Lady Antebellum - On This Winter's Night

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 40:52
Size: 93.6 MB
Styles: Holiday, Country
Year: 2012
Art: Front

[2:01] 1. A Holly Jolly Christmas
[3:07] 2. Christmas Baby (Please Come Home)
[3:33] 3. All I Want For Christmas Is You
[3:19] 4. I'll Be Home For Christmas
[3:17] 5. This Christmas
[3:21] 6. The First Noel
[4:00] 7. On This Winter's Night
[2:30] 8. Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!
[4:07] 9. Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas
[3:09] 10. Silent Night (Lord Of My Life)
[3:25] 11. Blue Christmas
[4:57] 12. Silver Bells

Lady Antebellum have previously released a holiday EP, but 2012 brings On This Winter's Night, a full-length Christmas album recorded with deliberation and care by the country-pop trio. Working once again with their longtime producer Paul Worley, Lady Antebellum have written a new song in the record's title track but otherwise devote themselves to Christmas classics and carols, including "A Holly Jolly Christmas," "Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)," "All I Want for Christmas," "The First Noel," "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas," and "Blue Christmas."

Recording information: Warner Studios, Nashville, TN.

On This Winter's Night

---

Larry Coryell, Victor Bailey, Lenny White - Electric

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 57:33
Size: 131.7 MB
Styles: Jazz-rock, Jazz guitar
Year: 2001
Art: Front

[6:05] 1. Wolfbane
[5:01] 2. Bb Blues
[6:17] 3. So What
[7:17] 4. Sex Machine
[6:15] 5. Black Dog
[7:24] 6. Footprints
[7:49] 7. Born Under A Bad Sign
[7:11] 8. Low Blow
[4:12] 9. Rhapsody And Blues

This trio set featuring guitarist Larry Coryell, drummer Lenny White, and bassist Victor Bailey is issued by Chesky, purveyor of uncompressed audiophile recordings. And while the sound is wondrous, it's the performances here that take front and center. The mix of jazz, funk, and rock tunes on Electric is infectious, especially when played with such incendiary inspiration. Members of this trio wrote four of the nine tunes here. White's furied funk freak-out "Wolfsbane" opens the proceeding on a hot note, and Coryell's "BB Blues" takes the jazz-inflected blues to a new intensity. But it is the covers here that really resonate, from a skeletal and edgy reading of Miles Davis' "So What," to Wayne Shorter's signature tune "Footprints," the jazz chops and expansive improvisation are present everywhere. On Sly and the Family Stone's "Sex Machine" and the Page & Plant nugget "Black Dog," the pedal to the metal aesthetic really works. Elsewhere, "Born Under a Bad Sign" is dragged kicking and screaming into the 21st century without losing its blues fire. This is not a recording for those looking for Coryell's jazz technique and subtle artistry in interpreting music from the days of yore. Listeners looking for a balls-out charge of electric jazz-rock will be more than delighted by this outing. ~ Thom Jurek

Larry Coryell (electric guitar); Larry Coryell (guitar); Victor Bailey (electric bass, bass guitar); Lenny White (drums).

Electric

---

Nancy Wilson - But Beautiful

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 39:01
Size: 89.4 MB
Styles: Easy Listening, Vocal jazz
Year: 1969/2013
Art: Front

[2:41] 1. Prelude To A Kiss
[2:47] 2. For Heaven's Sake
[2:51] 3. Happiness Is A Thing Called Joe
[3:31] 4. I'll Walk Alone
[3:50] 5. Supper Time
[4:10] 6. But Beautiful
[2:19] 7. Oh! Look At Me Now
[3:14] 8. Glad To Be Unhappy
[2:55] 9. In A Sentimental Mood
[2:01] 10. I Thought About You
[3:03] 11. Easy Living
[2:44] 12. Do It Again
[2:49] 13. Darn That Dream

Nancy Wilson has been on the fringes of jazz throughout her career, mostly performing middle-of-the-road pop and R&B. Most of her albums were major productions, but this CD reissue of But Beautiful is quite different.

On a relaxed and tasteful program of ballads (including three previously unreleased numbers), Wilson sounds properly expressive and a bit influenced by Dinah Washington while backed by a flawless rhythm section comprised of pianist Hank Jones, guitarist Gene Bertoncini, bassist Ron Carter, and drummer Grady Tate. Her performances are straightforwrd, a little soulful, and very mindful of the melody and the lyrics. There is little of jazz interest, but this is superior ballad singing and one of Nancy Wilson's finest recordings to date. ~ Scott Yanow

Recorded in New York City on November 4-6, 1969.

Nancy Wilson (vocals); Hank Jones (piano); Gene Bertoncini (guitar); Ron Carter (bass); Grady Tate (drums).

But Beautiful

---

Jerry Weldon & Bobby Forrester - The Second Time Around

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 44:27
Size: 102.6 MB
Styles: Saxophone jazz, Organ jazz
Year: 1995
Art: Front

[5:35] 1. There Goes My Heart
[5:29] 2. Mr. Lucky
[5:21] 3. One Mint Julep
[6:13] 4. The Things We Did Last Summer
[8:20] 5. Con Alma
[6:47] 6. Bloomdido
[6:39] 7. The Second Time Around

"The little track, 'The Second Time Around' seems to bring everything full circle. The playing is fresh and lively with no one ever stepping further out than needed. John's guitar is fresh and both Jerry and Bobby say what's necessary with confidence and poise. This one fades to a calm finish but certainly not to an ending as I"m sure you'll be pressing the 'play' button soon enough for that 'Second Time Around'." ~Pete Fallico/Jazz Now

"...a fine display of their wares....Forrester plays with rhythmic intensity and lush shadings that mine the full possibilities of the B-3 and make this session a real burner of standard blues and ballads with a nod to bop." ~Jazz Times

Jerry Weldon (tenor saxophone); Bobby Forrester (organ); John Hart (guitar); Tootsie Bean (drums).

The Second Time Around

---

Jean Frye Sidwell - Tenderly : The Great American Songbook

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2009
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 51:19
Size: 117,5 MB
Art: Front

(5:25)  1. As Time Goes By
(4:08)  2. Pure Imagination
(6:09)  3. I Left My Heart In San Francisco
(5:18)  4. Nature Boy
(4:41)  5. Don't Get Around Much Anymore
(5:08)  6. Sophisticated Lady
(5:42)  7. How Long Has This Been Going On
(5:53)  8. That's All
(3:24)  9. There Will Never Be Another You
(5:26) 10. Tenderly

With her rich contralto voice and smooth, soulful phrasing, Jean is truly a jazz singer's, jazz singer. The consummate performer, she beams with honesty and passion, delivering silky nuances and vocal shadings that captivate even the most sophisticated music lovers. Her dramatic vocal expression renders new shape and meaning to some of our most beloved classic jazz treasures, be it Gershwin, Ellington or Jobim. A native of Southern California, Jean received music, voice and dance training in Los Angeles. Her professional singing career has spanned 30 years and culminated in the recording of six self-produced CDs. Partnered with husband, bassist/composer Chris Sidwell, she is co-creator and co-owner of Pacific Coast Music, an independent record label. Due to the overwhelming success of her CD’s Jean is recognized today as an international recording artist.  http://www.pacificcoastmusic.com/about2.html

Tenderly

---

Liane Carroll - Slow Down

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2007
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 64:42
Size: 148,9 MB
Art: Front

(6:10)  1. Memphis In June
(4:38)  2. All The Way
(3:22)  3. Lazy Susan
(3:51)  4. You Can't Slow My Heart Down
(4:50)  5. Let Me Be What You Be To Me
(5:34)  6. Catch The Wind
(4:28)  7. In My Solitude
(5:28)  8. Willow Weep For Me
(3:54)  9. The World Stopped Turning
(4:21) 10. All Of Me
(5:31) 11. One Fine Day
(5:02) 12. If I Loved You
(3:18) 13. Lazy Afternoon
(4:08) 14. Take It With Me

Liane Carroll's third CD for Splash Point Records is an album of exquisite ballads, returning to the "stripped down" format of solo piano and voice. It is an album of intimate and personal songs - all of which have great meaning to her. The performances are heartfelt and truthful; she is wearing her heart on her sleeve here. Already being hailed as her most perfect album yet, the performances defy anyone to listen without being overwhelmed by the beauty, honesty and emotion of the music. Recorded "live" in the studio, it is Liane at her most powerful, giving her own intense treatment to a range of composers' tunes.

Following hot on the heels of her Best UK Female Singer accolade from Ronnie Scott's, Slow Down was recorded in just a few studio hours, and it confirms that Liane Carroll is all things to all ballads.
With just her piano and her voice (and a little help from fellow singer Ian Shaw on one track) Liane conjures up an amazing range of expression to match her huge vocal range. The standards "Memphis In June" and "All Of Me" are given a bluesy makeover and sound astonishingly fresh and celebratory, while Donovan's "Catch The Wind" is in turn heart-rending and life-loving.

On Slow Down Liane sings her way through the whole spectrum from jazz diva to fragile victim. Van Heusen and Cahn's "All The Way" and Duke Ellington's "In My Solitude" are remade as torch songs, with vulnerability oozing out of every verse, while "Lazy Afternoon" perfectly captures her molasses low tones and silken high ones -her sparse electric piano accompaniment creating a brooding, hypnotic tension.

Liane dedicates the tender "If I Loved You", from the film Carousel, to her grandmother who sang it with her when Liane was a child. Ian Shaw helps out on piano here, and Liane's almost-whispered, lump-in-throat intro develops into a thumping soul ballad. A natural storyteller, Liane gives Tom Waits' ''Take It With Me'' a dose of Kirsty MacColl-like understated passion, personality and dry humour.

Slow Down doesnt just tug at your heart strings, it rips them out by the roots (then apologises with a sheepish grin).~Kathryn Shackleton – Editorial Reviews  

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Slow-Down-Liane-Carroll/dp/B000VEA2QC

Slow Down

---

Harry Allen - Cole Porter Songbook

Styles: Jazz
Year: 2007
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 66:54
Size: 153,1 MB
Art: Front

(3:47)  1. You Do Something to Me
(4:04)  2. I Get a Kick Out of You
(5:28)  3. In the Still of the Night
(3:28)  4. Goodbye Little Dream Goodbye
(4:10)  5. Use Your Imagination
(5:48)  6. It's All Right With Me
(3:36)  7. Dream Dancing
(3:22)  8. I Concentrate On You
(3:26)  9. You're the Top
(3:27) 10. Do I Love You
(3:17) 11. Night and Day
(4:39) 12. I Love You Samantha
(3:06) 13. Why Shouldn't I
(3:36) 14. Silk Stockings
(3:41) 15. Begin the Beguine
(2:56) 16. Everything I Love
(4:55) 17. All of You

Harry Allen's Tenaman like most of the (... or not be said to be young again) the current young. Because it is born in 1966, 41-year-old wonder.  Take up actively jazz number old to young, young sensation because it contains also in its performance, it is possible to listen fresh. Tone is great and ad lib sing well.Moreover, it is easy to understand.  Feel the impact of Stan Getz apparently listening to play. Himself has said was influenced from Zoot Sims to another. I feel the influence of Ben Webster.  It's here where I think, young players to return to the jazz style as orthodox as he has increased Come to think of it is I wonder just me? Scott Hamilton of the same tenor as well Yeah, and it's an outstanding performance (which also participated in this album) Benny Green piano. I said that after the death Ray Brown, Christian McBride on bass and most good heir.  Influence of Coltrane was so big too jazz world, there is a feeling that mode playing and Coltrane style has become mainstream, the flow that respects traditional jazz as they came out healthy and I think it's. Also be good, no matter how (once but it was a crazy Coltrane ...) flow was too biased is not good.  This album's a collection of works of Cole Porter is a great composer. 17 tracks in all, 13 songs's duo with Benny Green on piano.Guitar and bass are participating in the remaining four songs.  Piano of green to support Harry great. Drive full of feeling really, dynamic.. Translate by google    http://stg.seesaa.net/article/81914286.html

Harry Allen (Ts), Benny Green (P), Russel Malone (Gt), Peter Washington (B)

Cole Porter Songbook

---

Thelonious Monk - Jazz After Midnight

Styles: Jazz
Year: 2013
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 149:27
Size: 343,4 MB
Art: Front

(10:35)  1. Friday the Thirteenth
( 3:06)  2. Little Rootie-tootie
( 5:15)  3. The Way You Look Tonight
( 5:18)  4. Nutty
( 2:58)  5. Just a Gigolo
( 2:50)  6. Trinkle Tinkle
( 4:42)  7. I Don't Mean a Thing If Ain't
( 7:43)  8. Bemsha Swing
(13:08)  9. Bar-lue Bolivar Ba-lues-are
( 7:45) 10. I Wan't to Be Happy
( 3:27) 11. Black and Tan Fantasy
( 5:43) 12. I Let a Song Go Out of My Hear
( 2:47) 13. These Foolish Things
( 5:55) 14. I Got It Bad and That Ain't Go
( 2:46) 15. Bye-ya
( 3:45) 16. Solitude
( 7:46) 17. Brilliant Corners
( 4:30) 18. Sophisticated Lady
( 3:36) 19. Sweet and Lovely
( 3:08) 20. Monk's Dream
( 5:28) 21. I Surrender, Dear
( 3:11) 22. Bemsha Swing
( 5:20) 23. Work
( 2:48) 24. Reflections
( 3:15) 25. Mood Indigo
( 8:51) 26. Pannonica
( 7:38) 27. Blue Monk
( 5:58) 28. Caravan

The most important jazz musicians are the ones who are successful in creating their own original world of music with its own rules, logic, and surprises. Thelonious Monk, who was criticized by observers who failed to listen to his music on its own terms, suffered through a decade of neglect before he was suddenly acclaimed as a genius; his music had not changed one bit in the interim. In fact, one of the more remarkable aspects of Monk's music was that it was fully formed by 1947 and he saw no need to alter his playing or compositional style in the slightest during the next 25 years.

Thelonious Monk grew up in New York, started playing piano when he was around five, and had his first job touring as an accompanist to an evangelist. He was inspired by the Harlem stride pianists (James P. Johnson was a neighbor) and vestiges of that idiom can be heard in his later unaccompanied solos. However, when he was playing in the house band of Minton's Playhouse during 1940-1943, Monk was searching for his own individual style. Private recordings from the period find him sometimes resembling Teddy Wilson but starting to use more advanced rhythms and harmonies. He worked with Lucky Millinder a bit in 1942 and was with the Cootie Williams Orchestra briefly in 1944 (Williams recorded Monk's "Epistrophy" in 1942 and in 1944 was the first to record "'Round Midnight"), but it was when he became Coleman Hawkins' regular pianist that Monk was initially noticed. He cut a few titles with Hawkins (his recording debut) and, although some of Hawkins' fans complained about the eccentric pianist, the veteran tenor could sense the pianist's greatness.

The 1945-1954 period was very difficult for Thelonious Monk. Because he left a lot of space in his rhythmic solos and had an unusual technique, many people thought that he was an inferior pianist. His compositions were so advanced that the lazier bebop players (although not Dizzy Gillespie and Charlie Parker) assumed that he was crazy. And Thelonious Monk's name, appearance (he liked funny hats), and personality (an occasionally uncommunicative introvert) helped to brand him as some kind of nut. Fortunately, Alfred Lion of Blue Note believed in him and recorded Monk extensively during 1947-1948 and 1951-1952. He also recorded for Prestige during 1952-1954, had a solo set for Vogue in 1954 during a visit to Paris, and appeared on a Verve date with Bird and Diz. But work was very sporadic during this era and Monk had to struggle to make ends meet.... More Bio  https://itunes.apple.com/ca/artist/thelonious-monk/id45058#fullText

Jazz After Midnight

---

Emilie-Claire Barlow - Winter Wonderland

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 40:38
Size: 93.0 MB
Styles: Holiday
Year: 2006
Art: Front

[4:18] 1. What Are You Doing New Year's Eve
[4:31] 2. Winter Wonderland
[4:27] 3. Sleigh Ride
[3:09] 4. Santa Baby
[5:24] 5. Christmas Time Is Here
[4:20] 6. Baby, It's Cold Outside (Featuring Marc Jordan)
[3:43] 7. Little Jack Frost
[3:58] 8. I've Got My Love To Keep Me Warm
[3:17] 9. Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!
[3:25] 10. Angels' Lullaby

EMILIE-CLAIRE BARLOW (vocalist) was born June 6, 1976 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada to parents who are, themselves, respected jazz artists. Her mother is vocalist/composer/arranger Judy Tate and her father is celebrated jazz percussionist Brian Barlow. When the energetic, witty, and exceedingly talented jazz vocalist entertained a capacity crowd at Toronto’s Living Arts Centre on February 17, 2004, she became one of the youngest artists to ever headline a “Sound of Toronto Jazz” Concert, although already a veteran contributor to the city’s vibrant music scene.

A few years ago, CBC (Canada Now) called her “the next best thing in jazz”, but Emilie-Claire Barlow is hardly a newcomer to the music scene. She started her career as a singer and voice actor at the age of seven, lending her voice to various television and radio jingles and voice-overs, an aspect of voice work that still plays a major role in her busy performing life. For five years, she attended the Etobicoke School of the Arts studying musical theatre and dance, later focusing her studies on music theory and arranging at Toronto’s Humber College. It was during that time that she put her first jazz quartet together and quickly established a key place for herself on the Toronto jazz landscape.

The self-managed Barlow has been called a “truly independent artist”, exercising creative control in all aspects of her endeavors – arranging, producing, even conducting as necessary, and releasing her recordings on her own label, Empress Music Group.

Winter Wonderland

---

Hank Jones - Complete Original Trio Recordings

Bitrate: 320K/s

Time: 77:49

Size: 178.2 MB

Styles: Piano jazz

Year: 2012

Art: Front

[2:43] 1. You Go To My Head

[2:55] 2. Thad's Pad

[3:37] 3. Things Are So Pretty In The Spring

[2:45] 4. Little Girl Blue

[3:30] 5. Odd Number

[4:07] 6. We're All Together

[4:29] 7. Odd Number 2

[4:49] 8. We Could Make Such Beautiful Music Together

[3:29] 9. Now's The Time

[4:14] 10. Cyrano

[5:15] 11. There's A Small Hotel

[8:11] 12. My Funny Valentine

[5:51] 13. When Hearts Are Young

[5:33] 14. Little Girl Blue 2

[3:30] 15. Pretty Brown

[5:00] 16. Six And Four

[4:22] 17. The Party's Over

[3:21] 18. Have You Met Miss Jones

Contains all of Hank Jones' 1950s trio recordings as a leader. With the exception of an odd 1964 LP of ragtime music, Jones wouldn't record another trio session under his own name until 1975! Four bonus tracks have been added featuring the pianist in trios led by Elvin Jones, Aaron Bell and Charlie Smith.

Charles Mingus (bass); Max Roach (drums); Johnny Smith (guitar); Ray Brown (bass); Wendell Marshall (bass;) Kenny Clarke (drums); Art Davis (bass); Elvin Jones (drums); Aaron Bell (bass); Ed Thigpen (drums); Oscar Pettiford (bass); Charlie Smith (drums).

Complete Original Trio Recordings

---

Mathilde Santing - New Amsterdam

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 50:38
Size: 115.9 MB
Styles: Jazz vocals
Year: 2001
Art: Front

[4:44] 1. Ain't That Peculiar
[3:55] 2. Don't You Think I Oughtta Know
[4:05] 3. Light Out Of Darkness
[2:44] 4. All My Tomorrows
[4:31] 5. Luckybug
[5:26] 6. If I Were A Bell
[3:59] 7. In The Meantime
[4:17] 8. The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face
[3:38] 9. The Best Is Yet To Come
[4:07] 10. Don't Let The Sun Catch You Crying
[4:47] 11. The Deepest Sea
[4:19] 12. I've Been To Town

NEW AMSTERDAM is a 2001 album by Dutch jazz-pop singer Mathilde Santing, featuring a version of Ewan MacColl's "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face." 2001 album from the Dutch chanteuse whose covers of great pop songs has established her as one of the premier singers of popular song.

The day after Mathilde Santing appeared on National TV she was the talk of the town. Her crystal-clear voice, her striking appearance and the intriguing instrument she played caused excitement all over the Netherlands.

Since that day the versatile Santing has made 18 albums that may differ in style and strength but have one common characteristic: Mathilde’s exceptional voice. With her adaption of jazz, pop, chansons and Dutch pop classics she has conquered the hearts of many. Mathilde has played and performed in musicals and was called the Dutch National Treasure by Todd Rundgren who she accompanied at a concert with the Metropolo Orchestra last November 2012.

Mathilde Santing has won several prestiguous Dutch awards and won three Edisons, the Dutch equivalent of the Grammy. In 2007 HRH Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands conferred a knighthood on Mathilde on behalf of her merits for the Netherlands culture. Whether Mathilde plays the Concertgebouw, the North Sea Jazz festival, for the entire Dutch Cabinet and the Prime Minister she touches people’s souls.

New Amsterdam

---

Tom Scott & The L.A. Express - Tom Cat

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 41:46
Size: 95.6 MB
Styles: Saxophone jazz, Funk
Year: 1975/2001
Art: Front

[5:07] 1. Rock Island Rocket
[3:39] 2. Tom Cat
[4:15] 3. Day Way
[3:04] 4. Keep On Doin' It
[4:13] 5. Love Poem
[4:43] 6. Good Evening Mr. & Mrs. America & All The Ships
[4:03] 7. Backfence Cattin'
[8:29] 8. Mondo
[4:09] 9. Refried

Despite the absence of Joe Sample and Larry Carlton, Tom Scott's L.A. Express remains very Crusaders-influenced on Tom Cat -- a highly accessible jazz-funk-R&B date that, as commercial as it is, leaves room for inspired blowing courtesy of both the leader and sidemen like electric guitarist Robben Ford and keyboardist Larry Nash. Sweaty, hard-hitting jazz-funk is the rule on such down-home grooves as "Good Evening Mr. & Mrs. America & All the Ships" and "Day Way," which allow the players to let loose, blow, and say what needs to be said. "Love Poem" is a pleasant, likable piece of delicate mood music (but not "Muzak"!) that features wordless vocals by pop-folk singer Joni Mitchell and has a slightly Flora Purim-ish appeal. Unfortunately, a CD as good as Tom Cat serves as a reminder of how dreadfully unimaginative most of Scott's GRP albums are. ~ Alex Henderson

Tom Scott (saxophone, woodwinds, moog synthesizer, lyricon, percussion); Joni Mitchell (vocals); Larry Nash (electric piano, organ, ARP synthesizer); Robben Ford (acoustic & electric guitars); Max Bennett (bass); John Guerin (drums, percussion).

Tom Cat

---

Trisha O'Brien - Out Of A Dream

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2010
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 63:33
Size: 146,5 MB
Art: Front

(4:03)  1. Darling, Je Vous Aime Beaucoup
(4:01)  2. Taking A Chance On Love
(5:46)  3. I Had The Craziest Dream - You Stepped Out Of A Dream
(5:10)  4. It Might Be You
(4:55)  5. Deed I Do
(4:10)  6. Let's Get Lost
(4:39)  7. Follow The Fleet: Let's Face The Music And Dance
(4:33)  8. If I Should Lose You
(3:48)  9. It Could Happen To You
(4:22) 10. I Will Wait For You
(3:46) 11. I Love You
(5:32) 12. Everybody Loves My Baby
(4:37) 13. Help Me
(4:03) 14. In The Wee Small Hours

Trisha O'Brien is a fresh face and voice on the standardized jazz scene, and presents a program of familiar songs that concentrates on the imagination and what can or is fated to be. They're all love songs with a ray of hope and a smile that implies O'Brien is happy with life in general. Teamed with the always excellent Shelly Berg and his trio of bassist Peter Washington and drummer Lewis Nash, O'Brien has chosen a most professional team to back her. This combo on occasion includes Ken Peplowski for three tracks on tenor sax only (not clarinet,) reprising two-thirds of the group that the acclaimed woodwind master used on his 2010 album Noir Blue. It's a laid-back set of ballads with a few energetic numbers and Berg's rearrangements tossed in for kicks. Uniquely rendered is a light bossa version of Joni Mitchell's "Help Me," Cole Porter's "I Love You," and surprising 5/4 version of "Let's Get Lost". O'Brien specializes in smoky ballads, mixes French and English lyrics on a lone track, sometimes kicks into a slightly higher gear as on a dream medley, or matches Berg's punchy two-handed chords during a Latin-flavored "Let's Face the Music & Dance." While fairly safe and taking few chances, O'Brien's voice is lissome and slight, as the world-class musicians she has chosen give her a bigger swing springboard than she might otherwise be used to. It's a good vocal effort, musically better, in the general scheme of things, with promise for future endeavors. ~ Michael G.Nastos   

http://www.allmusic.com/album/out-of-a-dream-mw0001958213

Out Of A Dream

---

Mandy Barnett - Sweet Dreams

Styles: Country
Year: 2011
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 38:04
Size: 87,7 MB
Art: Front

(3:05)  1. Always
(2:43)  2. Bill Bailey, Won't You Please Come Home
(3:27)  3. Crazy
(2:59)  4. I Fall to Pieces
(4:04)  5. Faded Love
(2:29)  6. Have You Ever Been Lonely
(2:56)  7. Life's Railway to Heaven
(3:32)  8. She's Got You
(3:48)  9. So Wrong
(2:49) 10. Strange
(2:22) 11. Walkin' After Midnight
(3:44) 12. Sweet Dreams

Born Amanda Carol Barnett, Mandy Barnett began singing as a child, winning the Best Country Act at Dollywood when she was only ten, and her mother started bringing her on trips to Nashville. As a teenager, she was signed by renowned talent scout and producer Jimmy Bowen, and eventually Asylum Records. An uncompromising singer whose style was rooted in the classic country of Patsy Cline, Jim Reeves, Webb Pierce, and Brenda Lee, Barnett's keen interpretive sense enabled her to delve into a song, study the intricacies of its emotional content, and render a powerful performance through her full-bodied voice. Her torchy delivery on her contemporary yet retro-sounding country and pop-tinged material recalled Patsy Cline, so it's no wonder that, while waiting to record her self-titled debut, she paid her bills by playing the legendary singer four nights a week and 26 weeks a year in the musical production Always...Patsy Cline at the Ryman Auditorium. She left Asylum for Sire Records with 1999's I've Got a Right to Cry. Winter Wonderland, a holiday album featuring a vintage Nashville sound, appeared from Rounder Records in 2010, followed by Sweet Dreams on Opry Records in 2011. ~ Bio https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/mandy-barnett/id193416#fullText

Sweet Dreams

---

Todd Hildreth Trio - From The Hip

Styles: Straight-ahead/Mainstream
Year: 2005
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 65:58
Size: 151,0 MB
Art: Front

( 5:44)  1. Wabash II
( 8:43)  2. Don't Let Me Down
( 6:18)  3. Black Nile
( 9:06)  4. Let Us Break Bread Together
(10:07)  5. Alone Together
(10:18)  6. A Day In The Life
( 8:45)  7. Clint Eastwood
( 6:54)  8. The Nearness Of You

The piano trio remains one of the most viable combinations in jazz. With this unit, you can interpret as you please, and still find plenty of room for exploration. The creative process seems to never run out of ideas when piano, double bass, and drum set provide all the necessary ingredients. Of course, it's still up to the "cooks" to measure those ingredients and put them together. The performance on Todd Hildreth's From the Hip can be enjoyed by jazz fans from all over the spectrum. His straight-ahead demeanor colors much of the album as he interprets standards and not-so-standard pieces with class. Hildreth's keyboard technique allows him to steer with clarity and sonority. There's excitement, too, as the pianist fires up driven passages and seasons them with traces of Thelonious Monk and Horace Silver.

The blues seems woven into everything that the trio puts forward. The pianist's surging motion through "Alone Together," the bassist's lyrical solo on "Wabash II," and the drummer's rolling cascades on "Black Nile," for example, serve to thoroughly coat each respective episode with blue currents. Each piece seems to build naturally to a powerfully creative climax. It's at this point that the musicians move outside the standard improvisational format and stretch their limits. Two Beatles numbers provide familiar refrains, while several others reach out to a larger audience. "Clint Eastwood," by the virtual band Gorillaz, lets the trio explore from a progressive jazz experience. The threesome moves this one with heightened emotional spirits that reflect a powerful groove. It's their best number. While the album's title sheds light on the manner in which each selection is ultimately interpreted (from the hip), this one piece stands out as the hippest of them all, as Hildreth and his two musical partners find themselves caught up in a thrilling groove. Todd Hildreth's recommended From the Hip offers something for all jazz fans and seasons the outcome with a heartfelt blues spirit. ~ Jim Santella   http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/article.php?id=19970#.UpSuVeJc_vs

Personnel: Todd Hildreth: piano; Chris Fitzgerald: bass; Paul Culligan: drums.

From The Hip

---

Yoron Israel - Chicago

Styles: Jazz
Year: 1998
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 70:21
Size: 161,0 MB
Art: Front

(6:48)  1. Nice and Easy
(6:13)  2. Trilogy
(9:36)  3. That's the Way of the World
(9:02)  4. Picket Fences
(7:22)  5. Valdez In the Country
(6:55)  6. Here Today Gone Tomorrow
(7:23)  7. Down Through the Years
(5:03)  8. Green's
(6:32)  9. Indigo Dreamscapes
(5:22) 10. Battery Blues

This is drummer Israel's third recording as a leader. He uses his Organic trio and quartet to showcase music written by Chicago natives, himself included. Guitarist Marvin Sewell and organist Larry Goldings contribute, as does saxophonist Joe Lovano, who shows up on three tracks. The music ranges from modern mainstream, instrumental blues or pop, to a zinger or two not necessarily thought of as organ combo material. Sewell is generally a joy to hear, as underdocumented as he is. His soulful inflections recall several guitarists, yet he retains his own identity. He offers down-home lines during Johnny Griffin's slow and bluesy "Nice & Easy," and during the more simmering "Battery Blues" by Julian Priester. Unfortunately, he fluffs the tricky melody of Grant Green's "Green's," but his good intentions remain. Goldings' corn-fed, natural sound on organ is a bit buried, more reticent than usual, but he's a good foil. 

For example, Donny Hathaway's "Valdez in the Country" implies samba patterns while Israel's brushes and Sewell's guitar weave their way in and Goldings works around them. This defines the trio best, and makes for a great interpretation. Israel wrote three of the ten selections, also being a native of Chicago. "Here Today, Gone Tomorrow" is an interesting combination of sounds, from the slinky beat of "Fever," to the intimate guitar melody reminiscent of Green's "It Ain't Necessarily So," and the harmonic inferences of "Killer Joe." Lovano is on tenor for Clifford Jordan's "Down Through the Years," evoking the soul and swing of the Windy City from a Clevelander's perspective. On the energetic six by eight Israel composition "Picket Fences" a sneaky, dynamic number with the leader wailing on a drum intro the band further coalesces. Israel's "Triology" swings in midtempo, allowing the drummer more than just some of the spotlight. However, Jack DeJohnette's light funk-inflected "Indigo Dreamscapes," and a version of Earth, Wind & Fire's "That's the Way of the World" with Lovano on soprano sax is eminently skippable. Sewell is the chestnut here: he understands economy and adds considerably to this recording. Israel himself is quite formidable, and the concept is one others can pick up and expound from. An album that collects the songs of Chicago's jazzmen is an idea that deserves more mining. ~ Michael G.Nastos   

http://www.allmusic.com/album/chicago-mw0000241791

Chicago

---

Martha Taylor LaCroix - Jazzily Seasoned With Martha Taylor Lacroix

Size: 117,7 MB
Time: 50:06
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2013
Styles: Vocal Jazz
Art: Front

01. Midnight Sun (3:47)
02. Just About Everything (3:06)
03. Lush Life (3:41)
04. The Grass Is Greener (2:54)
05. Morning Star (3:03)
06. Never Will I Marry (1:50)
07. Rough For A While (3:47)
08. Twisted (3:28)
09. Guess Who I Saw Today (3:24)
10. Straight No Chaser (2:57)
11. We Tried (3:56)
12. Better Than Anything (2:47)
13. Chittlins In The White House (3:04)
14. Follow Your Road (3:36)
15. You're Gonna Hear From Me (4:38)

This is the first solo jazz album Martha Taylor LaCroix has recorded. However, jazz has been in her repertoire for over 20 years. “Consistently interesting” is how Ms. LaCroix was described by one reviewer. Her vocal stylings encompass a range of musical influences from spiritual classics to traditional jazz compositions. She joined the Dick Stabile (musical director for Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis) Orchestra in New Orleans as a vocalist & extended her professional chops as a singer with the chorus of the New Orleans Opera Company several years thereafter. She appeared on stage as backup singer to Lee Dorcey & Allen Toussant in New Orleans and was vocalist with the Ronnie Cole Trio performing at the very first New Orleans Jazz Festival. Like so many spirited musicians, Ms. LaCroix began singing as a child in the church of her legendary father, the Rev. Gardner C. Taylor at Concord Baptist Church in New York City. Her father inspired her first CD “Seasoned for Fathers.” On this cd,"Sweet Hour of Prayer" is her dad's favorite. Her sophomoric recording "The Reason - Seasoned for Christmas" is a collection of spiritual Christmas selections most notably her popular rendition of “I Give You Jesus” & "Mary Did You Know?."

Ms. LaCroix has released three recordings that reflect her varied musical interest. The most recent is a collection of jazz classics recorded and produced with legendary pianist and arranger Howlett Smith. This recording features some popular originals by Mr. Smith including, “Let’s Go Where the Grass is Greener” originally recorded by vocalist extraordinaire Nancy Wilson. Added to this collection of jazz favorites are a few beloved pieces not heard as often. As a special treat, Howlett Smith adds to the playlist originals recorded for the first time, ever. Titled “Jazzily Seasoned with Martha Taylor LaCroix,” this latest recording echoes the words of another reviewer who said; “Marti comes across with a cool, elegant, diamond-and-pearl restraint.”

Jazzily Seasoned With Martha Taylor Lacroix

---

Joe Caro & The Met Band - Live In New York City

Size: 181,2 MB
Time: 78:36
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2013
Styles: Blues Jazz
Art: Front

01. Labor Of Love (7:24)
02. Someone Else Is Stepping In (10:14)
03. In The Name Of God (5:54)
04. Upper East Side Blues (11:20)
05. Strawberry Fields (4:48)
06. Love Don't Bother Me (9:02)
07. Mary Ann (8:31)
08. Time (6:56)
09. Seventh Son (7:13)
10. Going Home (7:10)

The new album entitled "Joe Caro & The Met Band - "Live in New York City" features Randy Brecker, Clifford Carter, Anton Fig, Conrad Korsch, Lou Marini and Lew Soloff.

Joe Caro is well known for his work in the New York underground scene fronting an allstar band which included Trumpeter Chris Botti, Saxman Lenny Pickett, and Late show Drummer Anton Fig performing every Tuesday night at the NYC club, The Metropolitan Café. What started out as a 2 week gig, went on for 8 years and became the home base for many New York City session musicians at a time when New York music clubs were far and few.

Joe Caro has recorded with many diverse artists such as Bette Midler, Blue Öyster Cult, Carly Simon, Dr. John, Michael Franks, Bobby McFerrin, Gato Barbieri, Michael McDonald, Fania Allstars, Chaka Khan, Irene Cara, Candido, Randy Brecker, Elements and many more.

He has also toured extensively with notables such as Dr. John, Herbie Mann, Carly Simon /James Taylor, Gato Barbieri, Michael Franks, Akiko Yano, played live and or TV for Jon Bon Jovi, Clint Black, Ashford and Simpson, Crosby, Stills and Nash, Roberta Flack,The Eagles, Brookes and Dunn, Sheryl Crow, Olivia Newton-John, James Taylor, Lenny Kravitz, Aretha Franklin, Willie Dixon, KD Lang, Stanley Clarke, Johnny Mathis, Luther Vandross.

Additionally, Joe has appeared with various artists and in the house bands on TV shows such as “The Late Show with David Letterman,” "Saturday Night Live" and "The Grammy Awards" and participated in countless recording sessions for TV commercials and movies.

Live In New York City

---

Antonio Zambujo - Lisboa 22:38: Ao Vivo No Coliseu

Size: 173,8 MB
Time: 74:03
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2013
Styles: Fado, Fado Bossa Nova, Folk, World
Art: Front

01. A Casa Fechada (Fado Triplicado) (4:13)
02. Algo Estranho Acontece (3:47)
03. Fortuna (4:16)
04. Queria Conhecer-te Um Dia (3:24)
05. Flagrante (3:58)
06. Lambreta (2:53)
07. Guia (3:16)
08. Apelo (Fado Perseguiçao) (3:30)
09. Fado Desconcertado (1:58)
10. A Tua Frieza Gela (4:19)
11. Fado Da Vida Bela (3:35)
12. Noite Estrelada (3:25)
13. O Zorro (4:33)
14. Milagrario Pessoal (3:51)
15. Barroco Tropical (4:34)
16. Nao Me Dou Longe De Ti (Marcha Do Correeiro) (5:11)
17. Readers Digest (4:48)
18. Em Quatro Luas (3:45)
19. Despedida (Marcha Do Marceneiro) (4:37)

“His tone is always intimate as he sings about solitude and lost love. The microphone is his ally. It picks up every nuance of his small yet utterly expressive voice: a high, clear, precise yet melting tenor that suggests both Mr. Marceneiro and, from across the Atlantic, the Brazilian songwriter Caetano Veloso.” – The New York Times

Portuguese fado sensation Antonio Zambujo grew up immersed in the classic rhythm of Portugal. As a teen he moved to Lisbon and joined the prestigious Clube de Fado in the Alfama district, the music’s heartland. Fado is infused with the indescribable Portuguese word “saudade”, a sense of longing and nostalgia, and fills the taverns and concert halls with a melancholy sense of beauty. Akin to blues and flamenco, fado has become synonymous with Portugal, and usually features the lovely Portuguese guitar and a reverence for the power of the human voice.

Zambujo has stepped into big shoes as fado’s new heartthrob. He gained fame playing the part of Francisco Cruz, first husband of fado diva Amalia Rodrigues, in the smash hit Amália. Since his debut CD in 2002, he has toured internationally, and been awarded countless honors.

Lisboa 22.38: Ao Vivo No Coliseu

---

Brian McKnight - I'll Be Home For Christmas

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 43:03
Size: 98.6 MB
Styles: Holiday, R&B
Year: 2008
Art: Front

[4:35] 1. The Christmas Song
[3:40] 2. Silver Bells
[2:43] 3. Let It Snow (With Brian McKnight Jr & Nikolas McKnight)
[4:06] 4. Christmas You And Me (With Vince Gill)
[3:14] 5. I'll Be Home For Christmas
[3:26] 6. Silent Night (With Noel Schajris)
[2:17] 7. It's The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year
[2:43] 8. Adeste Fideles
[4:38] 9. Who Would Have Thought
[3:35] 10. Angels We Have Heard On High
[3:38] 11. Christmas Medley What Child Is This Away In A Manger The First Noel
[4:23] 12. Bless This House (With Take 6)

Fans of R&B vocalist Brian McKnight probably already own BETHLEHEM, McKnight's 1998 Christmas release. But one good holiday album deserves another, and McKnight's smooth, alluring voice sounds better than ever on 2008's I'LL BE HOME FOR CHRISTMAS. The tunes are a bit more secular than BETHLEHEM, including "The Christmas Song," "Silver Bells," and "It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year," while carols "Silent Night" and "Angels We Have Heard on High" balance the contemporary with the traditional, with guests Vince Gill, Josh Groban, and Take 6 stopping by to add color.

I'll Be Home For Christmas

Mo' Albums...
◊ James Taylor - James Taylor At Christmas
◊ Martina McBride - White Christmas

---