Kerensa Gray - Bliss

Size: 111,7 MB
Time: 48:09
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2012
Styles: Jazz Vocals
Art: Front

01. Queen of the Wrong Thing (3:26)
02. These Hands (4:40)
03. Bliss (4:15)
04. Ain't No Sunshine (4:55)
05. Red Fish, Blue Fish (3:13)
06. Bossa Lady (6:13)
07. Take Me As I Am (5:59)
08. Fever (4:12)
09. Sometimes (3:09)
10. At Last (3:55)
11. I Am Here (4:07)

20th Annual Billie Holiday Vocal Competition winner Kerensa Gray is often compared to the likes of jazz royalty - Etta James and Ella Fitzgerald and contemporaries such as Diana Krall and has shared the stage with artists such as Stellar Award Winner Isaiah Thomas and opened for Grammy and Dove award winners CeCe Winans and Vickie Winans and has served as guest vocalist for the Drew Davidsen Band.
Finding her voice first in string studies as a gifted violin student, Kerensa began working with Frostburg State University orchestra while still attending middle school. These early years fostered an unquenchable love for music and encouraged a budding artist to discover the music of her own soul. As a gifted songwriter, this dynamic vocalist brings fresh insight and infectious energy to her approach of beloved classics and a transparency in her songwriting that speaks to that for which we all yearn - truth without compromise. Kerensa’s music finds balance in her ability to skilfully interweave melodies of jazz, blues and folk music into a sound that is undeniably and uniquely her while her talent as a gifted vocalist unearths yet unseen perspectives into the standards that are the soundtracks to our lives.
Kerensa is excited to offer her current CD project "Bliss" in cooperation with Nashville, TN based Creative Soul Jazz and producer Eric Copeland featuring jazz legend Gary Lunn on bass and Tom Hemby on guitar. Bliss is a follow up to Gray's 2009 album "Let me be me" produced by Contemporary Jazz Guitarist Drew Davidsen.

Bliss

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Shazan - Fusion Crush (Feat. Michelle Amato)

Size: 92,8 MB
Time: 39:52
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2014
Styles: Jazz Vocals, Brazilian Jazz, World Fusion
Art: Front

01. Who And Where Are You (4:02)
02. Most Beautiful Day (3:25)
03. Dark Shining Eyes (5:38)
04. Google Your Feelings (6:12)
05. My Favorite Castle (3:45)
06. Implicancia (2:39)
07. Parisian Nights (3:04)
08. Achording (4:33)
09. Peaks & Valliums (4:01)
10. Loved Ones (2:27)

Take beautiful songs and one awesome Singer- MICHELLE AMATO. Fine musicians like Chris Rottmayer and his wonderful Piano, Chuck Archard on Bass, Keith Wilson on Drums and SHazan on acoustic Guitar. That is the "band". Add Dan Jordan on Woodwinds (sax tenor, soprano, flute), Richard Drexler on Strings, Dariusz Grabowski on Accordion/bandoneon, Juan Tobon on synthesizer, Flavio Hazan on Percussion, Lowell Lawson on Flute, Andre Santana on Electric Guitar. Mix rhythms like jazz, bossa, samba, rock, pop and we have FUSION CRUSH exquisite flavors. Captivating, cool, beautiful music ! You will love to listen it time after time (while singing).
Enjoy

Fusion Crush

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Caroll Vanwelden & Dirk Van Der Linden - Cheek To Cheek

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2009
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 39:06
Size: 90,7 MB
Art: Front

(3:49)  1. Cheek To Cheek
(2:41)  2. It's Only A Papermoon
(3:33)  3. 'S Wonderful
(2:35)  4. They Can't Take That Away From Me
(2:42)  5. Please, Don't Talk About Me When I'm Gone
(2:34)  6. How Deep Is The Ocean
(2:50)  7. A-Tisket A-Tasket
(3:15)  8. Let's Call The Whole Thing Off
(2:35)  9. Them There Eyes
(3:26) 10. Our Love Is Here To Stay
(3:19) 11. On The Sunny Side Of The Street
(2:30) 12. Undecided
(3:12) 13. As Time Goes By

No horns, no violins, just that sober sound that reminds of the real cosy jazz clubs. With top musicians  Dirk Van der Linden on guitar, Janos Bruneel on double bass, and Stijn Wauters on the piano  vocalist Caroll Vanwelden succeeded in recreating that lovely 1930’s sound with just the right retro touch and lots of great swinging moments. Caroll was really made to bring that good old jazzy style. As jazz has always been her first love this compilation of her all-time favourite standards of the thirties resulted in the new swing album ‘Cheek to Cheek' which she dedicates to Ella Fitzgerald and the memory of the Nat King Cole trio. 'Cheek to Cheek' is a jazz album that brings back cherished memories of that great decade.   http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/carollvanwelden

Cheek To Cheek

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Deanna Witkowski - Length of Days

Styles: Vocal, Piano Jazz
Year: 2005
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 62:12
Size: 142,5 MB
Art: Front

(8:27)  1. Beautiful Hands (Witkowski)
(8:14)  2. Hi-Lilil, Hi-Lo (Deutsch/Kaper)
(7:06)  3. Straight, No Chaser (Monk)
(5:00)  4. Length of Days (Witkowski)
(7:17)  5. Prayer for Linda (Witkowski)
(7:34)  6. In the Still of the Night (Porter)
(4:47)  7. Feed the Birds (Sherman)
(7:45)  8. Song for Sarah (Witkowski)
(5:58)  9. I'm Beginning to See the Light (Ellington,George,Hodges,James)

Pianist Deanna Witkowski began her musical journey on the classical side, studying piano and flute. In college jazz called, first on the saxophone, then through piano lessons from Chucho Valdes and Hilario Duran. Length of Days, Witkowski's third release as a leader, opens with "Beautiful Hands," inspired by a compliment given to her by Billy Childs. High praise from such an accomplished fellow pianist/composer, but he could just as well have remarked on a beautiful throat to compliment Witkowski's vocal prowess. She uses her voice to color her arrangements with vibrant hues, whether on her wordless, melifluous chant on the opener, or lyrically on the title tune that bemoans spiritual empiness inspired, reportedly, on the pianist's meditations on the New Testament image of St. Peter's blinding conversion. 

Witkowski's teaming with saxophonist Donny McCaslin (who was nominated for a Grammy for his work on Maria Schneider's Concert in the Garden) is a key to this disc's success. Witkowski the arranger crafts complex harmonies, and her voice and McCaslin's soprano saxophone sound as if they were created to play together, a magical blend in harmony, with McCaslin extending the vocalist's phrases with an inspired improvisational logic. Cole Porter's "In the Still of the Night" gets a piano trio treatment, with Witkowski taking the melody up and twisting it around a bit, an uplifting stretch. Much of Witkowski's sound is shaded by her spirituality, but she gets deep into the jazz religion with Thelonious Monk's "Straight, No Chaser," with McCaslin trading in the smooth-flowing soprano for a beefy tenor sax, blowing down and dirty while Witkowski plays light and clean behind him. The disc closes with Ellington's "I'm Beginning to See the Light," with McCaslin again on tenor, giving way to an uplifting, Chucho-esque arrangement, the rhythm bubbling, Witkowski stepping light and pretty." Following Maria Schneider's lead, Length of Days is an ArtistShare release, available only on Witkowski's website. ~ Dan Mcclenaghan   

http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/article.php?id=20195#.Uu5IlbSgsit

Personnel: Deanna Witkowski: piano, vocals; Donny McCaslin: soprano and tenor saxophones; Dave Ambrosio: bass; Vince Cherico: drums.

Length of Days

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Suzy Bogguss - Lucky

Styles: Country
Year: 2014
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 43:26
Size: 100,2 MB
Art: Front

(3:36)  1. Today I Started Loving You Again
(3:43)  2. Silver Wings
(3:39)  3. The Bottle Let Me Down
(3:25)  4. I Always Get Lucky With You
(3:45)  5. If We Make It Through December
(3:18)  6. Let's Chase Each Other Around the Room
(3:45)  7. The Running Kind
(3:44)  8. Going Wherethe Lonely Go
(3:21)  9. Someday When Things Are Good
(4:02) 10. I Think I'll Just Stay Here and Drink
(3:41) 11. Sing Me Back Home
(3:22) 12. You Don't Have Very Far to Go

Suzy Bogguss didn't set out to craft a Merle Haggard tribute record. Some might call that serendipity; she just calls it "Lucky." An accomplished artist and songwriter in her own right, Bogguss and her husband/co-producer Doug Crider were combing through songs to consider for her next project. Never one to hew to a particular style, having branched out into jazz, folk and swing sounds alongside traditional and modern country, Bogguss kept coming back to a set of songs that spoke to her...and they just happened to be by Haggard. "He really is the poet of the common man," says Bogguss of her new album titled "Lucky" and who kicked off her career with 1989's "Somewhere Between," her debut album named after one of Haggard's early songs. "Not every artist has music that is as universal as Merle's. It's pretty heavy-duty stuff, and I think that's why to so many of us who sing and write songs, he's such a king among us." 

Bogguss dove deeper into Haggard's catalog, taking care to hold on to that original vision of finding songs that resonated with her not just pulling out and recycling the hits. The result is an acoustic record with vibe, featuring classics like "Silver Wings," "The Bottle Let Me Down," "If We Make It Through December," "I Think I'll Just Stay Here And Drink" and many more. It's an homage to Merle Haggard that didn't start that way. It's a Suzy Bogguss record that didn't end up that way. It's the best of both situations ... and we're "Lucky" to have it that way.   http://shorefire.com/releases/entry/suzy-bogguss-recasts-merle-haggard-classics-with-lucky-feb-4

Lucky

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8½ Souvenirs - Souvonica

Styles: Retro Swing, Alternative Country-Rock
Year: 1997
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 35:11
Size: 80,7 MB
Art: Front

(2:55)  1. Off White
(3:31)  2. Cognac
(2:45)  3. Souvonica
(3:32)  4. Tango Lunatico
(3:06)  5. Paris
(2:54)  6. Absentee Rag
(4:00)  7. Pass' Temps
(2:47)  8. Chez Yvette
(3:23)  9. Amarcord
(2:39) 10. Shut the Door
(3:32) 11. Serpent Charmer

Although based in Austin, Texas, the retro-swing outfit 8½ Souvenirs drew much of their inspiration from European artists like Django Reinhardt, Serge Gainsbourg and Nino Rota; led by French expatriate singer/guitarist Olivier Giraud, the group was formed in 1988, and originally also comprised bassist Todd Wulfmeyer and drummer Adam Berlin. Classically trained pianist Glover Gill was the next to join; with the arrival of vocalist Juliana Sheffield, 8½ Souvenirs’ lineup was complete, and in 1995 they recorded their debut LP Happy Feet. Sauvonica, recorded with new vocalist Chrysta Bell, followed in 1998, and a year later the group returned with Twisted Desire. ~ Jason Ankeny, All Music Guide  http://www.last.fm/music/8%C2%BD+Souvenirs/+wiki

Souvonica

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Natalie Douglas - Not That Different / To Nina... Live At Birdland

Album: Not That Different
Size: 119,6 MB
Time: 51:20
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 1999
Styles: Vocals Jazz/Blues
Art: Front

01. Ain't Got Nothing But The Blues (4:55)
02. Georgia Rose (3:06)
03. Not That Different (4:42)
04. Experiment (2:23)
05. Small Day Tomorrow (4:10)
06. I Was Telling Him About You (2:51)
07. Bewitched, Bothered And Bewildered (5:10)
08. Where've You Been (4:14)
09. Wheelers And Dealers (2:56)
10. Until It's Time For You To Go (4:10)
11. Standing Knee Deep In A River (4:25)
12. Satan's Li'l Lamb (4:04)
13. Jonah Man (4:09)

NATALIE DOUGLAS was born in Los Angeles, California and began her singing career at the ripe old age of four in her mother's kitchen. Given a song to learn while her mother was preparing dinner (really in order to get Natalie out of her hair), Natalie then performed the song for her parents after the meal. Since that auspicious beginning, this performer has garnered rave reviews with multiple awards and nominations for her unique mix of jazz, blues, standards, pop, folk and country music blended together with the assistance of her Musical Director, Broadway, Off-Broadway & Regional Conductor Mark Hartman.

She is a seven-time MAC (Manhattan Association of Cabarets and Clubs) Award Winner, a Nightlife Award Winner and a Backstage Bistro Award Winner with appearances at Birdland Jazz Club (her NYC home), Carnegie Hall, The Café Carlyle, Kennedy Center, Jazz at Lincoln Center, The Herbst Theatre, Town Hall and other New York City, National and International venues. In addition, there is Natalie’s annual New Year’s Eve collaboration with Mark Hartman – a Greenwich Village tradition - which materializes each December 31st at the Duplex Cabaret Theatre.

Natalie’s has two recordings to date: her debut CD, “Not That Different,” which was nominated for a 2000 MAC Award for Outstanding Recording and “To Nina...Live At Birdland” (a live recording of her one woman show, To Nina: A Tribute to Nina Simone) Both CDs are available at amazon.com or via this website and selections from the CDs continue to be featured on NPR and Sirius Radio. She also appears on Fine and Dandy for PS Classics and Broadway By The Year: 1940 on Bayview Records.

She is married to her gorgeous husband, private personal trainer, Billy Joe Young (and can be seen with said husband, showing off the good education her parents paid for on The Discovery Channel's Cash Cab.)

Natalie is also an actor and is featured in feature film “The Camera’s Eye,” has appeared on ABC’s “Cupid” and many theatrical productions, including "The People vs. Mona", "Thalia Follies", “theATrainplays (series 5-22)” with The Neighborhood Playhouse, "Hillside in Hell" with 13th Street Rep and was a featured soloist at the York Theatre Company’s benefit production of "Children Of Eden" at Riverside Church.

Natalie is a Visiting Artist specializing in numerous diversity programs that she presents at Tri-State area public and private schools.

She is a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of USC with a Magna Cum Laude Bachelor of Arts Degree in Psychology with certificates in Theatre and Women's Studies and holds a Master's Degree in Psychology from UCLA.

Awards:
Natalie has received the following awards and nominations from the Manhattan Associations of Cabarets and Clubs (MAC), Siegel Presents! and from Backstage Publications, Inc.:
2008 MAC Award Winner: Outstanding Major Jazz Artist
2008 Nightlife Award Winner: Outstanding Piano Bar Entertainer
2005 MAC Award Winner: Outstanding Female Vocalist
2004 MAC Award Winner: Outstanding Jazz Vocalist
2003 MAC Award Winner: Outstanding Jazz Vocalist
2001 MAC Award Winner: Outstanding Jazz Vocalist
1998 MAC Award Winner: Outstanding Female Jazz Vocalist
1996 MAC Hanson (Critic's) Award Winner
1992 Back Stage Bistro Award Winner: Outstanding Female Vocalist
2002, 2000, 1999 & 1997 MAC Award Nominee: Outstanding Jazz Vocalist
2000 MAC Award Nominee: Recording of the Year, "Not That Different"

Not That Different

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Album: To Nina... Live At Birdland
Size: 141,4 MB
Time: 61:02
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2004
Styles: Vocals Jazz/Blues
Art: Front

01. I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel To Be Free (3:02)
02. Summertime - I Loves You Porgy (5:29)
03. Work Song (4:02)
04. House Of The Rising Sun (4:46)
05. I Put A Spell On You (3:12)
06. Forbidden Fruit (4:25)
07. My Baby Just Cares For Me (4:33)
08. You Can Have Him (4:54)
09. Four Women (3:50)
10. Intro To Why (0:55)
11. Why (The King Of Love Is Dead) (5:28)
12. Children Go Where I Send You (4:43)
13. Natalie Tells A Story (3:43)
14. His Eye Is On The Sparrow (7:53)

AHH!!! Music with a purpose!!! Captured "in the moment" at Birdland in New York City on August 8th, 2004, the setting is live and Natalie Douglas captures a "real performance". The audience is a part of the evening and Ms. Douglas develops a close connection with them. Music mixed with personal insight. She even gets them to participate on "Forbidden Fruit"

The music of Nina Simone conjures up deep emotions creating a mood and reaction through both sounds and lyrics. Passion, Anger, Love, just scratching the surface here. This is more than a tribute recording. Ms. Douglas holds Nina Simone in high regard both as an artist and as a person.

Offering a tribute to anyone’s music is difficult. But choosing a person who has strongly influenced your development musically and personally presents an even higher challenge. How do you frame a tribute, get to the root of what you want to say without getting sappy and losing the audience? How do you get deep enough to communicate the passion you feel?

Natalie Douglas tackles this challenge perfectly. First, she lets the emotion and passion come from the music. She decided to: Just Sing It!!! Second, she cracks the door to her feelings for Nina and her music by giving the audience personal stories that make the evening "real".

The rest of her ensemble supports her wonderfully whether with the tune is jazz, blues, or gospel.

This project comes from the heart and provides great music and personal insight to the artist. Check it out.

Thanks Natalie!

Musicians: Piano: Mark Hartman, Tenor Saxophone: Patience Higgins, Percussion: Sean McDaniel, Bass: Steve Doyle

To Nina... Live At Birdland

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Lisa Young Quartet - Grace

Size: 122,6 MB
Time: 53:01
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2007/2013
Styles: Jazz Vocals, Brazilian Rhythms, World Fusion
Art: Front

01. Grace (6:22)
02. 'cause I Weep (4:52)
03. Sa Ri Ga (5:21)
04. A Change Of Plea (5:37)
05. Free Flow (6:25)
06. If We Be (4:02)
07. Drifting (5:21)
08. Mani's Samba (2:56)
09. The Moon Has Made Other Plans (6:11)
10. Overflow (5:52)

The award winning Lisa Young Quartet (‘Bell Awards’ Best Australian Jazz Vocal Album), is well known to Jazz and World Music listeners as an ensemble of creative improvisers incorporating Indian and African elements in their work. Renown as an exceptionally creative vocal stylist and improviser, Lisa is a long time student of mridangam maestro Karaikudi Mani in Chennai, and specialises in ‘konnakol’ – South Indian vocal percussion.

The quartet features the intuitive musicality of Ben Robertson (Double Bass), Steve Magnusson (Guitar) and Dave Beck (Drums).

Lisa Young’s new CD “The Eternal Pulse” was nominated for “Best Australian Jazz Vocal Album 2012”.
Her CD “Grace” won the “Best Australian Jazz Vocal Album 2007” award.

Grace

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Rosie Carlino - So In Love With You

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2004
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 56:04
Size: 129,4 MB
Art: Front

(5:20)  1. That Old Black Magic
(5:40)  2. But Beautiful
(5:59)  3. So in Love
(3:59)  4. My Foolish Heart
(4:16)  5. Old Devil Moon
(5:48)  6. Bewitched
(4:06)  7. Fools Rush In
(4:55)  8. Unforgettable
(6:02)  9. In The Still Of The Night
(4:13) 10. My Romance
(5:41) 11. They Say It's Wonderful

So In Love With You from the acclaimed new performer Rosie Carlino is the most romantic thing to come out of the music industry since Rosemary Clooney. It is a lushly orchestrated collection of old standards made new again. Sultry, sexy and smooth, this CD awakens the smoldering poignancy of classic songs by Gershwin, Porter and Rodgers, and brings romance to a whole new generation. 

http://www.amazon.com/So-In-Love-With-You/dp/B0009FUV00

So In Love With You

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Spitfire Band - Make Believe Ballroom

Styles: Big Band
Year: 1995
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 77:40
Size: 179,1 MB
Art: Front

(3:07)  1. Sing Sing Sing
(4:46)  2. I Can't Get Started
(2:46)  3. St. Louis Blues
(5:11)  4. Medley: You Made Me Love You - I'll Never Smile Again - For All We Know
(3:07)  5. After You've Gone
(2:53)  6. Marie
(3:03)  7. Tuxedo Junction
(3:31)  8. Medley: Green Eyes - Amapola - Tangerine
(3:04)  9. American Patrol
(2:56) 10. Sentimental Journey
(2:53) 11. Leap Frog
(2:43) 12. I've Got A Gal In Kalamazoo
(2:23) 13. Let's Dance
(2:59) 14. Near You
(4:32) 15. Medley: Basin Street Blues - Stars Fell On Alabama - Georgia On My mMnd
(3:08) 16. Cherokee
(2:35) 17. Medley: Accentuate The Positive - On the Atchison, Topeka, and The Santa Fe
(3:34) 18. G.I. Jive
(2:47) 19. Pennsylvania 6-5000
(2:54) 20. Shanty In Old Shanty Town
(2:34) 21. Bugle Call Rag
(3:01) 22. Stompin' At The Savoy
(2:51) 23. Make Believe Ballroom Time
(4:11) 24. No More Dancin'

If there was ever a TIME to get on the new big band bandwagon, the TIME is now! The Spitfire Band is a happening band. And it's happening BIG TIME! "The greatest band in the world today! Big Time! With today's recorded sound and Micky Erbe's arrangements, just phenomenal." - Bill Randle, WRMR, Cleveland, OH. Timely hits include: "Just in Time," "Time After Time," "As Time Goes By," "Witchcraft," and "Hey There." 

~ Editorial Reviews   

http://www.amazon.com/Make-Believe-Ballroom-Spitfire-Band/dp/B000001H43

The Spitfire Band includes: Jackie Rae (vocals); Arnie Chycoski (trumpet).

Make Believe Ballroom

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Rachel Z Trio - First Time Ever I Saw Your Face

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2003
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 53:37
Size: 123,2 MB
Art: Front

(4:34)  1. Time To Say Goodbye (Con Te Partiro)
(6:17)  2. Fragile
(8:02)  3. First Time Ever I Saw Your Face
(8:03)  4. Autumn Leaves
(4:57)  5. Heart-Shaped Box
(4:09)  6. Crestfallen
(6:13)  7. Hurt
(4:35)  8. In The Wee Small Hours Of The Morning
(6:45)  9. Don't Give Up

Over the latter half of the '90s, pianist/keyboardist Rachel Z blossomed into one of the top female performers in contemporary mainstream jazz. Because of her work in fusion and jazz-pop, she hasn't always enjoyed universally high critical regard, but it's clear that commercial accessibility doesn't constitute the full breadth of her ambition. Plus, the more she came into her own as a solo artist, the more committed she became to spotlighting and collaborating with other female jazz players.  Rachel Z was born Rachel Nicolazzo in Manhattan; her mother was an opera singer, and so Rachel began voice training at the mere age of two, adding classical piano lessons at seven. At 15, she began playing in a Steely Dancover band, and discovered jazz when she heard Miles Davis' Miles Smileswhile attending a summer program at Boston's Berklee School of Music. Upon returning to Manhattan, she formed her own quintet, Nardis; she later graduated from the New England Conservatory of Music, where she studied with Joanne Brackeen, and gigged with several prominent artists in the Boston area, including George Garzone, Miroslav Vitous, and Bob Moses. She returned to Manhattan once again in 1988, first touring with Conservatory classmate Najee and then joining the fusion group Steps Ahead. Drawn to fusion because that was where the gigs were, Nicolazzo also played with Al DiMeola (Kiss My Axe), Larry Coryell,Special EFX, and Angela Bofill during this period, and also collaborated with Najee on 1990's big-selling smooth jazz hit Tokyo Blue, co-writing the title track and playing on the supporting tour. 

It was Steps Ahead leader/vibraphonistMike Mainieri who suggested Nicolazzo change her name to Rachel Z, which was simply easier to spell.  In 1993, a year after she debuted with Steps Ahead on Yin-Yang, Mainieriproduced Rachel Z's first album as a leader, Trust the Universe. Released on Columbia, it displayed the influence of Herbie Hancock and Chick Corea, and also spawned a smooth jazz radio hit in "Nardis." In 1994, she began collaborating heavily with saxophone legend Wayne Shorter on his Verve debut and comeback effort, High Life, orchestrating his compositions (mostly on synth) and adding her own synthesizer and piano work. Released in 1995, the results were a commercial and (for the most part) critical success, winning a Grammy for Best Contemporary Jazz Album. 

After serving as musical director on the supporting tour, Z officially left Steps Ahead and signed with Mainieri's NYC label as a solo artist. Her label debut, A Room of One's Own, was a series of compositions dedicated to the female artists (in all fields) who'd inspired her. Appropriately, her backing group  which featured, among others, her regular trio of the time in bassist Tracy Wormworth and drummer Cindy Blackman  was heavily weighted toward female musicians. Released in 1996, the accessible acoustic jazz of A Room of One's Own was generally well-reviewed. For her next project, Z signed with GRP and cut a hip-hop-flavored smooth jazz outing dubbed Love Is the Power, which was informed by her recent divorce and released in 1998. The following year, she participated in the fusion supergroup Vertú with former Return to Forever rhythm sectionStanley Clarke and Lenny White, and subsequently returned to acoustic jazz with her next album for Tone Center. 

On the Milkyway Express: A Tribute to the Music of Wayne Shorter featured her young new trio of bassist Miriam Sullivan and drummer Allison Miller, with whom she'd been playing for several years and now made her primary group. Additionally, she and Sullivan began playing together in a rock-oriented outfit called Peacebox.  Although her own career was going quite well, an invitation from Peter Gabriel to perform on his 20 city U.S. tour in 2002 was too much to resist. She found herself going on the road at the same time her newest solo album, Moon at the Window, was arriving in stores. A disc of Joni Mitchell covers and interpretations, the album was very personal to Rachel, but the chance to work with Gabriel was one of the few reasons she would purposefully not tour behind her own record. ~ Steve Huey  (http://www.allmusic.com/artist/rachel-z-mn0000380614)

Personnel : Rachel Z, Nicki Parrot.

First Time Ever I Saw Your Face

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Ehud Asherie & Harry Allen - Upper West Side

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2012
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 58:51
Size: 138,2 MB
Art: Front

(5:36)  1. Learnin' The Blues
(4:38)  2. It Had To Be You
(5:58)  3. O Pato
(5:17)  4. Our Love Is Here To Stay
(5:11)  5. Have You Met Miss Jones?
(5:39)  6. Passion Flower
(5:05)  7. I Want To Be Happy
(6:04)  8. Wrap Your Troubles In Dreams
(4:07)  9. I'm In The Mood For Love
(6:30) 10. Love Will Find A Way
(4:42) 11. My Blue Heaven

The closing track on pianist Ehud Asherie's Modern Life (Posi-Tone, 2010), whether intentional or not, came to serve as musical foreshadowing for this album. Modern Life has Asherie leading a crack quartet through a program of largely lesser-performed gems by cream-of-the-crop composers like George Gershwin, Jerome Kern and Tadd Dameron, but when the album reaches its conclusion the rhythm section is relieved of its duties, while tenor saxophonist Harry Allen stays onboard for an emotionally riveting two-man take on Billy Strayhorn's "A Flower Is A Lovesome Thing." Three months later, this pair would find itself in a Brooklyn recording studio, ready to make more duo magic with the music of Gershwin, Strayhorn and many others. 

That music from that session, which would come to be called Upper West Side, sat on the shelves for two-and-a-half years, but it couldn't have been due to a lack of quality. This is Grade A jazz performed by two consummate, classy musicians with an intimate knowledge of this repertoire and each other's mannerisms. They casually work their way through the Frank Sinatra-associated "Learnin' The Blues," turning up the heat and grit as they go, deliver playful lines when they visit Brazil (Jayme Silva's "O Pato"), fly through "I Want To Be Happy," and converse via traded solos at various points throughout the album. While Asherie has shown his (post) bop chops and organ abilities on other albums, he has built his reputation on his skills as a practitioner of the lost piano arts which are on display here. He's often a man out of time, performing in a style that one would sooner associate with the early twentieth century than now, but that's what makes him so special. 

Allen, who has his own throwback sound that occasionally touches on stylistic hallmarks of early masters like Ben Webster and Coleman Hawkins, is in a similar headspace and, though both men can hold their own in modern digs, it's a pleasure to hear two musicians of this caliber, willing to stop and take a look back. While the pair finds success on every track, the emotional and literal centerpiece of the album comes with another Strayhorn made musical scenario. Allen is Johnny Hodges to Asherie's Duke Ellington on "Passion Flower" and despite Allen playing a larger horn he still manages to capture the mood and spirit that surrounded the famous Ellington-associated altoist. Viewed in its entirety, Upper West Side is a program of delightful duo music that doesn't try to win anybody over with outré ideals, surprise twists or forced displays of showmanship. Allen and Asherie simply play the music, and they do so with clarity, class and charm. ~ Dan Bilawsky   

http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/article.php?id=41385#.UuwVTrSgsis

Personnel: Ehud Asherie: piano; Harry Allen: tenor saxophone.

Upper West Side

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Barbara Ireland - Turning Back Time - Classic Songs To Kiss By

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2010
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 50:39
Size: 116,5 MB
Art: Front

(3:44)  1. Baby Baby All the Time
(3:34)  2. Black Coffee
(2:47)  3. He's a Tramp
(3:12)  4. Whatever Lola Wants
(5:05)  5. Cry Me A River
(3:11)  6. Blue Skies
(4:06)  7. Stormy Monday
(3:52)  8. Ain't Misbehavin'
(4:51)  9. Good Morning Heartache
(2:36) 10. I Love Being Here With You
(4:33) 11. Romance In the Dark
(3:33) 12. Angel In Blue Jeans
(5:27) 13. St James Infirmary

Re-ignite that feeling of hot romance  inside and out  through the sultry rhythms of these classic jazz and blues songs. Ireland's passionate vocals, shimmering above rich jazz performances, will get right under your skin and into your heart.  Barbara Ireland’s sultry vocals on her new cd, ‘Turning Back Time - Classic Songs To Kiss By’ are a perfect example of the genre known as 'Pheromone Jazz.’ Her smokin’ hot renditions of classic jazz and blues tunes transport you back in time to the intoxicating nightclubs of New York in the 1930s, ‘40s, and ‘50s.... More  http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/barbaraireland

Turning Back Time - Classic Songs To Kiss By

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India Arie - Songversation

Styles: R&B
Year: 2013
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 66:18
Size: 152,6 MB
Art: Front

(0:35)  1. Soulbird Intro
(3:12)  2. Just Do You
(3:53)  3. This Love
(2:52)  4. Nothing That I Love More
(3:53)  5. Flowers
(3:55)  6. Cocoa Butter
(0:36)  7. SoulBird Interlude: Trombone
(4:48)  8. Moved By You
(3:23)  9. Life I Know
(4:09) 10. Break the Shell
(4:10) 11. SoulBird Rise
(4:33) 12. Thy Will Be Done (feat. Gramps Morgan)
(3:40) 13. Brothers' Keeper
(5:25) 14. One
(0:36) 15. Soulbird Outro: Clarinet
(3:52) 16. I Am Light
(0:35) 17. SoulBird Reprise: Ney
(3:43) 18. Thank You
(2:54) 19. 6th Avenue
(5:26) 20. Strange Fruit

Back with Motown, India.Arie is rejuvenated for her fifth album, which follows a lengthy hiatus. A series of mishaps, combined with some dissatisfaction regarding the sound of her recordings, prompted the break. She even contemplated leaving the industry. However, only the most attentive listeners will hear a considerable difference between SongVersation and the Testimony albums. Largely a low-key, gently uplifting affair with a soft, warm glow, 11 of its 16 tracks are enhanced with assistance from several Turkish musicians including percussionists, horn players, an oudist, and the Istanbul Strings who were recorded at the studio of Sezen Aksu (one of the guests on Testimony, Vol. 2). Longtime co-producer and instrumentalist Shannon Sanders remains, while new associate David Ryan Harris (Dionne Farris, John Mayer) is another major factor. 

The album's upbeat tone is set with the driving "Just Do You," a career highlight boasting a chorus that recalls the pre-chorus of Michael Jackson's "Rock with You." Apart from certain accents from the Turkish musicians, none of the material will surprise anybody. Sweet, sighing, relaxed numbers like "Flowers" ("You're the moral compass directing me to light") and "Cocoa Butter" ("You are like cocoa butter on my heart") are among the most India.Arie-like songs laid down. Everything most exemplified by "Break the Shell," inspired by an encounter with Cicely Tyson transmits positivity, even when she admits that, as a woman "almost four decades in" with neither a lifelong partner nor children, she's unsure of her position in life. It's evident that Arie's in a good place, both creatively and personally, yet SongVersation is not about self-satisfaction. She has no trouble bringing her listeners along. ~ Andy Kellman   http://www.allmusic.com/album/songversation-mw0002519717

Songversation

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Chuck Loeb - Plain 'N' Simple

Styles: Smooth Jazz
Year: 2011
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 70:26
Size: 161,9 MB
Art: Front

(6:19)  1. D.I.G. (Deep Inner Groove)
(4:26)  2. Organeleptic
(8:12)  3. Red Suede Shoes
(5:54)  4. The Blues App
(7:02)  5. Plain 'n' Simple
(4:51)  6. E Com Esse Que Vou Eu
(4:43)  7. You Got It
(5:19)  8. Skylark
(4:55)  9. Bebop Betty
(6:35) 10. Annie's Song
(5:27) 11. It's About You
(6:38) 12. The Hello

Despite having been deeply influenced from an early age by the great organ trio recordings of guitarist Wes Montgomery and legendary organist Jimmy Smith, guitarist Chuck Loeb managed to spend the first 20 years of his career without ever working in that format, focusing instead on jazz fusion (with Steps Ahead and Fourplay) and spending some time as musical director for Stan Getz. But on his first organ trio project, Loeb sounds as comfortable as if he'd been doing this stuff for his whole career. Not only is his playing by turns supple, bluesy, and funky, but the eight original compositions that dominate the program all sound like standards (which is a compliment). "D.I.G." and "Annie's Song" lope along nicely at midtempo, driven gently by Loeb's soft-toned guitar, while "Organeleptic" is a beautiful but complicated headlong romp. Of the originals, only the title track (which is a bit on the smoove side) disappoints. Of the covers, highlights include a lovely take on Pedro Caetano's bossa classic "E Com Esse Que Vou Eu" (featuring Loeb's wife, singer Carmen Cuesta) and an even better interpretation of Hoagy Carmichael's "Skylark" (featuring vocals by Loeb and Cuesta's daughter Lizzy). Though it occasionally gets a bit soft in the middle, this album is a consistent pleasure from beginning to end. ~ Rick Anderson   http://www.allmusic.com/album/plain-n-simple-mw0002165235

Plain 'N' Simple

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Geoffrey Keezer - Heart Of The Piano

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2013
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 49:43
Size: 114,2 MB
Art: Front

(4:45)  1. Limelight
(6:06)  2. My Love Is Like A Red Red Rose
(5:39)  3. Come Talk To Me
(3:04)  4. New York
(6:03)  5. Still
(5:45)  6. Suddenly I See
(2:45)  7. Chirizakura
(6:11)  8. Lullaby For A Ladybug
(2:59)  9. Grunion Run
(6:20) 10. Take Time For Love

The title Heart of the Piano makes it plain: after over a decade of collaborations, pianist Geoffrey Keezer has returned with a solo acoustic piano session. Perhaps the title also suggests something sentimental and he does dedicate four of the songs to individual members of his family but this isn't a collection of sticky love songs. Keezer takes some happy, subtle risks with his material, opening the album with Rush's classic rock warhorse "Limelight," working his way to moody selections from Peter Gabriel ("Come Talk to Me") and Alanis Morissette ("Still"), and finding time for KT Tunstall's joyous "Suddenly I See" and Christian McBride's "Lullaby for a Ladybug" while still working in a couple of originals as well. Keezer lets all of these songs breathe sometimes speeding up, sometimes drawing things out either with tension or a luxurious, lax sense of dreaminess dancing around the melody without neglecting it, gliding up and down the keys but skirting a sense of indulgence. It's a sweet, slyly mischievous set that truly lets Keezer show a full range of emotions without ever seeming like he's showing off. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine  http://www.allmusic.com/album/heart-of-the-piano-mw0002548481

Thank You Mai Neime

Heart Of The Piano

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Sweet Baby J'ai - The Art Of Blue

Size: 137,7 MB
Time: 59:11
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 1997
Styles: Blues Jazz Vocals
Art: Front

01. There Was A Time (4:52)
02. Soldiers Of Love (4:13)
03. Carmen's Blues (4:22)
04. Left Alone (5:45)
05. Stop The Word (5:29)
06. Neighbor, Neighbor (4:06)
07. Hop On The Pony (2:55)
08. Willow Weep For Me (4:56)
09. I Don't Want The Neighbors To Know (6:30)
10. Louisiana Stomp (4:33)
11. Don't Touch Me (5:41)
12. The Art Of Blue (5:41)

Elisa Kermody says... Yes, Sweet Baby J ai plays the washboard,and occasionally the spoons. But this ain t no backyard hoedown. With an amazing voice fresh and classic this woman could be a diva. She performs with known jazz talents, including pianist NateMorgan, bassist Nedra Wheeler, drummer Fritz Wise and saxophonist Louis Taylor Jr. She writes many of the songs she performs, a talent she s honed since writing her first blues song at 5. On her new album, The Art of Blue, she also acts as producer, composer and arranger. And she turns the washboard into a jazzboard, adding rhythmic accents and even solos using spoons, sticks and brushes, depending on the mood of the song. Beyond entertaining, Sweet baby J ai also informs, giving lessons in musical geography and history, as she takes you from LA to Kansas City to Texas to Louisiana, and tips her hat to jazz legends like Billie Holiday, Ray Charles and Carmen McRae ( Carmen s Blues ) sounds like a familiar jazz stand while at the same time contemporary). Sweet Baby J ai grooves, and her infectious personality and realness come through as she shares her love of jazz and blues in all its forms: It s all good; it s the art of blue. OC Weekly --The Weekly

"gumbo" probably would have been a more appropriate album title, because all the author: Steve Fullwood What do you do with a sister who possesses a voice of honey, an ear for the blues and jazz, and can play a washboard like nobody's business? You drop everything and run out to purchase her music, of course! (Wait. Finish this review first!) I'm referring to the one and only Sweet Baby J'ai, and the CD is The Art of Blue. Now run out and get it! (Need to know more? Read on.) The Art of Blue is exquisite, and by using such an overused word, I am bound to explain. Exquisite in that traditional blues and jazz seamlessly blend into a sound uniquely J'ai's. On the sublime, "I Don't Want the Neighbors to Know" she carefully drips her voice onto the sparse, silky muscular arrangements, and your ears eagerly lick it up. If that wasn't enough, she has the nerve to follow it up with "Louisiana Stomp," a down home romp through Cajun country that'll leave you longing for a nice bowl of gumbo! In fact, "gumbo" probably would have been a more appropriate album title, because all the songs make for one mesmerizing treat. She honors the legendary Carmen McCrae on "Carmen's Blues," explaining that it was McRae who taught her the value of precise pronunciation. Other notable cuts, many of them J'ai originals, include the charming "There Was a Time," the heartfelt "Soldiers of Love," and the raunchy "Hop on the Pony." End of story, now go, get outta here and buy it! --Music Connection Magazine

Los Angeles Times "....swinging...powerful...and haunting." New Times "...her voice is part cream, part honey and all soul..." Jazz Now "...extraordinary!" --The Times

Featuring some of the finest musicians on the scene today, with a special guest performance by renowned trumpeter, Oscar Brashear, her debut release, The Art Of Blue is a wonderful collection of jazz, blues and spoken word. Composer/producer Sweet Baby J'ai, serves up a multi-hued palette of songs that highlight her warm, velvety tones; sometimes fun and often thought-provoking lyrics. According to Scott Yanow, Editor of the All Music Guide to Jazz, "Every selection on the set is memorable in its own way and several have the potential of becoming future standards." Oscar Brashear - trumpet Nate Morgan - piano Bill Cunliffe - piano Wayne Peet - piano Trey Henry - bass Nedra Wheeler - bass Reggie Hamilton - bass Greg Brown - drums Jerry Brown - drums Mike O'Neill - guitar Louis Taylor, Jr. saxophone Ann King - trumpet

The Art Of Blue

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Lionel Cole & The Family Business - Chicagoland

Size: 112,2 MB
Time: 48:17
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2014
Styles: Jazz Vocals
Art: Front

01. All Of Me (2:13)
02. Lullaby Of Broadway (3:39)
03. The Late Late Show (2:23)
04. In A Sentimental Mood (3:03)
05. The Blues Don't Care (2:09)
06. Save Some Time For Me (4:11)
07. Steal Away (4:51)
08. My Lady (4:11)
09. Let's Do It (4:46)
10. Smile Again (5:29)
11. The Golden Hour (5:55)
12. Cool Blue Mountain Stream (5:22)

The year is 1994 I run a small Music jingle company with a few of my Frat brothers from Northwestern. I have started to carve my own little corner of the all powerful Cole Business. All my fathers brothers and my father are board members (Eddie, Ike, Nat, & Freddy) my cousin Natalie is the Ceo. After years of sending tunes to Babylon (Los Angeles) I get approached by a publisher...to do some tunes that Nat recorded that were not soooo famous. Since this involved players and arrangements, me and my crew decided to add some original tunes (since that is my niche) and make an album of it. 4 Years later Nat's record company suggests a trip to New Orleans to do my Hot buttered Soul Thing for the first time at the source. What you have in your hands is that project. It features The Itty Bitty Big Band from Chicago (with folks like Greg Rockingham on drums , John Harkins on Piano, Jerry Byrd on Guitar, Tom Hubbard on Bass, and Steve Cole on Sax to name a few) doing Arrangements by ed harris, Charles Harrison, III , and me Lionel Cole. The Dirty South Band features Brand New Heavy's mastermind Brady Blade and recording guru Mark Bingham who help Steal Away a Ruff and ready crew of Cajun Superstars that add the deep fried funk to the Golden Hour. Enjoy:)

Chicagoland

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Kate McGarry & Keith Ganz - Genevieve & Ferdinand: Live

Size: 113,9 MB
Time: 49:25
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2014
Styles: Jazz Vocals
Art: Full

01. American Tune (3:24)
02. Ten Little Indians (5:14)
03. Aquelas Coisas Todas / Third Wind / Aqui O (6:12)
04. Can't Help Loving That Man (4:33)
05. Plea For A Good Night's Rest (4:48)
06. Line 'em Up (5:24)
07. Mr. Long Gones (2:35)
08. Let's Face The Music And Dance (5:30)
09. Pretending To Care (5:00)
10. Smile (2:06)
11. Beneath A Crozet Trestle Bridge (4:36)

There is no greater beacon of sincerity, honesty and emotional purity than Kate McGarry. She's proven it time and again, whether singing standards, modern day favorites, originals or obscurities, and she does so once more on Genevieve & Ferdinand.

In some ways this album marks a new beginning for McGarry; it's her first live album, first duo recording, and first release on the Sunnyside imprint. All of that might lead people to believe that McGarry's starting with a blank slate here, but nothing could be further from the truth. She actually capitalizes on her own history and an affinity for intimacy during this beautiful and bewitching album. She weaves her way through eleven songs that reference her previous recordings ("Aquelas Coisas Todas," "Aqui O" and "Let's Face The Music And Dance"), her back story ("Ten Little Indians") and the spirit of the American singer-songwriter breed.

As the album unfolds, McGarry's voice is the obvious focal point. Her heartfelt delivery on Paul Simon's "American Tune" and her own "Ten Little Indians" reinforce her reputation as one who sings from the heart. In that respect, nothing changes as the album continues, but the ear's perspective is altered after those first two songs. The chemistry that exists between McGarry and her most trusted ally— guitarist/husband Keith Ganz—becomes readily apparent during "Aquelas Coisas Todas/Third Wind/Aqui O," and it's hard not to notice it after that point. Ganz brings an understated sophistication to every track on the album and he proves to be a master tailor of moods, making the perfect outfits to drape around McGarry.

Together, McGarry and Ganz—a.k.a Genevieve and Ferdinand—wind their way through an eclectic playlist that's charming as can be. They shine a light on underexposed songwriters like Paul Curreri ("Beneath A Crozet Trestle Bridge") and Devon Sproule ("Plea For A Good Night's Rest"), reimagine the work of James Taylor ("Line 'Em Up"), and deliver a haunting and powerful rendition of an Irving Berlin classic ("Let's Face The Music And Dance"). Two other singular vocal talents— Gian Slater and Theo Bleckmann—join up for a slow and enchanted take on Todd Rundgren's "Pretending To Care," but everything else remains a tale of two artists.

Genevieve & Ferdinand doesn't contain bold proclamations or daring musical acts, but it's filled with some of the most genuine music that anybody is likely to ever hear. That's the gift that McGarry and Ganz give, and it's a gift that keeps giving more with each listen. ~Review by Dan Bilawsky

Personnel: Kate McGarry: vocals; Keith Ganz: guitar; Theo Bleckmann: vocals (9); Gian Slater: vocals (9).

Genevieve & Ferdinand

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Madeline Eastman - A Quiet Thing

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2012
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 59:03
Size: 135,2 MB
Art: Front

(5:33)  1. Alfie
(4:45)  2. Pick Yourself Up
(3:36)  3. Sea Journey
(5:44)  4. Spring Can Really Hang You Up
(4:35)  5. A Face Like Yours
(3:29)  6. I Remember
(2:46)  7. The Bad And Beautiful
(3:53)  8. All Of Us In It
(6:17)  9. I Never Meant To Hurt You
(3:50) 10. You Are All I Need
(5:08) 11. It's A Quiet Thing
(3:54) 12. I Think It's Going To Rain Today
(3:31) 13. With One More Look At You
(1:57) 14. God Only Knows

The beauty of vocalist Madeline Eastman is that she is an undaunted improviser who remains conservative in her improvising. In this context, the word conservative harbors no negative connotations. Eastman has an abiding respect for the melody that is reflected in her thoughtful interpretations of the fourteen ballads making up A Quiet Thing. The piano-voice format also reflects this careful conservative approach to the material.  The repertoire for this recording is what is truly provocative. Reading the subtitle, A Collection of Ballads, brings to mind any number of assemblies of tired standards belonging in writer Scott Yanow's "Songs That Should Be Avoided," from his book The Jazz Singers: The Ultimate Guide (Backbeat, 2008). But Eastman completely sidesteps the issue by choosing ballads off the beaten path. "Alfie," "Pick Yourself Up" and "Spring Can Really Hang You Up" are what pass for well-worn standards, and all are treated impeccably by Eastman and pianist Randy Porter, both of whom deliver tastefully and with grace. Eastman's voice is beautifully well-balanced, confident and in control. Porter's pianism is understated and subtle, even in his solos. Both artists shine on a well-considered cover of Randy Newman's "I Think It's Going to Rain Today." In the duo's voice and hands, Newman's piece takes on a firm pastoral grace. Brian Wilson's "God Only Knows" closes the disc in an abbreviate performance where Eastman shows the song's brilliant melody, slowed down and not over-sung. Sweet are the fruits of this collaboration, rewarding in every way. ~ C.Michael Bailey  

http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/article.php?id=43745#.UvLVe7SGeNA

Personnel: Madeline Eastman: vocals; Randy Porter: piano.

A Quiet Thing

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