Red Rodney - Borrowed Times: Quintets 1955-1959 (2-Disc Set)

Red Rodney was a brash young trumpeter who had the mark of greatness before narcotics cut short his career. His lowest point came in January 1953, when a judge in Chicago sentenced him to Leavenworth for five years. Rodney was released on parole in March 1955, having served two years of his sentence, and shortly thereafter he recorded an album for Fantasy (tracks #1-12).

His luck ran out again in November 1955, and he was sentenced to serve the remainder of his term at the Lexington, Ky., federal narcotics hospital. His release on June 5, 1957 was something of an event among aficionados, and the results of his recording contract with Signal (tracks #13-15 on CD-1, and #1-3 on CD-2), are proof of just how much he still had to offer to jazz. He got hooked again for a while after that, until early 1959, when he made a new and brief—but successful—comeback to the scene, cutting a new LP, this time for Argo.

Remarkably, the three stunning albums included in this set were made while Red was living on borrowed time, between one incarceration and the next. “I can only repeat what Bird said” he once explained about addiction. “‘Don’t do as I do, do as I say.’”

CD 1, tracks #1-12 from "Modern Music From Chicago" (Fantasy 3-208).
CD 1, tracks #13-15 & CD 2, tracks #1-3 from "Red Rodney: 1957" (Signal S 1206).
CD 2, tracks #4-11 from "Red Rodney Returns" (Argo LP 643).

Personnel on "Modern Music From Chicago": Red Rodney (tp, vcl on #1), Ira Sullivan (ts on #1-5, 7, 8, 10-12, tp only on #6), Norman Simmons (p), Victor Sproles (b), Roy Haynes (d). Recorded at Universal Studios, Chicago, IL, June 8 [#1-10] and 27 [#11-12].

Personnel on "Red Rodney: 1957": Red Rodney (tp), Ira Sullivan (ts, tp), Tommy Flanagan (p), Oscar Pettiford (b), Philly Joe Jones (d on CD 1, #13-15), Elvin Jones (d on CD 2, #1-3). Recorded at Rudy Van Gelder Studio in Hackenshack, New Jersey, on November 22, 1957 [CD 1, #13-15] and November 24, 1957 [CD 2, #1-3].

Personnel on "Red Rodney Returns": Red Rodney (tp), Billy Root (ts), Danny Kent (p), Jay Cave (b), Frank Young (d). Recorded at Reco-Art Studios, Philadelphia, Pa, February 16 & 17, 1959.

Album: Borrowed Times: Quintets 1955-1959 (Disc 1)
Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 68:33
Size: 156.9 MB
Styles: Trumpet jazz
Year: 2011

[ 3:09] 1. I Love The Rhythm In A Riff
[ 3:07] 2. Taking A Chance On Love
[ 3:12] 3. Dig This
[ 5:48] 4. Red Is Blue
[ 2:53] 5. Clap Hands, Here Comes Charlie
[ 4:10] 6. On Mike
[ 3:54] 7. The Song Is You
[ 4:17] 8. You And The Night And The Music
[ 4:39] 9. Laura
[ 3:44] 10. Daddy-O
[ 3:38] 11. Hail To Dale
[ 3:37] 12. Jeffie
[10:49] 13. Star Eyes
[ 5:30] 14. You Better Go Now
[ 6:01] 15. Stella By Starlight

Borrowed Times: Quintets 1955-1959 (Disc 1)

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Album: Borrowed Times: Quintets 1955-1959 (Disc 2)
Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 60:46
Size: 139.1 MB
Styles: Trumpet jazz
Year: 2011
Art: Front

[5:07] 1. Red Arrow
[5:56] 2. Box 2000
[4:51] 3. Ubas
[6:33] 4. Shaw Nuff
[6:02] 5. Red Hot And Blue
[6:05] 6. I Remember You
[4:20] 7. 5709
[5:41] 8. Whirlwind
[6:10] 9. Jordu
[5:28] 10. Shelley
[4:27] 11. Two By Two

Borrowed Times: Quintets 1955-1959 (Disc 2)

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Ellen Vanderslice - Let's Pretend

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 48:10
Size: 110.3 MB
Styles: Jazz vocals
Year: 2011
Art: Front

[5:27] 1. Let's Pretend
[2:34] 2. Living A Dream
[3:43] 3. Down At The Goodwill
[3:17] 4. One Little Kiss
[4:19] 5. One More Time To Say Goodbye
[4:05] 6. They Can't Take That Away From Me
[4:55] 7. The Probability Of Love
[4:16] 8. Come On Back, Anytime
[4:37] 9. I'm Not Susceptible To Love
[3:05] 10. Why Am I The Last To Know
[4:31] 11. All That's Missing Is You
[3:16] 12. Sweet Elusive One

One of two CDs released 12/3/2011, this one features Ellen herself singing 11 numbers from the Ellen Vanderslice songbook, plus one Gershwin tune! Ellen is accompanied by some of Portland's finest jazz musicians. Phil Baker, bass, also produced the album. The piano chair is split between Tony Pacini and Greg Goebel. Mike Horsfall, who co-wrote many of the tunes, plays vibes. With Neil Masson on drums and Lee Wuthenow on tenor sax, these numbers sound great.

Let's Pretend

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Dusko Goykovich - Samba Do Mar

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 60:02
Size: 137.4 MB
Styles: Latin jazz
Year: 2003
Art: Front

[6:37] 1. Samba Do Mar
[5:39] 2. Jim's Ballad
[6:04] 3. Chega De Saudade (No More Blues)
[7:59] 4. Insensatez
[6:00] 5. Bachianas Brasileiras No. 5 (Arr. For Trumpet, Guitar, Double Bass And Drums)
[3:47] 6. The Fish
[6:35] 7. Quo Vadis
[5:04] 8. Love And Deception
[5:32] 9. Danca Comigo
[6:40] 10. Sunset

Born in 1931 in Jajce (Bosnia, SFR Yugoslavia), Dusko Goykovich studied at the Music Academy in Belgrade from 1948 to 1953. As a youth he played with several jazz and dixie bands, mostly for dancing audiences and eventually on parties at the embassies of the capital. When the 18-year-old joined the Radio Big Band of Belgrade, he was considered a talented young jazz man who also can read music. When he left the band five years later, he had grown into a fine big band player and featured soloist. Dusko went to Germany where he quickly became an integral part of its uprising young jazz scene. In 1956 he made his first record as a member of the Frankfurt All-Stars.

After a short stint in the big band of Munich’s Max Greger, Dusko stayed for four and a half years with Kurt Edelhagen’s band, then Europe’s leading jazz orchestra. Francy Boland, Claus Ogermann, Jerry van Rooyen and Rob Pronk were among the arrangers who worked for Edelhagen. In addition to being the band’s premier trumpet soloist, Dusko performed with such as Stan Getz and Chet Baker. It came as no surprise when in 1958 he was invited to play with the Newport International Youth Band at the Newport Jazz Festival. Other members of the Newport band included Albert Mangelsdorff, Ronnie Ross, George Gruntz, and Gábor Szábo.

Following the performance at Newport, Dusko’s trumpet became very popular in Europe. In 1961 the Berklee School of Music offered the 29-year-old a grant for studying composition and arrangement in Boston where Herb Pomeroy was to become one of his teachers. Looking forward to writing his own arrangements for his great love, the big band, Dusko concentrated on his studies at Berklee so exclusively that he regrettingly turned down offers by Count Basie, Stan Kenton and Benny Goodman to join their bands. While at Berklee Dusko (now also on flugelhorn) recorded with the Berklee School Quintet and Orchestra including fellow students such as Gary Burton, Mike Gibbs, Sadao Watanabe, Steve Marcus, Mike Nock, and Dave Young.

When he had just finished his studies and prepared his return to Germany, Dusko received a call from Canadian bandleader Maynard Ferguson offering him Rolf Ericson’s place (who had just left to join Ellington). Of course, Dusko accepted. Ferguson, a virtuoso trumpeter himself, featured him as a second trumpet soloist and even used some of his big band arrangements. When Ferguson’s band split in 1964, Dusko joined Woody Herman and stayed with him for a year. It was his work for Herman that founded Dusko’s international reputation as an outstanding big band player and soloist. “Woody Herman encouraged me a lot,” Dusko recalls. “He not only accepted my big band charts (with a single exception), but also recorded all of them.”

Samba Do Mar

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Bob Wilber - Bob Wilber & The Three Amigos

Styles: Clarinet And Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2012
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 70:41
Size: 162,8 MB
Art: Front

(5:01)  1. Limehouse Blues
(6:10)  2. Tampa Bay Trot
(2:58)  3. Jubilee Stomp
(4:00)  4. Passport to Paradise
(4:17)  5. Keepin' Out of Mischief Now
(5:56)  6. Black and Tan Fantasy
(6:32)  7. Bernfest '96
(4:31)  8. The Mooche
(5:59)  9. Avalon
(4:19) 10. In an Old Deserted Ballroom
(3:42) 11. Basie-issimo
(4:46) 12. Blue Horizon
(3:08) 13. The Best Things in Life Are Free
(3:56) 14. Willow Weep for Me
(5:20) 15. Isotope Rag

The Three Amigos is not a table-hopping Mariachi band, but an ever-cruising all-star jazz combo, so dubbed during a gig in Mexican waters when they first played together. Don’t let the Alaskan wolf jackets throw you off, they are mementos from another cruise destination, the 49th state. If luxurious cruise ships come to mind, you’ve got the picture. This particular journey took the Amigos to a Florida studio where the eight world-class Amigos led by Bob Wilber strut their stuff, whether as soloists or tight ensemble players, backed by a swinging rhythm section, fresh from the Third Arbors Invitational Jazz Party. As these notes are written, the Amigos are getting ready to gear up for a round trip Jazzdagen -sponsored cruise from Los Angeles to Mexico. The Alaskan wolf jackets will be held in reserve. http://www.arborsrecords.com/recordtemplate.html?ProductID=19424

Personnel: Bob Wilber-soprano sax, clarinet; Pieter Meijers-soprano sax, clarinet; Antti Sarpila-soprano sax, clarinet; Rossano Sportiello-piano; Bucky Pizzarelli-guitar; John Cocuzzi-vibes; Nicki Parrott-bass; Eddie Metz Jr-drums

Bob Wilber & The Three Amigos

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Anne Burnell - Blues In The Night - Songs By Harold Alden

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2005
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 61:12
Size: 140,7 MB
Art: Front

(4:09)  1. Blues in the Night
(3:38)  2. A Woman's Prerogative
(5:18)  3. Happiness is a Thing Called Joe
(5:09)  4. I Gotta Right to Sing the Blues
(5:35)  5. Last Night When We Were Young
(5:19)  6. Over the Rainbow
(5:48)  7. Stormy Weather
(5:24)  8. Paris is a Lonely Town
(4:03)  9. Come Rain or Come Shine
(5:39) 10. I'll Wind
(6:43) 11. The Man That Got Away
(4:22) 12. Happy With the Blues

Despite having chosen Arlen songs with primarily sad lyrics, Anne Burnell's CD is not one of those collections of laments which "cry" out to be listened to with a pint of whiskey and a quart of self-pity. She does not wallow in melodrama, and the light, jazzy arrangements keep things sunny enough, despite the foreboding musical weather forecast: "Stormy Weather," "Ill Wind" and "Come Rain Or Come Shine." She seems to be "Happy With The Blues," a 1961 tune with a lyric by Peggy Lee (it also served as the title of a biography of Harold Arlen - sadly, his biographer Edward Jablonski died about a year before the centennial kicked off). Known as Anne Pringle before her marriage to pianist Mark Burnell, who plays solidly on the CD and co-produced it with her, the singer is based in Chicago.

Ms. Burnell has a likeable, sincere, unpretentious quality but does not always sound comfortable and in the center of the note. It's odd, because when she's on target, she is fine and in sync with the big picture of the arrangement and the musicians. She phrases naturally and easily, rarely losing the story of the lyric, even when she and the players are also going for a jazz lick. Count Basie Band alumnus Bob Ojeda provides the tasteful arrangements and is a major asset, featured in trumpet solos. More variety in vocal and instrumental colors and tempi would have been welcome. "Happiness Is A Thing Called Joe" is more thoughtfully done than some of the others, and wins favor by including the verse, and is one of three tracks with the welcome, prominent addition of solo violin. The band is strong here, but his CD can't be wholeheartedly recommended, even though its heart is clearly in the right place. http://www.talkinbroadway.com/sound/mar1505.html

Award winning Jazz vocalist Anne Burnell, formerly Anne Pringle, releases her new CD "Blues in the Night: songs by Harold Arlen" as part of this great American composers centennial celebration.
Harold Arlen wrote "Stormy Weather", Come Rain or Come Shine", "Over the Rainbow" and many more. With arrangements by Count Basie Band veteran, Bob Ojeda, the CD features some of jazz's all time great performers including Ojeda on trumpet, former Frank Sinatra trombonist Bill Porter, and Chicago's own legendary violinist Johnny Frigo. Anne Burnell performs at festivals and clubs including the 2004 Chicago Humanities Festival, and five consecutive years at Chicago's largest music festival, The Taste of Chicago. She performed with her husband, pianist/vocalist Mark Burnell throughout Chicago, Pittsburgh, New York and toured internationally in Amsterdam, Italy, and Paris. "She can send shivers down your spine" - Chicago Tribune"I could listen to her for hours"- NBC Chicago  http://www.cduniverse.com/productinfo.asp?pid=7171541&style=music

Blues In The Night - Songs By Harold Alden

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Coleman Hawkins - At Ease

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2006
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 41:33
Size: 95,4 MB
Art: Front

(6:07)  1. For You, For Me, Forevermore
(3:31)  2. While We're Young
(5:08)  3. Then I'll Be Tired Of You
(3:59)  4. Mighty Like A Rose
(4:38)  5. At Dawning
(5:25)  6. Trouble Is A Man
(6:05)  7. Poor Butterfly
(6:36)  8. I'll Get By (As Long As I Have You)

In this crazy run-around world where we never really have time to stop and appreciate all the good things in our lives, it is pretty hard to make time for Coleman Hawkins. But that is precisely why it is so important to do so. They really never invented a saxophone player better than him, and very few musicians have ever gotten closer to what jazz is supposed to be.  At Ease with Coleman Hawkins, originally released in 1960, is like a 42-minute journey into Zen simplicity, with a touch of sexy swagger on the side. Many people today have forgotten just how good the Bean was at this stage of his career. But just because none of the work here is as revolutionary as his work in the 1920s, '30s or '40s doesn't mean these songs aren't full of beauty and invention. His work here on "Then I'll Be Tired of You" starts off kind of sleepy, all loopy Dean Martin phrases, and then gets slightly more beboppy as things go on, until he sounds like Sonny Rollins or someone like that. (Funny quotation work in this solo too!) And there's no mistaking his majesty on the ancient chestnut "At Dawning" or his predatory stroll through the just-as-ancient "Poor Butterfly." But At Ease is not just all pretty notes and assurance. 

Hawkins was smart to have bopper Tommy Flanagan as his pianist here you can hear the two push each other on the opener, "For You, For Me, Forevermore," generations teaching each other how to cook. Flanagan's beautiful intro on "Mighty Like a Rose" ends up presaging his pretty solo two minutes later. And the rhythm section stars throughout. Osie Johnson's drumming is always amazing, but Wendell Marshall deserves special marks for his bass line at the start of "I'll Get By." This recording isn't fiery or out there, but it's about as solid as one can be, and it proves (for about the millionth time) the mastery of Coleman Hawkins. So what's not to love? ~ Matt Cibula  http://www.allaboutjazz.com/at-ease-with-coleman-hawkins-coleman-hawkins-prestige-records-review-by-matt-cibula.php#.VFkQdcmHmtg
 

Personnel: Coleman Hawkins: tenor saxophone; Tommy Flanagan: piano; Wendell Marshall: bass; Osie Johnson: drums.

At Ease

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Christian Tamburr - Places

Styles: Vibraphone Jazz
Year: 2011
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 51:21
Size: 117,8 MB
Art: Front

(5:08)  1. Eleanor Rigby
(6:17)  2. Body and Soul
(6:54)  3. Sailing Serenity
(6:46)  4. Places
(6:08)  5. Phantoms
(5:22)  6. You and the Night and the Music
(4:08)  7. Flower Waltz
(4:50)  8. Chu's Blues
(5:42)  9. La Carretara

Composer, arranger and multi-instrumentalist, Christian Tamburr has mastered the art of musical communication, expression and creativity. Without the luxury of vocals, instrumentalists must rely on a pallet of notes, rhythms, sounds and phrasing to tell their story. Making a connection of feeling and emotion is the challenge. Mr. Tamburr kicks open that door and confidently gives the listener a platform to feel the emotion and react. His music expertly begins an engaging conversation. All the listener needs to do is accept it and join in. The music veers clear of dictating the feeling so it can go in its own direction. The conversational musician which Mr. Tamburr has become produces an easy and natural attraction. His instrument, the vibraphone, requires an intense sensitivity demanded by few instruments employed in a jazz context. It takes years of getting to know the inner workings and personality of the vibraphone for a master to coax out the elusive beauty. He/she must use dynamicsl, textures and note blends all controlled by the colorfully yarn-wrapped mallets. The work to achieve a beautiful sound must be appreciated. The result is like no other instrument and worth serious investigation. Again, Christian Tamburr has put in the time and is “one” with his instrument. Music selected for “Places” includes something for everyone. Getting things started is a burning version of the mysterious Beatle classic “Eleanor Rigby”. 

The rhythm section builds a supportive, controlled pace for the soloists to present their own improvisational interpretations always showing respect for composer, John Lennon. Nice curious opening! Most every jazz musician has done a version of “Body and Soul.” This quartet plays with the melody and rhythm in a way that ensures interest is captured. Never “mailing it in” on this often overplayed composition listen to the hide and seek approach that at the end of the day is really swinging and respectful of its roots. The first original composition “Sailing Serenity” glides gently as a genuinely relaxed melody with a light yet driving rhythm section keeping all afloat. Each round of the musical form deals an intensified amount energy until passing solo duties from vibraphone to piano only to start anew. Peacefully intense!The title composition “Places” jumps eagerly with a playful meter keeping things bouncing and energetic. The rhythm section drives and encourages Mr. Tamburr to elevate his playing ultimately relinquishing front line duties to Eric Reed’s piano which capably picks up and maintains a masterfully musical solo without hesitation. Beautifully swinging composition. Good jazz ensembles know when to slow things down to catch its musical breath. Choosing the Kenny Baron composition, “Phantom” does just that. This eerie yet romantic ballad showcases the color and clarity of another combined vibraphone/piano interlude. Enough said, just listen when you need a cleansing from a stressful day. Prefect prescription! “You the Night and the Music” begins with a clean, musical introduction with the drums Tamburr is coaxed to enter. 

A “cat and mouse” game ensues until the bass and piano joining in to make this 1934 Arthur Schwartz composition truly simmer. Very nice feature of the entire ensemble and especially drummer Greg Wyser-Pratte. All good jazz quartets have a waltz or two in their bag. Christian Tamburr does not go to the standards bag here. Instead he offers his own composition, “Flower Waltz.” By this time, the quartet is finishing each other’s musical sentences. They fit light a favorite pair of jeans. Chu’s Blues gives it up for ultra-supportive bassist John Shifflett, who gets some front time on this fun up tempo blues. Tamburr takes over and tap dances on the vibraphone with his own joyride only to again turn over control to pianist Eric Reed who builds his own message. Playfully trading fours with Wyser-Pratte ends this fun blues by sending it back to the melody for a final call. Swinging indeed. Why not end with the powerful and emotionally charged ballad La Carretara written by Rafael Ferro and previously recorded by Julio Iglesias on his 1996 album of the same name. Fitting as Christian Tamburr served as Mr. Iglesias’ Musical Director for many years. Just try to find where the piano ends and the vibraphone begins. This is a fine example of pure ensemble playing. So, take some time to get away either on a trip or with the close of your eyes. When you do, put Christian Tamburr’s CD “Places” on your packing list. See for yourself if you don’t end up in places you might not have dreamed of, whether close to home or far away. ~ Bruce Pulver  http://jazztimes.com/community/articles/29137-with-christian-tamburr-s-places-cd-listen-and-escape-to-wherever-you-want-to-go

Personnel: Christian Tamburr (vibraphone); Eric Reed (piano); Greg Wyser-Pratte (drums).

Places

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Jonny Henderson - Where Did I Leave My Keys

Size: 133,4 MB
Time: 57:29
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2009
Styles: Jazz: Hammond Organ
Art: Front

01. The Heist (5:17)
02. Shotgun Lazy (5:07)
03. Jibba Jabba (5:18)
04. Dustbowl (5:25)
05. Sweet Chilli Groove (5:26)
06. Slumdog (7:06)
07. The Old Pram Swerve (4:50)
08. Make Me An Offer (4:32)
09. I Gotta Call Miles (4:52)
10. North View (9:31)

"Where Did I Leave My Keys?" is Jonny Henderson's debut album as a leader, featuring ten groove-laden instrumentals that you just can't help moving to. Laced with funk, jazz, blues and soul, this album takes the Hammond organ work Jonny is known for with bands like the Matt Schofield Trio and throws a variety of other vintage sounds into the mix: Wurlitzer and Rhodes electric pianos, Clavinet and even a touch of Melodica.

Featuring:
Jonny Henderson - Hammond Organ, Electric Pianos, Clavinet, Melodica
Daisy Palmer - Drums
Denny Ilett - Guitar (tracks 2, 5 & 8)
Simon Law - Rhythm Guitar (tracks 5 & 10)
Gary Alesbrook - Trumpet (tracks 7 & 10)
Andy Kinsman - Saxophone (tracks 7 & 10)

Where Did I Leave My Keys

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Lania - Deja Vu EP

Size: 55,1 MB
Time: 23:39
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2014
Styles: Jazz/Pop Vocals
Art: Front

01. Stories (3:39)
02. Time (4:45)
03. Didn't You Know (7:26)
04. What If (4:17)
05. Chocolate (3:30)

Lania is a jazz band from Austria with a psychedelic guitar, atmospheric tracks and a great singer, Stefanie Fettner, leading the band through the compositions.

Deja Vu

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Ron Hawking - The Song Is You

Size: 82,7 MB
Time: 35:06
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2014
Styles: Jazz Vocals
Art: Front

01. You Make Me Feel So Young (2:21)
02. The Coffee Song (2:00)
03. The Song Is You (2:31)
04. It Was A Very Good Year World On A String (5:00)
05. Come Rain Or Come Shine (2:45)
06. The Lady Is A Tramp (2:55)
07. The Way You Look Tonight (3:05)
08. My Funny Valentine (2:33)
09. Witchcraft (3:06)
10. I've Got You Under My Skin (3:25)
11. Ring-A-Ding-Ding (2:14)
12. Angel Eyes (3:06)

Ron Hawking is a big band vocal artist that knows how to swing in the best of that tradition. In his latest CD album release "The Song Is You" he opens with "You Make Me Feel So Young" and closes with the jazz classic "Angel Eyes, and everything in between is pure pleasure. Ron Hawking is an award winning singer and entertainer that was honored at this year's Chicago Music Awards . He has self-produced and starred in the long running hit musical "His Way" a tribute to Frank Sinatra that ran for over 7 years. He also created and starred in the critically acclaimed show "Ron Hawking Celebrates The Men & their Music"...a salute to the legendary singers, songwriters and performers that have touched all of our lives.
Ron has performed at New York's Carnegie Hall, as well as, many other prestigious theaters and arts centers across the country.
He's currently promoting a reprise of his critically acclaimed show, "His Way", that will celebrate Sinatra's centennial birth year in a tour for 2015.

The Song Is You

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Abdullah Ibrahim - The Song Is My Story

Size: 104,5 MB
Time: 39:18
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2014
Styles: Jazz: Piano Jazz
Art: Front

01. Celestial Bird Dance (1:15)
02. Threshold (3:21)
03. Open Door Within (3:45)
04. Unfettered Muken (1:50)
05. Spiral Mist (2:13)
06. Just Arrived (3:26)
07. Kalahari Pleiades (6:08)
08. For Coltrane, Pt. 1 (0:54)
09. Twelve By Twelve (1:38)
10. Shadows Lean Against My Song (1:49)
11. The Song Is My Story (1:29)
12. Marinska (2:13)
13. African Dawn (0:36)
14. Eclipse At Dawn (1:58)
15. Phambili - Looking Ahead (1:38)
16. For Coltrane, Pt. 2 (4:25)
17. Children Dance (0:32)

The charismatic Abdullah Ibrahim is South Africa's most distinguished pianist and a world-respected master musician. He releases the solo piano album 'The Song Is My Story' to celebrate his 80th birthday, 2014 also marks 20 years since the end of apartheid.

Abdullah Ibrahim visited Sacile, Italy in the summer of 2014, played on the legendary "Fazioli" grand piano and visited the workshop where these pianos are crafted. There is a concert hall in Sacile with fantastic instruments, which sound as if they were created especially for Ibrahim. He recorded this CD there, a mixture of free improvisations and performances of his classic compositions such as a "For Coltrane" and "African Dawn". Fortunately, professional films were shot during those days, so 'The Song Is My Story' also includes a DVD with concert excerpts, as well as conversations with Abdullah Ibrahim.

Ibrahim explains his approach to creating music in the liner notes: "There are people who can only play if they have sheet music. But we others improvise without knowing where we are headed. This makes us free. We don't fear situations that we don't know. We have a song, rhythm, harmony and pitch, and then we start to play with that, turn everything upside down...We jazz musicians are not afraid of letting things take their course. "

Personnel: Abdullah Ibrahim (piano)

"The humble high priest of international jazz." - The Guardian

The Song Is My Story

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Ana Velinova - December Wishing EP

Size: 50,4 MB
Time: 21:39
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2014
Styles: Jazz Vocals
Art: Front

01. I've Got My Love To Keep Me Warm (4:12)
02. December Wishing (3:31)
03. Snowfall (4:56)
04. Find Someone To Love (3:58)
05. Peace (5:00)

A Different Kind of Holiday Jazz Album: In times of great global turmoil, Ana Velinova offers a different kind of holiday album with a selection of songs on universal themes of Peace, Unity and Love. Backed up by the extraordinary talents of Marc Seales on piano, Jeff Johnson on bass, and Byron Vannoy on drums, Velinova pays tribute to Horace Silver with 'Peace' and also features her original compositions 'December Wishing' and 'Find Someone To Love.' With this special holiday production Velinova aims to inspire people from all social and spiritual backgrounds.

December Wishing

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Blue Rodeo - A Merrie Christmas To You

Size: 84,1 MB
Time: 35:43
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2014
Styles: Country Rock, Holiday
Art: Front

01. Jesus Christ (2:39)
02. Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas (3:54)
03. If We Make It Through December (2:35)
04. River (4:43)
05. O Come All Ye Faithful (3:40)
06. Getting Ready For Christmas Day (4:20)
07. Glad To Be Alive (3:55)
08. Home To You This Christmas (3:20)
09. Song For A Winter's Night (3:04)
10. Christmas Must Be Tonight (3:29)

While we may all have ghouls and ghosts on our minds right now thanks to the rapidly approaching Halloween, Blue Rodeo are looking further ahead with their newly announced holiday album A Merrie Christmas to You. The upcoming festival offering will arrive both physically and digitally on Tuesday (November 4) through Warner.

Although the album includes a couple of well-known Christmas tunes — "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" and "O Come All Ye Faithful" — the rest are a slightly more modern. There are covers of Joni Mitchell, Big Star, Paul Simon, Gordon Lightfoot, the Band and more. There are also two Blue Rodeo originals: Jim Cuddy's brand-new "Home to You This Christmas" and a re-recording of Greg Keelor's "Glad to Be Alive."

The album was recorded in a week at their very own Woodshed Studio in Toronto. Each song was captured live.

"The songs are as much about the season as they are about the actual day," Cuddy said in a statement about the selection of material. "The criteria for choosing material were to find songs that we could actually sing and make our own." ~By Alex Hudson

A Merrie Christmas To You

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Erroll Garner - Penthouse Serenade

Bitrate: 320K/s

Time: 44:27

Size: 101.8 MB

Styles: Easy Listening, Piano jazz

Year: 2005

Art: Front

[2:17] 1. This Can't Be Love

[2:45] 2. I Want A Little Girl

[2:40] 3. Undecided

[2:56] 4. Love Walked In

[2:58] 5. Penthouse Serenade (When We're Alone)

[2:56] 6. All The Things You Are

[2:56] 7. Body And Soul

[2:43] 8. More Than You Know

[2:33] 9. (Back Home Again In) Indiana

[2:41] 10. Laura

[2:43] 11. Somebody Loves Me

[2:47] 12. All Of Me

[3:06] 13. Stormy Weather

[2:58] 14. I'm Confessin'

[2:35] 15. Moonglow

[2:46] 16. On The Sunny Side Of The Street

Taken from four separate sessions between 1945-1949, Penthouse Serenade showcases Erroll Garner's early recordings for Savoy. Garner's playful, melodic, and whimsical piano runs on this set of standards never cease to amaze. While the melodies of these tunes are immediately recognizable, Garner managed to exert artistic license while still connecting on a commercial level. On the majority of these tracks, Garner is supported by John Simmons on bass and Alvin Stoller on drums, with the exception of "(Back Home Again In) Indiana," "Laura," and "Somebody Loves Me," on which they are replaced by John Levy on bass and drummer George DeHart. This is a decent set for those who want to investigate Garner's pre-Columbia recordings. ~Al Campbell

Penthouse Serenade 

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The Harry Allen-Joe Cohn Quartet - Music From Guys & Dolls

Bitrate: 320K/s

Time: 70:32

Size: 161.5 MB

Styles: Saxophone jazz, Guitar jazz, Vocal jazz

Year: 2007

Art: Front

[6:14] 1. Guys And Dolls

[4:13] 2. If I Were A Bell

[3:00] 3. A Woman In Love

[5:03] 4. Luck Be A Lady

[7:52] 5. Pet Me, Poppa

[4:20] 6. Sue Me

[5:08] 7. Marry The Man Today

[5:09] 8. Take Back Your Mink

[3:49] 9. Adelaide

[4:06] 10. I've Never Been In Love Before

[3:25] 11. Fugue For Tinhorns

[4:44] 12. Adelaide's Lament

[3:41] 13. Sit Down You're Rockin' The Boat

[5:44] 14. I'll Know

[3:58] 15. Guys And Dolls

In spite of a long successful jazz career, many of tenor saxophonist Harry Allen's recordings have been for European and Japanese labels. So it is good to see him on a mainstream American label like Arbors, where he'll get greater exposure in his homeland. Joining him for this Frank Loesser songbook consisting of 14 songs from the Broadway musical and movie Guys and Dolls are guitarist Joe Cohn, bassist Joel Forbes, and drummer Chuck Riggs, with vocalists Rebecca Kilgore and Eddie Erickson added on most tracks. Allen is a consistent swinger with a pleasing tone that sometimes makes it sound like an alto, while Cohn is a guitarist of the Jim Hall school; he can play with the best of them but he knows how to leave plenty of space and not overplay his hand. Instead of using three vocalists singing rounds in "Fugue for Tinhorns," Allen, Cohn, and Forbes take their place in an intricate arrangement. While "If I Were a Bell," "'Luck Be a Lady," and "I've Never Been in Love Before" have long been standards for jazz musicians, it is the less frequently performed numbers that merit special attention. Kilgore's subtle interpretation of "Marry the Man Today" is complemented by Allen's robust tenor. Erickson's warm take of "Adelaide" shows what an underrated vocalist he is. Kilgore and Erickson, whether singing duets or individual features, are engaging singers who can't help but warm the listener's heart, but their mastery of comic songs like "Sue Me" is also a treat. Because the vocalists have worked together frequently over the years, both at jazz parties and on a number of CDs (including their group BED, which also features Forbes and trombonist Dan Barrett), they have a built-in rapport with each other. Warmly recommended! ~Ken Dryden

Music From Guys & Dolls

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Sonny Rollins - Tenor Titan

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 59:51
Size: 137.0 MB
Styles: Mainstream, Straight ahead jazz
Year: 2002
Art: Front

[3:54] 1. St. Thomas
[5:49] 2. Four - Take A
[2:46] 3. Long Ago And Far Away
[9:30] 4. All The Things You Are
[5:55] 5. The Bridge
[7:24] 6. God Bless The Child
[8:17] 7. Dearly Beloved
[5:27] 8. Blue 'n' Boogie
[4:38] 9. Bluesongo
[6:05] 10. Don't Stop The Carnival

Despite his popularity as a performer, an unsatisfied Sonny Rollins took a three year hiatus from performing and recording to hone his technique. The image of him practicing on the Williamsburg Bridge during this period is one of jazz's enduring reference points. Once he returned in 1962, Rollins signed with RCA and released a series of albums that document uneven years of growth where he experimented with lineups and adopted the techniques of Ornette Coleman to his own style.

The recording of "All The Things You Are" with Coleman Hawkins points to the trouble with Rollins during this time; Hawk solos beautifully, but is crowded out by Rollins' obtrusive noodling. What we really want to hear is Rollins sounding more like Hawk, not deliberately trying to overwhelm him in abstraction. Rollins also picked up guitarist Jim Hall instead of a pianist, but Hall is simply too delicate to deal with the bullish tenor, and Rollins comes off sounding undermanned. The set also features a few tunes recorded with Don Cherry, again with no piano, in a very Coleman-like setting— which will make most people reach for The Shape Of Jazz to Come instead—and some mediocre dabblings with a choir.

Despite the growing pains of these recordings, there are a few highlights; a trio recording of "St. Thomas" and a lovely version of "God Bless The Child" with Hall hearken back to the classic Prestige years and are perfect examples of why Rollins is hailed as one of the greatest improvisers in jazz. Rollins eventually found a happy medium between his avant-garde leanings and his post- bop past, but much of Rollins' RCA material is inferior to his substantial body of work. Pick up any of the Prestige records instead. ~David Rickert

Tenor Titan

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Hot Club Of 52nd Street - S/T

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 45:23
Size: 103.9 MB
Styles: Gypsy swing
Year: 2004
Art: Front

[4:41] 1. Rosetta
[5:19] 2. On The Sunny Side Of The Street
[4:45] 3. Tangerine
[5:24] 4. Nuages
[4:51] 5. Strike Up The Band
[4:07] 6. Some Of These Days
[5:02] 7. Avalon
[5:30] 8. Melancholy Baby
[5:39] 9. I've Got Rhythm

It is hard to imagine two more appropriate guitarists to bring together for a tribute to the great Django Reinhardt than Bucky Pizzarelli and Howard Alden. They're joined by two other veterans, violinist Johnny Frigo and bassist Michael Moore, for this exciting set recorded at the A. C. Pianocraft Recital Hall in New York City, though it has the intimate sound of a recording made in a small nightclub. Although this is obviously a salute to the partnership of Reinhardt with violinist Stephane Grappelli, the approach is fresh due to interaction between the musicians and their frequently humorous solos. Frigo inserts a bit of pizzicato violin as the two guitar masters set the pace with Moore for a rapid fire take of "Tangerine." Reinhardt's "Nuages" has long been a favorite of guitarists, so Alden and Pizzarelli open this standard by themselves before they switch to the chugging rhythm made famous by the Quintet of the Hot Club of France. The interplay between Alden and Pizzarelli is incredible in the old chestnut "Avalon." The quartet finishes with a blazing interpretation of "I Got Rhythm." The only caveat about this terrific live session is the audience's insistence on regular enthusiastic applause as one solo gives way to the next, which results in drowning out the music itself. While the musicians likely appreciated the crowd's approval, it's a shame that they couldn't hold themselves in check until the conclusion of each performance. ~Ken Dryden

Hot Club Of 52nd Street

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Benny Carter - Big Band Bounce

Styles: Saxophone Jazz, Big Band
Year: 2010
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 38:37
Size: 89,4 MB
Art: Front

(2:35)  1. Forever Blues
(2:58)  2. Echoes Of Harlem
(2:49)  3. Salt Lake City Bounce
(2:59)  4. Stingy Blues
(3:13)  5. That's The Lick
(2:48)  6. I Can't Get Started
(2:58)  7. Love For Sale
(3:12)  8. Prelude To a Kiss
(3:17)  9. I Can't Escape From Here
(3:00) 10. I Surrender Dear
(2:51) 11. Just You, Just Me
(3:10) 12. House Of Joy
(2:43) 13. Everything But You

To say that Benny Carter had a remarkable and productive career would be an extreme understatement. As an altoist, arranger, composer, bandleader, and occasional trumpeter, Carter was at the top of his field since at least 1928, and in the late '90s, Carter was as strong an altoist at the age of 90 as he was in 1936 (when he was merely 28). His gradually evolving style did not change much through the decades, but neither did it become at all stale or predictable except in its excellence. Benny Carter was a major figure in every decade of the 20th century since the 1920s, and his consistency and longevity were unprecedented. Essentially self-taught, Benny Carter started on the trumpet and, after a period on C-melody sax, switched to alto. In 1927, he made his recording debut with Charlie Johnson's Paradise Ten. The following year, he had his first big band (working at New York's Arcadia Ballroom) and was contributing arrangements to Fletcher Henderson and even Duke Ellington. Carter was with Henderson during 1930-1931, briefly took over McKinney's Cotton Pickers, and then went back to leading his own big band (1932-1934). 

Already at this stage he was considered one of the two top altoists in jazz (along with Johnny Hodges), a skilled arranger and composer ("Blues in My Heart" was an early hit and would be followed by "When Lights Are Low"), and his trumpet playing was excellent; Carter would also record on tenor, clarinet (an instrument he should have played more), and piano, although his rare vocals show that even he was human. In 1935, Benny Carter moved to Europe, where in London he was a staff arranger for the BBC dance orchestra (1936-1938); he also recorded in several European countries. Carter's "Waltzing the Blues" was one of the very first jazz waltzes. He returned to the U.S. in 1938, led a classy but commercially unsuccessful big band (1939-1941), and then headed a sextet. In 1943, he relocated permanently to Los Angeles, appearing in the film Stormy Weather (as a trumpeter with Fats Waller) and getting lucrative work writing for the movie studios. 

He would lead a big band off and on during the next three years (among his sidemen were J.J. Johnson, Miles Davis, and Max Roach) before giving up on that effort. Carter wrote for the studios for over 50 years, but he continued recording as an altoist (and all-too-rare trumpeter) during the 1940s and '50s, making a few tours with Jazz at the Philharmonic and participating on some of Norman Granz's jam-session albums. By the mid-'60s, his writing chores led him to hardly playing alto at all, but he made a full "comeback" by the mid-'70s, and maintained a very busy playing and writing schedule even at his advanced age. Even after the rise of such stylists as Charlie Parker, Cannonball Adderley, Eric Dolphy, Ornette Coleman, and David Sanborn (in addition to their many followers), Benny Carter still ranks near the top of alto players. His concert and recording schedule remained active through the '90s, slowing only at the end of the millenium. After eight amazing decades of writing and playing, Benny Carter passed away quietly on July 13, 2003 at a Los Angeles hospital. He was 95.  Bio ~ Scott Yanow  http://www.allmusic.com/artist/benny-carter-mn0000790083/biography

Big Band Bounce

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Sheila Cooper & Fritz Pauer - Tales Of Love And Longing

Styles: Vocal And Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2007
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 50:35
Size: 116,3 MB
Art: Front

(4:52)  1. Winter Moon
(4:06)  2. He's Funny That Way
(7:54)  3. I'm A Fool To Want You
(6:38)  4. I Didn't Know About You
(4:52)  5. How Deep Is The Ocean
(4:56)  6. Lonely Woman
(4:00)  7. I Gravitate To You
(3:18)  8. Body And Soul
(7:06)  9. So In Love
(2:48) 10. A Kiss To Build A Dream On

This is a most impressive album from Sheila Cooper, accompanied by pianist Fritz Pauer. The identity issue here is further complicated by the fact that alto saxophonist Cooper/vocalist Cooper makes this recording a veritable trio album by virtue of her musicianship. Cooper, originally from Canada, is now based in Vienna, Austria, pairing with Pauer for her third album. These ten tracks are mostly vocals with one unaccompanied instrumental beauty upon which Cooper plays an impressive version of Green and Hyman's "Body and Soul." On other tunes, Cooper switches between alto sax or vocals in the melody lines and solos. The album begins with Hoagy Carmichael and Harold Adamson's haunting "Winter Moon," which carries a jazz-associated reference to Art Pepper's The Art of the Ballad (Prestige, 1956), with Cooper playing very much in the same style as the late altoist. Following her alto solo, the unhurried vocal portion of the track complements the instrumental perfectly. On Cole Porter's "So In Love" the song begins a capella, with Pauer joining in after the first chorus on piano sans sax. Cooper has a gifted vocal style, delivering these ten ballads with a great deal of intimacy and jazz phrasing. 

Her alto similarities to Lee Konitz are noticeable, while her vocal presentation could be compared to a number of jazz singers emeritus. It's hard not to draw a comparison to the June Christy and Stan Kenton's Duet (Capitol, 1955), in which a surprisingly restrained Kenton provided a soft piano cushion for vocalist Christy's cool delivery. The album's singular purpose of presenting an aptly titled collection of love songs works consistently, although the piano solo on Berlin's "How Deep Is The Ocean" is taken up-tempo. The song selection includes one Cooper original "I Gravitate to You," in addition to the rarely heard vocal version of Ornette Coleman's "Lonely Woman," concluding on an optimistic note with the Kalmar/Ruby standard, "A Kiss to Build A Dream On." Just what Sheila Cooper has planned for her next project is breathlessly awaited. ~ Michael P.Gladstone  http://www.allaboutjazz.com/tales-of-love-and-longing-sheila-cooper-candid-records-review-by-michael-p-gladstone.php

Personnel: Sheila Cooper: vocals, alto saxophone; Fritz Pauer: piano.

Tales Of Love And Longing

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Hilary Gardner - The Great City

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2014
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 39:49
Size: 92,1 MB
Scans:

(3:17)  1. No One After You
(3:34)  2. Brooklyn Bridge
(3:35)  3. The Great City
(4:52)  4. Autumn In New York
(4:06)  5. Drunk On The Moon
(2:29)  6. Sweetheart (Waitress In A Donut Shop)
(4:18)  7. You Came A Long Way From St. Louis
(3:28)  8. This Little Town Is Paris
(3:23)  9. Chelsea Morning
(3:24) 10. (Ah, The Apple Trees) When The World Was Young
(3:18) 11. Manhattan Avenue

New York City has its fair share of sobriquets "The City That Never Sleeps," "The Big Apple," and "Gotham" are just a few that spring to mind. It's a place of joy and frustration, triumph and tragedy, hope and despair, and all that exists between the extremes. It's a microcosm of the world we know, existing not as a great city, but as the great city. Just ask vocalist Hilary Gardner, an Alaskan- turned-New Yorker who's been soaking up New York City's aura and contributing to its cultural landscape since 2003. Plenty of musicians, in New York or any other locale across the globe, try to build careers around or atop recordings, but Gardner went the other way. She spent her first New York decade carving her place into the city's artistic fabric, working her way into the heart of live audiences at clubs, performing/collaborating with symphony orchestras, and taking Broadway by storm via her singing in Twyla Tharp's Frank Sinatra extravaganza Come Fly Away. Now, after firmly planting her flag in "The City So Nice, They Named Twice," Gardner delivers her leader debut a better-than-great offering called The Great City. 

To many, this record may seem like a throwback date. It's a classy collection of songs that speak, saunter, and/or swing with old world charm, but it's not a look into the distant past or an overly romanticized vision of New York life. It's a collection of stories that form a big(ger) picture about the city. There's an after after hours perspective ("Drunk On The Moon"), a touch of sadness mixed into a season of beauty ("Autumn In New York"), references to "Ol' Blue Eyes" ("Brooklyn Bridge"), and more. Through it all, Gardner proves to be poised, world-wise, and witty in her experience-shaded delivery. Crafting a program of music that successfully puts Leonard Cohen next to Sammy Cahn and Jule Styne, Tom Waits beside Vernon Duke, and Nellie McKay after Johnny Mercer is no easy feat, but Gardner makes it seem like a breeze. She ties all of the music together beautifully and she works with a simpatico crew that's able to bring her vision(s) to life. Pianist Ehud Asherie upholds and extends his reputation as an old soul living in modern times, guitarist Randy Napoleon serves as Gardner's most trusted guide, saxophonist Jason W. Marshall and trumpeter Tatum Greenblatt capture the essence of the past without coming off as affected, and the rest of the crew provides superb backing. The Great City may be a paean to New York on the surface, but it's something more: it's recorded evidence indicating that Hilary Garder is a superb singer deserving greater recognition. ~ Dan Bilawsky  http://www.allaboutjazz.com/the-great-city-hilary-gardner-anzic-records-review-by-dan-bilawsky.php#.VFjetMmHmtg
 

Personnel: Hilary Gardner: vocals; Tatum Greenblatt: trumpet; Jason Marshall: tenor saxophone; Ehud Asherie: piano; Jon Cowherd: Hammond C-3 organ; Randy Napoleon: guitar; Elias Bailey: acoustic bass; Jerome Jennings: drums.

The Great City

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