Amber Weekes - A Lady with a Song - Amber Weekes Celebrates Nancy Wilson

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2024
Time: 51:43
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Size: 119,2 MB
Art: Front

(2:16) 1. My Gentleman Friend
(5:15) 2. Save Your Love For Me
(4:11) 3. A Lady With A Song
(3:43) 4. Ten Good Years
(4:01) 5. What A Little Moonlight Can Do
(4:22) 6. Midnight Sun
(5:39) 7. Suppertime
(4:27) 8. Wave
(3:43) 9. Guess Who I Saw Today
(3:31) 10. I'm Always Drunk In San Francisco
(3:34) 11. The Best Is Yet To Come
(3:51) 12. You're Gonna Hear From Me
(3:06) 13. Wasn't It Wonderful

A memorable jazz singer based in Southern California, Amber Weekes has always been a storyteller who puts a lot of heart and honest feelings into her interpretations of superior standards taken from a wide variety of sources.

The same can be said of Nancy Wilson (1937–2018). The beloved singer was discovered by Cannonball Adderley (with whom she made a classic album), recorded a string of jazz-inspired albums for Capitol in the 1960s, had great success in the pop world, and was an influential household name during her final 50 years.

In her homage to Nancy Wilson, Amber Weekes and her producer, arranger, and conductor Mark Cargill chose songs from Wilson’s huge repertoire that convey a wide variety of emotions and styles. With a top-notch background group that on various songs includes pianists Tony Campodonico and Andy Langham, bassists Jeff Littleton and John B. Williams, and drummers Fritz Wise and Oscar Seaton, several horns and (on “Suppertime”) a gospel choir, plus such featured guests as guitarists Russell Malone and Paul Jackson Jr, and tenor-saxophonists Gerald Alright and Rickey Woodard, the singer creates some of her most inspiring performances.

An up-tempo “My Gentleman Friend” begins the program in a joyful mood. The new version of the classic “Save Your Love For Me” has a light bossa rhythm and singing by Amber that is both swinging and soulful. Lesser known are “A Lady With A Song” (recorded by Wilson in 1989) and the 1965 song “Ten Good Years” during which Amber sings the rapid lyrics with confidence.

Irving Berlin’s “Suppertime” which deals with a lynching, is often sanitized in other versions but Amber added a spoken word section during which she frankly explains the horrible situation. Among the other highlights are “What A Little Moonlight Can Do” which the singer takes a bit slower than is typical, her excellent ballad singing on “Midnight Sun,” Antonio Carlos Jobim’s “Wave” which has Cargill contributing a violin solo, Nancy Wilson’s trademark song “Guess Who I Saw Today” which Amber manages to make her own, and the good-humored “I’m Always Drunk In San Francisco.” A Lady With A Song concludes with a happy and determined “The Best Is Yet To Come,” Amber’s heartfelt ballad singing on “You’re Gonna Hear From Me,” and the spirited jazz waltz “Wasn’t It Wonderful.”

The latter piece was one of the songs that Amber Weekes sang for her parents with her sister when she a child. Born and raised in Los Angeles, Amber had parents who were both singers. She was exposed early on to all types of music, from Frank Sinatra and Ray Charles to the Beatles, Barbra Streisand, Motown, classical music, Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughan, and Billie Holiday. A professional singer as a teenager, she has since taken lessons from Sue Raney for many years. Amber has worked in virtually every Southern California club in addition to Caesar’s Palace in Las Vegas, New York’s New Rochelle Jazz Festival and the Hampstead Jazz Club in London. Her earlier recordings include ‘Round Midnight Reimagined, Pure Imagination, and The Gathering.

With the release of A Lady With A Song, which features Amber Weekes at her best, one of today’s greats pays homage to a legend. Source: JIM EIGO, JAZZ PROMO SERVICES
https://www.allaboutjazz.com/news/amber-weekes-celebrates-nancy-wilson-on-her-new-release-a-lady-with-a-song/

A Lady with a Song - Amber Weekes Celebrates Nancy Wilson

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Love Suggestions - Guitar Night

Styles: Smooth Jazz
Year: 2014
Time: 53:49
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Size: 123,2 MB
Art: Front

(5:47) 1. It's Our Time
(4:39) 2. Stay
(4:45) 3. Life Is Love
(5:02) 4. Little Talks
(4:33) 5. Put You To Bed
(4:00) 6. Can't Hold Us
(4:12) 7. I Need Your Love
(5:11) 8. Counting Stars
(6:38) 9. Wake Me Up
(4:46) 10. The Next Morning
(4:13) 11. The Way

The Love Suggestions series are entitled Piano Night and Guitar Night. This year Konstantin Klashtorni will probably release Sax Night. That sounds like one instrument on each album in the lead.

Konstantin comments꞉ “True, that was my idea, it's like a piano, guitar and sax player each recorded an album in the same vein. By the way, those are 3 instruments I like to feature on all my releases, I like the combination of different instruments a lot, depending on mood and kind of arrangement. I find it quite boring when only one instrument is playing hole song long, no matter how good it is.

I believe people like a variety very much, by the way in the mean of time I've learned a bit to listen music with "normal" people's ears, just a bit! Wish I could do it much better to understand what Jazz music people like most and why.″

The starter It's Our Time invites the audience with a full-bodied ear catcher. The rhythm has the charm of Dr. Hook's Sexy Eyes and the melody is based on the duet principle. The lovely ballad Stay shares the attractive melody between acoustic and electric guitar and a warm pulsing flute.

Carriers of the musical message on Life Is Love are guitar and piano with a gentle approach to your soul. The romantic element is the common denominator on the instrumental union of Little Talks. Overdubbed sax, acoustic guitar and sassy synth lines are melting in an digestible amalgam. The sweet lullaby Put You to Bed creates a cozy atmosphere.

The blazing Can't Hold Us smiles with seductive tasteful guitar sounds while the piano forms a lively counterweight to these riffs. With I Need Your Love the album reaches a first summit of loveliness. Soprano sax, guitar and synth sounds mingles to an infectious brew.

What kind of instruments Konstantin elects, doesn't matter. The result is always an astounding melody like on Counting Stars, where he perfectly pairs sax and acoustic guitar. The steady Wake Me Up is surprising with different music groups especially with a phenomenal horn arrangement. More than six minutes entertainment are passing with ease.

On The Next Morning Konstantin is swelling crystal clear notes fine tempered for the listeners pleasure. The album closes with the sexy charmer The Way balanced between sax and guitar.

Konstantin Klashtorni tirelessly establishes with Guitar Night the ideal audible environment for the best moment with the admitted lover by using carefully selected melodies and instruments to reach this mission.
http://www.smooth-jazz.de/flashback/LoveSuggestions/GuitarNight.htm

Guitar Night

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Cyrus Chestnut - You Are My Sunshine

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2003
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 70:25
Size: 161,6 MB
Art: Front

(5:31)  1. God Has Smiled On Me
(6:41)  2. It's All Right With Me
(6:56)  3. For The Saints
(7:14)  4. Precious Lord
(4:07)  5. You Are My Sunshine
(5:51)  6. Erroling
(2:45)  7. Total Praise
(3:51)  8. Lighthearted Intelligence
(4:15)  9. Sweet Hour Of Prayer
(5:22) 10. Hope Song
(4:39) 11. Flipper
(5:26) 12. What A Fellowship
(7:41) 13. Pass Me Not O Gentle Savior

Tough times make simple music cathartic, and Cyrus Chestnut’s You Are My Sunshine combines tradition with innovation to attractively articulate this 70-minute collection of modern jazz trio music. Chestnut clearly doesn’t expect this record to change your life, but it does successfully brighten our mood. The record’s opening, “God Smiled On Me,” clearly establishes the comfort of acoustic subtlety within a groove that nicely unites Chestnut with band mates Michael Hawkins on bass and Neal Smith on drums. The pianist brings his gospel leanings to five original compositions and standards such as Dorsey’s “Precious Lord.” “...I borrowed a little Stevie Wonder feeling and added it to the mix to create a wholly different sound,” says Chestnut. He subsumes his hard bop and post bop past in the gospel and blues immersion of the record’s first original song, “For the Saints.” It takes Chestnut back to soul as we have experienced it in the domains of churches and small jazz clubs (how often one does feel like the other). The resonant nature of Chestnut’s playing doesn’t give way to rhythm-driven ensemble groove until the 22nd minute, when Hawkins embarks on a lovely solo on bass. This follows with the kind of sterling piano work that defines a great club gig. We revisit the groove stew on “Flipper.” 

By this point, I was recalling so many nights watching the great Oscar Peterson. You Are My Sunshine is a well-paced record. Phrases, explorations, solos and ensemble combine in a time that spaces out this music. Chestnut moves us from one idea to the next with seamless expertise. Great players learn how to immerse the listener in a stew of musical flavor on the bandstand, at home and, in Chestnut’s case, at Berklee. The experience is very positive. “Errolling,” an original dedicated to Erroll Garner, reflects Chestnut’s embrace of the tradition and the new demand for re-examination. Songs of quietude are best left to resonate. This happens in transcendent simplicity with “Total Praise,” one of the highest moments on this record. Jazz lovers often dismiss songs like this, ideas stated in three minutes or less, as “ditties.” Bill Evans turned such dismissal into legend. Chestnut hints at the brilliance of that here. ”Light Hearted Intelligence” pulls us back to Chestnut’s original groove of ensemble dance. His tickling solo work makes way for one of several short drum solos by Neal Smith, a tasteful assembly of accentuated decisions. This may be the only song on the record that is negatively abbreviated, but Chestnut can forever extend it in concert. You Are My Sunshine is a nice release; it retrospectively values a time when the new seems to pale by comparison to the aged. This record will warm traditional jazz lovers like a good memory. It is refreshing to see this kind of jazz emerge from an artist under 40.By AAJ Staff https://www.allaboutjazz.com/you-are-my-sunshine-cyrus-chestnut-warner-bros-review-by-aaj-staff.php

Personnel: Cyrus Chestnut, piano; Michael Hawkins, bass; Neal Smith, drums.

You Are My Sunshine

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Bill Charlap Trio - And Then Again

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2024
Time: 46:41
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Size: 106,9 MB
Art: Front

(7:01) 1. And Then Again
(5:01) 2. All The Things You Are
(5:27) 3. 'Round Midnight
(6:22) 4. In Your Own Sweet Way
(6:05) 5. Darn That Dream
(7:23) 6. Sometimes I'm Happy
(4:03) 7. The Man I Love
(5:15) 8. (I Don't Stand) a Ghost of a Chance (With You)

Listening to pianist Bill Charlap is akin to hearing acoustic jazz in its purest form, and that's the overriding feeling you have while listening to his 2024 concert album And Then Again. Recorded live at the famed Village Vanguard in New York, the album features Charlap and his long-running trio with bassist Peter Washington and drummer Kenny Washington.

Together on and off since the '90s, they play with a swinging, urbane sophistication marked by a warm camaraderie and dancerly interplay. As a soloist, Charlap displays his deep grasp of straight-ahead jazz traditions, tackling a handful of gorgeous jazz standards. We get sparkling, brawny renditions of "All the Things You Are," "In Your Own Sweet Way," and "Darn that Dream." He also delves into Thelonious Monk's "'Round Midnight," evoking Monk's angular, cubist bop style but in his own nuanced way. In fact, what is so compelling about Charlap's playing is just how balanced it is.

He's clearly imbibed an array of influences, from Earl Hines and Teddy Wilson to Bud Powell and Bill Evans, yet he always sounds like himself and is never too indebted to any one performer. The album even opens with his title-track original, a spritely blues in the modern jazz tradition that finds him tumbling through a string of bebop and modal harmonies. Charlap closes out the evening with a dusky, harmonically lush take on "(I Don't Stand) a Ghost of a Chance with You," sinking into the song with a hushed reverie that clings to you long after the album ends.By Matt Collar
https://www.allmusic.com/album/and-then-again-mw0004313755#review

Personnel: Bill Charlap - piano, Peter Washington - bass, Kenny Washington - drums

And Then Again

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Natalie Jacob - Sooner or Later

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2024
Time: 45:09
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Size: 104,2 MB
Art: Front

(3:43) 1. Exactly Like You
(4:57) 2. Wave
(4:47) 3. I Could Write A Book
(4:11) 4. Smile
(4:12) 5. East of the Sun (And West of the Moon)
(3:25) 6. What A Little Moonlight Can Do
(5:42) 7. Corcovado (Quiet Nights of Quiet Stars)
(5:14) 8. I've Got You Under My Skin
(4:01) 9. Sooner or Later
(4:53) 10. No More Blues (Chega De Saudade)

Sooner Or Later is jazz vocalist Natalie Jacob's debut release. It is a refreshing addition to the jazz landscape, blending classic Great American Songbook tunes and bossa nova standards. Produced by Grammy Award winner Scotty Barnhart, the album benefits from the contributions of an outstanding ensemble, including Barnhart on trumpet, pianist Tamir Hendelman, guitarist Anthony Wilson, bassist Carlitos del Puerto, drummer Clayton Cameron and percussionist Kevin Winard. This all-star lineup created a rich backdrop for Jacob's compelling vocal interpretations.

Using songs from her live performances gave Jacob an easy familiarity with the material, and it shows from the opening number, "Exactly Like You." With an arrangement by the swinging and sensitive pianist Hendelman, Jacob delivers the lyrics in an attentive hand-in-glove fashion. Both Barnhart and Hendelman offer clear and definitive solos. The first of the Antonio Carlos Jobim numbers is "Wave," on which the percussionist Winard lays down the soothing boss nova rhythm on which Jacob covers the lyrics with a sunny and gently sailing delivery.

Brooks Bowman's classic "East Of The Sun (And West Of The Moon) has an ingenious charm driven by the Del Puerto opening bass line that leads into the rhythm section's groove. Jacob uses her voice as an instrument of empathy and intimacy, delivering the lyrics with composure. Jacob, who has French-Canadian heritage and has spent time in Montreal, Canada, brings her bilingual skills to bear on Jobim's "Corcovado," singing in English and French with her nuanced phrasing shining through. The collaboration with percussionist Kevin Winard and guitarist Anthony Wilson is particularly noteworthy as their expressive playing complements Jacob's vocals perfectly.

The irrepressible Cole Porter wrote the swinging gem "I've Got You Under My Skin." The rhythm section of Hendelman, Del Puerto and Cameron lays a harmonic foundation and flexible groove which supports Jacob's vibrant vocal lines.

The title track, "Sooner Or Later," is a Stephen Sondheim creation done in a bluesy style. With Barnhart's muted trumpet in the background, Jacob shows she has an emotional connection to the lyrics, infusing them with a contemporary freshness. Jobim's "No More Blues" (Chega De Saudade) closes the session joyfully. Backed by the full ensemble's stellar contribution, Jacob's vocals have an unerring sense of swing and bustling with vital energy. By Pierre Giroux
https://www.allaboutjazz.com/sooner-or-later-natalie-jacob-self-produced

Personnel: Natalie Jacob on vocal, Scotty Barnhart on Trumpet, pianist Tamir Hendelman, guitarist Anthony Wilson, bassist Carlitos Del Puerto, drummer Clayton Cameron, and percussionist Kevin Winard.

Sooner or Later

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Michael Kaeshammer - Strut

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2004
Time: 54:28
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Size: 124,9 MB
Art: Front

(5:26) 1. Twentysomething
(3:10) 2. Sleepy Time
(2:23) 3. Bass Gone Crazy
(4:23) 4. Comes Love
(5:11) 5. Now?
(3:44) 6. Almost a Rag
(4:12) 7. You're a Good Dancer, Johnny!
(3:37) 8. At the Vinyl Cafe
(4:57) 9. Blue Skies
(5:22) 10. Soundtrack to Something Beautiful
(3:37) 11. Sunny Morning
(4:00) 12. Cry to Me
(4:19) 13. Maybe Tomorrow

Michael Kaeshammer studied classical piano when he was a child. By the time he entered his teens, he fell in love with boogie-woogie piano. Form then on, jazz and its diverse extensions captured his muse, and his first recording, 1996's Blue Skies, showcased that proclivity. Time saw the release of two more albums and now, with his fourth, Kaeshammer shows a compact feel for mood and dynamics.

Kaeshammer and his band converse fluidly and bring in an emotional impetus that drives the tunes. But give it to him as he socks out the boogie-woogie on “Bass Gone Crazy” (which composer Albert Ammons also recorded as a solo), the bass accented by his left hand. He adds to the skein of imagination with “Almost a Rag,” which moves just enough from the core of the style to bring in a distinct, pleasing adjunct.

The blues come in on “Cry to Me,” where his yearning vocals bring the right pathos, and on “Twentysomething,” a delightful choogle elevated by the accents of Johnny Vidacovich on drums, with Ben Wolfe on bass singing a fine melodic line.

One test for a musician is adaptability to standards and the way they are read. Kaeshammer does well on both counts. “Blue Skies” has a moving time scape. Kaeshammer is buoyant on a traipsing melody at the outset but is coaxed into a hardier métier by Vidacovich before they come together for an amiable dialogue, with the former making good use of space and the drummer using the cymbals in gossamer hue before punching out in a final crescendo. Kaeshammer gets “Sunday Morning” in his stride, his left hand and right locked in harmony.

Michael Kaeshanmmer is one heck of a musician and he deserves a wider audience. It’s a sure bet that it won’t be long before he has one. By Jerry D'Souza
https://www.allaboutjazz.com/strut-michael-kaeshammer-review-by-jerry-dsouza

Strut

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Eddie 'Lockjaw' Davis - Goin' To The Meetin'

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2001
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 73:00
Size: 171,6 MB
Art: Front

(5:02)  1. I Wished On The Moon
(4:24)  2. From This Moment On
(5:44)  3. It's A Pity To Say Goodnight
(6:17)  4. Just Friends
(7:03)  5. The Moon Of Mankoora
(6:53)  6. Speak Low
(5:27)  7. Goin' To Meetin'
(3:05)  8. People Will Say We're In Love
(5:00)  9. Night And Day
(3:41) 10. Pass The Hat
(3:48) 11. Yes, Yes
(3:59) 12. Please Send Me Someone To Love
(2:40) 13. Our Love Is Here To Stay
(5:35) 14. Oh Babee
(4:15) 15. Little Cougar

The esthetic and visceral aspects of Eddie “Lockjaw” Davis’ music have been on my mind a lot lately. My regular AAJ column “Combing the Fantasy Catalog” allowed me the welcome chance to explore his Prestige label legacy at length, but much to my regret this recent reissue wasn’t in circulation until after I’d put the wrap on the articles. The generous clutch of material from three albums, Misty, Stompin’ and Goin’ to the Meetin’ gathered here is much in line with his other work circa this vintage. The disc’s first half revisits the classic Davis/Scott combo flying its full hard-swinging soul-hued regalia with the added bonus of conguero Ray Barretto in the ranks. Originally a Moodsville release the tunes are a surprising mix of up-tempo burners like “From This Moment On” and balladic fare such as “Just Friends.” Both vie to create a swirling batch of performances that bring out the band’s best side. Just drop in on the furious conga breaks on the former tune and tidal force of Scott’s sustain-saturated fills for a taste guaranteed to leave even the most sullenly jaded listener rapacious for more. Even the slice of pop exotica “The Moon of Manakoora,” a regular staple of the Bachelor pad orchestras bandleaders like Les Baxter and is successfully given a make-over in line with the Davis’ no-frills delivery.

The album from which the disc’s title is taken fills out the second half trading Scott’s soul organ for Parlan’s hard bop piano and convening a completely different rhythm section with conga presence intact. Catlett’s moody walking line on the title track (which strangely recalls the bass line to Gil Melle’s “Mars”- how’s that for an obscure reference?) is but one of the many indications of a different, but no less visceral vibe. Bobo’s skins are sparser and more staccato in sound, accenting rather than driving the group, and Taylor’s sticks deliver a crisper, more measured sound than Edgehill. Parlan steps to the solo podium almost as often as the leader, but tune lengths are significantly shorter. Highlights are numerous, but the Latin groove of “Night and Day” where Taylor and Bobo sculpt a living lattice of interlocking cross rhythms beneath Davis’ booting phrasings garners first prize by my estimation. Listener’s familiar with Davis won’t need much prodding when it comes to acquisition of this disc, but suffice it to say that those unfamiliar with his gruff charms are likely to find themselves pleased by the purchase as well.By Derek Taylor
https://www.allaboutjazz.com/goin-to-the-meetin-eddie-lockjaw-davis-review-by-derek-taylor.php

Personnel: Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis (tenor saxophone); Horace Parlan (piano); Shirley Scott (organ); George Duvivier (bass); Ray Barretto, Willie Bobo (congas).

Goin' To The Meetin'

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Mishka Adams - Stranger On The Shore

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 41:10
Size: 94.3 MB
Styles: Jazz vocals
Year: 2012
Art: Front

[2:47] 1. Whisper Not
[3:34] 2. Both Sides Now
[3:51] 3. Les Enfants Qui S'aiment
[4:02] 4. Star Eyes
[4:22] 5. Stranger On The Shore
[4:54] 6. Sous Le Ciel De Paris
[4:45] 7. Beatriz
[2:45] 8. Time On My Hands
[5:58] 9. Midnight Sun
[4:08] 10. You Must Believe In Spring

Since graduating from London’s prestigious Guildhall College of Music ,Mishka has honed not only her vocal skills, but as is clear from this new album she has also developed admirably her compositional and arranging skills. Here she puts her indelible stamp on a hand picked collection of songs internationally known and loved. Here” Star Eyes” gets a pulsating Bossa Nova treatment ,while the groovy Benny Golson classic “Whisper Not” and the poignant rendition of “Stranger in the Shore” emphasise the lyrics to great effect.

Other highlights showcase Mishka’s passion for the” Great French songbook”as she sings “Sous le ciel de Paris” in it’s native tongue and likewise Chico Barque’s masterpiece “Beatriz” . Another landmark album from this Anglo-Filipina artist.

Mishka Adams (vocals); Edgar Avenir (guitar); Mike Guevarra, Toots Tolentino (saxes); Ria Villena (piano).

Stranger On The Shore

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Andy James - Let Me See Your Heart

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2024
Time: 60:53
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Size: 140,0 MB
Art: Front

(3:49) 1. Take Five
(5:52) 2. Bali Hai
(5:17) 3. Photograph
(6:03) 4. New York State of Mind
(5:27) 5. For Every Man There’s a Women
(5:28) 6. All Or Nothing At All
(5:09) 7. Danny Boy
(5:16) 8. Let Me See Your Heart
(5:04) 9. Lets Try
(4:14) 10. I Was Born In Love With You
(5:17) 11. Lets Talk Of Love
(3:52) 12. I Will Say Goodbye

One of the classiest readers of standards, Andy James brings together an all star group that includes (but is not limited to) the A list of Jon Cowherd-John Beasley/key-p, Ronnie Foster/B3, Chico Pinheiro-Larry Koonse/g, John Patitucci/b, Alex Acuna/perc, Clarence Penn-Rudy Royston/dr, Terell Stafford/tp and Joel Frahm/ts in a vibrant mix and match session of ideas

She is luminous when simply supported by Cowherd on “Danny Boy” while getting urgent with Frahm on “All Or Nothing At All”. An Afro Cuban read of “Take Five” was a brilliant call, and she sounds worldwise on a street savvy “New York State of Mind”. A master of moods, she coos effervescence for “I Will Say Goodbye” and is wondrous and wide eyed for “Bali Hai”. Well told stories.https://www.jazzweekly.com/2024/07/andy-james-let-me-see-your-heart/

Let Me See Your Heart

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Love Suggestions - Sax Night

Styles: Smooth Jazz
Size: 116,9 MB
Time: 51:03
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2017
Art: Front

1. Thick of It (5:42)
2. There Goes My Baby (4:17)
3. Shape of You (5:06)
4. Don't Wanna Know (4:49)
5. That's What I Like (4:18)
6. U + Me (4:47)
7. She Lovin' It (4:15)
8. Back 2 Life (4:15)
9. Better Man (4:56)
10. Don't Want You Back (4:39)
11. Million Reasons (3:53)

Multi-instrumentalist Konstantin Klashtorni has designed the Love Suggestions series for lovers to spend nice evenings together. The main emphasis is on one instrument in the foreground without neglecting other instruments. That in mind he already released Piano Night in 2013 and Guitar Night in 2014. Now he returns with the long-awaited Sax Night.

With a romantic and melodious approach he creates R&B oriented smooth jazz with that certain twist. Listening to the first notes of Thick of It brings back in mind, what we miss since the release of his latest album in 2016. With the perfect balance of flavor coming out of the land of rhythm and groove Konstantin creates with sax, flute and guitar the magical melody line.

There Goes My Baby rides on an emotional wave incorporating gospel elements and some retro feeling. Sax and guitar are living in a fine neighborhood. The sweeping ballad Shape of You reunites flute and sax to a deceptively accessible celestial arrangement. Don't Wanna Know flows in a coherent fluid music stream that is smooth like Italian ice cream.

That's What I Like reveals a beautiful melody, which has already been heard in one way or another. Nothing to bother about with the exception of the desperate desire to find the similar sounding piece. I would opt for Stevie Wonder. Now relax and sit back to listen to the mellifluously seductive sax on U + Me.

She Lovin It reveals Konstantin's uncanny virtuosity of working at a chromatic harmonic level and arrangement weaving an irresistible tapestry of sax and keys. Back 2 Life is another charming melody intertwining with a lightness of touch flute and sax. Better Man slows down the pace to soothing moments.

The harshness of the title Don't Want You Back stands in diametrical contrast to the grace of the saxophone-loaded melody. Million Reasons shines with spatial grandeur. Outstanding sax overdubs find their equivalent in an excellent arrangement.

Konstantin Klashtorni is the epitome of perfect smooth jazz. A courageous guardian of the better sound.http://www.smooth-jazz.de/firstview/LoveSuggestions/SaxNight.htm

Sax Night

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Les Brown - Best Of The Big Bands

Styles: Jazz, Big Band
Size: 113,9 MB
Time: 49:46
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 1990
Art: Front

1. Leap Frog (2:35)
2. Sentimental Journey (3:49)
3. You Won't Be Satisfied Until You Break My Heart (3:05)
4. Floatin' (3:00)
5. I've Got The Sun In The Morning (2:34)
6. A Foggy Day (3:15)
7. Bizet Has His Day (3:16)
8. All Through The Day (3:14)
9. I've Got My Love to Keep Me Warm (2:54)
10. 'Tis Autumn (3:10)
11. On The Beach At Waikiki (3:15)
12. 'S Wonderful (3:05)
13. My Dreams Are Getting Better All The Time (3:16)
14. Mexican Hat Dance (3:05)
15. Just One Of Those Things (2:40)
16. Twilight Time (3:27)

As is often true of Columbia's early-'90s CD series titled Best of the Big Bands, the music is more rewarding than the packaging, illogical programming, or vacuous liner notes. The recording dates and personnel of the 16 Les Brown recordings on this disc are inexcusably left off. However, most of Brown's biggest hits are here (including his theme "Leap Frog," "Sentimental Journey," "Bizet Has His Day," "I've Got My Love to Keep Me Warm," and "My Dreams Are Getting Better All the Time") and the program (although not in chronological order) is consistently satisfying. This is the Les Brown CD to get, at least until a better reissue series comes along.By Scott Yanow
https://www.allmusic.com/album/best-of-the-big-bands-mw0000654668#review

Best Of The Big Bands

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Gerald Wilson - Theme for Monterey

Styles: Jazz, Big Band

Year: 1998

File: MP3@320K/s

Time: 63:26

Size: 145,5 MB

Art: Front

( 6:30)  1. Romance

(12:18)  2. Lyons' Roar

( 9:31)  3. The Lone Cypress

( 8:50)  4. Spanish Bay

( 6:53)  5. Cooking on Cannery Row

(13:29)  6. Summertime

( 5:51)  7. Anthropology

In 1997, bandleader/arranger Gerald Wilson was commissioned by the Monterey Jazz Festival to write an original piece to be performed at that year's festival. Wilson's goal was to compose a melody that the audience would leave the venue singing to themselves. He succeeded by casting his "Theme for Monterey" in five different styles, with his big band interpreting the theme in a variety of moods as a ballad, a Latin romp, a medium-tempo piece and a shouting conclusion. His memorable five-part suite has solos by his son, guitarist Anthony Wilson, trumpeter Oscar Brashear, pianist Brian O'Rourke, trombonist George Bohanon, trumpeter Carl Saunders, Randall Willis on tenor, and others. Also on this CD are a couple pieces commissioned by the Ira and Leonore Gershwin Foundation, reworkings of "Summertime" and "Anthropology." Wilson was proud that he was able to give five-part harmonies to every melody note in the latter piece (Charlie Parker's original based on "I Got Rhythm"). Highly recommended. ~ Scott Yanow http://www.allmusic.com/album/theme-for-monterey-mw0000037123

Personnel: Gerald Wilson - arranger, conductor;  Ron Barrows, Oscar Brashear, Carl Saunders, Snooky Young – trumpet;  Leslie Benedict, George Bohanon, Isaac Smith – trombone;  Louis Taylor - soprano saxophone;  Scott Mayo - soprano saxophone, alto saxophone, tenor saxophone;  Randall Willis - alto saxophone, tenor saxophone;  Carl Randall - tenor saxophone;  Jack Nimitz - baritone saxophone;  Brian O'Rourke – piano;  Eric Veliotes, Anthony Wilson – guitar;  Trey Henry – bass;  Mel Lee - drums

Theme for Monterey

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Simone Kopmajer - Hope

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

(3:32) 1. Pick Yourself Up
(3:50) 2. Black Tattoo
(3:33) 3. Careless Whisper
(4:24) 4. Little Green Apples
(4:31) 5. What A Difference A Day Makes
(4:09) 6. Sittin' On The Dock Of The Bay
(3:08) 7. Amsterdam
(4:19) 8. Old Devil Moon
(4:03) 9. Hope
(4:43) 10. As The Night Goes By
(3:20) 11. So Faengt Das Leben An

When Simone Kopmajer got together with Terry Myers (leader of the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra) last year for a “Vienna Session” they didn’t expect to come out a whole new album. „HOPE“ contains brand-new original material in a smooth and relaxing, jazzy mood as well as cover songs like „Sitting on the Dock of the Bay“ (Otis Redding), „Careless Whisper“(George Michael) and jazz standards such as „Pick Yourself Up“, „What a Difference a Day Makes“ and „Old Devil Moon“!
https://www.simonekopmajer.com/news/2024/6/28/hqylv1t7p2b8gjbz880ukrm0ay4uqm

She has soul and a particular charismatic tone in her voice that gives each song that special something. Born in Schladming, Austria, Simone Kopmajer already achieved at a young age what many musicians, bands and ensembles dream of – the launch of a successful international career. In the United States, Japan and Southeast Asia, the singer is a household name for lovers of demanding and refined jazz music. She fills large concert halls, performs as the headliner of major international festivals and has sold thousands of CDs worldwide. Lo and behold, it seems as if only Austria is not quite aware of this outstanding and award winning singer.

In a time where everyone is complaining about declining CD sales, Simone Kopmajer managed the feat of selling more than 30,000 units of her album “Nothing’s Gonna Change” in Thailand last year. Not only is this a very impressive figure, in Thailand her release was also on the topof the list of the best-selling jazz albums of the year. Similarly impressive are the sales figures in Japan, where the Styrian-born musician made her breakthrough at an even earlier stage.

Her enthusiasm and love for music already kindled at a very early age. She began to sing at eight, with twelve she sang in the band of her father, who was a music school director and a big jazz fan, and at sixteen she was accepted at the University of Music and Dramatic Arts in Graz, where she was immediately admitted due to her rare talent. During her studies, she was given the opportunity to work with many renowned artists such as Mark Murphy, Sheila Jordan, Michele Hendricks, Jay Clayton and the New York Voices.

In the year 2000 she debuted in the U.S. and left a lasting impression among quite a few experts and connoisseurs of contemporary jazz music. Simone Kopmajer’s role models were the great voices of jazz and American show business, such as Ella Fitzgerald, Frank Sinatra, and Jon Hendricks, although over time the Styrian-born detached herself more and more from these influences to findher own musical language.

With her charisma and unbelievable talent, Simone Kopmajer manages to give her songs a very specific emotional, charming and in-depth note, which simply touches the people. Her sound is located somewhere between jazz, swing and tasteful pop. Although her music is very relaxed, flowing and elegant, it is also very playful and varied these multilayered facets distinguished her early off from similar formats and made her music all the more interesting.
With her debut album “Moonlight Serenade”, which was released in 2004 and produced by Todd Barkan, the award winning singer was able to land respectable successes, especially in Japan. As a consequence, the singer was able to steadily increase her popularity from one album to the next. Unfortunately her albums were not available in Austria for a very long time. In 2009 her album “Didn’t You Say”, recorded in collaboration with stars such as George Mraz, Houston Person, Victor Lewis and James Genus , finally also opened the gates to the domestic market.

The probably largest success of Simone Kopmajer’s carreer was with her fifth album “Nothing’s Gonna Change” in 2011, which, as already mentioned, made her a celebrated star in new realms such as Thailand.

It is safe to say that Simone Kopmajer is on her way to the very top. With the ability to constantly raise her musicto the next level, we may assume that there is yet a lot more to come and it will be excitingto see where the journey will still take this exceptional singer. (Michael Ternai) www.simonekopmajer.com

Personnel: Simone Kopmajer - vocals; Terry Myers - tenor saxophone; Paul Urbanek - piano, organ; Karl Sayer - bass; Reinhardt Winkler - drums

Hope

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Hal Singer - Paris Soul Food

Styles: Saxophone Jazz 
Year: 1969
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 34:12
Size: 78,9 MB
Art: Front

(2:40)  1. Paris Soul Food
(2:22)  2. Brother, I'm With You
(3:36)  3. Malcolm X
(2:52)  4. Fa-Fa-Fa-Fa-Fa
(4:51)  5. Saturday Night In Watts, Act One
(2:26)  6. Green Onions
(3:33)  7. Jumpin' Jack Flash
(2:25)  8. Good To Me
(2:10)  9. Son Of A Preacher Man
(3:01) 10. Kansas City
(4:12) 11. Hey Jude

Equally at home blowing scorching R&B or tasty jazz, Hal "Cornbread" Singer has played and recorded both over a career spanning more than half a century. Singer picked up his early experience as a hornman with various Southwestern territory bands, including the outfits of Ernie Fields, Lloyd Hunter, and Nat Towles. He made it to Kansas City in 1939, working with pianist Jay McShann (whose sax section also included Charlie Parker), before venturing to New York, in 1941, and playing with Hot Lips Page, Earl Bostic, Don Byas, and Roy Eldridge (with whom he first recorded in 1944). After the close of the war, Singer signed on with Lucky Millinder's orchestra. Singer had just fulfilled his life's ambition  a chair in Duke Ellington's prestigious reed section in 1948, when a honking R&B instrumental called "Cornbread" that he'd recently waxed for Savoy as a leader began to take off. That presented a wrenching dilemma for the young saxist, but in the end, his decision to go out on his own paid off; "Cornbread" paced the R&B charts for four weeks and gave him his enduring nickname. Another of his Savoy instrumentals, "Beef Stew," also cracked the R&B lists.

Singer recorded rocking R&B workouts for Savoy into 1956 (the cuisine motif resulting in helpings of "Neck Bones," "Rice and Red Beans," and "Hot Bread"), working with sidemen including pianists Wynton Kelly and George Rhodes, guitarist Mickey Baker, bassist Walter Page, and drummer Panama Francis. One of his last dates for the firm produced the torrid "Rock 'n' Roll," which may have featured Singer as vocalist as well as saxist. By the late '50s, Singer had abandoned rock & roll for a life as a jazz saxist. He recorded for Prestige in a more restrained manner in 1959, and stayed in that general groove. Singer relocated to Paris in 1965, winning over European audiences with his hearty blowing and engaging in quite a bit of session work with visiting blues and jazz luminaries. The old R&B fire flared up temporarily in 1990, when he cut Royal Blue for Black Top with boogie piano specialist Al Copley. ~ Bill Sahl https://www.allmusic.com/artist/hal-singer-mn0000949042/biography

Featuring : Hal Singer (saxophone), Manu Dibango (saxophone), Bernard Estardy, Slim Pezin (banjo), Lucien Dobat, Jeannot Karl, Mam (Group Leader)

Paris Soul Food

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Willie Jones III - My Point Is...

Styles: Jazz, Post Bop
Year: 2017
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 53:55
Size: 127,7 MB
Art: Front

(6:43)  1. Manhattan Melodies
(7:47)  2. The Wind Of An Immortal Soul
(5:31)  3. Christina
(8:45)  4. My Point Is
(7:18)  5. The Maze
(5:43)  6. Early Morning
(4:30)  7. Peace
(7:34)  8. Blues For Dat Taz

Over the years, the name of Willie Jones III has really become one that makes us want to stop and check out a record and this time around, not only does the set feature Jones' name on the front but the quintet also includes great performances from Ralph Moore on tenor, Eddie Henderson on trumpet, Eric Reed on piano, and Buster Williams on bass! With a lineup like that, Reed just can't miss and the record takes us back to the kind of instant classics we were hearing from Henderson, Moore, and Reed twenty years back but given that sort of special vision that makes Willie both a great drummer and leader, one who's evolving into a one-man powerhouse of jazz given that he also produces and releases his records himself. And yet there's nothing smalltime about this set especially with Henderson and Moore in the lead, the latter of whom is always a treat to our ears. Titles include "Manhattan Melodies", "My Point Is", "The Wind Of An Immortal Soul", "The Maze", "Blues For Dat Taz", and "Early Morning".  © 1996-2018, Dusty Groove, Inc. https://www.dustygroove.com/item/859299/Willie-Jones-III:My-Point-Is

Personnel:  Willie Jomes III, drums;  Eric Reed, piano;  Buster Williams, bass;  Eddie Henderson, trumpet;  Ralph Moore, tenor sax

My Point Is...

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Barbara Thompson's Paraphernalia - Live In Concert 1980 CD 1 (80th Birthday Edition)

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2024
Time: 74:31
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Size: 171,2 MB
Art: Front

( 6:48) 1. Summer Madness (Live)
(10:33) 2. Frilly Bolero (Live)
( 9:06) 3. From Nowhere (Live)
( 8:27) 4. Scrummage (Live)
( 6:28) 5. Little Annie-Ooh (Live)
( 8:55) 6. Blues For Adolphe Sax (Live)
( 5:53) 7. Sunset (Live)
(18:17) 8. Aliyah (Live)

Live In Concert 1980 CD 1

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Barbara Thompson's Paraphernalia - Bonus Disc: The Flute Collection (Compilation CD) CD 2

Styles: Flute Jazz
Year: 2024
Time: 59:30
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Size: 137,0 MB
Art: Front

( 4:51) 1. Fields of Flowers
( 6:50) 2. Castles in the Air
( 3:33) 3. Bad Blues
( 7:14) 4. Head in the Sand
( 3:45) 5. Goodtyme Mr. Sam
( 4:51) 6. Tibetan Sunrise
(10:01) 7. Eastern Western Promise Part I
( 9:24) 8. Eastern Western Promise Part II
( 5:50) 9. La Tranquilite D'Ame
( 3:07) 10. Elysian Fields

Barbara Thompson MBE would have celebrated her 80th Birthday on 27th July 2024. In response to fan requests, Repertoire Records will be marking the occasion with the release of classic Paraphernalia album “Live In Concert” 1980 as a deluxe package with bonus CD compilation “The Flute Collection”.
Reissue of Paraphernalia’s classic album Live In Concert 1980 mastered by Jon Hiseman. Limited edition 2CD deluxe package

10 track bonus CD “The Flute Collection” compiled by Barbara herself before her death, with material spanning 20 years performed by several seminal Paraphernalia line-ups
Despite being a fan favourite and receiving many accolades, the album has never been released on CD or digital platforms…until now.
https://barbara-thompson.co.uk/product/live-in-concert-barbara-thompsons-paraphernalia-80th-birthday-edition/

Bonus Disc: The Flute Collection (Compilation CD) CD 2

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Esperanza Spalding & Milton Nascimento - Milton + esperanza

Styles: Brazilian Jazz
Size: 145,2 MB
Time: 60:59
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2024
Art: Front

1. The Music Was There (0:58)
2. Cais (3:41)
3. Late September (1:26)
4. Outubro (5:17)
5. A Day in the Life (4:36)
6. Interlude for Saci (1:41)
7. Saci (3:29)
8. Wings for the Thought Bird (3:07)
9. The Way You Are (0:43)
10. Earth Song (6:42)
11. Morro Velho (5:15)
12. Saudade Dos Aviões Da Panair (Conversando No Bar) (5:24)
13. Um Vento Passou (para Paul Simon) (4:37)
14. Get It By Now (2:24)
15. Outro Planeta (2:06)
16. When You Dream (9:26)

Sometimes the semiology around an album can tell you more about it than any amount of words attempting to describe the music itself. And the semiology around Milton + esperanza is eloquent. It begins with the overlap with another summer 2024 release, Wayne Shorter's magical double-album Celebration Volume 1 (Blue Note), a previously unreleased recording of Shorter's Quartet in concert in 2014, with liner notes written by Shorter's wife Carolina.

Now consider the overlap. Wayne Shorter recorded with Milton Nascimento on the 1975 album Native Dancer (CBS), and the relationship continued until Shorter passed in 2023. Towards the end of his life, Shorter was a mentor and champion of Esperanza Spalding. Shorter's "When You Dream" (from his 1985 CBS album Atlantis) closes Milton + esperanza. Carolina Shorter is a guest vocalist on the track, singing alongside Nascimento and Spalding. She is heard on another track, too, "Wings For The Thought Bird," chanting a Nichiren Buddhist mantra. Nascimento and Spalding were introduced to each other by the Shorters' friend Herbie Hancock, and they first collaborated on Spalding's Chamber Music Society (Heads Up, 2010).

Enough semiology. The smoke signals should be in clear sight. They promise beauty and depth, and both are delivered in generous quantities. Check the YouTube below.

The music on Shorter's Celebration Volume 1 is superficially different from that on Milton + esperanza. But there are profound similarities. (Shorter's album is scheduled for release on August 23, 2024, a month ahead at the time of writing this review.) Listening to Celebration Volume 1, one feels like one is cruising through space on Starship Shorter, watching an unfolding panorama of quasars, suns, star systems and new life forms pass by. Another metaphor might be one of those deep-sea explorations where strange but beautiful sea creatures drift in and out of the submersible's spotlight. It is a trip alright.

So is Milton + esperanza, but the voyage is closer to home. A recurring theme in the song lyrics seems most of the lyrics are in Portuguese and no English translations are provided, so it is hard to be certain to concern the health of planet Earth and how it can be secured. The music is in the same elevated ballpark as the Shorter album, although Spalding and Nascimento have more instrumental resources at hand than did the Quartet, including a full-sized string orchestra and plenty of guest artists. The latter include Shabaka Hutchings on tenor saxophone and flute on three tracks, the great Guinga on guitar and vocals on two tracks, and Lianne La Havas, Paul Simon and Dianne Reeves helping out on vocals on one track each.

The sixteen tracks include new arrangements of five Nascimento classics, newly written originals by Spalding and an out-of-its-tree reading of The Beatles' "A Day In The Life" (though, it should be said, no further out than the Fab Four managed in 1967 with two four-track tape machines and the zeitgeist). The core band is Spalding's touring group: Matthew Stevens (guitar), Justin Tyson and Eric Doob (drums), Leo Genovese (piano) and Corey D. King (vocals, synth). Most of the album was recorded in Rio de Janeiro in 2023, with Spalding producing, and arranging all but the string orchestra.An utterly enchanting album which at times possesses something approaching a sacred vibe.By Chris May https://www.allaboutjazz.com/milton-esperanza-milton-nascimento-esperanza-spalding-concord-music-group

Milton + esperanza

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Lauren Henderson - A La Madrugada

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2015
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 61:45
Size: 142,2 MB
Art: Front

(5:48)  1. You and the Night and the Music
(3:54)  2. Stranded
(3:45)  3. Accede
(4:48)  4. There Is No Greater Love
(5:16)  5. Hasta Nunca
(6:50)  6. My Foolish Heart
(6:22)  7. A La Madrugada
(4:53)  8. Twisting Squares
(5:02)  9. December Ballad
(4:49) 10. Quizas Vaya
(4:53) 11. What You Won't Do for Love
(5:21) 12. There Will Never Be Another You

Lauren's Afro-Caribbean and Latin Heritage are central themes in her original music. Her eclectic vocal influences and style spread across genres. The distinct yet versatile sound is rooted in jazz and extends to pop, flamenco and other genres.

Lauren Henderson is a jazz and latin jazz vocalist and composer from Massachusetts. Henderson's Caribbean and Latin Heritage are central themes in her original music and performance. In 2011 she released her first debut album, Lauren Henderson. The record was recorded almost immediately upon her arrival in New York City after graduating from Wheaton College (Massachusetts) where she was inspired by her masterclasses with Paquito D'Rivera and Take 6. She created the hour long recording with her close friend, Sullivan Fortner (pianist and composer under Impulse! and member of the Roy Hargrove Quintet), Ben Leifer (bass) and Jesse Simpson (drums). The original intent of the recording was to help Lauren ease into the competitive New York Jazz Scene and increase her work as an artist. The quartet recorded classics by noted composers like Duke Ellington, Hoagy Carmichael, Antonio Carlos Jobim and Rogers and Hart. After the work was shared with colleagues and fellow musicians, it was reviewed by various publications, including DownBeat Magazine, JazzTimes and All About Jazz. which is available on iTunes, Amazon, CDBaby and is accessible as a Pandora.com station. Henderson's eclectic vocal influences and style spreads across genres. Her Afro-Latin influence aids her in producing a distinct yet versatile sound. Lauren's diverse musical background is rooted in jazz and expands to rhythm and blues, latin, soul, gospel, classical, fusion, neo-soul, pop, nuevo-flamenco and many other forms. Beginning piano lessons at the age of 7 and singing in church and school choirs, molded her into the growing and developing musician she is today. She has composed, performed, studied and directed music in the United States and internationally and is currently incorporating the influences of her travels to create a second record.

Currently based in New York, She has performed at various clubs and participated in workshops around the city including: Millesime of the famous Carlton Hotel where she has a Thursday Night Residency. She has had the opportunity to study with legendary and influential musicians like Barry Harris at the Barry Harris Workshop and Grammy Nominated Vocalist, Jane Monheit. Having earned college degrees in both Music and Hispanic Studies, Lauren continues to combine her love for music and culture. While living in Puebla, México she studied the traditional music of the Yucatán and popular music throughout the country at Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla. 

Through her international piano and voice studies, she worked on developing her musicianship. In Córdoba, España she studied flamenco and the similarities it shares with jazz. An avid nuevo-flamenco listener, Lauren often quotes the new and popular sounds of various countries while nurturing the roots of classic forms. Her new unreleased recording features Sullivan Fortner on piano ( Impulse - Universal Music Group Artist and member of the Roy Hargrove Quintet and current finalist in the American Pianist Association 2015 Jazz Competition), Ameen Saleem on bass (Recording Artist and Member of the Roy Hargrove Quintet), Louis Fouche on alto saxophone (Member of Eddie Palmieri Afro-Carribean Sextet, Recording Artist and collaborator with Christian Scott), Jonathan Powell on trumpet (Member of Eddie Palmieri Afro-Carribean Sextet, Arturo O'Farrill's band and Grammy Winning Album, and voted "Best Latin Jazz Trumpeter" 2009 by Latin Jazz Corner), Riley Mulherkar on trumpet (Member of Julliard, named "Rising Jazz Artist" by Wynton Marsalis) and Jeremy Bean Clemmons on drums and percussion (Award Winning Producer and prior member of Grammy Nominated, Andy Bey's Quartet, Member of Soul Understated). http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/laurenhenderson2

A La Madrugada

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Hal Singer - Challenge

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2010
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 75:50
Size: 174,6 MB
Art: Front

(10:16)  1. Challenge
( 9:01)  2. Hamid's Time
(10:57)  3. Hong Kong Nights
( 8:38)  4. I Thought About You
( 7:55)  5. Long March to Freedom
(10:27)  6. Stressology
(10:02)  7. Dreams of Dream
( 8:31)  8. About the Children

This was a very interesting collaboration between saxophonists Hal Singer and David Murray. Aided my Murray's core band of Lafayette Gilchrist on piano, Jaribu Shahid on bass and Hamid Drake on drums, the group develops a nice swing feel that is less of a tenor battle and more of a friendly conversation. The saxophone tones contrast nicely, with Singer's lighter Pres like tone counteracting nicely with the gruff Hawkins like feeling of David Murray. Occasionally I longed to hear them let rip with a Kansas City like tenor sax battle of history, but that's not the point of this disc. Rasul Siddik sits in on trumpet on two tracks, enlivening Murray's "Hong Kong Nights" and "Stressology" with strong brassy accents. Gilcrest is excellent throughout with a bright and strong tone. Drake, as always, is a joy mixing rhythm and pace, getting his own feature on the aptly named "Hamid's Time," composed by Singer. But the focus is really on the two saxophonists throughout, trading solos and ideas and sparking off of each other with ebullient energy and taste. Singer tends to reign in Murray's occasional over-exuberance, and Murray in turn challenges Singer to a high level. Classy photographs of the sessions and liner notes in English and French round out an excellent package.

Personnel: Tenor Saxophone – Hal Singer; Tenor Saxophone, Art Direction – David Murray;  Bass – Jaribu Shahid; Drums – Hamid Drake; Piano – Lafayette Gilchrist; Trumpet – Rasul Siddik

Challenge

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Basia - Butterflies

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2018
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 42:30
Size: 97,9 MB
Art: Vocal

(3:50)  1. Bubble
(3:40)  2. Matteo
(4:35)  3. No Heartache
(4:33)  4. Butterfly
(4:07)  5. Where's Your Pride
(3:59)  6. Be.Pop
(3:17) 7. Liang & Zhu
(4:28)  8. Show Time
(4:20)  9. Like Crazy
(1:15) 10. Rachel's Waltz
(4:23) 11. Pandora's Box

Nine long years after It’s That Girl Again, it’s that girl again. The international singing star Basia customarily takes her time with recording new material but rewards her fans’ patience with Butterflies, out on May 18, 2018 from Shanachie Entertainment. Brazilian-flavored jazz-pop didn’t begin with Basia or her pre-solo group Matt Bianco: Sergio Mendes tasted the first success stateside with his Brasil ’66 group. However, Basia updated the sound and often made it discotheque-ready, and just as Lani Hall lent a unique voice to Brasil ’66, Basia boasts a distinctive, powerful voice of her own. The enduring appeal of this brand of pop is proven with the trio of platinum-selling studio albums Basia made from 1988 to 1993. Many of the things expected from a Basia record are here: smart and snappy songs co-composed by Basia and her collaborator from the start, Danny White, with rich vocal arrangements.

And of course, there’s the virtuosic voice of Basia herself, who seems to have lost none of her edge. But the jazz part of Basia’s jazz-pop gets more explicit here. That element was always present in her music but the production is scaled back with more acoustic elements (particularly the frequent presence of the unplugged guitar of Danny White’s brother Peter), enough to make the jazz easier to identify. That’s most apparent right from the start: “Bubble” is nearly all-acoustic straight-ahead jazz, a far cry from the elaborately constructed affairs of the first three albums and the swing suits Basia well.

“Be.Pop,” with its big band accompaniment, reminds us that big band swing used to pop music decades ago, but there’s just enough of a contemporary sheen to this number to make one wonder why can’t it be that way again in the 21st century. The heartfelt Latin folk number “Matteo” was the sneak peak of the album when it gave fans a taste back in March. “Show Time” rides on one of Basia and White’s signature bossa nova struts, a close cousin to 1990’s “Cruising For A Bruising” hit but this time Mark Reilly handles singing one of the verses, making this song a de-facto Matt Bianco reunion.

Per usual for Basia, there’s enough variety in the moods and styles of the songs to hold attention. “No Heartache” lures listeners into yet another breezy cadence before slamming into a funky chorus, and then a jazzy sax solo courtesy of Paul Booth. The synth bass line on “Butterfly” is a throwback of sorts to Time and Time‘s late 80s production values but sounds much less dated here; actually it underpins a choice mid-tempo groove and a nifty piano turn by White. The piano-led, slow-dance tempo “Where’s Your Pride” gives the song a sway that’s enticing. Even gentler is the Chinese-inspired ballad “Liang & Zhu,” which even has a hint of East Asian violin to underscore the heritage intended for the song. A little mellower and little more intimate, Butterflies is Basia aging gracefully with music that will likely not age at all. http://somethingelsereviews.com/2018/05/17/basia-butterflies-2018/

Butterflies

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