Juliet Annerino - Crushed Velvet

Size: 111,3 MB
Time: 47:52
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2009
Styles: Jazz Vocals
Art: Front

01. Close Your Eyes (4:08)
02. Easy (3:05)
03. The Stranger (4:52)
04. Live Dangerously (2:28)
05. I Hurt Myself (3:55)
06. You'll Be Sorry (2:32)
07. My Sin (4:52)
08. Let's Run Away Together (2:10)
09. Time In San Francisco (3:52)
10. Intoxicated (3:50)
11. One Brave Soul (4:31)
12. Crush (3:04)
13. Amnesia (4:28)

Previously unreleased, original analog-recorded, in San Francisco, this collection of Juliet's songs have a "Classic Jazz" sound, honoring composers of the Great American Song Book. George Gershwin, Rogers & Hammerstein, Cole Porter... yet with post-modern lyrics and the occasional, exotic Euro-flare.

"Juliet Annerino is the Complete Package: singer, performer, composer, recording artist and producer. Her vocalizing and songwriting touch on multiple music genres without necessarily landing on any one, and she makes it all work." ~Chuck Bolger "JAZZ...Or Something Like It" 91.7 FM WMUH Allentown, PA

Crushed Velvet

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Mike Fageros - Booker Ervin Tribute (Jazz Organ Trio)

Size: 100,3 MB
Time: 43:24
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2011
Styles: Jazz: Hammond Organ, Bebop
Art: Front

01. Just Friends (6:14)
02. Den Tex (6:14)
03. Stella By Starlight (5:02)
04. Take Five (Alt Take) (4:26)
05. Nicas Dream (9:49)
06. Midnite Tippin' (6:40)
07. Voyage (4:57)

When guitarist Mike Fageros hooked up with Hammond Organist Booker Patterson and Drummer Marion Booker (previously on Cookbook w/George Benson), the musicians decided to pay "Hommage to tenor saxophonist Booker Ervin". Booker Ervin hailed from Texas as does Mike Fageros so they decided on two tracks that Booker Ervin made famous.

The first is a cut from the "Tex Book Tenor" CD by Booker Ervin entitled "Den Tex", which basically is an abbreviation for "Denton Texas" about 30 miles north of Dallas on Interstate 35 where the North Texas University is located. North Texas University has always had the reputation for being one of the best if not "the best" colleges for aspiring jazz musicians. Little wonder that Booker Ervin hailed from there before he made his trek up to "The Big Apple".

Secondarily, Guitarist Mike Fageros plays another Booker Ervin tune that was the title track of one of Booker Ervin's CD'S entitled "Just Friends". Even though Mike Fageros and Booker Ervin come from different periods of jazz, there is a deep undertone and connection between the two artists.

Regarding the first cut, "Den Tex", the trumpeter that Ervin chose for his session was none other than Woody Shaw. You can hear some of the nuances of Ervin and Shaw in Mike Fageros' solo, weaving in and out during the descending chromatic dominant thirtheent chords. As well, you can hear the post modern bop influences of Ervin and Shaw in Hammond Organist Booker Patterson's playing and the steady bop feel from drummer Marion Booker. Marion had as well performed with Hammond Organists Lonnie Smith on the "Think" CD (Blue Note) and with Jimmy McGriff on "Groove Grease".

The CD is rounded out in the same tradition as Ervin did with some solid "Standards" in the form of an up tempo version of "Stella" including an "Ervinesque" version of Brubeck's "Take Five" with some excellent "going out" as Booker Ervin would have. Bonus tracks of Kenny Baron's "Voyage" and Horace Silver's "Nica's Dream" along with Tipper Mike Fageros title track "Midnite Tippin" from the Midnite Tippin CD are also included in this exciting CD.

Booker Ervin Tribute

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Gavin Minter - A Beautiful Friendship

Size: 108,0 MB
Time: 46:34
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2014
Styles: Jazz Vocals
Art: Front

01. A Beautiful Friendship (2:37)
02. The Very Thought Of You (6:47)
03. S Wonderful (3:07)
04. What A Little Moonlight Can Do (2:51)
05. I'm Old Fashioned (5:42)
06. Almost Like Being In Love (2:37)
07. We'll Be Together Again (5:15)
08. Just In Time (3:20)
09. The Lady Is A Tramp (2:50)
10. That's All (4:43)
11. Somewhere Over The Rainbow (6:40)

Gavin Minter has just recorded his 7th album at the famous Atlantis Studios. This new album of standards was recorded in Stockholm after a two week sell-out tour of Sweden.

It features Andrew Lilley on piano and Kevin Gibson on drums from South Africa as well as Martin Sostjedt on double bass, Karl Olandersson on trumpet and flugelhorn, Amanda Sedgwick on alto and flute and Fredrik Linborg on tenor and clarinet from Sweden.

It is a standards album with beautiful arrangements by Goran Strandberg, his arranging partner from this SAMA nominated album "I'll Be Seeing You" featuring the Stockholm Jazz Orchestra.

The album includes tunes like "Somewhere Over The Rainbow", "Just In Time", "S'Wonderful", "We'll Be Together Again", "Lady Is A Tramp", "Beautiful Friendship" and a few more classics.

A Beautiful Friendship

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Marie-Paule Franke & Her Dreamband - Tales From A Lonely Room

Size: 105,9 MB
Time: 45:36
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2014
Styles: Smooth Jazz, Jazz Vocals
Art: Front

01. Bleu La Reunion (5:40)
02. Used To Play (3:57)
03. Picking A Flower (5:01)
04. Tango Of A Lonely Room (3:25)
05. La Confession (4:23)
06. Travel Got My Mind (5:00)
07. Ein Brief (4:18)
08. La Passion (4:12)
09. Give This Love A Chance (6:02)
10. Does It Matter (3:33)

Marie-Paule Franke (vocalist/composer) comes from a musical family. Her father was a Jewish/German cellist and played freelance in the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra. Therefore, from an early age she was immersed in classical music and learned to play the piano. As a young-adult, she began to sing and soon -in a roundabout way through pop, rock, funk and chanson- Jazz became her favorite genre. In the Eighties and Nineties she took singing lessons with David Linx at the Royal Conservatory of Ghent, Belgium, and took master classes with Judy Niemack. She took jazz-orchestration and -arrangement with Freddie Sunder, when jazz for vocalists first appeared on the syllabus. She sang in several bands and also appeared on a one-time recording with the BRT big band from Brussels, conducted by Freddy Sunder, just before it disbanded. She is not only a versatile vocalist but has also written her own compositions and lyrics for several years. Over the years she has developed a very personal style.
The meeting between classical music, rock, pop and influences of jazz icons, such as Billie Holiday, Abbey Lincoln and Joni Mitchell, made a great impression on her. These influences can be found in her work.
'Marie-Paule Franke and her Dreamband' was created in 2010 from the desire to develop her own music and to be accompanied by musicians who share the same inspirations. The collaboration with Erik Vermeulen and Jouni Isoherranen led to the release of the album ' Tales from a Lonely Room '(March 2014), and crowns her work and experience to date.

Erik Vermeulen is one of the most refined pianists in Belgium. Perhaps the antithesis of the great virtuoso pianists, his piano playing excels in both inspiration and sound. He understands the art of combining the varying styles of artists such as Thelonious Monk and Eric Satie, and has become a well-known yet distinctive member of the Belgian jazz landscape. Over the years he has played alongside a great many Belgian and international musicians such as Jacques Pelzer, Steve Houben, Phil Abraham, Richard Rousselet, Philip Catherine, Joe Lovano, Steve Grossman, Clark Terry, Art Farmer, Teddy Edwards to Toots Thielemans. Vermeulen is primarily dedicated to creating his own music, and compositions by his hand are interspersed with improvisations of different allure. He also plays a selection from the standard repertoire. The trio seems to be his preferred formula: intimate enough and still with lots of possibilities. He has featured in several lineups: Hein Van de Geyn and Dré Pallemaerts, Jean-Louis Rassinfosse and Félix Simtaine, Philippe Aerts and Dré Pallemaerts, Otti Van der Werf and Erik Thielemans, Sal La Rocca and Jan de Haas, Marek Patrman and Eric Surmenian or Manolo Cabras and Marek Patrman.

Jouni Isoherranen is a very talented young Finnish bass guitar player and a musical Jack-of-all-trades who enjoys very different styles varying from pop, rock, world and ethnic music, to jazz and free improvisation. He nowhere turns his hand for. He has played and performed together with Gabriel Rios (Banda the Ganda, Bologna), Andy Davis trio, Luiz Marquez and currently also with the Guinean Kora player Djeli Moussa Condé. Paris is his base town from where he explores all corners of the World.
The song ' Travel got my mind ' was inspired by him.

Tales From A Lonely Room

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Spike Robinson With Elaine Delmar - In Town

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 56:27
Size: 129.3 MB
Styles: Saxophone jazz, Jazz vocals
Year: 1986/2004
Art: Front

[5:55] 1. Too Close For Comfort
[8:00] 2. You've Changed
[4:00] 3. Just One Of Those Things
[3:51] 4. In A Sentimental Mood
[3:01] 5. 's Wonderful
[5:29] 6. Get Out Of Town
[9:00] 7. Little Girl Blue
[5:27] 8. Everything I Love
[5:02] 9. Young And Foolish
[6:37] 10. Will You Still Be Mine

Spike Robinson, though U.S. born, has made the British Isles his home and does most of his recording there. In Town is one of several records he has made for the Scottish company, Hep. Computer engineer +cum+ tenor sax man, Robinson displays agility and virtuosity with his alto-like tenor sax, as he runs through this album of well-known standards with facility and ease. He's joined on four of the cuts by vocalist Elaine Delmar. She and pianist Brian Lemon together weave a very enjoyable version of Duke Ellington's "In a Sentimental Mood." Robinson has inherited the style and mannerisms of the great romantic tenors, like Zoot Sims and Stan Getz. You also hear the later day Ben Webster breathy whispering on "You've Changed." But Robinson has assimilated these influences into a style which is uniquely his. Listen to him explore all the nuances and emotions of the melancholy ballad "Little Girl Blue" and swing intelligently on "Everything I Love." "Little Girl Blue" also is a forum for a lengthy solo by Brain Lemon's understated piano. In Town is an album of well-known melodies as interpreted by a contemporary master of the tenor sax. ~Dave Nathan

In Town

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Luiz Bonfa - The Brazilian Scene

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 31:38
Size: 72.4 MB
Styles: Brazilian jazz
Year: 1965/2008
Art: Front

[1:54] 1. Avocado
[2:38] 2. Moonlight In Rio
[3:27] 3. Malaguena Salerosa
[3:08] 4. Zomba
[2:24] 5. Yesterday
[2:19] 6. That Old Black Magic
[2:08] 7. I Can't Give You Anything But Love
[3:22] 8. Embolada
[2:03] 9. Bye Bye Blues
[3:12] 10. Her Face
[2:10] 11. Sambalero
[2:46] 12. Dream Girl

There is something truly majestic in the guitar playing and composing of Luiz Bonfá. From solo dates such as 1959's Solo in Rio (issued stateside by Smithsonian Folkways) to his 1972 masterpiece, Introspection, his sound is as telltale as the two other Brazilian guitar greats, Baden Powell and Djalma de Andrade (aka Bola Sete). Bonfá's elegance in style is what sets him apart from even these great masters. There is something utterly unhurried and gentle about his manner of playing, even during its most intense moments or in the most decorative settings (there were a lot of those during the bossa craze). The Brazilian Scene, released in 1965 on the Philips imprint, sits right on the knife edge between something as wonderfully organic as his solo recordings and the more stylized Anglo projects that were flooding the bins at the time. This date was produced by Hal Mooney, who also served as co-arranger along with Bonfá. The Brazilian Scene set features 12 tunes, seven of which are Bonfá originals, and one an arrangement of a traditional song ("Malaguena Salerosa"). The rest are pop standards and some that would be (the Beatles' "Yesterday"). The studio group includes Bonfá's New York studio band, featuring the great drummer Hélcio Milito, bassist Donald Payne, and flutist Jerome Richardson, with strings and a chamber orchestra that were dubbed in later. Bonfá's group was recorded absolutely live from the floor; his guitar playing, full of gorgeous dual pizzicatos, popping bass notes, and extended chord voicings, was captured as it is with no overdubs. This may not seem unusual until you hear it. More often than not it does feel as if a minimum of two guitarists are playing -- check the fluid, kinetic dual pizzicatos and single notes in the traditional tune, where his bass notes ground a flitting attack of two- and then one-string leads amid his basslines, which also feel twinned. Other standouts include the dark edges of "Zomba," with its foreboding horns and dramatic strings. Bonfá moves through them with his minor-key melody playing out in old Brazilian folk dance style, where chords are folded amid twinned lead lines and a hypnotic bassline -- accented on the codas by Milito. It does have the feeling of gentle exotica because of the orchestrations, but Bonfá's playing removes the flowery edges in the tune. Of the pop standards, his reading of "That Old Black Magic" transforms the tune into a top-flight samba, with ticking triple-time percussion by Milito. The band performs this one without accompaniment from the orchestra, and it is among the set's highlights. As far as mid-'60s bossa goes, this one falls to the Yankee side of that a bit, but this is no easy listening date, either. This is colorful and polished Brazilian jazz performed by a crack group with tasteful -- if sometimes overly busy -- arrangements. ~Thom Jurek

The Brazilian Scene

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Glennis Houston - Lies Of Handsome Men

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 56:12
Size: 128.7 MB
Styles: Vocal jazz
Year: 2004
Art: Front

[3:58] 1. Bye Bye Blackbird
[3:33] 2. Just Squeeze Me
[4:38] 3. I Want A Sunday Kind Of Love
[4:45] 4. Summertime
[4:04] 5. God Bless The Child
[3:00] 6. The Story's Over
[3:43] 7. You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To
[3:17] 8. I Love A Piano
[4:43] 9. Cow Cow Boogie
[5:16] 10. Lies Of Handsome Men
[5:50] 11. Twisted
[4:44] 12. Someone Like You
[4:35] 13. Tea For Two

Calgary Jazz singer Glennis Houston grew up listening to jazz and swing as her parents taught ballroom dancing, so she spent many nights listening to the laughter and music emanating from the basement dancing studio. She was always involved in music, in fact, with piano lessons in her childhood and teens, and then studying classical voice culminating with a Masters of Music from the University of Colorado, Boulder. She eventually realized, though, that after throwing her heart and soul into studying classical, her passion lay elsewhere. Thus, her move into jazz, with one of her first forays being the forming of an a cappella women's quartet concentrating on the jazz and swing genres. That group has since disbanded as she pursues work as a jazz vocalist. Glennis has studied with Calgary's Viviane Cardinal and Cheryl Fisher, and has attended the Vocal Jazz camp at the Banff Centre of Fine Arts, where she studied with Jay Clayton and Sheila Jordan. There, she also had the pleasure of working with musicians Randy Halberstadt, Dave Restivo, Mike Lent, and Owen Howard.

Glennis also has a deep love of theatre so upon her move back to Calgary from Colorado in 1995, became involved with Morpheus Theatre as music director for Gilbert & Sullivan shows "The Mikado" and "Pirates of Penzance," Front Row Centre with "Fiddler on the Roof," and Storybook Theatre with their production of "Snoopy." Never one to stay behind the scenes, though, she also pursued theatre work on stage with roles in Storybook's "Charlotte's Web," Gas & Light's "See How They Run" and "Holiday Snap," as well as with Chimaera Productions "Steel Magnolias." She continues to be cast in Pegasus Performances murder mystery/dinner theatre productions throughout Alberta.

Lies Of Handsome Men

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Ellyn Rucker - Ellyn

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2006
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 43:51
Size: 101,1 MB
Art: Front

(7:39)  1. In Your Own Sweet Way
(3:19)  2. One Morning In May
(6:12)  3. Close Enough For Love
(5:19)  4. Nadines's Waltz
(3:29)  5. Blues For Big Scotia
(6:30)  6. 'Round Midnight
(4:05)  7. The Night Has 1000 Eyes
(7:16)  8. Solo Medley:  Prisoner of Love/   Body & Soul /  Wonder Why

A talented bop-based pianist and a highly appealing and sensuous singer, Ellyn Rucker has long been a fixture in the Denver area. Although she started playing piano when she was eight, discovered jazz at 13, and studied classical piano at Drake University, she did not decide to become a full-time musician until 1979. Rucker has toured Europe several times (with and without Spike Robinson), recorded several albums for Capri, has a full-length video on Leisure Jazz, and performed at many festivals. Perhaps if Ellyn Rucker had taken up music full-time 20 years earlier or lived in a larger area than Denver she would be a bigger name. However, her talent has long been in the major leagues and her recordings are all quite appealing and powerful. ~ Bio  Scott Yanow  http://www.allmusic.com/artist/ellyn-rucker-mn0000175223/biography

Personnel:  Bass – John Clayton ; Drums – Jeff Hamilton;  Piano – Ellyn Rucker;  Tenor Saxophone – Pete Christlieb;  Vocals – Ellyn Rucker

Ellyn

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Donna Deussen & The Paul Weitz Trio - On The Street Where You Live

Styles: Vocal And Guitar Jazz
Year: 2014
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 39:03
Size: 89,5 MB
Art: Front

(4:24)  1. California Dreamin'
(3:40)  2. Do Wrong Shoes
(3:10)  3. On the Street Where You Live
(4:17)  4. Both Sides Now
(4:49)  5. Black Coffee   A Night in Tunisia
(3:06)  6. Fly Me to the Moon
(3:25)  7. The Very Thought of You
(3:03)  8. Sister Sadie
(5:25)  9. If I Only Had a Brain
(3:40) 10. Waltz for Debby

Over the past 2 years, recording artists Donna Deussen (vocals)  and Paul Weitz (guitar) have been developing unique arrangements  for both duo and full band settings. The result of their efforts  is their new co-produced CD, “On The Street Where You Live.” The  CD features Matt VanBenschoten on bass, Gus Duffy on drums,  Wayne Wayne on sax, and Geoff Nudell on clarinet and flute. Join  all six musicians for their CD Release Party on Saturday, May 3rd  at Upstairs At Vitello’s.

Donna Deussen’s singing has been praised by John Gilbert of EJazzNews: “her phrasing is impeccable, her tone is clear, and is a joy to the ear of the discerning listener.” A magna cum laude graduate of Berklee College of Music, Donna has performed in venues all over California and Arizona, and also works as a session singer and vocal coach. Her debut CD, “High Wire” featured saxophonist Eric Marienthal.

Paul Weitz has been a professional musician for over 30 years, and studied guitar under Ted Greene and Sid Jacobs. Scott Yanow of L.A. Jazz Scene says, “Paul Weitz is a superior bop-based guitarist with a concept of his own.” Paul performs throughout the Los Angeles area, and his debut CD “The Paul Weitz Trio” garnered favorable reviews and air play on jazz radio stations including KKJZ in Los Angeles.

Musicians: Donna Deussen – Vocals;  Paul Weitz – Guitars; Matt VanBenschoten – Bass; Gus Duffy – Drums; Wayne Wayne – Sax; Geoff Nudell – Clarinet and Flute

On The Street Where You Live

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Gordon Webster - Blues Till Dawn

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2007
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 62:16
Size: 143,0 MB
Art: Front

(5:21)  1. Don't Go To Strangers
(5:44)  2. The Very Thought Of You
(4:53)  3. Mo' Better Blues
(5:43)  4. Gee Baby Ain't I Good To You
(5:52)  5. Georgia On My Mind
(5:31)  6. When Did You Leave Heaven?
(5:39)  7. Things Ain't What They Used To Be
(5:53)  8. What The World Needs Now
(7:08)  9. Makin' Whoopie
(6:23) 10. Just Squeeze Me
(4:03) 11. Girl From Ipanema

It's well after midnight and you want to slow things down. Create the perfect mood with this collection of soulful piano playing, singing and trombone playing. Featuring special guests: amazing singer Brianna Thomas, and trombonist extraordinaire Roland Barber. Whether you're dancing or just listening, this album is guaranteed to put you in a perfect late night groove. Pianist Gordon Webster is one of the most sought after musicians in the lindy hop world. His tremendous musicianship and passion, supported by his first-hand knowledge of social dancing, have inspired lindy hoppers at hundreds of dance events worldwide. Drawing on influences as diverse as Fats Waller, Count Basie, Oscar Peterson and Gene Harris, Webster serves up a smorgasbord of styles unified by one characteristic: irresistible danceability. Blues Till Dawn is a collection of slow, bluesy jazz tracks influenced by the sultry atmosphere of a late night dancing event in the lindy hop/blues scene.
Here's what dancers are saying about Gordon Webster:

"...an extremely rare combination of eloquence, passion, and accessibility - like a shot of something pure that goes straight to the head and heart." ~ Elizabeth Miller, dance instructor, event promoter
Boston, MA

"Gordon plays every note like it's the last note he's going to play in his entire life."~ Steven Mitchell, worldwide lindy hop instructor

"Gord's very well musically educated, and it's evident. However, it's HOW he plays that makes the biggest impact - his soul wells up in his hands and either flows or explodes out through his fingers and into the keys. He's incredibly moving. Incredibly."~ Michelle Long, dancer Rochester, NY   http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/gordonwebster

Blues Till Dawn

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Warren Wolf - Incredible Jazz Vibes

Styles: Vibraphone Jazz
Year: 2005
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 54:03
Size: 124,2 MB
Art: Front

(4:54)  1. I Hear a Rhapsody
(5:30)  2. Overjoyed
(6:23)  3. I Want More
(7:04)  4. Masquerade Is Over
(4:25)  5. Four on Six
(5:00)  6. Why Is There a Dolphin on Green Street
(2:42)  7. Reflections
(6:46)  8. Howling Wolf
(5:55)  9. Lake Nerraw Flow
(5:18) 10. Chan's Song

Throughout its history, jazz has been revitalized with a continual evolution of style, fresh transformations in expression, bold leaps into the free improvisational sphere of the unknown and most importantly the arrival of young artists who, while steeped in the past, have an eye to the future of the idiom. Jazz aficionados welcome the dawning of the next generations of talented musicians who boldly stride into progressive territory. Among the most important young jazz stars in that vein is vibraphonist Warren Wolf, who delivers his remarkable sophomore album, Wolfgang, on Mack Avenue Records. Wolf, a multi-instrumentalist who has also honed his chops on drums and piano since age three, is also following in the footsteps of vibes masters Bobby Hutcherson and Stefon Harris by becoming a member of the SFJazz Collective (both of whom precede him in the vibes chair). Wolfgang, set for an August 20 release, features two different three-man rhythm sections pianist Benny Green, bassist Christian McBride and drummer Lewis Nash; and pianist Aaron Goldberg, bassist Kris Funn and drummer Billy Williams, Jr.), as well as two noteworthy duo pieces with pianist/label-mate Aaron Diehl. Wolf and Diehl are both building their careers as young (each under age 35) musicians keeping the jazz tradition alive. Comprising nine tunes (six of which are originals), Wolfgang spotlights Wolf taking a different, more laid-back take than his volcanic eponymous debut album on Mack Avenue. 

“The last record was a means of introducing myself as a leader,” says the 33-year-old Baltimore-based vibraphonist. “This time I set out to showcase my writing skills with compositions that have melodies people can remember.” On his first album, which was produced by mentor/label-mate McBride (who Wolf has been performing with since 2007 after the pair met at Jazz Aspen seven years before that), Wolf placed himself in the context of a quintet and sextet (with saxophonist Tim Green and, on two tracks, trumpeter Jeremy Pelt). This time out he largely focuses on the quartet setting. “I wanted to display the beauty of the vibes,” he says. “In a quintet, you’re limited. With a quartet, you can hear me more. A lot of times the vibes is played in support of others. I’m showing here that I can hold the ball by myself.” Wolfgang sets out to showcase Wolf’s classical and blues influences, as well as his compositions.

Wolfgang opens with the vibraphonist leading his own home-base band (Fun and Williams with Goldberg sitting in as a guest) into “Sunrise,” with Goldberg and Williams making predawn statements, then develops into the relaxed aurora with Wolf joining the group. The piece develops into a swinging gem with lyrical vibes lines. With the same band, Wolf speeds into the hard-burning swinger “Grand Central,” which takes a frenetic pace with mad dashes of movement: a wild chase, a crushing push. “Actually, this originally had another title which we decided not to use,” says Wolf. “But I was performing it at Dizzy’s Club at Jazz at Lincoln Center, and a guy came up after and said that reminded him of being at Grand Central Station at rush hour. So, that’s the perfect title.” The foursome also jumps into the upbeat “Lake Nerraw Flow” which features Wolf taking a rippling solo. It’s a song he wrote as a senior at Berklee College of Music in 2001. “I don’t write like that anymore, but I knew this would be great for all of us to stretch out,” Wolf says. And the title? “That’s my name spelled backwards.” As for the fourth tune of the band, “Setembro,” written by Ivan Lins/Gilson Peranzzetta, Wolf invites singer Darryl Tookes to harmonize with smooth wordless vocals. “It goes back to my goal for this album: record melodies that people actually enjoy,” says Wolf. Wolf and Diehl have become good friends because of their deep appreciation for both jazz and classical music.

 “When I first composed the song ‘Wolfgang,’ I had a jazz band choir in mind as well as a whole other section that I cut out.” In the tune, Diehl and Wolf marvelously converse on their instruments, in dialogues and in counterpoint. The other duo number comes at the end of the disc when the pair gleefully dives into “Le Carnaval de Venise,” a waltz composed by Jean-Baptiste Arban. “I first heard this music in high school [Baltimore School of the Arts] where a trumpeter took the lead,” Wolf says. “Fast-forward to seeing a clip on YouTube of Wynton [Marsalis] playing this with a symphony orchestra. I bought the recording and was blown away.” The piece is delivered as a percussive waltz with Diehl and Wolf flowing together like gentle waves. With the rhythm section of Green/McBride/Nash, Wolf launches into three tunes including a bluesy and hip take on the traditional song, “Frankie and Johnny,” which his father had turned him on to when he was a teenager. “I listened to a live version that Ray Brown did with Milt Jackson and Stanley Turrentine and others, and I loved the pulse of the bass,” Wolf says. “You can hear Christian yelling in this take, which is a tribute to Ray Brown.” The group also serves up “Annoyance,” with McBride bowing in the opening and Wolf taking the lyrical duties (“If you hear something like a mistake in this, it’s supposed to be there,” says Wolf, who likes to hear dissonance within the beauty) and the blues-oriented “Things Were Done Yesterday,” where Green flies on the keys. “I’ve always been a big-time fan of Benny,” Wolf says. “To hear the way he plays through changes is amazing. He tears it up here.” A smart, fun, blues-to-swing-to-classical collection of indelible melodies, Wolfgang ups the ante in Wolf’s young career. Even though he’s still developing his voice and his vision (he says he has several new projects he’s thinking of), he has been given high praise, including from Blue Note Records’ Chairman Emeritus, Bruce Lundvall. When asked about whom Lundvall is impressed with on the scene today, the legendary label chief immediately responded: Warren Wolf. "Warren is very different,” he said. “He has a sense of swing and a percussive style. He has great dynamics, excellent compositions and is very exciting." He called Wolf's deal with Mack Avenue to be a very important signing. ~ Bio   http://www.amazon.com/Warren-Wolf/e/B001LIDAPC/ref=ac_dtp_sa_bio

Personnel: Warren Wolf (vibraphone).

Incredible Jazz Vibes

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Ed Reed - Ed Reed Sings Love Stories / I'm A Shy Guy

Album: Ed Reed Sings Love Stories
Size: 144,1 MB
Time: 62:48
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2007
Styles: Jazz Vocals
Art: Front

01. A Sleepin' Bee (6:40)
02. There's A Lull In My Life (4:40)
03. Ghost Of A Chance (6:21)
04. Bye Bye Blackbird (6:31)
05. A Flower Is A Lovesome Thing (5:37)
06. Where Do You Start (3:32)
07. Daydream (6:28)
08. Ask Me Now (7:25)
09. If The Moon Turns Green (5:41)
10. Goodbye (7:08)
11. Sometimes I Feel Like A Motherless Child (2:41)

Like many artists of his generation, singer Ed Reed saw his career interrupted by drug use and incarceration. JazzTimes magazine recently ran a piece on the Narcotic Farm, a prison for addicts in Lexington, Ky., known for the jazz players who performed behind bars. San Quentin, where Reed did his time, also hosted some notorious jazz players, including , Frank Butler and . On this Piano Jazz program, Reed describes playing with these and other great players in the prison band.

Reed has emerged from addiction and prison a happy and thankful man. When he sings "Lucky to Be Me," he means it. He says he's been sober since 1986 and continues to work his "day job" as an addiction counselor, though his time is more limited these days given the success of his recent jazz releases. Reed made his professional debut at age 78, with the debut of his critically acclaimed album Love Stories.

"Ed Reed Sings Love Stories" (2007), Ed's critically acclaimed debut album, was recorded February 2006 at Bay Records in Berkeley, CA. Produced by Bud Spangler, the CD features Peck Allmond, trumpet, tenor saxm flutes, clarinets, trombonium, kalimbas; Gary Fisher, piano; John Wiitala, bass;, and Eddie Marshall, drums and recorder.

Ed Reed Sings Love Stories

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Album: I'm A Shy Guy: A Tribute To The King Cole Trio & Their Music
Size: 112,5 MB
Time: 48:56
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2013
Styles: Jazz Vocals
Art: Front

01. I Just Can't See For Lookin' (Feat. Randy Porter, Jamie Fox & John Wiitala) (2:36)
02. Baby Baby All The Time (Feat. Randy Porter, Anton Schwartz, John Wiitala & Akira Tana) (3:01)
03. Unforgettable (Feat. John Wiitala, Akira Tana, Jamie Fox, Randy Porter & Anton Schwartz) (3:39)
04. Is You Is Or Is You Ain't My Baby (Feat. Randy Porter, Jamie Fox, Anton Schwartz & John Wiitala) (2:46)
05. I'm A Shy Guy (Feat. Randy Porter, Jamie Fox, John Wiitala & Akira Tana) (3:28)
06. That's The Beginning Of The End (Feat. Randy Porter) (4:43)
07. Meet Me At No Special Place (And I'll Be There At No Particular Time) (Feat. Anton Schwartz, John Wiitala, Akira Tana, Randy Porter & Jamie Fox) (3:45)
08. I'm Lost (Feat. John Wiitala) (4:04)
09. 'tis Autumn (Feat. Randy Porter, Jamie Fox, John Wiitala & Akira Tana) (3:25)
10. It's Only A Paper Moon (Feat. Randy Porter, Anton Schwartz, Jamie Fox, John Wiitala & Akira Tana) (3:12)
11. That Ain't Right (Feat. Randy Porter, Anton Schwartz, John Wiitala & Akira Tana) (4:46)
12. I Realize Now (Feat. Randy Porter, John Wiitala & Akira Tana) (2:53)
13. This Will Make You Laugh (Feat. Jamie Fox) (3:39)
14. Straighten Up And Fly Right (Feat. Randy Porter, Jamie Fox, Anton Schwartz & John Wiitala) (2:54)

San Francisco vocalist Ed Reed is a bona fide contemporary of West Coast jazz luminaries: Art Pepper, Frank Morgan, Dexter Gordon, Wardell Gray and Hampton Hawes. Unlike that august group, Reed remains to tell his story, and by proxy, theirs' in the bargain. Like this same group, drugs (and in the case of Gray, murder) suspended Reed's musical career. Unlike Pepper and Morgan, who staged much heralded late-career comebacks, Reed did not first record until 2007 at age 78. Neither "late bloomer" nor "rising star" adequately describe Reed any more than "senior" or "elderly" do. These terms might apply to mere mortals, but Reed is something else. When he entered the studio to record his debut Ed Reed Sings Love Stories (Blue Shorts Records) he was fully-formed as a singer and performing from a lifetime of anticipating that very moment.

Since Love Stories, Reed has released The Song Is You (Blue Shorts Records, 2008), Born To Be Blue (Blue Shorts Records, 2011) and the present I'm A Shy Guy: A Tribute to the Cole Trio & Their Music. Reed's performance remains at an amazing, even otherworldly, level. Co-producer and jazz vocalist and educator in her own right, Laurie Antonioli reveals of the Cole sessions:

"On the first day of most recording projects, it takes time to get people settled, get the sound right and hopefully you'll get a few tunes out of the deal. This is not what happened with the "Nat" session. On day one, from the very first song it was all there. The sound, the band, the tempos and interaction. But most importantly Ed was in fine voice and was a real pro—like Sinatra or something. I think there are at least five first takes from that first day... My involvement, aside from some minor technical things on the vocal end, was simply to say "Let's keep going." The flow was magical and everyone could feel it... The next day the bulk of the recording was finished."

The danger with such sessions is that it all seems too easy and truly exceptional jazz singing, particularly male jazz singing, is anything but. That said, Reed stepped up and made this recording an effortless affair. Supported by a piano-guitar quintet, Reed spins through better and lesser known Cole book inclusions. Bobby Troupe's "Baby Baby All The Time" and Cole's timeless "Unforgettable" join "It's Only A Paper Moon" and "Straighten Up And Fly Right as the better known pieces. "Can't See For Lookin,'" "That's The Beginning of the End" and "Meet Me At No Special Place" represent the pithier and lesser known Cole classics that comprise this excellent collection where Ed Reed sings Cole like Ed Reed and not someone imitating Cole. It is this touch that makes I'm A Shy Guy: A Tribute to the King Cole Trio & Their Music so exceptional. ~C. Michael Bailey

Personnel: Ed Reed: vocals; Randy Porter: piano; Anton Schwartz: tenor saxophone; John Wiitala: bass; Akira Tana: drums.

I'm A Shy Guy

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Nancy Harms - Dreams In Apartments

Size: 100,9 MB
Time: 43:54
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2013
Styles: Jazz/Pop Vocals
Art: Front

01. Weight Of The World (3:34)
02. It Could Happen To You (4:19)
03. Mood Indigo (4:46)
04. And It's Beautiful (4:24)
05. Never Let Me Go (4:27)
06. From My First Moment (Gymnopedie For Piano No. 1) (4:07)
07. Out Of Comfort (5:21)
08. Something Real (3:38)
09. Midnight Sun (5:46)
10. While We're Young (3:28)

The voice of Nancy Harms has the power to light cigarettes and make ‘em smolder all night long. Following on the heels of her inspired performance on Jeremy Siskind’s Finger-Songwriter, one of 2012?s best releases, Harms returns with a quartet date that highlights her casual, seductive delivery. And though a couple album tracks on Dreams In Apartments do allow her vocal cords to raise their heart rate a bit, ultimately, it’s those songs that behave like moonlight that are most likely to draw the ear in and never let it go.

Your album personnel: Nancy Harms (vocals), Aaron Parks (piano), RJ Miller (drums), Danton Boller (bass), and guests: John Hart (guitar) on about half of the album tracks and Wycliffe Gordon (trumpet) on one track.

Tracks like “From My First Moment” and “It Could Happen To You” glow strongest of that moonlight. On the former track, Parks and Hart send out glittering notes on piano and guitar, an enchantment greatly enhanced by the entrance of Boller on bass arco. And the latter of those two tracks highlights the ability of Harms to deliver a heartbreaking verse with the fluttering lightness of doves.

Her rendition of “Mood Indigo” further illustrates her way of putting heartbreak to song. Voice heavy with emotion, she lights a path for the quartet to stroll pleasantly down. There is a togetherness here stronger than any other album track. It’s a different feel on “Out Of Comfort,” a song that has the disassembled presence of a dream. Harms’s cooing voice is accompanied nicely by Hart’s electric guitar, which remains unobtrusive in the background while adding orange sunset to the blue horizon of Parks’ piano contribution.

“While We’re Young” is a chipper tune, bolstered by some nice brush work from Miller. “Something Real” is, also, an up-tempo tune. It lets the volume rise, though not without getting in a catchy melody to hang onto for the ride. The only weak spot on the album is another faster piece… “Weight of the World” is all pop song, and doesn’t really provide the space which Harms so deftly is able to fill on her own, with succinct, evocative phrases. But that’s a small criticism for what remains an enjoyable, solid new recording from the vocalist.

Dreams In Apartments

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Georgia Soul Council - Thickens Upon Standing

Size: 182,7 MB
Time: 79:39
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2013
Styles: Jazz Funk/Soul
Art: Front

01. Sauce (Thickens Upon Standing) (7:16)
02. Can't Stand Ya (6:16)
03. Gatur Bait (8:52)
04. Hutchins (4:53)
05. Hip Shot (7:32)
06. We're Gonna Groove (3:58)
07. Bounce This (5:16)
08. Soul Syrum (4:26)
09. Foot In It (7:39)
10. Snaggle Tooth (5:48)
11. Dutch Oven (5:50)
12. Effin' Splendid (6:15)
13. Lady Day (5:32)

"Georgia Soul Council, originally formed in Atlanta in 2010 as the backing band for Otis Redding III, reconvened in 2011 with a shift towards the 70's era breakbeat Soul-Jazz that is their real musical passion.

2012-13 has seen GSC bring their funkified live performances to the people of the southeastern United States, and they have had the pleasure of sharing the stage with Lee Fields & The Expressions, the Antibalas Afrobeat Orchestra, Papa Grows Funk, Col. Bruce Hampton, the Rebirth Brass Band, and many others. Georgia Soul Council's new full-length album "Thickens Upon Standing", released independently on July 16, 2013 to a fantastic reception from the soul-funk community and rave reviews.

"Speaking of groove, the Georgia Soul Council knows how to establish a tight one and work it thoroughly across an extended but controlled arrangement, where there’s not so much “jamming” as there is a succession of generous give-and-take, where everyone gets a moment in the spotlight while never losing sight of the tune, or the momentum. Built upon a core of eight songs recorded and released in limited fashion last year (remastered here) along with five brand new tracks, the ensemble’s album Thickens Upon Standing (as in, better keep dancing!) comes out on vinyl this month. Truly thick, hypnotic, mostly instrumental funk; excellent players with a solid brass section right out front in the mix." - Jeff Clark

"Comprising an inspirational collection of low-down groove music, the compositions venture into the break beat soul-jazz of the 1970s while also drawing much strength from contemporary elements of modern dance music. In any case, their soul-powered tunes are not ones to be taken lightly, as they grab the listener by their inner being, igniting a tingling feeling from the deepest part of the core to the outer brim of existence. Operating with a deep rhythmic pocket, raw vocals, and a knack for tastefully filling in space, the Georgia Soul Council looks to bring funk to a venue near you. When you see them, get ready to boogie." -Chris DiBenedetto

Thickens Upon Standing

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Betty Delight - Almost Blue

Size: 128,9 MB
Time: 56:10
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2014
Styles: Jazz: Vocals
Art: Front

01. Almost Blue (7:48)
02. Softly, As In A Morning Sunrise (6:22)
03. Firm Roots (5:44)
04. Very Early (6:02)
05. Coming Back To Start (7:04)
06. I'm Old Fashioned (4:53)
07. They Can't Take That Away From Me (8:08)
08. A Felicidade (5:36)
09. Jackie (4:29)

The singer-songwriter BETTY DELIGHT (Bettina Schusser) convinces with its clear, powerful voice in beautiful arrangements and original compositions. Stylistically, it spans a broad arc where her jazz and soul just lie in the blood. The musical structure makes your band, on the one hand with groovy beats, on the other hand, assets and the gentle sounds of the audience to captivate. ~online translation.

Almost Blue

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Grant Green - I Want To Hold Your Hand

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 41:07
Size: 94.1 MB
Styles: Guitar jazz
Year: 1965/1997
Art: Front

[7:17] 1. I Want To Hold Your Hand
[7:08] 2. Speak Low
[6:25] 3. Stella By Starlight
[5:54] 4. Corcovado (Quiet Nights)
[7:04] 5. This Could Be The Start Of Something
[7:16] 6. At Long Last Love

The third of three sessions Grant Green co-led with modal organist Larry Young and Coltrane drummer Elvin Jones, I Want to Hold Your Hand continues in the soft, easy style of its predecessor, Street of Dreams. This time, however -- as one might guess from the title and cover photo -- the flavor is less reflective and more romantic and outwardly engaging. Part of the reason is tenor saxophonist Hank Mobley, who takes Bobby Hutcherson's place accompanying the core trio. His breathy, sensuous warmth keeps the album simmering at a low boil, and some of the repertoire helps as well, mixing romantic ballad standards (often associated with vocalists) and gently undulating bossa novas. The title track -- yes, the Beatles tune -- is one of the latter, cleverly adapted and arranged into perfectly viable jazz that suits Green's elegant touch with pop standards; the other bossa nova, Jobim's "Corcovado," is given a wonderfully caressing treatment. Even with all the straightforward pop overtones of much of the material, the quartet's playing is still very subtly advanced, both in its rhythmic interaction and the soloists' harmonic choices. Whether augmented by an extra voice or sticking to the basic trio format, the Green/Young/Jones team produced some of the most sophisticated organ/guitar combo music ever waxed, and I Want to Hold Your Hand is the loveliest of the bunch. ~Steve Huey

I Want To Hold Your Hand

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Lyle Lovett - Smile: Songs From The Movies

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 44:37
Size: 102.2 MB
Styles: Easy Listening
Year: 2003
Art: Front

[3:11] 1. Blue Skies - From The Motion Picture With Honors
[3:09] 2. Straighten Up And Fly Right - From The Motion Picture Dear God
[4:57] 3. Gee Baby, Ain't I Good To You - From The Motion Picture Kissing Jessica Stein
[3:38] 4. Smile - From The Motion Picture Hope Floats
[4:42] 5. Moritat (Mack The Knife) - From The Motion Picture Quiz Show
[2:52] 6. Summer Wind - From The Motion Picture Love Of The Game
[3:59] 7. What I'd Say - From The Motion Picture Where The Heart Is
[3:48] 8. Till It Shines - From The Motion Picture Munford
[2:38] 9. You've Got A Friend In Me - From The Motion Picture Toy Story
[3:13] 10. Walking Tall - From The Motion Picture Stuart Little
[4:58] 11. Pass Me Not O' Gentle Savior - From The Motion Picture Leap Of Faith
[3:27] 12. I'm A Soldier In The Army Of The Lord - From The Motion Picture The Apostle

Since The Road to Ensenada in 1996, Lyle Lovett has released a collection of covers in 1998, a live album in 1999, a predominately instrumental soundtrack in 2000, and now, in 2003, Smile, a collection of songs he recorded for movie soundtracks between 1992 and 2002. None of these were on his official albums and none of them are originals (meaning that it's been nearly seven years since he's released a collection of new songs; this may or may not be a sign of writer's block). Most are covers of pop standards, with a couple of R&B and gospel standards thrown in for good measure (the one contemporary tune is "You've Got a Friend in Me," the Randy Newman duet from Toy Story). All are given perfectly tasteful, perfectly pleasant Large Band-styled arrangements; they're very faithful to the songs yet are styled to Lovett's idiosyncratic delivery. Overall, it's a nice listen and it's nice for collectors to get these all tunes in one place, but it's not essential and it's hard not to wish that Lovett would just finally do an album of new material already. ~Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Smile: Songs From The Movies

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Gypsy Jazz Caravan - Gypsy Jazz Caravan III

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 58:24
Size: 133.7 MB
Styles: Swing, Gypsy jazz
Year: 2013
Art: Front

[3:32] 1. I Love Paris
[3:43] 2. This Ain't No Hot Club
[3:44] 3. La Vie En Rose
[3:49] 4. Bossa Morticia
[2:53] 5. Djangology
[3:43] 6. Fool's Tango
[4:22] 7. Crazy
[3:07] 8. Le Musette De L'arrogance
[4:12] 9. Cheap Needs
[4:42] 10. Gypsy Apparition
[4:22] 11. Beyond The Sea (La Mer)
[3:05] 12. Take 5
[3:45] 13. Life Of The Party
[3:57] 14. Nuages
[2:15] 15. Giant Steps
[3:06] 16. Tragic Beauty

Despite the band name, these guys are no Gypsy Jazz purists. Sure there are a couple of wonderful Django Reinhardt gems, but this CD also includes tunes by John Coltrane as well as Willie Nelson; there is Edith Piaf as well as Paul Desmond. To top things off, there are a bunch of new originals including a tango and calypso. What holds the whole thing together is a respect for melody, and some healthy virtuosity.

The players, in the band are each musical veterans, each having played this kind of jazz for more than thirty years. Violinist Rob Thomas is a violin and improvisation instuctor at Berklee School of Music as well as being a busy performer; guitarist Marc Daine performs, teaches and runs jazz workshops in NYC. Bassist Mike Weatherly also performs with most of NYC's trad jazz groups including renowned jazz banjoist Cynthia Sayer. Rhythm guitarist Glenn Tosto has played with, and has recently co-authored a jazz guitar instruction method with noted guitar virtuoso Frank Vignola.

Gypsy Jazz Caravan III

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Shea Breaux Wells - A Blind Date

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2007
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 55:57
Size: 129,2 MB
Art: Front

(6:32)  1. Baltimore Oriole
(6:20)  2. Dark Matters
(4:55)  3. Song To The Siren
(4:27)  4. Corcovado
(4:37)  5. Night In Tunisia
(5:43)  6. Blue Skies
(7:23)  7. Oh Yes, I Remember Clifford
(2:54)  8. Bye Bye Blackbird
(5:49)  9. All Blues
(7:12) 10. Caravan

There is a noticeable shift in the room when Shea begins to sing. Whether it is her rich voice, her compelling presence or her obvious devotion to the music, it is crystal clear that you are in for something special. Shea's love of jazz was born many years ago, while listening to her father's albums - Chris Conner, Ella Fitzgerald, Ray Charles and many others. She also became deeply enamored of the Motown sound - particularly the harmony groups. While in school, Shea studied music, and sang in an a capella septet, as well as appearing in musicals, such as “Guys and Dolls” and “Godspell”. Her love of music continued through college where she sang in an alternative rock band. After they split, she began singing jazz in nightclubs around Los Angeles. She joined the Little Big Band, singing swing hits and harmonizing with two other singers, fleshing out a ten piece band. Shea was also involved in studio vocal work - singing on commercial specs, trance and trip hop projects, as well as children's albums. These varying influences of rock, jazz, swing, and more coalesced into a versatile quality in Shea's voice, presentation and also her songwriting skills. 

Shea relocated to the Bay Area to record an EP of original songs with Grammy Award winning producer, Michael Rosen. These songs went on to be featured on MTV's Road Rules creating a soft spot in Shea's heart for the beloved royalty check! With a move up to Sonoma County, Shea has found a fantastic musical community. After appearing in the Healdsburg Jazz Festival, she came to know its Artistic Director, Jessica Felix. Jessica's deep reach into the varying echelons of jazz musicians, both locally and nationally, have led Shea into some wonderful musical relationships. With Jessica's introduction to pianist Noam Lemish, Shea was inspired to her 2006 release, 'Piece of the Light”, a full-length album of mostly original songs, with a few cover versions thrown into the mix. Titled, “Piece of the Light' this album featured the legendary Robben Ford on guitar, as well as excellent jazz musicians such as Noam Lemish, David Ewell, Bill Ortiz and Alex Aspinall. “Piece of the Light” was arranged by Shea and co-produced with Oz Fritz, known for his work on Tom Waits' Grammy Award winning “Mule Variations”. The Healdsburg Jazz Festival again exerted its influence with Jessica Felix's orchestration of another kind. How's about a jazz recording with some internationally renowned musicians who would be in town for their performance at the Festival? 

Now, with the release of Shea's new album, appropriately titled, “A Blind Date”, her embrace of the traditional jazz genre is true. Featuring the mighty work of George Cables on piano, Cecil McBee on bass, Billy Hart on drums, Craig Handy on sax and flute, and David Weiss on trumpet, “A Blind Date” is a raw, diverse romp through standards and then some. Shea contributed an original piece called, “Dark Matters” which lends a haunting, middle-eastern feel to the album. Produced by David Weiss and engineered by Oz Fritz, “A Blind Date” is packed to the gills with electrifying performance from all the musicians. A true jazz lover's gem, this work goes beyond that of the typical jazz singer. Working with such fine musicians has whetted Shea's appetite for even deeper musical exploration. “To jazz or not to jazz, there is no question!” ~  Louis Armstrong    http://musicians.allaboutjazz.com/musician.php?id=1969#.U2ae9iiS-PM

Personnel: Shea Breaux Wells (vocals); Craig Handy (flute, alto saxophone, tenor saxophone); David Weiss (trumpet); George Cables (piano); Billy Hart (drums).

A Blind Date

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Mark O' Connor Hot Swing Trio - In Full Swing

Styles: Dixieland/New Orleans/Swing
Year: 2002
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 57:16
Size: 133,3 MB
Art: Front

(3:55)  1. In Full Swing
(5:13)  2. Honeysuckle Rose (with Wyton Marsalis & Jane Monheit)
(5:20)  3. Tiger Rag  (with Wyton Marsalis)
(6:56)  4. Misty  (with Jane Monheit)
(5:49)  5. Stephane And Django
(3:46)  6. Fascinating Rhythm  (with Jane Monheit)
(6:08)  7. 3 For All
(5:55)  8. As Time Goes By (with Wyton Marsalis & Jane Monheit)
(7:22)  9. Limehouse Blues
(6:47) 10. One Beautiful Evening

Mark O'Connor is hotter than hot these days. The onetime country fiddler's best-selling, Grammy winning classical albums have made him that rarest of things: a crossover artist whose genre-hopping is less about marketing than serious creative expression and boundless musical ambition. In Full Swing, O'Connor's new tribute to fellow violin virtuoso Stephane Grappelli - the man he calls his mentor - is something of a time-out in O'Connor's assault on the classical world. Regardless, it's an entirely engaging tour de force. O'Connor is one of those musicians whose skill, artistry and sheer talent - plus his obvious joy in music-making - make you sit back and smile. His affinity for Grappelli is tangible as he and his "swing trio" (with guitarist Frank Vignola and bassist Jon Burr), along with guests Wynton Marsalis and Jane Monheit, tear through a set of Swing-era standards and in-the-tradition originals. 

O'Connor and Marsalis make an interesting pairing, both for their wide-ranging musical knowledge and their ties to the classical realm, as well as their palpable (and, in Marsalis's case, often exasperating) ambition. Marsalis appears to relish his sideman role here, turning in some of his most relaxed playing in years and giving O'Connor a run for his money on the high-speed "Tiger Rag" and "Honeysuckle Rose". The unfortunately over-hyped Monheit - really more of a cabaret performer than jazz singer - is a bit out of her depth in this company, especially on the up-tempo numbers; she's more effective on a smoky rendering of the Casablanca chestnut, "As Time Goes By". Guitarist Vignola, on the other hand, more than holds his own in the potentially daunting role of playing Django to O'Connor's Grappelli. ~ Joel Roberts   http://www.allaboutjazz.com/in-full-swing-sony-legacy-music-review-by-joel-roberts.php#.U2krRShvCPM

Personnel: Mark O'Connor (violin); Jane Monheit (vocals); Frank Vignola (guitar); Wynton Marsalis (trumpet); Jon Burr (bass).

In Full Swing

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