Dan Levinson's Palomar Quartet & Molly Ryan - Four On The Floor

Styles: Clarinet, Vocal Jazz
Year: 2008
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 35:42
Size: 82,4 MB
Art: Front

(5:32) 1. In A Shanty In Old Shanty Town
(3:27) 2. Silhouetted In The Moonlight
(4:47) 3. Joseph, Joseph
(4:13) 4. Otolaryngology
(3:53) 5. My Ideal
(5:15) 6. Just One Of Those Things
(4:11) 7. Only Another Boy And Girl
(4:22) 8. Fine And Dandy

The 2017 winner of Hot House Magazine’s “NYC Jazz Fans Decision” award for Best Clarinetist, Dan Levinson is equally at home as both leader and sideman, fronting his own groups as well as performing with those led by others. During a 30-year career specializing in traditional jazz and swing music, he has appeared alongside such prominent artists as Mel Tormé, Wynton Marsalis, Dick Hyman, Bria Skonberg, Ed Polcer, Howard Alden, Joe Ascione, Dan Barrett, Jon-Erik Kellso, Randy Reinhart, Mark Shane, Dick Sudhalter, Frank Vignola, Rossano Sportiello, Nicki Parrott, and Randy Sandke.

Though based in New York City, Dan’s busy schedule often takes him across the continent and around the world. He has performed in Brazil with the Bunk Project, a band organized by Woody Allen and banjoist Eddy Davis, in Italy with the Manhattan Rhythm Kings, in Scotland with David Ostwald’s Louis Armstrong Centennial Band, in Germany with the Barrelhouse Jazz Band, in Japan with the New York Ragtime Orchestra, in Los Angeles at the Playboy Mansion, and at numerous jazz clubs in Paris, including Le Petit Journal, Caveau de la Huchette, Autour de Midi, Duc des Lombards, and Le Bilboquet.

His numerous music festival appearances include the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival, the Sweet and Hot Music Festival in Los Angeles, the Bix Beiderbecke Memorial Jazz Festival in Davenport, the Central Illinois Jazz Festival, the Sacramento Jazz Jubilee, the Orange County Classic Jazz Festival, the Sedalia Ragtime Festival, the Hot Steamed Jazz Festival in Essex, Connecticut, the Edinburgh Festival and Nairn Jazz Festival in Scotland, and the Brecon Festival in Wales. From 1992-2004 Dan was a regular guest at Dick Hyman’s annual Jazz in July Festival in New York. In 2004 Dan organized and was featured in the JVC Jazz Festival’s centennial tribute to Jimmy Dorsey at NYC’s famed Birdland jazz club.

An ardent Benny Goodman devotee, Dan’s tributes to the clarinet legend have brought him many accolades over the years. In 1996 he gave a televised concert in Reykjavík for the president of Iceland and the prime minister of Italy. Since 1998, his re-creations of Goodman’s 1938 Carnegie Hall jazz concert have delighted audiences on both sides of the Atlantic, spawning countless command performances in the ensuing years with various big bands. Dan is the clarinet soloist with – and co-founder of – James Langton’s New York All-Star Big Band, NYC’s preeminent swing orchestra, with whom he has appeared at Lincoln Center’s prestigious Midsummer Night Swing series, and with whom he continues to perform regularly at the world-famous Rainbow Room in Manhattan. Since 2003, Dan has toured frequently with Andrej Hermlin’s Swing Dance Orchestra from Berlin, performing tributes to Goodman, Artie Shaw and others in sold-out concert halls throughout Germany and Europe.

Dan’s tremendous respect for songs and lyrics has made him a popular accompanist with vocalists over the years. As reedman with Ingrid Lucia and the Flying Neutrinos, Dan has performed in Atlantic City and Las Vegas, as well as at clubs throughout New York City. From 1990-2002 Dan toured extensively with singer/guitarist Leon Redbone, with whom he appeared on national television and at the celebrated jazz club Pizza Express in London. Dan has also accompanied vocalists Banu Gibson, Daryl Sherman, Janet Klein, Cynthia Sayer, and, most notably, his wife, the charming and talented Molly Ryan.

Since 1993 Dan has been a member of Vince Giordano’s Nighthawks, with whom he has appeared at Carnegie Hall, on Late Night with Conan O’Brien, and on Garrison Keillor’s A Prairie Home Companion radio program, in addition to the band’s bi-weekly appearances at Iguana Restaurant in Manhattan.

Dan’s own ensembles vary considerably in style and repertoire, running the gamut from ragtime-era dance music to early jazz to swing: his Canary Cottage Dance Orchestra specializes in early twentieth century (pre-jazz) popular music; his Roof Garden Jass Band is devoted exclusively to re-creating the earliest jazz recordings, made between 1917 and 1923; his Palomar Quartet is modeled after the renowned Benny Goodman Quartet and features the same lineup of clarinet, piano, vibes, and drums; his gypsy jazz group Fête Manouche honors the rich legacy of guitarist Django Reinhardt; and his New Millennium All Stars brings together a new generation of young and vibrant “torch bearers” who are currently breathing new life into century-old jazz traditions.

Originally from the Los Angeles area, Dan moved to New York in 1983. The following year he met 82-year-old reedman James “Rosy” McHargue, who became Dan’s friend and mentor, and over the next fifteen years taught him most of what he now knows about music and life. During that period Dan also studied with world-class clarinet instructor Leon Russianoff and saxophone virtuoso Al Gallodoro.

In 1990 Dan moved to Paris to join a band formed by American cornetist Dick Miller that featured the up-and-coming vocalist Madeleine Peyroux, then 16 years old. Dan’s wanderlust soon took him across the continent, through 17 European countries, where he earned a living for a year playing on the streets. Shortly after returning to the U.S., Dan temporarily relocated to New Orleans to perform a five-night-a-week engagement at the Royal Sonesta Hotel on Bourbon Street.

Dan has performed on over 150 CDs, including nine under his own name. He can also be heard on the soundtracks to the films The Cat’s Meow, Ghost World, The Loss of a Teardrop Diamond, and Martin Scorsese’s The Aviator, as well as on all five seasons of the Grammy Award-winning HBO television series Boardwalk Empire and all three seasons of the Amazon Prime Video series The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. Dan’s complete discography, along with his engagement calendar, photos, more information on his ensembles, and samples of his music, are available at www.danlevinson.com

Personnel: Dan Levinson, clarinet; Mark Shane, piano; Matt Hoffmann, vibes; Kevin Dorn, drums; Molly Ryan, vocals

Four On The Floor

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Lakis Tzimkas - Blue Train-SKY Paths

Styles: Avant-garde Jazz
Year: 2000
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 32:32
Size: 74,7 MB
Art: Front

(6:12) 1. Blue for You (feat Wayne Brasel)
(5:06) 2. Langsam
(8:26) 3. Rainy Wednesday
(5:37) 4. Next Time
(7:09) 5. Nicolas

Lakis Tzimkas was born in Thessaloniki and grew up in Kozani, Greece. His first band was Social Squash, punk band formed in 1984. His first study on electric bass was at Jazz Conservatory in Thessaloniki with Manolis Sideridis. In 1994 further studies at American Institute of Music in Vienna, with Angus Thomas, Jonas Hellborg, Wayne Brasel, lead to achieving a Professional diploma. In 1995 studies on jazz contrabass at Art University of Graz, Austria, with Wayne Darling, Ewald Oberleitner and Mark Dresser. In 1996 he had his first solo-bass concert. In June 2000 he finishes the studies and achieves a Master degree. In June 2008 he finishes his classical studies in Contrabass at University of Macedonia in Thessaloniki with Eugenios Politis.

During his staying in Austria he played and toured with the Big Band and the Symphony Orchestra of Graz University, in Austria, Slovenia, Poland and Slovakia. He worked with musicians such as Wayne Brasel, Mark Murphy, Fritz Pauer, Angus Thomas, Henry Robinett, Alan Jones, Sheila Jordan, James Carter, Karl Ratzer and others. Since July 2000, he lives in Thessaloniki, Greece, and he plays in many different bands with numerous styles varying from be-bop to funk, contemporary music. Namely, he played with Sakis Papadimitriou and Georgia Syllaiou, with Sheila Jordan - at Half Note Jazz Club, in Athens, January 2003, and on tour in Greece, March 2004 - Andy Sheppard, Rex Richardson, Milcho Leviev, Danny Hayes, Chicko Freeman, Mordy Ferber, Christos Rafalides, Jeff Boudreaux, Sanni Orasmaa, Ed Neumeister, Michel Hatzigeorgiou, James Carter, Uli Rennert, Clyde Stubblefield, Joris Dudli, Jon Hendricks, Rick Margitza, Adam Nussbaum, Richie Morales, Airto Moreira, Glen Ferris, Chuck Manning, Ron Petrides, Venchi Blagoev, Dimitrios Vassilakis, Takis Farazis, Takis Barberis, Vaso Dimitriou, Savina Giannatou, Nikos Touliatos, Nikos Anadolis, Sami Amiri, Faton Macula, Antonis Ladopoulos quartet, Tilemachos Moussas band, Giotis Kiourtsoglou, Dimitris Gouberitsis, Charis Kapetanakis, Giannis Oikonomidis, Kostas Kouvidis, Nikos Vargiamidis, Plan 3 trio and formed or co initiated the Lakis Tzimkas & Oleg Chaly quartet,Trio Balkano, with Pantelis Stoikos(trumpet) and Alekos Papadopoulos(drums).

Apopsis trio, Bass to Bass, a contrabass duo with Nektarios Karantzis, Categoria X, a funk project, and Free Call, an electronic free jazz project. In addition, he conducted and played with the "Magic Road Big Band", in October 2002, with Milcho Leviev and Vicky Almasidou as special guest performers. He played in jazz clubs and festivals like Porgy and Bess, in Vienna, Orpheum, in Graz, B Flat in Berlin, Rabbat jazz festival, in Morocco, Warsaw summer jazz days, in Poland, Santorini jazz festival and Sani jazz festival, Thessaloniki Olympic city jazz festival and Athens Olympic city jazz festival, in Greece, Euro jazz festival in Mexico, Plovdiv Jazz Festival, and many others in Greece and Europe. He taught at Philippos Nakas Conservatory, Ionian University and Music School of Serres He teaches electric bass, contrabass, jazz ensemble and jazz harmony at Modern Music Conservatory and Music School in Thessaloniki. https://jazzonline.gr/en/musicians/item/2500-tzimkas-lakis.html

Personnel: Lakis Tzimkas – Bass; George Tzoukas – Piano; Manolis Koutsounanos – Drums; Wayne Brasel – Guitar

Blue Train-SKY Paths

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Benny Goodman - Alone Together

Styles: Clarinet Jazz, Swing
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 64:27
Size: 148,1 MB
Art: Front

(5:50) 1. Runnin' Wild
(9:38) 2. Sing, Sing, Sing
(5:11) 3. Here's That Rainy Day
(8:59) 4. Don't Be That Way / Stompin' At The Savoy
(3:24) 5. Alone Together
(4:07) 6. You've Changed
(3:46) 7. Tangerine
(3:29) 8. How Long Has This Been Going On
(6:37) 9. That's A Plenty
(2:53) 10. Sunday
(2:28) 11. Taking A Chance On Love
(2:41) 12. Please Don't Talk About Me When I'm Gone
(2:39) 13. Send In The Clowns
(2:38) 14. Goodbye

Benjamin David Goodman was born on May 30, 1909 in Chicago, Illinois. He was the ninth child of immigrants David Goodman and Dora Grisinsky Goodman, who left Russia to escape anti-Semitism. Benny’s mother never learned to speak English. His father worked for a tailor to support his large family, which eventually grew to include a total of 12 children and had trouble making ends meet.

When Benny was 10 years old, his father sent him to study music at Kehelah Jacob Synagogue in Chicago. There, Benny learned the clarinet under the tutelage of Chicago Symphony member Franz Schoepp, while two of his brothers learned tuba and trumpet. He also played in the band at Jane Addams’ famous social settlement, Hull-House.

Benny’s aptitude on the clarinet was immediately apparent. While he was still very young, he became a professional musician and played in several bands in Chicago. He played with his first pit band at the age of 11, and became a member of the American Federation of Musicians when he was 14, when he quit school to pursue his career in music. When his father died, 15-year-old Benny used the money he made to help support his family. During these early years in Chicago, he played with many musicians who would later become nationally renowned, such as Frank Teschemacher and Dave Tough.

When Benny was 16, he was hired by the Ben Pollack Band and moved to Los Angeles. He remained with the band for four years and became a featured soloist. In 1929, the year that marked the onset of the Great Depression and a time of distress for America, Benny left the Ben Pollack Band to participate in recording sessions and radio shows in New York City.

Then, in 1933, Benny began to work with John Hammond, a jazz promoter who would later help to launch the recording careers of Billie Holiday and Count Basie, among many others. Hammond wanted Benny to record with drummer Gene Krupa and trombonist Jack Teagarden, and the result of this recording session was the onset of Benny’s national popularity. Later, in 1942, Benny would marry Alice Hammond Duckworth, John Hammond’s sister, and have two daughters: Rachel, who became a concert pianist, and Benji, who became a cellist.

Benny led his first band in 1934 and began a few-month stint at Billy Rose’s Music Hall, playing Fletcher Henderson’s arrangements along with band members Bunny Berigan, Gene Krupa, and Jess Stacy. The music they played had its roots in the southern jazz forms of ragtime and Dixieland, while its structure adhered more to arranged music than its more improvisational jazz counterparts. This gave it an accessibility that appealed to American audiences on a wide scale. America began to hear Benny‘s band when he secured a weekly engagement for his band on NBC’s radio show Let’s Dance, which was taped with a live studio audience.
br /> The new swing music had the kids dancing when, on August 21, 1935, Benny’s band played the Palomar Ballroom in Los Angeles. The gig was sensational and marked the beginning of the years that Benny would reign as King: the Swing Era. Teenagers and college students invented new dance steps to accompany the new music sensation. Benny’s band, along with many others, became hugely successful among listeners from many different backgrounds all over the country.

During this period, Benny also became famous for being colorblind when it came to racial segregation and prejudice. Pianist Teddy Wilson, an African American, first appeared in the Benny Goodman Trio at the Congress Hotel in 1935. Benny added Lionel Hampton, who would later form his own band, to his Benny Goodman Quartet the next year. While these groups were not the first bands to feature both white and black musicians, Benny’s national popularity helped to make racially mixed groups more accepted in the mainstream. Benny once said, “If a guy’s got it, let him give it. I’m selling music, not prejudice.”

Benny’s success as an icon of the Swing Era prompted Time magazine in 1937 to call him the “King of Swing.” The next year, at the pinnacle of the Swing Era, the Benny Goodman band, along with musicians from the Count Basie and Duke Ellington bands, made history as the first jazz band ever to play in New York’s prestigious Carnegie Hall.

Following the concert at Carnegie Hall, the Benny Goodman Band had many different lineup changes. Gene Krupa left the band, among others, and subsequent versions of the band included Cootie Williams and Charlie Christian, as well as Jimmy Maxwell and Mel Powell, among others.

The Swing Era began to come to a close as America got more involved in World War II. Several factors contributed to its waning success, including the loss of musicians to the draft and the limits that gas rationing put on touring bands. However, though the big band days were drawing to a close and new forms of music were emerging, Benny continued to play music in the swing style. He dabbled in the “bop” movement of the 1940s, but never succumbed, as the rest of the world did, to the allure of rock and roll influences in the 1950s and 1960s. Instead, Benny tried his hand at classical music, doing solos with major orchestras, and studying with internationally acclaimed classical clarinetist Reginald Kell.

These appearances further demonstrated Benny’s range as a musician. His talent was unquestionable from the time he was 10 years old, and in recording sessions throughout his career, he very rarely made mistakes. Krell had helped him to improve some of his techniques, making Benny’s playing even stronger.

In 1953, Benny’s band planned to join Louis Armstrong and his All Stars in a tour together, but the two band leaders argued and the tour never opened at Carnegie Hall, as had been planned. It is not certain whether the tour was canceled due to Benny’s illness or the conflict between the band leaders. The rest of the decade marked the spread of Benny’s music to new audiences around the world. The Benny Goodman Story, a film chronicling his life, was released in 1955, exposing new and younger audiences to his music. Benny also toured the world, bringing his music to Asia and Europe. When he traveled to the USSR, one writer observed that “the swing music that had once set the jitterbugs dancing in the Paramount aisles almost blew down the Iron Curtain.”

During the late 1960s and 1970s, Benny appeared in reunions with the other members of his quartet: Teddy Wilson, Gene Krupa, and Lionel Hampton. In 1978, the Benny Goodman band also appeared at Carnegie Hall again to mark the 30th Anniversary of when they appeared in the venue’s first jazz concert.

In 1982, Benny was honored by the Kennedy Center for his lifetime achievements in swing music. In 1986, he received both an honorary doctorate degree in music from Columbia University and the Grammy Award for Lifetime Achievement. He continued to play the music that defined his lifetime in occasional concert dates until his death in June 1986 of cardiac arrest. He was laid to rest after a short nonsectarian service with around 40 family members and friends in attendance on June 15, 1986 at Long Ridge Cemetery in Stamford, Connecticut. Through his amazing career, Benny Goodman did not change his style to conform to the latest trends, but retained the original sound that defined the Swing Era and made him the world renowned King of Swing. https://bennygoodman.com/biography/

Alone Together

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Candy Dulfer - We Never Stop

Styles: Jazz Funk
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 79:30
Size: 183,9 MB
Art: Front

(5:17) 1. Yeahyeahyeah
(6:24) 2. Mo' Seats At The Table
(4:08) 3. Jammin' Tonight
(6:01) 4. Deeper
(4:59) 5. Say Something
(6:31) 6. Raindrops
(5:41) 7. We Never Stop
(5:59) 8. The Walls (Feat. Marcus Miller)
(3:59) 9. Perspective (Feat. Durand Bernarr, Aron Hodek & Philip Lassiter)
(5:57) 10. Since I Found U
(5:30) 11. Afraid For More
(7:08) 12. No Time For This
(6:57) 13. The Climb
(4:54) 14. Convergency

Dutch superstar saxophonist, singer, songwriter Candy Dulfer, carves out a funky party with infectious grooves and superb sax on We Never Stop. Featuring multi Grammy-winning guitarist Niles Rodgers and famed bass player Marcus Miller, the album is set to release October 28 via The Funk Garage/Mascot Label Group.

Candy Dulfer and her talented band emerged from the world-wide pandemic with fierce determination to uplift and stand strong against the pain and strife of the world. Her weapon is We Never Stop, a non-stop blast of contemporary funk, jazz, R&B and pop with some of the best sax playing you’ll hear all year.

We Never Stop feels like more of a collective rather than a showcase for Candy Dulfer. Which points directly to one of the main themes of her new album joining together to welcome all who bring something to the table.

As a solo artist and songwriter, in-demand instrumentalist and collaborator, Candy Dulfer has worked with some of the biggest names in modern music including Van Morrison, Mavis Staples, Maceo Parker, Lionel Richie, Pink Floyd, Beyonce, Aretha Franklin and last but not least Prince.

Any musician who toured and recorded with Prince had to be of the highest caliber. Candy Dulfer is one of them. She performed with Prince on TV shows, at The Grammy Awards, in studio sessions, and became a permanent member of his Musicology tour and album.

Prince influences can be heard on We Never Stop. From the funky rhythms to a few of the lead vocals from Dutch vocalist Ivan Peroti on a few tracks. They are a welcomed and refreshing nod to The Purple One.

We Never Stop is a feel-good, romp-stomp with Candy’s superb sax playing lighting up the 14 tracks of stanky jams, smooth R&B, jazz and contemporary funk. The lyrics reflect the toll the pandemic took on music communities and the racial divide all with a positive, inspiring vibe.

Candy shares, “The main spirit of this music is to elevate. It feels like it’s never been more important to not wallow in the hurt and the pain in the world, and let that defeat us. That’s why I called this album, We Never Stop.”

With slick production, We Never Stop kicks off with the funky party jam, “YeahYeahYeah.” This is vintage funk with a modern spin. With hints of P-Funk and Prince, it’s Dulfer’s staccato alto sax that cuts through the mix with rich tones and fabulous rhythm. Right from the start, you can hear her love of this music.

Candy Dulfer is a lifelong musician with an impressive career as a solo artist. She’s released 12 studio albums and toured the world for over 35 years and her debut album Saxuality earned a Grammy nomination. Her father, Hans Dulfer, is a well-known saxophonist.

A mid-tempo slow jam, “Mo’ Seats At The Table” speaks to the notion of welcoming everyone. Smooth lead vocals are shared by Dulfer and Dutch vocalist Ivan Peroti, until Dulfer’s sax solo flows in, her tone beautiful with the kind of phrasing only a pro could create with such ease. The track moves into an ultra-funky groove mid song and Peroti allows his Prince influence to surface in his vocals.

“Jammin’ Tonight” blasts off with the help of the legendary Niles Rodgers on guitar. It’s not unlike an 80s pop hit but fun all the same. It’s a high energy groove and you can just hear it on rotation for New Year’s Eve. The horn section of Dulfer (alto sax), Philip Lassiter (trumpet), Sam Greenfield (tenor and baritone sax), Efe Erdem (trombone), is tremendous. Top shelf.

More modern funky songs to follow such as “Say Something,” a great song if I ever heard one. Featuring a lovely melody with Peroti working his magic on vocals and Dulfer adding her powerful, punchy sax runs. Backing vocals from all involved add richness to this winner.

Don’t miss the up-tempo title track “We Never Stop” and “The Walls,” featuring bass master Marcus Miller, a contemporary R&B number. “Perspective” featuring Durand Bernarr, Aron Hodek and Philip Lassiter, is a grand funk number that will hurl you onto the dance floor.

Candy Dulfer has a magical ability on saxophone. Versatile is not just a word here. From warm, soulful tones to full throttle jams, she has mastered her instrument as one of the most memorable voices on the planet. Her playing shines on the slower jams as well as the high-energy tracks. As top-tier pros go, Dulfer integrates her talents to make everyone involved sound the best they can be. That’s the fabulous Candy Dulfer.By Martine Ehrenclou https://www.rockandbluesmuse.com/2022/10/27/review-candy-dulfer-we-never-stop/

We Never Stop

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Nellie McKay - Sister Orchid

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2018
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 35:00
Size: 81,3 MB
Art: Front

(2:21)  1. My Romance
(2:01)  2. Angel Eyes
(3:32)  3. Small Day Tomorrow
(5:54)  4. Willow Weep for Me
(2:17)  5. The Nearness of You
(3:34)  6. Georgia On My Mind
(3:10)  7. Lazybones
(2:41)  8. Where or When
(2:55)  9. Everything Happens to Me
(3:47) 10. In a Sentimental Mood
(2:42) 11. My Romance (Reprise)

Given her jazz-influenced sound and knack for thoughtfully chosen cover songs, it's surprising that Nellie McKay had never released a complete jazz standards album until 2018's smoky, intimately rendered Sister Orchid. The closest the idiosyncratic singer/songwriter had gotten previously was her brightly attenuated 2009 Doris Day tribute, Normal as Blueberry Pie, which found her investigating songs heavily associated with the iconic actress and singer. Similarly, on 2015's My Weekly Reader, McKay took on some of her favorite '60s pop tunes by bands like the Kinks, Herman's Hermits, Moby Grape, and others. Here, McKay takes a deftly straightforward approach, performing a set of well-chosen standards that wouldn't be out of place on an album by Blossom Dearie (another McKay touchstone) from the 1950s. McKay, who arranged and played all of the songs on Sister Orchid, recorded the album in New York with engineer Chris Allen. Allen has worked with a bevy of jazz, folk, and pop artists including Kurt Elling, José James, Ingrid Michaelson, Andrew Bird, and others, and brings a soft, natural warmth that never interferes with McKay's performance. Primarily, these are spare arrangements, often just McKay accompanying herself on piano, as on the haunting "Angel Eyes." Elsewhere, as on her dusky reading of "Where or When," she weaves in a mournful cello. There are also jaunty bits of ukulele, as on "Lazybones," which also features her overdubbed backing vocals. The Broadway-tested McKay also displays her love of cabaret as she intersperses crowd chatter and clinking glasses to theatrical effect on "Everything Happens to Me." Despite her penchant for artifice, McKay reveals her strong musical chops on Sister Orchid, launching into a mad-eyed boogie-woogie section on "Where or When" and delivering a spine-tingling, synth-accented take on "In a Sentimental Mood" that conjures the neon-soaked atmosphere of David Lynch's Twin Peaks. ~ Matt Collar   https://www.allmusic.com/album/sister-orchid-mw0003153960

Sister Orchid

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Houston Person - The Talk of the Town

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1987
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 39:41
Size: 91,3 MB
Art: Front

(7:26)  1. Only Trust Your Heart
(6:07)  2. Everything Happens to Me
(6:53)  3. Almost Like Being in Love
(7:25)  4. It's the Talk of the Town
(4:18)  5. Just for You
(7:30)  6. I'll Never Be Free

This Muse recording differs from many of tenor saxophonist Houston Person's previous ones in that Person is backed by a piano rather than an organ; he sounds inspired by the "new" setting. Person heads a sextet also including trumpeter Cecil Bridgewater, pianist Stan Hope, bassist Buster Williams, drummer Grady Tate and percussionist Ralph Dorsey. They perform the tenor's "Just for You" and five standards, with the highlights including Benny Carter's "Only Trust Your Heart," "Almost Like Being in Love" and a blues-drenched version of "It's the Talk of the Town." A particularly strong effort by the very consistent tenor great. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-talk-of-the-town-mw0000199461

Personnel: Houston Person - tenor saxophone; Cecil Bridgewater - trumpet; Stan Hope - piano; Buster Williams - bass; Grady Tate - drums; Ralph Dorsey - percussion

The Talk of the Town

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Ruby Braff, Pee Wee Russell, Bud Freeman - Gold Rush

Styles: Jazz Instrumentals
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 68:36
Size: 157,7 MB
Art: Front

(4:24) 1. On The Sunny Side Of The Street
(2:32) 2. Crazy Rhythm
(4:36) 3. Slowly
(7:53) 4. Lulu's Back In Town
(5:09) 5. Struttin' With Some Barbecue
(4:47) 6. The Bends Blues
(3:44) 7. Dippermouth Blues
(7:19) 8. Keepin' Out Of Mischief Now
(4:32) 9. Loveless Love
(2:55) 10. Ja-da
(4:32) 11. At The Jazz Band Ball
(5:10) 12. Monday Date
(6:56) 13. Squeeze Me
(4:01) 14. Blue Turning Grey Over You

Ruby Braff began his jazz career as an out-of-time traditionalist playing with veteran jazzmen of an earlier age, and rose to establish his own standing as one of the handful of leading artists playing in traditional and mainstream idioms.

He did so on the back of one of the most beautiful instrumental sounds in jazz, a prodigious gift for phrasing melody, and an acute harmonic sense which revealed his awareness of more modernist developments in jazz. Louis Armstrong remained his touchstone and only avowed master, but his playing also reflected the influence of musicians like Bix Beiderbecke and Bobby Hackett. His musical voice, though, was always very much his own.

He was born Reuben Braff in Boston, and was self-taught on his instrument. He said that he wanted to play saxophone, but his father bought him a cornet instead. His trumpet style, which largely eschewed high-note pyrotechnics in favour of a softer exploration of the middle and bottom registers of the instrument, reflected that original love of reed rather than brass sonorities.

He began working in local clubs in the Forties, and was recruited for the band led by the veteran clarinettist Edmond Hall at the Savoy Cafe in Boston in 1949. He made the move to New York in 1953, and was soon in demand for gigs and recording sessions in a traditional and mainstream vein.

His loyalty to traditional jazz at a time when the focus had shifted to more modern styles starved him of work for a time in the Fifties, but he returned to prominence with an All-Star touring band created by pianist and jazz impresario George Wein. Wein remained a loyal backer of the cornetist, and featured him regularly on his international tour and festival circuit.

He worked with major band leaders like Buck Clayton, Benny Goodman and Bud Freeman as a young man, and in turn became something of a musical mentor to a new generation of young mainstream musicians in the Seventies, including saxophonist Scott Hamilton and guitarist Howard Alden.

In the Eighties and Nineties he made a series of recordings for the major mainstream jazz labels Concord Jazz and Arbors, and formed highly-regarded duo partnerships with pianists like Mel Powell, Ralph Sutton, Dick Hyman, Ellis Larkins and Roger Kellaway.

Braff worked with singer Tony Bennett for two years from 1971-73, then formed a very popular and artistically successful band with guitarist George Barnes. The relationship ground to a halt in 1975 in characteristic fashion when Braff fell out with his collaborator.

That pattern of alienating those around him was repeated on many occasions. Braff may have made some of the most beautiful music in jazz, but his own character was precisely the opposite. He was notorious for his abrasive and insulting behaviour to other musicians, promoters and even fans, a tendency made all the worse by his failing health over many years (he suffered from emphysema, glaucoma and heart problems).

He was the headline artist at the first Nairn Jazz Festival in northern Scotland in 1990, and his appearance at the 2002 event was to be the last performance of his life. He cancelled a subsequent scheduled concert at the Brecon Jazz Festival in Wales and returned home. He was never fit enough to perform in public again. https://www.allaboutjazz.com/musicians/ruby-braff

Gold Rush

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Donna Singer - Dance Band Boogie (Live)

Styles: Vocal
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 28:19
Size: 65,6 MB
Art: Front

(4:47) 1. All Of Me (Live)
(4:06) 2. Dance Band Boogie (Live)
(2:53) 3. Sweet Georgia Brown (Live)
(4:10) 4. I Can See Into Your Heart (Live)
(3:03) 5. You're Nobody 'Til Somebody Loves You (Live)
(2:54) 6. Destination Jazz (Live)
(2:43) 7. The Song Is Ended (Live)
(3:40) 8. Route 66 (Live)

Powerhouse performer Donna Singer has wowed jazz lovers around the world through her recordings and live performances at festivals, concert halls and jazz clubs. Her European concerts include dates in Paris, Switzerland, Ireland, Italy and Wales. She has performed at the Metropolitan Opera Guild Recital Hall in Lincoln Center, Central Park's Naumburg Bandshell and The Kravis Center for the Performing Arts in West Palm Beach.

She has engaged audiences in many U.S. cities including Phoenix, Miami and Nashville. Her U.S. festival appearances include the Nebraska International Jazz Festival, Bethany College Jazz Festival in Kansas and the Saratoga Arts Festival in New York. Whether performing in an intimate gathering with her trio, with an 18- piece jazz orchestra, or with the 90-piece Boynton Beach Gold Coast Band, she's sure to wow audiences.

Growing up in Upstate New York, she and her siblings were introduced to the world of jazz. She and her twin sister, Dawn, were raised in a family of jazz enthusiasts who listened to the music of great jazz artists like Nancy Wilson (“Guess Who I Saw Today,”) Billy Strayhorn, (“Take the A Train” with Duke Ellington), Sammy Davis Jr, (“Hey There,” and Count Basie (“April in Paris”). Her great love for the music helped her evolve into a powerful jazz vocalist whose music has been played throughout North America, South America, Europe, Australia and Africa.

A graduate of the New York Academy of Theatrical Arts, Donna also studied at The Juilliard School and has kept music close to her heart. She established Dr. Donna's School of Song where aspiring musicians can begin their journey in the world of music. She shares her gift with young and adult students by providing mentoring and training in piano and voice. She has been a member of The National Guild of Piano Teachers (a division of the American College of Musicians) since 2006.

From 1998 to 2004 she hosted the weekly gospel show, "Down by the River" on WJFF FM in Sullivan County, NY. Donna performed for 15 years as the lead vocalist in the Swing Shift Orchestra, a 17-piece big band featuring the music of Count Basie, Glenn Miller, Tommy Dorsey and many more. The Singers and their only son, Christopher, recently moved to West Palm Beach from the lush Catskill Mountains.

Donna's voice is showcased in five recordings which have consistently climbed high in U.S. radio charts. She has also enjoyed international airplay. Donna's CD’s are available on all major music outlets and her YouTube videos have been seen by over half a million viewers. Her music is heard on the playlists of hundreds of terrestrial radio stations worldwide, as well as on Internet stations. Her most recent recording is a special jazz CD for children. Look for It's An Art To Follow Your Heart, available from fine retailers everywhere. In order to release her albums globally,

In order to release her albums globally, Donna Singer knew she needed a record label behind her to support and utilize her talent. In 2011 she became a recording executive, creating her own label, Emerald Baby Recording Company. The label has handled distribution of her music with great success. Her voice can be heard on jazz stations on many continents around the world: North America, South America, Africa, Australia. https://www.allaboutjazz.com/musicians/donna-singer

Dance Band Boogie (Live)

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Michel Sajrawy - Floating City

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 2016
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 46:24
Size: 112,8 MB
Art: Front

(5:06) 1. Floating City
(6:31) 2. Bride of the Galilee
(6:20) 3. On the Road
(4:29) 4. Life Smiles Back
(4:32) 5. Absence
(4:30) 6. Zanjaran
(6:19) 7. Earth, Wind and Fire
(4:26) 8. I'm Not Sure
(4:06) 9. Sahra

In his ongoing quest to create a singular jazz alignment bridging traditional and contemporary music of his homeland, Israeli guitarist Michel Sajrawy explores the multicultural background of the city of Nazareth, in Floating City. Though Jerusalem gets all the headlines and global attention, Nazareth stands apart as a city epitomizing co-existence in a region ravaged by religious strife, and turmoil.

With his previous releases exposing a western slant on Arabic maqam music, this record has Sajrawy burrowing into his heritage, playing the music with a more exotic sensibility. In a production twist, he doubles on bass throughout, (save for one track) and displays virtuosity on that instrument as well. A Palestinian folkloric wedding ceremony is presented in the title track, with Arabic call and response setting up his blazing guitar work. Make no mistake, though he is a middle-eastern musician, Sajrawy is heavily influenced by British prog rock, American blues and jazz, and deftly brings that into the mix.

"Bride Of The Galilee," is a minor blues dedicated to Nazareth, his beloved city, on the banks of the sea. There is a suspended middle section where Wassim Odeh on the oud, and Suhail Nassar on qanoun, display an engaging interplay, before slowly coming back to the shore. The sensation of mysterious travel describes "On The Road," as images of caravans and camels come to mind. Sajrawy exhibits his jazz repertoire on "Life Smiles Back," keyboardist Loai Abu Sinni complementing the arrangement with soulful organ lines.

The somber melody on the melancholy ballad "Absence," conjures reflections of sitting by the sea, gazing into the past, missing someone from a lifetime ago. Sajrawy brings back his fusion mode, accompanied by Sinni on keys, and drummer Stas Zilberman, on "Zanjaran," and "Earth Wind & Fire," which are both more jazz inclined numbers. Guest bassist Sahar Anak is featured on the bluesy "I'm Not Sure," an stimulating composition that slips into a hard-bop piano segment, augmented by the oud in a true amalgamation of two worlds. They return to the Arabian maqam with "Sahra," this time joined by Wiasam Arram on darbuka, highlighted by Arabic chanting, in homage to the vast desert which dominates much of North Africa.

As with any consummate musician, Michel Sajrawy continues to evolve, not only on his instruments, but as a person seeking knowledge and wisdom. The music he refers to, and chooses to expand upon, hails from an ancient era, which has withstood the test of time, yet is pliable into contemporary forms. In this ode to Nazareth, he relies on the power of music to bring people together, an effort worth applauding. By James Nadal https://www.allaboutjazz.com/floating-city-michel-sajrawy-self-produced-review-by-james-nadal

Personnel: Michel Sajrawy: guitar, bass; Wassim Odeh: oud; Suhail Nassar: qanoun; Loai Abu Sinni: keyboards; Sahar Anak: bass (8); Wisam Arram: darbuka (9); Stas Zilberman: drums.

Floating City

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Willie Jones III - Don't Knock The Swing Vol 2

Styles:  Jazz, Hard Bop

Year: 2003

File: MP3@320K/s

Time: 42:36

Size: 97,9 MB

Art: Front

(5:57)  1. Air Tight

(6:11)  2. Jeni's Low Lie

(3:47)  3. For Someone So Beautiful

(7:02)  4. James Tune

(5:28)  5. The Search

(5:56)  6. Alejandra

(5:46)  7. Mix It Up

(2:25)  8. Early Morning (Before Dawn)

Drummer Willie Jones III is back with his second volume of stunning straight ahead jazz. This time around he's joined by pianist Eric Reed, bassist Gerald Cannon, tenor saxophonist Greg Tardy, trumpeter Roy Hargrove and trombonist Steve Davis. ~ Editorial Reviews  http://www.amazon.com/Vol-Dont-Knock-The-Swing/dp/B00009MGEL

Personnel: Willie Jones III (drums); Eric Reed, piano all tracks except 4; Gerald Cannon, Bass; Greg Tardy, Tenor Sax; Roy Hargrove, Trumpet on tracks 1, 4, and 8; Steve Davis, Trombone 1,2, 4 and 8

Don't Knock The Swing Vol 2

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Houston Person - Reminiscing at Rudy's

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 57:24
Size: 132,2 MB
Art: Front

(4:57) 1. At Long Last Love
(6:50) 2. Again
(4:48) 3. Moon River
(5:27) 4. Put Your Head on My Shoulder
(4:12) 5. Why Did I Choose You
(4:17) 6. Nothing Ever Changes My Love for You
(6:15) 7. My Romance
(7:42) 8. I'll Let You Know
(7:01) 9. Please Send Me Someone to Love
(5:50) 10. Reminiscing at Rudy's

The "Rudy's" in the title of tenor saxophonist Houston Person's album, Reminiscing at Rudy's, is not a nightclub or other such venue but the New Jersey studio of celebrated recording engineer Rudy Van Gelder who died in 2016. As befits reminiscing, the bulk of the album's numbers are tender ballads, every one of which lands squarely in Person's amorous wheelhouse.

That is not to say the veteran tenor saxophone maestro who has recorded almost seventy albums as leader of his own groups is not comfortable or creative at other tempos, as he shows, for example, on Cole Porter's medium-paced "At Long Last Love," Henry Mancini's usually placid "Moon River" (presented here as a danceable foxtrot) and his own well-grooved finale, "Reminiscing at Rudy's." The truth is, Person is relaxed and confident in any milieu; he simply has a fondness for sensuous and warm-hearted love songs, and summons forth the utmost warmth and affection each of them has to offer.

As usual, Person is supported by a cannot-lose rhythm section whose members are guitarist Russell Malone, pianist Larry Fuller, bassist Matthew Parrish and drummer par excellence Lewis Nash who even sings possibly a first for him, at least on record on Marvin Fisher's "Nothing Ever Changes My Love for You," which was written for another pretty fair vocalist, Nat King Cole. While he is clearly no Cole nor would he claim to be Nash's smooth, even-tempered baritone is surprisingly good. He may have hit upon an unforeseen side gig.

Even though he is the session's unequivocal guiding light, Person gives everyone a chance to shine, and there are perceptive solos along the way by Fuller, Parrish and Malone, whose easygoing designs mirror Person's and enhance the group's fraternal mood. The most welcome ballad in these quarters is Lionel Newman's too-seldom-heard "Again," an exquisite melody first sung by Ida Lupino in the 1948 film noir, Roadhouse. The others include Paul Anka's "Put Your Head on My Shoulder," Herbert Martin's "Why Did I Choose You," Rodgers and Hart's "My Romance," Cedar Walton's "I'll Let You Know" and Percy Mayfield's "Please Send Me Someone to Love."

Person, now nearing his eighty-eighth year, shows no sign of slowing down, playing with the awareness and unerring mastery of someone many years his junior. To put it another way, he is simply quite good at what he does, and what he has been doing for most of his adult life. Reminiscing at Rudy's is yet another melodic milestone in Person's long and impressive career.
By Jack Bowers https://www.allaboutjazz.com/reminiscing-at-rudys-houston-person-highnote-records

Personnel: Houston Person: saxophone, tenor; Russell Malone: guitar, electric; Larry Fuller: piano; Matthew Parrish: bass; Lewis Nash: drums.

Reminiscing at Rudy's

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Roberta Donnay - Blossom-ing

Styles: Vocal
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 52:33
Size: 121,6 MB
Art: Front

(3:38) 1. Roberta's Blues
(4:02) 2. Peel Me A Grape
(2:44) 3. Just One Of Those Things
(3:49) 4. Inside A Silent Tear
(2:40) 5. Plus Je T'embrasse
(4:20) 6. Someone To Watch Over Me
(2:32) 7. Moonlight Savings Time
(2:28) 8. A Paris
(3:15) 9. The Party's Over
(3:30) 10. If I Were A Bell
(4:36) 11. Spring In Manhattan
(3:23) 12. Unless It's You
(3:36) 13. You Fascinate Me So
(3:16) 14. I Wish You Love
(2:12) 15. It Amazes Me
(2:23) 16. Put On A Happy Face

Blossom-ing! is vocalist Roberta Donnay's tribute to one of the most memorable jazz singers who ever lived, Blossom Dearie. She does so via sixteen songs associated with Dearie including Billie Holiday's "Billie's (or Blossom's) Blues," retitled here "Roberta's Blues." After leading with that one, Donnay lends her tremulous little-girl voice (eerily similar to Dearie's) to one of Dearie's best-known themes, "Peel Me a Grape," before scanning the others.

Unlike Dearie, Donnay doesn't accompany herself at the piano, but Mike Greensill does a splendid job sitting in for Dearie (who was an excellent pianist). Others backing Donnay are guitarist Jose Neto, bassist Ruth Davies and drummer Mark Lee, with David Sturdevant added on harmonica ("Spring in Manhattan") and MB Gordy on percussion ("Inside a Silent Tear"). Two of the songs are rendered in French, a nod to Dearie's early years in Paris as a member of the vocal group the Blue Stars, which later became the Swingle Singers.

Donnay, who is also a producer and award-winning composer, did not have to drastically alter her persona to record an homage to Dearie; she has basically always sung like that, even though she didn't delve deeply into Dearie's music until well after she had launched her now thirty years and counting career. That came about in some measure through a friendship with Bob Dorough, one of Dearie's close friends and collaborators. After becoming familiar with Dearie's music, Donnay knew she had to record a tribute to her celebrated prototype who died in 2009.

Several of the songs (and composers) on Blossom-ing! are well known, others less so, but every one of them is admirable in its own way, and Donnay makes them breathe with warmth and awareness. Like Dearie's, her voice is well-suited to the music, and her interpretations are earnest and persuasive. Cole Porter, the Gershwin brothers, Jule Styne, Frank Loesser and Johnny Mandel are among the tunesmiths, as are Cy Coleman and Carolyn Leigh ("You Fascinate Me So," "It Amazes Me"), Lee Adams and Charles Strouse ("Put on a Happy Face"), Anthony Scibetta and Alice Reach ("Spring in Manhattan"), Max Francois and Ben Ryan ("Plus Je t'Embrasse").

Dearie co-wrote "Inside a Silent Tear" and "A Paris," while the peerless Dave Frishberg authored "Peel Me a Grape." Greensill's arrangements are by and large spot-on, with one exception: "The Party's Over," from Bells Are Ringing, is a lament and should be played that way, not as a jaunty foxtrot. Aside from that one slip, no problem. And no problem with Donnay either, as she clearly lends her heart and soul to this rhapsodic tribute to one of the jazz world's remarkable treasures, the incomparable Blossom Dearie. By Jack Bowers https://www.allaboutjazz.com/blossom-ing-roberta-donnay-self-produced

Personnel: Roberta Donnay: voice / vocals; Mike Greensill: piano; Ruth Davies: bass, acoustic; Mark Lee: drums; Jose Neto: guitar; MB Gordy: drums; David Sturdevant: harmonica.

Blossom-ing

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Billy Taylor & Gerry Mulligan - Live at MCG

Styles: Piano And Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2007
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 68:35
Size: 160,1 MB
Art: Front

(6:11)  1. Stompin' At The Savoy
(4:57)  2. Just You Just Me
(7:11)  3. Darn That Dream
(5:11)  4. All The Things You Are
(8:19)  5. Laura
(7:27)  6. Line For Lyons
(8:10)  7. Body And Soul
(6:14)  8. Indiana (Back Home Again In Indiana)
(8:23)  9. Come Sunday
(6:28) 10. Capricious

The typical jazz listener easily tires of hearing standards covered by newer artists. However, it's occasionally good to hear the masters revisit some of these old compositions a way of staying connected. Jazz legends Billy Taylor and Gerry Mulligan have done that with Live at MCG. The Manchester Craftsmen's Guild is a non-profit organization in Pittsburgh, USA whose mission is to preserve, present and promote jazz. In doing so, MCG brings in artists such as Taylor and Mulligan to entertain and educate the jazz public. Taylor is a pianist, composer, teacher, lecturer, radio and television personality, recording artist and author. His career began in 1944, and he's enjoyed working alongside such musical powerhouses as Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie and Miles Davis. Mulligan, who passed away in 1996, was an arranger, composer, saxophonist and conductor, and has shared the stage or studio with icons including Louis Armstrong, Count Basie, Lester Young, Duke Ellington, Dave Brubeck and Billie Holliday. Live at MCG captures the pair, backed by Taylor's regular sidemen, during a series of 1993 concerts at the MCG Music Hall. The ensemble performs ten songs, including two originals. Mulligan's baritone sax carries most of the lead on the delightful "Stompin' at the Savoy, though Taylor also licks his chops. 

Drummer Carl Allen helps underscore "Just You Just Me with some crisp work on the cymbals and snare. Bassist Chip Jackson opens up during Taylor's solo. One of the original songs is Mulligan's "Line for Lyons. Here, the quartet functions more as a unit than on most other tracks. Mulligan carries the lead, but Taylor, Allen and Jackson also give strong performances. Again, Jackson shows his skills during Taylor's solo, and later delivers a solo of his own. The other original is Taylor's "Capricious, an energetic closer to this collection. As with "Line for Lyons, the foursome is more of a unit than on other tracks. Allen's rim shots and variances on the toms and cymbals help give this an extra kick. Live at MCG serves a dual purpose: It entertains while providing a subliminal lesson in improvisation, a hallmark of jazz past and present. Having these two masters work together enhances the experience. ~ Woodrow Wilkins https://www.allaboutjazz.com/live-at-mcg-billy-taylor-mcg-jazz-review-by-woodrow-wilkins.php

Personnel: Billy Taylor; piano; Gerry Mulligan; baritone saxophone; Chip Jackson; bass; Carl Allen; drums.

Live at MCG

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Betty Roché - Lightly And Politely

Styles: Vocal
Year: 1961
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 36:05
Size: 84,8 MB
Art: Front

(4:48)  1. Someone To Watch Over Me
(3:30)  2. Why Shouldn't I?
(4:35)  3. Jim
(3:52)  4. Polka Dots and Moonbeams
(2:43)  5. For All We Know
(4:13)  6. Rocks in My Bed
(2:42)  7. Just Squeeze Me
(3:44)  8. I Got It Bad (and That Ain't Good)
(3:39)  9. Maybe You'll Be There
(2:14) 10. I Had the Craziest Dream

It is ironic that what is arguably singer Betty Roché's finest all-around recording was also her last. For this session, which has been reissued in the OJC series on CD, Roché (backed by pianist Jimmy Neeley, guitarist Wally Richardson, bassist Michel Mulia, and drummer Rudy Lawless) improvises constantly and uplifts a variety of superior standards, including "Someone to Watch Over Me," "Polka Dots and Moonbeams," "I Had the Craziest Dream," and three songs by her former boss, Duke Ellington. It's recommended, particularly to jazz fans not aware of Betty Roché's musical talents. ~ Scott Yanow http://www.allmusic.com/album/lightly-and-politely-mw0000619973

Personnel: Betty Roché (vocals); Wally Richardson (guitar); Jimmy Neely (piano); Rudy Lawless (drums).

Lightly And Politely

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Nicholas Payton - The Couch Sessions

Styles: Contemporary Jazz
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 74:11
Size: 170,8 MB
Art: Front

(8:16) 1. Feed the Fire
(5:05) 2. Bust-a-Move
(6:38) 3. Blossom
(5:31) 4. Pinocchio
(3:15) 5. His Name is Lenny
(6:47) 6. Bleek's Blues
(2:18) 7. Along Came Betty
(3:55) 8. Watch It
(7:30) 9. Fall
(6:36) 10. Christina
(7:06) 11. The Sorcerer
(6:54) 12. Jazz is a Four-Letter Word
(4:13) 13. From a Flicker to a Flame...

Music has the power to heal, a fact that has never been as relevant as it has over the challenging last few years. On his captivating album, THE COUCH SESSIONS, the brilliant multi-instrumentalist and composer Nicholas Payton provides a session of musical therapy that draws on the compositions and words of some of the music’s most visionary artists.

The latest in a series that he has recorded pairing him with dream rhythm sections, Payton is joined by bassist Buster Williams and drummer Lenny White, who not only have forged one of the most distinctive rhythm tandems in recent decades but have also worked with many of the legendary artists to whom this album is dedicated.

“I decided to use Buster and Lenny for their shared history,” Payton says, “not only working with each other but also with my favorite artist ever – Miles Davis. There are a lot of connections between the artists on the album and the lineages that they either came out of or were integral in starting. Working with Buster and Lenny together was a bucket list item for me.”

Throughout The Couch Sessions, Nicholas Payton and his stellar trio play therapist to listeners in need of some vital musical counseling. “In these uncertain new times, the importance of music and the arts has come even more to the forefront,” he says. “With this album, I wanted to speak to music as a healing force, an essential source of light in our lives.”

The Couch Sessions

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Nikki Yanofsky - Nikki By Starlight

Styles: Vocal
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 50:05
Size: 116,0 MB
Art: Front

(3:42) 1. I Get Along Without You Very Well (Except Sometimes)
(3:42) 2. Comes Love
(2:30) 3. Crazy He Calls Me (Feat. Greg Phillinganes)
(2:41) 4. I Get A Kick Out Of You
(2:18) 5. Comment Allez Vous
(3:12) 6. Stella By Starlight
(3:42) 7. They Say It's Spring
(3:34) 8. It Never Entered My Mind
(2:52) 9. C'est Si Bon
(2:39) 10. West Coast Blues (Feat. Greg Phillinganes)
(3:19) 11. Let Me Love You
(3:04) 12. Quiet Nights Of Quiet Stars (Corcovado) (Feat. Nathan East)
(4:11) 13. Estate (Feat. Arturo Sandoval)
(4:23) 14. You Stepped Out Of My Dream
(4:09) 15. Some Other Time

A celebration of jazz for purists and new generations alike, ‘Nikki By Starlight’ is comprised of 15 standards from legends Frank Sinatra, Chet Baker, Billie Holiday and more. Out October 21st, Nikki By Starlight was co-produced with the JUNO-winning producer/composer Paul Shrofel and features contributions from Stevie Wonder’s bandmate Greg Phillinganes, Nathan East (Bobby Womack, Herbie Hancock, Michael Jackson) and the iconic Cuban-American jazz trumpeter Arturo Sandoval.

Today she releases the French song “C’est Si Bon,” originally composed in 1947 by Henri Betti with lyrics by André Hornez. Popularized by Eartha Kitt, Nat King Cole, Bing Crosby, Dean Martin, Barbara Streisand, and more, Yanofsky’s poised rendition follows in the footsteps of these classic standard bearers.

Yanofsky describes the process of recording this album as an invigorating and joyful time that allowed her to tap into the purest part of herself again. She reconnected with the classics on her own terms especially as an artist who did her first show at just 12 years old, and sometimes felt like a “party trick” singing songs from a bygone era when she was so young. Even so, jazz was her first love, and this record is a true homecoming.
https://femmusic.com/wp/index.php/2022/09/09/nikki-yanofsky-nikki-by-starlight/

Nikki By Starlight

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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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