Lee Konitz - Yes, Yes Nonet

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1986
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 40:27
Size: 93,7 MB
Art: Front

(6:07) 1. Dearth Of A Nation
(6:15) 2. Languid
(8:06) 3. Footprints
(5:15) 4. Stardust
(6:35) 5. Primrose Path
(4:35) 6. Noche Triste
(3:31) 7. My Buddy

It was a tragedy that Lee Konitz's versatile nonet was not able to succeed commercially. Just like its leader, the group was able to stretch from swing standards, bop and cool jazz to freer improvisations and challenging originals. This SteepleChase release (featuring the nonet when it was comprised of such fine players as trumpeters Tom Harrell and John Eckert, trombonists Jimmy Knepper and Sam Burtis, baritonist Ronnie Cuber, pianist Harold Danko, bassist Buster Williams and drummer Billy Hart in addition to Konitz on alto and soprano) features the group at its best on such pieces as "Footprints," "Stardust," "My Buddy" and four songs by Jimmy Knepper. It's an excellent outing from a somewhat neglected group. By Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/yes-yes-nonet-mw0000651370

Personnel: Lee Konitz – alto saxophone, soprano saxophone; John Eckert, Tom Harrell – trumpet, flugelhorn; Jimmy Knepper – trombone; Sam Burtis – bass trombone; Ronnie Cuber – baritone saxophone, soprano saxophone; Harold Danko – piano; Buster Williams – bass; Billy Hart – drums

Yes,Yes Nonet

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Duke Ellington, Count Basie - First Time! The Count Meets The Duke

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 73:13
Size: 167.6 MB
Styles: Swing, Big band
Year: 1961/2013
Art: Front

[5:33] 1. Battle Royal
[3:52] 2. To You
[3:45] 3. Take The "A" Train
[4:52] 4. Corner Pocket (Aka Until I Met You)
[6:20] 5. Wild Man
[8:21] 6. Segue In C
[4:43] 7. B D B
[3:07] 8. Jumpin' At The Woodside
[3:24] 9. One More Once
[5:49] 10. Take The "A" Train (The Count Departs) [rehearsal & Alternate Takes]
[3:13] 11. Jumpin' At The Woodside (Alternate Take)
[4:29] 12. B D B (Alternate Take)
[3:12] 13. Blues In Hoss' Flat (Blues In Frankie's Flat)
[5:54] 14. Wild Man (Aka Wild Man Moore) [alternate Take]
[6:31] 15. Battle Royal (Rehersal & Alternate Takes)

A battle of the bands? Not quite -- more like a mutual admiration society, with the orchestras of both jazz titans playing together. (The Duke is heard on the right side of your stereo/headphones, the Count on the left.) Ellington's elegance and unique voicings meet Basie's rollicking, blues-based Kansas City swing, and it works gloriously. There's no clutter, each band is focused, and they sound great together. This is not the thoughtful, reflective composer side of Ellington (listeners should check out Far East Suite or Black, Brown & Beige for that). The Duke and his band accentuate their swinging dance band side, while Basie and company have never sounded as suave and exotic as when playing Billy Strayhorn arrangements. Everyone has a good time, and that joy infuses this album from start to finish. ~John Bush

First Time! The Count Meets The Duke

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Billy Bang - Commandment

Styles: Violin
Year: 1997
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 71:24
Size: 164,5 MB
Art: Front

( 1:04) 1. Intro
( 7:57) 2. Pieta
( 7:14) 3. Bama Swing
( 7:15) 4. Commandment
(12:39) 5. Daydreams
( 8:59) 6. Swing Low Sweet Chariot
( 7:31) 7. Bama Swing Again
(11:32) 8. They Plan To Leave
( 7:09) 9. Music For The Love Of It

Bang is an intense, creative improviser; the fact that he plays an instrument that's little-used in jazz is almost irrelevant, except for the fact that the violin is one of the most wonderfully expressive instruments ever conceived (just ask Beethoven or Mendelssohn). In the hands of a talented musician like Bang, the violin becomes a consummate jazz instrument. Bang has a strong and agile technique, which he displays to profound end on this solo recital inspired by the art of sculptor Alain Kirilli.

Performing a solo set is a difficult task for the improviser. The musician must rely upon his own inspiration; there are no collaborators to feed from or suggest musical ideas. Bang does a remarkable job building his performance. Ideas flow and are elaborated upon and transformed. Every track has an individual character; each can stand on its own, yet works as part of the whole. His dexterity is extraordinary, yet as fluent as Bang is, it's his passion that carries the day.

His ability to exploit the instrument's tonal characteristics in service of emotional expression is practically unparalleled among the very few jazz violinists of note. An added highlight of this very fine album is its informal nature; the live atmosphere is nicely conjured, enhancing the listening experience. By Chris Kelsey https://www.allmusic.com/album/commandment-for-the-sculpture-of-alain-kirili-mw0000032157

Commandment

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Frida Touray - Mending

Styles: Vocal
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 21:00
Size: 48,3 MB
Art: Front

(2:43) 1. Out the Sun
(4:45) 2. Never Mine
(5:04) 3. Man on Wings
(4:31) 4. Wild
(3:55) 5. Mending

Frida Touray is an undiscovered gem an artist who, with the release of her debut EP ‘Mending’, will capture the hearts and minds of audiences who love music that melts in your mind, provokes emotions you weren’t even aware of, and creatively captivates in every nerve on your body. She is without doubt an artist of the future that will command your attention.

Right from the first click of the retro-sounding tape machine on the Out the Sun, you know the direction Frida wants to take you in. It’s authentic and honest and she wants to make her story immediately clear right from the beginning: “I think it’s about a girl who breaks her own heart”. ‘Mending’ is deeply personal release that shows herself at her most vulnerable, capturing the essence of who she is and how she sees the world.

For Frida, this new music represents a new start with a new focus on her music, determined to show who she is. And it doesn’t take much convincing: the music’s emotive brilliance is immediately engaging and absorbing. It’s an EP about honouring relationships that didn’t turn out the way they had intended, about breaking free and being your own person. Each song acts as a snippet of life as she aims to create timeless music, not influenced by what’s cool or trending. These are heartfelt, emotional songs of love and life that come straight from her own lived experiences.

For fans of Lianne la Havas, Frida Touray’s name and voice will be familiar having worked with her since 2015. For others, her name may be unknown but she’s not new to this game, having toured and recorded with some of the music industry’s most recognisable artists including Liam Gallagher, Ed Sheeran, Ellie Goulding , NAO, Cinematic Orchestra and Laura Marling. Recently she appeared on Goldie’s recent track ‘Lost’ along with Tom Misch, and she has also written and performed with Jordan Rakei on the single ‘Signs’, which was later re-released with a feature from Common. Frida Touray has put in the hard work now it’s her time to step into the limelight ! It’s this new EP, produced by Chris Hyson with co-production from Yves Fernandez, that marks a significant shift in her focus as an artist in own right, ready to build an audience of her own.

Released on E2 Music, Edition Records’ new boundary-busting imprint, the emotional brilliance and production of ‘Mending’ stands testament to a creative artist who’s worked with the best, knows what she wants and ready to tell the world. She is an artist with a personal story and voice to die for, who wants to make her mark as a distinct and creative singer songwriter.
https://editionrecords.com/releases/frida-touray-mending/

Personnel: Frida Touray Vocals; Chris Hyson Synths, Piano; Joe Webb Piano; Daniel See Drums; Alex Haines Guitar; Yves Fernandez Bass; Tatjana Iljasova Piano; Samuel Crowe Wurlitzer; Russell Smith Lap Steel Guitar

Mending

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Dizzy Reece - Nirvana: The Zen of the Jazz Trumpet

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 2006
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 44:26
Size: 102,0 MB
Art: Front

( 1:06) 1. Introduction
( 6:41) 2. Ananda's Heart
(11:49) 3. Samadhi Junction
(10:23) 4. Maya's Dance
( 1:23) 5. Text
(13:01) 6. Nirvana

Alphonso Son "Dizzy" Reece is a hard bop jazz trumpeter with a distinctive sound and compositional style.

Reece was born January 5, 1931 in Kingston, Jamaica, the son of a silent film pianist. He attended the Alpha Boys School (famed in Jamaica for its musical alumni), switching from baritone to trumpet at 14. A full-time musician from age 16, he moved to London in 1948 and spent the 1950s working in Europe, much of that time in Paris.

He played with Don Byas, Kenny Clarke, Frank Foster and Thad Jones, among others. Winning praise from the likes of Miles Davis and Sonny Rollins, he emigrated to New York City in 1959, but found New York in the 1960s a struggle. Too little heard-from in the intervening years, he had a reissue on Mosaic in 2004 that gave fans hope of a comeback.https://www.allaboutjazz.com/musicians/dizzy-reece

Personnel: Trumpet – Dizzy Reece; Piano – Mike Longo; Bass – Lee Hudson; Drums – James Worth

Nirvana: The Zen of the Jazz Trumpet

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David Hazeltine - A World For Her

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2009
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 63:14
Size: 145,2 MB
Art: Front

(10:45) 1. My Foolish Heart
( 5:02) 2. This One's For Bud
( 9:52) 3. A World For Her
( 6:00) 4. Moment's Notice
( 8:58) 5. Soul Eyes
( 7:28) 6. Old Devil Moon
( 7:21) 7. What'll I Do
( 7:44) 8. Bitter Sweet

Pianist David Hazeltine is the leader of this straight-ahead quartet date, contributes two originals, and is in superior form, but tenor saxophonist Javon Jackson often steals the show. Jackson, who in other settings sometimes hints strongly at Joe Henderson, on this occasion looks more toward late-'50s John Coltrane, particularly on a beautifully interpreted version of "Soul Eyes" and Trane's "Moment's Notice."

Other highlights include an extended "My Foolish Heart," Hazeltine's rightfully boppish "This One's for Bud," and "What'll I Do." Hazeltine and Jackson are joined by bassist Peter Washington and either Louis Hayes or Joe Farnsworth on drums, with vibraphonist Steve Nelson making a guest appearance on "Old Devil Moon." The music is quite enjoyable and very well played, one of Javon Jackson's finest recordings and a superior outing for David Hazeltine. ~Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/a-world-for-her-mw0000250980

Personnel: Piano – David Hazeltine; Bass – Peter Washington; Drums – Joe Farnsworth; Louis Hayes; Tenor Saxophone – Javon Jackson; Vibraphone – Steve Nelson

A World For Her

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Dr. John - Things Happen That Way

Styles: Vocal,Piano
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 39:04
Size: 91,6 MB
Art: Front

(4:37) 1. Funny How Time Slips Away
(3:52) 2. Ramblin' Man
(3:24) 3. Gimme That Old Time Religion (Feat. Willie Nelson)
(4:54) 4. I Walk On Guilded Splinters (Feat. Lukas Nelson & Promise Of The Real)
(2:59) 5. I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry
(4:12) 6. End Of The Line (Feat. Aaron Neville)
(3:24) 7. Holy Water
(3:59) 8. Sleeping Dogs Best Left Alone
(3:54) 9. Give Myself A Good Talkin' To
(3:44) 10. Guess Things Happen That Way

Interviewing the late Dr John aka The Night Tripper aka Dr John Creaux aka Mac Rebennack was a pleasure. Witty, erudite and b.s. free, he was reliably good copy. On one occasion he was an hour late and obviously, totally and spectacularly off his face. "If I nod out," he said, "kick me on the shin." The doctor was in... and out.

Things Happen That Way has turned out to be Dr John's last recorded studio album, and it rises to the occasion. It is the Night Tripper at his gumbo best, a joyous, uplifting mix of New Orleans funk, jazz, blues and country rock, a healing Americana which laughs at ethnic and regional boundaries. Listen to the impossibly funky arrangement of Hank Williams Sr.'s country classic "Ramblin' Man" and try not to gasp with delight. Another Williams song, "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry," is the only one of the ten tracks which is delivered mono-stylistically, in relatively straight country fashion.

Dr John is accompanied by a deeply empathetic band and chorus, plus a handful of guest artists. The Neville Brothers' Aaron Neville duets on vocals on the Traveling Wilbury's "End Of The Line," Willie Nelson duets on the traditional "Gimme That Old Time Religion" (on which he also adds a guitar solo), and his son Lukas Nelson and Promise Of The Real are the back-up band on a remake of "I Walk On Guilded Splinters," from the Night Tripper's voodoo-drenched debut, Gris-Gris, released on Atco in 1968 (check the YouTube below). Other Mac Rebennack originals are "Holy Water," "Sleeping Dogs Best Left Alone" and "Give Myself A Good Talkin' To." Solid gold, each of them. The album ends with an affecting reading of Jack Henderson Clement's "Guess Things Happen That Way."

Remarkably, Dr John lived a decently lengthy life, passing in 2019 aged 77 years, a span aided no doubt by his finally freeing himself from heroin thirty years earlier. Things Happen That Way is a fine epitath. By Chris May
https://www.allaboutjazz.com/things-happen-that-way-dr-john-rounder-records

Personnel: Dr. John: piano; Shane Theriot: guitar; Tony Hall: bass, electric; Carlo Nuccio: drums; David Torkanowsky: keyboards; Mark Mullins: trombone; Alonzo Bowens: saxophone, tenor; Leonard Brown: trumpet; Jon Cleary: voice / vocals; Herlin Riley: drums; Yolanda Robinson: voice / vocals; Jolynda Chapman: voice / vocals

Additional Instrumentation: Dr John: vocals, piano, keyboards, co-production; Shane Theriot: electric, acoustic, lap steel and baritone guitars, cardboard box drum, co-production; Jon Cleary: additional keyboards, Hammond B3 organ.

Things Happen That Way

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Lauren Meehan - Nature Boy

Styles: Vocal
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 46:57
Size: 108,7 MB
Art: Front

(3:33) 1. Blue Skies
(4:04) 2. A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square
(3:40) 3. Nature Boy
(6:09) 4. Come Rain Come Shine
(4:08) 5. On the Sunny Side of the Street
(6:17) 6. Caravan (feat. Dave Albert)
(5:04) 7. When the Sun Comes Out
(3:01) 8. A Foggy Day
(5:56) 9. Over the Rainbow
(4:59) 10. I Wish You Love

Lauren's musical career ignited at an early age and became professional at the age of 16. Her musical influence began from the classic early Jazz and Swing era of Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughn, and Billie Holiday and the Big Band sounds of Duke Ellington, The Dorsey Brother's Orchestras and Glen Miller. Modern inspiration which influenced her career came from the iconic Diana Krall and Broadway artist Linda Eder.

Lauren has appeared in the iconic Jazz clubs throughout New England, down the Eastern coast and Internationally in the U.K. She has had the privilege to perform with the Boston Pops, the Broadway touring cast of Phantom Swings, opening for comedian Don Rickles, and appeared at the famous Ryles Jazz Club with guest trumpeter extraordinaire Wayne Bergeron, among many more esteemed accolades. Lauren is a featured recording artist on two Big Band Albums, Bandwidth and Time After Time, and in 2022 released Nature Boy, a Jazz quartet combo album.https://www.laurenjmeehan.com/the-band

Nature Boy

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Pablo Milanés - Standards De Jazz

Styles: Latin Jazz
Year: 2019
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 36:32
Size: 84,4 MB
Art: Front

(4:44) 1. In Other Words (Fly Me To The Moon)
(4:27) 2. For Sentimental Reasons
(3:38) 3. All The Things You Are
(4:04) 4. As Time Goes By
(4:52) 5. Wild Is The Wind
(1:44) 6. Lullaby Of Birdland
(2:38) 7. Autumn Leaves
(3:06) 8. I’ve Got You Under My Skin
(3:15) 9. Stardust
(4:00) 10. Stella By Starlight

Pablo Milanés Arias (24 February 1943 – 22 November 2022) was a Cuban singer-songwriter and guitar player. He was one of the founders of the Cuban nueva trova, along with Silvio Rodríguez and Noel Nicola. His music, originating in the Trova, Son and other traditional styles of early 20th Century Cuban music, set him apart from the style of Silvio Rodríguez.

Pablo Milanés, widely known as Pablito, moved with his family from Bayamo to Havana in 1950. He studied in the Conservatorio Municipal de La Habana, at the time the most prestigious musical school in the country. His first public performance was in 1956. By age 15, he was active in "bohemian" musical circles in Havana, associated with the so-called "filin" musicians.

Although he supported the Cuban Revolution, in 1965 he was sent to the UMAP agricultural forced-labor camp in Camagüey. In 1967, he escaped and fled to Havana to denounce the injustice of the labor camp. This resulted in his imprisonment, first for two months in La Cabaña, an 18th-century fortress in Havana, and then for a time in a prison camp. He was released when the prison camp was closed due to international pressure.

In 1969, he became part of the Grupo de Experimentación Sonora, a seminal group of young musicians, many of whom became founding members of the nueva trova, which started as a movement with a concert given by Pablo, Silvio Rodriguez, and Noel Nicola on 18 February 1968. Until the late 1980s, nueva trova was the unofficial musical style of the Cuban Revolution.

Since his first recording ("Versos sencillos de José Martí" in 1973), he issued more than 40 solo records, and many more in collaboration with other artists from Cuba, elsewhere in Latin America, and Spain. His first record with original songs (the eponymous "Pablo Milanés") was not issued until 1976. The heyday of his creativity occurred probably in the early 1980s, with his records "El guerrero", "Yo me quedo", and "Comienzo y final de una verde mañana".

Within the context of the nueva trova, Pablo is widely considered one of the closest to the traditional roots of Cuban music, while being open to diverse musical influences from other contemporary traditions, such as Brazilian music and Blues. The range of his compositions extends from starkly political anthems to inspired love songs. He set the poems of Cuban writers such as José Martí and Nicolás Guillén to music. Some of his most important musical influences were María Teresa Vera, Lorenzo Hierrezuelo, Barbarito Diez, Benny Moré, Lucho Gatica, and Johann Sebastian Bach.

He lived in Vigo, Spain, with his Spanish wife and two sons since 2004. In 2014, he received a kidney transplant, receiving an organ donated by his wife.

Since relocating to Spain, Milanés was publicly critical of some aspects of the Cuban government, though he remained dedicated to the Cuban Revolution. His willingness to speak openly about the failures of the revolution strained his relations with Silvio Rodriguez. Lately, he did not participate in pro-government campaigns. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pablo_Milan%C3%A9s

R.I.P

Born: 24 February 1943

Died: 22 November 2022

Standards De Jazz

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Alvin 'Red' Tyler - Heritage

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 41:07
Size: 94.2 MB
Styles: R&B, New Orleans jazz
Year: 1986/2004
Art: Front

[4:22] 1. Confusement
[4:03] 2. Under The Rainbow
[6:23] 3. I'll Only Miss Her When I Think Of Her
[7:10] 4. New Day
[4:10] 5. New Orleans Cakewalk
[5:12] 6. Heritage
[6:07] 7. Lush Life
[3:37] 8. No Relation

Saxophonist Alvin 'Red' Tyler is known to R&B historians as a member of the legendary New Orleans rhythm section that played on hit records by Little Richard and countless others. It was a surprise to the jazz world, then, to hear another side of Red on this album of exquisite modern jazz compositions (almost all written by Red for this recording), supported by a band of many of the best players in New Orleans. Johnny Adams' vocal on 'I'll Only Miss Her When I Think of Her' is a perennial radio favorite.

Heritage

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Glenn Close & Ted Nash - Transformation

Styles: Vocal And Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2021
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 77:23
Size: 178,8 MB
Art: Front

( 8:07) 1. Creation, Pt. I
( 5:13) 2. Creation, Pt. II
( 7:03) 3. Dear Dad/Letter
( 3:32) 4. Dear Dad/Response
( 5:37) 5. Preludes for Memnon
(11:18) 6. One Among Many
( 8:39) 7. Rising Out of Hatred
( 8:05) 8. A Piece by the Angriest Black Man in America
( 8:37) 9. Forgiveness
( 3:13) 10. Wisdom of the Humanities
( 7:54) 11. Reaching the Tropopause

Transformation is a multi-disciplinary work from saxophonist/composer Ted Nash, and iconic actress Glenn Close, exploring the multi-faceted and abstract theme of transformation. The works included examine the theme from both universal and individual conceptions. Music and literature at its best is clearly transformative for anyone experiencing it. Transformation is by essence, the highest and most illuminating expression of change. Nash embraced the project by creating a colorful and illustrative collection of pieces, embracing Close's curated literary selections recited by the fiercely talented cast of Wayne Brady, Amy Irving, Mathew Stevenson and Nash's son, Eli Nash. In doing so, he has brilliantly utilized the full range of sounds and full spectrum of colors of his collection of voices from the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra.

Close's attraction and motivation to delve into the idea of transformation grew from her observation of the collective human psyche of current times. She explains, "I am acutely aware of the amount of violence, cynicism, stress and anxiety being pumped into our collective nervous systems. We are so fractured and in need of healing. I want to create an experience from which people are comforted, but also inspired, to discover their shared humanity."

The opening two connected pieces, "Creation Parts 1 and 2," take on transformation at the very beginning of the creation of matter and our world. Close chose "Tales From Ovid," by Ted Hughes to illuminate the conception, recited by both Close and Brady. Nash's musical framework for the piece is accented beautifully by alto saxophonist Sherman Irby, and trumpeter Wynton Marsalis. "One Among Many" shifts the focus from the primordial, to the individual, telling the story of Judith Clark's transformation from prison life to freedom in New York City. Amy Irving's recitation brings this stirring tale to an emotive clarity. Wayne Brady recites his own text on "A Piece By the Angriest Black Man in America (or How I Learned to Forgive Myself for Being a Black Man in America." Beginning with a finger snapping rhythm, Brady tells his very personal experience as a black man in modern America, with his well known humorous and whimsical wit and intelligence.

"Dear Dad/Letter," and "Dear Dad/Response" is a narration of the coming out letter for Nash's transgender son, Eli, and a father's loving response of love and support. Recited with poise and humor by Eli himself, the two pieces are beautifully honest and demonstrative of the very best of the human spirit. Nash delivers a father's loving response with his composition, but more importantly, with playing a response instrumentally on soprano saxophone that is as graphic and understandable a narrative as any spoken word performance could ever be. His son's personal transformation in a very powerful way illuminates the stated inspiration for all of the works skillfully created and performed in this collection. Nash's very colorful and visual compositions are reason enough to take on Transformation as a listener. His well crafted orchestral jazz is highlighted by the fine individual work of JALC members Tatum Greenblatt, Obed Calvaire, Victor Goines, Carlos Henriquez and the aforementioned Nimmer, Irby and Marsalis. Like so many recordings arising out of this period of history surrounding the worldwide Covid-19 pandemic, the recording is offered as an expression of transforming forms of hardship and despair into hope and light.By Paul Rauch
https://www.allaboutjazz.com/transformation-ted-nash-tiger-turn

Personnel: Ted Nash: saxophone; Glenn Close: voice / vocals; Wayne Brady: voice / vocals; Amy Irving: voice / vocals; Matthew Stevenson: voice / vocals; Wynton Marsalis: trumpet; Obed Calvaire: drums; Sherman Irby: saxophone; Marc Phaneuf: saxophone, baritone; Victor Goines: woodwinds; Mark Lopeman: saxophone, tenor; Paul Nedzela: saxophone; Ryan Kisor: trumpet; Tatum Greenblatt: trumpet; Marcus Printup: trumpet; Vincent Gardner: trombone; Elliot Mason: trombone; Christopher Crenshaw: trombone; Dan Nimmer: piano; Carlos Henriquez: bass.

Additional Instrumentation: Eli Nash - spoken word

Transformation

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Judy Whitmore - Isn't It Romantic

Styles: Vocal
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 53:33
Size: 148,7 MB
Art: Front

(3:32) 1. It Could Happen To You
(4:05) 2. I Remember You
(3:39) 3. Sunday In New York
(5:20) 4. You Go To My Head
(5:33) 5. The Nearness Of You
(4:15) 6. The Birth Of The Blues
(5:41) 7. Speak Low
(4:57) 8. Isn't It Romantic
(3:53) 9. In The Wee Small Hours Of The Morning
(4:20) 10. But Beautiful
(4:15) 11. Just a Little Loving'
(3:55) 12. Hallelujah I Love Him So

Sometimes it is a pleasure to listen to an album simply because the quality of the music is so consistently gratifying. And if the music is sung as well as Judy Whitmore sings it on Isn't It Romantic, well, that is icing on the cake, as are the superb performances by her supporting cast, especially pianist Tamir Hendelman and saxophonist Rickey Woodard.

The music is taken for the most part from the Great American Songbook, and much of it is performed at a medium to slow tempo, which suits Whitmore's sultry delivery to a T. Her grasp of emotional substance is superior, her timing impeccable, her warm mid-range voice steady and clear as a bell. To affirm that Whitmore brings out the best in every one of these songs would be a completely accurate summation. As to the songs, they include such enduring gems as "It Could Happen to You," "I Remember You," "You Go to My Head," "The Nearness of You," "Speak Low," "In the Wee Small Hours of the Morning," "But Beautiful" and of course, "Isn't It Romantic" (including the seldom-heard verse and an ardent solo by Woodard on alto).

Whitmore also sings Peter Nero's "Sunday in New York," Barry Mann/Cynthia Weill's "Just a Little Lovin,'" Ray Charles' "Hallelujah I Love Him So" and (with guest vocalist Peisha McPhee) Buddy DeSylva/Lew Brown/Ray Henderson's "The Birth of the Blues." For comparison's sake, Whitmore edges close to Frank Sinatra's definitive reading of "The Wee Small Hours," which is the highest praise a listener can bestow. Elsewhere, she holds her own against better-known versions of every tune, mostly by being unpretentious and letting the music speak for itself.

While Hendelman and Woodard are the most prominent soloists, there are engaging statements along the way by flutist Lori Bell, trumpeter Mike Rocha, bassist Alex Frank, and guitarists Mitchell Long and Larry Koonse. The rhythm section (Hendelman, Frank, drummer Dean Koba) is bright and attentive. And even though it is Whitmore's voice that carries the day, there is far more to her than mere vocal chords. Aside from a solid career as a jazz and cabaret performer and recording artist, Whitmore who is named for Judy Garland, a friend of her grandfather's at MGM Studios is a best-selling novelist, a theatre producer, a therapist with a master's degree in clinical psychology, and a licensed commercial jet pilot who also rides horses and cans peaches.

Where does she find the time? That must remain Whitmore's secret. Listeners should be grateful that she found time to record Isn't It Romantic, as it is easily endorsed as one of the year's most impressive vocal albums.By Jack Bowers
https://www.allaboutjazz.com/isnt-it-romantic-judy-whitmore-arden-house-music__24624

Personnel: Judy Whitmore: voice / vocals; Tamir Hendelman: piano; Lori Bell: flute; Ricky Woodard: saxophone; Mike Rocha: trumpet; Mitchell Long: guitar; Larry Koonse: guitar, electric; Alex Frank: bass; Dean Koba: drums; Brian Kilgore : percussion.

Isn't It Romantic

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Etta Jones & Houston Person - Don't Misunderstand: Live In New York

Styles: Vocal And Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2008
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 53:32
Size: 123,8 MB
Art: Front

( 8:37) 1. Blue Monk
( 3:51) 2. Don't Misunderstand
( 5:28) 3. Exactly Like You
( 4:17) 4. Ain't Misbehavin'
( 4:02) 5. I Saw Stars
( 7:33) 6. I'm Glad There Is You
(10:19) 7. Bluesology
( 9:22) 8. Are you Real

For the over 30 years they worked together (Jones died in 2001), the billing was actually Houston and Etta, and the tenor saxophonist and vocalist achieved a rare collaborative synergy akin to that celebrated in Lester Young and Billie Holiday. They did it largely beyond the purview of most jazz critics and the kind of mostly white, middle-class fans who flock to jazz festivals and concerts, criss-crossing the country by van and playing mostly in black urban clubs on what was once called the chitlin’ circuit. This is a rare live snapshot of the duo, with B3 organist Sonny Phillips and drummer Frankie Jones, recorded in New York on one of their few appearances outside of Harlem, at the short-lived Greenwich Village club Salt Peanuts, in 1980.

In this typical set, the instrumental trio kicks it off with “Blue Monk,” Person weaving quotable blues lines through his solo and Phillips ranging beyond the usual organ stops to give a quirkily Monk-ish feel to his own. Tenor sax sets the table for Jones’ rendition of the title ballad, limned with her trademark tart tone and direct emotional engagement of the lyric. One of the most rhythmically adept and agile of all jazz singers, Jones swoops and swerves around the beat on “Exactly Like You,” playing slip-behind and catch-up games with the time as Person cushions it with his tenor sax, while she also displays her hipness by flatting the word “waited” in the lyric. Tenor and voice intertwine on a swinging “Ain’t Misbehavin’,” as Jones alternates legato with staccato phrasing. Person and Phillips collaborate on a slow “I’m Glad There is You,” marked by lush, sensual sax, before the trio closes the set with a blues and a Benny Golson tune in the soulful groove that made this band such a favorite among urban audiences. By George Kanzler
https://jazztimes.com/archives/etta-jones-houston-person-dont-misunderstand/

Personnel: Etta Jones - Vocal; Houston Person - Tenor Saxophone ; Sonny Phillips - Organ ; Frankie Jones - Drums

Don't Misunderstand: Live In New York

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The Ray Russell Sextet feat. Harry Beckett - Forget To Remember - Live Vol.2: 1970

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 2021
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 76:02
Size: 174,5 MB
Art: Front

( 7:28) 1. Forget To Remember
(16:26) 2. Triple Goddess
(10:51) 3. Rites & Rituals
( 9:31) 4. Disinterested Bystander
(16:17) 5. The Third Real
( 7:19) 6. Forget To Remember (false start & take 1)
( 8:07) 7. Rites & Rituals (take 1)

In 1969, the CBS Realm label released Ray Russell's Dragon's Hill. It was followed in 1971 by Rites and Rituals. The live Forget To Remember Live Vol. 2, a session for the BBC Jazz Workshop series from January 1970, neatly bisects the two to illustrate how Russell's sextet evolved over this period to produce the convincing Rites and Rituals (that uses the same personnel as Forget to Remember). Rites and Rituals is now a highly collectable piece of vinyl Brit Jazz, but at the time, CBS Realm's efforts to document the cutting edge of British jazz of the period with albums by the likes of Russell, Howard Riley, Tony Oxley and Frank Ricotti quickly found their way to the deleted bins as all eyes were focussed on developments across the Atlantic with Miles Davis's entry into jazz-rock that was seen as the non plus ultra of extending the frontiers of jazz.

Russell's swarthy guitar tone on Forget To Remember was not divorced from what was happening in the US, but it came from his very personal conception of what jazz could become. The BBC Jazz Workshop sessions contain an early version of ‘Rites and Rituals’ where Harry Beckett emerges as a major force within the group, the central point around which Russell weaves his musical conception. He had been a constant from Dragons Hill, his lead voice and accomplished solos standing the test of time. Nick Evans on declamatory trombone fits Russell's musical context perfectly, especially on ‘Rites and Rituals’, while ‘Triple Goddess’ reveals what an exploratory soloist Russell was, who along with John McLaughlin and Chris Spedding pushed the boundaries of what a guitar could do in improvised music.By Stuart Nicholson
https://www.jazzwise.com/review/ray-russell-sextet-ft-harry-beckett-forget-to-remember-live-vol-2-1970

Personnel: Ray Russell - guitar; Harry Beckett - trumpet/flugelhorn; Tony Roberts - saxes;Nick Evans - trombone; Daryl Runswick - bass; Alan Rushton - drums

Forget To Remember - Live Vol.2: 1970

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Billy Bang - Vietnam: Reflections

Styles: Violin Jazz
Year: 2004
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 70:05
Size: 161,7 MB
Art: Front

(11:49) 1. Reflections
( 3:23) 2. Ru con
(12:36) 3. Lock And Load
( 2:20) 4. Ly Ngua O
( 9:21) 5. Doi moi
( 8:23) 6. Reconciliation
( 6:48) 7. Waltz of the Water Puppets
( 2:29) 8. Trong Com
(12:52) 9. Reconciliation 2

With his previous record, Vietnam: The Aftermath, violinist, veteran, and anti-war activist Billy Bang exorcized some of the demons that continued to haunt him for thirty years following his return from a tour of duty in Vietnam in the '60s. With Vietnam: Reflections, an album that blends traditional Vietnamese folk melodies with modal grooves and tender ballads, he moves further towards reconciliation. It doesn't exactly shake any musical foundations, but that's not the point of this deeply personal project that finds Bang surrounded by a number of other Vietnam veterans trumpeter Ted Daniels, drummer Michael Carvin, percussionist Ron Brown, and conductor Butch Morris in addition to pianist John Hicks, saxophonist/flautist James Spaulding, multi-instrumentalist Henry Threadgill (this time heard solely on flute), and bassist Curtis Lundy.

The inclusion of singer Co Boi Nguyen and Nhan Thanh Ngo on dan tranh, a sixteen-string zither, finds Bang moving towards a point that, despite experiences that have inexorably altered the lives of Americans and Vietnamese alike, also looks to moving on and finding nexus points between two very different cultures. Bang's own compositions are informed with a significant shade of blue and fashion their melodies after Oriental pentatonics in the same way that Coltrane integrated Indian harmonies in his music. And by interspersing them with traditional Vietnamese songs, Bang creates a moving work that, even with its sometimes melancholic nature, is ultimately filled with hope and healing.

Even the structure of the album is pointed towards resolution and a joining of cultures. "Reflections starts with a modal vamp that gets moving in a relaxed way, with Bang's oriental-informed theme not entering until nearly the two-minute mark. This piece, like the third track, the equally groove-based and modal "Lock & Load, is more about creating a simple, open-ended context for the soloists, rather than any developed compositional concerns. But the interspersing of the traditional pieces "Ru Con and "Ly Ngua O performed by Nguyen, Ngo, and Bang after "Reflections and "Lock & Load, respectively, paints a picture of cultural division, at least at first.

But then the haunting ballad "Doi Moi paves the way for the first of two takes on "Reconciliation 1, where the American and Vietnamese musicians finally join together and, for the rest of the nearly seventy-minute record, even when the musicians go their own separate ways as they do on the beautiful "Waltz of the Water Puppets and the traditional "Trong Com the precedent has been set, so that by the time of the album's closer, a more upbeat reading of "Reconciliation 2, the mood has become considerably brighter.

While Bang first got his credentials in more avant-garde and free jazz settings, his most recent work has moved closer to the centre, sounding more mainstream and certainly more approachable. Still, despite the more straight-ahead direction of Vietnam: Reflections, there's no sense of pandering. Instead it's all about finding common ground and the potential for beauty in the simplest of contexts.By John Kelman
https://www.allaboutjazz.com/vietnam-reflections-billy-bang-justin-time-records-review-by-john-kelman

Personnel: Billy Bang (violin); James Spaulding (alto sax, flute); Henry Threadgill (flute); Ted Daniel (trumpet); Butch Morris (conductor); John Hicks (piano); Curtis Lundy (bass); Michael Carvin (drums); Ron Brown (percussion); Co Boi Nguyen (vocalist); Nhan Thanh Ngo (dan tranh)

Vietnam: Reflections

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Ledisi - Ledisi Sings Nina

Styles: Jazz Funk
Year: 2021
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 30:52
Size: 70,8 MB
Art: Front

(3:54) 1. Feeling Good
(3:39) 2. My Baby Just Cares for Me
(5:11) 3. Ne Me Quitte Pas (Don't Leave Me)
(3:36) 4. Wild Is The Wind (Live)
(6:20) 5. Work Song
(4:49) 6. Four Women
(3:20) 7. I'm Going Back Home

Ledisi's profound connection with Nina Simone's music began in 2003, when a radio DJ's spin of "Trouble in Mind" provoked a moment of catharsis at an extremely low period in the singer's life. Over the years, Ledisi performed and recorded the Simone composition "Four Women," seen on BET's Black Girls Rock, and heard on the soundtrack of For Colored Girls, headlined numerous Simone-themed concerts, and put on a Simone-honoring autobiographical play - one that culminated in her interpretation of the song that was her providential gateway to (or lifeline from) the high priestess. Immediately preceded and followed by other celebrations of Simone, such as a PBS special and a Hollywood Bowl date, Ledisi Sings Nina strengthens the bond.

Much ground is covered in its brief duration. It varies in mood and style amid a mix of songs Simone either wrote or re-envisioned, with Ledisi supported in grand style by her hometown New Orleans Jazz Orchestra and the Netherlands' Metropole Orkest. On a new version of "Four Women," Ledisi takes the spotlight after strong turns from Lizz Wright, Alice Smith, and Lisa Fischer, thereby reprising her role as "fourth woman" Peaches. She belts "I'll kill the first mother I see" as if her blood is boiling instead of cold, and the threat startles even when it's anticipated. "Feeling Good" and "My Baby Just Cares for Me" the latter updated with some winking modern references seemed done to death until Ledisi's frisky resuscitations here.

On a stark and stirring "Ne me quitte pas," Ledisi craftily switches from Jacques Brel's original French lyrics to Rod McKuen's English adaptation. "Work Song" is flashier without trivializing the subject's grave circumstances. "I'm Going Back Home," high-energy gospel in original form, gets a brilliant NOLA second-line overhaul that celebrates Ledisi's origin and inspiration with equally elevated levels of conviction.

What's most appealing is that Ledisi is herself at all times, empowered by Simone yet utterly distinct. Whereas most tribute sets are merely pleasant stop-gaps between proper LPs, this is as crucial to Ledisi's discography as any of her four Grammy-nominated albums. She put all of herself into it. By Andy Kellman https://www.allmusic.com/album/sings-nina-mw0003533139?

Ledisi Sings Nina

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Kevin Hays - All Things Are

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2021
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 60:36
Size: 139,2 MB
Art: Front

( 7:45) 1. New Day
( 9:54) 2. Elegia
( 3:36) 3. Unscrappulous
(11:52) 4. For Heaven's Sake
( 9:35) 5. All Things Are
( 8:05) 6. Sweet Caroline
( 9:45) 7. Twilight

You can tell the heat of the trio by the laughter boiling over. Not in all cases, admittedly, but for this session, the exhortations and chuckles, picked up by the mic, drive drummer Billy Hart, bassist Ben Street, and pianist Kevin Hays with a gentle nudge here, a harder shove there to greater pleasures, in greater complexities, even as they start in simplicity.

Recorded live on the bandstand of a sans-audience Smoke Jazz Club, this date finds Hays and Hart switching posts between leader and led. The drummer can be a one-man solar system through his cymbals and dry snare, while the piano hops around the stereo spectrum, a fire sometimes banked as Hart muses, sometimes roaring ahead and around. I’m intrigued how Street keeps himself to one side, stereo and muse-wise. But from a little farther back he always comments, astutely, quietly, in wisdom.

Hays states that the virus gave him the chance to improve, practicing at home, but he worried about losing his ability to relate to others. Sounds like he needn’t have worried. Three tunes here stemmed directly from him; three others sprang up as contrafacts of standards. Reworking “All the Things You Are” into “All Things Are” gives you its hint from the new title: leaving things out to put most anything in, thus expanding possibilities from the already-rich cycle of fifths in the original. Street waits patiently for his chance, gets it, and explains everything the other two left out. I grow weary and numb and even cynical watching the news, feeling the grind through my bones; then I hear this, and our race seems worth saving.By By Andrew Hamlin
https://jazztimes.com/reviews/albums/kevin-hays-ben-street-billy-hart-all-things-are-smoke-sessions/

Personnel: Kevin Hays, piano; Ben Street, bass; Billy Hart, drums.

All Things Are

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Sam Rivers Quartet - Undulation

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2021
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 72:06
Size: 165,7 MB
Art: Front

(11:18) 1. Tenor Saxophone Section I
( 4:27) 2. Tenor Saxophone Solo
( 5:38) 3. Tenor Saxophone Section II
( 7:14) 4. Drum Solo
( 5:52) 5. Piano Solo
( 4:22) 6. Piano Section I
( 6:19) 7. Piano Section II
( 5:24) 8. Guitar Solo
( 4:54) 9. Flute Section I
( 4:09) 10. Flute Solo
( 2:07) 11. Flute Section II
( 5:21) 12. Bass Solo
( 4:55) 13. Flute Section III

Undulation is the fifth volume of the NoBusiness label's impressive Sam Rivers Archive Project, following the trio on Emanation and the quintet on Zenith, both issued in 2019, the trio outing Ricochet and the quartet on Braids, both 2020. All volumes comprise previously unreleased live recordings, the first four dating from Boston 1971, Berlin 1977, San Francisco 1978, and Hamburg 1979. Undulations takes us into the '80s, having been recorded at an unknown venue in Florence on May 17th 1981; Rivers is joined by drummer Steve Ellington who first recorded with him in October 1966 for the album A New Conception (Blue Note, 1966) and by guitarist Jerry Byrd and bass guitarist Rael-Wesley Grant.

The album comprises thirteen tracks with a total running time of seventy-one-minutes. However, in reality, the music is continuous from start to finish, without any distinguishable gaps. The track titles describe the contents of the tracks themselves and will probably be most useful to listeners who are seeking out particular parts, Looking for the drum solo? Then play the fourth track. While such cherry-picking may suit some listeners, hearing the entire album from start to finish will prove to be a more rewarding experience.

As a cursory glance at the track listing reveals, the album is full of variety, with all four players having ample time to solo, their solos being integrated into the overall flow of the music, so never sounding bolted-on or routine. Inevitably, Rivers himself is featured extensively on tenor saxophone, flute and piano (but not, as Bill Shoemaker's sleeve notes highlight, on his customary soprano saxophone.) On all his instruments, he gives impassioned performances which showcase his prodigious talents; in amongst his flute section, he even slipped in some vocal interjections.
By John Eyles https://www.allaboutjazz.com/undulation-sam-rivers-quartet-nobusiness-records

Personnel: Sam Rivers: saxophone, tenor; Jerry Byrd: guitar; Rael-Wesley Byrd: bass, electric; Steve Ellington: drums.

Undulation

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Lee Konitz - The Lee Konitz Nonet

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1977
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 61:33
Size: 142,0 MB
Art: Front

( 0:41)  1. Fanfare
(10:55)  2. Chi-Chi
( 5:04)  3. If You Could See Me Now
( 3:19)  4. Sometimes I'm Happy
( 5:26)  5. Giant Steps
( 4:46)  6. April/April Too
( 7:25)  7. Who You
( 5:00)  8. Stryker's Dues
( 3:42)  9. Fourth Dimension
( 4:43) 10. Struttin' with Some Barbecue
( 0:50) 11. Hymn Too
( 9:35) 12. Jazzspeak

The Lee Konitz Nonet never really prospered, but they recorded several excellent albums. With such top players as flügelhornist John Eckert, trombonist Jimmy Knepper, and baritonist Ronnie Cuber in the group, and colorful arrangements provided by Sy Johnson, this band's repertoire was as wide as one would expect from a Konitz band. Whether it be the Louis Armstrong-associated "Struttin' with Some Barbeque," a Lester Young-inspired "Sometimes I'm Happy," Charlie Parker's "Chi-Chi," "Giant Steps," or some newer originals, the results are frequently superb.
By Scott Yanow; https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-lee-konitz-nonet-mw0000597017

Personnel: Lee Konitz – alto saxophone, arranger; Burt Collins – trumpet, flugelhorn, piccolo trumpet; John Eckert – flugelhorn; Jimmy Knepper – trombone; Sam Burtis – bass trombone, tuba; Ronnie Cuber – baritone saxophone; Ben Aronov – piano; Knobby Totah – bass; Kenny Washington – drums; Sy Johnson – arranger

The Lee Konitz Nonet

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Arkadia Jazz All-Stars - It's About Love

Styles: Jazz Contemporary
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 69:43
Size: 160,8 MB
Art: Front

(6:44) 1. Mood Indigo
(5:48) 2. A Summer Affair
(4:38) 3. My Cherie Amour
(8:37) 4. My Funny Valentine
(5:06) 5. Round Midnight
(4:27) 6. It's Really All About Love
(5:18) 7. The More I See You
(6:02) 8. Interlude
(5:53) 9. Passionata
(6:28) 10. Ask Me Now
(4:51) 11. I Want to Talk About You
(5:46) 12. A Perfect Couple

It could be said that jazz is really the musical language of Love. Like any quest, you have to seek jazz out, it never comes to you, and it may take a long time to truly understand its message but as soon as you hear it, you know you’ve found love. Jazz, like all personal relationships, has so many moods that it may confound you at first, but once you get to know it, there’s no turning back. Much of the repertoire of jazz has been dedicated to love and Arkadia Jazz All-Stars have recorded an album that celebrates the romantic, intimate side of jazz, and musically explores the unanswerable question: What is Love?

Starting off with Benny Golson’s sublime reading of Duke Ellington’s Mood Indigo, the stage is set for romance. The nylon strings of Nigel Clark are featured next in the breezy A Summer Affair, capturing the smoldering flame of passion. Joanne Brackeen performs Stevie Wonder’s pop standard My Cherie Amour in her own dynamic and totally individual way, and Randy Brecker’s Grammy Nominated performance on My Funny Valentine is a moment of real beauty. Both artists bring new depth to several of the all time great love songs. Paul Tobey’s sensitive and insightful rendition of Monk’s Round Midnight is rhapsodic, using subtle dissonances to create tension, released by his flowing lines.

T.K. Blue’s original composition, It’s Really All About Love features the flute, an instrument often tied with romanticism. The More I See You by Mary Pearson expresses the sentiment of undying love that we all long to have, as does the masterful ballad Interlude by the Billy Taylor Trio. Passionata was an unfinished composition by Kenny Drew Sr. that was completed and recorded by his son, Kenny Drew Jr., and is a testament to familial love. Eric Reed’s rendition of Monk’s Ask Me Now is a sparse, yet tender and eloquent doctrine on the state of love. David Liebman and Vic Juris show their gentle sides on the sparkling I Want To Talk About You, while pianist Uli Lenz’s mesmerizing A Perfect Couple brings this recording to a romantic close and is the perfect denouement for this CD, “It’s About Love.”

What happens to us when we fall in love, and when we hear or see something that kindles our passions? Our outlook on life becomes filled with possibilities. Jazz mirrors our life experiences, and we should try to remember that in our collective consciousness. As in our personal relationships, jazz is about the joy and creation of beauty and human emotion in real time. Share this music with someone; it has something to do with discovery and hope. It has something to do with love.

Whether looking surround yourself with beautiful ballads, or to set the mood for a romantic evening, or simply looking for a special Valentines Day gift all year round, “It’s About Love” is a wonderful collection that provides both the romantic atmosphere and world class music from some of the most influential sounds in Jazz.
https://arkadiajazzallstars.com/product/arkadia-jazz-all-stars-its-about-love/

Personnel: Carl Allen: Drums; James Weidman: Piano; Santi Debriano: Bass; Kenny Drew Jr.: Piano; Eric Reed: Piano; Peter Washington: Bass; Lewis Nash: Drums; Rodney Whitaker: Bass; Dave Liebman: Soprano sax; Vic Juris: Guitar; Dean Johnson: Bass; Ron Vincent: Drums;

It's About Love

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