Howard Alden & Dan Barrett - Swing Street

Styles: Guitar and Trombone Jazz
Year: 1988
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 44:57
Size: 103,4 MB
Art: Front

(3:22)  1. Lullaby In Rhythm
(3:02)  2. Fun City Swinger
(5:53)  3. Black Sheep Blues
(3:28)  4. I May Be Wrong (But I Think Yo
(3:12)  5. Dawn On the Desert
(3:30)  6. Flying Home
(2:51)  7. Front and Center
(4:02)  8. Pannonica
(3:29)  9. Cherry Blossom
(3:58) 10. I Didn't Know About You
(4:34) 11. Stompin' At the Savoy
(3:30) 12. Cotton Tail

This is a remarkable record by the Howard Alden-Dan Barrett Quintet. Although the group has an instrumentation of guitarist Alden, trombonist Barrett, Chuck Wilson on alto and clarinet, bassist Frank Tate, and drummer Jackie Williams, its arrangements (some by Buck Clayton) often make the band sound a bit like the John Kirby Sextet, a classic unit comprised of trumpet, alto, clarinet, piano, bass, and drums. 

The delightful unit uplifts such tunes as "Lullaby in Rhythm," "I May Be Wrong," Charlie Shavers' "Dawn on the Desert," "Stompin' at the Savoy," and even Thelonious Monk's "Pannonica," revitalizing small-group swing. Highly recommended.By Scott Yanow http://www.allmusic.com/album/swing-street-mw0000197085

Personnel: Howard Alden (guitar), Dan Barrett (trombone), Frank Tate (bass), Jackie Williams (drums), Chuck Wilson (alto saxophone, clarinet).

Swing Street  

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Toots Thielemans - Brasil Project Vol. 2

Styles: Harmonica Jazz
Year: 1993
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 51:37
Size: 143,6 MB
Art: Front

(5:30)  1. Ce
(3:36)  2. Choro Bandido
(3:19)  3. Retrato em Branco e Preto
(3:34)  4. Obsession
(3:08)  5. Travessia
(4:25)  6. Flora
(5:17)  7. Unconditional Love
(2:59)  8. Papel Maché
(3:36)  9. O Futebol
(3:48) 10. Linda
(3:22) 11. Samba de Uma Nota Só
(5:21) 12. Oceano
(3:36) 13. Samba de Orfeu

Guitarist, harmonica player, and whistler Toots Thielemans' followup to the critically acclaimed Brasil Project doesn't stray far from its predecessor's path. There are 13 nice Afro-Latin selections with Thielemans backing such top Brazilian vocalists as Milton Nascimento, Gilberto Gil, Ivan Lins, Caetano Veloso, and Dori Caymmi, among others, and guitarists Oscar Castro-Nieves and Lee Ritenour assisting Thielemans with delicate shadings and accompaniment.By Ron Wynn
http://www.allmusic.com/album/the-brasil-project-vol-2-mw0000098552

Personnel includes: Toots Thielemans (harmonica); Edu Lobo, Milton Nascimento (vocals); John Clark (French horn, hornette); Eliane Elias (piano);  Mike Lang, Dave Grusin (keyboards); Ivan Lins (keyboards, vocals); Joao Bosco, Djavan, Dori Caymmi (guitar, vocals); Lee Ritenour, Oscar Castro-Neves, Luis Bonfa (guitar); Eugene Friesen (cello); Brian Bromberg, Marc Johnson, Jamil Joanes (bass); Steve Schaeffer, Teo Lima (drums); Cassio Duarte, Bira Hawal, Paulinho Da Costa (percussion).

Brasil Project Vol. 2

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Oscar Castro-Neves - Oscar!

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 40:11
Size: 92.0 MB
Styles: Latin jazz
Year: 1987
Art: Front

[3:28] 1. Rancho Do Carioca
[3:44] 2. Rio Dawning
[4:07] 3. Song For Joyce
[2:48] 4. Summer Winds
[3:17] 5. Air On A 6 String
[3:16] 6. Onde Está Você
[3:04] 7. Saudade (Nostalgic Longing)
[2:41] 8. Bahia Calling
[3:03] 9. Forgotten Dreams
[4:19] 10. Luizana
[3:57] 11. Cat Song
[2:22] 12. Street Corner Samba

Oscar Castro-Neves, a Brazilian guitarist who was instrumental in the development of that country’s bossa nova style, died in Los Angeles on Sept. 27. He was 73 and the cause was cancer. Castro-Neves had lived permanently in the United States since 1971.

Oscar Castro-Neves was born in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on May 15, 1940. He began playing guitar, specifically the Brazilian cavaquinho, a small Brazilian guitar, as a child and performed in local bands as a teen. He also learned piano but it was the guitar that brought him success, particularly after he became involved in formulating the emerging bossa nova sound, working with Jobim and others. While still living in Brazil, he recorded with major artists such as Vinicius de Moraes and Dorival Caymmi.

At 22, Castro-Neves performed at a bossa nova concert at Carnegie Hall and four years later he began working extensively in the States, eventually adding his guitar and vocals to recordings by Getz, Frank Sinatra, Elis Regina, Flora Purim, Joe Henderson, Michael Jackson, Barbra Streisand, Stevie Wonder, Eliane Elias, João Gilberto, Lee Ritenour, Airto Moreira, Diane Schuur, Herbie Hancock, Ella Fitzgerald, Ottmar Liebert and others. He arranged music for Quincy Jones, Flora Purim, Laurindo Almeida, Gilberto and others.

Oscar!

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Eric Rasmussen - School Of Tristano 1, 2, 3

Album: School Of Tristano 1
Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2007
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 60:29
Size: 142,7 MB
Art: Front

(6:44) 1. Friendlee
(4:30) 2. I Can't Remember
(4:53) 3. Dixie's Dilemna
(6:58) 4. Backgroud Music
(4:38) 5. It's You
(6:18) 6. 317 E. 32nd Street
(5:52) 7. Marshmallow
(5:41) 8. Kary's Trance
(7:14) 9. Every Breath
(7:37) 10. Wow

Although he was far too young to have studied with Lennie Tristano, alto saxophonist Eric Rasmussen is a firm believer in the late pianist and teacher's approach to jazz, especially playing intricate reworkings of familiar chord changes. Guitarist Nate Radley is equally drenched in Tristano-school arrangements, so together with bassist Dave Ambrosio and in-demand drummer Matt Wilson (who seems like he takes part in hundreds of recording sessions every year), the group plays eight works created by Tristano and two of his earliest followers, Lee Konitz and Warne Marsh.

But the quartet takes the original recordings as a launching pad for improvisation, relishing the tricky unison lines and counterpoint of the creators while also putting their own stamp on them in the process. So attentive listeners are still able to pick out the songs which inspired each of these pieces, including Tristano's challenging "317 E. 32nd Street" (based on "Out of Nowhere"), Marsh's furious "Background Music" ("All of Me") and a spacy treatment of Konitz's "Kary's Trance" ("Angel Eyes"). Rasmussen reworked "I Remember You" into a new composition "I Can't Remember," while Bailey transforms rocker Sting's hit "Every Breath You Take" into a Tristano-flavored piece ("Every Breath") with great success.

While far too many people label Tristano's approach to jazz as "cold" and "unemotional" Rasmussen's quartet proves otherwise throughout this rewarding session, reviving the idea that musicians attentively listening to one another can produce more compelling results than simply playing it safe. By Ken Dryden
https://www.allmusic.com/album/school-of-tristano-mw0001906494

Personnel: Alto Saxophone – Eric Rasmussen; Bass – Dave Ambrosio; Drums – Matt Wilson; Guitar – Nate Radley

School Of Tristano 1

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Album: School Of Tristano 2
Time: 57:49
Size: 133,3 MB

(4:06) 1. Earful
(6:00) 2. Sound Lee
(3:03) 3. Progression
(3:35) 4. Line Up
(5:27) 5. Victory Ball
(3:35) 6. April
(4:35) 7. Marionette
(6:02) 8. April Fool
(3:23) 9. Hi Beck
(5:04) 10. Tautology
(6:44) 11. Leave Me Alone
(6:07) 12. Smog Eyes

Alto saxophonist Eric Rasmussen recorded his first volume of compositions by Lennie Tristano and some of his most famous students in 2006. When producer Nils Winther discovered that this only represented a fraction of Rasmussen's repertoire of songs by Tristano and his disciples, he quickly suggested additional record dates. This volume, taped around the same time as volume three, features the same quartet with guitarist Nate Radley, bassist Dave Ambrosio, and the in-demand drummer Matt Wilson, all of whom excel in facing the challenges of the intricate reworking of familiar songs as envisioned by Tristano, Lee Konitz, Ronnie Ball, Billy Bauer, and Ted Brown.

Rasmussen avoided listening to the available recordings of the pieces the quartet performed, in order to guarantee fresh approaches to each song. As on the earlier session, the quartet dives headfirst into each of these demanding compositions, constantly challenging themselves as improvisers building upon the framework by their predecessors. Two of Tristano's pieces are based upon "I'll Remember April," "April," and "April Fool," though they are very different works. Rasmussen's unison playing with Radley in Konitz's fiendishly difficult "Sound Lee" is superb. Tristano fans will enjoy digging out the original recordings by the pianist, Konitz, Ball, Bauer, and Brown to compare them with the stunning interpretations on this highly recommended disc. By Ken Dryden
https://www.allmusic.com/album/school-of-tristano-2-mw0000793976

Personnel: Alto Saxophone – Eric Rasmussen; Bass – Dave Ambrosio; Drums – Matt Wilson; Guitar – Nate Radley

School Of Tristano 2

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Album: School Of Tristano 3
Time: 57:13
Size: 132,1 MB

(4:02) 1. Sax Of A Kind
(9:15) 2. Leave Me Alone
(6:01) 3. Playa Del Ray
(7:34) 4. Requiem
(5:06) 5. Lennie-Bird
(4:14) 6. Just Way There You Are
(5:56) 7. Palo Alto
(2:27) 8. Lennie's Pennies
(5:20) 9. Sop Goes The Leasel
(3:35) 10. April (take1)
(3:39) 11. Line Up (take1)

Saxophonist/Composer Eric Rasmussen relocated to the Phoenix area in the summer of 2007. The California native spent the last ten years playing and teaching in New York City where he was a staple of the jazz community, performing regularly on the East Coast as well as throughout Europe. While in New York, he performed regularly with some of the most respected names in jazz and was the Director of Jazz Studies at the Center for Preparatory Studies in Music at Queens College.

Earning his Masters of Music degree in Jazz Performance at the New England Conservatory in Boston, Eric studied with Jerry Bergonzi, George Garzone, Danilo Perez and Paul Bley. He received his BFA in Jazz Performance from California Institute of the Arts in Los Angeles, where he studied with Charlie Haden, Joe Labarbera and Roscoe Mitchell. Eric leads the groups Guaranteed Swahili and the Eric Rasmussen Tristano Band, both of which have toured the United States on numerous occasions. Eric is an experienced educator and guest clinician with clinics at the University of Iowa, California Institute of the Arts, Wellesley College, Saddleback College, Arizona State University, Hartnell College, Portsmouth Music and Arts Center, as well as numerous high schools throughout the country and in the Phoenix area.

With his own groups, Eric has recorded for internationally acclaimed jazz labels Steeplechase and Fresh Sound Records. As a sideman, Eric has also recorded with Paul Bley, Danilo Perez, Billy Hart, Christophe Schweizer and the Jazz Composers Alliance Saxophone Quartet. He has played at some of the most prestigious venues in the Country including the Kennedy Center and a 2007 performance with the Lee Konitz Big Band as part of the JVC Jazz Festival at Carnegie Hall. Eric has served as adjunct faculty for Mesa Community College, Paradise Valley Community College and was the Music Director for Young Sounds of Arizona from 2010 – 2011. Currently, Eric is the Director of Instrumental Music at Scottsdale Community College.
https://directory.scottsdalecc.edu/rasmussen-eric

School Of Tristano 3

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Toots Thielemans - The Brasil Project

Styles: Guitar And Harmonica Jazz
Year: 1992
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 55:51
Size: 128,9 MB
Art: Front

(3:57)  1. Começar de Novo
(4:23)  2. Obi
(3:00)  3. Felicia And Bianca
(4:10)  4. O Cantador
(2:57)  5. Joanna Francesa
(4:26)  6. Coisa Feita
(3:18)  7. Preciso Aprender a Ser Só
(5:41)  8. Fruta Boa
(4:29)  9. Coração Vagabundo
(3:29) 10. Manhã de Carnaval
(3:39) 11. Casa Fortes
(2:35) 12. Moments
(9:41) 13. Blusette

This popular set matches the brilliant harmonica player Toots Thielemans with such top Brazilian performers as Ivan Lins, Djavan, Oscar Castro-Neves, Dori Caymmi, Ricardo Silveira, João Bosco, Gilberto Gil, Milton Nascimento, Caetano Veloso, Luiz Bonfá, Edu Lobo and Eliane Elias, in addition to bassist Brian Bromberg, keyboardist Michael Lang, trumpeter Mark Isham and Dave Grusin. Thielemans is often in a supportive role behind the many soothing Brazilian singers and performers. The atmospheric date surprisingly does not have any Antonio Carlos Jobim songs, instead emphasizing lesser-known tunes (other than Toots' greatest hit "Bluesette"). Easily recommended to fans of Brazilian pop and jazz, this CD was soon followed by a second (and equally rewarding) set featuring many of the same performers. ~ Scott Yanow http://www.allmusic.com/album/the-brasil-project-mw0000081385

Personnel: Toots Thielemans (harmonica, guitar, whistle); Milton Nascimento, Chico Buarque (vocals); Djavan, Joao Bosco, Dori Cayammi, Gilberto Gil, Caetano Veloso, Edu Lobo, Luis Bonfa (guitar, vocals); Lee Ritenour, Oscar Castro-Neves, Ricardo Silveira (guitar); Mark Isham (trumpet); Dave Grusin, Eliane Elias (piano); Gilson Peranzzetta, Mike Lang (keyboards); Ivan Lins (keyboards, vocals); Brian Bromberg, Jamil Joanes, Nico Assumpcao, Marc Johnson (bass); Teo Lima (drums); Cassio Duarte, Bira Hawai, Jose Roberto, Paulinho Da Costa (percussion).

The Brasil Project

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Oscar Castro-Neves - Brazilian Scandals

Styles: Latin
Year: 1987
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 45:14
Size: 127,8 MB
Art: Front

(4:32)  1. Brazilian Scandals
(4:42)  2. Pensando
(4:04)  3. Romancing Lorry
(3:51)  4. Sugarloaf Skyride
(2:49)  5. Cafe Copacabana
(4:44)  6. Return to Rio
(3:46)  7. Your Eyes
(3:05)  8. Carioca Rap
(4:31)  9. Ocean Drive
(4:32) 10. Tropical Dream
(4:35) 11. Ipanema Afternoon

Oscar Castro-Neves is a fine Brazilian guitarist who is equally talented in organizing projects. Unfortunately this particular set is quite commercial, rather weak in spots, and thoroughly forgettable. The main liability is the material, the arrangements, and the use of five vocalists. Despite a few decent solos (including from Ernie Watts on alto), this set of Brazilian-flavored pop is a misfire. ~ Scott Yanow  http://www.allmusic.com/album/brazilian-scandals-mw0000652235

Personnel : Oscar Castro-Neves (synthesizer, acoustic guitar, percussion, background vocals); Gary Herbig (soprano & tenor saxophones); Ernie Watts (alto saxophone); Glen Garret (tenor saxophone, flute, piccolo); Malta (alto saxophone); Jerry Hey, Chuck Findley (trumpet, flugelhorn); Bill Reichenbach (trombone, bass trombone, valve trombone); Phillip Ayling (flute, piccolo, oboe); Gilson Peranzzetta (piano); Mitch Holder (electric guitar); Luizao Maia (electric bass); Teo Lima (drums); Paulinho Da Costa (percussion); Sonia Ferreira, Cyva Leite, Pedro Paulo Castro-Neves, Myriam Peracchi (background vocals).

Brazilian Scandals

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George Coleman - Live at Smalls Jazz Club

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2023
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 71:02
Size: 163,3 MB
Art: Front

(11:26) 1. Four
( 6:27) 2. At Last
( 9:34) 3. My Funny Valentine
( 8:39) 4. Meditation
( 8:08) 5. Blues for Smalls
(11:17) 6. Nearness of You
( 7:10) 7. New York, New York
( 8:17) 8. When Sunny Gets Blue

If you are an aficionado of tenor saxophonists with a big, bold, biting tone who can run changes in the blink of an eye, then George Coleman is your man. Now in his 88th year, over the course of his long career, he has had a gamut of experiences including B.B. King (1952/1955-56), Max Roach (1958-59), Slide Hampton (1959-61) and Miles Davis (1963-64). His discography both as a leader/co-leader as well as a sideman covers a panoply of well-known jazz names, but recently the archivist label Reel To Real, under the guidance of saxophonist/producer Cory Weeds, uncovered a couple of unreleased 1970s Coleman sessions. Firstly, in 2020, The George Coleman Quintet in Baltimore (recorded in 1971), and in 2023 Shirley Scott Queen Bee: Live at the Left Bank (recorded in 1972) with Coleman on tenor sax.

Live at Smalls Jazz Club is a quartet session in which Coleman is supported by pianist Spike Wilner, bassist Peter Washington and the always swinging drummer Joe Farnsworth. The eight-tune track list consists of well recognized creations that have been associated with Coleman throughout his professional life starting with the Miles Davis composition "Four." Coleman opens the number with a sly introduction, after which he rips into a long solo with his usual energetic dashing style. The rhythm section is all in and full of propellant swing. The other Davis associated tune is Richard Rodgers' "My Funny Valentine." Coleman's interpretation is full of structural logic and artful restraint. Washington's bass is big and clear throughout.

The blues have been part of Coleman's repetoire since his early years with blues bands, and thus it is no surprise that his own composition "Blues For Smalls" is included in this session. And a rollicking blues it is, filled with Coleman's long, looping runs. Wilner fills his lengthy solo with surging energy, Farnsworth's slick drumming thrusts the number forward, while Washington is his usual clever self with his interjections. The final three tracks"The Nearness Of You," "New York, NewYork" and "When Sunny Gets Blue" continue with the stellar performances that Coleman and his cohorts laid down in the previous cuts. There is no diminution in Coleman's big saxophone sound and his improvisations continue to be crafty and expansive. By Pierre Giroux
https://www.allaboutjazz.com/live-at-smalls-jazz-club-george-coleman-george-coleman-cellar-music-group

Personnel: George Coleman: saxophone, tenor; Spike Wilner: piano; Peter Washington: bass; Joe Farnsworth: drums.

Live at Smalls Jazz Club

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Sylvie Courvoisier & Cory Smythe - The Rite of Spring

Styles: Piano
Year: 2023
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 63:35
Size: 145,7 MB
Art: Front

(15:45) 1. The Rite of Spring, Pt. 1: The Adoration of the Earth
(18:33) 2. The Rite of Spring, Pt. 2: The Sacrifice
(29:15) 3. The Rite of Spring

Two daring jazz improvisers take on a cherished hundred-year-old classical ballet masterpiece with radical roots on The Rite of Spring: Spectre d'un songe. Igor Stravinsky was fresh off the success of his 1911 "Petrushka," which radiated with the artistic atmosphere of his Russia, when in 1913 he premiered "The Rite of Spring" at the opening of the Théâtre des Champs-Elysées. The audience was divided into the Parisian elite in the boxes and the "bohemian" aesthetes scattered about the theater. Stravinsky's music contradicted every norm of the time; originality equaled shock. Vaslav Nijinsky, already controversial, was the choreographer.

The dancers performed as if robots, in a ritual that concluded with the portrayal of the human sacrifice of a dancer. Urban legend has the audience factions screaming praise, or insults, at the performers, and physically pummeling each other in a near riot. The composition has been elevated considerably, but the music remains complex and sometimes uncomfortable. It is a fitting vehicle for the singular talents of pianists Sylvie Courvoisier and Cory Smythe. The piano duo brings us a fascinating interpretation of Stravinsky's magnum opus followed by a Courvoisier composition.

Courvoisier approached Stravinsky's work as a potential project in the past but the Russian composer's family was not open to an improvised arrangement of his composition. Time has changed that. Smythe is known for his improvised music as a leader, two recordings with Ingrid Laubrock and as a member of Tyshawn Sorey's Trio. His classical associations include work with the International Contemporary Ensemble, and the Lincoln Center's Mostly Mozart festival. Smythe and violin virtuoso Hilary Hahn earned a Grammy award for their duo album In 27 Pieces: the Hilary Hahn Encores (Deutsche Grammophon, 2013).

In the first of two original ballet movements, "Le Sacre du Printemps, Pt.1," Stravinsky's personal notes describe a people divided into two groups in opposition to each other, beginning a "ritual of the rival tribes." Courvoisier and Smythe take a nuanced approach, both to their improvising and their interactions. The tension, while in plain sight, is open to a give-and-take as both pianists shift their positions amid structure and invention. "Le Sacre du Printemps, Pt.2," was considered so difficult for the orchestra to play, that musicians would break out in nervous laughter during Stravinsky's rehearsals. Without sacrificing the spirit of the original or their own resourcefulness, Courvoisier and Smythe deftly navigate the unrelenting rhythms, and episodes of mysteriously verbalized, and vehement intonations. Courvoisier's "Spectre d'un songe" (Ghost of a dream) is a half-hour paean that complements Stravinsky's work seamlessly, feeling like an undiscovered third movement.

Parts of Stravinsky's score for "The Rite of Spring" have been incorporated in the recordings of Ornette Coleman, Charlie Parker, The Bad Plus, and other jazz artists. The best-known interpretation was that of Hubert Laws. Despite an all-star ensemble including Ron Carter, and Jack DeJohnette, that recording lacks any visceral sensation. It is that challenge that Courvoisier and Smythe meet and surpass in every moment of this excellent recording.By Karl Ackermann
https://www.allaboutjazz.com/the-rite-of-spring-spectre-dun-songe-sylvie-courvoisier-cory-smythe-pyroclastic-records

Personnel: Sylvie Courvoisier: piano; Cory Smythe: piano.

The Rite of Spring

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Oscar Castro-Neves - All One

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 63:07
Size: 144.5 MB
Styles: Bossa Nova, Brazilian jazz
Year: 2006
Art: Front

[4:51] 1. Double Rainbow
[4:49] 2. All One
[4:10] 3. Kurski Funk
[4:47] 4. Morrer De Amore (I Live To Love You)
[5:18] 5. Holding With An Open Hand
[2:46] 6. Não Me Diga Adeus
[4:41] 7. Naima
[4:42] 8. Historia De Un Amor
[4:53] 9. 'round Midnight
[5:23] 10. The Very Thought Of You
[5:05] 11. More Than Yesterday
[2:47] 12. There Will Never Be Another You
[4:36] 13. Prelude Op. 28, No. 20
[4:16] 14. One Bad Habit

Acoustic Bass – Brian Bromberg; Backing Vocals – Isela Sotelo, Kenny O'Brien, Luis Chaparro, Paulina Aguirre; Drums – Alex Acuña, Mike Shapiro; Flute, Clarinet, Saxophone [Soprano, Tenor], Bass Clarinet – Gary Meek; Percussion – Kevin Richard; Piano, Electric Piano [Fender Rhodes], Clavinet – Don Grusin; Violin, Viola – Charlie Bisharat; Vocals, Guitar, Keyboards, Arranged By – Oscar Castro-Neves.

Oscar Castro-Neves has been one of the most important Brazilian musicians on the jazz scene for some time. His skills as a guitarist, vocalist, composer, and arranger are all on display in this release. Starting with a swinging instrumental setting of Antonio Carlos Jobim's "Double Rainbow," which incorporates Charlie Bisharat's Gypsy-like violin, Gary Meek's multiple reeds, and pianist Don Grusin, Castro-Neves signals that this is not going to be a predictable release. His compositions include the funky, strutting "All One" and the infectious "Holding with an Open Hand." The surprising rendition of "'Round Midnight" begins dramatically, then suddenly turns into a lively upbeat bossa nova. Equally compelling are his arrangements of standards like "The Very Thought of You" and "There Will Never Be Another You," both of which feature his warm, friendly vocals. The only disappointment is the inclusion of smooth jazzer Michael Franks' lightweight, monotonous "One Bad Habit" to close an otherwise flawless CD.By Ken Dryden

All One

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Ray Vega & Thomas Marriott - East-West Trumpet Summit

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 2010
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 49:53
Size: 136,5 MB
Art: Front

(7:39)  1. It's You or No One
(6:22)  2. Juicy Lucy
(5:27)  3. Pelham Gardens
(6:20)  4. Bishop Island
(6:08)  5. Only of a Season
(4:49)  6. It's A New York Thing
(5:54)  7. Round Midnight / In A Sentimental Mood
(7:12)  8. Big Brother

Working the two coasts of jazz theory together, but using the Northwest as representative of modern West Coast jazz rather than the L.A. area, trumpeters Ray Vega and Thomas Marriott combine their formidable powers for good in a massive set. The two trumpeters have played together over the years, and have become stalwarts of the local scenes in their respective cities (Marriott winning numerous awards and recording numerous exceptional albums in Seattle, Vega in New York). Here, they trade riffs and solos, follow paired melodic lines, and explore both energetic urban forms and more pastoral compositions. The album opens with Sammy Cahn's "It's You or No One," which makes a good first showing of the two styles and also introduces pianist Travis Shook and a hidden propensity to invoke Bud Powell as he courses through a massive solo. Horace Silver's "Juicy Lucy" uses the trumpets in tandem in a relaxed form reminiscent of some of the Dizzy Gillespie/Sonny Stitt sessions.

A couple of compositions from Marriott show off both urban energy (in a musical ode to New York in "Pelham Gardens") and contemplative balladry (in a musical ode to Seattle's Lake Washington in "Bishop Island"). Both provide excellent showcases of the trumpets, and Jeff Johnson's bass solo in "Bishop Island" additionally shows off some excellence. Vega's compositions take the opposite approach, building from a more pensive "Only of a Season" to the nearly hyperactive "It's a New York Thing," showing off some blazing horn techniques along the way. A medley of ballads lets both of the players show off their softer side, and the album finishes on Marriott's tribute to Vega. Musical summits rarely turn out as perfectly as one would hope, given the egos and/or deference of players to one another. This one lets both players respect one another, work together, and show off their own styles all at once. And it's all excellent.By Adam Greenberg
https://www.allmusic.com/album/east-west-trumpet-summit-mw0001991574

Personnel: Ray Vega (trumpet); Thomas Marriott (trumpet); Travis Shook (piano); Matt Jorgensen (drums).

East-West Trumpet Summit

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Joe Lovano, Marilyn Crispell, Carmen Castaldi - Our Daily Bread

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2023
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 40:52
Size: 94,4 MB
Art: Front

(4:36) 1. All Twelve
(8:42) 2. Grace Notes
(3:44) 3. Le petit opportun
(6:34) 4. Our Daily Bread
(2:31) 5. One for Charlie
(4:41) 6. The Power of Three
(5:50) 7. Rhythm Spirit
(4:09) 8. Crystal Ball

Joe Lovano's 3rd album Trio Tapestry finds the group extending its spacious and lyrical approach with deep listening and intense focus. Marilyn Crispell is the optimal pianist for this music, orchestrating it as it unfolds with a sensibility attuned to both contemporary chamber music and post-Coltrane improvising. Drummer Carmen Castaldi, a Lovano associate since teenage years, embellishes the music with his own poetic touch on cymbals and, like Joe, draws blossoming resonances from gongs.By Editorial Reviews
https://www.amazon.com/Lovano-Marilyn-Crispell-Carmen-Castaldi/dp/B0BXT2NYPW

Personnel: Drums, Gong, Temple Bells – Carmen Castaldi; Piano – Marilyn Crispell; Tenor Saxophone, Tárogató [Tarogato], Gong [Gongs] – Joe Lovano

Our Daily Bread

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Caterina Valente, Catherine Michel - Girltalk

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2021
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 53:03
Size: 121,7 MB
Art: Front

(4:05) 1. Chiquilin De Bachin
(3:01) 2. Martina (Les Enfants Qui Pleurent)
(3:35) 3. And So It Goes
(5:00) 4. Gigi
(3:20) 5. Prelude No. 3
(4:27) 6. With a Song in My Heart
(4:40) 7. Andantino (Sonata in C Minor) / The Most Beautiful Sea
(3:53) 8. The Way We Were
(3:47) 9. All of a Sudden My Heart Sings
(2:44) 10. Tout Ça (Count Every Star)
(3:34) 11. Eu Não Existe
(5:22) 12. Bolero
(2:42) 13. Papa N'as Pas Voulu
(2:46) 14. Quién Será

This isn't a jazz album and even though it was released by a top jazz label and Nagel-Heyer doesn't claim that it is. Remember Caterina Valente who more than 45 years ago swept America with such pop hits as "I Love Paris" and one of the most exciting vocal versions of "Maleguena" ever. In the year 2000, she joined a major classical harpist Catherine Michel for a program of Latin and European songs, American standards and classical music.

Fluent in 12 languages, she recites, rather than sings, in English, Italian and French a dramatic "Sonata in C Minor (The Most Beautiful Sea) " with some of the loveliest harp playing on the CD. But not is all serious and somber. Once more in French, there's the cute, perky "Papa N'as Pas Voulu" which seques into a swinging blues. To show that she has lost little of her power and none of her phrasing and still keeps the pitch, Valente does "With a Song in My Heart" A Capella, singing a duet with herself.

Each line of lyrics is followed by the same line done scat. Very effective. On some tracks, Valente's voice becomes another instrument complimenting Michel's harp with her wordless vocalizing, sometimes dubbed in as background vocals. This technique culminates in an exciting interpretation of Maurice Ravel's "Bolero", as the tension builds from the familiar soft beginning culminating at the end in a crescendo of voice and harp that become one at the end of this classical gem.

As stated at the outset, not jazz at all. But for those who appreciate performances by consummate artists, this album will be one of the best you purchase all year. Recommended. By Dave Nathan
https://www.allaboutjazz.com/girltalk-caterina-valente-review-by-dave-nathan

Personnel: Caterina Valente - Vocals/Guitar/Percussion; Catherine Michel - Harp

Girltalk

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Sergio Mendes - Pure Bossa Nova

Styles: Bossa Nova
Year: 2006
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 44:05
Size: 101,0 MB
Art: Front

(2:24) 1. Ela é Carioca
(3:10) 2. Só Tinha de Ser Com Você
(3:08) 3. Sò danço samba
(4:07) 4. Corcovado
(3:45) 5. Batida Diferente [Album Version]
(2:21) 6. Nanà
(3:24) 7. Inútil Paisagem
(2:53) 8. O Amor Em Paz
(2:10) 9. Tristeza De Nos Dois
(2:19) 10. Noa... Noa...
(3:17) 11. Consolaçao
(3:18) 12. Desafinado
(2:23) 13. Outra Vez
(5:19) 14. O Morro Não Tem Vez

Yet another compilation to add to the many that already exist, Pure Bossa Nova is a collection of some of pianist, arranger, and composer Sergio Mendes' greatest hits from the mid-'60s, when he was most popular.

Culled from work with his trio, his eponymous group, and full band Bossa Rio, label Planet Rhythm includes 14 songs from Mendes' extensive catalog on the album and manages to, thankfully, leave out what is practically an easy listening anthem, "The Girl from Ipanema." Some arrangements are more inspired by jazz ("Ela é Carioca," "O Amor Em Paz," "Batida Diferente") and others by samba ("Tristeza de Nós Dios," "Só Danço Samba"), but all are pure Mendes and, well, as the title of the album states, pure bossa nova.

And while Mendes is generally classified as light or easy jazz, the songs aren't campy or saccharine like many other things in those categories. It may not be difficult music, but that doesn't mean it's not complex. The drums are always moving, there's a lot of improvisation, and plenty of great musicianship. For already stalwart fans of Mendes, this record doesn't bring anything new to a collection, but for those who want to explore one of the great composers and performers of the genre, Pure Bossa Nova is a perfect place to start. By Marisa Brown
https://www.allmusic.com/album/release/pure-bossa-nova-mr0001437483

Pure Bossa Nova

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Various Artists - Groove Jazz: Jazz Vibes That Make You Shake Your Hips and Dance

Styles: Jazz Funk
Year: 2023
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 131:41
Size: 303,4 MB
Art: Front

1. Joki Freund Sextett - Killer Joe (5:30)
2. Klaus Göbel Group - Wrappin' It Up (5:53)
3. Reuben Hoch - The Guys Back Home (5:08)
4. United Colors Of Jazz - Get Up! (5:25)
5. Charlie Mariano - Gregor Josephs Quartet - Stachel (4:39)
6. Peter Linhart Group - Hip Hop Otamus (6:17)
7. Super Trio - Brotherhood of Man (4:26)
8. Charly Antolini - Soon (5:03)
9. Archie Shepp - Down Home In New York (7:49)
10. Christoph Spendel Group - Downtown (4:34)
11. Thea Florea Quartett - Colourful Noon (6:49)
12. Max Clouth Clan - Surrender to What Is (3:26)
13. Axel Fischbacher Quartett - Kalsoum (4:48)
14. Maurice Magnoni L'Etat des Sons - The Beat of a Different World (5:13)
15. Emil Mangelsdorff Quartet - Fried Bananas (4:37)
16. J-Sound - Odd Job (5:41)
17. Threeo - Tribal Dance (5:53)
18. West End Avenue 4 - City Jazz (5:31)
19. Klaus Göbel Group - We Need Peace, We Need Love (5:13)
20. Stötter's Nevertheless - Sommerloch (0:52)
21. Ivan Habernal Quartet - The View (6:02)
22. Jutta Hipp Quintet - Don't Worry About Me (3:19)
23. Archie Shepp - Groovin' High (8:09)
24. Karl Ratzer - Sageways (6:45)
25. The Danish-German Slide Combination - Liberty City (4:25)

Terri Lyne Carrington - TLC & Friends

Styles: Straight-Ahead Jazz, Post Bop
Year: 1981/2023
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 37:36
Size: 86,7 MB
Art: Front

(6:21) 1. What is This Thing Called Love
(5:31) 2. La Bonita
(5:49) 3. Seven Steps to Heaven
(7:17) 4. St. Thomas
(6:59) 5. Just the Way You Are
(5:37) 6. Sonnymoon For Two

Four-time Grammy-winner, NEA Jazz Master, composer, activist, and educator Terri Lyne Carrington’s remarkable debut album, recorded in October 1981 when she was just 16 years old, provides a rare glimpse into the early talents of this extraordinary multi-faceted artist.

Carrington’s very first session, TLC & Friends features an epic and enviable lineup of collaborators, including Kenny Barron on piano, George Coleman on saxophone, and Buster Williams on bass. Her father Sonny Carrington also contributes saxophone to the Sonny Rollins classic “Sonnymoon for Two.”

The album masterfully showcases Carrington's artistry as a drummer and composer, highlighted by the standout original track "La Bonita, a refreshing interpretation of Billy Joel's beloved composition, "Just The Way You Are,” alongside scorching renditions of standards like "Seven Steps To Heaven," and “What Is This Thing Called Love.

The Candid release features original liner notes by Terri Lyne and Sonny Carrington, and a new essay by Dianne Reeves. Though this album captures Carrington at the outset of an auspicious recording career, at the age of 16, she was nearly a veteran. Hailing from a family of musicians - in addition to her father, Carrington’s grandfather and fellow drummer Matt Carrington, performed with Chu Berry and Fats Waller Carrington first shared the stage with Rahsaan Roland Kirk at age five.

By ten she became the youngest musician in Boston ever to receive a union card, and was impressing audiences with Clark Terry and his All-Stars. At age eleven, Carrington was awarded a full scholarship to Berklee College of Music in Boston, when the school’s founders Lawrence and Alma Berk, heard her sit in with the great Oscar Peterson at the suggestion of Ella Fitzgerald (today Carrington teaches at the school and is the founder of the Berklee Institute of Jazz and Gender Justice).

Carrington would go on to perform with dozens of other legends including B.B. King, Dizzy Gillespie, Illinois Jacquet, Nat Adderley, Jon Hendricks, and many more before she was old enough to drive, and drum masters Art Blakey, Roy Haynes, Max Roach, Buddy Rich and Elvin Jones invited her to sit in with their bands.https://candidrecords.com/products/copy-of-new-standards-vol-1

Personnel: Drums, Arranged By, Design [Cover] – Terri Lyne Carrington; Bass – Buster Williams; Piano – Kenny Barron; Tenor Saxophone – George Coleman

TLC & Friends

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Michele Calgaro - Progressions

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 2011
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 49:23
Size: 113,2 MB
Art: Front

(0:40) 1. Natural Bop Killers
(5:45) 2. Basso Fondo
(5:44) 3. Progression
(7:36) 4. Il Valore Delle Differenze
(7:39) 5. In Pursuit Of The 27th Man
(2:35) 6. Intro Monadi
(8:02) 7. Monadi
(6:59) 8. Mari Land
(4:20) 9. Love Is This Thing Called "What?"

Appreciated teacher he has directed the Thelonious music school in Vicenza since 1991 Michele Calgaro is here in his second round as sole leader, four years after «Round about Monk», also published by our label. In truth, some time before he had shared the authorship of another album with Canadian saxophonist Robert Bonisolo, "The Edge", recorded in quartet with the addition of some songs by Paolo Fresu.

Bonisolo, with whom Calgaro has been playing regularly for almost twenty years, is also present in this «Progressions», an album enriched by the presence of a prestigious guest, Alex Sipiagin, a Russian trumpeter who has moved permanently to the United States since 1992 , soon becoming one of the absolute protagonists of the New York jazz scene.

The quintet from Calgaro, completed by another of its tried and tested partners, the precious drummer Mauro Beggio, instead sees Michele's brother, Lorenzo, and the American Marc Abrams split in the role of double bass player who, like and even more than Bonisolo, can now be considered Italian in all respects. Unlike the previous recording, entirely dedicated to Thelonious Monk, here Michele Calgaro also tests himself as a composer, demonstrating that he has now acquired a decidedly personal style, which knows how to be poetic and reflective (in the sweet ballad Monadi, signed by Lorenzo , as well as in Mari Land, which starts with the trio alone and then sees the addition of Bonisolo's sax and Sipiagin's flugelhorn), but when necessary also rightly stringent and aggressive (in the modal Progression and in the pressing gait of Love is this thing called “What?”).

It is no coincidence that the only standard present on the album arranged in a very original way is a piece by the "master" Horace Silver, the compelling and too little performed In pursuit of the 27th man. But Calgaro's quintet can also be convincing in the two compositions in medium tempo, which are moreover articulated and complex, such as the hypnotic melody of Basso Fondo and the suspended scale of Il Valore delle Difference, capable of paying due tribute to Wayne Shorter without this lose in originality. credits released April 24, 2021 Translate by Google

Personnel: Alex Sipiagin (trumpet, flugelhorn), Robert Bonisolo (tenor sax), Michele Calgaro (guitars), Lorenzo Calgaro (double bass on 1–2–6–7–9), Marc Abrams (double bass on 3–4–5–8), Mauro Beggio (drums).

Progressions

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Andre Ceccarelli, Jean-Michel Pilc, Thomas Bramerie - Twenty

Size: 126,9 MB
Time: 55:05
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2014
Styles: Jazz: Piano Jazz
Art: Front

01. All Blues (6:06)
02. Cry Baby Cry (6:15)
03. On Green Dolphin Street (5:20)
04. Twenty (4:42)
05. Opus #3 (5:08)
06. Ne Me Quitte Pas (4:33)
07. Old Devil Moon (6:40)
08. Things Are (3:17)
09. Straight No Chaser (3:18)
10. L'auvergnat (4:34)
11. Solar (5:07)

A piano trio that forensically examines some quite familiar modern jazz standards (‘All Blues’, ‘On Green Dolphin Street’, ‘Straight No Chaser’, ‘Solar,’ etc) placing them alongside a sprinkling of originals and a Francophone perennial Jacques Brel's ‘Ne Me Quitte Pas’ recorded in an Antibes studio in August last year. Very simply presented with just basic artwork the music does the talking and does so conversationally perhaps though a little too relentlessly in the more detailed passages. Pianist Pilc, one of the big latterday piano stars of French jazz now a citizen of the US, digs down very deeply here to the innards of what makes a trio tick followed faithfully by the tonally commanding bassist Bramerie and drummer Ceccarelli terrier-like in the chase.The trio achieve great heights even transforming something as dog-eared as ‘Old Devil Moon’ into something fresh and inviting. A virtuoso display that moves beyond technique in its best moments.

Twenty

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Bill Evans - Coffee and Cigarettes

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2023
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 78:17
Size: 180,0 MB
Art: Front

(5:00) 1. Some Other Time
(3:40) 2. Lucky to Be Me
(7:36) 3. Night and Day
(4:54) 4. What Is There to Say
(7:36) 5. Detour Ahead
(6:42) 6. Peace Piece
(4:41) 7. I Wish I Knew
(3:28) 8. Haunted Heart
(5:55) 9. Sweet and Lovely
(4:58) 10. My Foolish Heart
(7:12) 11. My Romance
(3:34) 12. Tenderly
(7:00) 13. Waltz for Debby
(5:54) 14. Young and Foolish

" I remember finding that somehow I had reached a new level of expression in my playing. It had come almost automatically, and I was very anxious about it, afraid I might lose it", Evans said.

One of the new pieces was Leonard Bernstein's "Some Other Time". Evans started to play an introduction using an ostinato figure. However the pianist spontaneously started to improvise over that harmonic frame, creating the recording that would be named "Peace Piece“.

According to Evans: "What happened was that I started to play the introduction, and it started to get so much of its own feeling and identity that I just figured, well, I'll keep going."

"Bill had this quiet fire that I loved on piano. The way he approached it, the sound he got was like crystal notes or sparkling water cascading down from some clear waterfall. I had to change the way the band sounded again for Bill's style by playing different tunes, softer ones at first.“~ Miles Davis

Personnel: Bill Evans - piano; Sam Jones - bass; Philly Joe Jones - drums; Paul Motian- drums

Coffee and Cigarettes

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Andrea Beneventano - The Driver

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2010
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 47:30
Size: 109,8 MB
Art: Front

(6:02)  1. Cool River
(4:29)  2. Midget Steps
(5:27)  3. The Driver
(5:08)  4. When Sunny Gets Blue
(5:19)  5. Passing Seasons
(6:35)  6. If I Should Lose You
(3:56)  7. I Got Your Rhythm
(3:53)  8. Donna quee
(6:38)  9. My Gospel

The Driver is the new work as a leader of the pianist Andrea Beneventano  after Trinacria in 2003, which on this occasion completes his trio with the excellent Francesco Puglisi on double bass and Nicola Angelucci on drums.

Therefore, a classical formation that knows how to offer in the nine proposed tracks all signed by the leader except for a couple of standards a jazz vision that does not differ much from the guidelines of the mainstream (in the broadest sense of the term), even if in the way of proposing himself as a Sicilian pianist, various reasons of interest can be traced, which make listening to the entire work pleasant and worthy of attention. Starting from the way in which it expresses a complete and versatility melodic vision to an extreme formal beauty in "Passing Seasons," to the more introspective and shadowy passage of the opener "Cool River," to the fragmented visions of "The Driver," a nervous passage and snappy, in which Puglisi and Angelucci produce themselves in a remarkable accompanying work.

Beneventano intertwines different stylistic roots that range from the "I Got Your Rhythm" bop to the "My Gospel" contemplations, so that his work also characterized by an excellent interplay knows no moments of yielding neither from the formal point of view nor under the expressive profile. Translate By Google
By AAJ Italy Staff https://www.allaboutjazz.com/the-driver-nicola-angelucci-alfamusic-review-by-aaji-staff.php

Personnel: Andrea Beneventano: pianoforte; Francesco Puglisi: contrabbasso; Nicola Angelucci: batteria.

The Driver

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Modern Jazz Quartet - The Montreux Years

Styles: Jazz, Bop, Cool
Year: 2023
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 76:33
Size: 177,7 MB
Art: Front

( 5:13) 1. Ko-Ko
(15:56) 2. A Day in Dubrovnik
( 4:51) 3. Django
( 7:52) 4. Blues in A Minor
( 4:12) 5. Bags' Groove
( 4:18) 6. The Golden Striker
( 8:27) 7. One Never Knows
( 8:38) 8. Le Cannet
( 5:16) 9. Nature Boy
( 6:53) 10. Rockin' in Rhythm
( 4:50) 11. True Blues

A showcase of some of The Modern Jazz Quartet’s most iconic Montreux Jazz Festival live performances, recorded between 1985 and 1993!

The audio has 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. The release includes brand new liner notes and rare photos from his Montreux shows.

The Montreux Years is released as part of a brand new Montreux Jazz Festival and BMG collection series “The Montreux Years”. The collections will uncover legendary performances by the world’s most iconic artists alongside rare and never-before-released recordings from the festival’s rich 57-year history, remastered in superlative audio. Each collection will be accompanied by exclusive liner notes and previously unseen photography.
https://www.amazon.ca/Modern-Jazz-Quartet-Montreux-Years/dp/B0C4Q8YFPJ

Personnel: John Lewis - piano, Milt Jackson - vibraphone, Percy Heath - double bass, Connie Kay - drums

Modern Jazz Quartet: The Montreux Years

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