Lisa Hilton - Coincidental Moment

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2023
Time: 55:59
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Size: 128,9 MB
Art: Front

(5:14) 1. Anxiety Society
(5:19) 2. Jagged Lil' Blues
(5:22) 3. Happily Go Luckily
(5:47) 4. Blue Tropics
(4:50) 5. Blue in Green
(5:57) 6. Enigmatic Adventure
(4:59) 7. Multiple Perspectives
(3:11) 8. West Coast
(5:09) 9. Coincidental Moment
(5:31) 10. Everyday Anthem
(4:34) 11. Uncommon Poetry

As good as Coincidental Moment is, there is an uncharacteristic sense of sameness infused in many of these bossa blues.

As she notes in the liners, lauded and long-trusted pianist Lisa Hilton intended the music to illuminate the cool energies and history of jazz while relating to these hair-shirt times in which we find ourselves privileged to listen to her music . But perhaps it crossed some invisible line where what has been accepted as gospel from Hilton her buoyancy and vivacious musical spirit are kind of pushed to the background.

Yet it is only human for these coincidental times to pare away at all our truths and Hilton, gifted as she is, still is one of us. So Coincidental Moment, as good as it is, does not partake in such celebrations of endurance and dance as her many previous triumphs, notably 2020's Chalkboard Destiny, 2019's Oasis, 2016's Nocturnal, and 2011's assertive Underground, (all on Hilton's own Ruby Slippers label), but inhabits a darker rumbling left of middle C.

Hilton's innate sense of blues and structure is undeniable and most certainly welcome in a world of dissonance and fracture, but it sounds just the same. From the jumpy eye-opener "Anxiety Society" to the jaunty "Jagged Lil' Blues" to the cool '60s spy movie themed "Happily Go Lucky" Hilton holds close her piano's darker tones. Even with her beautiful, never predictable pentatonic runs, "Blue Tropics" gets its momentum from a darker rhythm. A somber, yet beautiful take on "Blue In Green" adds to the encroaching shade. Like speed scrolling, "Multiple Perspectives" leaves one somewhat unsettled.

Lana Del Ray's "West Coast," a melancholy mix of psychedelica and the blues, fits well into the frame of Coincidental Moment, as Hilton, trumpeter Igmar Thomas, and long time compatriots, drummer Rudy Royston and bassist Luques Curtis make the tune one of their very own. Oddly enough, the title track, one of those Hilton ballads one looks forward to hearing with a fervent eagerness, dispels the fog, as does "Everyday Anthem." The closing "Uncommon Poetry" balances the light and dark in a way only these four can. Coincidental Moment is very good. Just in a different way from what is usual from Hilton.
By Mike Jurkovic https://www.allaboutjazz.com/coincidental-moment-lisa-hilton-ruby-slippers-productions

Coincidental Moment

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Hey My Friends!

The problems with the blog have already been solved and I will try to make up for lost time, bringing fresh new albums to compensate you. Sorry for the inconvenience and thank you for your patience and support. Giullia

Sarah McKenzie - Without You

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2023
Time: 56:13
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Size: 129,4 MB
Art: Front

(4:25) 1. The Gentle Rain
(5:04) 2. Corcovado (Quiet Nights)
(2:59) 3. The Voice of Rio
(2:11) 4. Mean What You Say
(3:53) 5. Fotografia
(3:38) 6. Quoi, Quoi, Quoi
(4:22) 7. Once I loved
(4:20) 8. Without You
(5:03) 9. Wave
(4:32) 10. Dindi
(4:29) 11. The Girl From Ipanema
(4:27) 12. Chega de Saudade
(4:08) 13. Bonita
(2:33) 14. Modinha

Jazz pianist, composer and singer, Sarah McKenzie's sixth album, Without You, is a Brazilian jazz project that conveys her love for Brazilian music and culture. It includes a generous amount of Antonio Carlos Jobim songs along with four of McKenzie's originals and a few other selections, all played tastefully, and in her own inventive way.

"I've always loved the music of Brazil, Tom Jobim, Elis Regina, and of course Astrud Gilberto," says Sarah McKenzie. "What I especially love about Jobim is the simplicity and clarity of his melodies, songs that one can remember and sing." Rather than simply recording a typical Brazilian heritage album, she reinvigorates the timeless music with fresh ideas and subtle surprises, adding to it's legacy. By Editorial Reviews https://www.amazon.com/Without-You-Sarah-McKenzie/dp/B0CHJZVC34

Without You

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Don Cherry - Inside/Outside

Styles: Jazz Fusion
Year: 2023
Time: 59:07
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Size: 135,7 MB
Art: Front

(12:49) 1. Mother Of The Veil (Live Remastered)
(14:00) 2. Pitch-field Blues (Live Remastered)
(20:24) 3. Last Of The Hitmen (Live Remastered)
(11:53) 4. Pettiford Bridge (Live Remastered)

As mentioned before, Don Cherry played a huge role in my appreciation of music, from the early days when I switched from rock to fusion to jazz. Cherry appeared to be a great bridge for me to move across genres and to appreciate what is best in many genres, including his openness to world music. He played with so many people, and welcomed any stylistic background for the communal celebration of music. That's why I also like to keep track of any additions to his catalogue, both in terms of own work or as tributes by others.

This is a remastered recording from a bootleg that was already circulating of a live concert in Amsterdam on August 14, 1987. I am not sure how legit the production is, but you can find it in full on Youtube. It was also released in Japan last year by the Necromancer label, and listed on streaming services. The musicians are Don Cherry on trumpet, Carlos Ward on alto saxophone, David Murray on tenor saxophone, and bass clarinet, Mark Helias on bass, and Ed Blackwell on drums.

The concert consisted of four long tracks: "Mother Of The Veil", "Pitch-Field Blues", "Last of the Hitmen", and "Pettiford Bridge", which except for the last don't mean anything to me in terms of earlier knowledge. The playing is good, and so is the sound quality, and the audience is very appreciative and present. All five musicians contribute evenly and with equal enthusiasm. By Stef Gijssels https://www.freejazzblog.org/2023/09/don-cherry-archives-tributes-and-re.html

Inside/Outside

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Bill Black's Combo - Greatest Hits

Time: 24:03
Size: 55.1 MB
Styles: Funk/Soul/R&B
Year: 2005
Art: Front

[2:50] 1. White Silver Sands
[2:08] 2. Don't Be Cruel
[2:17] 3. Smokie Part 2
[2:29] 4. Josephine
[2:05] 5. Hearts Of Stone
[2:00] 6. Tequila
[2:15] 7. Happy Organ
[2:09] 8. Memphis
[3:11] 9. Wipe Out
[2:36] 10. Kansas City

Bill Black had two distinct phases of his career in which he made a notable mark on early rock & roll music: first as the rockabilly bass player for Elvis Presley and then as a bandleader of Bill Black's Combo, which scored numerous instrumental hits in the early '60s. Such is the way of the world that his most artistically important contributions, as one-third of the rockabilly trio that Elvis Presley fronted at the beginning of his career, brought him much less commercial reward than the far less remarkable hit records under his own name.

Black first recorded for Sun Records in early 1954 as a member of a country band, Doug Poindexter and the Starlite Wranglers, who also included guitarist Scotty Moore. That group issued just one single for Sun, but that was enough to make the talents of Black and Moore known to Sun head Sam Phillips, who put the pair together with Elvis Presley. Under the billing of Elvis Presley, Scotty, and Bill, they put out five records on Sun in 1954 and 1955, which are usually acknowledged as some of the finest rockabilly records ever done and Presley at his most youthfully uninhibited. Black was an important part of the early Presley sound with his slap stand-up bass and ebullient onstage manner.

Black and Moore continued to work with Presley until 1958, leaving his band in large part due to disputes over financial terms. Black and Moore had taken one-quarter of the royalties at the outset of Presley's career, but even after Presley had rocketed to stardom with RCA starting in 1956, they were on a mere 200 dollars/week wage. Although Moore would eventually work with Presley again, Black never did, joining a Memphis group that evolved into Bill Black's Combo in 1959. Their instrumental "Smokie," released late that year, made the Top Ten.

Bill Black's Combo stuck to the formula of "Smokie" for many of their subsequent singles: a basic shuffle beat, simple bluesy R&B riffs, and some rinky-dink organ and smoky saxophone lines on top. They weren't too imaginative, but they were quite successful, placing eight singles in the Top 40 between 1959 and 1962, including "White Silver Sands," "Josephine," "Don't Be Cruel," "Blue Tango," and "Hearts of Stone." Their sales were greatly boosted by the suitability of their instrumental rock for background music at bars, clubs, and diners, with many of their discs placed in jukeboxes. They were still charting in the Top 100 as late as 1964, the year they also toured with the Beatles during the British stars' first nationwide American tour.

Black, sadly, developed a brain tumor and died in 1965, shortly before his 40th birthday and before rock historians had a chance to allow him to tell his side of the Elvis Presley story. ~Richie Unterberger

Greatest Hits

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Anita O'Day - Anita

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2011
Time: 37:53
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Size: 88,7 MB
Art: Front

(2:25) 1. You're The Top
(3:13) 2. Honeysuckle Rose
(4:00) 3. A Nightingale Sang In Berkeley Square
(3:14) 4. Who Cares?
(3:53) 5. I Can't Get Started
(2:25) 6. Fine And Dandy
(3:39) 7. As Long As I Live
(2:28) 8. No Moon At All
(4:06) 9. Time After Time
(2:49) 10. I'll See You In My Dreams
(2:54) 11. I Fall In Love Too Easily
(2:40) 12. Beautiful Love

This is Anita is a reissue of Anita, a 1956 album by Anita O'Day that was re-released in 1962.

It was arranged and conducted by Buddy Bregman and was the first in a series of albums recorded by O'Day for Verve. Norman Granz was the producer on this album, and it was the first album to be released under his new label, thus paving the way for the future recordings from Verve, and this album was O'Day's first stint from the big band recordings of the 1940s and early 1950s.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/This_Is_Anita

Personnel: Anita O'Day – vocals; Milt Bernhart – trombone; Joe Howard – trombone; Lloyd Ulyate – trombone; Si Zentner – trombone; Paul Smith – piano, celeste; Corky Hale – harp; Barney Kessel – guitar; Joe Mondragon – double bass; Alvin Stoller – drums

Anita

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Gerry Mulligan Quartet In Concert – Copenhagen, May 21, 1959

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2023
Time: 67:18
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Size: 154,8 MB
Art: Front

( 8:26) 1. Just In Time
( 4:51) 2. What Is There To Say
(10:01) 3. News From Blueport
( 8:03) 4. I Can't Get Started
( 9:45) 5. Spring Is Sprung
( 7:27) 6. Moonlight In Vermont
(14:04) 7. Blueport
( 4:39) 8. Utter Chaos

Never-issued live work from one of our favorite groups ever headed by baritone modernist Gerry Mulligan his wonderful quartet with Art Farmer on trumpet! The mix of Farmer and Mulligan is fantastic here on long tunes that stretch out even more than their studio performances of the period and, like those, given great piano-less accompaniment from the great team of Bill Crow on bass and Dave Bailey on drums!

Farmer is wonderful throughout young and a bit more raspy than later years, maybe in part because he's on trumpet instead of flugelhorn and his pairing really brings out a more relaxed, almost soulful side of Gerry at times. On two tracks, Mulligan switches his horn for a piano equally great on versions of "Spring Is Sprung" and "I Can't Get Started" next to other long tracks that include "Blueport", "What Is There To Say", "Just In Time", and "News From Blueport". © 1996-2023, Dusty Groove, Inc.https://www.dustygroove.com/item/141150/Gerry-Mulligan:Gerry-Mulligan-Quartet-In-Concert-Copenhagen-May-21-1959

Personnel: Gerry Mulligan (baritone sax); Art Farmer (trumpet); Bill Crow (bass); Dave Bailey (drums)

In Concert

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Ramona Horbath Trio - Carmen's Karma

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2023
Time: 49:25
File: MP3 @ 128K/s
Size: 45,9 MB
Art: Front

(5:57) 1. Claire De Bussy
(5:33) 2. Carmen's Karma
(6:08) 3. La Valse Des Asperges Jaunes
(4:55) 4. Lagniappe
(4:40) 5. Portrait de la Comtesse
(5:45) 6. Enescool
(7:18) 7. Fantaisie
(4:33) 8. Winnaretta Song
(4:34) 9. Caipirinha Com Pedro

Ramona Horvath is a virtuoso pianist with a very varied musical universe. Born in Bucharest into a family of musicians and settled in Paris for a few years, Ramona is very active on the international jazz scene. Here is the third part of the collaboration between pianist Ramona Horvath and double bass player Nicolas Rageau. It comes from a constant search for musicality and an obvious joy of playing together. We let ourselves be taken in by the joyful speech and the elegant swing that springs from it. We love.https://www.parisjazzclub.net/en/69424/concert/2020/08/23/ramona-horvath-trio-

Carmen's Karma

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Imogen Ryall - Imogen Ryall sings the Charles Mingus, Joni Mitchell Songbook

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2023
Time: 41:42
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Size: 96,0 MB
Art: Front

(0:37) 1. Boogie Stop Shuffle: Interlude
(4:24) 2. God Must Be a Boogie Man
(5:55) 3. A Chair in The Sky
(1:03) 4. Duke's Choice: Interlude
(6:30) 5. The Wolf That Lives in Lindsey
(6:37) 6. Sweet Sucker Dance
(0:27) 7. I'se a Muggin': Interlude
(5:37) 8. Self-Portrait in Three Colors
(3:25) 9. The Dry Cleaner from Des Moines
(0:41) 10. Better Git It In Your Soul
(6:22) 11. Goodbye Pork Pie Hat

There has been a plethora of vocal albums released this year. Many of them are very good and some are excellent, and this new release from Imogen Ryall falls right into the latter category. Living and working predominantly on the South Coast of England, Ryall may not be as well-known as some of her contemporaries, and that is a crime.

A regular performer around the London area, she has developed a unique voice and is at home in many settings from her role with the Anöna Trio (with Julian Nicholas and pianist Mark Edwards), along with the Jack Kendon Quintet and larger ensembles such as Mark Edwards’s band Cloggz and Terry Pack’s Trees.

A versatile musician she is at home singing jazz standards or improvising wordlessly, she is an excellent scat singer incidentally, and her range and means of communicating the meaning of a lyric exemplary.The album that she draws her influences and repertoire from, Mingus by Joni Mitchell . An album that was made in collaboration with the bassist, with the recording session beginning just prior to his passing in January 1979. Mitchell carried on to finish the album shortly after.

With the original acquiring cult status among collectors, recording some of this material again, and approaching in a contemporary jazz setting may seem a risky if not foolhardy endeavour, but Ryall and the exceptional musicians she works with have produced a magnificent album. The tunes have been tastefully rearranged and have given the music a polish ready for a new audience. That they have done so while still retaining the spirit and passion of the original composition is no mean feat. The emphasis on medium or slow tempos, and this allows Ryall to really get into the song and the lyric delivering both with poise and feeling.

‘A Chair In The Sky’ features Ryall’s voice to stunning effect, and the rhythm section are right behind her helping lift the music to another plane. The other ‘voice’ heard here is that of Julian Nicholas and his soprano saxophone is the perfect foil for the vocalist. This is also true of ‘Sweet Sucker Dance’ with an exquisite vocal from Ryall and another perfectly paced contribution from the saxophonist, this time on tenor. The arrangement also cleverly incorporates a gentle swing section before returning to the ballad tempo.

From an abstract opening, ‘The Wolf That Lives in Lindsey’, the rhythm section settles things down before Imogen with an intensely poignant delivery of the lyric with another beautiful contribution for Nicholas on soprano. Talking of the saxophonist, his tenor introduction to ‘Goodbye Pork Pie Hat’ nearly hijacks the tune before Imogen once again steps in and totally owns the song, which in fairness she has down throughout the album.

If her remarkable vocal performance was not enough, Ryall also demonstrates her prowess as a lyricist contributing the words to two Mingus compositions, ‘Duke’s Choice’ and ‘Self-Portrait In Three Colors’, with this tune featuring another standout tenor solo from Julian Nicholas and a lovely bass solo from Nigel Thomas.

Listening again today to Joni Mitchell’s Mingus from 1979 the rough edges are clear to hear. What is unmistakable though is the quality of the compositions, and the passion and conviction in which the music is delivered.

In revisiting and recasting this music, Imogen Ryall has succeeded in keeping the spirit and passion inherent in this extraordinary album, while bringing something very personal to bear.https://jazzviews.net/imogen-ryall-sings-the-charles-mingus-joni-mitchell-songbook/

Personnel: Imogen Ryall (voice); Julian Nicholas (tenor & soprano saxophones, penny whistle); David Beebee (piano); Nigel Thomas (double bass); Eric Ford (drums & percussion)

Thank You Nobody's Tunes!!

Hey My Friends!

Hey my Friends: I changed my PC from Windows 7 to Windows 10. I should have recorded everything before letting the technician erase everything and put on Windows 10. I must be back soon!!! Happy Sunday to you!!

Harold Land - The Peace-Maker

Styles: Saxophone And Flute Jazz
Year: 2006
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 35:32
Size: 81,5 MB
Art: Front

(5:11)  1. The Peace-Maker
(3:37)  2. Stylin'
(4:51)  3. 40 Love
(3:40)  4. Angel Dance
(4:12)  5. Timetable
(3:26)  6. Imagine
(5:33)  7. The Aquarian
(4:58)  8. One for Nini

The first pairing of tenor saxophonist Harold Land and vibist Bobby Hutcherson crackles with the energy and joy of collaboration. Each spurs the other to new zeniths of creativity and craft, yielding one of the finest if little-known jazz LPs of its era. The Peace-Maker is a particularly apt title. The record's serene, supple contours glow with a lyricism that eschews the angularity of bop. Land's graceful sax melds perfectly with Hutcherson's warm, shimmering vibes to create a deeply soulful, even divine sound. His original compositions are no less thoughtful, galvanized by a yearning for harmony that embraces all senses of the term. ~ Jason Ankeny https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-peace-maker-mw0001881640

Personnel: Harold Land - tenor saxophone, flute; Bobby Hutcherson - vibraphone;  Joe Sample - piano;  Buster Williams - bass;  Donald Bailey - drums  

The Peace-Maker

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Grant Green - Born To Be Blue

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 59:10
Size: 135.5 MB
Styles: Bop, Guitar jazz
Year: 1962/1989
Art: Front

[6:29] 1. Someday My Prince Will Come
[4:56] 2. Born To Be Blue
[4:41] 3. Born To Be Blue (Alternate Take)
[6:05] 4. If I Should Lose You
[8:04] 5. Back In Your Own Back Yard
[5:50] 6. My One And Only Love
[6:21] 7. Count Every Star
[7:57] 8. Cool Blues
[8:44] 9. Outer Space

Bass – Sam Jones; Drums – Louis Hayes; Guitar – Grant Green; Piano – Sonny Clark; Tenor Saxophone – Ike Quebec. Recorded at the Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey. B3 recorded on December 23, 1961. All other titles recorded March 1st, 1962. Digitally remastered.

Although Grant Green provided his share of groove-oriented soul-jazz and modal post-bop, his roots were hard bop, and it is in a bop-oriented setting that the guitarist excels on Born to Be Blue. Most of the material on this five-star album was recorded at Rudy Van Gelder's New Jersey studio on December 11, 1961, when Green was joined by tenor titan Ike Quebec, pianist Sonny Clark, bassist Sam Jones, and drummer Louis Hayes. Tragically, Quebec was near the end of his life -- the distinctive saxman died of lung cancer at the age of 44 on January 16, 1963 -- but there is no evidence of Quebec's declining health on Born to Be Blue. He was playing as authoritatively as ever well into 1962, and the saxman is in fine form on hard-swinging interpretations of "Someday My Prince Will Come" and Al Jolson's "Back in Your Own Back Yard." It's interesting to hear Quebec playing bop, for his big, breathy tone was right out of swing and was greatly influenced by Coleman Hawkins and Ben Webster. Although Quebec and Green (who was 14 years younger) had very different musical backgrounds, they were always quite compatible musically. They clearly enjoyed a strong rapport on the uptempo selections as well as ballads like "My One and Only Love" and Mel Torme's "Born to Be Blue." Originally a vinyl LP, this album was reissued on CD in 1989, when Blue Note added an alternate take of the title song and a previously unreleased version of Charlie Parker's "Cool Blues." ~Alex Henderson

Born To Be Blue

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Ramsey Lewis - Back To The Roots

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1971
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 39:39
Size: 91,4 MB
Art: Front

(2:53) 1. Candida
(3:53) 2. We've Only Just Begun
(2:59) 3. Back To The Roots
(5:02) 4. Love Now On
(5:57) 5. Fool On The Hill
(3:02) 6. Since I Feel For You
(4:31) 7. Up In Yonder
(4:28) 8. Crescent Noon
(6:50) 9. He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother

Pianist and composer Ramsey Lewis has been a major figure in contemporary jazz since the late '50s, playing music with a warm, open personality that's allowed him to cross over to the pop and R&B charts. Initially emerging with his jazz trio, Lewis broke through with his Grammy-winning 1965 album The In Crowd. He further developed his sound, experimenting with synthesizers and funk grooves on work such as 1974's Sun Goddess. He has remained a crossover icon, hosting his own radio and television programs and issuing albums like 2002's Meant to Be with Nancy Wilson, 2011's Taking Another Look, and 2019's VII with his long-running contemporary jazz collective Urban Knights.

Lewis was born in Chicago on May 27, 1935 and was introduced to music by his father, who directed the choir at a local church and enjoyed the music of Duke Ellington and Art Tatum. He began studying the piano when he was four years old and was soon accompanying the choir at Sunday services. At the age of 15, he joined a jazz combo called the Cleffs, who played at parties and dances. Lewis was interested in a leaner, more bebop-oriented sound, and when the group splintered after several members joined the military, he formed the Ramsey Lewis Trio with two other former Cleffs, bassist Eldee Young and percussionist Redd Holt. The trio became a fixture on the Chicago jazz scene, and they were signed to a deal with Chess Records, releasing their first album, Ramsey Lewis & His Gentlemen of Jazz, in 1956.

Lewis and his trio continued to record and tour steadily over the years, building a sizable audience among jazz fans, but their career received a serious boost in 1965, when they recorded a swinging version of Dobie Gray's hit "The In Crowd" at a gig in Washington, D.C. Chess released the track as a single, and it became a sizable pop hit, earning Lewis his first gold record, as well as a Grammy Award for Best Jazz Performance. As Lewis' star rose, he returned to the pop charts in 1966 with versions of "Hang on Sloopy" and "Wade in the Water." Meanwhile, Young and Holt left Lewis' trio to form their own group, Young-Holt Unlimited, and the pianist hired a new rhythm section of Cleveland Eaton on bass and Maurice White on drums.

In 1970, White resigned to form his own group, and Morris Jennings signed on as the trio's new percussionist. Lewis continued to record for Chess until 1972, when he moved to Columbia, and as his music developed a more contemporary groove, White's group, Earth, Wind & Fire (also on Columbia), was beginning to enjoy considerable success on the R&B charts. White produced Lewis' 1974 album Sun Goddess, in which he experimented with electronic keyboards for the first time, and several members of EWF played on the sessions; it became a major crossover hit and took Lewis to the upper ranks of the smooth jazz/fusion scene. Lewis would record R&B-influenced material throughout the '70s but continued to explore his roots in more traditional jazz sounds as well as Latin rhythms. In 1983, he went into the studio with Eldee Young and Redd Holt for the album Reunion; in 1984, he collaborated with Nancy Wilson on The Two of Us; in 1988, he recorded with London's Philharmonia Orchestra for the album A Classic Encounter, and in 1989, Lewis and Dr. Billy Taylor cut a set of piano duets, We Meet Again.

In 1992, Lewis signed with the successful jazz label GRP Records, and in 1995, he launched the side project Urban Knights, in which he collaborated with a handful of successful crossover jazz stars, including Grover Washington, Jr., Earl Klugh, and Dave Koz. In 1997, Lewis added disc jockey to his résumé, hosting a popular show on Chicago's WNUA-FM that ran until 2009; the show went into syndication in 2006 under the name Legends of Jazz with Ramsey Lewis, and is still on the air. In 2005, Lewis looked back on his roots in gospel music with the album With One Voice, which earned him the Stellar Gospel Music Award for Best Gospel Instrumental Album. In 2007, he was commissioned to write a jazz ballet for the Joffrey Ballet Company, and "To Know Her..." debuted at Highland Park, Illinois' Ravina Music Festival, where Lewis is artistic director of the festival's jazz series and helped found their Jazz Mentor Program.

Lewis has also written several pieces for string ensemble and orchestra that have premiered at Ravina; highlights were featured on the 2009 album Songs from the Heart: Ramsey Plays Ramsey, his first release from Concord Records. In addition to his work as a performer, composer, educator, and disc jockey, Lewis has received five honorary doctorate degrees, won the National Endowment for the Arts' Jazz Master Award in 2007, and is one of the few noted jazz artists to carry the Olympic Torch, having briefly escorted the flame as it passed through Chicago en route to the 2002 Winter Games. In 2011, he delivered Taking Another Look, a reworking of his classic 1974 electric jazz-funk album Sun Goddess. The album was reissued in a deluxe package with bonus tracks in 2015. Two years later, Lewis was a featured guest on pianist Alan Storeygard's trio album New Directions. In 2019, he rejoined Urban Knights for VII, which featured original songs as well as renditions of classics by John Coltrane, Chick Corea, and the Beatles. ~Mark Deminghttps://www.allmusic.com/artist/ramsey-lewis-mn0000334770/biography

Personnel: Ramsey Lewis - piano, electric piano; Cleveland Eaton - electric bass; Morris Jennings - drums; Henry L. Gibson - congas, percussion; Bobby Rush - harmonica; Charles Stepney - organ

Back To The Roots

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Greg Diamond - Beata

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 2022
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 53:58
Size: 128,1 MB
Art: Front

(5:56) 1. Beata
(5:08) 2. Salas
(4:38) 3. Tiniebla
(3:46) 4. Giant Steps
(4:36) 5. El Condor Pasa
(5:53) 6. Caprichosa
(6:04) 7. Rastros
(5:58) 8. Ensimismado
(5:27) 9. Cumbita
(6:28) 10. Song For Jerry

Greg Diamond is a prolific guitarist, composer, and recording artist from New York City. Touted as “a rising star in the NewYork jazz scene" by All About Jazz and a “composer of great maturity and genius” by Latin Jazz Network, he has created his own niche with an innovative and eclectic to composition paired with remarkable instrumental versatility.

Since 2008 he has released five albums in various formats. His work encompasses a broad spectrum of genres such as, contemporary and Afro-Latin jazz, blues, Americana, Latin American folk traditions, classical, funk, hip-hop, and jamband among many others.

He has presented his group at numerous premier venues, such as The Blue Note, Iridium Jazz Club, Joe’s Pub, Smalls Jazz Club, and Zinc Bar not to mention numerous international festivals such as, The Madrid International Jazz Festival, Barranquijazz Festival, Jimmy Glass Jazz Festival, Teatro Libre Jazz Festival, Medejazz Festival, Jazz al Parque Festival, and the Nublu Jazz Festival. In 2007 he was a semi-finalist at The Gibson International Jazz Guitar Competition hosted by The Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland.

In the past two decades he has collaborated with numerous noteworthy artists such as, Seamus Blake, Hector Martignon, John Benitez, Steve Turre, Bob Belden, Mark Shim, Henry Cole, Stacy Dillard, Samuel Torres, Oscar Stagnaro, Emilio Solla, Antonio Hart, Michael Philip Mossman, Don Friedman, Gretchen Parlato, Asha Puthli and others

Diamond has a DMA in Instrumental Jazz Performance from the University of Miami and currently resides in the city of Miami.

Beata

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Rhoda Scott - Paris - New York Disc 1 And Disc 2

Album: Paris - New York   Disc 1

Styles: Jazz, Post Bop
Year: 2012
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 58:19
Size: 134,6 MB
Art: Front

(3:08)  1. Moanin'
(3:43)  2. Il Est Mort Le Soleil
(7:41)  3. Medley from ''West Side Story''
(4:13)  4. Take A Ladder
(4:43)  5. Ebb Tide
(2:47)  6. What Kind Of Fool Am I?
(2:26)  7. Count Basie (Lil Darlin)
(6:38)  8. Splanky
(4:29)  9. Mach II
(3:26) 10. Fire And Brimstone
(5:08) 11. Jeremy
(6:30) 12. Delilah
(3:20) 13. Blues At The Bilboquet

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Album: Paris - New York  Disc 2

Time: 43:57

Size: 101,4 MB

(4:32)  1. Mach 2

(4:33)  2. Tanikka

(5:02)  3. Rhoda Map

(4:15)  4. R And R

(4:34)  5. Charlotte's Walz

(5:08)  6. Walkin' About

(7:26)  7. Take A Ladder

(4:24)  8. La La Solitude

(4:00)  9. Quand Je Monte Chez Toi

In 1967, following in the footsteps of Tadd Dameron and Quincy Jones, Rhoda Scott arrives in France to take classes with Nadia Boulanger. Barely a year later, she recorded her debut album Barclay, Take a Ladder duet with one of the best drummers of the moment, Daniel Humair. A long series of albums will follow, two of which are particularly distinguished by the presence of first-rate accompanists: Mach II (1971) in which his long-time accomplice, American saxophonist / flutist Joe Thomas and especially Rhoda Scott in New York, participate. (1976), the result of the collaboration between the virtuoso organist and the great orchestra of Thad Jones / Mel Lewis. Translate by Google https://www.amazon.fr/Paris-New-York-Rhoda-Scott/dp/B007JNN1LG

Personnel: Organ [Hammond] – Rhoda Scott; Alto Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone, Flute – Edward Xiques, Jerry Dodgion; Arranged By, Flugelhorn – Thad Jones; Baritone Saxophone – Pepper Adams; Bass – Bob Bowman ; Drums – Mel Lewis; Electric Piano – Harold Danko; Tenor Saxophone, Clarinet – Larry Schneider; Tenor Saxophone, Flute, Clarinet – Gregory Herbert; Trombone – Billy Campbell, Clifford Adams, Earl Mc Intyre, John Mosca; Trumpet – Al Porcino, Cecil Bridgewater, Earl Gardner, Lynn Nicholson

Paris - New York Disc 1,Disc 2

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Charles Mingus - Mingus, Mingus, Mingus, Mingus, Mingus

Styles: Jazz, Post Bop
Year: 2015
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 40:12
Size: 92,7 MB
Art: Front

(4:45)  1. II B.S.
(7:36)  2. I X Love
(6:10)  3. Celia
(4:44)  4. Mood Indigo
(6:26)  5. Better Get Hit in Yo' Soul
(5:49)  6. Theme for Lester Young
(4:39)  7. Hora Decubitus

Having completed what he (and many critics) regarded as his masterwork in The Black Saint and the Sinner Lady, Charles Mingus' next sessions for Impulse found him looking back over a long and fruitful career. Mingus Mingus Mingus Mingus Mingus is sort of a "greatest hits revisited" record, as the bassist revamps or tinkers with some of his best-known works. The titles are altered as well  "II B.S." is basically "Haitian Fight Song" (this is the version used in the late-'90s car commercial); "Theme for Lester Young" is "Goodbye Pork Pie Hat"; "Better Get Hit in Your Soul" adds a new ending, but just one letter to the title; "Hora Decubitus" is a growling overhaul of "E's Flat Ah's Flat Too"; and "I X Love" modifies "Nouroog," which was part of "Open Letter to Duke." There's also a cover of Duke Ellington's "Mood Indigo," leaving just one new composition, "Celia." Which naturally leads to the question: With the ostensible shortage of ideas, what exactly makes this a significant Mingus effort?

The answer is that the 11-piece bands assembled here (slightly different for the two separate recording sessions) are among Mingus' finest, featuring some of the key personnel (Eric Dolphy, pianist Jaki Byard) that would make up the legendary quintet/sextet with which Mingus toured Europe in 1964. And they simply burn, blasting through versions that equal and often surpass the originals which is, of course, no small feat. This was Mingus' last major statement for quite some time, and aside from a solo piano album and a series of live recordings from the 1964 tour, also his last album until 1970. It closes out the most productive and significant chapter of his career, and one of the most fertile, inventive hot streaks of any composer in jazz history.
By Steve Huey https://www.allmusic.com/album/mingus-mingus-mingus-mingus-mingus-mw0000653088

Personnel:  Tracks #1 and 4–8, recorded on September 20, 1963: Eddie Preston – Trumpet;  Richard Williams – Trumpet; Britt Woodman – Trombone; Don Butterfield – Tuba;  Jerome Richardson – Soprano, baritone saxes, flute;  Dick Hafer – Tenor sax, clarinet, flute;  Booker Ervin – Tenor sax;  Eric Dolphy – Alto sax, flute, bass clarinet;  Jaki Byard – Piano;  Charles Mingus – Bass, (narration, #8);  Walter Perkins – Drums;  Bob Hammer – Arranger and orchestrator

Tracks #2 and 3, recorded on January 20, 1963: Rolf Ericson – Trumpet;  Richard Williams – Trumpet;  Quentin Jackson – Trombone;  Don Butterfield – Tuba;  Jerome Richardson – Soprano, baritone saxes, flute;  Dick Hafer – Tenor sax, flute, oboe;  Charlie Mariano – Alto sax;  Jaki Byard – Piano;  Jay Berliner – Guitar;  Charles Mingus – Bass, piano;  Dannie Richmond – Drums;  Bob Hammer – Arranger and orchestrator

Mingus, Mingus, Mingus, Mingus, Mingus

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Dave Stryker - Blue Soul (Feat. Bob Mintzer & WDR Big Band)

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 2020
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 58:06
Size: 136,3 MB
Art: Front

(5:40) 1. Trouble Man
(6:07) 2. Aha
(7:20) 3. What's Going On
(6:46) 4. Came To Believe
(6:57) 5. Blues Strut
(6:27) 6. When Doves Cry
(5:31) 7. Wichita Lineman
(6:07) 8. Shadowboxing
(7:06) 9. Stan's Shuffle

Bob Mintzer had an idea. The renowned tenor saxophonist, who serves as principal conductor of Cologne, Germany's world-class WDR Big Band, had made several appearances as guest artist with guitarist Dave Stryker's New York-based organ trio and was so impressed that he thought it would be a good idea to re-orchestrate some of Stryker's music for big band and invite the guitar maestro to return the favor by traveling to Germany and performing as guest artist with the WDR ensemble, an offer that Stryker accepted without pause. Was Mintzer's idea credible? In a word, yes the evidence of which abounds on the superb album Blue Soul, wherein Stryker, Mintzer and the WDR merge forces to brighten a trio of Stryker's handsome themes and others by Marvin Gaye ("Trouble Man," "What's Going On"), Prince ("When Doves Cry"), Jimmy Webb ("Wichita Lineman"), Stanley Turrentine ("Stan's Shuffle") and Mintzer's breezy "Aha." Stryker solos adroitly on every track, Mintzer on "Aha," "Stan's Shuffle" and Stryker's prancing "Blues Strut," while the WDR does its part to lend warmth and substance to every number. Stryker's other compositions, the cantering "Came to Believe" and assertive "Shadowboxing," stand out among the album's many pleasurable moments.

Stryker and organist Billy Test share blowing space on Gaye's earnest, blues-based "Trouble Man," which raises the curtain and paves the way for "Aha" and the second offering from Gaye, "What's Going On," a carefree showpiece for Stryker, Test and alto Karolina Strassmayer. A second alto, Johan Horlen, sparkles on "Came to Believe" before Stryker and Mintzer take charge on what is arguably the album's piece de resistance, the bright and irrepressible "Blues Strut." Horlen and drummer Hans Dekker undergird Stryker on the fast-paced "When Doves Cry," trombonist Andy Hunter sparkles on "Wichita Lineman," Dekker and tenor Paul Heller on "Shadowboxing," after which Stryker and Mintzer strike the ideal note on an exemplary codicil, the buoyant "Stan's Shuffle." Mintzer's idea, as it turns out, was far better than good; it was brilliant. All hands are resolute and standing firm, and Blue Soul is an appetizing entree that should command pride of place on any big-band enthusiast's menu. ~ Jack Bowers https://www.allaboutjazz.com/blue-soul-dave-stryker-with-bob-mintzer-and-the-wdr-big-band-strikezone-records

Personnel: Dave Stryker: guitar; Bob Mintzer: saxophone; Wim Both: trumpet; Rob Broynen: trumpet; Andy Haderer: trumpet; : trumpet; Johan Horlen: saxophone, alto; Karolina Strassmayer: saxophone, alto; Olivier Peters: saxophone, tenor; Paul Heller: saxophone, tenor; Jens Neufang: saxophone, baritone; Ludwig Nuss: trombone; Raphael Klemm: trombone; Andy Hunter: trombone; Mattis Cederberg: trombone; Billy Test: piano; John Goldsby: bass; Hans Dekker: drums.

Blue Soul (Feat. Bob Mintzer & WDR Big Band)

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Kenny Burrell - Jazzmen Detroit

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 1956
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 33:52
Size: 77,9 MB
Art: Front

(5:57)  1. Afternoon in Paris
(4:46)  2. You Turned the Tables on Me
(5:28)  3. Apothegm
(5:21)  4. Your Host
(5:37) 5. Cottontail
(6:40)  6. Tom's Thumb

This Savoy CD lists Kenny Burrell as session leader, but it is clearly a group effort that could easily have been attributed to Pepper Adams or pianist Tommy Flanagan. Burrell has the edge, though, in writing credits with the contribution of two tunes: the quietly assured "Your Host" and the bluesy, hard bop line "Tom's Thumb." Adams offers his leisurely, sophisticated "Apothegm" to the date. Flanagan, for his part, is pure elegance, subtlety, and swing. With the exception of drummer Kenny Clarke, all the players hail from the motor city.

Coming up through the same hometown music scene may help account for the fine group interplay. It's also apparent the musicians had the luxury of working through these six tunes before sitting down to record. The result does full justice to the fine writing and arranging and allows for thoughtfully developed improvisations. Ensemble entries are crisp and assured, as are the entrances by all soloists. Burrell favors a dry, clean attack here, while Adams reins in his more full-throated tendencies. Clarke, Flanagan, and bassist Paul Chambers support with consummate taste. The overall mood may be a bit too polite, but this remains a classy, near classic performance. There's no padding, although, at 33 minutes, the running time is brief. The sound recording is excellent.By Jim Todd  http://www.allmusic.com/album/jazzmen-detroit-mw0000097797

Personnel: Kenny Burrell (guitar); Pepper Adams (baritone saxophone); Tommy Flanagan (piano); Paul Chambers (bass); Kenny Clarke (drums).

Jazzmen Detroit

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The Hot Club Of Cowtown - Rendezvous In Rhythm

Styles: Retro Swing
Year: 2013
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 49:23
Size: 113,4 MB
Art: Front

(3:55)  1. Dark Eyes / "Ochi Chornye"
(2:36)  2. I'm In The Mood For Love
(2:59)  3. Crazy Rhythm
(2:59)  4. Avalon
(4:00)  5. If I Had You
(3:48)  6. The Continental
(3:50)  7. Minor Swing
(3:59)  8. Melancholy Baby
(3:56)  9. I'm Confessin'
(3:50) 10. Sweet Sue, Just You
(3:52) 11. Slow Boat To China
(2:42) 12. Sunshine Of Your Smile
(3:28) 13. Back In Your Own Backyard
(3:22) 14. Douce Ambiance

Hot Club of Cowtown patented their style early in their career, and if they haven't found a lot of variation within their blend of hot dance music and western swing, they have nevertheless found a lot of depth within this unique fusion. Rendezvous in Rhythm, the group's 2013 album and eighth overall, is the flipside of 2010's Bob Wills salute What Makes Bob Holler, focusing entirely on jazz standards often heard in the south of France. In some ways, this underplays the "cowtown" element of the Hot Club, but there's a looseness in the rhythms that is ever so slightly western, plus, by this point, the trio is so fluid in blurring the boundaries between swing and western swing, it doesn't much matter that this album doesn’t have much in the way of country. 

Every one of the three members fiddler Elana James, guitarist Whit Smith, bassist Jake Erwin get space to spill out lyrical solos and they truly seem to cherish playing these familiar melodies, savoring their lyrical turns as well as the group's familiar but lively interplay. Similarly, listeners will find this comfortable but not complacent, as the trio cooks with some serious heat on these beloved tunes. And don't say the Hot Club's version of "Slow Boat to China" cashes in on the song's appearance in Paul Thomas Anderson's cryptic 2012 film The Master this album was recorded in July of 2012, long before anybody would have known Philip Seymour Hoffman bid farewell to Joaquin Phoenix with the tune at the movie's conclusion. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine  http://www.allmusic.com/album/rendezvous-in-rhythm-mw0002430771

Rendezvous In Rhythm

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Buddy Rich - Speak No Evil

Styles: Jazz Fusion
Year: 1976
File: MP3@128K/s
Time: 40:57
Size: 38,3 MB
Art: Front

(3:47) 1. Speak No Evil
(5:40) 2. Yearnin' Learnin'
(6:37) 3. Medley: Storm At Sunup
(4:26) 4. Medley: Love Me Now
(6:02) 5. Fight The Power
(3:58) 6. Games People Play
(3:07) 7. Sophisticated Lady (She's A Different Lady)
(3:24) 8. Sneakin' Up Behind You
(3:51) 9. How Long (Betcha Got A Chick)

Released in 1976, Buddy Rich's Speak No Evil is one of the most unusual dates in his long career. For starters, it was produced and arranged by the legendary Richard Evans, house producer and arranger at Chess Records' Cadet imprint. Amazingly enough, this set comes off beautifully as a funky, soulful jazz date. And for a change, it seems, Rich allowed his producer to do his job without inserting himself at every turn.

Some jazz fans may write off the date simply because the great drummer is decked out in kung fu garb and is sporting a pair of nunchucks on the back cover. That's too bad for them, because this one is a killer. As usual, Rich surrounded himself with some of the great soloists and session players available for the date saxophonists Joe Farrell, Steve Marcus, Dave Tofani, and Turk Mauro; trumpeters Lew Soloff and Jon Faddis; bassist Bob Cranshaw; guitarist Ross Traut (who co-produced the session with Evans); and Kenny Barron on electric piano amidst the other brass and percussion and trio of female backing vocalists including Vivian Cherry, Lani Groves, and Rhetta Hughes.

The program walks a free-flowing line between funky and progressive big-band jazz, sophisticated pop, and soulful instrumental tunes that border on disco (especially the Natalie Cole-Chuck Jackson tune "Sophisticated Lady [She's a Different Lady]"), but for the most part stays on the funk side of the street. The program features some of the bigger tunes of the day, including a burning, break-laden rendition of the Isley Brothers' "Fight the Power," Gino Vanelli's "Storm at Sunup," the Spinners' "Games People Play," and the Pointer Sisters' "How Long (Betcha Got a Chick)." The charts are simply infectious. Evans, scoring for the popping bass and guitar-driven rhythm section, is always at the core.

Add Barron's smoking choppy Fender Rhodes lines and you have a bottom the drummer (who is amazingly restrained here) can play off of. Evans gives plenty of solo space to the principals while keeping things taut and grooving check out the Brecker Brothers' "Sneakin' Up Behind You," with killer breaks by Rich and a rubbery bassline by Cranshaw. The counterpoint in the horn chart between trombones and trumpets is virally infectious. Rich may not have scored commercially with this set at the time, but it has become a favorite of beat hunters since the dawn of sampling. Speak No Evil was released finally on CD by Wounded Bird in 2008.
https://www.allmusic.com/album/speak-no-evil-mw0000786612

Speak No Evil

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