Fred Hersch - Passion Flower

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1996
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 62:42
Size: 143,8 MB
Art: Front

(2:54)  1. Lotus Blossom
(5:21)  2. Day Dream
(7:14)  3. U.M.M.G. (Upper Manhattan Medi
(5:28)  4. Pretty Girl (The Star-Crossed
(5:02)  5. Rain Check
(7:55)  6. Something to Live For
(5:43)  7. Lament for an Orchid (Absinthe
(5:11)  8. Elf (Isfahan)
(5:10)  9. Ballad for Very Tired and Very
(3:16) 10. Tonk
(5:56) 11. Passion Flower
(3:28) 12. Lush Life

A few years ago, I went down to the Village Vanguard to check out pianist Fred Hersch. Sitting next to me in the crowded club was one of today's most popular jazz singers - also a pianist. After the first set, said jazz celeb commented that Hersch was in a different league and that she really needed to take some lessons from him. What strikes us all in Hersch's playing is his perfect blend of technique, style, and sensitivity. His version of Billy Strayhorn's "Daydream," from Hersch's 1996 Strayhorn-tribute album, Passion Flower, illustrates just how good a trio and string orchestra (arranged and orchestrated by Hersch and conducted by Eric Stern) can sound. A lot of players (and arrangers) could use lessons from Hersch. ~ Jazziz https://www.amazon.com/Passion-Flower-Fred-Hersch/dp/B000005J3W

Personnel: Fred Hersch (piano); Eric Stern (conductor); Andy Bey (vocals); Laura Seaton, Joyce Hamman, Sandra Park (violin); Lois Martin, Ruth Siegler, Alejandro Mohave (viola); Erik Friedlander, Richard Locker, Jesse Levy (cello); Nurit Tilles (piano); Drew Gress (bass); Tom Rainey (drums).

Passion Flower

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Cecile McLorin Salvant - For One to Love

Styles: Jazz, Vocal
Year: 2015
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 52:57
Size: 124,2 MB
Art: Front

( 5:16)  1. Fog
( 4:34)  2. Growlin' Dan
( 2:19)  3. Stepsisters' Lament
( 2:44)  4. Look at Me
( 2:50)  5. Wives and Lovers
( 4:27)  6. Left Over
( 3:51)  7. The Trolley Song
( 2:00)  8. Monday
( 4:17)  9. What's the Matter Now?
( 6:14) 10. Le Mal de Vivre
(10:33) 11. Something's Coming
( 3:46) 12. Underling

A brilliantly realized follow-up to her Grammy-nominated 2013 effort, WomanChild, vocalist Cécile McLorin Salvant's third album, 2015's For One to Love, is at its core a small-group jazz album featuring a thoughtfully curated set of standards and originals. However, with Salvant at the mike, backed here with nuanced skill by pianist Aaron Diehl, bassist Paul Sikivie, and drummer Lawrence Leathers, it's also a series of virtuoso performances, each one seemingly more engaging and emotionally resonant than the last. Conceptually centered around notions of romantic love from conflicted, melancholic expressions to more bawdy, sensual ones the album finds Salvant further demonstrating the poetic compositional skills and feminist themes that helped make WomanChild so much more than just a solid album from an accomplished jazz vocalist. However, Salvant's feminism here, while finely articulated, isn't explicit. It lies more subtly in the context of her choices. Her exuberant reading of the swing-era "Growlin' Dan," a song by Blanche Calloway, Cab's lesser-known older sister and mentor, seems to symbolize Salvant's distinctly female point of view.

The same might be said of her sardonically faithful rendition of Burt Bacharach's infamously misogynistic "Wives and Lovers" or her playful take on the Oscar Hammerstein II and Richard Rodgers standard "Stepsisters' Lament," in which she coyly asks "Oh, why would a fella want a girl like her?/A girl who's so unusual/Why can't a fella ever once prefer a usual girl like me?" Of course, not to split hairs, but there isn't really anything usual about Salvant. A true sculptor of song, she is the kind of singer who exerts perfect control over everything she sings, molding each musical moment at will. Perhaps it's not surprising, then, to find out that she also painted the image on the cover of For One to Love, a woman's face, Picasso askew, crying from happiness or heartbreak. It's this kind of emotional dichotomy that Salvant, with her malleable talent, is so adept at expressing. She's able to push her voice to the edge of control, but that breaking point is most likely a product of her own virtuosic illusion since she never crosses it. 

As on the poignant "Left Over," in which she sings about an unrequited love, her voice soars into a wobbly falsetto one second, and pulls back into a throaty coo the next, whispering that "his hands on mine are all I know of love, of love." This is a theatrical move, an actor's stage approach to singing in character, only it's Salvant's own composition and it breaks your heart. Salvant's originals are all lyrical, sad, and personal, revealing achingly raw emotions. On tunes like "Underling," we're left to ponder whether the song is about her ruinous devotion to a lover or her painful dedication to her creative muse. Regardless, the results are heartbreaking and beautiful. https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/for-one-to-love/id1006896734

Personnel: Cécile McLorin Salvant (vocals); Aaron Diehl (piano); Paul Sikivie (double bass); Lawrence Leathers (drums).

For One to Love

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George Shearing, Barry Tuckwell - Play The Music Of Cole Porter

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1986
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 43:36
Size: 100,6 MB
Art: Front

(4:58) 1. I Concentrate On You
(2:54) 2. Everything I Love
(4:43) 3. I've Got You Under My Skin (Album Version)
(2:19) 4. Easy To Love
(2:45) 5. In The Still Of The Night
(4:00) 6. Every Time We Say Goodbye
(2:41) 7. But In The Morning, No
(5:32) 8. So In Love
(4:27) 9. After You
(3:55) 10. All Through The Night
(5:16) 11. Do I Love You?

Released as part of Concord's Concerto subsidiary, this unusual release matches together pianist George Shearing with the classical French horn player Barry Tuckwell for a set of 11 Cole Porter songs. Five selections use a full string section, two are performed with a quartet, and four others are duets by Shearing and Tuckwell. In general, Tuckwell does not improvise, but Shearing's arrangements give a jazz feel to all of the performances and make the music accessible (if not really essential) to both classical and jazz listeners.~Scott Yanowhttps://www.allmusic.com/album/play-the-music-of-cole-porter-mw0000188648

Personnel: George Shearing – piano, liner notes, arranger; Barry Tuckwell – french horn, liner notes; Guildhall String Ensemble; Harry Lookofsky, Frederick Buldrini, Lewis Eley, Maura Giannini, Carmel Malin, Joseph Malin, Louann Montesi – violin; Seymour Barab, Avron Coleman, Frederick Zlotkin – cello; John Clayton, Don Thompson – double bass; Grady Tate – drums, percussion

Play The Music Of Cole Porter

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Jonathan Fritzen - Diamonds

Styles: Smooth Jazz
Year: 2010
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 44:53
Size: 103,3 MB
Art: Front

(4:17) 1. Feelin' the Groove
(4:22) 2. This Way, That Way
(3:57) 3. Dance With Me
(4:49) 4. Fly Away
(4:18) 5. Undercover
(4:51) 6. You'll Be Mine
(4:36) 7. Stockholm Nights
(4:24) 8. Vibrations
(5:18) 9. Melting
(3:56) 10. Diamonds

Lucky Sweden! They have ABBA, Roxette and Jonathan Fritzén. Hailing from Stockholm he started his solo career with the debut album Love Birds (2008), followed by his sophomore album VIP (2009). Now it's time for the third punch, Diamonds (2010). Like on his previous album Jonathan is joined by an International mixture of American and Swedish artists: Laila Adéle (vocals), Alex Al, Mel Brown and Erik Metall (bass), Koh (aka Mr. Saxman), Darren Rahn and Jessy J (sax), Sara Övinge (violin), Andreas Ekstedt (percussion), Alex Crown (guitar). Jonathan Fritzén performs piano, keyboards and programming.

The starting track Feelin' The Groove features the lovely Laila Adéle. To give you a compass, Jonathan's music is comparable with artists like Alex Bugnon, Nate Harasim or the early Rick Kelly (Soul Ballet). His piano touch is of a graceful ease and elegance. This Way, That Way brings a welcome-back with upcoming smooth jazz star, producer and saxophonist Darren Rahn. Darren appeared in the recent time with artists like Jay Soto, Anthony James Baker, Nate Harasim, Tim Bowman, Michael Manson, dee Brown and a lot more.

Dance With Me is Jonathan's invitation to a dreamy dance and swing. Do I recognize the bass of Sugar Hill's Gang (Rapper's Delight)? Jonathan's approach is fresh and swinging. We can describe Fly Away with the sub-title, when two beauties met. Awesome Jessy J adds her sweet sax to Fritzén haunting melody. Both create an atmosphere of timeless magnificence. With Mel Brown onboard Undercover picks up speed into the funky sea.

The slow-tempo You'll Be Mine presents a anew the gorgeous vocals of Laila Adéle. On this love ballade Fritzén underlines his piano mastery offering a complete scale of crafty tones. The genius combination of Hip Hop rhythm with sizzling key strokes on Stockholm Nights has its own attraction. On his tour through Thailand Jonathan Fritzén performed with Mr. Saxman Koh, who is very popular in Thailand and further Asian countries like Japan. Koh has already five solo albums to his credit. Vibrations is Jonathan's Thank You and a fine song to become acquainted with this outstanding artist.

It's time to present you the excellent guitarist Alex Crown. Superb sustain, tone and sound volume of both instruments (piano and guitar) is the characteristic of Melting. Final tune of this marvelous album is the title song Diamonds. Alex Al's excellent bass lends this song a special dynamic. A must for all radio-djs of the smooth jazz genre. Jonathan Fritzén's album Diamonds absolutely justifies this expression. With this level of talent you still can't help but appreciate the greatness of the performing artists. Quite possibly Fritzén's best to date. http://www.smooth-jazz.de/firstview/Fritzen/Diamonds.htm

Personnel: Laila Adéle (vocals), Alex Al, Mel Brown and Erik Metall (bass), Koh (aka Mr. Saxman), Darren Rahn and Jessy J (sax), Sara Övinge (violin), Andreas Ekstedt (percussion), Alex Crown (guitar). Jonathan Fritzén performs piano, keyboards and programming.

Diamonds

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Herbie Hancock - Gershwin's World

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1998
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 67:39
Size: 155,2 MB
Art: Front

( 0:56)  1. Overture (Fascinating Rhythm)
( 4:48)  2. It Ain't Necessarily So
( 5:58)  3. The Man I Love
( 4:00)  4. Here Come De Honey Man
( 5:51)  5. St. Louis Blues
(11:05)  6. Lullaby
( 3:31)  7. Blueberry Rhyme
( 1:26)  8. It Ain't Necessarily So (Interlude)
( 4:45)  9. Cotton Tail
( 4:43) 10. Summertime
( 1:56) 11. My Man's Gone Now
( 4:44) 12. Prelude in C# Minor
( 9:13) 13. Concerto for Piano and Orchestra in G, 2nd Mvt
( 4:38) 14. Embraceable You

Gershwin's World is a tour de force for Herbie Hancock, transcending genre and label, and ranking among the finest recordings of his lengthy career. Released to coincide with the 100th anniversary of George Gershwin's birth, this disc features jazzman Hancock with a classy collection of special guests. The most surprising of Hancock's guest stars is Joni Mitchell, who delivers a gorgeously sensual vocal on "The Man I Love," then provides an airy, worldly take on "Summertime." On these two tracks, she shows she has come a long way from her folksinger beginnings to become a first-class jazz singer in her own right. Stevie Wonder's unmistakable harmonica complements Mitchell's singing on "Summertime" and shares lead instrument space with his own voice on the W.C. Handy classic "St. Louis Blues." Jazzman extraordinaire Wayne Shorter smokes a solo spot on Duke Ellington's "Cotton Tail" and carves out some space for his soprano saxophone in the midst of "Summertime." 

A number of the young lions of jazz are featured on various cuts, and Herbie's old pal Chick Corea joins the leader for a piano duet of James P. Johnson's "Blueberry Rhyme." Gershwin's wonderful, extended "Lullaby" finds Hancock teamed with the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, as does an attractive arrangement of a "Concerto for Piano and Orchestra" by Maurice Ravel, whose jazz influence can be heard on the piece. In addition, one of the most beautiful tracks on the album places star soprano Kathleen Battle's voice at the forefront of Gershwin's own "Prelude in C# Minor." Yet with all the fine performances by his guests, Gershwin's World remains Hancock's show, and he plays magnificently throughout. From beautiful to funky, percussive to melodic, improvisational to tightly arranged, Hancock and cohorts take a wondrous journey through the music and world of Gershwin. ~ Jim Newsom  http://www.allmusic.com/album/gershwins-world-mw0000038316

Personnel: Herbie Hancock, Chick Corea: Piano; Madou Dembelle: Djembe; Massamba Diop: Talking Drum; Cryo Baptista, Bireyma Guiye, Cheik Mbaye: Percussion; Eddie Henderson: Trumpet; Kenny Garrett: Alto Saxophone; James Carter: Tenor and Soprano Saxophones, Wayne Shorter: Tenor Saxophone; Bakithi Kumalo: Bass and Guitar; Ira Coleman: Bass; Terri-Lynn Carrington: Drums, Marlon Graves: Guitar, Robert Sadin: Percussion Programming; Stevie Wonder: Harmonica and Vocals; Charles Curtis: Cello, The Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, Kathleen Battle: Vocals, Joni Mitchell: Vocals.

Gershwin's World

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ZZ Quartet - Midnight in Europe

Styles: Jazz, Post Bop
Year: 2021
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 69:57
Size: 160,4 MB
Art: Front

( 5:31) 1. Pippo
( 8:06) 2. Twilight Time Again
( 5:02) 3. Voglio Una Donna
(14:00) 4. Frida Is Vanished
( 7:40) 5. Baracoa
( 4:22) 6. Morgagni Est
(10:29) 7. River Spirit
( 9:47) 8. Café Finale
( 4:56) 9. The Easy Whistler

Their 1st Live Album, Collector's Edition artist signed & limited to 999 copies! ''Limited Audiophile Signature Edition'' 180 Gram Virgin Vinyl This third outing by the ZZ Quartet, co-led by guitarist Ratko Zjaca and accordionist Simone Zanchini, finds the intrepid improvisers and virtuosos on their respective instruments stretching and exploring in separate live settings last year.

Recorded in pre-pandemic times at the Milestone Jazz Club in Piacenza and at the Cantina Bentivoglio during the 2019 Bologna Jazz Festival, ''Midnight in Europe'' finds Zjaca and Zanchini taking liberties with some of their own tunes they had previously recorded on two previous studio recordings 2010's ''The Way We Talk'' and 2013's ''Beyond the Lines.'' The two also played together on Zanchini's 2015 album ''Don't Try This Anywhere'', the accordionist's tribute to the late tenor sax great Michael Brecker.

Accompanied by bassist Martin Gjakonovski, a native of Macedonia now living in Bergisch Gladbach near Cologne, and Zjaca's longtime collaborator, American drummer Adam Nussbaum, whose wealth of credits include touring and recording with saxophonist Brecker, guitarists John Scofield and John Abercrombie, and legendary bandleader Gil Evans. Zjaca and Zanchini present an eclectic set of music that organically blends aspects of jazz, classical, folkloric, world music and rock, with just a touch of humor along the way from the fertile imaginations of these stellar improvisors.

''We call this musical theater,'' said Zjaca of the ZZ Quartet's eclectic approach. ''We want to be open for any ideas, any sound. We like rock music, we like jazz, avantgarde music, swing, everything. We don't want to be in a cage just playing one particular groove or style or sound. You can hear that there are a lot of different directions that we are going in. We're not afraid to play a simple swing tune and then we will go to the really open territories. That's what we like to do. We like going out of our comfort zones.''~Editorial Reviews https://www.amazon.com/Midnight-Europe-ZZ-Quartet/dp/B094LC6KRS

Midnight in Europe

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Jaki Byard - Hi-Fly

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1962
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 39:48
Size: 92,3 MB
Art: Front

(3:58) 1. Hi-Fly
(5:13) 2. Tillie Butterball
(4:36) 3. Excerpts from 'Yamecraw'
(5:27) 4. There Are Many Worlds
(7:44) 5. Here to Hear
(3:22) 6. Lullaby of Birdland
(4:56) 7. 'Round Midnight
(4:28) 8. Blues in the Closet

Following the success of Here's Jaki, the eclectic pianist continued his explorations in a trio format, with Pete La Roca replacing Roy Haynes on the drums. The set mixes standards with some forgotten gems, plus three originals. The "Excerpts from Yamecraw" is an updated version of the nearly forgotten James P. Johnson orchestral suite, which is complimented here by the Byard original "There Are Many Worlds," which was also written for an orchestra. "Tillie Butterball" is a fun blues romp based on a puppy and a bowling alley. Byard's distinctive approach is evident on Randy Weston's title track "Hi-Fly" and George Shearing's "Lullaby of Birdland," while his debt to Thelonious Monk, sprinkled throughout this session, is obvious on "'Round Midnight." What makes this session special, however, is his original "Here to Hear." His multi-influenced compositional style matched by his versatile technique is explored at length. There are certain pieces that can never be interpreted by anyone else but the composer, and that is the case here, for it would be virtually impossible, and futile, to try and duplicate the individual genius of Jaki Byard. This stands as one of his best.~Robert Taylorhttps://www.allmusic.com/album/hi-fly-mw0000615755

Personnel: Jaki Byard, piano; Ron Carter, bass; Pete La Roca, drums

Hi-Fly

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Maria Postell - At This Moment

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2000
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 55:45
Size: 128,5 MB
Art: Front

(2:16) 1. I'm Beginning To See The Light
(5:37) 2. The Nearness Of You
(4:27) 3. Nice Work If You Can Get It
(3:36) 4. Somewhere Over The Rainbow
(4:12) 5. At Last
(3:39) 6. I Thought About You
(5:08) 7. My Foolish Heart
(2:19) 8. Embraceable you
(3:50) 9. Like Someone In Love
(3:37) 10. Exactly Like You
(5:20) 11. My Funny Valentine
(3:59) 12. The Best Is Yet To Come
(7:39) 13. (I'm Afraid) The Masquerade Is Over

Maria Postell's new release from Wonderlust Records, 'At This Moment', is a rare and electrifying collection of 13 timeless standards that instantly transports the listener to a different time and place swearing this extraordinary recording was cut in an intimate supper club during the early 50's and you had the table in front of this divine chanteuse. Her marvelously mellifluous voice buoyed by her own unique interpretation of songs that never grow old like 'My Foolish Heart' and 'At Last', Ms. Postell manages to reinvent Gershwin classics like 'Embraceable You' and 'Nice Work If You Can Get It' in a way that sounds as fresh as though they were written this year. https://www.ebay.com/itm/402794716019

At This Moment

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Julian & Roman Wasserfuhr Quartet - Remember Chet

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 64:11
Size: 146.9 MB
Styles: Contemporary jazz
Year: 2007
Art: Front

[2:57] 1. There Will Never Be Another You
[5:36] 2. If I Should Loose You
[6:16] 3. Love For Sale
[5:03] 4. You Are A Friend Of Mine
[4:50] 5. Bill's Religion
[5:15] 6. One More Blues For Chet
[9:08] 7. Remember Chet
[6:08] 8. Beautiful Black Eyes
[7:15] 9. You Don't Know What Love Is
[5:37] 10. You Can't Go Home Again
[6:02] 11. My Funny Valentine

Bass – Sava Medan; Drums – Andi Haberl; Piano – Roman Wasserfuhr; Trumpet, Flugelhorn – Julian Wasserfuhr; Vocals, Guitar – Torsten Goods. Recorded and mixed at Realistic Sound Studios, Munich, Germany, on October 31 & November 1, 2005.

"Young German Jazz" enters the next round, and once again it draws attention to the many highly talented and promising young German musicians, that make up a scene that needs to fear no international comparison. The ACT-series "Young German Jazz" not only documents this, it also wishes to support these musicians and help them gain recognition in- and outside the country. The reaction so far has been overwhelming, and rave reviews from abroad prove that young German jazz is perfectly capable of successfully crossing borders. The best example may be the trio [em] grouped around the young shooting star Michael Wollny. The "Süddeutsche Zeitung", among other publications, claims that Wollny is already in the top league of German, maybe even of European Jazz-musicians.

Remember Chet

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Deborah Cox - Destination Moon

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2007
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 43:08
Size: 99,6 MB
Art: Front

(2:41)  1. Destination Moon
(4:07)  2. What A Difference A Day Made
(3:42)  3. Misery
(3:36)  4. Baby, You're Got What It Takes
(4:06)  5. This Bitter Earth
(2:23)  6. Squeeze Me
(3:00)  7. New Blowtop Blues
(4:08)  8. Blue Skies
(3:27)  9. I Don't Hurt Anymore
(4:33) 10. Smoke Gets In Your Eyes
(3:23) 11. September In The Rain
(3:55) 12. Look To The Rainbow

Artist tributes are tricky pieces of work. Most of the time, they aren't recorded by the biggest names of the moment, and they're usually sub-par. Instead of putting out an album of new music after a five-year hiatus, and twelve years into her career, Canadian R&B diva Deborah Cox released Destination Moon, a tribute to jazz legend Dinah Washington. Cox refers to this album as a personal tribute to her legend growing up. Frankly, she does justice to the works, which make for a strong representation of Washington's hits over her far too brief career. Cox's voice, in all its purity, has never sounded better, with the honey tones in her raspy instrument flourishing throughout the album's big moments. Unfortunately, the album is full of awkward missteps that steer this work off course: Cox doesn't always connect with the songs. Many of the tracks seem robotic; Cox sings them well, but doesn't emote to the best of her ability, something that has always been a flaw of hers in the past. Therefore, Moon appears to be more of a lifetime biopic of Dinah Washington's musical career than a genuine blockbuster. For an artist like Washington, who has garnered much respect even to this day for her creativeness and emotional capacity, Cox suffers in both attributes. Considering Moon is supposed to be a tribute, as such it seems flat. 

In addition, the timing of the album seems like an odd choice for Cox; there is a five-year gap between this album and The Morning After (excluding Remixed, a collection of dance re-recordings), but this may be because of her label shift from J-Records to Decca. And because she has stayed out of the limelight for some time, jumping back into the music scene with a tribute doesn't seem like the smartest move on her part. In addition, Cox is an R&B diva who is known for her dance tracks and smooth grooves. Jazz seems awkward for the Canadian superstar, who handles the shift well vocally, but seems to have missed the mark in most other places. Ultimately, the album is too indulgent on Cox's part, and in order for the whole piece to be credible, especially for Cox, whose popularity has slowly faded since her newest album, she needed to nail every part of the album, not just the vocals. ~ Matthew Chisling  http://www.allmusic.com/album/destination-moon-mw0000778238

Personnel: Deborah Cox - vocals, background vocais; Rob Mounsey – piano; David Spinozza – guitar; David Finck – bass; Victor Lewis – drums; Andy Snitzer - tenor saxophone; Lew Soloff - trumpet

Destination Moon

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Maurice Vander, Kenny Clarke, Pierre Michelot - Jazz At The Blue Note

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1959
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 43:59
Size: 101,9 MB
Art: Front

(4:51) 1. Take The A Train
(5:40) 2. Willow Weep For Me
(7:25) 3. Walkin'
(5:24) 4. Autumn Leaves
(6:24) 5. I'll Remember April
(4:30) 6. The Nearness Of You
(5:45) 7. Django
(3:58) 8. Blue Lester

After opening in June 1958, the “Blue Note” became the most cosmopolitan jazz club in all of Paris. Located on 27 rue d’Artois, in the 8th arrondissement, fans were usually crammed on the leather benches that dotted its large central hall, and if they couldn’t find a spot, there was always the bar. The acoustics of the room were excellent, and the house band included some of the best French jazzmen led by guitarist Jimmy Gourley. They, in turn, accompanied many of the top American soloists who visited the “Blue Note” during the splendor years of the club (1958-1965). The long list of names includes Sarah Vaughan, Zoot Sims, Stan Getz, Sonny Stitt, Ray Nance, Lester Young, Alice McCloud, Lucky Thompson, Johnny Griffin and Booker Ervin.

The “Blue Note” was also the club where the legendary bebop pianist Bud Powell established the base of operations for his trio, with Pierre Michelot on bass, and Kenny Clarke on drums. Their stay had really successful moments, and ran from 1959 until 1962, with daily performances where they alternated with the featured American guest of the week. In November 1960, Maurice Vander one of the most prominent jazz pianists in Europe at the time joined forces with the talents of Michelot and Clarke. The trio was warmly acclaimed by the audience at the “Blue Note”, and that good response led to the recording of these excellent live performances. There is no doubt that Vander, Michelot and Clarke were truly “three of a kind.” https://www.freshsoundrecords.com/maurice-vander-albums/6659-jazz-at-the-blue-note.html

Personnel: Maurice Vander (p), Pierre Michelot (b), Kenny Clarke (d)

Jazz At The Blue Note

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James Emery, Joe Lovano, Judi Silvano, Drew Gress - Fourth World

Styles: Free Jazz, Post Bop
Year: 2001
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 66:47
Size: 153,6 MB
Art: Front

( 5:18) 1. Bellflower
( 8:59) 2. Golden Horn
(11:52) 3. Fourth World
( 8:57) 4. Worship
( 8:07) 5. Splendido
( 5:32) 6. La Scala
( 8:46) 7. The Next Level
( 5:12) 8. In A Secret Place
( 4:00) 9. Hannah's Song

The title of this newly issued recording might ordinarily imply notions of poverty and human rights, but in the liners, guitarist James Emery iterates that the Fourth World “is the world, or dimension, of vibration.” We are presented with four world-class musicians pursuing good vibes on this astutely constructed 2002 release. Joe Lovano performs on a variety of woodwind instruments here, yet on certain tracks he also mans the drum kit, also evidenced on his recent Flights Of Fancy outing. A minor beef is in order for the decision of not utilizing a seasoned drummer, as Lovano is prone to sound tentative amid choppy and uninteresting fills.

However, his activities behind the kit do not detract from the recording when viewed upon as a whole, as the musicians surreptitiously translate polytonal pastiches of sound through often-compelling exchanges. On many of these works, the band is apt to break off into briefly actualized sub-groups. Alternatively, on pieces such as “Fourth World,” Judi Silvano renders whispery vocalise in unison with her associates’ complex themes. The quartet pronounces an airy backdrop via loosely formulated dialogue or when Lovano and acoustic guitarist James Emery partake in blistering cat-and-mouse like episodes.

Emery executes razor sharp single note lines and sweeping chord progressions during “La Scala,” while also counterbalancing Lovano with emphatically placed accents on their duet encounter titled “The Next Level.” Throughout this affair, bassist Drew Gress serves as the traffic director, while Ms. Silvano picks up the flute on the Caribbean tinged closer, “Hannah’s Song.” The musicians bring a mélange of experience to the table as they elicit notions of wide open terrain or expansive horizons, while touching upon the preternatural minutiae of the Fourth Dimension. Recommended.~Glenn Astarita https://www.allaboutjazz.com/fourth-world-joe-lovano-between-the-lines-review-by-glenn-astarita

Personnel: James Emery: acoustic guitar - Joe Lovano: tenor, soprano, C melody, straight alto saxophones, alto clarinet, bells, shakers, gongs, log drums & drums - Judi Silvano: flute & voice - Drew Gress: acoustic bass

Fourth World

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Enrico Granafei - Alone Together

Size: 158,3 MB
Time: 68:17
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2013
Styles: Jazz: Bebop
Art: Front

01. Christina (9:16)
02. Destiny (4:11)
03. I Love You (4:29)
04. Body and Soul (5:16)
05. Yardbird Suite (6:13)
06. Lana (6:31)
07. Estate (4:29)
08. Round Midnight (4:55)
09. Gentle Rain (5:30)
10. Alone Together (5:59)
11. The Peacocks (4:15)
12. Medley: Stablemates/Giant Steps/Cherokee (4:11)
13. I Wish You Love (2:56)

Harmonica virtuoso, classical guitarist, singer, songwriter, arranger, composerEnrico Granafei has a long history of musical experience which encompasses both Classical Music and Jazz. Enrico received a degree in classical guitar from the Conservatory of l'Aquila in Italy in 1976. His artistic career started in Rome where he soon became known in the musical community. In 1978 Enrico moved to Germany where he began to perform and to teach in two different "Musikschulen". In the early 80's, after returning to Italy, Enrico started to broaden his horizons by discovering Jazz through the harmonica. Following in the tradition of the legendary Toots Thielemans, he began to explore new possibilities for the harmonica, an instrument too often associated solely with Rock and Blues. Besides playing in the best jazz clubs in Italy during that period, Enrico performed regularly on national television where he was a member of the Pippo Caruso orchestra. His love for Jazz led him to New York City, the world capital of Jazz, where he soon started to perform in local jazz clubs, including The Blue Note, Birdland, Visiones, Angry Squire, and the Bottom Line.

In 1992 Enrico earned a masters' degree in Jazz Performance from the Manhattan School of Music where he was the only student of Toots Thielemans . During the time that he has resided in the New York area, he has performed extensively on the Chromatic Harmonica in the United States and continued to be a featured musician in major European Festivals, including Pori Jazz Festival (Finland), Euromeet Jazz Festival (Italy), Django Festival in Samois sur Seine (France) , Budapest Music Festival (Hungary) and major clubs throughout Europe. He has recorded with Eddie Gomez, Eliot Zigmund. Marc Johnson, Adam Nussbaum, Ted Curson, Nnena Freelon (Concord records) and many others. Enrico's latest accomplishment is his work on Hands-Free-Chromatic Harmonica. The revolutionary instrument invented by Vern Smith allows him to play Chromatic Harmonica and Guitar at the same time, something that nobody has ever done before in Jazz. Close your eyes and you will hear two or three musicians but in fact it's only one! Enrico is one of the most respected players of the Chromatic Harmonica in the world today and continues to cultivate an audience for the instrument through his international performances.

Alone Together

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New York Swing - Cole Porter Collective

Styles: Piano And Guitar Jazz
Year: 1992
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 62:38
Size: 144,6 MB
Art: Front

(4:47)  1. What Is This Thing Called Love
(5:02)  2. Ev'ry Time We Say Goodbye
(5:51)  3. Dream Dancing
(6:18)  4. All Through the Night
(4:29)  5. Easy to Love
(5:22)  6. Let's Do It
(5:05)  7. From This Moment On
(3:48)  8. You're Sensational
(5:36)  9. Where Have You Been
(4:53) 10. Get Out of Town
(5:50) 11. Lookin' At You
(5:31) 12. It's Alright With Me

Originally issued by Sonny Lester on his LRC label, this tribute to the music of Cole Porter has reappeared under the Laserlight banner. The album's style recalls the George Shearing groups, with Bucky Pizzarelli's guitar taking on the role that Joe Roland and other vibes players had with Shearing. Under the name New York Swing, the ensemble features Pizzarelli joined by a bevy of top-drawer New York musicians led by pianist John Bunch. This paean to Porter follows other albums by the group honoring other major contributors to the Great American Songbook, like Jerome Kern and Rodgers & Hart. All of these musicians have played these Porter gems before. Rather than making the songs sound old hat and tired because of this close familiarity, the group members have successfully found fresh ways to express their ideas. And that is what makes this composer a favorite among virtually all jazz performers: His work promotes improvisation. 

He allows good players to borrow the song, add his or her interpretative imprimatur to it, and then return it intact. "Easy to Love," for example, is presented in a chamber music setting featuring Jay Leonhart's bowed bass. In addition to those customary Porter gems, there are also a few songs that are not so often heard, like "Where Have You Been," which he wrote for an appropriately titled musical The New Yorkers. These are given the same high level of respectful treatment by the group as the more famous Porter material. With nary a bad track in the set, this album of outstanding small group performing is highly recommended. ~ Dave Nathan  http://www.allmusic.com/album/new-york-swing-cole-porter-mw0000280391

Personnel: John Bunch (piano), Bucky Pizzarelli (guitar), Jay Leonhart (bass), Joe Cocuzzo (drums).

Cole Porter Collective

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Maria Postell - Maria Postell With Dave Mckenna & Don Thompson

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2008
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 44:40
Size: 102,6 MB
Art: Front

(3:29) 1. Make Me Rainbows
(5:02) 2. The Very Thought of You
(3:13) 3. I've Got the World on a String
(4:52) 4. When Sunny Gets Blue
(4:41) 5. Come Rain Or Come Shine
(2:39) 6. Lovewise
(4:19) 7. My Funny Valentine
(3:25) 8. Isn't It A Pity
(3:42) 9. Can't We Be Friends
(4:35) 10. I've Grown Accustomed To His Face
(4:37) 11. Don't Take Your Love From Me

Maria Postell is a consummate performer and vocalist. Her voice has been compared to that of Nancy Wilson, Barbara Streisand and Jane Monheit. Her vocal and emotional range is as impressive as it is authentic, with the ability to soothe and arouse one’s sensibilities. One critic notes: "This is music to soothe the heart in a spastic world. Maria Postell's beautifully expressive voice is complimented by very engaging instrumentation."

Maria began her career in the 1970s, in Boston, gigging and collaborating with innovative musicians from the Berklee School of Music. During that time she had the opportunity to work with many established jazz greats such as, Dave McKenna, Dick Johnson, Claudio Roditi, Joe Lovano, and Paul Broadnax. On many occasions she made guest appearances on WGBH in Boston with music impresario, Ron Della Chiesa. After moving to NYC in the 1980’s, Maria has performed in the top NYC music establishments and toured throughout North America.

In 1985 Maria recorded her first solo album with Dave McKenna, considered the pianist’s pianist, and Don Thompson, a renowned Canadian jazz pianist, bassist and vibraphonist. Four songs from this album were recorded with Dave McKenna and Maria: The Very Thought of You, Isn’t It a Pity, Funny Valentine and When Sunny Gets Blue. https://webbg.com/jazz/6603-maria-postell-with-dave-mckennadon-thompson-free-download.html

Maria Postell With Dave Mckenna & Don Thompson

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Kristen Lee Sergeant - Falling

Styles: Vocal
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 39:09
Size: 90,1 MB
Art: Front

(4:04) 1. Let's Fall
(4:19) 2. Sisyphus
(3:37) 3. Birdsong
(4:30) 4. Chiaroscuro
(3:39) 5. Honey
(4:11) 6. Infinity Blues
(3:18) 7. Better Off
(3:48) 8. Orpheus
(3:23) 9. Autumn Nocturne
(4:16) 10. That Old Black Magic

Kristen Lee Sergeant is a jazz vocalist and composer of effervescent energy, musical intensity and dramatic flair. DownBeat Magazine has given both her albums the distinction of being an Editor’s Pick, citing how she “crafts moments of engaging drama, whether she’s seductively sliding into a note with a near-whisper, delivering a breathy revelation or belting out a lyric with full-throated muscularity.” She commits to telling a story in her music and performance style, while sparking spontaneous sonic conversation with her fellow musicians. Such commitment, and its results, captivate her audiences, whether in live performance or listening to her recordings.

Kristen’s current release, Smolder, is a story of fire love ignited, ablaze and extinguished. DownBeat critic Bobby Reed writes “This elegant album illustrates what can happen when admirable ambition is paired with vocal vibrancy.” Alongside her inventive arrangements of jazz standards and pop hits, she also makes her debut as a songwriter of originality and craft. “Balm/Burn”, one of the originals, also provides the music for her first music video that has been lauded by pop and jazz critics alike. NeuFutur commented that with this video Kirsten “is able to refresh a storied jazz vocal tradition that traces its way back about 100 years.”

What brought her here is a journey of searching and curiosity that imbues her work with many influences. Growing up in Manchester-by-the-Sea, Massachusetts, she devoted herself to theater, and worked professionally through school, graduating from Brandeis University with a degree in music. “I left my high school graduation early, with a costume underneath my robe, for an evening show. Same in college: couldn’t celebrate since there was a matinee that day!” Kristen recalls. She left Brandeis having received the Ira Gershwin Prize in Music. Although classical vocal training interested her in pursuing opera as well as musical theater, jazz is what won her heart when she moved to New York City. “The intimacy of performance in smaller venues, and the nature of improvised music opened up entirely new possibilities for me as a musician and performer. It wasn’t really a choice; I was captured by the music.”

Kristen recollects, citing Marilyn Maye and Carmen McRae as inspirations, then and today. She began singing with a big band, worked with small combos in cigar bars, hookah lounges, nursing homes, “wherever I could”, she adds. Coupled with intensive study with singer/composer Tom Lellis, she evolved her vocal style and musicianship in a totally new direction, taking the best of what stage training offered and crafting her approach to jazz with intensive work. She won the Jazz Forum Arts vocal competition in 2014, and in addition to enthusiastic acclaim for her first album, Kristen also performed at Birdland, Iridium, Zinc Bar, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Joe’s Pub and more.

A singer with a side hustle is no anomaly, but a singer who is also a certified sommelier, serving on the floor of NYC’s top restaurants, while forging her career onstage, is quite unique. While debuting her first record at Birdland, she was a sommelier at Gotham Bar & Grill; while finishing her second record, Smolder, she brought her wine expertise to The Grill (the New York Times’ restaurant of the year in 2017). “I’m lucky to have had work in wine that allowed me to develop individuality in my musical approach”, Kristen explains. “There is something of a connection between them in that both music and wine can be intoxicating, and in their highest expression, bring us into a transcendent state.”

Not surprisingly, her creativity found its way into her work with wine. Two Notes, a wine Kristen created with Grammy winner Ted Nash, is a Bordeaux blend from California soon to be in its second vintage. “There comes a time to contribute to the the narrative of the things you love, not just be a consumer or a critic. Two Notes is our contribution to the wine world.”Her passion for wine and song is leading to exciting places, as her international career begins, and Smolder’s spark begins to blaze. Certainly, there will be much to toast to as time goes on. https://www.allaboutjazz.com/musicians/kristen-lee-sergeant

Falling

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Julio Resende - Fado & Further (Live)

Size: 171,4 MB
Time: 74:22
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2015
Styles: Piano Jazz, Fado, Latin Jazz
Art: Front

01. Uma Outra Mariquinhas ( 9:18)
02. Fado Loucura/Sou Do Fado (10:45)
03. Da Alma (11:46)
04. Gaivota ( 8:35)
05. Lagrima (Feat. Silvia Perez Cruz) ( 6:55)
06. Cucurrucucu Paloma (Feat. Silvia Perez Cruz) ( 8:49)
07. Pare Meu (Feat. Silvia Perez Cruz) ( 9:52)
08. Enfrentar O Medo ( 8:17)

“Fado & Further”, consists of live excerpts from concerts performed by Júlio Resende between 2014 and 2015, while touring in support of his previous work – “Amália por Júlio Resende”, rated 5 “Choc-Disc” stars by prestigious magazine CLASSICA – FRANCE.

Being a two-parted album, the first half brings us a solo performance by the pianist, who presents new takes on the Fado songbook, alongside an original piece and a traditional hispanic song; the second part brings along the charming Sílvia Pérez Cruz – who began her collaboration with Júlio Resende in a sold-out show at the Fundação Calouste Gulbenkian, in Lisbon and is considered by critics and the public “Spain’s best singer right now”.

Júlio Resende embraced the heritage of Carlos Paredes and Amália Rodrigues and from his fingertips sprang a new approach to Fado.

After having sold out venues in Dili and Tokyo, the pianist’s next destination is Paris, where he will perform at the JazzyColors Festival before returning to Portugal to present his new record.The “Fado & Further” concerts are scheduled for November 27th at the Auditório Municipal de Olhão, in Algarve and November 28th at the Grande Auditório do Centro Cultural de Belém, in Lisbon.

Along with Sílvia Pérez Cruz, Júlio Resende will also be joined on stage by the great brazilian singer-songwriter Moreno Veloso, musical heir to one of the greatest brazilian icons – his father Caetano Veloso.

Fado & Further

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Melissa Collard - Endless Stars

Styles: Vocal, Guitar
Year: 2013
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 55:47
Size: 128,4 MB
Art: Front

(4:35) 1. Beatrice
(5:28) 2. I Hear a Rhapsody
(4:11) 3. Inside a Silent Tear
(3:42) 4. Soul Eyes
(5:40) 5. Endless Stars
(4:31) 6. Like Someone in Love
(5:47) 7. Desafinado
(3:35) 8. Everlasting Night
(6:30) 9. Syeeda's Song Flute
(5:11) 10. I Should Care
(3:40) 11. Take the Light Rail
(2:52) 12. Nice Weather for Ducks

Melissa Collard is an excellent swing singer and guitarist based in Northern California. She grew up in Southern California and was introduced to early jazz through her grandmother, who played ragtime and stride piano. She was also interested in more modern jazz and rock as a teenager, performing as a backup singer with her brothers' rock band. Collard began playing guitar at 12, stretching from Django Reinhardt and Eddie Lang to Pat Metheny and Jimi Hendrix. She first sang regularly at a lounge on the Redondo Beach Pier when she was 14. Collard graduated from high school and studied English at Berkeley, where she met the local traditional jazz musicians.

She played early jazz with such musicians as Dick Oxtot, Bob Mielke, Bob Helm, Ray Skjelbred, Leon Oakley, Jim Goodwin, and Bob Schulz. She also worked with a quartet that was inspired by Django Reinhardt's music. After moving to Sacramento in the late '80s, Collard sang more modern standards with piano trios in hotels, worked with the ghost bands of Tommy Dorsey and Nelson Riddle, sang Western swing with the Lost Weekend big band, and traveled to Europe with the Cosumnes River College Jazz Band. In 2004 she made her recording debut on Old Fashioned Love, a CD also featuring trombonist Dan Barrett and banjoist/guitarist Eddie Erickson.~Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/artist/melissa-collard-mn0000427119/biography

Endless Stars

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Melody Diachun - Dreams & Places

Styles: Jazz, Vocal
Year: 2006
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 52:00
Size: 119,7 MB
Art: Front

(3:39)  1. The closer I Get To You
(3:55)  2. Little Red Address Book
(4:02)  3. By Your Side
(3:38)  4. In The Meantime
(4:37)  5. Lazy Afternoon
(3:26)  6. I'm Tellin' You Jack
(5:31)  7. October
(4:49)  8. Never Do You Wrong
(3:29)  9. Please Bring Me Back My Home
(4:05) 10. The Love Of You
(3:19) 11. Good For Me
(4:11) 12. Table For One
(3:12) 13. Nowhere Else

As seen on BravoTV and the B.E.T. Network, Juno nominated singer Melody Diachun offers you Pop Jazz at its finest.

This deluxe collection of originals and choice covers features Melody’s stunning vocals and playing from some of Canada’s very best, including Dave Restivo, Tom Keenlyside, Chris Andrew, Doug Stephenson, Tilden Webb… Includes a full color, 12-page booklet with complete original lyrics.

"'Sensual' is the word!" ~  Katie Malloch, host of TONIC, CBC Radio

"A breathy yet funky sound…" ~  Tim Tamashiro, weekend host of TONIC, CBC Radio  http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/melody2

Dreams & Places

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Alessandro Galati - Traction Avant

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1995
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 62:06
Size: 143,8 MB
Art: Front

(6:12) 1. How Sweet Is The Ozone
(4:04) 2. Floating 1
(7:44) 3. Andrè
(5:39) 4. Traction Avant
(5:49) 5. J.S.What
(8:14) 6. Wassily
(7:59) 7. Solar
(5:33) 8. Floating 2
(8:31) 9. Amaxonia
(2:16) 10. Blues As You Please

Born in Florence, Italy, in 1966, pianist Alessandro Galati has studied both classical and jazz, under the guiding eye of renowned artist Bruno Tommaso. After playing at numerous clubs and festivals in both Europe and the U.S., Galati began issuing albums on a regular basis, including 1995's Traction Avant, 1997's Jason Salad, and 1999's Europhilia (the latter of which was commissioned by the town council of Sesto Fiorentino, and dedicated to the European United Nations). Since 1988, Galati has been teaching both piano and jazz combo arrangement at the Accademia Musicale di Firenze and the Centro Attivita' Musicali. In addition to his own recordings, Galati has collaborated with numerous other artists, including Steve Lacy, Kenny Wheeler, Lee Konitz, and Bob Sheppard.~Greg Pratohttps://www.allmusic.com/artist/alessandro-galati-mn0001821825/biography

Personnel: Alessandro Galati: piano, keys; Palle Danielsson: double bass; Peter Erskine: drums.

Traction Avant

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