's Infinite Spirit: Revisiting Music of the Mwandishi Band. In 2018, he delivered his second Smoke Sessions date with Be Cool, featuring Cookers bandmate Harrison, pianist Kenny Barron, bassist Essiet Essiet, and drummer Mike Clark.~Matt Collar https://www.allmusic.com/artist/eddie-henderson-mn0000169948/biography

Personnel: Trumpet, Cornet, Flugelhorn – Eddie Henderson (Mganga); Alto Flute, Flute, Saxophone [Stritch], Tenor Saxophone, Bass Clarinet – Bennie Maupin (Mwile); Bass, Bass [Fender] – Buster Williams (Mchezaji); Congas – Bill Summers; Drums – Billy Hart (Jabali), Eric Gravatt (Kamau), Lenny White III); Drums, Percussion – Billy Hart (Jabali); Electric Piano [Fender Rhodes and Univox] – Herbie Hancock (Mwandishi); Electric Piano [Fender Rhodes], Clavinet, Organ – Herbie Hancock (Mwandishi); Saxophone [Stritch], Clarinet, Bass Clarinet, Flute, Alto Flute, Piccolo Flute, Tenor Saxophone – Bennie Maupin (Mwile); Synthesizer – Pat Gleeson; Synthesizer [ARP, Moog], Organ – Pat GleesonNotes

Realization / Inside Out (Anthology: Volume 2 The Capricorn Years)

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Jimmy Durante - September Song

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2001
File: MP3@224K/s
Time: 29:49
Size: 48,1 MB
Art: Front

(3:09) 1. September Song
(2:56) 2. Look Ahead Little Girl
(2:45) 3. Count Your Blessings Instead Of Sheep
(2:48) 4. When The Circus Leaves Town
(2:33) 5. I Believe
(2:47) 6. Young At Heart
(2:56) 7. Don't Lose Your Sense Of Humour
(2:22) 8. You'll Never Walk Alone
(4:22) 9. One Room Home
(3:05) 10. Blue Bird Of Happiness

After decades of novelty and comedy recordings, film roles and television work, Jimmy Durante was invited into the studio to record a "serious" album of standards and originals. Durante himself was uncertain about the project, but the resulting album was in every way a success. It was Durante's only album to enter the Top 40, and the title track made Billboard's Top Pop 100. Mixing Durante's utterly unique voice with lush strings and a vocal chorus, September Song is a left-field masterpiece full of wistful and affecting performances. Durante was by no means a technically accomplished vocalist, but he negotiated the sessions with aplomb and created a piece of work very different from, but just as charming as, the comedy that had made him a star.~Greg Adams https://www.allmusic.com/album/september-song-mw0000012171

September Song

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