Silky Denims

Monday, January 13, 2014

Johanna Grussner - Come Rain Or Come Shine

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 40:38
Size: 93.0 MB
Styles: Jazz vocals
Year: 2011
Art: Front

[3:55] 1. Caravan
[3:10] 2. Come Rain Or Come Shine
[4:50] 3. Save Your Love For Me
[4:31] 4. A Felicidade
[4:09] 5. Honeysuckle Rose
[3:21] 6. Moon And Sand
[4:11] 7. How Long Has This Been Going On
[2:56] 8. Norwegian Wood
[3:02] 9. Samba De Um Nota So
[6:28] 10. Little Guy At Bachin's

Her clear-as-a-bell vocals, assured phrasing and near perfect grasp of English put Johanna Grüssner right at the top of the current crop of Scandinavian female jazz singers. Come Rain Or Come Shine is her third solo album and best yet: a gently swinging, highly enjoyable mix of straight jazz and Brazilian samba, performed with supreme professionalism.

Grüssner, from the Finnish Åland islands, makes use of a broad musical palette. On previous albums she has sung both Swedish and Finnish traditional songs, interpreted songs featured in Finnish author Tove Jansson's Moomintroll children's stories and, with her two sisters Ella and Isabella, been a lynch pin of the folk group Daughters Of The Wolf.

Jazz, however, remains her principal bag. She's paid her dues with studies at the Berklee College of Music in Boston and Manhattan School of Music, and with sporadic gigging in New York City. On this release, she's accompanied by some of the most talented musicians in Stockholm, where she now lives. They include Ulf Karlsson, who helped her produce and whose work on both six and twelve-string guitars is impeccable. ~Chris Mosey

Come Rain Or Come Shine

Dave McKenna Quartet - Dave McKenna Quartet Featuring Zoot Sims

Bitrate: 320K/s

Time: 62:55

Size: 144.0 MB

Styles: Piano jazz

Year: 1974/1994

Art: Front

[5:59] 1. Limehouse Blues

[6:00] 2. I Cover The Waterfront

[3:11] 3. 'deed I Do

[5:14] 4. Grooveyard

[3:30] 5. One Good Turn

[2:49] 6. Dave's Tune

[4:21] 7. Linger A While

[5:20] 8. There's Gonna Be Some Changes Made

[4:38] 9. Wherever There's Love

[7:08] 10. I Cover The Waterfront

[4:53] 11. Grooveyard

[5:06] 12. One Good Turn

[4:42] 13. Wherever There's Love

Prior to his longtime association with the Concord label, pianist Dave McKenna's four Chiaroscuro albums (of which this CD brings back the second) did a great deal to make the veteran mainstream pianist known to the general jazz public. This set features McKenna, bassist Major Holley and drummer Ray Mosca joined by the great swing tenor Zoot Sims, who doubles on soprano. The original nine-song program is augmented by four previously unreleased numbers. Highlights of the fine straight-ahead date include "Limehouse Blues," "Deed I Do," "Linger Awhile" and two versions of "I Cover the Waterfront." ~Scott Yanow

Dave McKenna Quartet Featuring Zoot Sims

Rob Keiter - The Glory Of Love

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 57:04
Size: 130.7 MB
Styles: Easy Listening, Jazz vocals
Year: 2010
Art: Front

[5:18] 1. This Nearly Was Mine
[5:23] 2. Looking For Another Pure Love
[4:50] 3. Laughter In The Rain
[3:32] 4. The Glory Of Love
[3:08] 5. Alfie
[4:16] 6. For No One
[6:24] 7. What Are You Doing The Rest Of Your Life
[3:47] 8. Get Happy
[6:13] 9. Our Loving Eyes
[4:22] 10. Grateful For A Pleasant Trip
[5:11] 11. What The World Needs Now
[4:35] 12. You Are My Heaven

As Rob Keiter stood at the microphone in the vocal booth recording his vocals for "This Nearly Was Mine," the opening track of his The Glory of Love album, a torrential flood of tears burst forth unexpectedly. Although he could not contain his raw emotions while singing the heartfelt words about love lost, he sang anyway. What was captured on the recording was something special and it established the tone for the entire collection of classic love songs in jazz settings.

"When I finished singing, I went into the control room to try to explain what happened. Everyone was silent. They felt it. The song ("This Nearly Was Mine") was recorded in one take. We agreed not to record it again, that what we got was genuine and could not be duplicated," revealed Keiter.

When Keiter began the recording sessions with producers Amber and Rob Whitlock for The Glory of Love, he was in the midst of a dark period following the breakup of a twenty-three year marriage. Singing the songs that comprise the collection enabled him to grieve as well as to find new hope. "Even though I had lost love, I wanted to sing love songs because I still believe in love. Having sung my entire life, I would say that I truly found my voice as a result of that experience (in the studio)," he explained.

Keiter's voice is suave, sophisticated, and silky smooth yet rich with feeling and warmth. Although The Glory of Love is distinctly jazz - contemporary, swing and straight-ahead - Keiter and The Whitlock's culled material with jazz, pop, R&B and even theatrical roots. He recorded jazzy versions of eleven songs written by the likes of Rodgers & Hammerstein, Neil Sedaka, John Lennon & Paul McCartney, and a pair of songs each by Hal David & Burt Bacharach and Stevie Wonder. The Whitlock's penned an original song, "Grateful For A Pleasant Trip," specifically for Keiter. Backing the crooner in the studio was a fine cast of musicians including Grammy winner Randy Brecker (trumpet), Rob Whitlock (piano), Pat Kelley (guitar), Trey Henry (bass), Cliff Almond (drums), Amber Whitlock (vocals) and a horn section consisting of Wayne Bergeron (trumpet and flugelhorn), Andy Martin (trombone) and John Rekevics (saxes and flutes). Radio stations will have a difficult time choosing between a handful of emphasis tracks such as "Laughter in the Rain," "What The World Needs Now," "Looking For Another Pure Love," "For No One" and "What Are You Doing The Rest Of Your Life."

The Glory Of Love

Claire Martin - Secret Love

Styles: Jazz Vocals
Year: 2009
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 52:29
Size: 120,8 MB
Art: Front

(3:31) 1. Secret Love
(5:56) 2. But Beautiful
(4:10) 3. The Meaning of the Blues
(3:08) 4. Jive
(2:54) 5. Love Is a Bore
(4:17) 6. Where Do You Start
(6:18) 7. God Give Me Strength
(3:29) 8. Get Happy
(4:49) 9. My Buddy
(3:48) 10. Cheek to Cheek
(5:44) 11. Don't Misunderstand
(4:21) 12. Something Cool

Secret Love is the 10th album for Linn records from the first lady of British jazz and (as ever) she brings great musicians and formidable but not over-sung material together to craft something that will last a lifetime. Claire Martin always performs with personality, attitude and an attention to sonic detail, and it's testament to her great technique and vocal power that she's as astonishingly good live as she sounds on this album. Johnny Mandel's "Where Do You Start?" is a heart-rending, intimate portrayal of a disintegrating relationship, sung in a duo with long-standing collaborator, guitarist Jim Mullen. Claire's great control of rhythm and pace means that she can make much out of little instrumentation. Jim's liquid guitar phrases support Claire's golden-syrupvocal perfectly and give her the space to bend and shape the rhythm to the emotional ups and downs of the song. In Bacharach and Costello's "God Give Me Strength", Claire calls on her significant vocal range, and moves from breathy whispers to lungfulls of power in just a few bars. She holds her own easily against the three percussionists giving it their all, and wringspassion from every belted-out note. It's not just in the slower, more passionate numbers that Claire excels, though. Gareth Williams, one of Claire's favoured pianists, has created a dizzyingly fast arrangement of "Cheek to Cheek", in which Claire paces herself on the intro, before dense piano-work from Gareth gives the song liftoff. Laurence Cottle the jazz musician's bass guitarist unveils a lyrical, vocalised solo at breakneck speed here, and there's plenty of space for the trio to swing.

Again, in the percussion-centric "Get Happy", the musicians are given free rein to solo, led by Nigel Hitchcock's boppish sax, once Claire and Clark Tracey have shared the intro together on voice and drums. Two more of Claire's buddies - Sir Richard Rodney Bennett and saxophonist Bobby Wellins - come together with her to celebrate the life of recently departed writer, broadcaster and mutual friend Joel Siegel with the song "My Buddy". A wistful and breathy solo from Bobby, velvet vocals from Claire, and Sir Richard's understated piano create a poignant and delicate tribute. Claire's diction and delivery arean extension of her speaking voice and attitude (of which she has plenty!) There's never a sense that she's over-acting or over-emphasising - which marks her as a natural. So, hold on. Why hasn't Claire got Grammies and platinum discs coming out of her ears? Why is she such an unsung singer? At least this conspiracy means that we haven't lost her to the impersonal gigs that megastardom brings...yet. ~ Kathryn Shackleton http://www.bbc.co.uk/music/reviews/grdp

Secret Love

Jeff Golub - Grand Central

Styles: Smooth Jazz
Year: 2007
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 61:12
Size: 140,6 MB
Art: Front

(3:48) 1. Hello Betty
(4:24) 2. Lulu's Back
(6:00) 3. If You Want Me to Stay
(4:17) 4. Mojito
(4:52) 5. Something
(5:13) 6. Shockwave
(4:51) 7. Slinky
(4:10) 8. Grand Central
(4:08) 9. Ain't No Woman (Like the One I Got)
(5:37) 10. The Way I Feel Tonight
(5:31) 11. Stuffin' It
(3:34) 12. Brooklyn Dreams
(4:42) 13. Let's Stay Together

A staple of the smooth jazz format since the mid-'90s, the former sideman for Rod Stewart fills a unique rock/blues gap between the genre's overabundance of R&B-influenced saxmen and the cool, classy elegance of artists like Chris Botti. At his best, as on this exciting collection, he's raw and just a bit dirty, wailing with his buddies and having some loose, energetic fun. Though fans mostly saw him out there on the Guitars & Saxes Tour or on countless smooth cruises, Jeff Golub spent his down time at home in N.Y.C. seeking out local clubs where he could jam with his buddies and break in some new material. Fashioned as a celebration of both the loud and subtle conversations between workaday New Yorkers, Grand Central found Golub happy in the midst of his adopted hometown, jamming hard and fast as if the subway's doors are closing and he's just about to jump on or off. He plays it mostly fast and funky, but shows a unique emotional depth by making his guitar gently weep on a nice cover of "Something."

It's clear he's having a blast taking a live-in-the-studio approach with a handful of the cats he ensembles with around town. Keyboardist Chris Palmaro throws a buoyant piano harmony down on the brassy scorcher "Hello Betty" (inspired by an old romantic gum commercial!) as easily as he creates a retro-chill cool on Sly Stone's "If You Want Me to Stay" (a vibe that echoes Golub's more laid-back previous disc, Temptation). On the Ray Charles-influenced "The Way I Feel Tonight," the guitarist's sweet, bluesy charm is massaged by Palmaro's brooding B-3 and pianist Kenny White's jazzy shimmer. Golub always includes tracks with his smoothie all-star pals; here, Rick Braun leads the horn section on "Hello Betty" (which he also produced), Kirk Whalum goes dark and cool on the acoustic jazz ballad "Slinky," and Richard Elliot keeps the customer satisfied on a pleasant cover of "Ain't No Woman Like the One I Got." The brightest cameo belongs to Philippe Saisse, who invokes the spirit of Les McCann stunningly on the crazed, horn-drenched soul-jazz jam "Mojito," a track inspired by a drink Golub dubbed a favorite on one of the smooth cruises. After a low-key chilled-out turn on his previous disc, it's great to hear him partying again. ~ Jonathan Widran http://www.allmusic.com/album/grand-central-mw0000567911

Grand Central

Patricia Vonne - Rattle My Cage

Released: 2013
Size: 83,7 MB
Time: 36:16
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Styles: Americana,Latin Flamenco-Rock,Tex-Mex,...
Art: Big Front

01. Rattle My Cage [4:53]
02. Dark Mile [4:07]
03. Ravage Your Heart [4:51]
04. Que' Maravilla [4:29]
05. This Cat's In The Doghouse [2:56]
06. Bitter Need [4:10]
07. Dulce Refugio [2:52]
08. Paris Trance [2:42]
09. Tequileros [3:02]
10. Mexicali De Chispa [2:10]

Rattle My Cage finds singer, songwriter, bandleader and actress Vonne collaborating on songs with some of the most distinguished Texas musicians that have inspired and informed her music: the late Doyle Bramhall, Alejandro Escovedo, Rosie Flores and Johnny Reno alongside some of her other favorite musical talents. The result, raves her hometown San Antonio Express News, "is her best, edgiest and most focused album yet. The image is tougher; so is the music."
The 10-song collection is suffused with Vonne's bracing passion, deep heart, and the determination that led her to make music her life, start her own label, Bandolera Records, and become a popular live attraction in not just Texas but Europe, where she recently completed her 21st tour, capped by an appearance at the prestigious Montreux Jazz Festival. Rattle My Cage also distills the distinctive multicultural rocking borderland roots style she has developed into its most potent and tantalizing brew to date.
The title track, co-written with Reno (who played saxophone with Stevie Ray Vaughan's original Double Trouble & Chris Isaak), opens the set with a shimmering blast of high-octane guitar rock sparked by the sexy muscularity of the customized classic hot rods that gather annually in Austin at the Lonestar Rod & Custom Round Up.
Similarly, her collaboration with Escovedo, "Ravage Your Heart," is a powerhouse mid-tempo rocker in which "a lover's kiss makes an angel sigh," and "Tequileros" is an intoxicating Tex-Mex rave-up penned with Alex Ruiz of Austin's flamenco rockers Del Castillo, whose bandmate Rick Del Castillo laces the number with whip-snapping electric guitar.
Vonne shows the range of flavors and styles that inform her music on the mesmeric Latin-tinged romantic plea of "Que Maravilla," the classicist cafe piano/singer crooning of "Bitter Need" (co-written with Peter Kingsbery from the pop band Cock Robin), the snappy Iberian dance of "Dulce Refugio" (written about the ravages of insomnia with San Antonio rocker Michael Martin of The Infidels), and the meld of hot gypsy jazz on "Paris Trance." One of her proudest moments on the disc is the bristling blues-tinged lament, "Dark Mile," written with Texas legend Doyle Bramhall, known for penning such hits with Stevie Ray Vaughan as "The House Is Rockin'" and "Change It." Vonne dips back into the 1950s on the rollicking number she wrote with her pal Rosie Flores, "This Cat's in the Doghouse" (which Flores also recorded on her last album). And then she closes the set by showing her impressive stuff on electric and acoustic guitars on the vividly Southwestern instrumental number, "Mexicali de Chispa," composed with her brother, famed filmmaker Robert Rodriguez.
Vonne is backed on most tracks by her Band: longtime collaborator Robert La Roche (formerly of Virgin Records recording act The Sighs) on guitar, bassist Scott Garber (whose many credits include Giant Sand, Ronnie Lane, Escovedo, The Silos and more) and drummer Dony Wynn (who has worked with the likes of Robert Plant, Robert Palmer and Dr. John). Noted instrumental guests include such top Austin keyboard talents as Ian McLagan (of Small Faces/Faces fame), Bukka Allen and Michael Ramos plus Reno on saxophone and Joe Reyes (of Lara and Reyes) on nylon string guitar. The album is also her fourth outing helmed by producer/engineer and musician Carl Thiel, whose time growing up in Mexico City and vast musical vocabulary have made him an ideal studio foil for Vonne's stylistically broad sound.

Rattle My Cage

Sunday, January 12, 2014

Bellevue Cadillac - Once In A Blue Moon

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 72:52
Size: 166.8 MB
Styles: Swing, Jump blues
Year: 2010
Art: Front

[ 6:27] 1. 2 Suit Strut
[ 4:17] 2. Snake Charmer
[ 4:42] 3. 1 Girl 2 Pretty
[ 4:02] 4. Guilty
[ 3:31] 5. Cruisin'
[ 5:45] 6. Jaja Opobo
[ 3:05] 7. Perfect Crime
[ 3:07] 8. Monkey Tune
[ 8:38] 9. Ships
[ 6:27] 10. Summerset
[ 5:42] 11. Blow Wind Blow
[10:42] 12. Lay Your Money Down
[ 6:20] 13. Under Your Spell

This blues band, headed by Professor Doug Bell on guitar and vocals, recorded this 13 track disc at the Half Note Jazz Club in Athens, Greece. Boston area fans of Bellevue will not be surprised to hear the Athens audience receive the band as enthusiastically as they are back here on their home turf.The best way to describe Bellevue Cadillac’s sound is blues that flows with the fluid, free, largeness of jazz. The horn section is responsible for much this group’s swinging, swaying mounds of sound. Yet, the others also play their instruments with a mastery that allows them to stretch the frameworks of blues song structures. Throughout the disc, these players express the sheer joy of music with an inspiring sense of fun.

On this live outing Bell and his boys jump, swing, rattle, and roll with juicy instrumental portions, and winsome vocal lines. Bell applies his handsome vocal in a warm embrace of his street wise yet romantic lyrics. On “Snake Charmer” Keyboardist Tim “Miles” Long turns up the bluesy organ charm with rich, thick notes and swirls. Bell, with his mellifluous mid range croon, takes it around the block with much vocal power. ~Bill Copeland

Once In A Blue Moon

Stacey Kent - Collection I, II & III

New York native Stacey Kent never anticipated a career in jazz music: she was a Sarah Lawrence graduate with a degree in comparative literature. But her childhood days spent listening to the traditional beauty of Frank Sinatra and Nat King Cole undoubtedly influenced her. While on holiday in Europe after graduating from college, she took up singing without much formal training and never looked back.

Kent became acquainted with several musicians at Oxford in 1991, and through them she found herself participating in a jazz course at the famed Guildhall School of Music and Drama. There she also met her future husband, tenor saxophonist Jim Tomlinson, and landed a spot in the class. Her next spot was singing with the Vile Bodies Swing Orchestra at the Ritz Hotel in London, quickly landing a role in Ian McKellen's Richard III film, playing a big-band singer. The mid-'90s were more focused on recording and in 1996, Kent inked a deal with Candid Records. A year later, the critically acclaimed Close Your Eyes was issued; Tender Trap followed in 1999. Her third LP, Let Yourself Go: Celebrating Fred Astaire, which showcased popular standards, appeared in spring 2000. The ballad-oriented Dreamsville appeared the next spring. She also recorded an album with Tomlinson titled Lyric, and appeared on Blue Note for several albums during the 2000s. In 2010 Kent released the all-French album Raconte-Moi, which went on to achieve gold status in both France and Germany. The live album, Dreamer in Concert -- recorded at the La Cigale in Paris -- appeared a year later in 2011. Two years later, Kent return with The Changing Lights; inspired by her love of Brazillian music, the album saw her working with Portuguese poet Antonio Ladeira and French lyricist Bernie Beaupère. ~bio by MacKenzie Wilson

Album: Collection
Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 58:46
Size: 134.5 MB
Styles: Standards, Jazz vocals
Year: 2004
Art: Front

[4:00] 1. Comes Love
[4:57] 2. They Can't Take That Away From Me
[4:25] 3. They All Laughed
[4:06] 4. All Too Soon
[5:18] 5. I'm Just A Lucky So And So
[6:33] 6. East Of The Sun
[5:04] 7. In The Still Of The Night
[4:20] 8. He Loves And She Loves
[3:55] 9. Isn't This A Lovely Day
[3:21] 10. It's De-Lovely
[6:56] 11. You Go To My Head
[5:44] 12. Day In - Day Out

Collection

Album: Collection II
Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 54:54
Size: 125.7 MB
Styles: Standards, Jazz vocals
Year: 2007
Art: Front

[4:21] 1. The Gentle Rain
[2:58] 2. Shall We Dance
[5:31] 3. Little Girl Blue
[2:33] 4. I Guess I'll Have To Change My Plan
[5:31] 5. Dreamsville
[6:30] 6. I Concentrate on You
[2:23] 7. You Are There
[3:43] 8. Let Yourself Go
[4:39] 9. I've Got a Crush on You
[4:08] 10. Zing! Went the Strings of My Heart
[5:50] 11. One For My Baby (and One More For the Road)
[4:10] 12. Little White Lies
[2:32] 13. Hushabye Mountain

Collection II

Album: Collection III
Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 51:31
Size: 117.9 MB
Styles: Standards, Jazz vocals
Year: 2009
Art: Front

[4:17] 1. You've Got a Friend
[4:09] 2. What the World Needs Now Is Love
[3:44] 3. Nobody's Heart
[4:02] 4. The Trolley Song
[4:35] 5. It Never Entered My Mind
[4:52] 6. I Got It Bad (And That Ain't Good)
[3:03] 7. This Can't Be Love
[3:44] 8. People Will Say We're In Love
[3:38] 9. Shall We Dance
[4:59] 10. Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered
[4:01] 11. I Wish I Were in Love Again
[3:24] 12. The Best Is Yet to Come
[2:58] 13. Bali Ha'i

Collection III

Stan Getz - O Pato

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 32:57
Size: 75.5 MB
Styles: Bossa Nova
Year: 1961/2012
Art: Front

[6:38] 1. Baia
[2:28] 2. O Pato
[3:31] 3. Samba Dees Days
[5:48] 4. Desafinado
[6:08] 5. Samba De Uma Nota So
[3:38] 6. E Luxo So
[4:42] 7. Samba Triste

Combine the words "jazz" and "samba" together and what you get is bossa nova. This 1961 watershed album introduced bossa nova to America and was a sensation, becoming the rare pure jazz album to hit No. 1 on the album charts ("Desafinado," one of three Jobim tunes on the set, was also a hit single). Guitarist Charlie Byrd hand-picked Stan Getz to collaborate with him on the album, and its success revived both their careers and helped kick-off the Mod-era bossa nova craze. ~ Nick Dedina

new link O Pato

Ilse Huizinga - Beyond Broadway

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2005
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 44:29
Size: 102,0 MB
Art: Front

(3:59) 1. I Loves You, Porgy
(3:31) 2. Wouldn't It Be Loverly
(3:21) 3. Someone To Watch Over Me
(4:33) 4. I Got Plenty Of Nuttin'
(2:51) 5. Goodbye
(4:19) 6. Mad About The Boy
(3:32) 7. On The Street Where You Live
(3:51) 8. I Could Have Danced All Night
(3:01) 9. I'll Close My Eyes
(3:59) 10. You And The Night And The Music
(3:27) 11. Ev'rytime We Say Goodbye
(3:59) 12. Manhattan

A talented jazz singer from the Netherlands, Ilse Huizinga has recorded consistently excellent recordings throughout her career, mostly emphasizing standards. She took piano lessons starting when she was at six and at 17 took lessons in classical singing, but jazz interested her much more. She remembers taking tapes of such favorite singers as Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughan, Abbey Lincoln, and Billie Holiday wherever she went. Huizinga spent a year living in Australia and earned a degree in public administration at the University of Amsterdam. But after graduating, she switched permanently to music and attended the Conservatory of Amsterdam during 1993-1996. Ilse Huizinga performs regularly all over Europe, usually with a group that includes her husband, pianist/arranger Erik Van Der Luijt. Her first two CDs, Out of a Dream and Voices Within (the latter has her voice overdubbed five times), were self-produced releases. Her next two CDs, The Sweetest Sounds and Easy to Idolize, were released by the Daybreak label; Beyond Broadway is on Maxanter; there is a Japanese-only CD (The Club Sessions); and a set of duets with Erik Van Der Luijt, Intimate Jazz Sessions, was issued on the Foreign Media label. ~ Scott Yanow http://www.allmusic.com/artist/ilse-huizinga-mn0002072839

Beyond Broadway

Heather Lauren - Mosaic

Styles: Vocal Jazz

Year: 2007

File: MP3@320K/s

Time: 36:42

Size: 85,4 MB

Art: Front

(3:05) 1. Summertime

(2:21) 2. Sabor A Mi

(4:22) 3. Why Should I Cry For You

(3:06) 4. What Is This Thing Called Love

(2:31) 5. For All We Know

(4:23) 6. Sense Of Me

(4:54) 7. The Look Of Love

(4:52) 8. Besame Mucho

(3:45) 9. Jezebel

(3:17) 10. Al Otro Lado Del Rio

"Heather's voice has the delicacy of an angel, thepower of a soul diva, the swing of a jazzer and theplayfulness of a popstress." - Panos Panay, Founder,Sonicbids
Hailing from Atlanta, Georgia, Heather was raised inDallas, Texas by her New York City native mother andOhio native father. Heather left her Southern roots tohead west toward California in the summer of 2000,after a year long post-graduation European backpackingadventure. Heather worked for a San Francisco based Advertisingfirm during the Dot-com boom and fall. At which time,she chose to leave her cushy salary, cubicle, and401K, to roll the sparkling dice toward her teenagedream of becoming a legendary singer and performer. Since then, she has never looked back. Heather has been performing consistently in the SanFrancisco Bay Area for the last five years withspecial appearances in New York, Los Angeles,Washington DC, Austin, TX and Milan, Italy.

*Performance Highlights*
Heather was awarded "2006 Song of The Year" for theWest Coast Songwriter's International SongCompetition. Her original composition entitled "Senseof Me", won first place and was produced andco-written with legendary songwriter Bonnie Hayes(Bonnie Raitt) and cellist and songwriter, MatthewSchoening. In the summer of 2006, Heather had the incredibleopportunity of opening up for Fiona Apple at TheChronicle Pavilion Side Stage in Concord, California. In addition, Heather was accepted to perform atAustin's world-renowned South By Southwest MusicFestival for the 2006 Go Girls Music Showcase. In December 2005, Heather was showcased as one of SanFrancisco's up and coming new artists at the SanFrancisco Recording Academy Grammy Event. In the fall of 2005, The Heather Lauren Band had thehonor of opening for Tori Amos at The ChroniclePavilion Side Stage in Concord, California. Heather has co-written with Bonnie Hayes (BonnieRaitt) and Narada Michael Walden (Jeff Beck, MariahCarey, Whitney Houston). She has opened for TheSalvador Santana Band, Ledisi, Maria Muldaur, DanHicks and performed alongside Jorge Santana. Heather had the extreme privilege of performing one ofher original songs, "Live on Through Me", for the NewYork Fire Department at Ground Zero in New York onSeptember 11, 2004. For two years, Heather performed with theWorld-Renowned, San Francisco Glide Ensemble GospelChoir, home to Cecil William's Glide Church. Heather holds a Bachelor of Arts degree inCommunications with an emphasis in Business andSpanish from The University of Texas at Austin.
http://www.cduniverse.com/productinfo.asp?pid=7458931&style=music&fulldesc=T

Personnel: Heather Lauren: Vocals Guitar: Matthew Charles HeulittPiano: Gianluca Di IennoBass: Sam Bevan and Dan Feiszli

Mosaic

Oscar Peterson & Nelson Riddle - St

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2009
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 41:00
Size: 94,2 MB
Art: Front

(4:57) 1. My Foolish Heart
(3:37) 2. Judy
(4:07) 3. 'Round Midnight
(2:51) 4. Someday My Prince Will Come
(3:21) 5. Come Sunday
(4:12) 6. Nightingale
(5:40) 7. My Ship
(3:41) 8. A Sleepin' Bee
(4:25) 9. Portrait of Jenny
(4:05) 10. Goodbye

The Nelson Riddle Orchestra was always great enough to play music for film and television soundtracks, and accompany the greatest of stars, including Louis Jordan, Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald, Peggy Lee, and Antonio Carlos Jobim, among many others. For the band to back up the 1963 version of the Oscar Peterson trio with bassist Ray Brown and drummer Ed Thigpen might have created some tension, with Peterson always wanting to cut loose and go over the top as opposed to the silky smooth sound Riddle favored. Fortunately, Peterson strikes a balance between playing it cool and lettin' 'er rip on this collection of standards with the dinner hour in mind. Though not exclusively subtle and romantic, Riddle and Peterson strike a golden bipartisan compromise in rendering these well-known American popular songs into quietly burning embers of pure delight. It's a predictable mix, but so warm and heartfelt that one has to commend the participants for allowing each other their own personal ideas without selling out.

Riddle's contribution was to form a unique group, unfortunately all unattributed, of ten cellos (no violins or violas), five horns, three flutes, a harp, and a percussion section. No one section dominates, which is the beauty of the famed arranger/composer/bandleader's concept. Summarily, Peterson chooses to not clash with the instruments as he trades phrases while generally not playing along with them. This non-interruptive dialogue makes for communication that creates the best chemistry from a dynamic standpoint. In the case of "Come Sunday," Riddle's unadulterated chart of Duke Ellington's immortal composition finds Peterson in perfect sway, while separate and equal bluesy proportions of Count Basie-like melody earmark the easy swinging "Judy." There's more Basie included in the concise, three-minute "Someday My Prince Will Come" with good new lines from Peterson, while a great rendition of "A Sleeping Bee" recalls the Frank Foster years with Basie with lots of counterpoint as the cello tentet adds considerable depth to the proceedings.

A pastoral mood hovers over "My Foolish Heart" with the your turn-my turn piano-orchestra's respectful trading of melody in full regalia, while the flute section takes the serene beauty image further during the Peterson-Gene Lees composition "Nightingale" and the always lovely "Portrait of Jenny." The version of "'Round Midnight" is an example of Peterson going off a bit on the arpeggiated side amongst a fairly stock horn chart, but utterly lovely, and not too creamy. Again this is not a soft and fuzzy overstrung effort dominated by cheese or cotton candy, but instead a quietly strong, rich, fully evocative set of great tracks that emphasize the undercurrent rather than the overflow of emotions. It is unusual in a starkly emotional sense of being, but the way all projects of this size and nature should be approached with taste, class, and a healthy portion of restraint. ~ Michael G.Nastos http://www.allmusic.com/album/the-oscar-peterson-nelson-riddle-mw0000809157

Oscar Peterson & Nelson Riddle

Judy Blair - Colors Of Black And White

Styles: Vocal, Piano Jazz
Year: 2010
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 44:46
Size: 102,9 MB
Art: Front

(3:58) 1. Fine and Mellow
(5:33) 2. Gentle Night
(3:13) 3. Les Couleurs du Noir et Blanc
(3:37) 4. Good Morning Heartache
(5:04) 5. Caravan
(4:41) 6. You've Changed
(4:42) 7. Les Grelots
(4:14) 8. Laneville Blues
(3:51) 9. All of Me
(5:49) 10. Amazing Grace

Judy Blair at her finest, on this CD she offers beautiful interpretations of such classics as "Fine and Mellow", "All of Me" and "Amazing Grace". Her piano virtuosity on the original blues tune "Laneville Blues" is, quite simply, breath-taking. http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/blairjudy

Colors Of Black And White

Ben Webster & 'Sweets' Edison - Ben and 'Sweets' (Digital Remaster)

Recorded: 1962
Released: 1987,2012 (2 LP set)
Source: Lossless
Size: 91,5 MB
Time: 39:59
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Styles: Swing Jazz,Saxophone,Trumpet
Art: Full

01. Better Go [9:01]
02. How Long Has This Been Going On [5:33]
03. Kitty [8:02]
04. My Romance [4:17]
05. Did You Call her Today [8:57]
06. Embraceable You [4:07]

The two jazz giants Ben Webster and Harry "Sweets" Edison had long wanted to record an album together, and in 1962, they did. Although associated with two different orchestras (Edison was with Basie and Webster was with Ellington), these two swing kings found that they had a lot in common.
This album features both horn men on three medium tempo blues, "Better Go," "Kitty," and "Did You Call Her Today." Other than this, Webster gets two tenor features, contributing absolutely luscious solos on both "How Long Has This Been Going On," and "My Romance." After listening to these songs, there can be no doubt that Webster is one of the best balladeers jazz has ever produced. Edison gets his moment in the sun too. On the album closer, Sweets plays a wonderful, even fairly modern sounding, rendition of "Embraceable You" using a Harmon mute. The ballads, enhanced by the wonderful harmonic sense of pianist Hank Jones, are the highlight of this release, and show both Webster and Sweets' unbeatable melodic sense.
Ben Webster was considered to be on of the three most important 'swing tenors' along with Coleman Hawkins and Lester Young. Known by some as "The Brute", he had a tough, raspy and brutal tone on stomps but could deliver warmth and sentiment on softer ballads. Trumpeter Harry "Sweets" Edison spent his early childhood in Kentucky where he was introduced to music by his uncle. After moving back to his hometown of Columbus, Ohio at the age of 12, he began playing the trumpet with local bands, eventually landing a spot with the Count Basie Orchestra.

"Tenor-saxophonist Ben Webster and trumpeter Harry "Sweets" Edison, both veterans of the swing era (although associated with different orchestras), had long wanted to record a full album together. The results, a swinging quintet set with pianist Hank Jones, bassist George Duvivier and drummer Clarence Johnston, are quite rewarding. There are two ballad features for the tenor ("How Long Has This Been Going on" and a beautiful version of "My Romance") and one for Edison ("Embraceable You") along with three medium-tempo collaborations. Nothing unexpected occurs but the melodic music is quite enjoyable." (~~Scott Yanow,AMG)

NOTE: A 2 LP set was brought out by Original label in 2012.Luscious Sound, High Quality Audiophile Pressing. A Must-Have for Jazz Saxophone & Trumpet Lovers! 2,500 limited edition and numbered copies. Remastered 180 Gram vinyl, 45RPM set.(Out Of stock)

Line-Up:
Ben webster - Saxophone
Harry 'Sweets' Edison - Trumpet
Hank Jones - Piano
George Duvivier - Bass
Clarence Johnston - Drums

Recorded on June 6 & 7,1962 at the Columbia 30th Street Studio in New York City
Produced by Mike Bemiker
Digital Remix Producer: Michael Brooks
Digital Remix Engineer: Larry Keyes
All digital engineering and mastering at CBS Studio, New York
Jazz Masterpieces Series Coordination: Mike Bemiker and Amy Herot
Historical Research: Nathaniel Brewster
Cover Design: Allen Weinberg Cover Photo: CBS Records Photo File

Ben and 'Sweets'

Saturday, January 11, 2014

Ian Shaw - Live At Ronnie Scott's: The Best Of Ian Shaw

Size: 136,5+195,8 MB
Time: 58:27+84:22
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2012
Styles: Jazz Vocals/Pop
Art: Front

CD 1:
01. I Concentrate On You (3:37)
02. My Heart Is Haunted (4:42)
03. It Could Happen To You (4:02)
04. It's Easy To Remember (5:41)
05. Just Let Me Look At You (4:48)
06. The Echo Of A Song (5:38)
07. Change Partners (4:59)
08. You Are My Hearts Delight (4:21)
09. Time After Time (5:35)
10. You Stepped Out Of A Dream (3:54)
11. Taking A Chance On Love (3:26)
12. I'll Be Seeing You (3:26)
13. Goodnight Angel (4:14)

CD 2:
01. Danny Boy (Live) ( 3:53)
02. Spinning Wheel (Live) ( 4:16)
03. When Sassy Sings (Live) ( 5:16)
04. Broken Blue Heart (Live) ( 5:11)
05. Me, Myself, I (Live) ( 4:52)
06. Some Other Time - People Will Say We're In Love (Live) ( 7:10)
07. Lover Man (Live) ( 6:55)
08. Calling You (Live) ( 6:42)
09. Sophisticated Lady - I Got It Bad And That Ain't Good (Live) ( 7:45)
10. Somewhere (Live) ( 4:22)
11. Goodbye Pork Pie Hat (Live) (11:19)
12. Blame It On My Youth (Live) (11:12)
13. Lover Man (Live) ( 5:24)

Named Best Jazz Vocalist at the BBC Jazz Awards in 2007 and 2004, Ian Shaw is one of the UK's finest male jazz vocalists. His exciting, edgy and provocative style has made him a popular name both at home and in the States.

Shaw's career in performance began unusually for a jazz musician on the Alternative Cabaret Circuit, alongside such performers as Julian Clary, Rory Bremer and Jo Brand. Shaw was spotted by Dave Illic, jazz critic for City Limits and was described as "the voice of the decade." Shaw recorded an album with legendary English blues and rock artist Carol Grimes, Lazy Blue Eyes. Over the next two years Shaw moved from the singer-pianist format to working with his new band, Brave New World, co-formed with Adrian York. This band garnered a huge club and concert following playing such venues as the Hammersmith Odeon and Ronnie Scott's in the U.K.

His first solo album Ghostsongs, Live At Ronnie Scott's was described by The Wire magazine as "quite simply the year's finest release." Venturing boldly into jazz Shaw recorded a further two albums, Taking It To Hart (a tribute to Rodgers and Hart) and The Echo Of A Song (an album of love songs compiled by Shaw's mentor, Ronnie Scott.) Shaw toured extensively in the UK, Europe and the States, promoting these albums. His appearances on TV in the '90ss included guesting with Jools Holland, Pebble Mill, Top Of The Pops (Shaw wrote a song for the 1993 Children In Need), The Jack Dee Show, Christmas Night with the Stars (BBC), C4's The Happening, TVAM, BBC Breakfast Show, BBC 2's A Night of Love, BBC 2's Jazz at the 606 and, more recently, numerous appearances on the Performance and Artsworld channels. In the summer of 2002, Carlton/HTV made a documentary about Shaw.

His collaborators over the years have included Guy Barker, Mari Wilson, Ruby Turner, Kenny Wheeler, John Taylor, Iain Ballamy, Mornington Lockett, Sarah Jane Morris, Tim Whitehead, Carol Grimes, Lol Coxhill, Phil Minton and Veryan Weston, Elton Dean, Fayaaz Virjii and Tony Remy (Jazz Warriors), Gail Thompson, Cleo Laine, John Dankworth, Cedar Walton, Joe Lovano, Joe Beck, Papa Vasquez, Lew Soloff, David Williams, Judi Silvano, Geoffrey Williams, Bobby Hutcherson and Ray Brown.

Shaw's ongoing and highly popular collaboration is a celebrated duet show with Claire Martin, the UK's finest female jazz singer. He guested on her album Too Darn Hot. Together they have toured the world in an intimate duo setting with Shaw playing piano or sometimes with the BBC Radio Big Band, a band with whom, over the last six years, Shaw has cemented a highly popular musical relationship. He has played the Harrogate International Festival with the Big Band along with concerts all over the UK including Stoke, BBC Leeds Live, to the Cork International Jazz Festival in 2002 where Shaw made his festival debut with this internationally acclaimed radio big band. His concert and festival appearances have been numerous.

In 2002 Shaw performed in Jerry Springer, the Opera, by Richard Thomas and Stewart Lee . Thomas created the part of the warm-up man/devil for Shaw. Shaw is a regular on BBC Radio 2, 3 and 4 as well as this year contributing to Behind the Mask with Alison Moyet, on Jazz FM (U.K.)

Nominated two years running for Best Jazz Vocalist at the BBC Jazz Awards, Ian Shaw has recorded 8 highly-acclaimed albums. This year, 2003, saw Ian on a national tour with the world-famous Brodsky String Quartet. The Brodsky Song Album features Ian alongside Sting, Elvis Costello, Bjørk, Paul McCartney and Jacqui Dankworth.

Named Best Jazz Vocalist at the BBC Jazz Awards in 2007 and 2004, Ian Shaw is one of the UK's finest male jazz vocalists. His exciting, edgy and provocative style has made him a popular name both at home and in the States.

Shaw's career in performance began unusually for a jazz musician on the Alternative Cabaret Circuit, alongside such performers as Julian Clary, Rory Bremer and Jo Brand. Shaw was spotted by Dave Illic, jazz critic for City Limits and was described as "the voice of the decade." Shaw recorded an album with legendary English blues and rock artist Carol Grimes, Lazy Blue Eyes. Over the next two years Shaw moved from the singer-pianist format to working with his new band, Brave New World, co-formed with Adrian York. This band garnered a huge club and concert following playing such venues as the Hammersmith Odeon and Ronnie Scott's in the U.K.

His first solo album Ghostsongs, Live At Ronnie Scott's was described by The Wire magazine as "quite simply the year's finest release." Venturing boldly into jazz Shaw recorded a further two albums, Taking It To Hart (a tribute to Rodgers and Hart) and The Echo Of A Song (an album of love songs compiled by Shaw's mentor, Ronnie Scott.) Shaw toured extensively in the UK, Europe and the States, promoting these albums. His appearances on TV in the '90ss included guesting with Jools Holland, Pebble Mill, Top Of The Pops (Shaw wrote a song for the 1993 Children In Need), The Jack Dee Show, Christmas Night with the Stars (BBC), C4's The Happening, TVAM, BBC Breakfast Show, BBC 2's A Night of Love, BBC 2's Jazz at the 606 and, more recently, numerous appearances on the Performance and Artsworld channels. In the summer of 2002, Carlton/HTV made a documentary about Shaw.

His collaborators over the years have included Guy Barker, Mari Wilson, Ruby Turner, Kenny Wheeler, John Taylor, Iain Ballamy, Mornington Lockett, Sarah Jane Morris, Tim Whitehead, Carol Grimes, Lol Coxhill, Phil Minton and Veryan Weston, Elton Dean, Fayaaz Virjii and Tony Remy (Jazz Warriors), Gail Thompson, Cleo Laine, John Dankworth, Cedar Walton, Joe Lovano, Joe Beck, Papa Vasquez, Lew Soloff, David Williams, Judi Silvano, Geoffrey Williams, Bobby Hutcherson and Ray Brown.

Shaw's ongoing and highly popular collaboration is a celebrated duet show with Claire Martin, the UK's finest female jazz singer. He guested on her album Too Darn Hot. Together they have toured the world in an intimate duo setting with Shaw playing piano or sometimes with the BBC Radio Big Band, a band with whom, over the last six years, Shaw has cemented a highly popular musical relationship. He has played the Harrogate International Festival with the Big Band along with concerts all over the UK including Stoke, BBC Leeds Live, to the Cork International Jazz Festival in 2002 where Shaw made his festival debut with this internationally acclaimed radio big band. His concert and festival appearances have been numerous.

In 2002 Shaw performed in Jerry Springer, the Opera, by Richard Thomas and Stewart Lee . Thomas created the part of the warm-up man/devil for Shaw. Shaw is a regular on BBC Radio 2, 3 and 4 as well as this year contributing to Behind the Mask with Alison Moyet, on Jazz FM (U.K.)

Nominated two years running for Best Jazz Vocalist at the BBC Jazz Awards, Ian Shaw has recorded 8 highly-acclaimed albums. This year, 2003, saw Ian on a national tour with the world-famous Brodsky String Quartet. The Brodsky Song Album features Ian alongside Sting, Elvis Costello, Bjørk, Paul McCartney and Jacqui Dankworth.

Live At Ronnie Scott's: The Best Of Ian Shaw CD 1
Live At Ronnie Scott's: The Best Of Ian Shaw CD 2

Lovisa Stahl - #2

Size: 98,9 MB
Time: 42:25
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2013
Styles: Folk Rock, Adult Alternative, Bossa Nova
Art: Front

01. This Day (2:44)
02. Shining Star (4:04)
03. Mermaid Days (4:09)
04. Never Meant To Miss You (3:20)
05. Daniel (4:11)
06. Why Do You Try (3:42)
07. Chasin' The Sun (3:57)
08. Mother's Arms (4:16)
09. Sabina (4:26)
10. John (2:56)
11. Claustrophobia (4:34)

Sweden has had an incredibly diverse music scene over the years. On one hand, that Scandinavian country is famous for sugary Euro-pop artists like Abba and Ace of Base. But on the other hand, Sweden is also famous for giving the world an abundance of avant-garde jazz, power metal and death metal. So Sweden certainly cannot be accused of being one-dimensional when it comes to music, and Malmö, Sweden-based singer/songwriter Lovisa Ståhl offers a fair amount of variety on her 2013 release, #2.

This album essentially falls into the adult alternative category; Ståhl, who wrote or co-wrote all 12 of the songs on this 47-minute CD, tends to appeal to fans of singer/songwriters like Sarah McLachlan, Shawn Colvin, Joan Osborne and Suzanne Vega. “Never Meant to Miss You,” “Claustrophobia” and other songs on this disc would be right at home at Lilith Fair (the female-oriented music festival that McLachlan co-founded in 1996). But Ståhl is unpredictable, showing her appreciation of everything from folk-rock on “John,” “Daniel,” “Sabina,” “Something Better” and “Mother’s Arms” to jazz on “Mermaid Days” and blues on “Chasin’ the Sun.” Meanwhile, the opener “This Day” has an appealing bossa nova influence and is not unlike something Basia would do. And soul is a strong influence on the funky “Shining Star,” which shouldn’t be confused with either the funk classic that was a smash hit for Earth, Wind & Fire in 1975 or the northern soul/sweet soul ballad that was a major hit for the Manhattans (of “Kiss and Say Goodbye” fame) in 1980.

If “Shining Star” were released as a single and sent to urban contemporary stations in the United States, the program directors would probably think it was too pop or too adult alternative for their purposes. “Shining Star” isn’t hardcore soul, but more a combination of soul and adult alternative. The song is funky in a Tracy Chapman-ish way rather than funky in the way that Jill Scott, Beyoncé Knowles, Erykah Badu and Mary J. Blige are funky. Regardless, “Shining Star” has an infectious hook and an empowering message (stay strong, believe in yourself, stay true to your goals), and if Ståhl were asked to perform the tune as a duet with Chapman or another R&B-influenced folk-rock/adult alternative artist at a Lilith Fair event, it would fit right in.

“Sabina” is a gem of a folk-rock song, albeit a sad gem. The song (which would be perfect for triple-A/adult album alternative radio stations) is about a 17-year-old girl who is killed when she’s out horseback riding in the forest. “Sabina” vividly describes the grief of her parents, making it a real tearjerker. And Ståhl has no problem bringing the tragic tale to life in perfect English.

Although Swedish is the primary language in Sweden, English is widely spoken in that country. Fluency in English is aggressively encouraged in Sweden’s public school system, and it isn’t unusual for Swedish vocalists to perform in English exclusively (which is what Ståhl does on this album). And Ståhl’s high level of proficiency in English is evident. Her English-language lyrics are nuanced ad sophisticated in a way that they wouldn’t be were she not truly fluent in the language. In fact, the only song on this album that Ståhl did not write by herself is “This Day,” which she co-wrote with Brazilian songwriter João Pinaud. On top of doing all that writing, Ståhl co-produced #2 with her colleague Henrik Alsér. Ståhl and Alsér’s production is warm and inviting; the album sounds well-produced but never overproduced and never cold or mechanical.

From the songwriting to the production to Ståhl’s sweetly expressive vocals, this CD is a winner. Adult alternative and folk-rock enthusiasts will find a lot to admire on#2. 4 stars out of 5 ~Review by Alex Henderson

John Barron - Long Ashes

Released: 2003
Size: 102,7 MB
Time: 44:42
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Styles: Guitar Driven Jazz, Soul-Jazz, Organ Jazz
Art: Big Front

01. Hurry Up N' Wait [4:55]
02. Move It Along [5:53]
03. The Border [4:01]
04. The Rifler [6:25]
05. Long Ashes [3:16]
06. The Roust [5:25]
07. New Blues, Same Blues [7:36]
08. You And I [7:09]

Recommended if you like Grant Green, Kenny Burrell, John Scofield.

Long Ashes is the debut full length CD from Detroit guitarist John Barron. The disc is a culmination of two different trio sessions. One featuring the bluesy Mark Thibodeau on organ, and the other featuring in demand motown bassist Pat Prouty. Veteran Canadian drummer Kevin Venney anchors both trios. The result is 8 original compositions penned by Barron that cross into many territories of jazz while maintaining a strong sense of feel good - in the pocket grooves.
John's style of guitar playing has been described as a cross between jazz and blues. This is by no means accidental. Along with the influence of jazz guitar greats like Kenny Burrell, Wes Montgomery, and Grant Green, John also cites blues legends such as Albert King, and Johnny "Guitar" Watson as personal favorites.
John is a graduate of Wayne State University and keeps busy as a guitarist/bassist performing and teaching in and around Detroit Michigan. He has toured internationally with soul singer Bettye Lavette and Motown legends The Contours. Recording credits include blues/jazz vocalist Odessa Harris (The Easy Life), award winning latin jazz group Tumbao Bravo(Montuno Salad, Amigos: From Our Hands), and wrote four of the songs on the new CD by blues legend Alberta Adams (I'm on the Move) for Eastlawn records. John currently serves on the music faculty at the University of Windsor.Outside of music, John enjoys spending time with his wife and children (to whom this music is dedicated).(~~Vincent Kenwood)

Long Ashes

Eric 'Scorch' Scortia - Singled Out

Released: 2004
Size: 143,8 MB
Time: 62:38
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Styles: Organ Jazz
Art: Big Front

01. Green Tea [7:15]
02. Key Club Cookout [6:29]
03. Son Of Ice Bag [8:46]
04. Milestones [5:49]
05. The Cantaloupe Woman [7:22]
06. The Work Song [6:16]
07. Sookie Sookie [6:31]
08. 63rd Street Theme [6:40]
09. Georgia On My Mind [7:26]

Eric “Scorch” Scortia is back with another collection of groovin' tunes featuring his sizzling playing on the Hammond B-3 organ. Classic tunes with a modern twist include: Milestones, The Work Song and Georgia On My Mind among others. “Scorch’s playing has never been hotter!!
Jazz with blues twist, the real deal.A must have CD for any fan of the Hammond B-3.

Line-Up:
Eric Scortia – Hammond B-3 Organ
Marchel Ivery – Tenor Saxophone
Henry Johnson – Guitar
Greg Rockingham – Drums

Note: Biography Included
Singled Out

Mose Allison - The Way Of The World

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 34:33
Size: 79.1 MB
Styles: Jazz-blues vocals/piano
Year: 2010
Art: Front

[2:55] 1. My Brain
[3:24] 2. I Know You Didn't Mean It
[2:54] 3. Everybody Thinks You're An Angel
[2:27] 4. Let It Come Down
[2:26] 5. Modest Proposal
[2:52] 6. Crush
[2:44] 7. Some Right, Some Wrong
[2:46] 8. The Way Of The World
[3:17] 9. Ask Me Nice
[3:28] 10. Once In A While
[3:08] 11. I'm Alright
[2:06] 12. This New Situation

Mose Allison basically retired from studio recording after 1998’s dynamite Gimcracks and Gewgaws. Retired, that is, until producer Joe Henry met him in 2008 and dogged him until he graciously caved in. He coaxed Allison into his basement studio and cut the seven originals and five covers that became The Way of the World with a host of players from his own stable in five days. At 82, Allison is as smart, cagey, and inventive as ever. All but one of these cuts feature his weathered but still wiry dry baritone voice that exudes a trademark jazz singer cum beat poet’s phrasing. For anyone who’s seen him in the last decade -- or heard his jaw-dropping Live in London recordings -- his keyboard skills are sharp as an Argentine stiletto: give a listen to the lone instrumental, “Crush.” Allison's elastic harmonic sense is as beautifully unruly as Monk's, yet his improvisational ideas are carried by a nimble-fingered force worthy of Bud Powell. The opener, “My Brain,” is a smoking rewrite of Willie Dixon's “My Babe.” Allison reflects on the ever-changing intellectual capabilities of his gray matter while punching up the piano's middle register. The blues have been at the heart of Allison’s piano attack (Back Country Suite, 1957), though he’s always wedded them to swing, rag, and bop. Henry underscores that with subtle touches: the strummed Gypsy swing mandola on the ironic betrayal anthem “I Know You Didn’t Mean It” that engages with a knotty bluesed-out piano break and a warm tenor solo -- à la Ben Webster -- and “Everybody Thinks You’re an Angel,” a waltz with a Weissenborn guitar, follows a similar principle to delightfully different ends. On “Modest Proposal” Allison humorously asserts the compassionate idea that perhaps God is so weary he deserves a vacation. It’s a strutting piano-and-vocal number, where Allison's saloon-singer irony might scandalize a preacher but makes the congregation laugh. The elegant parlor ballad “Once in a While” and the shuffling, not brokenhearted blues of “I’m Alright” also stand out. The latter’s addition of electric guitar, mandola, and saxophone might seem like frills for an Allison session, but sound perfectly balanced and natural. On the final track, Buddy Johnson's WWII-era pop tune “This New Situation,” Allison duets with daughter Amy; the two swing beautifully together. The Way of the World is not a comeback album; Henry had a nagging suspicion that Allison might have something new to say and Allison obliged. In the process they created a gem of an album that proves the pianist and songwriter still has many tricks up his elegantly tailored, eternally hip sleeve. ~Thom Jurek

The Way Of The World

Helen Merrill - Dream Of You

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 39:28
Size: 90.3 MB
Styles: Vocal jazz
Year: 1956/1992
Art: Front

[2:33] 1. People Will Say We're In Love
[3:23] 2. By Myself
[4:10] 3. Any Place I Hang My Hat Is Home
[3:33] 4. I've Never Seen
[3:02] 5. He Was Too Good To Me
[3:09] 6. A New Town Is A Blue Town
[3:26] 7. You're Lucky To Me
[2:45] 8. Where Flamingos Fly
[2:54] 9. Dream Of You
[4:07] 10. I'm A Fool To Want You
[3:08] 11. I'm Just A Lucky So And So
[3:14] 12. Troubled Waters

One of the finest jazz vocal albums of the 1950s is Helen Merrill's Dream of You. Recorded over the course of three days in July 1956 for EmArcy, the session paired Helen with arranger Gil Evans nearly a year before his first majestic session with trumpeter Miles Davis. Helen's Dream of You isn't a typical jazz-vocal recording of the period, where a singer belts out a set of American Songbook tunes backed by a bouncy band. Instead, what you have here is a true artistic duet—with Helen delivering deeply passionate readings of offbeat songs as Evans' jagged orchestrations lap at the lyrics and at times wash right over them.

What I love most about this recording is Helen's phrasing. To me, Helen sounds as though she's singing while lying in a grassy field, pulling out blades aimlessly as she tries to make sense of her life and feelings. In many cases in the '50s, big bands functioned as male counterparts to female vocals. But here, Evans' approach is decidedly feminine in its sophistication and sensitivity. His charts play the role of best friend, empathizing with Helen's wonderment, adding a flute affirmation here and violin shoulder to cry on there.

Evans truly is at the top of his arranging game here before he was brought to Columbia by producer George Avakian. Combined, Helen and Evans make you think and feel, and they don't take no for an answer. Dig Andy Razaf and Eubie Blake's You're Lucky to Me. Helen is at first girlishly shy before letting loose with adulation over her good fortune in love. Or the exotic quality of Elthea Peale, Harold Courlander and John Benson Brooks' Where Flamingos Fly. Or Duke Ellington and Mack David's haughty I'm Just a Lucky So and So.

What's special about this album are its impositions. This isn't pop material. Each song is an artistic commitment, and both Helen and Evans work hard to engage you with every note and lyric line. As with Billie Holiday, Helen's voice is an instrument offering a hidden message—where the breaths are taken and how forceful or tender the expression. ~Marc Myers

Dream Of You