Seldon Powell - Go First Class: The Complete Roost Sessions

Bitrate: 320K/s

Time: 68:14

Size: 156.2 MB

Styles: Saxophone jazz, Swing

Year: 2011

Art: Front

[2:59] 1. Go First Class

[3:58] 2. Why Was I Born

[3:15] 3. Love Is Just Around The Corner

[3:44] 4. Someone To Watch Over Me

[4:39] 5. Count Fleet

[5:16] 6. Autumn Nocturne

[4:52] 7. Swingsville, Ohio

[5:04] 8. Summertime

[2:42] 9. Woodyn' You

[2:39] 10. She's Funny That Way

[2:21] 11. Miss Melody

[2:18] 12. I'll Close My Eyes

[2:28] 13. 11th Hour Blues

[2:38] 14. A Flower Is A Lonesome Thing

[3:30] 15. It's A Cryin' Shame

[2:59] 16. Button Nose

[3:17] 17. Undecided

[4:05] 18. Biscuit For Duncan

[2:46] 19. Sleepy Time Down South

[2:36] 20. Lolly Gag

A veteran tenor saxophonist and flutist, Seldon Powell adjusted and honed his style over the years, being flexible enough to play anything from swing to hard bop and in between. He wasn't the greatest soloist, most ambitious composer, or most spectacular arranger; he was simply a good, consistent player who survived many changes and trends to remain active from the late '40s until the '90s. Powell was classically trained in New York, then worked briefly with Tab Smith in 1949 before joining Lucky Millinder and recording with him in 1950. Powell was in the military in 1950 and 1951, then became a studio musician in New York. He worked and recorded with Louis Bellson, Neal Hefti, Friedrich Gulda, Johnny Richards, and Billy Ver Planck in the mid- and late '50s. Powell also played with Sy Oliver and Erskine Hawkins, and studied at Juilliard. He traveled to Europe with Benny Goodman's band in 1958, and worked briefly with Woody Herman. Powell was a staff player for ABC television in the '60s, and also played and recorded with Buddy Rich, Bellson, Clark Terry, and Ahmed Abdul-Malik. He did a number of soul-jazz and pop dates in the late '60s and early '70s, among them a session with Groove Holmes and big-band dates backing Gato Barbieri and Dizzy Gillespie. Powell was principal soloist in Gerry Mulligan's 16-piece band at the JVC Jazz Festival in New York in 1987. He recorded as a leader for Roost and Epic. ~bio by Ron Wynn

Go First Class: The Complete Roost Sessions

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Bill Withers - Live At Carnegie Hall

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 77:12
Size: 176.7 MB
Styles: Smooth soul
Year: 1973/2010
Art: Front

[ 8:34] 1. Use Me
[ 4:28] 2. Friend Of Mine
[ 2:57] 3. Ain't No Sunshine
[ 4:53] 4. Grandma's Hands
[ 5:19] 5. World Keeps Going Around
[ 4:16] 6. Let Me In Your Life
[ 3:41] 7. Better Off Dead
[ 3:01] 8. For My Friend
[ 6:43] 9. I Can't Write Left Handed
[ 5:47] 10. Lean On Me
[ 3:58] 11. Lonely Town, Lonely Street
[ 4:26] 12. Hope She'll Be Happier
[ 5:19] 13. Let Us Love
[13:41] 14. Medley: Harlem, Cold Baloney

A wonderful live album that capitalizes on Withers' trademark melancholy soul sound while expanding the music to fit the room granted by a live show. Lovely versions of "Grandma's Hands" and "Lean on Me" are balanced by heartfelt downbeat numbers like "Better Off Dead" and "I Can't Write Left-Handed," the latter being an anti-war song with a chilling message. The set finishes off with the lengthy "Harlem/Cold Baloney," with lots of audience-pleased call-and-response going on. One of the best live releases from the '70s. ~Steven McDonald

Live At Carnegie Hall

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Cindy Scott - Major To Minor

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2002
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 49:14
Size: 113,3 MB
Art: Front

(2:56)  1. It's Don't Mean a Thing
(5:54)  2. What'll I Do
(2:48)  3. Mean To Me
(5:06)  4. Get Out Of Town
(4:58)  5. Ev'ry Time To Say Goodbye
(6:11)  6. Nature Boy
(3:19)  7. Deed I Do
(2:41)  8. It's De-Lovely
(3:48)  9. I Just Found Out About Love
(3:22) 10. On a Slow Boat To China
(5:06) 11. It Might As Well Be Spring
(2:59) 12. Imagination

Houston-based vocalist Cindy Scott strikes gold her first time out. Major to Minor is an exceptional debut album, a happy collaboration between an exciting new singer and a cadre of superior jazz artists. This CD is somewhat of a culmination of material that Scott developed with pianist/arranger Gary Norian and other musicians at a steady gig they had at Cïzanne, a noted Houston jazz club. The function of sidemen, as I see it, is to stimulate, inspire, excite, push, drive, goad and coax their colleagues. And, boy, this band stimulates and pushes Scott. Their efforts, however, do not detract from nor intrude upon her vocals but, rather, enhance and embrace her performance. Norian stated, "We like to keep the integrity of the melody but (play) with some different harmonies and time signatures. They succeed. Each arrangement is fresh, challenging, and most entertaining. Not many budding jazz vocalists could hope to have their first recording date backed by such talented musicians. 

The programming is eclectic, ranging from Cole Porter (three tunes) to Ellington, Berlin and McHugh. Thankfully there are no originals, which in many cases can be uninspired. Things start off hot with some dazzling virtuosic scatting by Scott, working in unison with Woody Witt's tenor sax on the Ellington composition "It Don't Mean a Thing If It Ain't Got That Swing. Scott next lends her sunny timbre to the well-known ballad "What'll I Do, thankfully including the beautiful verse. Trumpeter Dennis Dotson takes a splendid chorus on this Irving Berlin evergreen (some of you may recall Dotson from the Woody Herman band). If I were to pick a favorite tune from this disc, it might be "Get Out of Town. Although Cole Porter wrote this tune in 4/4 time, Scott performs it in 6/8, which adds freshness to a well-worn standard. It starts out with voice and drums and gradually builds until Dotson enters on trumpet. "Nature Boy may not be the best composition, but Scott's version adds luster to a rather uninspired melody. This "Nature Boy is not just a "strange, enchanted boy he is a funky cat. The song builds in intensity and includes some tour de force drumming by Chuck Payne.

Cindy Scott plays with time beautifully on this number. Most singers perform the lesser-known Jimmy McHugh song "I Just Found Out About Love as a jump tune, but Scott and the band decided to record it as a slow waltz. It works splendidly at this tempo and time signature. On "Ev'ry Time We Say Goodbye, Scott shows that she can also break your heart with a slow ballad. Her easy, patient way with this Cole Porter classic is downright ecstatic. Kudos also to pianist Norian's lovely counter melody on this cut. Although this is Cindy Scott's first recording, it will certainly not be her last. For she is not only an exceptional new jazz-oriented singer, she is accessible to a wide spectrum of listeners. You don't need a degree in music to understand her singing; all you need is ears. The disc will appeal to fans who appreciate impeccable intonation, an immaculate sense of timing, and emotional interpretations of song lyrics. Scott is a musical artist who delivers fables and stories and vignettes of life and love. But the young lady can also swing you into bad health.  Highly recommended. ~ Roger Crane   http://www.allaboutjazz.com/major-to-minor-cindy-scott-catahoula-records-review-by-roger-crane.php#.U5HvGCioqdk

Personnel: Cindy Scott - Vocals; Gary Norian - Piano; Thomas Helton - Bass; Chuck Payne - Drums; Woody Witt - Tenor Sax; Dennis Dotson - Trumpet.

Major To Minor

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Nancy Wilson - The Great American Songbook (Disc 1) And (Disc 2)

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2005
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 54:52 (Disc 1)
Size: 126,5 MB (Disc 1)
Time: 54:30 (Disc 2)
Size: 125,5 MB (Disc 2)
Art: Front

Disc 1

(1:50)  1. All Of You
(2:45)  2. The Things We Did Last Summer
(2:13)  3. The More I See You
(3:01)  4. The Nearness Of You
(2:21)  5. Never Will I Marry
(2:28)  6. What A Little Moonlight Can Do
(2:53)  7. Little Girl Blue
(2:34)  8. Tonight
(1:48)  9. Sometimes I'm Happy
(3:05) 10. Secret Love
(2:35) 11. A Sleepin' Bee
(2:53) 12. Fly Me To The Moon (In Other Words)
(1:44) 13. On The Street Where You Live
(2:36) 14. You Don't Know What Love Is
(2:20) 15. This Time The Dream's On Me
(2:34) 16. Sophisticated Lady
(2:13) 17. Dearly Beloved
(3:14) 18. My Ship
(1:58) 19. My Shining Hour
(2:41) 20. I'm Gonna Laugh You Right Out Of My Life
(2:55) 21. Back In Your Own Back Yard
(1:59) 22. People Will Say We're In Love

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Disc 2

(3:07)  1. Bewitched
(2:44)  2. Try A Little Tenderness
(2:35)  3. At Long Last Love
(2:58)  4. In A Sentimental Mood
(3:57)  5. When The Sun Comes Out
(2:54)  6. The Very Thought Of You
(2:22)  7. Like Someone In Love
(2:54)  8. Angel Eyes
(3:04)  9. My One And Only Love
(2:01) 10. The Song Is You
(3:29) 11. Lush Life
(2:53) 12. It Never Entered My Mind
(2:44) 13. Prelude To A Kiss
(2:44) 14. By Myself
(3:18) 15. Glad To Be Unhappy
(3:01) 16. Time After Time
(2:25) 17. Hello, Dolly!
(2:35) 18. Someone To Watch Over Me
(2:36) 19. You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To

The Great American Songbook has many top-drawer interpreters, but Nancy Wilson is rarely spoken of in the same breath as Ella Fitzgerald or Dinah Washington or Frank Sinatra or Mel Tormé. The reason lies less with her talents, which are sizeable, and more with her orientation, which fits the show tunes concept of putting the song across with precise diction as well as emotion instead of the jazz vocal tradition of personalizing a song. Those who know only Wilson's crossover work and think she intrudes in the field of vocal jazz should simply listen to her 1959 performance of "On the Street Where You Live," where she often varies notes and tempo but preserves the essential ebullience of the song intact an excellent musical performance combined with an excellent reading of a classic standard. 

That song is only one of the treasures present on the two-disc set The Great American Songbook, one in a loose series of three Capitol compilations to compile Wilson's late '50s and early '60s prime, the others focusing on blues ballads and lost love. There is a lot of music to wade through (more than twice as much as the other volumes in the series), but the compilers ably mix up the proceedings, balancing small-group performances that have a loose touch from all involved with large-band spectaculars featuring impeccable arrangements (often by masters of the form Billy May or Gerald Wilson). ~ John Bush   

http://www.allmusic.com/album/the-great-american-songbook-mw0000723672

Personnel: Nancy Wilson (vocals); Joe Gibbons, Bobby Gibbons, John Michael Gray, Jack Marshall, Mundell Lowe, John Collins, Bob Bain, Charles Wright (guitar); Bob Hardaway (flute, clarinet, bass clarinet, English horn); Justin Gordon (flute, clarinet, bass clarinet, saxophone); Abe Most, Ted Nash (flute, clarinet); Bill Green (bass flute, saxophone, alto saxophone); Ernie Snell (bass flute, baritone saxophone); Benny Carter (reeds, saxophone); Jules Jacobs, Bill Ulyate (reeds); Arthur Herfurt, William Ulyate, Jerome A. Kasper, Bill Perkins, Bill Hood, Buddy Collette (saxophone); Jimmy Woods, Joe Maini, Bill Green (alto saxophone); Harold Land, Teddy Edwards (tenor saxophone); Clyde Reasinger, Uan Rasey, Conrad Gozzo , Jules Chaikin, Freddie Hill, Emanuel Klein, Harry "Sweets" Edison , Carmell Jones, Jimmy Salko, Joe Graves, Al Porcino, Pete Candoli, John Audino, Bobby Bryant (trumpet); James A. Decker, Arthur Frantz, Henry DeRosa, Richard Perissi, Henry Sigismonti, Richard Mackey (French horn); Milt Bernhart, Chuck Cooper, Dick Noel, Phillip Teele, William Schaefer, Don Switzer, George Roberts , Lew McReary, Pullman Pederson, Richard Nash, Eddie Kusby, John Ewing , Milt Bernhardt, Murray McEachern, Tommy Pederson , Kenny Shroyer, Lew McCreary, Lester Robertson, Lloyd Ulyate (trombone); Red Callender (tuba); Jack Wilson (piano, celesta); Donn Trenner, George Shearing, Jimmy Jones , Lou Levy, Ralph Sharon, Ronnell Bright, Meyer Rubin (piano); George Duvivier, Jimmy Bond, Joe Mondragon, Sam Jones, Joe Comfort (bass instrument); Carol Kaye (electric bass); Buster Williams (bass guitar); Grady Tate, Stan Levey, Kenny Dennis (drums); Gene Estes, Larry Bunker (percussion); Dick Garcia, Gene Bertoncini, Joe Pass (guitar); Gene Cipriano (bass flute, tenor saxophone); Chuck Gentry, Willie Smith, Paul Horn (reeds); Plas Johnson (saxophone, tenor saxophone, trombone); Fred Falensby (saxophone); Frank Strozier, Cannonball Adderley (alto saxophone); Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis (tenor saxophone); Jack Nimitz (baritone saxophone); Don Fagerquist, Frank Beach (trumpet); Nat Adderley (cornet); Vincent DeRosa (French horn); Si Zentner, Bob Edmondson (trombone); Hank Jones , Joe Zawinul, Milt Raskin (piano); Hal Blaine (vibraphone, drums, chimes); Victor Feldman (vibraphone, timpani, percussion); Eddie Costa (vibraphone); Louis Hayes, Nick Ceroli, Shelly Manne, Irving Cottler, Walter Bolden (drums); Emil Richards (percussion); Gerald Wilson Orchestra, Ron Carter .

 The Great American Songbook (Disc 1)

 The Great American Songbook (Disc 2)

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David "Fathead' Newman - Fathead: Ray Charles Presents David Newman

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1959
File: MP3@256K/s
Time: 37:37
Size: 69,0 MB
Art: Front

(4:43)  1. Hard Times
(4:49)  2. Weird Beard
(5:00)  3. Willow Weep For Me
(4:15)  4. Bill For Bennie
(3:46)  5. Sweet Eyes
(5:24)  6. Fathead
(4:17)  7. Mean To Me
(5:18)  8. Tin Tin Deo

The talented David Newman, who alternates on this album between tenor and alto, made his debut as a leader at this session. Since he was in Ray Charles' band at the time, Newman was able to use Charles on piano along with Hank Crawford (here called "Bennie Crawford") on baritone, trumpeter Marcus Belgrave, bassist Edgar Willis, and drummer Milt Turner. The music is essentially soulful bebop, with the highlights including "Hard Times," "Fathead," "Mean to Me," and "Tin Tin Deo." Everyone plays well and this was a fine start to David "Fathead" Newman's career. This historic set was issued on CD by Collectables in 2005. ~ Scott Yanow   http://www.allmusic.com/album/fathead-ray-charles-presents-david-newman-mw0000140154

Personnel: David "Fathead" Newman (flute, alto saxophone, tenor saxophone); David "Fathead" Newman ; Bennie Hank Crawford, Bennie Crawford (baritone saxophone); Edgar Willis (double bass); Milton Turner, Milt Turner, Milton Turner (drums); Marcus Belgrave (trumpet); Ray Charles (piano).

Fathead: Ray Charles Presents David Newman

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Brigitte Mitchell - Don't Explain

Size: 132,3 MB
Time: 56:55
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2013
Styles: Jazz Vocals
Art: Front

01. God Bless The Child (5:53)
02. My Favourite Things (4:13)
03. Don't Explain (With Jazz Quintet) (5:38)
04. Doodlin' (3:56)
05. Another Star (5:02)
06. Midnight At The Oasis (4:41)
07. That Ole Devil (3:50)
08. Nica's Dream (4:16)
09. Cry Me A River (5:27)
10. Moonlight In Vermont (4:14)
11. Georgy Porgy (4:08)
12. Don't Explain (Voice And Piano) (5:32)

Silva Records proudly presents one of Hong Kong’s most celebrated Jazz vocalists, Brigitte Mitchell, whom offers an array of delightful and sensual standards, exhibiting her versatility with a daring grace. Hits on this release include timeless Billie Holiday classics, God Bless The Child and the title track Don’t Explain, plus a toe-tapping, swing interpretation of Stevie Wonder’s Another Star. OTher tracks include re-imagined Jazz standards such as Horace Silver’s Doodlin’ and Nica’s Dream, as well as a haunting rendition of evergreen My Favourite Things.

Originally from the scenic shores of Cape Town, Mitchell has been living in Hong Kong for the past 10 years. She had an undeniable urge to explore an artistic path of unknown proportions, sparking this migration from South Africa to Asia. The move has offered a sense of creative liberation. “Taking that step to leave my comfort zone was one of the best decisions I’ve made,” she recounts fondly.

Growing up a witness to the diverse conditions in South Africa, she came to Asia aspiring to personify the change her father wanted to see for the people of Cape Town. By making a name for herself on new ground, she cultivated her father’s vision and she confidently asserts the importance of his advice, “He really insisted on this, try and reach your highest potential and become the best version of yourself.” And her record is certainly indicative of this mind set.

Mitchell has established herself as a headliner Jazz singer, known for her spontaneous and captivating live performances. Don’t Explain is made up of selections from her live show repertoire. “This is how I wanted to feel and sound. Ultimately, I grew into Jazz because I let it take hold of me.” The record is a time capsule that represents not only the magic of a live performance, but also the culmination of Mitchell’s decade-long experimentation and love affair with Jazz.

Don’t Explain showcases Mitchell’s multidimensional vocals in a variety of musical settings. She is backed by a core rhythmic section that she has worked with over the years made up of New York Jazz pianist Bob Mocarsky, Hong Kong veteran Rudy Balbuena on upright bass, and drummer Gary Da Silva, who is also Mitchell’s husband and the record’s Executive Producer. The album also features a number of guest artists, including Australian sax star Blaine Whittaker, Los Angeles pianist Bobby West (Ray Charles, Marvin Gaye), Australian trumpeter Toby Mak, Hong Kong producer and guitarist Tommy Ho, LA tenor saxophonist Albert Wing and Brazilian saxophonist Paulo Levi. Mitchell sweetly praises her colleagues, “Each musician has given a piece of themselves.”

Don’t Explain is just the beginning of Mitchell’s recording career. She says, “I come from such a wide range of musical interests. I hope to explore and continue to grow in new directions.”

Don't Explain

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Brother Jack McDuff - Anthology

Size: 172,9 MB
Time: 74:26
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2014
Styles: Jazz: Funk/Soul
Art: Front

01. Butter (For Yo' Popcorn) ( 4:04)
02. Down Home Style ( 5:02)
03. Flat Backin' (10:19)
04. Oblighetto ( 6:32)
05. The Vibrator ( 4:45)
06. Memphis In June ( 4:13)
07. Moon Rappin' ( 6:18)
08. Theme From Electric Surfboard ( 3:30)
09. It's All A Joke ( 3:49)
10. Groovin' (On A Sunday Afternoon) ( 5:14)
11. Made In Sweden ( 7:33)
12. As She Walked Away ( 7:59)
13. Loose Foot ( 5:02)

A marvelous bandleader and organist as well as capable arranger, "Brother" Jack McDuff has one of the funkiest, most soulful styles of all time on the Hammond B-3. His rock-solid basslines and blues-drenched solos are balanced by clever, almost pianistic melodies and interesting progressions and phrases. McDuff began as a bassist playing with Denny Zeitlin and Joe Farrell. He studied privately in Cincinnati and worked with Johnny Griffin in Chicago. He taught himself organ and piano in the mid-'50s, and began gaining attention working with Willis Jackson in the late '50s and early '60s, cutting high caliber soul-jazz dates for Prestige. McDuff made his recording debut as a leader for Prestige in 1960, playing in a studio pickup band with Jimmy Forrest. They made a pair of outstanding albums: Tough Duff and The Honeydripper. McDuff organized his own band the next year, featuring Harold Vick and drummer Joe Dukes. Things took off when McDuff hired a young guitarist named George Benson. They were among the most popular combos of the mid-'60s and made several excellent albums. McDuff's later groups at Atlantic and Cadet didn't equal the level of the Benson band, while later dates for Verve and Cadet were uneven, though generally good. McDuff experimented with electronic keyboards and fusion during the '70s, then in the '80s got back in the groove with the Muse session Cap'n Jack. While his health fluctuated throughout the '90s, McDuff released several discs on the Concord Jazz label before succumbing to heart failure on January 23, 2001, at the age of 74. ~Biography by Bob Porter

Anthology

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Spencer Day - Daybreak

Size: 76,4 MB
Time: 32:49
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2014
Styles: Jazz/Rock/Pop Vocals
Art: Front

01. Missing Tonight (3:30)
02. Naturally (2:37)
03. These Boots Are Made For Walkin' (2:57)
04. Don't Let Me In (3:53)
05. Never My Love (2:57)
06. Wait Till I Get You Alone (3:26)
07. Groovin' (3:29)
08. Bad Moon Rising (3:27)
09. World Without Love (3:27)
10. You Don't Know You're Lonely (3:02)

Far more than a crooner, vocal artist Spencer Day is cutting a unique path as one of the top vocal artists in the country! ~Brent Black / criticaljazz.com

Spencer Day does an new school riff on classic music from the 60's with the release of Daybreak. A sweeping generalization would be Day fits in with Harry Connick, Michael Buble, Michael Feinstein bunch. Nice...yet artistic comparisons in this case are grossly unfair as Day is charting his own unique course down the harmonic road less traveled.

Daybreak is a well conceived and magnificently executed gem divided into two equal parts. Five somewhat eclectic covers from the 60's and five solid originals that match up to the vibe perfectly. A couple of thoughts on why Daybreak works so well would start with the arrangements. When considering the work of song stylist Spencer Day, a respectable cover of "These Boots Are Made For Walking" would seem to be the equivalent of pulling a lyrical rabbit out of the hat. The arrangements make the Nancy Sinatra hit work along with other favorites such as "Bad Moon Rising" and "World Without Love" from Lennon and McCartney. The first single would be the original "Missing Tonight" which has the deceptively subtle feel of a song destined for the Great American Songbook.

Spencer Day has a voice that is clean, neat and with a slight smoky finish. The horns add a pop of color and texture. While still early in what is destined to be a stellar career, Day has managed to find the ability to crawl inside a lyric and make it his own. Spencer Day does not sing the words, he makes the music. ~by Brent Black

Personnel: Spencer Day: Keyboards & Vocals; Erik Kertes: Bass, Multi Instrumentalist; Matt Mayhall: Drums, Tympani, Percussion; Brett Farkas: Electric and Acoustic Guitar; John Storie: Electric and Acoustic Guitar; Jeremy Levy: Trombone; Alex Budman: Saxophone; Alan Chang: Piano and Organ; Jamie Hovorka: Trumpet; Paul Cartwright: Violin; Cliff Goldmacher: Uulele: Rayna Dae: Vocals; Kathleen Grace: Vocals.

Daybreak

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Bennett B - Groove Time

Size: 87,7 MB
Time: 37:32
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2014
Styles: Smooth Jazz
Art: Front

01. Tell Me About It (4:03)
02. Slipstream (3:53)
03. Show Your Love (3:57)
04. Get On Up! (3:27)
05. When I Look In Your Eyes (3:26)
06. Now And Again (4:43)
07. Between Rivers (3:18)
08. Above The Clouds (3:25)
09. Groove Time (3:29)
10. In My Mind (3:46)

For those who may not know, Bennett B (aka Bennett Brandeis) is a four-time recipient of ASCAP’s Popular Music Award and is listed in the Who’s Who World of Jazz. Now, with that brief Bennett B CDintro, allow me to delve into the artist’s latest activity – a cool and often funky offering featuring some of today’s best known artists in accompaniment.

The album is called Groove Time and features the renowned guitarist Paul Brown (who also produced and mixed this effort), saxman Elan Trotman, trumpeter Greg Adams, and the late great drummer Ricky Lawson.

The album has that cool, confident Paul Brown production feel to it while Brandeis exhibits his own storytelling style on guitar.

Several tunes warrant you paying close attention to this one. From the funky mid-tempo tunes like the lead track “Tell Me About It,” “Get On Up,” the up-tempo title track, and the light-funky “Above the Clouds” to the smooth and steady hook-rich “Show Your Love” to the more laid-back tracks like “When I Look in Your Eyes,” “Now and Again,” and “In My Mind,” you get your ear’s worth on this one.

Listening to Brandeis’ style almost conjures up a cross between Paul Brown on the electric guitar pieces and Ken Navarro and Jim Adkins on the acoustic tracks. His tunes are both colorful and modest, flaunting confidence yet subtleness, all at the same time. A treat for those who like their jazz somewhat unassuming but very present. Give this one a listen. Something is bound to be here for you. – Ronald Jackson

Groove Time

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Bob Barnard & Ralph Sutton - The Joint Is Jumpin': The Music Of Fats Waller

Bitrate: 320K/s

Time: 56:43

Size: 129.9 MB

Styles: Cornet & piano jazz

Year: 2003

Art: Front

[3:18] 1. The Joint Is Jumpin'

[3:54] 2. I've Got A Feeling I'm Falling

[3:36] 3. Black And Blue

[3:46] 4. I'm Crazy 'bout My Baby

[3:50] 5. Blue Turning Grey Over You

[4:45] 6. Up Jumped You With Love

[4:44] 7. Keeping Out Of Mischief Now

[4:28] 8. Dream Man

[4:52] 9. Squeeze Me

[4:05] 10. You Meet The Nicest People In Your Dreams

[2:31] 11. Sweet And Slow

[3:47] 12. It's A Sin To Tell A Lie

[5:06] 13. I'm Always In The Mood For You

[3:53] 14. I Used To Love You

The music of Fats Waller never sounds old and dated, especially when in the hands of the two masters who share top billing on this album. Australian cornetist Bob Barnard, who made his first solo album in 1952, and American Ralph Sutton, one of the last geniuses of the stride piano, renew their acquaintance with this release. The term "music" is used broadly to mean not only pieces written by Waller but also others' compositions that Waller had in his vast repertoire, some of which were virtually Waller's personal property, such as "You Meet the Nicest People in Your Dreams." Included is "It's a Sin to Tell a Lie," which Waller did with a tongue-in-cheek, don't-you-really-believe-it demeanor. The double-entendre "Sweet and Slow" was a Waller favorite, and one that Sutton has recorded elsewhere. In addition to the house rhythm section of Ed Gaston on bass and Len Barnard on drums, guests arrive on some tracks to help move things along. Don Burrows, with many albums of his own under his belt, does his clarinet thing on such cuts as "Up Jumped You With Love" and "I'm Crazy About My Baby." On the former, he ad libs over Barnard's enunciation of the melody line before taking a chorus of his own. Another Australian clarinet player of note, John McCarthy joins in on a slow drag version of "Squeeze Me." An album highlight is "Blue Turning Grey Over You," the only track where it's just Sutton and Barnard. About 100 years of jazz performing experience are on exhibit here, and you hear every year in every note. Highly recommended for Waller fans in particular and lovers of any jazz style played by consummate artists. ~Dave Nathan

The Joint Is Jumpin': The Music Of Fats Waller

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James Clay - Tenorman: The Kid From Dallas

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 66:35
Size: 152.5 MB
Styles: Hard bop
Year: 1956/2011
Art: Front

[3:28] 1. In A Sentimental Mood
[4:36] 2. The Devil And The Deep Blue Sea
[4:30] 3. Easy Living
[4:31] 4. Minor Meeting
[3:40] 5. Airtight
[4:46] 6. Willow Weep From Me
[4:27] 7. Three Fingers North
[4:12] 8. Lover Man
[4:16] 9. Marbles
[2:41] 10. It's Alright With Me
[5:29] 11. Scrapple From The Apple
[6:15] 12. Out Of The Blue
[5:31] 13. Sandu
[8:07] 14. Cheek To Cheek

In the summer of 1956 James Clay was a 20-year-old tenor saxophonist from Dallas, who had been living and playing in Los Angeles since mid-1955. At that time his colleagues were all young and independent experimentalists, completely outside of the flourishing West Coast jazz movement – players like trumpeter Don Cherry, bassist Billy Higgins, and altoist Ornette Coleman – and though he said he was not an outside player, he worked easily within the unconventional settings of Coleman’s compositions.

Paradoxically, however, his only recordings were straight ahead, not at all in line with Ornette’s controversial music. On them his ideas flow melodically, especially in ballads and mid-tempos. On faster tunes, his blowing statements come from the strong swinging style and hot tone that characterized other Texas tenors such as Illinois Jacquet and Arnett Cobb, with a hard-bop approach clearly influenced by his idol Sonny Rollins. This CD contains all James Clay studio performances on tenor sax while the young kid from Dallas was living in Los Angeles in the mid Fifties.

Track #1: James Clay (ts), Bobby Timmons (p), Jimmy Bond (b) and Peter Littman. Recorded at Forum Theatre, Los Angeles, on July 25, 1956.
Tracks #2-9: James Clay (ts & fl), Sonny Clark (p), Jimmy Bond (b) and Lawrence Marable (d). Recorded at Capitol Recording Studios, Hollywood, on August 4, 1956.

Tenorman: The Kid From Dallas

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Monica Worth - Never Let Me Go

Bitrate: 320K/s

Time: 53:58

Size: 123.5 MB

Styles: Vocal

Year: 2010

Art: Front

[3:26] 1. Shall We Dance

[6:13] 2. Lazy Afternoon

[6:14] 3. You Must Believe In Spring

[5:45] 4. I'm Going Out Of My Head For You

[4:30] 5. Hello Young Lovers

[5:09] 6. Never Let Me Go

[3:00] 7. I'll Be Seeing You

[4:55] 8. I'm Old Fashioned

[5:23] 9. Overjoyed

[3:51] 10. I'm In The Mood For Love

[5:25] 11. It Never Entered My Mind

The CD package describes Monica Worth as “a rich, throaty alto with echoes of Rosemary Clooney and Morganna [sic] King.” It is a claim that raises an interesting question. Can a singer simultaneously evoke both Ms. Clooney’s earthy directness and Ms. King’s highly stylized abstractions? The answer, of course, is no. While the influence of Ms. King’s esoteric approach to jazz singing is evident, the use of Ms. Clooney’s name appears to be a marketing ploy.

Ms. Worth’s singing sounds like the product of both too much and too little voice training. She projects her vocal tone with a good deal of the formality of a classical singer but without any of a classical singer’s discipline. Ms. Worth’s intonation and time feel are more than occasionally problematic. She also appears to have difficulty moving between her head and chest voices. Ms. Worth tries to sing too many of these ballads in her upper register where her control over pitch and dynamics is less secure. Only on “Never Let Me Go” and a nicely done “Overjoyed,” both sung in her comfortable middle register, does Ms. Worth manage to communicate actual emotion. Special mention should also be made of the voice & bass passages of an otherwise overdone “I’m Going Out of My Head Over You.”

The rhythm section is outstanding as are the beautiful and subtle string arrangements by Larry Willis. Mapleshade has also once again done a masterful job with their live-to-two-track analog recording process. ~Mathew Bahl

Monica Worth: vocals; Larry Willis: piano; Keter Betts: bass; Jimmy Cobb: drums; Janice Martin: violin; Rick Schmidt: violin; George Olson: viola; Bruno Nasta: viola; Nat Chaitlein: cello; Steve Novosel: bass.

Never Let Me Go

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Jay McShann - If You Need Me

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 77:19
Size: 177.0 MB
Styles: Piano jazz
Year: 2013
Art: Front

[3:53] 1. Lady Be Good
[6:24] 2. Blue And Sentimental
[4:11] 3. Jay's Boogie Woogie
[5:19] 4. Memories Of You
[6:24] 5. Moten Swing
[2:48] 6. Duke And The Brute
[4:26] 7. Hootie's Ignorant Oil
[4:25] 8. Tenderly
[4:40] 9. Say Forward, I'll March
[2:51] 10. Nasty Attitude
[6:06] 11. Hootie's In Hutchinson
[2:43] 12. Reach
[5:50] 13. Slow Drag Blues
[3:59] 14. Four Day Rider
[4:16] 15. You Can Depend On Me
[6:08] 16. Doggin' Around
[2:50] 17. Confessin' The Blues

The great veteran pianist Jay McShann (also known as Hootie) enjoyed a long career and it is unfair to primarily think of him as merely the leader of an orchestra that featured a young Charlie Parker. He was mostly self-taught as a pianist, worked with Don Byas as early as 1931 and played throughout the Midwest before settling in Kansas City in 1936. McShann formed his own sextet the following year and by 1939 had his own big band. In 1940 at a radio station in Wichita, KS, McShann and an octet out of his orchestra recorded eight songs that were not released commercially until the 1970s; those rank among the earliest of all Charlie Parker records (he is brilliant on "Honeysuckle Rose" and "Lady Be Good") and also feature the strong rhythm section team McShann had with bassist Gene Ramey and drummer Gus Johnson. The full orchestra recorded for Decca on two occasions during 1941-1942 but they were typecast as a blues band and did not get to record many of their more challenging charts (although very rare broadcasts have since surfaced and been released on CD by Vintage Jazz Classics). In addition to Bird (who had a few short solos), the main stars were trumpeter Bernard Anderson, the rhythm section, and singer Walter Brown. McShann and his band arrived in New York in February 1942 and made a strong impression, but World War II made it difficult for any new orchestras to catch on. There was a final session in December 1943 without Parker, but McShann was soon drafted and the band broke up. After being discharged later in 1944, McShann briefly re-formed his group but soon moved to Los Angeles, where he led combos for the next few years; his main attraction was the young singer Jimmy Witherspoon.

McShann was in obscurity for the next two decades, making few records and mostly playing in Kansas City. In 1969 he was rediscovered and McShann (who had first sung on records in 1966) was soon a popular pianist/vocalist. Sometimes featuring violinist Claude Williams, he toured constantly, recorded frequently, and appeared at many jazz festivals, being active into the mid-'90s. Jay McShann, who recorded through the years for Onyx (the 1940 radio transcriptions), Decca, Capitol, Aladdin, Mercury, Black Lion, EmArcy, Vee Jay, Black & Blue, Master Jazz, Sackville, Sonet, Storyville, Atlantic, Swingtime, and Music Masters among others, was a vital pianist and an effective blues vocalist who keept a classic style alive. A live album, Hootie Blues, recorded in 2001 in Toronto and released in 2006 by Stony Plain, showed that McShann could still bring it at the age of 85. He died at the age of 90 on December 7, 2006. ~bio by Scott Yanow

If You Need Me

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Kelley Johnson - Home

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2008
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 60:03
Size: 137,9 MB
Art: Front

(4:55)  1. Should've Been
(4:24)  2. Be Careful, It's My Heart
(5:04)  3. Home
(4:59)  4. The Sweetest Sounds
(7:52)  5. Wouldn't It Be Loverly - Living Room
(4:22)  6. A Lovely Night
(6:32)  7. Moon River
(2:57)  8. (Looking at the World Through) Rose Colored Glasses
(5:06)  9. From Here - Where Do You Start
(4:52) 10. For An Hour
(3:25) 11. Love Walked In
(5:28) 12. Even You and I

Kelley Johnson is a veteran vocalist with an expressive alto who is willing to give a fresh sound to familiar songs while also tackling overlooked gems. Utilizing two different pianists including the brilliant Geoff Keezer (who has been very effective with singers) and the underrated John Hansen, two different bassists (Nathan Peck or Paul Gabrielson), and three drummers (Matt Jorgenseen, Jon Wikan, and Julian MacDonough), plus brass and reedman Jay Thomas as a guest on three tracks, Johnson has put together a delightful set. 

Her own arrangement of Abbey Lincoln's infrequently performed "Should've Been" has shades of Carmen McRae, while her medley of the show tune "Wouldn't It Be Loverly" (from My Fair Lady) and Lincoln's "Living Room" is very playful. "Moon River" has been recorded so often that it is in danger of overexposure, though the colorful backgrounds arranged by Wikan and Ingrid Jensen bring new life to this old chestnut. Johnson also proves her merit as a songwriter, penning or co-writing three songs, highlighted by her expressive, bluesy "Home." ~ Ken Dryden   

http://www.allmusic.com/album/home-mw0000793637

Personnel: Jay "Bird" Thomas (horns); John Hansen (piano); Matt Jorgensen, Jon Wikan (drums); Kelley Johnson (Vocal)

Home

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Jody Sandhaus & Pete Malinverni - Afterglow

Styles: Vocal And Piano Jazz
Year: 2009
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 50:27
Size: 115,8 MB
Art: Front

(6:29)  1. Isn't It a Pity?
(5:13)  2. Afterglow/In The Days Of Our Love
(3:44)  3. Love Is a Necessary Evil
(5:34)  4. I Never Meant To Hurt You
(3:38)  5. It's April Again
(3:59)  6. I'd Like To Hate Myself in The Morning
(4:50)  7. I Don't Know Where To Turn
(3:12)  8. Do You Know Why?
(5:13)  9. I'm In Love Again
(5:30) 10. Love Came On Stealthy Fingers
(2:58) 11. Impossible

Jazz singer Jody Sandhaus and pianist Pete Malinverni set out to record a beautifully intimate album together. No need to light the fire or top off your glass of wine here-just put on the music, relax, and listen. You can, of course, have your favorite drink, but it is not necessary with this selection of songs. The recording is so personal you'll feel as if they are performing in your living room, right there, for you. AFTERGLOW will set you aglow. Different from Ms. Sandhaus' previous three albums done with a trio- Afterglow offers very personal interpretations of some stunning songs. Beautiful arrangements-lyrical improvisations.  http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/sandhaus4 .

Personnel: Jody Sandhaus (vocals); Pete Malinverni (piano).

Afterglow

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Bobby Hackett & Jack Teagarden - Baby, Won't You Please Come Home

Styles: Jazz
Year: 2012
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 33:20
Size: 76,7 MB
Art: Front

(3:02)  1. Baby, Won't You Please Come Home
(3:28)  2. Way Down Yonder In New Orleans
(4:38)  3. 55th And Brodway
(2:24)  4. Everybody Loves My Baby
(2:55)  5. Indiana (Back Home Again in Indiana)
(2:26)  6. Oh Baby
(2:41)  7. 'S Wonderful
(3:56)  8. It's Wonderful
(2:42)  9. Mama's Gone, Good Bye
(2:25) 10. Sunday
(2:39) 11. I Found a New Baby

One of the classic giants of jazz, Jack Teagarden was not only the top pre-bop trombonist (playing his instrument with the ease of a trumpeter) but one of the best jazz singers too. He was such a fine musician that younger brother Charlie (an excellent trumpeter) was always overshadowed. Jack started on piano at age five (his mother Helen was a ragtime pianist), switched to baritone horn, and finally took up trombone when he was ten. Teagarden worked in the Southwest in a variety of territory bands (most notably with the legendary pianist Peck Kelley) and then caused a sensation when he came to New York in 1928. His daring solos with Ben Pollack caused Glenn Miller to de-emphasize his own playing with the band, and during the late-'20s/early Depression era, "Mr. T." recorded frequently with many groups including units headed by Roger Wolfe Kahn, Eddie Condon, Red Nichols, and Louis Armstrong ("Knockin' a Jug"). 

His versions of "Basin Street Blues" and "Beale Street Blues" (songs that would remain in his repertoire for the remainder of his career) were definitive. Teagarden, who was greatly admired by Tommy Dorsey, would have been a logical candidate for fame in the swing era but he made a strategic error. In late 1933, when it looked as if jazz would never catch on commercially, he signed a five-year contract with Paul Whiteman. Although Whiteman's Orchestra did feature Teagarden now and then (and he had a brief period in 1936 playing with a small group from the band, the Three T's, with his brother Charlie and Frankie Trumbauer), the contract effectively kept Teagarden from going out on his own and becoming a star. It certainly prevented him from leading what would eventually became the Bob Crosby Orchestra. In 1939, Jack Teagarden was finally "free" and he soon put together a big band that would last until 1946. However, it was rather late to be organizing a new orchestra (the competition was fierce) and, although there were some good musical moments, none of the sidemen became famous, the arrangements lacked their own musical personality, and by the time it broke up Teagarden was facing bankruptcy. 

The trombonist, however, was still a big name (he had fared quite well in the 1940 Bing Crosby film The Birth of the Blues) and he had many friends. Crosby helped Teagarden straighten out his financial problems, and from 1947-1951 he was a star sideman with Louis Armstrong's All-Stars; their collaborations on "Rocking Chair" are classic. After leaving Armstrong, Teagarden was a leader of a steadily working sextet throughout the remainder of his career, playing Dixieland with such talented musicians as brother Charlie, trumpeters Jimmy McPartland, Don Goldie, Max Kaminsky, and (during a 1957 European tour) pianist Earl Hines. Teagarden toured the Far East during 1958-1959, teamed up one last time with Eddie Condon for a television show/recording session in 1961, and had a heartwarming (and fortunately recorded) musical reunion with Charlie, sister/pianist Norma, and his mother at the 1963 Monterey Jazz Festival. He died from a heart attack four months later and has yet to be replaced.   https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/jack-teagarden/id279808#fullText

Baby, Won't You Please Come Home

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Buddy Greco - Big Band & Ballads

Size: 75,4 MB
Time: 31:59
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2005
Styles: Jazz/Pop Vocals, Big Band
Art: Front

01. Wild Is Love (1:59)
02. It's A Beautiful Evening (3:24)
03. Girl Talk (3:16)
04. I'll Only Miss Her When I Think Of Her (3:35)
05. Watch What Happens (3:21)
06. What Did I Have The I Don't Have (3:24)
07. Love (3:12)
08. Funny (3:17)
09. Once Upon A Summertime (La Valse De Lilas) (2:52)
10. The More I See You (3:35)

Buddy Greco (born Armando Greco on August 14, 1926 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) is an American singer and pianist.

Greco began playing piano at the age of four. His first professional work was playing with Benny Goodman’s band.

Most of Greco’s work has been in the jazz and pop genres. He has had hits such as “Oh Look At Her Ain’t She Pretty”, “The Lady is a Tramp”, and “Around the World”. He has recorded about 65 albums and 100 singles. He has had an active concert career playing in symphony halls, theatres, nightclubs, and Las Vegas showrooms (in the 1960s he made appearances with the Rat Pack). On screen, he had a memorable turn as the nightclub singer Lucky in the 1969 film The Girl Who Knew Too Much.

Buddy Greco recently closed his club in Cathedral City, California.

Big Band & Ballads

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Brian Charette - Square One / The Question That Drives Us

Album: Square One
Size: 106,4 MB
Time: 45:31
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2014
Styles: Jazz: Post-Bop
Art: Front

01. Aaight! (3:18)
02. If (3:53)
03. Three For Martina (3:48)
04. People On Trains (4:43)
05. True Love (4:44)
06. Ease Back (4:03)
07. Time Changes (4:12)
08. A Fantasy (3:22)
09. Yei Fei (4:22)
10. Things You Don't Mean (5:12)
11. Ten Bars For Eddie Harris (3:50)

With the exception of John Medeski, there are aren’t a whole lot of Hammond B3 players as imaginative as Brian Charette. And even Medeski didn’t come up with the idea to put his B3 alongside a four-part horn section like Charette did a couple of years back. Charette follows up that the uncommonly exciting Music for Organ Sextette with the much more common organ-guitar-drums getup for Square One (March 18, 2014), his first for the well-regarded Posi-Tone label.

Scaling back his combo doesn’t necessarily equate to scaling back on ambitions, however. Charette is plenty talented enough to have modeled this record after Jimmy McGriff or Jack McDuff and it would have certainly gotten a warm reception from jazzbos. But the former Joni Mitchell and Lou Donaldson sideman just can’t settle for the easy route. That’s why any grease found on Square One is just one of many elements he pours into this record.

“Aaight!” has a groovy funky vibe alternating with swing. Charette plays it tough during the funky parts and his guitar player Yotam Silberstein plays it nice ‘n’ breezy during the swinging parts. Charette integrates harmony into rhythm for “Yei Fei,” with drummer Mark Ferber inserting complex wrinkles into the rhythm, but Ferber makes it seem easy. The quick-paced “Ten Bars for Eddie Harris” sizzles and bristling with highlights, like Silberstein’s fuzzy toned lead lines, Charette’s typical organ burns and the song coming to a standstill for Ferber’s showstopping, spirited drum solo.

Charette picks the sleeper cut “If” from Larry Young’s Unity, featuring tasty licks by Silberstein and Charette making plain that Young is a major influence of his. Charette’s own “Time Changes” is remindful of “If,” full of interesting chord and tempo changes. The one other cover is the early Meters tune “Ease Back,” where Silberstein’s clipped notes and psychedelic sound evoke that vintage Big Easy funk feel without mimicking it.

Though not credited, background synthesizer sounds (from producer Marc Free) can be heard on four of the tracks, an odd juxtaposition with the vintage vibe coming from an organ trio but Charette isn’t afraid to take chances. It works best on “A Fantasy,” a choice slice of stormy rock-soul fusion jazz played in 7/4 time.

Brian Charette goes back to Square One but he doesn’t land on the rote or mundane. This is bound to be one of the more adventurous, eccentric and — ultimately — satisfying organ trio releases of the year.

Square One

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Album: The Question That Drives Us
Size: 141,9 MB
Time: 61:58
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2014
Styles: Jazz: Post-Bop
Art: Front

01. Blazinec (6:53)
02. The Question That Drives Us (4:49)
03. Medium/Up (4:24)
04. Answer Me (4:16)
05. Labor Day (6:27)
06. Svichkova (6:35)
07. 5Th Base (6:47)
08. #9 (5:55)
09. Denge Marenge (5:10)
10. I Came So Far To See You (3:37)
11. Moose The Mooche (7:01)

The second release by organist Brian Charette's unique, reed-based sextet, which features the tenor saxophonist Joel Frahm and clarinettist John Ellis. They perform a set of all original compositions by Charette, plus a version of "Moose the Mooche" by Charlie Parker.

Brian Charette's Organ Sextet released their first album 'Music for Organ Sextette' in 2012 to critical and public acclaim. Dan Bilawsky noted in All About Jazz: "Charette weaves a unique and gripping aural tapestry together with a mélange of woodwinds serving as the thread. He channels his energy into creating constructs that benefit from the blending of multiple voices...Music For Organ Sextette is an anomaly in the world of organ-centric jazz...Charette challenges the status quo with this one and winds up the victor in every way."

Personnel: Brian Charette (Hammond B3 organ), Itai Kriss (flute), Mike Dirubbo (alto saxophone), Joel Frahm (tenor saxophone), John Ellis (bass clarinet), Jochen Rueckert (drums)

The Question That Drives Us

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Clarice Assad - Imaginarium

Size: 89,1 MB
Time: 37:57
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2014
Styles: MPB, Brazilian Jazz, World
Art: Front

01. De Perna Pro Ar (4:27)
02. Passaros (3:34)
03. Tempestade (2:52)
04. Fantasia (3:52)
05. Da Imaginaçao (4:28)
06. Perto Do Luar (3:53)
07. Revolta Das Flores (3:39)
08. A Morte Da Flor (3:49)
09. Lachrimae (1:23)
10. Why (2:54)
11. Dedezinha De Maio (3:00)

The release of Clarice Assad’s Imaginarium puts her in contention for some major recognition, for with this recording, Ms. Assad has created a veritable museum of music; a cultural cornucopia—with Brasil at the centre of this spectacular universe. Ms. Assad is one of those musicians who have their fingers on the pulse of the science and the mysticism of art all at once. Moreover, being made almost entirely of music she appears to see and hear things almost in their entirety. And not only that, Ms. Assad also hears the music that she is going to write in its finest detail. The result is writing and producing music that is almost pre-written in her head. And because she is so sophisticated; so well-schooled and such a complete musician the results are—especially here—like certain classical composers and musicians: completely perfect. Traversing through this album is like walking through a museum of life, but a completely imagined one—an Imaginarium. The tour takes place in three dimensions—and a fourth and spectral one as well. However all of the music is almost palpable so that even the hidden, spectral ones, pierce the heart and soul and the mind’s mind as if it were the music of the deepest desires of the subconscious, calculated to draw in the soul of every one beguiled by its utterly spectacular beauty.

Clarice Assad is not a vocalist; she is more than that: a griot who having absorbed the history of the world as described by music now sings it, while accompanying herself on the piano or celeste. Like some supernatural being she can entertain and heal with her music as well. While her vocalastics do not subscribe to any order or system of defined pitch, her singing is, nevertheless, beautiful and attractive and touches the soul of the listener with its suggestion of a falling brook, its dramatic glissandos and sudden leaps that cut through the air like great arcs of musical fire, searing the mind with impressions of their memorability. Her pianism is both melodic and rhythmic, and rocks and sways with the pulsating life of Brasil. But it is the whole of her music that mesmerises. Its imagery is replete with the idiom of Brasilian life played by such a myriad of instruments that augment the voice that it is almost mind-boggling how such disparate elements can be forged into something so ineffably perfect. Mighty indeed is her voice and so singular that there is nothing to compare with it. This voice that permeates all of her musicianship and defines her repertoire that is here, vast and varied. Ms. Assad also functions as a consummate arranger, conductor and producer of her own music creating such daredevil feats as melding rap and soaring voices and strings with her earthy Brasilian fare.

The list of performers includes the soprano Melody Moore (“A Morte da Flor”), the great violinist Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg (“A Morte da Flor” and the soaring, but elementally melancholic “Lachrimae”) as well as mandolinist Mike Marshall (“Fantasia”), guitarist extraordinaire Romero Lubambo on the breathtaking “Da Imaginação” and the marvelous Luciana Souza (“Perto do Luar”) and a discovery of sorts, vocalist Arooj Aftab (“Tempestade”). Many more stellar performances inform the beauty of this album, but the marquee belongs to Clarice Assad. It is usually difficult to predict how careers will turn out but even at her young age, everything she has done so far suggests that Clarice Assad is destined for great things. ~by Raul da Gama

Imaginarium

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Allison Adams Tucker - April In Paris

Size: 94,2 MB
Time: 40:35
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2014
Styles: Jazz/Pop Vocals
Art: Front

01. It Might As Well Be Spring (3:54)
02. La Canzone Dei Vecchi Amanti (La Chanson Des Vieux Amantes) (4:55)
03. Le Temps Du Muguet (Moscow Nights) (3:57)
04. April In Paris (3:21)
05. April Child (Maracatu Nação Do Amor) (6:08)
06. Seasons Of Song (3:59)
07. Here Comes The Sun (4:33)
08. Derradeira Primavera (3:47)
09. You Must Believe In Spring (La Chanson De Maxence) (5:58)

Born in San Diego, California, multi-lingual jazz vocalist Allison Adams Tucker began singing before she could speak. Allison was raised by classically trained musical parents, and began performing in front of audiences at age 5. She studied piano, flute, violin, dance and voice from elementary school and holds a BA in Linguistics / Music Vocal Performance and an AA in Italian. Allison's vocal palette has been colored by her experience in a variety of musical genres throughout her life, from punk rock to Elizabethan a cappella. These experiences led her on a natural and steadfast transition to the world of jazz in 2005.

Allison's love for languages and world cultures also began at a young age, and she has studied and sings in 6 languages besides her own. She has lived in Japan and Spain and has traveled to over 15 countries. This “wanderlust” is evident in the music she chooses today. Her music reflects her passion for world cultures with rhythms, melodies, and lyrics of Brazil, Italy, France, Latin America, Japan, and the US.

Allison's debut CD “Come With Me” (Allegato Music, July 2008), co-produced by jazz guitarist Peter Sprague (Dianne Reeves, David Benoit, Chick Corea, Sergio Mendes) and arranged by Kamau Kenyatta (Gregory Porter, Hubert Laws, Earl Klugh, Patti Austin), received international acclaim, was nominated for Best Jazz Album 2009 by the San Diego Music Awards, and continues to receive airplay on radio stations in 18 countries.

Allison's sophomore CD “April in Paris”, celebrating songs of springtime from around the world, was recorded in Paris on UNESCO's 1st Annual International Jazz Day at the end of a 9-concert tour through Italy & France. Arrangers for this album include Kamau Kenyatta, Danny Green, Emmanuel Massarotti, and Jovino Santos Neto. “April in Paris” is scheduled for release in 2014.

As a session vocalist, Allison's voice can be heard in the video game “The Saboteur” soundtrack singing French jazz in the company of Nina Simone, Ella Fitzgerald, Madeleine Peyroux, & others. This has resulted in a cult following by the typically “non-jazz listening” gamer audience.

As an international artist, Allison has entertained audiences in Japan, Europe, Mexico, and the US, including performances on local and national television, on radio stations, and in festivals and jazz clubs. Allison has shared festival billing and musical collaborations with jazz greats such as Kenny Burrell, Poncho Sanchez, Ivan Lins, Mindy Abair, Pete Escoveda, Sheila E, Tommy Campbell, Gene Jackson, Mirko Guerrini, Toku (Japan Sony Music) and Ken Ota (Japan Universal Jazz), among others.

April In Paris

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