Pentatonix - Pentatonix (Deluxe Version)

Styles: A cappella,Pop, R&B
Year: 2015
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 54:06
Size: 125,1 MB
Art: Front

(2:35) 1. Na Na Na
(2:53) 2. Can't Sleep Love
(2:57) 3. Sing
(3:42) 4. Misbehavin'
(3:14) 5. Ref
(2:41) 6. First Things First
(3:43) 7. Rose Gold
(3:14) 8. If I Ever Fall In Love
(2:54) 9. Cracked
(3:11) 10. Water
(2:56) 11. Take Me Home
(3:37) 12. New Year's Day
(4:14) 13. Light In The Hallway
(2:51) 14. Where Are Ü Now
(3:03) 15. Cheerleader
(2:40) 16. Lean On
(3:33) 17. Can't Sleep Love (feat. Tink)

Their sharpness and soul made PTX one of the most popular and well-known a cappella groups outside of The Barden Bellas. The vocal quintet takes a creative leap forward here crafting originals with the same energy, detail, and richness that made their cover songs so beloved. “Sing” and “Na Na Na” show that PTX are pop maestros, creating magic with just voice, handclaps, and beatbox. They float effortlessly between styles “Misbehavin’” takes its cues from doo-wop, “Ref” can fit in with any EDM set, and “First Things First” feels like a lost Timbaland track. To close the album, PTX include their takes on pop hits “Where Are Ü Now,” “Cheerleader,” and “Lean On.”~Editors' Note https://music.apple.com/us/album/pentatonix-deluxe-version/1035387084

Pentatonix (Deluxe Version)

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Bria Skonberg - What It Means

Styles: Vocal And Trumpet Jazz
Size: 127,7 MB
Time: 55:24
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2024
Art: Front

1. Comes Love (4:30)
2. Sweet Pea (3:40)
3. Do You Know What It Means to Miss New Orleans (4:13)
4. The Beat Goes On (6:51)
5. In The House (6:23)
6. Cornet Chop Suey (4:44)
7. Beautiful Boy (Darling Boy) (5:27)
8. Days Like This (3:23)
9. Petit Fleur (4:35)
10. Elbow Bump (7:05)
11. Lullabye (Goodnight My Angel) / A Child is Born (4:29)

Trumpeter and vocalist Bria Skonberg says the great joy of music has always been in sharing it. “I love to perform. I love to prepare songs in ways that surprise and delight listeners.” WHAT IT MEANS is Skonberg’s heartfelt homage to the music and traditions of New Orleans. Most of the musicians on the album are from New Orleans; Ben Jaffe on sousaphone, singer Gabrielle Cavassa, trombonist Ethan Santos, Guitarist Don Vappie, drummer Herlin Riley, bassist Grayson Brockamp, and saxophonist Rex Gregory.

One of the most famous songs about the Crescent City is, ‘Do You Know What It Means To Miss New Orleans.’ By shortening the title to WHAT IT MEANS Skonberg transforms it into a broader statement, encouraging her audience to consider what truly matters to them personally.

Not everything on WHAT IT MEANS is from the world of jazz. John Lennon’s ‘Beautiful Boy’ took on new meaning when Skonberg had her first child. There are tunes by Billy Joel, Sonny Bono, and Van Morrison.

Skonberg’s wah wah mute is used to great effect on the 1939 jazz standard ‘Comes Love.’ Aurora Nealand’s soprano saxophone echoes Sidney Bechet, but it’s smoother, without Bechet’s gritty vibrato. Ben Jaffe’s sousaphone evokes New Orleans parade music. The mood shifts with Chris Pattishall’s piano solo, transporting the music to Cuba. Skonberg is mute-less and playing beautiful unison lines with the band, and engaging in an animated call and response with drummer Herlin Riley.

Skonberg’s playing is marked by crisp articulation and a powerful attack, perfectly capturing the spirit of Louis Armstrong’s 1926 recording ‘Cornet Chop Suey.’ Don Vappie’s banjo helps preserve the authentic feel of Armstrong’s Hot Five.

‘In the House’ was one of the original compositions Skonberg wrote for the album, and it’s a beaut. It sounds more hard bop than traditional New Orleans jazz, but It really shows off her trumpet chops. I like the way she switches from playing with a mute, and then not. Pattishall’s melodic piano and the bass work from Grayson Brockamp make this one of the album’s highlights.
I have never liked Sonny Bono’s ‘The Beat Goes On.’ Skonberg is a much better singer, but I thought this is a song that should be left to the ashes of history until I heard her band resurrect this sixties turkey and give it life. Rex Gregory’s tenor saxophone has a lot of fun with the melody. Skonberg’s trumpet playing is a delight. It’s obvious she’s having fun on this album. Ethan Santos’s trombone playing adds a lot to this tune.

Skonberg wanted to record some pop songs from her past that she loved, and I respect that. I don’t have as warm a spot in my heart for some of those pop hits from the past. There is a lot to enjoy on Bria Skonberg’s WHAT IT MEANS. It is a wonderful tribute to the music and the history of New Orleans.By Tim Larsen https://jazzviews.net/bria-skonberg-what-it-means/

Personnel: Bria Skonberg – Trumpet & Vocal; Don Vappie – Guitar, Banjo (track 6); Chris Pattishall – Piano; Grayson Brockamp – Acoustic Bass; Herlin Riley – Drums, Percussion; Aurora Nealand – Soprano Saxophone (track 1); Rex Gregory – Tenor Saxophone, Bass Clarinet (tracks 4,8-10); Ethan Santos – Trombone (tracks 4, 8-10); Ben Jaffe – Sousaphone (tracks 1, 10); Gabrielle Cavassa – Vocal (track 8)

What It Means

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Janey Clewer - Love

Styles: Vocal
Size: 136,7 MB
Time: 58:21
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2012
Art: Front

1. Love (4:34)
2. Fallin' In Love (4:13)
3. Won't Go Back (4:52)
4. Two Shooting Stars (4:19)
5. Can't Let You Go With My Heart (3:43)
6. Impossible (3:40)
7. Call Me Romantic (4:14)
8. God's Perfect Plan (3:52)
9. Only Time Will Tell (3:51)
10. Forever Valentines (4:27)
11. Exposed (4:13)
12. Lovers Are Never Lost (3:36)
13. The Last Words You Said (4:00)
14. If Only For Tonight (4:40)

Love is Janey's latest compilation album, with 4 new releases. The title track, LOVE, features Peter Cetera, Bill and Tamara Champlin, Marc Jordan, Joe Chemay, Jaimee Paul and Janey on vocals; the great musicianship of Vinnie Colaiuta on drums; and Bruce Gaitsch and Tommy Denander on guitars.

The bonus track “If Only For Tonight” is a song to benefit the children of Japan. All proceeds from this song will be donated to the Kids Earth Fund, a worldwide non-profit that benefits children who have been the victims of war, crime and environmental contamination. More specifically, the money raised will benefit the children of Tohoku who were victims of the March 11, 2011 tsunami. http://www.janeyclewermusic.com/love

Love

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Michael Bublé - Love

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2018
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 45:04
Size: 104,3 MB
Art: Front

(4:03)  1. When I Fall In Love
(3:22)  2. I Only Have Eyes For You
(3:02)  3. Love You Anymore
(3:50)  4. La Vie En Rose (Feat. Cécile McLorin Salvant)
(4:25)  5. My Funny Valentine
(3:17)  6. Such A Night
(3:40)  7. Forever Now
(3:42)  8. Help Me Make It Through The Night (Feat. Loren Allred)
(3:08)  9. Unforgettable
(2:50) 10. When You're Smiling
(3:05) 11. Where Or When
(3:38) 12. When You're Not Here
(2:57) 13. I Get A Kick Out Of You

With his supple vocal chops and nonchalant charisma, Michael Bublé became the preeminent neo-crooner of his generation. Influenced by classic singers such as Frank Sinatra and Tony Bennett as well as more modern artists (most notably Harry Connick, Jr.), Bublé can believably sell old-school jazz standards and adult contemporary pop songs alike. Bublé was introduced to the music of the swing era by his grandfather, who filled his ears with the sounds of the Mills Brothers, Ella Fitzgerald, Frank Sinatra, and others. As Bublé eagerly absorbed the recordings, he began to realize that he wanted to be a singer and that this style of music, virtually foreign to his own generation, was what he wanted to perform. With his grandfather's assistance, Bublé soon learned a whole catalog of tunes and gained experience and exposure by singing as a guest with several local bands. While still in his teen years, he won the Canadian Youth Talent Search, released several independent albums, and performed in a musical revue titled Swing that traveled across the U.S. It wasn't long before Bublé was introduced to Grammy-winning producer David Foster and signed his first major recording contract with Reprise Records. The two Canadians began work on a major debut album that would incorporate Bublé's aptitude for pop standards into songs that spanned several decades. His self-titled debut was released in early 2003 and featured jazzy takes on old standards like "Fever" and "The Way You Look Tonight," as well as newer classics like Van Morrison's "Moondance" and the Bee Gees' "How Can You Mend a Broken Heart." Further exposure ensued with a world tour and appearances on several television programs like NBC's Today Show, in which he sang a duet with host Katie Couric. He finished off 2003 with an EP of holiday material, Let It Snow, and began 2004 with the live CD/DVD set Come Fly with Me. In 2005, It's Time was a number one hit in Canada, Japan, Italy, and Australia, and made the Top Ten of both the U.K. and U.S. charts. 

Later that year he released the live album Caught in the Act. The holiday-themed album Christmas followed in 2006, with the studio effort Call Me Irresponsible dropping in 2007. Bublé returned in 2009 with the live concert album/DVD Michael Bublé Meets Madison Square Garden, which documented the singer's first-ever performance at the storied New York City venue. The studio effort Crazy Love, featuring duets with Sharon Jones and Ron Sexsmith, followed in October 2009, becoming his third multi-platinum album in the U.S. In 2010, Bublé released the six-song EP Special Delivery, as well as the expanded Crazy Love: Hollywood Edition. The holiday album Christmas appeared in late 2011, featuring duets with Shania Twain, the Puppini Sisters, and Thalía. Within a few weeks of release, the album topped Billboard's Top 200. In 2013, Bublé released the Bob Rock-produced To Be Loved, which featured a mix of standards, most contemporary, along with three Bublé originals. Guest vocalists including Reese Witherspoon and Naturally 7 appeared on the album, which became his fourth consecutive chart-topper in the U.S. and also his fourth Grammy winner. Buoyed by the album's success, he set out on a massive tour, debuting in June of 2013 with ten shows at London's O2 Arena, and playing North America, Europe, Australia, South America, Asia, and Africa over the next two years. In 2015, he began working on new studio material; the resulting album, Nobody But Me, was released the following year. Co-produced by Bublé himself, the album featured the usual smattering of jazz standards as well as a cover of the Beach Boys' "God Only Knows." It also included three new songs co-written by Bublé and a duet with Meghan Trainor, "Someday," written by Trainor and One Direction's Harry Styles.By Aaron Latham https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/love-deluxe-edition/1436702494

Love

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Pentatonix - The Lucky Ones

Styles: A cappella,R&B
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 36:18
Size: 83,8 MB
Art: Front

(3:26) 1. Happy Now
(3:20) 2. Love Me When I Don't
(3:15) 3. Coffee In Bed
(3:24) 4. Be My Eyes
(2:54) 5. A Little Space
(3:27) 6. Side
(2:47) 7. Bored
(3:55) 8. Exit Signs
(2:57) 9. Never Gonna Cry Again
(3:37) 10. It's Different Now
(3:11) 11. The Lucky Ones

It’s safe to say there was a rise in appreciation for acapella music in the year 2012. Yes, the year of the famous “Cup-Song” from the movie “Pitch Perfect.” That little tune was stuck in everyone’s head thanks to Anna Kendrick, and if you didn’t know how to make the cup motions, someone was eager to teach you. There was another important thing happening in 2012, however. Five acapella singers out of Arlington, Texas, dropped their first official album as ‘Pentatonix’ just a year after winning NBC’s ‘The Sing Off’ and signing with Sony Music. There are five of them, and they’re named after the pentatonic scale an “x” sounded cooler at the end. Not to be overlooked, the group’s sound is incredible. As of 2017, Scott Hoying, Kirsten Maldonado, Matt Sallee, Mitch Grassi, and Kevin Olusola make up Pentatonix. Each singer brings something entirely different to the table, which is why their latest album, “The Lucky Ones” was predictably a great listen. This album felt like nothing short of a jubilant merry-go-round ride in the middle of the park. Let’s say it’s a sunny day, too, because the vibe is just that upbeat and positive. The established pop singers zealously inch toward finding their sound as this is only their second original album. Though they are routinely celebrated for their abstract covers of other hits, it’s a new year. Who are we to question change?

Lyrically, what Etta James would call “a Sunday kind of love” is radiant through songs on the project like “Coffee In Bed,” “Love Me When I Don’t” and “Bored.” There’s a reinforced and naturally pleasant theme of relying on a significant other for comfort. Musically, all three songs have little to no instrumental aid, and each beat is created through beatboxing and/or recorded harmonies. Watching the group’s music video for “Coffee In Bed” was a quick reminder of how extensive and fascinating acapella can be. The video starts with showing the five vocalists in different bedrooms, each with a cup of coffee in hand. They sing a beat that favors “Mr. Sandman” by The Chordettes. Listening to Kevin beatbox will make you forget percussion instruments even exist, and Mitch’s high-pitched runs never fail to excite listeners. The lyrics: “You spend every Saturday morning / Stuck on replay of last night / I won’t take your words as a warning / And I’ll pick you up every time” point towards that theme of being there for your significant other. The camera cut from one singer to the next throughout the music video, and suddenly you see all the layers of the song in one listen as if you were right there in the studio when it was recorded. This emphasis set “Coffee In Bed” apart from the rest of the album.

Of course, no matter what day of the week it is, relationships are often complicated and filled with awkward silences and heated arguments sometimes even a need for space or independence altogether. The sentimental track “It’s Different Now” starts with a soft piano playing as Kirsten Maldonado serenades listeners. The lyrics: “I rewind out conversations / Listen between every line / To relieve my superstition / I only reveal, it’s only a sign” set the tone for the singer’s breakthrough and the rest of the group comes together for the chorus. Their voices in unison paint the picture of the support they have for each other even through robust lyrics of independence, thus preparing listeners for the last track on the album “The Lucky Ones.” This song is all about looking back on the quintet’s progress over their last decade together.

As far as the album’s re-listenability goes, it’s not really timeless. Once again, this is just the beginning of Pentatonix writing and singing their original music. Some of these songs should be played on the radio multiple times, and some are to be enjoyed just once, like a tour of an art museum. Even though the songs are distinct in their production, there wasn’t much variety in their overall sound. A track like “Side” with a slower progression felt like a breath of fresh air after a lot of the same buoyant music. This exhale can be seen as a good thing or a bad thing, depending on the listener. This doesn’t speak to the songs’ quality as much as it does the choice of songs on a project. Nonetheless, it still deserves the attention it’s receiving. The best way to describe Pentatonix is a five-piece jigsaw puzzle. Each piece is carved in a way that is so unique and special, but when connected with the other four, it just makes more sense. “The Lucky Ones” artistry is truly a blessing to even the earliest Pentatonix fans a reminder that the group is still committed to their musical journey and their repertoire.~ Madison Smith https://www.ninertimes.com/arts_and_entertainment/album-review-the-lucky-ones/article_a4f68196-73d2-11eb-b6fa-67b4fc142bf4.html

The Lucky Ones

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George Benson - Dreams Do Come True: When George Benson Meets Robert Farnon

Styles: Vocal And Guitar
Size: 102,4 MB
Time: 44:02
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2024
Art: Front

1. At Last (4:12)
2. A Song For You (3:36)
3. Pretend (3:59)
4. A Long Time Ago (4:32)
5. Love Is Blue (4:16)
6. My Romance (4:07)
7. Autumn Leaves (4:19)
8. Can't We Be Friends (3:01)
9. My Prayer (4:35)
10. Yesterday (4:18)
11. One Goodbye (3:01)

When the best intentions are to put a record release on hold for whatever the cause, occasionally those masters are overlooked and/or lost for an indefinite period of time. Multi Grammy winning and Hollywood Walk of Fame recipient, guitarist/vocalist George Benson, spent over a decade with Warner Bros. Records including his crossover (Pop, R&B and Jazz) classic in 1976, Breezin’, and Dreams Do Come True: When George Benson Meets Robert Farnon, a 1989 project saluting the song standards in various genres through the years. However, the masters on Dreams Do Come True slipped thru the cracks for 35 years before the original recording was finally found.

Now the time is getting closer for an extraordinary collaboration bridging Benson’s jazzy scat and guitar and a richly soulful vocal delivery with Farnon’s orchestral arrangements. The Canadian born Farnon, who passed at age 87 in 2005, arranged for many vocal legends including Tony Bennett and Lena Horne. This updated version of Dreams Do Come True (Rhino/Warner Music) is retouched up with love by Benson’s friend co-producer Randy Waldman. Meanwhile, fans can experience a sneak peak of Benson and Farnon from these long, lost sessions, teaming up on the R&B disco flavored, big band edged “Love is Blue,” the first French single release that hit #1 on the U.S. charts in 1968.
https://news.theurbanmusicscene.com/2024/07/dreams-do-come-true-when-george-benson-meets-robert-farnon/

Dreams Do Come True: When George Benson Meets Robert Farnon

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Alina Bzhezhinska - Inspiration

Styles: Harp Jazz
Size: 124,6 MB
Time: 54:25
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2018
Art: Front

1. Wisdom Eye (2:52)
2. Blue Nile (5:40)
3. Los Caballos (7:49)
4. Spero (2:17)
5. Annoying Semitones (4:33)
6. Winter Moods (4:29)
7. Following a Lovely Sky Boat (4:49)
8. Lemky (8:02)
9. After the Rain (4:48)
10. Journey in Satchidananda (9:03)

Harpist Alina Bzhezhinska was born in the Ukraine and studied art and classical music in Poland and the USA before settling in London. She has performed internationally with many leading orchestras and opera companies and is also an acclaimed tutor of her chosen instrument with teaching posts in London and Glasgow.

The versatile Bzhezhinska has also established a successful career as a jazz harpist and has worked with saxophonist Shabaka Hutchings and vocalist Niki King among others. She has twice recorded with the Stan Getz inspired New Focus ensemble co-led by the Scottish musicians Konrad Wiszniewski (saxophones) and Euan Stevenson (piano).
More...https://www.thejazzmann.com/reviews/review/alina-bzhezhinska-inspiration

Inspiration

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Didier Lockwood - Live In Montreux

Styles: Violin Jazz
Size: 97,4 MB
Time: 42:20
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 1980
Art: Front

1. Fast Travel (7:15)
2. Flyin' Kitten (7:42)
3. Ballade De Fees (5:01)
4. Zebulon Dance (3:57)
5. Adgc (5:59)
6. Four Strings Bitch (3:46)
7. Turtle Shuffle (8:36)

Released at the time in Europe by MPS and in the U.S. by the now-defunct Pausa label, the music from violinist Didier Lockwood's 1980 Montreux Jazz Festival set is in both cases out of print. Lockwood, who can play like Stephane Grappelli, here opts for fusion in a sextet that also includes tenor saxophonist Bob Malach and keyboardist Jan Hammer. Lockwood's unaccompanied "Four Strings Bitch" is a highlight of this well-played date.By Scott Yanow
https://www.allmusic.com/album/live-in-montreux-mw0000919790#review

Personnel: Violin – Didier Lockwood; Tenor Saxophone – Bob Malach; Guitar – Marc Perru; Drums – Gerry Brown; Bass Guitar – Bo Stief

Live In Montreux

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Steve Grossman & Harold Land - I'm Confessin'

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1992
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 50:14
Size: 115,3 MB
Art: Front

(6:27)  1. Vierd Blues
(7:43)  2. Circus
(5:47)  3. I'm Confessin'
(6:22)  4. Sandrow
(8:01)  5. Born to Be Blue
(8:48)  6. Let's Cool One
(7:05)  7. San Francisco Holiday

?I'm Confessin' finds adventurous Chi-town tenor man Steve Grossman pairing up with journeyman jazz legend Harold Land on a muscular set of standards and originals. This a no nonsense but eminently cerebral outing that makes the most of the two leads' knack for inventive, angular, and energetic improvisation. To these ends they dive headlong into the midtempo blues swinger "Vierd Blues," race each other to the finish line on the burning Grossman original "Sandrow," and play it cool on Thelonious Monk's "Let's Cool One"." Individually, they both get a chance to shine with Grossman nailing down the title track and Land holding down the afterglow hours on the ballad "Born to Be Blue"." Joining in the fun are pianist Fred Henke, bassist Reggie Johnson, and drummer Jimmy Cobb. ~ Matt Collar https://www.allmusic.com/album/im-confessin-mw0000747079

Personnel: Steve Grossman (tenor saxophone); Fred Henke (piano); Reggie Johnson (bass instrument); Jimmy Cobb (drums).

I'm Confessin'

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Deborah Dery - Blossom time

Styles: Vocal And Piano Jazz
Size: 106,5 MB
Time: 46:19
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2024
Art: Front

1. Darn that dream (5:32)
2. Sinai (7:58)
3. Devil may care (6:11)
4. Good morning heartache (6:04)
5. Wu-Wei (7:06)
6. Caravan (4:03)
7. Tea for two (3:10)
8. Wu-Wei alternate take (6:11)

Deborah's gentle vocals combined with the jazz violin of Asciano's Number and the virtuoso playing of double bassist Michael Edwards immerse the listener in an atmosphere of calm, tranquility, rest and relaxation.

Personnel: Deborah Dery- vocals, piano, arrangements

Blossom time

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Jo Harrop - Songs For The Late Hours

Styles: Vocal
Size: 80,1 MB
Time: 34:28
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2019
Art: Front

1. You’re not the kind (2:27)
2. More than you know (4:44)
3. You turned the tables on me (3:34)
4. How long has this been going on (3:59)
5. I want a little sugar in my bowl (2:19)
6. Fine & dandy (2:30)
7. Sophisticated lady (5:07)
8. Easy street (3:29)
9. Two for the road (3:15)
10. You taught my heart to sing (3:02)

Lateralize Records are immensely proud to announce the release of The Heart Wants, the much-anticipated first self-penned solo album by Jo Harrop.

Written and recorded over the last year when the world came to a sudden standstill in the wake of the pandemic, The Heart Wants is an album about love and life, about losing and then finding oneself in the silence after the applause has faded away.

Although she has built a reputation as an intuitive interpreter of other people’s songs, Jo Harrop would be the first to admit that she always lacked the confidence to reveal her own songs to the world. With no shows in her diary, she started working on what would eventually turn out to be her first album of original material with producers Hannah Vasanth and Jamie McCredie alongside a guest list of world-class musicians including Christian McBride, Jason Rebello and Troy Miller.

“In an unexpected moment of stillness, when the world came to a sudden stop and confusion, frustration and fear seemed to sweep across the earth, I finally began to work on the album that I had longed to make for many years,” Harrop explains. “Ideas that I had talked over with Hannah and Jamie began to unfold, and emotions that I’d always pushed aside began to spill onto the page.”

From the sublime chamber pop of If I Knew to the Muscle Shoals soul of Hold On,

The Heart Wants will no doubt come as quite a surprise to anyone who thought Jo Harrop was only capable of singing jazz ballads.

“I sent my first lyrics to Paul Edis and we wrote If I Knew, which became the key that unlocked the door to creating this album. ‘The heart wants what the heart wants’ was something that Hannah had said to me late one night after a show, and somehow it just stuck inside my head. Each song is a true story about the dreams and desires, doubts and regrets and trials and tribulations of the human heart.”

Born in Durham and raised on a heady musical diet of Nina Simone, Billie Holiday and Aretha Franklin, Jo Harrop cut her teeth as a session singer, working with a host of iconic artists including Neil Diamond, Rod Stewart and Gloria Gaynor.

After moving to London, she quickly established herself as one of the most unmistakable voices in British jazz. Having signed to London-based jazz label, Lateralize Records, she recently received a raft of rapturous reviews for Weathering The Storm, her debut with guitarist, Jamie McCredie. The Guardian dubbed it ‘a little gem of an album: simple, modest and perfect,’ whilst BBC 6 Music’s Iggy Pop fell in love with her voice, calling her “a very fine jazz singer.”

Beyond the mellifluous perfection of her chocolate and cream voice, there is always a beautifully bruised intimacy at the very heart of Jo Harrop’s music. It’s almost as if she’s staring directly into your soul when she sings. This may only be her second LP, yet she sounds as if she’s already lived a thousand lifetimes.

“When I was a teenager, my dad took me to see Tony Bennett live in Newcastle,” she recalls. “I was so moved and so inspired, I realised that I needed to sing. I wanted to be able to touch people with my music in the same way. The loss of dear loved ones in recent years has opened my heart and given me more reason to sing and to write than ever before, which is why I felt the time was right to record my first album of original songs. I pour all of the sad stuff into my music and it somehow comes out in the way that I sing and write, so it really is a form of catharsis for me.

“These songs feel timeless, but they also reflect where we are here and now, caught up in life’s bittersweet journey. Music has been my whole world for as long as I can remember; it has always had the power to transport me and to move me deep inside, and I want to create the same emotional connection with people who hear my songs.”

The Heart Wants was released through Lateralize Records on Limited Edition heavyweight vinyl and CD on 8th October 2021 with a live launch at London’s Cadogan Hall on 5th November 2021.https://www.allaboutjazz.com/musicians/jo-harrop/

Songs For The Late Hours

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Ruby Braff - I'm Shooting High CD1 And CD2

Album: I'm Shooting High CD1

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Size: 137,8 MB
Time: 59:58
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2000
Art: Front

1. Liza (4:42)
2. Love Walked In (5:04)
3. You Took Advantage of Me (4:23)
4. The Lady Is a Tramp (3:12)
5. Romance in the Dark (6:03)
6. All My Life (5:39)
7. Where Are You? (4:25)
8. Jeepers Creepers (6:24)
9. You've Changed (4:09)
10. Dream Dancing (4:50)
11. Wouldn't It Be Loverly? (5:52)
12. Get Me to the Church on Time (5:09)

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Album: I'm Shooting High CD2

Size: 143,3 MB
Time: 62:22

1. I'm Shooting High (3:21)
2. Trav'lin' Light (3:57)
3. Happy Talk (3:43)
4. Younger Than Springtime (5:01)
5. I'm Crazy 'Bout My Baby (And My Baby's Crazy 'Bout Me) (4:29)
6. My Shining Hour (5:43)
7. Indian Summer (5:49)
8. You're a Sweetheart (4:03)
9. Dickie's Dream/Love Me or Leave Me (4:53)
10. Shoe Shine Boy (6:22)
11. Memories of You (6:04)
12. I Got Rhythm (8:51)

Ruby Braff began his jazz career as an out-of-time traditionalist playing with veteran jazzmen of an earlier age, and rose to establish his own standing as one of the handful of leading artists playing in traditional and mainstream idioms.

He did so on the back of one of the most beautiful instrumental sounds in jazz, a prodigious gift for phrasing melody, and an acute harmonic sense which revealed his awareness of more modernist developments in jazz. Louis Armstrong remained his touchstone and only avowed master, but his playing also reflected the influence of musicians like Bix Beiderbecke and Bobby Hackett. His musical voice, though, was always very much his own.

He was born Reuben Braff in Boston, and was self-taught on his instrument. He said that he wanted to play saxophone, but his father bought him a cornet instead. His trumpet style, which largely eschewed high-note pyrotechnics in favour of a softer exploration of the middle and bottom registers of the instrument, reflected that original love of reed rather than brass sonorities.

He began working in local clubs in the Forties, and was recruited for the band led by the veteran clarinettist Edmond Hall at the Savoy Cafe in Boston in 1949. He made the move to New York in 1953, and was soon in demand for gigs and recording sessions in a traditional and mainstream vein.

His loyalty to traditional jazz at a time when the focus had shifted to more modern styles starved him of work for a time in the Fifties, but he returned to prominence with an All-Star touring band created by pianist and jazz impresario George Wein. Wein remained a loyal backer of the cornetist, and featured him regularly on his international tour and festival circuit.

He worked with major band leaders like Buck Clayton, Benny Goodman and Bud Freeman as a young man, and in turn became something of a musical mentor to a new generation of young mainstream musicians in the Seventies, including saxophonist Scott Hamilton and guitarist Howard Alden.

In the Eighties and Nineties he made a series of recordings for the major mainstream jazz labels Concord Jazz and Arbors, and formed highly-regarded duo partnerships with pianists like Mel Powell, Ralph Sutton, Dick Hyman, Ellis Larkins and Roger Kellaway.

Braff worked with singer Tony Bennett for two years from 1971-73, then formed a very popular and artistically successful band with guitarist George Barnes. The relationship ground to a halt in 1975 in characteristic fashion when Braff fell out with his collaborator.

That pattern of alienating those around him was repeated on many occasions. Braff may have made some of the most beautiful music in jazz, but his own character was precisely the opposite. He was notorious for his abrasive and insulting behaviour to other musicians, promoters and even fans, a tendency made all the worse by his failing health over many years (he suffered from emphysema, glaucoma and heart problems).

He was the headline artist at the first Nairn Jazz Festival in northern Scotland in 1990, and his appearance at the 2002 event was to be the last performance of his life. He cancelled a subsequent scheduled concert at the Brecon Jazz Festival in Wales and returned home. He was never fit enough to perform in public again.https://www.allaboutjazz.com/musicians/ruby-braff/

I'm Shooting High CD1, CD2

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Pat Metheny - Dream Box

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Size: 129,5 MB
Time: 56:05
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2023
Art: Front

1. The Waves Are Not The Ocean (5:39)
2. From The Mountains (8:20)
3. Ole & Gard (6:33)
4. Trust Your Angels (5:28)
5. Never Was Love (5:57)
6. I Fall In Love Too Easily (5:08)
7. P.C. of Belgium (5:00)
8. Morning Of The Carnival (6:42)
9. Clouds Can't Change The Sky (7:14)

Guitarist Pat Metheny pushes the boundaries of musical exploration once again with Dream Box, Featuring nine "found tracks" for the quiet electric guitar, this collection showcases Metheny's spontaneous creativity and unique musical vision. During a deep dive into his own musical archives, Metheny unearthed a folder on his laptop's hard drive containing forgotten recordings that surprised even him. As a result, Dream Box takes a departure from his previous works, presenting a blend of compositions that captures the essence of Metheny's artistic ingenuity.

Metheny's discography is a testament to his influence and talent, with 50 recordings and 20 Grammy wins across twelve different categories. From his groundbreaking album New Chautauqua, (ECM, 1979), which redefined instrumental steel-stringed Americana, to his exploration of free-improv in Zero Tolerance for Silence (Geffen Records, 1994) and the innovative use of technology in The Orchestrion Project, (Nonesuch, 2013) Metheny consistently pushes the boundaries of what a solo performer can achieve.

Dream Box follows the path of Metheny's previous solo baritone guitar recordings, One Quiet Night (Warner Bros, 2003) and What's It All About, (Nonesuch, 2011) but with a fresh twist. The album's title holds multiple meanings, symbolizing the jazz slang for a hollow-body guitar while capturing the dream-like quality of Metheny's musical vision. As he explains in the liner notes, the music in Dream Box exists in an elusive state, often discovered apart from any particular intention, resembling the dream logic that is coherent yet hard to pin down.

The album opens with "The Waves Are Not the Ocean," introducing the gentle and introspective nature of the record. Metheny's sparse chords and melodic lines create an intimate atmosphere, drawing the audience into his musical world. "From the Mountains" follows, with its majestic Latin-tinged melody, showcasing Metheny's ability to evoke a wide range of emotions through his compositions. Throughout Dream Box, Metheny displays his mastery of the electric guitar, effortlessly navigating intricate melodies and harmonies. The tracks "Trust Your Angels" and "Ole & Gard" demonstrate his lyrical and expressive playing style, paying homage to his mentors Jim Hall and Charlie Haden.

After the first four original compositions, Dream Box presents two elegantly rendered covers. The first is an inventive interpretation of Russell Vernon Longstreth's (aka Russ Long) lesser-known yacht rock classic, "Never Was Love." Metheny strips away the glossy pop artifice, revealing the intricate bluesy melody's sophisticated nature. The second cover, Sammy Cahn's "I Fall in Love Too Easily," resonates with echoes of pianist Bill Evans' rendition on his album Moon Beams (Riverside Records, 1962). Metheny's delicate use of reverb adds an extra layer of multifold voices as he skillfully navigates the single-string melody, chord changes, and innovative bridges. The album also features Luiz Bonfa's "Morning of the Carnival" ("Manha de Carnival"), a standard that Metheny approaches with fidelity to the original while infusing subtle samba and cumbia rhythms.As Metheny presents the melody, he artfully juxtaposes contrasting melodic voices, culminating in a warm and poignant solo performance. The album concludes with "Clouds Can't Change the Sky," a captivating ballad that showcases Metheny's ability to weave multiple melodic voices and create a rich sonic landscape.

Dream Box emerges as yet another standout achievement in Pat Metheny's solo discography. It showcases his ability to unveil his musical visions and demonstrate his exquisite technique on the electric guitar. The album presents a dream-like musical world, where emotions and melodies intertwine, culminating in a truly immersive sonic experience. By Nenad Georgievski https://www.allaboutjazz.com/dream-box-pat-metheny-bmg

Personnel: Pat Metheny: electric guitar, baritone guitar.

Dream Box

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Chris Flory Quintet - The Chris Flory Quintet Featuring Scott Hamilton

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 61:42
Size: 141.2 MB
Styles: Guitar jazz
Year: 2012
Art: Front

[6:32] 1. The Lady's In Love With You
[7:26] 2. Girl Talk
[6:02] 3. Hit And Run
[5:14] 4. Born To Be Blue
[7:02] 5. Who Cares
[4:45] 6. After Hours
[4:46] 7. Moonlight In Vermont
[6:43] 8. Happy Feet
[6:03] 9. Isn't It A Lovely Day
[7:03] 10. Perdido

Chris Flory, one of the top straight ahead jazz guitarists of the past 35 years, reunites with legendary saxophonist Scott Hamilton to make a stunningly beautiful small group swing CD. The quintet includes Larry Ham on piano, Lee Hudson on bass, and Chuck Riggs on drums. Flory’s stellar career has included gigs with veteran jazz musicians such as Benny Goodman and Illinois Jacquet as well as singers Maxine Sullivan and Rosemary Clooney.

Chris Flory: guitar; Scott Hamilton: tenor saxophone; Larry Ham: piano; Lee Hudson: bass; Chuck Riggs: drums.

Guitarist Chris Flory was there in the ‘70s as one of the young musicians playing mainstream swing and, as part of that generation, he has kept the legacy of mainstream swing guitar alive while simply playing in his own musical personality. One of the top straight ahead guitarists of the past 35 years, throughout this CD, in this reunion with Scott Hamilton, Chris Flory brings out the best in Scott and vice versa, making this disc one of the high points of their recent careers. ~Scott Yanow

The Chris Flory Quintet Featuring Scott Hamilton

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Maria Esteban - It's Me!

Styles: Vocal
Size: 68,2 MB
Time: 29:42
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2024
Art: Front

1. My Pretty Little Girl (6:49)
2. Waiting (5:32)
3. Para Ti (3:45)
4. Goodbye (4:02)
5. Suffer (5:03)
6. Doris Mood (4:28)

In January 2024, Maria Esteban decided to immortalize six of her own compositions in It's Me! As its name indicates, it is a personal work full of sincerity and, at some moments, a strong stubbornness. It is a discourse about the struggle that requires the achievement of goals and goals in life. Gambling and risks, successes, failures and losses. A disc that sings in the fortress, but it is also an invitation to be aware of our fear of failure. https://www.enderrock.cat/disc/10485/it-me

Credits: Maria Esteban - voice; Edu Cabello - saxophone, flute; Eddie Mejía - guitar; David Muoz - bass; Santi Colomer - Battery

It's Me!

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Bryn Roberts & Lage Lund - Nightsong

Styles: Piano And Guitar Jazz
Year: 2016
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 53:33
Size: 123,3 MB
Art: Front

(7:27)  1. Nightsong
(6:50)  2. Dreamsville
(7:31)  3. Jogral
(7:53)  4. Medicine Bow
(6:29)  5. K W
(6:18)  6. New Standards
(7:13)  7. Circus Blues
(3:51)  8. Mãos De Jardineiro

Bryn Roberts is pianist, keyboardist and composer who is in demand in a wide variety of musical contexts. He has performed, toured and recorded extensively both as a leader and sideman, and is a mainstay at NYC jazz clubs like Smalls, Mezzrow, The Jazz Gallery, the 55 bar and Dizzy's. An acclaimed composer and bandleader, Roberts has four albums out featuring his own music: his debut “Present Tense”, “Ludlow” (featuring Seamus Blake, Drew Gress and Mark Ferber), “Fables” (featuring Seamus Blake, Orlando le Fleming and Johnathan Blake) and his most recent release, a duo album with guitarist Lage Lund called “Nightsong”. Roberts has toured widely with his own groups including festival, radio and club appearances across the USA, Canada, the UK, Spain and Japan with some of New York’s finest musicians: Matt Penman, Jochen Rueckert, Rodney Green, Joe Martin, Jaleel Shaw, Johnathan Blake, Mark Ferber, Will Vinson and Seamus Blake. Roberts is an original member of the Nonet led by Grammy nominee Alan Ferber, and has recorded with the group for a series of critically-acclaimed releases: “Scenes from an Exit Row”, “The Compass”, “Chamber Songs” and “Roots and Transitions”. He also plays frequently with saxophonist Jon Gordon's Quartet, and bassist Chuck Israels. In addition to his work in jazz and improvised music, Roberts has played and toured with many artists in the singer-songwriter world, including Grammy award winners Rosanne Cash, John Leventhal,  Shawn Colvin, Stax records legend William Bell, and Dar Williams. http://www.bryn-roberts.com/bio/

Very sweet guitar and piano duo, the songs are mostly created by two people. The sound of Lund's relatively hollow guitar is very suitable for piano matching, especially when it is shared with the piano to interpret the theme melody. The music is very fluid and leaves a lot of space for each other. There are more songs in the middle plate, which is really reminiscent of the classic partner of Bill Evans and Jim Hall.

Personnel: Bryn Roberts - Piano;  Lage Lund - Guitar

Nightsong

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Black Art Jazz Collective - Armor of Pride

Styles:Jazz
Size: 103,9 MB
Time: 45:24
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2018
Art: Front

1. Miller Time (7:25)
2. Armor of Pride (6:53)
3. Awuraa Amma (6:47)
4. The Spin Doctor (4:56)
5. And There She Was, Lovely as Ever (3:16)
6. Pretty (5:19)
7. When Will We Learn (5:18)
8. Black Art (5:26)

2018 release. The Black Art Jazz Collective's mission statement celebrates African-American cultural and political icons. At the core is a modernism that conjures up the classic bands of Art Blakey and acoustic Miles Davis. But with the contemporary soul-fueled solos and locked-in rhythm the band is more likely to launch into a counterpoint riff or the spacious funk of hip-hop than the svelte lines of a classic walking bass.

The Black Art Jazz Collective delivers strong original tunes and purposeful, form-hugging improvisation that keeps things looking forward rather than back. And with trumpeter Jeremy Pelt on ebullient form, and saxophonist Wayne Escoffery's muscularity contrasting with the tenderness of James Burton III's trombone, the focus never becomes diffuse or wavers..By Editorial Reviews https://www.amazon.com/Armor-Pride-Black-Jazz-Collective/dp/B07CXGS6TS

Personnel: Wayne Escoffery – tenor saxophone; Jeremy Pelt – trumpet; James Burton III – trombone; Xavier Davis – piano; Vicente Archer – bass; Johnathan Blake – drums

Armor of Pride

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Aaron Goldberg - Unfolding

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2001
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 48:29
Size: 111,5 MB
Art: Front

(6:47)  1. Sea Shantey
(4:44)  2. Isabella Meets Wally
(5:09)  3. If and Only If
(6:36)  4. You Are the Sunshine of My Lif
(1:18)  5. Todd's Dream
(6:19)  6. P.B. & J.
(4:14)  7. MAO's Blues
(5:40)  8. Second Chance
(7:39)  9. Equinox

I’ve heard a number of masterful young pianists recently, and here’s another one. Like any perceptive keyboard artist, Aaron Goldberg writes poetry with his fingertips, evoking the same feelings of warmth and desire, sadness and joy that are common to the written or spoken word. Unfolding, Goldberg’s second J Curve album, consists of seven of his compositions, John Coltrane’s “Equinox” and Stevie Wonder’s “You Are the Sunshine of My Life.” It’s a picturesque and eventful journey on which he’s accompanied and inspired by longtime friends and associates Reuben Rogers (bass) and Eric Harland (drums). Goldberg, as we observed in a review of his first album, Turning Point, “plays with remarkable maturity and insight for one so relatively young” (he’s still in his mid–20s)  and it should be noted that he writes that way too; his compositions are as bright and sophisticated as they are charming and accessible. They include ballads (“If and Only If,” the brief but lovely “Todd’s Dream,” “Second Chance”), blues (“Isabella Meets Wally,” “MAO’s Blues”) and captivating tone poems (“Sea Shantey,” “P.B. & J.”). Goldberg does “wonders” with “Sunshine,” approaching the familiar melody from an acute angle before turning it into a quasi–bossa, while “Equinox,” the “first payment in an eternal debt to the composer,” is treated respectfully, almost reverentially, which is as it should be.

Rogers has a tasteful solo there, as he does on “Isabella Meets Wally,” while Harland unlimbers the heavy artillery to converse with Goldberg on “MAO’s Blues.” When not soloing, Rogers and Harlend give Goldberg a spacious comfort zone in which to maneuver, and there are no audible lapses by any of them. As was the case with Turning Point, the studio session is quite well recorded with remarkable clarity and balance, but the 48:24 playing time is less commendable. Aside from that small complaint, a marvelous second album by an exceptionally talented young musician.

By Jack Bowers https://www.allaboutjazz.com/unfolding-aaron-goldberg-j-curve-records-review-by-jack-bowers.php

Personnel: Aaron Goldberg: piano; Reuben Rogers: bass; Eric Harland: drums.

Unfolding

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Philip Catherine - September Sky

Styles: Guitar Jazz 
Year: 1988
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 65:12
Size: 150,2 MB
Art: Front

(4:27)  1. September Sky
(7:16)  2. Body And Soul
(5:14)  3. Randy Moon
(8:26)  4. Girl Talk
(6:50)  5. Stella By Starlight
(6:51)  6. Adriano
(5:49)  7. My Serenade
(5:28)  8. Changemant D' Avis
(6:58)  9. My Foolish Heart
(7:49) 10. All Blues

An immensely gifted Belgian guitarist, Philip Catherine is a highly regarded performer known for his harmonically nuanced, deeply lyrical playing and crisply rounded fretboard touch. Born in London in 1942 to an English mother and Belgian father, Catherine moved to Brussels with his family at a young age. As a teenager, he became interested in the guitar, influenced at the time by French singer/songwriter and poet George Brassens. By age 14 he was taking lessons, and learning the basic elements of jazz improvisation when he discovered Django Reinhardt. He quickly absorbed the jazz legend's distinctive style, and eventually picked up other influences, including Belgian guitarist René Thomas. He also immersed himself in albums by such luminaries as Art Blakey, Clifford Brown, Max Roach, and others.  Catherine began playing gigs while in his teens, working in a trio with American Hammond B-3 specialist Lou Bennett and drummer Oliver Jackson. There were also stints with Belgian saxophonist Jack Sels and Philadelphia-born/Brussels-based drummer Edgar Bateman. In 1970, violinist Jean-Luc Ponty asked him to join his band and, inspired by contemporaries like John McLaughlin and Larry Coryell, Catherine stayed with Ponty for a year, dedicating himself to the progressive fusion sound. Also during this period, he attended formal music classes at Berklee College of Music in Boston. After returning to Belgium, Catherine found himself in high demand and developed a bevy of connections, including playing with Klaus Weiss, Les McCann, Karin Krog, Dexter Gordon, and others. As a solo artist, he made his debut with 1971's Stream, a funky, inventive mix of acoustic and electric jazz. He followed up in 1975 with Guitars and September Man, both also highly inventive, fusion-influenced albums.

 Sessions with Herb Geller, Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen, and Charles Mingus followed, as did a duo tour with guitarist Coryell. Also during the '70s, he paired with close associate saxophonist Charlie Mariano for a handful of sessions, and rounded out the decade with his own Nairam, which also featured Mariano, along with trumpeter Palle Mikkelborg and others. During the '80s, Catherine's profile continued to rise as he released several more well-regarded efforts, including Babel, End of August, and Trio with guitarist Christian Escoude and violinist Didier Lockwood. There also were dates with Aldo Romano, Stéphane Grappelli, and Kenny Drew. Also in the '80s, he gained attention for his work with legendary West Coast trumpeter/vocalist Chet Baker, touring and appearing on such albums as 1983's Mr. B and 1985's Strollin'. Although his 1986 album, Transparence, layered keyboards into his atmospheric sound, his work with Baker pointed toward a more acoustic-leaning aesthetic. It was a sound he further embraced on 1990's I Remember You. Dedicated to Baker (who died in 1989), the album also featured trumpeter/flügelhornist Tom Harrell. Throughout the '90s, Catherine released a steady stream of albums for smaller jazz labels like Enja, Criss Cross, and Dreyfus, including albums like Moods, Vol. 1, Spanish Nights, and 1999's Guitar Groove.  In 2001, he returned with Blue Prince, which found him balancing his love of acoustic jazz and electric fusion. Joining him were trumpeter Bert Joris, bassist Hein van de Geyn, and drummer Hans Van Oosterhout. Joris was also on board for 2002's Summer Night. The orchestral album Meeting Colours followed three years later. The more intimate Guitars Two appeared in 2008. He then joined bassist van de Geyn, pianist Enrico Pieranunzi, and drummer Joe La Barbera for the 2010 live album Concert in Capbreton. A year later, he delivered the trio date Plays Cole Porter, followed by 2013's warmly sophisticated Côté Jardin. The duo album New Folks with bassist Martin Wind followed a year later. He then joined the Orchestre Royal de Chambre de Wallonie for 2015's The String Project: Live in Brussels.
Matt Collar https://www.allmusic.com/artist/philip-catherine-mn0000287463/biography

Personnel: Guitar – Philip Catherine; Bass – Hein Van de Geyn; Drums – Aldo Romano

September Sky

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Al Di Meola - Twentyfour

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Size: 194,9 MB
Time: 82:35
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2024
Art: Front

1. Fandango ( 7:11)
2. Tears of Hope ( 7:19)
3. Esmeralda ( 4:58)
4. Capriccio Suite ( 7:27)
5. Ava's Dance in the Moonlight ( 8:03)
6. Immeasurable Part1 (10:01)
7. Immeasurable Part2 ( 3:57)
8. Eden ( 4:29)
9. Close Your Eyes ( 4:10)
10. Immeasurable Part3 ( 6:11)
11. Paradox of Puppets ( 4:11)
12. For Only You ( 4:00)
13. Genetik ( 3:18)
14. Testament 24 ( 2:43)
15. Precocious ( 4:31)

Today guitar legend Al Di Meola releases his new album “Twentyfour,” a testament to his immense creativity. Although Al has released 34 albums, the title refers to the fact that it was completed and released in 2024. As he tells Australian Musician, the title was a record label decision, they liked the fact that it was ‘confusing’!

Conceived during the tumultuous times of the pandemic, what started as a simple acoustic project evolved into something much grander. Al’s initial intention to craft a reflective acoustic album on the challenges of the time expanded exponentially as he found himself unable to resist the allure of boundless musical exploration.

Over the span of four years, “Twentyfour” blossomed into a masterpiece, brimming with intricately woven melodies, diverse instrumentation, and captivating highlights. It’s a journey through Al’s musical evolution, showcasing his virtuosity and vision in those special times. Each track is a moment within these four years and a contemporary witness to the events.

Australian Musician editor Greg Phillips spoke to Al Di Meola via zoom to discuss the making of his new album ’Twentyfour’.
https://australianmusician.com.au/features/al-di-meola-the-twentyfour-album-interview/

Twentyfour

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