Danny Caron - How Sweet It Is

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 48:40
Size: 111.4 MB
Styles: Jazz-blues guitar
Year: 2008
Art: Front

[4:54] 1. Zydeco Boogaloo
[4:37] 2. The Promised Land
[4:30] 3. One For The Road
[4:19] 4. Grand Lake Shuffle
[4:56] 5. E.S.B. Blues
[6:12] 6. The Chicken
[4:22] 7. Need Your Love So Bad
[4:31] 8. Rock Candy
[7:09] 9. Body And Soul
[3:04] 10. Our Miss Brooks

n his own description, Danny Caron sees How Sweet It Is as an extension of Good Hands, and in many ways it is. But to my ears while Good Hands is about incredible guitar work from an incredible guitarist, How Sweet It Is is about musical choices. Don’t get me wrong, there is still plenty of great guitar work here but the choices make How Sweet It Is the great CD it is.

The first choice, naturally enough, is the music. While mostly slow blues and stylized jazz, there are even a couple of different flavors of zydeco, the jumping Zydeco Boogoloo and the slow, country roots One For The Road. As his bio indicates, this is the range of music Danny has been playing his whole life, and continues to play. All the numbers are beautifully arranged.

The next choice is the musicians. While all the players on this CD are noteworthy, to me the keyboard players deserve special mention: Wayne De La Cruz and Jimmy Pugh driving B-3 and John R. Burr on piano. It doesn’t get better at providing a counterpoint to Caron’s guitar. And though he only appears on a couple of tracks, Jeff Ervin delivers some truly powerful sax.

Did I mention vocals? The late Charles Brown is here; so smooth, like silk, forever. And Barbara Morrison, playful and earthy, like hearing the blues you always knew but never knew you missed quite so much.

For what is primarily an instrumental album, the several vocals on this CD are, on their own merit, worth the price of admission.

In short, How Sweet It Is is a great musical choice. Check it out. ~Karl Cishek

How Sweet It Is

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Chicago Afro Latin Jazz Ensemble - Blueprints

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 56:57
Size: 130.4 MB
Styles: Latin jazz
Year: 2010
Art: Front

[ 6:17] 1. Send Eggs
[ 8:38] 2. Milesmiles
[ 8:19] 3. Captain Spok
[ 5:33] 4. Vuelvo A Vivir
[ 5:50] 5. Blueprints
[ 6:06] 6. Bossa Pegajosa
[ 5:42] 7. Tierra
[10:28] 8. Timeless

When cooking a marvelous soup or stew from scratch with all the finest ingredients, there's that special moment when the culinary creation rushes to a boil and marvelous flavors burst out explosively into the air. It's the penultimate moment only surpassed by the delicious devouring. Contentment follows.

The selections contained in the Chicago Afro-Latin Jazz Ensemble's fine Blueprints are wonderfully reminiscent of a musical recipe that simmers slowly and then bursts into a fiery buffet. This is a marvelously entertaining offering by a group of outstanding musicians, writers and arrangers. Forget the designations "Latin" and "jazz." This is outstanding, high-energy music. The recipe here is exclusively spicy Latin with wonderful, generous dollops of inventive, hard jazz playing across the board. While the Latin (and one reggae) grooves might sound familiar, it's the playing and exciting soloing over those rhythmic/harmonic structural underpinnings that blow white-hot. There's an air of machismo that runs throughout Blueprints from note one.

Not surprisingly, this group delivers. Each selection also offers intelligent and compelling writing. The arrangements all seem to be neatly constructed to allow room for both ensemble and solo showcases to reach a climax, all while avoiding any Latin band rhythmic or harmonic clichés. The ensemble playing is tight and the arrangers demand absolutely everything of the band, including cascading pyramids and melodic/time complexities on tracks like "Captain Spok." The one vocal cut, "Vuelvo a Vivir," segues from a rather restrained reggae groove to a blistering salsa, complete with screaming trumpet dog-whistle holdover. Soloists Juan Turros, on tenor sax, and trumpeter Victor Garcia (both of whom also add marvelous compositions and arrangements) delight. Alto saxophonist Greg Ward II inspires, while pianist Darwin Noguera throbs. The addition of trombonist/shell player Steve Turre is a wonderful, exciting touch, his playing always intelligently emotional. Noted trumpeter Roger Ingram helps add atmosphere and supreme lead playing to an ensemble whose rhythm section drives everything unmercifully.

The Chicago Afro-Latin Jazz Ensemble soars with this exciting CD. It also further embraces the important and integral mix of Afro-American jazz and Latin pulses. Blueprints delivers the goods and cooks. Mama, this is not your average Latin paella. This is muy fuego. ~Nicholas F Mondello

Victor Garcia: trumpet; Tito Carrillo: trumpet; Roger Ingram: trumpet; Freddie Rodriguez: trumpet; Steve Turre: trombone, shells; John Mose: trombone; Craig Sunken: trombone; Greg Ward II: alto sax; Rocky Yera: tenor sax, baritone sax, flute; Steve Eisen: baritone sax; Rich Moore: alto sax (7), clarinet (7); Neal Alger: guitar; Darwin Noguera: piano: Joshua Ramos: electric bass; Paoli Mejia: congas; Victor Gonzales, Jr. congas; Juan Picorelli: timbales; Ernie Adams: drums (1, 3, 4, 6, 8); Juan Daniel Pastor: drums (2, 5, 7); Juan Daniel Pastor: cajon; Nythia Martinez: vocal; Ricky Luis: vocal.

Blueprints

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Deborah Brown - Jazz 4 Jazz

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 65:53
Size: 150.8 MB
Styles: Vocals, Standards
Year: 1988/1993/2000
Art: Front

[5:03] 1. Little Esther
[4:24] 2. Denise
[6:30] 3. Finally
[4:55] 4. It Don't Mean A Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing)
[8:05] 5. Embraceable You
[7:42] 6. Since I Fell For You
[7:31] 7. I Thought About You
[3:06] 8. My Romance
[3:26] 9. What Is This Thing Called Love
[5:08] 10. When We Were One
[2:53] 11. Bebop
[7:03] 12. When I Fall In Love

A pleasing and swinging singer who has not become famous in the United States despite her talents, Deborah Brown is in top form on this 1993 reissue of a set recorded in 1988 for the tiny Reaction label. Accompanied by a top-notch trio of American expatriates (pianist Horace Parlan, bassist Red Mitchell, and drummer Ed Thigpen), Brown swings her way through such songs as "It Don't Mean a Thing," "I Thought About You," "My Romance," and Dizzy Gillespie's "Bebop." This CD starts out a little unusual with one song apiece by Parlan, Thigpen, and Mitchell, tunes that give Deborah Brown an opportunity to show how creative a singer she is, before she tackles the well-known standards. Happily, Brown has remained active in Europe into the 21st century. Recommended. ~Scott Yanow

Jazz 4 Jazz

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Cris Monen Jazz & Blues Band - You've Got To Pay The Band

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 48:01
Styles: Blues-jazz, Easy Listening
Year: 1995
Art: Front

[3:34] 1. Oh Babe
[2:09] 2. Ma, She's Making Eyes A Me
[4:14] 3. Blue Light Boogie
[2:42] 4. Lulu's Back In Town
[3:46] 5. After You've Gone
[3:15] 6. One Note Samba
[3:40] 7. Georgia Mae
[3:51] 8. Hush, Hush
[3:31] 9. Some Of These Days
[2:55] 10. A Good Girl Is Hard To Find
[3:31] 11. I'm Crazy 'bout My Baby
[4:18] 12. She's Funny That Way
[3:21] 13. Saturday Night Fish Fry
[3:09] 14. You've Got To Pay The Band

You've Got To Pay The Band is the debut album of blues and jazz singer Cris Monen. He tours around the world with his band and sometimes solo. His beautiful voice and perfect guitar playing are very special. The album truly is magnificent and contains 14 superb easy listening jazz and blues songs. Band members: Cris Monen - guitar and vocals, Sjoerd Dijkhuizen - tenor/alto/saxophone/clarinet, Jos Machtel - trombone/cornet/tuba, Martijn Vink - drums and Frans van Geest - bass. A must fans of this genre.

You've Got To Pay The Band

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Barb Jungr - Chanson: The Space In Between

Styles: Jazz, Vocal
Year: 2000
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 56:03
Size: 128,8 MB
Art: Front

(5:32)  1. Ne Me Quitte Pas
(6:29)  2. Sunday Morning St Denis
(3:50)  3. I Love Paris
(6:32)  4. Les Marquises
(2:40)  5. Cri du Coeur
(5:13)  6. Quartier Latin
(4:02)  7. Marieke
(2:48)  8. April in Paris
(5:56)  9. La Chanson des Vieux Amants
(3:33) 10. New Amsterdam
(3:19) 11. Les Poetes
(3:14) 12. The Space In Between
(2:48) 13. No regrets

Timeless as it is, you could have asked, justly, whether or not the new millennium really needed yet another interpretation of the Jacques Brel songbook, so often had it been attempted, both successfully and miserably, in the preceding century. Barb Jungr definitively answered that question on Chanson: The Space in Between, and she answered resoundingly in the affirmative -- it is an exhilarating purr of an effort. But then, Jungr, a longstanding anchor of the British alternative cabaret circuit, had already been compared to both Lotte Lenya and Edith Piaf prior to recording this first full-fledged effort in the genre (she had previously performed some of the music live and Bare did include a Brel song amongst its set list), so its accomplishment is no surprise.

The album, too, goes well beyond Brel, featuring as it does a repertoire that includes songs by Cole Porter, Jacques Prévert, Léo Ferré, and E.Y. "Yip" Harburg from the old tradition, as well as a tune from the pen of Elvis Costello and a modern chanson from compatriot Robb Johnson. There are several reasons why Chanson is such a splendid realization of Jungr's vision. For one, the singer specially commissioned translations of the Brel and Ferré pieces from Johnson and fellow cabaret haunter Des de Moor, and they represent the most accurate renderings of these songs into English.

Secondly, producer Calum Malcolm, utilizing an extremely sympathetic band, creates rich, poignant backdrops for the songs. You can hear the mythic Paris of yore wafting throughout, particularly in "Sunday Morning St. Denis" and "Cri du Coeur," while there is an equally strong strain of straight-ahead jazz ("Quartier Latin," "The Space in Between"). Most important, though, are the ravishing readings given by Jungr. Her performance ranges from the almost desperate and passion-haunted, both in life and love ("La Chanson des Vieux Amants"), to the positively triumphant ("Marieke") with equal skill, sounding as gorgeously weathered on "I Love Paris" as she seems delightfully guileless and clear-eyed on "New Amsterdam" (with its flawlessly ringing production). This is cabaret in its highest form. ~ Stanton Swihart  

http://www.allmusic.com/album/chanson-the-space-in-between-mw0000097710

Personnel: Barb Junger (vocals); Rolf Wilson (violin); Kim Burton (kaval, accordion, piano); Russell Churney, Simon Wallace (piano); Julie Walkington (bass); James Tomalin (samples); Kevin Hathway (percussion).

Chanson: The Space In Between

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Joe Sample - Soul Shadows

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2004
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 49:38
Size: 113,8 MB
Art: Front

(3:30)  1. How You Gonna Keep 'Em Down On The Farm?
(5:09)  2. Ain't Misbehavin'
(4:23)  3. Avalon
(5:07)  4. Soul Shadows
(3:36)  5. I Got Rhythm
(4:14)  6. I Got It Bad And That Ain't Good
(3:45)  7. Spellbound
(2:20)  8. It's A Sin To Tell A Lie
(3:36)  9. The Entertainer
(4:09) 10. Shreveport Stomp
(5:13) 11. Embraceable You
(4:30) 12. Jitterbug Waltz

If anyone out in CD land ever wondered what a Joe Sample solo piano album would sound like, here it is and it's a good bet that this is not what a Sample fan would expect. Rather than conform to the cerebral solo piano mainstream as exhaustively set forth in the "Maybeck" series, Sample's inspiration goes way, way back back to the teens and 1920s, to the formative, nearly-forgotten example of James Reese Europe, to the heydays of ragtime and stride. 

On this CD, the key for Sample is to make sure no one misses the missing bass and drums, to keep the pulse of jazz present as much as possible, with lots of thumping stride as a default mode. He does not disguise his heavyweight, full-fisted approach to the keyboard, and there are some occasionally clumsy moments when the line of thought strays. The repertoire is old, perhaps even ancient, at times a bit naive; When was the last time you heard "How You Gonna Keep `Em Down on the Farm?" on any new recording, let alone a jazz record? Gershwin gets his due ( a brittle "I Got Rhythm" and a sometimes whimsical ballad treatment of "Embraceable You"), so does Fats Waller ("Ain't Misbehavin," a staccato "Jitterbug Waltz"), Scott Joplin (a somewhat hesitant "The Entertainer"), and Jelly Roll Morton (a jaunty "Shreveport Stomp"). There are also a pair of Sample originals in a contemplative manner ("Soul Shadows" and "Spellbound"). Although smooth jazz outlets probably won't touch this sampling of Sample, antiquarians will be intrigued. ~ Richard S. Ginell  http://www.allmusic.com/album/soul-shadows-mw0000701715

Personnel: Joe Sample (piano); Paul Mitchell (recorder).

Soul Shadows

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Lynne Barber - Don't Let Another Day Go Bye

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2004
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 45:23
Size: 105,1 MB
Art: Front

(4:50)  1. Crazy He Callsme
(3:52)  2. Ain't Misbehavin'
(4:15)  3. Blame It on My Youth
(3:29)  4. Don't Let Another Day Go Bye
(5:34)  5. I Got It Bad and That Ain't Good
(3:32)  6. Honeysuckel Rose
(3:49)  7. The More I See You
(4:23)  8. Skylark
(3:54)  9. Makin'whoopee/The Glory of Love
(4:42) 10. Baby Don't You Quit
(2:58) 11. When Your Lover Has Gone

Like the great Sarah Vaughn, Lynne bounces around melodies with a sweet mellowness that sets you at ease immediately. Lynne Barber has shared the microphone with such greats as Dizzy Gillespie, Vince Guaraldi and Dodo Marmarosa. Critics have praised her intimate style and soulful delivery. With this CD, her career begins anew. And we, the lucky listeners, get to go along for the ride. Lucky, because Lynne Barber has returned to her jazz roots without letting another day go by. http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/lynne1

Don't Let Another Day Go Bye

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Johnny Guarnieri - Cheerful Little Earful

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2009
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 24:08
Size: 55,5 MB
Art: Front

(2:04)  1. At Sundown
(2:01)  2. Three Little Words
(2:10)  3. Ain't We Got Fun
(2:01)  4. After You've Gone
(1:49)  5. Cheeful Little Earful
(1:53)  6. I Love Louisa
(2:12)  7. Ain't Misbehavin'
(2:12)  8. Facinating Rhythm
(1:57)  9. Breezin' Along With The Breeze
(1:58) 10. Let's Have Another Cup Of Coffee
(1:54) 11. I Know That You Know
(1:52) 12. Anything Goes

One of the most talented pianists of the 1940s, Johnny Guarnieri had the ability to closely imitate Fats Waller, Count Basie, and even Art Tatum. Not too surprisingly, he was in great demand during his prime years. Guarnieri started classical piano lessons when he was ten and soon switched to jazz. In 1939, he joined Benny Goodman's orchestra, recording frequently with both the big band and B.G.'s sextet. In 1940, Guarnieri became a member of Artie Shaw's orchestra and gained fame playing harpsichord on Shaw's popular Gramercy Five recordings. 

After further associations with Goodman (1941) and Shaw (1941-1942), he was with Tommy Dorsey (1942-1943) and then freelanced. Among Guarnieri's many recordings during this era were important dates with Lester Young ("Sometimes I'm Happy"), Roy Eldridge, Ben Webster, Coleman Hawkins, Rex Stewart, Don Byas, and Louis Armstrong ("Jack-Armstrong Blues"). He also recorded frequently as a leader during 1944-1947, including one date on which Lester Young was his sideman. Guarnieri joined the staff of NBC in the late '40s, appeared in the Coleman Hawkins/Roy Eldridge television pilot After Hours (1961), moved to California in the '60s where he often played solo piano, and a few times in the 1970s toured Europe. Guarnieri's later records often found him playfully performing stride in 5/4 time. He recorded as a leader through the years for such labels as Savoy, Majestic, Coral (1956), Golden Crest, Camden, Dot, Black & Blue, Dobre, and Taz-Jazz (1976 and 1978). Bio ~ Scott Yanow  http://www.allmusic.com/artist/johnny-guarnieri-mn0000210757/biography

Cheerful Little Earful

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Horace Silver - The Hardbop Grandpop

Bitrate: 320K/s

Time: 62:26

Size: 142.9 MB

Styles: Hard bop, Piano jazz

Year: 1996

Art: Front

[5:15] 1. I Want You

[6:42] 2. The Hippest Cat In Hollywood

[5:37] 3. Gratitude

[6:17] 4. Hawkin'

[8:03] 5. I Got The Blues In Santa Cruz

[7:04] 6. We've Got Silver At Six

[5:19] 7. The Hardbop Grandpop

[6:02] 8. The Lady From Johannesburg

[6:23] 9. Serenade To A Teakettle

[5:38] 10. Diggin' On Dexter

Pianist Horace Silver's 1996 CD introduced ten new compositions and, although none of the originals will probably become standards, they are consistently catchy, full of the infectious Silver personality and very viable vehicles for improvisation. The instrumental set matches Silver with quite an all-star group comprised of trumpeter Claudio Roditi, tenor saxophonist Michael Brecker (an alumnus), trombonist Steve Turre, baritonist Ronnie Cuber, bassist Ron Carter and drummer Lewis Nash. Most of the selections feature solo space for one or two of the horn players (all get their spots), and the results live up to the great potential. One of Horace Silver's finest recordings in his post-Blue Note era. ~Scott Yanow

The Hardbop Grandpop

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Robin McKelle - Modern Antique

Bitrate: 320K/s

Time: 43:51

Size: 100.4 MB

Styles: Vocal jazz

Year: 2009

Art: Front

[3:29] 1. Abracadabra

[3:21] 2. Comes Love

[3:36] 3. I Want To Be Loved

[4:39] 4. Lover Man

[3:43] 5. Cheek To Cheek

[3:21] 6. Day By Day

[6:13] 7. Save Your Love For Me

[2:47] 8. Go To Hell

[3:23] 9. Lullaby Of Birdland

[4:39] 10. Make Someone Happy

[4:36] 11. Remember

Robin McKelle is a California based singer who enjoys the big-band sound, as well as old-time singers like Peggy Lee and Dinah Washington, reflective in her voice. She has a slightly sultry, at times girlish sound that is striving for vintage sophistication, but also relies on contemporary song stylist precepts. She's not Norah Jones, Diana Krall, or Joni Mitchell by a long shot, and not trying to be. She sounds quite similar to Detroit based vocalist Kathy Kosins in her phrasing and affectations. The problem with this recording, her third, is that it is way overproduced, not in a contemporary synthesizer soaked way, for all of the arrangements are acoustically derived. But the rather large horn section and strings dominate this stylized singer on too many occasions. It will be good someday to hear her with a much smaller ensemble, but meanwhile, you have a fairly good representation of what McKelle sounds like doing a Las Vegas type show set. The program starts off smart enough with of a swinging and rousing version of Steve Miller's "Abracadabra," with McKelle tossing in some good scat singing. A montuno/Afro-Cuban take of "Comes Love" shows the sexy influence of Lee, while the slight contemporary light rock beat tacked on to "I Want to Be Loved" is a popular concession, but the orchestration drenches this tune. Veteran tenor saxophone soloist Pete Christlieb shines on the string infused easy swinger "Cheek to Cheek," while flugelhorn and trumpet guest Joe Magnarelli is strong and supple for the breezy "Day by Day" and stands out during the very complementary chart of "Make Someone Happy." McKelle scats again and quite effectively for "Lullaby of Birdland" with interesting staggered phrasings above a less orchestrated backdrop -- a good thing for her. She also plays piano while singing on her original, the closer "Remember," a pop ballad with strings and laden with the otherwise tasteful guitarist Larry Kuhns. This band has some other good players like trumpeter Wayne Bergeron, saxophonists Bob Shepard or Andy Snitzer, and bassist Reggie McBride, but their individualism is all but smothered. This CD will appeal to a certain audience, but there's nothing new or innovative, save the occasional vocal excursions of the clearly talented McKelle. ~Michael G. Nastos

Modern Antique

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Joe Van Enkhuizen - Joe Meets The Rhythm Section

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 39:25
Size: 90.2 MB
Styles: Piano jazz
Year: 2010
Art: Front

[6:23] 1. Alfies Theme
[5:27] 2. God Bless The Child
[7:37] 3. Bluesville
[6:36] 4. Willow Weep For Me
[8:47] 5. Wadin'
[4:33] 6. F.S.R

Charlie Parker once said that he needed a rhythm section like old slippers. Bird's meaning was clear. He wanted a backing trio of handpicked musicians that he had frequently encountered. Men who would supply warm and comfortable accompaniment. Three who thought and flowed as one, and styled their support to suit the flights and fancies of the soloist. There have been many notable rhythm sections in modern jazz - from Haig/Potter/Roach through Silver / Heath / Blakey, Kelly / Chambers / Cobb, Clark / Warren / Higgins to Hancock / Carter / Williams and Tyner / Garrison / Jones. One of the best functioned as three-quarters of the Playhouse Four and appeared on a series of outstandig Blue Note albums in the early 1960s. The components of that perfectly balanced threesome who lit the fires under a dozen memorable dates for Alfred Lion were pianist Horace Parian, bassist George Tucker and drummer Al Harewood. Besides trio sessions they were involved in a series of quintet albums using a front line of Stanley and Tommy Turrentine, several recordings with the fourth member of the Playhouse Four, tenor saxophonist Booker Ervin, and the memorable Blue Note debut of Dexter Gordon - Doin' Allright. Their work on those LPs 25 and more years ago made a profound impression on a young Dutch saxophonist who at just about that time made the switch from alto to tenor saxophone - Joe van Enkhuizen. Saldy, the partnership was broken by the untimely death of the redoubtable George Tucker, arguably the most rhythmically exciting bassist of his time in 1965. More than 20 years elapsed before Joe was able to realise most of his dream, and the occasion was his first self-produced album. Since Joe was calling the shots he booked Horace and Al and joining them in this All American Rhythm Section was the immensely talented Rufus Reid. If you had to pick a worthy successor to George Tucker you could't do any better than the rock-steady Rufus.

Joe has again presented us with an excellently balanced program which opens and closes with thoughtful tributes to Sonny Rollins. "Bluesville" is an earthly line from the pen of alto saxophonist Sonny Red Kyner. The other composers represented in this set are Horace Parian whose "Wadin'" was first heard on his Us Three LP in 1960, and Ann Ronell whose "Willow Weep For Me" has served as inspiration for many Jazz players including Bud Powell and Dexter Gordon. On these tunes, Joe confirms his allegiance to the soulful school of tenormen. His penchant is for a vivid, robust and vocal form of expression. He employs a wide range of the horn's sonorities. His clear, vibrant tone has the stamp of individuality which is the equivalent of the painter's signature. Joe's jazz encompasses the attitude of an entire generation towards improvisation. Regardless of whether you were a Netherlander or a New Yorker in the 1960s. If you were remotely interested in jazz, you moved and grooved to a hard bop beat. That's where it is on Rollin's "Alfie's Theme", the most catchy of the melodies that Sonny wrote for the 1966 British film Alfie. This 32-bar tune in the AABA form has a bluesy and surging feel that acts as propulsion to the soloists. Joe wails it, but in an economical statement refrains from overblowing. Note Horace's march-like prompts and the beautiful walking of Rufus' bass. Horace gets to the heart of the matter in his mesmeric portion with Al laying down righteous percussive patterns. Good groovin' indeed!

Bass – Al Harewood; Drums – Joe Van Enkhuizen; Piano – Horace Parlan; Tenor Saxophone – Rufus Reid.

Joe Meets The Rhythm Section

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Gato Barbieri - Passion And Fire

Bitrate: 320K/s

Time: 37:45

Size: 86.4 MB

Styles: Latin jazz, Saxophone jazz

Year: 1994/2007

Art: Front

[5:56] 1. I Want You

[4:00] 2. Fiesta

[4:11] 3. Europa (Earth's Cry, Heaven's Smile)

[3:41] 4. Poinciana (Song Of The Tree)

[3:16] 5. Theme From Firepower

[6:11] 6. She Is Michelle

[3:57] 7. Ruby

[6:30] 8. Speak Low

Argentine saxophonist Gato Barbieri splashed into the European-American avant garde jazz scene in the mid 1960s. His sax playing is unmistakeable, wild and full. He found his voice bringing the percussion and rhythms of South America into his music; while his focus was more cultural than spiritual, his association with keyboardist Lonnie Liston Smith brought his music into the cauldron of musical ferment centered around Pharoah Sanders. It should be suggested that the Indian (native American, that is) and Afro-Brazilian rhythms infused into Gato Barbieri's music all had their roots in indigenous religion.

Barbieri has had several distinct phases in his career: first, as an avant gardist (mid-1960s); second--his most "kozmigroov" period if you will--incorporating "third world" roots, culture, spirituality, and politics (late '60s/early '70s); third as a reasonably succesful pop jazz artist (late '70s/early '80s); fourth as an artist struggling to reestablish an identity (1980s); and finally, in 1997, a return to pop jazz.

David Spinozza, Eric Gale, Jeff Layton, Greg Poree, Joe Beck, Lance Quinn, Lee Ritenour , Wah-Wah Watson (guitar); Don Grolnick (piano, keyboards, synthesizer); Jimmy Maelen (piano, percussion); John Barnes, Eddie Martinez, Richard Tee, Pat Rebillot (keyboards); Lenny White, Leon "Ndugu" Chancler, Bernard "Pretty" Purdie, Billy Cobham, Allan Schwartzberg (drums); Bill Summers (congas, percussion); Armando Peraza (bongos); José Chepitó Areas (timbales); Miguel Valdez, Mtume, Paulinho Da Costa, Ralph MacDonald, Angel "Cachete" Maldonado (percussion).

Passion And Fire

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Julia Rich - If I Spoke French

Styles: Jazz, Vocal
Year: 2003
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 56:58
Size: 131,1 MB
Art: Front

(4:06)  1. If I Spoke French
(3:07)  2. Teach Me Tonight
(4:15)  3. Working Girls
(5:32)  4. The Tennessee Watz
(2:32)  5. Matching Rings
(3:25)  6. All The Cats Join In
(4:13)  7. I Know Why
(3:30)  8. You're Nobody Til Somebody Loves You
(3:53)  9. La Vie Rose
(2:38) 10. I Will
(3:09) 11. What A Difference A Day Made
(3:26) 12. Boyfriends
(3:26) 13. My First Love
(5:17) 14. Don't Blame Me
(2:17) 15. Hula Girls And Sea Shells
(2:05) 16. Ding Dong! The Witch Is Dead

Julia Rich has a warm singing voice, a style that falls between swinging jazz and cabaret, and the ability to sing a wide variety of material. She is best-known for singing with the Glenn Miller "ghost orchestra" but has the ability to stretch herself far beyond nostalgia swing. On If I Spoke French, her second CD as a leader, the repertoire ranges from "La Vie en Rose" to the Beatles' "I Will"; from a few of her witty and at-times wistful originals to "The Tennessee Waltz" and "All the Cats Join In." In addition to a rhythm section with either Tony Migliore or Gary Weaver on piano, she is joined by a combo that includes trombonist Larry O'Brien (from the Glenn Miller Band) and tenor-saxophonist Rickey Woodard. All in all, this is an entertaining and very musical outing. ~ Scott Yanow  http://www.allmusic.com/album/if-i-spoke-french-mw0001414408

If I Spoke French

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Jack Teagarden - Jazz Maverick

Styles: Dixieland, Swing, Jazz
Year: 1960
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 38:05
Size: 87,6 MB
Art: Front

(2:29)  1. Ever Lovin' Baby
(4:10)  2. Aunt Hager's Country Home
(4:23)  3. High Society
(3:29)  4. Blue Down
(6:15)  5. Riverboat Shuffle
(2:39)  6. Roundtable Romp
(4:29)  7. Ain't 'Cha Glad
(5:21)  8. A Hundred Years From Today
(4:44)  9. Tin Roof Blues

Jack Teagarden started 1960 off with his first studio recording for Roulette Records, Jazz Maverick, in New York City on January 2 of that year he and the band are in great form, no surprise given how tight they were on-stage during this period, with Big T and trumpeter Don Goldie sharing the vocals (especially on "Aunt Hagar's Country Home") and romping and stomping through pieces like "High Society" at breakneck speed (and also showcasing clarinetist Henry Cuesta on the latter number along with T and Goldie); Goldie's richly atmospheric "Blues Dawn" and the unexpectedly inventive and clever "Tin Roof Blues" are also just about worth the price of admission. And the whole record is worth retrieving as a killer artifact by a first-rate working jazz band of the period, and one of the finest, most representative bodies of music to emerge from the Dixieland legend's Indian Summer of recording. ~ Bruce Eder  http://www.allmusic.com/album/jazz-maverick-mw0000874221

Jazz Maverick

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Jeff Hackworth - Soul To Go

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2014
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 55:18
Size: 127,9 MB
Art: Front

(5:39)  1. Soul To Go!
(5:28)  2. Autumn Nocturne
(7:29)  3. The Feeling Of Jazz
(6:18)  4. Wise One
(4:38)  5. Blues In A Few
(6:33)  6. Little Girl Blue
(6:21)  7. Live And Learn
(4:33)  8. Under A Strayhorn Sky
(8:16)  9. Vaya Con Dios

His fifth album as leader and follow up to the critically acclaimed Night Owl (Big Bridge Music, 2011), Jeff Hackworth's Soul To Go! offers a brash new statement packed with bop, blues and soulful renditions of jazz classics. A New York based saxophonist of note, and like many a great sax men Sonny Rollins, Charlie Parker, Julian "Cannonball" Adderley and Stan Getz among others who have called the Big Apple their home at some point in their respective careers, has the benefit of drawing from the jazz-rich environment of the city for a supporting cast of players which he does for this effort. Among the veteran musicians all leaders in their own right of his vibrant quartet, is legendary guitarist Ed Cherry best known for his long association with the Dizzy Gillespie bands who along with fellow band mate, Hammond B3 specialist Radam Schwartz make immediate impressions on the opening salvo and title piece "Soul To Go!. 

Arthur Prysock and David "Fathead" Newman drummer Vince Ector, anchors the rhythm section delivering a pounding beat when required and a light brushes on obvious balladic tracks like the beautiful "Autumn Nocturne" and others. The Ellington/Troup classic "The Feeling of Jazz" gets a relaxed humble read from the band yet, offers plenty of solo space for Hackworth and others. Sounding a tad like the master himself, the saxophonist delivers a superb Coltrane-like performance on a fresh new arrangement of Trane's "Wise One," followed by a spicy saxophone-led blues rumble on the original "Blues In A Few," which happens to showcase appreciable solo support from every member of the group. Featuring the tender side of Hackworth's tenor saxophone voice, the music turns soft and gentle on a delicious rendition of the Rogers and Hart standard "Little Girl Blue," then, with strong highlights from Cherry, slides into a bit more upbeat texture on the original, "Live and Learn."  

Providing some of his best solo sparks of the disc, Hackworth winds down the music with the burning Billy Strayhorn tribute, "Under A Strayhorn Sky" and comes to a swinging finale in a muscular reprisal of the old Larry Russell/Inez James/Buddy Pepper song "Vaya Con Dios" sounding much livelier than when first recorded by the late Anita O'Day in 1952, making this one of the definite highlights of the album. Hackworth states ..."my fifth album as a leader and I think It's my best yet," while obviously not an objective statement by any measure, delivered from a body of tender swinging sounds, Soul To Go! captures an exciting command performance from which, drawing such a conclusion, is certainly understandable. ~ Edward Blanco  http://www.allaboutjazz.com/soul-to-go-jeff-hackworth-big-bridge-music-review-by-edward-blanco.php#.U_GD-GMfLP8
 

Personnel: Jeff Hackworth: tenor Saxophone; Ed Cherry: guitar; Radam Schwartz: Hammond B3 organ; Vince Ector: drums.

Soul To Go

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John Swana & Joe Magnarelli - Philly - New York Junction

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 1999
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 68:53
Size: 158,1 MB
Art: Front

(8:38)  1. Fat Cat
(8:06)  2. In Balance
(7:44)  3. Growing Pains
(7:12)  4. Philly - New York Junction
(6:28)  5. Pannonica
(9:56)  6. I've Never Been In Love Before
(7:53)  7. Lollipops And Roses
(6:21)  8. Ughy Beauty
(6:31)  9. Buffalo

On this collaboration of Criss Cross recording artists, trumpeters John Swana and Joe Magnarelli join forces with tenor saxophonist Eric Alexander, pianist Joel Weiskopf, bassist Peter Washington, and drummer Kenny Washington, all veterans of many Criss Cross recording sessions, to perform four originals by the band members, three jazz classics, and two standards. Both Swana and Magnarelli are skilled improvisers on their chosen instruments and active performers on their city's respective jazz scenes. Philadelphia resident Swana has a slightly darker tone and plays the longer phrases, and Alexander's energetic tenor sax is a nice contrast to the twin trumpets. Favorites include Swana's up-tempo blues "Fat Cat," Magnarelli's introspective "Growing Pains," the swinging title track based on the changes to "Star Eyes," and the medium shuffle of Kenny Dorham's "Buffalo." This is a welcome addition to both player's discographies. ~ Greg Turner  http://www.allmusic.com/album/philly-new-york-junction-mw0000043151

Personnel: John Swana (trumpet, flugelhorn); Eric Alexander (tenor saxophone); Joe Magnarelli (trumpet, flugelhorn); Joel Weiskopf (piano); Kenny Washington (drums).

Philly - New York Junction

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Ike Quebec - It Might As Well Be Spring

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 35:26
Size: 82.0 MB
Styles: Saxophone jazz
Year: 1961/2006
Art: Front

[6:15] 1. It Might As Well Be Spring
[5:19] 2. A Light Reprieve
[6:03] 3. Easy, Don't Hurt
[5:53] 4. Lover Man
[6:30] 5. Ol' Man River
[5:22] 6. Willow Weep For Me

Digitally remastered using 20-bit technology by Ron McMaster. This is part of Blue Note's Limited Edition Connoisseur series. Working with the same quartet that cut Heavy Soul -- organist Freddie Roach, bassist Milt Hinton and drummer Al Harewood -- Ike Quebec recorded another winning hard bop album with It Might As Well Be Spring. In many ways, the record is a companion piece to Heavy Soul. Since the two albums were recorded so close together, it's not surprising that there a number of stylistic similarities, but there are subtle differences to savor. The main distinction between the two dates is that It Might As Well Be Spring is a relaxed, romantic date comprised of standards. It provides Quebec with ample opportunity to showcase his rich, lyrical ballad style, and he shines throughout the album. Similarly, Roach has a tasteful, understated technique, whether he's soloing or providing support for Quebec. The pair have a terrific, sympathetic interplay that makes It Might As Well Be Spring a joyous listen. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Recorded at the Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey on December 9, 1961. Originally released on Blue Note (84105).

Ike Quebec (tenor saxophone); Ike Quebec; Milt Hinton (upright bass); Freddie Roach (organ); Al Harewood (drums).

It Might As Well Be Spring

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Asleep At The Wheel - The Very Best Of The Asleep At The Wheel

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 48:49
Size: 111.8 MB
Styles: Western swing
Year: 2012
Art: Front

[3:46] 1. The Letter (That Johnny Walker Read)
[3:23] 2. Ain't Nobody Here But Us Chickens
[3:09] 3. Get Your Kicks On Route 66
[3:31] 4. Take Me Back To Tulsa
[3:45] 5. My Baby Thinks She's A Train
[3:12] 6. House Of Blue Lights
[3:18] 7. Miles And Miles Of Texas
[3:31] 8. Sugarfoot Rag
[3:17] 9. Choo Choo Ch' Boogie
[3:31] 10. Dance With Who Brung Ya
[3:26] 11. Big Balls In Cowtown
[3:34] 12. Last Meal
[3:24] 13. Boogie Back To Texas
[3:55] 14. Texas Me And You

Recorded at the end of 2000, this album contains classic Wheel cuts re-recorded with the current lineup (at the time). The 14 tracks sound as good if not better than the original versions. Ray Benson and company really make the effort to make these songs as powerful as ever. A worthy pickup for any country or western swing fans out there. ~uselessgoo/amazon

The Very Best Of The Asleep At The Wheel

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Kevyn Lettau - Brazil Jazz

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 46:46
Size: 108.6 MB
Styles: Pop-jazz vocals
Year: 1991/2001
Art: Front

[5:17] 1. Words And Music
[5:16] 2. Secret Code
[4:15] 3. The Whistle Man
[5:55] 4. New Meaning
[5:47] 5. Fruta Madura
[4:04] 6. You Said
[5:41] 7. Miracle Of Love
[3:55] 8. Honeysuckle Rose
[5:13] 9. He's Gone To Travel
[1:18] 10. Tribute

Before signing with JVC in 1992, Kevyn Lettau recorded two albums for Nova: first came her self-titled debut album, followed by Brasiljazz in 1991. On this collection of jazzy Brazilian pop, the singer is joined by guitarist Peter Sprague and percussionist Michael Spiro. A hit at NAC radio, Brasiljazz demonstrated that Lettau was a competent, pleasant singer who could be charming. But it was also the work of someone whose performances could have been more exciting and less conservative. Had George Duke produced a Brazilian-oriented project for Lettau, chances are she would have really soared instead of delivering an album that is simply pleasant. Lettau gets into a straight-ahead jazz groove on an enjoyable version of Fats Waller's "Honeysuckle Rose" and even delivers some Sarah Vaughan-influenced scat singing, but make no mistake: this is a pop album first and foremost. ~ Alex Henderson

Recorded at Slam Shack, North Hollywood, California.

Kevyn Lettau (vocals); Peter Sprague (guitar); Michael Shapiro (percussion, background vocals).

Brazil Jazz

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Sergio Mihanovich - Los Jovenes Viejos

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 29:54
Size: 68.5 MB
Styles: Piano jazz
Year: 2013
Art: Front

[2:29] 1. Los Jovenes Viejos
[1:30] 2. Pick Up
[3:46] 3. Sunset
[1:09] 4. Viaje De 3
[0:45] 5. Fin De Viaje
[0:57] 6. Close Up
[2:29] 7. Naciste Para Quererme
[3:02] 8. Conversacion (Los Jovenees Viejos)
[0:48] 9. Dormir, Dormir, Dormir
[1:03] 10. Desesperacion De Sonia
[3:02] 11. Tema De Solidad
[0:58] 12. La Corrida
[2:56] 13. Vals En 16mm
[2:01] 14. Sonia
[1:42] 15. La Vuelta
[1:10] 16. Chiche

El pianista y cantante Sergio Mihanovich ostenta el privilegio de ser el único compositor argentino con un tema en esa biblia de standards jazzeros que es el Real Book. "Sometime Ago", el tema en cuestión, fue grabado e interpretado por Bill Evans y Stan Getz, entre otros genios del género. Gracias a Eduardo Dulitzky se edita este CD, que reúne dos vinilos inhallables. Se trata de la banda de sonido de Los jóvenes Viejos (film dirigido por Rodolfo Kuhn en 1962) y el LP B.A. Jazz, ambos en colaboración con Oscar López Ruiz en arreglos y dirección musical. "El problema principal que tuve al componer fue tratar de que la música fuera un personaje más dentro de la acción, acompañando a los personajes y otorgando verdadero relieve a sus momentos de soledad", explicaba Mihanovich (sí, es tío de Sandra) en aquel entonces. En B. A. Jazz (1961), con su habitual estilo refinado,aborda standards como "As Time Goes by" y "Our Love is Here to Stay", acompañado por una ajustada big band (con un formidable personal de músicos vernáculos:del "Gato" Barbieri al "Bicho" Casalla) y, en algunos casos, por una sección de cuerdas. ~Humphrey Inzillo

Los Jovenes Viejos

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