Mulgrew Miller, Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen - The Duo

Styles: Piano Jazz, Post Bop
Year: 2020
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 51:59
Size: 119,6 MB
Art: Front

(3:54) 1. C Jam Blues
(4:47) 2. Sophisticated Lady
(3:19) 3. Pitter Patter Panther
(5:30) 4. I Got It Bad
(4:19) 5. What Am I Here For
(4:47) 6. Mood Indigo
(3:20) 7. Blues In The PM´s
(4:52) 8. Come Sunday
(5:08) 9. Just Squeeze Me
(4:55) 10. Solitude
(3:51) 11. Caravan
(3:11) 12. O.D. Blues

In 1999, Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen and Mulgrew Miller came together in a unique and unlikely pairing to pay tribute to Duke Ellington on the 100th anniversary of his birth. The result was a passionate and long-lived musical partnership between two masters of their respective instruments, but the original recordings were never released. For the first time ever, more than 20 years after its recording, this lost treasure is finally made available to the public. The duo was initially brought together by Bang & Olufsen and set out to celebrate Ellington and his partnership with bassist Jimmy Blanton. With the help of Per Arnoldi, who is also credited with the album’s artwork, NHØP was approached to take part and tapped Mulgrew Miller to tackle a series of Ellington’s classic themes and a couple of their own. He saw the opportunity to work with Mulgrew Miller, a pianist whom he admired and had not yet had the opportunity to work with, and this decision paid off greatly for both of them. A great musical and personal partnership was born, and the duo’s captivating chemistry is obvious from the first notes. The collaboration was a unique meeting of two of the greatest jazz-minds of their time paying tribute to another legendary partnership. Thankfully, these recordings are finally available and they make up an important addition to the already extensive and impressive legacies of both NHØP and Mulgrew Miller as well as a beautiful tribute to Ellington and Blanton. https://storyvillerecords.bandcamp.com/album/the-duo-duke-ellington-100

Personnel: Mulgrew Miller - Piano; Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen - Bass

The Duo

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Dan Barrett's International Swing Party Band - Tour (Live!, Vol.1, Vol.2)

Dan Barrett's International Swing Party Band - Tour (Live!, Vol. 1)
Styles: Vocal, Trombone Jazz
Year: 2012
Time: 68:39
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Size: 157,9 MB
Art: Front

(7:13) 1. Back Home Again In Indiana (Live) (Feat. Butch Miles)
(6:07) 2. On The Sunny Side Of The Street (Live) (Feat. Butch Miles)
(9:31) 3. Blues My Naughty Sweetie Gives To Me (Live) (Feat. Butch Miles, Nicki Parrott & Dan Barrett)
(5:22) 4. Keepin' Out Of Mischief Now (Live) (Feat. Butch Miles)
(8:45) 5. Tea For Two (Live) (Feat. Butch Miles)
(4:37) 6. Let's Do It (Live) (Feat. Butch Miles)
(5:27) 7. Montevideo (Live) (Feat. Butch Miles)
(7:25) 8. The King (Live) (Feat. Butch Miles)
(8:01) 9. Bochum Electricity Blues (Live) (Feat. Butch Miles)
(6:07) 10. Do You Know What It Means To Miss New Orleans (Live) (Feat. Butch Miles)

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Dan Barrett's International Swing Party Band - Tour (Live!, Vol. 2)

Time: 65:35
Size: 151,1 MB

(3:22) 1. Neal's Deal (Live) (Feat. Butch Miles)
(3:21) 2. Georgia Jubilee (Live) (Feat. Butch Miles)
(5:51) 3. Waste No Tears (Live) (Feat. Butch Miles)
(3:08) 4. Whoa Babe (Live) (Feat. Butch Miles)
(4:37) 5. Is You Is, Or Is You Ain't (Ma' Baby) (Live) (Feat. Butch Miles)
(4:22) 6. Cavernism (Live) (Feat. Butch Miles)
(5:08) 7. Absolutely, Positively (Live) (Feat. Butch Miles & Bernard Flegar)
(5:14) 8. With 'Em (Live) (Feat. Butch Miles & Bernard Flegar)
(6:29) 9. One O'clock Jump (Live) (Feat. Butch Miles)
(4:45) 10. Montevideo (Live) (Feat. Butch Miles)
(6:06) 11. If I Had You (Live) (Feat. Butch Miles)
(6:57) 12. Sweet Sue (Live) (Feat. Butch Miles)
(6:09) 13. Hindustan (Live) (Feat. Butch Miles)

I wasn’t there. I wish I had been. But the good news is that two compact discs from this band’s German tour have been issued on the Echoes of Swing label (EOSP 4058 / 4059, available separately) and they come in the ear like honey. Hot honey, if you must know: a really delicious sensation.

The gracious swingsters on these discs are Duke Heitger, trumpet / vocal; Dan Barrett, trombone, head arrangements, vocal; Dan Block, clarinet, alto, tenor; Engelbert Wroebel, clarinet, soprano, tenor; Chris Hopkins, piano; Eddie Erickson, guitar, banjo, vocal; Nicki Parrott, string bass, vocal; Butch Miles, drums; Bernard Flegar, drums (on two tracks). The material comes from March 2010, and each CD has expansive notes by Dan Barrett. This tour was the idea of the very knowing and generous jazz fan / collector / scholar / promoter Manfred Selchow, who has written two splendid books on his heroes Edmond Hall and Vic Dickenson (PROFOUNDLY BLUE and DING DING! respectively) so you know he has good taste in musicians and bands.

Volume One begins with a string of “old favorites” played with snap and crackle not to ignore pop: INDIANA and SUNNY SIDE OF THE STREET, followed by BLUES MY NAUGHTY SWEETIE GIVES TO ME, with echoes of Louis and Eddie Condon and the Hampton Victors, then Eddie convinces he us he is behaving well on KEEPIN’ OUT OF MISCHIEF NOW. The reed players and rhythm make us forget that TEA FOR TWO is ninety years old, and Nicki purrs her way through LET’S DO IT (with some nifty new lyrics as well). A rhythm section feature, MONTEVIDEO, is both startling and supple, evoking a late Ellington trio and then everyone evokes a compact powerful version of the Forties Basie band with THE KING. But wait! There’s more. A nice long blues, BOCHUM ELECTRICTY BLUES, and a sweet Duke vocal / trumpet performance of DO YOU KNOW WHAT IT MEANS TO MISS NEW ORLEANS? (which he does).

Volume Two opens with the bright NEAL’S DEAL (a Neal Hefti line for the 1951 Count Basie Sextet), then moves back nearly thirty years for GEORGIA JUBILEE, a memory of a pre-King-of-Swing record date led by Benny, with Coleman Hawkins on the tenor, and the Sidney Bechet WASTE NO TEARS featuring Block and Wroebel. Dan Barrett sings and swings mightily on the Lionel Hampton classic WHOA BABE, and then Nicki asks the troubling question in swing, IS YOU IS OR IS YOU AIN’T MY BABY. (We is, Nicki. We can’t help it nohow.)

An extraordinary, jumping version of Earl Hines’ CAVERNISM follows, then Eddie woos the crowd, which he does so well, with ABSOLUTELY, POSITIVELY, a sweet love song written by the unheralded member of the Great American Songbook fraternity, Jabbo Smith. WITH ‘EM, Dan Barrett’s clever, hot, boppish take on I GOT RHYTHM, keeps the imagined dancers hopping, leading into a sleekly intense ONE O’CLOCK JUMP. Another delightful version of MONTEVIDEO follows remarkable improvisations on the theme and a tender IF I HAD YOU, before the disc romps home with SWEET SUE and HINDUSTAN.

If you know the players and singers here, you won’t have to be convinced of the quality of the music on these discs. But these performances are sharply executed when the music calls for it (this band isn’t ashamed of rehearsing) and loose, fervent, courageous when it’s time for jamming. These are live performances, so you can hear the good humor and delight in the various rooms and the sound is fine, too.

My only problem is that I file my CDs alphabetically according to the leader or the musician / singer I gravitate towards. I can’t be fair to anyone by putting these CDs under B for Barrett or H for Hopkins. It seems I have to buy multiple copies to satisfy my ethical self. You might not be burdened by such demands, but you will be delighted by every note on both discs.
https://jazzlives.wordpress.com/2012/07/15/chris-hopkins-presents-dan-barretts-international-swing-party-2010-featuring-butch-miles/

Personnel: Dan Barrett, trombone, head arrangements, vocal; Dan Block, clarinet, alto, tenor; Engelbert Wroebel, clarinet, soprano, tenor; Chris Hopkins, piano; Eddie Erickson, guitar, banjo, vocal; Nicki Parrott, string bass, vocal; Butch Miles, drums; Bernard Flegar, drums (on two tracks); Duke Heitger, trumpet /vocal

Tour 2010 (Live!,Vol.1,Vol.2)

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Alan Barnes - A Jazz Christmas Carol

Styles: Jazz, Holiday
Year: 2015
Time: 50:13
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Size: 116,2 MB
Art: Front

(1:15) 1. The Start Of It
(6:08) 2. Bah Humbug!
(5:02) 3. Marley's Ghost
(4:31) 4. The Ghost Of Christmas Past (Portrait Of Belle)
(6:16) 5. The Ghost Of Christmas Present
(5:25) 6. Tint Tim
(2:48) 7. The Ghost Of Christmas Yet To Come
(5:10) 8. The End Of It
(4:01) 9. God Bless Us Everyone!
(4:11) 10. God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
(5:21) 11. The Christmas Song

Like the Dickens classic itself, Alan Barnes’s “Christmas Carol” has something for everyone.

A family night out that is also a treat for the jazz connoisseur; it will delight anyone who loves music or literature – or just Christmas! This new suite of pieces, touring for the first time this year, takes the audience through the characters and scenes of ‘A Christmas Carol”. Readings from the original Dickens tell the story, and after each scene eight virtuoso musicians bring the characters and scenes to life, switching audiences from hilarity to pathos with a skill that would have done credit to Dickens himself!

A gruff baritone sax plays Scrooge, his lost love Belle is a lyrical alto, his clerk Bob Cratchit a cheery clarinet and Marley’s Ghost walks in the person of a swinging trombone. Just as Scrooge’s ghosts take him on a tour of his life, so the movements of this suite seemed each to have a benevolent presiding ghost, celebrating the spirit of jazz greats past and present. The music and readings inspire the full range of Dickens’s imagination and emotion: from terror and remorse through to love and then irresistible joy: "God Bless Us Every One!"

“Barnes is a true Dickensian. He is a serious reader of the novels. It is a clear blunder of providence that he was born too late to appear in their pages!” Hot News. https://www.alanbarnesjazz.com/a-jazz-christmas-carol

Personnel: Alan Barnes - saxophone, clarinet and bass clarinet; Bruce Adams - trumpet and flugelhorn; Mark Nightingale - trombone; Robert Fowler - saxophones and clarinet; Karen Sharp - saxophones and clarinet;

A Jazz Christmas Carol

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Scott Hamilton Quartet - Dean Street Nights

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2014
Time: 62:41
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Size: 143,9 MB
Art: Front

( 7:41) 1. I Just Found Out About Love
( 8:52) 2. Sweet And Lovely
(13:12) 3. Jitterbug Waltz
( 5:20) 4. If I Had You
( 9:40) 5. Zoot's Blues
( 6:23) 6. Spring Can Really Hang You Up The Most
(11:29) 7. Cherokee

Tenor sax player Scott Hamilton performed his first gigs in the UK in 1978, following a much-heralded breakthrough in the States alongside Roy Eldridge and Benny Goodman. He was described as the saviour of mainstream jazz, a young fogey and a Ben Webster sound-alike. It soon became apparent that, while each of these statements had an element of truth, Hamilton was intent on forging his own way through the international jazz scene with an individual voice grounded in quality, consistency and swing.

Hamilton’s latest release, recorded at the Pizza Express Jazz Club, celebrates the 35th anniversary of his début appearance at the venue. The quartet has been touring in the UK and elsewhere since the turn of the millennium. Some of the relationships go back much further: John Pearce (whom I first saw with Hamilton beside Dick Morrissey in 1989) is a hugely experienced and enterprising pianist; bass legend Dave Green has worked with Hamilton on and off for at least 20 years, and the talented, brio-fuelled Steve Brown replaced the much-loved drummer Allan Ganley in 2000.

The opener, I Just Found out about Love, is relatively benign and gives little indication of what comes later. Sweet and Lovely arranged as a slowish samba includes a magnificent piano solo followed by a quietly arresting creation by the leader. You think you know what you’re going to get from Hamilton, but his work is full of surprises and rarely derivative. He prefers to improvise on the music at hand rather than throw in quotations at random and it’s easy to overlook the power that he generates.

Zoot’s Blues is a bright, jaunty tribute to one of Hamilton’s early influences, John Haley “Zoot” Sims. Its swagger is ideal for him and Pearce, whose skilful runs and beautiful chording maintain the momentum. Most revered for his ballad interpretations, Hamilton displays a fluffy and expressive vibrato on If I Had You and Spring Can Really Hang You Up The Most. They both contain well-executed work and beautiful flourishes, although they are arguably the least impressive selections in a varied and classy concert. Follow the link to read full review:

https://londonjazznews.com/2014/02/22/cd-review-scott-hamilton-quartet-dean-street-nights/

Personnel: Scott Hamilton - tenor sax; John Pearce - piano; Dave Green - bass; Steve Brown - drums

Dean Street Nights

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Banu Gibson/John Sheridan/David Boeddinghaus - Livin' In A Great Big Way

Styles: Vocal, Bop
Year: 1991
Time: 42:12
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Size: 98,5 MB
Art: Front

(2:32) 1. I'm Living In A Great Big Way
(2:15) 2. They All Laughed
(3:01) 3. Fancy Meeting You
(2:55) 4. It's Been So Long
(2:44) 5. About A Quarter To Nine
(2:58) 6. I've Got A Crush On You
(2:12) 7. Lazy
(2:34) 8. Take Another Guess
(2:15) 9. You Can't Pull The Wool Over My Eyes
(2:45) 10. Rock-a-bye Your Baby With A Dixie Melody
(2:47) 11. I've Got A Feelin' You're Foolin'
(2:24) 12. You're Getting To Ba A Habit With Me
(1:54) 13. Out For No Good
(2:59) 14. After You, Who?
(2:46) 15. I'll See You In My Dreams
(3:05) 16. Goodnight My Love

This is an unusual Banu Gibson CD in that, instead of using her regular New Orleans Hot Jazz Orchestra, the talented singer is accompanied by just one of two pianists, John Sheridan or David Boeddinghaus. Gibson's repertoire on this set includes both classics from the pre-bop era and obscurities, and the highlights (among many) are "They All Laughed," "It's Been So Long," "About a Quarter to Nine," "I've Got a Feelin' You're Foolin'" and "I'll See You in My Dreams."

Arguably the top classic jazz singer to be active in the 1990s, Banu Gibson's attractive voice and versatile swinging style are very much in evidence throughout this excellent outing. By Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/livin-in-a-great-big-way-mw0000654405

Livin' In A Great Big Way

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Itziar Yagüe - Delicious

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2020
Time: 20:17
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Size: 46,8 MB
Art: Front

(2:50) 1. Delicious (Feat. Enric Peidro)
(3:34) 2. Daddy's Gone For Good
(4:00) 3. We Make A Good Team
(3:06) 4. What If It Were You
(4:35) 5. Not A Doll
(2:10) 6. Red River

Itziar Yagüe has been the lead singer for different blues, soul, funk, jazz Madrid bands for the past 10 years. She has played the Vitoria Jazz Festival in 2018, the 25th Anniversary of the Thyssen Museum in Madrid and opened the 2020 Ciudad de Talavera Gospel & Blues Festival. She boasts a powerful, versatile voice alongside an equally impressive stage presence.https://www.jazziz.com/new-releases/delicious/

Singer-songwriter Itziar Yagüe’s debut EP, DELICIOUS. Containing six original songs in some of the classic African-American traditional genres, DELICIOUS is as fresh as a debut EP should be while displaying the maturity of an experienced artist.

Personnel:

Raúl Platz: double bass, artistic direction and arrangements.

Giulio Pietropaolo: piano, Rhodes, arrangements, and vocal arrangements in What if it were you

Luis Carpizo: tenor sax, We make a good team, Not a doll

Víctor Barceló: harmonica and backing vocals in What if it were you

Elvira Sodalita: drums

Enric Peidro: alto and tenor sax in Delicious

Emilio Arsuaga: voice, We make a good team

Mónica Benito: vocal arrangement and backing vocals in What if it were you

Marianne Ax: vocal coach

DELICIOUS was recorded live on the 22nd and 23rd February 2020 at Estudio Brazil in Madrid.

Delicious

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Alan Barnes - The Sherlock Holmes Suite Disc 1, Disc 2

Album: The Sherlock Holmes Suite Disc 1
Styles: Saxophone And Clarinet
Year: 2016
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 65:28
Size: 151,8 MB
Art: Front

( 0:43) 1. 221b Play On
( 2:28) 2. Narration, Pt. 1
( 5:58) 3. The Game Is Afoot
( 2:40) 4. Narration, Pt. 2
( 7:14) 5. Watson
( 1:04) 6. Narration, Pt. 3
(11:29) 7. The Tiger Of San Pedro
( 2:22) 8. Narration, Pt. 4
(10:28) 9. The Napoleon Of Crime
( 0:48) 10. Narration, Pt. 5
( 7:24) 11. The Dancing Men
( 1:42) 12. Narration, Pt. 6
( 2:46) 13. Grimpen Mire
( 8:16) 14. The Hound Of The Baskervilles

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Album: The Sherlock Holmes Suite Disc 2
Time: 56:00
Size: 130,1 MB

(0:55) 1. Narration, Pt. 7
(4:21) 2. The Baker Street Irregulars
(3:26) 3. Narration, Pt. 8
(4:41) 4. Quite A Three Pipe Problem
(1:10) 5. Narration, Pt. 9
(5:46) 6. The 7% Solution
(2:15) 7. Narration, Pt. 10
(7:30) 8. Lestrade Of The Yard
(2:41) 9. Narration, Pt. 11
(8:23) 10. Watson's Women
(0:44) 11. Narration, Pt. 12
(7:07) 12. The Sussex Vampire
(1:38) 13. Narration, Pt. 13
(5:19) 14. 221b (Full Version)

Now this is something really different. It turns out that Alan Barnes has been a raving fan of Conan Doyle's writing, and more specifically, his greatest creation, Sherlock Holmes, since the age of eleven. This double album consists of 95 minutes of original music interspersed with narration relative to the plot and well put over by actor Alan Mitchell. Not only did Alan Barnes compose the music, he wrote the script, and jolly good it is as well.

This is all great fun, but more importantly, the music is outstanding, and the playing by this starry cast of musicians, is superb. Barnes chose his men very carefully, including some of his colleagues from groups in the past, and they all come up trumps, including their very talented leader.

The writing for the octet is clever as it leaves plenty of scope for each of them to show their improvisational skills, and they more than justify their selection. In his own liner notes, Alan states that he tried to write in a way that would bring out the unique qualities and strengths of his fellow musicians, and acknowledges that if that method was good enough for Duke, who is he to quarrel.

There are so many good things in these CDs; it is difficult to know what to pick out. Both Stan Sulzmann and Robert Fowler have their share of good moments, and Bruce Adams brings power and invention to the ensemble and to his solos. Mark Nightingale is just terrific in his spots, and especially in Grimpen Mire and The Hound of the Baskervilles. The rhythm section do a fine job throughout, with splashes of inspiration all over the place from David Newton, who swings hard in The Tiger of San Pedro, and then shows his reflective wistful side in The Napoleon of Crime. It doesn't matter a hoot whether you are familiar with the stories or not. The narration gives you the general idea, and the music is excellent. Alan Barnes has delivered an outstanding opus in this CD, great fun, fine production; I'd give it ten out of ten. Strongly recommended. http://www.woodvillerecords.com/Sherlock%20Holmes%20Suite.htm

Personnel: Alan Barnes - saxophones, clarinet; Bruce Adams - trumpet; Mark Nightingale - trombone; Robert Fowler - saxophones & clarinet; Karen Sharp - saxophones & clarinet; David Newton - piano; Simon Thorpe - bass; Clark Tracey - drums

The Sherlock Holmes Suite Disc 1, Disc 2

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Alice Spencer - Sing It Way Down Low

Styles: Vocal, Swing
Year: 2022
File: MP3@128K/s
Time: 48:44
Size: 49,3 MB
Art: Front

(2:03) 1. When My Sugar Walks Down The Street
(4:21) 2. I Just Couldn't Take It, Baby
(3:05) 3. Believe It, Beloved
(5:08) 4. I Hate To Leave You Now
(2:48) 5. Blue River
(3:37) 6. Baby, Oh Where Can You Be?
(3:59) 7. Sunday
(4:18) 8. How Can I (With You In My Heart)?
(2:22) 9. Sing It Way Down Low
(3:36) 10. The Object Of My Affection
(2:39) 11. I'm Having My Fun
(3:58) 12. Say It Simple
(4:17) 13. Draggin' My Heart Around
(2:28) 14. I Would Do Anything For You

I remember very clearly the first time I heard Alice Spencer (on disc: I haven’t had the pleasure of encountering her in person). My reaction was loud pleased astonishment, and the expurgated version would read: “Who in the sacred name of Jack Kapp is she?” “Jazz singers” proliferate these days, but some seem to have given more thought to their hair stylist or their cover photograph than to the music. Alice’s love for this music and this period bubbles up on every track.

For me the great singer-virtues are a deep understanding of the emotional content of the lyrics without jokes on one hand or melodrama on the other. An unforced swing, a willingness to improvise without undermining melody or lyrics, plain-spoken diction, and, perhaps most importantly, the ability to convey joy. We gravitate to music that doesn’t hurt our feelings, or our ears. Alice understands that as well as embodying it.

This disc reminds me, perhaps at an unusual angle, of the miracles Basie and friends created, imbuing the saddest song (hear DRAGGIN’ MY HEART AROUND) with a wink at the listener (“Isn’t it fun to swing along so gloomily?”) or reminding us that there is a touch of melancholy in any elation.

I’d direct you first to I HATE TO LEAVE YOU NOW, one of the gorgeous Thirties songs (linked to Fats and Louis, one of the ideal combinations of Western civilization) that are the gems in the constellation of this disc. What I hear, and I hope you do also, is a rare combination of emotional intelligence Alice knows how to feel, how to tell a story in song and light-heartedness.

Her art is both delicate and sincere. She doesn’t have to take off her shoe and hit us over the head, but we know the tale of hope, longing, and ardor the song, and she, convey. And the subtly memorable variations on the theme between her first and second choruses are a Jazz Studies program in themselves. No, better.

It’s also clear that although this might not be Alice’s conventional repertoire (the wonderful program is inspired by the deep listening of Hal Smith, scholar and swing percussionist) that she is being herself on every performance. Yes, I hear echoes of young Ella and of Helen Humes and Connee, but Alice has not spent her evenings mimicking them. What Louis called TONATION and PHRASING are all hers, and they touch our hearts in each phrase.

Hear her “I need you!” in BABY, WHERE CAN YOU BE? The way she handles the verse to SUNDAY, rising to pure pleasure at the end. Wow is what I say. The wistful tenderness of THE OBJECT OF MY AFFECTION and HOW CAN I? The “It’s my birthday today!” delight of I’M HAVING MY FUN. To paraphrase Whitney Balliett, Alice is a great actress who doesn’t need a script.

The same mastery comes through in the instrumentalists who join Alice on her musical journeys. No one needs multiple choruses to tell their tale. Perhaps you’ll hear echoes of the great Holiday-Wilson sessions, of Bing, Jack, Louis: I could call the names of the Heroic Ancestors who have informed the music of honored individualists Marc, Kris, James, and Hal, but I’ll leave that to you what Barbara Lea called “Sounding Like.” A lifetime research project with a lifetime of rewards.

If these notes go on too long, I might get in the way of your absorbing the delights captured here, not once but many times. In an extended California sojourn, I learned about “sound healing,” how the right vibrations could put a psychically lopsided being into happy balance. I think that Doctor Spencer and her practitioners have just the remedy for what ails us, and I hope the prescription is renewable for many more sessions.
https://jazzlives.wordpress.com/2022/10/09/alice-spencer-sings-and-we-are-glad-with-hal-smith-kris-tokarski-james-singleton-marc-caparone/#comments

Sing It Way Down Low

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Andrea Motis - Loopholes

Styles: Vocal And Trumpet Jazz
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 38:59
Size: 90,4 MB
Art: Front

(0:35) 1. Overture
(2:19) 2. El Pescador
(2:49) 3. Deixa't Anar
(3:36) 4. I Had to Write a Song for You
(3:51) 5. Babies
(5:12) 6. Loopholes
(3:38) 7. Jungla
(5:43) 8. Espera
(2:24) 9. Heat
(3:14) 10. Calima
(1:54) 11. Light After Dark
(3:40) 12. Adeu

Andrea Motis is back with her latest solo project, Loopholes. Motis is a central part of the Spanish jazz scene, and on this new album, she embarks on a search for a completely new, unconventional style with her own compositions and those of her comrade-in-arms Christoph Mallinger. The compositions borrow from electric jazz, funk, and neo-soul. The twelve tracks feature Motis singing in Catalan, her mother tongue, as well as in Spanish, Portuguese, English, and German, and comments on her vocal expression alternately trained on both instruments with trumpet or saxophone.
https://www.jazzmessengers.com/en/91408/andrea-motis/loop-holes

Personnel: Andrea Motis (vocals, trumpet); Christoph Mallinger (guitar, mandoline, violin); Magalí Datzira (bass); Adrià González (keyboard); Juan Berbín (drums)

Loopholes

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Lee Morgan - Sonic Boom

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 2003
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 74:18
Size: 171,4 MB
Art: Front

(5:47)  1. Sneaky Pete
(7:11)  2. The Mercenary
(6:18)  3. Sonic Boom
(5:27)  4. Fathead
(7:16)  5. I'll Never Be The Same
(5:28)  6. Mumbo Jumbo
(4:50)  7. Free Flow
(5:42)  8. Stormy Weather
(6:09)  9. Mr. Johnson
(5:47) 10. The Stroker
(5:33) 11. Uncle Rough
(3:07) 12. Claw-Til-Da
(5:38) 13. Untitled Boogaloo

A quick inspection of the Lee Morgan discography unearths an obscure album sandwiched between 1966's The Rajah and 1967's The Procrastinator. The album, Sonic Boom, was recorded in 1967 yet remained silent in the Blue Note vaults for twelve years, resurfacing only twice, as an LP in 1979 and eleven years later as a CD. Both times, exposure to the public was brief, making Sonic Boom nearly irrelevant in the trumpeter's overall anthology. Yet the music here is nothing short of vintage Morgan, as evidenced on the latest reissue, a limited edition 24-bit remastered set. Serving his usual heady brew of jazz, blues and funk, the emphasis here is strictly hard-boppin' fun. Accompanying the leader are a stimulating crew that includes Cedar Walton on piano, David "Fathead" Newman on tenor, Ron Carter on bass, and Billy Higgins on drums. Tracks like "Sneaky Pete," "The Mercenary," and "Fathead" provide plenty of straight ahead muscle from the whole band, with Newman's gruff tenor work, in particular, pairing remarkably well with Morgan's horn. The true highlights, though, are in the searing title track and in the exceptionally sweet and sincere interpretation of the ballad "I'll Never Be The Same." While Morgan may best be celebrated for his charged, upbeat solos, his delicate touch on ballads merits equal praise, and, indeed, confirms that Morgan was something else.This latest reissue of Sonic Boom includes an additional seven tracks taken from a 1969 session, originally released on 1978's double LP version of The Procrastinator. 

Employing an entirely different set of musicians, the cast includes Julian Priester on trombone, George Coleman on tenor sax, Harold Mabern on piano, Walter Booker on bass, and Mickey Roker on drums. Though thematically similar, the bonus tracks are more progressive and funkier than the album's first half, with exceptional compositions by Coleman on "Free Flow," Priester on "The Stroker," and Mabern on the jive dance of "Uncle Rough." In comparing the two halves of the album, it is interesting to hear the changes upon the hard-bop idiom over the late 1960s. By 1969, funk and its inherent bass and drumbeats are more prevalent than before. Integrated into jazz, as heard here, the results are joyous. In the final analysis, Sonic Boom is an underrated gem. As such, fans of the trumpeter and of hard bop are advised to check out the album while it's still here. By Germein Linares https://www.allaboutjazz.com/sonic-boom-lee-morgan-blue-note-records-review-by-germein-linares.php

Personnel: Lee Morgan- trumpet; David "Fathead" Newman, George Coleman- tenor sax; Cedar Walton, Harold Mabern- piano; Ron Carter, Walter Booker- bass; Billy Higgins, Mickey Rokerdrums; Julian Priester- trombone

Sonic Boom

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Julia Hülsmann Quartet - The Next Door

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2022
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 59:34
Size: 137,5 MB
Art: Front

(5:55) 1. Empty Hands
(6:12) 2. Made Of Wood
(4:07) 3. Polychrome
(8:05) 4. Wasp At The Window
(1:46) 5. Jetzt Noch Nicht
(3:59) 6. Lightcap
(3:59) 7. Sometimes It Snows In April
(4:32) 8. Open Up
(4:16) 9. Jetzt Noch Nicht (Var.)
(5:43) 10. Post Post Post
(6:22) 11. Fluid
(4:33) 12. Valdemossa

I have friends who no longer follow the releases of ECM, believing the Munich label’s best years were in the past, when such innovative recordings as John Abercrombie’s Timeless, Keith Jarrett’s The Köln Concert, Terje Rypdal’s To Be Continued, Pat Metheny’s Bright Size Life, and the catalog of Paul Motian achieved sonic bliss and improvisational brilliance. But to my ears, ECM has never stopped recording great jazz musicians. Though its roster may be more insular, it remains fiercely independent and resourceful.

Pianist Julia Hülsmann’s second ECM release makes the case, brightly. The compositions that she shares with the rest of her road-hardened quartet Uli Kempendorff (tenor saxophone), Marc Muellbauer (double bass), and Heinrich Köbberling (drums) are given buoyancy and expression in small shifts of varying pressure that create demonstrable actions and emotions. The quartet creates a dense, liquid sound that bathes the listener in a sense of comfort, and intense adventure.

The Next Door’s 12 entries include quietly raging “Wasp at the Window” (driven by Kempendorff’s rich squalls and Köbberling’s shifting cymbal patter), the curious elevations of “Jetzt Noch Nicht,” the playfully cubist yet swinging “Lightcap,” and “Sometimes It Snows in April,” fueled by Hülsmann’s stately piano, guiding a bittersweet melody performed by Kempendorff.

While some assert that ECM’s current releases can sound glacial and abstract, The Next Door is anything but. It’s a rich, swinging, at times modal journey, with all the intricacy, texture, and warmth of a symphony orchestra gathered round a campfire.
By Ken Micallef https://jazztimes.com/reviews/albums/julia-hulsmann-quartet-the-next-door-ecm/

The Next Door

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Alan Barnes Octet - Copperfield: A Dickensian Jazz Suite

Styles: Contemporary Jazz
Year: 2022
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 75:31
Size: 173,7 MB
Art: Front

(6:29) 1. Copperfield Theme
(6:42) 2. Mr Peggotty's Boat House
(3:46) 3. Barkis is Willin'
(4:27) 4. Creakle and Tungay
(3:49) 5. Tommy Traddles' Skeletons
(4:54) 6. Mudstone and Grinby's
(5:56) 7. Mr. Dick Flies his Kite
(6:25) 8. Mr Micawber
(6:21) 9. Little Em'ly
(6:29) 10. Steerforth
(5:46) 11. Uriah Heep
(2:14) 12. Dora and Jip
(7:44) 13. Agnes
(4:22) 14. A New Life

One day, cultural historians may study the link between lockdown and creativity. Meanwhile, with the same line-up and personnel as his 2019 visit here, Alan Barnes returned to a practically full house with his Suite from that time.

There’s a lot to digest in his writing for octet. All the pieces feature changes in tempo, and meter, alternation of unison and harmony, and varied voicing across brass and reeds. Each song is structured into several sections, with interludes of diverse length, and solos are backed in many different ways. Or… you can just sit back and enjoy.

‘Copperfield Theme’, the opening number, depicts David’s home life in three sections. A slow, pretty melody with clarinet lead, gives way to a punchy theme in triple time. Solos from brass and reeds follow, then unison, and harmonised ensemble, before a reprise of the first melody.

‘Mr. Peggotty’s Boathouse’: David is sent off to Yarmouth: an up-tempo piano intro, then a lively jazz waltz, lead on to a trumpet improvisation with skyscraper passages, next a contrasting very relaxed piano solo. Finally the waltz returns, and to end, soft riffs, and a quiet, muted trumpet.

‘Mr. Barkis’: a return home for DC, and a bass feature for Simon Thorpe. He starts with the theme statement, then walks with the orchestra. Some stop time, and trumpet solo, take us to a bass solo with piano and drums accompaniment, before the final ensemble.

‘Creackle and Tungay’: David’s school days, and portraits of teacher (Bruce Adams) and caretaker (Karen Sharp). A Latin intro from the rhythm section goes into a swing feel with fine baritone and trumpet solos. There’s a baritone /trumpet duet, before a final piano note, that slowly rings out to nothing.

‘Tommy Traddle’s Skeletons’: billed as a ‘danse macabre’ for David’s school friend who drew skeletons, the piece starts with the suitably ‘sparse’ sound of Robert Fowler’s clarinet accompanied by bass. Two high register clarinets play a later section, and, after a clarinet solo, complete the song.

‘Murdstone and Grimby’: David is sent to work in the bottling plant of the title: Mark Nightingale plays the first partner, Alan Barnes the second. There’s a virtuoso solo by the leader on alto, with a lot of double time over a ‘two’ feel. More solos follow, and an ensemble with baritone and bass in unison.

‘Mr. Dick Flies His Kite’: back on the coast, we meet a minor jazz waltz, realised by trumpet and trombone. A pretty, but sad melody, leads to, as Barnes explained, a “more uplifting” passage, before “coming down to earth”. Solos are spread across the band. A tinkling piano diminuendo describes the kite’s descent.

‘Mr. Micawber’: A jaunty jazz waltz represents the character who provides lodging for David. Rising and falling baritone lines may suggest Micawber’s mood swings, and solos from the leader on clarinet, and piano take us back to the theme.

‘Little Em’ly’: Barnes’ early career often found him playing Klezmer music: a plaintiff minor melody depicts David’s childhood sweetheart and the arrangement reflects that ethnic tradition. Bruce Adams on plunger-muted trumpet plays her seducer, Steerforth. Rob Fowler gives a most expressive tenor solo, as we move into a medium swing tempo, before a reprise of the mournful theme.

‘James Steerforth’: a stately melody depicts the public face of the character, before a passage on alto gives way to an up-tempo Latin section. Baritone and bass play a repeated unison figure. In turn a swing theme is introduced. Mark Nightingale delivers an agile double-time solo. Piano chords and bass accompaniment end the return of the original slow theme. ‘Uriah Heep’: Barnes’ bass clarinet portrays the oily character David meets, with a slippery, triplet-based theme. Clark Tracey sets up the number by an intriguing high-pitched meandering. A Duke-ish voicing of two clarinets, muted trumpet and trombone provide some background, before instrumental conversations, and bowed bass ending. ‘Dora and Jip’: tempo movements between triple time and 4/4 unfold after the staccatto-ish line begins. Solos on reeds and brass describe the changing fortunes of Dora and David, and her dog, Jip. A “canine cadenza” is cunningly voiced by Bruce Adams, tailing off in a sad whine…

‘Agnes’: a sweet ballad recalls the young Agnes’ devotion to David. A warm statement on tenor is accompanied by responses from the alto. The trumpet picks up the theme, and there are solos around the band. A quicker feel follows, over the same tempo, and moves to a piano solo. Punchy to start with, the solo moves into a locked-hands, Errol Garner-type feel.

‘A New Life’: a fast minor swing is the setting as the Micawbers and other characters emigrate to Australia. There’s a powerful unison passage voiced for the five frontline parts, on the standard 32 bar form, and a switch to Latin for the middle eight. An ensemble where the lead moves between reeds and brass is punctuated by drum fills, followed by a solo from Clark Tracey.

Many thanks to the Jazz in Reading, and Progress Theatre team, for, as Alan Barnes added, “keeping the performing arts alive” in these testing times. Review posted here by kind permission of Clive Downs https://www.thejazzmann.com/reviews/review/alan-barnes-octet-copperfield-a-dickensian-jazz-suite-progress-theatre-reading-berkshire-16-12-2022

Personnel: Alan Barnes- alto saxophone, clarinet, bass clarinet, composer, arranger; Robert Fowler - tenor saxophone, clarinet; Karen Sharp - baritone saxophone, clarinet; Bruce Adams - trumpet, flugelhorn; Mark Nightingale - trombone; Dave Newton - piano; Simon Thorpe - bass; Clark Tracey - drumsbr />

Copperfield: A Dickensian Jazz Suite

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Keely Smith - The Essential Capitol Collection

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 77:29
Size: 177.4 MB
Styles: Vocal
Year: 2007
Art: Front

[3:24] 1. All The Things You Are
[2:03] 2. It's Been A Long, Long Time
[2:54] 3. That Old Black Magic
[3:09] 4. Stormy Weather
[2:34] 5. You Go To My Head
[2:39] 6. S'posin'
[2:55] 7. Fools Rush In
[3:11] 8. The Song Is You
[2:25] 9. How Are Ya' Fixed For Love
[2:47] 10. Be Mine (Little Baby)
[2:33] 11. I Wish You Love
[2:59] 12. Someone To Watch Over Me
[3:15] 13. The Man I Love
[2:50] 14. Don't Let A Memory
[1:51] 15. What Is This Thing Called Love
[2:59] 16. On The Sunny Side Of The Street
[2:13] 17. (Nothing's Too Good) For My Baby
[3:26] 18. I Can't Get Started
[2:23] 19. There Will Never Be Another You
[3:29] 20. Imagination
[2:48] 21. The Whipporwill
[2:30] 22. Nothing In Common
[3:11] 23. When Your Lover Has Gone
[3:04] 24. All The Way
[2:52] 25. Stardust
[3:04] 26. Don't Take Your Love From Me
[3:49] 27. When Day Is Done

Keely Smith possesses a fantastic ability to sing so well that she could capture your attention at once and you would never want to stop listening to her. She could sing you the phone book; and when she was finished you would be applauding and begging for more. This excellent retrospective album gives us quite a bit of the best of Keely Smith. It has twenty eight wonderful tracks and at 78 minutes the CD is as jam packed with hits as any CD is ever going to be.

"All The Things You Are" opens the CD; Keely sings this perfectly without a superfluous note. Her voice is warm, rich and vibrant in a way that just couldn't be better. The strings and horns help the musical arrangement along although Keely's vocals remain squarely in the foreground. "It's Been A Long, Long Time" sports that big band flavor and Keely makes this number more energetic than I've ever heard it. Keely swings brightly and the musical arrangement lacks nothing, either. "That Old Black Magic" is a duet Keely does with husband Louis Prima; they got a Grammy for this song and one listen will prove to you that they deserved it. Keely's voice is truly an instrument of its own and she sings "That Old Black Magic" with panache. "I Wish You Love" begins with a great musical flourish and when Keely comes in this number takes flight! Keely's voice is particularly sweet on this number; and her voice conveys all the subtle romantic nuances to make "I Wish You Love" her very own masterpiece! "Autumn Leaves" gets a somewhat less melancholy flavor than usual when Keely sings it. Unfortunately, this is one number that I think was better left to Edith Piaf. "On The Sunny Side Of The Street" gets a big band, jazzy feel to it as Keely sings this triumphant, upbeat melody flawlessly. Keely seems to be the perfect female vocalist to sing "On The Sunny Side Of The Street." I predict that you will enjoy this number very much. "Imagination" features Keely singing wonderfully yet again; and "Stardust" gets the royal treatment from Keely as she delivers "Stardust" with great sensitivity. Great! The album ends with a live track of Keely performing "When Day Is Done." Louis Prima introduces her and Keely sings this every bit as well as if the number had been professional recorded in a studio! Her talent truly was special.

Overall, Keely Smith fans won't want to go without this album; although it's best suited for people who want a "best of" type of album. This album simply doesn't give you everything you need to fully appreciate just how great Keely Smith was when she was at her peak in the 1950s and 1960s although it's quite strong as a retrospective CD.. If you like this CD I would suggest you check out other albums by this fine artist. ~Matthew G. Sherwin

The Essential Capitol Collection

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Bill Perkins & Victor Feldman - Quietly There

Styles: Saxophone, Clarinet And Flute Jazz
Year: 1966
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 48:04
Size: 110,3 MB
Art: Front

(4:26)  1. Quietly There
(5:27)  2. Emily
(5:32)  3. Groover Wailin'
(5:24)  4. A Time For Love
(3:50)  5. Sure As You're Born
(5:37)  6. Just A Child
(3:55)  7. Keester Parade
(2:28)  8. The Shining Sea
(6:30)  9. Something Different
(4:53) 10. The Shadow of Your Smile

This set by multi-reedist Bill Perkins (who switches between tenor, baritone, bass clarinet and flute) has been reissued on CD with one extra selection. On what was one of the earliest tributes to film composer Johnny Mandel, Perkins was careful to not only perform ballads such as "Emily," "A Time for Love" and "The Shadow of Your Smile" but to add some variety by also playing a few of Mandel's more obscure medium-tempo numbers. Still the results are generally pretty relaxed and tasteful on a quintet set with pianist Victor Feldman (who also plays some cheesy-sounding organ and vibes), guitarist John Pisano, bassist Red Mitchell and drummer Larry Bunker. ~ Scott Yanow http://www.allmusic.com/album/quietly-there-mw0000268340

Personnel: Bill Perkins (flute, bass clarinet, tenor saxophone, baritone saxophone); John Pisano (guitar, electric guitar, classical guitar); Victor Feldman (piano, organ, vibraphone); Larry Bunker (drums).

Quietly There

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Cristiana Polegri,Roberto Spadoni - It Had Better Be Henry Mancini

Styles: Vocal, Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2022
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 68:18
Size: 156,9 MB
Art: Front

(5:04) 1. Days Of Wine And Roses
(6:41) 2. Slow Hot Wind (Lujon) (Feat. Giovanni Falzone)
(7:15) 3. A Cool Shade Of Blue (Feat. Giovanni Falzone & Maurizio Giammarco)
(5:58) 4. The Sweatheart Tree
(5:42) 5. It Had Better Be Tonight (Meglio Stasera) (Feat. Elio, Giovanni Falzone & Maurizio Giammarco)
(6:49) 6. Peter Gunn (Feat. Giovanni Falzone & Maurizio Giammarco)
(6:40) 7. Two For The Road (Feat. Stefano Fresi & Maurizio Giammarco)
(4:39) 8. The Pink Panther Theme
(5:48) 9. Moon River
(6:50) 10. Loss Of Love
(6:48) 11. Baby Elephant Walk (Feat. Giovanni Falzone & Maurizio Giammarco)

"It Had Better Be Henri Mancini" is Cristiana Polegri and Roberto Spadoni's tribute to the great American composer and conductor famous for having composed some of the most beautiful and well-known soundtracks in the history of cinema, in a long career studded with accolades. Among these we can mention famous songs such as "Moon River", "Baby Elephant Walk", "Peter Gunn" and the theme of the Pink Panther.

The singer and saxophonist Cristiana Polegri and Roberto Spadoni, arranger of all the songs and musical director, reinterpret some of his best-known compositions in the album, arranged for a colorful ten-piece jazz ensemble. To embellish the album the participation of the singer Elio and the actor Stefano Fresi as well as the trumpeter Giovanni Falzone and the saxophonist Maurizio Giammarco.
https://www.dischivolanti.ch/it/article/music/M39554/

It Had Better Be Henry Mancini

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Monty Alexander - The Montreux Years

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2022
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 85:16
Size: 195,7 MB
Art: Front

( 5:43) 1. The Serpent
( 7:53) 2. Work Song
( 9:49) 3. Hurricane Come And Gone
( 8:14) 4. Night Mist Blues
( 8:35) 5. Linstead Market
( 7:45) 6. Crying
( 8:14) 7. No Woman No Cry / Get Up Stand Up (Medley)
( 9:47) 8. Renewal
( 7:13) 9. The Pawnbroker
(11:58) 10. A Nod To Bob

Monty Alexander: The Montreux Years is a showcase of jazz piano virtuoso Monty Alexander’s iconic Montreux Jazz Festival live performances, spanning three decades of his career from 1993 to 2016. The Grammy-nominated, pianist performed some of his finest shows in the Swiss town and this release captures him at his best, bringing his laid-back, Caribbean vibes to the shores of Lake Geneva.

In a career spanning six decades, Monty Alexander has built a reputation exploring and bridging the worlds of American jazz, popular song, and the music of his native Jamaica, finding in each a sincere spirit of musical expression. Monty has always been proud of his roots and effortlessly merges his iconic piano playing with other musical influences including that of his fellow countryman, Bob Marley, on the sublime “No Woman No Cry”, the live version of which appears on this release.

Throughout his long and distinguished career, Monty has performed and recorded with artists from every corner of the musical universe and entertainment world: Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett, Dizzy Gillespie, Sonny Rollins, Quincy Jones, Barbara Hendricks, Bobby McFerrin, Sly Dunbar, and Robbie Shakespeare, among others.

By the time Monty first played Montreux (in 1976), he was already an incredibly accomplished performer but playing there nonetheless marked a similarly significant career step-up. “Montreux was like going to the Olympics. Up to then, I was going about my business as a jazz performer, playing in real down-home clubs all over the US. The people there weren’t too interested in what you might call intellectual content, they just wanted the music swinging. So, to go to Montreux, which was so auspicious, playing alongside all these incredible musicians in this beautiful place surrounded by mountains, and with such a smart, passionate audience...I was delighted. In fact, I had to keep my ego in check. It was a very long way from my upbringing in Kingston, Jamaica, which was another world altogether.”

The audio has been expertly restored and remastered in superlative HD audio; The Montreux Years is released on superior audiophile heavy weight vinyl, MQA quality CD and in HD digital. Brand new liner notes based on an interview with Monty will be available with this release, which also includes rare photos and memories from his Montreux shows.

Monty has also just released a brand new album Love Notes, his first album to feature his own vocals. Thoughtfully curated, the eleven tracks on “Love Notes” are some of Monty’s favourite songs crafted and arranged in a totally unique, romantic setting. With the exception of “These Love Notes” (Monty’s original composition with lyrics by Brian Jobson), all of the songs have a direct connection to his childhood the first songs he ever heard and loved and they bring back the scent and romanticism of the Jasmine flowers Monty used to smell as a child in Montego Bay. Guest artists on the album include George Benson, the Late Roy Hargrove, Ramsey Lewis, Joe Sample, Arturo Sandoval and More. https://www.pmamedia.org/en/home/monty-alexander-the-montreux-years

The Montreux Years

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Alex Sipiagin - Hindsight

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 2001
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 73:07
Size: 167,9 MB
Art: Front

(10:08) 1. Very Early I
(10:11) 2. Hindsight
( 8:34) 3. Reincarnation Of A Lovebird
( 8:49) 4. Linear Passage
(10:19) 5. Second Shot
( 5:22) 6. Light Blue
( 9:26) 7. Upstream
(10:14) 8. Ver Early II

Trumpeter Alex Sipiagin sticks with a quintet lineup on his second Criss Cross outing, but this time opts for guitar over piano. Tenor saxophonist Chris Potter remains in place from the first session; Adam Rogers, who is finally gaining wider exposure, ably fills the chair previously occupied by Dave Kikoski; and a new rhythm section appears, with Boris Kozlov on bass and Gene Jackson on drums. The music is magnificent, and thankfully the takes are nice and long, giving the soloists more than enough room to push the envelope.

In addition to four strong originals, Sipiagin offers an elevated reading of Mingus' "Reincarnation of a Lovebird," two equally stirring takes of Bill Evans' "Very Early," and a priceless flügelhorn/acoustic guitar duet on Monk's "Light Blue." Sipiagin's orchestrations are ceaselessly probing and imaginative; there are times, like on the out-blues title track, when the harmonized lines he plays with Potter sound like three horns. Combining the rigors of painstaking composition with the frenzied inspiration of the hottest blowing date, Sipiagin gives listeners some of the most potent and engaging mainstream jazz of the era. By David R. Adler https://www.allmusic.com/album/hindsight-mw0000226313

Hindsight

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Ronnell Bright - Bright Flight

Styles: Piano Jazz 
Year: 1956
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 40:57
Size: 93,9 MB
Art: Front

(3:15)  1. Randail's Island
(3:28)  2. Sallye
(4:21)  3. People Will Say
(2:46)  4. Liza
(2:34)  5. It Never Entered My Mind
(4:18)  6. For Pete's Sake
(5:58)  7. Toasted 'Ammond
(2:58)  8. It Could Happen To You
(4:45)  9. How Little We Know
(3:21) 10. Bohemia,U.S.A.
(3:09) 11. I've Grown Accustomed To Your Face

One of the few albums as a leader from pianist Ronnell Bright recorded with Joe Benjamin on bass and Bill Clark on drums  with compelling tunes that include "Randall's Island", "Bohemia USA", and "Toasted Ammond". (Red label pressing with deep groove. Cover has ring & edge wear, split seams held with clear tape, and some faded marker and correction fluid on front.)  © 1996-2018, Dusty Groove, Inc. 

https://www.dustygroove.com/item/770552?filterfield=veryrecent&sort_order=date_added

Personnel:  Ronnell Bright (p), Joe Benjamin (b), Bill Clark (ds)

Bright Flight

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Margaux Vranken - Songbook

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2022
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 37:36
Size: 86,7 MB
Art: Front

(2:41) 1. Ballade
(3:51) 2. Oneiro (Feat. Erini)
(3:45) 3. A Light Within (Feat. Lior Tzemach, Stacy Claire & Aneta Nayan)
(3:44) 4. Songbook (Feat. Stacy Claire & Aneta Nayan)
(5:06) 5. Back In Schaerbeek (Feat. Lior Tzemach, Stacy Claire & Aneta Nayan)
(3:30) 6. Untitled (Feat. Lior Tzemach)
(3:52) 7. Good To See You
(4:23) 8. Distance
(4:09) 9. Song For Tamara (Feat. Tamara Jokic)
(2:31) 10. Goodbye (Feat. Stacy Claire)

"Songbook" is a set of instrumental and/or vocal songs that reflect the full color palette of Margaux Vranken's compositional work.

This album is the result of several collaborations with artists whose work Margaux admires. Longtime musical companions, Fil Caporali (Brazil, bass), Daniel Jonkers (Netherlands, drums), Tom Bourgeois (France, saxophone) and Lior Tzemach (Israel, guitar) joined the “Songbook” project quite naturally and brought their musicality and their personality. Aneta Nayan (Poland, vocals), with whom Margaux has worked regularly for almost 10 years, wrote almost all of the lyrics for this project.

As usual, Margaux invited singers to come and put their voices on her compositions. On this opus, we discover Stacy Claire (France, vocals) (“Goodbye, “Songbook”), as well as Aneta Nayan (Poland, vocals) (“A Light Within”). "Songbook" is in line with the album "Purpose": a set of moods, emotions and musical surprises all in finesse and sophistication.

“Songbook” is the third collaboration between Belgian label Igloo Records and pianist-composer MargauxVranken.https://jazzinbelginbe.translate.goog/evenements/63003/river-jazz-margaux-vranken-songbook_x_tr_sl=fr&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en&_x_tr_pto=sc

Songbook

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Barney Kessel - Whatever You Want

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 2022
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 75:25
Size: 174,1 MB
Art: Front

(3:13) 1. By The Beautiful Sea
(6:31) 2. My Man's Gone Now
(2:26) 3. Sweet Georgia Brown
(5:59) 4. Flowersville
(2:14) 5. Summertime
(3:57) 6. The Gypsy's Hip
(4:58) 7. Free As A Bird
(3:07) 8. Tumbling Tumbleweeds
(2:56) 9. Don't Blame Me
(4:25) 10. Wall Street
(2:10) 11. Heartaches
(5:07) 12. Opus 711
(4:47) 13. My Funny Valentine
(2:43) 14. They Can't Take That Away From Me
(6:43) 15. Joy Spring
(3:46) 16. How Deep Is The Ocean (How High Is The Sky)
(2:33) 17. It Ain't Necessarily So
(4:00) 18. If You Dig Me
(3:41) 19. I Wanna Be Loved By You

One of the finest guitarists to emerge after the death of Charlie Christian, Barney Kessel was a reliable bop soloist throughout his career. He played with a big band fronted by Chico Marx (1943), was fortunate enough to appear in the classic jazz short Jammin' the Blues (1944), and then worked with the big bands of Charlie Barnet (1944-1945) and Artie Shaw (1945); he also recorded with Shaw's Gramercy Five. Kessel became a busy studio musician in Los Angeles, but was always in demand for jazz records. He toured with the Oscar Peterson Trio for one year (1952-1953) and then, starting in 1953, led an impressive series of records for Contemporary that lasted until 1961 (including several with Ray Brown and Shelly Manne in a trio accurately called the Poll Winners).

After touring Europe with George Wein's Newport All-Stars (1968), Kessel lived in London for a time (1969-1970). In 1973, he began touring and recording with the Great Guitars, a group also including Herb Ellis and Charlie Byrd. A serious stroke in 1992 put Barney Kessel permanently out of action, but many of his records (which include dates for Onyx, Black Lion, Sonet, and Concord, in addition to many of the Contemporaries) are available, along with several video collections put out by Vestapol. Kessel was diagnosed with inoperable cancer in 2001, which eventually took his life in May of 2004. He was 80 years old.By Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/artist/barney-kessel-mn0000784527/biography

Whatever You Want

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