Greg Foat & Art Themen - Off-Piste

Styles: Soul Jazz, Jazz Fusion
Year: 2023
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 43:08
Size: 99,1 MB
Art: Front

(10:39) 1. Fresh Snow
( 3:54) 2. La Partida
( 7:44) 3. Off Piste
( 4:48) 4. Yrsno
( 8:15) 5. Sis No Hyp
( 7:46) 6. Apres Ski

Pianist Greg Foat, who has been who has been at the forefront of the UK jazz scene for the past decade, has teamed up with 83 year-old London saxophone great Art Themen on a superb new album for the Athens Of The North label, titled Off-Piste.

Admirers of each other’s work, the two were interested in recording an album together for a number of years, however the pandemic put a delay on the session for a while. Once things opened up again, they headed to highly acclaimed Edinburgh-based Chamber Studio with an exciting group of UK musicians that included guitarist Gavin Sutherland, harpist Amanda Whitingm electric bassist Philip Achille, and drummer/percussionist Nadav Schneerson.

This remarkable 6-track recording features a solid dose of breezy instrumental cosmic jazz featuring warm analog tones, meditative grooves, hypnotic effects, atmospheric textures and cinematic soundscapes. The session truly sounds like the album’s peaceful cover photo. https://www.jazzmessengers.com/en/96650/greg-foat/off-piste-s-art-themen-limited-edition

Personnel: Tenor Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone – Art Themen; Bass – Philip Achille; Drums, Percussion – Nadav Schneerson; Electric Piano [Fender Rhodes], Synthesizer [Prophet 10, Roland SH-101,MK-80,Sequential OB-6] – Greg Foat; Guitar – Gavin Sutherland; Harp – Amanda Whiting

Off-Piste

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Béla Fleck/Zakir Hussain/Edgar Meyer/Rakesh Chaurasia - As We Speak

Styles: Worldwide
Year: 2023
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 75:18
Size: 173,0 MB
Art: Front

(4:56) 1. Motion
(9:16) 2. The B Tune
(5:30) 3. Tradewinds Bengali
(6:11) 4. J Bhai
(4:47) 5. Rickety Karma
(6:17) 6. 1980
(4:33) 7. Owl’s Misfortune
(8:24) 8. Pashto
(4:53) 9. Hidden Lake
(7:00) 10. Beast In The Garden
(8:22) 11. Conundrum
(5:04) 12. As We Speak

As We Speak is an emphatic continuation of banjoist Bela Fleck's eclectic adventures dating back to his high school days. It is thus only fitting that this LP's title alludes to the ongoing artistic process wherein creativity can ensue, virtually non-stop, no matter what other dialogue(s) might be going on at the time.

In fact, the trio of Fleck, tabla master Zakir Hussain and bassist Edgar Meyer have collaborated in the past see The Melody of Rhythm (Koch, 2009). But whereas that project involved The Detroit Symphony Orchestra, this title incorporates bansurist Rakesh Chaurasia, whose instrument lends an alternately ghostly and fanciful air to the proceedings via "Motion" and "The B Tune," among others

Mirroring the mesh of blurred images on the album cover, this quartet's fusion of Indian and Western classical musics, bluegrass and jazz brings to mind the late keyboardist/composer Joe Zawinul's comment about Weather Report, the ensemble he led with saxophonist/composer Wayne Shorter; to paraphrase, Fleck, Hussain, Meyer and Chaurasia sound like they're always soloing, but never soloing.

During the fleet and graceful interactions that comprise "J Bhai," for instance, economy and self-discipline coexist with utter abandon in such a way as to ignite not only the musicians' collective and individual imaginations, but mostly likely those of listeners as well. And while "Tradewinds Bengali" conjures exotic realms, the undercurrent of gaiety within "Rickety Karma" also injects a measure of levity into the proceedings that precludes anything overly serious from radiating out of this or the total dozen tracks.

Produced by Fleck (who also co-engineered with his long-time sonic guru Richard Battaglia), various compositional combinations of the three principals supply the source material of a sumptuous seventy-five minute program worth savoring repeatedly in its entirety. It is a credit to these artists that, even when the interplay becomes frenetic, as on "Pashto," they never succumb to the temptation to outplay each other.

Likewise, in the comparatively restful form of "1989," this is music that lives and breathes as a direct expression of each musician's working experience and, to only a slightly lesser extent, the shared history of Fleck, Meyer and Hussain. And while there is a dignified formality to some intervals like that aforementioned track, a decided whimsy flows as well, again thanks in large measure to the airy textures Chausari unfurls with his flute.

In the end, the four-way generation of these colorful sounds on As We Speak is at once insinuating and transportive. These are four musicians who, above all else, simply love to play, perhaps never more than when they do here with such intuitive fluidity. By Doug Collette
https://www.allaboutjazz.com/as-we-speak-bela-fleck-thirty-tigers

Personnel: Banjo – Béla Fleck; Bansuri – Rakesh Chaurasia; Double Bass – Edgar Meyer; Tabla – Zakir Hussain

As We Speak

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Ruby Braff and The Flying Pizzarellis - C'est Magnifique!

Styles: Cornet Jazz
Year: 2007
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 74:23
Size: 171,2 MB
Art: Front

(7:49) 1. Lulu's Back in Town
(4:55) 2. Was I to Blame for Falling in Love with You?
(9:47) 3. You're a Lucky Guy
(6:03) 4. When a Woman Loves a Man
(7:03) 5. C'est Magnifique
(9:52) 6. My Honey's Lovin' Arms
(4:38) 7. I Didn't Know What Time It Was
(5:59) 8. They Can't Take That Away from Me
(4:28) 9. As Time Goes By
(8:37) 10. Sometimes I'm Happy
(5:06) 11. Dancing on the Ceiling

Ruby Braff's final studio recording sessions took place with musicians who played with the fire and inspiration required by the demanding cornetist, including familiar faces like guitarist Bucky Pizzarelli and drummer Jim Gwinn, though guitarist John Pizzarelli, bassist Martin Pizzarelli, and pianist Ray Kennedy had never before worked with him. Braff's battle with emphysema during the last few years of his life required him to use a wheelchair to get around airports to save his breath for performing, but he is still a powerful presence on this session, around two months before his illness progressed to the point that he could no longer perform.

Like any Braff-led recording, these dates include a selection of tried and true standards that he had played many times throughout his career, all played in swinging fashion and a timeless manner. The opener, "Lulu's Back in Town," is notable as he plays in short bursts, keeping the solos moving through the group to keep all the musicians on their toes, a pattern that follows in most of the selections.

Braff had a knack for reviving forgotten chestnuts like "My Honey's Loving Arms" and "You're a Lucky Guy." "C'est Magnifique" is not one of Cole Porter's best-known works, but Braff's sassy cornet and the campy vocal chorus (which includes a mix of recording session attendees, vocalist/pianist Daryl Sherman, jazz critic Dan Morgenstern, jazz author Ross Firestone, and producer Rachel Domber among them the last three likely making their recording debuts!) add to its appeal. John Pizzarelli's warm, friendly vocals are featured in both "They Can't Take That Away from Me" and "As Time Goes By," which brings up another Braff mandate: when the composer wrote an opening verse to set up a song, it shouldn't be omitted.

This rewarding session closes the career of a marvelous cornetist who kept high standards throughout his career rather than bowing to the demands of record labels, casual jazz fans, or promoters; he is missed but will not be forgotten.By Ken Dryden
https://www.allmusic.com/album/cest-magnifique%21-mw0000581925#review

Personnel: Ruby Braff - cornet; Bucky Pizzarelli - guitar; John Pizzarelli - guitar, vocal (tracks 8 and 9); Ray Kennedy - piano; Martin Pizzarelli - bass; Jim Gwinn - drums
The Oo-La-La Singers (track 5): Rachel Domber, Daryl Sherman, Adam and Dan Morgenstern, Al Lipsky, Gail and Ross Firestone

C'est Magnifique!

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Ella Fitzgerald - The Complete Decca Singles Vol. 1 (1935-1939) 4-Disc Set

"The First Lady of Song," Ella Fitzgerald was arguably the finest female jazz singer of all time (although some may vote for Sarah Vaughan or Billie Holiday). Blessed with a beautiful voice and a wide range, Fitzgerald could outswing anyone, was a brilliant scat singer, and had near-perfect elocution; one could always understand the words she sang. The one fault was that, since she always sounded so happy to be singing, Fitzgerald did not always dig below the surface of the lyrics she interpreted and she even made a downbeat song such as "Love for Sale" sound joyous. However, when one evaluates her career on a whole, there is simply no one else in her class.

Album: The Complete Decca Singles Vol. 1 1935-1939 (Disc 1)
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 56:18
Size: 128.9 MB
Styles: Jazz vocals
Year: 2017

[3:14] 1. Love And Kisses
[3:01] 2. Rhythm And Romance
[2:30] 3. I'll Chase The Blues Away
[3:02] 4. Crying My Heart Out For You
[2:33] 5. Sing Me A Swing Song (And Let Me Dance)
[2:56] 6. Under The Spell Of The Blues
[3:00] 7. A Little Bit Later On
[2:22] 8. Devoting My Time To You
[2:54] 9. If You Can't Sing It You'll Have To Swing It
[2:24] 10. Vote For Mister Rhythm
[2:41] 11. My Last Affair
[3:00] 12. Darktown Strutters Ball
[2:47] 13. Shine
[2:47] 14. Organ Grinder's Swing
[3:02] 15. The Reservation
[2:55] 16. I Got The Spring Fever Blues
[3:06] 17. Love, You're Just A Laugh
[2:50] 18. There's Frost On The Moon
[2:23] 19. When I Get Low I Get High
[2:40] 20. Oh, Yes, Take Another Guess

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Album: The Complete Decca Singles Vol. 1 1935-1939 (Disc 2)
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 67:45
Size: 155.1 MB
Styles: Jazz vocals
Year: 2017

[3:12] 1. Dedicated To You
[2:50] 2. Big Boy Blue
[2:38] 3. Wake Up And Live
[3:16] 4. You Showed Me The Way
[2:35] 5. Cryin' Mood
[3:02] 6. If You Ever Should Leave
[3:01] 7. Everyone's Wrong But Me
[2:38] 8. All Over Nothing At All
[3:15] 9. Deep In The Heart Of The South
[2:49] 10. Love Is The Thing So They Say
[2:58] 11. Just A Simple Melody
[3:09] 12. Holiday In Harlem
[3:06] 13. Rock It For Me
[3:07] 14. The Dipsy Doodle
[3:00] 15. Bei Mir Bist Du Schoen
[2:53] 16. It's My Turn Now
[2:56] 17. It's Wonderful
[2:51] 18. I Was Doing All Right
[3:18] 19. I Got A Guy
[4:28] 20. I Want To Be Happy
[4:02] 21. Hallelujah!
[2:32] 22. If Dreams Come True

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Album: The Complete Decca Singles Vol. 1 1935-1939 (Disc 3)

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s

Time: 57:57

Size: 132.7 MB

Styles: Jazz vocals

Year: 2017

[3:07] 1. This Time It's Real

[2:59] 2. You Can't Be Mine (And Someone Else's, Too)

[2:49] 3. (I’ve Been) Saving Myself For You

[3:00] 4. We Can't Go On This Way

[2:52] 5. Pack Up Your Sins And Go To The Devil

[2:44] 6. Everybody Step

[2:36] 7. A-Tisket, A-Tasket

[3:13] 8. I'm Just A Jitterbug

[2:58] 9. (Oh! Oh!) What Do You Know About Love

[2:43] 10. If You Only Knew

[2:59] 11. I Let A Tear Fall In The River

[3:04] 12. Mcpherson Is Rehearsin' (To Swing)

[2:34] 13. I Found My Yellow Basket

[2:49] 14. Ella

[3:00] 15. Wacky Dust

[2:44] 16. Strictly From Dixie

[2:51] 17. Woe Is Me

[2:53] 18. Gotta Pebble In My Shoe

[2:53] 19. F.D.R. Jones

[3:01] 20. I Love Every Move You Make

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Album: The Complete Decca Singles Vol. 1 1935-1939 (Disc 4)

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s

Time: 61:15

Size: 140.2 MB

Styles: Jazz vocals

Year: 2017

Art: Front

[2:56] 1. It's Foxy

[2:59] 2. My Heart Belongs To Daddy

[3:05] 3. I Can't Stop Loving You

[2:59] 4. 'tain't What You Do (It's The Way That Cha Do It)

[3:17] 5. Undecided

[2:58] 6. Chew Chew Chew (Your Bubble Gum)

[2:46] 7. It's Slumbertime Along The Swanee

[3:05] 8. Don't Worry 'bout Me

[3:01] 9. Once Is Enough For Me

[3:06] 10. I'm Up A Tree

[3:07] 11. Have Mercy

[3:05] 12. If You Ever Change Your Mind

[3:06] 13. If Anything Happened To You

[3:16] 14. One Side Of Me

[2:53] 15. Little White Lies

[3:06] 16. If That's What You're Thinking, You're Wrong

[3:11] 17. I Had To Live And Learn

[3:00] 18. That Was My Heart

[3:11] 19. Sugar Pie

[2:59] 20. Coochi-Coochi-Coo

The Complete Decca Singles Vol. 1 1935-1939 (Disc 1) (Disc 2)

The Complete Decca Singles Vol. 1 1935-1939 (Disc 3) (Disc 4)                              

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Judy Whitmore - Come Fly With Me

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2024
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 40:44
Size: 94,5 MB
Art: Front

(3:46) 1.It’s Nice To Go Trav’ling
(3:49) 2.Come Fly With Me
(2:44) 3.On An Evening In Roma
(4:37) 4.A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square
(2:52) 5.There’s A Small Hotel
(3:13) 6.I Thought About You
(3:40) 7.Moonlight In Vermont
(3:19) 8.April In Paris
(4:04) 9.Georgia on My Mind
(3:11) 10. Autumn In New York
(2:45) 11. Beyond The Sea
(2:39) 12. Around The World

Judy Whitmore a true modern-day Renaissance woman, heeds the call of the stage, the sky, and beyond. Her life as a vocal artist and writer has taken off, and the sky is the limit. The best-selling author, vocalist, theater producer and pilot, who also holds a Master’s Degree in clinical psychology, approaches all her endeavors with style and spirit. “When you walk alone to the center of the stage, it’s similar to flying,” she observes. “It’s exciting and it’s terrifying at the same time. You step up to the microphone, glance at your musical director, and it’s like hearing the guy in the control tower say ‘cleared for take-off,’ and somehow, you just soar.”

Named after the legendary singer Judy Garland (a friend of her grandfather from his days in the MGM Studio Orchestra), Judy was born in New York City and raised in Studio City, California. Her parents’ passion for the symphony and musical theater fueled her desire for a career in music. Her first foray as a vocal artist and performer began during college when she sang background vocals for Capitol Records in Hollywood. Although she expected to continue on this road, her journey took unexpected and often unbelievable detours.

Marrying young, she and her husband settled in Beverly Hills and had two children. Before long they were embarking on a new adventure that took them away from the glitz and glamour of that storied city. Wanting to raise their children in a more rural environment, they packed up the family and moved to the Rocky Mountain paradise of Aspen, Colorado. There, Judy learned to ski, can peaches, and saddle a horse. She maintained her love of theater, serving as president of both the Aspen Playwright’s Conference and the American Theatre Company, where under her presidency, ATC produced plays that featured Hal Holbrook, Vincent Price, and John Travolta.

It was also in Aspen Judy befriended her closest neighbors, Annie and John Denver. John coaxed her to confront her fear of flying and invited her to board his private plane, Windstar One. The experience was so powerful that it wasn’t long before Judy began to pursue and earn her pilot’s license. She eventually became a licensed commercial jet pilot and worked search-and-rescue missions for Pitkin County (Aspen) Air Rescue. She later flew seaplanes, and took up hot-air ballooning. (Listen to Judy describe her confrontation with the fear of flying and her transformation on Tim Benjamin’s “Fear of Flying” podcast.)

Lured back to Los Angeles and the stage, Judy undertook her first independent theater project as the producer of “Taking a Chance on Love” which received a rave review in Variety. From there, she headed to London to co-produce Leonard Bernstein’s “Wonderful Town,” then returned to Southern California where she met the man who would become her second husband. After settling in Pacific Palisades, Judy craved a new life experience. She went back to college, earned a Master’s degree in Clinical Psychology, and opened a private practice in West Los Angeles.

In due course, it was time for yet another new and exciting move. Judy headed to Newport Beach and enrolled in a series of writing courses at UC Irvine. Her romantic-adventure Come Fly with Me, inspired by her own life as a pilot and penned in 2013, topped the Amazon Kindle Bestseller List. She was recognized with “First Place for Women’s Fiction” at The Santa Barbara Writer’s Conference and the “Editor’s Choice Award” at the San Diego State University’s Writer’s Conference. Other literary credits include All Time Favorites: Recipes From Family and Friends and an illustrated retelling of William Shakespeare’s Romeo & Juliet.

Her passion for performing would never be too far out of sight. In 2014, she co-founded ACT THREE with her brother Billy and her neighbor Lynn. The trio brought timeless standards to life at legendary venues including The Ritz Hotel in Paris and both the Metropolitan Room and Carnegie Hall in New York. Once Upon a Dream, the award-winning documentary film, chronicled the trio’s journey to Carnegie Hall. .

“I always wanted to sing full-time, but it was never possible. I had to pack my dream of a musical career away in an imaginary box. I tucked it on the highest shelf in my closet and tried to forget about it. I loved being a pilot, and a therapist, and a theater producer, and a writer. I had done all these exciting things, and none of it was easy. But I always felt something was missing,” she admits. “I knew it was time to get that box of dreams out of the closet, cast off the lid and embrace the music career I had always wanted.”

In 2018 Judy ventured onto the stage alone with her show-stopping, cabaret-style vocal act. She’s garnered critical praise from The OC Register and Los Angeles Times who observed “[she] has a bit of a Judy Holliday comedic edge” and “tackled some tough ballads with style.” Her repertoire is diverse, extending from the great American standards to Broadway and jazz. Coming full circle, she seized the moment and returned to Capitol Studios to cut her new album, Can’t We Be Friends, alongside collaborators John Sawoski and GRAMMY® and Emmy Award-winning composer Michael Patterson. Together, they have created a love letter to The Great American Songbook. “This is the music I grew up with, and I don’t want people to forget it. I think it’s one of the most extraordinary bodies of work every created.” Judy currently serves as a member of the Board of Directors of Pacific Symphony. There’s no end in sight to her adventures.

Come Fly With Me

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Dave Stryker Trio - Groove Street

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 2024
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 53:57
Size: 124,1 MB
Art: Front

(5:14) 1.Groove Street
(6:15) 2 Overlap
(6:27) 3.Summit
(7:26) 4.Infant Eyes
(5:41) 5.Soulstice
(5:00) 6.Cold Duck
(5:44) 7.Cold Blue
(6:40) 8.The More I See You
(5:28) 9.Straight Ahead

Guitarist Dave Stryker's latest album, Groove Street, is in fact "The Dave Stryker Trio with Bob Mintzer," a combination that is a sure bet to enhance its merit and heighten its import a sentiment that is equally true when applied to any album on which the acclaimed tenor saxophonist sits in.

Stryker and Mintzer are longtime friends who somehow never recorded together, although Mintzer furnished the arrangements for Blue Soul, Stryker's splendid album with Germany's WDR Big Band. For this date, he has mapped out a pair of handsome original compositions ("Overlap," "Straight Ahead") to accompany three by Stryker and one each by Wayne Shorter, Eddie Harris and the trio's organist, Jared Gold, to chaperon Mack Gordon and Harry Warren's enduring standard, "The More I See You."

Stryker, Gold and drummer McClenty Hunter comprise the leader's working trio, which means everything on offer is not only engaging but seamless as well. This is as coeval as it gets, even as Mintzer teams up to add a collateral voice. Those familiar with Stryker should know what to expectdancing single-note runs with rare flourishes, always astute and accessible. As for Mintzer, his clean, angular phrases are never less than sharp and meticulous, while his emphatic, broad-shouldered style can be likened to that of Joe Henderson, Michael Brecker and other post-bop masters.

The session's basic mood is upbeat and breezy, best exemplified by Mintzer's twin burners, Stryker's robust "Summit" and hard swinging "Code Blue," and Harris' groovy "Cold Duck Time." Even "The More I See You" is taken at a brisker-than-usual tempo, fitting the ensemble like a proverbial glove. Shorter is represented by the tender "Infant Eyes," and Gold by the even-tempered and aptly named "Soulstice," on which he frames one of his several persuasive solos. Hunter doesn't solo as often, but when he does, he commands everyone's undivided attention.
Stryker's trio is splendid on its own, even better when enhanced by Mintzer's formidable presence all of which makes Groove Street an agreeable avenue whereon to stroll and linger long enough the sample its captivating sounds and charming ambience.By Jack Bowers
https://www.allaboutjazz.com/groove-street-dave-stryker-strikezone-records

Groove Street

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Sylvie Courvoisier - Chimaera

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2023
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 86:07
Size: 197,4 MB
Art: Front

(21:21) 1. Le pavot rouge
(13:32) 2. La joubarbe aragnaineuse
( 8:23) 3. Partout des prunelles flamboient
(15:00) 4. La chime`re aux yeux verts
( 8:40) 5. Ann​â​o
(19:09) 6. Le sabot de Venus

It says something about pianist Sylvie Courvoisier's current profile in creative jazz that she could assemble such a distinguished ensemble for her latest release, Chimaera. Augmenting her usual trio of bassist Drew Gress and drummer Kenny Wollesen are trumpeters Wadada Leo Smith and Nate Wooley, and with the always interesting Christian Fennesz completing the group on guitar and electronics, one would expect extraordinary results. And so they are worthy of a lengthy, two-CD treatment, in fact.

Courvoisier's work with Gress and Wollesen goes back to 2014, on Double Windsor (Tzadik). Since then, she's made two others with this trio, D'Agala (Intakt, 2017) and Free Hoops (Intakt, 2020), both of which are superb showcases of Courvoisier's prowess, with rhythmic intensity and improvisatory imagination galore, and with a telepathic rapport with her partners that always characterizes the best piano trios. And that is no less true of Chimaera, although listening to it the first time requires adjusting one's immediate assumption that it will be a display of the musicians' undeniable chops. What we get instead is something much more subtle and elliptical, in which mood and atmosphere are the objective rather than overt virtuosity. Indeed, part of the pleasure of this recording involves appreciating just how readily these formidable players subordinate themselves to Courvoisier's vision. Smith, Wooley, and Fennesz are outsized presences in their own right, but here their goal is to create something beyond their individual artistry; and although all six compositions are Courvoisier's, the album feels very much a group endeavor, and a superlative realization of a collective concept.

With four of the album's tracks coming in at over 13 minutes (and the first, "Le pavot rouge," a riveting 21 minutes), Courvoisier's music takes shape gradually, but with an emphasis on sustained development. This is music to get lost in, as ostinato passages and serpentine grooves meander through each cut, with a transfixing aggregative quality. Smith and Wooley are frequently at their most lyrical here, with a patience in articulation that matches the music's predilection for tempered restraint. The two engage in a gorgeous back-and-forth on "Le pavot rouge" with just a few perfectly placed notes; and when the rhythm ceases altogether for an even more muted segment as Wollesen takes up the vibraphone, the fragility of the music is striking, highlighted all the more when the captivating groove resumes. The group's use of space throughout the album is pivotal, allowing even the smallest gestures and flourishes to speak volumes.

Also crucial is Fennesz, whose crafty guitar and judicious use of electronics add indispensable texture to the music. Sometimes he floats in the background, almost imperceptibly, as on "Annâo," where he gently goads Courvoisier and the trumpets with occasional interjections. Elsewhere he is considerably more gregarious, particularly on "Partout des prunelles flambolent," easily the most dynamically enticing track on the album. Here Fennesz drives the music forward with beautiful distortion, fueling the leaps and flurries that give the piece its energy and verve. Courvoisier takes full advantage of the chance to stretch out here as well, with a glimpse of the sheer power and creativity she brings to her craft. Yet by the album's conclusion, the mysterious hold of "Le sabot de Venus" is finally released, and it is not the musicians' skill that most impresses, but rather their ability to cast a sustained spell for over eighty glorious minutes. A triumphant recording, and one of 2023's highlights.By Troy Dostert
https://www.allaboutjazz.com/chimaera-sylvie-courvoisier-intakt-records

Personnel: Sylvie Courvoisier: Piano; Wadada Leo Smith: Trumpet; Nate Wooley: Trumpet; Christian Fennesz: Guitar, electronics; Drew Gress: Bass; Kenny Wollesen: Drums, vibraphone

Chimaera

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Les McCann - Never A Dull Moment! Live From Coast To Coast 1966-1967

Never A Dull Moment! Live From Coast To Coast 1966-1967 CD 1 Styles: Hard Bop, Soul Jazz, Piano Jazz, Post-Bop, Jazz-Funk
Year: 2023
Time: 41:34
File: MP3 @ 320/s
Size: 57,5 MB
Art: Front

(5:29) 1. Blue 'n' Boogie
(6:54) 2. Could Be
(4:07) 3. The Grabber
(9:15) 4. Yours Is My Heart Alone
(5:31) 5. The Shampoo
(6:13) 6. Wait For It
(4:02) 7. This Could Be The Start Of Something Big

Never A Dull Moment! Live From Coast To Coast 1966-1967 CD 1

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Never A Dull Moment! Live From Coast To Coast 1966-1967 CD 2

Styles: Hard Bop, Soul Jazz, Piano Jazz, Post-Bop, Jazz-Funk
Year: 2023
Time: 39:28
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Size: 54,6 MB
Art: Front

(5:43) 1. Out In The Outhouse
(6:17) 2. A Night In Tunisia
(4:44) 3. Da-Da
(7:24) 4. Lavande
(7:22) 5. There Will Never Be Another You
(7:55) 6. (Back Home Again In) Indiana

Never A Dull Moment! Live From Coast To Coast 1966-1967 CD 2

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Never A Dull Moment! Live From Coast To Coast 1966-1967 CD 3

Styles: Hard Bop, Soul Jazz, Piano Jazz, Post-Bop, Jazz-Funk
Year: 2023
Time: 49:49
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Size: 68,9 MB
Art: Front

(7:12) 1. Love For Sale
(8:25) 2. I Can Dig It
(8:58) 3. Doin' That Thing
(6:08) 4. I Am In Love
(3:11) 5. Goin' Out Of My Head
(9:13) 6. Sunny
(5:00) 7. Blues 5
(1:38) 8. The Shampoo

Never A Dull Moment! Live From Coast To Coast 1966-1967 CD 3

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Les McCann - "Never A Dull Moment! Live From Coast To Coast (1966-67)" is a previously unreleased collection of live recordings from unsung piano and vocal icon Les McCann. Featuring performances at Seattle's Penthouse jazz club in 1966 with Stan Gilbert, Paul Humphrey and Tony Bazley, plus recordings by Resonance founder and co-president George Klabin from the Village Vanguard in 1967 with Leroy Vinnegar and Frank Severino. This is an official release (in cooperation with Les McCann) transferred from the original tapes and mastered for by the legendary Bernie Grundman.

CD 1-Tracks 1-7 recorded at the Penthouse Club in Seattle on January 27, 1966

CD-2 Tracks 8-10 recorded at the Penthouse Club in Seattle on February 3, 1966, Tracks 11-12 recorded at the Penthouse Club in Seattle on February 10, 1966, Track 13 recorded at the Penthouse on August 15, 1963 with Victor Gaskin (bass and Tony Bazley (drums)

Les McCann - piano

Stanley Gilbert - bass

Paul Humphrey - drums

Tony Bazley - drums (Feb. 10, 1996)

CD 3-Tracks 14-21 recorded at the Village Vanguard on July 16, 1967

Les McCann - piano

Leroy Vinnegar - bass

Frank Severino - drums

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Bruno Santos - Almmond 3: Wild West

Styles: Guitar Jazz

Year: 2023
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 54:22
Size: 125,9 MB
Art: Front

(4:12) 1. Delicious
(4:13) 2. Wild West
(4:48) 3. Calypsol
(3:49) 4. Protagonism
(4:17) 5. Daddy waltz you
(4:05) 6. Home alone
(5:40) 7. I used to got no rhythm
(3:13) 8. To preach or not to preach
(4:20) 9. My old folks
(4:43) 10. Oeste
(4:17) 11. Purple, black and more
(6:41) 12. Strawberry Jerry

With a career shaped by different projects and instrumental contexts (trio, quartet, quintet, decatet), Bruno Santos (b. 1976) is one of the most solid national jazz guitarists. With his brother André he forms the duo Mano a Mano, which has already released five albums, the most recent of which is the highly recommended “Trilogia das Sombras” (reviewed on jazz.pt here). In this project delightfully called Almmond 3, the guitarist explores the classic guitar-organ-drums format, a sound geometry that tells him a lot: «I assumed and I completely assume that the premise was to make original music, but inspired by the sound and language of the classic trios of this format", Bruno Santos begins by telling jazz.pt. «I sought out this sound openly, almost as a tribute or homage to some of my favorite guitarists», he soon adds. They are joined by Hugo Lobo on the Hammond B3 organ and the Serbian drummer Nemanja Delic, who has long lived among us, ideal companions for this adventure in Almmond 3. And the sense of humor is not just in the name of the group: we find it too in the title and cover of the album and in the names of the songs.

Bruno Santos sees this new project of his as another chapter «of a sated desire or curiosity.» Music continues to be a mystery to him. The albums released in his name have always been with different formations, although they can be seen as loose chapters that tell a story in progress, the story of the curiosity to test various formats. «With the exception of Mano a Mano and, eventually, the Hot Clube de Portugal septet, in which there is continuity (in formation and music), the rest are episodes that can be seen or heard without knowing the previous episode», highlights the guitarist. The desire to create a trio along these lines comes from way back. «I would say it's an old love, or an old relationship that finally has a happy ending!» The sound of the Hammond trio with guitar and drums was something that always attracted him. But suddenly something happened that would allow me to finally realize this drive: «For years I thought it would be complicated to record in this format, until suddenly I met Hugo Lobo and learned that he had been playing Hammond since childhood.» At the beginning of 2021, they held some sessions at the guitarist's home, who liked the result so much that he proposed doing something more consistent. The trio began rehearsing in a regular and targeted manner, somewhere between March and April of that year.

There are several challenges that this instrumental configuration poses, the biggest of which is the way in which the guitar and the Hammond connect, I would say intimately, to each other. «They complement each other, not only from a timbral point of view but in the space created for comping/soloing. I would say that it is easier, from the outset, for a guitar and a Hammond to coexist without major hiccups, than a guitar and a piano, for example», explains Bruno Santos. Hugo Lobo, who plays bass with his left hand, allows this alliance to occur between guitar and Hammond, which complement each other and become almost a single instrument. «Simply put, if Hugo is with the melody/solo, he necessarily has his left hand on the bass and his right hand on the solo/melody, making room for the guitar comping. If the guitar is on the solo, the Hammond takes over the bass (left hand) and comping (right hand)», explains the guitarist, who reinforces the «little margin for shock». But there is also the difficulty that arises from the Hammond being able to steal some timbral spectrum from the guitar, not only because it is an electric instrument and requires volume, but because «timbrally there are similarities». «And because it is an electric instrument, with volume it ends up being more “muscular” and demands more from everyone.” The format calls for high levels of interaction; the smaller the formation, the greater the scope for this to happen: «Hammond is there in the middle, he is part of the rhythm section but at the same time the soloist's accompanist. There is a constant connection between the three, fueled by Hammond.» .

The preparation process for this record was simple and smooth. «We always rehearsed at my house. I have a nice space with drums, equipped with a simple sound system», reveals Bruno Santos. The three of them recorded some rehearsals to smooth out rough edges and refine details. At one point, the guitarist suggested spending two or three days recording, in live mode, to see what happened. With just four microphones (two on drums and one for guitar and Hammond), within a short distance of each other, everything happened. In addition to the recording, the mixing and mastering of the album were also done at home by Bruno Santos himself (in the same space where “Trilogia das Sombras” was also recorded). «My curiosity also led me to this work; I mixed, mastered – the best I could, looking for what my ear wanted –, I asked a good friend and neighbor to take some photos and the album ended up being made in the neighborhood where I live, away from the chaos, in peace and tranquility. from Camp." Without the pressure of the clock and other factors inherent to studio recording, «with the time and peace of mind to experiment and record without a stopwatch.»

The music we hear in “Wild West” is bright and energetic, drawing on various referential sources, from jazz to rock, blues or soul. “It all came naturally,” he says. «The electric sound of the organ (whether Hammond or not) reminds me of bands I listened to a lot when I was a teenager (I still do), like Deep Purple or The Doors. Rock might come from there. The Hammond jazz trios, the blues that is always underlying whether in the rock or jazz format.” “Delicious” opens with groovy, processed strumming that launches into an almost Latin-swinging piece, with fluid guitar and smoking organ alternating solos; the drums provide the traction that pulls the trio resolutely forward, into the margins of rock. Full of associations with the place where it was written, in the middle of agricultural fields, “Wild West” fills us with a refreshing blues in the way the melody is exposed, with the guitar assuming natural protagonism, the organ carpeting with elegance (another great solo by Lobo) and the drums add rhythmic refinement.

Fun and fully danceable, “Calypsol” is a calypso in G major, which evokes summer in a destination with turquoise waters. The following piece has a paradoxical title: “Protagonism” is one of the themes where the interaction between the three is exponentiated, frenetic, with a fast swing, with Santos drawing a sinuous line that the organ reinforces and the drummer emphasizes with an assertive drive ( excellent at using brooms). “Daddy Waltz You”, «a waltz I did with my daughter in my head and heart», as the guitarist makes a point of pointing out, brings water to the boil with its elegant melody and “Home Alone” («take one», listen -se at the beginning), a theme in three parts, brings a lightness that resonates, with the fluidity of the leader's guitar, the comforting warmth of the organ, and the always intervening drums.

“I Used to Got no Rhythm”, built on the structure of “I Got Rhythm”, a Gershwinian emblem, here densified without giving up a vintage flavor, displays the good articulation between the three musicians; Delic solos well, without excessive adornments. “ To Preach or not to Preach”, in a soul register, precedes “My Old Folks”, a ballad with a classic feel (in the jazz sense, that is), deeply dedicated to his parents, who always accepted and supported their son's choice to be jazz musician, at a time when it was not obvious to explain that this “involved studying at home and waiting for the phone to ring.” “Oeste”, with a placid atmosphere, reveals guitarist and organist letting go with sobriety and purpose, referring to the guitarist's “west”. “Purple, Black and More”, a small tribute to one of the heroes of adolescence, the guitarist Ritchie Blackmore (Deep Purple, Rainbow), is a blues song with a strong rock'n'roll flavor. To close, the melody of “Strawberry Jerry” refers to the character of an imaginary comic strip, walking among the strawberries that were sprouting in the vegetable garden, right next to the studio.

With Almmond 3 and this “Wild West”, Bruno Santos adds a not insignificant chapter to a story that never ceases to surprise. https://jazz.pt/criticas/bruno-santos-almmond-3-wild-west-edicao-de-autor .

Almmond 3: Wild West

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Joel Haynes/Seamus Blake/Neil Swainson - The Return

Styles: Contemporary Jazz
Year: 2023
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 49:24
Size: 113,6 MB
Art: Front

(4:19) 1. The Return
(5:28) 2. Peregrination
(6:35) 3. There And Back
(7:14) 4. Tomorrow Never Knows
(6:59) 5. Secret Garden
(7:53) 6. Allure
(6:13) 7. Angel
(4:40) 8. Payback

The Return! is certainly well-named, as it is drummer Joel Haynes' third album as leader of his own group but the first in fifteen years, following Cellar Music recordings The Time Is Now (2005) and Transitions (2008). During his long absence from a recording studio, however, Toronto-based Haynes has managed to stay busy, performing with many of the finest jazz artists in Canada and appearing at jazz festivals and other events in North and South America, the Caribbean and Europe.

On The Return!, Haynes leads an all-star quartet whose other members are tenor saxophonist Seamus Blake, pianist Tilden Webb and bassist Neil Swainson. No slackers in that lineup. Blake in particular warrants special applause, as he carries much of the melodic load and never once drops the ball. His teammates, meanwhile, give him ample room to run, forming an earnest and effective rhythmic phalanx.

The playlist consists of five original compositions by Haynes, a couple by Webb, John Lennon/Paul McCartney's "Tomorrow Never Knows" and one outlier, "Angel." There are two flag-wavers, Webb's "There and Back" and Haynes' "Payback," the last of which the group saves for its closing number. Webb swings hard on both tracks, while Blake delivers dazzling solos and Haynes and Swainson show they are master hands at any tempo.

"Tomorrow," not one of the Beatles' better-known themes, is a pleasant groover on which Webb takes another tasteful solo, leading to more of the same by Blake who clearly brought his "A-game" to the session. Swainson, one of Canada's premier sidemen, also solos admirably, while Haynes keeps his usual flawless time. Webb's placid "Secret Garden" is next, followed by Haynes' sunlit "Allure," the easygoing "Angel" (arranged by Webb) and the emphatic "Payback."

While it has been a long time between recordings for Haynes, The Return! is well worth the wait. An appetizing slice of contemporary post-bop jazz. By Jack Bowers
https://www.allaboutjazz.com/the-return-joel-haynes-cellar-records

Personnel: Joel Haynes - drums; Seamus Blake - tenor saxophone; Neil Swainson - bass; Tilden Webb - piano

The Return

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Angela DeNiro - Angela DeNiro Swingin' with Legends 2 with the Ron Aprea Big Band

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2023
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 65:43
Size: 151,3 MB
Art: Front

(4:02) 1. New York City Blues
(5:20) 2. You'd Be So Easy To Love (Feat. Ken Peplowski)
(4:22) 3. Hello Young Lovers (Feat. Randy Brecker)
(5:50) 4. A House Is Not A Home
(3:50) 5. Willow Weep For Me
(7:47) 6. It Might As Well Be Spring (Feat. Lew Tabackin)
(2:25) 7. Don'cha Go 'Way Mad
(4:59) 8. Two For The Road
(3:09) 9. That Old Black Magic
(5:31) 10. Come In From The Rain
(4:10) 11. On Green Dolphin Street
(5:17) 12. My One And Only Love
(5:18) 13. For Phil
(3:36) 14. The Curtain Falls

On Swingin' with Legends 2, her fourth recorded collaboration with arranger (and husband) Ron Aprea's big band, vocalist Angela DeNiro sings beautifully and receives a lot of help from her friends, especially guests Ken Peplowski on clarinet, Randy Brecker on trumpet and Lew Tabackin on tenor sax and flute. And what a band! Well-stocked with stars who are eager to fly whenever Aprea raises his baton.

Not that DeNiro needs much help. She is quite simply a marvelous singer with excellent range, splendid diction and obvious respect for a lyric. She also sings on key, and as for breath control, dig the final note on Burt Bacharach's "A House Is Not a Home." And she scats respectably too (in sync with the band on Rodgers and Hammerstein's "It Might as Well Be Spring," on which Tabackin solos on tenor). Ballads pose no problem, as DeNiro readily nails "My One and Only Love" and Henry Mancini's "Two for the Road" but it's clear that she and the band relish every opportunity to step on the gas and flat-out swing. For crystal-clear examples, look no further than "That Old Black Magic" or Cole Porter's "Easy to Love" (with Brecker on trumpet).

"On Green Dolphin Street" is another burner, encompassing one of alto Todd Bashore's heated solos (the others are on "Willow Weep for Me" and "For Phil," Aprea's clever tribute to the late alto giant and close friend Phil Woods). "For Phil" leads to the tender-hearted finale, "The Curtain Falls," a closing theme often used by Bobby Darin. Aprea employs only one soloist on each number. Besides Bashore and the band's guests, they include trumpeter Bryan Davis on the opening "New York Blues," "That Old Black Magic" and "Come in from the Rain"; trumpeter Chris Persad ("A House Is Not a Home"), bassist Tim Givens ("Don't Cha Go 'Way Mad") and trombonist Wayne Goodman ("My One and Only Love").

If this isn't the best vocalist-with-big band album of the year, it is definitely a close second. And the other one would have to be downright spectacular. DeNiro and Aprea's partnership is awesome, and Swingin' with Legends 2 shines brightly from every angle. In other words, a definite keeper.

Angela DeNiro Swingin' with Legends 2 with the Ron Aprea Big Band

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Larry McKenna - World on a String

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2023
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 48:19
Size: 111,1 MB
Art: Front

(6:08) 1. I've Got the World on a String
(6:24) 2. But Beautiful
(3:50) 3. I Love You, Samantha
(7:10) 4. Emily
(5:31) 5. Dreamsville
(4:24) 6. Stompin' at the Savoy
(4:54) 7. Somewhere in the Night
(5:33) 8. Samba De Else
(4:21) 9. What Is There to Say?

Larry McKenna is not really a celebrity. He probably never will be. He plays tenor sax in and around Philadelphia. He apparently does not say a lot although he clearly has a puckish sense of humor. It comes out in his playing. It is possible to drive by his suburban home, vaguely aware that a saxophonist, a pretty good one, lives there and keep right on going. A sort of metaphor for McKenna and his career (read our 2007 interview).

To a small group, musicians primarily, McKenna is not your average player. Some will say he is arguably the best in the world at what he does, not just in Philadelphia. And what he does is play beautifully and lyrically, distilling the modern history of the tenor saxophone, at least since Lester Young, into gorgeous sonorities. He has not recorded as much as say, Stan Getz, whose sound he sometimes recalls, or made live appearances in Mexico City and try to speak Spanish (as Getz once did). If you have heard him live, it may have been at a Catholic parish festival in South Philly. Or then again, at a Woody Herman Tribute Band festival in Los Angeles, since he is a Herd alumnus. McKenna has flown under that sort of oddly fragmented radar for many years. He has been called a "natural," schooled on the gig, not in the classroom. It shows.

Sooner or later, many great bop players McKenna is arguably that too have recorded with strings. These outings are not to everyone's liking, Somehow, the strings here, gifted players all, some associated with Temple University, where Larry has taught, are not an afterthought, but a harmonic extension of McKenna's playing. There are nine tunes, including "Samba de Else," a McKenna original, to add to Harold Arlen, Vernon Duke, Yip Harburg, Henry Mancini, Cole Porter , Jimmy van Heusen and Johnny Burke, Johnny Mandel, and Edgar Sampson, among others.

To top it off, McKenna and Jack Saint Clair, a fellow tenor player, did the arrangements. They knew what they wanted. There is no wasted space, no wasted motion, and not a wasted note. McKenna makes all the pretty changes, with spectacular results. Polished, tasteful, meditative, musical, gorgeous and in places, wryly hip. Dexter Gordon even peeks through occasionally. It is that kind of creative thinking.

World on a String opens appropriately enough, with McKenna cruising through an easygoing double-time with a touch of 52d Street here and there. An incredible "But Beautiful" follows, shades of Gordon Jenkins, as yearning a version as one could hear, with strings and piano tastefully interwoven. "Samantha" is a bossa, a genre which sometimes means cliché-time. Not here, where sincerity, not cynicism holds. To get away from the insanity with which we have surrounded ourselves, choose either "Emily" or "Dreamsville." Both will take you, unaided, to a much better place.

On "Savoy," McKenna is joined on tenor by Saint Clair, who more than holds his own. Joe Plowman also gets some space on bass, and with strings, the whole swings nicely indeed. The real sleeper is "Somewhere in the Night" otherwise known as the theme from the TV series "Naked City" (1960-1963), which has been little recorded since 1965. Some may remember Maynard Ferguson doing a big band arrangement, on Come Blow Your Horn (Cameo, 1963) and perhaps that is where this version originated. It is a pleasure to hear the Milt Raskin and Billy May chart rescued from obscurity. The recording closes out with a McKenna original, "Samba de Else" and "What is There to Say?"

A favorite? All of them. A memorable recording by an artist whose evident dislike for self-promotion and publicity should not prevent a widespread appreciation of his gifts.By Richard J Salvucci https://www.allaboutjazz.com/world-on-a-string-larry-mckenna-bcm-and-d-records

World on a String

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Ella Fitzgerald - The Complete Decca Singles Vol. 4 of 4 (1950-1955) 4-Disc Set

In 1934 Ella's name was pulled in a weekly drawing at the Apollo and she won the opportunity to compete in Amateur Night. Ella went to the theater that night planning to dance, but when the frenzied Edwards Sisters closed the main show, Ella changed her mind. "They were the dancingest sisters around," Ella said, and she felt her act would not compare. Once on stage, faced with boos and murmurs of "What's she going to do?" from the rowdy crowd, a scared and disheveled Ella made the last minute decision to sing. She asked the band to play Hoagy Carmichael's "Judy," a song she knew well because Connee Boswell's rendition of it was among Tempie's favorites. Ella quickly quieted the audience, and by the song's end they were demanding an encore. She obliged and sang the flip side of the Boswell Sister's record, "The Object of My Affections."

Off stage, and away from people she knew well, Ella was shy and reserved. She was self-conscious about her appearance, and for a while even doubted the extent of her abilities. On stage, however, Ella was surprised to find she had no fear. She felt at home in the spotlight. "Once up there, I felt the acceptance and love from my audience," Ella said. "I knew I wanted to sing before people the rest of my life." In the band that night was saxophonist and arranger Benny Carter. Impressed with her natural talent, he began introducing Ella to people who could help launch her career. In the process he and Ella became lifelong friends, often working together.

Fueled by enthusiastic supporters, Ella began entering - and winning - every talent show she could find. In January 1935 she won the chance to perform for a week with the Tiny Bradshaw band at the Harlem Opera House. It was there that Ella first met drummer and bandleader Chick Webb. Although her voice impressed him, Chick had already hired male singer Charlie Linton for the band. He offered Ella the opportunity to test with his band when they played a dance at Yale University. "If the kids like her," Chick said, "she stays." Despite the tough crowd, Ella was a major success, and Chick hired her to travel with the band for $12.50 a week.

Album: The Complete Decca Singles Vol. 4 (1950-1955) Disc 1
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 73:21
Size: 167.9 MB
Styles: Jazz vocals
Year: 2017

[2:55] 1. Baby, Won't You Say You Love Me
[3:21] 2. Don'cha Go 'way Mad
[3:00] 3. Solid As A Rock
[3:00] 4. Sugarfoot Rag
[2:20] 5. M-I-S-S-I-S-S-I-P-P-I
[2:10] 6. I Don't Want The World (With A Fence Around It)
[3:15] 7. I've Got The World On A String
[3:19] 8. Peas And Rice
[3:11] 9. Ain't Nobody's Business But My Own
[3:08] 10. I'll Never Be Free
[3:04] 11. Dream A Little Dream Of Me
[3:09] 12. Can Anyone Explain
[3:06] 13. Santa Claus Got Stuck (In My Chimney)
[2:41] 14. Molasses, Molasses (It's Icky Sticky Goo)
[3:13] 15. My One And Only
[3:12] 16. Someone To Watch Over Me
[3:05] 17. Looking For A Boy
[3:11] 18. But Not For Me
[3:12] 19. I've Got A Crush On You
[3:12] 20. How Long Has This Been Going On
[2:43] 21. Soon
[3:23] 22. Maybe
[3:05] 23. Little Small Town Girl (With The Big Town Dreams)
[3:15] 24. I Still Feel The Same About You

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Album: The Complete Decca Singles Vol. 4 (1950-1955) Disc 2
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 75:10
Size: 172.1 MB
Styles: Jazz vocals
Year: 2017

[2:59] 1. Lonesome Gal
[3:05] 2. The Bean Bag Song
[3:20] 3. Two Little Men In A Flying Saucer
[3:13] 4. The Hot Canary
[2:38] 5. The Chesapeake And Ohio
[3:08] 6. Because Of Rain
[3:28] 7. Even As You And I
[3:09] 8. Do You Really Love Me
[3:16] 9. Mixed Emotions
[1:56] 10. Come On-A My House
[2:58] 11. Love You Madly
[3:03] 12. Smooth Sailing
[2:46] 13. There Never Was A Baby Like My Baby
[3:18] 14. Give A Little, Get A Little
[3:16] 15. Baby Doll
[3:17] 16. Lady Bug
[2:30] 17. Necessary Evil
[3:08] 18. Oops!
[3:11] 19. I Don't Want To Take A Chance
[3:12] 20. Rough Ridin'
[3:07] 21. Lazy Day
[2:40] 22. What Does It Take
[2:24] 23. That Old Feeling
[2:50] 24. A Guy Is A Guy
[3:07] 25. Gee, But I'm Glad To Know You Love Me

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Album: The Complete Decca Singles Vol. 4 (1950-1955) Disc 3
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 66:26
Size: 152.1 MB
Styles: Jazz vocals
Year: 2017
Art: Front

[3:00] 1. Air Mail Special
[2:21] 2. Goody, Goody
[3:09] 3. Ding-Dong Boogie
[3:01] 4. Preview
[3:00] 5. Trying
[2:13] 6. My Bonnie Lies Over The Ocean
[2:46] 7. My Favorite Song
[2:26] 8. Walkin' By The River
[3:19] 9. Would You Like To Take A Walk
[2:16] 10. Who Walks In When I Walk Out
[2:53] 11. I Can't Lie To Myself
[3:00] 12. Don't Wake Me Up
[2:50] 13. Careless
[2:44] 14. Blue Lou
[3:05] 15. Nowhere Guy
[2:52] 16. Angel Eyes
[2:43] 17. When The Hands Of The Clock Pray At Midnight
[3:05] 18. Crying In The Chapel
[5:11] 19. You'll Have To Swing It (Mr. Paganini) Pt. 1 & 2
[2:11] 20. The Greatest There Is
[2:54] 21. I Wonder What Kind Of A Guy You'd Be
[2:26] 22. Somebody Bad Stole De Wedding Bell (Who's Got The Ding Dong )
[2:49] 23. Melancholy Me

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Album: The Complete Decca Singles Vol. 4 (1950-1955) Disc 4

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s

Time: 61:39

Size: 141.2 MB

Styles: Jazz vocals

Year: 2017

Art: Front

[2:39] 1. Baby

[2:37] 2. I Need

[2:46] 3. Who's Afraid (Not I, Not I, Not I)

[3:08] 4. I Wished On The Moon

[2:49] 5. Lullaby Of Birdland

[2:33] 6. Later

[3:03] 7. An Empty Ballroom

[2:43] 8. If You Don't, I Know Who Will

[2:38] 9. Moanin' Low

[3:04] 10. Taking A Chance On Love

[1:57] 11. Lover, Come Back To Me

[2:55] 12. Old Devil Moon

[2:24] 13. Pete Kelly's Blues

[2:58] 14. Hard Hearted Hannah

[3:00] 15. Soldier Boy

[2:31] 16. A Satisfied Mind

[2:46] 17. The Impatient Years

[2:56] 18. But Not Like Mine

[2:58] 19. The Tender Trap

[3:20] 20. My One And Only Love

[3:11] 21. Early Autumn

[2:32] 22. Ella's Contribution To The Blues

Ella Fitzgerald - The Complete Decca Singles Vol. 4 (1950-1955) Disc 1, Disc 2  

Ella Fitzgerald - The Complete Decca Singles Vol. 4 (1950-1955) Disc 3, Disc 4

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Bernie Senensky, Eric Alexander, Joe Farnsworth - Moment To Moment

Styles: Contemporary Jazz
Year: 2023
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 67:41
Size: 155,2 MB
Art: Front

( 5:08) 1. Alexander’s Realtime Band
(15:02) 2. Speak Low
( 7:39) 3. Matchmaker
( 9:15) 4. Moment To Moment
(10:35) 5. Blues For E.J.
( 7:18) 6. Make Believe
( 8:57) 7. Stand Pat
( 3:44) 8. Alexander’s Realtime Band (Alt Take)

Canadian pianist Bernie Senensky's latest album, Moment to Moment, encompasses two quartet sessions recorded almost twenty years apart: the first in 2001, the second (live) in 2020. While the rhythm sections differ on each, the one constant (aside from Senensky) is the acclaimed tenor saxophonist Eric Alexander. If you are planning to have only one constant, Alexander is by any measure a superlative choice.

Alexander, whose solos are models of creativity and eloquence, seems to light a fire under Senensky who performs marvelously on every number while giving Alexander copious room to improvise (and granting him the first solo on most tracks). Senensky wrote three of the album's eight numbers, and they are excellent, especially the flag-waving "Alexander's Realtime Band," versions of which open and close the album. The others are the loping "Blues for E.J." and lyrical "Make Believe." For his part, Alexander composed the skittish burner "Stand Pat" as a tribute to his band mate and friend, the late guitarist Pat Martino.

Senensky and Alexander are blessed to have the support of not one but two blue-chip rhythm sections: bassist Dave Young and drummer Morgan Childs on "Speak Low" and "Blues for E.J." (showcasing Young's splendid arco bass) from 2020, bassist Kieran Overs and drummer Joe Farnsworth on the studio session from 2001. Speaking of bassists, Overs has his moment in the sun (and it is a bright one) on "Make Believe," while Childs sparkles on "Speak Low," Farnsworth on "Stand Pat." Alexander's solos, meanwhile, often extend for more than five minutes, and he never runs out of inspiration or passes up a persuasive turn of phrase. His statements on "Realtime Band" are textbook examples of how to unravel a theme and get it right.

On "Blues for E.J.," Senensky and Alexander prove that they can be as blue as needed, much as they cleave to the juggernaut that is "Alexander's Realtime Band" and do not let go until they have made their purpose crystal clear. The album's other songs, so far unmentioned, are Jerry Bock and Sheldon Harnick's "Matchmaker, Matchmaker" from the Broadway smash Fiddler on the Roof and Henry Mancini/Johnny Mercer's lovely ballad, "Moment to Moment" (from the film of that name), which lends the album its title. "Matchmaker," taken at precisely the correct tempo, spotlights typically impressive solos by Senensky (who leads off this time) and Alexander with staunch support from Overs and Farnsworth, while Alexander shows his tender side on "Moment to Moment" and Senensky frames a second amorous solo.

Alexander shows on every number why he has been ranked high in so many polls for more than two decades; he always comes to play, and never leaves an audience less than pleased and enlightened. Notwithstanding his towering presence, however, this is Senensky's date (or dates), and he demonstrates time and again why he is one of Canada's foremost jazz pianists, whether playing straight-ahead (as he does here) or avant-garde, as he has been known to do on other occasions. From Moment to Moment, Senensky enhances every note and phrase, as do Alexander who is always a pleasure to hear and those exemplary rhythm sections. Quartet sessions simply don't shine much brighter than this.By Jack Bowers
https://www.allaboutjazz.com/moment-to-moment-bernie-senensky-cellar-music-group__1010

Personnel: Bernie Senensky - piano; Eric Alexander - tenor saxophone; Kieran Overs - bass (tracks 1,3,4,6,7 & 8); Dave Young - bass (tracks 2 & 5); Joe Farnsworth - drums (tracks 1,3,4,6,7 & 8); Morgan Childs - drums (tracks 2 & 5)

Moment To Moment

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Vanessa Perica Orchestra - The Eye Is the First Circle

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2023
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 50:02
Size: 115,0 MB
Art: Front

(7:01) 1. The Eye Is the First Circle
(7:34) 2. What a Time to Be Alive
(6:14) 3. Hill of Grace
(7:29) 4. Meet Me at Phoenix Street
(6:56) 5. Song for Cleo
(9:47) 6. Still We Rise
(4:58) 7. Love and War

Czech pianist/composer Kristina Barta's Endless Questions and Answers opens on a rather ominous tone. Drummer Marek Urbanek plays on his toms a shadowy, esoteric rhythm. Tenor Jure Pukl flares in. Barta enters slowly, barely audible with bassist Peter Korman riding shotgun. But soon she controls the barely controllable rush that embodies "Breaking Through Some Border," the breakthrough opener to a fine, fine recording.

Barta a graduate from the Academy of Performing Arts in Prague and a finalist in the 2016 Euroradio Jazz Competition in the Netherlands keeps the action chugging along. "The One Who Believes" is a full bore slice of Euro post-bop: airy, articulate, unfussy. Clean and propulsive. The trio of Urbánek, Korman, and Pukl hold the landscape to task allowing Barta to muse about the sweeping terrain's many highway and byways.

The almost-too-ballady ballad "No Time Ritual" echoes just enough of the other eighheen-million ballads out there to kind of halt the forward spread of motion the previous two tracks had given themselves to. The slow, unfolding, knotty structure of "Everything's Changed" breaks that spell. It is soon followed by "Without Anxiety" where Barta balances her melodic balladry and her instinct for jumpy improv with keen nuance.

The quartet revels in that jumpy bop energy on "Fictional Trips." Barta is all over the Cecil Taylor/Marilyn Crispell playbook and it is a pure rush to listen to. Pukl, his tone classic sax sharp but not strident, resonant with metro narrative pulls with and against Barta, busting space for Urbánek's muscle and Korman's insistence to rule the day. Despite the couple of originals that sound a tad over-studied, Endless Questions and Answers does not disappoint and delivers if not many answers, certainly many promises.By Mike Jurkovic
https://www.allaboutjazz.com/endless-questions-and-answers-kristina-barta-alessa-records-jazz-and-art-second-records

The Eye Is the First Circle

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Victor Assis Brasil - Esperanto / Toca Antonio Carlos Jobim

Size: 194,5 MB
Time: 83:54
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2018
Styles: Jazz
Label: Far Out Recordings
Art: Front & Back

01. Ginger Bread Boy ( 6:14)
02. Children (10:14)
03. Marilia ( 6:44)
04. Quarenta Graus A Sombra ( 9:12)
05. Ao Amigo Quartin ( 5:07)
06. So Tinha De Ser Com Voce ( 4:01)
07. Wave ( 9:49)
08. Bonita (11:43)
09. Dindi ( 5:01)
10. Marilia (Alternative Take) ( 7:52)
11. Ao Amigo Quartin (Alternative Take) ( 7:51)

Over the course of the 1960s, Roberto Quartin released more than 20 albums in Brazil on his label Forma, by artists including the likes of Eumir Deodato, Quarteto Em Cy, Baden Powell and Vinicius De Moraës. Selling the rights of Forma to Polygram in 1969, Quartin struck out for pastures new at the dawn of the 1970s with the launch of his self-titled label. Significant works and high-water marks for Brazilian music overall followed in that decade’s first year. These singular gems in Brazilian music, difficult to categorise yet compellingly beautiful, have for too long gone unheard.

Gifted his first saxophone by his aunt at the age of fourteen, only four years later the inherently gifted and determined young musician Victor Assis Brasil recorded his debut album, with a second to follow only a year later. The prodigious young carioca was subsequently granted a place to study at Berklee College of Music, where he played alongside the likes of Dizzy Gillespie, Clark Terry, Chick Corea and Ron Carter. It was also during this period he recorded Esperanto and Toca Antonio Carlos Jobim with Roberto Quartin, upon returning to Brazil in the summer of 1970.

Recorded in the same sessions as the Toca Antonio Carlos Jobim album, Esperanto consists of five deep jazz cuts: original compositions except for a heavy-swinging latin-jazz cover of Jimmy Heath’s ‘Ginger Bread Boy’, alongside more moments of wild frenetic jazz, like ‘Quarenta Graus A Sombra’, amongst more melancholic, but no less captivating compositions like ‘Marilia’ and ‘Ao Amigo Quartin’. Esperanto’s influences span both American continents, finding a meeting point for Latin jazz and North American post-bop, with Roberto Quartin’s perfectionist approach to sound elevating the already incandescent music to divine new heights. The band consists of some mercurial greats of Brazilian music: Dom Salvador (bass), Edison Machado (drums), Helio Delmiro (guitar) and Edson Lobo (Bass).

Victor Assis Brasil passed away aged just thirty-five, due to a rare circulatory disease, but by this point his status was already cemented as one of the most talented musicians in Brazil’s history.

This issue of Esperanto also features a track previously unreleased on vinyl, ‘Children’. All the releases in the Quartin series have been re-mastered from the original 2” tapes, and pressed to high quality heavyweight vinyl.

Esperanto / Toca Antonio Carlos Jobim

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Cal Tjader - Catch The Groove (Live at The Penthouse 1963-1967)

Styles: Vibraphone Jazz
Year: 2023
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 146:53
Size: 340,4 MB
Art: Front

(6:15) 1. Take The A Train
(7:02) 2. In Your Own Sweet Way
(5:20) 3. It Never Entered My Mind
(5:35) 4. Morning Of The Carnival (Manha De Carnaval)
(2:41) 5. Insight
(5:13) 6. Sunset Boulevard
(3:59) 7. Here's That Rainy Day
(4:46) 8. Davito
(3:28) 9. Pantano
(5:13) 10. Leyte
(4:14) 11. Half And Half
(7:33) 12. On Green Dolphin Street
(4:27) 13. Love For Sale
(5:38) 14. Reza
(5:09) 15. Maramoor Mambo
(4:45) 16. The Shadow Of Your Smile
(7:09) 17. Bag1s Groove
(5:38) 18. Morning
(4:15) 19. Mambo Inn
(8:37) 20. On Green Dolphin Street
(5:41) 21. I Can't Get Started
(4:58) 22. Soul Burst
(3:49) 23. Cuban Fantasy
(5:18) 24. O Morro Não Tem Vez
(9:32) 25. Fuji
(5:51) 26. Lush Life
(4:36) 27. Along Comes Mary

It would be unusual to hear vibraphonist Cal Tjader mentioned alongside the all-time greats on his instrument. He is not remembered for being a fearless improviser like Bobby Hutcherson, or as deeply soulful as Milt Jackson, or as hard-swinging a presence as Lionel Hampton. Moreover, one will search in vain in his biography for the hard-fought personal struggles that have typically been the bread and butter of jazz legend: no tortured tales of substance abuse, or bouts with poverty or unappreciative audiences. By all accounts, he led a happy and satisfied life on the West Coast, far removed from the bustle (and prominence) of New York; he never toured Europe. But he did make a pivotal contribution to jazz through his work in Latin music an idiom that he helped to establish firmly within the jazz world. And that contribution is well-documented in Catch the Groove, a three-LP (or two-CD) collection of live recordings Tjader made at the Penthouse in Seattle during the mid-60s.

Listening to these performances, which include a range of dates and sidemen, one is struck by just how effortless Tjader's improvisations could sound perhaps another reason he has not won as much acclaim as some of his contemporaries. And although there is an abundance of Latin jazz on this release, as one would expect, some of the biggest surprises are found in the non-Latin material: hearing Tjader dig into "Take the 'A' Train" at the outset of the February 1963 concert is a delight, with enough harmonic invention and dynamic swing to belie the misconception that he was a one-dimensional Latin popularizer. Elsewhere it is Tjader's lyrical facility with a ballad that impresses, as on "Here's that Rainy Day," where his note perfect solo's luminescence has a deceptively simple purity.

But although there are more than enough jazz standards here to demonstrate Tjader's breadth, the Latin pieces are more reflective of his core impulses and indeed, are why the title of the release is so appropriate. Helped by percussionists Bill Fitch and Armando Peraza, the groups assembled here are most at home when they are finding a Latin groove and the work of pianists Clare Fischer, Lonnie Hewitt and Al Zulaica are also essential in that regard. Hewitt's bluesy licks are fundamental to the sinuous momentum of "Pantano," and his punchy block chords help propel the feisty "Maramoor Mambo" at the close of the 1965 set. Zulaica's own churning rhythms enliven "Mambo Inn" on the 1966 recording. Even a Latinized take on the Association's 1966 pop hit "Along Comes Mary" fares well in Tjader's hands. These musicians have impeccable instincts for a range of Latin styles, and they do justice to all of them.

In general, the recording quality is very good, with a nice balance between the instruments and not too much tape hiss. One can question producer Zev Feldman's decision to compress the material from these six concerts onto six LP sides, however. This led to fading out a couple of the tracks, namely "Insight" on the first set (after a mere two and a half minutes) and "Half and Half" on the second, with the latter unfortunately in full flight during the fade-out. But the folks at Jazz Detective can perhaps be forgiven these relatively minor transgressions, especially given the label's typically fine packaging and informative liner notes, including some illuminating reflections from modern-day vibe legends Gary Burton and Joe Locke on Tjader's undersung legacy. Kudos to Feldman and company for bringing this music to a wider audience. By Troy Dostert https://www.allaboutjazz.com/cal-tjader-catch-a-groove-live-at-the-penthouse-1963-1967-jazz-detective

Catch The Groove (Live at The Penthouse 1963-1967)

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Joan Chamorro - Joan Chamorro Presenta Sant Andreu Reunion Band

Styles: Jazz, Big Band
Year: 2023
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 55:07
Size: 128,1 MB
Art: Front

(2:59) 1. Let’s Dream in the Moonlight
(3:54) 2. Femininity
(3:50) 3. That’s Life
(2:49) 4. Orange Colored Sky
(2:52) 5. Nevertheless
(3:01) 6. You and I
(2:52) 7. Chiclete com Banana
(4:29) 8. Green Green Grass of Home
(3:42) 9. Let’s Do It
(4:02) 10. You’ve Changed
(4:26) 11. Noite dos Mascarados
(2:41) 12. Haven’t We Met
(2:38) 13. Samba da Minha Terra
(3:52) 14. Del Sasser
(3:33) 15. Every Time We Say Goodbye
(3:21) 16. Old McDonald

The idea behind the Sant Andreu Reunion Band is to create a group in which all the musicians form or have formed part of the Sant Andreu Jazz Band. I always try to give opportunities, beyond the project, to all those who are working well: 1) Either through the collection of cds Joan Chamorro presents, or 2) counting on them, already as professionals, in the different groups I create. I continue to work with musicians who have not been in the orchestra for years and at the same time new musicians are joining, as they grow personally and musically.

More than 80 young musicians have already passed through the Sant Andreu Jazz Band, the vast majority of whom are or will become professional musicians. The result is that in each project new soloists appear, new voices that little by little have their own voice. Possibly next year we will see new faces in other groups. For the time being, here we have this new meeting of musicians where, once again, the voice is the protagonist through six singers with very varied styles, and all of them great instrumentalists. Completing the group we have the rest of the band who are great soloists and who, occasionally, also do vocals in some themes.

The arrangements, for the most part, are by Joan Monné. To be able to count on Scott Hamilton in some songs is an honour for us. I hope and wish to continue supporting young musicians through projects like this one. We continue Sant Andreu Jazz Band 18 years of jazz.
https://jazztojazz.com/en/product/joan-chamorro-presenta-sant-andreu-reunion-band-2/

Joan Chamorro Presenta Sant Andreu Reunion Band

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Adi Braun - Night and Day (The Cole Porter Songbook)

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2023
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 36:26
Size: 84,3 MB
Art: Front

(3:30) 1. Love for Sale
(3:13) 2. Just One of Those Things
(4:09) 3. Ev'ry Time We Say Goodbye
(4:00) 4. I've Got You Under My Skin
(4:05) 5. Night and Day
(3:50) 6. In the Still of the Night
(3:17) 7. Get out of Town
(3:30) 8. I Concentrate on You
(3:22) 9. Too Darn Hot
(3:24) 10. What Is This Thing Called Love?

Adi Braun's love affair with the music of Cole Porter runs long and deep. The acclaimed Toronto jazz and cabaret chanteuse has long covered his tunes in her performances and on record. She describes the music of her favorite Great American Songbook writer as delicious, a great combination of naughty, provocative, sensuous, witty and devastatingly beautiful.

I am also smitten by the fact that he wrote both lyrics and music, and his use of sexy Latin beats and rhythms is another major drawing card for me.Braun's affection for the work of the masterful songwriter has now reached full bloom with Night And Day (The Cole Porter Songbook), an album comprising ten classic Cole Porter songs given vibrant new life. Her sixth full-length record, it will be released on Sept. 15, 2023 on noted Toronto independent record label, ALMA Records.Adi's most ambitious album yet,

Night and Dayis a collaboration with Emmy-winning Canadian keyboardist, songwriter, producer,and arranger Don Breithaupt (Monkey House, Brass Transit). The pair had long had a mutual admiration for each other's work, as Don explains.Adi was one of the first singers to record songs by the Breithaupt Brothers, on her 2005 album The Rules Of TheGame, and I've always respected her sound, her nuance as an interpreter, and her international approach to jazz.

I contacted her in 2021, as I had a feeling I could help her cook something great. The minute we zeroed in on the Cole Porter songbook, a bottomless well of great melodies and lyrics, we had our focus. The material on Night and Dayneatly showcases the broad emotional and musical range of Cole Porter's work, as exemplified in the title. Adi explains that I find his songs illuminate different aspects of love, in a fascinating way.The tunes Braun interprets here range from light and bubbly romps to such powerfully emotional songs as Love For Sale and In The Still Of The Night.
By Editorial Reviews https://www.amazon.com/Night-Day-Cole-Porter Songbook/dp/B0CBQFJ4BF

Night and Day (The Cole Porter Songbook)

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Ray Benson - Beyond Time

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 46:32
Size: 106.6 MB
Styles: Country
Year: 2003
Art: Front

[3:32] 1. Sorry
[3:48] 2. Annabelle
[4:10] 3. Mary Anne
[4:50] 4. Hands Of Time
[2:57] 5. Isn't It Strange
[2:49] 6. Let's Get Lost
[4:17] 7. Haven't Gotten To You Yet
[2:40] 8. Leave That Cowboy Alone
[4:39] 9. Small Town
[5:12] 10. El Paso
[3:00] 11. Ain't Chet Yet
[4:35] 12. Clearin' Up

Most people know Ray Benson as the deep, rich voice of Western swing revivalists Asleep at the Wheel. After more than three decades behind that wheel, Benson finally decided to step out with an album of his own songs. While a couple of the tunes (the roadhouse blues stomp "Mary Anne," the Bob Wills-indebted "Leave that Cowboy Alone") wouldn't sound out of place on an Asleep at the Wheel album, the bulk of the songs run quite a bit further afield. It's hard to imagine Benson's band tackling the Don Williams-like 1970s-sounding country/pop of "Annabelle," the big-band ballad "Sorry," or the (non-Western) swing-inflected, jazzy "Let's Get Lost" (not the Chet Baker tune of the same name). It's also hard to imagine someone without as much experience, confidence, and just plain talent as Benson pulling off such a varied and resolutely non-commercial record as this in the lowest-common-denominator world of 21st-century American popular music.

Beyond Time

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