Conrad Herwig - The Latin Side of McCoy Tyner

Styles: Trombone Jazz
Year: 2024
Time: 59:40
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Size: 138,0 MB
Art: Front

(6:52) 1. African Village
(5:29) 2. Passion Dance
(6:06) 3. Four by Five
(6:23) 4. Walk Spirit, Talk Spirit
(5:31) 5. Mellow Minor
(6:07) 6. Search for Peace
(5:44) 7. Peresina
(6:52) 8. Fly with the Wind
(5:56) 9. Blues on the Corner
(4:36) 10. Reaching Fourth

Trombonist Conrad Herwig has a great way of reworking older jazz tunes with a bold Latin Jazz vibe a project he's done with the music of Miles Davis, Wayne Shorter, and others and which here really explodes with a great soulful sensibility on the music of McCoy Tyner! Given the oft-modal, inherently rhythmic quality of most of Tyner's music, the match is a perfect one carried off here with a core group that's really wonderful Craig Handy on tenor and baritone, Alex Norris on trumpet, Bill O'Connell on piano, Ruben Rodriguez on bass, Robby Ameen on drums,and Camilo Molina on congas plus guest piano from Eddie Palmieri on just one track (despite his name being large on the cover!)

Conrad is the core throughout, and his trombone solos have a way of linking the modes of older Latin greats like Barry Rogers with the hardbop and spiritual jazz currents in the music. Titles include "Fly With The Wind", "Passion Dance", "Reaching Fourth", "Blues On The Corner", "Mellow Minor", and "Search For Peace".
© 1996-2024, Dusty Groove, Inc. https://www.dustygroove.com/item/175960/Conrad-Herwig:Latin-Side-Of-McCoy-Tyner

The Latin Side of McCoy Tyner

---

Bridget Maynes - In The Key Of Swing 1

Styles: Vocal Jazz, Swing

Year: 2002

File: MP3@320K/s

Time: 59:38

Size: 137,4 MB

Art: Front

(4:29)  1. Four

(3:47)  2. Come Fly with Me

(5:27)  3. I Was Telling Him About You

(3:15)  4. Lullaby Of Birdland

(5:08)  5. Stay Awhile

(3:20)  6. That Old Black Magic

(4:36)  7. Never Let Me Go

(4:04)  8. Is You Is Or Is You Ain't My B

(4:36)  9. Girl Talk

(5:05) 10. Falling In Love With Love

(3:46) 11. Almost Like Being In Love

(5:44) 12. My Dreams Of You

(3:52) 13. I Just Found Out About Love

(2:22) 14. The Song Is You

It's finally here. It has been 10 years since the release of "In The Key Of Swing" so we decided it was time for our newly released CD "In The Key Of Swing 2.". This CD is a dynamic blend of jazz & swing tunes.

Phoenix born & raised Bridget Maynes has finally released the long awaited CD "IN THE KEY OF SWING 2!" With her pianist/arranger Auggie Mendoza,they have created a newly released dynamic jazz/swing CD which includes such tunes as "You Hit The Spot", "I'll Remember April" & beautifully sung jazz ballads such as "Guess Who I Saw Today" & "If I Had You". https://store.cdbaby.com/cd/bridgetmaynes2?

In The Key Of Swing

---

Paul Desmond, Ed Bickert, Don Thompson, Jerry Fuller - Live At Bourbon Street

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1975
Time: 79:26
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Size: 181,8 MB
Art: Front

( 7:18) 1. Wendy
(11:23) 2. Wave
( 8:59) 3. Things Ain't What They Used to Be
( 9:40) 4. Nancy
( 9:28) 5. Manha de Carnaval
( 7:18) 6. Here's That Rainy Day
(10:35) 7. My Funny Valentine
( 7:09) 8. Take Five
( 7:32) 9. Line for Lyons

When the Dave Brubeck Quartet broke up in 1967, Paul Desmond worked sporadically playing live dates, probably in part due to his substantial royalty income from his hit composition "Take Five." When Jim Hall was unavailable to play with Desmond in Canada, he recommended guitarist Ed Bickert who, like Hall, is a brilliant accompanist with the kind of musical E.S.P. that Desmond had with Brubeck.

Bassist Don Thompson (who is also a fine pianist and vibraphonist) and drummer Jerry Fuller round out this solid quartet, which worked off and with Desmond when he played in Canada during the remainder of his life. These sessions, drawn from several nights at Bourbon Street in Toronto during the fall of 1975, are intimate performances enjoyed by attentive audiences. The selections include songs that Desmond had recorded with Brubeck or Gerry Mulligan, along with tunes he had played on his own records.

Desmond's cool tone and witty quotes are a treat throughout the album. The toe-tapping blues "Things Ain't What They Used to Be" showcases Bickert's lyrical playing, along the subtly swinging work of Thompson. Desmond playful interpretation of "Nancy (With the Laughing Face)" is typical of his recorded work. The most surprising track is the unusual setting of "Take Five," which takes an exotic route near the beginning of the leader's solo, with a droning vamp underneath him.

First released as a two-LP set by Horizon/A&M in 1976, the album wasn't in print long due to the demise of Horizon, though frustrated collectors welcomed the 2000 Verve CD edition, which not only fit all of the music onto a single disc, but added a previously unissued take of Gerry Mulligan's "Line for Lyons" along with the original liner notes by Desmond and his good friend, journalist Doug Ramsey, plus extensive updated notes by Carl Woideck.

This is easily the cream of the crop of Paul Desmond's post-Brubeck recordings as a leader and rivals the studio albums he recorded with Jim Hall; it is unfortunate that Desmond was diagnosed with lung cancer around the time this recording was first issued in 1976, which cut short a brilliant career far too soon. By Ken Dryden https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-paul-desmond-quartet-live-mw0000061025#review

Personnel: Paul Desmond, alto sax; Ed Bickert, guitar; Don Thompson, bass; Jerry Fuller, drums.

Live At Bourbon Street

---

Oli Silk - In Real Life

Styles: Smooth Jazz
Year: 2024
Time: 48:59
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Size: 112,5 MB
Art: Front

(4:52) 1. Dare To Dream
(3:17) 2. Wait..What?
(6:12) 3. New Horizons
(4:27) 4. Looking Glass
(5:06) 5. Grass-Fed Funk
(5:01) 6. West Beach
(4:12) 7. Actually Actually
(6:37) 8. In Real Life
(4:30) 9. Slim City
(4:40) 10. A Lil' Pick Me Up

No artist from the other side of the pond has had such an impact on smooth jazz in recent times as Oli Silk. Not only is he a fan favorite on tour, but he’s also a bona fide radio darling, scoring three consecutive Billboard #1 singles with his latest album “6,” proving that his music, inspired by his life and surroundings in the UK, resonates and endures with American audiences as well. With ‘In Real Life’, his seventh album on the Trippin N Rhythm label, Silk continues to explore the middle, the sides and the edges of the genre with his signature style that has served him well over the course of his last six albums, and he doesn’t disappoint on this new collection of songs inspired by his life experiences.

As a leading member of the UK Collective, a group of London’s finest musicians, Silk has been the musical director for all the artists from the US performing in Europe, which has helped him hone his musical skills even further. On “In Real Life”, his latest musical chapter, Silk proves once again that his ability to create unique, memorable musical messages is no accident, but that his experience builds on the foundation he has laid in his previous works. It’s a unique ride through the stories he weaves, and he takes you on a satisfying journey full of feelings and moods that are sure to uplift you.https://smoothjazzdaily.wordpress.com/2024/04/27/oli-silk-in-real-life/

The following musicians supported Oli Silk during the recording: Westley Joseph (drums), Orefo Orakwue (bass), Mark James (guitar), Curtis McCain (percussion), Ilya Serov (trumpet), Rebecca Jade (vocals), Marcus Anderson (sax), PJ Spraggins (drums), Gary Honor (flute), Kim Scott (flute), Jordan Rose (drums), Carl Cox (sax) and Shannon Sangindiva Pearson.

In Real Life

---

Kenny Garrett & Svoy - Who Killed AI?

Styles: Saxophone, Piano Jazz
Year: 2024
Time: 35:19
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Size: 82,1 MB
Art: Front

(3:54) 1. Ascendence
(5:10) 2. Miles Running Down AI
(5:11) 3. Transcendence
(5:09) 4. Divergence Tu-dah
(3:06) 5. Ladies
(6:15) 6. My Funny Valentine
(6:30) 7. Convergence

Electronic jazz albums are a potentially tricky proposition based on a seemingly contradictory idea that you can create organic, improvisational music in what is usually a more controlled, production-heavy, computer-based style. Saxophonist Kenny Garrett defies such concerns and bridges the gap between in-the-moment improvisation and beat-based productions with 2024's Who Killed AI?. This is Garrett's first all-electronic album and finds him working in collaboration with electronic producer/instrumentalist Mikhail Tarasov (aka Svoy).

A former student at the Berklee College of Music in Boston, Svoy brings both jazz and classical influences to bear on his work and has garnered acclaim as a solo artist and as a producer for other artists. All of this makes him a perfect collaborator for Garrett, a performer whose work also straddles a wide array of styles, from his early days in Miles Davis' crossover fusion band of the late-'80s to his own heady post-bop, funk, and world music explorations. Together, they craft sonically adventurous tracks that wouldn't sound out of place at a rave, but they also feature plenty of propulsive, harmonically nuanced improvisation. Much of this is due to Garrett's crisp, motivic style and his kinetic lines push nicely off Svoy's textured, groove-based soundscapes.

It's a vibe they leap into on the opening "Ascendence," where Garrett spirals through Svoy's digital buzz and grind like John Coltrane plugging into the Matrix. And while a kind of jazz future shock is the aesthetic at play, they draw upon jazz history, evoking Garrett's time with trumpeter Davis on "Miles Running Down AI," a slippery, acid-soaked wah-wah number that works as a wry nod to "Miles Runs the Voodoo Down" off 1969's Bitches Brew. The duo even offer a skittering, EDM-esque rendition of "My Funny Valentine'' that one can only imagine might have made even the Dark Prince of jazz smile.By Matt Collarhttps://www.allmusic.com/album/who-killed-ai--mw0004208055#review

Personnel: Kenny Garrett - Saxophone, Vocal; Svoy - Piano

Who Killed AI?

---

Susan Tobocman - Touch & Go

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2020
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 58:32
Size: 135,6 MB
Art: Front

(6:12)  1. What'll I Do
(5:08)  2. Wichita Lineman
(5:02)  3. The Man I Love
(4:32)  4. Make Believe
(5:44)  5. Leaves of Absence
(4:22)  6. Help!
(4:34)  7. I Could Get Used to This
(5:05)  8. The Way to You
(4:13)  9. Touch & Go
(3:27) 10. Where Is Love
(5:55) 11. You Only Live Twice
(4:14) 12. Help! (Alternate Version)

A triple-threat musician with significant talent as a vocalist, composer and arranger, Susan Tobocman's path to jazz was an unconventional one. Her early interest in poetry led to a scholarship that took her from her hometown, Detroit, to New York, for study at Columbia University. That in turn led to an interest in musical theater, followed by a stint managing the Jimi Hendrix-founded Electric Lady Studios, and then some touring work with the Tom Tom Club. Only afterward, during her early 30s, did the jazz bug finally bite. And four albums later, Touch & Go shows her long musical journey to have been well worthwhile.

Tobocman's choice of material is itself evidence of her musically omnivorous tendencies. Standard jazz fare is present, like George Gershwin's "The Man I Love" and Irving Berlin's "What'll I Do," and Tobocman's own compositions are solidly in the jazz vein, often with a bit of Latin flair, as on the graceful "Leaves of Absence" and the bossa nova-based "The Way to You." But she also offers an affecting version of Jimmy Webb's "Wichita Lineman," along with a couple intriguing takes on early Lennon/McCartney ("Help!"), and if that weren't enough, a jazz waltz-inflected "You Only Live Twice," a clever cover of the James Bond theme. It's a testament to Tobocman's arranging skills that each of these pieces feels distinctively hers, their diverse stylistic origins subsumed by her smart, listener-friendly jazz instincts.

Tobocman's warm alto is perfect for conveying the emotional content of her music. She's not a particularly flashy singer, but her phrasing is quite creative, capable of doing justice to the deep longing at the heart of "Wichita Lineman" and the playful spiritedness of "The Man I Love." And her musical chops extend well beyond her abilities as a vocalist, as two of her compositions, "Leaves of Absence" and the album's title track, don't even feature vocals; yet the music stands on its own, with well-designed melodies and lots of room for Tobocman's band to shine. And what a band it is. Guitarist Pete McCann, who gets co-producing credit here with Tobocman, has worked with the singer for years, and his versatility, whether on acoustic or electric guitar, is consistently valuable. Joel Frahm brings his characteristically lyrical sensibility, with his floating soprano sax on "Leaves of Absence" being especially memorable. Pianist Henry Hey, bassist Matt Pavolka and drummer Michael Sarin provide the rhythmically nimble foundation for Tobocman's music. And with cellist Dave Eggar adding richness to several of the tracks his winsome contributions to "Wichita Lineman" and "Help!" are crucial Tobocman has all she needs to bring these imaginative arrangements to life.By Troy Dostert https://www.allaboutjazz.com/touch-and-go-susan-tobocman-soliterra-records 17561

Personnel: Susan Tobocman: voice / vocals; Joel Frahm: saxophone, tenor; Dave Eggar : cello; Pete McCann: guitar; Henry Hey: keyboards; Matt Pavolka: bass; Michael Sarin: drums.

Touch & Go

---

Denise Donatelli - Whistling in the Dark - The Music of Burt Bacharach

Styles: Vocal
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 41:26
Size: 95,7 MB
Art: Front

(4:43) 1. Whistling in the Dark
(4:20) 2. The Look of Love
(5:18) 3. In Between the Heartaches
(4:47) 4. Toledo
(4:24) 5. Anyone Who Had a Heart
(4:19) 6. Walk on By
(4:50) 7. In the Darkest Place
(4:37) 8. Mexican Divorce
(4:04) 9. A House Is Not a Home

The Burt Bacharach canon has always been fertile ground for artists of all kinds to explore. Stan Getz devoted an entire album to his fare. The big Bacharach hits are branded deep in the cultural psyche. Thus, the challenge that Grammy-nominated vocalist Denise Donatelli and producer Larry Klein have here is how to use a different ladle to invite you to imbibe from their recipe for Bacharach's musical champagne. The session offers four Bacharach/Hal David hits three hits with Dionne Warwick and one with Dusty Springfield and two lesser-known Bacharach and Elvis Costello pieces. If there's a theme across Bacharach's popular hits, it is romantic love and the boundless range of emotions love brings. However, on this session the mood is somewhat somber and less idealistic than the originals that flowed on AM frequencies decades ago in a different societal-cultural landscape.

The title track, originally done with a C+W sprinkle by Bacharach and Daniel Tashian, launches the session on a darker, "Twin Peaks"-tremeloed tone. "The Look of Love" is taken as original presented, albeit slightly reharmonized with a textural modality and a fine Anthony Wilson guitar solo. "In Between the Heartaches" is poetically darker than the 1966 Dionne Warwick take. "Toledo," and "In the Darkest Place," both Bacharach-Costello collaborations, are deeply dramatic items. "Mexican Divorce" is a Bacharach Brill Building classic that was originally recorded by "The Drifters" in the late 1950s (with pre-Bacharach Dionne Warwick and Whitney Houston's Mom, Cissy included on backup vocals).

On each of these and throughout the album, Donatelli is a rhapsode, a tale-teller and artist of the highest order. She has always been a singer of vocalized intimacy. Here, as is her trademark, she's being intimate with our ear (and, ensuingly, our hearts) via the poetry she delivers. Her diction and pitch are pure and her phrasing is almost instrumental. She carries her lines to the end where, based on the lyric, they either wring out every drop of emotional juice or just plain ring out. As for her all-around artistic chops, she could make Bacharach's "Beware of the Blob" become a lusciously seductive love song.

Interestingly, there are no up-tempo selections on the date. Leading one to further confirm there are "concept" elements at play. "Casino Royale" and "Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head" stayed home. The studio musicians are world class and the arrangements are such that the spotlight is on the vocalist. All are reserved in a minimalistic, yet colorful way. Think a beautiful Japanese watercolor. Whistling in the Dark may not appeal to listeners who prefer their Bacharach as originally birthed. However, in terms of vocal and production excellence, this take provides as all great art should an intelligent, involving, emotion-delivering perspective. Knowing Bacharach, he will assuredly raise a goblet and drink up. By Nicholas F. Mondello https://www.allaboutjazz.com/whistling-in-the-dark-the-music-of-burt-bacharach-savant-records

Personnel: Denise Donatelli: voice / vocals; Larry Goldings: piano; Thomas Dybdahl: synthesizer; Anthony Wilson: guitar; Larry Klein: guitar, acoustic; Vinnie Colaiuta: drums.

Whistling in the Dark - The Music of Burt Bacharach

---

Alina Bzhezhinska & Tony Kofi - Altera Vita

Styles: Harp And Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2024
Time: 33:03
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Size: 75,7 MB
Art: Front

(4:56) 1. Tabula Rasa - Blank Slate
(5:19) 2. Tu Vides - You See
(5:31) 3. Tange - Touch
(6:19) 4. Audite Me - Hear Me
(5:19) 5. Anima - Breathe
(5:36) 6. Altera Vita - Another Life

Harpist Alina Bzhezhinska and saxophonist Tony Kofi's musical partnership began in 2015 and two years later made the main stage of the London Jazz Festival, opening the bill of A Concert For Alice And John at the Barbican concert hall. Also appearing, saxophonist Denys Baptiste's quartet and, top of the bill, Pharoah Sanders' quartet. It was a magical night. It would be an exaggeration to say that the relatively unknown Bzhezhinska stole the show (Sanders did that with the standard "A Nightingale Sang In Berkeley Square," John Coltrane's "Olé" and his own "The Creator Has A Master Plan"), but she and Kofi, accompanied by bassist Larry Bartley and drummer Joel Prime, were sensational. Their set included Alice Coltrane's "Blue Nile" and "Journey In Satchidananda" and John's "After The Rain."

Bzhezhinska has since released two albums with Kofi: Inspiration (Ubuntu, 2018), made with the same lineup that appeared at the Barbican, and Reflections (BBE, 2022), made with a larger ensemble. The first album was a homage to the Coltranes, the second a dance floor-friendly affair that took in hip-hop and funk beats and, perhaps against the odds, worked well.

Now Bzhezhinska and Kofi have got together to pay tribute to the life and legacy of Pharoah Sanders, who passed in 2022. Altera Vita is a duo project: Bzhezhinska plays harp and percussion, Kofi plays tenor saxophone, kalimba and percussion. There is one guest appearance: Ibiza-based tanpura player Muriel Grossmann is heard on Kofi's "Audite Me (Hear Me)." There are six tracks in total, four written by Kofi, two by Bzhezhinska.

All of which is a prelude to saying that Altera Vita is Bzhezhinska and Kofi's best album to date. This ineffably beautiful and restorative disc succeeds resoundingly in its mission statement. This is, say the duo, to offer listeners something that "guides us through the turbulence and discord" of what has become "an era yearning for serenity, spirituality and peace." Cynics can take a rain check. Others can check the YouTube below of Kofi's opening tune, "Tabula Rasa (Blank Slate)." By Chris May https://www.allaboutjazz.com/altera-vita-alina-bzhezhinska-and-tony-kofi-bbe-records

Personnel: Alina Bzhezhinska - Harp; Tony Kofi - Saxophone

Altera Vita

---

Ron Miles - Old Main Chapel

Styles: Jazz
Year: 2024
Time: 78:04
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Size: 179,3 MB
Art: Front

(11:55) 1. Mr. Kevin
(12:30) 2. There Ain't No Sweet Man that's Worth the Salt of My Tears
(10:14) 3. Guest Of Honor
(12:34) 4. Queen B
(13:04) 5. Rudy-Go-Round
( 6:37) 6. I Will Be Free
(11:08) 7. New Medium

It’s hard to process that Ron Miles is no longer with us. In our present world of disharmony, his generous soul is much needed. Miles, Blade and Frisell are kindred spirits: each great listeners, each wear their virtuosity lightly, each creates more space than they fill. And it’s in those spaces between that the magic distils.

And what magic: ‘Mr Kevin’ is gentle yet iron-clad strong; this is a righteous conversation, at once as respectful as it is scurrilously witty. This is sit down music, not just because the trio for all different reasons play sat down, but because this is music that demands you sit down with it, sit down and listen, and listen hard, because you’ll not want to miss a moment, because it will never be recovered, never repeated.

‘There Ain’t No Sweet Man Worth the Salt of My Tears’ tips its hat to eternity as Miles’ horn dreams, and on ‘Guest of Honour’ Frisell likewise conjures substance from what appears an airy nothingness. And always Blade is there: it’s almost shocking when he goes off on one on ‘Rudy Go Round’. Ron Miles is much missed; and his horn and spirit still call to us, call to us.
https://www.jazzwise.com/review/a-requiem-for-ron-ron-miles-old-main-chapel

Old Main Chapel

---

Duduka Da Fonseca & Helio Alves - Samba Jazz & Tom Jobim

Styles: Brazilian Jazz
Year: 2019
Time: 65:20
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Size: 149,8 MB
Art: Front

(6:00) 1. Gemini Man
(6:28) 2. Alana
(7:01) 3. Untitled
(3:58) 4. Pato Preto
(6:49) 5. Dindi
(2:49) 6. A Correnteza
(6:04) 7. Pedra Bonita
(5:59) 8. Helium
(3:56) 9. Voce Vai Ver
(4:55) 10. Poly Pony
(4:50) 11. A Vontade Mesmo
(6:26) 12. I Love You Porgy

Since 2007, drummer Duduka Da Fonseca, pianist Helio Alves and vocalist Maucha Adnet have been presenting the titular program at Dizzy's Club Coca Cola at New York's Jazz at Lincoln Center, and at other venues throughout the world. A concept set steeped in personalized history of varied sorts Da Fonseca's, absorbing this hybridized style at the foot of the masters in Brazil; Adnet's and Da Fonseca's, working with the late Antonio Carlos Jobim; Alves' and Da Fonseca's, playing together in bands in New York City for more than a quarter century it's a show that never fails to impress and inspire.

Moving comfortably across a playlist containing originals, Jobim compositions of both the ripe and rarely-heard varieties, and an outlier or two, this crew extols the virtues of the stylistic crossroads where it so artfully operates. Claudio Roditi's "Gemini Man" serves as a spicy stepping-off point, with Da Fonseca, Alves and bassist Hans Glawischnig firing on all cylinders while guitarist Romero Lubambo and the song's composer occupy the spotlight. Then, as if to indicate the wide scope of this band upfront, Da Fonseca's shape-shifting "Alana" and Alves' cool-headed "Untitled" follow.

The swaying baião bounce of Jobim's "Pato Preto" serves as the scene of Adnet's first appearance and, save for the intimate "I Loves You, Porgy" closer, all of her subsequent contributions are also filtered through that master's work. That list of songs, which includes a beautifully breezy "Dindi," spellbinding-turned-soothing "A Correnteza," mellow and melodious "Você Vai Ver," and perky, Rhodes-enhanced "Polo Pony," provides many of the highlights on the program.

There's much to appreciate about the way these different personalities blend and balance each other out across the album, but there's just as much to admire in the the expression(s) of the individual(s). That's evident whether we're talking about Alves' drive, Da Fonseca's singular groove play or Adnet's alluring vocals. And let's not forget Lubambo's grace, Glawischnig's grounding, multi-reedist Billy Drewes' versatility and some shots of pep from the guest trumpeters the aforementioned Roditi and Wynton Marsalis. There's still no substitute for seeing this band live as this writer can attest, having had the pleasure on more than one occasion but this is pretty damn close.By Dan Bilawsky https://www.allaboutjazz.com/samba-jazz-and-tom-jobim-duduka-da-fonseca-sunnyside-records-review-by-dan-bilawsky

Personnel: Duduka Da Donseca: drums; Helio Alves: piano, Rhodes; Billy Drewes: saxophones (2, 3, 6), flute (, 9, 10, 12)l Romero Lubambo: guitars (1, 2, 5, 9-11); Hans Glawischnig: bass; Maucha Adnet: vocals (4-6, 9, 10, 12)

Samba Jazz & Tom Jobim

---

Francesca Tandoi Trio - Something Blue

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2014
Time: 55:59
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Size: 128,8 MB
Art: Front

(4:17) 1. Tricotism
(4:08) 2. Waltz for Debby
(5:33) 3. That Old Feeling
(3:58) 4. Too Marvelous for Words
(6:54) 5. The Days of Wine and Roses
(4:14) 6. You Must Believe in Spring
(3:30) 7. Something Blue
(5:14) 8. Volare
(4:09) 9. Teach Me Tonight
(5:14) 10. Save Your Love for Me
(3:58) 11. Green Heels
(4:45) 12. Someone to Watch Over Me

Francesca Tandoi started to play classical piano at an early age. After a few years she got very much interested in jazz music and became a big fan of swinging virtuoso piano players like, Oscar Peterson, Phyneas Newborn, Gene Harris, Bobby Timmons, and other musicians of that generation.

She started her carrier as a teenager in Italy, especially in the jazz scene of Rome, her own city. She had the chance to play and perform with many great italian musicians, joining some of the most important italian jazz festivals all around the country. In 2009 she moved to the Netherlands and in 2013 she gradueted with a special mention at the “Royal Conservatory of The Hague” in jazz piano and singing. After that she moved to the Conservatory of Rotterdam “Codarts” and got her Master degree in 2015 writing a thesis about “The art of rearranging jazz standards for jazz piano trio”.

In Holland she started playing with some of the finest dutch and international jazz musicians and performed all around the world. Jazz festivals in Japan, Malesya, Indonesia, India. Tours all around Europe. Holland, Italy, Swiss, Germany, France, Belgium, Czech Republic, Greece, Ukraine. She also performed in many important jazz festivals as North sea jazz festival, Maastricht jazz festival, Breda jazz festival, Bosendorfer gala 2013, and many others, both as accompanist and as a leader of her trio. https://vrjazzagency.com/en/musicans/francesca/

Personnel: Francesca Tandoi: piano; vocal; Frans van Geest: bass; Frits Landesbergen: drums

Something Blue

---

Cccn Jazz Orchestra, Hendrik Meurkens - Big Band Brasil

Styles: Harmonica And Vibraphone Jazz
Year: 2024
Time: 60:10
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Size: 138,2 MB
Art: Front

(6:48) 1. Meet You After Dark (feat. Diego Urcola)
(5:41) 2. Brigas Nunca Mais
(9:11) 3. Bolero para Paquito (feat. Paquito D'Rivera)
(7:16) 4. A Slow One (feat. José Valentino)
(4:56) 5. A Felicidade
(6:12) 6. Caminhos Cruzados (feat. Claudio Spiewak)
(5:28) 7. Herb's Samba
(5:22) 8. Lingua de Mosquito (feat. Ismael Vergara)
(9:12) 9. A Summer in San Francisco

Hendrik Meurkens, a virtuoso on both the chromatic harmonica and the vibraphone, is the most important jazz harmonica player since Toots Thielemans. German-born but now based in New York, Meurkens’ recordings and performances garner worldwide acclaim because the transcendent beauty of his music has universal appeal.

A two-mallet player in the tradition of Milt Jackson and Bobby Hutcherson, Hendrik Meurkens was en-route to being an instantly recognizable vibraphonist when he heard Toots Thielemans. Inspired by the sound of Thielemans’ harmonica, he taught himself the difficult-to-master instrument.

Hendrik Meurkens’ other life-changing musical experience was his introduction to samba and bossa nova. He was so moved by Brazilian music that after perfecting his unique musical voice at Berklee, as a vibraphone major, he moved to Rio in the early 80s to totally immerse himself in music and culture of Brazil.

A regular Monday night gig at the popular Rio club, Bar 21, soon demonstrated his acceptance by Brazilian musicians. Meurkens’ poignant, emotionally affecting harmonica proved to be a sound that Brazilians strongly embraced, and during his Rio days, he met many musicians who later became collaborators in both Europe and New York.

Back in Germany by ’83, he became a respected studio musician, recording with European Radio Orchestras and leading his own groups, as well as accompanying visiting legends like Harry ‘Sweets’ Edison and Buddy Tate.

Within ten years, he had established himself as the “new jazz harmonica voice,” and moved to New York, thanks to an exclusive contract with the prestigious label, Concord Records. He has since recorded fifteen albums, and continues to perform as both a guest artist, and with his own groups, both in festivals and clubs globally.

Hendrik Meurkens’ profound involvement in both jazz and Brazilian music resulted in a very personal and instantly recognizable version of Samba jazz. This music, a cross-cultural amalgam guaranteed to touch the heart, features his harmonica and vibes along with piano, bass and drums, playing his stirring originals and arrangements. The group has been documented on a number of CDs, most notably the Hendrik Meurkens desert island disc, October Colors.

As a featured artist, he has recorded with Charlie Byrd, Jimmy Cobb, Ivan Lins, Monty Alexander, Claudio Roditi, Manfredo Fest and Mundell Lowe, as well as backing such leading artists as Astrid Gilberto and Olivia Newton John and touring with the Ray Brown Trio, Paquito D’Rivera, Oscar Castro Neves, Herb Ellis, Herbie Mann, Charlie Byrd, and James Moody among many others.

Also a successful composer (his compositions have been recorded by other artists and featured in the Hollywood movie, “Dolores Claiborne,”) Hendrik Meurkens remains equally at home playing jazz or Brazilian music. “My mission is simple,” he explains. “I want to create music of great beauty.”

Like any great musician, Hendrik Meurkens still practices incessantly, yet his music remains very melodic and rhythmically pleasing. “I like beautiful music, Sinatra, Jobim, Charlie Parker, so I concentrate on playing things that the audience can enjoy. Complicated music doesn’t really mean anything except for professionals who want to analyze it. I want people to feel what I do and the best way to do that is to play something touches their hearts.”https://hendrikmeurkens.com/blog/

Personnel: Hendrik Meurkens, Harmonica and Vibraphone; Paquito D’Rivera, alto sax on track 3; Diego Urcola, trumpet on track 1; Claudio Spiewak, acoustic guitar on track 6; Ismael Vergara, clarinet on track 8; Jose Valentino, flute on track 4; Gina “Mali” Chaverri, vocals on track 9

Big Band Brasil

---

Natalie Cressman & Ian Faquini - Guinga

Styles: Vocal, Trombone Jazz
Year: 2024
Time: 44:05
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Size: 102,1 MB
Art: Front

(4:33) 1. Contradição
(4:49) 2. Bolero De Satã
(2:42) 3. Lavagem De Conceição
(2:33) 4. Aria De Opereta
(2:06) 5. Delírio Carioca
(3:28) 6. Ramo de Delírios
(3:00) 7. Por Trás De Brás De Pina
(7:28) 8. Par Constante
(2:59) 9. Garoa E Maresia
(4:12) 10. Segredo De Dadá
(2:27) 11. Nítido e Obscuro/Geraldo No Leme
(5:12) 12. Ellingtoniana
(3:35) 13. Viola Variada
(2:57) 14. Vô Alfredo

Brazilian guitarist-composer Guinga is something of a legendary figure. A polyglot performer associated with música popular brasileira's all-encompassing ethos, he's made his name fusing the contemporary and folkloric strains of his homeland with classical, jazz, rock and pop stylings. His influence looms large in that particular niche of the music world and, honestly, beyond and he receives his flowers on this warm tribute from trombonist Natalie Cressman and guitarist Ian Faquini.

This unique duo, which made an instantly positive impression with Setting Rays of Summer (Cressman Music, 2019) and used the studio to broaden their blend on Auburn Whisper (GroundUP, 2022), didn't come upon the concept of this album by chance. Both are direct musical descendants of the eponymous artist. Faquini came under Guinga's tutelage early on, and both he and Cressman, who initially connected at California Brazil Camp in Cazadero, California, grew under his wing. As both of the younger artists matured, their relationship with Guinga developed from that of mentor-students to friends and colleagues, culminating with this collaboration.

Unlike the majority of tributes, either developed and executed a world apart from their influence or given as a posthumous plaudit, this album arrives with its honoree alive and well, and he was welcomed into the creative process as composer, arranger, lyricist and guest performer. Guinga wrote or co-wrote all of the album's 14 pieces, be they older works or penned specifically for this project, and he appears on five. His guitar graces two Dukish delights the sentimental "Par Constante" (Constant Pair) and the romantically sublime "Ellingtoniana," both featuring Cressman's melodious slide work. And he contributes vocals on three pieces co-written with Faquini: "Contradição" (Contradiction), where a bed of overdubbed trombones supports his light-voiced, sky blue serenade in three; "Lavagem de Conceição," bringing baião's bounce and the topic of Candomblé ritual washing together as one (with some additional vocal assistance from the co-leaders, Anna Paes and Sandy Cressman); and "Segredo de Dadá" (Dadá's Secret), a statement encapsulating saudade (and casting Natalie Cressman as Guinga's singing partner).

Although Guinga is absent from the remaining tracks, they all bear the master's stamp. "Bolero de Satã" (Satan's Bolero), a hit for the titular figure in the '70s, draws a direct line from his own adorned writing to the signature sound of this duo. "Aria de Opereta" (Operetta Aria) delivers a perfect amalgamation of Brazilian and classical languages. The concise "Delírio Carioca" (Carioca Delirium) offers honeyed pleasantries. "Ramo de Delírios" (Bouquet of Delirium), harkening back to Guinga's debut, finds Cressman and Faquini in beautiful sync. The "Nítido e Obscuro / Geraldo No Leme" (Clear and Opaque / Geraldo in Leme) combo speaks to this duo's easy way with difficult rhythmic syntax. And the lively "Vô Alfredo" (Grandpa Alfredo) closer, tapping into Pernambuco's frevo dance rhythms and suggestions, nods to Guinga's grandfather with the leaders allowing their oft-tamed virtuosity to shine through. Lovely and lovingly delivered, Guinga is a gem of a tribute from two great artists to another.By Dan Bilawsky https://www.allaboutjazz.com/guinga-natalie-cressman-and-ian-faquini-self-produced

Personnel: Natalie Cressman – trombone and vocals; Ian Faquini – guitar and vocals; Guinga – guitar and vocals; Anna Paes – vocals; Sandy Cressman – vocals

Guinga

---

Kristine Mills - Looking Back - Moving Forward

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2021
Time: 25:30
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Size: 58,5 MB
Art: Front

(4:33) 1. Blue Isn't Blue Anymore
(3:55) 2. Go Fly Away
(4:08) 3. Reach Out To Me
(4:12) 4. Infinite Love
(3:56) 5. Hold Fast
(4:43) 6. Dip My Toe in the Waters

Winner of the Houston Press Music Awards, Best Female Vocalist and Best Songwriter, Mills was also nominated for Best Pop Artist, Best Jazz, and Musician of the Year. She was among the 2013 Houston Press Rocks of 100 - Houston’s Most Distinguished Artists and a 2012 Houston Arts Alliance for Established Individual Artists Grant Recipient. Mills wrote the soundtrack for the Gold REMI award-winning documentary film Collector’s Waltz. A member of the Recording Academy, Mills has been recognized for Grammy nomination consideration in several categories.

In addition to many New York City appearances at the Metropolitan Room, Duplex and Zinc Bar, Kristine played sold-out shows as a guest vocalist with the Duke Ellington Orchestra and as a headliner for the Brazilian International Jazz Festival tour in Sao Paolo, Recife, Rio, and Belo Horizonte. She also performed at New Orleans's Snug Harbor, The Miami Music Festival, Houston's Cezanne’s and House of Blues. Mills was Artist-In-Residence at Hotel ZaZa Houston, and Music Director and featured performer at Giorgio's Hotel Granduca Houston. She now includes Pizza Express, Piano Smithfield in London as well as Bert's Jazz Bar at the Merchant Hotel, Belfast among her regular venues.

Since her move to London in the summer of 2021, Kristine has had the pleasure of working with acclaimed pianist, writer and producer Janette Mason in performances along with other fabulous musicians, Darren Beckett, Tom Mason, Simon Little, Sophie Alloway to name a few.

"I just love London!" said Kristine Mills. "I’m enjoying performing and collaborating with a new coterie of London-based jazz and world music musicians for a fresh perspective. The city and its musicians are inspiring."

Mills is known in Houston as being a constant and persistent voice in the jazz scene. With her latest album project, a key moment in her three-decade-long career, she received critical acclaim and media support back. She premiered the single “Hold Fast” with Houston CityBook (see here for the premiere) and celebrated with a sold-out show at Warehouse 72.

"Both songs hold true to the infectiously jazzy sound that has propelled Mills into headliner gigs at events like the Brazilian International Jazz Festival and allowed her to play sold-out shows in theaters and performing arts centers around the world from Houston to Sao Paolo," said Houston CityBook.

She followed up with two EP release concerts, in Austin, Texas at Parker Jazz Club with the critically-acclaimed house band, led by Kris Kimura, and back to Houston at Warehouse 72 with a band led by Chad Wesselkamper.

The new album, as well as her other releases, are available on Spotify, Apple Music and all streaming platforms.

“Looking Back. Moving Forward." EP is the retrospective of my songwriting career,” expressed Kristine Mills. “It encompasses songs written at different times in my life, but they share universal truths about love, life, and death that we all can relate to. Many of the songs are collaborations with other artists which then pull from their experiences to enrich the writing and feelings found in the songs.”

This album was different for Kristine, as she pulled from previously unreleased recordings. Songs on “Looking Back. Moving Forward.” were conceived in pairs from various “sessions” recorded in 2008 to the present. The first set of songs, “The HOUSTON Sessions,” was co-produced by Gabriel Santiago, recorded in Houston then mixed and mastered in Brazil. Kristine’s first two singles are a contrast in love - “Hold Fast” was written in honor of her new husband, whereas “Dip My Toe In The Water” was written amidst the ending of a long marriage. Additional "sessions" recorded in New York and Austin included many well-known musicians such as GRAMMY-nominated American songwriter Jeff Franzel, prolific writer and producer Askold Buk, Sade's touring drummer, Steve Williams, Dave Byrne's tour bassist Paul Frasier, cellist Dave Eggar and Austin-based writer/producer David Rice.

Raul da Gama with World Music Reports says, “Kristine Mills’ talent for songwriting goes well beyond that realm. She is a fine writer of The Song, an even better writer of The Ballad and best of all she writes a compelling narrative. In short, Mills may be considered a complete musician." https://www.kristinemillsmusic.com/bio

Looking Back. Moving Forward.

---

Cory Weeds - Just Like That

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2011
Time: 62:34
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Size: 144,1 MB
Art: Front

(7:03) 1. Just Like That
(5:14) 2. Adanac
(6:40) 3. Have a Little Faith in Me
(4:59) 4. Noah's Dance
(6:28) 5. One a Clear Day
(5:03) 6. The Big H
(6:34) 7. Waltz for Someone Special
(5:29) 8. Rat Race
(7:29) 9. The Way She Was
(7:30) 10. You're as Right as Rain

Saxophonist Cory Weeds has been a professional musician for the better part of 15 years.

As a member of popular Vancouver band People Playing Music he toured Canada, the United States and Europe and recorded was a key part in the success of the band's Sette CD released in 1997. In 1998 he formed his instrumental band CRASH that he co-led with tenor saxophonist Jerry Cook. The band released its first CD entitled Crash in 1998 and toured Canada the same year playing at the prestigious Montreal Jazz Festival. The band went back into the studio in 1999 to record their sophomore release Candyshop. In 2003 the band was booked to back up Hammond B3 organ guru Dr. Lonnie Smith. This chance meeting resulted in the band's 3rd CD The Dr. Is In on Cellar Live featuring the renowned B3 Organist. The CD was a huge success and led to several tours of the Pacific Northwest.

Weeds is a member of The Night Crawlers which released their debut CD, Presenting on Cellar Live in 2007, and was nominated for Album Of The Year at the National Jazz Awards in 2008. The Night Crawlers released their second CD/Record in early 2011 titled Down In The Bottom featuring a big band. The album won a Western Canadian Music Award for Best Album Of The Year. The B3 Kings is a seasonal quartet featuring Denzal Sinclaire on voice / drums, Chris Gestrin on b3 organ and Bill Coon on guitar. The band recorded a CD that was released in 2005 that has been a hit worldwide and their first full length Christmas CD You Better Watch Out! was released in December of 2011. The band continuously sells out venues in Western Canada during the Christmas season. Weeds is a charter member of Melody Diachun's EQ that released their debut CD in 2008 and Jennifer Scott's Brasiliera. They will be releasing a CD in mid 2012.

In 2006 Weeds was a member of the saxophone section that backed up Paul Anka and has also graced the horn section with singing sensation Nikki Yanoffsky. Weeds has also shared the stage with international superstars such as Lou Donaldson, David Fathead Newman, Charles McPherson, Harold Mabern, Scott Hamilton, Ian Hendrickson-Smith and Mike DiRubbo. He has also shared the stage with locals like Brad Turner, Mike Allen, Hugh Fraser, Don Thompson, Oliver Gannon, Cam Ryga and Ross Taggart.

Perhaps Weeds' biggest musical accomplishment came in January, 2008 when he recorded his first CD as a leader featuring New York heavyweights guitarist Peter Bernstein, organist Mike Ledonne and drummer Joe Farnsworth. Big Weeds was released to critical acclaim across the continent. The CD debuted on the JazzWeek chart at #49 and made it all the way up to #17. Big Weeds also graced Bob Parlocha's Top 40 Jazz Chart making it as high as #9. Big Weeds was nominated for Album Of The Year at the 2009 National Jazz Awards and was selected by Jazz Week as one of the Top 100 Releases of 2008.

In August, 2008 Weeds shared the stage with yet another New York heavyweight, trumpeter Jim Rotondi. The band recorded their first CD in January, 2009 in New York City featuring pianist Ross Taggart, bassist John Webber and drummer Willie Jones III. Everything's Coming Up Weeds shot up JazzWeek Charts making it as high as #6 and was voted #32 out of the Top 100 Jazz Recordings of 2009.

The Many Deeds Of Cory Weeds features the dynamic duo of organist Joey Defrancesco and drummer Byron Landham as well as trumpeter Chris Davis. The record debuted on the JazzWeek Chart at number 26 and remained in the Top 50 for 10 weeks.

Weeds' most recent release Just Like That featuring The Tilden Webb Trio has received critical acclaim. It graced the JazzWeek charts for 12 weeks making it as high as #7 and continues to receive airplay around the world. https://www.allaboutjazz.com/musicians/cory-weeds/

Personnel: Acoustic Bass – Jodi Proznick; Alto Saxophone – Cory Weeds; Congas – Chris Davis (tracks: 4); Drums – Jesse Cahill; Piano – Tilden Web

Just Like That

---

Joe Magnarelli - Persistence

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 2008
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 57:16
Size: 132,2 MB
Art: Front

(6:06)  1. Presistence
(7:59)  2. the Village
(7:01)  3. I Had the Craziest Dream
(6:10)  4. D Train Boogaloo
(9:36)  5. Haunted Heart
(6:34)  6. You and the Night and the Music
(5:41)  7. Ballad for Barretto
(8:06)  8. Soul Sister

The stark black and white cover photo of trumpeter Joe Magnarelli peering out at you from the cover of Persistence emits a brooding and a blandness that is light years away from the robust, enjoyable musical experience offered by the music on the disc itself. Magnarelli, a first-call trumpeter among first-callers, leads an exciting group of other New York musicians (stars all) in eight selections originals and standards that are both intriguing and satisfying. There is such a sense of spontaneity and excitement in this recording that it gives the impression of being recorded live: each tune has that wonderful on-the-edge sense to it. "Persistence," the first cut (and one of five Magnarelli originals), sends you back in jazz time to a smoke-filled, excitement-laden, 1960s Blue Note session. After a hip intro and a Kenny Washington drum fill with echoes of Max Roach, the quintet steams ahead on the head. Heavenly shades of Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers inspire the team as they roll it out for hard bop at its hottest. It's clear, as he fires away on his tasteful solos, that Magnarelli has regularly visited the jazz trumpet pantheon and tuned his ear to the greats. He is a player of excitement, inspiration, fire and control. The band is impeccable too. 

Baritone saxophonist Gary Smulyan shines throughout the session; his bellowing sound is never too heavy to swing. Washington's cymbal work is fireworks, worthy of Tony Williams. Pianist David Hazeltine fits in beautifully, both when comping and playing some marvellously engineered solos. Bassist Peter Washington is supremely solid always right there. "The Village" lays down an easy bossa nova groove under a lazy, carefree melodic line. Hazeltine builds a tasteful solo. No dragging here, only sway. Magnarelli cascades over the horn and constantly surprises the listener, never falling into cliche or hollow pyrotechnics in lieu of inspiration. Reaching into the Great American Songbook, "I Had the Craziest Dream" spotlights Magnarelli's beautiful soft swing approach. There's no hokey here, no schmaltzy vibrato or syrupy swinging. This track is on a par with a classic version by trumpeter Jack Sheldon. Magnarelli is pure taste. He uses rhythm and melody to construct his solos. Hazeltine's solo is a gem (catch the "Stella By Starlight"-copped cliche: cute!) There's a nice Washington solo too. "D Train Boogaloo," a funky blues head, sidewinders over a go-go beat and a Lee Morgan quote, spectacularly so. 

You can bet there are aspiring trumpeters out there who right now are transcribing, copping and wood-shedding Magnarelli licks. The Dietz-Schwartz standard "Haunted Heart" is given a bluesy feel. Magnarelli carries the lead with Smulyan haunting us with a second melodic take and a marvelously lyrical solo. The extended lines intrigue. Hazeltine's comps and interplay with the soloists are perfection before he goes tasteful on his own. The non-related Washingtons capitalize here together. "You and the Night and the Music"and the race flag! Magnarelli's Dizzy Gillespie ish Harmon mute work fires at a tempo reminiscent of Clifford Brown's "Cherokee" he even throws in a Brown lick drawn from that classic's intro. Magnarelli spent many years performing with the great bandleader Ray Barretto. His "Ballad for Barretto" has such a beautifully classic melodic approach similar to Benny Golson's "I Remember Clifford" that other instrumentalists will probably embrace this tune down the jazz road. 

Triple-metered over "Body and Soul" chord changes, "Soul Sister" opens with Magnarelli and Smulyan lightly carrying the melody. The superimposition of new melodic material over standard harmonic changes is as old as jazz. For Magnarelli to use his marvelous compositional chops to take such a standard and turn it into a hip waltz is slick genius. There are no gimmicks in Persistence. Magnarelli and his colleagues sound comfortably secure in themselves. All have paid dues in the shed, studios and pits, on the road and wherever. It's that persistence that results in performance perfection. Magnarelli presents us with an honest, no frills attempt at that goal. And, yes, he does indeed come close. Very, very close. A terrific, persistently satisfying disc. ~ Nicholas F.Mondello https://www.allaboutjazz.com/joe-magnarelli-persistence-by-nicholas-f-mondello.php

Personnel: Joe Magnarelli: trumpet; Gary Smulyan: baritone saxophone; David Hazeltine: piano; Peter Washington: bass; Kenny Washington: drums.

Persistence

---

Charles McPherson Group - Follow the Bouncing Ball

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1989
Time: 67:14
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Size: 153,9 MB
Art: Front

(6:24) 1. Passport
(4:59) 2. Where Are You
(4:33) 3. Follow the Bouncing Ball
(6:33) 4. Blues for Mac
(4:18) 5. Starburst
(5:59) 6. The Prophet
(8:00) 7. Dearly Beloved
(4:21) 8. Fun and Games
(8:52) 9. Mantra
(7:23) 10. Prelude to a Kiss
(5:47) 11. An Oscar for Treadwell

A musical descendant of Charlie Parker, alto saxophonist Charles McPherson leads two separate groups in this compilation. The first few selections, from an evidently otherwise unissued session in 1989, feature a quartet with pianist Alan Broadbent, bassist Jeffrey Littleton, and drummer Charles McPherson, Jr. The leader and Broadbent both inject fiery solos into the brisk interpretation of Parker's infrequently played blues "Passport." The easygoing bossa nova treatment of the standard "Where Are You" proves no less dazzling, followed by two potent McPherson originals, the spirited bop vehicle "Follow the Bouncing Ball" (based on the changes to "Lover") and the late-night-themed "Blues for Mac."

The final seven tracks made up the contents of the Discovery LP The Prophet, but this 1983 session features pianist Mike Wofford, bassist Andy Simpkins, drummer Donald Bailey, Sr., and trombonist Kevin Quail, with conga player Hayward Brown, Jr. added on some tracks. McPherson is clearly enthusiastic about his rhythm section and gives it plenty of space, while the somewhat obscure Quail holds his own. The interplay in the leader's uptempo cooker "Starburst" is an obvious highlight, though the lush interpretation of Duke Ellington's "Prelude to a Kiss" also proves masterful. Sadly, this CD disappeared from print when the label folded after producer Albert Marx's death, and hopes of a reissue remain slim.By Ken Dryden https://www.allmusic.com/album/follow-the-bouncing-ball-mw0000078357

Personnel: Alto Saxophone – Charles McPherson; Bass – Andy Simpkins, Jeffery Littleton; Congas – Hayward Brown, Jr.; Drums – Charles McPherson, Jr., Donald Bailey, Sr.; Piano – Alan Broadbent, Mike Wofford; Trombone – Kevin Quail

Follow the Bouncing Ball

---

The Keynoters With Nat King Cole: The Essential Keynote Collection 9

Styles: Swing, Jazz
Year: 1986
Time: 47:29
File: MP3 @ 128K/s
Size: 47,6 MB
Art: Front

(4:17) 1. You're Driving Me Crazy (Alternate Take)
(4:15) 2. You're Driving Me Crazy
(4:38) 3. I'm In The Market For You
(4:31) 4. Blue Lou (Unissued Master 1)
(4:22) 5. Blue Lou (Unissued Master 2)
(4:20) 6. I Found A New Baby (Unissued Master)
(3:18) 7. I Can't Believe That You're In Love With Me (Alternate Take)
(3:06) 8. I Can't Believe That You're In Love With Me
(3:11) 9. The Way You Look Tonight (Alternate Take)
(3:10) 10. The Way You Look Tonight
(2:38) 11. Airiness A La Nat (Alternate Take)
(2:39) 12. Airiness A La Nat
(3:00) 13. My Old Flame

Valuable anthology in the huge Complete Keynote Sessions anthology line. This set featured Cole playing with group assembled for recording sessions organized by Harry Lim for his Keynote label. They are solidly in swing mode and present Cole at his peak as soloist and accompanist. Unfortunately, both this and the total 21-disc package are difficult to find and expensive.By Ron Wynn https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-keynoters-with-nat-king-cole-mw0000651253#review

Personnel: Trumpet – Charlie Shavers (tracks: 1 to 6), Jonah Jones (tracks: 1 to 6); Tenor Saxophone – Budd Johnson (tracks: 1 to 6); Alto Saxophone – Willie Smith (2) (tracks: 7 to 13); Bass – Milt Hinton (tracks: 1 to 6), Red Callender (tracks: 7 to 13); Drums – J. C. Heard (tracks: 1 to 6), Jackie Mills (tracks: 7 to 13); Piano – Johnny Guarnieri (tracks: 1 to 6), Nat King Cole (tracks: 7 to 13)

The Keynoters With Nat King Cole: The Essential Keynote Collection 9

---

Angela Verbrugge - Somewhere

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2024
Time: 29:30
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Size: 68,3 MB
Art: Front

(4:58) 1. I Had the Craziest Dream
(3:52) 2. Somewhere
(3:56) 3. Born to Be Blue
(3:09) 4. Until I Met You (Corner Pocket)
(5:00) 5. For You, For Me, Forevermore
(4:13) 6. Je Ne Veux Pas Te Dire Bonsoir (Remix)
(4:19) 7. If the Moon Turns Green

The proper response to Beauty is an awed admiring silence. So these liner notes should be one word in a large font: LISTEN. But Angela asked me to add a few hundred keystrokes to the project, so here we are. Incidentally, I have chosen to focus on Angela in the midst of the most superb musicians and arrangements. I hope they will forgive me!

Angela Verbrugge is a great subversive. Her work is so quietly insinuating that listeners might easily underestimate it in favor of singers who make their work look arduous. But in every song, she creates singular landscapes of feeling that run parallel with melody and lyrics, as if the songs were sheets of colored tissue paper through which she shines light to make magic shadows on the wall.

In her casual-sounding way, she offers us truths of the heart, urgent and genuine. A gentle authenticity without pretense. Rather than a throbbing vibrato, long-held notes in forests of violins, she offers us a light-hearted tenderness, a speaking naturalness. And she is an elegant improviser, a risk-taker, a great horn-player who doesn't bring a case to the gig.

Her musical range is anything but narrow: on one track, she suggests the Basie band without all those suits and music stands; on another, she serves us a croissant in an imaginary cafe on Boulevard Saint Germain in Paris.

I am so impressed by her light touch with songs that ordinarily lead singers to melodrama. Forgive the domestic metaphor, but it is as if Angela had gone to the laundry room with these songs, put them in the spin-dryer on high heat for a few seconds to remove decades of damp sentimentality, and brought them out, resuscitated.

Her "Craziest Dream" is nearly whimsical ("let me tell you about the weird thing that happened last night!") an interlude of love-making at the breakfast table. "Somewhere" is sweetly sustaining: in her production of West Side Story, Tony and Maria live on and leave the city to sell their own goat cheese, far from skyscrapers. "Born to Be Blue," a self-pitying lament in others' hands, is now a playful duet for voice and piano. "For You, For Me, Forevermore" is a series of airy footsteps through the never-heard verse and chorus.

The one exception is her "If the Moon Turns Green," a 1935 song by Bernie Hanighen, Billie Holiday's friend and advocate. Billie didn't record it when it was new, but Angela's version makes up for that. It is a masterpiece of delicate ardor, and I do not overstate. By Michael Steinman https://www.allaboutjazz.com/angela-verbrugge-somewhere

Personnel: Angela Verbrugge - vocals; Erik Kalaidzis - vocals (2); Ray Gallon - piano (3,4,5,7); Cameron Brown - bass (4,7); Anthony Pinciotti - drums (4,7); Dave Say - saxophones (2,6); Miles Black - piano (1,2,6); Jodi Proznick - bass (1,2,6); Joel Fountain - drums (1,2,6)

Somewhere

---

David Benoit - Timeless

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2024
Time: 48:54
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Size: 114,2 MB
Art: Front

(4:45) 1. Fuzzy Logic (feat. Spice Fusion)
(4:52) 2. Cafe Rio (feat. Spice Fusion)
(4:23) 3. The Surest Things Can Change (feat. Brian McKnight)
(4:35) 4. Restless (feat. Spice Fusion)
(4:56) 5. Drive Time (feat. Spice Fusion)
(4:08) 6. Savannah Dream (Sophie's Song)
(4:35) 7. 6 PM (feat. Spice Fusion)
(5:42) 8. Beat Street (feat. Spice Fusion)
(6:54) 9. Mercy, Mercy, Mercy (feat. Spice Fusion)
(3:59) 10. Savannah Dream (Sophie's Song) (Radio Edit)

Grammy Nominated Pianist, Composer, Arranger, Film & TV Scorer.

Everyone knows David Benoit’s soundtracks for the “Peanuts” telefilms, which have amassed over 20 radio chart-toppers, as well as his music for films produced by Clint Eastwood, Sally Field, and many others. His collaborations with artists as diverse as The Rippingtons, Faith Hill, David Sanborn, Marc Antoine, and CeCe Winans have earned him praise from both press and fans alike. His orchestral work with the Pacific Vision Youth Symphony (which he founded in 2001), the Los Angeles Philharmonic, the London Symphony Orchestra, and the Philippine Philharmonic, but what truly sets this pianist and composer’s success apart is his ability to reinvent himself and be appreciated on both the jazz and smooth jazz scenes. “Timeless” presents about ten original compositions that reflect his passion for orchestral music, similar to what he could conceive for cinema, but this time in service of his vision of jazz, inviting Brian McKnight on the track “The Surest Things Can Change” perhaps to add a smooth touch to the whole.

Throughout this album, despite knowing David Benoit’s entire body of work, I remain fascinated by his way of writing music and managing arrangements, as David Benoit has a style all his own, born from a broad culture. “Timeless” also includes two more intimate recordings made in Los Angeles with a 10-piece brass section consisting of trumpets, trombones, bass trombone, flutes, and clarinets. These musicians, along with David’s touring rhythm section, Dan Schnelle on drums, and Roberto Vally on bass, have created a completely unique and distinctive sonic journey. On one of these two selections, “The Surest Things Can Change,” composed by Gino Vannelli and arranged by Benoit. The other of these two pieces, “Savannah Dream,” composed by SRG Jazz president Claude Villani, and arranged by Benoit, is the album’s first single. David Benoit has come a long way since his formative years in the South Bay of Los Angeles.

A grand album where the brass bursts here and there to make way for more poetic moments, in each track of this album, there’s always so much happening, so that when you listen to this CD several times, you spend your time discovering things you hadn’t noticed before. Listening to this album by David, others come to mind, like the fabulous album “So Nice” with Marc Antoine, “Heroes,” and the timeless “Here’s to you Charlie Brown…. And all the others,” all these fabulous albums that David Benoit has been releasing over the decades. As a discreet artist, I realize that his work is part of the composers who have been part of my universe for a very long time, like Bob James, Marcus Miller, David Sanborn, and I’ll stop there, otherwise, I’ll need to create a 5.000-page volume to tell you all this. Just know that “Timeless,” like every album by David Benoit, is a little wonder, soft and sometimes unclassifiable, very jazzy, very… full of other things too, sublime, admirable… “Indispensable!” By Thierry De Clemensat
https://www.paris-move.com/reviews/david-benoit-timeless-eng-review/

Timeless

---