Thelonious Monk - The Complete London Collection (Vol 1), (Vol 2), (Vol 3)

Album: The Complete London Collection (Vol 1)

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1999
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 46:52
Size: 110,9 MB
Art: Front

(7:28)  1. Trinkle Tinkle (Take 3)
(2:23)  2. Crepuscule with Nellie (Take 2)
(5:52)  3. Darn That Dream
(4:08)  4. Little Rootie Tootie
(3:18)  5. Meet Me Tonight in Dreamland
(5:17)  6. Nice Work If You Can Get It
(5:13)  7. My Melancholy Baby
(3:30)  8. Jackieng
(7:16)  9. Loverman
(2:23) 10. Blue Sphere

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Album: The Complete London Collection (Vol 2)

Time: 44:49

Size: 105,7 MB

(5:28)  1. Evidence [Take 2]

(6:28)  2. Misterioso

(2:25)  3. Crepuscule With Nellie [Take 4]

(7:47)  4. I Mean You

(3:46)  5. Criss Cross

(6:10)  6. Ruby My Dear

(4:47)  7. Nutty [Take 2]

(7:55)  8. Hackensack

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Album: The Complete London Collection (Vol 3)

Time: 60:53

Size: 143,2 MB

(6:04)  1. Trinkle Tinkle (Take 2)

(5:19)  2. The Man I Love

(6:41)  3. Something In Blue

(1:15)  4. Introspection (Take 1)

(5:48)  5. Trinkle Tinkle (Take 1)

(2:21)  6. Crepuscule With Nellie (Take 3)

(4:18)  7. Nutty (Take 1)

(3:05)  8. Introspection (Take 3)

(9:04)  9. Hackensack (Take 1)

(7:14) 10. Evidence (Take 1)

(9:40) 11. Chordially (Improvisation)

This attractive box houses three previously released Black Lion CDs recorded at pianist/composer Thelonious Monk's final sessions as a leader; only a few dates with the Giants of Jazz were left in the future for Monk, who would soon retire altogether. Heard in unaccompanied piano solos and in a trio with bassist Al McKibbon and drummer Art Blakey, Monk is in surprisingly exuberant form, still very much at the peak of his powers. Although most of this music was last available in a "complete" Mosaic LP box set, there are actually three additional alternate takes included in the very enjoyable and somewhat definitive set. Highlights include "Little Rootie Tootie," "Meet Me Tonight in Dreamland," "Blue Sphere," "Criss Cross," "The Man I Love" and "Evidence," but all 29 selections are well worth hearing. This is essential music for all serious Thelonious Monk collections; the solo performances in particular are quite memorable.By Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-complete-london-collection-mw0000184702

Personnel: Piano – Thelonious Monk; Double Bass – Al McKibbon,  Drums – Art Blakey 

The Complete London Collection (Vol 1), (Vol 2), (Vol 3)

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Miles Davis Quintet - Live At The Oriental Theatre 1966 (CD1) And (CD2)

Styles: Jazz
Year: 2014
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 42:08 (CD 1)
Size: 97,3 MB (CD 1)
Time: 48:38 (CD 2)
Size: 112,3 MB (CD 2)
Art: Front

(CD 1)

( 0:40) 1. Announcement
( 9:49) 2. Autumn Leaves
( 9:22) 3. Agitation
(10:31) 4. Stella By Starlight
(11:44) 5. Gingerbread Boy

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(CD 2)
( 9:30) 1. The Theme
( 9:32) 2. All Blues
( 8:51) 3. Who Can I Turn To?
( 9:06) 4. So What
(11:38) 5. My Funny Valentine

This release contains a complete previously unissued concert by the 1966 Miles Davis Quintet. Recorded at the impressing Oriental Theatre in Portland shortly before it was demolished, it presents the only existing testimony of bassist Richard Davis playing with Miles. Among its many highlights are many great trumpet solos by Miles, including his only existing version of "Who Can I Turn To ?" a free jazzoriented So What, and a beautiful reading of My Funny Valentine.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Oriental-Theatre-1966-2CD/dp/B004M3NKBC

Personnel: Miles Davis - tp; Wayne Shorter - ts; Herbie Hancock - p; Richard Davis - b; Tony Williams - d

Live At The Oriental Theatre 1966 (CD1)(CD2)

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Wayne Shorter - High Life

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1995
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 53:14
Size: 122,4 MB
Art: Front

(7:24)  1. Children Of The Night
(7:30)  2. At The Fair
(5:12)  3. Maya
(5:35)  4. On The Milky Way Express
(6:20)  5. Pandora Awakened
(6:46)  6. Virgo Rising
(6:28)  7. High Life
(5:54)  8. Midnight In Califoria
(2:02)  9. Black Swan ( In Memory Of Susan Portlynn Romeo)

Wayne Shorter's debut for Verve was his first release as a leader in quite a long time and his most rewarding recording since the prime years of Weather Report, 15 years before. Shorter and keyboardist Rachel Z spent a year working on developing and orchestrating his ideas and the results are these nine originals. Although use was made of orchestral horns and strings, most of the backing in these often-dense ensembles is by a standard rhythm section (which includes Marcus Miller on electric bass and bass clarinet) and Rachel Z's synthesizers. The pieces set moods rather than state singable melodies, are not afraid to utilize electronic rhythms now and then in an unpredictable fashion, and are both intelligent and largely danceable. However, Shorter's playing (not only on soprano and tenor but a bit of alto and baritone) is always distinctive and he sounds very much as if he is pushing himself. In fact, his emotional statements and the complexity of the ensembles push this music way above virtually all of the so-called "contemporary jazz" (which is often merely a synonym for jazzy pop) into the idiom of creative music. It helps for listeners to have a liking for the sound of Weather Report (even though this group is not a copy), but even Shorter's older fans will find his playing here to be quite stimulating. ~ Scott Yanow http://www.allmusic.com/album/high-life-mw0000645761

Personnel: Wayne Shorter (arranger, soprano, alto, tenor & baritone saxophones); Marcus Miller (conductor, bass clarinet, bass, programming); Jon Lewis, Rob McGregor (trumpet); Steven Holtman, Robert Payne (trombone); Daniel Kelley, Joseph Meyer, Brad Warnaar (French horn); Linda Muggeridge, Leslie Reed (English horn); Kazue McGregor, Annarenee Grizell, Sarah Weisz (flute); Joyce Kelley-Clark (oboe); Emily Bernstein, Ralph Williams (clarinet); Julie Feves, Michele Grego (contrabassoon); Bruce Dukov, Armen Garabedian, Suzie Katayama, Edith Markman, Sid Page, Michele Richards (violin); Robert Becker, Denyse Buffum, Ralph Fielding, Harry Shirinian, Evan Wilson (viola); Larry Corbett (cello); Rachel Z (piano, synthesizer); David Gilmore (guitar); Will Calhoun, Terry Lyne Carrington (drums); Lenny Castro, Airto Moreira, Munyungo Jackson, Kevin Ricard (percussion).

R.I.P.

Born: August 25, 1933, Newark, New Jersey, United States

Died: March 2, 2023


High Life

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Dominick Farinacci - Lovers, Tales & Dances

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 2009
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 60:55
Size: 139,7 MB
Art: Front

(4:22) 1. Don't Explain
(6:30) 2. Libertango
(5:52) 3. Estate
(6:27) 4. Vision
(5:09) 5. Ne Me Quitte Pas
(3:32) 6. E Lucevan Le Stelle
(3:53) 7. Erghen Diado (Song Of Schopsko)
(6:19) 8. Silent Cry
(3:54) 9. Love Dance
(3:41) 10. Bibo No Aozora
(6:51) 11. Lonely Woman
(4:18) 12. The Theme From The Pawnbroker

The mass appeal of a jazz recording does not necessarily compromise its value or its artistic integrity; it simply means that the artist has mastered the difficult task of balancing the creative and the commercial. Trumpeter Dominick Farinacci has done just that on his debut album, Lovers, Tales & Dances.

Farinacci sounds a lot like Clifford Brown, with the same lyricism albeit without the same range, mastery and fluidity. Some of the material also hints at Brown's recordings with strings and female vocalists. The tracks with string arrangement are a tad on the smooth side, but Farinacci's trumpet rescues them from becoming mundane through his brilliant improvisations. The vocal number is reminiscent of Helen Merrill with Clifford Brown (Emarcy, 19554), but singer Hilary Kole lacks Helen Merrill's emotional intensity. The leader elevates this track once again if not to the CD's high point then to a level where it does not sound out of place, despite adding little to the whole.

The choice of material again reflects the balance between artistic creativity and popular appeal. Songs vary from Jacques Brel's "Ne me quitte pas" and Astor Piazzolla's "Libertango," to the Billie Holiday standard, "Don't Explain," and Ornette Coleman's "Lonely Woman," which represents the real high point of this record.

The sidemen include Joe Lovano, Kenny Barron and Lewis Nash, but despite being in the company of masters, Farinacci not only maintains his own but remains the dominant voice throughout, successfully interacting with these seasoned veterans during the ensemble work.

Despite the faults of a few, too-smooth string arrangements, an average vocal number and the debutant style of the leader, this impeccably mastered recording is a very promising first work by an artist who, if he maintains the momentum demonstrated here, may well become one the pillars of jazz in the near future.By Hrayr Attarian https://www.allaboutjazz.com/lovers-tales-and-dances-dominick-farinacci-koch-records-review-by-hrayr-attarian

Personnel: Dominick Farinacci: trumpet, flugelhorn; Joe Lovano: tenor saxophone; Joe Locke: vibraphone; Kenny Barron: piano; James Genus: bass; Marc Johnson: bass; Lewis Nash: drums; Jamey Haddad: percussion; Hilary Kole: vocals; Guilherme Monteiro: guitar; Rich DeRosa: strings and horns conductor.

Lovers, Tales & Dances

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Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers - Kyoto

Styles: Jazz, Hard Bop
Year: 1991
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 32:24
Size: 74,7 MB
Art: Front

(5:57) 1. The High Priest
(5:49) 2. Never Never Land
(5:04) 3. Wellington's Blues
(8:30) 4. Nihon Bash
(7:04) 5. Kyoto

Reissued on Fantasy's OJC series, this album finds Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers paying tribute to Japan (where they had toured to great acclaim) on two selections, featuring Art Blakey's cousin as a vocalist on "Wellington's Blues" (a real rarity in The Jazz Messengers' discography) and debuting Curtis Fuller's "The High Priest." With trumpeter Freddie Hubbard, tenorman Wayne Shorter and trombonist Fuller in fine form, this is one of literally dozens of recommended Jazz Messengers recordings.~Scott Yanowhttps://www.allmusic.com/album/kyoto-mw0000315032

Personnel: Art Blakey - drums; Freddie Hubbard – trumpet; Curtis Fuller – trombone; Wayne Shorter - tenor saxophone; Cedar Walton - piano; Reggie Workman - bass; Wellington Blakey - vocals (track 3)

Kyoto

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Christian McBride's New Jawn - Prime

Styles: Post-Bop, Straight-Ahead Jazz
Year: 2023
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 54:33
Size: 126,3 MB
Art: Front

(5:47) 1. Head Bedlam
(7:29) 2. Prime
(4:44) 3. Moonchild
(8:05) 4. Obsequious
(8:48) 5. Lurkers
(7:16) 6. The Good Life
(5:04) 7. Dolphy Dust
(7:17) 8. East Broadway Rundown

The second album from Christian McBride's outré quartet New Jawn, 2023's Prime is somehow even more expressive and harmonically adventurous than its predecessor. Unlike his other projects, including his trio and Grammy-winning big band, the bassist's New Jawn is a maverick ensemble whose frenetic sound shares little in common with the straight-ahead swing and modern jazz McBride is known for. This is exploratory, free-leaning post-bop and avant-garde jazz that's easily some of the most adventurous music of the bassist's career.

Once again joining him are trumpeter Josh Evans, saxophonist and bass clarinetist Marcus Strickland, and drummer Nasheet Waits. The album opens with a brassy yawp on McBride's "Head Bedlam," as Evans and Strickland scream at the sky while McBride and Waits pummel the ground below them. They build with a primal intensity until giving way to a slow, thumping funk groove over which they each solo with a menacing, snake-like attitude. Yet more-thrilling moments follow, as on "Obsequious" and "Dolphy Dust," propulsive free-bop workouts that evoke the dangerous alchemy of saxophonist Eric Dolphy's mid-'60s group with trumpeter Booker Little.

More atmospheric are tracks like "The Lurkers," with its bowed bass, and "Moonchild," with its airy, baroque trumpet and bass clarinet harmonies. Along with the originals, they dive into spry readings of Ornette Coleman's "The Good Life" and Sonny Rollins' "East Broadway Rundown." The Coleman and Rollins' covers work to underline the influences at play in New Jawn, showing just how adept McBride and his group are at pulling from jazz' avant-garde past while continuously pushing towards its expansive, improvisational future. By Matt Collar
https://www.allmusic.com/album/release/prime-mr0005872356

Personnel: Christian McBride: bass (all tracks);Josh Evans: trumpet (all tracks); Marcus Strickland: tenor sax (2, 4, 6-8); bass clarinet (1, 3, 5); Nasheet Waits: drums (all tracks)

Prime

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Wycliffe Gordon - Boss Bones

Styles: Trombone Jazz
Year: 2009
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 62:28
Size: 144,2 MB
Art: Front

(6:01) 1. Spop
(5:36) 2. The Nick Of Time
(8:39) 3. Recorda-me
(8:37) 4. Another Slow One
(6:12) 5. Stardust
(8:08) 6. Wheatleigh Hall
(6:48) 7. Here's That Rainy Day
(7:32) 8. Nica's Dream
(4:52) 9. Anthropology

Jazz trombonist Wycliffe Gordon has established himself as a major soloist, mostly because of his fine work with the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra. Gordon’s approach draws upon the sounds of jazz’s New Orleans origins (vocalized growls, smears, etc.) along with the advances of bebop and beyond.

Bones Tones is an unusual album in that it features another trombonist in its “horn section,” namely Andre Hayward, also a member of the Lincoln Center band. Whereas some jazz albums try to impress with the listener with capital-S seriousness, BONES is a swinging, joy-filled frolic through classic jazz standards (by Parker, Gillespie, and Horace Silver) and a few bracing Gordon originals. By Mark Keresman https://www.allmusic.com/album/boss-bones-mw0000785115

Personnel: Wycliffe Gordon (Trombone), Andre Hayward (Trombone) Mike LeDonne (Piano), John Webber (Bass), Kenny Washington (Drums)

Boss Bones

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Joscho Stephan Trio Meets Matthias Strucken - Travels

Styles: Guitar Jazz, Gypsy Swing
Year: 2023
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 50:31
Size: 116,3 MB
Art: Front

(4:43) 1. Morning Dance
(5:03) 2. Misty
(5:01) 3. Travels
(3:36) 4. Indiana
(3:27) 5. Blue Bossa
(3:43) 6. Swing Valse
(4:19) 7. Day by Day
(5:28) 8. Those who wait
(4:18) 9. Bossarona
(3:23) 10. Fresh Rolls
(4:28) 11. Roger´s Samba
(2:58) 12. Gorgeous

His roots lie in Gipsy Swing music, the style pioneered in the 1930s by the legendary jazz guitarist Django Reinhardt. Joscho Stephan has not merely absorbed this music, but also interprets it on the highest level and is actively engaged in extending its boundaries. Despite his youth, after four highly acclaimed CDs and a DVD he has played his way into the illustrous circle of the finest Gipsy Swing musicians in the world.

Great jazz musicians such as Paquito de Rivera, James Carter, Charlie Mariano or Grady Tate enthusiastically praised the talented newcomer after performing together.He has toured Australia with top guitarists Martin Taylor and Tommy Emmanuel and has performed with his own bands (trio to quintett) on numerous important European festivals (among others in Slovenia, Italy, France, Poland and the UK).

His concert appearances in New York’s Lincoln Center or the American country capital Nashville were equally well-received, as were his perfomances in the New Yorker jazz shrine Birdland.

Across the board, the press only has good things to say about Joscho Stephan. His debut “Swinging Strings” was named CD of the month by American magazine Guitar Player. In the words of the highly regarded Acoustic Guitar Magazine, he is the guarantor for the future of Gipsy jazz guitar.
https://www.joscho-stephan.de/en/about-joscho/

Travels

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Bob Wilber and Tuxedo Big Band - Fletcher Henderson's Unrecorded

Styles: Jazz, Big Band
Year: 2007
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 63:01
Size: 146,6 MB
Art: Front

(3:01)  1. Rose Of The Rio Grande
(4:05)  2. Blue And Broken Hearted
(3:19)  3. Song Of The Wanderer
(3:19)  4. Out Of Nowhere
(3:36)  5. Humoreque
(4:02)  6. Poor Butterfly
(3:03)  7. Rosalie
(4:00)  8. All My Life
(3:02)  9. Thou Swell
(4:39) 10. She'S Funny That Way
(4:36) 11. Sunday
(4:18) 12. Sweet Lorraine
(3:38) 13. S'Posin'
(3:57) 14. Sugar
(3:30) 15. Sweet And Slow
(3:23) 16. Milenberg Joys
(3:26) 17. Bojangles Of Harlem

"A lot of good records come out every year, but very few of them could be called an event. This one can. An unearthed treasure trove of arrangements written by Fletcher Henderson for Benny Goodman but never previously recorded now brought to life by Bob Wilber and the swinging Tuxedo Big Band from Toulouse, France filled with first-rate soloists well, that's not the sort of thing that happens every day." 

Ross Firestone, Author of the award winning Swing, Swing, Swing: The Life and Times of Benny Goodman. ~ Editorial Reviews https://www.amazon.com/Fletcher-Hendersons-Unrecorded-Arrangements-Goodman/dp/B00004SVHS

***** 5 stars - John McDonough, Down Beat, December 2000

2000 Critics' Choice - Sally Ann Worsfold, Jazz Journal International, February 2001

Best of 2001 - Music Broadcasting Society of New South Wales, Australia
 

 Thank you Yara!

Fletcher Henderson's Unrecorded

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Kevin Mahogany & Tony Lakatos - The Coltrane Hartman Fantasy Vol. 1

Size: 107,9 MB

Time: 46:54

File: MP3 @ 320K/s

Released: 2010

Styles: Jazz

Art: Front

01. Any Place I Hang My Hat Is Home (6:26)

02. Interlude (5:59)

03. Come Rain Or Come Shine (7:52)

04. I Want To Talk About You (6:37)

05. If I'm Lucky (6:12)

06. How High The Moon - Satellite (5:41)

07. My Little Brown Book (8:03)

On "The Coltrane Hartman Fantasy" baritone vocalist Kevin Mahogany and tenor saxophonist Tony Lakatos let the spirit of the jazz ballad classic come alive, that John Coltrane and Johnny Hartman recorded in 1962. Mahogany and Lakatos bring a cosmos of compositions to life, which probably would have been recorded if Coltrane and Hartman would have continued with another album . On tracks like "Come Rain Or Come Shine", "If I'm Lucky" or "My Little Brown Book" Mahogany and Lakatos are communicating in a way, which is nothing less than timeless and beautiful. They are supported by Cologne based pianist Thomas Rückert and bassist Henning Gailing and top-drummer Martijn Vink from Amsterdam.

The Coltrane Hartman Fantasy Vol.1

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Dave Stryker - Prime

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 2023
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 57:57
Size: 134,5 MB
Art: Front

(6:24) 1. Prime
(6:37) 2. Lockdown
(8:14) 3. Captain Jack
(5:20) 4. Hope
(5:25) 5. As We Were
(5:16) 6. Mac
(5:41) 7. I Should Care
(6:36) 8. Deep
(8:21) 9. Dude's Lounge

Guitarist Dave Stryker, a ubiquitous presence on the New York scene (and elsewhere) for more than three decades as a leader or sideman, is also a prolific recording artist with more than 35 albums under his belt (and many more than that as member of various ensembles) in formats ranging from big band to trio. On Prime, he opts for the smaller arrangement, employing his long-time working group (Jared Gold, organ; McClenty Hunter, drums) to perform eight of Stryker's engaging compositions and one standard, the melancholy "I Should Care."

From the opening measures of the album's fast-moving title song, Stryker shows that, at age 65, he is as sharp and nimble- fingered as ever, skipping handily through the lightning-swift changes and setting the stage for vigorous statements by Gold and Hunter. Having made his point, Stryker turns next to the blues, proving on the enchanting "Lockdown" that he is no less comfortable at a more unhurried tempo, as he does again on the shuffling "Captain Jack," which follows.

"Hope" is an unhurried charmer with an earnest Latin beat, "As We Were" an ambrosial ballad on which Gold and Stryker are at their rhapsodic best with McClenty lending sure-handed support on brushes. "Mac," set in a handsome walking groove, leads to the melodious "I Should Care," which is without a doubt one of the session's several highlights, as is the buoyantly rhythmic "Deep," which follows. Stryker saves another surprise for last, as "Dude's Lounge" opens as a seductive ballad before assuming a funkier but no less engaging persona.

As organ trios go, Stryker's is first-class, thanks to his special talents and those of Gold and McClenty. Prime is far more than background music to be played while the mind is otherwise engaged. It is serious jazz, ably performed by three masters of the genre, and deserves to be considered on those terms.By Jack Bowers https://www.allaboutjazz.com/prime-dave-stryker-strikezone-records

Personnel: Dave Stryker: guitar; Jared Gold: organ, Hammond B3; McClenty Hunter, Jr.: drums.

Prime

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Francesca Tandoi - When in Rome

Styles: Piano, Swing
Year: 2022
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 39:07
Size: 90,4 MB
Art: Front

(6:10) 1. Tin Tin Deo
(8:23) 2. Eternal dusk
(6:43) 3. Estrada branca
(3:03) 4. Winter Love
(4:59) 5. P.C.R.
(5:50) 6. Arabesque n. 1
(3:57) 7. Two lonely souls

“Francesca Tandoi is a pianist gifted with an excellent musical taste and sense of swing. She has a refined voice, she is capable of composing unforgettable melodies and arranging in an extremely sophisticated manner." By Monty Alexander

Pianist/vocalist Francesca Tandoi is recognized by critics and the public as one of the most interesting talents on the international jazz scene, an excellent composer and extraordinary band leader who already boasts a path studded with successes all over the world. Her trio performances have been repeatedly described as “an explosion of swing” and her pianism incredibly energetic and elegant at the same time.

She has an intense activity as a sideman behind her having collaborated with internationally renowned artists but in recent years it has been the formula of the trio that has been more congenial to her, allowing her a wide-ranging expressive freedom of original intensity in which she maintains a firm bond with the past and the jazz tradition but with the mind projected towards the future. She moved to the Netherlands in 2009 to study at the Royal Conservatory of The Hague et al Codarts Conservatory of Rotterdam, she graduated cum laude in 2015 and soon began her international career which sees her intensely engaged in concerts and tours in some of the most important theaters, festivals and clubs around the world (such as the North Sea jazz festival, Umbria Jazz, Cork jazz, Breda jazz, Amsterdam Arena stadium and many others in USA, Indonesia, India, Japan, South Africa, Russia and throughout Europe) both as leader of his trio and as sideman of some of the names most important of the Italian and international jazz scene.

“Francesca Tandoi has a perfect piano technique and an incredible sense of swing. The audience is totally enthralled by her playing." David Alston As leader of her trio from 2014 to today she already has several recordings "For Elvira" "Something blue" "Magic Three" and "Wind dance". The latter appears in the "top 10 best jazz albums of 2017" ranking of the famous Japanese magazine "Jazz Life". The same magazine defines her as one of the most interesting young talents on the European jazz scene.

Her latest record "When in Rome" will be released in 2022. She also appears as a sideman on more than 20 recordings, three of which as a quartet with saxophonist Scott Hamilton. “Francesca Tandoi has truly excellent piano skills, she's like she's flying over the keyboard. Plus she has a beautiful, enveloping and charming voice." Jazz Flits Magazine Translate By Google https://www.birdboxrecords.com/francesca-tandoi

Personnel: Vocal – Francesca Tandoi (tracks: 4); Double Bass – Matheus Nicolaiewsky; Drums – Sander Smeets; Piano – Francesca Tandoi

When in Rome

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Tim Berne & Matt Mitchell - Angel Dusk

Styles: Saxophone And Piano
Year: 2018
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 45:44
Size: 106,2 MB
Art: Front

(12:02) 1. Perception-Reception
( 2:26) 2. Not Too Two
( 7:24) 3. Exeception-Pest
( 5:08) 4. Concepcion
( 3:01) 5. Starfish Blues
( 5:43) 6. Chance
( 5:03) 7. Snail's Pace
( 4:54) 8. Petulance

Last year, innovative pianist Matt Mitchell released Forage, a great solo album whose audacious material consisted exclusively of compositions by alto saxophonist Tim Berne, the man who had hired him in 2012 to play in the progressive Snakeoil band. The musical bond between the two men is so strong that a duo album was almost inevitable. Hence, Angel Dusk is now available and features eight tracks that pair Berne’s agile phrasing and resonant angularity with the perceptive, if intricate, tapestries of Mitchell.

The session opens with “Perception/Reception”, which gets strong forward momentum without being constantly busy. It shapes into a lyric reflection imbued with precise movements and emotional force. At some point, Berne embarks on circular crusades, having Mitchell's regularly paced chords darkening the mood for the time they last. Even remaining enigmatic until the end, there’s light in the sharp unison lines, which also endure on the subsequent short tune, “Not Too Two”.

“Exception/pest” flows with an instant liquidity. Mostly amiable in nature and exhibiting a classical-tinged artistry on the piano, the piece is temperate in its last section with a sort of rebelliousness that surfaces under the guise of explosive saxophone statements. Things are maintained hot on “Starfish Blues”, in which the swift interplay becomes massive and irreverent, and on the hyperactive “Petulance”, a recipient of ritualistic saxophone drives delivered with scorching trills in the mix and a complete command of the language. Denser harmonic progressions are adopted as accompaniment.

Both “Chance” and “Snail’s Pace” take their time to evolve, embracing a melodic parallelism that, even cerebral to a certain degree, is no less interesting or provocative than the sonic outbreaks. If the former piece goes from balmy to eloquent before returning to the written section, then the latter opens with Mitchell’s mystic rainbows of beautifully contrasting notes, proceeding in 'searching' mode after Berne jumps in with a combination of intimate melodicism and rhythmic agitation.

The constituent pieces of this collaborative work are extremely hard to separate in upbeat or downbeat. It’s much easier to associate their organic sounds with light and darkness due to the timbral coloring of the knotty textures. Berne and Mitchell sculpt and engrave with an absolute sense of anticipation and direction, making their set of explorations a stimulating listening experience.
https://jazztrail.net/blog/2018/7/24/tim-berne-matt-mitchell-angel-dusk-album-review

Personnel: Tim Berne: alto saxophone; Matt Mitchell: piano.

Angel Dusk

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Buster Williams - Crystal Reflections

Styles: Jazz, Post Bop
Year: 1976
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 49:45
Size: 114,2 MB
Art: Front

( 7:20)  1. Prism
( 9:30)  2. The Enchanted Flower
( 5:21)  3. I Love You
( 5:38)  4. I Dream Too Much
(11:47)  5. Vibrations
( 3:29)  6. My Funny Valentine
( 6:38)  7. I Dream Too Much

Bassist Buster Williams is well featured here on this pretty, interesting set from 1976, his second disc as a leader. Crystal Reflections concentrates on exploratory duets with keyboardist Kenny Barron (the exceptional Barron original, "The Enchanted Flower"), pianist Jimmy Rowles (two versions of "I Dream Too Much") and vibraphonist Roy Ayers ("My Funny Valentine"). Elsewhere, Williams combines with Barron, Ayers and drummer Billy Hart for three impressionistic pieces: William's sensitive "Prism," Cole Porter's "I Love You" and Roy Ayers's Spyro Gyra-like "Vibrations." Even when Williams overdubs synthesizer and female voices overtop "Prism" or when Roy Ayers doubles up on sythn for "Virgo," the effect is sensitively considered and the result is quite a positive contribution to the success of each piece. This set is much more likely to appeal to fans of Kenny Barron, Jimmy Rowles or Roy Ayers. But bassist Williams proves himself a worthy leader here. He's a sympathetic, melodic player whose perceptive and intuitive string work is often simple and effective, never showy and very much a beneficial part of the whole. Like the title suggests, this is music that is as pretty as it is intelligent. Recommended. ~ Douglas Payne https://www.allaboutjazz.com/crystal-reflections-buster-williams-32-records-review-by-douglas-payne.php

Personnel: Buster Williams: bass, synthesizer; Kenny Barron: piano, electric piano; Jimmy Rowles: piano; Roy Ayers: vibes, synthesizer; Billy Hart: drums; Nobu Urushiyama: percussion; Suzanne Klewan: voice.

Crystal Reflections

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Chris Potter - Got The Keys To The Kingdom: Live At The Village Vanguard

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2023
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 61:21
Size: 140,7 MB
Art: Front

(14:01) 1. You Gotta Move
(10:53) 2. Nozani Na
( 9:01) 3. Blood Count
( 7:26) 4. Klactoveedsedstene
( 6:22) 5. Olha Maria
(13:36) 6. Got The Keys To The Kingdom

There is a lot of heavy ordnance going off during this album. Indeed, the incoming only lets up once, and then briefly, during a performance of Billy Strayhorn's "Blood Count" at the halfway point. For the rest of the sixty-one minutes playing time, the watchword is eruptive. But no PPE is required. The barrage is benign.

This is the third album Chris Potter has recorded live at the Vanguard. The attraction is no surprise. Saxophonists, especially those whose primary horn is the tenor, must get a special charge from performing at the venue immortalised by John Coltrane. Potter leads a quartet completed by pianist Craig Taborn, bassist Scott Colley and drummer Marcus Gilmore. Each has form with Potter, especially Colley and Gilmore: Colley was in the band which recorded Lift (Live At The Village Vanguard) (Sunnyside, 2004) and Taborn in the one which made Follow The Red Line (Live At The Village Vanguard) (Sunnyside, 2007). Gilmore, the youngest member of the group, is no stranger to Potter either. Nor is he, genealogically speaking, a stranger to the Vanguard: his grandfather the great Roy Haynes, sat in for Elvin Jones for a run of "Chasin' The Trane" during Coltrane's historic 1961 residency.

Unlike the two earlier discs, which mostly consisted of Potter originals, Got The Keys To The Kingdom is entirely made up of covers. They are an imaginatively diverse collection: Mississippi Fred McDowell's "You Gotta Move;" "Nozani Na," a Brazilian folk tune collected by Heitor Villa-Lobos and Edgar Roquette-Pinto; Charlie Parker's "Klactoveedsedstene;" Antonio Carlos Jobim's "Olha Maria;" and the title track, a traditional African American spiritual; and the aforementioned "Blood Count." The main soloist is Potter, who must be on-mic for around eighty per cent of the time. Next up is Gilmore, with three killer solos and Taborn with two. Colley steps forward only on the intro to "Olha Maria." The album will shave your ass and Potter deserves an honorary set of keys to the Vanguard on the strength of it.By Chris May
https://www.allaboutjazz.com/got-the-keys-to-the-kingdom-live-at-the-village-vanguard-chris-potter-edition-records

Personnel: Chris Potter: saxophone; Craig Taborn: piano; Scott Colley: bass; Marcus Gilmore: drums.

Got The Keys To The Kingdom: Live At The Village Vanguard

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Dominick Farinacci - Smile

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 2005
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 54:39
Size: 125,4 MB
Art: Front

(4:16) 1. Who Cares
(6:23) 2. The Nearness Of You
(6:26) 3. Estate
(6:39) 4. Just One Of Those Things
(4:51) 5. I Remember Clifford
(6:25) 6. Come Rain Or Come Shine
(6:41) 7. The Grey Goose
(7:32) 8. Relaxin' At
(5:23) 9. Smile

Recently featured on ABC’s Good Morning America, and at the Amy Winehouse Inspiration Awards, Dominick Farinacci has garnered critical acclaim around the globe. Upon the release of his U.S. debut CD, Lovers, Tales and Dances, the great Quincy Jones stopped by the hip Los Angeles club Vibrato to check out a show by the now 30- year-old trumpeter. Farinacci had recorded an obscure Q composition, “The Theme from the Pawnbroker.” Jones’ classic response: “This kid is 360 degrees!” a reference to the cosmopolitan, culturally expansive range of American and world music influences Farinacci brings to his own music.

Over the years, Farinacci has won numerous awards that speak to his wide-ranging impact and appeal: the International New Star Award (along with Diana Krall and Christian McBride) and Disney New Star Award. He was also invited to perform at the O2 in London, opening for Jamie Cullum and Jeff Beck. In January 2012, he was featured on an hour-long segment of NPR’s “Jazz Rising Stars.” Launching his recording career overseas with an incredibly prolific run of six albums from 2003-2007 on Japan’s Pony Canyon/M&I Records, the NYC based artist blossomed with the full throttle eclectic approach he took to Lovers, Tales and Dances, the first jazz recording produced by legendary three time Grammy winning pop/rock producer Russ Titelman (formerly with Eric Clapton, Steve Winwood, James Taylor, etc…)

Dominick was personally invited by music legend Wynton Marsalis to headline the newly established Jazz At Lincoln Center Doha in Doha, Qatar. Since then, he has been invited to return for a one-month residency later this year. He is the creator and Artistic Director for a youth outreach program in his hometown of Cleveland, at the Tommy Lipuma Creative Center for the Arts. This unique community program has reached over 5,000 kids in the past year.

Between Cleveland and NYC (where he lives), Dominick initiated a toy-drive campaign to help children devastated by Hurricane Sandy, partnering with the US Marine Toys for Tots. Together they and raised over 3,000 toys which were delivered to kids in affected areas around the Holidays.

Dominick also serves as an artistic consultant to the newly established Amy Winehouse Foundation. from www.dominickfarinacci.com
https://www.jazzmusicarchives.com/subgenre/eclectic-fusion

Personnel: Dominick Farinacci - trumpet; Dan Kaufman - piano; Yasuhi Nakamura - bass; Carmen Intorre Jr. - drums; Jon Irabagon - alto, sopranosax

Smile

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Massimo Farao and The Jazz Magicians Orchestra - Magic Swing: Tribute To The Music Of Count Basie

Styles: Piano, Big Band
Year: 2022
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 37:12
Size: 86,5 MB
Art: Front

(3:12) 1. Deep Read
(4:07) 2. It's Oh So Nice
(5:45) 3. Lover Man
(3:48) 4. Moten Swing
(3:19) 5. Cute
(3:59) 6. Hay Burner
(6:19) 7. Told You So
(3:14) 8. We Be Jammin'
(3:25) 9. The Kid From Red Bank

A tribute to the Count Basie Orchestra, the pinnacle of swing jazz big band! The sound of the 18-piece Count Basie Orchestra is recreated by overdubbing the brass sections of the jazz musicians performing here. Just magic!
https://store.acousticsounds.com/d/170275/Massimo_Farao_And_The_Jazz_Magicians_Orchestra-Magic_Swing_Tribute_To_The_Music_Of_Count_Basie-Single_Layer_SACD

Musicians: Massimo Farao, piano; Cesare Mecca, trumpet; Gianpiero Lo Bello, trumpet; Gianni Virone, sax; Claudio Chiara, sax; Luca Begonia, trombone; Gianfranco Marchesi, trombone; David E. Palladini, guitar; Nicola Barbon, bass; Bobo Facchinetti, drums.

Magic Swing: Tribute To The Music Of Count Basie

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Buster Williams Quartet - Lost In A Memory

Styles: Jazz, Post Bop
Year: 1999
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 59:37
Size: 138,7 MB
Art: Front

(4:20)  1. A Different Place
(9:04)  2. Lost in a Memory
(7:53)  3. Deja
(7:03)  4. I Thought About You
(4:16)  5. Why Should I Pretend
(5:29)  6. Skim Coat
(5:05)  7. Ambiance and Pie
(9:54)  8. Christina
(6:27)  9. Tunnel Wind

Bassist Buster Williams contributed eight of the nine selections (all but the standard "I Thought About You") for this well-conceived set of advanced straight-ahead jazz. Williams (who had recently turned 50) teams up with vibraphonist Stefon Harris, pianist Geri Allen and drummer Lenny White. Harris is mostly the lead voice and the group does sound at times a little like the Modern Jazz Quartet, due to the identical instrumentation. Williams takes a surprisingly effective vocal on his "Why Should I Pretend" and otherwise is mostly in the background behind Harris and Allen. Due to the excellent originals, this is one of Buster Williams' strongest dates as a leader. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/lost-in-a-memory-mw0000606488

Buster Williams Quartet: Buster Williams (vocals, bass); Stefon Harris (vibraphone); Geri Allen (piano); Lenny White (drums).       

Lost In A Memory

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Tony Lakatos - Blue Chili

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2023
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 62:28
Size: 143,2 MB
Art: Front

(6:22) 1. Rama IX
(6:55) 2. Zoot Suits
(9:46) 3. Blue Chili
(4:54) 4. Easy Wish
(6:42) 5. Eugen Choose the Shorter Way
(7:41) 6. Amla Noc
(7:41) 7. Le Babe
(7:18) 8. Mingus Diggs
(5:06) 9. Pocket Waltz

Tony Lakatos is undoubtedly the shining light of the saxophone in the German jazz scene. Like very few German jazz musicians before him, he has gained worldwide recognition and is constantly on the road in concerts to keep the legacy of jazz history alive, including current trends, so he has recently been seen a lot as an outstanding soloist of the ensemble Web Web with Max Herre. Beyond all genres and pigeonholes, he has found his very own, suspended saxophone tone, both on the tenor and soprano saxophone.

In 2021 he was awarded the Hessian Jazz Prize and now he has used the prize money to put together an international top cast in Berlin, with which he pays tribute to his idols. In addition to Alex Sipiagin on trumpet and flugelhorn, he is accompanied by Hans Glawischnigg on drums, Gregory Hutchinson on drums and the famous Danny Grisett on piano and Fender Rhodes.

Nine original compositions impressively demonstrate the mastery of the Frankfurter, who originally came from a Hungarian musical dynasty. With titles such as "Zoots Suits", "Eugen Choose The Shorter Way" or "Mingus Diggs", the connoisseur will know which idols Lakatos recalls. Already from February this ensemble will go on an extensive European tour with numerous concerts in Germany release date of BLUE CHILI: January 13, 2023https://shop.skiprecords.com/blogs/tour-daten/tony-lakatos-with-blue-chili-on-tour

Personnel: Tony Lakatos: tenor, soprano saxophone, flute; Alex Sipiagin: trumpet; Danny Grissett: piano; Hans Glawischnig: bass; Gregory Hutchinson: drums

Blue Chili

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Lee Morse - Old Fashioned Jazz

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2022
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 31:13
Size: 72,1 MB
Art: Front

(2:31) 1. Keep Sweeping The Cobwebs Off The Moon
(3:18) 2. Something In The Night
(3:17) 3. Walkin' My Baby Back Home
(3:13) 4. Careless Love
(2:54) 5. Be Sweet To Me
(3:01) 6. Old Fashioned Romance
(2:58) 7. He's Still My Baby
(2:56) 8. Don't Even Change A Picture On The Wall
(3:26) 9. Nobody Cares If I'm Blue
(3:33) 10. By My Side

A torch song singer renowned for her versatility, Lee Morse's troubles with alcohol prevented her from attaining the fame her talents promised. Born Lena Taylor in 1897, Morse grew up in a musical family in Kooskia, Idaho. After marrying and having a son, she left her family for the vaudeville circuit of the west coat around 1920, signing with producer Will King. A year later, she began working in musical revues with Kolb & Dill. In 1922, Morse joined the Pantages circuit, and played to rave reviews. Many wondered how the petite singer could produce such a deep sound, and one Variety writer supposed her low range came from trying to match her brothers' voices throughout her youth. Morse began recording with Pathe-Perfect in 1924, laying down several of her own compositions, such as "Telling Eyes," "Those Daisy Days" and "An Old Fashioned Romance." Lee Morse & Her Blue Grass Boys included trumpeter Manny Klein, Eddie Lang on guitar, and two brothers who played clarinet and trombone named Jimmy and Tommy Dorsey.

Switching to Columbia in 1927, Morse continued working the stage and won a role in Zeigfield's Simple Simon that could have cemented her legacy. But a bender left Morse unable to perform the first show, and Ruth Etting stepped in to take her place. The show's signature song, "Ten Cents a Dance," helped launch Etting to fame, while Morse's Broadway career quickly ended. She still managed to film musical shorts throughout the '30s, including A Million Me's, Lee Morse in the Music Racket, and Song Service. As stage gigs became scarce during the depression, Morse settled for club acts, and even opened a club with pianist Rob Downey in Texas, which ran until it burned down in 1939. Then Morse's marriage to Downey disintegrated, leaving her even more dependant on alcohol. She moved to Rochester, New York, and in 1946 married Ray Farese, who landed her a radio show and club dates. The singer attempted a comeback with the song "Don't Even Change a Picture on the Wall" in 1951. She died at 57 in 1954.
By Ron DePasquale https://www.allmusic.com/artist/lee-morse-mn0000813638/biography

Old Fashioned Jazz

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