Massimo Farao,' Francesca Tandoi - La musica di Franco Califano

Styles: Vocal And Piano Jazz
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 37:30
Size: 86,4 MB
Art: Front

(6:40) 1. Un Tempo Piccolo
(4:05) 2. Tutto Il Resto E' Noia
(4:51) 3. Semo Gente Di Borgata
(5:02) 4. La Mia Liberta'
(3:30) 5. Io Me Mbriaco
(4:45) 6. L'Ultimo Amico Va Via
(3:56) 7. Tac
(4:38) 8. La Vacanza Di Fine Settimana

MASSIMO FARAO'"The blackest of Italian pianists" was born May 16th, 1965, in Genoa. He studied piano with Maestro Flavio Crivelli and began his career collaborating with musicians from the Genoa Area, especially with the bassist Piero Leveratto. In 1993 he was invited for the first time in the USA. He plays with Red Holloway and Albert "Tootie" Heath on a tour on the West Coast. In the same year he founded "We love Jazz" Workshop, now become one of the biggest events in Europe for jazz teaching.

In 1994 he was hired by "Monad Records" in New York and back in the United States as pianoplayer and music director of Shawnn Monteiro's band, with Keter Betts and Bobby Durham. He has played in several european tours with the Nat Adderley Quintet, composed by Antonio Hart, Walter Booker and Jimmy Cobb. In 2001 he joined the Archie Shepp's "Just in Time" Quartet with Wayne Dockery and Bobby Durham. Since 2001 he is the artistic director for the jazz division of AZZURRA MUSIC label. In 2003 he played at "Jazz Piano Festival" in Lucerne.

In November 2004 he played in Japan, where his albums have become bestsellers. He played in Italy, France, Germany, Corsica, Switzerland, Hungary, Austria, USA, Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Finland, Dubai, Luxembourg, Spain, Japan, Yugoslavia,Canada. From 2014 he recorded 12 cd for Venus Records the famous japanese jazz label. He has recorded more than 2 hundred Cds with many Italian and foreign musicians.More.. https://www.massimofarao.com/massimofarao1

Personnel: Massimo Farao - piano; Francesca Tandoi - vocals; Davide Palladin - guitar; Cesare Mecca - trumpet; Nicola Barbon - bass; Bobo Facchinetti - drums

La musica di Franco Califano

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Pat Martino & Gil Goldstein - We Are Together Again

Styles: Guitar And Piano Jazz
Year: 2013
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 57:55
Size: 133,0 MB
Art: Front

(7:13) 1. Body and Soul
(7:02) 2. Before You Ask
(5:31) 3. Footprints
(4:46) 4. In a Sentimental Mood
(4:28) 5. City Lights
(7:40) 6. Round Midnight
(6:21) 7. Pompy
(5:12) 8. Portrait
(9:38) 9. Peace

An all-time favorite of guitar players and Martino fans, We’ll Be Together Again has finally been reissued on CD by Joel Dorn’s 32 Jazz, which last year obtained the entire catalog of Muse Records. An intimate duet with pianist Gil Goldstein from a 1976 Muse session, it highlights the guitarist at the peak of his interpretive powers just a few years before the life-threatening aneurism and follow-up brain surgery that would sideline him through the ’80s.

In the context of mostly ballads and backed only by the sparse, sustained chords of Golstein’s atmospheric Fender Rhodes electric piano, Martino speaks eloquently and gracefully, plumbing the depths of emotion in a song’s lyric while occasionally leaping into double-time flurries of those signature breathtaking lines that he spins with such ease.~ By Bill Milkowskihttps://jazztimes.com/archives/pat-martino-well-be-together-again/

Personnel: Guitar – Pat Martino; Piano, Electric Piano – Gil Goldstein

We Are Together Again

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Matthew Shipp - I've Been To Many Places

Size: 137,6 MB
Time: 58:44
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2014
Styles: Jazz: Piano, Modern Jazz
Art: Front

01. I've Been To Many Places (5:21)
02. Summertime (4:32)
03. Brain Stem Grammer (3:58)
04. Pre Formal (1:57)
05. Web Play (3:31)
06. Tenderly (2:56)
07. Life Cycle (4:23)
08. Brain Shatter (3:48)
09. Symbolic Access (3:51)
10. Waltz (2:00)
11. Reflex (3:15)
12. Naima (4:18)
13. Where Is The Love (1:26)
14. Light Years (3:13)
15. Where Is The Love (Reprise) (2:28)
16. Blue Astral Bodies (3:37)
17. Cosmic Wave (4:03)

But is it Jazz? That question gets lobbed at pianist Matthew Shipp's music all the time. Perhaps, "propelled" or "launched" are better terms. His approach to music, whether working with saxophonists David S. Ware and Ivo Perelman or with DJs, is to play authentic music, that which is a bona fide representation of his nature, or better yet his soul. This solo offering, I've Been To Many Places delves deep into that spirit and does (depending on where you stand) nothing, or everything to resolve the question, "is it jazz?"

Shipp is (has been) a lightning rod for neocon reaction to his music. Maybe it's their defining jazz music by a certain set a parameters that actually limits the creativity. Same criticisms were once tossed at Thelonious Monk, Cecil Taylor, and Keith Jarrett. Shipp's music is original, intriguing, and always outré. He reveals his genetic code with original music and covers of John Coltrane's "Naima" and George Gershwin's "Summertime," plus the pop tunes "Where Is The Love" (from the 1970s) and "Tenderly" (1946). Heard here, the pianist reconfigures sound like writer Colson Whitehead reimagines the zombie apocalypse.

In a solitary setting, Shipp lays out the architectonics of his music and the standards are a guide. "Summertime" opens with the familiar, before flowering into a thunderous open- ended expedition. Same for "Naima," which is reimagined as Béla Bartók might have. Shipp lays these out as guides so that when he conjures his original pieces like "Symbolic Access" and "Reflex," the language doesn't change, just the listener's familiarity with the composition. He plays "Waltz" like Bill Evans' "Waltz For Debby" as comfort food for the ears, a familiar road that also leads into his personal forest. The careful mix of recognizable with the original can draw the new listener in, like his soulful take on Roberta Flack's hit "Where Is The Love." But it's the unique pieces that bring everything into perspective. The pianist's piano language is pioneering, unconventional, and well, isn't that a working definition of jazz? ~Mark Corroto

I've Been To Many Places

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Ted Heath - Fever!

Styles:  Big Band, Swing 
Year: 1965
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 36:41
Size: 84,4 MB
Art: Front

(3:30)  1. Fever
(2:26)  2. More
(4:18)  3. Hello, Dolly!
(2:29)  4. Theme from 'A Summer Place'
(2:49)  5. Never on Sunday (Jamais le Dimanche)
(3:02)  6. Wives and Lovers
(2:34)  7. Mack the Knife
(2:22)  8. Moon River
(3:31)  9. Misty
(2:46) 10. The Girl from Ipanema
(3:31) 11. People
(3:16) 12. Fly Me to the Moon

Bert Ambrose and Nat Gonella notwithstanding, arguably the finest band to come out of England was led byTed Heath. He was almost as well known in the United States as he was in the United Kingdom. He started coming to the US in 1956 as he and Stan Kenton arranged an exchange to satisfy union requirements of both countries. The band's popularity was sustained and enhanced through personal appearances and their many recordings beginning in 1944 and running through to 1977 when the band was under the leadership of Don Lusher. Although heavily influenced by Kenton, Heath managed to avoid his excesses, while at the same time his arrangements were bright and upbeat as the band featured blaring brass work. Heath made two basic types of albums tribute albums, such as the one for Glenn Miller, and those he called "my music," which were distinctively his own. This CD was in the latter category and comes toward the end of his involvement in the band while suffering heart problems in the late 1960's. He was always able to attract top flight musicians and this group was no exception. Long time Heath trumpet player Bert Ezard, sax players Ronnie Chamberlain and Bob Efford (who was to work with Benny Goodman and Marty Paich), and drummer Kenny Clare. Most of the tunes on this album were favored by vocalists, such as "Fever" by Peggy Lee, "Mack the Knife" by Louis Armstrong and Bobby Darin, and even "Moon River," Andy Williams's big hit. But these singers would have a hard time keeping up with fast tempos of the band. Excellent playing, tight arrangement, and sound dynamics, this album is part of the large portfolio of big band music that is Heath's legacy. ~ Dave Nathan http://www.allmusic.com/album/fever-mw0000190181

Fever!

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Stockholm Swing All Stars - Stockholm Swing All Stars Dance ! !

Styles: Swing
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 62:08
Size: 144,5 MB
Art: Front

(2:56) 1. Moten Swing
(3:58) 2. Don’t Get Around Much Anymore
(2:41) 3. Shirley Steps Out
(4:41) 4. Wings and Things
(3:28) 5. Dans på distans
(2:30) 6. I Owe You Buster
(3:33) 7. Mr. Sven
(3:35) 8. Sideways
(2:31) 9. The Sky Fell Down
(2:54) 10. Such Sweet Thunder
(3:48) 11. I Can't Give You Anything but Love
(2:33) 12. Knock Out
(3:02) 13. A Pound Of Blues
(3:23) 14. Way Back Blues
(3:51) 15. Segue In C
(6:08) 16. The Preacher
(3:14) 17. After Hours
(3:13) 18. Night Train

The idea was to form a band featuring the top jazz and swing players in Stockholm. The four horn players in the front line play an important role in the band. With cleverly written arrangements, mostly by Klas Lindquist and Fredrik Lindborg, the band can play softly like a small group and seconds later explode in a big band fortissimo. The rhythm section gives the band a bouncing ground for the solos and ensembles.

The members of the Stockholm Swing All Stars are considered among the best in their field in Sweden. The band plays swing and jazz music suitable both for concerts and for dancing. They often play at lindy hop and other dance events as well as in concert halls. Scandinavia, and sell out the Stockholm Concert Hall and the Gothenburg Concert Hall regularly. https://www.stockholmswingallstars.com/about/

Personnel: Karl Olandersson – trumpet and vocals; Klas Lindquist –reeds ; Fredrik Lindborg – reeds ; Dicken Hedrenius – trombone; Daniel Tilling – piano; Göran Lind – double Bass; Mattias Puttonen – drums

Stockholm Swing All Stars Dance!

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Mary J. Blige - No More Drama

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2002
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 77:15
Size: 182,3 MB
Art: Front

(2:46) 1. Love
(4:25) 2. Family Affair
(4:27) 3. Steal Away
(5:37) 4. He Think I Don't Know
(4:51) 5. P.M.S.
(5:26) 6. No More Drama
(4:36) 7. Rainy Dayz [feat. Ja Rule]
(4:33) 8. Where I've Been [feat. Eve]
(3:34) 9. Beautiful Day
(3:24) 10. Dance for Me [feat. Common]
(4:05) 11. No More Drama (P. Diddy/Mario Winans Remix) [feat. P. Diddy]
(4:59) 12. Flying Away
(4:03) 13. Never Been
(4:45) 14. 2U
(4:14) 15. In the Meantime
(1:41) 16. Forever No More - Poem
(5:00) 17. Testimony
(4:41) 18. Girl from Yesterday

Mary J. Blige has come a long way since 1992's breakthrough, What's the 411?, and that's made very clear on this solid disc. The singer/songwriter has blossomed into an all-out R&B diva with a hip-hop edge full of soul and command. Her songs on this recording exude the wisdom of a woman who's seen it all and has found her center. The woman's voice is truly inimitable. It's husky, strong, soulful, and full of maturity. She can still flow like no one's business, too; just check out the bouncy album opener "Love."

While love is a common theme, No More Drama is essentially a personal journey through evolution and spirituality. The final cut, "Testimony," best summarizes the album's theme: finding what's real in life. For Blige, that's self-love and God. Blige has a killer instinct for penning lyrics that people can relate to and creating gritty, thick, and soul-infused R&B fare. Her music is more than heard. It is felt, and audiences would be hard-pressed to not surrender to her groove. [No More Drama was re-released in early 2002 with a handful of different tracks.]~Liana Jones https://www.allmusic.com/album/no-more-drama-mw0000658167

No More Drama

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Franco Ambrosetti - Close Encounter

Styles: Flugelhorn,Trumpet Jazz
Year: 2014
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 43:20
Size: 100,4 MB
Art: Front

( 8:29) 1. Close Encounter
( 5:46) 2. Napoleon Blown Apart
( 8:21) 3. Sad Story Of A Photographer
(14:36) 4. Morning Song Of A Spring Flower
( 6:07) 5. Rumba Orgiastica

Franco Ambrosetti's debut for Enja (his previous releases were all for Italian labels) finds the talented cool-toned flugelhornist holding his own with the notable sidemen (Bennie Wallace on tenor and soprano, pianist George Gruntz, bassist Mike Richmond and drummer Bob Moses). The sometimes episodic repertoire (two Ambrosetti originals and one apiece by his father Flavio, Gruntz and Kuhn) is quite obscure and generally hard bop-oriented. Everyone plays well on this lesser-known but enjoyable effort.~Scott Yanowhttps://www.allmusic.com/album/close-encounter-mw0000906992

Personnel: Franco Ambrosetti – flugelhorn, trumpet; Bennie Wallace – tenor saxophone; George Gruntz – piano; Mike Richmond – bass; Bob Moses – drums

Close Encounter

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Bobby Scott - Scott Free

Styles: Piano, Vibraphone Jazz
Year: 1955
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 43:37
Size: 100,1 MB
Art: Front

(3:31) 1. Two Toes
(2:45) 2. What's New
(4:53) 3. Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea
(3:07) 4. Summer Night
(4:16) 5. Over the Rainbow
(3:05) 6. Squaw Rock
(4:14) 7. Potatoe Zalud
(4:17) 8. These Foolish Things
(3:49) 9. Milt Shake
(6:06) 10. Skyline
(3:30) 11. Richard the Lion Hearted

Robert William Scott (January 29, 1937 – November 5, 1990) was an American musician, record producer, and songwriter. Scott was born in Mount Pleasant, New York, United States, and became a pianist, vibraphonist, and singer, and could also play the accordion, cello, clarinet, and double bass. He studied under Edvard Moritz at the La Follette School of Music at the age of eight, and was working professionally at 11. In 1952, he began touring with Louis Prima, and also toured and performed with Gene Krupa, Lester Young, and Tony Scott in the 1950s. In 1956 he hit the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 with the song "Chain Gang", peaking at number 13. (This was not the same song as the 1960 pop hit "Chain Gang" by American singer/songwriter Sam Cooke.) It sold over one million copies, and was awarded a gold disc.

As a bandleader, he did sessions for Verve, ABC-Paramount, Bethlehem, and Musicmasters. As a songwriter, he won a Grammy Award for Best Instrumental Composition for the song "A Taste of Honey". In addition to "A Taste of Honey", Scott also co-wrote the song "He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother". In the 1960s he became a music teacher and studied again under Moritz, but occasionally recorded as well, including a Nat King Cole tribute album released in the 1980s. He also composed film soundtracks, including the scores to Slaves (1969), Joe (1970), and Who Says I Can't Ride a Rainbow! (1971). During the 1980s he composed music for classical guitar, harp, and piano. He also arranged for jazz and easy listening musicians such as Les and Larry Elgart. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bobby_Scott_(musician)

Personnel: Bobby Scott (p, vib), Whitey Mitchell, Jim Corbett, Nabil 'Knobby' Totah (b), Will Bradley Jr., Al Levitt (d)

Scott Free

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Maureen Budway - Sweet Candor

Size: 147,3 MB
Time: 63:08
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2015
Styles: Jazz Vocals
Art: Front

01. I'll Close My Eyes (5:58)
02. Sweet Lover No More (4:12)
03. Del Sasser (5:11)
04. Trav'lin' Light (5:22)
05. The House I Live In (4:38)
06. White Cliffs Of Dover (3:40)
07. Hard Times Come Again No More (3:51)
08. Say It With Firecrackers Song Of Freedom (4:46)
09. Gershwin Medley (How Long Has This Been Going On, Fascinating Rhythm, Someone To Watch Over Me, The Man I Love) (9:00)
10. Spring Is Here (6:26)
11. Aquas De Março (5:25)
12. Lonely Cane (4:33)

Maureen Budway's Sweet Candor is a masterclass in style and elegance.

A former editor once gave me some sage advice about interjecting too much personal opinion unless there was some relevance to the release. Sweet Candor is the first release from Budway and sadly the last as this lyrical warrior lost her twenty year fight with cancer. I too am fighting cancer but this is not a sad occasion as Budway delivers an exemplary performance moving effortlessly through a variety of genres with a range most singers can only hope they achieve.

Budway passed on January 27, 2015 and Sweet Candor was delivered to their families on Christmas Eve. Powerful and the personification of true passion on a shiny silver disc her critically acclaimed brother David Budway joins her on piano. The best releases result in reviews that write themselves and Sweet Candor is no exception. The eclectic diversity includes the David Frishberg tune "Sweet Lover No More" featuring Sean Jones on trumpet and "Aquas De Marco" from Antonio Carlos Jobim. The Rogers and Hart classic "Spring Is Here" takes wings as this harmonic chameleon weaves a melodic spell that is captivating.

This is not a release you review but a release that you savor, embrace and cherish. A reminder of the joy of making music and the reality that life while fleeting is indeed a gift. This is Maureen's lasting gift and she will never be forgotten.

Sweet Candor

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Sadao Watanabe - Jazz & Bossa: Live At Suntory Hall

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 67:10
Size: 154,8 MB
Art: Front

(4:38) 1. Laura
(4:24) 2. Beautiful Love
(5:19) 3. In The We Snall of the Morning
(5:55) 4. Stallon Moments
(5:19) 5. Echo
(5:02) 6. Carnaval Morning
(5:42) 7. Prelude Samba
(4:59) 8. Butterfly
(4:46) 9. Talk To The Moon
(4:31) 10. I Love To Say Your Name
(5:35) 11. Water Colors
(5:09) 12. Manhattan Paulista
(2:40) 13. Flowers Blom
(3:04) 14. Carinhozo

One of the most well-known Japanese jazz musicians of his generation, Sadao Watanabe is an adept, bop-influenced saxophonist with a deep love of Brazilian bossa nova. Watanabe initially gained global fame in the 1960s with Bossa Nova Concert and Sadao Meets Brazilian Friends, showcasing his warm tone and lyrical, swinging sound. His subsequent recordings, highlighted by 1974's Round Trip, 1984's Rendezvous, and 1999's Remembrance, found him traversing such varied styles as funk, fusion, and crossover pop. Since the 2000s, Watanabe has focused largely on acoustic post-bop, Brazilian traditions, and straight-ahead jazz, as on the 2017 orchestral concert album Encore!

Born in 1933 in Utsunomiya, Japan, he grew up in a musical family and initially played clarinet in high school, a choice purportedly inspired by seeing Bing Crosby play the instrument in 1941's Birth of the Blues. However, Watanabe soon picked up the alto saxophone after discovering the bebop recordings of Charlie Parker. Upon graduating high school, he relocated to Tokyo, where he gained his first professional experience playing with dance bands. In 1953, he joined pianist Toshiko Akiyoshi's group, ultimately taking over the ensemble after Akiyoshi moved to the United States. Watanabe eventually followed suit, attending Berklee College of Music in Boston from 1962-1965. While at Berklee, he broadened his stylistic scope, investigating Brazilian music and performing with luminaries like Chico Hamilton, Gary McFarland, and others. It was also during this period that he made his recorded debut, appearing on a handful of albums including a 1961 self-titled album and 1965 follow-up, Sadao Watanabe Plays.

Moving back to Japan in 1965, Watanabe split his time between teaching and performing, appearing on 1966's Going Home: A Modern Jazz Album and joining fellow saxophonist Charlie Mariano on 1967's Iberian Waltz. He also displayed his love of Brazilian traditions on a steady stream of bossa nova-steeped albums, including 1967's Bossa Nova Concert and 1968's Sadao Meets Brazilian Friends. He also began appearing more regularly around the world, including a high-profile appearance at the 1970 Newport Jazz Festival, and developed into a highly regarded, world-renowned jazz performer. Watanabe's albums during these years reflected his eclectic musical taste and found him moving from straight-ahead dates like 1976's I'm Old Fashioned to expansive Brazilian fusion sessions such as 1977's Autumn Blow, and even breezy crossover pop affairs like 1979's Morning Island.

The '80s were also a fruitful time for Watanabe, who toured heavily, making numerous festival appearances. As a recording artist, he continued to embrace a crossover, funk, and R&B-influenced sound on albums like 1981's Orange Express, 1984's Rendezvous, and 1985's Maisha. That said, he never gave up his love of Brazilian music, as evidenced by his 1990 collaboration with singer/songwriter Toquinho, Made in Coracao. More successful pop-influenced albums followed with 1991's Sweet Deal and 1994's Earth Step. While the saxophonist certainly enjoyed mainstream appeal, he always remained indebted to his bebop roots, and peppered his discography with acoustic jazz dates like 1997's Go Straight Ahead 'n Make a Left and 1999's Remembrance, both on Verve.

As Watanabe entered his fifth decade as a recording artist, he continued to balance his time between exploring his love of bossa nova and his longstanding dedication to acoustic bop-influenced jazz on such albums as 2003's Wheel of Life. In 2006, he reunited with saxophonist Charlie Mariano for Sadao & Charlie, followed by 2007's Basie's at Night. Two years later, he joined pianist Gerald Clayton for Into Tomorrow and once again returned to gorgeously rendered Brazilian jazz for both 2011's Come Today and 2013's Outra Vez. The intimate and urbane Naturally appeared in 2015. In 2017, he delivered the orchestral-tinged live album Encore! Recorded at Tokyo's Bunkamura Orchard Hall, the album featured appearances by Dave Grusin, Robben Ford, and others. Also that year, Watanabe released the studio album Re-Bop, which he revisited in 2018 with the companion live album, Re-Bop the Night. Another concert album, Sadao 2019: Live at Blue Note Tokyo, arrived in 2019 and showcased his group with bassist John Patitucci, pianist Russell Ferrante, and drummer Steve Gadd.~Matt Collarhttps://www.allmusic.com/artist/sadao-watanabe-mn0000282544/biography

Personnel: Sadao Watanabe(as), Masaki Hayashi(p), Kiichiro Komobuchi(b), Ittetsu Takemura(ds), Marcelo Kimura(g), Takayuki Oshikane Strings (strings section)

Jazz & Bossa Live At Suntory Hall

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Pyeng Threadgill - Sweet Home: The Music of Robert Johnson

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2004
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 50:36
Size: 116,2 MB
Art: Front

(4:36) 1. Love in Vain Blues
(3:34) 2. Phonograph Blues
(3:55) 3. Last Fair Deal Gone Down
(4:06) 4. Milk Cow's Calf Blues
(3:23) 5. When You Got a Good Friend
(3:10) 6. I Believe I'll Dust My Broom
(6:08) 7. Dead Shrimp
(3:09) 8. They're Red Hot
(3:47) 9. Sweet Home Chicago
(9:10) 10. Come On In My Kitchen
(5:33) 11. Ramblin' On My Mind

Singer and arranger Pyeng Threadgill is the daughter of composer, bandleader, and multi-instrumentalist Henry Threadgill and choreographer/dancer Christina Jones, a founding member of the celebrated Urban Bushwomen. Sweet Home offers 11 Robert Johnson tunes in 11 different settings. While more cynical punters and blues purists (ugh) may sigh or wring their hands at such a notion, everyone else can take delight in Threadgill's considerable accomplishment. Unlike mere revivalists like Eric Clapton or Peter Green, Threadgill hears and interprets Johnson's blues as music not of, but for the ages.

Certainly she has models here, most notably Cassandra Wilson and Olu Dara, but Threadgill's take on these tunes doesn't attempt to remake them in her image, so much their own. Sweet Home's selections are radical. They take Johnson's songs and strips them of the interpetive, anachronistic baggage that has all but killed the spooky and hedonistic majesty of the originals at the hands of well-meaning but woefully rigid performers.

First there's the edgy, swinging jazz read of "Love in Vain," followed by the lean, ragged funk of "Phonograph Blues." The swampy acoustic guitar-and-brass blues of "Milk Cow Calf's Blues" is a nod to earlier times, but feels more like it's being performed in busker style on the lawn of Thompkins Square Park. The lone cello accompaniment (played elegantly by Dana Leong) on "If You've Got a Good Friend" evokes the dignified spirit, if not the timbre, of Nina Simone's ghost, and the jazzed-out, near scatted take on "Dust My Broom," where Threadgill is accompanied only by a double bass and a trap kit, offers the startling--and sometimes hair-raisin-- originality of her approach.

Likewise the tension between second-line New Orleans rhythms at the heart of "Sweet Home Chicago," where jagged jazz-rock guitar fills are held expertly in the tense grain of Threadgill's voice is jarring, perhaps, but far from unwelcome. She croons, swoons, shouts, growls, whoops, and moans to get these blues across proving in the process that in the current era, these tunes that are enduring to be sure, but they continue to hold a cryptic mystique; they are still alluring because they can be articulated in so many different contexts and retain their seductive power and jagged grace. Threadgill's recorded debut is an auspicious one. She paints her blues shiny black and pushes them headlong into a future where tradition and history are processes of evolution, not quaint curiosities.~Thom Jurek https://www.allmusic.com/album/sweet-home-pyeng-threadgill-sings-robert-johnson-mw0000330351

Personnel: Vocals – Pyeng Threadgill; Bass Guitar – Dana Leong; Clarinet – Dimitri Moderbacher; Drums – Qasim Natvi; Guitar – Ryan Scott ; Piano – Davey Pierce; Trumpet – Kevin Louis

Sweet Home: The Music of Robert Johnson

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Kazumasa Akiyama - Beyond The Door

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 2021
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 39:59
Size: 102,4 MB
Art: Front

(0:42) 1. Mi's Song
(7:44) 2. Central Park
(4:41) 3. Too Far Away
(4:37) 4. Paradise in Mirage
(5:23) 5. Dear Father Of My Sweet Memories
(5:55) 6. Jealous Nephew
(3:55) 7. Nova
(6:58) 8. Capricorn Knight

Kazumasa Akiyama (Born 1955 in Tokyo Prefecture ) is a Japanese fusion and jazz musician (guitar).

Kazumasa Akiyama played in the Tokyo jazz scene from the 1970s, e.g. with the Isao Suzuki sextet, with whom the first recordings were made; he was also involved in recordings by Mikio Masuda , Noriko Miyamoto and Yasuaki Shimzu . In 1978 he recorded his debut album Dig My Style (Flying Dog) with Yasuaki Shimizu , Mikio Masuda, Masanori Sasaji , Kazuya Sugimoto , Hideo Yamaki and Tatsuji Yokoyama ; This was followed in 1979 by the fusion production Beyond the Door , which starred Masanori Sasaji, Motohiko Hamase , Akira Doi, Noriko Miyamoto and singer Jimmy Satoshi Murakawa .

In the 1980s and 1990s, Akiyama worked e.g. still with Yasuko Agawa , Tatsuya Nakamura , Tsuyoshi Yamamoto , Chin Suzuki , Mari Nakamoto , Chie Ayado and the Kosuke Mine Quintet. The discographer Tom Lord lists him in the field of jazz/fusion between 1976 and 1998 with 21 recording sessions. [1] He also worked as a studio musician on a number of recordings, such as Noriko Miyamoto and Lisa Ono . In later years he played a.o. in quartet with Hikari Ichihara , Koichi Inoue andNori Shiota and in Hironori Suzuki's sextet (including Shota Watanabe ); he also published the albums Quiet Storm (2005) and Dr.Rain(2008)before.https://de-m-wikipedia-org.translate.goog/wiki/Kazumasa_Akiyama?_x_tr_sl=de&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en&_x_tr_pto=sc

Beyond The Door

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Jesse Davis - As We Speak

Styles: Saxophone Jazz 
Year: 1992
Time: 65:47
Size: 105,5 MB
Art: Front

(5:40)  1. Wake-Up Call
(6:55)  2. You are Too Beautiful
(6:50)  3. As We Speak
(4:44)  4. Quasimodo
(8:17)  5. Dear Druann
(7:59)  6. 'Tudes
(7:25)  7. Hipnotism
(6:14)  8. Lush Life
(6:04)  9. Recession Blues
(5:33) 10. I know that You Know

This is a good straight-ahead session that comprises the second album by alto saxophonist Jesse Davis, who hasn't gotten as much ink as many other young lion players. The menu features pre-rock and bop anthems, plus hard bop originals keyed by Davis' aggressive, often soothing solos and fine assistance from trombonist Robin Trowers, pianist Jacky Terrasson, guitarist Peter Bernstein, bassist Dwayne Burno, and drummer Leon Parker. ~ Ron Wynn https://www.allmusic.com/album/as-we-speak-mw0000614344

Personnel: Alto Saxophone – Jesse Davis;  Bass – Dwayne Burno; Drums – Leon Parker; Guitar – Peter Bernstein; Piano – Jacky Terrasson; Trombone – Robert Trowers

As We Speak

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Stockholm Swing All Stars - Play The Blues And Go

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 48:24
Size: 110.8 MB
Styles: Swing
Year: 2016
Art: Front

[5:15] 1. Play The Blues And Go
[4:19] 2. Doodlin'
[3:56] 3. I Found A New Baby
[4:28] 4. Dream Of You
[5:06] 5. Limbo Jazz
[5:22] 6. Sophisticated Lady
[2:57] 7. Bernie's Tune
[4:05] 8. Four Brothers
[5:22] 9. Blues In Bluprint
[3:46] 10. Buster Royal
[3:44] 11. Discontented

Karl Olandersson – trumpet and vocals; Klas Lindquist – reeds; Fredrik Lindborg – reeds; Magnus Wiklund – trombone; Daniel Tilling – piano; Göran Lind – double Bass; Mattias Puttonen – drums.

The idea was to form a band with top jazz and swing players in Stockholm. The four horn players in the front line play a important role in the band. With cleverly written arrangements, mostly by Klas Lindquist and Fredrik Lindborg, the band can play softly as a small group and seconds later explode in a big band fortissimo. The rhythm section gives the band a bouncing ground where solos and ensemble playing become a joy. The members of the Stockholm Swing All Stars are considered as the best in its field in Sweden. The Stockholm Swing All Stars play swing and jazz music suitable both for concerts and for dancing. The band often plays at lindy hop and other dance events as well as in concert halls around Europe.

Play The Blues And Go

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Casey MacGill & The Spirits Of Rhythm - Jump

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 37:02
Size: 84.8 MB
Styles: Big band, Swing
Year: 1999
Art: Front

[5:03] 1. Swing Brother Swing
[2:47] 2. Rhythm
[3:25] 3. Late Night Swing
[4:35] 4. Undecided
[4:55] 5. Love Ain't Nothin' But The Blues
[3:17] 6. Whatdaya Want
[3:17] 7. I'm Gonna Love You Tonight
[2:30] 8. Git It (In The Groove)
[3:39] 9. It Happened One Night
[3:28] 10. Jump Up

Casey MacGill writes and performs music that swings. A classic Hollywood character in appearance and style, MacGill plays boogie-woogie, swing, and stride piano - Fats Waller meets Fats Domino. Casey has developed a signature vocal sound; he has a way with a torch song, and enjoys the adventure of scat singing. MacGill's repertoire covers a range of material from the Gershwins to Leiber & Stoller to those low-down, dirty blues. He blows a lyrical cornet, but his most unique instrumental voice is a 6-string tenor ukulele.

Casey grew up in Southern California. As a member of "The Magic Mushroom", he and the band (including jazz singer Marilyn Scott) caravanned up to the legendary Monterey Pop Festival. Back in Pasadena, MacGill majored in music at Pasadena City College, and Cal State LA, studying with jazz greats Gary Foster, Warne Marsh, and Buddy Collette. At the famous folk club the Ice House, Casey's first 20's-30's band opened for Lily Tomlin. His interest in vintage American music was kindled by cartoonist and painter Robert Armstrong, which led to a long musical association with members of R.Crumb's Cheap Suit Serenaders. As a member of The Rubber Band, MacGill appeared on the Tonight Show (with Johnny Carson), and recorded for Atlantic Records. He also appeared on the infamous Gong Show.

Casey currently lives in Seattle, working with the vintage jazz vocal group, The Blue 4 Trio. The band includes bass player Matt Weiner (The Flying Neutrinos, The Asylum Street Spankers, The Hot Club of Cowtown, Matt Munisteri, Rani Arbo) and drummer Mike Daugherty (The Yes Yes Boys, Jo Miller and Her Burly Roughnecks, Evergreen Classic Jazz Band, Holotradband). The band plays locally at The Pink Door (Pike Place Market), Salty’s/Alki, and many various events, parties, etc. The Blue 4 Trio also perform with "Swing" alumni Ryan Francois and Jenny Thomas at Camp Savoy in London (2007 will be the 4th year), Festiv’ Alan near Toulouse, France, and the Edinburg Jazz Festival, Scotland.

Jump

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Chiara Pancaldi - The Song Is You

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2012
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 45:42
Size: 104,9 MB
Art: Front

(4:05)  1. You're Driving Me Crazy
(2:55)  2. The Song Is You
(4:44)  3. Don't Get Around Much Anymore
(4:43)  4. Sabia
(5:46)  5. So in Love
(4:16)  6. Day By Day
(3:58)  7. On
(5:13)  8. I Should Care
(4:39)  9. Wade
(5:18) 10. Morro Dois Irmãos

Dodicilune marks the debut of a promising singer Italian. Bologna, born in 1982, Chiara Pancaldi looks through an album refined, pleasant and bright. His voice is clear and full of swing. Reinterprets standards with an enviable ease. From "You're driving me crazy" in which the elegance of his vocal timbre blends improvisation and scat continuing with the title track " The Song Is You ". Supported by four accomplished musicians, who not only accompany, but embellish his performances singing. Nico Menci floor, Bright David on guitar,Stefano Senni on bass and Victor Sicbaldi on drums.

With so much support, the singer winds its way through the interpretations of the past, experimenting, soon after, with his version of the character and style of a piece of Ellington's " Do not get around much anymore . " Fearlessly but reverently he passes then the arduous test bossa nova. Try become almost mandatory for a jazz singer who wants to be considered complete. " Sabia "of Jobim and Chico Buarque and" Morro dois irmaos "emphasize the versatility and artistic sensitivity of Pancaldi. Good pronunciation and a particular intensity complete the picture.

And how can it even draw from the repertoire of Cole Porter when you pay homage to the standards of the fifties and sixties. His " So in love "is dense and passionate, as the remaining standard" Day by Day "and" I Should Care ". But the Bolognese singer signed two pieces.The text of " On "4th tuned blues "music by David Bright and text and music of the song" Wade ", the latter only real ballad on the album. A song sophisticated and intimate, that sums up the elegance of this his first album. An excellent debut for a singer who will have much to say in the future.~ Valeria Lopresti for Jazzitalia Translate by google http://www.jazzitalia.net/recensioni/thesongisiyou.asp#.VdZkM89Vikp

Personnel:  Chiara Pancaldi – voice;  Nico Menci – piano;  David Bright – guitar;  Stefano Senni – bass;  Vittorio Sicbaldi - Battery

The Song Is You

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Farmers Market - Slav To The Rhythm

Styles: Free Jazz
Year: 2012
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 53:13
Size: 122,2 MB
Art: Front

(7:13) 1. Slav To The Rhythm
(6:04) 2. You're The Prototypical
(1:31) 3. Friend
(5:23) 4. Dusty Traditions
(4:15) 5. Replace
(3:05) 6. Shiny Happy Gizmos
(4:23) 7. Old Stuff Still Does The Trick
(5:16) 8. It's Not Always True
(7:10) 9. Machines Rule
(3:35) 10. And Thus
(5:15) 11. Man Is Ancient History

It's hard to believe that music can be so compelling that, even if only heard in passing, it's still so absolutely memorable. Catching just the first few minutes of Farmers Market at Natt Jazz 2011, thanks to an ungodly airport pickup time the following morning, left such an impression that when the first notes of the opening title track to Slav to the Rhythm hit the speakers nearly a year later, it was immediately clear that this was the same piece with which this remarkable Norwegian/Bulgarian hybrid opened its show. The record features, in addition to the core touring quintet, a cast of 14 additional guests, and main mastermind/multi-instrumentalist Stian Carstensen performs on no less than 22 instruments. Live, however, the significantly pared-down instrumentation of the five-piece Farmers Market meant that, for example, a brief interlude in the song was covered by Carstensen on accordion rather than organ, lending it an entirely different complexion.

Here, on record, however, without such self-imposed and practical instrumental limitations, Carstensen's gritty Hammond organ signals a paradigm shift from the song's majestic overture into a testosterone-filled fusion workout, where guitarist Nils-Olav Johansen and Carstensen, also now on guitar, tear it up, early John McLaughlin-style but only after a surprisingly singable, irregularly metered melody from Bulgarian saxophonist Trifon Trifonov, bolstered by bassist Finn Guttormsen and drummer Jarle Vespestad. Farmers Market has never sounded this muscular, and yet there's none of fusion's occasional excesses, because the group never stays in one place long enough for that to happen. Instead, on this one, seven-minute title track, there's more compositional activity than most bands write into an entire album; more than just episodic, Slav to the Rhythm the album and the song covers so much stylistic and cultural territory, that it's almost impossible to keep up. And yet, somehow, it never makes anything less than complete sense.

Who, after all, would use the music of classical composer György Ligeti as the foundation for a tune that rocks this hard, or combine searing electric guitars with the Bulgarian bowed gadulka, pedal steel guitar, ocarina, kaval (Bulgarian chromatic flute), clavinet and music box? Clearly Carstensen would. The creative foundation for Farmers Market and the only person to appear, in some form, on all of Slav to the Rhythm's eleven tracks Carstensen's absurd sense of humor, staggering instrumental virtuosity and downright frightening compositional acumen make him the worthy torch-bearer for the late Lars Hollmer and the Swedish multi- instrumentalist's flagship 1970s band, Samla Mammas Manna though as memorable as that group was, it never achieved the nearly unprecedented multidisciplinary breadth of Farmers Market.

There are trace elements of surf music, Middle Eastern tonalities, Macedonian traditionalism (thanks to clarinetist Filip Simeonov, who appears on nearly half the record), traces of progressive rock and much, much more across the album's 53 minutes, and no shortage of beauty either, as on the gadulka/harp intro to "It's Not Always True." But it's the core of Farmers Market that drives and defines Slav to the Rhythm, in particular Guttormsen (who is turning into a serious threat on electric bass) and Vespestad, a drummer who may barely breathe on his skins when performing with Zen pianist Tord Gustavsen, but is as muscular and downright thundering as he needs to be throughout this record.

And, despite all the shifts in tempo, time and texture, Farmers Market grooves, making Slav to the Rhythm its first record since 2008's Surfin USSR (Ipecac) and fifth since 1995's Speed/Balkan/Boogie (Kirkelig Kulturverksted) an album that resonates on so many levels it's virtually impossible to keep count. Thrilling, exhilarating, funny, poignant and effortlessly deep, with expansive cinematics one moment, polka-esque accordion another and ferocious guitar interplay the next, Slav to the Rhythm is hands-down Farmers Market's best album to date, and absolutely one of this year's best and most eclectic records all without losing focus, vision, or a year after hearing but a few minutes of this then-new music instant recognition.~John Kelmanhttps://www.allaboutjazz.com/slav-to-the-rhythm

Personnel: Stian Carstensen: guitars (1, 2, 4, 6, 7, 9, 11), pedal steel guitar (1, 2, 4-11), violins (1, 2, 6, 8), ocarina (1, 6), kaval (1, 6, 8, 9), music box (1), clavinet (1), triangle (1) ), talkboxmoog (2), electric piano (2, 8), vocals (2, 9); organ (3-9), synth (4, 9), barytone guitar (5, 10), tambourine (7), handclaps (7, 9), glockenspiel (8), electric sitar (9), banjo (9, 10), tambourine (9), harpsichord (10), accordion (10, 11); Nils-Olav Johansen: guitars (1, 8), 12-string guitar (4), organ (4), vocals (2, 4, 9); Trifon Trifonov: saxophone (1, 7-9, 11); Finn Guttormsen: bass (1, 2, 4, 6-9, 11); Jarle Vespestad (1, 2, 4, 6-9, 11); Darinka Tsekova: gadulka (1, 8); Filip Simeonov: clarinet (1-4, 11); Torbjørn Durud: vocals (1, 4, 6, 10); Daniela Todorova: violins (2, 7); Sidsel Walstad: harp (2, 8, 9, 11); Marinette Tonning-Olsen: French horn (4, 9); Ola Kvernberg: strings (4), violins (9); Julia Peneva: vocals (5, 7); Nadia Vladimirova: vocals (5, 7); Sonia Iovkova: vocals (5, 7); Mats Rondin: cello (9); Georg Breinschmid: double bass (1); Roxana Bustihan: pan flute (10); Jai Shankar: tablas (11).

Slav To The Rhythm

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Panama Francis & His Savoy Sultans - Gettin' In The Groove

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 52:46
Size: 120.8 MB
Styles: Swing, Big band
Year: 1979/2004
Art: Front

[6:07] 1. Song Of The Islands
[2:39] 2. Stitches
[3:00] 3. Rhythm Dr Man
[3:03] 4. Frenzy
[5:50] 5. Checkered Hat
[3:08] 6. Boats
[3:14] 7. Little John Special
[8:28] 8. Blues I Bea's Flat
[3:56] 9. Clap Hands Here Come Charlie
[3:05] 10. Gettin' In The Groove
[2:54] 11. Second Balcony Jump
[3:27] 12. Looney
[3:49] 13. Harlem Congo

Gettin'In The Groove

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Connie Francis - The Very Best Of Connie Francis: Connie's 21 Biggest Hits

Size: 135.2 MB
Time: 52:36
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 1963
Styles: Pop
Art: Front

01. Who's Sorry Now (2:16)
02. I'm Sorry I Made You Cry (2:27)
03. Stupid Cupid (2:13)
04. Fallin' (2:12)
05. My Happiness (2:27)
06. If I Didn't Care (2:37)
07. Lipstick On Your Collar (2:16)
08. Frankie (2:30)
09. You're Gonna Miss Me (2:43)
10. Among My Souvenirs (2:30)
11. Teddy (2:44)
12. Everybody's Somebody's Fool (2:37)
13. My Heart Has A Mind Of Its Own (2:30)
14. Many Tears Ago (1:55)
15. Where The Boys Are (2:36)
16. Breakin' In A Brand New Broken Heart (2:36)
17. Don't Break The Heart That Loves You (3:02)
18. Second Hand Love (2:50)
19. Vacation (2:22)
20. I'm Gonna Be Warm This Winter (2:24)
21. Follow The Boys (2:39)

Though many best-ofs exist on the market, this one leans more heavily toward her earlier rock & roll hits. Originally released in October 1963 as a 15-track LP by MGM Records, The Very Best of Connie Francis was reissued in 1986 on CD by Polydor Records with six bonus tracks.

The Very Best Of Connie Francis: Connie's 21 Biggest Hits

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Niels-Henning Orsted Pedersen & Sam Jones - Double Bass

Styles: Jazz, Post Bop
Year: 1976
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 55:45
Size: 128,0 MB
Art: Front

(6:34) 1. Falling In Love With Love
(5:37) 2. A Notion
(3:44) 3. Giant Steps
(6:09) 4. I Fall In Love Too Easily
(6:22) 5. Miss Morgan
(5:47) 6. Au Privare
(5:02) 7. Yesterday
(5:16) 8. Little Train
(5:11) 9. A Notion (Take 1)
(5:58) 10. Miss Morgan (Take 2)

A virtuoso who mostly played in bop-oriented settings, Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen was in great demand since he was a teenager. One of many superb European bassists to emerge during the 1960s, Pedersen originally studied piano before starting to play bass with Danish groups when he was 14. He had to reluctantly turn down Count Basie's offer to join his orchestra when he was just 17, but worked steadily as the house bassist at the Club Montmartre and as a member of the Danish Radio Orchestra.

Whenever American jazzmen passed through Scandinavia, they asked for Pedersen; during the 1960s he played with Sonny Rollins, Bill Evans, Roland Kirk, Dexter Gordon, Bud Powell, and even Albert Ayler (although the latter's session was not too successful). In the 1970s, Pedersen was featured in a duo with Kenny Drew. Starting in the mid-'70s, he was an occasional member of the Oscar Peterson Trio and he recorded several dates as a leader for SteepleChase. Pedersen also recorded in many different settings for Pablo Records during the era. He remained very active until his sudden death in April 2005. He was 58.~Scott Yanowhttps://www.allmusic.com/artist/niels-henning-%C3rsted-pedersen-mn0000404907/biography

Personnel: Bass – Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen, Sam Jones; Drums – Billy Higgins; Guitar – Philip Catherine; Percussion – Albert "Tootie" Heath

Double Bass

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