Red & the Red Hots - Gettin' Around

Styles: Swing
Label: Red Young Productions
Released: 2002
File: mp3 @320K/s
Size: 112,2 MB
Time: 48:57
Art: front

1. Mister Boogie to you - 3:17
2. Moppin' N Boppin' - 3:10
3. Boo Wah Boo Wah - 3:08
4. Steppin' Out Tonight - 4:36
5. Keep on Swingin' - 3:59
6. At Last - 3:42
7. Gettin' Around - 4:59
8. The Temporary Blues - 5:52
9. Duke - 4:08
10. Horse's Mouth - 4:58
11. No Moon at all - 2:57
12. Come Rain Or Shine - 4:06

Personnel:
Jeff Driskill - Sax (Alto), Sax (Tenor)
Keith Fiddmont - Sax (Soprano), Sax (Tenor)
Randy Landas - Bass
Steve Lucky - Piano, Vocals
Red Young - Piano, Hammond B-3 organ, Vocals

Notes: A swinging bunch of songs by the master of the new swing crowd from the boogie man. Once again accompanied by his backing band the Red Hots, singer/keyboardist/pianist/Hammond B-3 organist Red Young swings hard on Gettin' Around, a mixture of original tunes and classics from the golden age of jump blues and swing. It's similar to the group Young often gigs with, swing-revival mainstays the Royal Crown Revue, and it achieves its good-time goals with enthusiasm and energy. ~ Steve Huey

Gettin' Around

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Nicki Parrott - The Last Time I Saw Paris

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 62:37
Size: 143.4 MB
Label: Venus
Styles: Jazz vocals
Year: 2013
Art: Front

[4:01] 1. Under Paris Skies
[4:09] 2. The Windmills Of Your Mind
[5:15] 3. Chanson De Maxence
[4:51] 4. Nuages
[3:42] 5. C'est Si Bon
[4:39] 6. I Will Wait For You
[3:53] 7. Hymne L'amour
[3:22] 8. L'ame Des Poetes
[4:06] 9. The Last Time I Saw Paris
[3:56] 10. The River Seine
[4:55] 11. La Mer
[4:11] 12. La Vie En Rose
[5:03] 13. If You Go Away
[6:29] 14. What Are You Doing The Rest Of Your Life?

Born in Newcastle, Australia, Nicki started her musical training at age four with the piano, followed by the flute, soon after. Nicki switched to double bass at the age of 15.

After graduating high school she moved to Sydney to study jazz at the New South Wales Conservatorium of Music where she began to play with Australian musicians such as Mike Nock, Dale Barlow, Paul Grabowsky, Bernie McGann, and Ten Part Invention. She also toured Australia with Russian musicians Daniel Kramer and Alexander Fischer and American trumpeters Bobby Shew and Chuck Findley. She continued her studies with various bassists including visiting artists Ray Brown and John Clayton.

Nicki was the recipient of two awards, a scholarship to Pan Pacific Music Camps at the age of 16, and first place in the 1992 Jazz Action Society’s Annual Song Competition for her composition “Come and Get It”, which is the opening track of Nicki and her sister Lisa’s debut CD, “Awabakal Suite”. She was also nominated for the annual Australian Young Achievers Award by the Arts Council of Australia who granted her the funds to come to New York to study with Rufus Reid. Nicki came to New York in May 1994. In June 2000, Nicki began performing on Monday nights at the Iridium Jazz Club with the legendary guitarist and inventor, Les Paul. As part of the Les Paul Trio, Nicki worked side-by-side with guitar greats from Paul McCartney, Slash, Steve Miller to fellow Aussie, Tommy Emmanuel. Since then she has performed with such notable musicians as Michel Legrand, Joe Wilder, Randy Brecker, Clark Terry, Jose Feliciano, Bucky Pizzarelli, John Pizzarelli, Dick Hyman, Patti Labelle & the New York Pops Orchestra, Harry Allen, Warren Vache, Marlena Shaw, David Krakauer, Ken Peplowski, Ann Hampton Callaway, Bill Mays, Scott Hamilton, Lillian Boutte, Larry Carlton and Houston Person, to name a few.

Nicki is joined by John Di Martino (piano), Gil Goldstein (accordion), Jacob Fisher (guitar) and Tim Horner (drums).

The Last Time I Saw Paris

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Jimmy McGriff - Countdown

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 33:45
Size: 77.3 MB
Label: Milestone
Styles: Soul-jazz-funk
Year: 1983/1991
Art: Front

[7:00] 1. I'm Walking
[5:15] 2. Bholly
[4:07] 3. Down For The Count
[4:08] 4. Blow Your Horn
[4:59] 5. Since I Fell For You
[8:14] 6. Shiny Stockings

Jimmy McGriff's Milestone debut, which has been reissued on CD, features the soulful organist heading a group of lesser-known players -- including three horns and the fine guitarist Melvin Sparks -- and doing his best to emulate the sound of a big band. The material ("I'm Walkin'," a couple of Frank Foster numbers including "Shiny Stockings," Benny Green's "Blow Your Horn," "Since I Fell for You" and a McGriff original) is strong and inspires the musicians to play funky, grease-filled solos. Few surprises occur, but the music is quite enjoyable and easily recommended to fans of this genre. ~Scott Yanow

Countdown

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Freddy Cole - Rio De Janeiro Blue

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 52:41
Size: 122.3 MB
Label: Telarc
Styles: Vocal jazz
Year: 2001
Art: Front

[4:31] 1. Rio De Janeiro Blue
[5:09] 2. I Concentrate On You
[4:15] 3. Delirio
[5:00] 4. Invitation
[5:23] 5. Words Can't Describe
[3:30] 6. Wild Is Love
[5:50] 7. Yellow Days
[3:04] 8. Sem Voce
[4:28] 9. Something Happens To Me
[5:03] 10. There, I've Said It Again
[6:23] 11. To Say Goodbye

Freddy Cole's second Telarc release features him in a variety of jazz and Latin settings, with a stellar cast of musicians -- most notably pianist/arranger Arturo O'Farrill. Cole plays very capable piano on five of the 11 tracks and arranges six of them. Gravel-voiced and relentlessly laid-back, the younger brother of Nat "King" Cole is true to form on this romantic collection of songs, most of which aren't too well known, with the exception of "Invitation" and "I Concentrate on You." The nicest surprise comes on Antonio Carlos Jobim's "Sem Voce," which Cole sings in the original Portuguese; Joe Beck plays the changes on alto guitar and solos beautifully on acoustic. Cole's regular band, with guitarist Jerry Byrd, bassist Herman Burney, and drummer Curtis Boyd, splits the program with a larger Latin ensemble that includes the likes of O'Farrill, "Papo" Vazquez on trombone, Lou Marini on sax and flute, and Steve Berrios on drums and Latin percussion. Even though Cole's voice is not "pretty" in a conventional sense, this definitely works as turn-the-lights-down-low music. O'Farrill's choice of Fender Rhodes electric piano on the first and last tracks is an inspired touch. ~ David R. Adler

Recorded at Sear Sound Studios, New York, New York from September 19-21, 2000. Includes liner notes by Bob Blumenthal.

Freddy Cole (vocals, piano); Joe Beck (guitar, acoustic guitar); Lou Marini (flute, tenor saxophone); Michael Mossman (trumpet, flugelhorn); Angel Vazquez (trombone); Rubén Rodríguez (electric bass); Steve Berrios (drums, congas, shaker, surdo, bells); Curtis Boyd (drums).

Rio De Janeiro Blue

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Joey DeFrancesco - Finger Poppin': Celebrating the Music of Horace Silver

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 60:59
Size: 139.6 MB
Label: Doodlin
Styles: Urban jazz, Soul jazz, Post bop
Year: 2009
Art: Front

[ 8:25] 1. Strollin'
[ 4:41] 2. Swingin' the Samba
[ 5:59] 3. The Jody Grind
[ 6:04] 4. Finger Poppin'
[ 7:14] 5. Let's Get to the Nitty Gritty
[11:13] 6. African Queen
[ 8:30] 7. Filthy McNasty
[ 4:12] 8. Peace
[ 4:36] 9. Swingin' the Samba (alternate take)

As Joey DeFrancesco has switched from the standard Hammond B-3 to the Diversi clone organ, you'd hardly notice how the subtle differences in each instrument affect his playing style. However, this recording reflects a rich, warm feeling manifested not only in his approach, but via the music he is playing--a celebration of songs written by Horace Silver. Tom Harrell (former bandmate of Silver) and Tim Warfield (tenor sax only) were recruited to keep the embers glowing, while longtime DeFrancesco drummer Byron Landham also utilizes the utmost of restraint and taste. This is not the fiery Horace Silver sound stoked by drummer Roy Brooks, but a respectful tribute to Silver's bands, with several well-chosen old favorites and two discernible off the beaten path selections.

DeFrancesco's secondary role in the background is telling on classic tracks like "Strollin'," with its naturally easygoing mood supporting Warfield's deliberate, overly careful phrasings, or the sly, slow groove of "The Jody Grind." The rest of the recording compares well with Silver's original takes, as "Swingin' the Samba" sports a popping beat approaching Mexicali swapping with Brazilian, the shuffle blues "Let's Get to the Nitty Gritty" has no problems or pressure, and "Peace" -- the ultimate ballad -- is lovingly caressed by Harrell's flügelhorn. At over 11 minutes in length, "The African Queen" is as compelling as the original in its up-and-down dynamics. An ever popular piece, "Filthy McNasty" is a fairly simple tune, but done with more fire than the others via great communion between Warfield and Harrell. It's a good recording nonetheless, and one DeFrancesco fans will enjoy.

As Joey DeFrancesco has switched from the standard Hammond B-3 to the Diversi clone organ, you'd hardly notice how the subtle differences in each instrument affect his playing style. However, this recording reflects a very rich, warm feeling manifested not only in his approach, but via the music he is playing -- a celebration of songs written by Horace Silver. Tom Harrell (former bandmate of Silver, exclusively on the flügelhorn) and Tim Warfield (tenor sax only) were recruited to keep the embers glowing but not flaming on, while longtime DeFrancesco drummer Byron Landham also utilizes the utmost of restraint and taste. Similarly imprecise is the rushed version of the title track, a bit too fast in hard bop fashion. The rest of the recording compares well with Silver's original takes, as "Swingin' the Samba" sports a popping beat approaching Mexicali swapping with Brazilian, the shuffle blues "Let's Get to the Nitty Gritty" has no problems or pressure, and "Peace". ~Pete Fallico, Jim Merod.

Finger Poppin': Celebrating the Music of Horace Silver

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Nina Simone - 'Nuff Said

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 33:36
Size: 80.5 MB
Label: RCA
Styles: Vocal jazz
Year: 1968/2004
Art: Front

[2:28] 1. In the Morning
[3:26] 2. Sunday In Savannah
[2:48] 3. Backlash Blues
[2:52] 4. Please Read Me
[3:09] 5. Gin House Blues
[5:56] 6. Why (The King Of Love Is Dead)
[2:35] 7. Peace Of Mind
[2:07] 8. Ain't Got No/I Got Life
[3:28] 9. I Loves You Porgy
[1:44] 10. Take My Hand Precious Lord
[2:58] 11. Do What You Gotta Do

The record 'Nuff Said! was recorded live the day after Dr. Martin Luther King was assassinated. Nina Simone's performance is a unique testament of that era combining an excellent performance with genuine emotions. Her voice delivers the songs with dignity, achieving a quality I haven't heard on any of her other live recording since. Nearly forty years onwards it proves the outstanding qualities of this often misunderstood lady. ~Robert Jan Voster

'Nuff Said

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Eddie Lang, Carl Kress, Dick McDonough - Pioneers Of Jazz Guitar

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 70:17
Size: 166.5 MB
Label: Challenge
Styles: Early jazz, Guitar jazz, Swing
Year: 1998
Art: Front

[2:55] 1. Eddie's Twister
[3:08] 2. April Kisses
[3:07] 3. Prelude In C Sharp Minor Op 3
[3:03] 4. A Little Love, A Little Kiss
[2:49] 5. Melody Man's Dream
[3:03] 6. Perfect
[2:49] 7. Rainbow Dreams
[2:46] 8. Add A Little Wiggle
[2:52] 9. Jeanine I Dream Of Lilac Time
[3:02] 10. I'll Never Be The Same
[3:03] 11. Church Street Sobbin' Blues
[3:11] 12. There'll Be Some Changes Made
[3:02] 13. Pickin' My Way (Guitar Mania, Part 1)
[3:00] 14. Feeling My Way (Guitar Mania, Part 2)
[3:08] 15. Danzon
[3:00] 16. Stage Fright
[2:13] 17. Chicken-A-La-Swing
[2:25] 18. Heat Wave
[2:48] 19. Afterthoughts - Part 1 (In Three Movements)
[3:02] 20. Afterthoughts - Parts 2 & 3 (In Three Movements)
[2:34] 21. Peg Leg Shuffle
[2:43] 22. Helena
[3:18] 23. Love Song
[3:03] 24. Sutton Mutton

This 1998 CD has a great deal of timeless music. Guitar features were very rare in jazz prior to Django Reinhardt, and particularly before the guitar became amplified in the late '30s. This essential reissue has all of Eddie Lang's guitar features (leaving out only a few numbers in which he led a bigger group), the two Lang/Carl Kress duets, the Kress/Dick McDonough duets, and all of Kress' unaccompanied solos. The Lang numbers (mostly duets with Arthur Schutt, Frank Signorelli, or Rube Bloom offering quiet support on piano) were unprecedented in jazz at the time. Highlights include "Add a Little Wiggle," "I'll Never Be the Same," and "There'll Be Some Changes Made." Actually, the most memorable moments on this CD are the two Lang/Kress collaborations, classics from 1932 called "Pickin' My Way" and "Feelin' My Way." Lang's single-note lines work perfectly with Kress' advanced chords, and it is surprising that no arranger has transcribed these wonderful performances and orchestrated them for a larger group. Highly recommended, and proof that the jazz guitar did not begin with Charlie Christian. ~Scott Yanow

Pioneers Of Jazz Guitar

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Lisa Kirchner - In The Shadow Of A Crow

Styles: Jazz Vocals
Label: Albany Music Distribution
Year: 2009
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 58:50
Size: 135,8 MB
Art: Front

(4:07)  1. The Very Thought Of You
(4:32)  2. When The Dream Is Over
(3:28)  3. Baby Take A Chance With Me
(3:11)  4. Parapluis De Cherbourg
(3:55)  5. More Than You Know
(3:25)  6. Blue By The River
(3:09)  7. Shut Down The Moon
(4:10)  8. Que Reste-t-il?
(3:48)  9. I Don't Believe In Romance
(3:39) 10. Monday Morning
(3:55) 11. In The Shadow Of A Crow
(3:56) 12. Don't Misunderstand
(4:29) 13. Manhattan Under The Paris Moon
(2:53) 14. Please Be Kind
(3:03) 15. La Javanaise
(3:02) 16. You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To

"In the Shadow of a Crow" featuring vocalist Lisa Kirchner and her marvelous musicians is a collection of standards and original songs that I can highly recommend. It's a musical revelation to hear what Lisa does with her voice. A sound imbued with sophistication, beauty, and style so rare to hear from any singer these days. I look forward to the next effort from this multitalented lady who has brought her wonderful artistry to theatre, Broadway, radio, and television." ~Ron Della Chiesa WGBH Radio Boston/ WPLM Radio Plymouth

“Three French titles and excellently interpreted by Lisa Kirchner…the delicate attention of a connaisseuse, who has chosen the crème de la crème of musicians… Not one error in taste, musicians who swing : this singer has a lot of talent” ~Michel Bedin/Jazz Hot

"We've really enjoyed sharing cuts from IN THE SHADOW OF A CROW with our listeners. All in all…I give the album two thumbs up” ~Eric Cohen/WAER Radio

“Loved your CD- especially-You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To and The Very Thought Of You. Still playing so keep ‘em coming. ~on Wolff/I Love Jazz

“You have a very unique, recognizable voice, and your backup musicians sound wonderful. I look forward to your new cd next year.” ~David May WHFC-FM

“LISA KIRCHNER offers a beautiful interpretation of “Please Be Kind”, written by Cahn and Chaplin.”~Bruno Pollacci/Anima Jazz(http://www.lisakirchner.com/reviews.html).

In The Shadow Of A Crow

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Tim Warfield - A Cool Blue

Styles: Saxophone Jazz

Label: criss cross

Year: 1994

File: MP3@320K/s

Time: 69:50

Size: 160,1 MB

Art: Front

( 6:54)  1. Titi Boom I

(10:03)  2. Summertime

( 8:23)  3. I Didn't Know What Time It Was

(11:39)  4. Dedicated To You

( 7:28)  5. Night Train

( 5:58)  6. A Cool Blue

( 5:38)  7. Titi Boom II

( 6:47)  8. Waltz For The Ordinary

( 6:57)  9. Mr.Jin

Performing with frequent collaborators Terell Stafford, Cyrus Chestnut, Tarus Mateen, and (Clarence Penn), Tim Warfield's debut as a leader is a fine mixture of original compositions, standards, and jazz classics. Although all of the nine selections on A Cool Blue are strong, two of the standouts are "Titi Boom I" and "Titi Boom II"; "I" is an uptempo blues, while "II" is slower but just as energetic, with a collective improvisation over a four-note bass vamp. 

Other highlights include a straight-ahead reading of "I Didn't Know What Time It Was," a special arrangement of "Night Train," the beautiful title track, and the hard hitting "Mr Jin," introduced by a powerful Penn drum solo. One of the original Tough Young Tenors and an original member of the short-lived Jazz Futures, Warfield shows the potential to become one of the most distinctive tenor saxophonists in jazz.~Greg Turner(http://www.allmusic.com/album/cool-blue-mw0000646952).

Personnel: Tim Warfield (tenor saxophone); Terell Stafford (trumpet); Cyrus Chestnut (piano); Clarence Penn (drums).

Recording information: RPM Studios, New York, NY (12/27/1994).

A Cool Blue

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Terri Clark - Roots and Wings

Styles: Country
Label: Baretrack
Year: 2011
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 38:39
Size: 89,0 MB
Art: Front

(3:30)  1. Wrecking Ball
(3:55)  2. Breakin' Up Thing
(3:44)  3. The One
(3:49)  4. Northern Girl
(4:04)  5. Beautiful and Broken
(3:45)  6. Lonesome's Last Call
(4:27)  7. The Good Was Great
(4:16)  8. Smile (featuring Alison Krauss)
(2:45)  9. We're Here for a Good Time
(4:19) 10. Flowers In Snow

There are many things to celebrate on Roots & Wings, Terri Clark's second self-released, self-produced offering on BareTrack Records. No longer distributed by Capitol, Clark's really going it alone here, partnering instead with the great independent distributor The Orchard. This set not only proves but underscores in bold that 2009's excellent Long Way Home was no fluke: Clark knows her own strengths better than any Nashville producer. She has assembled a stellar class of pickers, and wrote or co-wrote all but one cut. The sound is contemporary country but, as the title implies, there's a traditional bent here as well. Roots & Wings is simultaneously searing and personal, ebullient and defiant. Four of the finer songs on this set were co-written with ex-Sugarland member Kristen Hall, among them the stellar, folkish "Flowers in Snow,” the more commercial but nonetheless hard roots track “Beautiful and Broken,” and the radio-ready “Breakin’ Up Thing.” Even when pushing herself beyond her comfort zone, as on “We’re Here for a Good Time” with its solidly retro pop feel, she delivers full bore and soars above the hooky chorus. 

Clark can sing and write honky tonk with the best of them and displays it on the hard country of "Lonesome's Last Call," a barroom weeper par excellence. Alison Krauss' voice and fiddle appear on the midtempo ballad "Smile," dedicated to the memory of Clark's mother Linda, who passed away recently after battling cancer. The closer, "Flowers in Snow," is the only cover here, a Celtic-flavored country ballad fueled by mandolins and pedal steel. Clark's throaty contralto digs deep into the grain of the heartbreak in the lyric. Roots & Wings has plenty to offer country fans. Hopefully radio will pick up on the album since there's more than enough to interest them here, because Roots & Wings is Clark's tightest, most focused recording to date.~Thom Jurek(http://www.allmusic.com/album/roots-wings-mw0002181099).

Personnel: Terri Clark (background vocals); Bryan Sutton (acoustic guitar, banjo, mandolin); B. James Lowry (acoustic guitar); Jason Barry, Kenny Greenberg, Brent Mason (electric guitar); Dan Dugmore, Russ Paul (steel guitar); Andrea Zonn, Stuart Duncan (fiddle, strings); Tony Harrell (accordion, piano); Steve Nathan (keyboards); Lyle Molzan, Shannon Forrest (drums); Jeneé Fleenor, John Wesley Ryles, Kristen Hall, Alison Krauss, Sonya Isaacs, Wes Hightower (background vocals).

Recording information: Barrytones Studios, Toronto, ON; The Metal Building, Nolensville, TN; Vibe 56, Nashville, TN.

Roots and Wings

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Diana Krall - The Look Of Love

Styles: Jazz Vocals
Label: Umvd Labels
Year: 2001
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 50:35
Size: 116,3 MB
Art: Front

(4:29)  1. S'Wonderful
(4:56)  2. Love Letters
(3:56)  3. I Remember You
(5:03)  4. Cry Me a River
(6:40)  5. Besame Mucho
(5:42)  6. The Night We Called it a Day
(5:48)  7. Dancing In The Dark
(3:45)  8. I Get Along Without You Very Well
(4:42)  9. The Look of Love
(5:31) 10. Maybe You'll Be There

Diana Krall has a good voice and plays decent piano, but this somewhat ridiculously packaged Verve CD seems like an obvious attempt to turn her into a pop icon, and sex symbol to boot. The bland arrangements by Claus Ogerman (who conducts the London Symphony Orchestra or the Los Angeles Session Orchestra on each track) border on easy listening, while Krall and her various supporting musicians, including John Pisano, Russell Malone, Christian McBride, and Peter Erskine (among others), clearly seem stifled by their respective roles. There are plenty of strong compositions here, including standards like "I Remember You," "The Night We Called It a Day," and "I Get Along Without You Very Well," but the unimaginative and often syrupy charts take their toll on the performances. 

What is even sillier is the label's insistence on attempting to photograph the artist in various sultry poses, which she evidently wants to discourage by refusing to provide much of a smile (the rumor is that she's not happy with this part of the business at all). If you are looking for unchallenging background music, this will fit the bill, but jazz fans are advised to check out Krall's earlier releases instead.~Ken Dryden(http://www.allmusic.com/album/the-look-of-love-mw0000012124).

The Look Of Love

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Jeff Golub With Brian Auger - Train Keeps A Rolling

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 47:33
Size: 108.9 MB
Label: EOne Music
Styles: Pop-Jazz, Guitar jazz
Year: 2013
Art: Front

[3:17] 1. The Cat
[4:19] 2. Isola Natale
[3:39] 3. Train Keeps A Rolling
[5:11] 4. I Love The Life I Live
[4:42] 5. Pusherman
[3:52] 6. How Long
[3:31] 7. J&B
[4:41] 8. Happiness Is Just Around The Bend
[4:01] 9. Shepherds Bush Market
[4:32] 10. Whenever You're Ready
[5:43] 11. Walking On The Moon

That guitarist Jeff Golub was able to record Train Keeps a Rolling at all is something of a miracle. In 2011, the optic nerves in the guitarist's eyes mysteriously and inexplicably collapsed, leaving him blind and in need of a guard dog. In September of 2012, while trying to catch the subway in New York, Golub fell onto the tracks as a train was approaching. He was clipped and dragged for a distance, but amazingly, other than cuts and bruises, he was unhurt. This makes the occasion of his 12th studio offering a special one. To mark it, his longtime co-producer Bud Harner suggested that he collaborate with one of his personal heroes, British keyboard giant Brian Auger. They enlisted drummer Steve Ferrone from Auger's Oblivion Express and bassist Derek Frank, who had also worked with the keyboardist. Various tracks are augmented by guests, including a four-piece horn section, percussionist Luis Conte, and vocalists Christopher Cross, Ambrosia's David Pack, and Alex Ligertwood (former Oblivion Express and Santana frontman). The program opens with a bright, funky reading of Lalo Schifrin's "The Cat" that accents the intuitive interplay between the B-3 and Golub's guitar playing. There are three Auger compositions too, including a new reading of the slinky jazz-rock nugget "Happiness Is Just Around the Bend" with Ligertwood reprising his Oblivion Express vocal role. More outstanding are the punchy, horn-drenched funk of "Shepherds Bush Market," which Auger wrote specifically for the date, and the previously unissued "Isola Natale," with its jazzy Latin groove. Pop rears its head in a sophisticated read of Paul Carrack's "How Long," beautifully sung by Cross, and ramped up soul-jazz appears in an instrumental take on Curtis Mayfield's iconic "Pusherman," with a terrific horn chart and a monster B-3 solo. Golub shines throughout, but particularly on the ironically dubbed title track, which commences as a frenetic tropical salsa before giving way to steamy, Latin-fused jazz-rock. The only weak spots here are in the workmanlike version of the Police's "Walking on the Moon" and the Mose Allison-influenced read of Willie Dixon's "I Love the Life I Live"; both could have been left off without consequence. By and large, however, Train Keeps a Rolling is proof positive that you can't keep a great musician down; it is inspired, kinetic, and chock-full of fine playing and arranging. ~ Thom Jurek

Recording information: Lafx, North Hollywood, CA; Pack's Place, Mission Viejo, CA; The Maid's Room, New York, NY; The Red Room. Austin, TX. Editor: Mark Casselman.

Jeff Golub (guitar); Brian Auger (Fender Rhodes piano, Hammond b-3 organ); Dave Woodford (flute, baritone saxophone); Mindi Abair (alto saxophone); Steve Madaio (trumpet); Nick Lane (trombone); Steve Ferrone (drums); Luis Conte (percussion).

Train Keeps A Rolling

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Blossom Dearie - My Gentleman Friend

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 30:35
Size: 70.0 MB
Label: Verve
Styles: Vocal jazz, Easy Listening
Year: 1959/2003
Art: Front

[3:39] 1. Little Jazz Bird
[3:46] 2. Gentleman Friend
[3:06] 3. It's Too Good To Talk About Now
[3:06] 4. Chez Moi
[3:29] 5. You Fascinate Me So
[2:33] 6. You've Got Something I Want
[2:07] 7. Boum
[0:00] 8. L' Étang
[2:48] 9. Hello Love
[5:57] 10. Someone To Watch Over Me

Another in the superior series of LPs Blossom Dearie recorded for Verve in the late '50s, MY GENTLEMAN FRIEND finds the cabaret-jazz maven joined by guitarist Kenny Burrell and her husband at the time, Belgian saxophonist-flutist Bobby Jaspar, who accompanies Blossom on just a few French-language tunes--"Chez Moi," the swinging "Boum," and a lovely impressionist ballad called "L'Etang," all of which she manages with aplomb.

Dearie always chose her repertoire carefully so there are almost no typical standards here. Still she excels on Cy Coleman's "You Fascinate Me So," with its deft, witty lyrics by the great Carolyn Leigh. Closing the set is her plaintive version of the Gershwin's "Someone To Watch Over Me." The singer's self-accompanying piano work is excellent throughout.

Recorded at Nola Studios, New York, New York on May 21 & 22, 1959. Originally released on Verve (2125).

Blossom Dearie (vocals, piano); Bobby Jaspar (flute); Kenny Burrell (guitar); Ray Brown (bass); Ed Thigpen (drums).

My Gentleman Friend

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Tom Scott - Reed My Lips

Album: Reed My Lips
Styles: Crossover jazz, Fusion
Released: 1993
Label: GRP
Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 40:50
Size: 93.5 MB
Art: Front Cover

1. Upbeat 90's [4:26]
2. Sarah, Sarah [5:22]
3. Reed My Lips [5:42]
4. Jungle Wave [5:22]
5. Hollywood Walk [4:44]
6. Every Day And Every Minute [4:40]
7. Walk A Mile [4:08]
8. G.B.U. [4:16]
9. Saxappella [2:11]

While most musicians wind up pigeonholed into very strict stylistic trappings throughout their career, Tom Scott has f ound challenges and success playing all formats of jazz on his solo projects and as leader of the GRP All Star Big Band (in the early 90s). It was fun following his muse in the middle of the decade, as he ventured back to his straightahead roots on 1992's Born Again, then was back to the funk on this rousing jam session.

Working with old and new friends like Grover Washington, Jr., Paul Jackson, Jr., Dave Witham, David Paich, Luis Conte, Eric Gale and Robben Ford, Scollection explodes from the get-go on the perfectly titled "Upbeat 90's," a spirited bundle of energy which combines Scott's funky tenor bravura with a modern hip-hop groove and Gale's bouncy electric guitar. The saxman plays a passionate accompaniment and interlude behind the smooth vocals of singer/guitarist Jerry Lopez on a seductive cover of Jonathan Butler's sweet "Sarah Sarah," then gives the title track--a soaring duet between Scott and Washington's duelling tenor and soprano saxes--a brassy blues and bouncy hip-hop attitude. "Every Day and Every Minute" is possibly the most unique track Scott has ever done. It's a hypnotic moodswing of spacey animation featuring mantra like breathy vocals, Witham's vibes like melody and the saxman achieving mystery with the sounds of the bass flute. ~Jonathan Widran

Reed My Lips

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Paul McCartney - Ram (Special Edition) [double album]

At the beginning of his solo career, McCartney took the term rather literally, recording virtually alone, playing and singing nearly all the parts himself. Nowhere is that approach more effective than on RAM, arguably his finest solo recording. Admittedly, he had a little help from guitarist Hugh McCracken and a couple of others here and there, but for the most part, this is Paul's show. Instead of succumbing to self-indulgence, though, he used this forum to focus his artistic energies, thus turning out some of the best songs of his post-Beatles career. The opening "Too Many People" is an appealingly melodic rocker that combines the two sides of McCartney--melodious popster and unabashed rocker--to unprecedented effect. He gets bluesy on "3 Legs," homespun-acoustic on "Heart of the Country," and appealingly jocular on the radio hit "Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey," whose whimsy recalls his best light-hearted Beatles efforts. What he maintains throughout all this is his vision, never getting sidetracked into loopy experimentalism or sentimental mush. RAM is McCartney at the peak of his considerable powers, spontaneous-sounding but still expertly crafted.

Album: Ram (Special Edition) [Disc 1]
Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 43:05
Size: 98.7 MB
Label: Hear Music
Styles: Rock
Year: 1971/2012

[4:09] 1. Too Many People
[2:47] 2. Three Legs
[2:29] 3. Ram On
[2:13] 4. Dear Boy
[4:55] 5. Uncle Albert Admiral Halsey
[3:52] 6. Smile Away
[2:22] 7. Heart of the Country
[5:24] 8. Monkberry Moon Delight
[3:21] 9. Eat at Home
[6:05] 10. Long Haired Lady
[0:55] 11. Ram On 2
[4:28] 12. Back Seat of My Car

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Album: Ram (Special Edition) (disc 2)
Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 32:56
Size: 75.4 MB
Label: Hear Music
Styles: Rock
Year: 1971/2012
Art: Front

[3:41] 1. Another Day
[4:33] 2. Oh Woman, Oh Why
[2:07] 3. Little Woman Love
[4:07] 4. A Love for You [John Kelly Mix]
[3:48] 5. Hey Diddle [Dixon Van Winkle Mix]
[2:34] 6. Great Cock and Seagull Race [Dixon Van Winkle Mix]
[8:43] 7. Rode All Night
[3:19] 8. Sunshine Sometime [Earliest Mix]

this 2-disc set in one link.
Ram (Special Edition) [discs 1 & 2]

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Anny Finnestad - Celebrating The Standards Of Jazz

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 28:50
Size: 66.0 MB
Label: (Self-released)
Styles: Vocal jazz
Year: 2005
Art: Front

[3:11] 1. Lullaby of Birdland
[4:44] 2. These Foolish Things
[2:50] 3. From This Moment On
[3:37] 4. You Go to My Head
[2:52] 5. Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea
[2:58] 6. Why Don't You Do Right?
[3:41] 7. Lovely Day
[4:54] 8. I'd Rather Have Jesus

Anny Finnestad was born in the picturesque Pacific Northwest town of Bellingham, WA. where her love of singing was cultivated as a member of the gospel choir in her local Baptist church.

The Finnestad family relocated to San Diego, CA where Ms. Finnestad later continued her formal musical studies at San Diego State and Azusa Pacific University (APU). While still a freshman at APU she was selected as a member of the University Choir and recorded several albums for Disney. She later moved east to Boston, MA where she was exposed to jazz and blues with Billie Holiday, Sarah Vaughan, Nina Simone and Etta James being her biggest vocal influences. Upon returning to the West Coast, she became a local fixture of the San Diego Jazz scene and performed with many artists including drummer Charles "Chuck" McPherson Jr. and Trumpeter and composer Gilbert Castellanos.

In 1998, Ms. Finnestad moved to New York to continue her studies with world renowned pianist Norman Simmons and vocal instructors Amy London and Susan Slavin. While in New York she met and began working with drummer and producer George Coleman Jr. (son of Tenor sax great and Miles Davis Alumni, George Coleman Sr.). In 2003-2004 Anny's vocals fronted George's trio in engagements scheduled throughout the east coast. Their dedication and hard work has resulted in a jointly produced debut album entitled "Anny Finnestad, celebrating the standards of jazz".

Celebrating The Standards Of Jazz

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Kenny Burrell With Coleman Hawkins - Bluesy Burrell

Styles: Bop

Released: 1962/1997

Label: Original Jazz Classics

Bitrate: 320K/s

Time: 39:04

Size: 89.4 MB

Art: Front

1. Tres Palabras [6:43]

2. No More [1:50]

3. Guilty [4:16]

4. Montono Blues [4:43]

5. I Thought About You [4:38]

6. Out Of This World [4:53]

7. It's Getting Dark [6:51]

8. I Never Knew [5:20]

This session is valuable for the majestic playing of tenor great Coleman Hawkins, who performs on half of the eight tracks. While originally released on the Prestige subsidiary Moodsville -- a label that specialized in recordings with an intimate, reflective atmosphere -- the Moodsville sound doesn't sit comfortably on Hawkins. His playing is brilliantly relaxed, but it's not mood music. Leader Kenny Burrell's playing is much more in line with the Moodsville groove. The guitarist is not amplified as much as he is on his Prestige dates from this time. In fact, he performs on a nylon-string instrument almost as much as he does on his hollow-body electric. Unlike Hawkins, Burrell's subdued contribution is made to measure for this date. Listeners expecting to hear Burrell the hard bopper won't. The key moments come during the interaction between the guitarist and tenor player, especially during their exchanges on Burrell's "Montono Blues." The rhythm section, Hawkins' working band from this period (pianist Tommy Flanagan, bassist Major Holley, and drummer Eddie Locke), provide impeccable, sublime support. The CD is rounded out with an up-tempo performance of the standard "I Never Knew," from a date led by pianist Gildo Mahones. This is where Burrell gets a chance to cook in his classic hard bop style, along with the fine alto player Leo Wright. ~Jim Todd

Bluesy Burrell  

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Pee Wee Russell With Buck Clayton - Swingin' With Pee Wee

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 38:50
Size: 88.9 MB
Label: Hallmark
Styles: Clarinet jazz, Mainstream jazz
Year: 1961/1999
Art: Front

[5:00] 1. (What Can I Say) After I Say I'm Sorry
[5:37] 2. Midnight Blue
[4:40] 3. The Very Thought Of You
[5:02] 4. Lulu's Back In Town
[5:37] 5. Wrap Your Troubles In Dreams (And Dream Your Troubles Away)
[6:06] 6. I Would Do Most Anything For You
[6:44] 7. Englewood

During the last dozen years of his life before passing away in 1969, clarinetist Pee Wee Russell recorded and performed in a variety of surprisingly modern settings. It was not that Russell was not modern himself, for his eccentric style had long been quite distinctive, but he had previously been content to mostly play in freewheeling Dixieland bands. His encounters with valve trombonist Marshall Brown (who provided him with an advanced repertoire and arrangements) and a 1963 Newport Jazz Festival appearance with Thelonious Monk found Russell stretching himself. The two albums that are reissued in full on this 1999 CD are not quite as adventurous, being essentially small-group swing, which was still a bit ahead of Eddie Condon's bands. Russell and trumpeter Buck Clayton make for a perfectly compatible team on the 1960 date, a relaxed and swinging quintet session with pianist Tommy Flanagan, bassist Wendell Marshall, and drummer Osie Johnson. The other set has basic arrangements from pianist Nat Pierce, quiet support from bassist Tommy Potter and drummer Karl Kiffe, and Russell is joined by three of his favorite horn players (trumpeter Ruby Braff, trombonist Vic Dickenson, and tenor saxophonist Bud Freeman). A gem. ~ Scott Yanow

Recording information: Nj (03/29/1960).

Pee Wee Russell; Bud Freeman (tenor saxophone); Buck Clayton, Ruby Braff (trumpet); Vic Dickenson (trombone); Tommy Flanagan, Nat Pierce (piano); Wendell Marshall, Tommy Porter (bass); Osie Johnson, Karl Kiffe (drums).

Swingin' With Pee Wee

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Sue Raney - All By Myself

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 35:36
Size: 82.9 MB
Label: Blue Note
Styles: Standards, Torch songs
Year: 2006
Art: Front

[2:10] 1. Some Of These Days
[3:55] 2. Trouble Is A Man
[2:25] 3. Don't Let The Sun Catch You Crying
[3:06] 4. I'm Gonna Laugh You Right Out Of My Life
[4:09] 5. Here's That Rainy Day
[2:43] 6. What Is This Thing Called Love?
[2:54] 7. All By Myself
[2:44] 8. No Place To Go
[2:34] 9. Just A-Sittin' And A-Rockin'
[3:27] 10. How About Me
[2:21] 11. Maybe You'll Be There
[3:03] 12. Burnt Sugar

In 1963, Capitol Records producer Lee Gillette was looking for a way to amp up the singing career of young crooner Sue Raney. Impossibly young when she entered the music business, Raney nevertheless had the talent, looks, and delivery of a star -- she just needed to shake that "little girl" aspect and tap into a more "adult" vein. Gillette tried to secure Stan Kenton as her backing arranger (for the album that would become All by Myself), but when that fell through, Capitol house arranger Ralph Carmichael was brought on board, and he channeled that stabbing, boisterous Kenton vibe to a T. In fact, the arrangements proved so volatile that Raney wondered how she was going to compete. Well, she mostly succeeded. Some tracks (like the explosive opener, "Some of These Days") find Raney struggling to overcome the blasting brass, which all but bury her vocal line. She was not as forceful as Anita O'Day, nor did she have the shrewd phrasing talents of, say, June Christy, but Raney did have a sweet, sweet voice -- maybe not powerful enough to blast through the more bombastic numbers, but on slow burners (like the über-sensual "Don't Let the Sun Catch You Crying" or the appropriately melancholy "Here's That Rainy Day") her breathy delivery is stunning. The album's title track is without a doubt the most successful venture here. By peeling away the flash and getting down to an intimate purr, "All By Myself"'s comely arrangement allows Raney to whisper in your ear, which is ultimately the best way she comes across on record. ~J. Scott McClintock

All By Myself

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Mose Allison - Jazz Profile

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 55:31
Size: 129.4 MB
Label: Blue Note
Styles: Jazz blues, Hard Bop, Vocal jazz
Year: 1997
Art: Front

[4:50] 1. Ever Since The World Ended
[4:23] 2. Top Forty
[3:10] 3. Putting Up With Me
[3:14] 4. I Looked In The Mirror
[4:27] 5. Getting There
[3:28] 6. What's Your Movie
[3:15] 7. Ever Since I Stole The Blues
[4:12] 8. Was
[4:12] 9. The Getting Paid Waltz
[3:40] 10. My Backyard
[4:18] 11. Certified Senior Citizen
[3:20] 12. This Ain't Me
[4:50] 13. You Can't Push People Around
[4:07] 14. The Earth Wants You

This single CD has highlights from Mose Allison's three Blue Note albums of 1987-1993 (Ever Since the World Ended, My Backyard, and The Earth Wants You). Although it would be preferable to acquire the complete records instead (and Allison's greatest material was actually recorded in earlier years), there are plenty of gems on this set, including "Ever Since the World Ended," "I Looked in the Mirror," "Ever Since I Stole the Blues," and "Certified Senior Citizen." Joined by a variety of all-star players (including Bennie Wallace on tenor, altoist Arthur Blythe, and guitarist John Scofield), Allison's singing, witty delivery, piano playing, and insightful (yet humorous) lyrics easily steal the show. ~Scott Yanow

Jazz Profile

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