Kermit Ruffins - Have a Crazy Cool Christmas

Styles: New Orleans Jazz
Label: Basin Street Records
Released: 2009
File: mp3 @320K/s
Size: 136,2 MB
Time: 59:29
Art: front

1. Silent Night - 5:18
2. Santa Clause is Coming to Town - 5:15
3. What Will Santa Say When He Finds Everybody Swingin' - 3:32
4. O Christmas Tree - 3:16
5. Baby It's Cold Outside - 4:24
6. A Saints Christmas - 5:04
7. Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let it Snow - 4:22
8. Little Drummer Boy - 6:34
9. Silver Bells - 5:17
10. Crazy Cool Christmas - 5:04
11. Winter Wonderland - 4:05
12. This Christmas - 3:55
13. Jingle Bells - 3:17

Personnel:
Kermit Ruffins (vocals, trumpet)
Troy "Trombone Shorty" Andrews (trombone)
Matt Lemmler (piano)
Irvin Mayfield (organ)
Herlin Riley (drums)
Vincent Broussard (Tenor Sax)
Neal Caine (Bass)
Corey Henry (Trombone)
Derrick Tabb (Snare Drums)
Eric Traub (Tenor Sax)

Notes: Kermit Ruffins’ role as the Bard of Good Times in New Orleans has led him into some musically dubious spots, places where clichés rule. Have a Crazy Cool Christmas suits him beautifully because it lets his personality dominate, and his exuberant sense of fun carries the day. You can hear his smile when he sings, “Santa Claus is swingin’ to town,” and when he sneaks the pick-up to “They All Asked for You” into “O Tannenbaum.” Throughout, the band swings with authority—a given on Ruffins’ albums—even at a breakneck pace on his version of Louis Prima’s “What Will Santa Say (When He Finds Everybody Swinging?).”
In a stroke of prescience, Ruffins wrote a new Christmas song, “A Saints Christmas.” Like many of his originals, the song’s success depends on the goodwill of his audience; those who love the sentiment will excuse some easy lines, and those who don’t, won’t. Fortunately for Ruffins, his songs comes out during the Saints’ best start ever, far stronger than it was in 2004 when Greg Barnhill and New Birth Brass Band cut “All I Want for Christmas is the Saints to Win.” The offhanded vibe that comes through on Ruffins’ album is part of his charm. There are points, though, where that borders on slack. The album includes a version of Donny Hathaway’s “This Christmas” with Rebirth Brass Band, and they move the song to the street parade vibe beautifully, remaking an intimate track as a public celebration. But the song’s key is too high for Ruffins and he flounders with the high notes in the chorus. Fortunately, the version only includes one verse and chorus, so the moment passes, but it’s a sour note—literally—near the end of an album that in most ways is a fine addition to any Christmas collection.

Have a Crazy Cool Christmas

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Chet Atkins - Jingle Bell Rock (Special Days)

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 31:01
Size: 71.0 MB
Styles: Holiday
Year: 2013
Art: Front

[3:24] 1. The Coventry Carol God Rest Ye, Merry Gentlemen
[1:48] 2. Jingle Bell Rock
[1:48] 3. Jingle Bells
[2:13] 4. Jolly Old St. Nicholas
[2:17] 5. O Come All Ye Faithful
[2:20] 6. White Christmas
[1:54] 7. Hark! The Herald Angels Sing
[2:47] 8. Winter Wonderland
[2:09] 9. Silver Bells
[2:00] 10. Silent Night
[1:45] 11. The First Noel
[2:27] 12. Little Drummer Boy
[1:12] 13. Deck The Halls
[2:51] 14. Blue Christmas

Jingle Bell Rock (Special Days)

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Andre Previn & David Finck - We Got It Bad: An Ellington Songbook

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 72:28
Size: 165.9 MB
Styles: Piano jazz
Year: 1999
Art: Front

[5:35] 1. Take The A Train
[4:42] 2. Isfahan
[3:49] 3. I Got It Bad (And That Ain't Good)
[6:09] 4. Do Nothin' Till You Hear From Me
[6:29] 5. Chelsea Bridge
[6:51] 6. Things Ain't What They Used To Be
[5:18] 7. In A Sentimental Mood
[4:37] 8. Squatty Roo
[4:31] 9. Come Sunday
[6:36] 10. Serenade To Sweden
[6:08] 11. I Didn't Know About You
[7:43] 12. In A Mellow Tone
[3:54] 13. It Don't Mean A Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing)

Previn has always been an adept, if not brilliant, pianist whose jazz leanings have belied his classical training. Here he interprets the music of Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn lovingly and as well as any legit jazzster could, with help from the fine bassist David Finck. While this music can easily stand on its own, Previn's technical ability and heartfelt stretching of the original blueprints urge these well-worn tunes to carry new meaning and substance. If there are any stock treatments here, it's because the pianist tends to lay back and let the melodies come to him, as evidenced on the steady-paced "Isfahan," the easy "Serenade to Sweden," and the even easier swung "I Didn't Know About You." Previn wrings every emotional drop out of "In a Sentimental Mood," dismisses a time frame for the pristine "I Got It Bad" and "Come Sunday," while Finck is in late for the pensive "Chelsea Bridge." Melody is more implied with tempos at half and full speed on "It Don't Mean a Thing," Previn uses an off-minor change-up on the good swinger "Things Ain't What They Used to Be," and swaps 4/4 in the bridge for a waltzing 3/4 head and tail on "Take the A Train." Obviously an admirer of Oscar Peterson, Previn takes liberties and risks on the easy swing take of "In a Mellow Tone," trades ripped-up lines with the capable Finck, counter-punching during "Do Nothin' 'Til You Here From Me," and fervently digs into the up-tempo "Squatty Roo." Perhaps Previn's voracity is not well known, or as regarded in the modern jazz world as it should be, but on this recording it's clear how great he can be. This second CD with Finck, the previous being a Gershwin songbook "We Got Rhythm," signifies a step up for the veteran pianist, and is perhaps his shining recorded hour. Recommended. ~Michael G. Nastos

We Got It Bad: An Ellington Songbook

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Judi D. - Nightshade

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 51:08
Size: 117.1 MB
Styles: Jazz vocals
Year: 2007
Art: Front

[4:21] 1. Tenderly
[6:15] 2. Love Dance
[4:42] 3. You've Changed
[4:20] 4. Out Of This World
[5:34] 5. Sophisticated Lady
[7:03] 6. Up Jumped Spring
[4:18] 7. If You Went Away
[4:11] 8. Weaver Of Dreams
[3:11] 9. All Of Me (A La King Pleasure)
[3:54] 10. Small Feats
[3:15] 11. A House Is Not A Home

While there are plenty of jazz survivors—indomitable artists thriving in their 70s and 80s—Miami-based Judith Dubowsky can proudly claim that survival opened her path to a jazz career. Diagnosed with thyroid cancer just over a year ago, left with “three notes, my whole range was gone,” and vowing to rebuild her voice, she underwent three years of therapy, enrolled in the University of Miami to earn a Master of Music degree and began intense study of the great female jazz singers. Now, supported by an enviable rhythm section comprised of pianist Kenny Barron, drummer Leroy Williams, bassist Ray Drummond and, doubling on tenor sax and flute, Frank Wess, she has released her debut album.

That Dubowsky is a superb student is evident throughout these ten standards and one original (the heartfelt “Small Feats” that traces her road to recovery and vocal revitalization). Her style borrows heavily from Sarah Vaughan, Carmen McRae and Diana Krall; her phrasing owes a huge debt to Rosemary Clooney (particularly on the disc-opening “Tenderly”). But there’s much more to Dubowsky than mere mimicry. She handles Ellington’s hugely challenging “Sophisticated Lady” with just the right combination of refracted pain, misty disillusion and judgmental disdain. Her “Up Jumped Spring,” superbly underlined by Wess’ sax, effectively blends unexpected pleasure and thankful satisfaction. Best track: a loose-limbed “All of Me,” crafted in homage to King Pleasure, that boldly displays the marvelously imaginative spirit of the unfettered Judi. ~Christopher Loudon

Nightshade

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Ella Fitzgerald - Clap Hands, Here Comes Charlie!

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 1961
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 57:00
Size: 132,7 MB
Art: Front

(4:10)  1. Night In Tunisia
(3:39)  2. You're My Thrill
(3:20)  3. My Reverie
(3:21)  4. Stella By Starlight
(3:31)  5. 'Round Midnight
(3:36)  6. Jersey Bounce
(3:49)  7. Signing Off
(4:17)  8. Cry Me A River
(2:18)  9. This Year's Kisses
(4:21) 10. Good Morning Heartache
(2:45) 11. (I Was) Born To Be Blue
(2:46) 12. Clap  Hands, Here Comes Charlie!
(6:17) 13. Spring Can Really Hang You Up The Most
(2:16) 14. The One I Love Belongs To Somebody Else
(3:45) 15. I Got A Guy
(2:43) 16. This Could Be The Start Of Something Big

Another typically wonderful CD reissue of Ella Fitzgerald in her prime, this set augments the original LP (which finds Ella joined by pianist Lou Levy, guitarist Herb Ellis, bassist Joe Mondragon, and drummer Stan Levey) with three previously unreleased selections from the same era (with Levey, bassist Wilfred Middlebrooks, and drummer Gus Johnson). Ella is in fine form on such numbers as "A Night in Tunisia," an emotional "You're My Thrill," "Jersey Bounce," "Clap Hands! Here Comes Charlie," and an unissued "The One I Love (Belongs to Somebody Else)." Although not reaching the heights of her live performances, this is an excellent (and somewhat underrated) set.  ~ Scott Yanow  http://www.allmusic.com/album/clap-hands-here-comes-charlie!-mw0000200769               

Clap Hands, Here Comes Charlie!

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Gail Jhonson - Her Story

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2011
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 43:45
Size: 100,5 MB
Art: Front

(3:42)  1. Make It Happen
(4:32)  2. Electric Lady
(4:11)  3. Crusin After Dark
(4:13)  4. Dear Aaron
(4:12)  5. Still Care About Me
(4:06)  6. This One
(5:44)  7. For You Mom
(5:26)  8. HerStory
(3:29)  9. Do Something Else
(4:04) 10. Dee's

Growing up in one of music’s historical hotbeds, Gail Jhonson was one of many hard working dreamers who truly loved to play the piano.  She was thoroughly awed in how nearly everyone in Philadelphia seemed to take music seriously; even the one who were strictly ‘basement’ musicians.   But between her teachers and funk heroes she heard on the radio like Sly (Stone) and Stevie (Wonder), there were constant conflicts of interest. While the teachers demanded training her in the classical genre, Jhonson highly desired otherwise. In those frustrations, she took a year off from achieving her goals. Thankfully, Jhonston's passion was rejuvanated after witnessing an electrifying concert from Stevie in her hometown’s Uptown Theatre.  She was especially drawn to his Farfisa keyboard; an organ which reminded her of Sly’s rock flavored organ breaks on many of his hits including “Dance to the Music.” Despite persisting on obtaining a Farfisa, she settled for another keyboard.  Jhonson found plenty of work during her high school years (actually as flute player); proving herself worthy of a trip to the top-notch Berklee School of Music.

As she experienced the Berklee life, she slowly changed her direction toward jazz; admiring legends like Ramsey Lewis and John Coltrane. In the meantime to keep paying the bills, Jhonson worked on a smaller scale; mostly in the R&B and soul world. But the seal breaker for Jhonson was an audition for the vivacious entertainer Morris Day. Needless to say after ‘getting the job,’ the doors opened towards her own platform, including a long term musical directing gig for master smooth jazz guitarist, Norman Brown. Her impressive resume crosses over various urban genres performing with Bobby Womack and Sheila E.; and touring with Brown on the Summer Storm Series with Patti Austin, Marion Meadows and many more. As a musical educator; Jhonson produced several instructional books and CD’s including Funk Keyboards, heading full circle to her days of soaking in the dynamics of the Sly’s and Stevie’s of the world.

Known affectionately as ‘The First Lady of Smooth Jazz’, Jhonson dubbed her nickname of “Philly the Kid’ as her music company and record label. Now signed to the 111 East Music family, Jhonson returns with a funky good supporting cast on HerStory. The title was inspired by her hard working mother who fully invested in Jhonson’s musical vision. Much like her previous work: It’s About Time, Keep the Music Playing and Pearls, HerStory aims to please those that crave the pure elements of smooth jazz with a heap of funk frosting. . “Do Something Else,” released as a 2010 sneak preview of HerStory, mixes Latin spiced saxophone from Tom Braxton. Dwayne ‘Smitty’ Smith supplies some tasty bass guitar licks for “Dear Aaron.” The head nodding “Crusin’ After Dark” featuring trumpeter Lin Rountree demonstrates Jhonson’s clever spacing leading into the one-two ‘funky horn break’ punch. “Electric Lady” is a showcase for the keytar; a synthesized keyboard which produces deep, melodic acoustic bass lines. The solemn “For You Mom” steers away from the grooves for a short period, yet Jhonson still manages to ooze poignancy without the schmaltzy effect. HerStory may be pretty much the smooth jazz prototype for many. 

But what puts the icing on the cake is the passion and expressions Jhonson puts into every note and chord plus the guest musicians she surrounds herself with. And of course, there is the undeniable funk factor that Jhonson is passing; as a teacher and musician; onto future generations of jazz groove architects. ~ Peggy Oliver 

http://reviews.theurbanmusicscene.com/2011/06/19/gail-jhonson--her-story.aspx

HerStory

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Giacomo Gates - Miles Tones

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2013
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 48:44
Size: 112,0 MB
Art: Front

(5:07)  1. All Blues
(4:00)  2. Be-bop Lives (Boplicity)
(4:19)  3. Fiur
(4:55)  4. 'Round Midnight
(5:02)  5. I Fall in Love to Easily
(6:27)  6. 'Long Come Tutu
(5:18)  7. Milestones
(4:42)  8. You're My Everything
(4:58)  9. So What
(3:52) 10. Walkin'

It has long been widely accepted that Kurt Elling is heir apparent to Mark Murphy. But an equally strong case can be made for Giacomo Gates. Indeed, while Elling has advanced to a somewhat distant some might say higher plateau, Gates remains truer to Murphy’s path. Nor is it surprising that Gates has, since joining Joe Fields’ Savant label in 2011, reached new levels of adventurism. It was, after all, during Murphy’s three-decade association with Fields that his musical boldness and creativity soared. Many would argue that Murphy’s mastery reached its apex with the Fields-produced Bop for Miles, recorded in 1990. Gates’ Miles Tones is very nearly as magnificent.

Though Gates has, like Murphy, achieved his greatest fame for his ability to brilliantly vocalize multiple instruments, particularly horns, the intent of Miles Tones is to focus on lyrics associated with or subsequently attached to 10 Davis-related selections. As such, the album is as much a tribute to the wordsmiths Oscar Brown Jr., Jon Hendricks and Al Jarreau among them whose sagely tailored lyrics Gates so skillfully navigates.

From the long, lean lines of his “All Blues” and loose, loping “Be-Bop Lives,” to his tightly coiled “Four” and dark, dense “’Long Comes Tutu,” Gates strikes a dexterous balance between veneration and fresh interpretive imaginativeness. Murphy first added lyrics to “Milestones” when he recorded it in 1962 (and again in 1990), but Gates opts for his own clever wordplay. He also comes closer than any of the myriad vocalists who have covered it to capturing the bone-deep loneliness of Davis’ “I Fall in Love Too Easily.” The penultimate track, an insistent “So What” hoisted like a raised middle finger to all Davis detractors, is truly the album’s endpoint. “Walkin’,” which follows, simply provides a breezy coda.  ~ Christopher Loudon   http://jazztimes.com/articles/81644-miles-tones-giacomo-gates

Miles Tones

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Eldar Djangirov - Live At The Blue Note

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2006
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 76:15
Size: 178,5 MB
Art: Front

( 8:00)  1. What Is This Thing Called Love
( 9:37)  2. Someday
( 6:12)  3. You Don't Know What Love Is (feat. Chris Botti)
( 8:18)  4. Daily Living
( 9:39)  5. Dat Dere
( 8:10)  6. Besame Mucho
( 7:02)  7. Straight, No Chaser (feat. Roy Hargrove)
( 5:51)  8. Sincerely
(10:33)  9. Chronicle
( 2:50) 10. Take The A Train

Intimate and sparkling with effervescent joy, Eldar's appearance at the Blue Note in New York clearly brought a persuasive force to his audience. He's spontaneous and personable for this program of six standards and four originals, steering his acoustic trio through lovely straight-ahead territory with class. Trumpeter Chris Botti guests with the trio on "You Don't Know What Love Is, waxing romantic with a heartfelt reading of this romantic evergreen. He's in top form, giving jazz's mainstream a winning ballad appearance that proves convincing. Botti and Eldar both enjoy an eloquent manner that allows for an intimate musical conversation between friends. Trumpeter Roy Hargrove guests on Monk's "Straight, No Chaser, returning the ensemble to the kind of heyday when Bird, Diz, Bud, and Max ruled New York's nighttime jazz scene with a firm hand.

Hargrove and Eldar drive this one hot and fast, taking no prisoners, as they let their passions rule the evening. It's during up-tempo romps such as this one that we clearly see Eldar's impressive talent with the piano keys and understand the phenomenal nature of his attack. The big question of the night: Does Eldar have enough maturity and experience to interpret down-to-earth features such as "Dat Dere and "Besame Mucho with true feeling? The answer is a resounding and emphatic yes. Eldar's amazing technique puts a spin on each selection that translates into a memorable experience. He's unforgettable. ~Jim Santella  

http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/article.php?id=25959#.Uq4TQrRc_vs

Personnel: Eldar Djangirov: piano; Marco Panascia: double bass; Todd Strait: drums; Chris Botti: trumpet (3); Roy Hargrove: trumpet (7).

Live At The Blue Note

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Barbara McAfee - World Of Wonders

Size: 129,2 MB
Time: 56:09
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2013
Styles: Jazz Vocals, Jazz Folk
Art: Front

01. World Of Wonders (6:44)
02. This Vehicle Makes Frequent Stops (2:05)
03. The House On Sherburne Street (4:22)
04. Kindness (3:54)
05. Rivers (4:20)
06. Margie's Song (3:11)
07. Breathing Trees (4:18)
08. More Than A House (4:26)
09. Let It Be (4:03)
10. Jewels (2:54)
11. Kindness (Reggae Reprise) (2:47)
12. Child Of My Heart (4:35)
13. I Wish That I Could Show You (3:42)
14. When I Die (4:38)

Barbara has been a voice coach for over twenty years supporting leaders from all sectors to unleash the full power and presence in their voices. Her book, Full Voice: The Art and Practice of Vocal Presence (Berrett-Koehler Publishers) was the #1 Amazon bestseller in business communications when it was released in October of 2011. She was an organizational development consultant for twelve years, specializing in team building, communications, and applying organizational principles and practices within communities.

A professional singer/songwriter and keynote speaker, Barbara blends practical content, sassy music, useful wisdom, and sophisticated humor in her keynote presentations. She has released six CDs of her music.

She was “the band” for a 15-city Women’s Leadership Revival Tour with leadership author and speaker Margaret Wheatley and wrote the theme song as well. Barbara also appears regularly with author Peter Block who wrote the forward to her book.

Barbara is the founder of the Morning Star Singers, a group of volunteers who bring songs of comfort and healing to people in hospitals, hospices, and nursing homes.

A native Minnesotan, she now lives across the street from the Mississippi River in Minneapolis.

World Of Wonders

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Spud Taylor - Z-Energy

Size: 115,6 MB
Time: 50:17
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2013
Styles: Guitar Jazz, Smooth Jazz, Latin Jazz
Art: Front

01. Z-Energy (4:20)
02. Ba Dadah (3:36)
03. Let Yourself Go (5:07)
04. I Wanna Show You How (5:13)
05. Sassina (5:29)
06. Everything Must Change (5:42)
07. You Are Mine (5:51)
08. Possibilities (Feat. Tim Cunningham) (4:40)
09. When Elana Smiles (4:20)
10. Stay Here With Me (5:53)

Spud Taylor is a straight-ahead and Latin jazz guitarist from St Louis.

More information about this great guitarist will be welcome.

Z-Energy

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Jimmy Smith - Christmas Cookin'

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 48:48
Size: 111.7 MB
Styles: Holiday
Year: 1964/1992
Art: Front

[4:15] 1. God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
[3:11] 2. Jingle Bells
[3:42] 3. We Three Kings (Of Orient Are)
[4:30] 4. The Christmas Song
[2:48] 5. White Christmas
[5:23] 6. Santa Claus Is Coming To Town
[4:01] 7. Silent Night
[6:06] 8. God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
[5:56] 9. Baby, It's Cold Outside
[8:52] 10. Greensleeves

This Christmas jazz album has five selections in which organist Jimmy Smith is joined by a big band arranged by either Billy Byers or Al Cohn. The remaining selections feature Smith with a variety of trios; guitarist Wes Montgomery is heard on "Baby It's Cold Outside," one of two "bonus" cuts taken from other sessions that help to fill up this otherwise brief set. Smith is fine on "Jingle Bells," "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town" and two versions of "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" and, even if nothing all that unusual occurs, the performances can serve as high-quality background music during the Christmas season. ~Scott Yanow

Christmas Cookin'

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Spike Wilner - La Tendresse

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 55:47
Size: 127.7 MB
Styles: Piano jazz
Year: 2012
Art: Front

[5:05] 1. La Tendresse
[3:04] 2. If I Only Had A Brain
[6:26] 3. Solace
[5:24] 4. Silver Cord
[4:32] 5. Always
[4:52] 6. Lullaby Of The Leaves
[5:53] 7. After You've Gone
[4:11] 8. Le Sucrier Velours
[6:00] 9. Little Girl Blue
[4:33] 10. Crepuscule With Nellie
[2:28] 11. I'm So Glad We Had This Time Together
[3:12] 12. Happy Ending

Joy.

But having been told that one word reviews aren't sufficient, how about this: Pianist Spike Wilner's disc La Tendresse is pure joy.

Wilner can probably best be described as an old soul occupying a modernist corpus. His foundations in ragtime and stride piano inform the music heard here, but like Thelonious Monk, he uses the tradition as the architecture for the anatomy of a modern player. Even his take on "Crepuscule With Nellie," the classic Monk expression of hesitation and suspension, is delivered as a tender blues. More importantly, he delivers it without the cartoon clichéd dawdling.

Wilner's approach is to brighten each piece with the energy of his playing. Like his hero, Willie "The Lion" Smith and other Harlem stride pianists, he makes the difficult seem quite simple. The speed at which the trio navigates "After You're Gone" is just short of tumult. Drummer Dezron Douglas and bassist Joey Saylor chase, and then are chased by, the exuberance of Wilner's piano.

He is also quite comfortable carrying the day unaccompanied. As with his previous solo recording Live At Smalls (Smalls Live, 2011), Wilner performs several solo pieces here. The old Carol Burnett sign off tune "I'm So Glad We Had This Time Together" is rationed with the appropriate melancholy, and Harold Arlen's "If I Only Had A Brain" bounces and frolics with a campy stride fitting the dopey scarecrow.

The trio performs Irving Berlin's "Always," raising the bandstand much like early Bill Evans would, interlacing a subtle and intellectual swing with a quasi-classical approach. The highlights of this disc might be Scott Joplin's "Solace" and Bernice Petkere's "Lullaby Of The Leaves." Both tracks beg for comparison to master musician Bebo Valdes' playing. With "Solace," Wilner mixes his ragtime approach with Valdes' Cuban-folk take on American jazz.

There is much rejoicing to be had—or heard—here. ~Mark Corroto

Spike Wilner: piano; Dezron Douglas: bass; Joey Saylor: drums.

La Tendresse

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Christina Watson - A Flower Truly Blue

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 51:05
Size: 117.0 MB
Styles: Vocal jazz
Year: 2008
Art: Front

[5:27] 1. Lazy Afternoon
[4:33] 2. The World Is What You Make It
[5:32] 3. Half Moon
[3:33] 4. We Can Work It Out
[4:08] 5. A Flower Truly Blue
[5:08] 6. Don't Misunderstand
[3:56] 7. All Of You
[5:15] 8. A Thousand Kisses Deep
[3:46] 9. Free
[5:30] 10. All I Need Now
[4:12] 11. What Do Your Voodoo Do

Originally from Middlesboro, Kentucky and Knoxville, Tennessee, Christina moved to Nashville in 2001 after graduating from Berklee College of Music in Boston, Massachusetts. Since her arrival in Music City, her versatile voice of 3 + octaves and love of all cultures have gained her entry into a wide array of musical situations, including appearances at various jazz festivals and venues in the US, France, Belgium, Sweden and China. Her Watson Utterstrom Nordic Quintet toured Sweden in the summer of 2007 and appeared in Sweden and Belgium in April 2008. Her new CD "A Flower Truly Blue" features arranger Pat Coil on piano and B3, Jeff Coffin on sax, Oscar Utterstrom on trombone, Joe Gross on trumpet, Craig Nelson on bass, Bob Mater on drums, and vocalist Jeff Hall makes a guest appearance on "The World Is What You Make It" on which he also contributes a 4-part vocal arrangement sung by himself and Christina. In 2004 she released her debut album "All About Love."

Christina sings soprano in the Nashville based vocal jazz quartet 3rd Coast Vocals, directed by tenor/arranger Jeff Hall. She teaches private voice lessons from her home studio, at St. Edward's School in Nashville and from Gene Ford Music in Brentwood, TN. She is an instructor of vocal literature, chart writing and music theory at the Nashville Jazz Workshop. Christina directs the women's a capella choir "The Holiday Belles," which performs for charity, and she's a member of the folk/Celtic vocal group "The Ravens."

Christina also holds a BA in French from Centre College and an MA in French Literature from UT Knoxville.

A Flower Truly Blue

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Ximo Tebar - Goes Blue

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 54:48
Size: 125.4 MB
Styles: Guitar jazz
Year: 2005
Art: Front

[5:59] 1. Goes Blue
[5:58] 2. I Love You
[5:51] 3. Laura
[7:53] 4. Days Of Wine And Roses
[8:19] 5. Invitation
[6:29] 6. Midnight Creeper
[7:34] 7. Come To Me
[6:41] 8. Blues Walk

Goes Blue is the third entry in Ximo Tebar's Jazz Guitar Trio series, which has featured the Spanish guitarist playing with such luminaries as Idris Muhammad and Joey DeFrancesco. On this entry, Tebar and Muhammad are joined by Dr. Lonnie Smith and, on three tracks, Lou Donaldson. Listeners will not find anything too challenging or surprising, but the performances are always accomplished and solid, as should be expected from the quality of the players involved.

The three numbers featuring Donaldson are obvious highlights. His opening wail on a slow burn version of "Laura is suitably dramatic, paving the way for his smooth, sensitive solo. Donaldson also appears on a fun version of "Midnight Creeper, which he first performed with Muhammad and Smith back in 1968 with George Benson on guitar. Tebar fits in nicely with a tart, exuberant solo. As always, Smith flashes deep soul with every note and Muhammad cultivates a rock-solid beat.

Tebar deviates from the soul-jazz underpinnings of most of the numbers with a lush, delicate take on Mancini's "Days Of Wine And Roses. His introduction is quite lyrical and contrasts nicely with the choppy rhythm the rest of the band creates when it enters. Smith applies some lovely dark colors throughout.

Goes Blue is a relaxed outing that features some great players in a casual frame of mind. It is far from essential, but still highly enjoyable. ~Stephen Latessa

Ximo Tebar: guitar; Dr. Lonnie Smith: Hammond B3 organ; Idris Muhammad: drums; Lou Donaldson: alto saxophone (tracks 3,6,8).

Goes Blue

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Alyssa Graham - Lock, Stock and Soul

Styles: Adult Contemporary
Year: 2012
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 56:06
Size: 128,9 MB
Art: Front

(4:41)  1. Til my heart quakes
(3:02)  2. I know
(4:05)  3. Exploded view
(4:34)  4. High time
(4:04)  5. He's a lover
(2:38)  6. Round & round
(3:23)  7. Until the last leaf falls
(4:39)  8. Ain't my kind of boy
(3:59)  9. I'll stay with you
(2:39) 10. You're the one
(4:02) 11. Lock, stock and soul
(4:47) 12. Tidal wave
(3:15) 13. Watching the sky
(2:57) 14. Lament
(3:13) 15. Don't leave me this way

Vocalist Alyssa Graham earned accolades from the music press for the jazz-leaning sounds of her first two albums, What Love Is and Echo, but Graham has changed lanes with her third album and has set her sights clearly on pop music. Most artists who give themselves this sort of creative makeover have chart success in mind, but that doesn't seem to be what Graham is aiming for on Lock, Stock & Soul; this is hardly the sort of pop music that has been selling many records in the past two or three decades, recalling the Laurel Canyon singer/songwriter community of the late 1960s and early '70s in its easygoing vibes and mellow but precise craft. Fittingly, while Graham relied on cover material on her earlier albums, she wrote or co-wrote five of the 12 tunes on Lock, Stock & Soul, while David Garza contributed four songs to the set list.

However, if this is truly the music Graham has wanted to make all along, it's tempting to say she was better off following someone else's muse. Lock, Stock & Soul is the musical equivalent of a cup of warm milk, warm and soothing but short on personality, and more likely to lull you off to dreamland rather than make you sit up and take notice. On these sessions, Graham's vocals are light, breathy, and subdued, with the phrasing lacking the jazzy angles of her earlier work and her instrument suggesting an artier and less emphatic Olivia Newton-John. Graham's songwriting also confirms she was wise to interpret other people's work on her first two discs; as a lyricist, she sounds like a high school poetry student who is likable but has little to say, and it's unfortunate but true that the one song she wrote with no outside help, "He's a Lover," is easily the weakest track on the album. 

And while Graham has some gifted accompanists on Lock, Stock & Soul (including Chris Bruce on guitar, Me'Shell Ndegéocello on bass, and Michael Jerome on drums), this music is so polite it feels more like wallpaper than any sort of emotional, expressive art. Maybe Lock, Stock & Soul really is the sound of Alyssa Graham's soul, but if that's the truth, you'd have to go back to the Wizard of Oz to find a better example of an invented persona that was more interesting that the person behind the curtain. ~ Mark Deming   http://www.allmusic.com/album/the-lock-stock-and-soul-mw0002231927

Lock, Stock and Soul

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Nancy Sinatra - Shifting Gears

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2013
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 62:57
Size: 144,9 MB
Art: Front

(3:36)  1. As Time Goes By
(2:55)  2. When I Look in Your Eyes
(4:54)  3. Holly Holy
(3:16)  4. I'll Build a Stairway to Paradise
(2:21)  5. Cockeyed Optimist (Guitar Version)
(2:54)  6. I Can See Clearly Now
(3:50)  7. Killing Me Softly with His Song
(8:31)  8. Play Me
(3:11)  9. Something
(5:53) 10. MacArthur Park
(8:06) 11. The Hungry Years
(2:58) 12. Cockeyed Optimist (Orchestra Version)
(2:54) 13. Why Did I Choose You?
(4:20) 14. I Don't Know How to Love Him
(3:11) 15. We Need a Little Christmas

You naturally think of “These Boots Are Made For Walkin’” and her many other immortal 1960s rock ‘n’ roll hits when you think of the iconic Nancy Sinatra, but she also topped the charts in 1967 with her “Somethin’ Stupid” adult duet with her dad, and sang arguably the greatest James Bond theme, “You Only Live Twice,” also a 1967 hit.

And just as The Simpsons last week used the Bond song as a key episode theme (it previously ended Season 5 of Mad Men), Sinatra has returned with a new collection of mature ballads, Shifting Gears, largely made up of covers of movie/musical theater standards like "As Time Goes By" as well as more contemporary pop fare including a glorious version of Neil Diamond's "Holly Holy."

These recordings were culled from the Sinatra vaults. To be issued Dec. 3 by Sinatra herself (through her Boots Enterprises, Inc.) and via download only, the album is her first release since her 2009 set, Cherry Smiles: The Rare Singles, which was also digital.

“The music business has changed radically,” says Sinatra, who nevertheless thrilled audiences in August when Wilco brought her up to sing "Boots" and "Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down)" during their AmericanaramA set in Irvine, Calif.

“Unless you are a huge star it's difficult to get a record out today," she continues. "Once we decided on this project it took a long time to pull it together because the tracks were recorded at different times and in different places. Producer Michael Lloyd managed to smooth them all out so that they work as a collection.”

As Sinatra notes on her website, the music on Shifting Gears “was not created to sit in a vault. It is meant to be shared and heard. Songs get lonely with nobody to listen to them.”

She says she sequenced the songs on the album to illustrate the arc of a relationship. It opens with the Casablanca movie classic “As Time Goes By,” which she performed in her record-breaking Las Vegas nightclub show at Caesars Palace in the summer of 1970, which was taped for her Emmy-winning Ed Sullivan Presents Movin’ With Nancy, On Stage TV special; the album closer “We Need A Little Christmas” also came from the Vegas/TV show.

Other movie songs on Shifting Gears include the Don Costa-arranged “When I Look In Your Eyes” from Doctor Dolittle and initially released on Sinatra’s 1998 Sheet Music collection, and “A Cockeyed Optimist,” from the Rodgers & Hammerstein film and Broadway musical South Pacific. Sinatra sees the latter song as part of Shifting Gears’ “optimism trilogy,” also including the Johnny Nash hit “I Can See Clearly Now,” and “I’ll Build A Stairway To Paradise,” which appeared both in Broadway’s 1922 version of George White’s Scandals and the film classic An American In Paris.

Also from Broadway comes The Yearling’s “Why Did I Choose You?" “I Don’t Know How To Love Him” is from Jesus Christ Superstar and was in Sinatra’s show with The Muppets; it was recorded with the same big orchestra used on “Holly Holy,” which she hails as "one of the most important recordings of my career,” and was also in her Vegas/TV show.

Included in Shifting Gears, too, are Diamond’s “Play Me,” The Beatles’ “Something” (also originally in Sheet Music), Neil Sedaka’s “The Hungry Years” and Jimmy Webb’s “MacArthur Park.”

“There are so many wonderful composers, arrangers and musicians featured on these tracks, and it was sad to me that they were languishing,” says Sinatra. “These songs needed to reach the ether and be heard by my fans!”

She notes that some of the charts were written expressly for her stage shows and TV specials.

“I'm just glad I had the foresight to go into a studio when I had the chance to preserve them,” she relates. “We were on a real budget so we couldn't do take after take, usually only one take. So we had to accept the ‘clams’ [mistakes] in the orchestra. Michael plays several instruments so he was able to replace a bad note with a good one as he restored the tracks. The vocals were added over the last 10 years as we went along. It really was a big undertaking, but it wasn't ego-driven. I really didn't want the music to die.”

She’s particularly pleased that arrangements by her late friends Costa and Billy Strange are represented, Strange having arranged both “Somethin’ Stupid” and the non-soundtrack version of “You Only Live Twice.” Many of the musicians are well-known, she says, and include L.A.’s famed Wrecking Crew of session players, of which guitarist Strange was a member.

Sinatra is promoting Shifting Gears so far via her active Twitter account, as well as Facebook. She notes on her website: “It’s been a real struggle because when we say ‘vault’ we really mean ‘garage,’ which is where the tapes were for decades before we had the vault. Some were multi-track, some were quarter-inch and some were only cassettes!”

She also lauds the Shifting Gears artwork by Shag, which evokes the “I Gotta Get Out Of This Town” segment from the Movin’ With Nancy special. ~ Jim Bessman  http://www.examiner.com/article/nancy-sinatra-shifts-gears-with-new-digital-album

Shifting Gears

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Ty Causey - Cool In My Skin

Styles: R&B
Year: 2013
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 51:53
Size: 118,9 MB
Art: Front

(4:01)  1. Bad Boy
(3:28)  2. Step N2 Love
(4:11)  3. Love Me That Way
(4:04)  4. Keep Your Head Up
(4:19)  5. Other Side of Town (feat. Najee)
(3:40)  6. Ordinary Guy
(4:25)  7. No More Broken Hearts (feat. Zedric Teague)
(3:58)  8. Hold On, Don't Let Go
(4:06)  9. Free Ride
(3:56) 10. Cool in My Skin (feat. Bobby Bruns)
(3:47) 11. Payin' My Dues
(4:21) 12. Slide (feat. W.R. Sanders)
(3:32) 13. Good Old Fashion Love

“Possessing abundant sex appeal, smooth vocal ease and poetic mastery, Causey is catching the attention of a growing fan base.” ~ Jazzreview.com

“There’s just something about Causey’s brand of smooth soul that works on your brain and heart and feet like magic. It’s that voice. And those beats. And those hooks. And that voice. Somehow Causey knows just what to do to make you melt, fall in love, dance the night away.” ~ Whatsup magazine

"Causey consistently gives long time soul and R&B fans what they say the music has lacked for years  arrangements that fuse R&B with jazz and a little dash of funk, lyrics that ooze sensuality even while tastefully leaving just enough to the imagination, all sung by a man who has true control of his vocal instrument."~ Soultracks.com

"Despite what you might have been told, there are some things you can count on: The sun coming up in the east (barring some unforeseen Divine demonstration), death and taxes and Ty Causey putting out a great album."~ Frost Illustrated

Mellifluous, enticing, passionate and dexterous  these are superlatives most certainly appropriate for defining the style and sound of acclaimed singer/songwriter/producer, TY CAUSEY. Talented, prolific, and genuine are best in describing who he is. All combined the result unveils an artist that harkens back to the storied crooners of the past, but with a present day sheen that boasts a collage of soul, jazz and R&B. His brand of sensual soul and smooth R&B is winning over a growing number of fans and industry insiders alike on the strength of his acclaimed CDs and live performances causing many to place him amongst the elite vocalists on the scene today.

Causey now returns with another hot new release, COOL IN MY SKIN, that continues his constistent trend of winning projects, boasting his now trademark sound of sensual soul and smooth R&B and featuring guest spots from a host of talented musicians including a musical reunion with contemporary jazz icon, saxophonist and flautist, Najee.

Established fans and those new to Causey's music will be caught and delighted by one of the most engaging voices out now on the strength of outstanding tracks like "Bad Boy", "Keep Your Head Up", "Other Side of Town", and the amazing first single, "Love Me That Way." http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/tycausey14

Cool In My Skin

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Thelonious Monk - Paris 1969

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2013
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 61:42
Size: 141,7 MB
Art: Front

( 7:21)  1. I Mean You
( 6:31)  2. Ruby My Dear
( 6:47)  3. Straight, No Chaser
( 4:21)  4. Bright Mississippi
( 7:39)  5. Light Blue
( 4:54)  6. Epistrophy
( 4:54)  7. Don't Blame Me
( 1:36)  8. I Love You Sweetheart of All My Dreams
( 2:19)  9. Crepescule with Nellie
( 3:08) 10. Bright Mississippi (reprise)
(10:03) 11. Nutty
( 2:04) 12. Blue Monk

Thelonious Monk was having a rough time of it during the latter 1960s. Experiencing health and some economic problems, he was also in dispute with Columbia Records, whose marketing department was trying to re-create him in the image of a rock star (see the cover of Underground). On top of this, he had lost his core rhythm section, bassist Larry Gales and drummer Ben Riley. For his eighth European tour, the pianist hired young, unknown players as accompanists for himself and saxophonist Charlie Rouse: Berklee music school student Nate "Lloyd" Hygelund on bass and 17-year-old drummer Paris Wright  son of bassist Herman Wright. 

This date was recorded on the last night of the tour at the 3,800 seat Salle Pleyel (the same theater in which a far lesser-known Monk, playing with a local rhythm section, had bombed badly in 1954), and was filmed for French television broadcast. The members of this band had been able to establish a rapport during their travels, including a stint at Ronnie Scott's in London as well as gigs in Berlin, Cologne, and Italy. The show finds Monk and band playing well even if, at times, they are just swinging through the tunes rather than embellishing them. The versions of his classic tunes  "Ruby My Dear," "Straight, No Chaser," "Light Blue," "Epistrophy," "Crepuscule with Nelly," "Bright Mississippi" and others are played with a sophisticated command, if not the experimentation they once contained. Wright is a perfectly capable, hard-swinging hard bop drummer; his chops are impressive  for his age  if not exceptional. Hygelund is the perfect timekeeper, always physical and in the pocket, and Rouse, so familiar with his boss' music, plays it so effortlessly and perfectly that at times he seems on autopilot  save for his angular solo on "Light Blue." 

Monk, despite his health problems, seems undiminished. While there is no dancing, unpredictable bashing of chords with his elbows, or other theatrics common to his earlier persona, his sense of rhythm, harmony, imagination, and swing is ample. Wright gets a lesson in how it's all done on "Nutty," when the pianist calls out Philly Joe Jones (then a resident of Paris), who, though looking haggard, adds a polyrhythmic thrust to the proceedings that emboldens and energizes Monk. Another spot where we hear the pianist stretch is in his uncharacteristically busy flourishes on "Ruby My Dear." This volume is a welcome addition to Monk's recorded catalog; it adds a fine performance to counter the then-popular critical notion that the great composer and pianist was languishing. ~ Thom Jurek  http://www.allmusic.com/album/paris-1969-mw0002581640

Paris 1969

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Steve Grismore Trio - Bésame Mucho!

Released: 2012
Size: 139,7 MB
Time: 60:52
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Styles: Organ Jazz trio
Art: Big Front

01. Besame Mucho [7:02]
02. Ritha [5:03]
03. Sunny [5:34]
04. Eight Counts For Rita [4:55]
05. Everything Happens To Me [4:49]
06. Take The Coltrane [4:21]
07. Alice In Wonderland [6:56]
08. Bowlful Of Yok [5:51]
09. Jan Jan [5:53]
10. Sunny-Alternate Take [5:36]
11. Eight Counts For Rita-Alternate Take [4:47]

""We are influenced by all the great musicians of the organ trio tradition--organists like Jimmy Smith, Mel Rhyne, Don Patterson, and Larry Young; guitarists like Wes Montgomery, Grant Green, Kenny Burrell, and George Benson; and drummers like Elvin Jones, Grady Tate, Don Bailey, and Idris Muhammed. For this session we did a combination of tunes from some of these artists as well as our own interpretations of a couple of jazz standards. Over the years I have played with several different drummers on this gig, but for this particular recording it was my pleasure to include a fabulous young drummer who currently lives in Des Moines and teaches at Drake and Grinnell College, John Kizilarmut. Sam, of course, is a legend throughout the Midwest and is a true torchbearer of the jazz organ tradition. Playing with Sam and John is a real treat. I hope you enjoy the music."

Steve Grismore is a guy who has had a huge influence on jazz in Iowa City, being a lecturer in the University Department of Music and co-founder of the Iowa City Jazz Festival. But above all, Grismore is a jazz guitarist, and "Bésame Mucho!" is his latest CD release, performing with organist Sam Salamone and drummer John Kizilarmut. To any jazz-head there’s an immediate, strong connection between this trio’s instrumentation and the work of Jimmy Smith, the famously funky Hammond organ player, whose 1960s trio and quartet records on Blue Note Records defined a certain cool, funky sound.
Bésame Mucho! was conceived by Grismore explicitly as a celebration and homage to that sound. The recording attempts to capture the vibe of Grismore’s performances at The Continental jazz club (Des Moines) with organist Salamone and drummer Kizilarmut. With no original compositions, and no attempt to break new ground in the jazz vernacular, the album’s success or failure is determined solely by the quality of the arrangements and playing.It succeeds. Grismore is a subtle and technically accomplished guitarist whose mellow tone makes even breakneck cascades of notes feel relaxed. Kizilermut’s drumming does much more than keep time—you can hear how intensely he listens to the other players. When Grismore or Salamone solo, he maintains the beat while playing a counterpoint duet with their lead line. It’s impossible to praise Salamone’s playing on the Hammond B3 too highly. It’s actually a difficult instrument to play expressively and Salamone’s right up there with past masters Jimmy Smith and Larry Young. In this Trio he’s playing the bass line with his feet while he stabs and riffs effortlessly. With Smith you can always feel him lean into the funk; by contrast Salamone has a lighter touch, outlining melodies with spiky runs of short notes. Anyone who has loaded in a B3 for a gig knows what a heavy, cumbersome instrument it is, and Salamone makes you believe it can fly.Every so often in jazz someone comes along and revolutionizes the form, but the real heart of the music is the people who keep it a living music by playing it night after night. Doing it right is a continuous act of spontaneous creation, even as you’re playing songs that have been heard a million times before. Bésame Mucho! shines as a collection of classic tracks done right.(~~Kent Williams)

Besame Mucho!

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Sheryl Crow - Home For Christmas

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 45:23
Size: 103.9 MB
Styles: Holiday
Year: 2009
Art: Front

[3:10] 1. Go Tell It On The Mountain
[3:20] 2. The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasing On An Open Fire)
[3:28] 3. White Christmas
[3:39] 4. I'll Be Home For Christmas
[3:14] 5. Merry Christmas Baby
[4:31] 6. The Bells Of St. Mary's
[3:21] 7. Blue Christmas
[3:37] 8. O Holy Night
[3:56] 9. There Is A Star That Shines Tonight
[3:38] 10. Hello My Triend, Hello
[5:11] 11. All Through The Night
[4:11] 12. Long Road Home

Originally released as a Hallmark exclusive for the holiday season of 2008, Home for Christmas was expanded by a single cut for its exclusive 2010 for Target: “Long Road Home,” taken from Sheryl Crow’s fine 2010 tribute to Southern soul, 100 Miles from Memphis. This may be a secular tune, but it fits snugly next to the rest of Home for Christmas, as that holiday record was designed as a slow, soulful stroll through seasonal classics, Crow turning in excellent versions of tunes as diverse as “Go Tell It on the Mountain,” “The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire),” and “I’ll Be Home for Christmas.” Crow doesn’t necessarily reinvent these songs -- “Merry Christmas Baby” is taken at a slightly faster gait than usual, “White Christmas” grooves like classic Stax -- but she does inhabit them and her band is tight and dexterous, giving this Christmas album some unexpected and welcome soul. It’s a good enough holiday album that it shouldn’t be thought of as a thrown-off exclusive: it’s one of the better pop Christmas records of the last half of the 2000s. ~Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Home For Christmas

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