Carmen Lundy - Soul To Soul

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 71:33
Size: 163.8 MB
Styles: Jazz vocals
Year: 2014
Art: Front

[5:21] 1. Kindred Spirits
[6:14] 2. Life Is A Song In Me
[6:36] 3. Soul To Soul
[7:11] 4. When Will They Learn
[5:12] 5. Daybreak
[4:08] 6. Between Darkness And Dawn
[6:34] 7. Grace
[4:36] 8. Grateful, Pt. 1
[4:43] 9. Grateful, Pt. 2
[6:31] 10. Everything I Need
[4:33] 11. Don't You Know How I Feel
[5:36] 12. Sardegna
[4:11] 13. What's Your Story, Morning Glory

Carmen Lundy – vocals, piano, Rhodes, keyboards, guitar, drums, percussion, string arrangements and programming; Patrice Rushen – piano, Rhodes, keyboards; Geri Allen – piano, Rhodes; Darryl Hall – acoustic bass, electric bass; Jamison Ross – drums, percussion; Mayra Casales – percussion, congas; Carol Robbins – harp; Warren Wolf – vibes; Randy Brecker – trumpet, ugelhornl Ada Rovatti – tenor sax; Bennie Maupin – tenor sax, soprano sax Simphiwe Dana – vocals; Background Vocals – Carmen Lundy, Patrice Rushen, Jamison Ross, Mayra Casales, Darryl Hall, Elisabeth Oei.

“Soul To Soul,” a passionate new song cycle from vocalist, songwriter, producer and musician Carmen Lundy is Lundy’s 14th album, and the next chapter in her critically-acclaimed career as both a musical artist and a visual artist; a return to her roots but also an exploration of these roots — and the journey that those roots can take you on. Featuring the stellar talents of guest artists Patrice Rushen, Geri Allen, Randy Brecker, Mayra Casales, Simphiwe Dana, Bennie Maupin, Carol Robbins, Ada Rovatti, and Warren Wolf along with Carmen’s core rhythm section members Darryl Hall and Jamison Ross , “Soul To Soul” invites the listener on an intriguing journey. The moods and moments of “Soul To Soul” are genre-bending and traverse many borders, both literally and figuratively.

Soul To Soul

---

Deborah Silver - Pure Silver

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2014
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 42:43
Size: 98,5 MB
Art: Front

(4:03) 1. At Last
(3:22) 2. Cheek to Cheek
(4:01) 3. Sunrise, Sunset
(4:05) 4. I Got the Sun in the Morning
(4:06) 5. All the Things You Are
(3:46) 6. More Today Than Yesterday
(4:40) 7. Can't Take My Eyes off of You
(2:57) 8. People Will Say We're in Love
(3:28) 9. I'll Be There
(4:35) 10. More Than You Know
(3:35) 11. I Wanna Be Around

An ebullient vocalist, Deborah Silver is known for her soulful but polished readings of classic jazz and pop melodies. She initially garnered attention with her 2014 debut, Pure Silver, before topping the Traditional Jazz Albums chart with 2016's The Gold Standards.

Born and raised in Indianola, Mississippi, Silver grew to appreciate all kinds of music in her youth, including pop, rock, jazz, standards, R&B, and country. Her mother was an opera singer who also worked as a vocal coach on the side. While Silver sang in choir when she was in high school, she struggled with shyness and tried to remain inconspicuous when she performed. After enrolling at Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri, she developed greater confidence and went on to appear in student theater productions, where her passion for singing took hold. She began taking voice lessons, and after graduating, relocated to Los Angeles. There, she continued her studies working with noted vocal coach Seth Riggs. In time, Silver moved to South Florida, married, and raised a family.

Silver still found time to perform as a jazz vocalist, and an effort to support a member of her family also helped her reach a new and larger audience. In 2009, Silver's sister was diagnosed with ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis), a progressive neurodegenerative condition also known as "Lou Gehrig's disease." As Silver spearheaded a number of projects to increase awareness of ALS and raise money for research, she put her own talent to good use. Silver's debut album, 2014's Pure Silver, was a collection of standards and pop favorites that showed off her refined vocal stylings, and she pledged that 100 percent of the proceeds from sales of the CD would be donated to ALS research. The album was well reviewed, and Silver developed a growing and appreciative audience on the cabaret circuit.

For her second album, 2016's The Gold Standards, Silver worked with producers Steve Tyrell and Jon Allen, and arranger Alan Broadbent. Grammy-winning singer Jack Jones and celebrated jazz chanteuse Ann Hampton Callaway also made guest appearances on the record, and Silver donated all proceeds from first-day sales to ALS charities. The Gold Standards debuted in the number one spot on the Traditional Jazz Albums and Heatseekers Albums charts, while hitting the number two spot on the overall Jazz Albums survey and 150 on the overall Top 200 listings. Two years later, she joined vocalist Freddy Cole for a duet on his legendary brother's song "Orange Colored Sky," which was released as a stand-alone tribute track. Silver then returned to her solo work with 2020's Glitter & Grits, a jazz and country-steeped collaboration with Asleep at the Wheel's Ray Benson.~Mark Deming https://music.apple.com/us/artist/deborah-silver/834189572

Pure Silver

---

The Monty Alexander Trio - Zing!

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1968
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 34:23
Size: 79,2 MB
Art: Front

(2:51) 1. Zing!
(5:51) 2. You're My Everything
(4:09) 3. Once Upon a Time
(3:54) 4. Always True to You In My Fashion
(3:21) 5. The Magnificent Seven
(4:12) 6. Bossa Nova Do Marilla
(3:40) 7. Small Fry
(3:06) 8. Girl Talk
(3:16) 9. Nocturne In E-Flat

Pianist Monty Alexander was 23 when he recorded his lone album for RCA, just his third recording of what would be a very productive career. Alexander, who at that point in time was most influenced by Oscar Peterson and Ahmad Jamal, already showed a great deal of maturity in his playing, as effective on uptempo tunes as he was on ballads. Last reissued as a French RCA, this outing matches Alexander in trios with either Victor Gaskin or Bob Cranshaw on bass and Roy McCurdy or Al Foster on drums. The repertoire ranges from the pianist's title cut and Cole Porter's "Always True to You In My Fashion" to some show tunes, Neal Hefti's "Girl Talk," and Chopin's "Nocturne In E-Flat," which is turned into jazz. A strong effort that is long overdue to be reissued on CD.~Scott Yanowhttps://www.allmusic.com/album/zing%21-mw0000870960

Personnel: Piano – Monty Alexander; Bass – Bob Cranshaw, Victor Gaskin; Drums – Al Foster, Roy McCurdy

Zing!

---

Carmen Lundy - Code Noir

Styles: Vocal 
Year: 2017
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 53:22
Size: 122,8 MB
Art: Front

(3:50)  1. Another Chance
(4:41)  2. Live Out Loud
(3:51)  3. Black and Blues
(4:30)  4. Whatever It Takes
(4:53)  5. Afterglow
(3:41)  6. Second Sight
(4:38)  7. The Island, The Sea and You
(5:36)  8. I Keep Falling
(5:07)  9. I Got Your Number
(4:54) 10. You Came into My Life
(2:56) 11. Have a Little Faith
(4:40) 12. Kumbaya

Fantastic work from Carmen Lundy one of our favorite jazz singers of all time, and an artist who keeps on giving us her best as the years go on! This album's definitely some of Carmen's best as it features the singer working with a wonderful group that includes Jeff Parker on guitar, Patrice Rushen on piano, Ben Williams on bass, and Kendrick Scott on drums a tight core combo who really find a way to push Lundy's energy even more than usual while Carmen herself handles other keyboards with her vocals, and serves especially righteous material! There's a bit more politics here than on previous records perfect for the spirit of the moment but Carmen also mixes a lot of warmth and love into her music as well. Titles include "Black & Blues", "Afterglow", "Whatever It Takes", "I Keep Falling", "The Island The Sea & You", "Have A Little Faith", and "Another Chance". © 1996-2017, Dusty Groove, Inc. https://www.dustygroove.com/item/823955/Carmen-Lundy:Code-Noir

Carmen Lundy: vocals, keyboards, guitar, background vocals; Patrice Rushen: piano; Ben Williams: acoustic and electric bass; Kendrick Scott: drums, percussion; Jeff Parker: electric guitar; Elisabeth Oei: background vocals track 7.

Code Noir

---

Kirk Lightsey - Le Corbu

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 60:14
Size: 137.9 MB
Styles: Contemporary jazz
Year: 2015
Art: Front

[2:11] 1. Prelude Ravel
[9:58] 2. You And The Night And The Music
[6:42] 3. Footprints
[6:44] 4. Heaven Dance
[3:49] 5. Le Corbu
[6:19] 6. Lament
[7:11] 7. I Wanna Be Kissed
[7:59] 8. Everyone In Uniso
[9:17] 9. A Child Is Born

Double Bass – Tibor Elekes; Drums, Percussion – Famoudou Don Moye; Piano, Flute – Kirk Lightsey.

Famoudou Don Moye (b. 1946) is an American avant-jazz percussionist and drummer, best known as a member of The Art Ensemble Of Chicago since 1969, and recognized as an extraordinary master of Afro-Caribbean percussion instruments and rhythmic techniques. Don Moye developed his own original 'sun percussion' style of performing, and led Sun Percussion Summit with Enoch Williamson, which is a group dedicated to exploring the traditions of African-American percussion music.

Kirkland Lightsey is an American jazz pianist, born 15 February 1937 in Detroit, Michigan, USA.

Tibor Elekes is a Hungarian / Swiss bassist, composer and engineer, born 3 May 1960.

Le Corbu

---

James Moody & Frank Foster - Sax Talk

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1951
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 73:52
Size: 170,1 MB
Art: Front

(3:43) 1. Bootsie
(3:08) 2. I Cover The Waterfront
(2:55) 3. Deep Purple
(4:37) 4. Lover Come Back To Me
(3:11) 5. That's My Desire
(3:12) 6. More Than You Know
(2:42) 7. Moody's Mode
(3:35) 8. This Is Always
(3:29) 9. Les Feuilles Mortes (Autumn Leaves)
(2:26) 10. Chanter Pour Toi
(2:49) 11. Bedelia
(2:41) 12. Aimer Comme Je T'aime
(2:28) 13. Si Jolie
(2:57) 14. September Serenade
(6:08) 15. My Heart Stood Still
(4:52) 16. Fat Shoes
(5:25) 17. I'll Take Romance
(4:44) 18. Escale A Victoria
(4:03) 19. The Things We Did Last Summer
(4:36) 20. Just 40 Bars

James Moody was an institution in jazz from the late '40s into the 21st century, whether on tenor, flute, occasional alto, or yodeling his way through his "Moody's Mood for Love." After serving in the Air Force (1943-1946), he joined Dizzy Gillespie's bebop orchestra and began a lifelong friendship with the trumpeter. Moody toured Europe with Gillespie and then stayed overseas for several years, working with Miles Davis, Max Roach, and top European players. His 1949 recording of "I'm in the Mood for Love" became a hit in 1952 under the title of "Moody's Mood for Love" with classic vocalese lyrics written by Eddie Jefferson and a best-selling recording by King Pleasure. After returning to the U.S., Moody formed a septet that lasted for five years, recorded extensively for Prestige and Argo, took up the flute, and then from 1963-1968, was a member of Dizzy Gillespie's quintet.

He worked in Las Vegas show bands during much of the 1970s before returning to jazz, playing occasionally with Gillespie, mostly working as a leader and recording with Lionel Hampton's Golden Men of Jazz. Moody, who alternated between tenor (which he preferred) and alto throughout his career, had an original sound on both horns. He was also one of the best flutists in jazz. Moody recorded as a leader for numerous labels, including Blue Note, Xanadu, Vogue, Prestige, EmArcy, Mercury, Argo, DJM, Milestone, Perception, MPS, Muse, Vanguard, and Novus. He died of complications from pancreatic cancer on December 9, 2010 in San Diego, CA. James Moody was 85 years old.~Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/artist/james-moody-mn0000786080/biography

Personnel: Tenor Saxophone, Alto Saxophone – James Moody; Tenor Saxophone, Alto Saxophone – James Moody; Bass – Jean-Marie Ingrand, Pierre Michelot; Drums – Jean-Louis Viale, Pierre Lamarchand Drums, Strings, Woodwind – Pepito Riebe; Piano – Henri Renaud, Raymond Fol; Tenor Saxophone – Frank Foster; Trumpet – Roger Guérin

Sax Talk

---

Geoff Gascoyne - Keep It To Yourself

Styles: Contemporary Jazz
Year: 2005
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 62:12
Size: 143,4 MB
Art: Front

(4:37) 1. Raggedy Ann
(4:02) 2. Love Won't Let Me Wait
(2:51) 3. God Only Knows
(4:02) 4. E Flat Triangle
(3:41) 5. Spring Is Here
(4:02) 6. Shapeshifter
(3:35) 7. Tribulation
(2:38) 8. All My Tomorrows
(6:04) 9. Lament
(4:26) 10. Keep It To Yourself
(4:31) 11. I'll Sing You
(3:10) 12. Somebody's Gotta Move
(4:41) 13. Theme From 'The Terminal
(3:29) 14. Scrapple From The Apple
(6:16) 15. Frankie & Johnny (Bonus Track)

Geoff Gascoyne is Jamie Cullum's bassist, and the leader of his regular band. Returning the favour Cullum turns up on two tracks here, and supplies the liner notes. But though the singer gives this set something of his familiar late-night soul-ballad spin (he sings Love Won't Let Me Wait and the Beach Boys' God Only Knows, the latter against a Gascoyne strings arrangement), and there are other guest vocalists in Trudy Kerr and the indestructible Georgie Fame, Keep It to Yourself feels like an open, if orthodox, exercise in instrumental jazzy swing, with some fine playing from pianist Tom Cawley, saxophonist Steve Kaldestad, trumpeter Martin Shaw and Gascoyne himself.

The sound of 1960s Blue Note soul-jazz hovers in the background, and Kaldestad suggests the smoky sound and leisurely pacing of that label's underrated sax master Hank Mobley on the train-rhythm hustle of Raggedy Ann or in Fame's Mose Allison cover Somebody's Gotta Move. Gascoyne's immaculate, full-bodied bass sound drives the music, and Cawley has rarely played better - both in his metallically Monkish solos (check out his playing on the fast, boppish E Flat Triangle) and in his creative prodding behind other improvisers. Fame achieves as much by insinuation as declaration on his two songs, and hangs so engagingly loosely around the beat that he seems about to fall asleep. Perhaps a bit too self-consciously a something-for-everyone set, but plenty of fine jazz for the cognoscenti. https://www.theguardian.com/music/2005/oct/14/jazz.shopping

Personnel: Geoff Gascoyne (acoustic bass); Gavyn Wright, Jackie Shave (violin); David Daniels (cello); Steve Kaldestad (alto saxophone, tenor saxophone); Martin Shaw (trumpet, flugelhorn); Tom Cawley (piano). Audio Mixers: Derek Nash; Geoff Gascoyne.; Liner Note Author: Jamie Cullum.

Keep It To Yourself

---

Barney Kessel - Some Like It Hot

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 57:26
Size: 131.5 MB
Styles: Guitar jazz
Year: 2013
Art: Front

[4:16] 1. Some Like It Hot
[3:40] 2. I Wanna Be Loved By You
[3:19] 3. Stairway To The Stars
[4:42] 4. Sweet Sue
[3:20] 5. Runnin' Wild
[3:40] 6. Sweet Georgia Brown
[4:03] 7. Down Among The Sheltering Palms
[3:27] 8. Sugar Blues
[3:16] 9. I'm Thru With Love
[3:10] 10. By The Beautiful Sea
[4:49] 11. Sweet Sue
[6:32] 12. Runnin' Wild
[3:11] 13. Fascinating Rhythm
[1:58] 14. Laura
[3:55] 15. The Abc Blues

The release of the movie Some Like It Hot served as a good excuse for guitarist Kessel to join together with Art Pepper (switching between alto, clarinet, and tenor), trumpeter Joe Gordon, pianist Jimmy Rowles, rhythm guitarist Jack Marshall, bassist Monty Budwig, and drummer Shelly Manne to interpret a variety of vintage numbers, most of which dated from the 1920s. Such tunes as "I Wanna Be Loved by You," "Runnin' Wild," "Down Among the Sheltering Palms," and "By the Beautiful Sea" are given fairly modern arrangements but still retain the flavor of the 1920s, and it's particularly interesting to hear Gordon and Pepper soloing on these ancient songs. [Some reissues add two alternate takes. ] ~Scott Yanow

Some Like It Hot

---

Joe Sample - Invitation

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1993
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 49:57
Size: 115,0 MB
Art: Front

(3:53)  1. Black Is The Color
(4:57)  2. A House Is Not A Home
(5:07)  3. Come Rain Or Come Shine
(4:22)  4. Invitation
(6:49)  5. Summertime
(5:20)  6. Nica's Dream
(5:01)  7. Stormy Weather
(3:45)  8. Django
(6:12)  9. My One And Only Love
(4:26) 10. Mood Indigo

A luscious outing from piano great Joe Sample, this disc includes beautiful interpretations of ten standards and near standards. Featuring plush orchestral arrangements by Dale Oehler wrapped over and around Sample's piano trio, Invitation is simply one of the loveliest recordings of Sample's career. With a rhythm section made up of bassist Cecil McBee and drummer Victor Lewis, augmented by Lenny Castro on percussion, the music is of a piece from start to finish. Producer Tommy Lipuma has found a wonderful setting for Sample to show his gorgeous, acoustic piano stylings, and the orchestra feels like part of the trio instead of an add-on. When Sample uses synths, they are indistinguishable from the orchestra. Overall, a smooth, romantic, highly recommended recording. ~ Jim Newsom  http://www.allmusic.com/album/invitation-mw0000618430

Personnel: Joe Sample (piano, synthesizers); Cecil McBee (acoustic bass); Victor Lewis (drums); Lenny Castro (percussion). Additional personnel: New York Philharmonic, Metropolitan Opera Orchestra (strings); Joe Mardin, Larry Williams (synthesizer programming).

RIP 
(February 1, 1939 – September 12, 2014)

Invitation

---

Kirk Lightsey - Nights Of Bradley's

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 64:04
Size: 146.7 MB
Styles: Piano jazz
Year: 2004
Art: Front

[ 7:02] 1. I Told You So
[12:01] 2. Speak No Evil
[10:38] 3. A Time For Love
[ 4:20] 4. Giant Steps
[10:51] 5. From Dream To Dream
[13:28] 6. In Your Own Sweet Way
[ 5:41] 7. Oleo

Pianist Kirk Lightsey and bassist Rufus Reid first played together on a regular basis as members of Dexter Gordon's quartet in the 1980s. Their duo session is particularly special due to the tight musical communication between the two players, and the fact that it took place at Bradley's. Open for 25 years in New York and usually featuring piano/bass duos, Bradley's was one of the Big Apple's top after-hours clubs and a place for pianists to play before their peers. Lightsey and Reid (who is showcased on Benny Golson's "From Dream to Dream") explore seven sophisticated compositions, all but Johnny Mandel's "A Time for Love" originating in the jazz world. The two musicians are heard at the top of their game (which two decades later they happily still are) and come up with an endless series of fresh variations, including on Wayne Shorter's haunting "Speak No Evil" and a cooking rendition of "Oleo." ~Scott Yanow

Nights Of Bradley's

---

Frank Foster & George Wallington - Here Comes

Styles: Saxophone And Piano Jazz
Year: 1954
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 68:07
Size: 156,2 MB
Art: Front

(3:55) 1. Little Red
(5:01) 2. How I Spent The Night
(3:49) 3. Blues for Benny
(3:37) 4. Out Of Nowhere
(4:15) 5. Gracias
(3:48) 6. The Heat's On
(4:19) 7. How I Spent The Night (alt. take)
(4:08) 8. Frankie and Johnnie
(4:03) 9. Baby Grand
(3:39) 10. Christina
(3:55) 11. Summertime
(4:01) 12. Festival
(3:51) 13. Bumpkins
(4:06) 14. Frankie and Johnnie (alt. take)
(3:55) 15. Summertime (alt. take)
(3:53) 16. Festival
(3:43) 17. Bumpkins (alt. take)

This double reissue combines saxophonist Frank Foster's first U.S. recording and a session led by pianist George Wallington that took place one week later with Foster sitting in. Recorded for Blue Note in Hackensack, NJ, on May 5, 1954, Here Comes Frank Foster (also issued as New Faces, New Sounds) was only Foster's second album as a leader. His debut album was recorded one month earlier for the Vogue label in Paris, France. Here Comes Frank Foster fits neatly with other albums from the mid-'50s Blue Note catalog. Foster shares the spotlight with trombonist Benny Powell, and the rhythm section of Gildo Mahones, Percy Heath, and Kenny Clarke is superb. On tracks eight through 17, Foster is heard as a member of the George Wallington Showcase band, recorded for Blue Note on May 12, 1954. This solid little organization included James Moody's ace trumpeter Dave Burns, trombonist Jimmy Cleveland, baritone saxophonist Danny Bank, bassist Oscar Pettiford, and, once again, drummer Kenny "Klook" Clarke. Arrangements were scored by Quincy Jones. This straight-ahead hard bop is tasty and stimulating. Use the four alternate takes for a chaser.

Personnel: Tenor Saxophone – Frank Foster; Piano – George Wallington, Gildo Mahones; Baritone Saxophone – Danny Bank; Bass – Oscar Pettiford, Percy Heath; Drums – Kenny Clarke; Flute – Danny Bank; Trombone – Benny Powell , Jimmy Cleveland; Trumpet – Dave Burns

Here Comes

---

David Liebman - Miles Away

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1994
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 55:57
Size: 128,7 MB
Art: Front

(7:01) 1. Code M.D.
(4:48) 2. Wili (For Dave)
(2:59) 3. In a Silent Way
(5:23) 4. 81
(6:33) 5. Fall
(6:09) 6. All Blues
(6:52) 7. Pan Piper
(5:14) 8. Milestones
(4:00) 9. Smooch
(4:23) 10. Solar
(2:30) 11. Boplicity

Dave Liebman, who played with Miles Davis’ group during 1974-1975, pays tribute to the innovative trumpeter throughout this excellent Owl CD. To Liebman’s credit, he does not ignore Davis’ fusion period; in fact, he starts out with the most recent composition (Robert Irving’s “Code M.D.” from 1984) and works his way backwards chronologically. Actually, with Vic Juris often playing rockish guitar and the older tunes being reharmonized, there is a definite unity and freshness to the material. Charles Mingus’ moody ballad “Smooch” comes across as quite contemporary while “Solar” sounds like it could have been written in the 1970s. Liebman’s highly expressive soprano, Juris’ echoey guitar, and pianist Phil Markowitz are the main soloists, but everyone plays quite well; the inclusion of Caris Visentin’s English horn on “Pan Piper” (from Sketches of Spain) is a nice touch. Because this project does not merely copy the past but brings some fresh insight to the material, one suspects that even Miles Davis would have liked the results. By Scott Yanow. AMG. https://whoisthemonk.wordpress.com/2010/11/23/dave-liebman-group-miles-away-1994/

Personnel: David Liebman- (Soprano Sax); Vic Juris(Acoustic Guitar, Electric Guitar); Kent Heckman- (Electric Guitar); Caris Visentin- (English Horn); Phil Markowitz- (Piano, Keyboards); Tony Marino- (Acoustic Bass, Electric Bass); Scott Cutshall (Hand Claps); Jamey Haddad- (Drums, Percussion).

Miles Away

---

Barney Kessel - Modern Jazz Performances from Bizet's Carmen

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 1958
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 43:34
Size: 100,1 MB
Art: Front

(5:51)  1. Swingin' The Toreador
(6:46)  2. Apadon The Edge Of Town
(4:03)  3. If You Dig Me
(5:00)  4. Free As A Bird
(3:15)  5. Viva El Toro!
(5:59)  6. Flowersville
(4:43)  7. Carmen's Cool
(3:58)  8. Like, There's No Place Like...
(3:56)  9. The Gypsy's Hip

This is an unusual set that has been reissued on CD. During an era when many Broadway and movie scores were recorded in jazz settings (thanks in part to the success of Shelly Manne's best-selling My Fair Lady album), guitarist Barney Kessel chose to interpret nine melodies from Bizet's opera Carmen. The guitarist is heard in three different settings: joined by five woodwinds and a rhythm section; with five jazz horns (including altoist Herb Geller and trumpeter Ray Linn) and a trio; and with vibraphonist Victor Feldman in a quintet. Kessel also wrote the arrangements, which pay tribute to the melodies while not being shy of swinging the themes. An interesting if not essential project. ~ Scott Yanow  

http://www.allmusic.com/album/modern-jazz-performances-from-bizets-carmen-mw0000207507

Personnel: Barney Kessel (guitar); Herb Geller (alto saxophone); Justin Gordon (tenor saxophone, flute, alto flute); Chuck Gentry (baritone saxophone); Ray Linn (trumpet); Harry Betts (trombone); Buddy Collette (flute, alto flute, clarinet); Bill Smith (clarinet, bass clarinet); Jules Jacob (clarinet, oboe); Pete Terry (bass clarinet, bassoon); Victor Feldman (vibraphone); Andre Previn (piano); Joe Mondragon (bass); Shelly Manne (drums).

Modern Jazz Performances from Bizet's Carmen

---

Roger Kellaway - The Art Of Interconnectedness

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1997
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 74:43
Size: 171,5 MB
Art: Front

(5:55)  1. You Took Advantage Of Me
(5:02)  2. Lazy 'Sippi Steamer
(7:59)  3. Emily
(8:07)  4. Creole Love Call
(4:01)  5. Sophisticated Lady
(4:17)  6. Remembering You
(6:42)  7. New Orleans
(7:20)  8. Blackwall Tunnel Blues
(5:33)  9. Jorjana
(4:37) 10. When I Grow Too Old To Dream
(7:05) 11. I'm Still In Love With You
(8:00) 12. Un Canto Per la Pace

It took ten years for this excellent concert by pianist Roger Kellaway at New York City's Vineyard Theatre to be issued; but it was worth the wait. Starting with a striding "You Took Advantage of Me," Kellaway captivates his audience. His slow dreamy interpretation of "Emily," a sauntering rhythmic "Creole Love Call," and a melancholy "New Orleans" are among the fine examples of the standards he played for the hushed audience. 

There are also a number of less familiar works that Kellaway plays just as well. Louis Armstrong's "Lazy 'Sippi Steamer Goin' Home" is a joyful masterpiece of stride piano. "Blackwall Tunnel Blues," by trombonist Charles Sonnastine, has a bluesy flavor but isn't actually a blues number. Kellaway features several of his own works, too. The upbeat Latin-flavored "Jorjana" and equally infectious "Un Canto Per La Place" are very attractive, but "Remembering You" is one Kellaway piece that will surely catch the listener's ear; co-written with actor Carroll O'Connor, it was the closing melody heard on each episode of the TV sitcom All in the Family. Believe it or not, the audience doesn't explode with the outburst one would expect for such a recognizable work. 

Highly recommended! ~ Ken Dryden  http://www.allmusic.com/album/art-of-interconnectedness-mw0000042515

Personnel: Roger Kellaway (piano).

The Art Of Interconnectedness

---

Roy Hargrove & The RH Factor - Distractions

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 2006
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 38:04
Size: 88,6 MB
Art: Front

(1:19) 1. Distractions (intro)
(2:23) 2. Crazy Race
(2:22) 3. Kansas City Funk
(4:59) 4. On the One
(5:43) 5. Family
(0:20) 6. Distractions 2
(4:22) 7. A Place
(3:53) 8. Hold On
(4:57) 9. Bullshit
(0:42) 10. Distractions 3
(2:48) 11. Can't Stop
(4:10) 12. Distractions 4

A straight-up hard bop player of often stunning ability, Roy Hargrove (RH) needs to play more than straight-up hard bop, and sometimes he embarks on outside projects like The RH Factor for explorations beyond the jazz repertoire. He performs on trumpet and flugelhorn here, with an experimental laboratory that includes a double rhythm section (bassists Reggie Washington and Lenny Stalworth; drummers Jason "JT Thomas and Willie Jones III), guitarist Todd Parsnow, and three keyboard players (Bobby Sparks, Charles McCambell, Renee Neufville), plus David "Fathead Newman as featured saxophone soloist and neo-funk mystery man D'Angelo guest-starring on "Bull***t.

The set begins with the promise of Hargrove's trumpet quicksilver runs through the opening "Distractions (Intro). Then his hot trumpet bounces through the second tune, "Crazy Race ... but these opening glimmers prepare expectations for greatness that the rest of the music just never reveals. Distractions basically offers two solid pieces: the title track, chaotic yet streamlined modern jazz chopped into four servings as brief as twenty seconds ("Distractions 3 ) and as long as four minutes (the set-ending "4 ); and the track with D'Angelo. The remainder, mainly co-composed by Neufville and featuring her lead vocal, sound like bargain bin Patrice Rushen, limpid music that's not quite jazz or funk.

To be fair, "A Place cops the guitar voicings from Heatwave's classic "Groove Line and scratches them against powerful trumpet blasts; Hargrove opens soft around the edges in a romantic Herb Alpert mood before soaring high and mighty mighty, like Lee Morgan just lettin' it all hang out. Hargrove also finds much inspiration in D'Angelo's bad-ass hip-hop funk groove, singing through his mute just to sound a little edgy, like he was beaming through some magical, time-traveling old-time radio into its thick, rubbery jam. The fact that he further blows his ass off over the blistering groove of "Distractions 4 more than four minutes, thankfully, of steady rockin' instrumental boil almost makes the rest of these Distractions more disappointing. The whip-crack sound of the snare drum, its almost ridiculous, sustained fast tempo, and the monumental energy and fever of Hargrove's trumpet are enough to make you wonder, "Where was this guy for the past half hour?~ CHRIS M. SLAWECKI https://www.allaboutjazz.com/distractions-roy-hargrove-verve-music-group-review-by-chris-m-slawecki

Personnel: Roy Hargrove: trumpet, flugelhorn, vocals; Keith Anderson: saxophone; David "Fathead" Newman: saxophone, flute; Bobby Sparks; organ, Moog, Rhodes, piano, clavinet; Renee Neufville: Wurlitzer, vocals; Charles McCampbell: clavinet, piano, XP80; Todd Parsnow: guitar; Lenny Stalworth: bass; Reggie Washington: bass; Willie Jones III: drums; Jason "JT" Thomas: drums, vocals; D'Angelo: vocals, ASR 10.

Distractions

---

Tia Fuller - Pillar Of Strength

Year: 2005
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 59:50
Size: 137,6 MB
Art: Front

(4:34) 1. Pillar Of Strength
(6:50) 2. New Life
(6:02) 3. Rain Of Patience
(5:26) 4. Bookie-Head
(2:57) 5. Easy Living
(7:15) 6. Golden Lady
(6:09) 7. Sunday Nostalgia
(5:22) 8. In Her Honor
(5:44) 9. My Secret Love
(8:05) 10. Little Big Sis
(1:22) 11. I Surrender All

Saxophonist and flutist Tia Fuller stakes her claim to being one of the finest new musicians on the scene with her exhilarating debut as a leader, Pillar of Strength. Her top-shelf chops on reed and wind instruments are complemented by her formidable skills as a composer and arranger, and she has an excellent band along for the ride. Things jump off at the top with the burning title cut, a Marion Jones sprint, with Fuller playing an alto solo bursting with passion and dexterity. Kim Thompson thunders behind her on drums, Miriam Sullivan's bass pumps the bloodstream, and Miki Hayama comps nimbly on piano. Fuller displays a light, airy touch on soprano on the Afro-Cuban blend "New Life. Sean Jones' well-spaced, eloquent trumpet solo stokes the fire and is followed by another solid Hayama solo. Fuller and Jones bring the song home with a tight trumpet/soprano tandem.

The virtuosity continues as Fuller picks up the flute on her introspective, sultry original "Rain of Patience, her light, beautiful touch supplemented by Sullivan's strong plucked solo. Fuller returns to alto on the groovin' "Bookie-Head, whose fine horn play recalls the kind of Blue Note riffs that formed the backbone of acid jazz. "Easy Living is a soothing bass/alto duet that Sullivan closes with an arco flourish. Hayama's Wonder-esque chords on the Fender Rhodes are the highlight of "Golden Lady. Fuller plays more richly harmonic soprano on "Sunday Nostalgia," sharing more simpatico with Jones' flugelhorn. "In Her Honor, a tribute to Fuller written by Jones, is a straight-ahead jumper with a Latin twist. After Fuller's strong solo the composer takes his own dynamic turn, blowing the song out. "My Secret Love, a slice of romance nicely rendered by the band all around, more than fulfills the standard requirement.

Fuller commits a glorious act of self-destruction on "Little Big Sis by blowing her own tune to smithereens with an absolutely blistering solo. On-point playing by the rhythm section and another high- act by Jones makes this tune the highlight of the disc. Fuller closes the show with a reverent solo soprano on "I Surrender All. It's unfortunate that, in a diminishing jazz market, artists like Tia Fuller and her bandmates must struggle to be heard. Here's to hoping that this refreshing talent breaks through the wall of silence.~ TERRELL KENT HOLMES https://www.allaboutjazz.com/pillar-of-strength-tia-fuller-wambui-review-by-terrell-kent-holmes
wire Personnel: Tia Fuller: alto and soprano saxophones, flute; Sean Jones: trumpet, flugelhorn; Miki Hayama: piano, Fender Rhodes; Miriam Sullivan: acoustic bass; Kim Thompson: drums; Ashton Fuller: drums (9); cowbell, woodblock (2); Daisy Shumake-Taylor: congas (2).

Pillar Of Strength

---

Mulgrew Miller - Live at the Kennedy Center, Vol. 1

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2006
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 55:12
Size: 127,6 MB
Art: Front

( 9:38) 1. If I Should Lose You
(11:46) 2. When I Get There
(10:22) 3. From Day to Day
(12:19) 4. Skylark
(11:05) 5. Relaxin' at Camarillo

The best thing about Live at the Kennedy Center, Volume 1 is that there will be a Volume 2. Mulgrew Miller is a consummate captain of the piano trio and larger ensembles and has released a string of fine recordings on the MaxJazz imprint, including Live At Yoshi's, Volume 1 & Volume 2 and The Sequel. Miller is a large man and a commanding pianist, like Oscar Peterson, and I suspect that he will inherit the mantle that once belonged to Art Tatum.

Live at the Kennedy Center is a Thanksgiving Feast in five courses. Each of the carefully crafted selections clocks in, on average, at eleven minutes plus. That's a lot of music from few pieces, betraying Miller's tendency for fully exploring compositions in live settings. This is jazz studiously examined and freely performed. In 2002, the Kennedy Center inaugurated the KC Jazz Club, an intimate room on the roof of the center. Mulgrew Miller and his trio opened the club with the performance documented on this disc.

All the selections on this performance were arranged by Miller, who proves superb at the task. The majority are taken at a fairly fast clip. "If I Should Lose You is introduced with a highly impressionistic prelude, before breaking out as a 4/4 juggernaut with Rodney Green keeping time on the ride while dropping cymbal and drum bombs left and right in homage a la Tony Williams. Bassist Derrick Hodge stays right on the beat, if not a little ahead, giving the piece the feeling of spinning out of control, save for the centrifugal force of swing. His solo is at once progressive and traditional. Miller's harmonic sense is never taxed, and he spins out chorus after chorus of fresh ideas.

Miller's two original compositions, "When I Get There and "From Day to Day, juxtapose very different styles of writing. "When I Get There is frankly Monkian in tempo and harmony, with a heavy smattering of church and blues. Sections recall the late Gene Harris' impeccable command of the blues. The rhythm section brings the piece off with an orchestral flair. "From Day to Day, a lilting waltz of a certain complexity, is a bit of a different animal. Few traces of Monk here, more Bill Evans and, well, Mulgrew Miller.

The single ballad is a crackerjack. Miller is gentle with Hoagy Carmichael's "Skylark. Hodge and Green are equally gentle, softly propelling the song. Midway through, the band breaks into a brisk 4/4 stride as Miller probes every nook and cranny of the standard. The trio takes the coda, Bird's "Relaxin' at Camarillo, at breakneck speed, as bebop should be. Miller demonstrates his grasp of the genre while remaining fresh and vibrant in his approach. I hope we don't have too long a wait for Volume 2.~ C. MICHAEL BAILEY https://www.allaboutjazz.com/live-at-the-kennedy-center-volume-1-mulgrew-miller-maxjazz-review-by-c-michael-bailey
Personnel: Mulgrew Miller: piano; Derrick Hodge: bass; Rodney Green: drums.

Live at the Kennedy Center, Vol. 1

---

Mulgrew Miller - Live at the Kennedy Center, Vol. 2

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2007
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 63:58
Size: 147,4 MB
Art: Front

( 9:26) 1. Song for Darnell
(12:34) 2. Grew's Tune
(12:41) 3. Farwell to Dogma
(13:05) 4. Old Folks
(16:10) 5. Eleventh Hour

Mulgrew Miller was once opined as being one of the most underrated pianists in jazz, belonging to a middle generation of musicians between the 1950s-'60s masters and the "young lions of the 1990s. Proving patience is a virtue and there is something to be said for simply doing one's job consistently (citing Cal Ripkin, Jr.) Miller is in the midst of making the finest music of his distinguished career. Live at the Kennedy Center Volume 2 completes Miller's inauguration of the KC Jazz Club atop Washington, DC's Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, following Live at the Kennedy Center Volume 1 (MaxJazz, 2006).

Miller's Kennedy Center recordings come on the heels of another two-disc live set Live at Yoshi's Volume 1 (MaxJazz, 2004) and Volume 2 (MaxJazz, 2005) which complement those of Jessica Williams' Live at Yoshi's Volume 1 (MaxJazz, 2004) and Volume 2 (MaxJazz, 2005). All are trio formats that allow the listener to hear Mulgrew Miller as a pianist with a rare command of his instrument.

Volume 2 picks up where Volume 1 leaves off, basically staying in an up-tempo mode and demonstrating Miller's intelligent compositions. Miller mixes things up on "Song for Darnell, beginning in a melodically minimalist manner before transforming into an assertive ballad whose swing coefficient goes off the chart with several 4/4 breaks where Miller plays his piano like a bulldozer leveling a lot. "'Grew's Tune is structured staccato romp that recalls much of the late Gene Harris' playing. Miller's double-stops are fun and exciting, accenting the piece with a drama that extends to Derrick Hodge's bass solo.

"Farewell to Dogma teases the listener with gospel chords and phrasing that draw the expectant listener in, thinking Miller is about to embark on a soul jazz extravaganza. Miller, all the while, is deconstructing that same soul jazz into its individual elements, exploring each with care and completeness: A style palette, if you will. "Eleventh Hour is much the same way. It is five minutes of boogie-blues and the rest proto-hard bop. Mulgrew Miller proves a master at compelling jazz, drawing listeners close and then surprising them. That is the fun of jazz.~C. Michael Baileyhttps://www.allaboutjazz.com/live-at-the-kennedy-center-volume-2-mulgrew-miller-maxjazz-review-by-c-michael-bailey

Personnel: Mulgrew Miller: piano; Derrick Hodge: double bass; Rodney Green: drums.

Live at the Kennedy Center, Vol. 2

---

Deborah Silver - Sunny Side

Styles: Vocal
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 15:51
Size: 36,7 MB
Art: Front

(3:59) 1. You're Nobody 'Til Somebody Loves You
(3:02) 2. Straighten Up and Fly Right
(2:31) 3. Almost Like Being in Love (Acoustic Version)
(2:52) 4. On the Sunny Side of the Street
(3:25) 5. I Got Rhythm

Mississippi born vocalist, Deborah Silver is back to follow up her chart-topping album, Glitter & Grits, with her new EP, Sunny Side, which delivers thrilling versions of some of jazz’s greatest standards including ‘You’re Nobody ‘Till Somebody Loves You,’ ‘Straighten Up and Fly Right,’ ‘Almost Like Being in Love,’ ‘On the Sunny Side of the Street,’ and ‘I Got Rhythm.’ Sunny Side (produced by Steve Tyrell & Ray Benson, who also produced Glitter & Grits, featuring musicians from his 10x GRAMMY award-winning band, Asleep at the Wheel) includes duets with Bill Medley (Righteous Brothers), Ann Hampton Callaway (TONY nominated Jazz diva) and American Idol finalist Casey Abrams (Postmodern Jukebox). There’s no doubt that Deborah’s wide appeal lies in her ability to reinterpret classics and combine genres to create exciting fresh takes on some of Jazz’s most loved songs. https://newworldnjazz.com/deborah-silver-sunny-side-ntl-records/

Sunny Side

---

Johnny Griffin, Eddie 'Lockjaw' Davis - Pisces

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1962
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 50:17
Size: 116,8 MB
Art: Front

(4:13)  1. Pisces
(4:36)  2. Midnight Sun
(4:32)  3. Willow Weep For Me
(3:44)  4. Bewitched, Bothered And Bewildered
(3:33)  5. What Is There To Say?
(4:32)  6. She's Funny That Way
(4:16)  7. Yesterdays
(4:09)  8. Sophisticated Lady
(4:46)  9. Willow Weep For Me (alternate)
(4:14) 10. She's Funny That Way (alternate)
(4:06) 11. Sophisticated Lady (alternate)
(3:31) 12. What Is There To Say (alternate)

The early '60s was a golden age for tenor tandems. Towering team-ups like Gene Ammons and Sonny Stitt, Zoot Sims and Al Cohn, and Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis and Johnny Griffin were illustrative of the Zeitgeist. Such a simple formula, joining the talents of two titans on that most popular of jazz horns, but it's one that consistently yielded both artistic and financial profit. For a time the partnership of Davis and Griffin stood at the front of the pack. The 1962 recording Pisces is unique in discography of Davis and Griffin for several reasons. Firstly, though the saxophonists share billing on the traycard as well as the same rhythm section, none of the tracks feature the pair together. Secondly, the set list is comprised almost completely of ballads. The only exception arises in the Griffin-penned title waltz that ambles along at a medium tempo. Thirdly, and perhaps most surprisingly, the tape reel sat sequestered on a shelf for the better part of forty years. The chosen schematic removes the possibility of sparks striking between the two men, but each is so versed at fronting an ensemble that it's worth paying attention to his interplay with the Parlan-led rhythm team that also employs supple bass of Buddy Catlett and the always ecumenical drumming of Art Taylor. 

Aside from Griffin's jovial opener the remaining cuts predictably draw from the jazz standard songbook. For some inexplicable reason Davis is saddled with Parlan's decision to play celeste on his featured tracks and the cloying wind chime tonalities of the instrument quickly pall. Even Catlett and Taylor sound a bit stultified by the situation. Luckily the robust purr of Davis' horn acts as an effective antidote, gliding eloquently through choruses and offering a salty tang to the otherwise saccharine surroundings. Parlan's piano work is a different story, nimble and elegant and dulcetly supportive of Griff's mellifluous lines, particularly on pieces like the positively intoxicating reading of "Willow Weep For Me." Adding measurably to an already valuable trove are four alternate takes (three by Griff and one by Jaws) that bolster the running time to just over fifty fulsome minutes. According the liner notes, the pair cut the date at a New York studio and interest swiftly waned toward the results. Davis' topflight session at Rudy Van Gelder's taped two days earlier with the same rhythm section and conguero Willie Bobo added (released as Goin' to the Meeting ) may have also swayed opinions against releasing the material. Today's vantage point makes room for a different appraisal. Davis' catalog is now a finite commodity, making virtually any "new" work worth scrutiny. Griffin continues to record, but again anything of antique vintage unearthed in his oeuvre is cause for collectors and casual fans to take notice. Despite a minor complaint or two, this collection is certainly that, and one that any fan of either man should waste no time in checking it out. ~ Derek Taylor https://www.allaboutjazz.com/pisces-johnny-griffin-riverside-review-by-derek-taylor.php

Personnel: Johnny Griffin- tenor saxophone; Eddie 'Lockjaw' Davis- tenor saxophone; Horace Parlan- piano, celeste; Buddy Catlett- bass; Arthur Taylor- drums.

Pisces

---