Jenny MacDonald - Bye, Bye, Mr. Bluesman

Size: 136,0 MB
Time: 58:34
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2011
Styles: Blues Vocals, Jazzy Blues, Folk-Blues, Retro
Art: Front

01. Bye, Bye, Mr. Bluesman (4:09)
02. Dancing With Me (4:33)
03. A Hundred Reasons (3:36)
04. Dreaming Of Something Beautiful (4:06)
05. Speechless (4:00)
06. Wishin' (3:51)
07. (Send Me) My Love (2:59)
08. City Life (4:25)
09. Song For Alicia (4:43)
10. Harder To Breathe (3:17)
11. Peace & Quiet (3:53)
12. So Carelessly (3:23)
13. Beautiful Things (3:28)
14. Antique Shop (4:28)
15. Long Lost Love (3:36)

Jenny MacDonald from Nova Scotia, is making her mark as a charismatic, audacious and prolific songwriter and performer-skilled beyond her years. To date she has performed alongside high-profile musicians such as Gordie Sampson, Steve MacDougall, The Hupman Brothers, Ian Sherwood and Carleton Stone. She released her new album entitled, Bye, Bye, Mr. Bluesman in 2011 to rave reviews and all songs were written by Jenny.

Jenny was nominated for 2 Nova Scotia music awards, including 2011 Blues Album of the Year and 2011 Digital artist of the year for her sophomore release entitled, Bye, Bye, Mr. Bluesman. The CD is a mixture of blues and 20's-inspired swing as well as rock and roots, all grouped into one album.

Musicians who provided the music on Jenny's CD were: Greg Melchin, Brendan Melchin, Ryan Hupman, Caleb Miles, Scott Hupman, Rob Crowell, Ian Sherwood, Ariana Nasr and Matt Myer.

MacDonald delivers a whole-hearted performance wherever she performs and drives her way through the blues, stomping her way through dirty rock songs and swings through the jazz tunes or resting peacefully in a touching love song.

A great listening CD says Atlantic Seabreeze, and gives this album high ratings on its rating list.

Bye, Bye, Mr. Bluesman

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Ella Fitzgerald - Ella Wishes You A Swinging Christmas

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 51:32
Size: 118.0 MB
Styles: Holiday
Year: 1960/2002
Art: Front

[2:22] 1. Jingle Bells
[2:17] 2. Santa Claus Is Coming To Town
[2:55] 3. Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas
[3:31] 4. What Are You Doing New Year's Eve
[2:55] 5. Sleigh Ride
[2:59] 6. The Christmas Song
[3:14] 7. Good Morning Blues
[2:42] 8. Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!
[2:15] 9. Winter Wonderland
[2:51] 10. Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer
[2:11] 11. Frosty The Snowman
[3:00] 12. White Christmas
[2:45] 13. The Secret Of Christmas
[3:34] 14. Medley We Three Kings Of Orient Are O Little Town Of Bethlehem
[2:17] 15. Christmas Island
[3:40] 16. The Christmas Song
[3:44] 17. White Christmas
[2:11] 18. Frosty The Snowman

It'd be hard to imagine a happier wish than the one this jazz vocal legend offers her listeners on this urbane-yet-homey collection of holiday favorites. The First Lady of Song recorded these tunes in 1960, at the peak of her interpretive powers. As such, she puts her singular stamp on everything from a sultry vamp like "What Are You Doing New Year's Eve" to the sweet and cozy "The Christmas Song." Even potentially shopworn standards like "Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town" sound fresher when they're coming from Ella Fitzgerald. ~David Sprague

Ella Wishes You A Swinging Christmas

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John McLaughlin - Belo Horizonte

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 37:03
Size: 84.8 MB
Styles: Fusion, Guitar jazz
Year: 1981/2013
Art: Front

[4:23] 1. Belo Horizonte
[5:54] 2. La Baleine
[1:09] 3. Very Early (Homage to Bill Evans)
[6:23] 4. One Melody
[5:58] 5. Stardust On Your Sleeve
[3:23] 6. Waltz For Katia
[5:41] 7. Zimfir
[4:09] 8. Manitas D'Oro

Recorded in 1981, this is a diverse and somewhat obscure John McLaughlin outing recorded in France, mostly with French musicians. Classical pianist Katia Labèque makes appearances on acoustic piano and synthesizer; there is a thoughtful version of "Very Early" recorded in tribute to Bill Evans, and a collaboration with flamenco guitarist Paco de Lucía, "Manitas d'Oro." In general, McLaughlin is in fine shape on this worthwhile set, both on acoustic and electric guitars, occasionally showing some fire. ~Scott Yanow

Belo Horizonte

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Mike Arroyo Jazz Organ Trio - Full Circle

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 40:33
Size: 92.9 MB
Styles: Organ jazz, Gospel
Year: 2012
Art: Front

[3:39] 1. His Eyes Is On The Sparrow
[7:01] 2. Doxology
[4:39] 3. Full Circle
[3:56] 4. I Belong To Jesus
[4:28] 5. The Old Rugged Cross
[2:59] 6. Holy, Holy, Holy
[4:22] 7. I Surrender All
[4:17] 8. What A Friend We Have In Jesus
[5:09] 9. In The Garden

Jazz Guitarist, composer and arranger Mike Arroyo is from Vega Baja, Puerto Rico. He was 8 years old when his parents bought him his first guitar. At 15, he started music lessons at the Lino Padro Rivera high school in his home town of Vega Baja. Mike would carry a guitar along with his shcool books. Mike's twin brother was also in school with him, and like his brother he carried a five-doubled-string instrument called "Cuatro". Mike and his twin brother's deep love for music was evidently inspired by his parents Elvy and Rev.Antonio Arroyo who passed away as Mike states, "Straight To Heaven". They not only sowed into their sons lives this deep love for music, but to strongly love the true Creator of music, God.

Mike has studied at both the Conservatory of Music,and at the Interamerican University of P.R. In addition, he has studied guitar with guitarist-teachers Georgina Olmo, Dr.Jorge Pastrana, Tony Marrero, Fernando Mattina, Jody Fisher and Charlie Banacos. Mike Arroyo is considered a pioneer in the sacred music scene in Puerto Rico. In 2001, Mike recorded his first musical production "Straight To Heaven", using the jazz genre as a venue to praise, and exalt God. He is credited of being the first Christian-jazz guitarist to organize a "Christian Jazz Night Concert" with the participation of Puerto Rican pianist Luis Marin and trumpet player Jochi Rodriguez. He uses the the jazz genre to praise the Lord and deliver Peace, Love and Joy to those who listen to him at churches, clubs, hotels and other venues.

Full Circle

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Hank Mobley - Soul Station

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 37:07
Size: 85.0 MB
Styles: Hard bop, Saxophone jazz
Year: 1960/2013
Art: Front

[5:37] 1. Remember
[6:21] 2. This I Dig Of You
[6:05] 3. Dig Dis
[4:52] 4. Split Feelin's
[9:03] 5. Soul Station
[5:06] 6. If I Should Lose You

Often overlooked, perhaps because he wasn't a great innovator in jazz but merely a stellar performer, tenor saxophonist Hank Mobley was at the peak of his powers on Soul Station. Recorded with a superstar quartet including Art Blakey on drums, Paul Chambers on bass, and Wynton Kelly on piano, it was the first album since Mobley's 1955 debut to feature him as a leader without any other accompanying horns.

The clean, uncomplicated sound that resulted from that grouping helps make it the best among his albums and a peak moment during a particularly strong period in his career. Mobley has no problem running the show here, and he does it without being flashy or burying the strong work of his sidemen. The solidness of his technique means that he can handle material that is occasionally rhythmically intricate, while still maintaining the kind of easy roundness and warmth displayed by the best players of the swing era. Two carefully chosen standards, "Remember" and "If I Should Lose You," help to reinforce that impression by casting an eye back to the classic jazz era. They bookend four Mobley originals that, in contrast, reflect the best of small-group composition with their lightness and tight dynamics. Overall, this is a stellar set from one of the more underrated musicians of the bop era. ~Stacia Proefrock

Soul Station

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Johnny Frigo, Bucky & John Pizzarelli - Live From Studio A

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 54:57
Size: 125.8 MB
Styles: Standards, Swing
Year: 1994
Art: Front

[ 3:00] 1. Pick Yourself Up And Start All Over Again
[ 6:43] 2. Do Nothing Til You Hear From Me
[ 4:16] 3. Detour Ahead
[ 3:18] 4. Just Friends
[ 2:29] 5. Estrellita
[ 4:01] 6. Stompin' At The Savoy
[ 4:58] 7. Early Autumn
[ 3:15] 8. You Stepped Out Of A Dream
[ 5:12] 9. In A Sentimental Mood
[ 4:03] 10. The Song Is You
[ 4:02] 11. I'm Through With Love
[ 2:32] 12. Summer Me, Winter Me
[ 3:15] 13. Tangerine
[ 3:47] 14. I'll Never Be The Same

At the age of 71, Johnny Frigo finally had his debut as a leader on record, with the exception of an obscure effort in 1957. Although he had spent much of his career as a studio bassist, Frigo successfully switched full-time to his first love, the violin, and was immediately considered one of the top swing-based violinists. Joined by both Bucky and John Pizzarelli on guitars, either Ron Carter or Michael Moore on bass, and drummer Butch Miles, Frigo is in wonderful form on 14 standards, including "Pick Yourself Up," "Detour Ahead" (which he had co-written while with the Soft Winds in the late '40s), "Stompin' at the Savoy" and "The Song Is You." This recommended CD launched the Chesky label. ~Scott Yanow

Live From Studio A

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Eden Atwood - Waves - The Bossa Nova Session

Styles: Brazilian Jazz, Bossa Nova
Year: 2002
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 61:05
Size: 139,8 MB
Art: Front + Back

(6:59)  1. He's A Carioca
(5:04)  2. O Pato
(5:42)  3. Meditation
(6:40)  4. Girl From Ipanema
(6:06)  5. Once Upon A Summertime
(3:51)  6. Don't You Know
(6:19)  7. Waves (Caminos Cruzados)
(4:10)  8. Fool On The Hill
(5:29)  9. How Deep Is Ocean
(6:09) 10. Brazil
(4:32) 11. It's A Quiet Thing

After a six-year span since making her final recording for Concord, singer Eden Atwood's triumphant return to the studio exudes a confidence that some writers think was lacking in her earlier work. With first-rate arrangements by pianist Bill Cunliffe and a supporting cast including alto saxophonist and flutist Pete Christlieb, guitarist Anthony Wilson, bassist Darek Oles, drummer Joe LaBarbera, and percussionist Scott Breadman, Atwood delves into memorable tunes by Antonio Carlos Jobim ("Meditation," "The Girl From Ipanema," and "He's a Carioca") as well as bossa nova treatments of Duke Ellington's overlooked gem "Don't You Know I Care?," Irving Berlin's "How Deep Is the Ocean?," and the Beatles' "The Fool on the Hill" with equal success. 

Her playful side comes through in the delightful "O Pato," while she doesn't overdo her emotions when interpreting a bittersweet ballad such as Michel Legrand's "Once Upon a Summertime." She also wrote lyrics for Jobim's mellow ballad "Carminos Cruzados." This long overdue comeback release by one of the promising young jazz singers to emerge during the 1990s is warmly recommended. ~ Ken Dryden  http://www.allmusic.com/album/waves-the-bossa-nova-sessions-mw0000223462

Waves The Bossa Nova Session

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Michelle Nicolle - The Crying Game

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2003
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 51:07
Size: 117,2 MB
Art: Front

(3:24)  1. To Sir With Love
(4:25)  2. The Days of Wine and Roses
(5:00)  3. The Crying Game
(4:54)  4. Something Good
(2:36)  5. A Spoonful of Sugar
(3:59)  6. Somewhere My Love
(4:01)  7. Everybody's Talking
(5:27)  8. Smile
(3:30)  9. Perfect
(4:53) 10. Hernando's Hideaway
(4:03) 11. Pure Imagination
(4:52) 12. Don't You Forget About Me

Mo Award (2001 and 2003), National Jazz Award (1998) winner and A.R.I.A Finalist (2001) Michelle Nicolle is a jazz musician whose chosen instrument is Voice. Michelle started her musical career at the age of eight- studying the violin in South Australia's Barossa Valley. Now basing herself in Melbourne, she is rapidly becoming known as one of Australia's finest jazz singers. “..an exceptional singer.. who deserves attention as an original and inspiring Jazz artist.” Cadence Magazine (USA), June 2003

“Michelle Nicolle stands above any other jazz singer in the country.” ***** Dec.

2003 “Australian jazz singing doesn't come any better than this.” Feb. 2003 The Weekend Australian

“Oh yeah. She's really cool!” Kurt Elling, Fremantle Voice News Jan, 2002

Michelle Nicolle Quartet has released four successful CDs: Misterioso (Newmarket Music) 1998, After the Rain (ABC/Universal) keep your heart right (Newmarket 2002) - all receiving great support from music critics and audiences.

The most recent, specially commissioned album for ABC Jazz (Universal) The Crying Game, is an eclectic collection of favourite songs from films including Midnight Cowboy, Sound of Music and Trainspotting - just released November 2, 2003

..”razor-sharp phrasing, limber timing and ear-pinning technique.Nicolle's knack for uncovering surprises jars our imagination. Like the best artists, she reveals what we thought we knew in a clearer light. A 2003 highlight.” The Age Dec., 2003

“Michelle Nicolle has a rare flair for jazz singing..lively ingenuity in her phrasing, interpretation, improvising and in her exploitation of her considerable range.” Sydney Morning Herald, May, 2002

“Thoroughly entertaining the vocal pyrotechnics were breathtaking.” Evening Post, New Zealand, Oct, 2001 (Wellington International Jazz Festival.)

National Tour: In August 2003, with the assistance of Playing Australia, the Michelle Nicolle Quartet toured to all corners of Australia - 17 gigs in 20 days! They perform regularly at Melbourne's Bennett's Lane, Big House and Dizzy's Jazz Bar. Michelle also performs with The Moovin' & Groovin' Orchestra, and makes regular national TV appearances on Bert Newton's Good Morning Australia, After Midnight and ABC's The Pulse.  

http://musicians.allaboutjazz.com/musician.php?id=1520#.Uqx4N7Qufkc

MNQuartet is: Geoff Hughes (guitar), Howard Cairns (double bass) & Ronny Ferella (drums). Performances include: Wangaratta International, New Caledonia, Melbourne International, Glenelg, Queensland Biennale, Wellington International, Fremantle, Kuala Lumpur.

The Crying Game

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Club des Belugas - The ChinChin Sessions

Styles: Soul, Nu Jazz
Year: 2013
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 51:16
Size: 119,7 MB
Art: Front

(4:57)  1. Small Steps
(6:00)  2. This Little Life of Mine
(4:28)  3. Anticipation
(5:43)  4. One Hand Clapping
(4:07)  5. Whistle Blowing
(4:40)  6. Trip to Saint-Tropez
(4:40)  7. Pain Is Temporary (Swing Mix)
(4:22)  8. Affair in Cascais
(3:45)  9. Not Just Friends
(4:22) 10. Eljala
(4:08) 11. Get Shafted

Thomas Siffling was one of the first German trumpet players who used electronic devices for extending his sound on the trumpet. For many years, he belongs to the pioneers of electronic influence in jazz. He is known as one of the most important representatives of the "young" German jazz scene and has made himself a name by numerous guest performances in Germany and foreign countries, i.e. Russia, India, Sri Lanka, Canada and numerous European states. He sees himself as a border crosser between various genres and connects in his music jazz forms with pop music and electronic elements without denying his musical roots at any point. He changes between natural sounds and specific sound enlargements by the electronics on trumpet and flugelhorn in order to create for the listener a wonderful diverse sound experience. 

In 2005 he was awarded with the Jazz prize Baden Wrttemberg. Club des Belugas is one of the leading Nujazz bands in Europe, perhaps in the world. They combine contemporary European Lounge & Nujazz Styles with Brazilian Beats, Swing and American Black Soul of the fifties, sixties and seventies using their unique creativity and intensity. Club des Belugas & Thomas Siffling met the first time in 2010, when both performed at the Jazz Festival Mannheim (Germany). Their first cooperation was the recording of the track "Ocean Cruise", which was released on the latest Club des Belugas album "Forward" (2012). After this successful "joint venture" they decided to record an complete album together, which will be released on ChinChin Records. The Hungarian singer Veronika Harcsa appears on this album a special guest, performing on 3 tracks. http://www.beatport.com/release/the-chinchin-sessions/1140871

The ChinChin Sessions

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Dienne Manouche - Gypsy Bop

Styles: Gypsy Swing
Year: 2011
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 45:35
Size: 104,9 MB
Art: Front

(3:29)  1. A Night In Tunisia
(2:14)  2. Hungaria
(5:40)  3. Tears
(2:37)  4. Donna Lee
(4:10)  5. Mondello Beach
(2:31)  6. Django's Waltz
(3:46)  7. When Day is Done
(2:15)  8. Yardbird Suite
(6:00)  9. (Knocking on) Django's Door
(2:28) 10. Moose the Mooche
(4:02) 11. J'Attendrai
(6:19) 12. Nuages

Dario Napoli in his project DIENNE MANOUCHE, debuts with his first solo CD "GYPSY BOP", in collaboration with bassist Maurizio Bozzi. The recording is inspired by the legacy of French-Gypsy guitarist Django Reinhardt and bebop legend Charlie Parker. Dario Napoli's intent was to fuse the romantic nostalgia of the gypsy jazz tradition along with the effervescence of bebop jazz from the 50s. The album also contains two compositions of Dario Napoli himself.   

http://www.abstractlogix.com/xcart/product.php?productid=25243

Gypsy Bop

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Jacqui Naylor - Smashed For The Holidays

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 46:26
Size: 106.3 MB
Styles: Holiday
Year: 2007
Art: Front

[3:04] 1. Santa Claus Is Coming To Town
[4:26] 2. Santa Baby
[3:21] 3. Celebrate Early And Often
[3:36] 4. Happy X'Mas (War Is Over)
[4:36] 5. What Child Is This
[3:01] 6. Thank You Baby
[3:52] 7. We Three Kings
[2:28] 8. The Christmas Song
[3:42] 9. Winter
[4:06] 10. Father Christmas
[3:09] 11. Silver Bells
[3:41] 12. Christmas Ain't What It Used To Be
[3:18] 13. Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas

With one foot in vocal jazz and the other in the world of singer/songwriters, folk-rock and adult alternative, Jacqui Naylor has never been easy to categorize -- and Smashed for the Holidays doesn't make her any easier to pin down. Not that it needs to; the fact that Naylor is so original and so hard to pigeonhole is a definite plus, and her risk-taking nature remains very much in evidence on this 2007 release. The title, Smashed for the Holidays is a clever double-entendre; those unfamiliar with her background will see that title and think of inebriation during the holiday season, but Naylor's fans will also think of what she calls "acoustic smashing" (her way of combining elements of different songs). However, this unorthodox Christmas album isn't always acoustic-oriented; parts of it are very amplified, including "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town" (which combines that Christmas standard with the melody of Lynyrd Skynyrd's "Sweet Home Alabama"). Elsewhere, Naylor blends the lyrics of Christmas standards with Led Zeppelin melodies, employing "Babe, I'm Gonna Leave You" on "What Child Is This" and "D'yer Mak'er" on "Santa Baby" as well as "When the Levee Breaks" on "We Three Kings." Some parts of Smashed for the Holidays definitely rock (perhaps those parts could be called "electric smashing"), but the intimate, acoustic-oriented approach that Naylor is known for is very much in evidence on the Kinks' "Father Christmas" and jazz-minded performances of "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" and Mel Tormé's "The Christmas Song." And whether a performance is more rock-minded or more jazz-minded, Naylor's stubbornly individualistic personality always comes through on Smashed for the Holidays -- which may very well go down in history as the most adventurous Christmas album of 2007.

Smashed For The Holidays

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Graham Dechter - Right On Time

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 59:46
Size: 136.8 MB
Styles: Guitar jazz
Year: 2009
Art: Front

[6:36] 1. Low Down
[6:03] 2. Wave
[6:15] 3. The Nearness Of You
[6:36] 4. I Ain't Got Nothin' But The Blues
[5:12] 5. Broadway
[7:26] 6. Right On Time [db Tune]
[4:21] 7. Squatty Roo
[4:08] 8. With Every Breath I Take
[5:53] 9. Lined With A Groove
[7:12] 10. In A Mellow Tone

Guitarist Graham Dechter's debut album as a leader could hardly be more charming or enjoyable. He does several things just right: for one thing, he presents a program that demonstrates impeccable taste, nicely combining familiar standards ("In a Mellow Tone," "The Nearness of You") with more obscure fare (Ray Brown's "Lined with a Groove," a nearly-forgotten Johnny Hodges bop number called "Squatty Roo"). For another, he quietly demonstrates his confidence by including a very fine pianist in the quartet -- a move that many guitarists' egos would prevent. And for another, he keeps his tempos moderate and his solos lyrical and self-possessed -- a sure sign of that rarest of commodities, a virtuosic young guitarist with nothing to prove. None of this is to say that his playing isn't expert or adventurous: he tackles headlong "Squatty Roo" with almost offhand grace and skill, and his playing on a strutting arrangement of "Nothing But the Blues" bespeaks complete self-assurance as well as impressive musical invention.

There are a few moments when you wish he would cut loose just a bit, especially on a rather pedestrian rendition of "I Ain't Got Nothin' But the Blues" (on which his solo sounds more like a string of pro forma blues clichés than an original statement), but for the most part, his understatement works beautifully. His solidly swinging take on the Thad Jones composition "Low Down," and his contrastingly gentle interpretation of the Jobim standard "Waves," stand together as bookended examples of both his skill and his taste. ~Rick Anderson

Right On Time   

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Joya Mooi - Crystal Growth

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 47:30
Size: 108.7 MB
Styles: Vocal jazz
Year: 2013
Art: Front

[2:52] 1. Intro
[5:15] 2. Tomorrow
[4:09] 3. Looking Backwards
[1:10] 4. Change Time
[3:44] 5. When He's Seen
[6:10] 6. Interlude
[5:08] 7. Beyond Of You
[4:07] 8. Before You Know
[3:07] 9. Tomar Medidas
[4:25] 10. Out Of Love
[3:16] 11. Way Of Life
[4:01] 12. I Left

Joya was brought up in a house filled with jazz. After playing years of saxophone, she questioned herself if she could compose music with her own vocals. Joya started taking vocal lessons, and got accepted to Artez Conservatory to study jazz. At that time she discovered other genres of music and began writing her own songs. Two years later she was asked to create a soundtrack for a theatre play for theatre production house MC, called “BH”. The project turned out to become a multilateral album with the help of producers SirOj, Presto, Big2, Hayzee, Wan and Full Crate. In 2011 she released an EP with Kubus called “Mister Sinister”, inspired by the book Lord of the Barnyard.

She was featured on Saux’ Rear Window EP, released in Feb 2012. And past june her track “Looking Backwards with producer/dj Anthony Valdadez was released on Anthony’s album JUST VISITING (label Plug Research). On the 31st of January 2013 she was invited by Dutch poet Ramsey Nasr to perform their song ” From Istiklal to the Herengracht” accompanied by the Metropole Orchestra in Paradiso, Amsterdam.

Joya is currently working a new project, a studio album with her band, songs written by Dennis Maks and herself.

Crystal Growth

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Paul Gonsalves - Cookin': Complete 1956-1957 Sessions

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 77:51
Size: 178.2 MB
Styles: Mainstream jazz
Year: 1957/2011
Art: Front

[3:13] 1. It Don't Mean A Thing
[2:55] 2. Take Nine
[3:05] 3. Everything Happens To Me
[3:17] 4. Don't Blame Me
[6:52] 5. Festival
[3:36] 6. Clark's Bars
[2:14] 7. Daddy's Patio
[4:59] 8. Blues
[4:18] 9. Impeccable
[2:46] 10. Paul's Idea
[3:16] 11. Phat Bach
[2:31] 12. Mili Terry
[4:01] 13. Funky
[3:31] 14. The Girl I Call Baby
[3:11] 15. Falmouth Recollections
[4:54] 16. The Way You Look Tonight
[6:58] 17. Foofy For President
[4:20] 18. The Man From Potter's Crossing
[4:22] 19. Dance Of The Reluctant Drag
[3:23] 20. Empathy For Ruth

This compilation includes the contents of two LPs and part of a third, all featuring Paul Gonsalves and Clark Terry, though only one of them, Cookin', was originally issued under the tenor saxophonist's name. The CD opens with four songs from The Jazz School, one side of a 1956 recording featuring the two Ellingtonians with pianist Junior Mance, bassist Chubby Jackson, the little known baritonist Porter Kilbert, and drummer Gene Miller. Gonsalves contributed "Take Nine" with the other tracks being enjoyable, if unremarkable arrangements of familiar standards. The ten tracks from Cookin' include fellow Duke Ellington bandmembers Jimmy Woode on bass and Sam Woodyard on drums, with Willie Jones on piano. The date consists of originals by either Gonsalves or Terry, with the tenorist taking lots of long solos, as was typical for him. None of the compositions ended up becoming lasting vehicles in either man's repertoire. The final six tracks actually represent the entire contents of Jimmy Woode's sole recording as a leader, with fellow Ellington sidemen Gonsalves, Terry, and Woodyard, in addition to Kilbert (on alto sax) and flautist Mike Simpson. This session was a rare opportunity for Woode to showcase his songwriting abilities, with one standard, "The Way You Look Tonight," becoming a vocal feature for the bassist. ~Ken Dryden

Cookin': Complete 1956-1957 Sessions

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Houston Person - Nice 'n' Easy

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2013
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 55:51
Size: 128,2 MB
Art: Front

(5:46)  1. Someday You'll Be Sorry
(5:37)  2. All My Tomorrows
(5:01)  3. Stolen Sweets
(4:06)  4. It's All in the Game
(5:41)  5. Nice 'n' Easy
(7:02)  6. If It's the Last Thing I Do
(5:51)  7. Ill Wind
(3:53)  8. Let's Fall in Love
(7:02)  9. Sweet Life
(5:49) 10. Bluesology

Even though Houston Person isn't, strictly speaking, a "Texas tenor" he hails from Florence, SC the crafty veteran hits the mark in almost every other respect, from his clear and powerful sound to his unremitting propensity to brighten a melody and to swing under any and all conditions. On his latest album, Person, still marshaling all the right notes at age seventy-eight, is said to be taking it Nice 'n' Easy, but that's anyone's guess, as he makes what he does sound easy no matter how intense or heated the surroundings.

While the spotlight shines brightest on the leading man, his supporting cast should not be overlooked, and Person has assembled a superior team for this largely even-tempered session, starting with the tasteful pianist John di Martino and including (on several tracks) vibraphonist Chuck Redd, the reliable bassist Ray Drummond and drummer par excellence Lewis Nash. Di Martino, Drummond and Nash have been Person's backup trio of choice for several years, and in tandem with Redd they see to it that the leader's every step is beyond question nice 'n' easy. It's good that Person is a charming balladeer, as half the songs on offer ("All My Tomorrows," "It's All in the Game," "If It's the Last Thing I Do," "Ill Wind," "Sweet Life") abide in that realm. Person unsheathes the luster in each of them, as he does the more hurried numbers ("Someday You'll Be Sorry," "Stolen Sweets," "Nice 'n' Easy," Let's Fall in Love," "Bluesology").

While nothing here is less than admirable, the standards by Harold Arlen and Ted Koehler ("Ill Wind," "Let's Fall in Love") are especially engaging, mainly because they are simply marvelous compositions. On the other hand, it's hard to find fault with any of the others, in particular Sammy Cahn / Jimmy van Heusen's "All My Tomorrows," Alan and Marilyn Bergman's "Nice 'n' Easy" or Milt Jackson  vibraphone 's "Bluesology" (like those Texas tenors alluded to earlier, Person has always been a bluesman at heart). Those who have heard Houston Person before will know pretty much what to expect from Nice 'n' Easy; those who haven't are in for a pleasant ride. Even though Person never strays from conventional norms, neither does he undervalue the music or its import, lending every tune the full measure of his attentiveness and ardor. ~ Jack Bowers  http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/article.php?id=45763#.UqtjRrRc_vt

Personnel: Houston Person: tenor saxophone; John di Martino: piano; Chuck Redd: vibraphone; Ray Drummond: bass; Lewis Nash: drums.

Nice'n'Easy

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Magnolia Jazzband & Topsy Chapman - Live At Oslo Concert Hall

Styles: Gypsy Jazz
Year: 2007
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 65:42
Size: 151,6 MB
Art: Front

(5:48)  1. Lonesome And Sorry
(5:37)  2. Shout, Sister, Shout
(6:12)  3. I'm Through With Love
(7:39)  4. St. Louis Blues
(5:36)  5. Muddy Waters
(7:21)  6. Blue Bells Goodbye
(8:17)  7. Fine And Mellow
(5:30)  8. I Cried For You
(8:06)  9. My Man
(5:30) 10. Down In Honky Tonk Town

The 35th anniversary concert was a great success. The audience also had the benefit of hearing Magnolia's former pianist, the one and only Morten Gunnar Larsen, accompanying Topsy on "Muddy Waters". We took the liberty of sending a test copy of the resulting CD to Butch Thompson, asking him what he thought. Butch wrote:

"The partnership of Topsy Chapman with the Magnolia Jazzband is magic. Ms. Chapman brings that to all her performances, but with these guys you know there is something very special going on the moment she walks onstage. New Orleans music is all about connections between people, and the easy way the music comes together on this CD is born of longtime friendship and respect. Everybody is happy to be there, and it shows.

The Magnolia is simply one of the very best old-style New Orleans groups on the scene today. These tracks taken from their ambitious 35th anniversary performance at the Oslo Concert Hall in late 2007, are testimony to their remarkable cohesion. It's all about teamwork. Yes, they are fine soloists, but it all works so very well because they have mastered the art of the ensemble, the true basic of the music they have immersed themselves in for so long.

A Bonus here is the magical duet by Topsy and the superb Norwegian pianist Morten Gunnar Larsen, who made a cameo appearance that evening. The tune is Muddy Water,  well-remembered both for Bessie Smith's classic 1927 recording and for its dramatic performance by Thais Clark in Vernel Bagneris' hit off-Broadway show One Mo' Time. Like Ms. Clark, Topsy Chapman was a member of that show's original cast, but her performance here is entirely different from that of Ms. Clark, whose intense performance regularly stopped the show. For Topsy, it's something else: Intense, yes, but in her own very different, more relaxed style, finely and sensitively phrased and perfectly accompanied by the versatile Mr. Larsen, whose perfectly chosen tempo and sensitive playing are, as always, a marvel."  http://www.magnoliajazzband.com/eng/news.html

Magnolia Jazzband : Anders Bjørnstad - trumpet, Georg Michael Reiss - clarinet and alto sax, Gunnar Gotaas - trombone, Håkon Gjesvik - grand piano, Arild Holm - banjo, Per Hobbel - string bass and Torstein Ellingsen - drums; Topsy Chapman - vocal; Morten Gunnar Larsen accompanies on "Muddy Waters".

Live At Oslo Concert Hall

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Christine Tobin Band - Aililiu

Size: 128,3 MB
Time: 55:36
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2006
Styles: Jazz Vocals, Folk Jazz, Bossa Nova
Art: Front

01. Siul Arun - Circular Knotwork (10:29)
02. Lavender's Blue ( 8:33)
03. The Priest ( 4:44)
04. Aililiu Na Gamhna ( 2:26)
05. The Cargo Cafe ( 5:33)
06. Promised Land ( 5:35)
07. Those Who Love The Lord ( 4:48)
08. E So Tinha De Ser Com Voce ( 7:44)
09. Lord Gregory ( 5:39)

As anyone who has heard the folk/jazz group Lammas will know, Christine Tobin, a Dublin-born singer now resident in London, is as adept at raising gooseflesh with plaintive folk laments as she is at negotiating the hairpin bends of jazz improvisation. Leading her own band, however, she draws her material from an even wider variety of sources: Brazilian music (represented on this CD by a Jobim song impeccably performed in Portuguese), young UK jazz musicians to whose tunes she writes unusually cogent lyrics, and early influences on her style and approach such as Joni Mitchell – the latter’s ‘The Priest’ (from Ladies of the Canyon) is a highlight of the album. But Tobin is no mere musical magpie; she has clearly assimilated into her own style the music from all these apparently disparate fields. The strength, control and purity of her voice, and the telling contributions of her regular band – particularly the ever adventurous Huw Warren – ensure that the album is a satisfying artistic whole. An inspiring debut from a singer to watch. Chris Parker

Performer:
Tobin (vocals); Huw Warren (p, acc); Steve Watts (b); Roy Dodds (d), plus guests: Steve Buckley (whistle); Ben Davis (cello); John Parricelli, Phil Robson (g); Mike Pickering (d)

Aililiu

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LaVern Baker - Your Christmas With LaVern Baker

Size: 96,9 MB
Time: 41:40
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2013
Styles: Blues, R&B, Holidays
Art: Front

01. There'll Be A Hot Time In The Old Town Tonight (2:40)
02. On Revival Day (3:16)
03. Baby Doll (3:27)
04. Gimme A Pigfoot (And A Bottle Of Beer) (3:06)
05. Empty Bed Blues (4:53)
06. Backwater Blues (4:42)
07. Nobody Knows You When You're Down And Out (3:54)
08. Money Blues (2:50)
09. Young Woman's Blues (2:49)
10. Preaching The Blues (2:50)
11. After You're Gone (3:06)
12. I Ain't Gonna Play No Second Fiddle (4:02)

LaVern Baker was one of the sexiest divas gracing the mid-'50s rock & roll circuit, boasting a brashly seductive vocal delivery tailor-made for belting the catchy novelties "Tweedlee Dee," "Bop-Ting-a-Ling," and "Tra La La" for Atlantic Records during rock's first wave of prominence.

Born Delores Williams, she was singing at the Club DeLisa on Chicago's south side at age 17, decked out in raggedy attire and billed as "Little Miss Sharecropper" (the same handle that she made her recording debut under for RCA Victor with Eddie "Sugarman" Penigar's band in 1949). She changed her name briefly to Bea Baker when recording for OKeh in 1951 with Maurice King's Wolverines, then settled on the first name of LaVern when she joined Todd Rhodes' band as featured vocalist in 1952 (she fronted Rhodes' aggregation on the impassioned ballad "Trying" for Cincinnati's King Records).

LaVern signed with Atlantic as a solo in 1953, debuting with the incendiary "Soul on Fire." The coy, Latin-tempo "Tweedlee Dee" was a smash in 1955 on both the R&B and pop charts, although her impact on the latter was blunted when squeaky-clean Georgia Gibbs covered it for Mercury. An infuriated Baker filed suit over the whitewashing, but she lost. By that time, though, her star had ascended: Baker's "Bop-Ting-A-Ling," "Play It Fair," "Still," and the rocking "Jim Dandy" all vaulted into the R&B Top Ten over the next couple of years.

Baker's statuesque figure and charismatic persona made her a natural for TV and movies. She co-starred on the historic R&B revue segment on Ed Sullivan's TV program in November of 1955 and did memorable numbers in Alan Freed's rock movies Rock, Rock, Rock and Mr. Rock & Roll. Her Atlantic records remained popular throughout the decade: she hit big in 1958 with the ballad "I Cried a Tear," adopted a pseudo-sanctified bellow for the rousing Leiber & Stoller-penned gospel sendup "Saved" in 1960, and cut a Bessie Smith tribute album before leaving Atlantic in 1964. A brief stop at Brunswick Records (where she did a sassy duet with Jackie Wilson, "Think Twice") preceded a late-'60s jaunt to entertain the troops in Vietnam. She became seriously ill after the trip and was hospitalized, eventually settling far out of the limelight in the Philippines. She remained there for 22 years, running an NCO club on Subic Bay for the U.S. government.

Finally, in 1988, Baker returned stateside to star in Atlantic's 40th anniversary bash at New York's Madison Square Garden. That led to a soundtrack appearance in the film Dick Tracy, a starring role in the Broadway musical Black & Blue (replacing her ex-Atlantic labelmate Ruth Brown), a nice comeback disc for DRG (Woke Up This Mornin'), and a memorable appearance at the Chicago Blues Festival. Baker died on March 10, 1997. ~Biography by Bill Dahl

Your Christmas With LaVern Baker

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America - Holiday Harmony

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 45:10
Size: 103.4 MB
Styles: Holiday
Year: 2002
Art: Front

[3:11] 1. Winter Wonderland
[2:42] 2. Let It Snow
[3:50] 3. White Christmas
[3:51] 4. A Christmas To Remember
[3:40] 5. Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas
[3:58] 6. Sleigh Ride
[4:49] 7. Silver Bells
[3:21] 8. Christmas In California
[2:33] 9. It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas
[3:40] 10. Winter Holidays
[2:27] 11. Frosty The Snowman
[4:35] 12. Silent Night
[2:26] 13. The First Noel

Although Dan Peek left America in 1976, the remaining members--Dewey Bunnell and Gerry Beckley--recapture the magic that put the folk rock trio atop the charts 25 years ago on Holiday Harmony, their first Christmas album. Much of the credit must go to seminal 1970s figure Andrew Gold, who not only produced and engineered the record, but played all the instruments (save Beckley's and Bunnell's guitars) and added his own soaring background vocals to the 13 songs. Gold also cowrote "Christmas in California," one of the three originals on the disc, which, with its tight harmonies and breezy subject matter, could have been lifted off The Beach Boys' Christmas Album. In an unusual twist for a holiday album, America's newly penned songs are the best tunes on the collection. Beckley and Bunnell haven't lost their chemistry and homespun imagination, conjuring images of Yuletides past on the excellent "Christmas to Remember" and the witty "Winter Holidays." When the duo cover Christmas classics, they seem to bend them to their will, adding background harmonies on "Winter Wonderland" that recall the ones they used on "A Horse with No Name." On their version of "White Christmas," Beckley and Bunnell incorporate the melody line from "Tin Man," with surprisingly good results. ~Jaan Uhelszki

Holiday Harmony

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Hugh Masekela - Almost Like Being In Jazz

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 42:25
Size: 97.1 MB
Styles: Soul-jazz
Year: 2005
Art: Front

[5:47] 1. You'll Never Know
[0:19] 2. Answer Me My Love
[0:07] 3. Don't Explain
[3:32] 4. It Never Entered My Mind
[4:55] 5. Paper Moon
[0:13] 6. Betcha By Golly Wow
[5:29] 7. Midnight Sun
[0:02] 8. I Remember Clifford
[4:26] 9. Smile
[5:45] 10. You Don't Know What Love Is
[4:21] 11. My Ship
[7:24] 12. Presente De Natal

Hugh Masekela is a world-renowned flugelhornist, trumpeter, bandleader, composer, singer and defiant political voice who remains deeply connected at home, while his international career sparkles. He was born in the town of Witbank, South Africa in 1939. At the age of 14, the deeply respected advocator of equal rights in South Africa, Father Trevor Huddleston, provided Masekela with a trumpet and, soon after, the Huddleston Jazz Band was formed. Masekela began to hone his, now signature, Afro-Jazz sound in the late 1950s during a period of intense creative collaboration, most notably performing in the 1959 musical King Kong, written by Todd Matshikiza, and, soon thereafter, as a member of the now legendary South African group, the Jazz Epistles (featuring the classic line up of Kippie Moeketsi, Abdullah Ibrahim and Jonas Gwangwa).

In 1960, at the age of 21 he left South Africa to begin what would be 30 years in exile from the land of his birth. On arrival in New York he enrolled at the Manhattan School of Music. This coincided with a golden era of jazz music and the young Masekela immersed himself in the New York jazz scene where nightly he watched greats like Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Thelonious Monk, Charlie Mingus and Max Roach. Under the tutelage of Dizzy Gillespie and Louis Armstrong, Hugh was encouraged to develop his own unique style, feeding off African rather than American influences – his debut album, released in 1963, was entitled Trumpet Africaine.

Hugh is currently using his global reach to spread the word about heritage restoration in Africa – a topic that remains very close to his heart. “My biggest obsession is to show Africans and the world who the people of Africa really are,” Masekela confides – and it’s this commitment to his home continent that has propelled him forward since he first began playing the trumpet.

Hugh Masekela on flugelhorn, Larry Willis on piano, John Heard on bass and Lorca Heart on drums.

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