Trish Hatley - Sing, Ask And It Is Given

Size: 82,8 MB
Time: 35:19
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2010
Styles: Jazz Vocals, Blues, Bossa Nova
Art: Front

01. I'm Getting Better Everyday (2:23)
02. Attitude Of Gratitude (3:22)
03. Doin' The Right Thing (2:14)
04. I'm In The Process (2:59)
05. Good Good Vibrations (3:03)
06. Gettin' Better (3:29)
07. I Love Myself (3:00)
08. Sing, Ask And It Is Given (3:32)
09. I'm Living In Peace Snd Ease (2:57)
10. I'll Raise My Vibration (3:23)
11. Pure Desire (Fill In The Blanks) (2:22)
12. I'm Living In The Positive (2:31)

Trish Hatley captivates and enchants her listeners with her soaring vocals and effervescent style. Whenever Trish performs, her unique sense of phrasing and drama absolutely fascinates all assembled. Known for bringing to the Northwest first-class music programs, Trish has been an active part of the Northwest music scene by “makin’ it happen!” Trish’s talents as a jazz vocalist and entertainer are equaled by her history as a producer and catalyst for the local jazz scene. Jazz Sundays at the Conway Tavern, which lasted for half a decade, was Trish’s project. She’s produced shows such as The Great American Songbook, Isn’t It Romantic, A Fifth of Jazz and Women In Song. In addition to her work with Trish Hans & Phil, Trish has her own quartet that she loves to work with. A large loyal following keeps Trish’s music scenes warm and friendly. Trish brings an exhilarating sense of showmanship to the stage, always leaving her fans wanting more.

Sing, Ask And It Is Given

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Ahmad Jamal & Yusef Lateef - Live At The Olympia June 27, 2012

Size: 147,2+99,3 MB
Time: 63:29+42:46
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2014
Styles: Mainstream Jazz
Art: Front

CD 1:
01. Autumn Rain (Live) ( 8:14)
02. Blue Moon (Live) ( 8:33)
03. The Gypsy (Live) ( 4:08)
04. Invitation (Live) (11:12)
05. I Remember Italy (Live) ( 7:43)
06. Laura (Live) ( 5:00)
07. Morning Mist (Live) ( 8:21)
08. This Is The Life (Live) (10:14)

CD 2:
01. Exatogi (Live) (13:36)
02. Masara (Live) ( 6:31)
03. Trouble In Mind (Live) ( 3:45)
04. Brother Hold Your Light (Live) ( 5:56)
05. Blue Moon (Encore) (Live) ( 3:37)
06. Poinciana (Live) ( 9:18)

This set from the legendary jazzmen Ahmad Jamal and Yusef Lateef proves that these veteran musicians have ideas that are as fresh as any they have ever had. Live at the Olympia is available as a 2 CD and DVD set, with the first disc featuring a set by Jamal at the piano with his quartet, featuring Reginald Veal on double bass, Herlin Riley on drums, and Manolo Badrena on percussion. Lateef joins this quartet on the second disc, adding his own distinctive brand of woodwind playing and singing to the trio’s eclectic sound. Following is the album trailer:

The first disc is perhaps the more consistent of the two, with Jamal and his trio locking into a set of familiar tune formulas. Jamal performs three of his own compositions—“Autumn Rain,” “I Remember Italy,” and “Morning Mist”—along with several standards. While Jamal’s original tunes are certainly interesting and competently executed, the disc’s most memorable cuts are the group’s creative renderings of jazz standards: a somewhat fragmented Latin feel on “Blue Moon,” a driving, in-the-pocket rendition of “Invitation” that allows Jamal and company to stretch out, and a stop-and-start rendering of “Laura.” As would be expected from an artist of Jamal’s caliber, the playing on these cuts is excellent; Jamal presents his signature bursts of Monk-tinged dissonance, and continually trades musical cues with his bandmates, all the while maintaining a lyrical sensibility and technical precision (as is evident in the rhythm section’s lock-step groove on “Invitation” or Jamal’s blistering right hand runs during “Blue Moon”). A performer known more for his renderings than his compositions, it is no wonder that much of the strongest playing on this side occurs when the band reimagines tunes written by other composers.

The best moments on the second disc occur when the late saxophonist, flautist, and vocalist Lateef pushes Jamal’s group out of their musical comfort zone, as he does on his mostly free-form composition “Exatogi,” seamlessly transitioning to his somewhat more conventional “Masara,” although this cut is complete with dissonant flute yelps. Lateef further pulls the group into a gospel-tinged hard bop idiom, contributing vocals on “Trouble in Mind” and “Brother Hold Your Light.” He does not appear, however, on the album’s last two tracks: a reprise of “Blue Moon” and Jamal’s signature 1963 hit, “Poinciana.” Had Lateef been more prominent on this set, it may have felt like he had an actual presence in the band (particularly since his name is included in the album’s title), rather than serving simply as an excellent and challenging guest performer.

Although the listener may desire more of Lateef’s challenging presence, this is still a strong record. In a contemporary jazz scene replete with consistent releases by perennial favorites playing in their long-maintained signature styles, Live at the Olympia showcases two veteran performers who were still at the top of their games. The group’s reinterpretations of the standards that they play in this concert will have collegiate jazz combos everywhere scrambling to find the grooves that this band was able to lock into, while their originals provide a study in advanced jazz composition, even if they do not lend any additions to the standard repertoire. This is a solid release by accomplished jazz masters. ~Reviewed by Matthew Alley

Live At The Olympia June 27, 2012 CD 1
Live At The Olympia June 27, 2012 CD 2

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Laurie Antonioli - Songs Of Shadow, Songs Of Light: The Music Of Joni Mitchell

Size: 140,1 MB
Time: 59:52
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2014
Styles: Jazz Vocals
Art: Front

01. People's Parties (2:38)
02. Rainy Night House (4:57)
03. Barangrill (3:24)
04. Eastern Rain (4:24)
05. Cold Blue Steel And Sweet Fire (4:49)
06. Both Sides Now (5:15)
07. Hissing Of Summer Lawns (4:54)
08. Woman Of Heart And Mind (5:00)
09. This Flight Tonight (4:31)
10. River (5:02)
11. I Don't Know Where I Stand (4:33)
12. California (4:30)
13. Marcie (5:47)

The concept of a jazz-informed program of Joni Mitchell tunes isn't exactly novel anymore. Herbie Hancock's high profile River: The Joni Letters (Verve, 2007) took home two Grammy Awards; vocalist Tierney Sutton got some well-deserved attention when she put her own spin on Mitchell's work with After Blue (BFM, 2013); somewhat under-the-radar releases from artists like David Lahm and Rachel Z have made something of an impact on a smaller scale; and numerous other albums that aren't necessarily built around Mitchell's work have been sprinkled with her songs.

Joni Mitchell has become something of a lodestar for a jazz community that appreciates the range of her artistry, power of her music and words, and arc of her career, moving from folk singer to heart-baring emotional conduit to jazz-informed songstress to post-modern poetess and idol. Taking all of that into consideration, it's easy to see why so many have found comfort, promise and possibility in the experience of interpreting her work. But the question that still remains Does the jazz world really need another album of Joni Mitchell songs? is a valid one. In theory, it does not. But when the album in question is shaped by the voice of Laurie Antonioli, the answer is yes.

Antonioli's Songs Of Shadow, Songs Of Light is an invaluable collection that looks at some of Mitchell's infrequently-covered work with a truthful gaze. Only two numbers "Both Sides Now" and "River"—are covered with regularity. The other eleven tunes, including "Marcie," "Eastern Rain," and "People's Parties," are largely ignored, and that's a shame. In the right hands in this case, Antonioli's hands they're works of pure magic. This music is putty in those hands, but Antonioli doesn't bend the songs into radically new and unrecognizable shapes. She works an angle that's highly sympathetic to Mitchell. The tone and timbre of her voice are extremely well-suited to Mitchell's music, she captures the spirit of the songs, and her longtime working band finds a way to deliver those songs in faithful-yet-original fashion.

Much is often made of a singer's need to live within the songs and stories he or she spins, but many simply pay lip service to that idea without truly thinking about it. Antonioli thinks a good deal about it and actually does it. She inhabits every song that she sings, threading herself into fabric of the music. That's been apparent on every one of her releases, but never more than here. Hearing her work with pianist Matt Clark and multi-reedist Sheldon Brown on "I Don't Know Where I Stand," listening to her confidently bring "Barangrill" to life, and feeling her vulnerability on "River" are just a few examples of the way she makes this music her own without having to paint over what Mitchell created in the first place. Antonioli's stunning Songs Of Shadow, Songs Of Light is true to Joni Mitchell and true unto herself. ~Dan Bilawsky

Personnel: Laurie Antonioli: vocals; Matt Clark: piano, Hammond B-3, Fender rhodes; Dave Mac Nab: guitar; John Shifflett: bass; Jason Lewis: drums; Sheldon Brown: bass clarinet, clarinet, soprano saxophone, tenor saxophone; Theo Bleckmann: vocals (1).

Songs Of Shadow, Songs Of Light

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Tommy Dorsey - The Sentimental Gentleman Of Swing (Original Songs Remastered)

Size: 281,4 MB
Time: 120:31
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2013
Styles: Jazz: Big Band, Swing
Art: Front

01. It's Right Here For You (3:05)
02. Lovely Lady (3:06)
03. Santa Claus Is Coming To Town (3:24)
04. After You've Gone (2:57)
05. Sleep (2:47)
06. Three Moods (2:56)
07. You (2:47)
08. Alone (3:33)
09. Head Over Heels In Love (2:45)
10. You Can't Cheat A Cheater (2:56)
11. For Sentimental Reasons (3:22)
12. Ja Da (2:22)
13. One Night In Monte Carlo (3:04)
14. Tiger Rag (2:49)
15. Weary Blues (3:18)
16. Just A Simple Melody (2:38)
17. Got A Bran' New Suit (2:26)
18. Barcarolle (2:55)
19. Keepin' Out Of Mischief Now (2:46)
20. Weary (3:13)
21. You Are My Lucky Star (3:38)
22. I Picked A Flower The Color Of Your Eyes (3:25)
23. Another Perfect Night Is Ending (2:59)
24. I've Got A Note (2:46)
25. Rhythm In My Nursery Rhymes (2:42)
26. Close To Me (3:05)
27. Maple Leaf Rag (2:32)
28. Two Hearts Carved On A Lonesome Pine (3:12)
29. Down With Love (2:45)
30. Love Will Live On (3:22)
31. The Day I Let You Get Away (2:51)
32. Hymn To The Sun (2:38)
33. Please Believe Me (3:10)
34. Tea On The Terrace (2:48)
35. I'm Getting Sentimental Over You (3:35)
36. I'm Shooting High (2:37)
37. It's Written In The Stars (3:28)
38. Pagan Star (3:23)
39. I'm In A Dancing Mood (2:47)
40. Take Me Back To My Boots And Saddle (3:21)

Thomas Francis "Tommy" Dorsey, Jr. (November 19, 1905 - November 26, 1956) was an American jazz trombonist, trumpeter, composer, and bandleader of the Big Band era. He was known as "The Sentimental Gentleman of Swing", because of his smooth-toned trombone playing. Although he was not known for being a notable soloist, his technical skill on the trombone gave him renown amongst other musicians. He was the younger brother of bandleader Jimmy Dorsey.

The Sentimental Gentleman Of Swing

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Bobby Broom - Upper West Side Story

Bitrate: 320K/s

Time: 59:55

Size: 137.2 MB

Styles: Guitar jazz

Year: 2012

Art: Front

[6:50] 1. D's Blues

[4:54] 2. Upper West Side Story

[8:46] 3. After Words

[6:58] 4. Minor Major Mishap

[6:24] 5. Lazy Sundays

[3:25] 6. Fambrocious (For Fambrough)

[7:43] 7. Father

[6:12] 8. Call Me A Cab

[8:40] 9. When The Falling Leaves..

One of the top guitarists of his generation, Bobby Broom's preferred setting is a small group, while he excels in the demanding trio setting with bassist Dennis Carroll and drummer Kobie Watkins (with Makaya McCraven replacing him on three songs). Upper West Side Story includes nine originals, none of which is likely to become a jazz standard, but all of which are stimulating. "D's Blues" has an engaging hard bop hook that pulls the listener in immediately, while "Upper West Side Story" suggests a walk in Manhattan on a breezy spring day, with an infectious Latin undercurrent. The loping "Minor Major Mishap" takes its time to develop, though Broom's intricate solo bustles with energy. "Fambrosicous" is dedicated to the late bassist Charles Fambrough, an engaging vehicle that starts as bop but detours into some wild improvising. "When the Falling Leaves..." is a subdued ballad with a melancholy air, with the rhythm section providing soft, spacious accompaniment that completes the mood that Broom seeks. Recommended. ~Ken Dryden

 

Upper West Side Story

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Jo Stafford - Starring Jo Stafford

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 33:57
Size: 77.8 MB
Styles: Vocal
Year: 1953/2011
Art: Front

[2:53] 1. Serenade Of The Bells
[2:54] 2. On The Alamo
[2:57] 3. No Other Love
[2:43] 4. Red River Valley
[2:51] 5. Ivy
[3:04] 6. Fools Rush In
[2:49] 7. A Sunday Kind Of Love
[2:42] 8. The Gentleman Is A Dope
[2:26] 9. Symphony
[2:48] 10. Tumbling Tumbleweeds
[2:47] 11. You Keep Coming Back Like A Song
[2:57] 12. Day By Day

Starring Jo Stafford is a 1953 album by Jo Stafford,with Paul Weston and His Orchestra accompaniment by The Starlighters and The Pied Pipers. Jo Stafford was an American singer of traditional pop music and jazz standards whose career ran from the late 1930s to the early 1960s. Stafford was greatly admired for the purity of her voice and was considered one of the most versatile vocalists of the era.

Starring Jo Stafford

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Mike LeDonne Quintet/Trio - The Feeling Of Jazz

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 67:55
Size: 155.5 MB
Styles: Piano jazz
Year: 1990
Art: Front

[ 8:18] 1. Ready Rudy
[ 7:26] 2. The Feeling Of Jazz
[ 9:33] 3. Point Of View
[ 6:09] 4. Ninth Avenue
[ 8:22] 5. Bock To Bock
[ 6:59] 6. Song For Margaret
[ 6:06] 7. My Ideal
[10:17] 8. Blues For Edith
[ 4:41] 9. Action

Pianist Mike LeDonne's second recording is most notable for the outstanding and contrasting playing of trumpeter Tom Harrell and baritonist Gary Smulyan. While Harrell is lyrical and melodic, Smulyan is forceful and swings quite hard. With bassist Dennis Irwin and drummer Kenny Washington offering stimulating support, the three lead voices are in top form. LeDonne contributed three fine originals and, other than the standard "My Ideal," the other four songs (Duke Pearson's "Ready Rudy?," Duke Ellington's "The Feeling of Jazz," Buddy Montgomery's "Bock to Bock," and Wynton Kelly's "Action") are all superior obscurities. Easily recommended to straight-ahead jazz fans. ~Scott Yanow

Mike LeDonne (P); Tom Harrell (Tp / Flh); Gary Smulyan (Bs); Dennis Irwin (B); Kenny Washington (D). Recorded January 2, 1990 in Englewood Cliffs, NJ, USA by Rudy Van Gelder

The Feeling Of Jazz

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Ricardo Silveira & Vinicius Cantuaria - RSVC

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 44:17
Size: 101.4 MB
Styles: Latin jazz, Guitar jazz
Year: 2013
Art: Front

[4:15] 1. Preciso Falar Com Você (We Need To Talk)
[5:44] 2. Sessão Das Onze (Wanderley)
[5:03] 3. A La Dori
[4:41] 4. Perritos
[4:24] 5. Pé Direito (Right Foot)
[4:11] 6. Dia De Sol (Sunny Day)
[5:47] 7. Mais Nada (Nothing More)
[2:07] 8. Matuto
[3:50] 9. É O Fim (It's The End)
[4:10] 10. Trilha Polar (Polar Trail)

RSVC is the first ever collaboration of two amazingly talented Brazilian guitarists, Rio de Janeiro based Ricardo Silveira and Brooklyn based Vinicius Cantuária, featured here in a series of duets. Recorded in Rio, and co produced by the players and Eduardo Chermont, RSVC features six original compositions and also features the vocals of Vinicius as well as the debut vocal performance by Ricardo, who is primarily known for his wonderful guitar skills. Singer, guitarist, composer, drummer, and percussionist, Vinicius Cantuária is a well-known Brazilian musician who moved to New York in the mid-90s. He has proved himself in a number of fields, directly or indirectly linked to Brazilian music as leader of the rock band O Terco and later as one of the most important downtown New York figures, collaborating with artists such as Brian Eno, Laurie Anderson, Brad Mehldau, Arto Lindsay, Bill Frisell, Marc Ribot, David Byrne and Ryuichi Sakamoto. For over thirty years, guitarist Ricardo Silveira has earned international acclaim by bridging the music of his native Brazil with contemporary American jazz. In constant demand as a studio musician and musical director, Silveira has collaborated with countless masters and is equally renowned as a composer and solo artist.

RSVC

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Susan Smith - Fine and Mellow

Styles: Jazz, Vocal
Year: 2012
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 52:35
Size: 121,4 MB
Art: Front

(3:47)  1. Teach Me Tonight
(2:54)  2. Between the Devil & the Deep Blue Sea
(5:18)  3. I Can't Get Started.
(4:04)  4. My Little Boat/O Pato
(3:16)  5. Baubles, Bangles and Beads
(4:17)  6. Dindi
(2:56)  7. Willow Weep for Me
(4:00)  8. Fine and Mellow
(3:44)  9. 'Til There Was You
(4:40) 10. Don't Explain
(3:14) 11. Time After Time
(4:13) 12. Meditation
(3:10) 13. Wild Is the Wind
(2:55) 14. Ev'ry Time We Say Goodbye

This album is my baby, something I have wanted to create for a long time. They are jazz songs from great artists of the past. When I was a child and my parents went out I would go through their entire record collection listening to the fantastic singers and arrangements, I have picked out a some of my favourites for this album. All the songs are classics that stir memories for those who remember them and newcomers to jazz.  http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/suesmith1

Fine and Mellow

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The North Star Jazz Ensemble - The Very Thought Of You

Styles: Jazz, Mainstream Jazz
Year: 1996
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 63:38
Size: 146,0 MB
Art: Front

(5:00)  1. Time After Time
(5:07)  2. The Very Thought Of You
(2:58)  3. Steppin' Out With My Baby
(3:47)  4. Emily
(4:35)  5. It Had To Be You
(4:09)  6. I Let A Song Go Out Of My Heart
(6:10)  7. Here's That Rainy Day
(4:22)  8. Ain't Misbehavin'
(4:41)  9. Angel Eyes
(5:06) 10. These Foolish Things
(4:32) 11. I Get A Kick Out Of You
(5:16) 12. As Time Goes By
(4:55) 13. My Foolish Heart
(2:54) 14. Someone To Watch Over Me

Rhode Island-based label North Star specializes in, among other things, the romantic side of jazz. Utilizing top-flight studio and performing musicians from the New England area playing classic standards with slightly jazzy arrangements, the label has turned out several quiet, easy-to-listen-to jazz albums. While the music has a romantic bent, it is by no means just a maudlin recital of melody lines of classic standards. There are improvisation, dynamics, and character, all done in a gentle manner. The music doesn't shout at you  it whispers, caresses, and seduces. Listen to Artie Montanaro on trombone and Bruce Abbott on soprano sax explore, not dismember "The Very Thought of You." Similarly, John Allmark's slightly up-tempo trumpet is the foil for Abbott, this time on tenor with Steve DeConti's guitar laying down chords underneath.

There's even some Dixieland thrown in with "Ain't Misbehavin." The play list has 14 items and the ensemble actually a septet takes more than an hour to get through them. So it's not just three minutes and then on to the next track; there is thoughtful and innovative, if quiet, playing involved. This album is recommended as get-your-attention background to dinners, long walks, or just the enjoyment of listening to good music performed at its peak. ~ Dave Nathan  http://www.allmusic.com/album/the-very-thought-of-you-mw0000614485

Personnel: Bruce Abbott (soprano, alto & tenor saxophones); John Allmark (trumpet, flugelhorn); Artie Montanaro (trombone), Jeff Stout (flugelhorn); Ron Fournier (piano); Steve DeConti (guitar); Marty Ballou (bass); Paul Mason (drums).

The Very Thought Of You

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The Noel Freidline Trio - One For Maxcene

Styles: Vocal And Piano Jazz
Year: 1994
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 70:59
Size: 163,0 MB
Art: Front

(4:31)  1. Route 66
(5:32)  2. Moonlight In Vermont
(9:34)  3. Louisiana Sunday Afternoon
(7:12)  4. Summertime
(4:11)  5. One For Maxcene
(3:55)  6. Guess Who I Saw Today
(4:35)  7. Meet Me With Your Black Drawers On
(5:44)  8. Gently April
(8:06)  9. My Sweet Hunk O' Trash
(9:07) 10. My Funny Valentine
(8:27) 11. Won't Be Long/Compared To What

Musical Styles: Impassioned and Accomplished, Multi-Talented as a Pianist, Arranger, Composer, Teacher and Father! A native of Clearwater, KS, Noel Freidline's musical career has taken him from coast to coast. Classically trained at the Wichita State University, then transferring to the University of North Florida to finish his degree in jazz studies, Noel graduated Magna Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Arts in Music in 1991. In 1992 he assembled the band that he still leads today. As a pianist, vocalist and bandleader, Noel masterfully walks the fine line between leading and supporting the musicians on stage. He brings a dynamic and charismatic presence to the stage, yet one never loses the sense that he considers it a privilege to participate in the world of music. His left-of-center writing and arranging has earned reviews that range from "sublime" and "unconventionally hip" to "masterful and innovative." His passion for the music as well as his ability to connect with people has made him as engaging as an educator as he is a performer. Noel's educational presentations range from programs for elementary-age children focusing on the joys and accessibility of music, to collegiate-level clinics and workshops ranging from the craft of performing to the business side of music. Noel's heart for teaching has led him to develop and present a series of workshops for church musicians, both professional and volunteer, to help them develop their talents and expand the way they approach worship. Noel also maintains a private teaching studio. Noel serves on the music team at Mecklenburg Community Church and currently resides in Charlotte, NC with his wife April and their three children. Bio ~ http://www.thejazzcorner.com/artist-profile.php?ID=56

Personnel: Noel Freidline – Piano; Renée Dickerson – Vocal

One For Maxcene

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The Eric Ineke Jazzxpress - Cruisin'

Styles: Jazz, Mainstream Jazz
Year: 2014
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 50:02
Size: 114,6 MB
Art: Front

(4:27)  1. Oak City
(8:15)  2. Seven On The Rigter Scale
(7:15)  3. The End Of The Affair
(5:55)  4. Night And Day
(6:26)  5. When We Were One
(6:29)  6. Just A Tune For You
(5:13)  7. What Is This?
(5:58)  8. Cruisin'

The Eric Ineke JazzXpress  consists of the very talented Rik Mol on trumpet and flugelhorn, Sjoerd Dijkhuizen on tenorsaxophone, Rob van Bavel on piano, Marius Beets on doublebass and ofcourse Holland’s most prominent Jazzdrummer Eric Ineke. The repertoire is rooted in the Hard-bop tradition and the most compositions are written by the bandmembers themselves. With three generations of jazzmuscians in this explosive band, Hard-bop will get a contemporary meaning and you can trust The Eric Ineke JazzXpress for that. Right from the start in 2006 the band got great critical acclaim and appeared in Germany, Belgium and many festivals in Holland including the Northsea Jazz festival. In 2008  the band was a big success on the European Jazzfestival in Athens ( Greece). 

During a succesful theater tour for JazzImpuls in 2009, the band recorded the live CD ‘’JazzXL, Blues, Ballads and other Bright moments’’ which was released in 2011. In the summer of 2011 the band got an invitation from the American Jazz Museum to perform in Kansas City together with the great singer Deborah Brown. Together they recorded the album ‘’All Too Soon’’ which was running for a Grammy. In 2012 The Eric Ineke JazzXpress did a series of concerts with David Liebman, The Jazz Orchestra of the Concertgebouw and Deborah Brown in Holland and Germany to celebrate Eric Ineke’s 65th Birthday Anniversary. In 2014 they performed with Deborah Brown at the Amersfoort Jazz Festival, which was recorded for Djazz TV, and the Bruxelles Jazz Marathon. http://www.challengerecords.com/artists/1184244552/

Cruisin'

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Laura Baron - Heart Of The Great Unknown

Size: 109,0 MB
Time: 46:42
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2013
Styles: Jazz/Folk/Pop Vocals
Label: Laura Baron
Art: Front

01. Your Hands (3:37)
02. Fragile (4:14)
03. Mary In A Sardine Can (4:08)
04. A Little Note (4:56)
05. Build Me A Fire (3:41)
06. Heart Of The Great Unknown (Song For Ruchi) (5:45)
07. Tell Me More (4:30)
08. Ripple (4:05)
09. Never Meant To Know (4:27)
10. Fever (3:47)
11. Sometimes You're Humble (3:27)

It’s the most complex form of easy listening, and that’s meant as a compliment. Tolling the line that blurs soft-core blues and jazz with acoustic guitars, sentimental flavors and an inherent beauty that only few can truly portray. You’re either born with it or you’re not. It can be exciting and bland, difficult and simple, intriguing and predictable.

Washington area musician Laura Baron has perfected this formula. Whatever it entails, whatever it embodies, the singer is a master of her craft, a craft, it must be noted, that is much harder to pull off than it first appears to be. Too often dismissed as a public radio trope reserved for only pretentious ears and middle-aged poets who wear multiple scarves during summer months, the easy listening, influences-heavy road is one often traveled, yet rarely conquered.

Yet with her latest 11-song set, “Heart of the Great Unknown,” Baron has no problem exploring the depths of that path. Imperative to her engine is that voice of hers, a chameleon-like tenor that has no fear of emotion or the bounds typically tied to genre labels. She transcends them with her deep, affecting croons, no matter the route, no matter the territory.

The best moments come when she decides to veer into the jazz world. Opener “Your Hands” is as moody as they come with its light guitar picking and elegant piano playing. By the time the brush-heavy drums appear, the dark atmosphere is already set for the arrival of some 1940s-era horns that only spice up the glamour these three minutes and 37 seconds exude.

“Tell Me More” and “Fever,” meanwhile, sound like the genesis of a “Mad Men” soundtrack. Her voice is seductive, slithering through the swing with so much confidence and imagination that even the scats never feel overdone. The former, a retrograde calypso-heavy original that beams sunshine, contrasts brilliantly with the latter, a 1956 Cooley/Blackwell treasure smothered in sultry smoke as Baron’s understated approach defines the performance’s murky mood.

From there, things morph into a more traditional setting. “A Little Note” is a fine version of adult-contemporary with its pop sensibilities and tight structure. The empowering narrative Baron’s voice tells over the sparsity of mandolin is perfect for a Lilith Fair stage near you. “Sometimes You’re Humble” and “Never Meant to Know” both take that simplicity and strip it down to tender folk with the addition of strings (“Know”) and the innocence of the singer’s purposely plaintive voice (“Humble”).

Even a nod toward world music succeeds. “Heart of the Great Unknown (Song for Ruchi)” might be lyrically suspect (occasional pushes for overt dramatics sometimes get in the way of Baron’s natural talent), but the Indian influences are as good as any you might be able to find this side of the beltway as they accentuate Baron’s versatility in tone. One tabla and a wooden flute later, and what you have is a great change of pace on a record not afraid to embark on roads littered with difference. Impressively, the track that precedes it, “Build Me a Fire,” works as a straight boogie that again makes good use of those horns. Like the seasoned veteran of the performance universe that she is, the songwriter blends into traditional blues competently and affectingly to get her point. It all adds up to a type of embarrassment of riches, her talents expanding the definition of the word “bounds.”

Why? Because Laura Baron’s latest record knows nothing of what they are. On an album devoid of all fear, the artist only rarely slips up, though when a set of songs appears this ambitious, it’s almost unfair to consider any possible discrepancies with a heavy hand. Folky. Jazzy. Worldly. Bluesy. Poppy. The record never overreaches, even when it seems like it should.

Indeed, the only thing easy about this kind of stuff is the listening. It’s the creating part that’s hard. And as “Heart of the Great Unknown” proves without any shadow of a doubt, Laura Baron has that part of the equation darn near perfected. ~by Colin McGuire

Heart Of The Great Unknown

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Akiko - Commencement

Size: 131,1 MB
Time: 56:28
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2014
Styles: Jazz: Hammond Organ
Art: Front

01. Blues For Bandit (5:15)
02. Funky Girl (5:06)
03. When Johnny Comes Marching Home (5:10)
04. How Deep Is Your Love (5:53)
05. Give Me The Simple Life (5:07)
06. Spanish Flea (4:38)
07. It's Easy To Remember (6:12)
08. L-O-V-E (6:08)
09. Don't Misunderstand (6:08)
10. Commencement (6:47)

Akiko started playing the organ at the age of 3. After graduating from Osaka College of Music, her career as a jazz organist started immediately. She immigrated into NYC in 2001 and have been blessed with so many celebrated music artists such as Lou Donaldson, Grady Tate, Dr. Lonnie Smith, Jeff Hamilton, Frank Wess, Bernard 'Pretty' Prudie and Jimmy Cobb.

Akiko joined Lou Donaldson Quartet in 2007 and have been toured worldwide in Europe, Asia including jazz clubs and jazz festivals in the United States since then. Meanwhile, her own band has headlined many well-known jazz venues as Vail Jazz Festival, Blue Note, Dizzy's Club Coca Cola in Jazz at Lincoln Center.

As her mentor, the legendary Dr. Lonnie Smith describes, “Akiko's playing is like watching a flower blooming, a bird spreading her wings in the music world. Akiko is here to stay.” Her future is bright and promising.

Commencement

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Debbie Orta - Child's Play

Size: 123,7 MB
Time: 52:59
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2014
Styles: Jazz Vocals, Bossa Nova
Art: Front

01. The Way You Look Tonight (Feat. Sammy Figueroa, Percussion) (3:50)
02. I've Grown Accustomed To His Face (4:27)
03. You're Mine, You (2:06)
04. You Are My Child (5:38)
05. Medley: I'm Through With Love/Down With Love (4:38)
06. Bossa Nova Song (4:38)
07. Child's Play (2:52)
08. A Song For You (5:37)
09. Taking A Chance On Love (Feat. Othello Molineaux, Steel Drum) (3:08)
10. Jericoacoara (6:04)
11. Make Someone Happy (4:29)
12. Both Sides Now (5:26)

"Outstanding" "You Are My Child is the most beautiful thing I've ever heard" "great voice" "amazing flute solo" "wow, incredible arrangements" "awesome band" are just some of the sentiments from listeners of this brand new indie release by Debbie Orta. This versatile jazz vocalist and songwriter performs her favorite songs from The Great American Songbook accompanied by a stellar band of musicians. Her original compositions have the type of flair and unforgettable melodic interest that you find among the greatest jazz and Brazilian compositions. A former backup singer on tour with Jose Luis Rodriguez, "El Puma" throughout the United States, Central and South America, and parts of Europe, Debbie brings her worldly influence to her music. This is jazz in a variety of rhythms: swing, bebop, salsa, and bossa nova, plus Debbie's original gospel tune. These twelve album tracks weave a spell, with rhythmic and sonic textures. How often do you get to hear jazz steel drum on a vocal album? Debbie's guest artist on "Taking a Chance on Love" is none other than the legendary Othello Molineaux who is the originator of this technique, playing virtuoso jazz on the island instrument that was previously only known for tropical colors. On "The Way You Look Tonight" she has invited the world renowned session man and concert percussionist, Puerto Rican born Sammy Figueroa. A variety of well-known background vocalists heighten the listener's overall experience on original songs, "Child's Play" and "You Are My Child," each arrangement builds with new touches throughout the song to its inevitable climax. The lyrics are poetry that stands on its own. Debbie's warm, emotional vocals caress the ear, never too much or too little, always in the pocket, from the most syncopated Latin feel to the soulful ballads. Debbie has the right sound on each of these styles; note her down-to-earth vocal characteristics on Leon Russell's "A Song for You," and how she takes her time, phrasing way behind the beat on the sublime ballad, "Make Someone Happy." Her musicians deliver inspired performances on every cut: Mike Orta on piano, Nicky Orta on electric bass, Carlomagno Araya on drums, Eddie Maina on saxes and flute; plus guests Jamie Ousley on upright bass, Claudio Spiewak on guitar - a jewel of an album that is not your usual singer-plus-trio recording, but a masterwork that delivers surprise after surprise. Just as much care and creativity were given to the imaginative packaging designed by pasitadesign.com. The entire artistic product is worth having in hard copy for your favorite CD collection.

Child's Play

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Tommy Emmanuel - The Guitar Mastery Of Tommy Emmanuel

Size: 106,5+133,2 MB
Time: 45:34+57:14
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2014
Styles: Contemporary Jazz, Finger-Picked Guitar, Smooth Jazz
Art: Front

CD 1:
01. Somewhere Over The Rainbow (4:20)
02. Tall Fiddler (2:25)
03. Angelina (3:41)
04. Endless Road (4:31)
05. La Visita (3:20)
06. Windy & Warm (2:47)
07. I Still Can't Say Goodbye (3:22)
08. Gameshow Rag/Cannonball Rag (2:23)
09. The Mystery (3:53)
10. Lewis & Clark (4:00)
11. Cantina Senese (1:51)
12. Antonella's Birthday (2:42)
13. Cowboy's Dream (3:21)
14. Sunset (Bonus Track) (2:51)

CD 2:
01. The Welsh Tornado (2:36)
02. Ruby's Eyes (3:27)
03. Half Way Home (3:12)
04. Moon River (Instrumental) (4:03)
05. The Fingerlakes (3:19)
06. Tapestry (4:54)
07. Smokey Mountain Lullaby (3:56)
08. Haba Na Haba (Instrumental) (4:04)
09. The Tennessee Waltz (2:34)
10. Guitar Boogie (4:08)
11. Only Elliot (Bonus Track) (1:55)
12. Mombasa (Live) (9:13)
13. Beatles Medley (Live) (6:10)
14. Questions (Live) (3:37)

Tommy Emmanuel, four-time winner of Australia's Best Guitarist award, has helped bring the art of rock guitar down under to a higher awareness over his two-decade-long career by bringing a sense of jazz improvisation into a mix that also includes blues, country, rock, classical, and Spanish music. After years as a popular sideman and ace songwriter, the two-time ARIA (Aussie Grammys equivalent) award winner launched his solo career in 1988 with Up from Down Under. Several releases have followed, most notably 1993's critically acclaimed The Journey, which hit high on Gavin and Radio & Records NAC airplay charts. He has shown a mastery and affinity for both electric and acoustic axes and has been singled out by the likes of notable musicians such as Chet Atkins -- with whom he recorded The Day Finger Pickers Took Over the World in 1997 -- and Todd Rundgren, who considers him an innovator on the instrument. Only appeared in 2001, followed by 2002's Endless Road (it was finally released in the U.S. three years later), 2005's Live One, and 2006's Happy Hour (with Jim Nichols) and Mystery.

Although Emmanuel took a brief hiatus from the music industry at the end of 2007 for health reasons, that October he recorded all three nights of a residency at the Sierra Nevada Brewery in Chico, California. These recordings would make up the acclaimed double-CD live set that was released as Center Stage in April 2008. Equally well-received was 2010’s Little by Little, a comeback of sorts in the form of a double-studio album which featured a tasteful rendition of Carole King's "Tapestry." 2011’s All I Want for Christmas nodded in places to John Fahey's classic festive recordings, while 2013’s The Colonel & The Governor saw him team up with the equally talented English guitarist Martin Taylor. ~ by Jonathan Widran

The Guitar Mastery Of Tommy Emmanuel CD 1
The Guitar Mastery Of Tommy Emmanuel CD 2

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Bonnie Lee Galea - Since I Fell For You

Size: 84,7 MB
Time: 36:14
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2014
Styles: Jazz/Blues Vocals
Label: Bonnie Lee Galea
Art: Front

01. Miss Celie's Blues (2:20)
02. Mean To Me (4:04)
03. Erev Kachol Amok [Deep Blue Evening] (4:12)
04. How Come (2:43)
05. Since I Fell For You (3:34)
06. Is You Is Or Is You Ain't My Baby (3:28)
07. Please Don't Talk About Me When I'm Gone (2:34)
08. Black Coffee (3:29)
09. All Of Me (2:38)
10. Les Etoiles (3:10)
11. Sunday Morning (3:58)

Bonnie Lee Galea ….. Sultry, Sophisticated & Stylish! Bonnie has performed, managed & marketed her own band’s professionally since 2000 throughout Northern Territory, Queensland & South Australia. With her Mediterranean background, this songstress has a vast repertoire extending from early classics to current contemporary numbers & occasionally her original compositions, marketed under her own name.

With an eclectic selection of music from Masters such as Billie Holiday, Ruth Brown & Janis Joplin to Bob Marley, Melody Gardot, Alanis Morrissette & Amy Winehouse incorporating a collection of romantic songs sung in Mediterranean, European & South American languages adopted from her travels from artists such as Sergio Mendes, Astor Pezola, Gypsy Kings etc!

Since I Fell For You
Track 7

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Herb Ellis - Three Guitars In Bossa Nova Time

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 35:16
Size: 80.7 MB
Styles: Guitar jazz, Bop
Year: 1963/2009
Art: Front

[4:16] 1. You Stepped Out Of A Dream
[4:20] 2. Bossa Nova #2
[2:50] 3. But Beautiful
[3:09] 4. Bossa Nova Samba
[3:10] 5. Leave It To Me
[4:30] 6. I Told Ya I Love Ya, Now Get Out!
[4:17] 7. Sweet Dreams
[3:06] 8. Low Society Blues
[2:11] 9. Gravy Waltz
[3:21] 10. Detour Ahead

The title Three Guitars in Bossa Nova Time is misleading in that only two guitars in any instance play the material, while tenor saxophonist Bob Enevoldsen is more important to the overall sound of the music than any other performer. In the main, Herb Ellis and Laurindo Almeida take charge on most of the songs, certainly all bossa novas and light sambas, accompanied by the pianist Donn Trenner (who worked on television with Steve Allen), bassist Bob Bertaux, lesser-known percussionists Bob Neel or Chico Guerrero, the more famous Milt Holland, and guitarist Johnny Gray on three tracks in place of Almeida. All of these selections are familiar, whether as Brazilian songs or Latinized mainstream jazz, while Ellis is upfront in the mix and definitely the leader. While one guitar is initially off the beat on "You Stepped Out of a Dream," Ellis and Almeida are merged together with Enevoldsen in fuller proportions during the fine take of "But Beautiful" with some good solo step-outs, and play in harmonically inventive tones for the very nice "Bossa Nova Samba." Enevoldsen, a multi-instrumentalist known more for playing the trombone, is as cool and smooth as Stan Getz on the melody of the Carnival beat-driven "Leave It to Me," and the spare, careful "Bossa Nova #2." Gray joins Ellis for the more jazz-oriented pieces, including the simple, laid-back "Sweet Dreams," the more commanding "Low Society Blues," where things with the entire combo really come together, and the famous Ray Brown evergreen "Gravy Waltz," made richly harmonic and memorable unto itself. "Detour Ahead" is turned into a bossa and is well done here, but the swinging version might be preferable to those who know this classic song well. On the other hand, the outstanding "I Told Ya' I Love Ya', Now Get Out" is a better adaptation with call and response squawking between Enevoldsen and Ellis perfectly depicting a couple's spat. This interesting 1963 prelude session from Ellis and Almeida together marked the beginnings of a tuneful and spicy partnership, and is a worthwhile addition and longstanding buried treasure in the discography of all participants. ~Michael G. Nastos

Three Guitars In Bossa Nova Time

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Kalapana - Kalapana I

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 37:26
Size: 85.7 MB
Styles: Folk, Soft rock
Year: 1975/1995
Art: Front

[3:01] 1. Going Going Gone
[3:33] 2. The Hurt
[2:41] 3. Nightbird
[2:57] 4. What Do I Do
[2:47] 5. To Be True
[3:00] 6. When The Morning Comes
[4:24] 7. Naturally
[4:27] 8. All I Want
[3:01] 9. Kona Daze
[3:08] 10. You Make It Hard
[4:23] 11. Everything Is Love

Kalapana is a Hawaiian group that performs pop and soft rock music. They are known for their songs "Naturally" and "The Hurt".

In 1973, childhood friends David John (DJ) Pratt and Carl James Malani Bilyeu auditioned at the Rainbow Villa for Cecilio & Kapono. Malani was soloing at the Oar House in Hawaii Kai and DJ was downstairs at Chuck's in Sunlight with Kirk Thompson. They got together in DJ's grandfather's garage with Bryant Mackey Feary, another solo act, playing at the Oar House. They wrote songs, rehearsed, and at one point discussed the meaning of Kalapana. The literal translation of the word "Kalapana" is "sprouting money". Kirk said the meaning was "beat of the music", but he wanted "Dove" anyway. DJ thought it meant "Black Sand". Regardless, they named themselves Kalapana, playing their first gig at Chuck's in Hawaii Kai.

They became a regular band at a club called "The Toppe Ada Shoppe". They opened concerts for Earth, Wind & Fire, Batdorf & Rodney, The Moody Blues, Sly & The Family Stone, and Cecilio & Kapono. They released their first, self-titled album, Kalapana, which included Jackie Kelso on sax and flute, Bill Perry on bass and Larry Brown on drums.

Kalapana I

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Emerald City Jazz Orchestra - Come Rain Or Come Shine

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 78:30
Size: 179.7 MB
Styles: Big band
Year: 2005
Art: Front

[9:35] 1. Speak No Evil
[8:16] 2. Blues #3
[4:17] 3. Come Rain Or Come Shine
[6:08] 4. Infant Eyes
[5:51] 5. Call It Whatchawanna
[5:33] 6. Stella By Starlight
[4:15] 7. Manteca
[7:58] 8. Fee-Fi-Fo-Fum
[4:24] 9. In A Mellotone
[7:44] 10. Body And Soul
[7:36] 11. Amazing Grace
[6:48] 12. Jumpin' At The Woodside

A rule of thumb for any artistic endeavor is that a sequel is seldom as good as the original. The qualifier "seldom must be used because there are occasional exceptions to the rule. As luck would have it, here comes one now—the Emerald City Jazz Orchestra's remarkable followup to its debut album, Alive and Swingin'! (SMP 0004). In reviewing that earlier enterprise, I noted that "section work is immaculate, soloists are superb, and the rhythm section simply kicks ass. I happy to report that nothing has changed.

Well, that's not entirely true; there have been a couple of changes, but for the better. Baritone saxophonist Matso Limtiaco, who authored nine of the thirteen exemplary charts on Swingin'!, has written all of them this time, while the ECJO has picked up another stellar soloist, veteran trumpeter Vern Sielert. Besides being a superb arranger, Limtiaco is a capable improviser too, as he shows on Wayne Shorter's "Infant Eyes and Duke Ellington's "In a Mellow Tone.

Shorter is represented as well by "Speak No Evil and "Fee-Fi-Fo-Fum, Count Basie by "Jumpin' at the Woodside, Dizzy Gillespie by "Manteca, tenor saxophonist Johnny Griffin by "Call It Whatchawanna (showcasing one of the band's stylish tenors, Travis Ranney). Limtiaco also arranged the standards "Stella by Starlight, "Body and Soul (another feature for Ranney) and "Come Rain or Come Shine, plus the traditional hymn "Amazing Grace, which he dedicated to those who lost their lives in NYC on September 11, 2001.

The album's only recent composition, "Blues #3, was written by Limtiaco to spotlight the rhythm section (with crisp solos by bassist Steve Messick, drummer Ken French and pianist Reuel Lubag). While each of Limtiaco's charts is enticing, I was especially charmed by the quicker tempo on "Mellow Tone, which is here more assertive than mellow (as is Matso's solo), and the funky framework on "Body and Soul, which handsomely complements Ranney's evocative tenor. "Woodside doesn't sound a whole lot like Basie's classic theme but is nonetheless sharp and swinging on its own terms. Limtiaco says he tried to choose songs with great blowing opportunities for the soloists, and so he has. Besides those already mentioned, the resourceful ad-libbers include trombonists Nathan Vetter, Dan Marcus and Vic Anderson; altos Ben Roseth and Mark Taylor; and tenor Cliff Colon, who burns rubber on "Manteca, "Fee-Fi and "Woodside. The ensemble, as noted, is consistently trim and poised, vanquishing Limtiaco's strenuous charts with unflappable assurance.

The group's leader (and lead trumpeter), Kevin Seeley, writes in the liners that during the two recording sessions "no tune was played more than twice, and half of these tunes we caught on the first take! What a band! I'll second that. The studio sound is generally acceptable, the 78:55 playing time exemplary. Another slam dunk by the well-endowed ECJO, and one of the more impressive big band albums of the year. ~Jack Bowers

Kevin Seeley, leader, trumpet; Greg Lyons, Peter Green (6), Vern Sielert, Randy Burgeson, John Fricke, trumpet; Ben Roseth, Mark Taylor (1,4,5,8-10), Vanessa Sielert, Cliff Colon, Travis Ranney (1,4,5,8-10), Andrew Glynn, Steve Reincke (6), Matso Limtiaco, reeds; Vic Anderson, Greg Koehler (6), Nathan Vetter, Dan Marcus, Stuart Hambley (6), Bud Parker, trombone; Reuel Lubag, piano; Steve Messick, bass; Ken French, drums.

Come Rain Or Come Shine

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