Mora's Modern Rhythmists - Mr. Rhythmist Goes To Town

Styles: Swing, Big Bands
Label: Ace Records
Released: 1999
File: mp3 @320K/s
Size: 153,9 MB
Time: 67:15
Art: front

1. Georgia Jubilee - 2:42
2. Cavernism - 3:24
3. Joe Turner Blues - 2:23
4. Sweet Sue, Just You - 3:58
5. Blue Minor - 3:24
6. King Of Swing - 3:15
7. Mr. Ghost Goes To Town - 3:58
8. Without That Gal - 2:36
9. Chant Of The Weed - 3:46
10. Ain't Cha Got Music? - 2:51
11. The Mayor Of Alabam' - 3:31
12. Dixieland Shuffle - 3:24
13. Jungle Jazz - 2:52
14. Four Or Five Times - 3:10
15. Dancin' With A Debutante - 2:24
16. Hot Toddy - 2:22
17. Pastorale - 4:08
18. Here Come The British - 3:15
19. Big John's Special - 2:50
20. Smoke Rings - 3:29
21. Night Ride - 3:24

Notes: MORA'S MODERN RHYTHMISTS was formed in 1994 by Dean Mora, a Los Angeles-area pianist whose interest in the 1920s and 1930s was forged early on as a child (he saw "The Sting" when he was 11, and was instantly hooked) and has endeavored to bring the music of this period back to life, utilizing original published arrangements as well as transcriptions from recordings. Following a series of small concerts around the Los Angeles area, the band was booked at the world-famous Derby nightclub in 1997, and remained the Monday night house band for three years, prompting legions of dancers to rediscover some of the dances steps that were popular during this time frame, such as the Shag, the Balboa, and the Charleston.

Since then, the band has played at such venues as The Wiltern Theatre, The Hollywood Palladium, The Avalon Casino Ballroom (Catalina Island), the legendary Blossom Room of The Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel, the historic Biltmore Hotel (downtown Los Angeles) and Argyle Hotel (Hollywood), the Wilshire Ebell Club, The Hollywood Athletic Club, and The Orpheum Theatre. Special events include The Los Angeles Consevancy's Last Remaining Seats series, the Art Deco Society's 1929 Wall St. Crash Bash and Speakeasy Soiree, A&E Network's gala premiere of "The Great Gatsby", as well as numerous corporate and private functions. In the summer of 2001, Mora's Modern Rhythmists had the honor of performing at Lincoln Center in New York City as part of their "Midsummer Night Swing" dance series.

The band has also participated in music festivals, such as the Sweet and Hot Jazz Festival, the SoCal Jazzfest, the San Clemente Dixieland Festival, and the Big Bear Jazz Festival. In the concert arena, Mora's Modern Rhythmists presented an all-Duke Ellington program at the Balcony Theatre in Pasadena as part of the Pasadena Jazz Institute's "Tribute To The Masters" concert series, as well as being the starring ensemble in "Chuck Cecil Presents...", which was held at the Performing Arts Center of Cal State, Northridge, and was very favorably reviewed by esteemed Los Angeles Times jazz critic Don Heckman.

Mora's Modern Rhythmists have released 4 CDs to date, including My Favorite Band, Mr. Rhythmist Goes To Town, Call of the Freaks, and their most recent endevor, Goblin Market, a tribute to Swing Era-arranger and bandleader Spud Murphy, (known chiefly for his arranging work with Benny Goodman).

Mr. Rhythmist Goes To Town

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Stephanie Nakasian - Billie Remembered: The Classic Songs Of Billie Holiday

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 39:13
Size: 89.8 MB
Styles: Vocal jazz
Year: 2009
Art: Front

[2:47] 1. No Regrets
[2:56] 2. Did I Remember
[2:53] 3. What A Night, What A Moon, What A Boy
[3:41] 4. I Wished On The Moon
[3:45] 5. I Cried For You
[4:51] 6. These Foolish Things
[3:39] 7. What A Little Moonlight Can Do
[4:22] 8. Reaching For The Moon
[2:55] 9. Too Hot For Words
[4:07] 10. If You Were Mine
[3:11] 11. Miss Brown To You

"Billie Remembered," the most recent release of the marvelous American jazz singer Stephanie Nakasian, is indeed, a tribute album to the late, great twentieth century American blues/jazz singer Billie Holiday. But, thankfully, it stays away from that iconic singer's most famous work; it is, instead, a reimagining of an early 1935 recording, now more than 75 years old. Nakasian told an interviewer, "I love the feeling of it. It's very perky and happy. It's some of the more obscure music, which I always love. And I just love doing it. So I decided to try to channel her and get more Billie into my singing, as well. That's part of the reason to do it."

The album, which was featured on a recent episode of "Fresh Air," with Terry Gross, has a life of its own. It gives us eleven songs, and Nakasian has rounded up some distinguished backing musicians to record it, "primus inter pares" her husband and log-time collaborator Hod O'Brien, an outstanding stride player, at piano. Randy Sadke at trumpet; Harry Allen, Tenor Sax; Dan Block, Alto Sax, Clarinet; Marty Grosz, Guitar; Chuck Riggs, Drums; Neil Miner, Bass. Excellent players all, and undoubtedly one of the reasons the album sounds so good: they provide a much fuller sound than the trios and quartets most other Holiday tributes try to get away with. And they give us a sound that sounds artfully, a little bit, dated. While they straight ahead swing. And so does Nakasian. While sounding absolutely beautiful and capturing Lady Day's spirit as well as her phrasing, and strong hints of her voice. ~Stephanie dePue

Billie Remembered: The Classic Songs Of Billie Holiday

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Grassella Oliphant - The Grass Is Greener

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 34:00
Size: 77.8 MB
Styles: Funk-jazz
Year: 1967/2010
Art: Front

[2:42] 1. Get Out Of My Life Woman
[2:50] 2. Ain't That Peculiar
[5:17] 3. Soul Woman
[5:53] 4. Peaches Are Better Down The Road
[6:32] 5. The Yodel
[4:37] 6. Cantaloupe Woman
[3:02] 7. The Latter Days
[3:04] 8. Rapid Shave

Drummer Grassella Oliphant's The Grass Is Greener is as good as it is rare. One of many soulful organ jazz dates that have gained cult status among sample hungry hip-hop and acid jazz devotees, this 1967 Atlantic album is packed with great playing and solid grooves (besides recording only one other album as a leader, his 1965 debut The Grass Roots, Oliphant also appeared on dates by singer Gloria Lynne and organist Shirley Scott, among others). With guitarist Grant Green and B-3 master John Patton completing the classic organ combo setup, the trio particularly stretch out on fine numbers like "Cantaloupe Woman" and Patton's own "Soul Woman." While these cuts are marked by a progressive, almost modal sound, much of the other material, which also features tenor saxophonist Harold Ousley and trumpeter Clark Terry, has a more down home and groove-heavy flavor; this is especially true on Terry's "Peaches Are Better Down the Road" and a cover of Allen Toussaint's classic bit of New Orleans soul, "Get Out of My Life Woman." Other standouts include a rendition of Marvin Gaye's "Ain't That Peculiar" and Ousley's breezy Latin swinger "The Latter Days." A great set. ~ Stephen Cook

Limited Edition 24Bit digital remastering.

The Grass Is Greener

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Esther Phillips - Confessin' The Blues

Bitrate: 320K/s

Time: 48:23

Size: 112.8 MB

Styles: Blues vocals

Year: 1976/1988

Art: Front

[ 5:57] 1. I'm Gettin' Long Alright

[ 3:01] 2. I Wonder

[ 3:01] 3. Confessin' The Blues

[ 3:34] 4. Romance In The Dark

[ 2:48] 5. C.C. Rider

[ 3:15] 6. Cherry Red

[ 2:57] 7. In The Evenin'

[ 4:09] 8. I Love Paris

[ 4:05] 9. It Could Happen To You

[ 4:50] 10. Bye Bye Blackbird

[10:40] 11. Blow Top Blues/Jelly Jelly Blues/Long John Blues

Confessin' the Blues has translated to CD beautifully. The first seven numbers show off Esther Phillips doing sophisticated, big-band blues, backed by a small orchestra led by Onzy Matthews, giving direct and pointed yet elegant performances of "Confessin' the Blues," "I'm Gettin' 'Long Alright," and "C.C. Rider." The last four numbers, which comprise nearly 24 minutes, have Phillips doing a jazzier set to start with, backed by a leaner band (most notably Jack Wilson on piano), in a set produced for record by King Curtis -- the final medley of "Blow Top Blues"/"Jelly Roll Blues"/"Long John Blues" is the highlight of the set, showing Phillips in a bluesy setting. The quality of the recording from both years is excellent and comes out well here. Phillips and her principal accompanists, Herb Ellis (guitar) and Lou Blackburn (trombone), are in excellent form on this 1966 set. ~ Bruce Eder

Recorded at Western Recorders, Hollywood, California on October 7, 1966; United Studio, Los Angeles, California on October 14, 1966; live at Freddie Jett's Pied Piper Club, Los Angeles, California on January 31, 1970. Originally released as Atlantic SD (1680).

"Little" Esther Phillips (vocals); Herb Ellis, Francois Vaz (guitar); Sonny Criss, Gabriel Baltazar, Raymond Triscari (alto saxophone); Teddy Edwards, Louis Ciotti, Ira Schulman (tenor saxophone); Jay Migliori (baritone saxophone); Robert Rolfe, Melvin Moore, Bill Clark, James Smith, Al Porcino (trumpet); Louis Blackburn, Richard Leith, Roland Myers, Peter Myers (trombone); Rodgers Grant (piano); Jack Wilson (piano, electric piano); Ike Isaacs, Victor Venegas (bass); Chuck Rainey (Fender bass); Donald Bailey, Charles Grant (drums). Producers: Nesuhi Ertegun, King Curtis.

Confessin'The Blues   

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Tom Dempsey - Saucy

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 61:42
Size: 141.2 MB
Styles: Guitar jazz
Year: 2013
Art: Front

[5:58] 1. One Hundred Ways
[6:47] 2. Bock To Bock
[5:03] 3. Saucy
[6:44] 4. Ted's Groove
[7:42] 5. Bridge Over Troubled Water
[4:31] 6. Always Around
[7:43] 7. My Secret Love
[7:21] 8. Ceora
[5:05] 9. The Big Bailout
[4:43] 10. Pat-A-Tat-Tat

There's something about the sound of the guitar with the Hammond B3 organ. It's often hard to explain. The nuances of the timbres found in both instruments when combined together in musical interplay that is rooted in the blues, creates a sonic palette like no other. It is this sound that initially attracted me to the jazz guitar. The first recording that I heard of the jazz guitar was Smokin' at the Half Note by Wes Montgomery. While this recording didn't contain the organ/guitar combination in the instrumentation, it soon led me on a musical journey. Being exposed to Wes Montgomery at such a young age led me to this unique relationship between the organ and guitar that I found with Wes Montgomery and Jimmy Smith on The Dynamic Duo and Wes with Melvin Rhyne on Boss Guitar. These records eventually led me to Kenny Burrell and Jimmy Smith together on the record Back At The Chicken Shack. After that I was hooked.

Upon moving to NYC in 1991, I spent many years playing with various organ players. There was Augie's where I played and hung out regularly. But it was in Harlem was where I worked with several different organ players almost nightly. From Showman's Lounge to Lickety Split, Perks, La Famille and others, the music that was coming out of these clubs embodied all that I loved about music. Honesty, self-expression, the blues, raw emotion and virtuosity were all coupled with a social environment that welcomed people from all backgrounds into a collaborative discussion. This opportunity, which continues today, was made possible by the music, the food and the people assembled. This recording showcases the evolution of my experience playing jazz. The tradition of the jazz canon and the lineage of the standard of jazz performance handed down from my heroes (Wes Montgomery, Kenny Burrell, George Benson, Jim Hall and Grant Green) remain at the root of my soul as a musician. But there are many other interests, sounds and musical palettes that resonate inside me.

Saucy

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Oscar Peterson - Oscar Peterson Plays The Duke Ellington Song Book

Bitrate: 320K/s

Time: 39:39

Size: 90.8 MB

Styles: Piano jazz

Year: 1999

Art: Front

[4:05] 1. Don't Get Around Much Anymore

[2:57] 2. Sophisticated Lady

[3:00] 3. Rockin' In Rhythm

[3:15] 4. Prelude To A Kiss

[3:06] 5. In A Mellow Tone

[3:48] 6. Cotton Tail

[3:40] 7. Just A Sittin' And A Rockin'

[3:11] 8. Things Ain't What They Used To Be

[3:15] 9. Take The A Train

[3:11] 10. I Got It Bad (And That Ain't Good)

[2:48] 11. Do Nothin' Till You Hear From Me

[3:19] 12. John Hardy's Wife

Digitally remastered using 24-bit technology by Kevin Reeves (Polygram Studios). Twice in the 1950s, pianist Oscar Peterson recorded an extensive series of songbooks devoted to one composer. From 1952-53, Peterson, guitarist Barney Kessel and bassist Ray Brown were extensively documented; in 1959, the pianist joined up with Brown and drummer Ed Thigpen to repeat many of the programs (since the group had changed and the music could now be cut in stereo) plus additional songbooks. This 1999 CD brings together both of Peterson's Duke Ellington tributes; the same dozen songs were recorded with each of the two groups. The Duke Ellington-associated material  which includes two songs by Mercer Ellington and Billy Strayhorn's "Take the 'A' Train"  mostly consist of familiar songs, except for Mercer Ellington's "John Hardy's Wife." ~ Scott Yanow

Recorded at Radio Recorders, Hollywood, California in December 1952; Universal Recording Studios, Chicago, Illinois between July 14 and August 9, 1959.

Oscar Peterson (piano); Barney Kessel (guitar); Ray Brown (bass); Ed Thigpen (drums). Producer: Norman Granz.

Duke Ellington Songbook

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Lynda Carter - At Last

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2009
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 39:17
Size: 90,0 MB
Art: Front

(3:48)  1. You Send Me
(3:44)  2. Where Did Our Love Go
(2:11)  3. Deed I Do
(3:34)  4. Million Dollar Secret
(3:56)  5. Cry Me A River
(3:01)  6. Secret Of Life
(3:41)  7. Blues In The Night
(3:38)  8. Come Rain Or Come Shine Medley
(2:51)  9. At Last
(2:30) 10. Summertime
(2:39) 11. Cloud Burst
(3:39) 12. Oldies Medley

2009 album from the vocalist, actress and performer. Best known for winning our hearts as Wonder Woman, Lynda Carter is an accomplished singer who has performed to rave reviews before sell-out crowds around the world. In addition to her long acting career, Lynda has had the distinction of producing and starring in five highly rated network televisions specials. She has appeared onstage with Ray Charles, tom Jones, Kenny Rogers, Bob Hope, George Benson and Ben Vereen. ~Editorial Reviews 

http://www.amazon.com/At-Last-Lynda-Carter/dp/B002656VLO

At Last

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Ahmad Jamal - Saturday Morning

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2013
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 62:20
Size: 143,3 MB
Art: Front + Back

( 4:09)  1. Back To The Future
( 4:34)  2. I'll Always Be With You
(10:22)  3. Saturday Morning
( 4:47)  4. Edith's Cake
( 7:15)  5. The Line
( 6:37)  6. I'm In The Mood For Love
( 4:05)  7. Firefly
( 4:40)  8. Silver
( 5:36)  9. I Got It Bad And That Ain't Good
( 6:29) 10. One (Ahad)
( 3:41) 11. Saturday Morning

"Play like Jamal," Miles Davis told his pianists in the mid 1950s. The trumpeter was not shy about recruiting band leaders or poaching their musicians, so you might suppose he canvassed Jamal. But the pianist maintains Davis never popped the question. Interviewed in 2012, he side-stepped the subject, saying that he was in any case too busy leading his own band to consider offers from Davis or anyone else. "I lived a block and a half from Miles when I moved to New York," Jamal continued. "But we didn't hang out. We had a quality relationship, not a quantity relationship."

In the 1950s, Davis was attracted to Jamal's interpretations of ballad standards which were so prettily romantic that Jamal's detractors considered him little more than a hyped-up cocktail-bar pianist (and, ludicrously, pointed to his popular success as proof of it). Even Whitney Balliett, the generally tuned-in jazz writer on The New Yorker magazine, failed to get him. Lush ballad readings have continued to be the bedrock of Jamal's style, but, as he increasingly added his own compositions to his set lists, visceral ostinatos became another trade mark. There was a time when Davis would likely have embraced those, too.

Both signatures run through Saturday Morning: La Buissonne Studio Sessions, on which Jamal leads the same quartet that helped take the album's immediate predecessor, Blue Moon (Jazz Village, 2012), into many end-of-year best-of lists. Saturday Morning merits a similarly warm reception.

On both discs, the quartet plays a mixture of standards and Jamal originals, with the pianist producing. This time, though, the band recorded in France rather than in New York, and the proportion of originals is a little higher. Those things aside, everything about Saturday Morning is the same as it was on Blue Moon, and before that on A Quiet Time (Dreyfus, 2010)....and before that, on-the-one ostinatos aside, on practically any Jamal album you can name back to But Not For Me: At The Pershing (Chess, 1958). Which is to say, as close to perfect as it gets.

Out of respect and affection, it is customary to write of any octogenarian musician (Jamal is 83) that he is playing with as much vigour as he did as a young man. With Jamal, however, it is the unvarnished truth. If anything, he is playing with more command. There was no need for a percussionist in Jamal's early groups, but Manolo Badrena, who first recorded with Jamal on 1986's Rossiter Road (Atlantic), fits right in today, supporting not driving the leader's more rhythmically intense flights, and adding textural detail and colour to the gentler passages. Jazz has never been more lyrical than it is in Jamal's hands, and Saturday Morning is yet another high water mark in his inspirational career.~ Chris May  

http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/article.php?id=45237#.UkSqmRBsidk

Personnel: Ahmad Jamal: piano; Reginald Veal: double bass; Herlin Riley: drums; Manolo Badrena: percussion.

Saturday Morning

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Maria Tecce - Torch Song

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2006
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 42:43
Size: 97,8 MB
Art: Front

(4:03)  1. All Or Nothing At All
(4:52)  2. Christmas Card From A Hooker
(3:54)  3. Someday
(3:14)  4. No One Needs To Know
(3:32)  5. Mi Gran Amor (The Man I Love)
(3:11)  6. Oh,Lady Be Good!
(4:29)  7. Lush Life
(2:58)  8. Lilac Wine
(3:46)  9. Don't Worry 'bout Me
(3:49) 10. One For My Baby (And One More For The Road)
(2:18) 11. Empty Tables
(2:31) 12. The Other Woman

Maria is a Boston-born singer and actress who moved to Ireland around 1996/97 and began performing in Europe not long after. She began her musical work in Ireland as lead singer and percussionist with members of Irish fiddle player and composer Charlie Lennon's music family, Sean and Ailish Lennon, in the Lennon Quintet and performed around Ireland and on television with them for a year or so. She then based herself in Galway and formed 'The Blow-Ins' with ex-Waterboys saxophonist and mandolin player Anto Thistlethwaite, a local band playing mainly acoustic folk and blues in and around Galway. Going more electric, Maria formed 'Ruby Blue' not long after, a jazzy, bluesy, R&B band playing at Galway venues and festivals. Maria began incorporating jazz into her music around this time and it became increasingly prominent in her sets. She put together The Jazz Exiles in 1999 with ex-Pat Dublin-based musicians and the five-piece band began playing small jazz venues around Dublin.  In 2002, Maria landed on her feet in Dublin while still being based in Galway and began gigs in Dublin and the rest of Ireland as she performed with top Irish musicians, like Ritchie, Hugh, and Michael Buckley, and at the prestigious Guinness Cork Jazz Festival, who have invited her back 3 years running. 

Maria quickly became a regular on the jazz scene and considered by many to be Ireland's most respected and promising female vocalist and jazz performer. Not long after, Maria began chasing gigs at larger venues around Dublin and support slots for visiting international artists, such as the likes of Dionne Warwicke, began to come up regularly for her.  Maria was fast becoming a bright and fiery star on the cabaret scene in Ireland as well and her one-woman jazz/cabaret shows have been lauded by critics and entrancing audiences in Europe. Maria wrote "All About Love" for the Dublin Fringe Festival 2002 and was invited to create "Lush Life" especially for the opulent 'Spiegeltent' during the Dublin Theatre Festival 2003. Both shows played to packed houses and marry three of Maria's skills as a performer – acting, singing, and playing, and most impressive is the fact that Maria writes, designs, and produces all her shows herself. Other one-woman shows quickly followed, "Once Upon A Christmas" (2004), "Torch Song" (2004), and "Night & the City" (2005), and her cabaret shows and straight jazz gigs have now headlined venues in Ireland, UK, Europe, and USA, packing venues and receiving rave reviews wherever she goes.  This tour-du-force performer has shared the stage with such diverse names as Dionne Warwicke and the Irish legend Ronnie Drew of 'The Dubliners' fame and these daysn and launched her first album "All About Love" in April 2003. In September 2006, Maria celebrates the launch of her new album, "Torch Song". 

Maria performs an originals/acoustic gig as well which is folk and blues based, reaching back to her own musical roots in the U.S.. Live in-studio versions of two of Maria's original songs, "Go Back Home" and "This Love Is Through", are included on separate CD compilations featuring Grammy Award Winners John Prine, Bella Fleck, and Bruce Mathiske and Irish artists such as Juliet Turner, Damien Rice, David Kitt, Jack L., The 4 Of Us, Kila, and Mary Coughlan. Maria also has a passion for folk songs of other countries in their original languages and has a repertoire of Spanish, Italian, French, and Polish songs that she adds to and performs regularly; her fluency in Spanish definitely helps. (She's working on her Italian and Polish¦). Voice is Maria's first instrument now but it wasn't always. She was a choral accompanist on piano for 3 years, a concert flautist in Boston for 5 years, and has played guitar since she was a child. She also played saxophone in a jazz swing band for 2 years, and plays a plethora of percussion instruments. http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/tecce2

Torch Song

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Michael Kiwanuka - Home Again

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 42:35
Size: 97.5 MB
Styles: Adult alternative, Contemporary Singer/Songwriter
Year: 2012
Art: Front

[4:07] 1. Tell Me A Tale
[2:20] 2. I'm Getting Ready
[3:25] 3. I'll Get Along
[3:49] 4. Rest
[3:29] 5. Home Again
[3:45] 6. Bones
[4:29] 7. Always Waiting
[4:00] 8. I Won't Lie
[3:37] 9. Any Day Will Do Fine
[4:55] 10. Worry Walks Beside Me
[4:35] 11. Lasan

After several promising EPs, Home Again officially announces Michael Kiwanuka as one of the most exciting talents around, one with a penchant for soulful folk and Afrobeat that has more in common with Marvin Gaye and Shuggie Otis than anyone from his own generation. On opener "Tell Me a Tale," for instance, Kiwanuka unleashes his tenderly gritty vocals over a decidedly lo-fi beat, nearly feeling lost in time before a set of Afrobeat horns kick in, and the result feels strangely modern rather than a mere throwback. Similarly, a song like "I'll Get Along," with its Mayfield-style woodwinds, should evoke hollow nostalgia, but Kiwanuka's charisma and sincerity somehow make it work in 2012: this is a man singing in the way he loves to sing, with lyrics he truly means, and the results often remind you why you fell in love with music in the first place.

Home Again

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Carolyn Martin - Swing

Bitrate: 320K/s

Time: 37:01

Size: 84.8MB

Styles: Western Swing

Year: 2007

Art: Front

[2:34] 1. Exactly Like You

[2:32] 2. Sugar (That Sugar Baby O' Mine)

[2:14] 3. Put Yourself In My Blues

[5:04] 4. Only Time Will Tell

[2:56] 5. Crazy 'cause I Love You

[3:16] 6. If You Ain't Lovin' Me (You Ain't Livin')

[3:05] 7. Don't Count Your Chickens Before They Hatch

[2:07] 8. Three Little Words

[3:06] 9. When You Wish Upon A Star

[2:31] 10. Texas To A T

[2:50] 11. Tennessee Saturday Night

[2:23] 12. Cheatin' On Your Baby

[2:15] 13. When You're Smilin'

"Swing", the new CD from Carolyn Martin showcases Carolyn's love for Western Swing - the music made famous by such legendary performers as Bob Wills and Spade Cooley. In the finest Texas tradition, "Swing" is a a collection of classic and contemporary western swing songs that showcase Carolyn along with many of her favorite musicians - fiddlers Hoot Hester, Joe Spivey, and Kenny Sears, Andre Reiss, Jerry Krahn and Doug Green on guitars, John Hughey, Johnny Cox and Mike Johnson on steel, along with many others, and includes special vocal performances by John England from the Western Swingers and the Riders In The Sky's Ranger Doug Green.

Carolyn Martin is a native Texan who has lived in Nashville for many years. She has been a member of Nashville's legendary western swing band "The Time Jumpers" since 2000, and performed on all three of the Time Jumpers' CD's - "On The Air", "Live at the Station Inn", and "Jumpin' Time", the new DVD and CD project from the Time Jumpers - a project that has garnered two Grammy nominations.

In 2005, Carolyn released "The Very Thought Of You" on Cuppa Joe Records, a project that celebrated the golden ea of American songwriting. Other projects that Carolyn has been involved with include "Boots Too Big to Fill: A Tribute to Gene Autry", and "Great Songs About Horses", for CMH records.

Swing

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Johnny Hodges & Earl 'Fatha' Hines - Stride Right

Bitrate: 320K/s

Time: 34:19

Size: 80.0 MB

Styles: Piano jazz, Saxophone jazz

Year: 1966/2004

Art: Front

[3:56] 1. Caution Blues (Blues In 3rds)

[2:52] 2. Stride Right

[3:34] 3. Rosetta

[5:06] 4. Perdido

[3:02] 5. Fantastic, That's You

[4:28] 6. Tale Of The Fox

[2:59] 7. I'm Beginning To See The Light

[5:06] 8. C Jam Blues

[3:12] 9. Tippin' In

A great little trad session – one that features laidback and soulful work from the great Johnny Hodges – working here in a quintet that includes Earl "Fatha" Hines on piano and organ, Kenny Burrell on guitar, Richard Davis on bass, and Joe Marshall on drums. The style is nothing fancy, but Hodges' tone on these mid 60s Verve sides is always right on the money – soulful but not overdone, and put forth with just the right amount of economy. Hines' work on organ is pretty darn nice too – and the set's a nice cooker that updates the older swing sound of Verve for the 60s, but still keeps the mellow and spontaneous feel of the 60s.

Stride Right  

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Paul Meyers - World On A String

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 64:04
Size: 147.1 MB
Styles: Guitar jazz
Year: 2009
Art: Front

[7:14] 1. I've Got The World On A String
[8:46] 2. Eyes That Smile
[6:43] 3. Plum
[7:15] 4. Twilight
[7:03] 5. Stars
[9:06] 6. Panama
[4:42] 7. Because
[6:45] 8. River
[6:26] 9. North Meets South

The music of nylon-string acoustic guitarist Paul Meyers isn't easily classifiable, as it has elements of several Brazilian styles, along with both straight-ahead and contemporary jazz. His rhythm section includes two Brazilians, pianist Helio Alves, and drummer/percussionist Vanderlei Pereira (who is also a fine guitarist, though he sticks to drums in these sessions), plus saxophonist Donny McCaslin, and electric bassist Leo Traversa. For example, the opener, the chestnut "I've Got the World on a String," alternates styles and rhythms in an eclectic setting, ending in mid-phrase. The Beatles' "Because" is not commonly heard in a jazz setting, but Meyers' unusual reharmonization makes it work. The remaining tunes are all Meyers' originals. The infectious "Panama" was recorded in 1989 by Gary Burton with Pat Metheny; here Pereira does double duty on percussion and marimba, with the leader adding a guitar synth pickup for a portion of the piece. Meyers' chops are best displayed in the trio setting of "Plum," which blends his intricate solo with the constantly shifting bass and drums. In essence, WORLD ON A STRING is Brazilian music, but with a decidedly personal twist. Equally conversant in straight ahead jazz and Brazilian music, guitarist Paul Meyers has shared the bandstand with the likes of Kenny Barron, Andy Bey, Jon Hendricks, Frank Wess and Wynton Marsalis while also being active on the Brazilian scene in New York.

Recording information: The Studio (02/13/2007-06/18/2007).

Paul Meyers (acoustic guitar); Leo Traversa (electric bass); Vanderlei Pereira (drums, drum, percussion).

World On A String

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Tower Of Power - East Bay Grease

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 41:36
Size: 96.4 MB
Styles: Funk, Soul
Year: 1970
Art: Front

[7:12] 1. Knock Yourself Out
[7:25] 2. Social Lubrication
[6:10] 3. The Price
[5:52] 4. Back On The Streets Again
[5:51] 5. The Skunk, The Goose, And The Fly
[9:03] 6. Sparkling In The Sand

The renowned horn-driven funk outfit Tower of Power has been issuing albums and touring the world steadily since the early '70s, in addition to backing up countless other musicians. The group's leader since the beginning has always been tenor saxophonist Emilio Castillo, who was born in Detroit, but opted to pursue his musical dreams in Oakland, CA.

It was in Oakland that Castillo put together a group called the Motowns, which as its name suggested, specialized in '60s-era soul. Castillo teamed up with a baritone sax player (and Motowns fan) Stephen "Doc" Kupka, and soon the Motowns had transformed into Tower of Power (one of the first tunes the duo penned together was "You're Still a Young Man," which would eventually go on to be one of the TOP's signature compositions). Tower of Power played regularly in the Bay Area throughout the late '60s, as its lineup often swelled up to ten members, including such other mainstays as Greg Adams on trumpet and vocals and Rocco Prestia on bass. By 1970, the funk outfit had inked a recording contract with Bill Graham's San Francisco Records, resulting in the group's debut the same year, East Bay Grease, which failed to make an impression on the charts as TOP was still trying to find their own sound.

But it all came together quickly for the group, as 1972's Bump City would touch off a string of classic hit releases, including 1973's self-titled release (which included another one of the group's most enduring tunes, "What Is Hip?"), 1974's Back to Oakland, plus 1975's Urban Renewal and In the Slot. While Tower of Power remained a must-see live act, the quality of their subsequent records became erratic, resulting in some admirable releases (Ain't Nothin' Stoppin' Us Now, Live and in Living Color) and several uninspired albums that are best skipped over (We Came to Play, Back on the Streets).

East Bay Grease

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Tanja Siebert - Odd Times

Styles: Jazz Vocals
Year: 2011
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 62:56
Size: 144,5 MB
Art: Front

(4:26)  1. Esperanto
(6:25)  2. How Deep Is The Ocean
(6:52)  3. Windmills Of Your Mind
(5:53)  4. Uzun Ince Bir Yoldayim
(4:28)  5. It's Only A Papermoon
(6:07)  6. I Will Say Goodbye
(4:33)  7. I Wish You Love
(6:20)  8. One Day I'll Fly Away
(4:22)  9. Solveigs Lied
(4:51) 10. I'll Be Seeing You
(8:33) 11. How Do You Keep The Music Playing

'Odd Times' refers both to the odd-meter tunes on this album and to the fact that Tanja Siebert has recently been through some odd times of her own. She went through an overwhelming mix of feelings that would make anyone think about the 'big questions' of life, perfectly reflected in songs like 'Esperanto' (Vince Mendoza), 'Uzun ince bir yoldayim' (Asik Veysel Satiroglu) and 'How do you keep the music playing?' (Michel Legrand). Tanja Siebert transformed the energy arising from her experiences in a very powerful and most creative way into music of an emotional depth, one simply can not resist. Carried by masterful arrangements and musicians who communicate on a highly sensitive level, her voice takes us to the subtle facets of emotional awareness, and makes her second album a sensual sound experience.

(http://www.cduniverse.com/productinfo.asp?pid=8447639&style=music&fulldesc=T).

Odd Times

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Tierney Sutton - After Blue

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2013
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 52:46
Size: 120,8 MB
Scans: Front

(4:11)  1. Blue
(3:28)  2. All I Want
(4:57)  3. Court And Spark
(5:56)  4. Don't Go To Strangers
(5:15)  5. Dry Cleaner From Des Moines
(3:06)  6. Big Yellow Taxi
(6:08)  7. Woodstock
(4:54)  8. Little Green
(5:50)  9. Be Cool
(3:45) 10. Answer Me My Love
(5:11) 11. Both Sides Now
(5:36) 12. April in Paris / Free Man in Paris

Joni Mitchell and jazz have long engaged in mutualism. Mitchell subtly absorbed the ideals of this music, which were then filtered into her work, and she built musical relationships with some of the finest jazz musicians to walk this Earth; the list of her collaborators bassist Charles Mingus, saxophonist Wayne Shorter, guitarist Pat Metheny and numerous others is long and staggering. Jazz, on the other side of the relationship, benefitted from her body of work and interpretive skills. Everybody from pianist Keith Jarrett to vocalist Kate McGarry has taken a stab at Mitchell's music, embracing and exploring the deep wellspring of emotions that exist within her work. Now, vocalist Tierney Sutton joins the list of Joni interpreters, as she sings Mitchell's praises and songs on After Blue.

Sutton became an ardent admirer of Mitchell's work after hearing the brilliant Both Sides Now (Reprise, 2000), but she had some trepidation about trying on Mitchell's treasured songs. In the liner notes for this album, Sutton notes, "I knew that Mitchell's music was not something I could glance at and then perform. I had to live with it for years." She goes on to say that she needed to "marinate" in Mitchell's music; that process proved successful. Sutton absorbed the flavors in Mitchell's work, blending them with her own essence during the interpretive process.

Though Sutton is, admittedly, tardy to the Joni party, she's fashionably late. The twelve songs that she visits on After Blue are cleverly arranged vehicles that balance creative impulses with a sense of respect for the material. She demonstrates this time and again, whether bestowing elegance upon "Little Green" with the Turtle Island String Quartet, tackling "All I Want" with that group's cellist Mark Summer or reworking the oft-covered "Big Yellow Taxi" into a voice-with-drums number in five. Sutton's captivating "Woodstock" veers closer to the Mitchell template than most of the other performances, but Sutton never resorts to imitation; originality seems to flow through her veins.

While the Tierney Sutton Band a mainstay on her albums is noticeably absent, the quality of the music doesn't suffer one bit. In fact, the diversity in musical partnerships here brings something fresh into the picture. A you-never-know-what's-next feeling carries through this album, as Sutton moves from refined, string-enhanced music to hip-and-fun scenarios with flautist Hubert Laws in the mix to guitar-meets- voice encounters with Serge Merlaud. Other key collaborators include drummer Peter Erskine, pianist/organist Larry Goldings, and special guest Al Jarreau, who drops in to add some vocals on "Be Cool."

The news of this album was met with much anticipation in (vocal) jazz circles, and with good reason. Sutton-as-singer and Mitchell-as-muse are like fine wine and cheese: they're two tasty delicacies that pair well together.~ Dan Bilawsky  

http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/article.php?id=45398#.UkN9iFfNmSo
 
Personnel: Tierney Sutton: vocals; Hubert Laws: flute (5, 9); Peter Erskine: drums (5, 9); Ralph Humphrey: drums (6); Larry Goldings: piano, B3 organ (3, 5, 7, 9, 12); Serge Merlaud: guitar (4, 10); Al Jarreau: vocals (9); Turtle Island String Quartet (1, 8); David Balakrishnan: violin; Mateusz Smoczynski: violin; Benjamin Von Gutzeit: viola; Mark Summer: cello

After Blue

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Bryan Shaw - Night Owl

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 2000
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 60:49
Size: 139,2 MB
Art: Front

(3:52)  1. I Wish I Were Twins
(5:28)  2. Snafu
(5:24)  3. Body And Soul
(3:58)  4. Panhandle Roag
(5:28)  5. Ol' Pappy
(6:26)  6. Bean And The Boys
(8:16)  7. Night Owl
(4:18)  8. They Say It's Spring
(3:59)  9. I'm Comin' Virginia
(5:30) 10. Accent On Youth
(4:54) 11. Aunt Hagar's Blues
(3:09) 12. It's Been So Long

Trumpeter Bryan Shaw should be well-known in the trad/swing world, but his decision long ago to settle in Los Angeles and help raise a family, playing at Disneyland and with local Dixieland bands, has kept him fairly anonymous. However, his classmate trombonist Dan Barrett persuaded Shaw to record for Arbors, and the results are so strong that Shaw seems destined to gain at least a little bit of the fame he deserves. Shaw is joined by Barrett (who, in addition to his trombone, contributes quite a few colorful arrangements), Brian Ogilvie on clarinet and tenor, altoist Chuck Wilson, Scott Robinson on baritone, tenor, and clarinet, and a top-notch rhythm section. Added pluses are two vocals by Rebecca Kilgore and one by banjoist Eddie Erickson. The music ranges from Dixielandish to modern swing with several of the songs dating in style from the mid-'40s. "Snafu," which has Louis Armstrong's original solo harmonized for the band, and the trumpet-piano duet by Shaw and Dave Frishberg on "Body and Soul" are among the many highlights. Highly recommended. ~Scott Yanow  http://www.allmusic.com/album/night-owl-mw0000609587

Night Owl

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Lynne Arriale - Inspiration

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2001
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 58:44
Size: 134,5 MB
Art: Front

(3:56)  1. America
(5:14)  2. In Don't Mean A Thing
(5:09)  3. Blackbird
(4:48)  4. A House Is Not A Home
(6:48)  5. Bemisha Swing
(4:24)  6. So Tender
(7:08)  7. Tones for Joan's bones
(6:26)  8. Feeling Good
(7:27)  9. The nearness of you
(7:20) 10. Mountain Of The Night

Lynne Arriale and her fine trio have become a bright diamond in the TCB catalog. To date she has released four recordings: A Long Road Home (TCB 979520), Melody (TCB 99552), Live At Montreux (20252) and the present Inspiration. I am continually stuck with the sheer cerebral power of Ms. Arriale's playing. She is a smart performer with and expansive and orchestral style that substitute the mundane earthiness encountered in many trio settings with a sophisticated intellect, exuding confidence and competence. The rhythm unit made up of bassist Jay Anderson and drummer Steve Davis represent the tightest section I have heard since first hearing Fred Hersch. Steering the arrangements as well as all else, Ms. Arriale proves to be a master bandleader. Inspiration represents a number of different influences. Leonard Bernstein's "America" from West Side Story is propulsively driven in head and solos, perfectly preserving Bernstein's intent and excitement. Ellington's "It Don't Mean a Thing" sounds like a cross between Gene Harris and Matthew Shipp. The Beatles "Blackbird" is a totally digestible cover, as is Burt Bacharach's "A House is Not a Home." Ms. Arriale's Monk is more iconoclastic than the original ("Bemsha Swing") as are her nods to two contemporaries (Keith Jarrett "So Tender" and Chick Corea "Tones for Joan's Bones"). The Lynn Arriale Trio is Jazz as high art. If, as I always tout, that the piano trio is the true jazz chamber music, then Arriale is Mozart.~ C.Michael Bailey  http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/article.php?id=9426#.Uj-TEBAkI5c

Personnel: Lynne Arriale: Piano; Jay Anderson: Bass; Steve Davis: Drums.

Inspiration

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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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