Silky Denims

Tuesday, February 20, 2024

James Walsh Gypsy Band - Muscle Shoals '79

Styles: Jazz, Big Band
Year: 2007
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 34:41
Size: 81,1 MB
Art: Front

(3:49) 1. I've Got The Feelin'
(2:46) 2. Looks Like You Got Down In Love
(3:39) 3. Lie To Me
(3:20) 4. The Caves Of Altamira
(3:34) 5. It's Over Now
(3:30) 6. Where Do We Get Off
(2:42) 7. This Time The Feelin' Is Right
(4:11) 8. Alabama Eyes
(3:32) 9. Lovin' You
(3:34) 10. Just Like Fallin' In Love

The soaring, sometimes harrowing vocals of singer/guitarist James Walsh reveal an obvious debt to the unrestrained raw passion of the late Jeff Buckley. In the late '90s, Walsh read that one of his favorite artists was a Buckley fan. Out of curiosity, Walsh purchased a Buckley record and became an admirer himself, eventually listening to similar artists such as Tim Buckley (Jeff's father), Van Morrison, and Neil Young.

Those influences eventually helped carve the sound and confessional lyrics of his band, Starsailor, named after a Tim Buckley LP. Walsh formed Starsailor in Wigan, England, with James Stelfox (bass), Ben Byrne (drums), and Barry Westhead (keyboards) in 2000. Walsh took piano lessons when he was 12, and by the time he met Stelfox and Byrne in college, he already had songs written. After two Top 20 hits in England with "Fever" and "Good Souls," Starsailor released their critically acclaimed first album, Love Is Here, in the U.K. in 2001. By Michael Sutton https://www.allmusic.com/artist/james-walsh-mn0001926207#biography

Personnel:
James Walsh Gypsy Band :
James Walsh : Lead vocals & Keyboards
Richard Jorgensen : Trumpet, Flugelhorn, Piccolo, Trumpet & Vocals
Deone Johnson : Trumpet, Solo Flugelhorn & Vocals
Todd Hansen : Trombone, Bass Trombone & Vocals
Bob Jones : Bass & Vocals
Jim Behringer : Lead Guitar & Vocals
Scott Fronsoe : Bass & Vocals
Ernie LaViolette : Drums & Percussion

Additional Musicians :
Tower Of Power Horns
Emilio Castillo : Tenor Saxophone
Lenny Pickett : Alto Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone & Tenor Saxophone
Stephen 'Doc' Kupka : Baritone Saxophone
Greg Adams : Trumpet & Flugelhorn

Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section
Barry Beckett : Keyboards
Roger Hawkins : Drums
David Hood : Bass
Jimmy Johnson : Guitar

Muscle Shoals '79

Bill Barron Quartet - Live at Cobi's, Vol.1 (1987-1988), Vol.2 (1985)

Album: Live at Cobi's, Vol.1 (1987-1988)

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2005
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 69:44
Size: 159,9 MB
Art: Front

(13:01) 1. This One's for Monk
(12:15) 2. Easy Does It
(10:54) 3. Confirmation
( 9:44) 4. Row House
( 5:52) 5. Angel Eyes
( 8:40) 6. Voyage
( 9:18) 7. Until Further Notice

Live at Cobi's is a live album by saxophonist Bill Barron which was recorded in 1987 and 1988 and released posthumously on the SteepleChase label in 2005.

In JazzTimes Chris Kelsey wrote "Straightahead tenor players who regularly stretch themselves and break a sweat in the process are too few and far between these days. That’s what makes a record by someone like the late Bill Barron so attractive. Barron had no such problems cutting loose. He possessed an original voice-not revolutionary, but unique in its way."
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Live_at_Cobi%27s.

Personnel: Bill Barron – tenor saxophone; Fred Simmons – piano; Santi Debriano – bass; Ben Riley – drums

Album: Live at Cobi's, Vol.2 (1985)

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2006
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 70:28
Size: 161,5 MB
Art: Front

(11:22) 1. September 1979
(15:37) 2. Spring Thing
( 8:50) 3. What's New
(14:57) 4. Interpretation
( 8:23) 5. Tragic Magic
(11:18) 6. Cherokee

Way more than just a part 2 to the first set of material from Bill Barron at Cobi's in New York because although this set, like that one, is previously unreleased it was recorded three years before the first volume, and also features a completely different lineup, a quartet with brother Kenny Barron on piano, Cecil McBee on bass, and Ben Riley on drums! With a lineup like that, the session has a tightness that's really great a sense of dynamic energy that matches Barron's studio sessions from the same later years of his life and which, like those sides, hangs beautifully in a space between angular modernism and straighter soulful expression!

The Bill Barron of these years is one who barely misses a step from the brilliance of his early 60s experiments with Ted Curson and there's still plenty of that young fire here in these recordings, possibly even deepened nicely with age. Bill is playing both tenor and soprano sax, and titles include "Spring Thing", "September 1979", "Interpretation", "Tragic Magic", and "What's New". © 1996-2024, Dusty Groove, Inc.
https://www.dustygroove.com/item/427806/Bill-Barron-Kenny-Barron:Bill-Barron-Live-At-Cobi%27s-Vol-2

Personnel: Bill Barron – tenor saxophone; Kenny Barron – piano; Cecil McBee – bass; Ben Riley – drums

Live at Cobi's, Vol.1, Vol.2

Avalon Jazz Band, Tatiana Eva-Marie - Paris

Styles: Vocal, Jazz Band
Year: 2019
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 44:01
Size: 103,1 MB
Art: Front

(3:26) 1. Swing rêverie
(4:32) 2. Les oiseaux de Paris
(3:02) 3. Place blanche
(3:07) 4. Belleville
(3:17) 5. Utrillo
(3:20) 6. Paris je t'aime
(3:08) 7. Chanson pour Guillaume
(3:23) 8. Le petit cheval
(3:20) 9. Romance
(3:13) 10. Paris au mois de Septembre
(3:20) 11. Bébert d'Anvers
(3:25) 12. Venez donc chez moi
(3:22) 13. Quel temps fait-il à Paris?

Tatiana Eva-Marie and the Avalon Jazz Band represent Parisian culture and bohemian spirit in New York City.
This swing band performs French jazz songs, old classics with a hot twist and American standards,celebratingFrance,lovemusic.music
https://avalonjazzband.bandcamp.com/

Tatiana Eva-Marie is a Swiss-born vocalist based in Brooklyn who sings 1930s-style swing and gypsy jazz. She moved from Paris to New York City in 2011, and formed the Avalon Jazz Band in 2014 with violinist Adrien Chevalier. Her singing has been compared to the jazz vocalists Cyrille Aimée and Cécile McLorin Salvant. Her band opened for vocalist and pianist Norah Jones. She is the daughter of musicians Louis Crelier and Anca Maria, and she grew up in France and Switzerland. Eva-Marie was a finalist on the first season of the television show Music Explorer (fr), a musical competition show in France, in 2014. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tatiana_Eva-Marie

Paris

Monday, February 19, 2024

Jessye Norman - Roots: My Life, My Song Disc 1, Disc 2

Album: Roots: My Life, My Song Disc 1

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2010
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 49:47
Size: 115,5 MB
Art: Front

(2:25) 1. African Drum Invocation
(1:45) 2. His Eye Is On The Sparrow
(2:25) 3. I Want Two Wings
(3:20) 4. Lord, I Couldn't Hear Nobody Pray
(4:40) 5. Sometimes I Feel Like A Motherless Child
(3:59) 6. Heaven
(1:29) 7. Somewhere
(3:22) 8. My Baby Just Cares for Me
(5:01) 9. Stormy Weather
(6:38) 10. Mack The Knife
(4:34) 11. Another Man Done Gone
(5:07) 12. Pretty Horses
(4:56) 13. God's Gonna Cut You Down

A sticker included on at least some versions of this Sony Classical release promises "music from Berlioz to Ellington," which would make it a pretty common type of classical vocal recital that includes a dash of jazz. That's not what's happening here at all, and there isn't even any Berlioz included. There is the "Habanera" of Georges Bizet, but that's given a tango-jazz treatment, and otherwise the only work from the European concert tradition is Poulenc's Les chemins de l'amour, a piece heavily influenced by popular song. This is not a souvenir or survey of Jessye Norman's career, but is instead oriented toward the roots mentioned on the cover. And, as such, it's quite an accomplishment. The two-disc program can be roughly divided into four overlapping and interpenetrating sections: spirituals, pop, French song, and jazz, with an introduction of African drumming. That's unusual enough as it is, but what really makes news here are the completely original treatments in each of the main categories. No information is included as to how the album took shape; some of it is apparently taken from live concerts in Munich and Frankfurt, Germany. Norman is accompanied by a small combo that serves the non-jazz as well as the jazz pieces. Even standards like "Stormy Weather" and "Mack the Knife" are given free, quiet, highly personal treatments, and there's very little "operatic" singing in evidence even in the spirituals, which could stand up to it. You might think of the entire collection as a jazz performance, based on its sense of individualistic departure from preexisting models, or as a uniquely personal rumination on a great singer's deep roots. The cumulative effect of the program is quite powerful, and Norman deserves a great deal of credit for taking chances with a project she could easily just have phoned in. ~ James Manheim https://www.allmusic.com/album/roots-my-life-my-song-mw0001993532

R.I.P.
Died: September 30, 2019
Born: September 15, 1945, Augusta, Georgia, United States

Album: Roots: My Life, My Song Disc 2

Time: 48:30

Size: 112,2 MB

(6:28) 1. Les Chemins De L'Amour

(4:27) 2. J'ai Deux Amours

(4:28) 3. April In Paris

(5:31) 4. Habanera

(3:23) 5. Take The 'A' Train

(5:43) 6. Blue Monk

(4:04) 7. Solitude

(6:15) 8. It Don't Mean A Thing

(2:41) 9. Don't Get Around Much Anymore

(5:26) 10. When The Saints Go Marching In

Roots: My Life, My Song Disc 1, Disc 2

Brother Jack McDuff - Walk On By

Styles: Soul Jazz
Year: 1966
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 37:27
Size: 88,5 MB
Art: Front

(2:41) 1. Walk On By
(6:48) 2. Around The Corner
(5:47) 3. Haitian Lady
(2:20) 4. Talking 'Bout My Woman
(2:33) 5. Jersey Bounce
(4:08) 6. For Those Who Choose
(2:20) 7. Too Many Fish In The Sea
(6:23) 8. There Is No Greater Love
(4:23) 9. Song Of The Soul

A marvelous bandleader and organist as well as capable arranger, "Brother" Jack McDuff has one of the funkiest, most soulful styles of all time on the Hammond B-3. His rock-solid basslines and blues-drenched solos are balanced by clever, almost pianistic melodies and interesting progressions and phrases.

McDuff began as a bassist playing with Denny Zeitlin and Joe Farrell. He studied privately in Cincinnati and worked with Johnny Griffin in Chicago. He taught himself organ and piano in the mid-'50s, and began gaining attention working with Willis Jackson in the late '50s and early '60s, cutting high caliber soul-jazz dates for Prestige. McDuff made his recording debut as a leader for Prestige in 1960, playing in a studio pickup band with Jimmy Forrest. They made a pair of outstanding albums: Tough Duff and The Honeydripper. McDuff organized his own band the next year, featuring Harold Vick and drummer Joe Dukes.

Things took off when McDuff hired a young guitarist named George Benson. They were among the most popular combos of the mid-'60s and made several excellent albums. McDuff's later groups at Atlantic and Cadet didn't equal the level of the Benson band, while later dates for Verve and Cadet were uneven, though generally good. McDuff experimented with electronic keyboards and fusion during the '70s, then in the '80s got back in the groove with the Muse session Cap'n Jack. While his health fluctuated throughout the '90s, McDuff released several discs on the Concord Jazz label before succumbing to heart failure on January 23, 2001, at the age of 74. By Ron Wynn
https://www.allmusic.com/artist/jack-mcduff-mn0000118853#biography

Personnel: Jack McDuff - organ; Red Holloway (tracks 2 & 8), Harold Ousley (tracks 3, 6 & 9) - tenor saxophone; Pat Martino - guitar; Joe Dukes - drums; Unidentified orchestra arranged and conducted by Benny Golson (tracks 1, 4, 5 & 8)

Walk On By

Bill Barron - Higher Ground

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1989
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 51:08
Size: 117,5 MB
Art: Front

(7:52) 1. Caravan
(7:19) 2. I Thought About You
(4:17) 3. More Blues
(5:28) 4. We'll Be Together Again
(6:40) 5. Emanation
(7:40) 6. Alone Together
(6:11) 7. Interpretation
(5:38) 8. Time, Motion, Space

Bill Barron's final recording as a leader (cut just 8½ months before his death at age 62) was released for the first time on this 1993 CD. Barron was still in his prime and this effort (a quintet date with trumpeter Eddie Henderson, pianist Kenny Barron, bassist Rufus Reid and drummer Ben Riley) is more straight-ahead than usual. Barron, who usually did not play standards much, performs four here (including "Caravan" and "Alone Together") and his three originals (plus one by younger brother Kenny) are also very much in the hard bop vein, less avant-garde than usual. The leader's solos, however, are as adventurous as ever, and the CD is easily recommended as an example of his excellent, underrated playing.~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/higher-ground-mw0000121824

Personnel: Bill Barron (tenor saxophone); Eddie Henderson (trumpet); Kenny Barron (piano); Rufus Reid (bass); Ben Riley (drums).

Higher Ground

Dave Pietro - The Talisman

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2024
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 68:09
Size: 156,5 MB
Art: Front

(6:08) 1. Essence
(6:26) 2. The Windmills Of Your Mind
(8:11) 3. Auriga
(7:19) 4. The Talisman
(8:15) 5. Alexandra
(7:05) 6. Yvette
(7:31) 7. Eternal Optimism
(7:46) 8. Until The Day
(9:24) 9. Adagietto From Symphony No. 5

Things kick off here in classic hard bop guise finding US altoist Dave Pietro fuse with trumpeter Scott Wendholt the rhythm section steered so consummately by Billy Drummond. Pietro's first album for Danish label Steeplechase, tunes include originals, a version of Michel Legrand's timeless 'The Windmills of Your Mind' and I didn't see this coming at all a beautiful version of Mahler’s 'Adagietto' from his 5th symphony.

Pianist Gary Versace is very listenable throughout I'd pick out his soloing on 'Auriga' and on the introduction to the Mahler, while bassist Jay Anderson adds gravitas to the stand-out title track so well. Pietro is more a modernist than you'd think at first glance, essentially steeped in the language of bop and beyond, and knows exactly what he wants to say with it. He has very persuasive tone on a subdued ballad like 'Alexandra' and again melds so well with Wendholt on 'Yvette'. Recommended. SG https://www.marlbank.net/posts/dave-pietro-the-talisman-steeplechase

Personnel: Dave Pietro - (alto saxophone) Scott Wendholt - (trumpet) Gary Versace - (piano)

The Talisman

Sunday, February 18, 2024

Alan Barnes - Cannonball (20th Anniversary Edition) [Live at Wakefield Jazz Club]

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2020
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 71:52
Size: 165,2 MB
Art: Front

( 8:43) 1. Worksong
( 8:48) 2. Jubilation
(10:00) 3. Clouds
(10:16) 4. Dis Here
( 6:23) 5. Azule Serape
( 7:23) 6. Blue Daniel
(10:31) 7. Dat Dere
( 9:45) 8. Jive Samba

Alan Barnes was born in Cheshire in 1959. He studied at Leeds College of Music and became proficient on alto and baritone saxophones and clarinet. Following graduation in 1980, Barnes led several groups, including Pizza Express Modern Jazz Sextet, and recorded with Dave Newton, Tony Coe, Ken Peplowski, and Warren Vache. He dominated the saxophone and clairnet section of the British jazz awards throughout the '90s and performs at major international jazz festivals. Barnes has also spent time teaching.By Al Campbell https://www.allmusic.com/artist/alan-barnes-mn0000936422

Cannonball (20th Anniversary Edition)

Patrick Yandall - Dance in the Rain

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 2023
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 62:02
Size: 143,1 MB
Art: Front

(4:21) 1. City Boy
(4:25) 2. Find Your Purpose
(4:17) 3. Dance In The Rain
(4:21) 4. House Party
(4:20) 5. Poly Funk
(4:28) 6. Seascape
(4:37) 7. Cool That
(4:08) 8. East Of Nathans
(4:07) 9. Just Dance
(4:42) 10. Backstage
(5:06) 11. Sabishi
(4:11) 12. Sol Food
(4:21) 13. The Joy In You
(4:33) 14. Summer Sky

I used to review a lot of albums by the American guitarist Patrick Yandall. However, this is only the first time that he is discussed on my site.

Patrick grew up in a military family, but was already playing trumpet in fourth grade. In this way he wanted to escape the nomadic life. After a sports accident in Bay City, Michigan, which resulted in a broken hip, Patrick shifted his focus to the guitar.

His father's fondness for jazz led him to a lifelong fascination. When the family settled there, Patrick developed a preference for the progressive styles of Jimi Hendrix, Yes, Steely Dan and George Benson. But he was also influenced by R&B and soul artists such as Earth, Wind & Fire, Stevie Wonder and Rufus.

A revelation was a concert by Jeff Lorber with a young Kenny G on sax and Roy Ayers. Patrick started playing nightclubs when he was thirteen and learned to mix jazz with rock and R&B. In the early eighties he moved to San Diego and played in cover bands. That led to studio work in LA for Kevin Flournoy, Gene-O Cole, Under The Lake, Will Donato, Rocco Ventrella, Nathan Brown, Rod Best, The Ghost Trio, etc. He also performed with J. Michael Verta, Michael Paulo, among others , Scott Wilkie, Carl Evans, Jr. (Fattburger), Hollies Gentry III, Greg Vail (Kilauea), Tommy Emmanuel, Tom Braxton.

Now he has released a new album, containing smooth jazz, R&B and contemporary jazz. 'City Boy' opens with a nice, cheerful guitar playing, after which 'Find Your Purpose' continues in the same atmosphere. Vocalist Gene-O Cole is a guest on the title track. The party atmosphere is clearly there on 'House Party', followed by the very funky sounding 'Poly Funk'.

After that you can experience the tranquility of 'Seascape', which continues in the mid-tempo of 'Cool That'. 'East of Nathans' maintains that relaxed vibe, while 'Just Dance' encourages you to sway along. Then we pop into 'Backstage'to get acquainted. The Japanese inspired 'Sabishi' sounds a bit melancholic, followed by 'Sol Food'. Joy and cheerfulness are the themes of 'The Joy in You', after which 'Summer Sky' closes with a summer feeling.

Again a nice album interspersed with Patrick's guitar skills. It's up to you to discover this!
http://www.smooth-jazz.de/Patrick/Yandall/DanceInTheRain.htm

Dance in the Rain

Brother Jack McDuff - Tobacco Road

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 33:44
Size: 77.2 MB
Styles: Soul-Jazz
Year: 1967/2005
Art: Front

[1:59] 1. Teardrops From My Eyes
[2:55] 2. Tobacco Road
[3:49] 3. The Shadow Of Your Smile
[5:08] 4. Can't Get Satisfied
[2:37] 5. Blowin' In The Wind
[4:10] 6. And The Angels Sing
[2:35] 7. This Bitter Earth
[5:54] 8. Alexander's Ragtime Band
[4:33] 9. Wade In The Water

Brother Jack McDuff recorded an enormous number of albums during the '60s, so it can be difficult to figure out where to start digging a little deeper into his output (which Hammond B-3 fans will definitely want to do). 1967's Tobacco Road stands out from the pack for a couple of reasons. First, unlike many of his groove-centric albums, it's heavy on standards and pop/rock tunes (seven of nine cuts), which make for excellent matches with McDuff's highly melodic, piano-influenced style. What's more, about half of the album finds McDuff leading a large ten-piece ensemble arranged and conducted by J.J. Jackson, including a soulful horn section that sounds straight out of Memphis or Muscle Shoals (though this was recorded at Chess studios in Chicago). McDuff himself handles the arrangements on the rest of the material, which is done in a guitar/sax/drums quartet. The LP's style is fairly unified, though -- no matter what format, the tunes are given fantastically funked-up treatments that sound surprisingly natural. And these aren't grooves where everyone just settles back and stays in the pocket; McDuff attacks the arrangements with wildly funky rhythms and solos, and there's a polyrhythmic sense of interplay that recalls the best Southern soul. Arguably the most distinctive track is a cool, grooving quartet version of "The Shadow of Your Smile," complete with snaky bassline and airy flute solos from Danny Turner. Unfortunately, none of the tracks are all that long, in keeping with the jukebox/radio orientation of McDuff's Atlantic period, but that won't prevent soul-jazz fans from thoroughly enjoying Tobacco Road.

Tobacco Road

Betty Bryant - Lotta Livin'

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2024
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 44:52
Size: 103,5 MB
Art: Front

(5:27) 1. Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea
(4:18) 2. Put a Lid on It
(5:04) 3. Baby Baby All the Time
(5:40) 4. Blues to Get Started
(3:21) 5. Chicken Wings
(7:48) 6. Stormy Monday
(4:14) 7. Katydid
(4:46) 8. The Very Thought of You
(4:10) 9. A Lot of Livin’ to Do

First, double-check to make sure there aren't any misprints. No, it's an honest-to-goodness fact that Betty Bryant who sings, plays piano, wrote four of the nine numbers and arranged half a dozen on her fourteenth album really was almost ninety-four years old when Lotta Livin' was recorded in 2023.

Bryant's rough and edgy voice is remarkably strong and steady, while her piano playing simply defies any generational labels. As a vocalist, no note seems out of her reach, and she knows how to swing in any setting. Bryant is a true-blue jazz singer whose years of experience underline her every note and phrase. Besides which, she's a sharp and clever writer, as her quartet of likeable compositions proves.

Bryant's groovy "Katydid" is a linguistic delight, as are "Chicken Wings" and "Put a Lid on It." On her other theme, the breezy "Blues to Get Started," Bryant plays piano all the way and shows she's no greenhorn at the keyboard either. Tenor saxophonist Robert Kyle solos neatly there, as he does on several numbers, and moves to harmonica on "Chicken Wings." Other soloists are trumpeter Tony Guerrero, bassist Richard Simon, guitarist Kleber Jorge and drummer Kenny Elliott. Of course, Bryant has to ring down the curtain with Lee Adams and Charles Strouse's "A Lot of Livin' to Do" from the Broadway smash Bye Bye Birdie, taken at a slower and more amorous pace than usual.

Bryant opens with the standard "Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea" and appraises Bobby Troup's "Baby Baby All the Time," Ray Noble's "The Very Thought of You" and T-Bone Walker's "Stormy Monday," all with a style and panache that are clearly her own. She closes "A Lot of Livin' to Do" with a brief look at her bucket list and the affirmation, "ain't life grand" which, in her case, is unarguably true. While others may deem getting out of bed in the morning a triumph at her age, Bryant remains focused, feisty and ready to take on the world. Bravo! Score one for the power of savoir-faire and positive thinking.By Jack Bowers
https://www.allaboutjazz.com/lotta-livin-betty-bryant-self-produced

Lotta Livin'

Saturday, February 17, 2024

Lisa Lynn - Call Me Baby

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2006
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 37:41
Size: 88,1 MB
Art: Front

(3:54) 1. Don't You Feel My Leg
(3:54) 2. Sweet Dreams
(4:27) 3. You Ain't Woman Enough
(3:12) 4. Sweet Georgia Brown
(5:42) 5. Do You Know What It Means To Miss New Orleans
(3:31) 6. Sure Had A Wonderful Time Last Night
(4:32) 7. At Last
(2:41) 8. Am I Blue
(2:55) 9. Wings Upon Your Horns
(2:50) 10. Oh Darling

Torch singer Lisa Lynn manages to light a few fires on her latest disc, including a couple of country and western tunes penned by another Lynn who goes by the first name of Loretta (no relation except perhaps in spirit.) I’d say Miss Lisa does a pretty good job on the C&W numbers, but my own tastes go into sharp decline a few miles west of Lafayette. Loretta Lynn is no slacker when it comes to songwriting and both these tunes, “You Ain’t Woman Enough” and “Wings Upon Your Horns” are hamonious and clever. Dave Easley’s steel guitar works well in creating the proper mood for this material.

I still prefer Lisa Lynn doing the “Red Hot Mamma” style that she does best, and her opener on this CD is a grand example of the genre. “Don’t You Feel My Leg” managed to be pretty steamy as well as wonderful fun when Danny Barker wrote it and wife Blue Lu Barker recorded it back in the 1930s. Blue Lu was still doing it in the ’80s, by which time Maria Muldaur had also latched on to the number and made it into one of her super specials. You could have heard both of them doing it at Jazz Fest some 20 years ago. Lisa’s version isn’t quite strong enough for her to claim total contemporary ownership, but she does a more than creditable job here and I’d call it the most memorable piece on the disc.

Producer and pianist Leslie Martin is a great help on that one and also provides some very solid Professor Longhair style accompaniment to the next cut, “Sweet Dreams.” There’s some other very nice things here, a pleasant version of “Do You Know What It Means To Miss New Orleans”, a very strong “At Last” which seems to be getting a great deal of local attention these days, and an interesting closer, the John Lennon / Paul McCartney song “Oh Darling.” All in all it’s a solid job and I’m glad to see “Don’t You Feel My Leg” is still making it around. You know who else recorded it in 2006 under the title, “Don’t You Get Me High”? Van Morrison! Never thought much of him when it comes to legs, though.https://www.offbeat.com/music/lisa-lynn-call-me-baby-independent/

Call Me Baby

Allan Harris - Live at Blue LLama

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2023
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 68:23
Size: 157,2 MB
Art: Front

( 4:38) 1. Sunny
( 6:17) 2. Jeannine
( 6:16) 3. New Day
( 6:31) 4. The Very Thought Of You
( 4:45) 5. So What?
( 6:39) 6. Black Coffee Blues
( 5:22) 7. Shimmering Deep Blue Sea
( 8:40) 8. Spain
( 7:34) 9. There She Goes
(11:36) 10. Nature Boy

I have to admit the first thing that caught my attention about this album was the fact it was recorded at one of the region’s premier venues, Ann Arbor’s Blue Llama Jazz Club. That little tidbit aside, it didn’t take long to fall in love with the recording itself, which is being released this Friday.

There are a lot of great things going on with this album, the first live recording Harris known as the “Jazz Vocal King of New York” has issued in 13 years. First, Allan Harris is every bit of an outstanding vocalist as one might believe from the moniker.

On this 10-song disc, drawn from two live performances at the Blue Llama in January, he performs classics such as “Sunny,” “The Very Thought of You,” “So What?” and “Spain” to go along with several fine originals, each performed with skillful and intriguing jazz rhythm and textures.

His band is stunning throughout, with some really hot solos by keyboardist Arcoiris Sandoval, bassist Marty Kenney, drummer Norman Edwards, Jr., and saxophonist Irwin Hall. They really cut loose on the final song, “Nature Boy,” the Eden Ahbez classic that the great Nat King Cole turned into a hit way back in 1948.

Consider this unbelievable short list of superstars who have covered “Nature Boy” since then, including Frank Sinatra, Miles Davis, Bobby Darin, George Benson, Peggy Lee, Celine Dion, Grace Slick, Aaron Neville, the Tony Bennett-Lady Gaga duet, and Cole’s daughter, Natalie Cole. Amazingly, Harris and his other four band members come up with an arrangement that has a cool, spicy vibe and is distinctive from past versions.

This is a great album recorded only about an hour from most of Toledo. Harris said in his liner notes there was minimal editing beyond some of the distracting audience sounds being filtered out and is “the way we performed it live with all the grit and glory.”https://www.toledoblade.com/a-e/music-theater-dance/2023/07/26/

Live at Blue LLama

Béla Fleck - Rhapsody in Blue

Styles: Classical Crossover
Year: 2024
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 43:35
Size: 100,4 MB
Art: Front

(12:09) 1. Rhapsody in Blue(grass)
( 3:19) 2. Unidentified Piece for Banjo
(18:50) 3. Rhapsody in Blue (feat. Eric Jacobsen & Virginia Symphony Orchestra)
( 5:07) 4. Rhapsody in Blue(s)
( 4:08) 5. Rialto Ripples

It's a long way from India to Broadway, but Bela Fleck makes the journey in high style for Rhapsody in Blue. It follows the altogether exotic As We Speak (Thirty Tigers, 2023), the combination of which further a case for the banjoist/composer/bandleader as an eclectic musical explorer comparable to Pat Metheny.

Beginning in the slow-but-sure, occasionally fitful way this album's concept came together, "Rhapsody in Blue (grass)" features seemingly conventional banjo voicings alternated with George Gershwin's inimitable progressions. Those interludes with Fleck tourmates My Bluegrass Heart are segments capturing how that ensemble bonds with the banjoist in moments of alternating wit and empathy.

The slightly-modified title of "Rhapsody in Blue(s)" is only the most overt distinction of the piece from its bluegrass oriented predecessor. As with so much of Bela Fleck's work, while it is rigorously arranged, there is room for spontaneity with which the principal interacts, via effortless fluidity, with mandolinist Sam Bush. dobroist Jerry Douglas and bassist Victor Wooten (from the Flecktones band).

There's a very palpable earthy quality to distinguish this number from all its surroundings. Mixing of the instruments all across the stereo spectrum accentuates the distinctive flavor of the interplay there, so that, in a very practical way, Fleck makes Gershwin's piece his own in a variety of forms, large scale and otherwise. In extensive autobiographical liner notes filling most of the four-page insert, the artist himself describes in some detail the conception and execution of this project .

Audio clarity is also paramount on an unheralded artifact of Gershwin's genius, "Unidentified Piece for Banjo." Long-time Fleck sound guru Richard Battaglia captures the good-natured reverence the New York City native radiates in his solo turn here: the album was assigned a release a street date coinciding with the hundredth anniversary of the original piece's premiere.

As much as it's borderline uncanny to hear the mesh of musicians within the smaller combos or the uncanny action of Bela Fleck on his own, the extended centerpiece of Rhapsody In Blue, evokes a reaction hardly less startling. In a near-nineteen minute live recording of the title piece with the Nashville Symphony, the drama of the orchestration underscores the nuance of the core ensemble, while simultaneously exhibiting a subtlety all its own.

It's proof positive chemistry can ignite within units both large and small (and sometimes both at once). As a result, the truncated likes of the closing "Rialto Ripples" is virtually as absorbing as the four tracks that precede it. Piquing the curiosity about how the classic compositon sounded to begin with, it's also a reminder of how this slightly more than forty-three minutes passes with near-dizzying speed.

The relative simplicity of the aforementioned cut generates incremental momentum for the track sequencing. The end result is a singular opportunity to experience the assembly of the building blocks of an idea that struck the banjoist extraordinaire seemingly out of nowhere.

Kudos to Bela Fleck for summoning the creative wherewithal and resources to bring his epiphany to fruition: ultimately, he incorporates his lifelong affinity for the iconic composer's work with his usual unassuming flair for maximizing the spirit of the moment with others.By Doug Collette https://www.allaboutjazz.com/rhapsody-in-blue-bela-fleck

Personnel: Bela Fleck. banjo; Sierra Hull. mandolin; Sam Bush. mandolin; Jerry Douglas. multi-instrumentalist; Mark Schatz. bass; Victor Wooten. bass; Bryan Sutton. guitar; Virginia Symphony Orchestra. band / ensemble / orchestra.

Rhapsody in Blue

Brother Jack McDuff - Do It Now!

Styles: Jazz, Post Bop
Year: 1967
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 39:45
Size: 92,0 MB
Art: Front

(4:52) 1. Snap Back Jack
(4:45) 2. Mush Melon
(5:12) 3. Summer Samba
(5:30) 4. Do It Now
(8:17) 5. Strolling Blues
(6:30) 6. Pleasant Moments
(4:36) 7. Mutt & Jeff

A marvelous bandleader and organist as well as capable arranger, "Brother" Jack McDuff has one of the funkiest, most soulful styles of all time on the Hammond B-3. His rock-solid basslines and blues-drenched solos are balanced by clever, almost pianistic melodies and interesting progressions and phrases. McDuff began as a bassist playing with Denny Zeitlin and Joe Farrell. He studied privately in Cincinnati and worked with Johnny Griffin in Chicago. He taught himself organ and piano in the mid-'50s, and began gaining attention working with Willis Jackson in the late '50s and early '60s, cutting high caliber soul-jazz dates for Prestige. McDuff made his recording debut as a leader for Prestige in 1960, playing in a studio pickup band with Jimmy Forrest. They made a pair of outstanding albums: Tough Duff and The Honeydripper. McDuff organized his own band the next year, featuring Harold Vick and drummer Joe Dukes. Things took off when McDuff hired a young guitarist named George Benson. They were among the most popular combos of the mid-'60s and made several excellent albums. McDuff's later groups at Atlantic and Cadet didn't equal the level of the Benson band, while later dates for Verve and Cadet were uneven, though generally good. McDuff experimented with electronic keyboards and fusion during the '70s, then in the '80s got back in the groove with the Muse session Cap'n Jack. While his health fluctuated throughout the '90s, McDuff released several discs on the Concord Jazz label before succumbing to heart failure on January 23, 2001, at the age of 74. ~ Ron Wynn https://www.allmusic.com/artist/jack-mcduff-mn0000118853/biography

Personnel: Brother Jack McDuff - organ, arrangements; Melvin Sparks - guitar; Danny Turner; tenor saxophone, alto saxophone, flute; Leo Johnson - tenor saxophone, flute

Do It Now!

Friday, February 16, 2024

Kayla Waters - Apogee

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2017
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 42:00
Size: 96,2 MB
Art: Front

(2:15) 1. Earth Arrival
(4:33) 2. I Am
(3:23) 3. Sunkissed
(4:27) 4. Heaven Is Here
(3:21) 5. Freedom March
(4:45) 6. The Dream
(4:42) 7. Elevation Bop
(3:50) 8. Spirit Awakening
(4:41) 9. Look to Love
(1:58) 10. Pluto Departure
(4:01) 11. Apogee

Contemporary jazz pianist, composer and writer Kayla Waters, the daughter of famous saxophonist Kim Waters, debuts with her first work Apogee (2017) on Trippin N’ Rhythm Records.

Along side of Kayla, Kim was also executive producer for her album. Apogee is another word for the highest point in the development of something, a climax or culmination. For Kayla this album is the first highlight of her musical career. She has written all songs of the CD.

The album was recorded in six days straight. The album has biographical references. So for example Earth Arrival tells the story how Kayla arrives on earth, the point when everything started. The song grows with a constant flow, a springy rhythm and vibrant keyboard works.

I Am implies Kayla's personality and her love for music. The arrangement is from shiny appearance and polished blank. You can feel the wings of Kim Waters. Sunkissed describes a person whose appearance is attractive because they have recently been in the sun. Figuratively it means pampered by life. Kayla chooses this adjective for her state of life. For being in a happy position to make those things, what she loves most. This piece is astoundingly positioned in contemporary jazz.

Heaven Is Here underlines this with another musical expression. The song gets an unexpected twist when Kayla presents a vocal impact transferring the tune from an even and smooth keel to excitingly troubled water. Freedom March is conceived as a protest song. However, in the absence of a strong text, the meaning is lost in an admittedly successful instrumental showpiece.

The Dream is a tribute to Martin Luther King's socio-political appeal in August 1963. A surprisingly political reference that is seldom in the smooth jazz genre. When Sister Peace and Mr. Freedom are in search of their dream than you know in which direction. Elevation Bop is the anthem for the world to raise and move forward. Kayla and Kim create a unique theme by uniting smooth and contemporary jazz in transcending genre and expectations.

Kayla refers Spirit Awakening on herself as young woman with her talent, her possibility of sustainable development and potential. She feels the song like a blossoming of a flower. In this sense the melody unfolds in its multiplicity. With the ballad Look to Love Kayla defines her very own emotional and vocal approach on this subject.

A frozen region north of Pluto’s icy mountains, is informally named “Tombaugh Regio” (Tombaugh Region) after Clyde Tombaugh, who discovered Pluto in 1930. Pluto Departure is Kayla's idea, if even this planet is so far away, love is possible over there. The unreality of this region is reflected in her song.

The final Apogee embraces all elements, which are popular in today's smooth jazz. A catchy piano theme, strings, synth bass, horns and a stomping beat. Kayla Waters is a hot ticket in smooth jazz. She shows individual character in her compositions leaving a lasting impression. Avoiding sonorous platitudes with intelligent arrangements and dazzling themes is a promising concept. http://www.smooth-jazz.de/starportrait/Waters/Apogee.htm

Line-up/Musicians: Kayla Waters keyboards, vocals; Kim Waters saxophone; Shacara West vocals; Kelly Gainer flute

Apogee

Eddie Henderson - Witness to History

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 2023
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 56:00
Size: 128,7 MB
Art: Front

(7:02) 1. Scorpio Rising
(8:35) 2. Why Not?
(7:40) 3. Sweet and Lovely
(8:45) 4. It Never Entered My Mind
(5:21) 5. Freedom Jazz Dance
(5:02) 6. I'm Gonna Miss You, My Darling
(7:04) 7. Totem Pole
(6:27) 8. Born to Be Blue

Make no mistake: it is the hot buttered soul, "Shaft"-like theme of "Scorpio Rising" that first snags one's attention. But once snagged, the old cool sets in and Witness To History, trumpeter Eddie Henderson's self curated soundtrack, unwinds with a wicked fervor. A deep, wicked joy.

Henderson who has pretty much seen it all from the impulsive, jazz rock Realization (Capricorn, 1973) through The Cookers to the still palpable Shuffle and Deal (Smoke Avenue, 2020) looks back for a PBS documentary due for release in early 2024 and knows for sure he has had a good run. He then intuitively and soulfully gathers a few wily and confident cohorts and it is away to the races.

But it is not that frantic metro influencer gallop for this crew. Not by any means. These cats are all pure blue, after-hours shuffle. Because not only is Henderson, now in his eighty-third orbit, at a zenith in said orbit, ditto that of Donald Harrison's blue venue sax and George Cables' pianistic touch. Splice all that in with the interstitial elasticity of bassist Gerald Cannon and drummers Lenny White andMike Clark and "Scorpio Rising" becomes an infectious roll through the back alleys of late 1970s urban noir. The liquid gold of "I Am Going to Miss You, My Darling," written by the trumpeter's wife, beautifully occurs.

It is very hard to learn that everyone should lay back on the groove, but to this group it is a banner taken into battle. A badge of honor. Witness To History is full of badges and banners. First heard on Lee Morgan's eventful The Sidewinder (Blue Note, 1964), "Totem Pole" holds all the flash and slink of the original but with its own immediate vibe. Cables' jumpy "Why Not" is a slow steamer highlighted by trumpet and saxophone punching the air. As it should be, "Sweet and Lovely" is all trad jazz with Cannon in the lead.

Maybe when and if it all becomes accountable, Witness To History does not stand the test of time. Maybe it does. The same can be said for all and any of us. But that does not make Witness To History any less of great record. In fact it just being makes it all that much better.By Mike Jurkovic https://www.allaboutjazz.com/witness-to-history-eddie-henderson-smoke-sessions-records__22447

Personnel: Eddie Henderson - trumpet; Donald Harrison - saxophone, alto; George Cables - piano; Lenny White - drums ; Gerald Cannon - bass

Witness to History

Darden Purcell - Love's Got Me in a Lazy Mood

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2023
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 67:28
Size: 155,2 MB
Art: Front

(6:37) 1. Willow Weep for Me
(6:24) 2. Love's Got Me in a Lazy Mood
(5:41) 3. Come Back to Me
(5:48) 4. It's a Most Unusual Day
(4:57) 5. I Concentrate on You
(5:35) 6. A Cottage for Sale
(5:55) 7. Estrada Branca (This Happy Madness)
(7:24) 8. Chatterbox
(7:09) 9. Estate
(6:32) 10. Taking a Chance on Love
(5:21) 11. You've Changed

Darden Purcell's album Love's Got Me In A Lazy Mood (OA2 Records, 2023) shows her keen ear for the subtleties and nuances which define the West Coast cool jazz vocal sound. Purcell's album comprises eleven tracks which blend the laid-back, sophisticated rhythms and melodic inventiveness that characterize the style with beautiful singing and nimble playing.

Purcell is joined by an ensemble of musicians whose contributions are pivotal to the album's charm and success. On six tracks the ensemble features Joe Locke on vibraphone, whose nuanced textures and rhythmic sophistication add depth to each track. Shawn Purcell, who arranged all the songs, weaves intricate harmonies and melodies which complement and converse with Darden Purcell's vocals. Todd Simon's piano provides a supportive undercurrent, binding the ensemble's sound. The rhythmic foundation laid down by Jeff Reed on acoustic bass and Todd Harrison on drums is compelling, creating a rhythmic flow which allows each musician to flourish in the various feels and styles. The ensemble creates a cohesive, explorative, and resonant sound with an overall essence of West Coast cool jazz.

Purcell's vocal delivery is a journey through the emotional landscapes of each track. Her rendition of "A Cottage for Sale" is a highlight as she confidently conveys the song in a heartfelt narrative. "You've Changed" is another song in which she displays those qualities, matching the lyrics with the coloring of her tone and inflections. In the title track, "Love's Got Me in a Lazy Mood," Purcell uses the lyrics to explore love's complex, layered emotions through her vocal inflections. Her vocal delicacies hint at an undercurrent of both contentment and longing, a duality often explored in the introspective nature of West Coast cool jazz, where the focus is often on expression and mood.

In "Estrada Branca (This Happy Madness)," Purcell's switch between Portuguese and English adds a unique storytelling dimension. Her nuanced and deliberate phrasing engages in both linguistic settings, creating a creative and universal performance. "Estate" has a moody and dark arrangement. The laid-back phrasing of Purcell's vocals makes the song's story come alive. This ability to tell a story through subtle vocal inflections is reminiscent of the West Coast jazz ethos, where less is often more.

Shawn Purcell's original, "Chatterbox," is one of the album's many highlights. The song has an exciting approach to the vocal, guitar, piano, and vibes possibilities to create varying orchestrative dialogues. Purcell's voice engages with the ensemble as an instrument which happens to be singing lyrics. This interplay is done with a command of jazz rhythms and articulations. Purcell's personal touch comes through in her lyric choices and vocal expression. By choosing both aspects, Purcell can give a performance that distinctly displays her jazz articulation and rhythm with excellent lyric writing.

Throughout Love's Got Me In A Lazy Mood, Purcell comprehends jazz's expressive potential. Her vocal delivery is built upon solid technical skills, but her artistry is about weaving a melody with stories and emotions.By Geannine Reid
https://www.allaboutjazz.com/loves-got-me-in-a-lazy-mood-darden-purcell-oa2-records

Love's Got Me in a Lazy Mood

Thursday, February 15, 2024

Angelina Jordan - Old Enough

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2023
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 17:08
Size: 39,6 MB
Art: Front

(2:57) 1. Love Don't Let Me Go
(3:07) 2. Now I'm The Fool
(2:36) 3. Fire And Rain
(2:24) 4. All My Fault
(3:27) 5. Good In Goodbyes
(2:35) 6. Diamond

Acclaimed songstress and vocal dynamo, Angelina Jordan has unveiled her brand-new EP, Old Enough today via Republic Records. To celebrate the project’s release, she also dropped the music video for the single “Now I’m The Fool.” Watch it now below.

On the track, her smoky vocals practically hover above jazz-y guitar and a simmering beat as she confesses in a smooth cadence, “I just called to let you know, you hurt my soul.” The simple, yet striking black-and-white visual channels a classic vibe as she rocks a retro hairdo and sings her heart out into a vintage microphone alone.

After years of wowing audiences with her phenomenal voice, Old Enough places Angelina Jordan’s songwriting in the spotlight, displaying her maturity as both an artist and woman.

Angelina first teased the project with “Love Don’t Let Me Go” earlier this year. Thus far, it has gathered north of 1.4 million Spotify streams and 2 million-plus views on accompanying visualizer. The last time we heard from Angelina was in 2021 with “7th Heaven.” The latter has amassed over 2.8 million Spotify streams in addition to 2.2 million YouTube views on the music video.https://preludepress.com/news/2023/07/21/angelina-jordan-old-enough/

Old Enough

Dave Pietro - Standard Wonder: The Music of Stevie Wonder

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2001
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 69:17
Size: 158,6 MB
Art: Front

(5:27) 1. Too High
(6:41) 2. All in Love Is Fair
(6:05) 3. Smile Please
(6:30) 4. Go Home
(4:34) 5. You and I (Interlude)
(7:47) 6. The Secret Life of Plants
(6:09) 7. Contusion
(5:22) 8. Happier Than the Morning Sun
(7:10) 9. Visions
(6:26) 10. Another Star
(3:34) 11. Overjoyed
(3:27) 12. Come Back as a Flower

A few of Stevie Wonder's songs have been performed by jazz musicians, but this CD by saxophonist Dave Pietro is one of the first extensive explorations of his work outside of pop. Pietro shifts between soprano, alto, and C-melody saxophones (the latter instrument hasn't been used very much in jazz since the '30s). Pietro's playing is very strong throughout the date, and his arrangements are first-rate, often contrasting sharply with the composer's original approaches.

"Another Star" features Pietro's superb C-melody sax in a modal setting that seems to occasionally hint at Miles Davis' "Nardis." His tasty soprano sax is a highlight of "The Secret Life of Plants," a song that could be overlooked by jazz fans who haven't heard Wonder's original record, because such a title might easily be mistaken for a typical new age release. The lively, Latin-flavored "Smile Please" and the lovely ballad "You and I-Interlude" are also highlights, but the dull electric piano keeps "All in Love Is Fair" (a favorite of pianist Marian McPartland, who has performed it many times) from reaching its full potential.

The strong supporting cast includes keyboardist David Berkman, trumpeter and flugelhornist Scott Wendholt, trombonist Pete McGuinness, guitarist Pete McCann, bassist Scott Colley, and drummer Brian Blade. One can easily imagine many more jazz musicians following Dave Pietro's lead in putting together a Stevie Wonder songbook of their own.By Ken Dryden
https://www.allmusic.com/album/standard-wonder-the-music-of-stevie-wonder-mw0000591513

Personnel: Dave Pietro - Soprano/Alto & C-melody Sax; Scott Wendholt - Trumpet/Flugelhorn; Pete McGuinness - Trombone; Pete McCann - Guitar; David Berkman - Piano/ Organ/ Fender Rhodes; Scott Colley - Bass; Brian Blade - Drums

Standard Wonder: The Music of Stevie Wonder