Canadian Jazz Quartet - Brazilian Reflections

Styles: Mainstream Jazz
Year: 2011
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 59:48
Size: 138,0 MB
Art: Front

(5:10) 1. Don't Quote Me
(5:19) 2. Choi Lin
(4:31) 3. Tristeza
(5:02) 4. Villa Lobos
(4:07) 5. Samba De Orfeu
(3:59) 6. Every Time I See You
(4:26) 7. Menina Flor
(5:43) 8. O Grande Amor
(4:48) 9. One Note Samba
(4:56) 10. With the Wind and the Rain in Your Hair
(4:20) 11. Desafinado
(3:26) 12. Zingaro
(3:56) 13. Triste

For its fourth album, the Canadian Jazz Quartet – which has played Fridays since 2006 at Quotes on King St. West has chosen a different direction. The result is a real treat, for those enamoured of Brazilian music and for fans of a stylish group whose jazz evolves seamlessly around tradition.

Brazilian Reflections (Cornerstone CRST CD136 www.cornerstonerecordsinc.com) is class all the way, with leader and guitarist Gary Benson adding four originals to the 13 songs, five by Jobim, two from Luiz Bonfa. Elegance is the watchword with Benson colleagues vibraphonist Frank Wright, bass Duncan Hopkins and drummer Don Vickery in superlative form employing lilting rhythms as guitar and vibes demonstrate luminous comfort with the melodies. Desafinado is here of course, but so are lesser-known gems.
https://www.thewholenote.com/index.php/booksrecords2/jazzaimprovised/10040-its-our-jazz-march-2011

Personnel: Gary Benson (guitar); Frank Wright (vibes); Duncan Hopkins (bass); Don Vickery (drums)

Brazilian Reflections

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Jessica Williams - All Alone

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s

Time: 61:55

Size: 141.8 MB

Styles: Piano jazz, Mainstream jazz

Year: 2003/2013

Art: Front

[4:53] 1. As Time Goes By

[5:28] 2. In A Sentimental Mood

[6:25] 3. Warm Valley

[6:02] 4. Music Box Revue / All Alone

[5:13] 5. Annie Get Your Gun / They Say It's Wonderful

[5:25] 6. Don't Explain

[3:53] 7. Toshiko

[4:33] 8. The Sheikh

[5:09] 9. Bill's Beauty

[5:37] 10. The Quilt

[5:10] 11. Orange Was The Colour Of Her Dress Then Blue Silk

[4:00] 12. Too Young To Go Steady

Jessica Williams has turned out a phenomenal amount of rewarding recordings since her career began to really take off during the 1990s. This solo piano outing recorded in 2002 is among her finest efforts, especially in her refreshing approaches to standards and some usually overdone (and frequently underplayed) war horses. "As Time Goes By" has almost become a cliché due to its inclusion in the still popular film Casablanca, but Williams' quirky approach to it suggests Art Tatum, Erroll Garner, and Thelonious Monk at different times, yet never loses touch with the melody. Likewise, her playful little embellishment added to Duke Ellington's "In a Sentimental Mood" suggests a wink and a smile accompanying the expected "I Love You" to someone special. Irving Berlin wrote many memorable songs during his long career, but the pianist chooses two that aren't heard all that often in jazz settings, "All Alone" and "They Say It's Wonderful," with their often maudlin settings drastically altered. Her originals are just as remarkable. The captivating melody of her delicate ballad "Toshiko" glistens, while she playfully hand-mutes the piano strings and incorporates a little strumming of them as well in her infectious and bluesy "The Sheikh." The intimate sound of this CD makes it seem as if the listener is enjoying a private solo piano recital, so it is very easy to recommend this disc highly and without the slightest reservation. ~Ken Dryden

All Alone 

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Michel Petrucciani - Solo in Denmark

Styles: Piano Jazz
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 55:35
Size: 127,5 MB
Art: Front

( 5:02) 1. P'tit Louis
( 5:10) 2. In A Sentimental Mood
( 7:58) 3. She Did It Again
( 7:17) 4. Round Midnight
( 7:52) 5. Estate
( 8:25) 6. Blue Monk
(13:47) 7. Medley: Autumn Leaves, Rachid, Prelude To A Kiss, Smoke Gets In Your Eyes, Miles Davis' Licks, Nardis

Storyville Records is proud to present Michel Petrucciani – Solo in Denmark. This album features French piano prodigy Michel Petrucciani in a solo recording from Silkeborg Church, 1990. MP was one of the most popular pianists in the 1990’s due to his extraordinary technique, his astounding musical outlook and extremely dynamic playing style. His music is simply timeless and magical, seemingly coming straight from his soul. As he is often quoted: “I’m not playing to your head, but to your soul. When I play, I’m like a bird flying over the landscape, and I can land anywhere.”

Recorded on June 23, 1990 at the Riverboat Jazz Festival in Silkeborg, Denmark, this album is a tour de force that leads the listener through a series of the most iconic motifs in jazz, all of which are deconstructed and transformed by an outstanding craftsman and embellished along the way by a true master. And he also allows himself to insert unexpected twists and turns that are guaranteed to make the listener smile. Pay special attention to his small rhythmic and melodic tags, little hints for the well-trained ear.

They reveal a musician who never grows complacent or takes himself too seriously. Here, the totality of MP’s talents are exhibited in an intimate setting, where he stuns the crowd with his inventive and blindingly rapid playing. The music emanating from the man simply grabs everybody’s attention. Arrangements by jazz legends like Duke Ellington, Thelonious Monk and Miles Davis gets the cheeky Petrucciani treatment with his rather audacious approach to ‘established’ jazz standards. MP had the ability to effortlessly travel through the history of jazz on his piano, fascinating his audience in the process. This church concert clearly displays why MP quickly developed into a truly exceptional member of the international jazz scene.

For MP, joyful playing with the music was a necessity of life. He lived and breathed for the opportunity to show it his love and respect. And all we have to do is open our ears, mind and soul and accept the gems from a musical individualist, who has made an indelible impression on millions of jazz listeners around the world. Solo in Denmark is simply another chapter in the remarkable story of a man, who perceived himself as a servant of the music.

Personnel: Michel Petrucciani - Piano

Solo in Denmark

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Malene Mortensen - A New Kind of Love

Styles: Vocal
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 40:12
Size: 93,2 MB
Art: Front

(4:02) 1. Tiny Hands
(5:50) 2. Get Out of Town (Get Lost)
(4:18) 3. A Mile from Your Heart
(6:06) 4. Jeg Gik Mig Ud En Sommerdag
(6:10) 5. All the Thing You Are
(4:51) 6. There Will Never Be Another You
(5:07) 7. It Might as Well Be Spring
(3:46) 8. No More Blues

Malene Mortensen is one of the most prominent, Danish jazz vocalist with an extraordinary CV. She has been touring all over the world and she has been recording under her own name since 2003. Malnes’s own compositions is a selection of tunes focusing on everyday challenges, small joys and simple pleasures.

Story: Malene Mortensen released her first album in 2003 at the age of 21. From the very start she worked with great musicians like Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen, Alex Riel, Chris Potter, Mike Stern, Avishai Cohen, Christian Sands, Terreon Gully, Chad Wackerman, Adam Rogers and Niels Lan Doky.

The days when she was a promising young talent are long gone; her voice has many colors, her phrasing grows ever more challenging, and her timbre expands with each new release. Malene is an artist of international stature; she has passed the stage of youthful weltschmerz. Today she can encompass and express all the positive things as well which isn’t always as easy as it sounds. Over the past 15 years while taking her Master and Soloist degrees from The Rhythmic Conservatory in Copenhagen.


Malene Mortensen has performed on jazz stages in virtually every European country, the Middle East, USA, Australia and large parts of Asia with her own trio, as vocalist with big bands or featured guest in various setups most recently on tour with Kid Creole & The Coconuts.
https://inmusic.dk/artist/malene_mortensen/

A New Kind of Love

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Louis Stewart - Louis The First

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 1975
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 37:25
Size: 86,1 MB
Art: Front

(4:42) 1. All The Things You Are
(6:18) 2. Bluesology
(4:08) 3. Body And Soul
(3:06) 4. Send In The Clowns
(5:50) 5. O Grande Amor
(3:58) 6. Here Is That Rainy Day
(5:45) 7. Alone Together
(3:35) 8. Autumn Leaves

The first time I saw Louis Stewart play was when I was 14 years old. My father, a jazz devotee, who knew many of the Irish jazz musicians, took me to a jazz party in Sandycove at the home of the saxophonist John Curran. Before I even got there my father had told me that Louis would be there and that he was the greatest jazz musician Ireland had ever produced. So before I ever saw him play, Louis’ greatness was imprinted on my mind. And at the party, even to my adolescent (and at that time non-playing) self, I could see that they were right he was something special.

There was a fluidity about his playing that marked him out, and this was especially evident when he played with John Wadham another great of the Irish jazz scene whom I saw for the first time that night who clearly sparked Louis’ playing. My memory of that night is very vivid. There were other jazz-scene notables there such as Brian Dunning and Mike Nolan, a string quartet played Haydn, there was food and banter all of which seemed incredibly glamorous to me. Not to mention staying up till 4am. The true jazz life…

Over the following years I saw him play several times, including a memorable night when my father whisked me off to see him playing in Mooney’s in Dún Laoghaire the night before my Inter Cert exams were to start, much to my mother’s horror. My father’s answer to my mother’s protests was, ‘What he doesn’t know now he won’t know in two hours time’. And he was right. What I do remember learning that night is that there was a tune called ‘Maiden Voyage’ that sounded very exotic. Again I wasn’t playing at this point, so had no idea of structure or harmonic content of the piece, but I remember Louis announcing it and being totally enthralled by it.
By Ronan Guilfoyle https://journalofmusic.com/focus/louis-first

Personnel: Louis Stewart, guitar; Martin Walshe, bass; John Wadham, drums.

Thank You JT!

Charles Lloyd - Trios: Sacred Thread

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 38:56
Size: 89,9 MB
Art: Front

(3:19) 1. Desolation Sound
(4:13) 2. Guman
(9:23) 3. Nachekita's Lament
(1:54) 4. Saraswati
(7:51) 5. Kuti
(8:48) 6. Tales of Rumi
(3:25) 7. The Blessing

This is the third and final album in Blue Note's Charles Lloyd-dedicated ‘Trio of Trios’ series, with the orchestrally-resourceful guitarist Julian Lage joining mindbendingly multi-tasking percussion legend Zakir Hussain in conversation with the 84 year-old US reeds maestro.

Sacred Thread represents the Trio series' most radical departure from the freeboppish or bluesily grooving soundscapes of its predecessors Chapel, and Ocean a more open global-musical trip, as well as an homage to Lloyd's decades-long devotion to the spirituality of the East. Mutual empathy is plain from the opening ‘Desolation Sound’, with its deep-hooting tenor ballad statement punctuated by the leader's characteristically fast-wriggling fills spinning off dolorous long tones.

Hussain's reverentially tender singing is shadowed by Lage's chord chimes on ‘Guman’, 'Nachekita's Lament' is a meditation for billowing flute tones, slow chanting and brooding guitar rejoinders that becomes a catchy tabla-driven canter. Lloyd plays the mournful soprano sax-like tárogató on ‘Saraswati’ (mostly with only gentle gong-sounds fitful tabla-rhythm flickers for company), Hussain's voice and Lloyd's vaporous flute share the initially ballad-like ‘Kuti’ before a groove much more suggestive of the hi-life star of the title emerges to draw a boldly skidding break from Lage. ‘Tales of Rumi’ invites an enthralling Hussain long intro of racing rhythms and whoopy voicelike accents before it becomes a tenor-led folk dance, and a quietly impassioned Lloyd-Lage dialogue on ‘The Blessing’ wraps up a real gem, even by the octogenarian California jazz guru's standards.
By John Fordham https://www.jazzwise.com/review/charles-lloyd-trios-sacred-thread

Personnel: Charles Lloyd (ts, fl); Julian Lage (g); Zakir Hussain (perc)

Trios: Sacred Thread

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Octokats - Cool West Coast Jazz Comes to Toronto

Styles: Jazz
Year: 2014
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 72:58
Size: 168,5 MB
Art: Front

(3:36) 1. El Prince
(1:23) 2. Dave Pell Intro
(5:09) 3. Nap's Dream
(5:10) 4. Java Junction
(3:11) 5. Have You Met Miss Jones
(2:50) 6. Blues My Naughty Sweetie Gives To Me
(3:35) 7. Cheerful Little Earful
(6:02) 8. Love Me Or Leave Me
(3:54) 9. Intermission Riff
(2:53) 10. Dave Pell Intro To Lester Young
(4:06) 11. You Can Depend On Me
(4:31) 12. Lester Leaps In
(5:07) 13. How High The Moon
(2:39) 14. When You're Smiling
(5:19) 15. Just You, Just Me
(3:59) 16. One O'clock Jump
(5:31) 17. Jumpin' At The Woodside
(3:56) 18. Session At Pete's Pad

West Coast jazz refers to various styles of jazz music that developed around Los Angeles and San Francisco during the 1950s. West Coast jazz is often seen as a sub-genre of cool jazz, which featured a less frenetic, calmer style than bebop or hard bop. The music tended to be more heavily arranged, and more often composition-based.

We, the Octokats, have resurrected this relaxed sytle of jazz here in Southern Ontario. The very essence of COOL can be found in this style of music. One of the most famous West Coast Jazz Musicians is Dave Pell. We modeled our octet after the Dave Pell lineup.The instrumentation for his octet consisted of Tenor Sax, Baritone Sax, Trumpet, Trombone, Piano, Guitar, Bass and Drums.http://www.octokats.com/?page_id=56

Personnel: Sarang Kulkarni (Baritone/Alto Saxophones); Gary Martin (Alto/Tenor Saxophones); James Shea (Trumpet/Flugelhorn); Michael Kearns (Trombone); Stephen Landsberg (Guitar); William Bryant (Piano); Mauro Bellotto (Upright Bass); John Collin (Drums); Alan Reid (Drums)

Special Guests: Dave Pell; Pat Labarbera

Cool West Coast Jazz Comes to Toronto

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Diane Marino - I Hear Music

Styles: Vocal And Piano Jazz
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 50:41
Size: 117,1 MB
Art: Front

(3:14) 1. I Hear Music
(3:43) 2. Moonray
(4:27) 3. Ain't No Use
(3:54) 4. Let Me Off Uptown
(4:47) 5. You Showed Me The Way
(3:56) 6. Rock Me To Sleep
(5:09) 7. It Could Happen To You
(4:50) 8. Detour Ahead
(3:29) 9. The Late, Late Show
(5:18) 10. I'll Close My Eyes
(4:12) 11. When Lights Are Low
(3:37) 12. You'd Better Love Me

Jazz singer/pianist Diane Marino was born in the New York City borough of Manhattan and began piano lessons at the age of ten. She attended the High School for the Performing Arts as a classical piano major, then studied piano with Murray Perahia at the Mannes College of Music. She had already begun appearing professionally before earning her Bachelor of Music degree in piano performance from Mannes, playing and singing around the New York metropolitan area. She worked solo until she met bassist Frank Marino, whom she subsequently married, and with whom she formed the Brazilian nonet Som Brasiliero.

On August 26, 2003, the Marinos' M&M Records label released A Sleepin' Bee, an album by the Diane Marino Quartet, also featuring flute and saxophone player Rusty Jessup and drummer Chris Brown. On the Street Where You Live followed on May 4, 2004. Having relocated to Nashville, Marino released her third album, Just Groovin', a collection of her interpretations of '60s pop standards featuring such guests as Kirk Whalum, Houston Person, and Felix Cavaliere, on September 16, 2008. By William Ruhlmann https://www.allmusic.com/artist/diane-marino-mn0000255089/biography

I Hear Music

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Jeremy Pelt - November

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 2013
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 53:08
Size: 121,9 MB
Art: Front

(5:14)  1. Mata
(8:09)  2. Avatar
(5:42)  3. Clairvoyant
(5:55)  4. Dreamcatcher
(5:34)  5. Phoenix
(5:44)  6. Rosalie
(3:54)  7. Monte Cristo
(6:05)  8. Nephthys
(6:48)  9. 466-64 (Freedom Fighters)

In the same way that Roy Hargrove's Earfood (Emarcy, 2008) updated Lee Morgan's Cornbread (Blue Note, 1965), so Jeremy Pelt's November updates Miles Davis' Miles Smiles (Columbia/Legacy, 1966). If creativity and art can be evaluated on both the vertical and horizontal, Morgan's and Davis' offerings represent horizontal progressions of the art of jazz into new areas, where Hargrove's and Pelt's are vertical elaborations of those previous collections. Jeremy Pelt (with his band Wired) last offered Shock Value: Live at Smoke (MaxJazz, 2007), an exploration of the style Miles generated with Live at the Fillmore East (March 7, 1970): It's About That Time (Legacy, 2001). Pelt returns to a fully acoustic format on November, but this music is no more wooden than Miles' groundbreaking second quintet recordings were. 

November is a fully realized post-bop suite, a jazz Also Sprach Zarathustra. "Mata" is five-plus minutes of introduction, a free form recital with no resolution. Here and throughout the disc we can hear the spirit of the late Anthony Tillman Williams, who's drumming for Miles Davis, continues to touch all aspects of jazz percussion almost 50 years later. Pelt's compositions are all tightly angular and anxious, both probing and airy. His trumpet is tart and sweet, the tone very much his own. The choice of JD Allen on tenor saxophone was a deeply thoughtful one as Allen is one of the finest post bop tenor's performing. As a collection, November is a compelling listening experience from beginning to end. Do you miss Nefertiti (Columbia/Legacy, 1967)? Not any more. 

~ C.Michael Bailey http://www.allaboutjazz.com/november-jeremy-pelt-maxjazz-review-by-c-michael-bailey.php

Personnel: Jeremy Pelt: trumpet; JD Allen: tenor saxophone; Danny Grissett: piano; Dwayne Burno: bass; Gerald Cleaver: drums.

November

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Jim Snidero - MD66

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2016
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 52:39
Size: 123,3 MB
Art: Front

(7:15)  1. MD66
(9:38)  2. Recursion
(5:48)  3. Free Beauty
(6:08)  4. Unified
(6:27)  5. Who We've Known
(6:42)  6. Un4Scene
(4:35)  7. Blue in Green
(6:02)  8. Purge

Over the course of the past three decades alto saxophonist and composer Jim Snidero has been constantly pushing himself to explore new territories and expand his outlook. In 1989 (!) his extraordinary album Blue Afternoon made its way into The Penguin Jazz Guide: The History of the Music in the 1001 Best Albums. Later on he made his mark in the sax-with-strings department, not only playing at the top of his game, but also composing and arranging all of the music on the project. Most recently he's impressed more than a few listeners with a spate of fine albums on Savant. On this his latest release, Snidero tackles open modal forms and uses his unfettered imagination as a portal into free(r) territory, and takes his soloing to the next level by working an inside/outside approach that's rooted in the structure and style of each song but radical enough to move in wildly unexpected directions. This is a musical promised land where revelations, whether subtle or seismic in nature, are guided by revolution. ~ Editorial Reviews https://www.amazon.com/MD66-Jim-Snidero/dp/B01ICUPAHM

Personnel:  Jim Snidero (alto saxophone);  Alex Sipiagin (trumpet);  Andy LaVerne (piano);  Ugonna Okegwo (bass);  Rudy Royston (drums).

MD66

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Dizzy Reece - Blues In Trinity (Remastered)

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 1959
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 47:33
Size: 109,3 MB
Art: Front

( 6:47)  1. Blues In Trinity
( 3:04)  2. I Had The Craziest Dream
(10:39)  3. Close Up
( 6:37)  4. Shepherd's Serenade
( 6:02)  5. Color Blind
( 4:46)  6. 'Round About Midnight
( 4:03)  7. Eboo
( 5:31)  8. Just A Penny

One of the few American releases cut by the legendary British trumpeter Dizzy Reece and a great one! The album was strange for Blue Note, in that it was a joint US/UK session featuring American players Donald Byrd and Art Taylor, along with great Brit players Reece, Tubby Hayes, Terry Shannon, and Lloyd Thompson. Hayes is especially excellent here, and the record captures him at the peak of his young imaginative powers. With a two-trumpet frontline held down by Byrd and Reece, Hayes' tenor solos cut through hard and clean, with a deep soulful sound that makes him the most sparkling player on the session. Titles include "Close Up", "Blues In Trinity", "Color Blind", and "Round Midnight". © 1996-2019, Dusty Groove, Inc. https://www.dustygroove.com/item/515086/Dizzy-Reece:Blues-In-Trinity

Personnel: Dizzy Reece - trumpet; Donald Byrd - trumpet; Tubby Hayes - tenor saxophone; Terry Shannon - piano; Lloyd Thompson - bass; Art Taylor - drums

Blues In Trinity

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Darcy Cooke - Careless love

Styles: Vocal
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 37:35
Size: 86,3 MB
Art: Front

(3:30) 1. Moonglow
(5:00) 2. Can’t help lovin’ dat man
(3:07) 3. My heart belongs to daddy
(3:33) 4. And so it goes
(2:36) 5. What is this thing called love
(5:54) 6. I know you oh so well
(4:13) 7. I can’t give you anything but love
(4:37) 8. Lies of handsome men
(5:00) 9. Careless love - St. Louis blues

Darcy Cooke is a classically trained jazz vocalist who has been performing nearly all her life. As a regular in DC area jazz bars, piano lounges, music venues, and private events, she has enjoyed performing with many of DMV’s great musicians such as Chris Grasso, Wayne Wilentz, David Jernigan, Harry Appelman, Keith Butler, Jr, Wade Beach, and more. Additionally, she has shared the stage with many of the area’s top vocalists. She studied music, voice, and theater while attending the Shenandoah Conservatory and has trained with multiple vocal coaches and top jazz singers in the DMV area.

With a love of jazz and a background in theater and stage performance, Darcy’s repertoire is expansive, ranging from jazz standards of the Great American Songbook to blues, to show tunes to cabaret and pop. Darcy is currently working on her first solo album to be released in 2022.
https://www.reverbnation.com/darcycooke?popup_bio=true

Careless love

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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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