Bill Perkins - Jazz City

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2011
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 42:38
Size: 98,5 MB
Art: Front

(3:56)  1. Jazz City
(3:17)  2. It Had to Be You
(3:34)  3. Beyond the Sea
(2:48)  4. Cross Walk
(3:06)  5. Blue Skies
(3:12)  6. Hags!
(6:03)  7. Montrose
(2:32)  8. Sweet Saxophones
(6:15)  9. The Mouse Hop
(2:24) 10. Early Morning Smog
(5:25) 11. Two Visitors

Among the "coolest" of the West Coast tenor players of the 1950s, Bill Perkins in later years became a bit influenced by John Coltrane and modernized his style in a personal way. A flexible and versatile musician who also played baritone, alto, soprano, and flute, Perkins was best-known for his work on tenor. Born in San Francisco, he grew up in Chile, moved to Santa Barbara, and served in the military in World War II. After studying music and engineering, he played in the big bands of Jerry Wald, Woody Herman (1951-1953 and 1954), and Stan Kenton (1953-1954 and 1955-1958).

"Perk" started recording as a leader in 1956 (most notably Grand Encounter with John Lewis), including sets with Art Pepper and Richie Kamuca. During the 1960s he had a dual career as a studio musician and a recording engineer, and during 1970-1992 he was a member of the Tonight Show Band. Since then, Perkins played baritone and tenor with the Lighthouse All-Stars and was a member of the Bud Shank Sextet, in addition to heading his own sessions for a variety of labels. He died on August 9, 2003 of cancer at the age of 79.~ Scott Yanow https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/bill-perkins/id714766#fullText

Jazz City

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Halie Loren - They Oughta Write A Song

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2010
Time: 69:37
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Size: 160,4 MB
Art: Front

(3:08) 1. They Oughta Write A Song
(4:44) 2. A Whiter Shade Of Pale
(3:37) 3. Blue Skies
(3:51) 4. Autumn Leaves
(4:09) 5. Fever
(6:15) 6. God Bless This Child
(3:28) 7. My Rainbow Race
(2:22) 8. Perhaps, Perhaps, Perhaps
(3:59) 9. How Should I Know
(5:08) 10. Summertime
(2:51) 11. I Don't Miss It That Much
(4:52) 12. Dock Of The Bay
(4:39) 13. As Time Goes By
(3:58) 14. Free To Be Loved By Me
(5:44) 15. I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For
(3:19) 16. Danger In Loving You
(3:27) 17. Sunny Afternoon

They Oughta Write a Song sees the 24-year-old Halie Loren getting back to her roots as a jazz singer. The album consists of 13 tracks, including not only jazz standards, but three originals and a half-handful of "jazzified" classic covers. Those new to jazz would be hard-pressed to tell one from the other, so deftly do Loren and her backing band pianist Matt Treder, bassist Mark Schneider, percussionist Brian West and trumpeter Tim McLaughlin on trumpet dive in and make themselves home in a sea of lush, jazzy warmth.

The opening title track sounds like a standard (and, if there is any sense of fairness in the world, it will be someday) but is actually an original, co-written by Loren at the tender age of 18 in Nashville. The other two originals, "How Should I Know?" and "I Don't Miss It That Much" sound remarkably similar to tracks from the soundtrack to Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil(1997), but are likewise a well-balanced mixture of classic jazz and modern sass.

Loren's interpretation of non-jazz classics is equally competent, taking familiar songs from other genres and reinterpreting them in novel ways. Procol Harem's "A Whiter Shade of Pale" dials back the "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds" vibe and replaces it with something smokier, sassier, and quite different. Pete Seeger's "My Rainbow Race" loses the folksy focus and goes a bit more Latin, with percussion and bass underlining Loren's thick, rich vocals. Otis Redding's "(Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay" gets a somewhat less melancholy interpretation, retaining the song's soulful wistfulness while adding a bit more bounce and sway.

The bulk of the album, however, is composed of jazz standards, which necessarily draw comparisons with other such covers. "Autumn Leaves," covered by everyone from Nat King Cole to Paula Cole, is, by way of comparison, minimalist. While other versions of the song contain layers of instrumentation Paula Cole's version, on the Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil (Warner Bros., 1997) soundtrack, even adds percussion to mimic the sound of rustling leaves—here it's just Loren and Treder, voice and piano, boiling the song down to its basics. Osvaldo Farres' "Perhaps, Perhaps, Perhaps" appears as well, sung half in Spanish and half in English and, while clocking in at about the same length as Cake's cover on Fashion Nugget(Capricorn, 1996), is distinctly more traditional and definitely sexier.

George Gershwin's "Summertime" is also worth a special mention. Originally composed for Porgy and Bess (1935), the jazz standard has been covered by everyone from Louis Armstrong and Ella Fitzgerald to Janis Joplin, always serving to frame each singer's particular vocal talents regardless of instrumentation Joplin's mournful shrieks atop electric guitar; Fitzgerald's warmth contrasted with Armstrong's growl. Here, Loren's clear-as-a-bell lilt and tease is half "drifting off to sleep" lullaby and half "stay up till sunrise" striptease, allowing her to make the song her own. By Some One https://www.allaboutjazz.com/they-oughta-write-a-song-halie-loren-white-moon-productions-review

Personnel: Halie Loren: vocals; Matt Treder: piano, keys; Mark Schneider: bass; Brian West: drums; Tim McLaughlin: trumpet.

They Oughta Write A Song

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Bill Perkins & Frank Strazzeri - Warm Moods

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 57:22
Size: 131.3 MB
Styles: West Coast jazz
Year: 1992/2004
Art: Front

[3:38] 1. Ceora
[5:11] 2. Dewey Square
[5:06] 3. Warm Valencian Nights
[4:18] 4. For Sal
[5:50] 5. Sweet Lorraine
[3:39] 6. You Know I Care
[4:56] 7. Lavender Dreams
[3:50] 8. Scrapple From The Apple
[4:20] 9. Haelen Nocturne
[5:08] 10. Long Ago
[8:24] 11. Willow Weep For Me
[2:56] 12. Yesterdays Gardenias

Baritone Saxophone, Clarinet, Bass Clarinet, Producer – Bill Perkins (tracks: 3,11 (Bass Clarinet] 5 [Clarinet]); Piano, Producer – Frank Strazzeri. Recorded at Sage & Sound Recording Studio in Hollywood, California on November 11, 1991.

Among the "coolest" of the West Coast tenor players of the 1950s, Bill Perkins in later years became a bit influenced by John Coltrane and modernized his style in a personal way. A flexible and versatile musician who also played baritone, alto, soprano, and flute, Perkins was best-known for his work on tenor. Born in San Francisco, he grew up in Chile, moved to Santa Barbara, and served in the military in World War II. After studying music and engineering, he played in the big bands of Jerry Wald, Woody Herman (1951-1953 and 1954), and Stan Kenton (1953-1954 and 1955-1958). "Perk" started recording as a leader in 1956 (most notably Grand Encounter with John Lewis), including sets with Art Pepper and Richie Kamuca. During the 1960s he had a dual career as a studio musician and a recording engineer, and during 1970-1992 he was a member of the Tonight Show Band. Since then, Perkins played baritone and tenor with the Lighthouse All-Stars and was a member of the Bud Shank Sextet, in addition to heading his own sessions for a variety of labels. He died on August 9, 2003 of cancer at the age of 79.~ Scott Yanow

Warm Moods

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Paula Atherton - Dancin' Shoes

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2024
Time: 49:30
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Size: 117,5 MB
Art: Front

(4:10) 1. Baila
(4:13) 2. Inside Out and Backwards
(4:05) 3. Keep It Comin'
(5:25) 4. Give Me a Reason
(4:13) 5. Dancin' Shoes (feat. Greg Manning)
(4:33) 6. Soul Picnic
(4:07) 7. Ready or Not
(4:57) 8. Move On Up
(4:29) 9. Time Out
(4:35) 10. Don't Look Back
(4:36) 11. Open Road

Paula Atherton’s Dancin’ Shoes is a deep dive into the possibilities of infusing elements of R&B, soul, and Latin grooves to create a jazz experience that transcends musical boundaries. With her seventh full-length release, Atherton showcases her saxophone, flute, and heartfelt vocal abilities, offering an album that resonates with both jazz purists and casual listeners alike.

The album starts with “Baila,” a track brimming with a light, joyous Latin flavor that is seamlessly melded with a smooth jazz groove. Atherton’s flute commands the forefront, weaving through the ensemble with warmth and agility, promising a dance-inducing start to the album’s journey. This piece sets a high bar for the album, with Atherton’s solo work displaying an engaging blend of motivic development and sheer enjoyment, perfectly embodying the spirit of dance.

“Inside Out & Backwards” takes a funkier turn, setting its tone with a toe-tapping groove that underpins Atherton’s dynamic alto saxophone. The rhythm section and the punchy horn hits, combined with Lou Gimenez’s fusion-inspired guitar solo, create a compelling narrative of musical exploration.

The album’s first single, “Keep it Comin’,” stands out for Atherton’s ability to craft top-charting hits while maintaining a high musical integrity. The track’s smooth jazz foundation supports Atherton’s expressive alto saxophone solos, marked by saxophone screams and chromatic approaches that captivate the listener’s attention.

“Give Me A Reason” slows the pace with a heartfelt ballad that showcases Atherton’s excellent vocal sound and saxophone skills. The slow shuffle and R&B influences make it a standout piece, demonstrating Atherton’s versatility and ability to shape a melody vocally and on the saxophone.

The title track, “Dancin’ Shoes,” embodies the album’s essence a fusion of upbeat rhythms and melodies that compel movement. The synergy between Atherton’s saxophone and the funk-driven guitar and keyboard work creates an unstoppable energy and joy.

Her cover of Curtis Mayfield’s “Move on Up” adds a fresh layer to the album, blending soulful vocals with a funky bass line that pays homage to the original while showcasing Atherton’s unique interpretative skills.

As the album nears its close with tracks like “Time Out” and “Don’t Look Back,” Atherton’s collaboration with esteemed producers and musicians such as Curtis Harmon and Lou Gimenez adds depth and complexity to the project, ensuring that each song contributes to the album’s cohesive sound and feel.

Ending on a high note, “Open Road” encapsulates the album’s theme of adventure and exploration. The track’s driving groove and Atherton’s agile saxophone work make it a fitting conclusion to an album that takes listeners on a musical journey.

Mastered by Randy Merrill at Sterling Sound, Dancin’ Shoes offers a runtime of just over 49 minutes of compelling music that speaks to the heart and the feet. Released under Dream On Records, this vibrates with Paula Atherton’s unwavering commitment to conveying the groove side of jazz. With each track, Atherton invites us into her world a world where every note and rhythm tells a story, encouraging us to dance, reflect, and, above all, enjoy the rich tapestry of sounds she has woven together.By Ferell Aubre https://thejazzword.com/2024/04/paula-atherton-dancin-shoes-review/

Dancin' Shoes

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Dayna Stephens - Closer Than We Think

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2024
Time: 53:23
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Size: 124,5 MB
Art: Front

(5:15) 1. Bubbly
(6:09) 2. The Nomad
(4:47) 3. Ryland
(3:04) 4. Scrutiny
(4:12) 5. Placate
(5:51) 6. ESP
(4:06) 7. A New Spring
(5:47) 8. Te
(3:59) 9. Blue Poles
(6:47) 10. Back Home
(3:21) 11. Placate (Reprise)

Dayna Stephens is an extraordinary saxophonist, composer, and monumental educator, enjoying well-deserved recognition in the contemporary scene. Mentored by legends such as Terence Blanchard, Wayne Shorter, and Herbie Hancock, Stephens made a name for himself by winning the DownBeat Critics Poll for Rising Star Tenor Saxophonist in 2019. He is active in the New York jazz scene, teaching at the Manhattan School of Music and William Paterson University.

Here’s what you need to know about this remarkable saxophonist, equally exciting despite working in a different style than saxophonist Céline Bonacina. The analogy one can draw with Wayne Shorter precisely reflects a similarly rich musical approach; indeed, Dayna does not seek to please but imposes his style, born from an absolute richness stemming from a diverse and extensive cultural background. Due to the pace of the contemporary world, creating a coherent list of peers and mentors wasn’t feasible, initially disappointing Stephens. “We all play better when we play with people we perceive to be better than us,” says Dayna Stephens

“The frustration of not being able to do this consistently with the same personnel every time that was a hurdle I kept running into whenever I wanted to put something together.” But from this initial setback, a seed of inspiration began to sprout. Stephens who is a full-time educator in some of America’s most prestigious music conservatories thought about the places and people who had inspired him and realized that while he was inspired by his heroes, he received as much, if not more, inspiration from the students he had the privilege to teach. “When this paradigm shift occurred, there wasn’t really a question about the people I wanted to play with.”

Just these profound reflections show how deeply Dayna Stephens understands the foundation of an artist, which translates into this album with compositions and arrangements of extraordinary quality. Of course, this music is quite elitist; those seeking easily digestible tunes may pass it by, but others will have the pleasure not only of discovering the art of this saxophonist and composer but also his profound sensitivity.

Several composers’ works are featured on this album, and a distinct absence of piano can be noted on “Closer Than We Think.” When asked, Stephens remarked that much of the sonic palette of this album was inspired by Sonny Rollins’ timeless album, “The Bridge.” “My father bought me ‘The Bridge,’ and I fell in love, acknowledging the gravity, and sometimes even the playful and humorous expression that I felt from Sonny,” says Stephens. “This level of intimacy, warmth, and a sense of limitless possibilities is the source of my addiction to this music.” As for the saxophonist’s compositions, one of the tracks composed by Stephens on the album is “A New Spring,” emotionally linked to the composer himself. The melody was composed in Stephens’ head as he underwent one of his last dialysis sessions before receiving a kidney transplant. As Stephens sat in the dialysis chair, his brain spun the melody through a plethora of orchestration options, and each pleased him. Although it has been interpreted in different ways, the arrangement used on the album with its guitar-centric sonic landscape powerfully encapsulates the idea of reaching a new beginning.

Undoubtedly, this album is a reference for all fans of this musical genre, and as such, it becomes indispensable for enthusiasts of music with complex architecture.https://www.paris-move.com/reviews/dayna-stephens-closer-than-we-think-eng-review/

Personnel: Dayna Stephens: saxes & EWI; Emmanuel Michael : guitar; Kanoa Mendenhall: bass; Jongkuk Kim: drums; Jeremy Pelt: trumpet (track 6)

Closer Than We Think

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Carol Welsman - Memories Of You

Styles: Piano And Vocal Jazz
Year: 2009
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 60:51
Size: 139,3 MB
Art: Front

(3:49)1. Don't Be That Way
(2:45)2. Why Don't You Do Right
(3:28)3. Moonglow
(3:10)4. Stompin' At The Savoy
(5:47)5. As Time Goes By
(4:49)6. When You're Smiling
(4:10)7. Johnny Guitar
(4:02)8. Fever
(2:53)9. Goody Goody
(3:08) 10. The Very Thought Of You
(2:39) 11. On A Slow Boat To China
(4:50) 12. Memories Of You
(3:03) 13. Sing Sing Sing
(3:50) 14. Where Or When
(4:15) 15. More Than You Know
(4:06) 16. The Glory Of Love

Carol Welsman is a talented singer/pianist who hails from Canada and now spends much of her time in Los Angeles. Her numerous achievements include five Juno (Canadian Grammy) Award nominations and several CDN Smooth Jazz Awards. Like bossa nova icon Joao Gilberto and his guitar, Carol's honey-and-whiskey voice and her crisp, rhythmically articulate piano lines seem an integral part of each other. Also possessing wonderful arranging skills, she's an authentic vocal/instrumental artist who brings an irresistible blend of musicality and lyrical insight to everything she touches.

Memories of You is a special project she did in partnership with Producer Takao Ishizuka, to celebrate the 50th anniversary of his company, All Art Promotion. For the past 50 years, Ishizuka and All Art Promotion have been a major driving force in bringing jazz musicians to Japan. The year 2009 also was the 100th anniversary of the birth of Benny Goodman, so they decided to join forces with Ken Peplowski the best jazz clarinet player in the world now in my opinion to do a Benny Goodman tribute album. They also wanted to include vocal numbers popular in Japan, and found the tunes made famous by Peggy Lee a perfect fit.

Thus, the program consists of well-known tunes associated with Goodman and songs associated with Peggy Lee. Her Los Angeles-based regular band (Pierre Coté on guitar, Rene Camacho on bass and Jimmy Branly on drums) is augmented by Brazillian percussionist Cassio Duarte, and legendary drummer Frank Capp, who used to play with Peggy Lee, appears on two tracks as guest drummer. This is a wonderful jazz vocal album, full of wonderfully inventive arrangements, superb singing, and musicianship of highest order. Pressed on the superior-sounding HQCD, the sound quality of this CD is so good that it received the highest honor from the Jazz Critique Magazine of Japan, the 2009 Jazz Disc Gold Award in the vocal album category. It means that the magazine recognized it as the best-sounding jazz vocal album released in 2009. Recommended!
http://www.eastwindimport.com/product-info.asp?CategoryName=HQCDProductID=1584

Personnel: Carol Welsman (piano, vocal); Ken Peplowski (clarinet); Pierre Conté (guitar); Jimmy Branly (drums); Cassio Duarte (percussion); Frank Capp (drums)

Memories Of You

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Charlie Barnet - The Capitol Big Band Sessions

Styles: Big Band, Jazz
Year: 1998
Time: 67:38
File: MP3 @ 192K/s
Size: 93,7 MB
Art: Front

(2:28) 1. Redskin Rhumba
(2:30) 2. Eugipelliv
(3:11) 3. Lonely Street
(2:57) 4. Cu-Ba
(3:08) 5. Charlie's Other Aunt (1st Version)
(3:10) 6. Easy Living
(3:07) 7. Charlie's Other Aunt
(2:49) 8. Overtime
(3:02) 9. O'henry
(5:27) 10. Portrait Of Edward Kennedy Ellington
(2:47) 11. Be-Bop Spoken Here
(3:22) 12. Gloomy Sunday
(3:14) 13. Over The Rainbow
(3:11) 14. All The Things You Are
(2:47) 15. Pan Americana
(3:08) 16. Ill Wind
(3:12) 17. Claude Reigns
(2:21) 18. Really?
(2:40) 19. Spain
(3:10) 20. My Crime
(2:53) 21. Theme For Cynthia
(2:55) 22. (I'm A Dreamer) Aren't We All?

Although Charlie Barnet will always be best known for his popular swing band of 1939-1942, he continued leading orchestras throughout the 1940s. In 1949 he temporarily embraced bebop, with his band being full of modernists (some of which were Stan Kenton's sidemen, since Kenton was taking a year off).

At one point his trumpet section had three screamers (Maynard Ferguson, Doc Severinsen, and Ray Wetzel) in addition to the fine bop soloist Rolf Ericson. Other musicians who played with Barnet in 1949 included pianist Claude Williamson, bassist Eddie Safransky, altoist Vinny Dean, Dick Hafer on tenor, and trombonist Herbie Harper, with some of the arrangements provided by Manny Albam, Gil Fuller, and Pete Rugolo.

This CD has all of Barnet's bop recordings, plus a version of "Redskin Rhumba" from mid-1948 and a dance band date with a different orchestra in 1950. Among the highlights are "Cu-Ba," "Charlie's Other Aunt," "Overtime," "Portrait of Edward Kennedy Ellington," "Bebop Spoken Here" (featuring singing from Dave Lambert and Buddy Stewart), "Claude Reigns," and "Really." Particularly highly recommended to bop fans who would never have associated Charlie Barnet with that style.By Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-capitol-big-band-sessions-mw0000042401#review

Personnel: Soprano Saxophone, Alto Saxophone, Tenor Saxophone – Charlie Barnet; Alto Saxophone – Art Raboy (tracks: 2 to 10), Dick Meldonian (tracks: 19 to 22), Frank Pappalardo (2) (tracks: 1,), Ruben Leon (tracks: 13 to 18), Vinnie Dean (tracks: 2 to 18), Walt Weidler (tracks: 1); Baritone Saxophone – Bob Dawes (tracks: 1, 19 to 22), Danny Bank (tracks: 2 to 12), Manny Albam (tracks: 13 to 18); Bass – Ed Mihelich (tracks: 19 to 22), Eddie Safranski (tracks: 2 to 18), Iggy Shevak (tracks: 1); Bongos – Diego Ibarra (tracks: 4, 5), Diego Iborra (tracks: 2 to 5); Bongos, Congas – Ivar Jaminez (tracks: 6 to 10); Congas – Carlos Vidal (tracks: 2, 3, 11 to 18); Congas, Bongos – Francisco Alvarez (2) (tracks: 4, 5); Drums – Cliff Leeman (tracks: 4 to 12), Dick Shanahan (tracks: 1), John Markham (tracks: 19 to 22), Tiny Kahn (tracks: 13 to 18); Piano – Claude Williamson (tracks: 1 to 18), Donn Trenner (tracks: 19 to 22); Tenor Saxophone – Bill Holman (tracks: 19 to 22), Bud Shank (tracks: 1), Dave Matthews (2) (tracks: 2 to 10), Dick Hafer (tracks: 6 to 18), Jack Laird (tracks: 19 to 22), Kurt Bloom (tracks: 2 to 18); Trombone – Dick Kenney (tracks: 2 to 22), Harry Betts (tracks: 13 to 18), Herb Harper (tracks: 1, 13 to 18), Karl De Karske (tracks: 1), Kenny Martlock (tracks: 2 to 22), Obie Massingill* (tracks: 2 to 12), Phil Washburne (tracks: 1,); Trumpet – Al Del Simone (tracks: 19 to 22), Carlton McBeath (tracks: 19 to 22), Dave Burns (tracks: 2, 3), Dave Nichols (6) (tracks: 1), Doc Severinsen (tracks: 2 to 18), Fern Caron (tracks: 4, 5), Irv Lewis (tracks: 1), Jack Hanson (tracks: 1,), John Coppola (tracks: 19 to 22), John Howell (tracks: 2 to 18), Lamar Wright (2) (tracks: 1 to 10), Ray Wetzel (tracks: 13 to 18), Rolf Ericson (tracks: 6 to 18), Tony Di Nardi (tracks: 2 to 10); Vocals – Buddy Stewart (tracks: 11), Dave Lambert (3) (tracks: 11), Trudy Richards (tracks: 6, 12, 16)

The Capitol Big Band Sessions

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Cory Weeds Meets Champian Fulton - Every Now And Then

Styles: Saxophone And Piano Jazz
Year: 2024
Time: 48:20
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Size: 130,2 MB
Art: Front

(4:53) 1. Boss Tutch
(5:15) 2. It's Alright with Me
(5:47) 3. Too Marvelous For Words
(4:21) 4. Linger In My Arms a Little Longer Baby
(5:32) 5. The Best Things In Life Are Free
(4:20) 6. Carry Me Back to Old Manhattan
(3:49) 7. That's Not Your Donut
(7:21) 8. Every Now & Then
(6:57) 9. The Snapper

Cory Weeds saxophonist with an expressive sound rooted in Jazz tradition, a label owner tirelessly documenting unsung Jazz heroes, one of Canada’s most important Jazz impresarios, the hardest-working man in Jazz business Cory Weeds is all of these things, and much more.

Weeds may be best known as the founder and owner of Cory Weeds’ Cellar Jazz Club in Vancouver, which he successfully ran for more than 14 years. Weeds built the Cellar to become one of North America’s best Jazz clubs, where masters such as George Coleman, Jeff Hamilton, Louis Hayes, David “Fathead” Newman, Dr. Lonnie Smith, and the finest Jazz musicians from Vancouver and across Canada and the U.S. performed before it closed in February 2014.

But he wasn’t just the club owner. As a saxophonist who studied at the University of North Texas and Capilano University, Weeds spent many nights on the Cellar bandstand as a leader and sideman. He held his own when performing with icons like Joey DeFrancesco and Christian McBride. Weeds has also recorded twenty albums as a leader, including his latest Home Cookin' Just Coolin' (with Tilden Webb, John Lee and Jesse Cahill), What Is There To Say? (with Phil Dwyer and a 12 piece string section), O Sole Mio (with Eric Alexander, Mike LeDonne, Peter Bernstein and Joe Farnsworth), Day By Day (with David Hazeltine, Ken Lister and Jesse Cahill), Live at Frankie’s (with Terell Stafford and Harold Mabern) Explosion (with Gary Smulyan, PJ Perry, Steve Davis and Joe Magnarelli), Let’s Groove (with Mike Ledonne), Dreamsville (with The Jeff Hamilton Trio), It’s Easy To Remember (with David Hazeltine, Joe Magnarelli, Paul Gill and Jason Tiemann, reached #1 on the Jazz Week Charts) This Happy Madness, (with The Jeff Hamilton Trio, reached #1 on the Jazz Week Charts), Condition Blue, The Music Of Jackie McLean (with Peter Bernstein, Mike LeDonne, and Joe Farnsworth)., As Of Now (with the Harold Mabern Trio), Let’s Go (with Steve Davis), the Juno-nominated Up A Step (Cory Weeds Quartet), With Benefits (with Lewis Nash and Peter Washington), Just Like That (with the Tilden Webb Trio), The Many Deeds of Cory Weeds (with Joey DeFrancesco), Everything’s Coming Up Weeds (with Jim Rotondi), and Big Weeds (with Peter Bernstein, Mike LeDonne, and Joe Farnsworth).

While the Cellar is now a happy memory, the record label Weeds established in 2001 is alive and well. Rebranded in 2018, The Cellar Music Group has put out over 350 recordings, including many that have spent extensive time on the JazzWeek charts, been reviewed in acclaimed print publications and been featured on NPR's Fresh Air. Weeds has also served as producer on more than 200recordings. In 2017 Weeds celebrated a win at the 2017 Juno Awards when Metalwood won for Jazz Album Of The Year: Group. Another Weeds-produced album w Brad Turner Quartet with guest Seamus Blake - Jump Up was nominated in 2019 and The Ostara Project in 2023.

2023 has been a watershed year for Weeds and the label. In March pf 2023 Weeds and the label were awarded a Grammy for The Generation Gap Jazz Orchestra in the large ensemble category. Weeds was also recognized as a #2 Rising Star Producer in Downbeat Magazine and Cellar Music was #8 in Record Label Of The Year.
https://www.highresaudio.com/en/album/view/7mdjn6/cory-weeds-champian-fulton-every-now-and-then

Personnel: Cory Weeds – Alto Saxophone; Champian Fulton – Piano, Vocals

Every Now And Then

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Bill Frisell - Orchestras

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 2024
Time: 86:50
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Size: 198,8 MB
Art: Front

(3:15) 1. Nocturne Vulgaire
(5:09) 2. Lush Life
(4:47) 3. Doom
(4:25) 4. Rag
(6:01) 5. Throughout
(5:56) 6. Electricity
(5:58) 7. Sweet Rain
(7:03) 8. Richter 858, No. 7
(3:50) 9. Beautiful Dreamer
(7:11) 10. Lookout for Hope
(4:28) 11. Levees
(6:24) 12. Strange Meeting
(6:32) 13. Doom
(4:09) 14. Electricity
(6:48) 15. Monica Jane
(4:47) 16. We Shall Overcome

The influential American guitarist Bill Frisell and the innovative English composer and arranger Michael Gibbs go back a long way. Frisell first heard Gibbs’s ingenious writing for the vibraphonist Gary Burton when he was a teenager in the 1960s; in the mid-1970s he studied composition with Gibbs at Berklee College of Music, in Boston. Since then the guitarist has played in Gibbs’s stellar big bands, and the composer has arranged many of Frisell’s compellingly unconventional tunes in 2015 they collaborated on an album with the NDR Bigband. A longstanding ambition to record with an orchestra, however, has eluded them.

Until now. In fact, on this double release of concert-hall recordings with his regular trio of Thomas Morgan, on bass, and Rudy Royston, on drums, Frisell gets to play Gibbs’s orchestrations with two large ensembles: the 59-strong Brussels Philharmonic and the 11-piece Umbria Jazz Orchestra. “To say this is a dream come true would be an understatement,” Frisell writes in a short liner note.

Far from being a predictable soloist-with-strings project, Orchestras fully integrates guitarist, trio and ensembles into one multifaceted whole. Not all of the 16 selections are Frisell originals there are striking explorations of two famed Gibbs themes, Sweet Rain and Nocturne Vulgaire, and supersmart orchestrations of timeless songs such as Lush Life and Beautiful Dreamer. On Frisell standards that include Strange Meeting, Lookout for Hope and his masterpiece Throughout, however, the arrangements seem to take on an entirely different dynamic and dimension; it’s as if they are projections of Frisell’s searching and sometimes mysterious musical imagination itself.

It is also fascinating to compare and contrast: the philharmonic sounds lush, cinematic and darkly romantic; the jazz orchestra feels more earthy and laidback there is a kind of easy dissonance to its mood. A triple-LP version, which includes a bonus album of additional concert material, mostly featuring the trio alone, is available for completists.
.https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/music/review/2024/04/18/bill-frisell-orchestras-guitarist-trio-and-ensembles-become-one-multifaceted-whole/

Personnel: Bill Frisell: guitar; Thomas Morgan: bass; Rudy Royston: drums + Brussels Philharmonic and Umbria Jazz Orchestra.

Orchestras

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Scott Hamilton, Dena DeRose - The Shadow of Your Smile

Styles: Saxophone And Piano Jazz
Year: 2017
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 36:13
Size: 83,8 MB
Art: Front

(10:18) 1. Blue Hodge
( 6:28) 2. The Shadow of Your Smile
( 8:22) 3. How Deep Is the Ocean
( 7:06) 4. Summer Wind
( 3:58) 5. La Rosita Ii

As you well know, last May we launched Scott Hamilton's album; La Rosita. Well, we have a surprise for Scott Hamilton fans, and that is that we had an ace up our sleeve: a second part of that wonderful concert that was recorded live at the Espai de la Música Mestre Vila de Benicàssim during the Seminar Jazz International held in December 2015.

We present you “The shadow of your smile”, a work that is undoubtedly at the level of his partner “La Rosita”, and that forms a perfect tandem with him. Both collect together the exquisite concert of the great Scott Hamilton, which was accompanied by Dena DeRose on piano, Ignasi González on double bass and Jo Krause on drums. ~ Translate By Google http://blaurecords.com/discos/lanzamiento-the-shadow-of-your-smile-scott-hamilton/

Personnel: Tenor Saxophone – Scott Hamilton; Piano – Dena DeRose; Bass – Ignasi González; Drums – Jo Krause

The Shadow of Your Smile

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Nicole Glover - Strange Lands

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2021
Time: 50:55
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Size: 117,6 MB
Art: Front

(3:15) 1. Strange Lands
(5:47) 2. Hive Queen
(7:07) 3. The Twilight Zone
(6:39) 4. Dindi
(3:42) 5. Parks
(4:56) 6. The Switch
(6:01) 7. Notturno
(5:07) 8. A Flower Is a Lovesome Thing
(8:17) 9. I Concentrate on You

Time was when a jazz trio without a piano or guitar was a rare occurrence. But once Sonny Rollins went chordless at the Vanguard the die was cast and, though the instrumentation is still not exactly thick on the ground, it is an important subset in the list of saxophone-fronted jazz groups. For the last three years tenor saxophonist Nicole Glover has embraced this format with her regular band featuring colleagues Daniel Duke (bass) and Nic Cacioppo (drums).

Here, for her first album with the group and her Savant Records debut, she has attracted the attention of keyboard great George Cables, who appears on four tracks of the recording. Michael J. West points out in the album's liner notes that to Glover, "Cables represents the continuum of the music, its past, present and future; she wanted that wisdom and energy to manifest itself and inform the band's work."

In the trio numbers, mostly originals, the musicians display a unity of thought that goes far beyond the notes, one that takes the freedom of a chordless ensemble and runs with it. Their music is full of strength and power, challenging but communicative with a sly sense of playfulness peeking out occasionally all providing a memorable musical experience that is at once high-spirited and deeply felt. https://propermusic.com/products/nicoleglover-strangelands

Personnel: Nicole Glover (tenor saxophone), Daniel Duke (bass), Nic Cacioppo (drums) with special guest: George Cables (piano)

Strange Lands

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Ann Burton - It Might As Well Be Love

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2023
Time: 33:04
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Size: 76,6 MB
Art: Front

(3:55) 1. Sooner Or Later
(2:41) 2. This Is New
(4:50) 3. Nobody's Heart
(2:04) 4. What'll Do
(3:50) 5. I Like You, You're Nice
(3:35) 6. Humpty Dumpty Heart
(4:43) 7. After You
(3:24) 8. You Fascinate Me So
(3:59) 9. It Might As Well Be Spring

Ann Burton (March 4, 1933 - November 29, 1989, Amsterdam) is the pseudonym of Johanna Rafalowicz (between 1938 and 1971: Johanna de Paauw), a Dutch jazz singer.

Ann Burton started her career as a singer in a quintet in Luxembourg and she started off by singing in the Doris Day style. Records of Billy Holiday drastically changed her style. Back in Holland she performed in a jazz repertoire with the trio of Frans Elsen. When Ramses Chaffy founded his “Shaffy Chantant” , Ann Burton was one of the first whom he contracted as a singer. In a long engagement in this group Ann became known at a larger audience.

Her breakthrough came in 1968, working with John J. Vis with whom she made her debute as Blue Burton, accompanied by the trio of Louis van Dijk. With John Vis she also made the albums Ballads and Burton and Ann Burton sings for lovers and other strangers. Further success had to wait till 1973, when she went to Japan, which was the land of the rising sun for her, because in Tokio, Ann Burton became the second most loved Jazz-singer, next to Ella Fitzgerald.https://www.last.fm/music/Ann+Burton/+wiki

It Might As Well Be Love

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Melissa Aldana - Echoes Of The Inner Prophet

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2024
Time: 42:53
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Size: 98,5 MB
Art: Front

(2:57) 1. Echoes Of The Inner Prophet
(6:49) 2. Unconscious Whispers
(6:08) 3. A Story
(6:08) 4. The Solitary Seeker
(4:02) 5. Ritual
(4:59) 6. A Purpose
(5:18) 7. Cone of Silence
(6:29) 8. I Know You Know

Grammy-nominated saxophonist Melissa Aldana was all of maybe 21 going on 22 in 2010 when her Inner Circle Records arrival, Free Fall, caught many a discerning ear with its surprisingly earthy and assured lines and tangents. Her first for Blue Note, 2022's 12 Stars, displayed much the same but with a more resolute, restorative, established tone.

As exhibited on such artistic statements as 12 Stars and 2019's Visions (Motema Music), Aldana relishes her sojourns and residencies in the inner world. Echoes Of The Inner Prophet is the next chapter in the journey. But it is not just a step or a stride but a leap. Amorphous, calligraphic, and bursting with ideas that are given breadth to blend and clash, color and collaborate, music like the luxurious, collective narrative "A Story" comes into clear, clean view. Taking its drive and tempo shifts from the concentrated yet open-ended interplay of pianist Fabian Almazan and guitarist/co-producer/arranger Lage Lund (with whom Aldana enjoys an especially keen symbiosis) her tenor vibes and calls bask in joy interspersed with a common sadness.

But before that and before the tightly woven leadoff single "The Solitary Seeker," Echoes Of The Inner Prophet breaks to the surface with its title track rippling like breezes across a still lake. As if summoning Wayne Shorter, who was one of the judges (along with Branford Marsalis and Jane Ira Bloom) who awarded Aldana first prize in the 2013 Thelonious Monk International Jazz Saxophone Competition, Aldana's true proven tenor vibes sound warm and decisive amid Almazan and Lund's electronics, drummer Kush Abadey's concerted participation and bassist Pablo Menares' nimble reverberations.

Aldana's "Unconscious Whispers" follows. It is a five-way conversation where everyone is heard and no one's voice is turned away or interrupted. Sure, Almazan and Abadey mix up the dance steps here and there, but that by no means interrupts or sidetracks Lund, Menares, and Aldana, who find their footing and hold the center. The saxophonist's sound, rich and radiant, equal parts Sonny Rollins, Shorter, and the soulful party blues of Cannonball Adderley's alto, grows more and more familiar, distinct and, much more importantly, her own. It is rigorous but not without smudges and blurs of composition and style, "A Purpose," with its punchy, kinetic grace; "Cone of Silence," its closing time melodics falling fondly upon the ear; and Lund's quirky, reminiscent-of-something-you-may-have-heard-before closer "I Know You Know" make Echoes Of The Inner Prophet a sure-fire best of '24 contender. Listen closely. By Mike Jurkovic
https://www.allaboutjazz.com/echoes-of-the-inner-prophet-melissa-aldana-blue-note-records

Personnel: Melissa Aldana - (tenor saxophone); Fabian Almazan - (piano); Lage Lund - (guitar); Pablo Menares - (bass); Kush Abadey - (drums)

Echoes Of The Inner Prophet

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Eliane Elias - I Thought About You: A Tribute To Chet Baker

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2013
Time: 54:49
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Size: 125,9 MB
Art: Front

(4:56) 1. I Thought About You
(4:42) 2. There Will Never Be Another You
(3:53) 3. This Can't Be Love
(5:04) 4. Embraceable You
(3:52) 5. That Old Feeling
(3:38) 6. Everything Depends On You
(3:54) 7. I've Never Been In Love Before
(4:18) 8. Let's Get Lost
(5:13) 9. You Don't What Love Is
(2:11) 10. Blue Room
(3:30) 11. Just Friends
(3:50) 12. Girl Talk
(2:37) 13. Just In Time
(3:05) 14. I Get Along Without You Very Well

On Eliane Eliass second Concord release, the sultry Brazilian pianist-vocalist-arranger wraps her jazz and bossa nova style around classic tunes associated with iconic jazz trumpeter Chet Baker: "I Thought About You," "You Don't Know What Love Is," "Let's Get Lost," "That Old Feeling," and "I Get Along Without You Very Well."

Elias is supported by top flight Brazilian and American musicians, including her rhythm section of guitarist Steve Cardenas, drummers Rafael Barata and Victor Lewis, percussionist Marivaldo dos Santos and her husband, bassist Marc Johnson. Featuring special guests Randy Brecker on trumpet and Brazilian guitarist Oscar Castro-Neve's, considered a founding figure in bossa nova.By Editorial Reviews https://www.amazon.com/Thought-About-Tribute-Chet-Baker/dp/B00BXUG0KU

Personnel: Eliane Elias – piano, vocals; Randy Brecker – trumpet, flugelhorn; Steve Cardenas – electric guitar; Oscar Castro-Neves – acoustic guitar; Marc Johnson – double bass; Rafael Barata – drums; Victor Lewis – drums; Marivaldo Dos Santos – percussion

I Thought About You: A Tribute To Chet Baker

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Patty Lomuscio & Jazz Friends - Forth

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2012
Time: 38:45
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Size: 88,7 MB
Art: Front

(4:51) 1. But Not For Me
(6:30) 2. Sunrise
(5:12) 3. Lips
(5:56) 4. Try This Way
(5:27) 5. Again
(5:38) 6. Take Me
(5:09) 7. Alone

Patty Lomuscio: singer and cellist. In 2016 she recorded her first album as a leader "Further To Fly" with ALFAMUSIC-ROME-, a DISC recorded in September 2015 in New York with Gianluca Renzi on double bass, Jon Davis on piano and Vince Ector on drums..a record entirely dedicated to Paul Simon & Art Garfunkel.Finalist at the Premio Targhe Tenco 2016 with the album Further to fly She is currently Professor of Jazz Singing at the Conservatory of Music "Duni" of Matera She has been Professor of Jazz Singing at the Conservatory of Music "T. Schipa"-Lecce She was a Jazz Singing Teacher at the Conservatorio "Benedetto Marcello" Venezia She was a Jazz Singing Teacher at the Conservatorio di Musica "N.Piccinni"-Bari She was a Jazz Singing Teacher at the Liceo Musicale Parabita (le) She began singing at an early age. Already at the age of eight, she won city competitions.

She then also began studying the cello after winning a scholarship, first in her home town and then at the 'N.Piccinni' Conservatory in Bari, where she graduated with Maestro M.Nicola Fiorino. She perfected her study of jazz, graduating with top marks, in JAZZ MUSIC, at the N.Piccinni Conservatory in Bari, with her teacher M.Gianna Montecalvo, Roberto Ottaviano, Davide Santorsola,Andrea Gargiulo, Luigi Giannatempo,Vitandrea Morra. In the United States (New York) in November 2011 he perfected and expanded his study of Jazz with pianist M.Jon Davis. In 2002 she attended workshops and seminars with Rachel Gould, Guido Manusardi, Sandro Gibellini. In summer 2003 she won the first "Andria Jazz" competition for young emerging talents in jazz. In summer 2004 she attended the NUORO JAZZ seminar, whose artistic direction was entrusted to PaoloFresu, with jazz singer Maria Pia De Vito, also winning a scholarship.

He published a thesis on 'Charlie Parker and the ballads' in the Nuoro Jazz magazine in 2005. That same year, again at Nuoro Jazz, she illustrated her thesis in front of all the students and teachers at the Nuoro Jazz 2005 seminar. On the occasion of the "Chicco Bettinardi Jazz Competition" held in Piacenza in January 2005, in conjunction with the Piacenza Jazz Festival, she won the "Premio al Femminile" as best female artist competitor. At Nuoro Jazz 2005 she again won the scholarship as best singing student, awarded by Maria Pia De Vito. Also in Nuoro, she attended Uri Caine and John Abercrombie's master classes. In March 2008, she attended a jazz singing seminar with singer Michele Hendricks
https://m.highresaudio.com/en/artist/view/2285a8cc-76d4-4d4c-b606-e3b7c7f3b7d3/patty-lomuscio

Forth

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Freddie Hubbard - Live At The Northsea Jazz Festival, 1980

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 1998
Time: 74:48
File: MP3 @ 128K/s
Size: 69,3 MB
Art: Front

(16:50) 1. First Light
(13:05) 2. One Of Another Kind
(10:34) 3. One Of A Kind
(11:57) 4. Impressions
(12:31) 5. Happiness Is Now
( 9:49) 6. Red Clay

Freddie Hubbard's output grew increasingly erratic after his departure from CTI Records in the mid-1970s, and you never knew whether he would come out with a gem like Super Blue or an embarrassing "smooth jazz" stinker like Windjammer. Originally a two-LP set and now a single CD, Live At The Northsea Jazz Festival, 1980 definitely falls into the "gem" category.

The trumpeter/flugelhornist is captured on stage at The Hague in Holland, where he leads a cohesive quintet that includes Davis Schnitter on tenor sax, Billy Childs on electric keyboards, Larry Klein on electric bass and Sinclair Lott on drums and where he truly soars on familiar originals like "Red Clay," "First Light" and "One Of Another Kind" as well as an explosive version of John Coltrane's "Impressions."

Much like his CTI work of the early-to-mid 1970s, this live date doesn't cater to small-minded "jazz purists." Though Hub doesn't take the fusion concept as far as Miles Davis, Return To Forever or Weather Report, this is clearly jazz with funk and rock elements.

Unfortunately, the memorable interpretation of "The Summer Knows" that graced the original double-LP was omitted due to time limitations. But even so, it's great to see this album reissued on CD. By AAJ Staff https://www.allaboutjazz.com/live-at-the-northsea-jazz-festival-1980-freddie-hubbard-fantasy-jazz-review-by-aaj-staff

Personnel: Freddie Hubbard: trumpet; David Schnitter: tenor saxophone, flute; Billy Childs: keyboards; Larry Klein: bass; Sinclair Lott: drums

Live At The Northsea Jazz Festival, 1980

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Gerald Cannon - Live at Dizzy's Club - The Music of Elvin & Mccoy

Styles: Post Bop
Year: 2024
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 72:22
Size: 166,2 MB
Art: Front

( 8:47) 1. Ej's Blues
( 6:35) 2. Three Elders
(10:34) 3. 3 Card Molly
( 7:47) 4. Search for Peace
(11:16) 5. Blues in the Minor
( 8:33) 6. Home
(13:38) 7. Contemporary Focus
( 5:08) 8. Inception

In June 2022, bassist Gerald Cannon assembled an all-star septet to perform compositions by his late friends and musical colleagues, drummer Elvin Jones and pianist McCoy Tyner, in concert at Dizzy's Club in New York City. It is a respectable blowing session, with capable solos by all hands, albeit a tad less than one might expect from such an esteemed ensemble.

That is not to say anything on the menu is bland or unsavory. Still, expectations are understandably high where an ensemble of this caliber is concerned; this session, even though admirable in many respects, seems more methodical than inspired, in spite of some laudable blowing along the way and a generally solid rhythmic vibe from Cannon and his teammates.

Elvin, one of the Detroit area's talented Jones brothers (Thad, Hank), wrote "EJ's Blues," which opens the session on a buoyant note, and the high-powered "3 Card Molly." Sandwiched between them is Cannon's lone composition, the diaphanous "Three Elders," dedicated to Jones, Tyner and pianist Larry Willis, with whom Cannon performed for eleven years in the Roy Hargrove Big Band. Tyner composed the rest of the session's eight numbers: "Search for Peace," "Blues in the Minor," "Home," "Contemporary Focus" and "Inception."

"EJ's Blues" introduces the ensemble's four-horn front line: tenor saxophonist Joe Lovano, trumpeter Eddie Henderson, alto saxophonist Sherman Irby and trombonist Steve Turre, leading to an engaging solo by pianist Dave Kikoski who is splendid at every turn. Henderson and Turre are smooth and eloquent when called upon, while Lovano relies in part on rapid-fire runs interspersed with high-register screams. Irby never sounds completely comfortable even though he solos capably, especially on "Contemporary Focus." Lovano seems most at home on Tyner's eloquent "Search for Peace," on which he shares blowing space with Henderson.

The septet is present on every number but the last one, Tyner's light-hearted "Inception," performed by Kikoski, Cannon and drummer Lenny White who serves as the group's rhythmic core on every number. Cannon solos only twice, on "3 Card Molly" and "Contemporary Focus," White on "Blues in the Minor" and "Inception." After "EJ's Blues," Turre is not out front again until "Home" and "Contemporary Focus."

There can be no doubt that Cannon's heart was in the right place, his choice of sidemen was splendid, and honorees Jones and Tyner were first-class writers as well as performers. The result is a very good concert which never dips below that level but, for reasons uncertain, seldom rises above it either. Even so, well worth hearing and appreciating.By Jack Bowers
https://www.allaboutjazz.com/live-at-dizzys-club-the-music-of-elvin-and-mccoy-gerald-cannon-self-produced

Personnel: bassist Gerald Cannon; pianist Dave Kikoski; drummer Lenny White; tenor saxophonist Joe Lovano; alto saxophonist Sherman Irby; trumpeter Eddie Henderson; and trombonist Steve Turre.

Gerald Cannon Live at Dizzy's Club the Music of Elvin & Mccoy (Live)

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Ruby Braff - Hear Me Talkin'

Styles: Cornet Jazz
Year: 1971
Time: 66:35
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Size: 152,8 MB
Art: Front

( 4:34) 1. You've Changed
( 5:54) 2. Hear Me Talkin' To Ya
( 4:23) 3. Don't Blame Me
( 5:44) 4. No One Else But You
( 6:11) 5. Nobody Knows You (When You're Down And Out) Buddy Bolden's Blues
( 6:28) 6. Mean To Me
( 6:26) 7. Where's Freddy
( 4:56) 8. When My Sugar Walks Down The Street
(10:26) 9. Between The Devil And The Deep Blue Sea
( 5:42) 10. Smart Alex Blues
( 5:47) 11. Hear Me Talkin' To Ya

This is a fun Dixieland/swing date featuring cornetist Ruby Braff with an octet led by the fine English trumpeter Alex Welsh. In addition to the two leads, trombonist Roy Williams, tenor-saxophonist Al Gay and baritonist Johnny Barnes get some solo space on the mixture of standards, 1920s obscurities (including Don Redman's "No One Else but You") and basic originals. Everyone sounds in a good mood and is heard swinging in prime form throughout this recommended CD reissue. By Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/hear-me-talkin-mw0000614141#trackListing

Hear Me Talkin'

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Melody Gardot - Sayonara Meu Amor

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2024
Time: 32:23
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Size: 75,5 MB
Art: Front

(6:55) 1. La Chanson de vieux amants
(4:49) 2. Once I Was Loved
(3:00) 3. Get Out Of Town (Acoustic Version)
(4:52) 4. Se Voce Me Ama
(5:31) 5. So Long (Live)
(7:13) 6. Samba Em Prelúdio (Un Jour Sans Toi) (The Paris Sessions)

Pull down your shades and light some candles. A simple, yet poignant blend of jazz and folk is headed your way. At 22, singer-songwriter Melody Gardot has a hauntingly smooth voice that can melt even the coldest of hearts.

Melody Gardot has set the bar for what it means to be a musical athlete. Drenched in a sublime vapor of mellow blues, eclectic folk, and the faintest essence of jazz, she breaks forth with her debut full length album, Worrisome Heart. The record is an effervescent 11-track collection of original songs co-produced by Melody Gardot and Grammy-Award winning producer Glenn Barratt. With a superb narrative and inventive vocal-scat patterns, the pianist/guitarist tackles heartache full on by way of velvet tongue and alluring disposition.

Few females successfully master the art of capturing mood and emotion the way Gardot does. There is an expressive candor and yearning in her voice an insatiable longing reminiscent of greats like Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald, and Nina Simone. Her roots as a piano player in nightclubs of Philadelphia undoubtedly set the framework for developing her post-midnight sultry sound. Though a motor vehicle accident left the young singer disabled, hidden behind dark glasses and a tempting smile is an extraordinary young woman whose daily struggles feed her artistic pursuit: “I believe in sharing your heart with people, no matter how hard it may be” says Gardot.

At the age of 19, Gardot was hit by a car while riding a bicycle. The injuries sustained mean Gardot now needs to wear dark glasses and carry a cane. Prompted by a tending physician who believed music would help her regain some of her former cognitive abilities, her first musical venture was in 2005, an EP titled, “Some Lessons” recorded from her bedside.

Gardot’s story garnered attention as a fighter who has overcome adversity and risen above her limitations. City Paper Philadelphia honored her with a People’s Choice award saying, “To our eyes, nobody's a more inspiring, more talented fighter than young singing-songwriter phenom Melody Gardot. She turned the pain of a life-changing car accident into surprisingly mature and utterly enthralling music.”

In addition to the trio of musicians who accompany Gardot live, the record features an impressive cast of musicians including guitarist Jef Lee Johnson (Billy Joel, George Duke, Aretha Franklin), Kurt Johnston (Bon Jovi) and trumpeter Matt Cappy (Jill Scott, Kirk Franklin, Dave Chapelle Movie).

Poised and ready the young singer shines on “Worrisome Heart”, proving she is an undeniable lyrical contender who from the very first word will knock you out.

“It was a most unusual start, but when you come from a place where things are tough it makes it that much easier to appreciate the times when life is easy.” she says. In addition to the trio of musicians who accompany Gardot live, the record features an impressive cast of musicians including guitarist Jef Lee Johnson (Billy Joel, George Duke, Aretha Franklin), Kurt Johnston (Bon Jovi) and trumpeter Matt Cappy (Jill Scott, Kirk Franklin, Dave Chapelle Movie).

Poised and ready the young singer shines on “Worrisome Heart”, proving she is an undeniable lyrical contender who from the very first word will knock you out.
https://www.allaboutjazz.com/musicians/melody-gardot/

Sayonara Meu Amor

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Dave Douglas - Dave Douglas GIFTS

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 2024
Time: 53:20
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Size: 122,1 MB
Art: Front

(10:54) 1. Gifts
( 7:26) 2. Kind of Teal
( 4:31) 3. Take The A Train
( 3:16) 4. Rain Check
( 8:14) 5. Blood Count
( 4:40) 6. Day Dream
( 7:10) 7. Seven Years Ago
( 7:06) 8. Small Bar

Dave Douglas' Gifts emerges not merely as a collection of tracks but as an opulent gala in honor of the eternal essence of music, welcoming audiences across the spectrum of generations to partake in its celebration. This project is akin to a masterfully blended concoction of shared human emotions and experiences, articulated through the universal dialect of melodies that defy time constraints. It is a sonic tour de force, intricately weaving together the threads of history, the present and what lies ahead, serving as a reminder that music is both a cherished inheritance and a precious legacy.

The assembly of musicians Douglas congregates for this endeavor resembles a league of extraordinary musical virtuosos, each contributing their unique prowess to forge a soundscape as diverse as it is dynamic. Their collective expertise and ingenuity promise a journey of auditory exploration, akin to navigating the vast expanse of the jazz universe aboard a vessel propelled by boundless creativity.

At the commencement of the album is the eponymous track "Gifts," where Douglas' trumpet heralds a jubilee, complemented by Rafiq Bhatia's use of ethereal guitar effects, crafting an ambiance that oscillates between festive and solemn. Following suit, James Brandon Lewis' saxophone elevates the piece into a vivacious escapade. Here, the ensemble acts less as a mere group of musicians and more like conjurers of musical enchantment.

The reinterpretation of "Take the 'A' Train," Billy Strayhorn's piece, which was immortalized by Duke Ellington, receives a contemporary transformation under Douglas' direction. Envision jazz and rock convening in a lively celebration aboard a metro train this track encapsulates that essence. Ian Chang's relaxed drumming provides the cadence of this locomotive celebration, with Bhatia's guitar lines weaving through the composition like fleeting city lights. This time-honored melody is rejuvenated with a fresh modern twist, dancing in novel exhilarating ways.

"Small Bar" introduces itself like a shadowy figure in a film noir, with guitar and drums engaging in a cryptic dialogue before Douglas' trumpet intercedes, smoothing over the underlying tension with a tone that is simultaneously sharp and melodically rich. Yet "Third Dream" decelerates the session's tempo, presenting a ballad that offers a contemplative counterpoint to the presentation's overall exuberance. It highlights Douglas's breadth as a trumpeter, composer and band leader, adept at evoking deep emotional resonances and underscoring his position as a luminary of jazz innovation.
By Glenn Astarita https://www.allaboutjazz.com/gifts-dave-douglas-greenleaf-music

Personnel: Dave Douglas: trumpet; James Brandon Lewis: tenor saxophone; Rafiq Bhatia: guitar; Ian Chang: drums.

Dave Douglas GIFTS

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