Karen Egert - That Thing Called Love

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2010
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 50:00
Size: 116,4 MB
Art: Front

(3:50)  1. All Or Nothing At All
(2:02)  2. What Is This Thing Called Love
(4:58)  3. I Keep Going Back To Joe's
(3:49)  4. Dindi
(4:18)  5. I Can't Make You Love Me
(2:48)  6. I Love Being Here With You
(6:12)  7. That Ole' Devil Called Love
(3:49)  8. So Nice (Summer Samba)
(3:18)  9. In The Wee Small Hours Of The Morning
(3:26) 10. All Of You
(2:52) 11. You Go To My Head
(2:07) 12. So Danco Samba
(3:36) 13. Could You Be Mine
(2:49) 14. I Remember You

With an all star band featuring John Pizzarelli , Bucky Pizzarelli and Harry Allen on sax Karen Egert's second CD , That Thing Called Love ,truly shows the depth that this singer is made of. Karen tells a story with her singing , and combined with the excitement of her voice, she creates a wonderful sound. She has her own personal and unique style, making her an up and coming voice on the jazz scene today.
Karen began her career first on Broadway, in cabaret shows and then segued into singing and playing the piano in the major NYC hotels.She currently is playing every weekend at the private New York Athletic Club on Central Park South in Manhattan, where she accompanies herself on piano. She also can be seen at Shanghai Jazz , Trumpets and other venues in the Metropolitan area. She had a steady singing gig at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel for over 5 years and had the distinction of playing nightly on Cole Porter's piano. It was at the Waldorf  Astoria that Stevie Wonder was walking through the lobby and was so struck by her voice that he came into the lounge and listened to her for the rest of the evening. As he was about to leave , she then played one of her favorite Stevie Wonder tunes" Overjoyed" and he was so taken by her that he joined her at the piano for a private performance of some of his greatest songs. It was ofcourse a night to remember . Karen is also an accomplished songwriter and her latest CD contains one of her best original songs- "Could You Be Mine" .This Cd currently can be heard on jazz stations around the country . You can visit Karen's website for more information on this exciting singer.   http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/egertkaren

That Thing Called Love

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Amandah Jantzen - Devil May Care

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2001
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 52:16
Size: 120,2 MB
Art: Front

(4:09)  1. Cheek To Cheek
(6:04)  2. Early Autumn
(7:32)  3. Besame Mucho
(3:48)  4. Devil May Care
(8:44)  5. How Insensitive
(2:27)  6. It's All Right With Me
(3:43)  7. What'll I Do?
(4:12)  8. Summertime
(5:23)  9. I Was Telling Him About You
(3:08) 10. It's A Wonderful World
(3:02) 11. This Is Always

Before commenting on the music, a word of congratulations the eight photographs of Amandah Jantzen that adorn Devil May Care have equaled Maria Schneider’s record for “most pictures of a performing artist accompanying her own compact disc.” She needed both sides of the tray card to do it but managed to draw even with Schneider’s notable achievement on her latest album, Allégresse. In five of the eight photos Jantzen, a green eyed blonde, is posed on a beach in swimsuit or robe, which may or may not help sell a few copies of the album. It certainly can’t hurt, but may deflect one’s attention from Jantzen’s most important asset, which is of course her singing voice. It’s clear and pleasant, seductive when appropriate, with a slight sharpness around the edges that enhances her intonation, delivery and “devil may care” presence. Jantzen’s choice of material is exemplary, and she knows how to sell a lyric without undue embellishment. Whether she’s a “Jazz singer” is debatable (it almost always is) but she has surrounded herself with talented Oregon based pros who keep the music swinging. Al Wold is especially helpful, moving easily from clarinet to tenor or baritone sax, while drummer Craig Scott (wonderful with sticks or brushes) switches to vibes on Jobim’s “How Insensitive.” The closing number, Mack Gordon / Harry Warren’s “This Is Always,” is a sultry duet with pianist Chris Sigerson who teams with Scott, bassist Ken Lister and guitarist Ihor Kukurudza to comprise an impressive rhythm section. When all is said and sung, Jantzen is a pleasure to hear (and to see). ~ Jack Bowers   http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/article.php?id=9017#.U08TwFdSvro

Personnel: Amandah Jantzen, vocals; Al Wold, tenor, baritone sax, clarinet; Chris Sigerson, piano; Ihor Kukurudza, guitar; Ken Lister, bass; Craig Scott, drums, vibes.

Devil May Care

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Lou Levy - Plays Baby Grand Jazz

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1958
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 30:50
Size: 70,6 MB
Art: Front

(2:15)  1. Little Girl
(2:39)  2. I'll Never Smile Again
(2:47)  3. Undecided
(2:49)  4. Lover Man
(2:30)  5. The Gypsy
(2:33)  6. A Sunday Kind Of Love
(2:00)  7. I've Found A New Baby
(2:12)  8. Sleepy Serenade
(2:37)  9. The End Of A Love Affair
(2:38) 10. Under Paris Skies
(2:47) 11. Comme Ci, Comme Ca
(2:57) 12. You Don't Know What Love Is

A superior bop-based pianist who has worked with a countless number of top jazz artists, Lou Levy started on piano when he was 12. He played with Georgie Auld (1947), Sarah Vaughan, Chubby Jackson (1947-1948), Boyd Raeburn, Woody Herman's Second Herd (1949-1950), Tommy Dorsey (1950), Auld again, and Flip Phillips. Levy was outside of music for a few years (1952-1954) and then gained a strong reputation as a fine accompanist to singers, working with Peggy Lee (on and off during 1955-1973), Ella Fitzgerald (1957-1962), June Christy, Anita O'Day, and Pinky Winters. Levy also played with Shorty Rogers, Stan Getz, Terry Gibbs, Benny Goodman, Supersax, and most of the major West Coast players. Lou Levy has recorded as a leader for Nocturne (1954), RCA, Jubilee, Philips, Interplay (1977), and Verve. He passed away in late January 2001. Bio ~ Scott Yanow   http://www.allmusic.com/artist/lou-levy-mn0000213320/biography

Plays Baby Grand Jazz

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Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers - At Cafe Bohemia Vol.1 And Vol.2

Styles: Hard Bop
Year: 1955
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 64:52
Size: 148,8 MB
Art: Front

Vol. 1

( 1:32)  1. Announcement By Art Blakey
(12:34)  2. Soft Winds
( 6:11)  3. The Theme
( 9:11)  4. Minor's Holiday
( 4:15)  5. Alone Together
( 8:51)  6. Prince Albert
( 7:30)  7. Lady Bird
( 4:31)  8. What's New
(10:14)  9. Deciphering The Message

This is Art Blakey's early period Jazz Messengers featuring trumpeter Kenny Dorham, saxophonist Hank Mobley, bassist Doug Watkins, and pianist Horace Silver. This first volume of live performance from the Cafe Bohemia in New York City circa late 1955 is a rousing set of hard bop by the masters who signified its sound, and expanded on the language of modern jazz. There are three bonus CD tracks not on the original LP that further emphasize not only the inherent power of Blakey's band and drumming, but demarcate the simplicity of melodic statements that were a springboard for the fantastic soloing by these individuals who would follow those tuneful lines. Dorham is responsible for this edict, as he contributes three of the selections, including the staccato-accented melody of "Minor's Holiday" primed by a thumping intro via Blakey, "Prince Albert" with its by now classic and clever reharmonization of "All the Things You Are," and the perennial closer of every set "The Theme," with its brief repeat melody and powerhouse triple-time bop break. Mobley wrote the scattered melody of "Deciphering the Message," heard here at length for the first time, although it was later available in its original shortened studio form on the reissued Columbia CD Art Blakey & the Jazz Messengers. The tenor man gets his feature on the quarter-speed slowed ballad version of "Alone Together," which altogether sounds pining and blue to the nth degree. Standards like Fletcher Henderson's "Soft Winds" seemed merely a simple and lengthy warmup tune, but Tadd Dameron's "Lady Bird" is an absolute workout, with variations abounding on the intro, first and second run-throughs of the melody, and some harmonic twists. Watkins is featured on the lead line of "What's New?," which again combines melancholy with that slightest spark of hope. If this is indeed in chronological order as a first set from the November 13, 1955 performances, it wets the whistle and leaves the listener wanting more, knowing the best is yet to come. ~ Michael N.Nastos  http://www.allmusic.com/album/at-the-cafe-bohemia-vol-1-mw0000590277

At Cafe Bohemia Vol.1

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Vol. 2

Styles: Hard Bop
Year: 1955
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 65:17
Size: 149,9 MB
Art: Front

( 0:37)  1. Announcement by Art Blakey
( 6:53)  2. Sportin' Crowd
( 9:15)  3. Like Someone in Love
( 4:18)  4. Yesterdays
(12:46)  5. Avila & Tequila
( 9:47)  6. I Waited For You
( 9:27)  7. Just One for Those Things
( 4:43)  8. Hank's Symphony
( 7:27)  9. Gone With The Wind

Volume deux of the 1955 Cafe Bohemia sessions from Art Blakey's second edition Jazz Messengers is better than the first. The music is more energetic, cohesive, and pushes the hard bop farther. Where the first volume featured compositions of newly recruited trumpeter Kenny Dorham, it is tenor saxophonist Hank Mobley asserting himself on the bandstand with his set pieces that formed the foundation of the first studio edition of the quintet that included Donald Byrd. Here, Mobley does not defer to Dorham, pushing his sound forward without compromising his vision. "Sportin' Crowd" is definitely an ear opener, a straight-ahead, hard bop gem based on the changes of the Sonny Rollins' classic "Tenor Madness." A live version of "Hank's Symphony" recapitulated from the studio version on the original Jazz Messengers' LP for the Columbia label  has an Asian and calypso flair with many accented notes and a secondary melody. The killer track is Mobley's "Avila & Tequila," drenched in Blakey's churning Afro-Cuban beats, filled with multiple modal devices especially from Horace Silver, and charges ahead as if there was no tomorrow a truly memorable and vital performance. The other tracks may seem to pale by comparison, but the easy, bluesy "Like Someone in Love," a short ballad version of "Yesterdays" finally featuring trumpeter Dorham, and Mobley's luscious tenor during the ultimate tearjerker "I Waited for You" offer stark contrast while losing no internal intensity. It is on "Just One of Those Things" where the band really straightens up and convenes in tandem, a solid cohesion where Dorham and Mobley work like an effortless, major league shortstop and second base double-play combination. "Gone with the Wind" finishes this set in soulful, legato, dispassionate refrains. This is a more consistent effort than the first volume, with a much anticipated, late-night set still on the horizon. ~ Michael N. Nastos   http://www.allmusic.com/album/at-the-cafe-bohemia-vol-2-mw0000011366

At Cafe Bohemia Vol.2

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Marica Hiraga With Manhattan Jazz Quintet - Close to Bacharach

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2007
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 56:04
Size: 129,0 MB
Art: Front

(3:51)  1. Raindrops Keep Fallin' On My Head
(4:55)  2. Do You Know The Way To San Jose
(4:56)  3. Alfie
(3:58)  4. The Look Of Love
(3:12)  5. What The World Needs Now Is Love
(4:05)  6. Close To You
(4:38)  7. Wives And Lovers
(4:38)  8. A House Is Not A Home Flash
(4:23)  9. Arthur's Theme (The Best You Can Do)
(4:07) 10. God Give Me Strength
(4:28) 11. I'll Never Fall in Love Again
(4:17) 12. This Guy's In Love With You
(4:30) 13. That's What Friends Are For

Marica Hiraga is Japan’s leading jazz vocalist with a rich talent both in expression and technique. Her professional career began in 1981 after she was awarded the Asia Music Award in Hong Kong. She has acquired her understanding and feeling of jazz by performing and traveling between Tokyo and New York. Her first Jazz standard album, My Shining Hour, was released in 2001, and won the Best Singing Techniques award at the 19th Japan Jazz Vocal Award hosted by Jazz World magazine in 2003. Her 2nd album, Faith, released in 2006, was recorded with Eric Alexander and Harold Mabern Trio. Faith was selected as “ Swing Journal Gold Disc” and became her breakthrough album. She then worked with the legendary jazz combo, the Manhattan Jazz Quintet, lead by David Matthews, on 3rd album, Close to Bacharach, which was highly praised as the new Bacharach standards. 

The album was again selected as “ Swing Journal Gold Disc” and she received the Best Vocal award at the 41st Jazz Disc Award, hosted by Swing Journal, one of the most prestigious awards for jazz music in Japan. In May 2008, she released a collection of mature love songs as 4th album, More Romance, and in November, she released 5th album, BATUCADA-Jazz‘ n’ Bossa, on which she worked with many prominent musicians including the genius Gil Goldstein, the leading AOR musician Michael Franks, Marcos Valle, Phil Woods, Kenny Garrett and Randy Brecker, as a celebration album for bossa nova’s 50th anniversary. BATUCADA was again selected as“ Swing Journal Gold Disc” and won her the Best Vocal award at the 42nd Jazz Disc Award. ~ Bio   http://www.last.fm/music/Marica+Hiraga

Close to Bacharach

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Geri Allen - Flying Toward the Sound

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2010
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 60:09
Size: 137,9 MB
Art: Front + Back

( 6:03)  1. Flying Toward the Sound
( 5:56)  2. Red Velvet in Winter
( 4:24)  3. Dancing Mystic Poets at Midnight
(16:06)  4. God's Ancient Sky
( 3:23)  5. Dancing Mystic Poets at Twilight
( 7:00)  6. Faith Carriers of Life
( 5:44)  7. Dancing Mystic Poets at Dawn
( 6:23)  8. Flying Toward the Sound (Reprise)
( 5:05)  9. Your Pure Self (Mother to Son)

One of modern jazz's foremost pianists, Geri Allen exhibits a musical profundity that is coupled by lyricism and soul. Whether leading a trio of esteemed peers Charlie Haden and Paul Motian at that landmark venue, Live at the Village Vanguard (DIW, 2000), or giving homage to the obscure jazz matriarch, pianist Mary Lou Williams, with Zodiac Suite: Revisited (Mary Music, 2006), Allen is a composer/musician constantly gravitating towards new endeavors.  Such is the case with Flying Toward the Sound (a solo piano suite in eight refractions ), a work that gained momentum after Allen received a 2008 John Simon Guggenheim Fellowship for Music Composition. Inspired by three great pianists Herbie Hancock, Cecil Taylor and McCoy Tyner the project offers reverence to the spirit of their music, yet eschews mimicry. It sets its own course in a journey that is enigmatic yet personal, complex yet moving, and always evolving with Allen's own vision as she so eloquently states: "It's not like playing transcriptions; it's more about refracting the admiration and love I have for them through my own muse." 

The suite is replete with Allen's cerebral compositional and improvisational vigor. Each refraction is prismatic moments of balladry, grandeur, and abstractionism are contained in the stunning opening title, dedicated to Tyner. Rapid notes forge cascading movements, sheets of sound, and fluid runs in "Red Velvet In Winter (for Hancock)" and flamboyant blues/swing improvisation in "Dancing Mystic Poets in Twylight (for Taylor)."  Motion and spirituality are prevalent in "God's Ancient Sky," the sixteen-minute centerpiece where the pianist's keys travel over assorted soundscapes. Personal reflections are found in "Faith Carriers of Life," dedicated to mothers, and "Your Pure Self (Mother To Son)," for her son Wally each intimating the pianist's inventiveness and sensitivity suffused in her swinging groove essence. An added gift is found on the enhanced CD, with three short video excerpts from the film Refractions , by filmmaker Carrie Mae Weems, who collaborated on the project. Jazz has been quoted as being "music that walks a tightrope without a net." Allen's Flying Toward the Sound effectively fits that description daring, vulnerable, and breathtaking. ~ Mark F.Turner   http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/article.php?id=36330#.U07iGFdSvro
 

Personnel: Geri Allen: piano.

Flying Toward the Sound

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Jonah Jones - Jonah Jones At The Embers

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 45:18
Size: 103.8 MB
Styles: Dixieland
Year: 1956/2010
Art: Front

[4:27] 1. It's All Right With Me
[4:04] 2. From This Moment On
[3:33] 3. Learnin' The Blues
[2:34] 4. Something's Gotta Give
[3:56] 5. All Of You
[4:11] 6. Lullaby Of Birdland
[4:04] 7. Basin Street Blues
[4:25] 8. High Society
[5:48] 9. Tin Roof Blues
[3:45] 10. Muskrat Ramble
[4:26] 11. At Sundown

In 1956, Jonah Jones started to become an unlikely commercial success. A veteran swing trumpeter not known to the general public despite being an exciting player, Jones caught on playing frequently muted solos with a quartet at the Embers in New York. His music often featured a shuffle rhythm and mixed Dixieland, swing and show tunes. This first recording by the quartet (also including pianist George Rhodes, bassist John Browne and drummer Harold Austin) was popular, although it would soon be dwarfed by Jones' successes for Capitol. Highlights of the date, which was also released by Groove and Victor, include "It's All Right With Me," "All of You," "High Society" and "At Sundown." ~Scott Yanow

Jonah Jones At The Embers

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Melanie Rice - This Love Of Mine

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 81:48
Size: 187.3 MB
Styles: Vocal jazz
Year: 2013
Art: Front

[6:08] 1. This Love Of Mine
[5:26] 2. Here's To Life
[5:05] 3. Autumn Leaves
[4:28] 4. I Wanna Be Around
[5:51] 5. Always On My Mind
[6:08] 6. So Many Stars
[4:13] 7. I Thought About You
[5:45] 8. Both Sides Now
[5:57] 9. This Is All I Ask
[4:28] 10. The Touch Of Your Lips
[4:51] 11. Come Rain Or Come Shine
[5:15] 12. Just In Time
[7:42] 13. You Must Believe In Spring
[3:54] 14. What Matters Most
[6:30] 15. When October Goes/An Affair To Remember

Melanie Rice grew up in Hammonton, NJ. A small town girl with big dreams, Melanie began her musical journey at a young age joining the school band where she became proficient on saxophone and trombone. At fourteen, her musical aspirations evolved into singing with local bands. With an instrumental background, an innate talent for improvisational scatting and an admiration for such legends as Ella Fitzgerald and Barbara Streisand, she grew into the shoes of a contemporary/jazz vocalist with grace and ease. In addition to performing live, she continued her studies, earning a B.A. in music from Rowan College and the University of Delaware.

Poised for success, Melanie soon after conquered the lounges of several Atlantic City casinos including Harrah’s, Tropicana, Caesars, Trump Plaza and Trump Marina. Traveling west, she lit up the stages of Las Vegas’ Golden Nugget, and Bally’s. Over the years she continued to polish her act, garnering accolades and respect from her peers, her fans and the local media.

In 1995, Melanie expanded her musical horizons once more, opening her own entertainment agency, Melanie Rice Entertainment, Inc. Utilizing musical experience, business savvy and unsurpassed customer service, she provides casino, corporate and social clients with entertainment ranging from string ensembles to high energy dance bands to fully staged production shows & headline entertainers. In addition, she is the conductor and lead singer of “MRO” (The Melanie Rice Orchestra), one of the tri-states most popular dance bands. She also performs as a cabaret artist as well as with a traditional jazz ensemble

This Love Of Mine

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Bob Berg, Randy Brecker, Dennis Chambers, Joey Defrancesco - The Jazz Times Superband

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 65:28
Size: 149.9 MB
Styles: Saxophone jazz, Bop
Year: 2000
Art: Front

[6:16] 1. Dirty Dogs
[8:25] 2. Silverado
[6:07] 3. Jones Street
[5:36] 4. Oleo
[4:46] 5. Friday Night At The Cadillac Club
[7:14] 6. Soho Sole
[6:15] 7. The Ada Strut
[6:24] 8. Blue Goo
[6:07] 9. Seven A.M. Special
[8:12] 10. Freedom Jazz Dance

Marking its 30th anniversary, JazzTimes magazine convened an all-star band to play an energetic and entertaining set of soul jazz. Bob Berg, Randy Brecker, Dennis Chambers, Joey DeFrancesco, and guest guitarist Paul Bollenback aptly form this superband, each bringing his unique talents to the musical table. Berg is at his intense, wailing best on the self-composed "Silverado" and groovy, party maker "Friday Night at the Cadillac Club." Brecker is bright and playful on his own "Dirty Dogs" and "Jones Street." Chambers and DeFrancesco provide their customary and exemplary support, whirling, swinging, and effectively carrying tunes like the Latin-tinged "The Ada Strut" and the blistering cover of Sonny Rollins' "Oleo." Although this album does not represent the deep musical communication and emotional story telling that characterizes the best, most cohesive working bands, it is a clean, enjoyable jam session conceived by great jazzmen. The most interesting track is the finale, a cover of Eddie Harris' "Freedom Jazz Dance." The superband clearly respects the "free" portion of this dance, indicating a direction in which they might successfully explore as they clock more musical miles together as a functioning unit. ~Brian Bartolini

The Jazz Times Superband

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Rosana Eckert & Terry Hankins - Two For The Road

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2007
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 39:07
Size: 89,6 MB
Art: Front

(5:07)  1. On A Clear Day
(3:36)  2. My Favorite Things
(2:39)  3. I Wanna Be Like You
(4:46)  4. Love For Sale
(4:56)  5. Both Sides Now
(2:45)  6. Don't Fence Me In
(3:50)  7. It's All Right With Me
(4:13)  8. Once I Loved
(3:11)  9. Don't Ask Me Why
(4:00) 10. Two For The Road

With her smooth voice and eclectic style, Rosana Eckert's music has received critical acclaim and captivated listeners worldwide. A dynamic jazz singer, composer, and arranger, Rosana has performed and/or recorded with such jazz greats as pianist George Duke, bassist Christian McBride, trumpeter Kenny Wheeler, and the Grammy-winning vocal quartet New York Voices. Released in 2007, this fun and friendly collection of songs with guitarist Terry Hankins is her third recording project. Also available: Rosana's first recording effort, Rosana Eckert, also features her in a duo setting with the wonderful piano work of long-time musical partner Brian Piper. Her second project, At the End of the Day, was released in 2001 and serves as the debut for Rosana with her full band. That recording was praised as "a superior debut" (Cadence Magazine) and "an occasion for celebration" (All About Jazz) and was a finalist for Best Jazz Album in the 2006 Independent Music Awards. Rosana is on the faculty of the world renowned University of North Texas jazz department, and she is in high demand as a festival performer, clinician, and adjudicator. Her original songs and arrangements have been performed by singers worldwide and are published by Hal Leonard Corp. and MichMusic. Rosana also works regularly as a studio singer in Dallas. She has sung back-up vocals for various recording artists including contemporary Christian singers Matthew Ward and Annie Herring, and she can be heard on hundreds of jingles and radio IDs around the world. rosanaeckert   http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/rosana2

Two For The Road

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Cindy Blackman - In The Now

Styles: Hard Bop, Jazz
Year: 1998
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 63:56
Size: 146,5 MB
Art: Front

( 6:48)  1. In The Now
( 3:25)  2. A Banana For Ron
( 6:44)  3. Passage
(15:05)  4. A King Among Men
( 7:28)  5. Sophia
( 7:17)  6. Prince Of Darkness
( 4:37)  7. Happy House
( 4:33)  8. A Strawberry For Cindy, A
( 7:56)  9. Let Love Rule

Sometimes it takes the loss of a parent to bring about a heightened sense of maturity and clarity of purpose in oneself. In many ways, Tony Williams was Cindy Blackman's spiritual father, certainly her biggest role model. His passing has inspired the drummer-composer to go deep within and reflect on Tony's contribution as well as her own gifts. The result of that introspection is her most profound and heartfelt statement to date. Tony's influence looms large on her sixth album as a leader. There was a time, back in the early '80s, when Blackman played like she had something to prove. She's gotten well beyond that now. While her playing is still aggressive, her touch is more brisk and her ideas more organically integrated into the fabric of the compositions. Like Tony, she is a thinking, reacting drummer who propels the music forward while shaping and coloring it from measure to measure with well-placed tom and snare accents and cymbal splashes. 

In the Now features her most mature, interactive playing on record while also highlighting her evolving sophistication as a composer. Jacky Terrasson's use of Fender Rhodes on Blackman originals like "Passage" and the title track, as well as on a savvy cover of pop star Lenny Kravitz's "Let Love Rule," immediately triggers a Miles in the Sky/Filles de Kilimanjaro vibe. Ron Carter's pedalling and walking basslines complete the connection to that time and place. Ravi Coltrane responds to this surging, expansive attitude with some probing and highly personal work on tenor (and soprano on "Passage"), with a few nods to Joe Lovano along the way. The centerpiece of this excellent album is "A King Among Men," Cindy's heartfelt tribute to her hero, Williams. The 15-minute suite moves through a variety of moods marked by her conversational approach to the kit. Coltrane's tenor playing is particularly lyrical here as well as on swinging renditions of Wayne Shorter's "Prince of Darkness" and Ornette Coleman's "Happy House." The brooding ballad "Sophia" is a fine example of Blackman's alluring brushwork, underscored by Carter's sparse, zenlike presence on bass, while she holds nothing back on the dynamic go-for-it traps showcase "A Strawberry for Cindy."  After years of trying to find her own place in the music, Cindy Blackman arrives in high style with In the Now. ~ Bill Milkowski   http://jazztimes.com/articles/8709-in-the-now-cindy-blackman

Personnel: Cindy Blackman (drums); Ravi Coltrane (soprano & tenor saxophones); Jacky Terrasson (piano), Fender Rhodes (piano); Ron Carter (bass).

In The Now

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Buddy DeFranco & Tommy Gumina - The Girl From Ipanema

Styles: Clarinet And Accordion Jazz
Year: 1964
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 37:56
Size: 87,9 MB
Art: Front

(2:35)  1. The Girl From Ipanema
(3:57)  2. Spring Is Here
(5:32)  3. Never On Friday
(3:01)  4. Satin Doll
(5:07)  5. My Old Flame
(3:47)  6. Round About Midnight
(3:36)  7. I Love You(De Volyo Bene)
(3:28)  8. It Could Happen To You
(6:49)  9. Lunar Lunacy

During 1960-64 clarinetist Buddy DeFranco co-led a quartet/quintet with accordionist Tommy Gumina. They recorded five albums that have been long out-of-print, including this session for Mercury which was their last before the group broke up. Actually DeFranco plays a fairly minor role on the date. In the ensembles he blends in with the accordion so closely as to be almost inaudible. Gumina takes the lion's share of the solo space on the standards and ballads and is well showcased on the rapid and somewhat bizarre "Lunar Lunacy." Other highlights include the title tune, "Satin Doll" and "It Could Happen to You." This LP will be difficult to find but it is better than it looks. ~ Scott Yanow  http://www.allmusic.com/album/the-girl-from-ipanema-mw0000866090

Personnel:  Accordion – Tommy Gumina ; Bass – Lee Burrows ; Clarinet – Buddy De Franco; Drums – Dickie Borden ; Guitar – Don Mamblo

The Girl From Ipanema

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Cheryl Jones - Like Someone In Love

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 47:17
Size: 108.3 MB
Styles: Vocal jazz
Year: 2006
Art: Front

[3:08] 1. Like Someone In Love
[4:48] 2. Detour Ahead
[4:15] 3. I'm Just A Lucky So And So
[5:26] 4. Like A Lover
[8:22] 5. Here's That Rainy Day
[3:59] 6. Pretty World
[3:17] 7. Too Close For Comfort
[7:24] 8. You Disappoint Me
[3:02] 9. Autumn Nocturne
[3:31] 10. Night Train

Cheryl Ann Jones began her musical journey as a child growing up in Houston, Texas. At age 8, her mother enrolled her in classical piano lessons with Mrs. Joyce Young Franklin. She took piano with Mrs. Franklin for 10 years and began singing in school and church choirs. Cheryl graduated from the High School for the Performing and Visual Arts in Houston, majoring in Vocal music. She performed with numerous groups including Girls' Chorus, Concert Choir and Senior Madrigals. Her love of jazz began in her home, listening to her father's vast jazz collection. Music was always playing in her home, in the car, on the record player! Cheryl went on to earn a Bachelor of Music Therapy from the University of Kansas and a Master of Divinity from the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky. Music remained an avocation as she served as an institutional chaplain for over 20 years. Cheryl sang with the Susan Zierman Oasis Vocal Octet in Washington, DC, 1990-1997 and continued to sing in church choirs, off-off-off Broadway shows and special events.

In 2001, Cheryl began studying with the Elliston Music Studio with Ms. Ronnie Wells-Elliston and Mr. Ron Elliston. She has been a two-time semi-finalist in the Fish Middleton Jazz Scholarship Competition, 2004 and 2005. Music has now come to the forefront of Cheryl's life as she pursues it as a vocation, rather than avocation. She sings weekly at several venues in the Washington, DC metropolitan area and has worked with some of the best jazz masters in the world! Cheryl is grateful to God for the opportunity to "sing her life" and share it with you.

Cheryl Jones has been nominated for a 2007 WAMMY in the Best Jazz Vocalist category! The WAMMYs (Washington Area Musicians) celebrate the artistry of musicians, producers and technicians in the Washington, DC metropolitan area. Congratulations, Cheryl!

Like Someone In Love

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Bobby Sanabria - Big Band Urban Folktales

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 75:07
Size: 172.0 MB
Styles: Latin jazz
Year: 2007
Art: Front

[6:30] 1. 57th St. Mambo
[5:36] 2. Pink
[7:11] 3. Since I Fell For You
[6:52] 4. D Train
[7:22] 5. El Lider
[7:44] 6. El Aché De Sanabria En Moderación
[6:00] 7. Besame Mucho
[5:56] 8. The Crab
[8:43] 9. O Som Do Sol
[3:33] 10. Blues For Booty Shakers
[6:35] 11. The Grand Wazoo
[2:59] 12. Obrigado Mestre

Bobby Sanabria continues the tradition of creating exciting Latin jazz in a big-band setting with this outstanding release. Long after daring to ask to sit in with the legendary Tito Puente (while only a teenager), the veteran percussionist put together a memorable session by recruiting outstanding musicians and encouraging them to write for the band, along with adding a few compelling charts of his own. One can immediately feel the energy as trumpeter Michael Philip Mossman and the leader make their presence felt in the brassy opener, "57th St. Mambo," written by Mossman. Bass trombonist Chris Washburne wrote the slinky "Pink," which fuses several styles and suggests young men strutting their stuff down South Beach in Miami Beach. The band also successfully delves into a pair of Hermeto Pascoal's works (the dreamy "O Som do Sol" and the moody ballad "Obrigado Mestre") and a very fresh take of the often pedestrian "Besame Mucho," featuring an effective vocal by Hiram "El Pavo" Remón.

But the big surprise is a driving Afro-Cuban arrangement of rocker Frank Zappa's big-band piece "The Grand Wazoo," which retains enough elements of the original while adding plenty of Latin spice. This CD was nominated in 2007 for a Grammy award as Best Latin Jazz Album. ~Ken Dryden

Big Band Urban Folktales

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Amandah Jantzen - Northern Star (The Singapore Sessions)

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2007
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 51:59
Size: 122,1 MB
Art: Front

(3:04)  1. Sequined Mermaid Dress
(4:59)  2. Lady Wants To Know
(2:03)  3. Social Call
(4:44)  4. The Night We Called It A Day
(4:34)  5. All Or Nothing At All / Stolen Moments
(4:30)  6. Northern Star
(4:08)  7. Willow Weep For Me
(4:50)  8. Bye Bye Country Boy
(3:27)  9. (I'm Just) Foolin' Myself
(2:39) 10. You Don't Know What Love Is
(5:00) 11. There's No Such Thing As Love
(2:45) 12. Ev'rything I've Got
(5:10) 13. We'll Be Together Again

Jazz and popular music are overloaded with "overnight successes" who gain a great deal of attention when they burst upon the scene, only to slip away into obscurity within a short time. Amandah Jantzen is the complete opposite. Throughout her career she has gradually earned a strong reputation while mastering her craft. She is a singer who, once experienced, one never forgets. Amandah has the rare ability to uplift standards and make vintage songs sound fresh, new and topical. Her warm voice and swinging style, combined with a large repertoire, result in consistently memorable performances. She is never shy to embrace melodies and lyrics from the Great American Songbook, bringing out the hidden beauty in both, but her renditions are never predictable. She is a jazz singer yet also quite accessible to a wide audience. Born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area, Amandah was drawn to music from an early age. 

Although she occasionally performed at jam sessions and in piano bars, she primarily worked outside of the music industry until 1986. By then, having discovered in turn Al Jarreau, Linda Ronstadt's Nelson Riddle recordings, Nancy Wilson and Sarah Vaughan, Amandah knew that she simply had to sing jazz. She relocated to Portland, Oregon five years later and became active locally, performing in jazz clubs and at concerts. She was particularly inspired by bassist Leroy Vinnegar and guitarist Charlie Byrd, developing into the warm and highly expressive singer that she is today. Byrd convinced Amandah that she should accompany herself on piano, a move which has added to the appeal and musicality of her performances. Amandah Jantzen's singing is well showcased on her three recordings, Some Other Time, Devil May Care and My Secret Love. She is also featured on a third of the songs on the Ellen Vanderslice compilation, Once in A Blue Moon, and half of the tunes on The Standard Vanderslice. Her newest CD, Northern Star/The Singapore Sessions was released in mid-2007. Because of the quality of these recordings and the popularity of her live engagements, I have picked Amandah as one of the top 500 jazz singers of all time and have included her in my book, The Jazz Singers, published by Backbeat Books in October, 2008. In addition to working in Portland (including long-term bookings at both the Doubletree and Heathman Hotels), Amandah has performed at extended engagements in Dutch Harbor, Alaska, at the Salishan Golf Resort on the Oregon Coast, at the Stone Harbor Resort in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin, and at the historic Ankeny's Restaurant atop the Ridpath Hotel in Spokane, Washington. 

She has also been featured as a soloist at the Du Maurier Jazz Festival in Vancouver, British Columbia; in Florida with tenor-saxophonist Turk Mauro and multi-instrumentalist Ira Sullivan, at Bally’s Casino in Las Vegas, and has opened concerts for both Mc Coy Tyner and Charlie Byrd. She has been steadily building a growing following in Key West, Florida as well over the past few years.Internationally, she’s worked two engagements in Singapore, with multiple extensions that kept her busy for 15 months, culminating in the recording of her latest CD, (Northern Star.) Continuing her tour of Asia, she then performed extended bookings in Seoul, South Korea; Bali, Indonesia; New Delhi, India; Shanghai, China; Bangkok, Thailand; Hanoi, Vietnam; and her latest, a full year in The Maldives. Additionally, in early 2008, she was featured in the Emirates Air Jazz Vocal Concert Series at Nardis Jazz Club in Istanbul, Turkey.In early 2006 she placed second in the 5th Annual Jazz Connect International Vocal Competition. She has also developed a steady base of “House Concert” appearances in the US where she works at regional jazz venues in between her long term bookings in Asia. Her most recent overseas jazz concert was at the Esplanade in Singapore in July of 2010 with a powerhouse trio & a captivated audience. An enthusiastic and charismatic performer who is also subtle, Amandah Jantzen is a constant joy, both musically and personally. She is on her way to becoming a major name in the overlapping worlds of jazz, cabaret and classic American pop music. ~ Bio written by Scott Yanow, Los Angeles, CA    http://www.amazon.co.uk/Amandah-Jantzen/e/B001LHMPWW

Northern Star (The Singapore Sessions)

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Abigail Riccards & Tony Romano - Soft Rains Fall

Styles: Vocal and Guitar Jazz
Year: 2011
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 40:26
Size: 95,8 MB
Art: Front

(3:56)  1. I Get Along Without You Very Well
(3:28)  2. Chega De Saudade
(4:24)  3. Blame It On My Youth
(3:16)  4. Stardust
(4:41)  5. Both Sides Now
(2:37)  6. Beautiful Love
(3:01)  7. Kathy's Song
(4:42)  8. I Can't Make You Love Me
(3:41)  9. I Wish You Love
(2:50) 10. The Nearness Of You
(3:42) 11. Bring It On Home

Vocalist Abigail Riccards’ collaboration with guitarist Tony Romano, Soft Rains, is a stylistically unique voice and guitar recital. Although this type of pairing brings to mind the Ella Fitzgerald/Joe Pass sessions, this is disc contains a very different kind of duets. There are Spanish classical influences, as on “Chega De Suadade,” that sounds like a Joaquin Rodrigo composition both when Romano is in the spotlight and while he is driving Riccards’ evocative vocal stylings up and down the musical scales. Elsewhere, on “Beautiful Love,” Django-esque strumming is paired with vocal improvisations, one of two tracks that feature Riccards’ scatting skills. The other, “I Wish You Love,” is perhaps the “jazziest” on the album with a short but advanced guitar work. Romano plays angular lines on “Blame It On My Youth,” where his carefully placed notes frame Riccards’ mellow contralto; soft as honey with a bite of spice like heady mead.  Her voice is well suited for Joni Mitchell’s poetic words giving “Both Sides Now” a personal treatment without altering the spirit of this classic song. 

Her versatility is on display with her interpretation of Paul Simon’s “Kathy’s Song,” which flows smoothly from her lips revealing a vulnerability that is buried deep inside the music. Her heartbreaking delivery of romantic ballads is heard on “I Can’t Make You Love Me” with touches of folk music, and the Sam Cooke classic “Bring It On Home” maintains its earthiness but is infused with jazz sensibilities particularly on the closing guitar solo. On an album full of intimate moments, the most intimate tunes are “The Nearness Of You,” which is transformed to a voice and guitar conversation, “I Get Along Without You Very Well,” with enough musicality to the recitation of the lyrics to create a melancholy mood without overshadowing Romano’s sparse notes, and “Stardust,” where Riccards’ deceptively simple delivery is like someone humming to themselves but with a phrasing so exact and so one-of-a-kind that it belongs in the best of jazz venues. With the high quality of their musicianship, Riccards and Romano have created a record more stimulating and engaging with their bare-bones delivery than any overproduced vocal jazz album. ~ Hrayr Attarian  

http://www.chicagojazz.com/cd-reviews.php?SEARCH=review&REV=142.

Personnel:  Abigail Riccards – Voice; Tony Romano – Guitar

Soft Rains Fall

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Marian McPartland - Marian McPartland Plays The Benny Carter Songbook

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1990
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 53:33
Size: 124,5 MB
Art: Front

(4:04)  1. When The Lights Are Low
(5:16)  2. I'm In The Mood For Swing
(4:52)  3. A Kiss From You
(3:44)  4. Key Largo
(4:42)  5. Another Time, Another Place
(4:44)  6. Summer Serenade
(4:03)  7. Doozy
(5:16)  8. Lonely Woman
(7:07)  9. Only Trust Your Heart
(3:41) 10. Evening Star
(6:01) 11. Easy Money

Two aspects uplift this Marian McPartland CD above most songbooks. Benny Carter is much better-known as an altoist and an arranger than as a composer, so his compositions tend to be quite fresh since they have been underplayed through the years. Also, the fact that Carter himself performs on the majority of these selections (which also include bassist John Clayton and drummer Harold Jones) makes the set something special. Highlights include "When Lights Are Low," "I'm in the Mood for Swing," "Key Largo," "Doozy," "Lonely Woman" and "Only Trust Your Heart," but all 11 songs are enjoyable and swinging. ~ Scott Yanow   http://www.allmusic.com/album/plays-the-benny-carter-songbook-mw0000655084.

Personnel: Marian McPartland (piano), Benny Carter (alto saxophone), John Clayton (bass), Harold Jones (drums).

Marian McPartland Plays The Benny Carter Songbook

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Wes Montgomery - Boss Guitar

Bitrate: 320K/s

Time: 57:53

Size: 132.5 MB

Styles: Guitar jazz

Year: 2010

Art: Front

[6:27] 1. Besame Mucho

[4:47] 2. Dearly Beloved

[3:45] 3. Days Of Wine And Roses

[4:23] 4. The Trick Bag

[5:04] 5. Canadian Sunset

[6:42] 6. Fried Pies

[4:07] 7. The Breeze And I

[4:38] 8. For Heaven’s Sake

[6:22] 9. Besame Mucho (Take 2, Alternate) - Alternate Take

[5:01] 10. The Trick Bag (Take 6, Alternate) - Alternate Take

[6:32] 11. Fried Pies (Take 1) - Alternate Take

Before he moved away from straight-ahead jazz and starting playing what is now known as smooth jazz, Wes Montgomery was one of bop's finest guitarists. Montgomery's bop period ended much too soon, but thankfully, he recorded his share of rewarding bop albums when he was still bop-oriented -- and one of them is Boss Guitar, which Orrin Keepnews produced in 1963. It's a trio recording, employing Mel Rhyne on organ and Jimmy Cobb on performances that have held up well over time; Montgomery shows how expressive a ballad player he could be on the standards "For Heaven's Sake" and "Days of Wine and Roses," but the fast tempo exuberance of "The Trick Bag" (a Montgomery original) serves him equally well. Montgomery swings the blues with pleasing results on "Fried Pies" (another Montgomery original), while Consuelo Velázquez's "Besame Mucho" (which is usually played at a slow ballad tempo) is successfully transformed into medium-tempo Latin jazz. Boss Guitar is among the bop-oriented Montgomery albums that should continue to be savored after all these years. [In addition to the eight master takes that were heard on the original '60s LP, some reissues contain alternate takes of "Besame Mucho," "The Trick Bag," and "Fried Pies" all of which will interest collectors.] ~Alex Henderson

Boss Guitar      

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Marky Quayle - One December Day

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 49:45
Size: 113.9 MB
Styles: Easy Listening
Year: 2008
Art: Front

[4:30] 1. Then I'll Be Tired Of You
[2:28] 2. What A Difference A Day Made
[2:50] 3. When Sunny Gets Blue
[2:50] 4. I Hadn't Anyone 'til You
[3:35] 5. Moonlight In Vermont
[3:40] 6. My Buddy
[1:23] 7. Almost Like Being In Love
[3:35] 8. Cheek To Cheek
[2:43] 9. Embraceable You
[1:30] 10. Exactly Like You
[3:35] 11. The Very Thought Of You
[3:42] 12. For Sentimental Reasons (I Love You)
[4:37] 13. Like Someone In Love
[2:31] 14. When I Fall In Love
[2:21] 15. Long Ago & Far Away
[3:47] 16. Learnin' The Blues

Marky remembers, “The earliest live music that I recall hearing was the Mary Kay Trio singing in my father's living room when I was six years old. It was unforgettable the impression their beautiful voices made on me! I knew from then on that I wanted to be a singer.” Marky's father was a great music lover and counted among his close friends George Shearing and Les Brown, who were his regular houseguests, with Shearing often playing on the home piano. With her Dad playing vocal recordings around the house whenever he was home, Marky recounts that she learned three-quarters of her repertoire by the time she was nine. Although as a teenager she listened to the rock bands that were active in San Francisco during that era, when a neighbor gave her an LP titled The Divine One by Miss Sarah Vaughan, it turned her musical life around.

“[Quayle] lets the lyrics of each song speak for itself . . . and she is particularly skilled on ballads, so one enjoys hearing her bring out the warmth and timelessness of each song.” ~Scott Yanow

One December Day

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Cliff Richard - 40 Golden Greats (2-Disc Set)

Following on from four past single disc collections of hits collections, Cliff Richard's first ever U.K. double album offered a straightforward recounting of, not necessarily his 40 greatest hits, but certainly his 40 best known. No statistical ground rules set out its contents. Rather, the compilers went by instinct and, perhaps, a well-developed sense of the mystic point where musical immortality departs from commercial superiority. Of the artist's eight number ones to date, one, 1960s "I Love You," was absent. Of 12 Top Ten hits scored between 1966-79, three were replaced by lower ranking, but infinitely more memorable efforts. It seems incredible that such mid-1970s gems as "Miss You Nights" and "My Kinda Life" were outperformed by the likes of "Big Ship" and "It's All Over," but that's the mystery of the pop charts for you. The bulk of the album, of course, is concentrated on the years when Richard didn't simply dominate British rock, he epitomized it. The whole of the first album (the first disc on the CD reissue) is dedicated to the 1958-63 period; the remainder of the 1960s consume more than half the rest of the record -- 1970s "Goodbye Sam, Hello Samantha," famously celebrated at the time as the artist's 50th single, doesn't arrive until the 33rd track, while the five years which divided that from his "Devil Woman"-led rebirth are summed up in just three songs. And that is precisely how it should have been. 40 Golden Greats slammed to the top of the U.K. chart in November 1977, his first number one since 1963's Summer Holiday, and was it mere chance -- or wry fate -- which decreed that when it was dislodged from that lofty peak, it was the Sex Pistols who did it. Twenty years earlier, after all, Richard himself had been Public Enemy #1, with "Move It," a blast of brutal punk rock as potently shocking to listeners of the time as all of Johnny Rotten's patent outrage. The difference is, in 1977, "Move It" still bristled with all its original passion. One could not help but wonder whether the Pistols would prove so enduring. ~Dave Thompson

Album: 40 Golden Greats (Disc 1)
Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 49:32
Size: 113.4 MB
Styles: Rock
Year: 1977/2003

[2:20] 1. Move It
[2:36] 2. Living Doll
[2:35] 3. Travellin' Light
[2:28] 4. Fall In Love With You
[2:57] 5. Please Don't Tease
[2:05] 6. Nine Times Out Of Ten
[2:03] 7. Theme For A Dream
[1:56] 8. Gee Whiz It's You
[2:22] 9. When The Girl In Your Arms Is The Girl In Your Heart
[2:28] 10. A Girl Like You
[3:08] 11. The Young Ones
[2:12] 12. Do You Wanna Dance
[2:44] 13. I'm Looking Out The Window
[1:52] 14. It'll Be Me
[1:59] 15. Bachelor Boy
[2:55] 16. The Next Time
[2:04] 17. Summer Holiday
[2:41] 18. Lucky Lips
[3:09] 19. It's All In The Game
[2:50] 20. Don't Talk To Him

40 Golden Greats (Disc 1)

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Album: 40 Golden Greats (Disc 2)
Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 56:45
Size: 129.9 MB
Styles: Rock
Year: 1977/2003
Art: Front

[2:36] 1. Constantly
[2:25] 2. On The Beach
[2:51] 3. I Could Easily Fall (In Love With You)
[2:18] 4. The Minute You're Gone
[2:26] 5. Wind Me Up (Let Me Go)
[2:59] 6. Visions
[2:19] 7. Blue Turns To Grey
[2:39] 8. In The Country
[2:14] 9. The Day I Met Marie
[2:53] 10. All My Love (Solo Tu)
[2:30] 11. Congratulations
[2:46] 12. Throw Down A Line
[2:49] 13. Goodbye Sam Hello Samantha
[3:22] 14. Sing A Song Of Freedom
[3:00] 15. Power To All Our Friends
[2:55] 16. (You Keep Me) Hangin' On
[3:54] 17. Miss You Nights
[3:32] 18. Devil Woman
[2:47] 19. I Can't Ask For Anymore Than You
[3:23] 20. My Kinda Life

40 Golden Greats (Disc 2)

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