Sam Cooke - Twistin' The Night Away

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 28:44
Size: 65.8 MB
Styles: R&B
Year: 1962/2013
Art: Front

[2:38] 1. Twistin' The Night Away
[2:15] 2. Sugar Dumpling
[2:07] 3. Twistin' In The Kitchen With Dinah
[2:31] 4. Somebody's Gonna Miss Me
[2:19] 5. A Whole Lotta Woman
[2:26] 6. The Twist
[2:07] 7. Twistin' In The Old Town Tonight
[2:33] 8. Movin' And Groovin'
[2:12] 9. Camptown Twist
[2:54] 10. Somebody Have Mercy
[2:06] 11. Soothe Me
[2:30] 12. That's It, I Quit, I'm Moving On

This was one of Cooke's more successful LPs, only his second ever to chart (the first was his 1957 debut long-player), and from here on, all of his albums would sell in serious numbers. Twistin' the Night Away remains one of Cooke's most accessible records, despite the fact that it was a "twist" album, aimed by the producers at cashing in on that craze, and Cooke was shoehorned into doing numbers like "Camptown Twist," "Twistin' in the Kitchen With Dinah," and "Twistin' in the Old Town," as well as his version of Hank Ballard's "The Twist." Around them, the singer is at his most soulful, exciting, and passionate, on the bluesy "Somebody Have Mercy"; the romantic lament "Somebody's Gonna Miss Me"; the ebullient "Sugar Dumpling"; the achingly beautiful, yearning "A Whole Lot of Woman"; the soaring "Soothe Me" (with Lou Rawls); and the slow dance number "Movin' and Groovin' ." One of the great dance albums of its period, but a brilliant soul album as well, which is why it holds up 40 years later. ~Bruce Eder

Twistin' The Night Away

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Charlie Rouse - Soul Mates (Feat. Sahib Shihab)

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 61:58
Size: 141.9 MB
Styles: Saxophone jazz
Year: 1995
Art: Front

[5:45] 1. November Afternoon
[5:08] 2. Green Chimneys
[5:39] 3. Prayer Song
[5:10] 4. So Nice
[6:05] 5. Soul Mates
[5:36] 6. Bohemia After Dark
[5:58] 7. Soft Shoulder
[7:41] 8. I'm Never Happy Anymore
[4:50] 9. Dida
[5:33] 10. Bittersweet
[4:29] 11. Bird's Nest

Soul Mates, an exciting studio date from 1988, combines a front line of Charlie Rouse, Sahib Shihab, and Claudio Roditi (who doubles on trumpet and flügelhorn), with a first-rate rhythm section of Walter Davis, Jr., Santi Debriano, and Victor Lewis. With Don Sickler providing most of the arrangements, the full sextet is heard on six of the 11 tracks. The fast-paced hard bop opener, "November Afternoon," is a neglected work by Tom McIntosh and features some of the hottest playing of the two sessions that make up the date. Rouse, already well-versed in Thelonious Monk's "Green Chimneys," makes the most of Sickler's well-crafted chart, which incorporates quick quirky phrases by Shihab and Roditi to accent his tenor sax. Shihab composed and arranged the tricky "DiDa," in which Davis mirrors the baritone saxophonist throughout the introduction. Rouse is heard with just the rhythm section in his lyrical arrangement of the ballad "Bittersweet." On a sad note, by the time this Uptown CD was finally released in 1993, Rouse, Shihab, and Davis had all passed away. ~Ken Dryden

Soul Mates (Feat. Sahib Shihab)

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Henry Mancini - Breakfast At Tiffany's (50th Anniversary Edition)

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 42:48
Size: 98.0 MB
Styles: Easy Listening
Year: 2011
Art: Front

[2:35] 1. Moon River (Original Main Title)
[3:09] 2. Something For Cat
[3:07] 3. Sally's Tomato
[2:31] 4. Mr. Yunioshi
[2:28] 5. The Big Blow Out
[2:02] 6. Moon River (Audrey Hepburn Version)
[2:31] 7. Hub Caps And Tail Lights
[2:47] 8. Breakfast At Tiffany's
[2:57] 9. Latin Golightly
[3:20] 10. Holly
[3:10] 11. Loose Caboose
[3:08] 12. The Big Heist
[2:36] 13. Moon River Cha Cha
[2:42] 14. Moon River (Choral Version)
[3:38] 15. Moon River [fjohnny Mercer Vocals]

It seems extraordinary now to think that Moon River almost didn't make it into the final cut of Blake Edwards' iconic 1961 film, Breakfast at Tiffany's. However, when a Paramount executive suggested it be deleted after an early screening, it was only at the insistence of the film's star, Audrey Hepburn, that the song was kept in. Of course, the rest is history. Moon River went on to win an Academy Award for Best Original Song, alongside the film's other Oscar, for Best Score.

Henry Mancini's soundtrack is certainly a work of musical storytelling genius. As brassy big band numbers rub shoulders with slinkily suave city sophisticate ones, you find yourself submersed within the 1960s New York It Girl glamour to which Hepburn's character, Holly Golightly, aspires. Then, amidst all this jazzy energy and upper Manhattan class comes Moon River. Simple, wistful, strummed on a guitar as Golightly perches over the fire escape, it's a striking encapsulation of the culture divide between her New York existence and her country roots.

Fast-forward to the present day and, whilst Mancini's music itself sounds as alive and evocative as ever (with the exception of the bizarre Mr Yunioshi theme), it's hard to make a new recording look fresh and desirable when it's been on the market in one form or another since 1961. That said, Jackpot Records have made a pretty good fist of it by offering more bonus tracks than any previous or existing recording.

In addition to the soundtrack itself, there are seven Henry Mancini Orchestra tracks, featuring songs such as Misty and Blue Satin. Then, there are five extra Moon River recordings, performed by Danny Williams, the Eddie Harris Quartet, Jerry Butler & Orchestra, the Grant Green Quartet, and finally Audrey Hepburn's version extracted directly from the film.

Less impressive is the fact that whoever compiled these extra bonus tracks did so by the powers of logic rather than of musical flair, grouping them into two distinct sections. Most people would agree that five Moon Rivers in a row is a bit much even for the most enthusiastic Tiffany's fan. Still, it's all good stuff, and if you don't yet own the soundtrack this will be the version to go for, not least because it's cheaper than the others. You may want to do a bit of re-sequencing, though. ~Charlotte Gardner

Breakfast At Tiffany's (50th Anniversary Edition)

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Diane Marino - From The Heart

Styles: Vocal Jazz, Samba
Year: 2011
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 69:53
Size: 160,4 MB
Art: Front

(2:48)  1. I Concentrate On You
(6:27)  2. Don't Misunderstand
(6:33)  3. Incompatibilidade De Genios
(5:32)  4. (The Man From) The Old Country
(8:38)  5. Killer Joe
(4:26)  6. Anyone Who Had A Heart
(2:51)  7. This Can't Be Love
(6:24)  8. You Don't Know What Love Is
(4:25)  9. So Danco Samba
(6:29) 10. Moanin'
(5:09) 11. Then You Can Tell Me Goodbye
(4:28) 12. Bernie's Tune
(5:35) 13. Once I Loved / O Amor Em Paz

The whole is the sum of its parts. That statement is a principle in the science of mathematics and the art of music. You're holding a sampling of the sum of what I'm musically about. These selections flow from my soul to your heart via the sounds of my voice and piano. This music carries a kind of communication that words alone cannot, and emanates from deep inside me where thoughts are often expressed, and unavoidably felt. To hear these selections, priorities from my life of musical nurturing, is to know me as I've been, and accompany me as I go in multiple directions, often onward, always upward and never backward. I feel as though my music, although having its foundation in Jazz, is resistant to a particular branding. Following the release of my album, "Just Groovin," some people assumed I was a exclusively a smooth jazz artist. Because I'm comfortable with Brazilian music, others later surmised I'm a Brazilian artist. Admittedly, the labels are flattering, but ultimately restrictive. My music is diversified and it's my own, offered for my satisfaction and your edification. I might even refer to this CD as “Eclectic Jazz”. “Eclectic jazz? With this album, have I birthed a new genre? If so, it was intentional, and was the unavoidable upshot of a maverick artist, and the lovable liability of that incessant spiral onward, upward and never backward. Diane Marino… Building Bridges Across Jazz Lines…

When you combine an accomplished vocalist, an accomplished pianist, and accomplished arranger all in one individual, you have the dynamic Diane Marino. M&M Records Recording Artist Diane Marino has recorded, performed, and shared the stage with jazz legends Houston Person, Joe Henderson, Wycliffe Gordon, Pete Escovedo, Tania Maria, Kirk Whalum, pop music icon Felix Cavaliere and many others. Having a passion to “Build Bridges Across Jazz Lines”, Diane arranged and blended the elements of contemporary, traditional, smooth and Latin jazz with great pop standards from the sixties. This creative mosaic of music led to Diane’s 2008 Release, ‘Just Groovin’.
Critically acclaimed, “‘Just Groovin’ is a stellar collection featuring twelve wonderful re-interpretations of pop standards from the sixties. These are not copies of other versions. Diane's fantastic voice and arranging is a breath of fresh air for these tunes, reminding us once again that a great song can be interpreted in any number of styles”… Bob Perry – The Penthouse Radio.

Diane’s debut jazz quartet CD ‘A Sleepin’ Bee’ was released in 2003 and has received national acclaim charting #25 on the national JazzWeek charts as well as receiving extensive radio airplay and rave reviews. This CD offers a wide array of vocal and instrumental traditional jazz standards, Latin jazz, and Brazilian jazz (sung in Portuguese). Diane’s second CD ‘On the Street Where You Live’, released in May of 2004 has also received national acclaim charting on the national JazzWeek charts and proves once again that Diane is a natural whether playing, singing, or both. This CD will take the listener to the very depths of emotions. There is a re-current theme throughout that tells stories of love, and love lost, as well as playful gems of Latin and Brazilian jazz. Diane is joined by bandmates Frank Marino (bass), Mitch Reilly (saxes/flute), and Chris Brown (drums).

Diane has performed at Trumpets Jazz Club in NJ, The Metropolitan Room-NYC, Montreux Atlanta Festival, Town Point Jazz Festival, Music City Jazz & Heritage Festival, WorkPlay Theatre, BayFest, Jazz n’ June Huntsville, Minnetrista Cultural Center Jazz Series, Churchill Grounds Atlanta, Riverfest, Jazz In The Valley, Music Midtown, Bowling Green International Festival, The Jazz Factory, HarborFest, Main Street Jazz Festival, City Stages, Three Rivers Music Festival, Jazz Junction, Bele Chere Music Festival, Franklin Jazz Festival, Summer Lights Music Festival, Celebration of The Arts USCS, and more.

Singer/pianist Diane Marino was born in Manhattan, NYC. She received her early piano training of classical studies and improvisation from the age of 10. Diane was accepted on NYC’S ‘Famed’ High School for the Performing Arts as a classical piano major. She later attended and graduated from Mannes College of Music in Manhattan where she studied piano with world-renowned concert pianist Murray Perahia.  

http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/dianemarino4

From The Heart

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Johnny Guarnieri - Walla Walla

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1975
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 52:26
Size: 120,5 MB
Art: Front

(3:32)  1. Gliss Me Again
(1:56)  2. Walla Walla
(3:59)  3. I Left My Heart in San Francisco
(2:23)  4. Sweet Georgia Brown
(2:56)  5. Tea for Two
(3:03)  6. My Honey's Lovin' Arms
(2:37)  7. The Sheik of Araby
(4:13)  8. Love for Sale
(4:03)  9. Sometimes I'm Happy
(2:37) 10. Cherokee
(3:59) 11. Back Home Again in Indiana
(0:56) 12. One O'Clock Jump
(1:58) 13. Walla Walla (take 2)
(3:19) 14. Black and Blue
(3:38) 15. Gypsy in My Soul
(3:28) 16. Back Home Again in Indiana
(3:41) 17. Gliss Me Again (take 2)

Johnny Guarnieri (March 23, 1917 – January 7, 1985) was an American jazz and stride pianist, born in New York City, perhaps best known for his big band stints with Benny Goodman in 1939 and with Artie Shaw in 1940. Guarnieri is also noted for his embellishment and juxtaposition of jazz with classical piano, such as Scarlatti and Beethoven. In the early 1980s, Guarnieri recorded "Johnny Guarnieri plays Duke Ellington" on a Bosendorfer Grand "SE" player piano, for the Live-Performance Jazz Series.

Throughout the 1940s Guarnieri was a busy sideman, recording with artists such as Charlie Christian, Cozy Cole, Ike Quebec, Charlie Kennedy, Hank D'Amico and Ben Webster. He also led his own group called the "Johnny Guarnieri Swing Men" and recorded with them on the Savoy label, a group that included Lester Young, Hank D'Amico, Billy Butterfield and Cozy Cole. He also led a trio in the 1940s composed of himself, Slam Stewart and Sammy Weiss, recording again for Savoy. During the 1940s he also recorded for the short-lived Majestic label, playing solo piano and with his trio. In 1949 Guarnieri recorded an album with June Christy titled June Christy & The Johnny Guarnieri Quintet.

In his later years Guarnieri shifted more toward jazz education. In commemoration of his reputation as a teacher, Guarnieri's students financed a label for him called Taz Jazz Records. In the 1970s Guarnieri recorded numerous albums on his new label, and until 1982 worked at the "Tail of the Cock" nightclub in Studio City, California. He died onstage during a performance with Dick Sudhalter.  

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johnny_Guarnieri

Walla Walla

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Chantal Chamberland - This is Our Time

Styles: Vocal

Year: 2002

File: MP3@320K/s

Time: 54:00

Size: 123,7 MB

Art: Front

(6:16)  1. This Is Our Time

(6:22)  2. Don't Explain

(3:37)  3. Why Don't You Do Right

(6:07)  4. Here Comes The Rain Again

(6:19)  5. Just The Way

(4:23)  6. Rock Away Baby

(4:53)  7. Fever

(6:12)  8. When You Leave

(5:16)  9. La Vie En Rose

(4:32) 10. The Best Thing

Slow burning passion and world-weary grit coalesce in the sultry, urban nightclub-style vocals of Chantal Chamberland. The Canadian singer/songwriter mines the depths of emotion once again with her album

This Is Our Time, a collection of original compositions, pop covers and classic torch songs. With her mature, aggressive vocal delivery, Chamberland turns each of these songs into an intense display of soul-searching poignancy.Included is a lusciously smoky rendition of the Peggy Lee classic "Fever,"an already sensual song that Chamberland makes even more potent. Also included are covers of Edith Piaf's "La Vie en Rose" and The Eurythmics'"Here Comes the Rain Again"

" Chantal has always had the ability to create moving, atmospheric music out of pop arrangements, and now she effortlessly transfers that ability to jazz... sparse but never empty, This Is Our Time is a smoky affair that manages to avoid the glossy trappings to which some jazz recordings succumb."  Chamberland puts a unique spin on Edith Piaf's beautiful "La vie en rose" as well as her lead-off radio single "Here Comes The Rain Again", first made famous by the Eurythmics. "This is our time showcases Chamberland's talent for jazz with deep, resonating, passionate vocals." http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/chamberland2

This is Our Time

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Silver Horace Quintet - The Tokyo Blues

Styles: Hard Bop
Year: 1962
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 40:01
Size: 91,6 MB
Art: Front

( 6:44)  1. Too Much Sake
(12:13)  2. Sayanora Blues
( 7:43)  3. The Tokyo Blues
( 6:08)  4. Cherry Blossom
( 7:10)  5. Ah! So

Following a series of concert dates in Tokyo late in 1961 with his quintet, Horace Silver returned to the U.S. with his head full of the Japanese melodies he had heard during his visit, and using those as a springboard, he wrote four new pieces, which he then recorded at sessions held on July 13 and 14, 1962, along with a version of Ronnell Bright's little known ballad "Cherry Blossom." One would naturally assume the resulting LP would have a Japanese feel, but that really isn't the case. Using Latin rhythms and the blues as a base, Silver's Tokyo-influenced compositions fit right in with the subtle cross-cultural but very American hard bop he'd been doing all along. Using his usual quintet (Blue Mitchell on trumpet, Junior Cook on tenor sax, Gene Taylor on bass) with drummer Joe Harris (he is listed as John Harris, Jr. for this set) filling in for an ailing Roy Brooks), Silver's compositions have a light, airy feel, with plenty of space, and no one used that space better at these sessions than Cook, whose tenor sax lines are simply wonderful, adding a sturdy, reliable brightness. 

The centerpieces are the two straight blues, "Sayonara Blues" and "The Tokyo Blues," both of which have a delightfully natural flow, and the building, patient take on Bright's "Cherry Blossom," which Silver takes pains to make sure sounds like a ballad and not a barely restrained minor-key romp. The bottom line is that The Tokyo Blues emerges as a fairly typical Silver set from the era and not as a grandiose fusion experiment welding hard bop to Japanese melodies. That might have been interesting, certainly, but Silver obviously assimilated things down to a deeper level before he wrote these pieces, and they feel like a natural extension of his work rather than an experimental detour. ~ Steve Leggett   

http://www.allmusic.com/album/the-tokyo-blues-mw0000081525

Personnel: Horace Silver (piano); Junior Cook (tenor saxophone); Blue Mitchell (trumpet); Gene Taylor (bass instrument, bass guitar); John Harris, Jr. (drums)

The Tokyo Blues

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Joani Taylor - In My Own Voice

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2008
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 73:05
Size: 167,3 MB
Art: Front

(5:15)  1. Just Let Go
(3:34)  2. The Secret
(4:25)  3. Take Five
(5:36)  4. Thank You for Loving Me
(6:39)  5. Who's Gonna Hold Me Now
(3:19)  6. Lucky in Love
(6:43)  7. Peace Lullaby
(6:21)  8. Dance With Me
(7:24)  9. You Are My Sunshine
(4:07) 10. Photograph
(4:49) 11. Compared to What
(6:15) 12. Jim's Lament
(4:28) 13. Dance With Me
(4:02) 14. Just Let Go

Joani Taylor is a grand Dame among jazz singers, displaying a luster in her voice that glitters with the splendor of a Queen’s crown jewels. Taylor’s sixth album In My Own Voice shows her moving from spirited swing jaunts to sultry ballads while swigging a captivating R&B clef in her vocal holster that tells you this is a woman with a sturdy backbone who possesses the vulnerability of a maiden’s heart. Produced by Taylor and Miles Foxx Hill, In My Own Voice has chiefly original material co-written by Taylor with a handful of covers. The songs exhibit the multiple facets of Taylor’s vocals while honing her singing into sculptures for audiences to behold. She sings to a timing that she hears in head similarly to country music’s Faith Hill, which causes the lyrics to spill outside of the melodic lines making her voice move with authority and autonomy from the confines of her surroundings. She is not singing to the music scores but to someone whom she has in mind, which she puts on a pedestal and serenades with the charm of a love-soaked cockatoo. The Latin flare of “Dance With Me” brings out the sultry aspects of Taylor’s register while tracks like “Compared To What” and “Just Let Go” light up with the R&B intonations of her vocal nuances which infuse the melodies with a nice shot of adrenaline. 

Taylor holds her notes longer than humanly imaginable in “You Are My Sunshine” which penetrates deep into the listener’s skin, and the smooth way that she sings “The Secret” stokes a solace over the listener. Her remake of Paul Desmond and Dave and Lola Brubeck’s classic tune “Take Five” inflames a charming flirtation between herself and rapper Jay Kin. Afterwards, Taylor goes into a relaxing mode with a string of smooth torchlight melodies like “Thank You For Loving Me” featuring the lively trumpet curlicues of Brad Turner, and the “Who’s Gonna Hold Me Now” with its silk bedding of consoling piano keys played by Bob Murphy. “Lucky In Love,” penned by Taylor and Sharon Minemoto, has all the classic twinkles and cool cat strut which mark a memorable jazz standard, and the loving way that Taylor’s voice cradles the verses of “Peace Lullaby” is reminiscent of the feminine softness of Dena DeRose showing soulful caresses that feel ideal. In My Own Voice establishes Joani Taylor as a purveyor of love sonnets. Her voice delivers words of love as if they should be an everyday occurrence. Her songs seem more than wishful thoughts and ideal illusions. They seem so real as if these stories actually happened and are still happening everyday. Her album allows audiences to enter a world filled with blissful sensations and starry romances. No one in their right mind could say no to such temptation, and most of all, the human heart craves it. http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/joani5

Personnel: Saxophone - Ross Taggart, Trumpet - Brad Turner, Piano and Hammond B3 organ - Bob Murphy, Guitar - Doug Stephenson, Bass - Miles Foxx, Drums - Buff Allen and Berni Arai, Percussion - Jack Duncan, and Emcee - Jay Kin

In My Own Voice

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Katie Eagleson - Once Upon a Time

Styles: Cabaret
Year: 2007
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 64:44
Size: 148,8 MB
Art: Front

(4:54)  1. Once Upon a Time
(3:19)  2. No One Is Alone
(2:14)  3. What You Don't Know About Women
(3:25)  4. You Are There
(3:54)  5. Losing My Mind
(5:43)  6. The End of a Love Affair
(3:55)  7. Where Do You Start
(2:59)  8. A Little Taste
(4:22)  9. You Must Believe in Spring
(4:52) 10. So Many Stars
(5:16) 11. My Foolish Heart
(4:36) 12. I'm All Smiles
(4:06) 13. How Do You Keep the Music Playing
(4:17) 14. Why Did I Choose You
(2:19) 15. I Like You, You're Nice
(4:24) 16. My Buddy

Katie Eagleson’s first musical memory is of sitting in the family station wagon, singing along with the car radio – and her mother – and Patti Page.  The song was “Let Me Go Lover,” but Katie was singing “Ging Ging Go Gover” because she was two years old.  Fast forward to the present and you can hear Katie’s own recordings on the radio, on Sirius XM Satellite Radio, WXPN and WRTI in Philadelphia, WNYC in New York, and other stations. The youngest of seven children, Katie grew up harmonizing with her sisters, singing songs they learned from their mother.  Singing with her family, and listening to the great singers of American popular music, such as Judy Garland, Fred Astaire, Nat King Cole, and Barbra Streisand, provided the inspiration that determined Katie’s musical taste and career path. 

Katie considers herself a lyric interpreter.  With her excellent pitch and crystal clear diction, it is obvious that she has great respect and appreciation for the composer and lyricist.  Performing the music of songwriters such as the Gershwins, Cole Porter, Stephen Sondheim, or Marilyn and Alan Bergman, she delivers the lyrics, whether sad, romantic, or funny, with great sincerity.  “I’m drawn to songs, of any era, that have words I can sing with emotional honesty,” said Katie.  “When those words are combined with well-crafted music, I think the impact of each is intensified.  And that to me is magic.”  As one reviewer wrote, “The Great American Songbook is a treasure of American culture, and Katie Eagleson is one of those rare vocalists whose artistry both preserves and inspires it.” Since the beginning of her professional career, Katie has been the featured vocalist in many ensembles, ranging from duos to Big Bands, singing “pop” music, in venues large and small, and for events both public and private, including the Philadelphia Museum of Art, Chris’ Jazz Café, and the Sellersville Theater.  These days most of Katie’s performances are jazz cabaret shows with her husband and musical director, Lenny Pierro and his group. http://www.katieeagleson.com/

Once Upon a Time

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The Manhattan Transfer - The Spirit of St. Louis

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2000
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 46:22
Size: 107,7 MB
Art: Front

(2:41)  1. Stompin' At Mahogany Hall
(6:18)  2. The Blues Are Brewin'
(3:28)  3. Sugar
(4:30)  4. A Kiss To Build A Dream On
(3:16)  5. Old Man Mose
(5:29)  6. Do You Know What It Means To Miss New Orleans
(4:11)  7. Gone Fishin'
(5:46)  8. Nothing Could Be Hotter Than That
(4:46)  9. Blue Again
(5:54) 10. When You Wish Upon A Star

You always look for new things from the Manhattan Transfer, and after a couple of releases that weren't too innovative, followed by a three-year gap, suddenly they come out with a really peculiar-sounding, refreshingly weird observance of the Louis Armstrong centennial. It sounds as if they had spent those three years racking their brains trying to come up with a totally different studio sound that's neither nostalgic nor modern. Which is exactly what they've done; the sound is compressed to evoke that of an ancient 78 rpm disc but not any 78 you'll ever encounter, whether by Louis or anyone. You hear all kinds of odd things bumping around in the back like loose parts in a machine, strange electronic treatments of the voices, an accordion wailing through many of the tracks, Delta blues guitar, Cajun, and rock & roll, and even more modern styles (with members of k.d. lang's band and Los Lobos's Steve Berlin joining in). 

The A&R guys probably would have killed to make this CD an exercise in reverent nostalgia  "Do You Know What It Means to Miss Orleans" is the closest thing to it  but a track like "A Kiss to Build a Dream On" with its touch of hip-hop in the rhythm, electronically limited guitar, and strings doesn't sound nostalgic in the least. "Gone Fishin'" is an affectionate, extended Alan Paul/Tim Hauser takeoff on the easygoing rapport between Armstrong and Bing Crosby on their duet version, wisely leaving the funny topical references to the original. "Nothing Could Be Hotter Than That" has some trademark Cheryl Bentyne high-wire vocalese. And to end the album, a normally warm and cozy tune like "When You Wish Upon a Star" opens and closes with a spacy electronic arrangement, with harmonies that thankfully undercut the sweetness, transforming the tune. Louis Armstrong wouldn't have recognized this "tribute," but his younger self probably would have hailed the Transfer's renewed moxie and experimental spirit.  ~ Richard S.Ginell  http://www.allmusic.com/album/spirit-of-st-louis-mw0000619824

The Spirit of St. Louis

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Chris McNulty - The Song That Sings You Here

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 67:08
Size: 153.7 MB
Styles: Vocal jazz
Year: 2012
Art: Front

[5:51] 1. How Little We Know
[6:42] 2. How Are Things In Glocca Morra
[8:22] 3. Jitterbug Waltz
[6:59] 4. Lonely Woman
[8:48] 5. On The Street Where You Live
[4:47] 6. Last Night When We Were Young
[7:30] 7. The Lamp Is Low
[6:04] 8. One Less Bell To Answer
[3:36] 9. Letter To Marta
[8:26] 10. Long Road Home - The Song That Songs You Here

Great art often results from conflict, pain or loss. Australian-born singer Chris McNulty notes that The Song That Sings You Here, in spite of being conceived and recorded before she suffered the death of her son Sam, could have just as easily been conceived and recorded after, summing these circumstances into a type of preemptive creative process filled with both grief and gratitude. The temporal results are a highly refined offering filled with robust standards, finely delivered by the singer's precision quintet under her arrangement direction and that of guitarist Paul Bollenback.

McNulty neatly arranges The Song That Sings You Here, presenting the eight standards first, before concluding the disc with her originals. In attendance are two triptychs contrasting the old with the new. The first pits a suitably bluesy take on Fats Waller's "Jitterbug Waltz" and a swing with momentum view of Lerner and Lowe's "On The Street Where You Live" on either side of pianist Horace Silver's languid "Lonely Woman." These songs are dealt with at length, all greater than six minutes. McNulty's pliant voice navigates the disparate terrain of each song, the direction illuminated with Bollenback's informed playing.

The second threesome includes "Last Night When We Were Young," The Lamp is Low" and "One Less Bell to Answer." The subdued mood of these songs is amplified by McNulty's spot-on delivery, the latter Hal David/Burt Bacharach piece delivered with palpable heartbreak.

The disc closes with McNulty's originals. "Letter to Marta" was composed by McNulty in her teen years and only recently titled, a brief impression of where one belongs and when one realizes it, performed by McNulty and pianist Andrei Kondokov alone. "Long Road Home— The Song That Sings You Here" receives full band support. Breezy and light, the song is naturally sophisticated, with McNulty's most assertive vocals on the disc—eschewing the balladic approach used for the majority of The Song That Sings You Here for a harder emotional approach, and galvanizing the entire offering. ~C. Michael Bailey

Recording information: Eastside Studios, Manhattan.

Chris McNulty (vocals); Anita Wardell (vocals); Paul Bollenback (guitar); Igor Butman (soprano saxophone, tenor saxophone); Graham Wood (piano, Fender Rhodes piano); Andrei Kondokov (piano); Marcus Gilmore (drums).

The Song That Sings You Here

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Eight To The Bar - The Romper Room

Bitrate: 320K/s

Time: 42:04

Size: 96.3 MB

Styles: Swing, R&B

Year: 2010

Art: Front

[3:28] 1. Ding Dang Deal

[3:11] 2. Party In Providence

[3:25] 3. The Hullabalues

[1:59] 4. One Day We're Kings

[4:14] 5. The Romper Room

[4:13] 6. September Blue

[3:50] 7. I Love Ribs

[3:27] 8. Dirty Dog

[3:34] 9. Good For You (Good For Me)

[3:21] 10. Claire Voyant

[4:05] 11. Feels Like Dying

[3:10] 12. Candy Man

Drawing its musical influences from American roots music - swing, boogie woogie, rhythm & blues, soul, Motown, - Eight to the Bar is known for its outstanding instrumentalists and sophisticated musical and vocal arrangements, highlighted by female vocals. With the support of independently-produced albums and videos, Eight to the Bar has cultivated a large, enthusiastic following that has put them in clubs from Disneyland to Disney World as well as Europe and the Carribean. Their rigorous performing schedule (approximately 200 dates per year), has included opening spots for Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, Manhattan Transfer, Robert Cray, Neil Young, Roy Orbison, and Ray Charles.

Listening to Eight to the Bar is a lot like driving along a time-warped highway precisely halfway between Count Basie's Kansas City and the Supremes' Detroit, where the car radio picks up everything from "Take the A Train" to "I heard it Through the Grapevine." Their material, like their outlandish wardrobes and onstage choreo, is a colorful mixture of forties jive, fifties melodrama and sixties Motown. ~ Tom Smith

The Romper Room

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Roger Davidson & David Finck - Umbrellas & Sunshine: The Music Of Michel Legrand

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 51:57
Size: 118.9 MB
Styles: Piano jazz
Year: 2011
Art: Front

[5:21] 1. Les Parapluies De Cherbourg
[4:08] 2. La Valse Des Lilas
[3:52] 3. Les Enfants Qui Pleurent
[5:17] 4. The Summer Knows
[4:13] 5. Watch What Happens
[4:07] 6. His Eyes, Her Eyes
[4:18] 7. The Easy Way Medley
[3:41] 8. The First Time
[3:27] 9. You Must Believe In Spring
[2:37] 10. Look
[5:15] 11. Je Vivrai Sans Toi
[3:36] 12. How Do You Keep The Music Playing
[1:59] 13. Les Parapluies De Cherbourg [piano Solo]

In popular culture, Michel Legrand (who turned 79 on February 24, 2011) is best known for his accomplishments as a composer. But people who really know their jazz also respect the Paris native for his work as an acoustic pianist, and on Umbrellas & Sunshine: The Music of Michel Legrand, fellow acoustic pianist Roger Davidson pays tribute to both Legrand the composer and Legrand the pianist. Forming an intimate duo with upright bassist David Finck, Davidson salutes Legrand's pianistic style, but does so on his own terms. In other words, Davidson acknowledges elements of Legrand's playing, but isn't actually trying to emulate him; the lyrical Davidson still sounds like himself. And he tackles an intriguing variety of Legrand pieces on this 2009 recording. Many of the songs are well-known standards, including "You Must Believe in Spring," "Watch What Happens," "The Summer Knows," and "What Are You Doing the Rest of Your Life?" (which is part of a medley that also includes "The Easy Way"). But Davidson makes his share of less obvious choices as well. Among them: "His Eyes, Her Eyes" (from the 1968 film The Thomas Crown Affair), "The First Time" (which was heard in Falling in Love Again, a romantic comedy from 1980), and the obscure "Look." Many people who are big admirers of Legrand are unfamiliar with "Look," and the very fact that Davidson included that rarity shows that he wasn't afraid to do his homework. So even though Umbrellas & Sunshine has its share of well-known standards, Davidson obviously didn't want this 52-minute CD to have an all-standards-all-the-time approach. Davidson is hardly the first jazz musician to pay homage to Legrand, and he certainly won't be the last. But his sense of adventure makes Umbrellas & Sunshine one of the more memorable Legrand tributes of the 2000s. ~Alex Henderson

Umbrellas & Sunshine The Music Of Michel Legrand

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The Red Rock Hot Club - Gyptology

Styles: Hot Club Jazz, Gypsy Swing
Label: Independent
Released: 2005
File: mp3 @320K/s
Size: 164,5 MB
Time: 70:23
Art: front

1. All Of Me - 4:03
2. Ten Years Gone - 3:35
3. I'll See You In My Dreams - 3:28
4. Viper's Dream - 5:01
5. Dimonic Blues - 3:53
6. Manoirs Des Mes Reves - 7:49
7. You Rascal You - 3:32
8. Gyptology - 6:47
9. Bellville - 2:52
10. Blue Drag - 6:13
11. Bossa Dorado - 4:25
12. Blackwind - 3:44
13. Seul Ce Soir - 11:12
14. Well You Needn'T - 3:42

Personnel:
Rich Daigle -Guitar
Originally from the great state of Maine, Rich graduated from the University of Maine with a Bachelors Degree in Jazz and Contemporary Music. Rich has made Utah his home for the last 10 years, where he teaches and plays music full time, and has received numerous local awards in the field.
Rich has Toured and played with members of Blood Sweat and Tears and the Grammy Nominated group Rare Silk.
Doug Wright - Bass
Doug is a Native Utahn and this guy can Swing a bass line like a hammer. Doug's bass skills have made him one of the most popular faces in the Salt lake music scene. You can hear him with local bands like Six Sided Box, True Grit, Atomic Deluxe, Ice Burn, and many more. Doug also teaches, so if you'd like to learn how to swing on the bass he's the man.
Dr. Charlie Ayers - Rhythm Guitar
Often referred to as "Dr. Rhythm", Charlie is originally from Iowa. Thankfully, he still found time to play his guitar while studying to become an MD. Charlie is band's Gypsy Style Musicologist, and is probably the area's foremost authority on the subject. Gypsy style Rhythm guitar is considered an art form, there is no other musical style that allows a guitar to replace a set of drums. There's no list of bands for Charlie, he's too busy doing things like Healing the sick, Curing Disease, and Saving lives. (oddly enough, those all sound like band names)
Page Mcginnis - Guitar
Page is also from Utah, and is one of the areas finest pickers. He's a jack-of-all-trades on the guitar. He brings a cool mix of Bluegrass and blues to the band, and is just as comfortable in the style of jazz. Very few players can reach that kind of level. You can find Page playing around the Salt lake scene with groups like, Sweet Loretta, Purdy Mouth, Jenk, and many more.
Stuart Maxfield - Violin
Stuart is a Utah native and little is known about this violin wonderkid other that he can pickup most instruments and just play. He's currently studying at BYU, and we certainly hope that won't affect his jazz chops! just kidding.

Notes: The Red Rock Hot Club is recognized as one of the top American Gypsy Jazz Ensembles. Founded in 1999, and led by the swinging guitar styling’s of Rich D’aigle, the group specializes in Gypsy Jazz; a European take of an American Art form. With the added help of Pat and Scott Terry, on guitar and bass, the core of the hot club delivers the sound of Paris (ala 1937), spot on, all the while making it fun and informative.
Guitar genius, Django Reinhardt, along with violinist, Stephane Grappelli, formed the original Hot Club of France in 1937. By intertwining their European roots with American Swing rhythms, based on the masterful phrasings of Louis Armstrong, they subsequently created an entirely new, and yet refined, Jazz genre. The Genre has many names, Gypsy Swing, Jazz Manouche and Hot Swing; but, no matter what you call it, this music ranges from Sweet and Lowdown ballads to hard-swinging, heart-pumping tempos, whose antique harmony create an atmosphere that hooks any listener.
The 2009 Red Rock Hot Club release, “Gypsy Daydream” is receiving rave reviews from the world’s most distinguished Jazz critics. Django Biographer, and foremost Gypsy Jazz authority, Michael Dregni, says, “This album of Gypsy Jazz is the real deal… and lifts them above the ordinary” (Vintage Guitar Magazine June 09’). Frank Forte, (Just Jazz Guitar Magazine), calls the music, “Relaxed and tasteful with gigantic technique!” Veteran Jazz reviewer, Scott Yanow, has said, “Django would have enjoyed this CD, and would certainly sit in with the Red Rock Hot Club!”(L.A. Jazz Scene Magazine April 09’)

Gyptology

Gina Leishman - Bed Time

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2004
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 50:07
Size: 115,2 MB
Art: Front

(3:12)  1. Why So Blue
(2:25)  2. Lonely House
(2:45)  3. Take O Take
(3:58)  4. Come Away Death
(3:49)  5. O Mistress Mine
(5:49)  6. The Soothsayer
(4:54)  7. Ask Me
(4:53)  8. Bed Time
(5:31)  9. Nothing To Say
(4:40) 10. Big Blue Bathtub
(2:47) 11. Hey Ho
(5:17) 12. Glass Dreams

Bed Time Gina Leishman, vocals, piano, ukelele, glasseswith Greg Cohen and Trevor Dunn, bassKenny Wollesen and Roberto Rodriguez, drums and percussionMarc Ribot, guitarDoug Wieselman, guitar and clarinetsAnthony Coleman, pianoSteven Bernstein and Peck Allmond, trumpetJenny Scheinman, violinRob Burger, accordionJD Foster, producer Recorded at Brooklyn Recording - Andy Taub, engineerMastered by Jon Marshall Smith.  The Album. Known for many years as a composer and multi-instrumentalist with numerous recordings to her credit, this recording of Gina Leishman's is one from the heart. Bed Time is the first collection of her favourite original songs, sung by the singer/songwriter herself - Vol. 1 of the Leishman Songbook. 

Her "extraordinary gift for crafting elegant ballads, haunting melodies, and lyrics from the late night" are nowhere more evident than in this beautifully strange collection. Sharing the CD are her unique settings of Shakespeare songs, drawn from her work as an acclaimed theatrical composer on both coasts. The richness of these songs reflect her own innate understanding of the language plus a musical sensibilty born in Europe and bred in downtown New York. Originally created for others to sing and play, Gina is joined by a band of internationally renowned musicians for these new arrangements. The words of the immortal Bard have never sounded quite like this... Listen to this extraodinary combination of ballads from the wee hours, and Shakespeare as he is rarely heard.

Composer, multi-instrumentalist and singer Gina Leishman was born in England, studied music at the Vienna Conservatory and Edinburgh University, and made her home in the U.S., first on the west coast, then in New York. She has written for theater, opera, dance, film, TV and concert stage, garnering numerous awards Ms. Leishman is co-leader of the septet KAMIKAZE GROUND CREW, which has been performing and recording together for 20 years, on both coasts of the US and in Europe. Their recordings can be found on both Koch Jazz and New World Records (and at CDBaby!) Members of the ensemble are Gina Leishman (co-leader, alto and bari sax, bass clarinet, keys, vocals), Doug Wieselman (co-leader, clarinets, sax), Peter Apfelbaum (tenor sax), Steven Bernstein (trumpet, slide trumpet), Art Baron (trombone), Marcus Rojas (tuba), and Kenny Wollesen (drums).

She also co-leads the MR. WAU-WA band, a quintet dedicated to the songs of Bertolt Brecht, for which she is the chief arranger and lead singer. She performs with infrequent regularity as a solo artist and with various other diverse downtown projects, as well as sitting in as occasional guest vocalist/arranger with Steven Bernstein's Millenial Territory Orchestra.

Considering herself more of a "musician who sings", rather than a "singer" per se, music has always been for her primarily about story telling, even when purely instrumental, something that has been fed by her many years of working in the theatre. She also considers songwriting "cheaper than therapy, and a lot more fun". While her instrumental compositions have been influenced by everything from Palestrina to pointillism, her vocal work harkens back to the American balladeers of the '30s through '50s, with a heavy dose of dark European angst.

"One of New York's most versatile composers" - Time Out "...Leishman stole the show" - New York Times"an inspired composer" - S.F. Chronicle  

http://www.cduniverse.com/productinfo.asp?pid=7209715&style=music&fulldesc=T

Bed Time

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Jackie Ryan - Doozy Disc 1 And Disc 2

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2009
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 49:41 (Disc 1)
Size: 114,3 MB (Disc 1)
Time: 54:42 (Disc 2)
Size: 125,7 MB (Disc 2)
Art: Front

Disc 1

(4:08)  1. Doozy
(5:25)  2. You ll See
(6:33)  3. Caminhos Cruzados
(4:49)  4. Do Something
(5:08)  5. With the Wind and the Rain In Your Hair
(5:14)  6. Speak Low
(4:26)  7. I Must Have That Man
(5:12)  8. Dat Dere
(3:45)  9. Beautiful Moons Ago
(4:56) 10. My How the Time Goes By

Disc 2

(4:52)  1. Opportunity Please Knock
(8:34)  2. I Haven t Got Anything Better to Do
(5:25)  3. Brigas Nunca Mais/A Felicidade
(7:50)  4. Spring Can Really Hang You Up the Most
(4:26)  5. Solamente una Vez
(3:06)  6. Summer Serenade
(4:22)  7. Get Rid of Monday
(6:01)  8. Midnight Sun
(3:25)  9. Tell Me More and More and Then Some
(6:37) 10. Some Other Time

This two-CD set is vocalist Jackie Ryan's third recording and it's definitely a keeper. On the heels of her 2007 success, You And The Night And The Music (Open Art Productions), which landed on the charts, also appears destined for success. With her clear, rich voice, Ryan undoubtedly has one of jazz's great vocal instruments no low-note warble or reedy high notes for her and with a 3-1/2 octave range, she handles each song with aplomb. In addition, she has a sure sense of phrasing and an unerring accuracy for getting to the heart of a song. To say she always swings is an under-statement.

Based in the San Francisco Bay area, Ryan has played around the world London, Japan, Amsterdam and made a memorable 2006 appearance in New York at the Lincoln Center. Along the way, she has been backed by some of the best, including Clark Terry, Toots Thielemans, Barry Harris, Terry Gibbs, Buddy DeFranco and Red Holloway.  Her accompaniment here is led by peerless pianist Cyrus Chestnut , and includes a superb front line of tenor saxophonist Eric Alexander, trumpeter Jeremy Pelt and the great Brazilian guitarist, Romero Lubambo.

Ryan includes a collection of pop tunes, Latin American songs and under- appreciated jazz compositions. Everything stands out on about the CD, making it difficult to choose highlights, but here are a few: On the opening title track, her original vocalese interpretation brings to mind the great Annie Ross, with tasty solos delivered by Pelt, Alexander, and Chestnut. Ryan's ability to tell a story and the flexibility of her voice is displayed in "Do Something," as she ranges up and down the scales and in and out of the melody. Also, Chestnut's expertise as an accompanist is reaffirmed in his embellishments. Another favorite, "Speak Low" executed with a samba beat is a vivid example of how Ryan builds dramatic intensity.

Lubambo's guitar magic is conjured particularly well in Jobim's "Caminhos Cruzados." His infectious bossa nova rhythm frames Ryan's sensual rendering. Later, their duo on Augustin Lara's classic "Solamente Una Vez" is blissfully beautiful.  Leonard Bernstein's "Some Other Time" finishes off the set, featuring just Ryan and Chestnut. Someone once said that "less is better." That maxim is proven with the stark beauty of this piece. ~ Larry Taylor   

http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/article.php?id=34561#.UruO7rTJI0g

Personnel: Jackie Ryan: vocals; Eric Alexander: saxophone; Jeremy Pelt: trumpet, flugelhorn; Cyrus Chestnut: piano; Romero Lubambo: guitar; Ray Drummond: bass; Dezron Douglas: bass; Carl Allen: drums; Neal Smith: drums.

Doozy Disc 1
Doozy Disc 2

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Bob Kindred & Paul Meyers - Your Place Or Mine

Styles: Jazz, Easy Listening
Year: 2011
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 48:25
Size: 112,9 MB
Art: Front

(4:28)  1. These Foolish Things
(3:27)  2. I Got It Bad and That Ain't Good
(2:49)  3. My Funny Valentine
(3:26)  4. The Touch of Your Lips
(4:04)  5. Tenderly
(3:53)  6. Makin' Whoopie
(3:56)  7. Hey, Look Where I Am
(4:16)  8. Everything I Have Is Yours
(3:40)  9. My Foolish Heart
(3:16) 10. Perdu
(5:09) 11. Teach Me Tonight
(2:37) 12. Two Dances of Love (Flirtation Embrace)
(3:19) 13. Love Is Just Around the Corner

That romantic moment can happen at anytime. Be ready! ‘Your Place Or Mine’ will set the mood. This is the CD to have in your collection for those moments.

“Bob Kindred invests every note with passion,” “The ‘Gentle Giant’ of the tenor saxophone,” “Just plain sexy!”… combined with the intimate beauty of Paul Meyers’ acoustic guitar, ‘Your Place Or Mine’ sets the scene for an unforgettable evening of romance. http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/bobkindredandpaulmeyers

Your Place Or Mine

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Alma Micic - Tonight

Size: 91,2 MB
Time: 38:57
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2013
Styles: Vocals, Crossover Jazz
Art: Front

01. Dark Cloud (4:16)
02. Love Is Stronger Than Pride (4:42)
03. Woke Up This Morning (4:37)
04. Roxanne (4:23)
05. Tonight (4:56)
06. What Can I Do For You (4:37)
07. Sweet Child Of Mine (4:23)
08. Kot' Pokida Sa Grla Djerdane (4:00)
09. Dawn (3:00)

New York based, Belgrade born jazz vocalist and songwriter Alma Micic has released her highly anticipated third album “Tonight” is a collaboration with celebrated guitarist and producer Doug Wamble. Here is what Alma says on her new record:

“I really took my time with this material. We recorded over time at Doug’s house, talking about what the songs meant to me and how I wanted that projected. All the original songs featured were written within one year, are all part of the same “story,” and go hand in hand with the pop covers that we arranged. There is soul and blues and longing in all of them, and the Serbian traditional tune is transported to Memphis, Tennessee via Doug’s guitar playing.”

Alma Micic has been featured in magazines such as Downbeat, JazzTimes, Jazzwise, All About Jazz as well as Boston Phoenix, Boston Globe, Riverdale Press and the New York Times.

Alma’s singing has been described as “confident, soulful, vulnerable, rhythmically savvy, with the most sensual vibrato you’re likely to hear” (All About Jazz).She has received numerous awards such as the Cleo Laine Award for Outstanding Musicianship and BRIO Award from the NY Arts Council.

*** Happy New Year ***

Tonight

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Steven Yelich - I Get My Way

Size: 80,2 MB
Time: 34:30
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2013
Styles: Vocal Jazz, Piano Jazz
Art: Front

01. I Get My Way (1:56)
02. Times Square To Try (2:54)
03. No Easy Money (3:21)
04. Got It! (2:50)
05. It Goes Without Saying (4:23)
06. Five More Minutes (4:03)
07. Winter Rain (3:24)
08. Dreams Withheld (3:41)
09. In A Hurry (2:22)
10. Love Of Comfort (5:32)

This album fuses the best of the pop and jazz worlds. Thoughtful lyrics mesh with strong melodies to make each track convey the kind of heart that music has not had in decades. Watch for Beatles references and swinging jazz solos!

No one listens to twenty-eight minute jazz solos. But turn on the radio, and the alternative is even worse: mindless repetitions with no musical variety. I want listeners to enjoy solos, and I want songs to have a carefully crafted musical architecture. I used the same compositional techniques that made my favorite artists great. I can even point to influences from the Beatles, Beethoven, Bill Evans, Billy Childs, and Billy Joel (and those are just the B's!). However, this music stands on its own, as all its influences were filtered through my personal creative lens.
Listen to modern music, and you might hear a heavy beat paired (perhaps randomly) with a bass track, and some lyrics about partying and living it up, as though that is the point of existence.
Listen to my music, and you might hear more about the human experience. You'll hear elements of your own life in the lyrics and in the heart-felt melodies. Listen to my music, and you'll hear, well, I Get My Way.

I Get My Way

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The Bill Elliott Swing Orchestra - Swingin' The Century

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 45:10
Size: 103.4 MB
Styles: Swing, Jump blues
Year: 1999
Art: Front

[3:00] 1. Swingin' The Century
[2:59] 2. The Shim Sham Song
[3:17] 3. 69 Camp Hollywood Special
[3:07] 4. When We Dance
[2:36] 5. I'm Fallin' In Love Again
[3:14] 6. Hep Hop
[3:26] 7. Blues In The Night
[2:37] 8. Somebody Loves Me
[2:33] 9. Let's Get Married
[3:19] 10. Oh, Lady Be Good
[3:19] 11. Boogie Woogie Rhumba
[2:43] 12. Maze Of Death
[2:14] 13. At The Coconut
[3:48] 14. Come Rain Or Come Shine
[2:50] 15. Jeep Jockey Jump

Long time favorites in the L.A. swing scene, the Bill Elliott Swing Orchestra deftly recreates the sound of big bands from the 1930's and 1940's. On their third album Swingin' The Century, Bill, his vocal group The Lucky Stars, and the 15 piece orchestra lay to rest any rumours that the swing scene is dying. The instrumental title track, "Swingin' the Century," starts off the album and re-introduces the use of a clarinet, which was noticeably absent on the last album Calling All Jitterbugs!.

Much Of Elliott's music on this album is geared towards dancers, "The Shim Sham Song" having been written specifically for the Shim Sham, a sort of swing line-dance, at the urging of Rusty Frank, an L.A. dance instructor who specializes in Shim Sham. Bill also pays tribute to the dancers in "Camp Hollywood Special." Camp Hollywood is a popular L.A. dance camp/workshop that teaches the Dean Collins 'smooth style' Lindy Hop, which is often referred to as 'Hollywood Lindy' because of its prevalence in films of the 1930's like Hellzapoppin' and The Groovie Movie. And while I never thought I would hear an ode to Merv Griffin, that's just what "At the Coconut Is." It was written as a sort of thank you to Griffin, who is the owner of the Beverly Hills Hotel and opened up The Coconut Club last year and turned it into a haven for big bands to play to a dance floor where "Swing kids mix with the Hollywood elite."

Ten of the fifteen songs on the album are original compositions like the hilarious "Let's Get Married" and "Maze Of Death," which sounds like the theme to a forgotten noir thriller from the 40's. With the vocal stylings of Cassie Miller and the Lucky Stars, Bill also takes on classics like Arlen & Mercer's "Come Rain Or Come Shine" and Gershwin's "Oh Lady Be Good" to spectacular results. Maybe khakis don't swing anymore, but Bill certainly does. ~Courtney Knopf

Recorded at Capitol Studios, Hollywood, California between December 1998 and May 1999.

Michael Lescault, Cassie Miller (vocals); Barry Zwieg (guitar); Don Shelton , Bob Reitmeier (clarinet); John Reilly, Gene Burkert, Ray Herrmann (reeds); Jay Mason (alto saxophone); Roger Neumann, Jeff Driskill (tenor saxophone); Chuck Erdahl (baritone saxophone); Darrel Gardner, Donald Clarke, Gary Halopoff, Jeff Bunnell, Wayne Bergeron, John Grab (trumpet); Charlie Morillas, Andy Martin, Bruce Otto (trombone); Brad Dutz (bongos).

Swingin' The Century

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