Olivia Trummer - Fly Now

Styles: Vocal And Piano Jazz
Year: 2014
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 43:28
Size: 101,9 MB
Art: Front

(4:26)  1. Precious Silence
(3:32)  2. Snow Coloured Streets
(4:01)  3. Sharing My Heart
(3:39)  4. Gotta Miss Someone
(4:42)  5. Fly Now
(3:29)  6. All Is Well
(1:13)  7. Watching The Moon (Intro)
(4:01)  8. Watching The Moon
(6:13)  9. Stay Awake
(2:30) 10. Fly Now - Reflection
(5:38) 11. Don't Ask Love

Singer or pianist? Actually, both hats fit Stuttgart-born Olivia Trummer pretty snugly, as evidenced by her splendid opening slot for Charles Lloyd in Dublin's National Concert Hall in November alongside bassist David Redmond and drummer Kevin Brady and her subsequent sell-out show at the EFG London Jazz Festival. Trummer possess a soulful voice of pristine quality and displays a feathery, understated lyricism on the keys; both assets are finely tuned and beautifully balanced on this, her fifth recording as leader.  As a singer and lyricist Trummer is something of a late bloomer. A classically trained pianist and a jazz piano graduate from the Manhattan School of Music, it wasn't until Nobody Knows (Neuklang, 2010) her third release -that she felt confident enough to flex her vocal pipes. It's a case of better late than never, for on these original meditations on matters of heart and mind Trummer's crystal-clear articulation seduces like a jazzier Norah Jones. Her softly poetic introspection is lent New York gravitas by the rhythm team of Obed Calvaire and Matt Penman, with Kurt Rosenwinkel adding luster to several numbers. On the persuasive opener "Precious Silence" Trummer sings of "bridges built to change our lives" and this quietly stated optimism is emphasized by mantra-like repetition. It's a stylistic approach she reprises on the lightly funky "Gotta Miss Someone" and the jazzy "All is Well" -two tracks with potential commercial radio appeal and the slow-burning epic "Sharing My Heart." On this latter tune, Rosenwinkel weaves atmospheric lines over Trummer's continuous two-note motif while Calvaire and Obed move effortlessly between sotto voce stealth and stronger pulses.

Trummer's playing is characterized by economy and a lightness of touch, notably on the blue-toned title track; it's a solo outing of exquisite delicacy and throughout the recording in general mood trumps technique. Calvaire's brushes stir almost subliminally on the slow tempo track "Snow Colored Streets" as Trummer's high vocal notes glide over the sparse architecture. Likewise, the spacious arrangement of "Watching the Moon" accentuates the nuances of Trummer's caressing, less-is-more style. Her lilting wordless improvisations are also used sparingly, though perhaps a little more adventure in that department would have added spice. Occasional Rhodes piano and shimmering Hammond C3 inject strokes of color here and there, working particularly well on the slow-grooving "Stay Awake" where Trummer's soulful delivery underlines her obvious crossover appeal. Trummer's minimalist Rhodes dabs combine with Rosenwinkel's softly spiraling, pedal-driven lines on the arresting instrumental "Fly Now Reflection" while her strengths as a balladeer are foregrounded on the trio number "Don't Ask Love," a haunting lullaby that could have come from the Bill Evans songbook. Fly Now is Trummer's first release sung entirely in English and it could well be the one that introduces this multi-talented artist to a wider audience. Trummer's instantly appealing voice emotive and sensuousis arguably her chief weapon, while her lyrical piano playing works more subtle charms. The combination of the two on these finely crafted tunes is hard to resist. ~ Ian Patterson https://www.allaboutjazz.com/fly-now-olivia-trummer-contemplate-review-by-ian-patterson.php

Personnel: Olivia Trummer: vocals; piano; Fender Rhodes; Hammond C3; shaker; Matt Penman: double bass; Obed Calvaire: drum set; Kurt Rosenwinkel: guitar (3, 6, 10)

Fly Now

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Barbara Rosene and Her New Yorkers - Moon Song

Styles: Vocal

Year: 2005

File: MP3@256K/s

Time: 78:18

Size: 144,4 MB

Art: Front

(3:34)  1. Get Under the Moon

(4:51)  2. Moonglow

(3:02)  3. Me and the Man in the Moon

(3:49)  4. Moon Song

(2:18)  5. I Never Knew What the Moonlight Could Do

(4:09)  6. Under the Moon (You-oo-oo-oo)

(4:00)  7. Moonlight Becomes You

(3:16)  8. Livin' in the Sunlight, Lovin' in the Moonlight

(4:30)  9. It's Only a Paper Moon

(2:21) 10. Me and the Moon

(5:01) 11. Moonlight and Roses

(3:24) 12. (There Ought to Be a) Moonlight Saving Time

(4:18) 13. The Moon Got My Eyes

(2:51) 14. On a Chinese Honeymoon

(3:32) 15. Moonburn

(3:43) 16. When the Moon Comes Over the Mountain

(3:15) 17. I Thank You, Mr. Moon

(3:45) 18. Sheltered By the Stars, Cradled By the Moon

(3:49) 19. Moonstruck

(3:21) 20. Shine On Harvest Moon

(5:20) 21. I Wished on the Moon

Barbara Rosene has built an unequalled reputation for interpreting the great music of the 1920s and 30s and 40s. She is a passionate vocalist whose interpretations uncover the richness of jazz classics through the subtle, skilled delivery of one truly in love with the genre she sings. Rosene gives voice to songs in ways that are both gracefully provocative and warmly welcoming. Few singers have her feel for classic material, from all eras of Jazz, interpreting the music with not only a full understanding and love of the original time period but with the rare ability to make the material sound fresh and emotionally relevant today. In her established career she has shared stages with jazz icons, performing internationally with The Harry James Orchestra, Vince Giordano and The Nighthawks, the late Les Paul at New York’s Iridium Jazz Club, The Woody Allen Band, at The Carlyle Hotel, as well as directing her own New Yorkers, and as guest artist with orchestras and in festivals across the world. She has played such venues as The Iridium, Lincoln Center’s Rose Hall, The Montreal Jazz Festival,  Night Town (Cleveland), Blues Alley (DC), The Arizona Music Festival, Jazz Amarinois, and The Hotel Villa Flori, Lake Como. Barbara has been featured on Judy Carmichael’s NPR program  ”Jazz Inspired”, and recently on NPR’s “Hot Jazz Saturday Night.” She has been recognized by Backstage Magazine (Bistro Award, 2006), “Jazz Improv Magazine”, and is featured in Scott Yanow’s “Great Jazz Singers.” Rosene is personally committed to the significance of jazz music in American Popular Song and in America’s roots and spirit. Finding the soul of a song and linking its heart and expression with her own story brings this seductive blonde singer the satisfaction of a career well-spent. Recently she has begun lecturing on The Tin Pan Alley composers and early women jazz singers. “Do what thrills you. Do what has meaning,” says Rosene, genuinely. “One thing I know is that it really is a privilege to perform. When someone is touched or broadened by something you have given them it is a gift to be able to give back to the world in that way.” Barbara’s CDs include several on the Stomp Off label, all of which pay homage to the great composers and vocalists of the 1920s and 30s. Including  “Nice and Naughty”, a collection of double entendre tunes, which features Conal Fowkes who’s voice and piano stylings as Cole Porter, were featured in “Midnight In Paris”.  Vince Giordano and The Nighthawks ( Boardwalk Empire) collaborated on Barbara’s first CD entitled “Deep Night”. Will Friedwald, author of Jazz Singing and Sinatra! has written: “No one evokes more vividly the music of the great singers of the 1920s than Barbara Rosene.” Barbara’s CDs include releases on the Blues Back, Arbor’s and Azica labels. http://barbararosene.com/biography/

Moon Song

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Olivia Trummer Trio - Nach Norden

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2006
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 54:07
Size: 123,9 MB
Art: Front

(8:45)  1. Eternal Dance
(7:09)  2. Leaving Earth
(7:40)  3. Rostock
(7:23)  4. Nach Norden
(8:17)  5. Last Tango
(3:45)  6. Restless
(7:47)  7. A Hint Of Sorrow
(3:17)  8. A Hint Of Sorrow (Solo Version)

The young piano trio around Olivia Trummer is the new sensation! The three award-winning newcomers act in a laid-back and relaxed manner on their debut album in harmonic interplay and in an animated communication. They are instrumental and compositionally mature as their role models, but make their own music. All pieces are taken from the musical (and pretty) head of Olivia Trummer. She describes her jazz pieces as "melodic and modern, young and dreamy and always original and lively" and assigns them stylistically to the mainstream. Again and again she lets her penchant for swing, funk and Latin flash through. https://www.amazon.de/Nach-Norden-Olivia-Trummer-Trio/dp/B000ION58C

Personnel:  Piano, Composed By, Arranged By – Olivia Trummer;  Contrabass – Joel Locher;  Drums – Marcel Gustke

Nach Norden

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Evan Christopher, Spanky Davis, Wycliffe Gordon - Times Like These: Jam Session Concert

Styles: Clarinet,Trumpet And Trombone Jazz
Year: 2021
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 98:09
Size: 225,7 MB
Art: Front

( 9:02) 1. Deed I Do
( 9:13) 2. Blues in the Air
( 4:38) 3. Blues in Thirds
( 7:38) 4. Basin Street Blues
( 5:15) 5. Rosetta
( 4:41) 6. Passport to Paradise
( 4:05) 7. Do Nothin' Till You Hear from Me
( 9:06) 8. St. Louis Blues
(11:06) 9. Si Tu Vois Ma Mère / Petite Fleur / Summertime / Mood Indigo
( 9:05) 10. Royal Garden Blues
( 5:22) 11. Just One of Those Things
( 7:54) 12. Basin Street Blues II
( 4:42) 13. Passport to Paradise II
( 4:00) 14. Georgia Cabin
( 2:14) 15. Times Like These

"This is a rollicking session that will delight both traditional jazz fans and those with ears inclined to more modern sounds ... Gordon shines here and is clearly having a ball."~ Cadence

"My goal is to maintain the integrity of early jazz styles, its structure, but move forward so that it's speaking to an audience of today instead of being something bottled and preserved."~ Evan Christopher

"The high technical quality of this recording and the creative music, featuring compositions by Sidney Bechet and songs he recorded, is intended to serve the memory of the great Wizard and afford joy to the listener. Vive Bechet!~ Eric D. Offner, President of the Sidney Bechet Society

Personnel: Evan Christopher - clarinet; Spanky Davis - trumpet; Wycliffe Gordon - trombone; Jack Lesberg - bass; Mark Shane - piano; Jackie Williams - drums

Times Like These: Jam Session Concert

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Seth MacFarlane - Blue Skies

Styles: Vocal
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 41:58
Size: 97,2 MB
Art: Front

(2:49) 1. It's You or No One
(2:22) 2. No Moon At All
(2:45) 3. You'll Get Yours
(3:00) 4. A Hundred Years From Today
(2:22) 5. If I Were A Bell
(3:12) 6. Out of Nowhere
(3:05) 7. On Green Dolphin Street
(2:49) 8. That Old Feeling
(3:14) 9. Blue Skies
(2:53) 10. It Could Happen to You
(3:37) 11. I Didn't Know About You
(3:13) 12. You Turned The Tables On Me
(3:42) 13. Never In A Million Years
(2:46) 14. Unless I Do It All With You

For Seth MacFarlane, “blue” means less balladic. He’s announcing a new album on the way, “Blue Skies,” and says it marks a return to a more swinging style than the softer approach he employed on his last record. Out May 20, the seventh album from the “Family Guy” creator and jazz cat will again see him working with a catalog of classics, and again see him working closely with arranger and conductor Andrew Cottee. Still, it’ll mark a turnaround from their previous release.

“I have long been a fan of Andrew Cottee’s supremely artful and buoyant orchestrations,” MacFarlane tells Variety. “So after our last collaboration, ‘Once in A While,’ a ballad-themed record, I really wanted to hear what he could do with an up-tempo album. As always, Andrew did not disappoint. His arrangements of these 14 songs, carefully selected by the two of us, are yet another shining example of the expertise with which he handles both melodic interpretations and orchestral dynamics.”

Cottee speaks in terms of raising the bar. “This is the album I’ve always wanted to make,” he says. “The chance to collaborate with an artist like Seth MacFarlane and work with such a high calibre of players is a dream for any arranger.”

The first single from the Verve/Republic release, “No Moon at All,” is out today, and ironically, perhaps, given the album title, it’s about enjoying the favors of a black sky. The song a jazz standard written in 1947 by David Mann and Redd Evans has previously been recorded by artists including Doris Day, Ella Fitzgerald, Julie London and Diana Krall… and for some reason has been favored largely be female vocalists over the year, although men like Mel Torme have put their hands on it too. Who’s to say why it has so often been women jumping at the chance to sing lines like “It’s so dark / Even Fido is afraid to bark / What a perfect chance to park”? MacFarlane, for his part, is not afraid to go there.

Together, MacFarlane and Cottee wrote one new song for the album, “Unless I Do It All With You,” which closes the collection. Otherwise it’s reliant on some of the less over-familiar pages from a songbook handed down from songwriters like Irving Berlin (who co-wrote the 1926 title song), Frank Loesser, Sammy Cahn and Edward Heyman. Musicians recruited for the project include Chuck Berghofer (bass), Peter Erskine (drums), Larry Koonse (guitar), Dan Higgins (alto sax) and Tom Ranier (piano). Back on board from past projects are producer Joel McNeely and engineer Rich Breen. Cottee’s credits include arrangements on films including “Sing” and “Beyond the Sea,” orchestrating Paul McCartney’s “Ocean Kingdom” ballet and composing music for McFarlane’s Hulu series “The Orville.” Seth MacFarlane - Blue Skies 2022 https://variety.com/2022/music/news/seth-macfarlane-new-album-blue-skies-1235237598/

Personnel: Chuck Berghofer (bass), Peter Erskine (drums), Larry Koonse (guitar), Dan Higgins (alto sax) and Tom Ranier (piano).

Blue Skies

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Vanessa Rubin - The Dream Is You: Vanessa Rubin Sings Tadd Dameron

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2019
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 55:40
Size: 128,5 MB
Art: Front

(7:42)  1. Lady Bird
(2:34)  2. Kitchenette Across the Hall
(7:10)  3. If You Could See Me Now
(3:34)  4. Weekend
(4:17)  5. On a Misty Night
(4:04)  6. Never Been in Love
(5:18)  7. Next Time Around
(3:05)  8. Good Bait
(3:51)  9. Reveries Do Come True (The Dream Is You)
(5:07) 10. Whatever Possessed Me
(5:29) 11. You're a Joy
(3:23) 12. I Think I'll Go Away

Tadd Dameron is regarded as the great romantic of bebop-era jazz composers, a writer with a talent for creating smooth, memorable melodies that could evoke real emotion. Most of his works are known mainly as instrumentals but Vanessa Rubin has compiled lyrics written for some of his tunes, had new lyrics written for others and even provided words to one herself. This recording of her efforts is, surprisingly, the first ever all-vocal set of Tadd Dameron's music.  Rubin's singing is classy throughout, with hints of the subtle swing of Carmen McRae. She benefits from the backing of an eight-piece band playing charts by several of Dameron's friends and disciples, Frank Foster, Benny Golson, Jimmy Heath, Willie Smith and Bobby Watson. There are several familiar pieces like "Lady Bird" and "On A Misty Night" on hand, all played with swinging assurance. Willie Smith's version of "Good Bait," in particular, comes off breezily hip with the horns tightly arranged to sound like a much larger band. Benny Golson gives the classic ballad "If You Could See Me Now" an elegant arrangement, with the reeds and piano flowing gently behind Rubin's velvety voice, and Eddie Allen and Clifton Anderson taking pretty solo turns.  Lesser-known compositions are treated with the same care and style as the familiar ones. "Never Been In Love" is an elegant Latin-flavored ballad given a smoky, romantic sheen in Bobby Watson's arrangement, while "Weekend" is a swirling waltz sporting a brassy horn arrangement by Frank Foster not too far from some of the arranging on Dameron's own recordings. "You're A Joy" is a lush ballad with an unidentified flautist fluttering through the ensemble, and "Whatever Possessed Me" may be the single most beautiful track on the CD, thanks to Rubin's angelic singing and the swooning horns in Jimmy Heath's arrangement. Alex Harding's baritone is a secret weapon of this and many other tracks in the way his sax wraps around the horn ensembles like smoke, giving them a lush gravity. On the ballads "Reveries Do Come True," a romantic tango with Rubin's own lyrics, and "Next Time Around," a vocal version of "Soultrane," the horns lay out and Rubin is backed only by the rhythm section. John Cowherd's piano, Kenny Davis' bass and Carl Allen's drums all shine on these tracks with Cowherd's touch on "Next Time Around" being particularly lovely. Tadd Dameron is something of a neglected figure today but this set reminds us of the beauty and depth of his music, and shows how well it adapts to vocal treatments. It is also a reminder of how good a singer Vanessa Rubin is. ~ JEROME WILSON https://www.allaboutjazz.com/the-dream-is-you-vanessa-rubin-sings-tadd-dameron-vanessa-rubin-nibur-records-review-by-jerome-wilson.php

Personnel: Vanessa K. Rubin: vocals; John Cowherd; piano; Kenny Davis: bass; Carl Allen: drums; Eddie Allen: trumpet; Patience Higgins: tenor saxophone; Bruce Williams: alto saxophone; Clifton Anderson: trombone; Alex Harding: baritone saxophone.

The Dream Is You: Vanessa Rubin Sings Tadd Dameron

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Clark Terry - Clark Terry

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 1997
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 51:42
Size: 119,8 MB
Art: Front

(6:06)  1. Swahili
(3:32)  2. Double Play
(4:27)  3. Slow Boat
(3:45)  4. Co-Op
(5:33)  5. Kitten
(6:42)  6. The Countless
(3:05)  7. Tuma
(4:19)  8. Chuckles
(3:31)  9. Cat Meets Chick
(2:30) 10. Mamblues
(3:15) 11. The Man I Love
(4:51) 12. Anything You Can Do

Aside from a three-song session for V-Disc during the late 1940s, this CD contains Clark Terry's first recordings as a leader. Already an alumni of both Charlie Barnet's and Count Basie's bands, and a then-current member of Duke Ellington's orchestra, Terry is more focused on bop in these dates, with a terrific band including trombonist Jimmy Cleveland, baritone saxophonist Cecil Payne, pianist Horace Silver, cellist/bassist Oscar Pettiford, bassist Wendell Marshall, and drummer Art Blakey, with charts by Quincy Jones. The infectious opener, "Swahili," was credited to Jones, though in Carl Woideck's liner notes, Terry remarks that he had a hand in its creation at the date. The loping "Double Play" features both bassists and a fine muted chorus by the leader. The easygoing bopper "Co-Op" was penned by Terry and fellow Ellington sideman Rick Henderson, with pungent statements by the trumpeter and Payne. 

The brisk blues "Chuckles" is a dazzling finale to his first LP, showcasing Payne and Cleveland before Terry takes over and plays a chorus in each of the 12 keys to wrap things up with a flourish. There may be a bit of confusion for anyone who owns a copy of the original LP, as many of the songs were mislabeled on it. The last four tracks came from a 1954 10" album, Cats Vs. Chicks' players include Silver and Pettiford (Percy Heath takes his place on two numbers), trombonist Urbie Green, tenor saxophonist Lucky Thompson, guitarist Tal Farlow, and drummer Kenny Clarke. Terry's vocal-like muted horn is heard in "Cat Meets Chicks," while his distinctive style on open horn is prominent in his "Mamblues," which also has a tasty chorus by Farlow and a bit of Latin percussion behind the ensemble passage. "Anything You Can Do (I Can Do Better)" is a mock battle between instrumentalists, with Mary Osborne challenging Farlow, trumpeter Norma Carson putting Terry to the test, while Terry Pollard takes on Horace Silver. There are no losers in this swinging meeting. ~ Ken Dryden  http://www.allmusic.com/album/clark-terry-polygram-mw0000595668

Clark Terry

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Kenny Drew - Fantasia

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1983
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 49:25
Size: 114,0 MB
Art: Front

(7:34) 1. Flight Of Fancy
(5:37) 2. Someday My Prince Will Come
(6:24) 3. Wishing Hoping
(4:59) 4. When You Wish Upon A Star
(8:54) 5. Fantasia
(5:06) 6. Dream
(6:33) 7. Polka Dots And Moonbeams
(4:15) 8. Children's Dance

Kenny Drew was born in New York City in August of 1928. At the age of 5, he began studying classical piano with a private teacher and at 8, gave a recital. This early background is similar to that of Bud Powell, the man who later became his main inspiration as a jazz pianist. After digging Fats Waller, at 12, and then Art Tatum and Teddy Wilson, Drew attended the High School of Music and Art. He was known as a hot boogie woogie player but passed through this phase before graduation.

Kenny's first professional job was as accompanist at Pearl Primus' dance school. At the same time, he was alternating with Walter Bishop Jr. in a neighborhood band that included Sonny Rollins, Jackie McLean and Art Taylor. In this period, he used to hang-out on 52nd Street to listen to Charlie Parker and Powell and began sitting in at various jam sessions around town.

In January of 1950, Drew made his first appearance on record, with Blue Note. Howard McGhee was the leader and the other featured soloists were Brew Moore and J.J. Johnson. One of the six sides released was “I'll Remember April.” The label, in addition to stating “Howard McGhee's All Stars”, further read, “Introducing Kenny Drew.”

Later, in 1953, Kenny made his first album as a leader. Again it was Blue Note who recorded him, this time in a trio with Curly Russell and Art Blakey. But Kenny opted to settle in Los Angeles for the next few years. There in 1955, he formed a quartet with the late Joe Maini, Leroy Vinnegar and Lawrence Marable. The quartet first recorded together in 1955 for Pacific Jazz. In December, Jazz West, a subsidiary of Aladdin Records, brought the quartet as is into Capitol's recording studios for “Talkin' & Walkin'.” In February of '56, Kenny's band and arrangements were used for another Jazz West release, this one by vocalist Jane Fielding. A month later, Drew, Paul Chambers, John Coltrane and Philly Joe Jones made the great “Chambers' Music” for the same label, which is now reissued on Blue Note.

In early 1957 Kenny made his way back to New York as accompanist for Dinah Washington. That September, he participated in John Coltrane's monumental masterpiece “Blue Train,” but his association with Blue Note did not heat up again until 1960 when he made his own “Undercurrent” as well as Jackie McLean's “Bluesnik,” and “Jackie's Bag,” Kenny Dorham's “Whistle Stop,” Dexter Godon's “Dexter Calling,” Grant Green's “Sunday Mornin'” and a couple of Tina Brooks dates all within the space of a year.

Although Kenny was active on the recording and club scenes in New York and even subbed for Freddie Redd for a while in the successful Off-Broadway run of The Connection, he eventually chose to migrate to Europe. But he again popped up on a classic Blue Note date, Dexter Godon's “One Flight Up,” done in Paris in 1964.

Kenny became a major star in Europe and Japan although his music was sadly neglected at home. He settled in Copenhagen where he ran a publishing company and was the house pianist at the Café Montmartre. He was also the pianist for the Steeplechase label, where he was on countless sessions backing visiting musicians. He left an impressive legacy of recordings both as sideman and leader. Kenny Drew died on Aug. 4, 1993. https://www.allaboutjazz.com/musicians/kenny-drew

Personnel: Kenny Drew (p); Niels-Henning Orsted Pedersen (b); Ed Thigpen (d)

Fantasia

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Vivian Buczek - Roots

Styles: Vocal
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 61:54
Size: 147,2 MB
Art: Front

(6:41) 1. Visions
(4:40) 2. Who Are You
(5:05) 3. Devil May Care
(4:54) 4. Fly Away
(6:04) 5. Always and Forever
(4:04) 6. The Jody Grind
(7:12) 7. Waltz for Debbie - Monicas Vals
(7:05) 8. The Meaning of the Blues
(3:52) 9. What Now?
(5:58) 10. Nature Boy
(3:15) 11. Better Days Ahead
(3:00) 12. Jej Portret

Since 2003, Vivian Buczek has established herself as a powerful force in the contemporary jazz scene. Her voice is soulful and powerful. She can be sensitive and emotional on a ballad, but then turn around and sing blues songs as if she's been doing it all her life, which she actually has been. With Roots, she brings the listener into her musical world and offers, what she calls, "the most personal album I've ever made." On Roots, Buczek teams up with saxophonist Seamus Blake, Martin Lundgren on trumpet and flugelhorn, Martin Sjöstedt on piano, Jasper Bodilsen on bass, and Morten Lund on drums. All of the musicians offer impressive performances here, and there is quite a variety of jazz styles featured, which is not surprising considering Buczek's background.

She was born in Sweden, and both her parents were Polish-born jazz musicians. Buczek grew up immersed in both Polish and Swedish culture along with a healthy dose of jazz. Being an only child, music was always, as she describes, her closest friend. She began singing as a child, and her passion for music eventually led her onto the global stage. From listening to Roots it is easy to see how different musicians have influenced her, and she loves a wide variety of jazz music. There are hints of singers such as Annie Ross and Sarah Vaughan here, but her own sound is certainly not derivative. Buczek has her own unique voice, which is certainly impressive.

While there are original compositions included, she also features classics such as "Nature Boy" and a vocalese version of Bill Evans' "Waltz for Debby/Monicas Vals" sung in both English and Swedish. She also features more contemporary compositions by artists such as Stevie Wonder and Pat Metheny. One of Buczeck's major influences, however, is Ella Fitzgerald. She even recorded a tribute album called Ella Lives (Prophone 2017). Although Roots is not another tribute, it is easy to see elements of Ella here. Fitzgerald frequently used her voice not only to carry a song's melody but also to improvise lines as well. In a similar fashion, Buckzek uses her voice much as another instrument in the ensemble, creating improvised lines which weave melodically along with the other players.

The music on Roots is satisfying throughout. From beautiful ballads such as "Who Are You?" and "Always And Forever" to all-out swinging songs such as "The Jody Grind" or "What Now?" this is an album which has plenty to offer. While this is her most personal album, it will probably be a personal favorite for many listeners.~ Kyle Simpler https://www.allaboutjazz.com/roots-vivian-buczek-prophone-records

Personnel: Vivian Buczek: voice / vocals; Seamus Blake: saxophone, tenor; Mårten Lundgren: trumpet.

Roots

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Kristin Berardi - Where or When

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2015
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 56:32
Size: 130,0 MB
Art: Front

( 4:34)  1. Where or When
( 4:43)  2. Lucky 13
( 6:09)  3. Suzanne
( 5:06)  4. Born to Be Blue
( 6:12)  5. Brad
( 5:05)  6. Unity Village
( 4:42)  7. Cool Baby
(10:10)  8. Limbo
( 5:04)  9. Is It Ok for Clowns to Cry?
( 4:41) 10. Young at Heart

Kristin Berardi is one of Australia’s ‘first call’ jazz vocalists.Having won a swag of awards including Montreux Jazz Festival’s International Vocal Competition and twice winner of The Australian Jazz Bell Award for Best Vocal Album she is also the recipient of a National Freedman Fellowship as well as the National Jazz Award for Voice at The Wangaratta Jazz Festival. A graduate of the Queensland Conservatorium,where she now lectures, she has toured internationally to Japan,Germany,New York and Indonesia and is probably one of the best jazz singers that Australia has produced. Where or When is a collection of songs that showcases Berardi’s astonishing talents delighting the listener with her warm and beautiful tone.Leonard Cohen’s Suzanne from the 1960’s is a brilliant simplistic rendition of that frequently covered song. 

It sits comfortably alongside of Rodgers and Harts’ Where or When superbly complementing Johnny Richards soulful million selling hit from 1953 Young at Heart. Could this be the version to finally rival that of Frank Sinatra’s? One of Berardi’s original compositions on the album Lucky 13 is a tribute to the good fortune behind this album’s creation when she was able to gather all her chosen musicians in one studio in Melbourne on 13th September 2013 and another original composition, Is It OK For Clowns To Cry , shows the jazz ballad at its most touching and poignant. The intimacy of the band is heightened by the decision to record without drums anchoring the album’s sound with the richness of Sam Anning’s faultless bass playing. James Sherlock is as impressive as always on guitar and Steve Newcomb is flawlessly superb on piano.Julien Wilson adds that final magic touch with his tenor saxophone that makes this the perfect jazz vocal album of 2015. ~ Barry O’Sullivan  http://jazz.org.au/where-or-when-kristin-berardi/

Personnel:  Kristin Berardi -vocals and composition;  Steve Newcomb – piano;  James Sherlock – guitar;  Julien Wilson – tenor saxophone; Sam Anning – bass

Where or When

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The Dan Barrett, Enric Peidro Quintet - And the Angels Swing

Styles: Trombone And Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2018
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 51:45
Size: 119,0 MB
Art: Front

(5:54) 1. I Can´t Believe That You´re in Love With Me / Kansas City Stride
(5:52) 2. 'Deed I do
(3:45) 3. Limehouse Blues
(5:46) 4. And the Angels Swing
(6:10) 5. Serenade to Sweden
(6:37) 6. If I Didn't Care
(5:17) 7. My Blue Heaven
(5:12) 8. Vic's Spot
(7:07) 9. Sultry Serenade

Swing is hard to define, but it’s the difference between ripe cherries and a cherry candy “with natural flavors” synthesized in a laboratory. I’m happy to report that the CD that pairs tenor saxophonist Enric Peidro and trombone legend Dan Barrett is satisfying swinging jazz throughout. In fact, it reaches new heights in the most refined yet impassioned ways. Let’s start at the back of the bandstand, or the bottom of the band (no offense intended), the fine rhythm section. I didn’t know pianist Richard Busiakewicz, bassist Lluis Llario, or drummer Carlos “Sir Charles” Gonzalez before this recording, but I love them. Their swing is unforced and easy; they know how, what, when, why, and when not to . . .

But before I write more, here’s a sonic sample, celebrating both Vic Dickenson (the composer) and his horticultural endeavors: The question of what is “authentic” is treacherous, because we defend our subjectivities with a lover’s defensive ardor, but that performance feels both expressive and controlled in the best ways. Forget for a moment the warm twenty-first century recording technology. If I heard that track, coming after a 1945 Don Byas-Buck Clayton Jamboree 78 and a Mel Powell Vanguard session, I would not think VIC’S SPOT an impostor. Swing is more than being able to play the notes or wear the hat; it’s a world-view, and this quintet has it completely.

Barrett remains a master not only of the horn, but of what I’d call “orchestral thinking,” where he’s always inventing little touches (on the page or on the stand) to make any performance sound fuller, have greater rhythmic emphasis and harmonic depth. I’ve seen him do this on the spot for years, and his gentle urgency makes this quintet even more a convincing working band than it would have been if anyone took his place. And as a trombonist, he really has no peer: others go in different directions and woo us, but he is immediately and happily himself, totally recognizable, with a whole tradition at his fingertips as well as a deep originality.

But Dan would be the first one to say that he is not the whole show: this CD offers us a swinging little band. We’ve all heard recordings, some of them dire, where the visiting “star” is supported by the “locals,” who are not up to the star’s level: many recorded performances by Ben Webster immediately come to mind. And the Angels Swing is the glorious countertruth to such unbalanced affairs, because Enric Peidro, who was new to me before I heard this CD, is a masterful player. He’s no one’s clone I couldn’t predict what his next phrase would be or where his line of thought would go and although he is not cautious, he never puts a foot wrong. You can hear his gliding presence on the track above, and for me he summons up two great and under-praised players, primarily Harold Ashby, but also a cosmopolitan Paul Gonsalves with no rough edges. He is a fine intuitive ensemble player, with an easy sophistication that charms the ear. I think of the way Ruby Braff appeared in the early Fifties: someone not afraid to play the melody, to improvise in heartfelt ways, to eschew the harder aspects of “modernism” without being affected in any reactionary ways. https://jazzlives.wordpress.com/tag/vanguard-records/

Personnel: Dan Barrett Trombone; Enric Peidro Tenor sax; Richard Busiakiewicz piano; Lluis Llario Bass; Carlos Gonzalez Drums

And the Angels Swing

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Sal Nistico - Empty Room

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2010
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 42:15
Size: 96,9 MB
Art: Front

(4:38)  1. Come Rain Or Come Shine
(9:04)  2. Lush Life
(9:10)  3. Inner Urge
(7:02)  4. Empty Room
(6:13)  5. I Should Care
(6:05)  6. The Hymn

Sal Nistico's explosive tenor solos with Woody Herman in the mid-'60s helped make that edition of Herman's Herd into a success. Originally an altoist, Nistico switched to tenor in 1956 and played with R&B bands for three years. He gigged with and made his recording debut in 1959-1960 with the Jazz Brothers, a band also including Chuck and Gap Mangione. But it was while with Herman in 1962-1965 that Nistico made history. In 1965, he spent five months with Count Basie. He returned to Basie in 1967 and to Herman on several occasions (1968-1970, 1971, 1981-1982), although without the impact of the first stint. Otherwise, the tenor freelanced throughout his career, playing with Don Ellis and Buddy Rich but mostly working with pick-up groups. Nistico recorded for several labels as a leader including Riverside, Red, and Beehive. Bio ~ https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/sal-nistico/id5056531#fullText
 

Personnel: Sal Nistico (tenor saxophone); Rita Marcotulli (piano); Roberto Gatto (drums).

Empty Room

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Steve Davis - Bluesthetic

Styles: Trombone Jazz
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 63:46
Size: 146,6 MB
Art: Front

(4:39) 1. Encouragement
(6:35) 2. Silver at Sundown
(6:25) 3. Maybe So
(6:47) 4. Bedford Strolle
(5:57) 5. Faraway Dream
(8:20) 6. They Wore 44
(7:30) 7. Off the Cuff
(5:22) 8. Indigo to Azure
(5:57) 9. Bluesthetic
(6:10) 10. A Star for Chick

Trombonist/composer Steve Davis has long been a first-call sideman. Chick Corea, as one example, tapped Davis for his revived Spanish Heart Band a couple of years ago. But, like the members of this esteemed sextet, Davis is a bandleader too, in his case with close to twenty-five albums under his name. On each of his three previous releases for Smoke Sessions Records, Davis assembled a stellar sextet with modern jazz’s most vaunted players. He repeats that here with Bluesthetic, but in an interesting way, shunning additional horn players on the front line, instead, he creates interesting harmonic possibilities with guitarist Peter Bernstein and vibraphonist Steve Nelson, a reunion of sorts as both appeared on his 1998 album Vibe Up! years. Rounding out his elite sextet is the formidable rhythm section of Geoffrey Keezer, bassist Christian McBride, and drummer Willie Jones III. All of these players had convened in various configurations over the past three decades.

The ten Davis originals each bear a story of their own. The breezy “Encouragement” hails the emergence of the pandemic with an uplifting melody. “Silver at Sundown” is dedicated as you may guess to Horace Silver and may not guess the Hartford jazz community from which Davis emerged under the mentorship of many, most notably Jackie McLean, whose lines course through the previous tune. In the liners, Davis references Silver’s trio playing in Hartford at The Sundown, a club where Silver led the house band in the early 1950s. It was there that Stan Getz saw Silver play and invited him on tour, a key moment in the pianist’s now-legendary career. Silver later recounted the story to Davis, who lived in Hartford for more than 25 years before moving to his current home in Stamford. “It’s a very cool piece of jazz history connected to a city that I spent a lot of time in,” Davis says.

The tune “Maybe So” comes from two words Davis uttered upon waking up. It glides along briskly with shimmering turns from each front liner as well as a pizzicato statement from the ever articulate McBride, who in turn engages his rhythm mates through a few choruses before Davis returns with the melody, passing the baton to Bernstein and Nelson in the hard-swinging beauty. Just three tracks in, Davis displays a remarkable sense of melody.

Commenting on the free-flowing, relaxed nature of the music McBride compares many of these compositions to those of pianist James Williams and Bobby Watson of Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers because the compositions have the feeling of soul and R&B mixed with post-bop blues. Speaking of McBride his waling bass line is perfect for “Bedford Stroll,” named for the bustling street where he and his wife live in Stamford, CT, and where he often develops his melodic ideas on late night walks. Low tones from the trombone usher in “Faraway Dream,” another nocturnal one as if floating on Nelson’s resonant vibes and Bernstein’s ringing guitar, with Keezer sitting out and Jones whispering on brushes.

The aptly muscular “They Wore 44” draws on a passion for sports that Davis shares with McBride. The recent death of legendary right fielder Hank Aaron, who wore the number 44 during his long tenure with the. Davis, a die-hard Red Sox fan, would likely have loved to mention one from his team but none measure up to those listed above. It features featuring lively soloing, especially both Keezer and Nelson.

Bernstein carves out a bluesy solo and Willie Jones III creates a maelstrom on his kit. “Off the Cuff” is a spontaneous free-wheeling tune pulled together near the end of the session, features spirited soloing from each band member. The aching ballad “Indigo to Azure” explores the full spectrum of the blues, with some of the leader’s most sensitive and lyrical playing, matched by his band members led by Keezer’s elegant comping, Nelson’s inspiring notes, and subtle support from the rhythm tandem as Bernstein sits out.

The title track Bluesthetic captures a combination of the appreciation of artful beauty suggested by “aesthetic” combined with the foundational influence of the blues. Interestingly in the liners, he alludes to the first concert he ever saw – electric Muddy Waters at Tanglewood. Finally, and inevitably given the close association between Davis and Chick Corea, “A Star for Chick” bids the icon a warm farewell. Davis was initially tapped for a three-year stint in Corea’s band Origin in late 1997, then later took part in the keyboardist’s orchestral piece “The Continents” and his Grammy-winning, Latin-inspired Spanish Heart Band. He played with Corea for over twenty years and earned the nickname “Davissimo the Melody Man” from Corea. Davis certainly lives up to it in this well-constructed session.~Jim Hayneshttps://glidemagazine.com/275863/master-trombonist-steve-davis-assembles-remarkable-sextet-on-all-original-post-bop-bluesthetic-album-review/

Personnel: Steve Davis – trombone; Peter Bernstein – guitar; Steve Nelson – vibraphone; Geoffrey Keezer – piano; Christian McBride – bass; Willie Jones III – drums

Bluesthetic

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Caribbean Jazz Project - The Caribbean Jazz Project

Styles: Latin Jazz, World Fusion  
Year: 1995
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 59:02
Size: 140,1 MB
Art: Front

(4:59)  1. One For Tom
(6:35)  2. Abracadabra
(2:46)  3. Carousel
(6:03)  4. Como Un Bolero
(6:05)  5. Paco & Dave
(6:34)  6. Valse Triste
(5:02)  7. Latin Quarter
(4:15)  8. Todo Aquel Ayer
(6:33)  9. Three Amigos
(5:59) 10. Afro
(4:05) 11. Café España

This was the debut release by the Caribbean Jazz Project, a colorful co-op project that combines together the very different but complementary styles of Paquito D'Rivera (doubling on alto and clarinet), Dave Samuels (on marimba and vibes) and the brilliant steel drummer Andy Narell. Backed by a four-piece rhythm section, the accessible group sticks mostly to catchy group originals that range from Latin jazz to Caribbean music. The likable results are melodic and not overly predictable. This CD gives listeners an excellent example of the group's sound.~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-caribbean-jazz-project-mw0000178466

The Caribbean Jazz Project

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One For All - The End Of A Love Affair

Styles: Straight-ahead/Mainstream
Year: 2001
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 58:31
Size: 134,3 MB
Art: Front

(7:35)  1. The End Of A Love Affair
(7:12)  2. Stolen Moments
(6:20)  3. Corcovado
(8:52)  4. How Are You?
(7:22)  5. Shinjuku Waltz
(6:05)  6. Skylark
(8:53)  7. The Eyes Have It
(6:10)  8. Street Of Dreams

Things just aren’t what they used to be and we’re not just talking about life these days post September 11th. From a jazz standpoint, the renaissance movement that was ushered in during the ‘80s seems to have run its course in many ways. The corporate pressures behind the major labels seem to be tightening their belts when it comes to jazz product. For so many years the reissue market alone was astounding and the ripple effect helped support contemporary rosters that are now getting smaller and smaller as the catalog boom seems to bottom out. All of this leads us to the disc at hand, which is presented by a group that seems to be beating the odds when it comes to the financial ups and downs of the current jazz scene. That One For All has remained a viable group since the mid-‘90s is remarkable enough in itself, let alone when you consider that each and every member of the group has any number of responsibilities as leaders of their own projects at any given time. Their first venture for the Japanese Venus label, The End of a Love Affair finds One For All in the kind of hard bop mode that the Japanese audiences embrace lock, stock, and barrel.

There’s even more of a focus on the type of standards that have not previously been explored by the group, namely “Skylark,” Jobim’s “Corcovado,” and Oliver Nelson’s “Stolen Moments.” Of course, what makes for an engaging listen is the manner in which the familiar becomes reborn and pianist David Hazeltine can take a lot of the credit for crafting arrangements chock-a-block full of altered chords and suspended rhythms that find new routes to well-known destinations.Three of the eight tunes on tap are originals and that’s where the sparks really start to fly. Hazeltine’s “How Are You?” grooves over a 12/8 Afro-Cuban feel that everyone navigates with ease, especially Steve Davis, who adds a smoldering solo that’s one of his best of the date. A rock solid support throughout, bassist Peter Washington steps up front for a harmonious statement that institutes the string of solos on Eric Alexander’s breezy “Shinjuku Waltz.” Then from the pen of Steve Davis, there’s the Blakey-inflected shuffle of “The Eyes Have It” (nice play on words, huh?), with combustible solo moments from Davis, Alexander and trumpeter Jim Rotondi. More detailed descriptions are really unnecessary for those familiar with the gentlemen that make up One For All; these guys have each developed their individual voices and are among the most in-demand musicians of the current set. And for the uninitiated, this set comes highly recommended as a consummate example of modern mainstream know-how. ~ C.Andrew Hovan  http://www.allaboutjazz.com/the-end-of-a-love-affair-one-for-all-review-by-c-andrew-hovan.php#.VD2A-RawTP8

Personnel: Eric Alexander (tenor saxophone), Jim Rotondi (trumpet), Steve Davis (trombone), David Hazeltine (piano), Peter Washington (bass), Joe Farnsworth (drums)

The End Of A Love Affair

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Vanessa Rubin - Girl Talk

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2001
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 51:16
Size: 117,6 MB
Art: Front

(3:15)  1. Comes Love
(3:41)  2. Matchmaker, Matchmaker
(7:08)  3. Whatever Happens
(5:32)  4. But Not for Me
(7:51)  5. One for My Baby (And One More for the Road)
(4:25)  6. You'll Never Know (Until You Let Go)
(4:21)  7. Loving You
(4:34)  8. Girl Talk
(2:22)  9. Sex Is a Misdemeanor (The More You Miss de Meaner You Get)
(3:07) 10. Gee, Baby, Ain't I Good To You
(2:46) 11. Won't Have to Say Goodbye
(2:10) 12. If You Ever Go Away

This, Vanessa Rubin's second album for Telarc, is one of her best. The play list is varied and the arrangements allow plenty of room to strut her personality and versatility. There's a "that's all folks" scat coda on "Comes Love". "Matchmaker" is a swinging waltz with Eric Alexander's Coltrane influenced sax delving in and around the melody line. She dubs herself in as a backup vocalist on a having some fun "Sex Is a Misdemeanor (the More You Miss De Meaner You Get)" done with just Lewis Nash's drums helping out. Etta Jones guests with Rubin on a couple of tracks. Her Esther Phillips like nasal quality is put to good use on a "But Not for Me" which also features the tenor of Javon Jackson and the special piano of Cedar Walton. The two go to town on the blues classic, "Gee, Baby, Ain't I Good to You" ending with some jiving girl talk with each other. Jones also did a guest stint on Jeannie Bryson's latest release, Deja Blue. A premier track is the lovely lilting "Whatever Happens", a Vanessa Williams favorite.

Rubin caresses a ballad as well as anyone in the business.Rubin doesn't set the world on fire with this album, nor does it appear that her intention. Rather the album is a platform for Rubin's straight forward jazz singing where she recognizes that lyrics she can also be concerned with lyrics to earn the sobriquet "jazz singer." The voice doesn't always have to be just an instrument. Rubin's vocalizing meshes well with the instruments with words delivered with intelligent emotion. Telarc has surrounded her with top level support with the sidemen on this set befitting for a singing personage of Rubin's stature. It's a no brainer to highly recommend Girl Talk. ~ Dave Nathan  http://www.allaboutjazz.com/girl-talk-vanessa-rubin-telarc-records-review-by-dave-nathan.php

Personnel: Vanessa Rubin, Etta Jones - Vocals; Eric Alexander, Javon Jackson - Tenor Saxophone; Steve Davis - Trombone; Lewis Nash - Drums; Cedar Walton, Larry Willis - Piano; David Williams - Bass

Girl Talk

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Diane Schuur - Love Songs

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 1993
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 44:46
Size: 102,7 MB
Art: Front

(4:18)  1. When I Fall in Love
(5:12)  2. Speak Low
(3:55)  3. I Thought About You
(4:56)  4. Prelude to a Kiss
(4:00)  5. Our Love Is Here to Stay
(4:24)  6. You'll See
(5:07)  7. September in the Rain
(4:31)  8. The More I See You
(3:57)  9. Crazy
(4:20) 10. My One and Only Love

The jazz content on this CD from singer Diane Schuur is rather slight, but this is actually one of her finest recordings. Schuur (who has a lovely voice) sings straightforward versions of ten veteran ballads while accompanied by one of two string orchestras. Tom Scott on reeds and trumpeter Jack Sheldon have short spots, but this is very much Schuur's show. She really excels in the restrained setting, making this a superior middle-of-the-road pop recording. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/love-songs-mw0000096750

Love Songs

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The Dan Barrett, Enric Peidro Quintet - It Goes Without Saying

Styles: Trombone, Saxophone, Swing
Year: 2019
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 46:51
Size: 108,7 MB
Art: Front

(4:05) 1. S'wonderful
(4:58) 2. Lean Baby
(3:23) 3. It Goes Without Saying
(4:54) 4. Just a Riff
(5:14) 5. Ballad Medley: I Didn´t Know About You / Chelsea Bridge
(4:03) 6. This Can´t Be Love
(5:18) 7. A Smooth One
(4:58) 8. Undecided
(5:45) 9. Fur Piece
(4:08) 10. I Want to be Happy

Trombone legend Dan Barrett, from California and spanish tenor player Enric Peidro got together for the first time in March 2018 for a two week tour and since then they have reunited as often as possible to perform together.Not long after their first tour they released a first album called "And the angels swing" Less than a year after that first release they present a brand new album: his second release together, this time co-leading an international quintet wich includes world-class australian bass player Nicki Parrott, piano master Richard Busiakiewicz from UK and talented german drummer Michael Keul.
This new album,recorded July 30th 2019 over a 5 hour recording session swings top to bottom with their usual clean, elegant and hard-driving swing.
https://enricpeidro.bandcamp.com/album/it-goes-without-saying

Personnel: Dan Barrett Tbn; Enric Peidro Ts; Richard Busiakiewicz Pno; Nicki Parrott Bass; Michael Keul Dms

It Goes Without Saying

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Julie London - The Wonderful World Of Julie London

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 29:34
Size: 67.7 MB
Styles: Easy Listening
Year: 1963/2012
Art: Front

[2:23] 1. I'm Coming Back To You
[2:14] 2. Soft Summer Breeze
[2:23] 3. Can't Get Used To Losing You
[3:22] 4. A Taste Of Honey
[2:56] 5. Little Things Mean A Lot
[2:46] 6. In The Still Of The Night
[3:05] 7. Love For Sale
[1:49] 8. When Snowflakes Fall In The Summer
[1:59] 9. How Can I Make Him Love Me
[2:27] 10. Say Wonderful Things
[2:23] 11. Guilty Heart
[2:12] 12. (I Love You And) Don't You Forget It

The Wonderful World of Julie London is a pop album without the jazz underpinnings of "Cry Me a River" and most of her best work. The LP was produced by Snuff Garrett and arranged by Ernie Freeman, but the music isn't pop/rock -- it's a neat foreshadowing of the easy listening sound of the mid- to late '60s, and a perfect example of the kind of music that necessitated the adult contemporary label. Breezy and modern without borrowing from rock, The Wonderful World of Julie London delivers snappy performances of Cole Porter songs alongside contemporary numbers by Doc Pomus and Mort Shuman in London's distinctive sultry voice. This was London's final charting album and is still an agreeable listen, but isn't as timeless and appealing as her traditional pop recordings. ~Greg Adams

The Wonderful World Of Julie London

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Evan Christopher - Blues in the Air

Styles: Clarinet Jazz
File: MP3@128K/s
Time: 58:40
Size: 136,1 MB
Art: Front

(5:46) 1. Blues Dans le Blues
(4:17) 2. Polka Dot Stomp
(6:35) 3. Southern Sunset (When the Sun Sets Down South)
(5:36) 4. Dans les Rues d'Antibes
(5:02) 5. What a Dream
(3:51) 6. Si Tu Vois Ma Mère
(5:23) 7. Lastic
(5:24) 8. Blues in the Air
(5:09) 9. Girl's Dance (Themes from the ballet: La Nuit Est une Sorcière)
(6:52) 10. This Is That Tomorrow That I Dreaded Yesterday
(4:40) 11. Ghost of the Blues

A more impressive lineup could not be asked for. Five of the most technically proficient, creative, and expressive jazzmen working today appear together for the first time on this album. Men who would have been giants even a generation ago. Evan Christopher, as the American, will be most familiar to our readers, and if you closely follow his work you may have heard him on the Django à la Créole albums with bassist Sébastien Girardot. They also met up on the recent A Summit in Paris, which paired Evan Christopher with Gypsy guitar legend Fapy Lafertin. On another effort, Clarinet Road Vol. III: In Sidney’s Footsteps, recorded during Christopher’s post Katrina residency in Paris, he and Girardot are joined by drummer Guillaume Nouaux. Christopher also appears on Nouaux’s The Clarinet Kings.

Though I would not bet money on it, as far as I could learn from my investigations this is the first time Christopher has been joined on an album by either guitarist Félix Hunot or the trumpet player Malo Mazurié, who, with Girardot, make up the Three Blind Mice. Malo Mazurié has been for several years seen as one of the best trumpet and cornet players alive, particularly in the Bixean tradition. Which is saying a lot for someone who will turn 32 this year. He obviously got an early start, playing in professional environments since the age of ten and since his late teens, touring internationally to festivals. Classically trained, he can play more modern styles of jazz but is most often chooses to play in the style heard here. As a member of Three Blind Mice he has had particular room to shine on three albums I have raved about in this paper.

Guitar takes a special place in the Three Blind Mice line up, and I see Félix Hunot as the person who distinguishes the group from trios with similar instrumentation. His playful interactions with Mazurié, and playful vocals, steer them clear and above the staid technical proficiency they might otherwise fall into and make their output genuinely entertaining. He has appeared as a sideman on a number of recent albums to witch I would offer the moniker, “important,” but they are also thoroughly enjoyable, and his playing is a part of that. They include the David Lukacs led Dream City, Atilla Korb’s Tap Room Swing, and Jérome Etcheberry’s Satchmocracy. I believe the disc at question today will sit proudly on the shelf among them. Around 36 years old, he made his debut as a leader in 2020 with his Jazz Musketeers.

Originally from Australia and long resident in Europe, Sébastien Girardot rounds out the Mice on bass. As top tier bassists often are, he is in demand seemingly everywhere. He appears on the majority of the albums so far referenced here as well as those of Don Vappie, as well as releases with a strictly jazz manouche focus. He also accompanies notables on their visits to the continent, including Cecile McLorin Salvant, Ken Peplowski, Harry Allen, Dan Barrett, and many others. There is a reason so many jazz scenes have that one ubiquitous bassist, when building out a band there is no more critical contributor, and everyone wants the best.

Drummer Guillaume Nouaux’s 2020 album The Stride Piano Kings paired him in duos with seven of the best pianists in our style. While the rhythm and piano combo is one that I am particularly enamored with this album absolutely rose above. As recently as January I recommended it on a radio program, and I was far from the only reviewer who considered it lightning in a bottle, an album that could show anyone what this jazz thing is all about. It sent me exploring his discography, which runs to over 100 albums, with many as a leader. At 45 he is by any measure one of the top classic jazz drummers in the world, he also has a talent for pairing himself with the musicians that can help create his visions.

Which brings us finally to Evan Christopher and through him Sidney Bechet. I found a source that, using the quotation marks, referred to his style of clarinet playing as “contemporary early jazz.” The phrase may have originated with the man himself. It is a fitting descriptor of his choice to both stay true to the old masters but embrace the larger stages not always available to traditional jazz musicians. With his Clarinet Road project he makes early jazz cool, while taking his craft seriously, not unlike Bechet. In addition to Bechet, Christopher has studied the other great New Orleans clarinetists Barney Bigard and Omer Simeon. Though he has very recently relocated to New York, New Orleans remains at the root of his playing. He even leads a mentorship program for New Orleans style clarinet.

At 52, Evan Christopher has earned his earned his prominent place in the scene. He moved to New Orleans in ’94, and played with Al Hirt among others, in ’96 he relocated to San Antonio to be the feature clarinetist for Jim Cullum’s band. After three years he returned to New Orleans where he began to come into his own, touring internationally and beginning to record as Clarinet Road. Then Katrina upended everything and set his career in an unexpected direction. He was invited by the French government to stay in Paris, and success emerged from tragedy.

Django à la Créole combined the gypsy jazz of France and the traditional jazz of New Orleans he had been immersed in. The group was an international sensation. Though of the artists on this album only Girardot was part of that group, the connections began to be formed that bless us all these years later with such an all star lineup.

With a lead in like that I hope you are already sold, but maybe I should talk about the album itself, just in case! It consists of eleven titles associated with Bechet. Some are expected, perhaps required, like “Si Tu Vois Ma Mère.” Others dig deeper. “Girl’s Dance” is taken from Bechet’s Ballet, La Nuit Est une Sorcière. The result is a remarkably cinematic arrangement in which each of the quintet conveys the feel of a whole orchestra section. It is unclear who to credit for that arrangement but the dialogue in the liner notes attributes arrangements for other titles variously to Mazurié and Hunot. Mazurié gets credit for a an engaging slow to fast arrangement of “Dans le Rues d’Antibes” that for me was the album high point.

While Christopher makes every effort to “faithfully render” Bechet the album is of this time not Bechet’s, “contemporary, early jazz” at its finest. Aside from “Polka Dot Stomp,” “Lastic,” “Ghost of the Blues,” and parts of “Dans le Rues d’Antibes” the pace is kept contemplatively subdued but those exceptions are spaced perfectly throughout the album to get your heart pumping again. These musicians have a world to draw on—and do. The rhythm section employs subtle variations from West Indian and other sources, led in these efforts by Nouaux as I’ve never heard him before. “Lastic” is particularly spicy. The playing throughout is rich and harmonious, Christopher is not showy but blends in with the whole and his interactions with Mazurié, even on such tried and true pieces as “Si Tu Vois Ma Mère,” played as a waltz, are marvelous. Hunot and Girardot both have stand out solos on “Blues in the Air.”

“Ghost of the Blues” was an excellent theme to go out on. The arrangement is exciting, rich, dense, hot, the perfect closer, giving everyone on stage a goodbye turn as the audience removes their jackets and sits back down to take it in. There are few albums of this caliber. It goes on sale in March. Get yourself a copy. https://lejazzetal.com/shop/blues-in-the-air/

Personnel: Evan Christopher (clarinet); Malo Mazurié (trumpet); Félix Hunot (guitar); Sébastien Girardot (double bass); Guillaume Nouaux (drums)

Blues in the Air

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