Rebecca Kilgore - Sings From The Ellen Vanderslice Songbook EP

Size: 44,7 MB
Time: 19:23
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2012
Styles: Jazz Vocals, Chanson, Country
Art: Front

01. Moonshadow Dance (Feat. Randy Porter, Ron Steen, Dan Faehnle & Phil Baker) (4:08)
02. Someday He'll Break Your Heart (the Way He Broke Mine) (feat. James Mason, Harley James, John Standefer & Dick Titterington) (4:03)
03. Fiona The Femme Fatale (Feat. Courtney Von Drehle & Eli Reisman) (2:50)
04. Apres L' Amour (Feat. Courtney Von Drehle & Eli Reisman) (4:54)
05. Why Am I The Last To Know (Feat. John Standefer, James Mason, Dick Titterington & Harley James) (2:51)
06. Twilight Of Blue (Feat. James Mason, Harley James, John Standefer & Dick Titterington) (4:39)

Rebecca Kilgore is one of America’s greatest living jazz singers, and she tells a story in song like no other vocalist. On this digital EP release she delivers masterful renderings of six songs by award-winning composer Ellen Vanderslice.

The album opens with the hip classic “Moonshadow Dance,” with music co-composed by Mike Horsfall, which won First Place Jazz in the 2002 USA Songwriting Competition. Accompanying Rebecca Kilgore are the incomparable Randy Porter on piano, Phil Baker on bass, Ron Steen on drums, and the amazing Dan Faehnle on guitar.

Second up is “Someday He’ll Break Your Heart (the Way He Broke Mine),” which can be heard in the movie “Looper” that opened September 28, 2012. (It’s in the background of the diner scene between Bruce Willis and Joseph Gordon-Levitt.) This country song was inspired by the life experiences of one of Ellen’s dear friends, who also served as the inspiration for the song that follows. Rebecca is accompanied by James Mason on fiddle, Harley James on pedal steel guitar, John Standefer on guitar, and Dick Titterington on upright bass.

Next up are two songs from a recording session with Courtney von Drehle on accordian and Eli Reisman on guitar. The upbeat “Fiona the Femme Fatale” is catchy and funny, while “Aprés L’Amour,” which follows, is a chanson triste sung entirely in French.

“Why Am I the Last to Know?” was inspired by the breakup of a favorite musical trio, and was written surreptiously during a tedious meeting about transportation access management. Ellen says, “I wanted to write a song that Patsy Cline could have sung, but Becky sings it better than I imagined it!” The musical accompaniment on this and the final tune are provided by the same great players as on "Someday He'll Break Your Heart (the Way He Broke Mine.)

The album closes with a Vanderslice favorite, “Twilight of Blue.,” previously recorded both by Ellen herself (on the CD The Standard Vanderslice) and by the evocative Johnny Martin (on the CD Once in a Blue Moon). In this previously-unreleased recording by Rebecca Kilgore, the sad and subtle colors of twilight come to life in song.

Sings From The Ellen Vanderslice Songbook

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Just For Swing - Primo

Size: 94,0 MB
Time: 40:32
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2014
Styles: Gipsy Jazz, Swing
Art: Front

01. Pluie D'ete (5:55)
02. En Roulotte (4:10)
03. Rue Des Rosiers (4:07)
04. Waltz For Lulu (2:22)
05. Volero (4:19)
06. Brothers' Swing (4:25)
07. Ballade Des Niglos (4:05)
08. Nuevo Comienzo (3:48)
09. Praha (2:35)
10. Songe D'hiver (4:42)

Personnel:
Guillaume Bertrand - Contrebassiste
Benjamin Bertrand - Guitariste solo
Valentin Bertrand - Guitariste rythmique

Depuis le début des années 2000, les frères Bertrand jouent ensemble du Rock, de la Pop puis ils évoluent vers le Classique, ... et le Jazz. Musiciens autodidactes et poly-instrumentistes, ils puisent leur inspiration essentiellement dans la musique de Django Reinhardt, la musique dite "manouche", En sus de l’héritage laissé par les grands maîtres tels que Wes Montgomery, Joe Pass, Georges Benson, Astor Piazzola ou même Chopin, Debussy, on peut retrouver dans leur musique l’influence d’artistes plus contemporains comme Biréli Lagrène, Stochelo Rosenberg, Angelo Debarre, Avishaï Cohen, Gonzalo Bergara, le collectif Selmer #607 ou encore Les Doigts de l’Homme.

Dix ans après la naissance du trio, Just for Swing prend son envol et affirme son swing suite à plusieurs représentations dans le bocage Vendéen. En 2010, le trio fait la découverte d'un lieu mythique, le "Gadjo Swing Café", situé en plein centre de Nantes. Là-bas, les frères Bertrand rencontrent des musiciens chevronnés, et ils ont la chance de jouer avec la plupart d'entre eux. C'est dans ce bar aujourd’hui disparu et auprès de musiciens comme Daniel Givone, Youenn Derrien, ou encore Anthony Muccio que les trois frères ont appris la culture et la technique propre au "Jazz Manouche" ! Fort de ces expériences, Just for Swing se produit aujourd'hui en trio familial sur les scènes locales, notamment en Vendée et sur la région Nantaise. Leur professionalisme et leur complicité sans borne sauront contribuer au succès de vos évènements qu’ils soient publics ou privés.

C'est en 2014 qu'ils sortent leur premier album, "Primo", fruit d'un long travail de composition. On y retrouve des influences jazz, swing mais aussi des teintes classiques et latines donnant une couleur très personnelle, propre à Just for Swing. On notera également la participation du violoniste Max Bédouelle qui s'illustre remarquablement sur 5 titres de l'album.

Primo

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Keely Smith - Misty And Other Classics

Size: 128,8 MB
Time: 55:43
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2014
Styles: Jazz Pop
Art: Front

01. Misty (3:25)
02. Only You (2:47)
03. Memories Are Made Of This (2:36)
04. It's Magic (3:44)
05. I Wish You Love (3:45)
06. My Special Angel (2:01)
07. Because You're Mine (2:05)
08. All The Way (3:01)
09. The Man I Love (3:16)
10. Canadian Sunset (3:09)
11. Prisoner Of Love (2:41)
12. The Loveliest Night Of The Year (2:13)
13. No Other Love (2:00)
14. Because (2:52)
15. Tell Me Why (2:18)
16. Moments To Remember (2:33)
17. Someone To Watch Over Me (3:01)
18. Please Mr Sun (2:51)
19. Stardust (2:53)
20. The Will Never Be Another You (2:23)

As a solo jazz vocalist Keely sang mostly pop oriented material. Her greatest solo achievements were on albums for Capitol in the late 1950s backed by Nelson Riddle and Billy May

Beginning her career as the female singer in Louis Prima’s band, and later becoming famous as one half of their hugely successful Las Vegas lounge act, Keely Smith's early achievements were tied to someone or something else.

Now in her 70s, she has found the renewed interest and acknowledgment of her own talent to be immensely gratifying. "I’m thrilled that the resurgence is of my career by myself because for many years everything I did was with Louis, and now all of a sudden I’m being recognized on my own and that really is the ultimate for me," she recounted to the Los Angeles Times.

Throughout the 1950s, Louis Prima and Keely Smith were the undisputed King & Queen of Las Vegas and have been credited with essentially inventing the modern lounge act. Performing five shows a night at the Sahara’s Casbar Lounge, they became a huge draw for both the average blue-collar tourists as well as some of the biggest celebrities at that time. On any given night, Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis, Jr., Spencer Tracy, Gary Cooper, Natalie Wood, Robert Wagner, Howard Hughes, and the young Senator John F. Kennedy could be found in the audience. Many of the show business elite would add to the audience’s enjoyment of the show by affably heckling the duo and sometimes even getting up on stage to join the act.

During this period, Capitol Records issued a series of chart-topping albums that consisted of abridged versions of Louis Prima and Keely Smith’s beloved nightclub act. In addition, Keely released I Wish You Love, a solo debut that confirmed her own star power by receiving a GRAMMY nomination and selling over a million copies. Keely’s appeal and renown is just as strong today, having survived several decades, various musical trends and the fickle nature of the entertainment industry. Actor Robert DeNiro and director Martin Scorcese have been long-time fans of Keely’s and over the years have placed her music in numerous films, including “The Deerhunter,” “Raging Bull,” “Analyze This,” “That Old Feeling,” “Big Night” and “Mad Dog and Glory.”

The revival of the swing movement in the late ‘90s inspired The Gap retail chain to use Louis Prima’s signature tune, "Jump, Jive and Wail" in one of its popular ad campaigns. This renewed interest in swing and big band music also led to an invitation for Keely to perform at the House of Blues in Los Angeles, where she sang to a jam-packed crowd of admirers, both young and old. Most recently, Keely has performed to SRO audiences across the country, including a five-night stop in Atlantic City and a stint at Feinstein’s at the Regency in New York City. Talks are currently underway to book Keely into Caesar’s in Las Vegas, bringing her back full circle to where it all began.

Keely Smith is currently writing her autobiography, which has been a work in progress for several years. "I started it about four years ago and then put it aside," she explains. "When I read it, I wasn’t sure if I liked what I had written, but now I’ve started on it again. I want to do it with complete honesty, or not at all." And there are certainly plenty of lifetime experiences to chronicle: winning one of the first-ever Grammy Awards in 1959, performing at President Kennedy’s inauguration, receiving a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and friendships with everyone from The Rat Pack to Elvis Presley.

"I have been very blessed in my life," says Keely Smith reflecting back. And as she looks towards the future, there are even more accolades to receive and sold-out shows still to come. In October of 2000 in Tahlequah, Oklahoma, The Cherokee Honor Society will bestow Keely with its prestigious Cherokee Medal of Honor. "It’s the highest recognition that can be bestowed to a woman in the Cherokee nation," she states proudly. The Medal of Honor is given out annually to recipients whose achievements bring pride and honor to the Cherokee nation and community.

The incomparable Tony Bennett has gone on record naming Keely Smith "one of the greatest jazz-pop singers of all time." What better candidate then to honor Count Basie, one of the greatest bandleaders of all time. Further expanding her audience and repertoire, Keely Smith once again pays tribute to an important figure in her life with class, respect, and above all, an immense display of pure talent. Merv Griffin says it best—“Keely is awesome!”

Misty And Other Classics

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Tony Monaco - West To East

Size: 93,1 MB
Time: 40:29
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2006
Styles: Jazz
Art: Front

01. I Remember Jimmy (Screamin' Monaco Version) (4:01)
02. O Barquino ('Little Love Boat' Version) (4:28)
03. Rudy And The Fox ('Rudy's Not Chicken' Mix) (4:07)
04. Nancy With A Laughing Face (4:06)
05. Roz Da' Cat (Rudy The Rooster's Intro Mix) (6:52)
06. The Best Things In Life Are Free (6:10)
07. It's Magic (6:23)
08. Indiana ('In 5' Version) (4:18)

This is not "East To West" album, this one contains different versions.

Tony Monaco, an excellent organist who is happy to acknowledge the influence of Jimmy Smith (who he pays tribute to on his "I'll Remember Jimmy"), also has a personal sound and a swinging style of his own. Teamed with the fine bop guitarist Bruce Forman, drummer Adam Nussbaum, and occasionally saxophonist Byron Rooker, Monaco romps through a variety of jazz standards and a few basic originals. Although it seems odd that he performs both "Indiana" and "Donna Lee" (the latter is based on the former), both versions are enjoyable. Fans of swinging and soulful jazz organists will find much to enjoy in Tony Monaco's music.

West To East

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Louis Hayes - Return Of The Jazz Communicators

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 75:23
Size: 172.6 MB
Styles: Straight Ahead jazz
Year: 2014
Art: Front

[8:06] 1. Soul-Leo
[6:57] 2. Shape Shifting
[8:56] 3. Lush Life
[6:51] 4. Groovin' For Nat
[4:39] 5. It's To You
[6:42] 6. Without A Song
[5:17] 7. Simple Pleasures
[5:29] 8. Vagabond Ron
[8:42] 9. Portrait Of Jennie
[7:28] 10. Lou's Idea
[6:12] 11. Village Greene

The first version of the marvelous drummer Louis Hayes’ Jazz Communicators was only together a short time (1967-68), but that unit included two legendary players in tenor saxophonist Joe Henderson and trumpeter Freddie Hubbard. The latest edition’s pedigree doesn’t quite equal that of its predecessor, though the roster does include such accomplished musicians as tenor saxophonist Abraham Burton, vibraphonist Steve Nelson and bassist Santi Debriano. Of course Hayes is the dominant figure, and he’s also on a select list of jazz’s most exciting, imaginative drummers. Though his array of session credits and band memberships (Yusef Lateef, Horace Silver, Cannonball Adderley, Oscar Peterson) is extensive and impressive, Hayes isn’t exactly ready for retirement. His dynamic personality is a major reason why the Jazz Communicators’ latest effort is mostly a strong one.

Whether it’s his stunning solo in the early section of “Curtain Call,” or the way he accelerates and drives the band on “Same Page” and the title track, Hayes’ leadership mirrors the way Art Blakey powered countless Messengers editions. In fact, the title track has the identical bounce, spirited solo exchanges and crisp, crackling drumming that was the key component of the best Jazz Messengers material. “Bolivia” and a solid version of “Soul Eyes” are other noteworthy tracks, and Nelson’s most assertive playing arrives on “Same Page” and “This Is New.” Burton is an animated stylist, very passionate on “Nothing Better to Do” and “This Is New.”

The only problematic piece is the cover of “Say a Little Prayer.” The lyrics were ideal for signature vocal versions by Dionne Warwick and Aretha Franklin, among others, but the structure and arrangement don’t hold up through this overly long group rendition, even with Burton and Nelson doing their best to create some fire during extended solos. But that exception aside, Louis Hayes’ latest incarnation of his Jazz Communicators has delivered a worthwhile session. Lou’s Idea even indicates that this version of the group could evolve into a band as vital as the vintage edition. ~Ron Wynn

Louis Hayes (drums); Abraham Burton (tenor saxophone); David Bryant (piano); Steve Nelson (vibraphone).

Return Of The Jazz Communicators

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Baden Powell - Lembrancas

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 60:25
Size: 138.3 MB
Styles: Brazilian jazz
Year: 2013
Art: Front

[6:07] 1. Pastorinhas
[6:46] 2. Inquietação
[3:37] 3. Molambo
[6:02] 4. Falei E Disse
[8:23] 5. Dora
[4:36] 6. Linda Flor
[8:32] 7. Maria
[3:08] 8. Minha Palhoça
[4:23] 9. Branca
[5:03] 10. Mágoas De Caboclo
[3:42] 11. O Astronauta

When hearing the name Baden Powell, people tend to think about the famous British founder of the Boy Scouts association (1908). But in Brazil it often happens that parents name their child after a famous person. On August 6, 1937, in Varre-e-Sai (near Rio de Janeiro) Adelina and Lino de Aquino welcomed the birth of a son. As a Boy Scout enthusiast, father Lino took the opportunity to name his son after Sir Robert Stephenson Smyth Baden-Powell (1857-1941). A new, Brazilian Baden Powell was born! However, this Baden Powell de Aquino turned out to be one of Brazil’s most talented and renowned guitarists. His typical Brazilian guitar style with influences from jazz, classical and African music is admired by music lovers all over the world. He’s also known for his work as a composer, with a repertoire of more than 500 compositions. ~Kees Schoof

Lembrancas

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Joanie Pallatto - Words & Music

Styles: Vocal
Year: 1999
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 70:27
Size: 161,8 MB
Art: Front

(3:45)  1. Baltimore Oriole
(3:41)  2. S'Wonderful
(3:55)  3. Love, Webster's Definition
(3:37)  4. So Fine
(5:48)  5. New Blues
(2:50)  6. I Got Rhythm
(2:35)  7. Daisy Bell
(7:19)  8. Antonio
(3:33)  9. Desafinado
(5:47) 10. Lil' Darlin'
(4:53) 11. Somethin' Else
(6:16) 12. This Can't Be Love
(4:36) 13. The Lady Is A Tramp
(6:55) 14. But Not For Me
(4:49) 15. Blue Bossa

“Give my new disc a spin,” said Joanie Pallatto (via e–mail). “I think you’ll like it” (or words to that effect). Yeah, sure, I thought; another undiscovered phenom. Okay, so she was right; I liked it. A shade below phenomenal, perhaps, but I’ve heard a large number of female singers over the past few years including some big label hotshots, and she’s in the same league with any of them. Pallatto’s warm, personal style suits well her charming, slightly husky voice. She has splendid control, range and diction, and most important abiding respect for a lyric. Oh, and her choice of material is exemplary, as is the 70:44 playing time on Words and Music, Joanie’s sixth recording on Chicago’s Southport label, which she and husband Bradley Parker Sparrow co own. Sparrow does more than serve as producer and recording engineer; he wrote and plays piano on a musical tribute to Jobim, “Antonio” (for which Joanie supplied the lyrics), and “So Fine.” Pallatto also penned new lyrics for Miles Davis’ “Somethin’ Else!” (on which she breezily sings and scats with Ron Cooper) and Kenny Dorham’s lovely “Blue Bossa.” These are high spots, as is Bob Dorough’s amusing “Love (Webster’s definition),” whose clever lyric lends itself perfectly to Pallatto’s sardonic point of view.

My particular favorites among the half–dozen standards are Rodgers and Hart’s “This Can’t Be Love” and the Gershwins’ “But Not for Me,” although the sensuous opener, Hoagy Carmichael / Paul Francis Webster’s “Baltimore Oriole,” doesn’t lag far behind in that parade. Pallatto spices the menu by using a number of admirable back–up groups from duo (she and guitarist Dave Onderdonk in a saucy rendition of the turn–of–the–last–century hit, “Daisy Bell”) to quintet with Windy City veterans Eldee Young, Redd Holt and Willie Pickens among the better–known names. They’re first–rate, as are pianist Lou Gregory, bassist Dan Shapera, drummer Chanté Hamilton, percussionist Alejo Poveda and flutist Rich Fudoli (who’s on board for “Love” and “Desafinado”). Pallatto may never become what the world considers a star, but she’s doing what she loves best, and doing it quite well. That should be enough to make anyone happy including, of course, those who are lucky enough to hear and appreciate what she has to say. ~ Jack Bowers   http://www.allaboutjazz.com/words-and-music-joanie-pallatto-southport-records-review-by-jack-bowers.php#.U4z4kSioqdl 
 

Personnel: Joanie Pallatto, vocals, with Rich Fudoli, flute; Dave Onderdonk, guitars; Lou Gregory, Willie Pickens, Bradley Parker

Words & Music

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Janiece Jaffe - Hearts Desire

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2003
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 52:18
Size: 120,5 MB
Art: Front

(4:46)  1. You Taught My Heart To Sing
(2:59)  2. Up Jumped Spring
(3:57)  3. How Long Has This Been Going On?
(4:17)  4. Fever
(3:29)  5. Easy To Love
(3:15)  6. Over The Rainbow
(4:15)  7. But Beautiful
(5:06)  8. Cry Me A River
(2:00)  9. Let's Get Lost
(2:34) 10. That's All
(4:36) 11. In Summer
(4:52) 12. Waltz For Debby
(2:51) 13. Hearts Desire
(3:14) 14. How Long Has This Been Going On? (Alternative Take)

Janiece Jaffe was born into a home of musical influence. Her father was a classically trained pianist, organist, and collegiate musical director. Her mother was a classical vocalist and light operatic performer in summer stock. They encouraged Janiece in singing, acting, and dancing. Janiece studied voice at both the University of New Mexico and later at Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana, where she studied with David Baker and Dominic Spera of the Jazz Studies Program. Baker refers to Jaffe's vocal talent as her "marvelous instrument and sites her impressive control and emotional punch. Janiece was also influenced by the Janis Borla Vocal Jazz Camp in Chicago, where she studied with Janet Lawson, Borla, and others. Jaffe produced her first Cd Keep The Flame Alive in 1994. In 1996, Jaffe produced her second Cd, It Takes Two, accompanied by either Brazilian guitarist Marcos Cavalcante or jazz bassist Tom Hildreth. Dave Nathan, reviewer for the internationally known publication "All About Jazz", in his review of It Takes Two, raved: "One of the Midwest's most talked about jazz vocalists, Janiece Jaffe, is blessed with an amazingly warm, sweet voice. With an exceptional range and a beautifully tender way of expressing a lyric in an almost achingly intimate fashion, Jaffe brings her vocal gifts to light in one of the most vulnerable of musical situations, the duet, on her latest Cd It Takes Two. 

Jaffe sets the mood perfectly with a cool, breezy "Blue Bossa", her silky vocals intermingling with the exemplary guitar work of Marcos Cavalcante, who collaborates with Jaffe on a total of six cuts, the aforementioned "Blue Bossa", as well as "You Go To My Head", "La Vie En Rose", "Rain On The Roses", "Just A Lucky So And So", and "Gentle Rain". For the remaining eight of IT TAKES TWO's fourteen selections, Janiece Jaffe is joined by bassist Tom Hildreth, wrapping gorgeously sinuous lines around tunes like "Angel Eyes", "'Till There Was You", "My Romance", "Blue Moon" and " Harlem Nocturne", "The Nearness of You", "Prelude to a Kiss" and "Lotus Blossom". Inspired by singers Like Janet Lawson, Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughn, Cleo Laine, Minnie Ripperton, Joni Mitchell, Betty Carter, Carmen McRae, Peggy Lee, and Bobby McFerrin, Janiece Jaffe maintains an original style and a distinctive voice that touches upon her influences but manages to remain refreshingly unique. Listeners may well be inspired to pick up an additional copy of Jaffe's latest, after all, It Takes Two!" A third Cd, Heart’s Desire, was just released in January of 2003. 

It features Janiece and the Simon Rowe trio, with Rowe on piano, John Huber on bass, and Pete Wilhoit on drums. David Baker, Distinguished Professor of Jazz Studies at Indiana University and President of the International Association of Jazz Educators, said of this CD in his liner notes: "Simply put, Heart's Desire is a brilliant CD. Janiece Jaffe has a gorgeous voice. The accompanying trio of world-class performers is outstanding. The choice of tunes, and manner in which they are presented, makes for a wonderfully balanced musical offering. Janiece Jaffe is a marvelous talent. She is sensitive, thoughtful when appropriate, swinging like mad when required, and masterful and sympathetic in her approach to lyrics. The outstanding performances and sound quality make this a CD you'll want to listen to over and over again."

In 1999, Jaffe returned from an tour of Japan where she performed with a big band for concert audiences. On her own she has performed at Manhattan's "Danny's Skylight Room" and twice at Washington DC's "Blues Alley", where she performed with Ketter Betts, former bassist with Ella Fitzgerald, who said of Jaffe: "Stop looking to the heavens for new stars. There's a bright star here on earth that shines with her voice." Janiece has also appeared with the big bands of David Baker, Dominic Spera, Al Colbine, Clem De Rosa, and the Midcoast Jazz Project, now known as the Busselli Wallarab Jazz Orchestra. Jaffe was a headliner at the Newburgh Jazz Festival in August 2002. In November 2002, Jaffe and Dominic Spera paid homage to two big jazz legends, Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong, in their memorable performance "Tribute to Ella and Louis" at the Buskirk-Chumley Theater (with Al Cobine as a special guest)in Bloomington, Indiana. Most recently Janiece was a jazz headliner for Crystal Cruiselines. Janiece Jaffe performs regularly with Roy Geesa's Cool City Swing Band in Indianapolis, and at Bear's Place and Café D'Jangos in Bloomington, Indiana. Jaffe is a member of the International Association of Jazz Educators, and teaches voice in her home studio. http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/jaffe

Hearts Desire

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Dave Pike - On Green Dolphin Street

Styles: Vibraphone Jazz
Year: 2014
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 37:58
Size: 87,0 MB
Art: Front

(5:13)  1. Forward
(3:16)  2. Solar
(5:01)  3. Cheryl
(5:35)  4. On Green Dolphin Street
(5:39)  5. It's Time
(3:54)  6. Little Girl Blue
(5:07)  7. Tendin' To Business
(4:09)  8. Hot House

Dave Pike has been a consistent vibraphonist through the years without gaining much fame. He originally played drums and is self-taught on vibes. Pike moved with his family to Los Angeles in 1954 and played with Curtis Counce, Harold Land, Elmo Hope, Dexter Gordon, Carl Perkins, and Paul Bley, among others. After moving to New York in 1960 he put an amplifier on his vibes. Pike toured with Herbie Mann during 1961-1964, spent 1968-1973 in Germany (recording with the Kenny Clarke-Francy Boland big band), and then resettled in Los Angeles, playing locally and recording for Timeless and Criss Cross. ~ Bio   https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/dave-pike/id5222089#fullText

On Green Dolphin Street

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Sidney Bechet - The Blue Note Years

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2004
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 75:18
Size: 174,5 MB
Art: Front

(4:11)  1. Summertime
(4:03)  2. Dear Old Southland
(4:50)  3. St. Louis Blues
(4:28)  4. Blue Horizon
(3:39)  5. High Society
(4:53)  6. Days Beyond Recall
(3:10)  7. Save It Pretty Mama
(3:20)  8. St. James Infirmary
(2:58)  9. Blame It On The Blues
(3:50) 10. Bechet's Fantasy
(3:09) 11. I Found A New Baby
(3:11) 12. Nobody Knows When You're Down And Out
(3:03) 13. When The Saints Go Marching In
(3:20) 14. Basin Street Blues
(3:04) 15. At The Jazz Band Ball
(3:22) 16. Joshua At The Battle Of Jericho
(3:10) 17. Runnin' Wild
(5:43) 18. Blues My Naughty Sweetie Gave To Me
(4:08) 19. All Of Me
(3:34) 20. Black And Blue

Sidney Bechet was the first important jazz soloist on records in history (beating Louis Armstrong by a few months). A brilliant soprano saxophonist and clarinetist with a wide vibrato that listeners either loved or hated, Bechet's style did not evolve much through the years but he never lost his enthusiasm or creativity. A master at both individual and collective improvisation within the genre of New Orleans jazz, Bechet was such a dominant player that trumpeters found it very difficult to play with him. Bechet wanted to play lead and it was up to the other horns to stay out of his way.

Sidney Bechet studied clarinet in New Orleans with Lorenzo Tio, Big Eye Louis Nelson, and George Baquet and he developed so quickly that as a child he was playing with some of the top bands in the city. He even taught clarinet, and one of his students (Jimmie Noone) was actually two years older than him. In 1917, he traveled to Chicago, and in 1919 he joined Will Marion Cook's orchestra, touring Europe with Cook and receiving a remarkably perceptive review from Ernst Ansermet. While overseas he found a soprano sax in a store and from then on it was his main instrument. Back in the U.S., Bechet made his recording debut in 1923 with Clarence Williams and during the next two years he appeared on records backing blues singers, interacting with Louis Armstrong and playing some stunning solos. He was with Duke Ellington's early orchestra for a period and at one point hired a young Johnny Hodges for his own band. However, from 1925-1929 Bechet was overseas, traveling as far as Russia but getting in trouble (and spending jail time) in France before being deported.

Most of the 1930s were comparatively lean times for Bechet. He worked with Noble Sissle on and off and had a brilliant session with his New Orleans Feetwarmers in 1932 (featuring trumpeter Tommy Ladnier). But he also ran a tailor's shop which was more notable for its jam sessions than for any money it might make. However, in 1938 he had a hit recording of "Summertime," Hugues Panassie featured Bechet on some records and soon he was signed to Bluebird where he recorded quite a few classics during the next three years. Bechet worked regularly in New York, appeared on some of Eddie Condon's Town Hall concerts, and in 1945 he tried unsuccessfully to have a band with the veteran trumpeter Bunk Johnson (whose constant drinking killed the project). Jobs began to dry up about this time, and Bechet opened up what he hoped would be a music school. He only had one main pupil, but Bob Wilber became his protégé.

Sidney Bechet's fortunes changed drastically in 1949. He was invited to the Salle Pleyel Jazz Festival in Paris, caused a sensation, and decided to move permanently overseas. Within a couple years he was a major celebrity and a national hero in France, even though the general public in the U.S. never did know who he was. Bechet's last decade was filled with exciting concerts, many recordings, and infrequent visits back to the U.S. before his death from cancer. His colorful (if sometimes fanciful) memoirs Treat It Gentle and John Chilton's magnificent Bechet biography The Wizard of Jazz (which traces his life nearly week-by-week) are both highly recommended. Many of Sidney Bechet's recordings are currently available on CD. Bio ~ Scott Yanow   http://www.allmusic.com/artist/sidney-bechet-mn0000033234/biography

The Blue Note Years

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Gina Kronstadt - Come Over

Size: 79,0 MB
Time: 33:50
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2013
Styles: Jazz Vocals
Art: Front

01. Magic (3:40)
02. Tell Me (Or Not) (4:54)
03. Come Over (4:24)
04. Twitter Stole My Boyfriend (4:02)
05. That Night (5:39)
06. Turn Around (3:04)
07. One More Time (4:01)
08. Just Ask (4:04)

Everybody wants to be a star and everybody wants their turn in the spotlight. The recent documentary 20 Feet From Stardom focused on the struggles of background singers to emerge from the shadows. Gina Kronstadt can surely identify with that struggle.

Whatever motivated Kronstadt's debut, Come Over, she demonstrates she's ready for her close-up. A veteran studio and concert performer, the Los Angeles based singer and songwriter can boast of an impressive resume performing on film soundtracks, television commercials, scores, and backing up a multitude of artists including Stevie Wonder, Chris Botti, and Michael Buble.

Kronstadt's skill sets are as an in-demand violinist and a vocalist, but Come Over emphasizes her singing talents as she wrote, composed, arranged, and produced the whole affair. The success of the album is in no small part due to the exceptional support she receives from John Beasley, Christian McBride, Reggie Hamilton and Bob Sheppard among a drum- head tight group of players.

"Magic" is a breezin' jazzer with Kronstadt bopping along to Sheppard's saxophone, McBride's upright bass, Gary Novak's in the pocket drumming and Beasley on Fender Rhodes complimented by the lush, string section conducted by Joel DeRouin. Kronstadt's expressive vocals are well-served by how effectively her arrangements match her talents. The moody, swaying "Come Over" embraces the listener as Sheppard's sax plays off of Kronstadt's sensuous crooning.

The only misfire is "Twitter Stole My Boyfriend,."a sort of half- sung/half-rapped stab at trendiness, but its mostly all lame. It a throwaway tune and one that should have remained buried deep on Kronstadt's hard drive. "That Night" offers a full recovery as her bluesy crooning meshes with another Sheppard sweet sax solo.

Come Over is one of the pleasant discoveries of the summer and leaves a lasting first impression. This is Kronstadt's time in the spotlight and she makes a strong case it is where she has belonged all along. ~By Jeff Winbush

Personnel: Gina Kronstadt: vocals; John Beasley: fender rhodes; Christian McBride: upright bass (1, 2, 5, 6); Reggie Hamilton: upright bass (3, 4, 7, 8); Gary Novak: drums; Luis Conte: percussion; John Daversa: trumpet (3, 5); Walt Fowler: trumpet (4); Bob Sheppard: flute, sax, bass clarinet; Joel Deroun: concertmaster; John Wittenberg, Daphne Chen, Susan Chatman, Cameron Patrick, Calabria Foti, Adrianna Zoppo, Shari Zippert: violins; Lynn Grants, Nancy Roth: violas; Maurice Grants, Stefanie Fife: celli.

Come Over

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Raul De Souza - Voila

Size: 112,9 MB
Time: 48:44
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2014
Styles: Brazilian Jazz
Art: Front

01. Por Aqui Por Ali (4:49)
02. Alibi (5:19)
03. Todas As Tribos (5:03)
04. Up Jumped Spring (6:29)
05. Ligia (4:53)
06. 10 Minutos (5:08)
07. Isabella (6:13)
08. Voila (6:07)
09. Viva O Rio (4:39)

Boasting a distinctive and highly appealing tone, Raul de Souza was a Brazilian trombonist who kept busy in the '70s but faded into obscurity in the '80s. De Souza, although essentially a jazz artist, was quite versatile -- he played his share of fusion, pop-jazz, and Brazilian jazz, but could also handle funk and disco. Born in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on August 23, 1934, de Souza was employed as a sideman by some of Brazil's musical heavyweights in the '70s, including Sergio Mendez, Flora Purim, Airto Moreira, and Milton Nascimento. The trombonist, who also appeared on '70s albums by Sonny Rollins and Cal Tjader, signed with Capitol in 1976, and his first Capitol session, Sweet Lucy, was released the following year. Both Sweet Lucy and de Souza's second Capitol date, Don't Ask My Neighbors, were produced by George Duke. But de Souza changed producers on his next album, 'Til Tomorrow Comes, which was produced by Arthur Wright and found the Rio native jumping on the disco bandwagon. Devoid of jazz, the 1979 release is pure disco. 'Til Tomorrow Comes was his last album for Capitol -- after that, he faded into obscurity. All three of de Souza's Capitol albums are out of print, although his 1974 recording, Colors, is available on CD as part of Fantasy's Original Jazz Classics series. ~Biography by Alex Henderson

Voila

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The Rebecca Kilgore Trio - Just Imagine

Size: 160,1 MB
Time: 68:44
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2014
Styles: Jazz Vocals, Ragtime
Art: Front

01. Oh, Look At Me Now (4:13)
02. Daddy Won't You Please Come Home (5:04)
03. Just A Little Bit South Of North Carolina (4:29)
04. Song Of The Blues (5:31)
05. Seventh Avenue (3:36)
06. Just Imagine (5:16)
07. Lucky Day (3:14)
08. Almost In Your Arms (4:15)
09. I'm In A Low Down Groove (5:12)
10. I'm Rhythm Crazy Now (4:31)
11. Three Coins In The Fountain (4:35)
12. Cry Me A River (4:51)
13. Serenade To Sweden (4:49)
14. Soft Winds (4:51)
15. Mis'ry And The Blues (4:12)

More often than not, jazz is asked to blossom forth in inhospitable places: the noisy club where musicians must compete with the bartender’s blender, or the recording studio, a maze of headphones and wires. Imagine a quiet room, shaded as if an Edward Hopper nightscape, with three musicians, two grand pianos, the only other people a recording engineer, himself a musician; another man taking notes. It was no fantasy, for this all happened during two December 2013 sessions in Portland, Oregon, in a back room at CLASSIC PIANOS, where three friends gathered for warm, intimate musical conversations in the name of classic jazz.

Becky, Dan, and Paolo believe that music, created on the spot, can bring joy in the moment and renew us in the future. They gave each of the songs they had chosen its own life, reflective or ebullient: the poignancy of DADDY, the bounce of CAROLINA, the swagger of RHYTHM CRAZY, the romance of COINS, the melancholy of MIS’RY AND THE BLUES. Many of the songs have associations with Annette Hanshaw, Anita O’Day, Jack Teagarden, Julie London, Billie Holiday, Ellington, Charlie Christian, Trummy Young, Sophia Loren, Joe Bushkin, Lee Wiley, Fletcher Henderson. But these sessions were no “tribute,” no “repertory” re-creation, for the musicians brought their own personalities to this project, adding new melodies to the ones we know.

When Becky sings, we hear a gently compelling honesty. Yes, we admire the way she glides from note to note, the creamy naturalness of her voice, the way her smallest melodic embellishments enhance the song, her infallible swing. But what sets her apart is her quiet determination to share the song’s emotional message candidly, fully. Becky doesn’t overstate or dramatize. She doesn’t place herself in front of the material, but she opens the song for us, so that we feel what its creators hoped for.

Hearing Dan, I think, “That is how any creative player should sound: forthright, assured, subtle, inventive.” Like a great musical conversationalist, he always knows the right epigram to add at the right time. I can guess what some other musicians might play in their next phrase, but Dan’s imagination is larger and more rewarding than we expect. His reading of a melody is a joy; his improvisations are witty, pungent. The trombone can be a buffoon or a bully; in his hands it can be divinely inspired, even when Dan’s aural messages are earthy indeed.

Becky and Dan could float or soar all by themselves, and they’ve proved that many times in concert and on recordings since they first met in 1994. CRY ME A RIVER on this disc, majestic and mournful, is proof. But recently they have called in an Italian sorcerer, Paolo Alderighi, who generously spreads rich sound-weavings, Garneresque threads glittering – lovely orchestral tapestries, neither formulaic nor overemphatic. His solos gleam and chime.

In duet, Dan and Paolo are a model of creative conversation in jazz – empathic, intuitive, concise yet fervent. And when they sat down at the two pianos to accompany Becky for MIS’RY AND THE BLUES their contrasting textures were a delight. Completely original, too – neither Evans and Brookmeyer nor Ferrante and Teicher, but splendidly themselves.

What we call The Great American Songbook sometimes weaves helplessly towards songs that, if their lyrics were actual speech, would be legal documentation of domestic abuse, self-inflicted destruction. Over time, Becky has turned away from these famous masochistic outcries. But this disc shows her playing bravely in the dark, getting in a lowdown groove, calling out to an absent lover, creating rueful and vengeful tears. This isn’t a major life-shift in all things Kilgore, but a willingness to expand her repertoire into classic songs based on real life-experiences. She is having a good time being so sad for a few minutes: like Basie, she keeps the blues at bay by playing them. Or it might be her own particular jazz homeopathy practice, where dark cures dark.

These sessions produced lasting music, the rare kind that emerges from a devotion to the art. What a gift to us all!

Just Imagine

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Etta Jones - The Best Of Etta Jones: The Prestige Singles

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 59:59
Size: 137.3 MB
Styles: Vocal jazz
Year: 2002
Art: Front

[3:48] 1. Don't Go To Strangers
[3:49] 2. If I Had You
[2:33] 3. Canadian Sunset
[3:57] 4. That's All There Is To That
[2:05] 5. Till There Was You
[4:38] 6. All The Way
[4:16] 7. Unchained Melody
[3:33] 8. Hurry Home
[2:23] 9. You Came A Long Way From St. Louis
[2:56] 10. Just Friends
[2:49] 11. I'll Be There
[2:52] 12. In The Dark
[2:52] 13. Nature Boy
[3:34] 14. Hi-Lili, Hi-Lo
[2:29] 15. Love Walked In
[4:11] 16. Old Folks
[2:59] 17. Someday My Prince Will Come
[4:06] 18. The Gal From Joe's

While Etta Jones could not be placed into the very top tier of jazz singers, she was a good one. And as this compilation draws 18 tracks from the most commercially and artistically successful phase of her career, it might be the best place to start for hearing her work. Recorded between 1960 and 1963, these did all happen to be released on singles, as the title indicates, though it's sometimes forgotten that there were still jazz tracks being issued as singles in the 1960s. Of course, the most popular of those was "Don't Go to Strangers," which actually made the pop Top 40 in 1960. Jones was a warm and versatile singer with a bit more appeal to pop listeners than most, usually backed by good small combos on this mixture of ballads and up-tempo material, though Oliver Nelson arranged and conducted the strings on a most adventurous, eccentric "Unchained Melody." More satisfying than the ballads, though, are the sassier, faster, and slightly bluesier outings, like "You Came a Long Way From St. Louis," "In the Dark," the sultry "The Gal From Joe's," and (again with Nelson's strings) "Just Friends." The cha cha pass at "Nature Boy" is good, too, with Kenny Burrell handling one of the guitars. ~Richie Unterberger

The Best Of Etta Jones: The Prestige Singles 

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Judy Philbin & Adam Levine - Keeping It Simple

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 40:38
Size: 93.1 MB
Styles: Easy Listening, Vocal
Year: 2013
Art: Front

[2:43] 1. A Wink And A Smile
[2:40] 2. Moonglow
[2:26] 3. Django's Delight
[4:05] 4. Skylark
[3:18] 5. Keeping It Simple
[3:11] 6. Nearness Of You
[3:37] 7. Bésame Mucho
[2:58] 8. Surrey With The Fringe On Top
[5:41] 9. Nova
[4:30] 10. Blue Bayou
[2:40] 11. Why Do Fools Fall In Love
[2:45] 12. Don't Be Easy On Me

Just voice and guitar. What a great idea! Keep it simple. In collaboration with the rhythmic and improvisational talents of guitarist Adam Levine, the result is a delightfully novel musical vision of well-known jazz standards, popular classics, and original compositions.

While some children strive to color outside the lines, Judy has always wanted to sing outside the melody. She injects her personal style into contemporary and folk, as well as jazz standards, delivering each song with the skill of a lyric storyteller. Her pure, clear tone has been called uplifting, healing, evocative and above all, beautiful.

“After years of classical instrumental and choral background, I yearned to express the music as it touched me personally, not necessarily as it was written,” says Judy. “I still love singing classical and Broadway-style music and, vocally, those are very challenging. But I also love the freedom that jazz brings to the table. It allows you to ‘color outside the lines’. It allows you to explore and express musical thoughts and ideas in the moment. Each performance is new, different. It’s exhilarating to create on the spot.”

Her influences have global roots, drawn from living in Latin America as a child, and Europe as an adult. “I enjoy just about all styles of singing. I’ve even sung in an Irish band. I consider myself a storyteller that draws from the musical and emotional freedom that grew out of many genres. It’s about moving the listener’s heart an inch, a mile, or sometimes light-years into another dimension.”

Keeping It Simple

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Johnny Mercer - My Huckleberry Friend: Johnny Mercer Sings The Songs Of Johnny Mercer

Bitrate: 320K/s

Time: 76:47

Size: 175.8 MB

Styles: Tin Pan Alley pop, Standards

Year: 1974/1996

Art: Front

[2:54] 1. You Must Have Been A Beautiful Baby

[2:59] 2. Little Ol' Tune

[3:37] 3. Moon River

[2:29] 4. I Wanna Be In Love Again

[3:16] 5. The Days Of Wine And Roses

[3:14] 6. Talk To Me, Baby

[2:26] 7. Goody Goody

[3:34] 8. Summer Wind

[3:14] 9. Little Ingenue

[2:30] 10. Something's Gotta Give

[2:48] 11. Satin Doll

[2:27] 12. It's Great To Be Alive

[2:42] 13. That Old Black Magic

[2:51] 14. Tangerine

[2:39] 15. The What-Cha-Ma-Call It

[4:09] 16. Midnight Sun

[3:18] 17. I'm Old Fashioned

[3:21] 18. Come Rain Or Come Shine

[2:33] 19. Too Marvelous For Words

[3:47] 20. Autumn Leaves

[3:36] 21. Any Place I Hang My Hat Is Home

[2:48] 22. The Air-Minded Executive

[2:43] 23. Pineapple Pete

[2:42] 24. I Thought About You

[3:56] 25. One For My Baby (And One More For The Road)

Recorded in London just two years before his death, My Huckleberry Friend includes nearly an hour and half of singer Johnny Mercer updating his own compositions. The American musical giant is accompanied by the Pete Moore Orchestra and the Harry Roche Constellation. Mercer's voice is solid throughout this 25-track record that marries his Tin Pan Alley lyrical style with diverse pop arrangements. The song "It's Great to Be Alive" says it all about this release: "It's great to be alive, to work from nine to five." Fans of Mercer will enjoy this record, while purists may prefer his earlier (and more traditional) recordings. Mercer's career may have slowed down due to the onslaught of rock & roll, but he was never intimidated by the new styles. (After all, he founded Capitol Records, the home of the Beatles.) So in 1974, he flew to London to record new interpretations of some of his old classics. The results are often stunning. The "Shaft"-like version of "That Old Black Magic," with its funk-fortified guitar and soul-splashed keyboards, is an archival treat. Mercer truly gets down when he sings "Every time your lips meet mine/Down and down I go/All around I go/Loving the spin I'm in/Under that old black magic called love." This tasty morsel will be jarring for listeners who only associate the name Mercer with '40s songs like "G.I. Jive" or soundtrack cuts like "On the Atchison, Topeka and the Santa Fe" or "Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah." Mercer and arranger Pete Moore, however, do not abandon the big-band swing sound closely associated with these songs. And sometimes that is a problem. The moody and ethereal "The Days of Wine and Roses" is out of place next to some of the more modern-sounding tracks. The typical '70s instrumentations (dual use of flute and trumpet, etc.) make some songs sound hilariously familiar. The piano in "Too Marvelous for Words" hints at the "Theme From the Odd Couple." But if you are listening to Mercer, you expect some nostalgia, right? The only real criticism of this collection (besides the purists' crazy notion that funk and rock have no place in these standards) is that the pop flavors of the time are not embraced more completely: The funk guitar in "Something's Gotta Give" is strangely married to a brassy, swinging orchestration. There are some traditional takes here, especially on "Summer Wind," "Autumn Leaves," "Any Place I Hang My Hat Is Home," and "One for My Baby." Fans of lounge music and neo-swingers who appreciate Mercer will particularly like this collection. Who else would the island sounds of "Pineapple Pete" be for? My Huckleberry Friend" ends with a great reflection on Mercer's career: "Don't let it be said Old Unsteady can't carry his load. Make it one for my baby and one more for the road. That long, long, long, long road." ~JT Griffith

My Huckleberry Friend: Johnny Mercer Sings The Songs Of Johnny Mercer

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Melody Diachun - Lullaby Of The Leaves

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2002
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 54:33
Size: 125,3 MB
Art: Front

(5:57)  1. I'm Just A Lucky So-And-So
(4:57)  2. Lullaby Of The Leaves
(4:21)  3. Table For One
(4:54)  4. You And The Night And The Music
(5:59)  5. Same Sunday
(4:17)  6. So Many Words
(4:49)  7. Comes Love
(5:47)  8. Saint Catherine
(5:02)  9. Little Head
(3:32) 10. In The Wee Small Hours Of The Morning
(4:54) 11. Like a Lover (O Cantador)

"Melody Diachun is one of the world's finest young jazz composers and vocalists." ~ Bravo!TV

" ... There seems to be a tight, near-telepathic rapport here. Melody Diachun's voice is light and understated with a bluesy accent ... romantic moods that can be sexy or sentimental as the song requires ..." ~ Cadence Magazine

"A warm, accomplished voice ... formidable range ... sparkling guitar ... standout (piano) work ... original material that catches the ear..." ~ The Vancouver Sun
"Simply wonderful... sultry vocals ... she uses language well, capturing images and feelings, reaching out to her listeners ..." ~ The Nanino Daily News

"Terrific ... pure voice and unembroidered style..." ~ The Vancouver Sun

" Lullaby Of The Leaves is a soothing, twilight companion ... includes originals and such gems as You and the Night and the Music." ~ The Montreal  Gazette

"It's hard to keep up with all the jazz vocalists emerging in these singer-saturated days, but Canadian singer Melody Diachun is worth keeping up with ... She sings attractively and is patient with the slowest ballad tempos ... Throughout, she resists the annoying temptation to be self-consciously jazzy." ~The Ottawa Citizen

"Melody Diachun is the quintessential vocalist, reminiscent of those great 'girl singers' of the past - Ella, Peggy, Sarah, Helen and the rest. Melody’s voice and feel for the music are a joy to hear as she delivers her repertoire with flare, elan, and her own unique style." ~ Dal Richards, Radio host, "Dal's Place", 600Am

"You have perfect phrasing! It's scary." ~ Kenny Werner, Jazz Pianist, Educator & Author

Conceived as a collaboration, the album explores and reveals classic and original songs from three points of view. Melody's warm voice and unaffected, sensitive approach wed perfectly with Murphy's expansive manipulation of harmony and time. Combined with "sparkling guitar" (The Vancouver Sun) and lyrical and supportive bass playing from Stephenson, the three take turns shining a light on the very soul of each composition. http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/melody

Personnel:  Melody Diachun – Vocal; Bob Murphy -  piano, and Doug Stephenson, acoustic bass & guitar.

Lullaby Of The Leaves

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Angela Hagenbach - Weaver Of Dreams

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2001
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 63:22
Size: 145,3 MB
Art: Front

(4:26)  1. You Turned The Tables On Me
(4:43)  2. Simone
(5:25)  3. Autumn's Flame
(3:24)  4. You Do Something To Me
(6:48)  5. Return To Paradise
(4:20)  6. Altos De Chavon
(6:35)  7. Street of Dreams
(5:22)  8. Now's The Time
(5:12)  9. Sometimes I'm Happy
(4:54) 10. It Had Better Be Tonight
(6:10) 11. Angel Eyes
(5:58) 12. Caravan

Weaver of Dreams marks Kansas City chanteuse Angela Hagenbach's national debut. Lucky listeners already familiar with her work will know that she's been working in jazz for ten years. Previous albums, including the remarkable Feel the Magic, and touring abroad has served as excellent dues-paying and her smoky voice and musicianship clearly deserve their debutante ball. This album, a mix of ballads and latin swing, showcases her vocal skills, featured on tracks like "Street of Dreams" with deliciously dizzying scatting, "Now's the time," a tribute to Charlie Parker, where she zips through the lyrics like the way Bird blew his saxophone, and the breezy "Return to Paradise," with the infectious beat cooly shuffling behind her voice lilting and dipping and winding around the words. She does Latin equally well, having a particular knack for Brazilian flavoring. She burns up the airwaves with her ensemble Musa Nova on tracks like the Ellington-penned "Caravan" and "It Had Better Be Tonight." 

Hagenbach's voice might remind one of Shirley Horn in its rich deep tone, but where Horn stylizes with pauses and working in conjunction with her piano, Hagenbach has a wider range and sings more aggressively, fitting well within the total orchestration. She improvises with great ease. She's listened to the albums of the legends and no doubt her own studies on the trombone and percussion have helped developed her scat talents. Weaver of Dreams comes well-recommended to fans of vocal jazz and Hagenbach is a new young musician whose career will be exciting to watch. ~ Robin Lickel   http://www.allaboutjazz.com/weaver-of-dreams-angela-hagenbach-amazon-records-review-by-robin-lickel.php#.U4vzNyioqdk

Personnel: Angela Habenbach, vocals; Danny Embrey, guitar; Joe Cartwright, piano; Bob Bowman, acoustic bass; Steve Rigazzi, electric bass; Greg Carroll, vibes; Gary Helm, percussion; Todd Stright, drums; Doug Aurwarter, drums & percussion

Weaver Of Dreams

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Marty Grosz - Rhythm Is Our Business

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 2003
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 66:56
Size: 154,2 MB
Art: Front

( 3:39)  1. Rhythm Is Our Business
( 3:36)  2. Believe It Beloved
( 5:10)  3. Yellow Dog Blues
( 4:47)  4. Diga Diga Doo
( 3:44)  5. Penthouse Serenade
( 5:02)  6. Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea
( 3:42)  7. I'm In the Mood For Love
( 4:01)  8. Heartaches
( 3:41)  9. If We Never Meet Again
( 4:18) 10. That Da Da Strain
( 4:33) 11. Squeeze Me
( 2:37) 12. The Japanese Sandman
( 4:26) 13. Wabash Blues
( 3:18) 14. Dream Man
(10:15) 15. Rhythm For Sale  He Ain't Got Rhythm  I Got Rhythm

Marty Grosz recordings are always fun. Grosz, a top humorist (though his monologues have yet to be fully included on recordings), is a cheerful vocalist whose style is influenced by Fats Waller, and a superior acoustic chordal guitarist. His combos are superb examples of small group swing with an emphasis on songs from the 1920s and '30s. For this date recorded in Germany, Grosz leads his Hot Puppies, a quintet with fellow American Randy Reinhart on trumpet and three excellent German players. 

Frank Roberscheuten shows his versatility by playing clarinet (his best ax), tenor, and alto while bassist Nico Gastreich and drummer Moritz Gastreich are swinging and subtle in support. The repertoire is inspired and some of the frameworks (including a version of "Heartaches" that hints strongly at Ted Weems' hit recording) are inventive. Reinhart and Grosz are the solo stars and this set is easily recommended to fans of vintage swing and classic jazz. ~ Scott Yanow    http://www.allmusic.com/album/rhythm-is-our-business-mw0000693801

Personnel: Marty Grosz (vocals, guitar); Frank Roberscheuten (clarinet, alto saxophone, tenor saxophone); Randy Reinhart (trumpet); Moritz Gastreich (drums).

Rhythm Is Our Business

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Saxophone Summit - Seraphic Light

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2008
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 68:29
Size: 157,3 MB
Art: Front

( 5:54)  1. Transition
( 5:21)  2. The Thirteenth Floor
( 5:34)  3. Reneda
( 5:25)  4. All About You
( 5:46)  5. Message To Mike
( 5:42)  6. Alpha And Omega
( 6:47)  7. Our Daily Bread
( 7:12)  8. Cosmos
(11:11)  9. Seraphic Light
( 9:31) 10. Expresssion

Formed in the mid-1990s by three of jazz's leading post-Coltrane exponents not just to pay homage to the saxophone legend's exploratory latter period work, but to advance his collaborative and collective soloing aesthetic into a fully contemporary context nearly thirty years after his death Saxophone Summit was dealt a tremendous blow, as was the entire jazz world, when co-founding member Michael Brecker passed away in 2007. Still, Saxophone Summit's remaining front-liners, Dave Liebman and Joe Lovano, decided that continuing on with pianist Phil Markowitz, bassist Cecil McBee and drummer Billy Hart would better honor Brecker than throwing in the towel. Recruiting Coltrane's son Ravi to fill the third saxophone chair ("replacing" would be an absolutely inappropriate description) seemed a logical choice, making Seraphic Light not only a moving tribute to Brecker, but a logical extension and expansion of what made Saxophone Summit: Gathering of Spirits (Telarc, 2004) such a powerful record, and an unusually experimental one for the more centrist Telarc label. 

That's not to say Seraphic Light isn't completely accessible. Markowitz's "Transitions" opens the disc on a fiery note, but with an attention-grabbing groove and front-line melody that's equally attractive, so much so as to almost disguise the song's full depth. But by the time Saxophone Summit gets to the title track, first heard on Coltrane's Stellar Regions (Impulse!, 1967), it's fully migrated towards the "no-time, no changes, no harmonies" approach that so dominated Coltrane's final two years. Still, as free as it is, and with Lovano using his custom-built aulochrome (a twin-soprano hybrid that allows him a degree of polyphony that even multiphonics can't on a single horn), it's proof that Coltrane wasn't striving for chaos, but rather a deep, transcendent spirituality. It's no coincidence that the three Coltrane tunes are collected at the end of the disc, including "Cosmos," which begins with poetic beauty but dissolves into greater freedom for one of Markowitz's most stunningly unfettered solos on record. The first seven tracks are a democratic distribution of one song each by the group's six members, plus the up-tempo modal workout "Message to Mike" by brother Randy Brecker, who guests on trumpet on two tracks. Thus, Seraphic Light works its way gradually towards the more expansive freedom of the Coltrane covers. While Ravi Coltrane hasn't made the leap to broadly influential yet that both Liebman and Lovano have, his is a voice evolving in leaps and bounds. 

Here, while his warmer tone unmistakably alters Saxophone Summit's complexion, it's still a truly mighty meeting of three saxophonists whose lives have been inexorably altered by the spirit of John Coltrane. With Markowitz, McBee and Hart a creative and fluid triumvirate far beyond the restrictive term "rhythm section," Seraphic Light not only captures Coltrane's spirit but, dedicated to Michael Brecker, captures his intrepid soul as well. For those who consider Coltrane's latter period inaccessible, Seraphic Light capitalizes on its dense beauty in a most approachable fashion, without compromising its elan vital one iota. ~ John Kelman   http://www.allaboutjazz.com/seraphic-light-dave-liebman-telarc-records-review-by-john-kelman.php#.U4u7uyioqdk
 

Personnel:  Ravi Coltrane: tenor saxophone (1-6, 8-10), soprano saxophone (7); Dave Liebman: soprano saxophone (1, 3-6), tenor saxophone (8-10), C flute (2, 7), wooden flute (2); Joe Lovano; tenor saxophone (1, 3-5, 7, 8, 10), alto clarinet (2,6), Scottish flute (2), aulochrome (9); Randy Brecker: trumpet (5, 10); Phil Markowitz: piano; Cecil McBee: bass; Billy Hart: drums.

Seraphic Light

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