Stella Bass - Too Darn Hot

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2014
Time: 53:42
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Size: 123,8 MB
Art: Front

(4:02) 1. All The Things You Are
(4:40) 2. I Keep Going Back To Joe's
(2:10) 3. Too Darn Hot
(5:29) 4. Aeroplane
(6:03) 5. A Nightingale Sang In Berkeley Square
(5:03) 6. Back To Black
(3:12) 7. The Frim Fram Sauce
(5:22) 8. The Nearness Of You
(3:47) 9. Why Don't You Do Right
(4:42) 10. Estate
(3:37) 11. A Wink And A Smile
(5:28) 12. Black Coffee

Singer Stella Bass is a stalwart of Dublin's live music scene, leading small jazz ensembles and collaborating with the HotHouse Big Band and the Dublin City Jazz Orchestra. Bass's debut jazz recording follows Smoke and Sound (Self Produced 2010), her cabaret tribute to Kurt Weil, Bertold Brech, Marlene Dietrich et al. In the main, Too Darn Hot sees Bass mine the jazz standards of the 1930s and 1940s, repertoire she's polished every Sunday for years in Dublin's chic Cafe en Seine. To stand out in a market awash with standards recordings requires something special and Bass, with her beguiling voice, comes fairly close. Whilst this set is unlikely to generate excitement amongst fans of more contemporary jazz there's no denying Bass's qualities as a singer and interpreter.

Classically trained, Bass's technical chops are evident from the first notes of Jerome Kern/Oscar Hammerstein's "All The Things You Are"; more importantly, her voice possesses soul, swing and pizzazz. Noteworthy too, are the arrangements of pianist Phil Ware, whose deft use of space and dynamics frame Bass's performances beautifully while enabling the excellent supporting cast to shine.

Bass has assembled some of Dublin's finest jazz musicians and they do her proud; guitarist Hugh Buckley impresses at slow tempos as on the Kern/Hammerstein tune and equally, when the band is swinging, as on Cole Porter's "Too Darn Hot." Trumpeter Danny Healy uncorks a gem of a solo on Jack Segal/Marvin Fischer's "I Keep Going Back to Joe's," providing sympathetic support to Bass's gently bluesy delivery. On Manning Sherwin/Eric Mascwitz's ballad "A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square," tenor saxophonist Robert Geraghty and Buckley's understated lyricism underscores Bass's nuanced delivery.

The leader injects a little fun with "Frim Fram Sauce," Redd Evans/Joe Ricardel novelty song popularized by the Nat King Cole Trio. Despite the frivolous lyrics, this old-fashioned swinger has endured, from Ella Fitzgerald/Louis Armstrong to Diana Krall half a century later. Ware's arrangement for trumpet, saxophones and Karl Ronan's trombone adds little-big band luster to Joseph 'Kansas Joe' McCoy's blues tune "Why Don't You Do Right?" Bass would probably settle for a fraction of the million copies that Peggy Lee and Benny Goodman's version shifted in 1942.

Bass also convinces on contemporary fare. On Robert Palmer's "Aeroplane" her poignant delivery and Buckley's emotive intervention combine to eclipse the original. Amy Winehouse's perfect retro-pop tune "Back to Black" is slowed down and artfully rearranged for horns; the rhythm section of Ware, bassist Nev Lloyd and drummer Dominic Mullan bring a subtle jazz sensibility to both tracks. Bass provides another highlight with Bruno Martino/Bruno Brighetti's "Estate," typically sung as a bossa nova since Joao Gilberto popularized the song; Bass instead sticks convincingly to the original Italian version in a compelling duet with Ware.

Hoagy Carmichael/Ned Washington's 'The Nearness of You," Ramsey McLean/Marc Shaiman's breezy "A Wink and a Smile" and Sonny Burke/Paul Francis Webster's sultry, late-night blues "Black Coffee" round out an enjoyable set. Too Darn Hot just confirms what jazz aficionados in Dublin already know Bass is a class act.By Ian Patterson https://www.allaboutjazz.com/too-darn-hot-stella-bass-self-produced-review-by-ian-patterson

Personnel: Stella Bass: vocals; Phil Ware: piano, Rhodes piano, arrangements; Hugh Buckley: guitar; Dominic Mullan: drums; Nev Lloyd: double bass; Danny Healy: trumpet, flugelhorn; Michael Buckley: alto saxophone; Robert Geraghty: tenor saxophone; Karl Ronan: trombone.

Too Darn Hot

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Renee Olstead - Renee Olstead

Styles: Jazz, Vocal

Year: 2004
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 44:24
Size: 106,0 MB
Art: Front

(4:12)  1. Summertime
(3:31)  2. Taking A Chance On Love
(3:20)  3. Is You Or Is You Ain't My Baby?
(4:26)  4. Someone To Watch Over Me
(4:11)  5. Breaking Up Is Hard To Do
(3:32)  6. A Love That Will Last
(2:56)  7. Meet Me, Midnight
(4:34)  8. Sunday Kind Of Love
(3:16)  9. On A Slow Boat To China
(3:27) 10. What A Difference A Day Makes
(3:21) 11. Midnight At The Oasis
(3:32) 12. Sentimental Journey

With a seriously bluesy jazz voice, Olstead wows everyone who hears her, including the renowned David Foster who co-produced this album of classics. Unless someone told you, you might never suspect that Olstead is only in high school! Renee Olstead...hear her...you won't believe your ears. 

No less an expert on pop affairs than Neil Sedaka likens the impossibly mature voice of 14-year-old vocalist/TV star (CBS' Still Standing) Renee Olstead to "Patsy Cline, Ella Fitzgerald and Billie Holiday all wrapped in one." There's no disputing the sultry vocal talents showcased on this debut that balances familiar chestnuts from the great American songbook ("Summertime," "Someone to Watch Over Me," "Sentimental Journey") with more recent fare that veers from R 'n' B sass ("Is You Is Or Is You Ain't My Baby") to 70s chart hits like Sedaka's own "Breaking Up Is Hard to Do" and Maria Muldaur's "Midnight at the Oasis." 

A cynical ear might question how much of Olmstead's own life informs these bluesy performances: how trying can eigth grade be for an attractive redhead with a major label contract? Indeed, the tagline for at least one latter-day Ella Fitzgerald project comes frequently to mind here: "Is it real, or it Memorex?" Olmstead is yet another teen protege of hugely successful producer David Foster (who's midwifed the careers of Josh Groban and Michael Buble in recent years), and he provides her with some sturdy jazz arrangements to riff emotively on here even if his production is as slick and bloodless as ever. Still, Foster's penchant for overwrought melodrama is kept mercifully in check on his own composition "I Want a Love to Last," while his shrewd teaming of the young chanteuse with fellow teen pop phenom Peter Cincotti on Sedaka's "Breaking Up.." deftly underscores the promising talents of both. ~ Jerry McCulley - Editorial Reviews  http://www.amazon.com/Renee-Olstead-RENEE-OLSTEAD/dp/B00020HEL6

Personnel: Reneé Olstead (vocals); Carol Weisman (vocals); Dean Parks (guitar, acoustic guitar); Don Shelton (clarinet, alto saxophone, tenor saxophone);  Warren Luening (trumpet); Alan Broadbent, Billy Childs, Billy Childs Trio, Gerald Clayton (piano); Brian Bromberg (bass instrument); Jeff Hamilton , David Tull (drums); Neil Devor (programming); Peter Cincotti (vocals, piano); Dennis Budimir (guitar); Chris Botti, Rick Baptist (trumpet); Chris Dawson (piano); Joe La Barbera, Vinnie Colaiuta (drums).

Renee Olstead

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David Bitelli & Ollie Usiskin - Harlesden Sessions

Styles: Jazz
Year: 2024
Time: 49:19
File: MP3 @ 128K/s
Size: 45,2 MB
Art: Front

(3:45) 1. Determination
(3:17) 2. Train
(2:49) 3. The Agreed 2 Step
(3:23) 4. Partly Party
(2:29) 5. Rovelli
(5:50) 6. The Reminder
(3:06) 7. Just Go
(3:20) 8. Caution
(5:55) 9. The Rise
(3:32) 10. Tod You Once
(4:56) 11. Temperamental
(3:29) 12. Particulate Motion
(3:23) 13. The Underneath

Tenor saxophone and drums is now a familiar setting within the loose definitions of jazz and improvised music. If John Coltrane and Rashied Ali really made the format “a thing”, then there have been no shortage of musicians queuing up to dip their toes in the water.

With no harmony instrument or bass to hold down the bottom end, it can seem an unforgiving setting for both musician and audience, yet there is a remarkable variety of sounds, textures, rhythmic and melodic possibilities that lend themselves to this format.

These sessions that were recorded on a rather ad hoc basis on “occasional Thursdays” (I just love that as detailed information for the recording dates for the performances), yet the music just flows with the sheer joy of playing and making music together. Apart from that the music is a lot of fun, in the best possible way.

Both musicians are hugely experienced in a a wide range of musical styles. Bitelli came to prominence with the soul-jazz band Working Week and as a member of the anarchic and iconic British big band Loose Tubes. In addition, he has also been a member of Mike Westbrook’s band as well as leading his own groups.

His partner in crime is drummer Usiskin who CV is equally as impressive, including playing with guitarists Nigel Price and Jim Mullen. He has also recorded for SLAM in the past with bassist Max Oliver, presenting a recording of freely improvised duets on the album Usiskin/Oliver Duo.

Taking up the gauntlet of the tenor/drums format, the two musicians draw on their experience to present a series of thirteen improvised duets that focus on groove and melody, and thrive on the variety of music that they can conjure out of thin air.

On this outing Usiskin does not feel the need to make a lot of noise or clatter restlessly around the kit. He is simply brings a concentrated focus on rhythmic movement and patters that do not just lend themselves to melodic statements from the saxophonist but positively suggest them. There is nothing flashy about Usiskin’s playing, but he is constantly inventive varying the beat, subtle changes in dynamics and not afraid to take the lead when required.

By the same token, Bitelli must be overjoyed to have such a supportive partner. His lines are lean, concise and free to pick up melodies and his own rhythmic motifs knowing that his colleague with every step of the way. The saxophonist’s playing is a joy throughout, relishing the rock solid groove from Usiskin on ‘Determination’ for him to work from, and the delicate brushwork that accompanies his improvisation on ‘The Rise’, enabling him to move into more abstract areas before moving back into a lovely melodic improvisation that brings the piece to a close.

Bitelli is a natural storyteller, and the drummer a natural listener, throwing questions and observations into the mix in ‘Told You Once’, and when the tenorist does push the music further out on ‘Train’ exploring split tones and multiphonics that can be drawn out of his instrument, Ususkin is right there with just the right thing to say.

Sceptics may well view this recording as music that Bitelli and Usiskin played to please themselves, the resulting album though is one that I am sure will please many.

You can also check out our Take Five segment we have done with Bitelli and Usiskin.By Nick Lea https://jazzviews.net/david-bitelli-ollie-usiskin-harlesden-sessions/

Personnel: David Bitelli (tenor saxophone); Ollie Usiskin (drums)

Harlesden Sessions

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Nick Colionne - Influences

Styles: Guitar, Smooth Jazz
Year: 2014
Time: 54:43
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Size: 127,7 MB
Art: Front

(5:04) 1. Slammin'
(4:48) 2. Got To Keep It Moving
(4:36) 3. Nico's Ride
(5:25) 4. Whatcha Gonna Do
(4:06) 5. Born Again
(4:21) 6. When You Love Somebody
(3:50) 7. Here's To You
(3:51) 8. C-Ray
(5:22) 9. Whatta 'bout You
(5:01) 10. Sting Like A King B
(3:44) 11. Got To Keep It Moving (Short)
(4:29) 12. Got To Keep It Moving (Long)

Well into his third decade of making the strings sing with his very own sweet Chicago soul, guitarist Nick Colionne digs deep as he takes musical stock of the people and things that helped propel his career and fully establish his place as one of the real cats, a cat that finds connection with his audience in a way that not many can.

Influences is a musical journey of self re-discovery, offering a palate of moods and flavors born of life experiences, challenges and the effect of the people past and present that have helped shape and mold his sound. Music can be the ultimate healer not only for the creator but also those of us who seek the escapism. Nick gets this and you immediately feel him from the opening strains as he provides lift with this feel good collection of new sides. His chops have never been more exacting, his melodies more exhilarating, his hooks more infectious.

Collaborating again with the great James Lloyd on 'Pieces Of A Dream' and inviting Maysa on the journey gives 'Influences' just the right amount of spice and pop, but in the end it is all about Nick as he bears his soul though this collection of musical chapters in this his latest book, one written with his strings and sings of the places he s been and the places he still has to go.

The lead single Got To Keep It Moving is certain to fire up his legions of fans and find its rightful place atop the radio charts. Never one to take what he has for granted, Colionne knows he has been blessed with a great gift and he will continue to share it as he connects with his fans through live performance in 2014 and share Influences in a way that only he can.By Editorial Reviews https://www.amazon.com/Influences-Nick-Colionne/dp/B00I89Y330

Influences

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One For All - The Third Decade

Styles: Jazz
Year: 2016
Time: 65:50
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Size: 152,9 MB
Art: Front

(5:16) 1. Easy
(5:59) 2. Buddy's
(6:20) 3. It's Easy To Remember
(7:36) 4. Daylight
(5:33) 5. Ghost Ride
(7:11) 6. For Curtis
(4:32) 7. Ruth
(4:29) 8. Babataytay
(6:38) 9. K Ray
(6:21) 10. Frenzy
(5:49) 11. Hey, Stevie D

Hard to believe it will be twenty years ago next year that the hard bop ensemble One For All debuted with Too Soon To Tell on the fledgling Sharp Nine label. Formed as a group that regularly played together at an uptown Broadway club called Augie's, each member was just at the start of their own budding careers. Even today, it continues to be a surprise that these gentlemen still find the time to assemble for the occasional record date or live appearance.

Much has transpired since 1997. Augie's was transformed into Smoke, the club that continues to thrive and provides the imprimatur for the record label documenting the set at hand. Fifteen albums are to be found in the band's oeuvre, including four on Sharp Nine, five for Criss Cross Jazz, four for the Japanese Venus label, and two live concert recordings. Indeed on the cusp of starting their third decade together as a band, this fittingly titled set brings into focus all of the best qualities of these gentlemen, including their composing talents and singular musical voices. It also happens to be their first new release in five years.

The proceedings open with the Steve Davis original "Easy." Those crisp snare hits from drummer Joe Farnsworth announce that we are indeed in for a pleasurable ride. The warm timbre of the three-piece horn section is a trademark of this unit and it's all here to enjoy from the very first note. The tempo picks up with David Hazeltine's "Buddy," a tribute to his mentor and fellow pianist Buddy Montgomery. The sprightly bossa tempo brings some joyous shouting from trumpet ace Jim Rotondi.

Hazeltine is also responsible for the cheery arrangement of "It's Easy to Remember" and another tribute in the guise of "K-Ray." Dedicated to recently deceased drummer Killer Ray Appelton, this one is a brisk and swinging ditty that finds Farnsworth in all his glory. Particular attention should be paid to the sound the drummer achieves. His toms are tuned high and his ride cymbal has a nice, dry ping, all of which are individualistic and very pleasing. His solo statements are articulate and engaging and never wear out their welcome.

Both Davis' "Daylight" and Eric Alexander's "Frenzy" are ebullient numbers that bristle with excitement. The former speaks with a jaunty Latin-esque voice while the latter is straight ahead swing buoyed by John Webber's rock solid bass lines. For Rotondi's contributions, there's the 16th note groove of "For Curtis" and the long-lined "Ruth," both of which settle into a pleasurable platform for soloing. Although it goes without saying, both Davis and Rotondi are chock full of great ideas and say much over the course of their many solos.

Alexander, Davis, Hazeltine, and Rotondi have largely served as the band's main arrangers/writers over the course of the band's history. It is then a pleasure to find that this date marks the first time all six members contribute to the program. Webber's "Babataya" recalls some of the funky gems from the Blue Note era, such as Lee Morgan's "Party Time." Farnsworth's "Hey,Stevie-D" makes for a fine shuffle that puts Alexander in the mood to strut his stuff. And speaking of Alexander, his gorgeous ballad "Ghost Ride" serves as moment of calm in an otherwise pretty upbeat session.

Over the course of The Third Decade's eleven generous tracks, we get to hear a well-honed machine operating at peak power. Even though distances often keep these six gentlemen apart, one can only hope their new home at Smoke Sessions will provide for further releases and the we won't have to wait another five years before the next one.By C. Andrew Hovan
https://www.allaboutjazz.com/the-third-decade-one-for-all-smoke-sessions-records-review-by-c-andrew-hovan

Personnel: Jim Rotondi: trumpet & flugelhorn; Eric Alexander: tenor saxophone; Steve Davis: trombone; David Hazeltine: piano; John Webber: bass; Joe Farnsworth: drums

The Third Decade

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Artistry Jazz Group - Tribute!

Styles: Vocal And Piano Jazz

Year: 2012
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 70:31
Size: 162,0 MB
Art: Front

(3:50)  1. Palo Alto
(4:04)  2. Shirley Steps Out
(5:14)  3. Last Night When We Were Young
(4:08)  4. Bijou
(3:02)  5. Up an' Atom
(6:08)  6. Lost in a Summer Night
(2:55)  7. The Bad and the Beautiful
(2:44)  8. Undercurrent Blues
(5:13)  9. The Man that Got Away
(3:57) 10. Fantasy
(6:34) 11. As You Are
(6:58) 12. The St. Vitus' Dance
(5:31) 13. Changing My Tune
(6:00) 14. Lotus Blossom
(4:06) 15. Boplicity

An absolute gem, featuring some of the best players in Scandinavia in an extremely well thought-out program of music, paying tribute to "musicians and artists who shaped new sounds and ideas." It's the brainchild of independent record producer Torgil Rosenberg and pianist Jan Lundgren. Three top Swedish musicians, Peter Asplund on trumpet, Klas Lindqvist on alto sax and clarinet, and Janne Bengtsson on flute, join Lundgren's already all-star Artistry group, filling out the sound on selected numbers. The choice of musicians and composers receiving tribute is highly eclectic, ranging from alto saxophonist Lee Konitz, pianist Horace Silver, trumpeter Miles Davis and big band leader Stan Kenton to singer June Christy, Swedish composer/pianist Nils Lindberg (paired with US bassist Red Mitchell, who lived in Sweden for many years) and composers George Gershwin and Billy Strayhorn. The album opens with reed multi-instrumentalist Jimmy Giuffre's arrangement of Lee Konitz's marvelous post bop piece, "Palo Alto," on which Lundgren solos superbly. It continues with Mel Powell's quirky "Shirley Steps Out," with reed man Klas Lindqvist taking solo honors.

Vocalist Vivian Buczek is a revelation, displaying full-fledged confidence and a maturity only hinted at in her previous recordings with the group. She performs great versions of Harold Arlen's bittersweet "Last Night When We Were Young" and George Gershwin's "Changing My Tune," switches with consummate ease from Queen of Cool June Christy to Judy Garland, albeit singing the best, bluesiest song in Garland's book, "The Man That Got Away," written by Harold Arlen and Ira Gershwin for the 1954 film A Star Is Born.  Buczek does her best with the rather dated "back to nature" lyrics of Lindberg and Mitchell's "As You Are" and turns in a fine wordless vocal on "Undercurrent Blues," by Chico O'Farrill whose arrangements ushered King of Swing Benny Goodman, somewhat unwillingly, into the bebop era.

She also chooses the closer, going for Miles Davis' "Boplicity" and handling Ray Passman and Holli Ross' high-speed "Bebop Lives" lyrics with great aplomb. Hollywood composer David Raskin's "The Bad And The Beautiful" is one of two outstanding solo outings by Lundgren. The other is a lovely, lingering interpretation of Billy Strayhorn's "Lotus Blossom."  Guitarist Jacob Fischer's solo does wonders for "Fantasy" by Prince of Pretension Stan Kenton (based on a piece by classical composer Maurice Ravel), while Hans Backenroth plays some terrific bass on Horace Silver's "The St. Vitus' Dance." Only rarely do albums come any better than this.By Chris Mosey http://www.allaboutjazz.com/tribute-jan-lundgren-volenza-review-by-chris-mosey.php

Personnel: Jan Lundgren: piano;  Vivian Buczek: vocal;  Jacob Fischer: guitar;  Hans Backenroth: bass;  Johan Löfcrantz Ramsay: drums;  Peter Asplund: trumpet, flugelhorn;  Klas Lindqvist: alto sax, clarinet;  Janne Bengtsson: flute.

Tribute!

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Jon De Lucia - The Brubeck Octet Project

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2024
Time: 49:29
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Size: 114,4 MB
Art: Front

(0:38) 1. Curtain Music
(4:17) 2. Love Walked In
(4:05) 3. Fugue on Bop Themes
(4:29) 4. Let's Fall In Love
(5:58) 5. IPCA
(6:20) 6. September in the Rain
(5:17) 7. I Hear A Rhapsody
(2:57) 8. The Way You Look Tonight
(4:39) 9. Prelude
(4:12) 10. What Is This Thing Called Love
(5:54) 11. Love Me or Leave Me
(0:37) 12. Closing Theme

Synchronicity is a wondrous thing. Item: At around the same time that Albert Ayler was developing his sound in the U.S.A., the Ethiopian tenor saxophonist Getatchew Mekurya was forging a strikingly similar one in Addis Ababa. Neither player had heard the other, and Mekurya had never heard any jazz at all. Feel the Force?

Rewind a decade or so and we encounter another space/time portal, this one connecting the U.S.A.'s East Coast and West Coast. In New York, in 1949-50, Miles Davis was fronting a nonet whose 78rpm singles were later compiled on the album Birth Of The Cool (Capitol, 1957). In Oakland, in 1948-49, Dave Brubeck was leading an octet whose 78rpm singles were later compiled on the album Dave Brubeck Octet (Fantasy, 1956).

The Davis and Brubeck bands were both exploring an approach to jazz that eschewed the heated intensity of bop. Both were experimenting with new, classically influenced harmonies and ensemble voicings. There was one significant difference between them: Davis' band, in the main, played original compositions, and Brubeck's, in the main, played covers, albeit harmonically, and often rhythmically, reimagined. (The Davis/Brubeck and Ayler/Mekurya parallels are not analogous in another way, since Davis and Brubeck would have known through the grapevine what each other was up to and must almost certainly have heard at least some of each other's recordings. But feel the Force or what?)

Fast forward seven decades, and the alto saxophonist Jon De Lucia has put together another octet, with Brubeck's instrumentation, this time on the East Coast. The band revisits twelve of Brubeck's scores. De Lucia has expanded Brubeck's original arrangements while retaining their spirit and he has done a beautiful job. The Brubeck Octet Project retains the vibe of the original recordings, being deliciously anachronistic while simultaneously modern (or perhaps that should be timeless), and the players (see Personnel) are on a par with the 1948-49 lineups.

Audio quality is far richer and has considerably more presence than the indifferent sound of Brubeck's original tracks (check the YouTube below). The Brubeck Octet Project by no means cancels out Dave Brubeck Octet, but it seems probable that anyone who enjoys the earlier album will enjoy this 2024 salute.By Chris May
https://www.allaboutjazz.com/the-brubeck-octet-project-jon-de-lucia-museum-clausum

Personnel: Jon De Lucia - Alto Saxophone, Leader; Brandon Lee - Trumpet; Scott Robinson - Tenor Saxophone; Becca Patterson - Trombone; Jay Rattman - Baritone Saxophone and Clarinet; Glenn Zaleski - Piano; Daniel Duke - Bass; Keith Balla - Drums

The Brubeck Octet Project

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Diana Panton - Solstice/Equinox

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2017
Time: 64:44
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Size: 150,9 MB
Art: Front

(4:42) 1. They Say It's Spring
(6:14) 2. The Heather On The Hill
(4:10) 3. Up Jumped Spring
(4:21) 4. That Sunday, That Summer
(6:25) 5. Estate
(6:06) 6. Manhattan
(4:38) 7. La Fin Des Vacances
(4:47) 8. September In The Rain (Septembre Sous La Pluie)
(4:39) 9. Tis Autumn
(5:36) 10. Septembre
(4:49) 11. Cloudy Morning
(3:37) 12. I Like Snow
(4:32) 13. By The Fireside

Diana Panton is one of the brightest lights on the jazz scene today. Her work has been consistently praised by listeners and music critics alike for her ethereal vocals, exceptional song selection and raw emotional intensity.

Panton's keen aesthetic sense attracted the attention of some of the jazz world's most respected masters, including Don Thompson (Officer of the Order of Canada) and Reg Schwager (Member of the Order of Canada) who together form her regular trio. "When the great singer Sheila Jordan said, Diana Panton 'sounds like the sweetest bird you'll ever hear', she helped define some of the ephemeral delicacy that marks Panton as unique." (Stuart Broomer, Toronto Life)

Before recording her first album, Panton completed an Honours Master's degree in French literature and fulfilled a teaching engagement at the University of Paris (France), followed by a position as a French Sessional Lecturer at McMaster University (Canada). She studied art in Paris and currently teaches French Immersion Art at Westdale Secondary (Canada).

When the time finally arrived to release her first solo album (2005), the late great Montreal jazz critic Len Dobbin called ...yesterday perhaps one of the finest debut CDs he had heard in years! It landed Diana on the covers of VIEW and NOW Magazine and the album made NOW's TOP 10 Discs of the Year. The album was also awarded a Silver Disc Award upon its release in Japan in 2011.

Since her initial CD release, Panton’s impressive catalogue of internationally acclaimed self-produced albums have garnered numerous honours, including two JUNO wins, a second Silver Disc Award in Japan, seven JUNO nominations, nine Hamilton Music Awards, a host of National Jazz Award nominations, Canadian and American Independent Music Award nominations, including Best Audiophile Recording at the Rocky Mountain International HiFi Press Awards. Panton was a first-place jury-selection to perform at the Jazz à Juan Révélations in France where she was voted Première Dauphine by the Juan public.

Panton’s albums have topped the charts on Amazon and iTunes in Canada and the US, the HMV chart in Hong Kong and Japan and Books.com in Taiwan. I Believe in Little Things charted simultaneously on Billboard's Jazz and Children's Music Charts and went to Number 1 on Amazon.com's Movers and Shakers Chart for the highest percentage increase of sales (in any genre) within a 24-hour period, following an interview on NPR. Her albums have made the year-end lists of ICI Musique, NOW Magazine, Library School Journal, The Hamilton Spectator, DownBeat Magazine, etc.

Panton’s much-anticipated blue release (2022) is the final chapter in a trilogy of works that began with pink (2009 / Silver Disc Award Winner in Japan), followed by RED (2015 JUNO Winner). The release dates span over a decade and chart an ultimately ill-fated relationship. Lauded for her exceptional song selection, blue showcases Panton at the height of her interpretive powers. Don Thompson sculpts bespoke arrangements around Panton's emotive vocals, featuring stirring accompaniment by the renowned Penderecki String Quartet, plus bassist Jim Vivian with spectacular solos by Phil Dwyer, Reg Schwager and Thompson himself. Listeners who appreciate musical excellence and feeling in music will be rewarded.

Panton is the recipient of a 2022 Hamilton Arts Creator Award nomination, a 2019 Significant Person Award (Hamilton), a 2018 Westdale Wall of Distinction inductee, the 2017 Woman of Distinction in Arts/Culture/Design by the Hamilton YWCA, the 2017 OSSTF Wayne Clark Teaching Award, a 2017 Hamilton Wentworth District School Board's Profiling Excellence distinction, the 2016 Hamilton Arts Award for Music. She has been a featured host on CBC Radio. Previous Tonic radio host Tim Tamashiro named her one of Canada’s TOP 5 Jazz Vocalists and the listenership at JAZZ.FM voted Panton onto their list of the Top 25 of Canada's Most Significant Jazz Musicians.
https://www.allaboutjazz.com/musicians/diana-panton/

Solstice/Equinox

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Artistry Jazz Group - Too Darn Hot: Together With Cole Porter

Styles: Vocal And Piano Jazz
Year: 2010
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 72:24
Size: 168,1 MB
Art: Front

(5:00)  1. Anything Goes
(5:05)  2. You Do Something To Me
(4:42)  3. What Is This Thing Called Love?
(4:25)  4. You're The Top
(5:02)  5. In the Still Of The Night
(4:19)  6. At Long Last Love
(4:39)  7. Down In The Depths of The Ninetieth Floor
(5:30)  8. Dream Dancing
(4:13)  9. Too Darn Hot
(4:40) 10. After You, Who?
(4:48) 11. All Through The Night
(4:39) 12. It's All Right With Me
(4:28) 13. I Concentrate On You
(4:42) 14. From This Moment On
(6:07) 15. I Happen To Be in Love

Laid back, elegante and personal, Cole Porter is celebrated by the pianist Jan Lundgren together with musicians from the Swedish jazz elite. A comprehensive booklet is included, with images and stories of Cole Porter and the 15 songs. Timelessness is about the hardest thing to accomplish. As well as creating something new and unique out of music and worldfamous artists that already have been played, celebrated and interpreted in a numerous of ways. That does not stop the Artistry Jazz Group from undertaking Cole Porter, in a pearl gallery of songs from Porter's great treasury. Count on a virtous jazz experience thanks to renowned musicians such as the pianist Jan Lundgren, the bass player Hans Backenroth, the guitarist Jacob Fischer, the drummer Johan Löfcrantz Ramsay and the big discovery; vocalist Vivian Buczek.

The album is a sequel to last years success album We Like Previn, where the same constellation, at that time under the name of The Swedish Connection, interpreted André Previn  with excellent reviews both in Sweden and abroad. As with the previous album, Too Darn Hot comes with a ambitious and comprehensive booklet with stories about the composer, the selected songs and the musicians. Information that brings the listening and enjoyment to an extra dimension. http://www.volenza.se/en/music/ajg/too-darn-hot

Personnel: Jacob Fischer (guitar); Jan Lundgren (piano); Johan Löfcrantz Ramsay (drums); Vivian Buczek (Vocal);Hans Backenroth (bass).

Too Darn Hot: Together With Cole Porter

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Stella Cole - Stella Cole

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2024
Time: 47:05
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Size: 108,7 MB
Art: Front

(4:31) 1. The Boy Next Door
(4:18) 2. P.S. I Love You
(2:42) 3. (Love Is) The Tender Trap
(4:44) 4. My Foolish Heart
(4:32) 5. Over the Rainbow
(3:59) 6. Detour Ahead
(3:37) 7. Moon River
(3:21) 8. My Future
(3:29) 9. When the Sun Comes Out
(3:06) 10. Walking in the Sunshine
(4:52) 11. Blame it On My Youth
(3:49) 12. On the Street Where You Live

Beginning with an impromptu a cappella clip of “Over the Rainbow,” Stella Cole has become a global viral sensation for simply doing what she has been passionate about her whole life - singing songs from the Great American Songbook. Buoyed in part by her weekly livestream concerts on Tiktok from 2020 to 2022, the multi-talented singer’s ever-growing numbers both embody and defy every superlative cliché (staggering, mind blowing, through the roof). Her most viral singing video has a whopping 27 million views. With a combined social media following of over 1.6 million, Stella has caught the attention of superstars David Foster, James Taylor, Michael Buble, John Mayer and Meghan Trainor.

Countless devoted fans from social media flock to see her perform, many of them traveling cross country and overseas to attend her sold out headlining concerts around the world. She has performed in venues like Madison Square Garden, Carnegie Hall, The Kennedy Center, Birdland and the Cafe Carlyle. In 2023, she toured the United States, Australia and New Zealand with Scott Bradlee’s Postmodern Jukebox. She released a stylish, swinging rendition of Miley Cyrus’ “Flowers” with the group in 2023 to mass acclaim, racking up more than 6 million views. More.....https://www.stellacole.net/bio

Stella Cole

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Monica Zetterlund - Diamanter

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2005
Time: 76:04
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Size: 175,1 MB
Art: Front

(2:46) 1. En Man Mer Att Glomma
(3:13) 2. Folkvisa Ifran Satra
(4:09) 3. Dobeedobedo
(4:06) 4. Adagio
(2:54) 5. I Valet Och Kvalet
(4:24) 6. Trubblel
(3:35) 7. Soolaimon
(3:49) 8. Vad Vet Val Jag?
(1:29) 9. Zapovalsen
(3:20) 10. Du Mitt Liv
(3:04) 11. Hej, Man!
(3:41) 12. Pa Lyckans Smala Hav
(3:08) 13. Siv & Gunne
(2:56) 14. Du Som Stack eller Den Svenska Gymnastikens Betydelse
(4:11) 15. Lattillganglig Musik
(4:23) 16. Vart Tog Du Vagen?
(4:29) 17. Jungfru Maria
(2:35) 18. Elin I Hagen
(3:36) 19. Sa Skuggar Jag Dej
(3:20) 20. Sommarregn
(3:01) 21. Nu Ar Det Gott Attt Leva
(3:44) 22. Kom

Monica Zetterlund sang with Ib Glindeman's band in Denmark and saxophonist Arne Domnerus' band in Stockholm in 1957, recording with Domnerus beginning in 1958. She began performing abroad in the late '50s. In the United States, Zetterlund's credibility as a jazz singer rests largely upon Waltz for Debbie, a recording made in 1964 with pianist Bill Evans' trio. In addition to several solo records, she's also recorded with the Thad Jones-Mel Lewis orchestra (It Only Happens Every Time, 1977) and bassist Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen (This Is All I Ask, 1998), among others.

Her repertoire also incorporated such non-jazz idioms as Swedish folk songs and classical music. Zetterlund's celebrity transcended music; classically beautiful, she was also an actress in her native Sweden. She continued to perform until her death in May of 2005 after a fire broke out in her apartment.
By Chris Kelsey https://www.allmusic.com/artist/monica-zetterlund-mn0000589209#biography

Diamanter

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Diana Panton - Red

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2013
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 61:30
Size: 141,3 MB
Art: Front

(6:13)  1. Say It (Over and Over Again) [feat. Phil Dwyer]
(4:00)  2. That's All (feat. Don Thompson)
(4:10)  3. You're the Top (feat. Reg Schwager)
(4:41)  4. You're My Thrill (feat. Phil Dwyer)
(4:32)  5. Make Yourself Comfortable (feat. Reg Schwager)
(3:34)  6. 24 Hours a Day (feat. Phil Dwyer)
(5:37)  7. The Island (feat. Phil Dwyer with strings)
(4:26)  8. Isn't That the Thing To Do (feat. Don Thompson)
(3:36)  9. Who Cares? (feat. Phil Dwyer)
(5:53) 10. Love Dance (feat. Reg Schwager)
(5:06) 11. I Know Why and So Do You (feat. Red Schwager)
(4:07) 12. I Only Love Because of You (feat. Don Thompson)
(5:29) 13. Amazing (feat. Don Thompson)

As a follow-up to her critically acclaimed pink album about the twists and turns of new love (2011 Silver Disc Award Winner in Japan), Diana Panton’s red album is an exploration about deeper love. Don Thompson's (Order of Canada) specially tailored string quartet arrangements, plus harp compliment Panton’s honest delivery, while Phil Dwyer’s saxophone (2012 JUNO Award Winner) underscores the sensuality of much of the album. There is also a delectable duet with bluesman Harrison Kennedy that has unbeatable chemistry! http://www.amazon.ca/Red-Diana-Panton/dp/B00EZ3WIW6

Personnel: Diana Panton – vocal; Don Thompson - piano, vibes; Reg Schwager – guitar; Phil Dwyer – saxophone; Jim Vivian – bass; Harrison Kennedy - vocal (track 5); Moshe Hammer - first violin; Praise Lam - second violin; Diane Leung – viola; Coenraad Bloemendal – cello; Erica Goodman - harp

Red

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Doug Raney Quartet - Listen

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 44:36
Size: 102.1 MB
Styles: Guitar jazz
Year: 1981/1994
Art: Front

[9:02] 1. Come Rain Or Come Shine
[5:51] 2. In A Sentimental Mood
[6:22] 3. Autumn Song
[8:24] 4. Don't Listen
[8:55] 5. Bird Feathers
[6:00] 6. Moment's Notice

Bass – Jesper Lundgård; Drums – Billy Hart; Guitar – Doug Raney; Tenor Saxophone – Bernt Rosengren. Recorded December 4, 1980.

The son of legendary guitarist Jimmy Raney, Doug Raney has understandably been heavily influenced by his father. He's an impressive soloist, and utilizes almost identical full tones, crisp chording, and fluid voicings. He made his first recording with his father and Al Haig in the mid-'70s, then did duo dates with his dad in the late '70s. Raney recorded for Steeplechase in the '70s and '80s, and Criss Cross in the '80s. He recorded with Chet Baker and Bernt Rosengren, and played in Horace Parlan's band. Raney has a couple of sessions available on CD. ~ Ron Wynn

Listen

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Joan Chamorro & Friends - Tenor Summit

Styles: Swing, Jazz
Year: 2024
Time: 41:36
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Size: 95,6 MB
Art: Front

(10:27) 1. After Supper
(10:12) 2. Anthropology
( 8:13) 3. Body and Soul
(12:43) 4. Blues Up and Down

Joan Chamorro's impact on the development of young jazz musicians within the region of Barcelona is truly remarkable. Small groups. Big bands. Instrumentalists and singers. He is a prime example of what highs a dedicated individual can achieve.

Joan Chamorro (1962) is a Catalan musician. He studied classical saxophone at the Barcelona Conservatory with Professor Adolf Ventas. Parallel studies at the conservatory, he obtained the title of Bachelor Superior Taller de Barcelona. Part of a band called Big Band musicians workshop, which operates in several European festivals.

In addition, working with the Big Band Bellaterra Big Band John Dubuclet, Big Band Jazz Terrassa, the Supercombo Eladio Reinón- Tete Montoliu Orchestra Radio Televisión Española, accompanies Manhattan Transfer and Stevie Wonder. Also working on several projects with the Orchestra of the Teatro Libre.

For a year, he collaborated with the theater group Comedians, with whom he performed at festivals in cities such as New York, Santiago, Paris, Venice ... Also played in most of the festivals that take place in Spain ( Barcelona, Terrassa, San Sebastian, Madrid ...). Has worked with renowned musicians such as Slide Hampton, Tete Montoliu, Frank Foster, Gary Smulyan, Dick Oatts, Bebo Valdés, Ralf Lalama, Teddy Edwards, Frank Wess, Jessy Devis, Dennis Rowland, Josep Maria Farràs, Perico Sambeat, Lluis Vidal, Randy Brecker, Carmen Lundy, David Mengual, David Xirgu Mike P. Mossman, John Mosca, Bart Van Lier, David Allen, Bobby Shew Judy Niemack and many more.

As far as musical tastes, he is also very interested in the music of the twenties and thirties (Bix Beiderbecke, Louis Armstrong, Sydney Becher, Adrian Rollins etc.) Currently leads a quintet ( Andrea Motis & Joan Chamorro Quintet) which is a tribute to the great composer and baritone saxophonist Gerry Mulligan; The Big Band Terrace, the Barcelona Jazz Orchestra, the Jazz Fumanchu Servants and supercombo Dani Alonso; and professor of the Taller and the School of Music in St. Andrew. www.jazz-clubs-worldwide.com

Tenor Summit

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Diana Panton - Blue

Styles: Vocal
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 64:50
Size: 149,0 MB
Art: Front

(6:13) 1. Where Do You Start?/once Upon A Time
(4:01) 2. Yesterday
(3:42) 3. Without Your Love
(4:16) 4. Losing My Mind
(3:08) 5. This Will Make You Laugh
(4:33) 6. The Trouble With Hello Is Goodbye
(3:47) 7. I'm Gonna Laugh You Right Out Of My Life
(3:54) 8. To Say Goodbye
(5:22) 9. Meaning Of The Blues
(2:14) 10. I'll Only Miss Him When I Think Of Him
(5:52) 11. It's Always 4 Am
(5:08) 12. Just Sometimes
(2:17) 13. How Did He Look?
(3:27) 14. Nobody's Heart
(4:12) 15. Spring Will Be A Little Late This Year
(2:36) 16. You Are There

Two-time JUNO Award winner Diana Panton has established herself as one of the brightest lights on the international jazz scene, a songbird praised by listeners, musicians, and critics alike for her thoughtful song selection and emotional intensity. Diana is pleased to announce the October 28 release of her tenth album, blue.

Blue represents the culminating gesture in a musical narrative of romance that began with pink (2009 JUNO nominee in Canada and Silver Disc Award winner in Japan), followed by RED (2015 JUNO winner). With release dates spanning more than a decade, this trilogy charts the emotional arc of an ill-fated romantic relationship. The eponymous colours symbolically suggest content: pink is the infatuation of first-time love, RED, the passion of true love, and blue, the heartbreak and mystery of love lost.

"The release dates were deliberately spread over a decade from the first to the final album in the trilogy in order for the music to better reflect different stages in a relationship," says Diana Panton. "I knew that my voice and perspective would be more mature if I waited to record the blue album a little later in my life."

blue showcases Diana Panton, exuding confidence and completely in command of her interpretive powers. Her lustrous, evocative vocals are backed by the artistry of four longtime musical colleagues who made significant contributions to the beauty and passion of the RED album of 2015. The four include three Order of Canada honourees: tenor saxophonist Phil Dwyer C.M., guitarist Reg Schwager C.M., and pianist/arranger Don Thompson O.C., plus first-call bassist Jim Vivian. The sonic landscape of blue also features the extraordinary talents of the Penderecki String Quartet, who acquired their name in 1986 upon the invitation of the great Polish composer himself.

Diana Panton's tenth release is not a casual listen, but a penetrating delve into feelings that accompany the fragments of a broken relationship. "Where Do You Start?" shows that Panton knows precisely where to start, and that is by delivering the pure, unaccompanied poetry of her beautiful, clear voice with its bold superiority of interpretation and intonation. Pianist Don Thompson provides his own musical commentary to the quixotically titled "Where Do You Start?" and the pair segues into the haunting strains of the popular song from the '60s, "Once Upon a Time."

Highlighting his interpretative gifts as a composer/arranger and pianist, talents required to create the unfiltered emotive content permeating blue, is Don Thompson's work on "The Trouble with Hello is Goodbye." This song from the '70s showcases the Penderecki String Quartet's artistry, features a supremely emotive sax improv by Phil Dwyer, and underpins Diana Panton's uncomplicated, honest way with a musical phrase.

In "To Say Goodbye," Panton dips into the rich lower register of her vocal range to capture the profound sadness of the song's lyrics, an expression so true that the listener instinctively feels she is living every word. Also noteworthy is Diana Panton's interpretation of Norma Winstone's poignant lyrics for "Just Sometimes," inspiring another flawless solo from tenor saxophonist Phil Dwyer.

In command of a keen aesthetic sense, Diana Panton has attracted the attention of some of the jazz world's most respected masters. When legendary multi-instrumentalist Don Thompson first heard the nineteen-year-old Diana sing, with unabashed enthusiasm he urged her to audition for the renowned Banff Centre for the Arts Jazz Workshop. It was there that she studied under Norma Winstone, and, in subsequent visits, with Sheila Jordan and Jay Clayton.

When the time arrived for her to go into the recording studio, award-winning guitarist Reg Schwager was invited to join Don Thompson in laying down a collaborative sound that has proved to be, on all of her albums, the perfect setting for the delicate nuance of Diana's pure vocals. The late, great jazz critic Len Dobin called the product of that first session, ...yesterday perhaps, one of the finest debut albums he had heard in years.

Since the release of that first album in 2005, Diana Panton's career has gathered astounding momentum, drawing international acclaim for her nine albums and the impressive variety and quality of her catalogue of songs. The numerous honours garnered include JUNO Awards for RED in 2015 and I Believe in Little Things in 2017, two Silver Disc Awards in Japan, seven JUNO nominations, nine Hamilton Music Awards, and a host of National Jazz Award nominations and Canadian and American independent music award nominations.

I Believe in Little Things charted simultaneously on Billboard's Jazz and Children's Music charts and went to #1 on Amazon's "Movers and Shakers" chart, following an interview on NPR. The album received a four-star review in DownBeat magazine and was one of their Best Albums of 2016. Panton's albums have made the year-end lists of ICI Musique, NOW Magazine, Jazz Critique Magazine, the Montreal Mirror, and DownBeat, among others, and, in addition to reaching #1 on Amazon and iTunes in Canada and the US, have made bestseller lists in Hong Kong, Japan, and Taiwan.
By Michael Major https://www.broadwayworld.com/bwwmusic/article/Diana-Panton-Announces-New-Album-blue-20220912

Personnel: Diana Panton – Vocals, Producer; Phil Dwyer – Saxophone; Reg Schwager – Guitar; Don Thompson – Piano, Arranger; Jim Vivian – Bass; Penderecki String Quartet:; Jerzy Kaplanek – Violin; Jeremy Bell – Violin; Christine Vlajk – Viola; Katie Schlaikjer – Cello

Blue

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Doug Raney Quartet - Raney '96

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 67:23
Size: 154.3 MB
Styles: Guitar jazz
Year: 1996
Art: Front

[7:34] 1. Giant Steps
[8:33] 2. Besame Mucho/The Dolphin
[7:45] 3. I Fall In Love Too Easily
[5:31] 4. Querido
[6:09] 5. Fried Pies
[8:19] 6. Moose The Mooche
[7:44] 7. Re Person I Knew
[8:23] 8. I Loves You Porgy
[7:21] 9. Afro Blue

Bass – Lennart Ginman; Drums – Herlin Riley; Guitar – Doug Raney; Piano – Ben Besiakov. Recording Date: July, 1996.

The son of the late great Jimmy Raney, Doug carries on the tradition in his own way. Here, the Denmark-based guitarist is supported by pianist Ben Besiakov, bassist Lennart Ginman and drummer Herlin Riley. Fluent and swinging, Raney deftly negotiates the myriad harmonies of both “Giant Steps” and “Moose The Mooch,” a rhythm changes workout that features some especially hip, dissonant comping by Besiakov. On Pat Martino’s Latinesque “Querido” and Wes Montgomery’s swinging “Fried Pies,” he not only demonstrates his ability to blow over disparate grooves, but also salutes two of his biggest influences. “I Fall In Love Too Easily” and “I Loves You Porgy” provide the ballad portion of the program and suggest that melodic gifts may at least be partially genetic. Beautiful work from one of the instrument’s most underrated players.By Jim Ferguson

Raney '96

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Edith Piaf, Jacqueline François, Charles Aznavour, Yves Montand - Paris Chante ... Paris Sings ...

Styles: Chanson
Year: 2024
Time: 62:20
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Size: 144,7 MB
Art: Front

(2:20) 1. Non, je ne regrette rien
(2:17) 2. For Me... Formidable
(2:33) 3. Paris canaille
(1:27) 4. Paris à la nuit
(4:29) 5. Milord
(3:39) 6. Tu t'laissez aller
(2:28) 7. La goulante de Paris
(3:19) 8. Ce jour-là à Paris
(3:09) 9. La vie en rose
(2:07) 10. C'est si bon
(2:30) 11. La Seine
(3:20) 12. Les feuilles mortes
(2:30) 13. Jolies mômes de mon quartier
(3:15) 14. Padam, Padam
(2:07) 15. Quand tu m'embrasses
(2:59) 16. Hymne à l'amour
(2:25) 17. La Marie-Vison
(3:09) 18. Les amants de Paris
(3:49) 19. Les deux guitares
(2:28) 20. L'air de Paris
(3:09) 21. Paris se regarde
(2:40) 22. Paris