Will Bernard Trio - Outdoor Living

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 50:05
Size: 114.6 MB
Styles: Cool jazz, Funk-jazz
Year: 2012
Art: Front

[5:36] 1. Nature Walk
[5:00] 2. Morgan Deux
[5:45] 3. Nooksack
[4:55] 4. 6b
[7:03] 5. Roaming Charges
[3:39] 6. Point Blank
[7:05] 7. Squeaky Chug Chug
[7:25] 8. Katskan
[3:33] 9. Implitude

As if capturing the Will Bernard Trio caught up in a rush of inspiration, both the initial and concluding pairs of tracks on Outdoor Living are sequenced together without breaks between. It's an appropriate production touch for an album on which the participants are clearly feeding on each others' ideas and building on the individual and collective talent on hand. The initial segue to "Morgan Deux" from "Nature Walk" is a springboard for the musicians and listeners alike to become caught up in the spirit of the moment, while "Implitude" completes the album with a flourish as it follows "Katskan."

The Bernard Trio functions in an altogether remarkable way: any of the three, at any given time, can assume prominence in such an authoritative way that he seems like the leader of the group. Take drummer Simon Lott, for instance. The New Orleans-based drummer has played with Charlie Hunter among others, and his ability to play around the basic rhythm of a tune like "6B" (suggesting all manner of polyrhythms intrinsic to that beat) makes his kit a natural to take over as the lead instrument. He never overshadows his comrades, though. In this instance, guitarist Bernard creates a variety of syncopations, while keyboardist Blades weaves in and out of the sounds of the other two.

Akin to the ability to fluently speak many languages, Bernard has the uncanny ability to siphon selected characteristics from a given style to suit his purposes. The use of a slide, for instance, allows him to impart the visceral grind of blues guitar to "Nooksack," his confidence and natural affection for the music allowing Bernard to avoid superficiality. The twists he injects into "Roaming Charges" with his creative fretwork are a natural extension of his skill as a composer; he builds the momentum of the performance so that the drama is palpable.

As evidenced by Blades' quietly insistent role on "Point Blank," the keyboardist glues this group together with the grand flow of his Hammond B3. The instrument could fill the crevices in the trio's sound by its very nature, but Bernard's longtime collaborator assertively takes charge, navigating through the arrangements in such a way as to make the trio sound larger than the sum of its three parts. His staccato attack on "Squeaky Chug Chug," gentle as it is, only adds to the assortment of colors and textures on Outdoor Living and, by extension, to the trio as a whole. Blades' playing mirrors the sonic diversity Bernard supplies, and the ingenious relish with which Lott explores his whole kit.

Blessed with consummate finesse and sounding skilled beyond their years, the Will Bernard Trio retains the traditional virtues of this classic instrumental lineup on Outdoor Living through a collective attitude that is wholly contemporary. ~Doug Collette

Will Bernard: guitar; Wil Blades: Hammond B3; Simon Lott: drums.

Outdoor Living

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Pharoah Sanders - Welcome To Love

Bitrate: 320K/s

Time: 70:51

Size: 164.0 MB

Styles: Crossover jazz, Saxophone jazz

Year: 2008

Art: Front

[4:58] 1. You Don't Know What Love Is

[5:21] 2. The Nearness Of You Dedicated To Eddy Moore

[8:09] 3. My One And Only Love

[8:15] 4. I Want To Talk About You

[9:24] 5. Soul Eyes

[6:55] 6. Nancy

[7:23] 7. Polka Dots And Moonbeams

[7:03] 8. Say It (Over & Over Again)

[6:19] 9. Lament

[7:00] 10. The Bird Song

When this was first released, the slow, straight sounds of Pharoah Sanders on a series of mostly famous ballads came as a bit of a surprise to some. Others saw Sanders as following the road of his mentor, John Coltrane, who had recorded most of these tunes himself. In retrospect, the inside playing of Sanders is less of a surprise, the saxophonist having followed that path regularly since at least the '80s. This performance has held up well through the years, and while the thin, reserved approach is reminiscent of Coltrane, it is still marked with Pharoah's print. The competent and thoroughly professional rhythm section of pianist William Henderson, bassist Stafford James, and drummer Eccleston W. Wainwright takes a decidedly reserved cue from the saxophonist, but each song is infused with a subtle emotional quality that simply does not let go. ~ Steven Loewy

Recording information: Gimmick Studios, Yerres, France (07/17/1990-07/19/1990).

Pharoah Sanders (soprano saxophone, tenor saxophone); Bill Henderson (piano); Eccleston W. Wainwright, Jr. (drums).

Welcome To Love

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Brenda Boykin - Brenda Boykin

Styles: Soul, R&B
Year: 2013
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 42:49
Size: 99,1 MB
Art: Front

(4:41)  1. Stone Mad
(3:58)  2. All the Time in the World
(5:32)  3. Wonderful
(5:21)  4. Love Is in Town
(4:55)  5. Hard Swing Travellin Man
(4:26)  6. Be My Lover
(4:43)  7. Some Like It Hot
(5:15)  8. Straight to Memphis
(3:55)  9. A Cool Cat in Town

Brenda calls it “Bourbon and Cornbread,” the musical mixture of jazzy sweetness and down-home sass that marks her as “the most authentic and most inventive female jump blues vocal stylist of her generation,” according to blues historian Lee Hildebrand. Brenda Boykin has earned a sterling reputation in the San Francisco Bay Area as a masterful interpreter of jazz and blues material gleaned from big bands, old blues hands, and honky tonk heroes. Boykin has firmly established herself as an unsurpassed vocal talent whose elixir of bourbon and cornbread - sounds from silk to sandpaper delight both new listeners and purists who compare her to the giants of the past. A native of Oakland, California, Boykin’s first musical experience came through the youth choir of the North Oakland Missionary Baptist Church, one of the many houses of the lord where raucous, heart-felt sounds of the faithful still ring out on the wide streets of the East Bay flatlands. The church strains can still be found in her rich, husky contralto, effortless power and controlled vocal passion. After studying the clarinet in high school Boykin entered the University of California at Berkeley  and though studying psychology and social welfare - gravitated toward the jazz bands working on and near campus. 

Boykin worked Bay Area jazz and blues hot spots that helped her expand her musical horizons. With the encouragement of family friend and guitarist Sonny Lane, Boykin began to dig in with the blues people at Oaklands’s legendary Eli’s Mile High Club. The famous North Oakland night spot has been for many years the heartbeat of East Bay blues life, with giant figures including Percy Mayfield, Lowell Fulson and Jimmy McCracklin gracing the small stage alongside lesser-known stalwarts including guitarist and arranger Johnny Heartsman, Sonny Lane and Mississippi Johnny Waters. Under tutelage of Lane, Waters and drummer Francis Clay - an influential force in the great Muddy Waters bands of the late ‘50’s and early ‘60’s - Boykin absorbed the laid back, call-and-response magic of the late night urban blues. “Boykin does delightfully unfamiliar things with familiar tunes,” said the East Bay Express in 1988, “using her rhythmic authority and arranger’s sensibility to create exciting new version” of tunes from Basie, B.B., Buck Owens and everybody in between. She often cites Sarah Vaughn as a major influence, but Brenda Joyce Boykin is certainly not a devotee to any one stylist or genre. She says that the incomparable blue balladeer Bobby “Blue” Bland, whose string of hits dates back to the early ’50s, has had an enormous impact to her vocal approach. She also gives a nod to Brenda lee and Elvis Presley, LaVern Baker and even the “divorcee music” of Nancy Wilson and Dakota Staton. Boykin has won rave reviews for her repeat performances at the venerable Monterey Jazz Festival, the more boisterous Monterey Bay Blues Festival, the San Francisco Blues Festival, the Mississippi Valley Blues Festival in Davenport, Iowa, the DuMaurier Jazz Festival in Vancouver, and the Umbria Jazz Festival in Italy. For many years she has performed duets with her “musical soul mate” Eric Swinderman, a sensitive guitarist who accompanies Boykin on material ranging from New Orleans rhythms to jazz standards. 

Boykin has performed countless times with Home Cookin’, a small combo with a changing roster that has included guitarists Anthony Paule and Steve Freund, pianists Steve Lucky and Caroline Dahl, bassist Tim Wagar and drummer Tyler Eng. For the past three years Boykin has also taught singing workshops at the Rhythmic Concepts Jazz Camp, alongside a roster of the San Francisco Bay Area’s most celebrated and dedicated jazz musicians. Boykin has mastered all of the crafts of a complete vocalist, she has a rich voice, a masterful grasp of musical dynamics, and a natural, unforced empathy with her listeners. “Part of showmanship is to turn to the guitar player and bass player and exchange some energy, look him in the eye and say ‘Yeah, Baby,’” Boykin told Blues Revue in 1995. “I’m like the party master. The way a hostess gets at a house party. I’m walking around making sure the energy is up in every part of the room.” In 1997 Brenda received a BAMMIE nomination for Best Vocalist of The Year. http://www.last.fm/music/Brenda+Boykin/+wiki

Brenda Boykin

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Richie Cole - Hollywood Madness

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1979
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 37:43
Size: 86,4 MB
Art: Front

(4:50)  1. Hooray For Hollywood
(6:54)  2. Hi-Fly
(4:53)  3. Tokyo Rose Sings The Hollywood Blues
(4:38)  4. Relaxin' At Camarillo
(6:00)  5. Malibu Breeze
(5:12)  6. I Love Lucy
(3:55)  7. Waitin' For Waits
(1:16)  8. Hooray For Hollywood (Reprise)

This is one of Richie Cole's most successful LPs. Four songs utilize the Manhattan Transfer; the great vocalese singer Eddie Jefferson (heard two weeks before his tragic death) makes his final record appearance; there are some good solos by pianist Dick Hindman and guitarist Bruce Forman; and Tom Waits makes an eccentric guest appearance. But it is altoist Cole who stars throughout on an unlikely program highlighted by boppish versions of such tunes as "Hooray for Hollywood," "Hi-Fly," "Relaxin' at Camarillo," "I Love Lucy," and his original "Tokyo Rose Sings the Hollywood Blues." A gem. 

~ Scott Yanow  http://www.allmusic.com/album/hollywood-madness-mw0000187826.

Hollywood Madness

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Warren Wolf - Wolfgang

Styles: Jazz
Year: 2013
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 61:09
Size: 141,0 MB
Art: Front

(7:55)  1. Sunrise
(7:18)  2. Frankie and Johnny
(7:25)  3. Grand Central
(6:05)  4. Wolfgang
(5:34)  5. Annoyance
(5:34)  6. Lake Nerraw Flow
(6:07)  7. Things Were Done Yesterday
(6:27)  8. Setembro
(8:41)  9. Variations sur "Le carnaval de Venise"

In a succession of vibraphonists that began with Lionel Hampton and Red Norvo, Wolf has come into his own. His new album finds him with one rhythm section of veterans pianist Benny Green, bassist Christian McBride and drummer Lewis Nash and another of young musicians from his own quartet. He and the increasingly impressive pianist Aaron Diehl play duets on two pieces. With Wolf on marimba, the two defy categories in variations on the 19th century trumpet chops buster “The Carnival of Venice.” In “Wolfgang” and “Grand Central” (unrelated to the John Coltrane piece of that name) Wolf the composer writes straightforward melodic invention that is also a hallmark of his soloing. His improvisation on “Frankie and Johnny” is a bluesy joy. ~ Doug Ramsey  http://www.artsjournal.com/rifftides/2013/09/cd-warren-wolf.html

Wolfgang

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Ann Savoy & Her Sleepless Knights - If Dreams Come True

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 45:20
Size: 103.8 MB
Styles: Swing, Jazz vocals
Year: 2007
Art: Front

[3:42] 1. If Dreams Come True
[4:22] 2. The Very Thought Of You
[2:56] 3. Melodie Au Crepuscule
[3:31] 4. Getting Some Fun Out Of Life
[4:19] 5. If You Don't I Know Who Will
[3:55] 6. Ces Petites Choses
[4:42] 7. Bewitched, Bothered And Bewildered
[4:06] 8. If Your Kisses Can't Hold The Man You Love
[4:35] 9. It's Like Reaching For The Moon
[4:45] 10. Si Tu Savais
[4:21] 11. The Way You Look Tonight

Renowned for her respectful and authentic zydeco recordings with a variety of groups, Ann Savoy took a small detour on this 2007 release that lounges near the smoother, jazzier end of the French-Southern spectrum, and includes several jazz and pop standards as well. Savoy's voice is red-wine rich and intoxicating, and Her Sleepless Knights provide able support. ANN SAVOY & HER SLEEPLESS KNIGHTS Ann Savoy never rests musically. She and the players have produced a hugely enjoyable and timeless recording. ~ Richard Thompson

In the world of Cajun music, Ann Savoy is one of the most admired icons of the genre. She's a singer with a gift for subtlety and nuance, an adept musician and producer. Beyond that, as a writer and photographer, she has extensively documented the unique music and culture of Southwest Louisiana. Now, with the May 15th release of Ann Savoy & Her Sleepless Knights, she's making music that breaks new ground while maintaining respect for the traditions of the past. She, together with her all-star band, has made an album of jazz-tinged music that is, at once, swinging and sultry. With both down home and cosmopolitan overtones, it's a unique work that is certain to find an audience far removed from the Louisiana prairie and bayou land that birthed it. Born and raised in Richmond, VA, she began playing guitar as a pre-teen and went on to become a French major at the University of Virginia.

She met Cajun music traditionalist Marc Savoy more than thirty years ago at the National Folk Festival in Washington, DC. The two soon married and went on to raise four children. Ann would write Cajun Music: A Reflection of a People, a Botkin Book Award winner, a chronicle of the history of Cajun and Zydeco music, an essential source for anyone interested in Cajun or Creole culture. As a musician, she's been involved in Cajun music both with her husband and compatriots in Savoy Doucet Band, with her Marc and their sons Joel and Wilson in the Savoy Family Band and with her all-woman band The Magnolia Sisters. She most recently collaborated with Linda Ronstadt on Adieu False Heart and received a Grammy ® nomination for her efforts. She was previously nominated for a Grammy for the tribute album Evangeline Made that featured Ronstadt, John Fogerty, Nick Lowe, Rodney Crowell and Richard and Linda Thompson and followed that up with Creole Bred, a tribtue to Creole and Zydeco music featuring such notables as Cyndi Lauper, Taj Majal and Tom Tom Club. Ann Savoy & Her Sleepless Knights features jazz virtuosos and old friends Tom Mitchell (guitar) and Kevin Wimmer (fiddle) along with Eric Frey (upright bass) Chas Justus (guitar), Glenn Fields (drums) as well as her sons Wilson and Joel Savoy on piano and guitar, respectively.

The album was produced by Joel along with Tom Mitchell and Ann in Eunice, Louisiana, all of the music having been recorded live with no "fixing." The group breathes fresh air into standards and traditional songs, some in French but speaking a universal language to the listener. From sensual love songs to original songs of local color and humor, Ann and the guys bring forth their superb artistry with a relaxed, fun filled feeling.

Ann Savoy (vocals); Joel Savoy (guitar, violin); Tom Mitchell , Chas Justus (guitar); Kevin Wimmer (fiddle); Wilson Savoy (piano); Eric Frey (upright bass); Glenn Fields (drums).

If Dreams Come True

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The Mark Craddock Trio - Goodbye Blue Monday

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 50:22
Size: 115.3 MB
Styles: Saxophone jazz
Year: 2009
Art: Front

[4:34] 1. Goodbye Blue Monday
[6:46] 2. Womp
[6:43] 3. J-Bird
[4:59] 4. Tres Dados
[4:16] 5. Jam Night
[5:31] 6. Lost Ballad
[3:54] 7. Nosferatu
[6:42] 8. Funk In D
[6:53] 9. Libre

A San Francisco player through the 1990s, Mark Craddock was a member of “Thunder Blue,” a heavily Jimi Hendrix-influenced blues-rock band fronted by Bay Area veteran Regi harvey. Mark also was a member of a popular San Francisco free-jazz group, “The Lab Rats,” and did occasionals, session work and jams with many Bay Area notables such as percussionist Hugh “Sweetfoot” Manard (Caribbean All Stars), blues harpist Red Archibald, and steel guitarist Freddie Roulette. At one time or another, he played in most of the Bay Area’s major blues and rock venues, including New George’s (San Rafael); Skip’s Tavern, The Blue Lamp, Lou’s Pier 47, Biscuits and Blues, The Boom Boom Room (all San Francisco clubs); and JJ’s Blues (San Jose).

In late 2001, Mark moved to Walsenburg, Colo., his wife’s hometown.

In addition to gigging with local musicians such as Brent and Babz Seawell, Steve Hohn, and Glenn Wilbanks, Craddock formed his own 9-piece funk/fusion band “Blue Monday,” which gigged frequently around Pueblo and Colorado Springs from 2002 to 2004. In 2004, Mark met Chicago blues pianist Ken Saydak and Nashville songwriter Fred James at a local watering hole. For the next three years he played extensively around Colorado and New Mexico as a member of Ken’s band, as well as gigging with Fred’s “Blazz” (blues-jazz) project.

For the last year and a half, Mark been playing pretty much exclusively with his own jazz combo, “The Mark Craddock Trio,” with bassist Tom Read and percussionist David Zehring. The trio has just released its first CD project on the L.A.-based Snailworx label, engineered by Steve Hohn, produced by Fred James, and featuring Ken Saydak, who stopped by the studio to lay down some incredible Hammond B3 tracks.

Mark Craddock - Tenor, soprano sax; Dave Zehring - drums; Tom Reid - bass.

Goodbye Blue Monday

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Gipsy Kings - Savor Flamenco

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 38:36
Size: 88.4 MB
Styles: Gypsy jazz, Latin rhythms
Year: 2013
Art: Front

[3:30] 1. Caramelo
[3:30] 2. Bye Bye (Ella Me Dice Vay)
[3:08] 3. Como L'agua
[3:38] 4. Tiempo Sel Sol
[3:48] 5. Me Voy
[3:51] 6. Fairies Melody
[3:10] 7. Samba Samba
[3:28] 8. Corazon
[3:39] 9. Savor Flamenco
[3:37] 10. Sueno
[3:10] 11. Habla Contingo

It has been seven long years since France's groundbreaking Gipsy Kings have issued a recording of new material. Savor Flamenco, the group's debut for Knitting Factory, still features the band's original lineup of two groups of brothers -- the Reyes (Nicolas, Canut, Paul, Patchai, and Andre) and the Baliardos (Tonino, Paco, and Diego) -- with guest players filling out the cast. The set was produced by Tonino Baliardo and Nicolas Reyes. Musically, Savor Flamenco looks simultaneously backward and forward. The single "Samba Samba" commences with a breezy bossa nova before spiraling out, wedding both fiery flamenco and driving Brazilian samba. The tune dates to the years before the band ever recorded. While this arrangement has been updated to reflect the group's garnered knowledge of Brazilian folk and pop forms, it's still raw and immediate. Bossa and samba also inform the striking instrumental "Tiempo del Sol," as jazzy flamenco is complemented by organic percussion and Stephane Chausse's brilliant flute improvisation, and the burning opener "Caramelo," which is driven by forro and carnival rhythms. "Me Voy" is modern flamenco, embellished by an acoustic piano and Bernard Paganotti's upright bass playing. For those who love the Kings' traditional meld of pop-nuevo flamenco, tracks such as "Como L'Agua" and "Corazon" should satisfy -- though the latter is influenced by Brazilian MPB as well. Not everything works quite so well, however, as the instrumental "Fairies Melody" and the ballad "Sueño" both feel too polished and slight in comparison to everything else here. Thankfully, a slicker approach isn't always a bad thing. Closer "Habla Contiguo" weds Latin son, flamenco, and acoustic pop for a successful finish -- it also features one of Tonino Baliardo's finest guitar solos on the album. Other than two (slight) missteps, Savor Flamenco marks a welcome return for the progenitors of nuevo flamenco. ~ Thom Jurek

Andre Reyes, Nicolás Reyes, Patchai Reyes, Canut Reyes (vocals, guitar); Francis Cabrel (vocals); Diego Baliardo, Paco Baliardo, Paul Reyes, Tonino Baliardo (guitar); Bernard Paganotti (upright bass); Rodolfo Pacheco Jimenez (percussion). Recording information: Studio Ephemere; Studio Ferber, Paris.

Savor Flamenco

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Robin McKelle - Soul Flower

Styles: Jazz Vocals
Year: 2012
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 50:41
Size: 116,7 MB
Art: Front

(5:19)  1. So It Goes
(3:58)  2. Tell You One Thing
(3:34)  3. Nothing's Really Changed
(3:49)  4. Fairytale Ending
(5:09)  5. Miss You Madly
(3:41)  6. Don't Give Up
(3:12)  7. Walk On By
(4:06)  8. To Love Somebody
(3:42)  9. Change
(4:49) 10. I'm Ready
(4:29) 11. Love's Work
(4:47) 12. I'm A Fool To Want You

First, Robin McKelle & The Flytones Soul Flower is not neo-soul. Neo-soul is what Amy Winehouse was and Cee Lo Green is (at least on his "Forget You"). Neo-soul is a cheeky attempt to cash in on a classic style while, at the same time, not taking it seriously. Second, Soul Flower might be better termed retro-soul, except that McKelle avoids the pitfall of clinging too tightly to the old style that has plagued other artists trying to put a new spin on the soul canon. A mixture of originals with some clever covers make up Soul Flower. McKelle is a more than capable composer a roll she shares with Sam Barsh (bassist Avishai Cohen's former pianist).

For any Baby Boomer, Soul Flower can be eaten with a spoon. It is more Motown than Memphis by way of Muscle Shoals, and smacks of Bobbie Gentry having a pool party with Gladys Knight and the Pointer Sisters. McKelle possesses a contemporary authenticity that manifests in her assimilation of multiple older styles presented with a freshness that has the fragrance of experience re-imagined. Pianist Beat Kaestli Ben Stivers ' use of the electric piano lends this collection of a dozen songs that sound, which is at once retro and chic. This, coupled with McKelle's honesty, makes this a recording that should encourage a reappraisal of period soul and that being made today. And isn't that what all art is supposed to do? ~ C.Michael Bailey

  http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/article.php?id=44970#.UjyFKhAkI5c

Personnel: Robin McKelle: vocals; Derek Nievergelt: bass; Adrian Harpham: drums; Ben Stivers: keyboards; Al Street: guitar, Scott Aruda: trumpet; Mike Tucker: saxophone.

Soul Flower

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Elizabeth Shepherd - Heavy Falls The Night

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2010
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 40:53
Size: 93,6 MB
Art: Front

(2:50)  1. What Else
(4:02)  2. The Taking
(4:19)  3. Heavy Falls The Night
(3:04)  4. Numbers
(3:15)  5. Seven Bucks
(3:28)  6. One More Day
(4:03)  7. A Song For Dinah Washington
(3:23)  8. High
(3:27)  9. It's Coming
(2:42) 10. On The Insufficiency Of Words
(6:14) 11. Danny's Song

There is something so totally alluring about Elizabeth Shepherd's album Heavy Falls the Night that it bears very close listening. Every word and each note resonates with a certain swagger and at times, a soulful intensity that makes it impossible to give it a casual listen. Whether it is the manner in which Shepherd holds onto a spry note just out of her vocal range as if her life depended on it, or the unusual harmonies she overlays onto her "lead" voice, the effect is the same: it is mesmerizing. But she never allows this vocalizing to become de rigueur or predictable. Often tempering her flat delivery with soaring, bell-like tones of the Rhodes or the grinding triads and multi-colored arpeggios on the Wurlitzer, Shepherd draws the listener right in to her world. Joni Mitchell has that effect too, but Mitchell is confessional almost vulnerable as she bares her soul. Shepherd eschews that Plath-like school, preferring to make oblique attacks on the senses, delivering a surprise as she takes hard knocks on her jaw.

Shepherd is also a wonderfully melodic storyteller and combines dense lyricism with clear annunciation almost as if she were reciting lyrics that are slanted into the music, as if the two were separate parts that just happened to jive by magic. The title song and "On the Insufficiency of Words" both illustrate the unique quality of her music. It is this subtle almost unobtrusive charm that makes her style attractive in a wan way. Her phrasing is also quite unique. The ebb and flow of her breath brings words, phrases and whole lines to the senses in wave after rising wave of intensity or calmness in a rhythm that conjures imagery of the pastoral. She is certainly in no rush to clutter feelings and emotions with the urban density from which many of these might spring. Still, the alternative is presented with near perfect counterpoint and timing.

This is because unlike many vocalists, Shepherd is a rhythmic singer who feels the rhythm of the earth in her whole being and makes music to its pulse. Perhaps this is why her emotions are so authentic and almost palpable when she sings. And this is also why she can pull off a wonderful tribute to another great vocalist in "A Song for Dinah Washington."

The beauty of the music also has much to do with the striking work of bassists Scott Kemp and Ross MacIntyre, drummer Colin Kingsmore, the unobtrusive percussion colorist, Roman Tome, vibes player Michael Davidson and guitarists Brian MacMillan and Paul MacDougall. Together these musicians assist Shepherd in making the dense imagery of Heavy Falls the Night a captivating album that sticks in the memory with the thick echoes that follow in the wake of the last notes of "Danny's Song." ~ Raul D’Gama Rose  

http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/article.php?id=36113#.UkC0ERAkI5c

Personnel: Elizabeth Shepherd: piano, Rhodes, Wurlitzer, Glockenspiel, prepared piano, Vocals, background vocals; Scott Kemp: bass (2, 6, 8, 9, 12); Colin Kingsmore: drums, circular saw, cajon; Ross MacIntyre: bass: 1, 3-5, 7, 10, 11); Roman Tome: percussion (1, 2, 4-6, 9, 10); Michael Davidson: vibraphone (9); Brian McMillan (guitar (10); Paul MacDougall: guitar (11).

Heavy Falls The Night

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Aaron Robinson - La Belle Epoque

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2011
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 47:56
Size: 111,1 MB
Art: Front

(5:09)  1. Friendship
(2:12)  2. Kentucky Couture
(4:28)  3. Song Without Words
(4:46)  4. La Belle Epoque
(3:48)  5. Caterpillar Hill
(2:58)  6. Ragtime Waltz
(3:57)  7. Hallelujah!
(6:35)  8. For My Daughter
(3:43)  9. Perpetual Motion
(2:48) 10. Grey Gardens
(4:26) 11. Waltz for Little Edie
(3:01) 12. Closing Credits

The piano music of Aaron Robinson draws upon 20 years of inspiration and creativity ranging from the Broadway Stage to the Silver Screen. Heard here for the very first time, these piano vignettes pay homage to the music of Vince Guaraldi, Dave Grusin, Paul Sullivan, and celebrates legendary masters such as Jelly Roll Morton and George Gershwin - all the while maintaining their unique distinctive voice. Belle Epoque (Age of Beauty) encompasses all forms of musical genre including early Jazz and Ragtime, Swing and Stride piano, Classical Vocalise and Minimal, Nightclub and Cinema. Dedicated to friends and colleagues who inspired their creation, each piano piece provides a small glimpse into the vast world from which they were created. ~Editorial Reviews   http://www.amazon.com/La-Belle-Epoque-Aaron-Robinson/dp/B006R8RZA2

La Belle Epoque

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Paula Castle - Lost Love

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 24:10
Size: 55.4 MB
Styles: Vocal jazz
Year: 1955/2004/2013
Art: Front

[1:53] 1. Mountain Greenery
[3:18] 2. Lost Love
[2:22] 3. I'm Shooting High
[3:52] 4. Yesterday's Gardenias
[4:36] 5. Here I Am In Love Again
[2:43] 6. Love Is A One Way Street
[2:59] 7. Why Can't I
[2:24] 8. You Don't Know What Love Is

With the release of Paula Castle's Lost Love (c. 1955) by the Verse Music Group—which recently acquired the Bethlehem Records catalog—we're presented with something of a mystery. Castle's voice was leather-glove warm and elegantly sensuous—with hip phrasing and a credible range reminiscent of Sarah Vaughan's. And Lost Love by any measure is a superb recording. Songs dwell thematically on love lost and found.

But there's a subtext. This would be Castle's first 10-inch LP—and her last, according to Lord's Jazz Discography. Little is known about Castle or what became of her after this album was released—though we may have a clue.

The band here is equally mysterious. Beyond flutist Sam Most, the rest of the quartet's members aren't exactly household jazz names. Bassist Chet Amsterdam would have a lengthy career as a sideman, but Lost Love was the last known recording for pianist Ronnie Selbey and drummer Herbie Wasserman (d), who became journeymen players.

But back to Castle. She began her recording career in February 1949 with bassist Chubby Jackson. The New Yorker called her recording of All Wrong (made with Jackson that month) "a slow ballad with a foolish lyric" but "interestingly worked out by the musicians and well sung by Paula Castle." ~Marc Myers

Lost Love

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Michel Camilo & Tomatito - 2 albums: Spain / Spain Again

Album: Spain
Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 45:05
Size: 103.2 MB
Styles: Flamenco guitar, Piano jazz
Year: 2000
Art: Front

[3:28] 1. Spain Intro
[5:30] 2. Spain
[7:51] 3. Besame Mucho
[4:48] 4. A Mi Niño José
[5:55] 5. Two Much Love Theme
[6:00] 6. Para Troilo Y Salgán
[5:24] 7. La Vacilona
[6:06] 8. Aire De Tango

SPAIN won the 2000 Latin Grammy Award for Best Latin Jazz Album. There's a simple, basic, and direct approach that pervades the duets from pianist Camilo and acoustic guitarist Tomatito. But that seemingly bottom-line approach is transcended by the brilliant musicianship of these two players, as they play ultra-melodic music to its ultimate zenith time and time again. The tone is set from the get go as they languish in the freedom of Rodrigo and Chick Corea's "Spain," played as perfectly and spirited as anyone could want. But "Besame Mucho" is changed up, interpreted in loose associations extrapolated out of strict time on this famous melody. Tomatito wrote two of the eight tracks as the pair use a combination of counterpoint and unison lines, approaching sheer telepathy on the brightly melodic "A Mi Nino Jose," while evoking more Chick Corea-isms with melodies passionately flying about on "La Vacilona." Two compositions by the underappreciated Luis Salinas are included as the urgent 4/4 of "Para Troilo Y Salgan" shows Camilo and Tomatito to be the virtuosic speed demons their preceding reputations evince, while "Aire De Tango" is like a samba version of "I Concentrate on You," nicely warmed with a calmed guitar solo. Camilo's lone writing on "Two Much/Love Theme" is also restrained and relaxed, atypical for the usually fiery pianist. This is a recording that bears ripe, luscious fruit, albeit only 45 minutes worth. A follow-up please. Recommended. ~ Michael G. Nastos

Recorded at Carriage House Studios, Stamford, Connecticut in August 1999.

Michel Camilo (piano); Tomatito (flamenco guitar).

Spain

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Album: Spain Again
Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 52:03
Size: 119.1 MB
Styles: Flamenco guitar, Jazz piano
Year: 2006
Art: Front

[5:16] 1. El Dia Que Me Quieras
[4:06] 2. Libertango
[3:49] 3. Fuga Y Misterio
[7:14] 4. Adios Nonino
[3:27] 5. Stella By Starlight
[5:10] 6. Twilight Glow
[4:34] 7. A Los Nietos
[2:02] 8. La Tarde
[5:54] 9. La Fiesta
[6:18] 10. From Within
[4:07] 11. Amor De Conuco

Michel Camilo, the New York-based, Dominican-born pianist, and Tomatito, the Spanish flamenco guitarist, recorded a well-received duets album called Spain in 2000, and this sequel is intended to take the collaboration to the next level. Spain Again does. It's a bravura performance that pushes both men into strange and satisfying new territories and spotlights the abilities of each to find places where they are mutually comfortable and inspired. As on the first pairing, the musicianship is flawless throughout, the two virtuosos dancing around each other's melodies, creating fascinating, harmonious bridges, building upon and toying with structural ideas beyond what each composition calls for. Camilo's complex jazz piano inventions suddenly give way to Tomatito's spellbinding acoustic guitar runs; the two meet someplace in the middle, enjoy the freedom that unfettered exploration allows, and emerge with new entities that only an alliance of equals can bring about. The pace is set quickly with "El Dia Eque Me Quieras," a tribute to tango legend Astor Piazzolla, moves through various originals and standards (a silky, semi-classical "Stella by Starlight" is both graceful and awe-inspiring in its mastery) and eventually finds its way to the only vocal piece on the album, "Amor de Conuco," sung by guest Juan Luis Guerra. Strangely, though the vocal is quite lovely, it's a mood-breaker, diminishing the evocative elegance that Camilo and Tomatito have spent much of the past hour laying out. ~ Jeff Tamarkin

Musically, Camilo & Tomatito come from 2 different worlds. Camilo grew up in the Dominican Republic but has lived in New York since 1979 & is classically-trained as well as a straight-ahead acoustic jazz pianist who incorporates Latin & Caribbean elements, citing Chick Corea, Keith Jarrett, Oscar Peterson, Bill Evans and Art Tatum as influences. Tomatito lives in his native Spain, born into a family of Gypsies and is recognized as one of the country's top flamenco guitarists. Discovered at an early age by Paco de Lucía, Tomatito is the premier flamenco guitarist of his generation and has accompanied Spain's greatest flamenco singers including the legendary Camarón de la Isla. Navigating the boundaries of jazz and flamenco, Camilo and Tomatito create an experience that is both unique and unforgettable. This reunion includes their original compositions, a Tribute to Piazzolla, jazz standards and a collaboration with renowned singer/songwriter Juan Luis Guerra.

Recording information: Avatar Studios, New York, NY (02/19/2006-02/24/2006); El Estudio A (02/19/2006-02/24/2006).

Michel Camilo (piano); Tomatito (flamenco guitar).

Spain Again 

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Hank Jones - I Remember You: The Original Black And Blue Sessions

Styles: Bop, Piano jazz

Released: July 1978/2002

File: mp3@224K/s

Size: 118.1 MB

Time: 73:42

Art: Front Cover

1. I Remember You [6:04]

2. Young No More [5:54]

3. You Took Advantage Of Me [3:15]

4. Love Walked In [4:59]

5. Dat Dere [7:28]

6. I'll Be Around [4:49]

7. Let's Fall In Love [2:47]

8. Like Someone In Love [5:24]

9. Theme for Jobim [7:30]

10. It's The Talk Of The Town [3:16]

11. I Remember You (Take 3) [6:11]

12. Young No More (Take 2) [5:24]

13. Love Walked In (Take 1) [5:09]

14. Like Someone In Love (Take 1) [5:26]

Hank Jones is in top form on this studio effort, consisting of a 1977 session with two veterans, bassist George Duvivier and drummer Oliver Jackson. The trio concentrates on less frequently heard standards, including a brisk "I Remember You," while Duvivier's walking bass sets up an exotic arrangement of "Young No More." Jones detours into a bit of jaunty stride piano in "You Took Advantage of Me" and renders an especially heartfelt "I'll Be Around."

Duvivier's arco bass adds to the warmth of "Like Someone in Love," and Jones incorporates a few flashy tremolos into a soulful take of Bobby Timmons' memorable "Dat Dere." Jones also finds new avenues to explore in "It's the Talk of the Town" and Gerry Mulligan's bossa nova tribute "Theme for Jobim," both of which were omitted from the original LP. The 2002 reissue also adds four alternate takes not present on an earlier CD issued in 1987. ~Ken Dryden

I Remember You

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Mandy Harvey - After You've Gone

Styles: Jazz Vocals
Year: 2010
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 61:31
Size: 140,8 MB
Art: Front

(2:35)  1. The Song Is You
(2:47)  2. Witchcraft
(4:02)  3. My Foolish Heart
(5:14)  4. Nature Boy
(2:11)  5. In Walked Bud
(4:35)  6. Ev'ry Time We Say Goodbye
(2:59)  7. Lullaby Of Birdland
(3:55)  8. Forgetful
(4:28)  9. Cry Me A River
(3:26) 10. After You've Gone
(6:31) 11. Over The Rainbow
(3:53) 12. I Wont Cry
(3:21) 13. I Didn't Know What Time It Was
(3:54) 14. More Than I Can Say
(3:43) 15. Smiles
(3:48) 16. With You

Do you need to know about an artist's personal life when experiencing their art? This question comes to mind when listening to Mandy Harvey, because the astonishing fact is that the jazz singer is deaf. She suffered from hearing problems throughout her childhood, yet she still sang in choirs and was lauded for her vocal talent. While a freshman in the music education program at Colorado State University in 2006, Harvey's world got progressively quieter, and eventually she lost her hearing altogether. Harvey left school, and her involvement with music seemed to be at an end. About a year later, a combination of courage and encouragement led Harvey to resume singing. This led to performing with pianist Mark Sloniker and Friends at Jay's Bistro in Fort Collins, then to her 2009 debut Smile, and now to a second CD, After You've Gone. The CD features sixteen songs, mostly standards, and showcases the full range of Harvey's talent. Her breathy soprano is immensely appealing a combination of perfect pitch, exquisite timing, and flat-out soul. One of Harvey's gifts is her entirely natural phrasing. She's not afraid to let the simplicity of the words and emotions suffice, and she never embellishes just because she can. 

She makes good choices, revealing the bone structure of classics such as "My Foolish Heart" and "Over the Rainbow" while simultaneously infusing them with life. The bedrock of Harvey's talent is her heart connection to each and every song. Emotionally Harvey is present 100 percent; she goes fearlessly into the depths, and doesn't lose sight of the nuances. Her forte is bittersweet ballads, and her take on heartbreakers such as "Forgetful" and "Ev'ry Time We Say Goodbye" could make even the most stoic person fall on their bed and cry. But Harvey has a mischievous sense of humor, skillfully combining both sorrow and savvy in "Cry Me a River" and "After You've Gone," as well as a gift for light and bouncy tunes such as "Witchcraft" and "The Song Is You." Harvey is blessed with a terrific band, including saxophonist Peter Sommer, who heats up "The Song Is You," and trumpeter Brad Goode, who gives a Latin feel to a swinging version of "Nature Boy." 

Harvey and the band also shine on "Lullaby in Birdland" and "In Walked Bud," where they handle the aural gymnastics with aplomb. There's no definitive answer to the question concerning artists and their personal lives. Art stands on its own, but knowing about an artist's life can add dimension to their work, and this is never a bad thing. After You're Gone is an excellent CD by a wonderful singer, and the fact that Mandy Harvey is an extraordinary young woman is just icing on the cake. ~Florence Wetzel  http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/article.php?id=38954#.Ujy1BRAkI5c

Personnel: Mandy Harvey: vocals; Peter Sommer: saxophone; Brad Goode: trumpet and horns; Mark Sloniker; Myles Sloniker: bass; Mark Raynes: percussion.

After You've Gone

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Hot Club Of Detroit - Junction

Styles: Swing, Big Band
Year: 2012
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 60:50
Size: 139,3 MB
Art: Front

(5:58)  1. Goodbye Mr. Anderson
(4:11)  2. Song For Gabriel
(4:10)  3. La Foule
(5:54)  4. Hey!
(5:36)  5. Chutzpah
(3:52)  6. Messe Gitane
(5:28)  7. DJango Mort
(4:00)  8. Junction
(2:08)  9. Midnight In Detroit
(5:37) 10. Lonely Woman
(3:58) 11. Goodbye Mr. Shearing
(3:59) 12. Puck Bunny
(5:51) 13. Rift

When the Hot Club Of Detroit's journey began, they followed the road that guitarist Django Reinhardt laid before them. They traveled the highways and byways of so-called "Gypsy Jazz," walking in the footsteps of their forefathers while picking up and exhibiting other influences and sounds along the way, and eventually reached a crossroad. Rather than choose a single path, the group decided to try them all out and Junction is the artistic byproduct of that decision. Personnel adjustments, whether born of sad circumstances or the positive power of choice, are responsible for a good deal of the shake-up in this group's stylistic makeup. Saxophone renegade Jon Irabagon takes the place of Carl Cafagna, who removed himself from the equation in 2011, and bassist Shawn Conley replaces Andrew Kratzat Quartet, who sustained serious injuries in a car accident later that year. Saxophonist Andrew Bishop and vocalist Cyrille Aimee round out the lineup, appearing on three tracks apiece and adding volumes to the diversity of this material. Cultural references abound from the get-go, with Irabagon naming his grooving lead-off track, "Goodbye Mr. Anderson," after a memorable Hugo Weaving line from The Matrix (Warner Bros, 1999). Pop powerhouse Peter Gabriel gets the next written nod ("Song For Gabriel"), though Irabagon's soprano saxophone and Julien Labro's harmonica-like accordina paint a picture that's more in-line with Bruce Hornsby than the sultan of "Sledgehammer." The odd-metered "La Foule" brings Aimee into the fold, as she delivers delightful vocals in French, and "Hey!" moves from a breezy, Nick Drake-like peace to a two-tenor duel that builds to a wonderful frenzy. The appropriately-titled "Chutzpah" comes to life as an avant-garde noise number, but morphs into an exotic Franco-Moroccan dance. Labro's organ-like accordion casts a mournful cloud over "Messe Gitane," which features Bishop and Irabagon on clarinets and segues beautifully into "Django Mort." The accordionist proves to be the man of many faces, as he dons the mask of violinist and delivers string-like lines over an oom-pah-pah waltz ("Midnight In Detroit"). The zany "Puck Bunny," which features Bishop on bass clarinet and Irabagon on sopranino saxophone, is easily one of the highlights on the album and a chugging cover of Phish's "Rift," bearing traces of bluegrass music, brings things to a close. The rhythm/lead guitar pairing of Paul Brady and Evan Perri tethers the Hot Club of Detroit's music to Reinhardt, but it's a long rope that connects the two. It leaves plenty of room for roaming and this outfit takes advantage of it throughout this highly pleasing album.~ Dan Bilawsky  http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/article.php?id=42728#.Uj8dshAkI5c

Personnel: Julien Labro: accordion, accordina; Andrew Bishop: tenor saxophone, clarinet, bass clarinet; Evan Perri: guitar; Paul Brady: guitar; Shawn Conley: bass; Jon Irabagon: tenor saxophone, alto saxophone, soprano saxophone, sopranino saxophone, clarinet; Cyrille Aimee: vocals (3, 7, 10).

Junction

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Ellen Johnson - Chinchilla Serenade

Styles: Latin Folk
Year: 1997
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 44:02
Size: 100,8 MB
Art: Front

(3:07)  1. Who Will Buy?
(5:34)  2. Goin Home
(4:40)  3. Yesterdays
(5:33)  4. A Child Is Born
(4:18)  5. Samba Ulla
(4:11)  6. You Turned The Tables On Me
(5:13)  7. Se Todos Fossem Iguas A Voce (Someone To Light Up My Life)
(2:52)  8. Chinchilla Serenade
(4:27)  9. Freedom
(4:03) 10. Time After TIme

Ellen Johnson, a classically trained singer based in San Diego with a beautiful voice and a wide range, can hit notes so high that it makes one shiver; fortunately, she is always in tune. In addition to her classical background, Johnson is a fine improviser. Some selections find her accompanied by a trio led by pianist Rick Helzer, while a few other songs add guitarist Peter Sprague and several horn players. The repertoire is diverse and challenging, with the tunes including "Yesterdays," a very sensitive version of Thad Jones' "A Child Is Born," the swing standard "You Turned the Tables on Me," Jobim's "Someone to Light Up My Life" and Cyndi Lauper's "Time After Time." Ellen Johnson, who wrote the title cut and co-composed "Goin' Home," asounds particularly passionate on Duke Ellington's "Freedom." An impressive outing from the very promising singer. ~ Scott Yanow  http://www.allmusic.com/album/chinchilla-serenade-mw0000688915

Chinchilla Serenade

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Julian Lage & Fred Hersch - Free Flying

Styles: Jazz
Year: 2013
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 52:51
Size: 121,3 MB
Art: Front

(6:54)  1. Song Without Words #4: Duet
(5:54)  2. Down Home
(4:57)  3. Heartland
(5:04)  4. Free Flying
(5:29)  5. Beatrice
(5:45)  6. Song Without Words #3: Tango
(5:16)  7. Stealthiness
(7:04)  8. Gravity's Pull
(6:24)  9. Monk's Dream

This album is the latest of several recordings in which pianist Fred Hersch solos or joins forces with some highly intelligent, advanced musicians to provide jazz renditions with a sophisticated, chamber music quality. Others are Hersch's Alone at the Vanguard (Palmetto, 2011); Leaves of Grass (Palmetto, 2005) an ensemble composition based on Walt Whitman's poems and two additional solo albums: Fred Hersch plays Jobim (Sunnyside, 2009) and In Amsterdam: Live at the Bimhuis (Palmetto, 2006). He also collaborated with trumpeter Ralph Alessi on Only Many (Cam Jazz, 2013). On Free Flying, Hersch collaborates with guitarist Julian Lage, who, at 25, has already achieved a performance level which makes a good match for Hersch and challenges him in some respects. Lage was hailed as a guitar prodigy when, at age eight, he was playing with Carlos Santana. He was early attracted to jazz, and by the time he was 13, he had performed with Gary Burton and Herbie Hancock. Since then, he has developed into a top-flight guitarist both as a leader and sideman, and has released his own albums, including Sounding Point (Emarcy, 2009) and Gladwell (Emarcy, 2011) The fate of a musical prodigy depends on whether he can transcend the "genius" stereotype and become a working musician, evolving his own musical idiom; Mozart accomplished this and became a composer for the ages. Closer to home, guitarist Pat Martino a slow developer compared to Lage was playing with top groups in his teens, and went on to become an icon because of his innovative and instantly identifiable approach and sound. Lage has reached the point of mature competence and is now striving to evolve into a true guitar master. 

This album shows that he has the potential to join that venerated pantheon, along with the likes of Martino. Doing so will depend on live and studio encounters that give him an opportunity to fully develop his own influential idiom. Here, he has already demonstrated his superb craftsmanship and ability to step up and work closely with a master like Hersch; his job is to blend and, in doing so he succeeds supremely well. Only the future will determine whether or not he adds a unique stamp to his guitar playing.The key element of this outstanding album is the seamless interplay of piano and guitar. Historically, and instrumentally speaking, if you combine a piano and guitar, you get a harpsichord, a keyboard that plucks the strings rather than hammering them. This was the primary keyboard instrument of the Renaissance and Baroque eras, soon to be supplanted, in Bach's time, by the pianoforte the modern piano. Moreover, Bach owned and wrote several compositions for lautenwork, a harpsichord with the softer sound of a lute, a precursor of the guitar. The historical connection between lute, harpsichord and guitar hovers around this duet collaboration between Hersch and Lage. Moreover, as an important basis of jazz counterpoint, highlighted in the bebop era, it derives from Bach as well. Thus, the musical sensibility of this recording is not unlike Bach's tightly textured yet exploratory "Goldberg Variations," except that Hersch and Lage carve out jazz motifs and modern harmonics. The delight of the music comes from its contrapuntal weaving of themes, and variations so well integrated that, except for the different sonorities, they seem to emanate from one player and instrument. Like Bach and the harpsichord, Hersch and Lage vary dynamics and intensity sparingly. The listening pleasure, of which there is plenty here, comes from the mutual brilliance of execution and the architecture and development of musical ideas. This is co-improvisation taken to the highest level.

The compositions on this album are largely Hersch originals previously recorded in other contexts by the pianist. The two exceptions are "Beatrice" by Sam Rivers and "Monk's Dream," from Thelonious Monk. The setting is the Kitano jazz club in New York a small, intimate space with a Steinway piano that has been fingered by some of today's best contemporary jazz pianists, among them Don Friedman, Bill Mays, Roberta Piket and Jim Ridl. The result is studio quality sound with a live ambiance and a touch of emerging jazz history.The initial track is Hersch's "Song without Words #4: Duet," which evokes a madrigal-like quality, as if it could have been performed on period instruments from the Renaissance. The development has a modal feel, as the lilting melody soon lends itself nicely to a rumba-like dance development. (Hersch often mimes the mix of Latin and stride piano heard in the radio days of the 1920s and '30s.) Lage picks up on Hersch's phrasing, so that piano and guitar interact seamlessly. A natural follow-up is "Down Home," which relaxes into syncopated vaudeville with a ragtime twist. The emphasis on rhythmic patterns characterizes the whole set. The mood changes significantly with "Heartland," a reflective ballad whose melody is introduced by Lage, providing a contrast to the driving quality of most of the tracks. Hersch gives a sampling of romantic lounge piano playing at its best, with an open, lyrical quality that owes something to the ethereal beauty achieved by the great Bill Evans. The title tune,"Free Flying" first appeared on Fred Hersch Pocket Orchestra Live at the Jazz Standard (Sunnyside, 2009). The percussive, four-bar theme and variations clearly illustrate the Bach influence, as does the repetitive drone-like bass and alternation of unison and counterpoint between the two instruments. Hersch and Lage work so tightly together that sometimes the only way to tell who's playing is by the sound of the instruments. "Beatrice" a post-bop song by the late great saxophonist Sam Rivers, is one of the most swingable ballads in all of jazz. Here, Hersch and Lage take it at a lively pace, alternating off-beat syncopation with straight-ahead rhythms, releasing themselves from the tight contractions of the other tracks. 

The rhythm work is more playful, yet a certain tension and holding back of the beat pervade the piece. As the album proceeds, Hersch gives Lage more room for his own improvisations, and the guitarist is clearly up to the challenge. "Song Without Words #3: Tango" is vaguely reminiscent of "Midnight Sun," with its descending lament motif. It features Lage, and is a perfect foil for him. He develops a blend of tango and blues in single lines resembling some of Pat Martino's best ballad playing, represented for example in the latter's memorable performance of "What Are You Doing the Rest of Your Life." "Stealthiness" is dedicated to guitarist Jim Hall, possibly with some reference to the ingenuity of his playing, and the duo engages in rough-hewn Monk-ish rhythmic shifts and quizzical phrases. In this track, each player takes solos with the other comping, in contrast to the contrapuntal playing featured elsewhere. Eventually, Hersch leads up to an energetic coda, a quiet release, and a punctuated end. In turn, "Gravity's Pull" continues with the focus on Lage, showing his melodic style. After a quiet beginning, there is a gradual "pull" that develops into some brilliant Bach-inspired counterpoint. The set ends with "Monk's Dream," with the duo using the Monk tune as a way to play their own version of Monk's punctuations; arrhythmias, and playful use of the upper register. They outdo Monk in eccentricity.

To sum up, Hersch and Lage mesh superbly and have put together a coherent and listenable set of sophisticated improvisations which fuse baroque counterpoint, punctuated rhythms, and diverse jazz motifs in a disciplined yet exciting way. Simply by virtue of the close coordination of piano and guitar and tightness of performance, the album points up the continuity of music from Bach to bop to modernity, and in this respect represents something of a measuring rod for the development of jazz forms. ~Victor L.Schermer  http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/article.php?id=45159#.Uj393BAkI5c

Personnel: Fred Hersch: piano; Julian Lage: guitar.

Free Flying

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The Atomic Fireballs - Birth of the Swerve

Styles: Neo Swing
Label: Orbital Records
Released: 1998
File: mp3 @320K/s
Size: 64,3 MB
Time: 28:03
Art: front

 1. Man With the Hex - 3:15
 2. Spanish Fly - 3:29
 3. Mata Hari - 3:15
 4. Spider Baby - 3:50
 5. Caviar and Chitlins - 2:51
 6. Starve a Fever - 3:22
 7. Catfish Ball - 4:40
 8. Devil Is Dancing - 3:19

Personnel:
John Bunkley - vocals
James Bostek - trumpet
Tony Buccilli - trombone
Eric Schabo - tenor sax
Duke Kingins - guitar
Randy Sly - piano
Shawn Scaggs - double bass
Geoff Kinde - tubs.

Notes: Frontman John Bunkley and trumpeter James Bostek formed The Atomic Fireballs in Detroit in 1996. There wasn't much of a swing craze at the time, nevertheless they set out to take the jump blues of the 1940s and bring it up to date with a more contemporary element.
Artists such as Wynonie Harris and Louis Jordan defined the genre's golden age. Unlike other "neo swing" groups (including the Cherry Poppin' Daddies, Royal Crown Revue, and the Brian Setzer Orchestra), The Atomic Fireballs brought something more to their style of jump blues, namely onstage energy and the musical influences of ska and punk.
Some modern swing fans say The Atomic Fireballs weren't really "swing" at all, claiming that the group played too fast for them to Lindy Hop. But they never intended to fit into the same category as the other swing revivalists, "We were just trying to put a roots-rock band together, so we always approached it with a harder edge," Bunkley explained.
They performed as part of the Vans Warped Tour, a concert series featuring bands playing a range of music from punk to hip-hop. The Atomic Fireballs felt right at home amid the skateboarders and punk kids. "Those people gave us our shakes, man. They looked at us in the first couple songs and then their heads started bobbing. By the end they asked for more," Bunkley recalled.
After proving that the Atomic Fireballs could appeal to a variety of audiences rather than exclusively to swing enthusiasts, the band received several offers from major label record companies. Signing with Lava/Atlantic, the band worked with producer Bruce Fairbairn to release the twelve-track album "Torch This Place" in the late spring of 1999.

Birth of the Swerve

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Bob Mover - It Amazes Me...

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 66:58
Size: 153.3 MB
Styles: Vocal jazz, Saxophone jazz
Year: 2008
Art: Front

[4:39] 1. How Little We Know
[6:34] 2. I Believe In You
[8:09] 3. The Underdog
[6:58] 4. (Tu Mi) Delirio
[8:48] 5. Erkin
[6:39] 6. Stairway To The Stars
[7:31] 7. Sometime Ago
[5:07] 8. Deep In A Dream
[7:11] 9. People Will Say We're In Love
[5:18] 10. It Amazes Me

Bob Mover has recorded sporadically as a leader since the late 1970s, but this pair of 2006 sessions features him in an ideal setting, playing both alto and tenor saxes, while also adding a few friendly vocals. He is backed by a top-notch rhythm section, including pianist Kenny Barron, bassist Dennis Irwin (who lost his battle with cancer in early 2008), and drummer Steve Williams. On alto sax, Mover is reminiscent of Phil Woods in the swinging treatment of "How Little We Know," an infrequently performed gem by Hoagy Carmichael and Johnny Mercer; he captures the subtlety of "The Underdog" (penned by Al Cohn and Dave Frishberg), while his hushed, deep vocal in "Stairway to the Stars" proves him to be an effective crooner, with superb background by Barron, who is noted for his work with singers. Canadian guitarist Reg Schwager is a guest on several tracks, among them the unusually relaxed setting of "Sometime Ago" and a jaunty rendition of "People Will Say We're in Love." Guest tenor saxophonist Igor Butman appears on the sole original, the snappy bop vehicle "Erkin." ~ Ken Dryden

Recording information: Nola Recording Studios, New York, NY (06/21/2006-06/22/2006).

Bob Mover (vocals, alto saxophone, tenor saxophone); Reg Schwager (guitar); Igor Butman (tenor saxophone); Kenny Barron (piano); Dennis Irwin (bass instrument); Steve "Syco Steve" Williams, Steve Williams (drums).

It Amazes Me...

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