Wednesday, July 19, 2023

Sant Andreu Jazz Band - Jazzing 11 Vol. 2

Styles: Jazz, Big Band
Year: 2022
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 63:57
Size: 148,0 MB
Art: Front

(3:50) 1. That Da Da Strain
(4:40) 2. Line For Lyons
(4:27) 3. Nature Boy
(5:46) 4. If I Only Had a Brain
(3:40) 5. Outra Vez
(4:21) 6. Misty
(2:31) 7. Yardvird Suite
(4:38) 8. Polka Dots and Moonbeams
(4:10) 9. Saudade de Itapuã
(3:55) 10. Vierd Blues
(3:14) 11. Honeysuckle Rose
(4:07) 12. Mean to Me
(6:17) 13. Evil Eye
(3:33) 14. People will say we're in love
(4:40) 15. Last Train from Overbrook

And we have reached 15 years of existence. Some of the musicians who are part of this new Jazzing were not even born when the project, with more than 60 musicians between the ages of 6 and 21 years old, was started. None of the musicians who were part of the first recording, Jazzing 1 of 2009, is part of the current Sant Andreu Jazz Band (although in this new work, representation of the year 2020, we can find two musicians who were present that year: the Motis sisters, who in this case appear as special guests).

All these years are reflected on the one hand in 21 cd's (11 jazzings, some of them with several volumes) as well as in the 18 Joan Chamorro presents and in Ramon Tort's film A film about kids and music, from 2011.

In the text of Jazzing 1 I spoke of a dream come true. What can I say now, a few years later? That this dream is still alive. That there is still, on my part, if not more, the same illusion as in the beginning. That young people are leaving, but the orchestra remains and continues to be a motivation and a source of learning and inspiration for those who are entering and also for many other musicians who, seeing our work, are motivated and work in the same line as we do.

I can only say thank you, once again, for having the opportunity to live this dream, and to share it with so many people around the world. Thousands of fans know the names of each and every one of the members who are or have been in the orchestra and, once they leave, follow their individual careers. Those followers know our extensive repertoire, they have all our records, they know the different versions of the songs, they know the details, the ins and outs. They are followers of our history, a history that after 15 years has become the history of thousands of people.

The Sant Andreu Jazz Band, a dream come true and based on the fact that what is really important is the present, the path, and not the goal.

Jazzing 11 Vol. 2

Monday, July 17, 2023

Nina Simone - The Diva Series

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2003
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 58:38
Size: 136,3 MB
Art: Front

(2:35) 1. I Put A Spell On You
(3:08) 2. He Ain't Comin' Home No More
(2:31) 3. I Loves You, Porgy
(4:56) 4. Mississippi Goddam
(3:10) 5. Tell Me More And More And Then Some
(4:06) 6. Love Me Or Leave Me
(2:37) 7. See-Line Woman
(6:59) 8. Wild Is The Wind
(4:26) 9. Four Women
(3:08) 10. Don't You Pay Them No Mind
(4:15) 11. Lilac Wine
(2:46) 12. Either Way I Lose
(2:45) 13. The Gal From Joe's
(4:21) 14. Don't Explain
(4:03) 15. I Love My Baby
(2:44) 16. Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood

Nina Simone spent time recording with Verve or the associated Philips during the mid-'60s, so her entry in the label's 2003 The Diva Series focuses on that period, when she had an R&B hit with "I Put a Spell on You" and recorded many live albums. Though it is much longer than Verve's previous attempts, it certainly doesn't qualify as a solid compilation of Simone's career.

A few career-defining songs like "I Loves You, Porgy" are presented in live versions which, fine as they are, don't rate with the studio recordings. For what it is, The Diva Series is a solid label wrap-up, including rarer material like "Wild Is the Wind" as well as a few classics like "Mississippi Goddam" and "Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood." By John Bush
https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-diva-series-mw0000027107

The Diva Series

Sant Andreu Jazz Band - Jazzing 11 vol.1

Styles: Jazz, Big Band
Year: 2021
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 78:14
Size: 184,8 MB
Art: Front

(4:11) 1. Don't Forget This Life Is For You
(4:37) 2. Don't Explaint
(6:01) 3. Construçao
(4:29) 4. Lil Darlin
(4:20) 5. Teardrops From My Eyes
(4:40) 6. Smoke In Your Eyes
(4:38) 7. Let's Call It Love
(4:21) 8. I Only Have Eyes for You
(4:55) 9. You don't know what love is
(4:53) 10. Moten Swing
(5:02) 11. Blame It on My Youth
(5:20) 12. You and the Night and the Music
(5:45) 13. Blues does always win
(5:25) 14. Embraceable You
(4:38) 15. Afrodisia
(4:53) 16. Don't Play That Song

And we have reached 15 years of existence. Some of the musicians who are part of this new Jazzing were not even born when the project, with more than 60 musicians between the ages of 6 and 21 years old, was started. None of the musicians who were part of the first recording, Jazzing 1 of 2009, is part of the current Sant Andreu Jazz Band (although in this new work, representation of the year 2020, we can find two musicians who were present that year: the Motis sisters, who in this case appear as special guests).

All these years are reflected on the one hand in 21 cd's (11 jazzings, some of them with several volumes) as well as in the 18 Joan Chamorro presents and in Ramon Tort's film A film about kids and music, from 2011.

In the text of Jazzing 1 I spoke of a dream come true. What can I say now, a few years later? That this dream is still alive. That there is still, on my part, if not more, the same illusion as in the beginning. That young people are leaving, but the orchestra remains and continues to be a motivation and a source of learning and inspiration for those who are entering and also for many other musicians who, seeing our work, are motivated and work in the same line as we do. I can only say thank you, once again, for having the opportunity to live this dream, and to share it with so many people around the world. Thousands of fans know the names of each and every one of the members who are or have been in the orchestra and, once they leave, follow their individual careers.

Those followers know our extensive repertoire, they have all our records, they know the different versions of the songs, they know the details, the ins and outs. They are followers of our history, a history that after 15 years has become the history of thousands of people. The Sant Andreu Jazz Band, a dream come true and based on the fact that what is really important is the present, the path, and not the goal.

Jazzing 11 vol.1

Harry Allen - 007 Songs

Styles: Stage & Screen
Year: 2010
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 67:25
Size: 159,5 MB
Art: Front

(0:25) 1. The James Bond Theme
(5:20) 2. Surrender
(5:10) 3. On Her Majesty's Secret Service
(2:53) 4. You Only Live Twice
(7:19) 5. From Russia With Love
(7:24) 6. Nobody Does It Better
(4:11) 7. Goldeneye
(6:18) 8. We Have All The Time In The World
(6:05) 9. Goldfinger
(4:28) 10. All Time High
(5:34) 11. For Your Eyes Only
(7:08) 12. Thunderball
(3:03) 13. Moonraker
(2:00) 14. The James Bond Theme

Gene Lees writes, "Stan Getz was once asked his idea of the perfect tenor saxophone soloist. His answer was, 'My technique, Al Cohn's ideas, and Zoot's time.' The fulfillment of that ideal may well be embodied in thirty-year-old Harry Allen."

BMG recording artist Harry Allen has over twenty recordings to his name. Three of Harry's CDs have won Gold Disc Awards from Japan's Swing Journal Magazine, and his CD Tenors Anyone? won both the Gold Disc Award and the New Star Award. His recordings have made the top ten list for favorite new releases in Swing Journal Magazine's reader's poll and Jazz Journal International's critic's poll for 1997, and Eu Nao Quero Dancar (I Won't Dance), the third Gold Disc Award winner, was voted second for album of the year for 1998 by Swing Journal Magazine‚s reader‚s poll.

Harry has performed at jazz festivals and clubs worldwide, frequently touring the United States, Europe, and the Far East. He has performed with Rosemary Clooney, Ray Brown, Hank Jones, Frank Wess, Flip Phillips, Scott Hamilton, Harry 'Sweets' Edison, Kenny Burrell, Herb Ellis, John Pizzarelli, Bucky Pizzarelli, Gus Johnson, Jeff Hamilton, Terry Gibbs, Warren Vache, and has recorded with Tony Bennett, Johnny Mandel, Ray Brown, Tommy Flanagan, James Taylor, Sheryl Crow, Kenny Barron, Dave McKenna, Dori Caymmi, Larry Goldings, George Mraz, Jake Hanna, and Al Foster, among others.

Harry is featured on many of John Pizzarelli's recordings including the soundtrack and an on-screen cameo in the feature film The Out of Towners starring Steve Martin and Goldie Hawn. He has also done a series of commercials for ESPN starring Robert Goulet.

Harry was born in Washington D.C. in 1966, and was raised in Los Angeles, CA and Burrillville, RI. He received a Bachelor of Arts degree in music in 1988 from Rutgers University in New Jersey, and currently resides in New York City.
https://www.allaboutjazz.com/musicians/harry-allen/

007 Songs

Conte Candoli & Lee Morgan - Double Or Nothin'

Styles: Post Bop, Cool Jazz
Year: 1957
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 46:56
Size: 108,8 MB
Art: Front

(4:38) 1. Reggie Of Chester
(5:11) 2. Stablemates
(4:43) 3. Celedia
(5:44) 4. Moto
(4:43) 5. The Champ
(7:49) 6. Blues After Dark
(5:55) 7. Wildwood
(4:00) 8. Quicksilver
(4:09) 9. Bye Bye Blues

Rare recordings produced by Howard Rumsey with his incredible Howard Rumsey's Lighthouse All Stars and Charles Persip's Jazz Statesmen.

"There was only a short week in which to record, so we made a date for a double session at Liberty's fabulous new studios... Lee Morgan and Frank Rosolino flipped into some original dance steps at the sound of the playbacks. It was a happy date."
https://www.freshsoundrecords.com/conte-candoli-lee-morgan-albums/2427-double-or-nothin-.html

Personnel: Lee Morgan, Conte Candoli (tp), Frank Rosolino (tb), Benny Golson, Bob Cooper (ts), Wynton Kelly, Dick Shreve (p), Red Mitchell, Wilfred Middlebrooks (b), Charles Persip, Stan Levey (d)

Double Or Nothin'

Sunday, July 16, 2023

Ella Fitzgerald - The Diva Series

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2003
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 62:21
Size: 144,7 MB
Art: Front

(2:40) 1. A-Tisket, A-Tasket
(3:16) 2. Oh, Lady, Be Good!
(5:10) 3. (You'll Have To Swing It) Mr.Paganini: Part 1 & 2
(3:46) 4. Blue Skies
(4:37) 5. Out Of This World
(3:55) 6. Love Is Here To Stay
(2:22) 7. Just You, Just Me
(4:10) 8. A Night In Tunisia
(3:05) 9. You Leave Me Breathless
(2:34) 10. It's All Right With Me
(3:23) 11. I Can't Give You Anything But Love
(4:04) 12. I Said No
(2:09) 13. Pick Yourself Up
(5:22) 14. Sophisticated Lady
(7:00) 15. How High The Moon
(4:42) 16. Mack The Knife

Ella Fitzgerald's entry in the Verve Diva Series is a 16-track compilation that selects tracks from the first three decades of her recording career. Beginning with 1938's smash hit "A-Tisket, A-Tasket," the disc covers her hot and swinging big-band days in the late '30s and early '40s through her triumphant songbook records of the 1950s.

The tracks compiled here include some of the songs that she made her own, like "Oh, Lady Be Good," "(You'll Have to Swing It) Mr. Paganini, Pts. 1-2," "How High the Moon," and the song she shares with Bobby Darin, "Mack the Knife," as well as lots of other great songs. There is a cornucopia of Ella collections to choose from; this one is not essential, but does serve as a nice introduction to Ella's early years and peak '50s years, too. By Tim Sendra
https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-diva-mw0000026522

The Diva Series

Mark Colby - I Didn't Have Wings

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2004
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 41:42
Size: 98,6 MB
Art: Front

(3:52) 1. When You Say Jump
(3:55) 2. This Time With You
(3:54) 3. I Love You So Much
(3:36) 4. Waiting
(4:45) 5. Together Forever
(3:40) 6. I'm Still Alone Tonight
(4:42) 7. For the First Time
(3:49) 8. I Didn't Have Wings
(4:26) 9. I Was That Fool
(4:58) 10. You Would'nt Be Gone

Born in Brooklyn, New York in 1949, Mark comes from a musical background, as his father was a professional musician (drummer) who played with Benny Goodman for a time in the ‘40’s. At the age of eight, Mark was given a clarinet and lessons with a wonderful teacher by the name of Bill Schlagel, who emphasized the importance of proper technique and sound. At age eleven, Mark took the next step in his evolution, saxophone, and thus began his life-long love affair. Immersed in the sounds of the big bands enjoyed by his father, intrigued by the more modern sounds of bebop, cool and hard-bop records his sister played around the house, his dedication to pursuing a life in music was cemented.

In 1962, his family moved to Miami, Florida, where he began playing professionally at age 14. On Miami Beach, he had the opportunity to play shows with popular acts, including Tony Bennett, Sonny and Cher, Bill Cosby, Ann-Margret and Sammy Davis, Jr., with seasoned musicians. He was for many years the youngest guy on the bandstand, all the while pursuing his desire to play all styles of jazz. As a high school student, he studied with James Casale (co-author of Patterns for Jazz with Jerry Coker.) After high school, Mark attended the University of Miami, enrolling in Jerry Coker’s Jazz Studies program. Studying with Jerry and pianist Vince Maggio had a profound effect on him, as did sitting in with Ira Sullivan since the age of 16. These master musicians provided him inspiration and encouragement, as well as invaluable education in the jazz idiom.

Mark was fortunate to have had the incredible experience of working with legendary baritone sax player Gerry Mulligan while he was artist in residence. While in college, he recorded with the likes of Dr. John, Wilson Pickett, Bill Wyman of the Rolling Stones, and the Bee Gees. After graduating with a Master’s Degree in Jazz Studies, he received a call from Maynard Ferguson inviting him to join his band in New York. After three albums and three years touring as featured soloist and musical director with Maynard, Bob James beckoned, and he became of member of the “James gang.” Bob signed Mark to Columbia Records, beginning his solo recording career. “Serpentine Fire” and “One Good Turn” both sold very well, while he toured for the next six years as a featured member of Bob James’ band. Mark’s tours with Maynard and Bob found him playing jazz festivals and concert halls around the world.

In 1980, Mark moved to Chicago, with its very active music scene. Mark was immediately participating in a recording market that was exploding. Jingles, record dates, and jazz gigs were plentiful. In 1983, he was approached by DePaul University to assume a teaching position as jazz saxophone instructor. He’s still there, and in 1998 joined the faculty at Elmhurst College.

In the ensuing years, he has played and in some cases toured with such varied luminaries as Frank Sinatra, Jaco Pastorius, Mose Allison, Joe Williams and Charlie Haden. Currently he is performing as a guest soloist and clinician/adjudicator at middle schools, high schools and colleges throughout the United States and Europe, representing Selmer Paris Saxophones and Vandoren reeds. In 2001, he performed Duke Ellington’s version of “The Nutcracker Suite” with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, and in 2008 performed Leonard Bernstein’s “Prelude, Fugue and Riffs.” In 1999, Hallway Records released “Reunion” (with Vince Maggio) followed by “Tenor Reference” in 2002, to glowing reviews and appreciative audiences. His last release on Hallway Records was a tribute to Stan Getz entitled Speaking of Stan, which was released in 2006 and went to #3 on the jazz radio charts. During 2007-2010, he appeared at the Chicago, Paradise Valley Arizona Jazz Festival, Evanston, Naperville and Glen Ellyn Jazz Festivals.

In 2010 Mark was the artist in residence at the Three Rivers Saxaphone Symposium in PA. Mark appeared in a cameo with Diana Krall in the Johnny Depp movie “Public Enemies,” released in July 2009. His CD on Origin Records, “Reflections” was released in November 2008. In 2010 Mark was one of the people interviewed with his own chapter in Cicily Janus’s new book entitled “The New Faces of Jazz” published by Billboard Press. Currently he has completed a new recording, All or Nothing at All, to be released on his own RCI label in 2016.

Mark Stephen Colby, 71, of Aurora IL, passed away on August 31st peacefully in his home. He is survived by his adoring wife, Mary; loving sister, Rosie (Jim) Watts; son, James (Cathy;) daughters, Jennifer (Mike) Savage; Hillary; and Katherine (Brian) Ruiz. He has six grandchildren, Deanna; Ryan; Kayla; Riley; Caroline and Isabella; and niece, Audrey Denson.
https://markcolby.com/about/

I Didn't Have Wings

Shakatak - Invitations (Expanded)

Size: 150,6 MB
Time: 64:45
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 1982/2017
Styles: Jazz: Smooth Jazz, Jazz Funk
Art: Front

01. Invitations (Extended Mix) (6:05)
02. Lose Myself (5:18)
03. Lonely Afternoon (4:34)
04. Steppin' Out (4:44)
05. Stranger (5:23)
06. Usual Situation (5:03)
07. Sol Fuego (4:36)
08. In Shadows (2:02)
09. Invitations (Radio Mix) (3:36)
10. Stranger (Edited Version) (4:39)
11. Lose Myself (Remix) (5:04)
12. Invitations (Disco Mix) (4:16)
13. Lonely Afternoon (Remix) (4:29)
14. Invitations (Radio Remix) (4:49)

British jazz-funk combo Shakatak formed in London in 1980. Originally comprising keyboardists Bill Sharpe and Nigel Wright, guitarist Keith Winter, bassist Steve Underwood, and drummer Roger Odell, the group quickly scored an underground hit with its debut single "Steppin'," cracking the British Top 50 the following year with the singles "Livin' in the UK" and "Brazilian Dawn." Their debut LP, Drivin' Hard, was also well-received, and with the 1982 follow-up Nightbirds, Shakatak (which replaced Underwood with bassist George Anderson) scored their first Top 20 hit in "Easier Said Than Done"; the disc's title track also rocketed into the Top Ten.

Nightbirds also introduced singer Jill Saward, who emerged as Shakatak's lead vocalist with the band's fifth album, 1984's Down on the Street, which notched the hit "Watching You"; 1985's Live preceded the release of the group's next studio effort, Day by Day. A series of largely instrumental albums including Into the Blue, Golden Wings, Da Makani, and Niteflite were then issued exclusively in Japan, where Shakatak enjoyed immense popularity; in the meanwhile, 1988's Manic and Cool was released internationally, highlighted by the singles "Mr. Manic and Sister Cool" and "Something Special." After 1992's Open Your Eyes topped Billboard's Contemporary Jazz chart, the band supported 1993's Street Level with a tour of South Africa, while the following year's Full Circle expanded into hip-hop beats. In 1997, Shakatak -- by then consisting of Sharpe, Odell, Saward, and Anderson -- resurfaced with Let the Piano Play, followed by both Let the Music Play and Magic in 1999, and Under Your Spell in 2002.

Invitations

John Coltrane With Eric Dolphy - Evenings At The Village Gate

Styles: Modal, Post Bop
Year: 2023
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 80:03
Size: 183,6 MB
Art: Front

(15:53) 1. My Favorite Things
(15:27) 2. When Lights Are Low
(10:12) 3. Impressions
(16:02) 4. Greensleeves
(22:26) 5. Africa

Recorded in 1961, Evenings at the Village Gate: John Coltrane with Eric Dolphy showcases the legendary saxophonist's quintet during their monthlong residency at the storied Greenwich Village nightclub. Along with Dolphy on alto saxophone, bass clarinet, and flute, Coltrane's group here features his classic lineup of pianist McCoy Tyner, bassist Reggie Workman, and drummer Elvin Jones.

This is the same group that would go on to record such landmark albums as 1961's Olé Coltrane, 1961's Africa/Brass, and appear together on 1961's Live! at the Village Vanguard. Recorded on a single ribbon microphone by future Nina Simone and Bob Dylan engineer Richard Alderson, the album was never intended to be released as a professional recording.

Primarily, Alderson (who was in his early twenties at the time and working as a soundman for the club) wanted to check the room's sound and try out his new microphone. The recording would eventually make its way into the vast archive of The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts, where it would be largely forgotten before eventually being rediscovered. While the sound itself is not as robust as the later Vanguard recordings, it still delivers an exciting fly-on-the-wall atmosphere, capturing the group at the apex of their transition from hard-driving modal jazz to the more avant-garde, harmonically free approach Coltrane would embrace by the middle of the decade.

Much of this transition was brought on by Dolphy, whose wide, intervallic style and adventurous harmonies had a strong influence on Coltrane, which can be heard from both players throughout the recording. Most interesting is their take on "My Favorite Things," which Coltrane recorded a year prior for his album of the same name and which became somewhat of a radio hit. Where that original recording found Coltrane interpolating the melody to a degree, here, he pushes the song to ever more bold heights, utilizing spiraling multi-note runs and throaty, atonal smears.

Equally exploratory atmospheres mark the group's take on "Impressions," a regular song in Coltrane's live shows that he leaps into here with a wild abandon. It's also easy to imagine just how unusual and distinctive Dolphy must have sounded to audiences at the time. This is especially evident when he takes the bass clarinet lead on "When Lights Are Low," playing the melody with a stark soulfulness in a style reminiscent of Sonny Rollins before launching into a solo that quickly frays the harmonic edges of the lyrical standard. Tragically, within six years after this recording, both Dolphy and Coltrane would be gone. Despite the understated and lo-fi nature of the recording, Evenings at the Village Gate is a testament to their profound artistry and creative synergy. By Matt Collar
https://www.allmusic.com/album/evenings-at-the-village-gate-john-coltrane-with-eric-dolphy-mw0004003962

Personnel: Soprano Saxophone, Tenor Saxophone – John Coltrane; Bass – Art Davis, Reggie Workman; Drums – Elvin Jones; Flute, Bass Clarinet, Alto Saxophone – Eric Dolphy; Piano – McCoy Tyner

Evenings At The Village Gate: John Coltrane with Eric Dolphy

Thursday, July 13, 2023

Dinah Washington - The Diva Series

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2003
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 55:38
Size: 129,9 MB
Art: Front

( 2:08) 1. If I Were A Bell
( 2:23) 2. You Do Something To Me
( 2:30) 3. What A Difference A Day Made
( 2:19) 4. Sometimes I'm Happy
( 2:39) 5. Caravan
( 2:47) 6. Teach Me Tonight
(10:57) 7. Blue Skies
( 5:22) 8. I've Got You Under My Skin
( 3:04) 9. Invitation
( 2:59) 10. Is You Is Or Is You Ain't My Baby?
( 2:37) 11. Nothing Ever Changes My Love For You
( 2:53) 12. Bargain Day
( 3:22) 13. Goodbye
( 3:25) 14. Perdido
( 2:09) 15. There'll Be A Jubilee
( 3:57) 16. I'll Close My Eyes

Dinah Washington has a lot in common with another fine singer Carmen McRae, they were both tough cookies who you didn’t mess with, they were both divas in the true meaning of the word and both played piano. The other thing that they shared, was the misfortune of being around at the same time as Ella Fitzgerald and Sarah Vaughan!

This CD gives an excellent feel for the outstanding talents of Ms Washington, although regarded as a blues singer by some, she was much more than that. This album demonstrates her ability across a wide range of settings from big band to small jazz group and she excels in all of them. There is also some fine jazz solos, listen to the trumpets on Under My Skin.

The opening track, If I Were A Bell gives notice of the excitement to follow. Dinah had everything, perfect diction, perfect intonation, a wonderful jazz feel and the ability to turn every song into something special, listen to her interpretation of Invitation as an example. Even the jokey, Is You Is, is made into something far from ordinary. The Quincey Jones Arrangements helps a lot as well with Milt Hinton’s bass laying down a good line and a fine trombone solo (Quentin Jackson?).

Some of these tracks were no doubt made with a view to the Top 20 of the day, if it were the same today, I would be a ‘Top of the Pops’ man! Bargain Day is new to me, but again Dinah delivers and the song turns into something special again.

Perdido is another swinging Quincey Jones arrangement, beautifully played by his band. There are also short, but interesting solos from muted trumpet and alto. Dinah’s timing on this track is very reminiscent of Ella on ‘The Song Books’. Jubilee has some nice alto from Cannonball Adderley and this track is another real swinger. The unaccompanied verse on Close My Eyes is a real gem.

Unless you own most of the original albums these tracks come from, this is a must buy CD. Dinah Washington only lived to be 39, which is not long enough; such a talent should have been spared. By Don Mather
http://www.musicweb-international.com/jazz/2003/sept03/dinah_washington.htm

The Diva Series

Sant Andreu Jazz Band - Jazzing 10 Vol. 2

Styles: Jazz, Big Band
Year: 2020
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 64:15
Size: 166,4 MB
Art: Front

(4:53) 1. Foolin' Myself
(4:59) 2. Anthropology
(4:52) 3. em Fantasia
(2:42) 4. Sugar Foot
(6:34) 5. Cheesecake
(3:05) 6. Suze Blues
(4:27) 7. In My Life
(4:51) 8. Dexterity
(3:28) 9. I’m Beginning To See The Light
(3:22) 10. Jazz Warner
(5:28) 11. Uma estrela
(4:58) 12. Unforgetable
(3:40) 13. An Occasional Man
(3:01) 14. Diz que fui por aí
(3:47) 15. Donna Lee

Sant Andreu Jazz Band is a youth jazz band from Barcelona, featuring 7- to 20-year-olds. The bandleader is Joan Chamorro.

The band was founded in 2006 at Escola Municipal de Música de Sant Andreu. The band has performed at numerous concerts and festivals in Catalonia, and other regions of Spain as well as in neighbouring countries (for example France, Switzerland, Denmark).. They released their first live CD/DVD Jazzing: Live at Casa Fuster in 2009, featuring alongside established jazz musicians, the precocious 14-year-old, Andrea Motis among other young talents.

2010 was a breakthrough year for the band, with appearances at more than 20 festivals including Valls, Terrassa, Girona, Barcelona, Platja d'Aro, and venues like el Jamboree, Palau de la Música Catalana, JazzSi, Hotel Casa Fuster, featuring international performers like Dick Oatts, Ken Peplowski, Bobby Gordon, Perico Sambeat, Ignasi Terraza, Matthew Simon, and Esteve Pi. The band also released their second recording Jazzing vol.2.

In 2012 the film director Ramón Tort made the documentary A film about kids and music based on the band's work and efforts. The film was awarded best feature film at the Lights. Camera. Help. festival in Austin, Texas, US in 2013.

In 2021, Sant Andreu Jazz Band celebrated their 15-year-anniversary with concerts during the Barcelona jazz festivals. They received the 2021 Alícia prize "for the Educational Project", awarded by the Acadèmia Catalana de la Música.

Small combos of older members perform worldwide, for example with WDR Big Band in Cologne and in Bengaluru (India) Several band members have contended in international jazz after their time in the band, particularly Motis and Rita Payés.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sant_Andreu_Jazz_Band

Jazzing 10 Vol. 2

Giulia Lorvich / Luca Rossetti Ensemble - Minutes of Gold

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2018
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 38:00
Size: 88,4 MB
Art: Front

(3:59) 1. Shapes of Water
(5:14) 2. The Last Shipwreck
(5:10) 3. Wooden Aeroplanes and Paper Cranes
(3:30) 4. Dydime
(4:49) 5. Rabdomance
(4:29) 6. Mother of All
(4:11) 7. Minutes of Gold
(3:19) 8. No Chains of Roses
(3:16) 9. The Season of Embraces

Born in Bologna in 1985, Giulia Lorvich has always been interested in music, studying piano and then singing. Discovering jazz in her late teens, she graduated in Jazz Singing at Conservatorio Frescobaldi (Ferrara), and also studied with Sheila Jordan, Dena DeRose, Michele Hendricks, Rachel Gould, Kevin Mahoghany, Tiziana Ghiglioni, Bob Stoloff, Marta Raviglia, Denise King, Barry Harris and others. Since 2008 she's been singing as a professional in several italian clubs and festivals with her groups and projects, and also teaching and working as a recording artist for Racing Jazz Records, Velut Luna and Azzurra Music. Among others, she's been playing with many italian and international artists such as: Jimmy Cobb, Massimo Faraò, Paolo Birro, Byron Landham, Aldo Zunino, Andrea Pozza, Steve Williams, Carlo Atti, Alessandro Minetto, Jimmy Villotti, Massimo Manzi, Massimo Tagliata, Luigi Scerra, Giannicola Spezzigu, Andrea Calì, Andrea Grillini, Stefano Dallaporta, Filippo Cassanelli,Oreste Soldano, Domenico LoParco, Luca Pisani, Teo Ciavarella, Massimo Dall’Omo,Alessandro Altarocca, Giancarlo Bianchetti, Jacopo Salieri, Nicola Govoni, Pietro Lussu, Fausto Negrelli, David Muehsam, Guglielmo Pagnozzi, Groove City Soul Band.

Minutes of Gold

Brian Blade & The Fellowship Band - Kings Highway

Styles: Post-Bop, Straight-Ahead Jazz
Year: 2023
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 50:12
Size: 116,0 MB
Art: Front

( 4:44) 1. Until We Meet Again
( 5:04) 2. Catalysts
( 5:23) 3. People's Park
(13:00) 4. Kings Highway
( 4:20) 5. Look to the Hills
(15:05) 6. Migration
( 2:33) 7. God Be with You

The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines fellowship as "community of interest, activity, feeling, or experience," which seems to state well what Brian Blade & The Fellowship Band have been doing, cultivating a certain sound for over 25 years. The community is drummer Brian Blade, pianist Jon Cowherd, saxophonist Melvin Butler, saxophonist and clarinetist Myron Walden, bassist and synthesizer player Christopher Thomas and guitarist Kurt Rosenwinkel. The interest and activity these folks share is playing music, specifically jazz music. Finally, the feeling or experience one gets from the music is one of joy and inspiration. One can only guess at the joy they experience performing together, but the music makes a strong case for it.

Listening to Kings Highway one can feel this fellowship, the solidarity of the musicians, their sense of purpose to achieve a feeling that goes beyond the notes or the technical abilities of the individual players. Not all jazz is like this. Often a particular soloist is forefront, supported by the others driving the leader's vision and solos to express themselves.

The opening track, Blades' "Until We Meet Again," starts with synth and then guitar and piano, bass, some brushes on the drums then the horns, building a repeating melody until the whole ensemble is playing boldly and solemnly together. The next track, "Catalysts," starts off more upbeat with the guitar and then the sax and later the synth taking us on a journey. One destination along the way is the next track, "People's Park," which, as with the previous track, written by pianist Jon Coward, is a quieter place for reflection and contemplation. Back on the highway we go again in the form of the 13-minute title track which has a jazz-rock fusion feel to it until it melts into a cool bass solo that leads into some great playing by the two sax players and finally the pianist expressing himself joyfully. "Kings Highway " is a standout cut and well picked to be the album's title. Now further down the road we "Look To The Hills," which starts out with railroad drumming leading to some more spiritual passages.

Spiritual is a word that comes to mind often when listening to this band. Though this recording feels more fusion inspired at times than previous albums, there is always a return to a sound with a palpable sense of a searching for holiness, for truth, for fellowship, not only amongst the players, but with the listeners as well. The album ends with a spiritual hymn and prayer named "God Be With You," written by William G. Tomer (the only track not written by Blade or Cowherd) and setting a final, beautiful, solemn tone to the record. With this record Brian Blade and The Fellowship Band invite the listener along to join their fellowship on a musical highway of life, and so we should. By Cary Tenenbaum https://www.allaboutjazz.com/kings-highway-brian-blade-and-the-fellowship-band-stoner-hill

Personnel: Brian Blade: drums; Melvin Butler: saxophone; Jon Cowherd: piano; Kurt Rosenwinkel: guitar; Christopher Thomas: bass, acoustic; Myron Walden: saxophone.

Kings Highway

Wednesday, July 12, 2023

Carmen McRae - The Diva Series

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2003
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 51:25
Size: 119,7 MB
Art: Front

(2:13) 1. Falling In Love With You
(3:49) 2. I Only Have Eyes For You
(3:10) 3. Speak Low
(4:15) 4. Midnight Sun
(2:24) 5. I'm Putting All My Eggs In One Basket
(2:30) 6. How Little We Know
(3:03) 7. Skylark
(4:16) 8. My Man's Gone Now
(2:46) 9. Comes Love
(2:25) 10. All The Things You Are
(3:19) 11. Ain't Misbehavin'
(2:53) 12. Do You Know Why?
(3:27) 13. Bye Bye Blackbird
(3:09) 14. Any Old Time
(3:45) 15. That Old Devil Moon
(3:53) 16. I'm Glad There Is You

If you are making a shortlist of the best jazz singers, Carmen McRae had better be right at the top. She had a distinctive voice, able to do heartbreaking and lighthearted equally as thrillingly. She had an unerring sense of melody and her phrasing is a thing of beauty. This collection covers her work in the mid-'50s for Decca both with small groups and larger orchestras.

She shines on swinging tracks like "Comes Love," "Falling in Love With Love," and "I'm Putting All My Eggs in One Basket" and won't leave a dry eye in the house with her deeply emotional ballad singing. "Do You Know Why," "Midnight Sun," and the achingly beautiful "I'm Glad There Is You" are prime examples of McRae's way with a ballad.

Each of the 16 tracks here is like a primer on how to be a vocalist, jazz or otherwise. McRae's entry in Verve's Diva Series is a fine introduction to her 1950s recordings. by Tim Sendra
https://www.allmusic.com/album/diva-mw0000026453

The Diva Series

Michael Blake & Blake Tartare - More Like Us

Styles: Saxophone, Clarinet Jazz
Year: 2006
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 54:43
Size: 125,8 MB
Art: Front

(4:54) 1. Hush
(6:56) 2. The Meadows
(9:36) 3. Happy Old You
(4:05) 4. To Whom This May Concern
(8:01) 5. Maria
(4:57) 6. Something In The Water
(3:51) 7. Africa Used To Be Home
(2:08) 8. Interlude With Soren
(4:39) 9. Paddy Pie Face
(5:30) 10. Johnny To Bad

Michael Blake has long been on the cusp of being more-well known among jazz fans, but like his former employer John Lurie, often seems to be looking in. Regularly recording on fellow Jazz Composer Collective projects like with Ben Allison, he shines when given the opportunity without fail. Yet, the larger light of the jazz masses has yet to really focus in on him.

Following the release of a stripped down trio affair on Clean Feed Records, Right Before Your Very Ears with Allison and Jeff Ballard where a particular rawness was revealed, he returns under the moniker of Blake Tartare where Blake has forged a working group of musicians that share his conception creating that elusive mix of the unique yet familiar that falls within the domain of modern jazz. And with their second release, More Like Us, they are sounding more and more cohesive in performance even as guest musicians are added into the mix.

The trademark sound of Michael Blake's saxophone work is still the major draw to the group even with the strong contributions from his Danish counterparts including a number of impressive spots by pianist Soren Kjaergaard, and in a somewhat surprising move the saxophonist opens the album with some very nice work on the clarinet.

The soft clarity of the sound he manages with the instrument fits the mood perfectly here, and throughout More Like Us Blake never seems out of place. Penned by the saxophonist, "Hush also features guest vocals by Maria Laurette Friis that at first sounds plain and unaffected, but with repeated listens becomes so ingrained to the music's structure that she becomes another lead voice rather than a singer lending her voice to a song.

"Hush is an interesting opening track for Michael Blake's group and shows another facet of their sound. Along with Friis' vocals which Blake utilizes on three of the ten tracks, he also incorporates other guest spots such as the instantly recognizable, former fellow Lounge Lizard Steven Bernstein on "Happy Old Yoy that was written by John Lurie. Bernstein's echoed delay hanging over the band fits nicely during the nine and a half minute track.

Following the debut record by Blake Tartare, self titled, it was easy to see that Blake had a band here that pushed each other. And although that record comes across a little more brash and unfocused, the same intensity persists where you can tell that each musician isn't playing licks or running safe route. One of the many highlights of the more focused More Like Us though is the ballad "Maria penned by Coleman Hawkins, also featuring more wordless vocals by Friis.

Overall, Michael Blake and Blake Tartare have crafted another fine album here for Stunt Records that ideally would shed more light on the man or the band. For those who do seek it out or come across it, they are in for a unique sound and experience driven by a unique saxophonist. After all, not many would include the reggae classic "Johnny Too Bad by The Slickers as their album closer. By Michael McCaw
https://www.allaboutjazz.com/michael-blakes-blake-tartare-more-like-us-michael-blake-by-michael-mccaw

Personnel: Michael Blake: tenor & soprano saxophone, clarinet, bass clarinet, ghost flute; Soren Kjaergaard: piano, Wurlitzer, effects; Jonas Westergaard: acoustic bass; Kresten Osgood: drums; Maria Laurette Friis: vocals (1, 4, 6); Steven Bernstein: slide trumpet (3); Jane Scarpantoni: cello (1); Jeppe Kjellberg: guitar (3); Teddy Kumpel: baritone guitar (5), guitar (10).

More Like Us

Stacey Kent - Songs From Other Places

Styles: Vocal
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 40:55
Size: 94,0 MB
Art: Front

(4:28) 1. I Wish I Could Go Travelling Again
(4:12) 2. Bonita
(5:12) 3. Craigie Burn
(3:09) 4. Les Voyages
(4:10) 5. American Tune
(5:13) 6. Tango In Macao
(4:19) 7. Blackbird
(4:09) 8. My Ship
(2:03) 9. Imagina
(3:56) 10. Landslide

Stacey Kent is a jazz singer in the mould of the greats, with a legion of fans worldwide, a host of honours and awards including a Grammy nomination, album sales in excess of 2 Million, Gold, Double-Gold and Platinum-selling albums that have reached a series of No. 1 chart positions during the span of her career. An interpreter of The Great American Song Book and beyond, Kent's music and influences span multiple genres, a testament to her "wandering, restless spirit" as an artist. Her long time songwriting collaborator is Nobel Prize winning author Kazuo Ishiguro.

In the spring of 2020, "I Wish I Could Go Travelling Again" was the song that was most talked about and requested by Stacey Kent's Fans when they reached out on social media. It was clear, even early on during the Covid crisis, that in lockdown, people were relying on music and imagination to transport them and to find a sense of connection with the world beyond their own four walls. Like many of us, Kent spent the last year online, looking for ways not to lose touch with the world outside. In an effort to stay connected she landed on the idea of a collection of songs that gives expression to our collective desire to roam the world once again through the medium of music. Accompanied on piano by Art Hirahara, 'Songs From Other Places' includes interpretations of songs by Stevie Nicks (Landslide), Paul Simon (American Tune), Lennon & McCartney (Blackbird), Gershwin, Weil, Jobim as well as two new songs written with Nobel Prize winning author Kazuo Ishiguro. https://www.propermusic.com/ccd30032-songs-from-other-places.html

Personnel: Art Hirahara - Piano; Stacey Kent - Vocal

Songs From Other Places

Tuesday, July 11, 2023

Blossom Dearie - The Diva Series

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2003
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 51:50
Size: 120,9 MB
Art: Front

(2:49) 1. I'm Hip
(3:12) 2. Our Love Is Here To Stay
(4:13) 3. I Walk A Little Faster
(2:58) 4. Dance Only With Me
(2:15) 5. You For Me
(2:13) 6. Rhode Island Is Famous For You
(3:11) 7. Blossom's Blues
(4:19) 8. It Amazes Me
(5:59) 9. Someone To Watch Over Me
(3:45) 10. They Say It's Spring
(2:50) 11. It's Love
(2:51) 12. Always True To You In My Fashion
(2:27) 13. Between The Devil And The Deep Blue Sea
(2:45) 14. Once Upon A Summertime
(2:31) 15. Plus Je T'Embrasse
(3:25) 16. When In Rome

Blossom Dearie's time spent with Verve during the late '50s resulted in several albums of great music, and her entry in the label's 2003 The Diva Series is one of the better single-disc wrap-ups of her career. This one is much longer than Verve's previous attempts; it also does a good job of compiling most of her best moments, including "I'm Hip," "Blossom's Blues," and "Always True to You in My Fashion."

It certainly isn't perfect, though; notable exclusions like "'Deed I Do," "I Won't Dance," "It Might as Well Be Spring," and "Give Him the Ooh-La-La" make this a tough one to recommend for beginners. (It may well have been intentional, in order to give more space for a focus on her Verve material that has remained unissued on CD.) By John Bush
https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-diva-mw0000595314

The Diva Series

Mark Colby - Speaking of Stan: A Tribute to Stan Getz

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2005
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 66:32
Size: 152,6 MB
Art: Front

(6:34) 1. When It Matters
(6:24) 2. Only Trust Your Heart
(6:50) 3. How Deep Is the Ocean
(6:30) 4. Sometime Ago
(4:56) 5. What Is a Buddha?
(9:26) 6. Sea Journey
(6:43) 7. Out of Focus
(6:45) 8. Give and Take
(4:44) 9. Blue Getz Blues
(4:39) 10. Goodbye
(2:55) 11. Speaking of Stan

Almost fifteen years after the death of tenor saxophonist Stanley Gayetzky, aka Stan Getz, the sheer breadth of his musical accomplishments still boggles the mind. Thus it was with some skepticism that I began to listen to Speaking of Stan, tenor man Mark Colby's tribute to the man about whom Trane said, "Let's face it. We would all play like him, if we could. Colby, however, succeeds masterfully in capturing a good bit of the essence of Getz, due in no small part to his own superb tone, providing an intimate take on his friend and mentor.

Over twenty other musicians aid Colby in presenting his paean. He has chosen well, and although a sax/guitar pairing akin to Getz' famous collaborations is lacking, much else is here. "Blue Getz Blues is an awesomely cooking big band reprise of a swinger from Getz's early days with Woody Herman (Early Autumn, Capitol, 1949) and the string arrangements of Focus (Verve, 1961) are tenderly reminisced through the newly penned compositions "When It Matters and "Give and Take.

Former Getz pianist Jim McNeely appears on four cuts, soulfully dueting with Colby on a stunningly sincere rendering of a tender "Goodbye, coolly swinging on "How Deep is the Ocean and "Sometime Ago and, yes, adding to the bop festivities of Colby's own "What is a Buddha? . Vibraphonist Dick Sisto assists in bringing bossa/samba to the fore with a breezy interpretation of Benny Carter's "Only Trust Your Heart and a hot construction of Chick Corea's "Sea Journey by way of Eric Hochberg's bass and Bob Rummage's drums, while Gary Burton's "Out of Focus injects a more modern edge into the proceedings. Colby's spoken outro adds a finishing touch to this highly personal portrait. By Elliott Simon
https://www.allaboutjazz.com/speaking-of-stan-mark-colby-hallway-records-review-by-elliott-simon

Personnel: Mark Colby: tenor saxophone; Tracks 1,8: Jim Trompeter: piano; Eric Hochberg: bass; Bob Rummage: drums; Peter LaBella, Kevin Case, Teresa Fream, Mike Shelton: violin; Terri Van Valkinburgh: viola; Pete Szczepanek: cello; Tracks 2,6,7: Dick Sisto: vibraphone; Eric Hochberg: bass; Bob Rummage: drums; Tracks 3-5: Jim McNeely: piano; Kelly Sill: bass; Joel Spencer: drums; Track 9: Rob Parton, Scott Wagstaff, Kirk Garrison, Mike McGrath: trumpet; Bob Frankich, Bob Rzeszutko, Brian Budzik, Ted Hogarth: reeds; Tom Garling, Brian Jacobi, Andy Baker: trombone; Tom Matta: bass trombone; Don Stille: piano; Tim Fox: bass; Bob Rummage: drums; Track 10: Jim McNeely: piano.

Speaking of Stan: A Tribute to Stan Getz

Kurt Rosenwinkel Standards Trio - Reflections

Styles:  Straight-ahead/Mainstream, Guitar Jazz
Year: 2009
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 50:22
Size: 115,5 MB
Art: Front

(9:08)  1. Reflections
(3:33)  2. You Go To My Head
(4:00)  3. Fall
(9:49)  4. East Coast Love Affair
(5:20)  5. Ask Me Now
(6:23)  6. Ana Maria
(8:55)  7. More Than You Know
(3:11)  8. You've Changed

Like an Ian McEwan short story, guitarist Kurt Rosenwinkel can say more in a few lines than most guitarists manage over the course of an entire recording. On Standard Trio: Reflections he inscribes his signature sound on a set of ballads all classic tunes except for one original. His trio of bassist Eric Revis and drummer Eric Harland are perfect companions on a collection where less is truly more; they eschew the pyrotechnics for a steady accompanying swing. Harland a member of the SFJAZZ Collective who has also played with Charles Lloyd has worked with Rosenwinkel before, accompanying the guitarist on his last disc, The Remedy (Artist Share, 2007), a burning display of technique and soloing from an engagement at the Village Vanguard with saxophonist Mark Turner and pianist Aaron Goldberg. Gone is the exhilaration of that live set, replaced here with the robustness of a confident player settling down to tell a more intimate story. 

Rosenwinkel's listeners are his confidants as he negotiates two tracks by Thelonious Monkand two by Wayne Shorter. He soars over the bossa nova laid down behind Shorter's "Ana Maria" and nudges against the bright urban beat of "Fall." Rosenwinkel slyly reworks both Monk tunes. As Harland skips and Revis bounces the beat on "Ask Me Now," Rosenwinkel cradles the melody, rocking back-and-forth. Likewise, he forces the title track, Monk's "Reflections," to be reconsidered not with nostalgia for the past, but a blues-inspired hopefulness for the future. Elsewhere, the classic tracks "More Than You'll Know," "You Go To My Head," and "You've Changed" exude a luxuriousness, not of affluence but delight. Rosenwinkel, Harland, and Revis bypass the circuitous here for a direct and transparent take on some beautiful music. By Mark Corroto http://www.allaboutjazz.com/reflections-kurt-rosenwinkel-wommusic-review-by-mark-corroto.php

Personnel: Kurt Rosenwinkel: guitar; Eric Revis: bass; Eric Harland: drums.

Dutch Swing College Band - At The North Sea Jazz Festival

Styles: Swing
Year: 1988
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 64:33
Size: 148,7 MB
Art: Front

(3:56) 1. Coal black shine
(2:46) 2. Heebie jeebies
(4:41) 3. Back home again in indiana
(4:50) 4. Canal street blues
(8:45) 5. Moten swing
(7:53) 6. Basin street blues
(5:58) 7. Stealing apples
(4:44) 8. Just sqeeze me
(5:25) 9. Someday you'll be sorry
(9:25) 10. Mood indigo
(6:06) 11. Swing that music

The Dutch Swing College Band "DSCB" is a traditional dixieland band founded on 5 May 1945 by bandleader and clarinettist/saxophonist Peter Schilperoort.

Highly successful in their native home of The Netherlands, the band quickly found an international following. It has featured such musicians as Huub Janssen (drums), Henk Bosch van Drakestein (double bass), Kees van Dorser (trumpet), Dim Kesber (saxes), Jan Morks (clarinet), Wout Steenhuis (guitar), Arie Ligthart (banjo/guitar), Jaap van Kempen (banjo/guitar), Oscar Klein (trumpet), Dick Kaart (trombone), Ray Kaart (trumpet), Bert de Kort (cornet), Bert Boeren (trombone), Rod Mason, Rob Agerbeek (piano) among many others.

The band provided the interval act for the Eurovision Song Contest 1976 presented live from Den Haag.

The band continues to tour extensively, mainly in Europe and Scandinavia, and record directed by Bob Kaper, himself a member since 1967, following the former leader, Peter Schilperoort's death on 17 November 1990. Schilperoort had led the band for more than 45 years, albeit with a five-year sabbatical from 13 September 1955, when he left to pursue an engineering career before returning to lead the band again officially on 1 January 1960. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dutch_Swing_College_Band

At The North Sea Jazz Festival