Tina May - No More Hanky Panky

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2012
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 52:37
Size: 120,9 MB
Art: Front

(3:59)  1. Around the World
(5:07)  2. Dansez Sur Moi
(5:35)  3. No More Hanky Panky
(3:01)  4. Chillin'
(4:32)  5. My Ship
(3:40)  6. This Is New
(4:58)  7. Waiting for the Breeze
(3:06)  8. My Little Sherri
(3:13)  9. Well, So Long
(4:00) 10. Tu Peux Compter Sur Moi
(3:28) 11. Tu Veux Ou Tu Veux Pas
(7:53) 12. My Ship (Bonus Version)

With would-be jazz singers appearing daily out of the woodwork, the occasional album from Tina May comes as a particular treat. Along with her other talents, such as writing witty lyrics to established jazz tunes in both English and French she possesses the basic but invaluable gift of swing. Among these dozen numbers is an almost throwaway version of "You Can Depend on Me", sung as a duet with veteran French star Marcel Zanini, which is simply immaculate in this respect. The Paris-based band is most impressive, especially pianist Patrick Villanueva and saxophonist Pascal Gaubert. ~ Dave Gelly  http://www.theguardian.com/music/2011/oct/09/tina-may-hanky-panky-review

May is on stunning form throughout...her vocalese treatment of Dexter Gordon's 'Hanky Panky' highlights her super-fine technical control. ~ Jazzwise, (Peter Quinn), December 2011 / January 2012

A particular treat...May possesses the basic but invaluable gift of swing...the Paris-based band is most impressive. ~ The Observer, (Dave Gelly), October 9, 2011  http://www.amazon.co.uk/More-Hanky-Panky-Tina-May/dp/B005H55VHK

No More Hanky Panky

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Jesper Thilo - Tributes

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2005
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 63:03
Size: 145,0 MB
Art: Front

(5:39)  1. Let's Face the Music and Dance
(7:15)  2. Four
(4:56)  3. I Got It bad and That Ain't Good
(6:55)  4. You Stepped out of a Dream
(6:44)  5. That Lucky Old Sun
(5:22)  6. Sweet Georgia Brown
(6:29)  7. Smoke Gets in Your Eyes
(6:04)  8. C'est Si Bon
(6:20)  9. Days of Wine and Roses
(7:14) 10. I'm Confessin'

One of the top European straight-ahead jazz musicians from 1970 onward, Danish reedman Jesper Thilo has appeared on many records with American artists in addition to recording with his fellow countrymen. His tenor sound is reminiscent of Zoot Sims. Thilo, who has also occasionally played alto and clarinet, first recorded as a leader for Storyville in 1973, and in the 1980s and 1990s on Storyville his sidemen at various times included Hank Jones, Kenny Drew, Clark Terry, Roland Hanna, and Harry "Sweets" Edison. Thilo also appeared on Miles Davis' Aura (with compositions and arrangements by fellow Dane Palle Mikkelborg), released by Columbia in 1989. After the turn of the millennium Thilo has continued recording for a variety of labels, including several releases on Stunt Records: Remembering Those That Were (2009), On Clarinet (2010), and Scott Hamilton Meets Jesper Thilo (2011). Bio ~ http://www.allmusic.com/artist/jesper-thilo-mn0000342073/biography

Tributes

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Willie Nelson - Island In The Sea

Styles: Country
Year: 1987
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 37:57
Size: 87,4 MB
Art: Front

(2:21)  1. Island In The Sea
(4:12)  2. Wake Me When It's Over
(3:15)  3. Little Things
(5:23)  4. Last Thing on My Mind
(2:33)  5. There Is No Easy Way (But There is a Way)
(2:50)  6. Nobody There But Me
(4:17)  7. Cold November Wind
(4:43)  8. Women Who Love Too Much
(5:09)  9. All in the Name of Love
(3:09) 10. Sky Train

Island in the Sea is a 1987 album by country singer Willie Nelson. Its title track was a minor hit. The album also includes the song "Nobody There But Me", featuring Bruce Hornsby and the Range, released as the second single. ~ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Island_in_the_Sea

Personnel: Willie Nelson – Guitar, vocals, producer; Paul English – Drums; Mickey Raphael – Harmonica; Bee Spears – Bass; Bobbie Nelson – Piano; Grady Martin – Guitar; Jody Payne – Guitar, vocals; Billy English – Percussion; Chip Young – Acoustic guitar; Mike Leech – Bass; David Briggs – Keyboards; Pete Wade – Electric Guitar; Martin Parker – Drums; Bobby Odgin – Piano; Farrell Morris – Percussion, vibes; Booker T. Jones – Drums, keyboards, acoustic guitar, bass; Bruce Hornsby – Piano, synthesizer; Peter Harris – Guitar; George Marinelli, jr. – Guitar; John Mollo – Drums; Joe Puerta – Bass; Bill Johnson – Art direction; Bill Imhoff – Illustration

Island In The Sea

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The Harper Brothers - Artistry

Styles: Jazz, Straight-Ahead Jazz
Year: 1991
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 65:54
Size: 151,6 MB
Art: Front

(8:39)  1. 1239A
(5:42)  2. Dakini
(3:36)  3. J.W.
(8:58)  4. Artistry
(7:11)  5. In God We Trust
(5:25)  6. Reflections
(5:55)  7. Belulah
(6:24)  8. Yes Sir, That's My Baby
(5:31)  9. A Mother's Love
(8:30) 10. Down on Duncan

During 1988-1992, the Harper Brothers were one of the leading Young Lions groups in jazz, younger musicians playing within the style of hard bop as typified by the 1960s recordings on Blue Note. The third of the Harper Brothers' four recordings is very much in the tradition, and much of the time sounds very much like 1965 or the early-'60s Jazz Messengers. Philip Harper's style mixes together aspects of Lee Morgan and Freddie Hubbard, Javon Jackson could almost pass for Joe Henderson, and the rhythm section is laid-back, soulful, supportive, and swinging. The originals are in the hard bop style (with "J.W." influenced by "Giant Steps"), and even "Yes Sir, That's My Baby" undergoes an effective transformation. The results are enjoyable if derivative. ~ Scott Yanow  http://www.allmusic.com/album/artistry-mw0000263268

The Harper Brothers: Phillip Harper (trumpet); Winard Harper (drums). Additional personnel: Javon Jackson (saxophone); Kevin Hayes (piano); Nedra Wheeler (bass).

Artistry

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Diane Nalini - Tales... My Mama Told Me

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2001
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 58:21
Size: 133,9 MB
Art: Front

(5:09)  1. Blues in the Night
(2:55)  2. Yellow Bird
(3:01)  3. Sometime Ago
(4:23)  4. La vie en rose
(5:23)  5. While You're Sleeping
(3:59)  6. Noturna
(4:05)  7. Mickey
(2:39)  8. Moose the Mooch
(4:51)  9. Les feuilles mortes
(3:55) 10. Cheek to Cheek
(4:11) 11. Corcovado
(4:44) 12. Cradle Song
(3:46) 13. Come Away
(5:13) 14. Lorelei

Diane Nalini was born in Montreal, Quebec, and began singing jazz at the age of three. A gifted and sophisticated singer; she has performed in the United Kingdom, Malta, South Africa, and Canada, and has received airplay in Denmark and Brazil. In addition to her flourishing jazz career, Nalini also studied Chinese calligraphy and watercolour for ten years with Virginia Chang. In that time she exhibited and sold paintings with Chang, and was also a member of the Ting Sung group. Nalini received an honours physics degree from McGill University, and earned a doctoratal degree in Physics from Oxford University as a Rhodes Scholar. She now works as a physics professor at the University of Guelph. Nalini released her first album, After Dusk, in 2001, and Tales … My Mama Told Me in 2002. Songs of Sweet Fire (2006) is her third full length album, and features original music set to the sonnets and songs of William Shakespeare. 

The evolution of the album dates back to 2000, when Nalini was a student in the UK. Having previously experimented setting music to texts by Lord Alfred Tennyson and García Lorca, she turned to Shakespeare for an ensemble show in Oxford. It was here that she first set original music to Shakespearean texts, completing “Mistress Mine” and “Rain Every Day,” two songs from Twelfth Night. Nalini comments that after her initial experience, “Shakespeare was in my blood, and every year after that, I would tackle a few more songs from the plays” (Setting Shakespeare to Music). Her fifteen-song collection covers a wide array of music, from original jazz to funk and blues. 

The sonnets and poems were each carefully selected, as she comments, “It was very important to me to let the phrasing of the words dictate the style of music I wrote for each song. I decided to set only those songs which were in more modern sounding English, to highlight the timelessness of Shakespeare’s words” (University of Guelph News Release).Nalini’s adaptation puts “a uniquely modern spin” on the words of Shakespeare, which is rarely done musically, and is rarer still within the jazz and blues genre (Biography). Her renditions have been hailed by critics as “overwhelming,” “eloquent,” and “captivating” (Diane Nalini Reviews). While Shakespeare’s plays and words have been an inspiration to musicians for centuries, spurring musicals, operas, and even rock music, Nalini states that her music has a fun, and original sound as it “is groove-based…. and rhythm-based” (Cosmic Coincidence and Shakespeare). It is this fresh sound that has great potential to deliver the unchanged words of Shakespeare, to an audience largely outside theatrical culture. 

Nalini also put another of her talent to work, as a means of adapting Shakespeare. The lyrics in the linear notes are accompanied by fifteen original watercolours she created for the album. Her designs, while not directly relatable to Shakespeare, without the corresponding prose, have a notable distinction as they are one example of how the works of Shakespeare have transposed into contemporary Canadian society, inspiring unlikely and beautiful contributions to the artistic community. In a recent proposal, Nalini outlines her visualization process for each piece, and how the language, and themes of Shakespeare were the underlying force in colour, design, and framing. In the piece accompanying Desi’s Blues, for instance, Nalini explains, “a hand kept coming to mind. 

To me, the hand belongs to Othello or Iago, Desdemona’s oppressors.  It overpowers her source of solace, the willow tree” (Proposal 5).  Nalini's Songs of Sweet Fire debuted at the University of Guelph on May 25th, 2006 and served as a kick-off event to the Shakespeare-Made in Canada Festival, which ran from January to May 2007. ~ Danielle Van Wagner  http://www.canadianshakespeares.ca/multimedia/audio/a_nalini.cfm

Tales... My Mama Told Me

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Francesco Cafiso - New York Lullaby

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2005
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 71:48
Size: 164,8 MB
Art: Front

( 7:57)  1. Lullaby Of Birdland
( 4:11)  2. Reflections
( 6:26)  3. Polka Dots And Moonbeams
( 9:44)  4. My Old Flame
(11:38)  5. Estate
( 7:23)  6. What's New
( 6:32)  7. Imagination
(10:15)  8. Willow Weep For Me
( 7:42)  9. Speak Low

Yes, he is that good. Or was, on the occasion of this 2005 session, which features the fifteen-year-old native Sicilian saxophonist making his American recording debut accompanied by a crack New York rhythm section. Although it's common to hear rueful expressions about what a Charlie Parker or Clifford Brown might have accomplished had they lived longer, a player as precocious as Francesco Cafiso reminds us of the challenges facing an artist who appears to "be there already, yet has a lifetime before him. In June 2007, when he was seventeen, the altoist made history of sorts when he entered Birdland, the domain named after the music's most acclaimed improviser, to play the "Bird role in a re-creation of the predecessor-father figure's most popular recording, Charlie Parker with Strings. From the evidence on New York Lullaby, the young player is perhaps one of the few musicians up to such a formidable if not unenviable assignment. 

The opening track, Shearing's "Lullaby of Birdland, introduces the listener to the featured performer's qualifications. His sound is full and lustrous, maintained throughout by strong breath support; his articulations are varied, ranging from quick and crisp attacks to expressive legato tonguing; his lines during the pyrotechnical passages are not merely slick but "linguistically dense, capturing the intricacy, complexity and sophistication of Parker's language. At times the youngster is undeniably overly deliberative, extending his high tones to the point that they begin to wear out their welcome. Moreover, in the upper register his commanding sound has a purity and somewhat rapid vibrato that, while winning the approval of "legit players, would not earn him points from Birdwatchers. But it's the ballads that hold the biggest surprises, as the Italian teenager, rather than employ them as virtuoso showcases, exercises the utmost respect for the material itself. Whether he's been listening to singers like Sinatra and Johnny Hartman or absorbed the message from a player like Dexter Gordon, his phrasing, dynamics, and even articulations (with occasional airy cushions of sound) reveal a mature and sensitive interpreter thoroughly familiar with the lyrics of these standards. When I play this recording for acquaintances, the response isn't "He's incredible! but "That's beautiful music. 

Give a lot of credit to David Hazeltine, a pianist capable of storming the instrument and playing fiery, gloves-off bop in the Bud Powell tradition. On this occasion, he as well as bassist David Williams and drummer Joe Farnsworth hold back, being extra careful not to offer the prodigy any unwanted, gratuitous "encouragement to display his stuff. It's as though Hazeltine is saying, "It's just another session, kid. Relax and play the song as beautifully as you know how. That this recording, made in a New York studio with three American musicians, let alone the Cafiso story itself go largely unnoticed by the American public is scandalous. I ordered my copy from a CD import specialist and finally received it in the form of a vinyl LP, with notes in Japanese. Again, shame on the American recording industry. ~ Samuel Chell  http://www.allaboutjazz.com/new-york-lullaby-francesco-cafiso-venus-records-review-by-samuel-chell.php#.VG_dFcmHmtg
 

Personnel: Francesco Cafiso: alto sax; David Hazeltine: piano; David Williams: bass; Joe Farnsworth: drums.

New York Lullaby

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Lee Ritenour - World Of Brazil

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 2005
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 59:33
Size: 138,0 MB
Scans:

(5:06)  1. Water To Drink (Agua De Beber)
(6:16)  2. Latin Lovers (Incompatibilidada De Ginios)
(5:27)  3. Linda (Voce é Linda)
(4:57)  4. Dindi
(8:47)  5. Stone Flower
(4:59)  6. San Isidro
(4:42)  7. Harlequin (Arlequim Desconhecido)
(4:51)  8. Bahia Funk
(5:21)  9. Asa
(4:20) 10. Windmill
(4:42) 11. E (Yeah!)

Guitarist Lee Ritenour has long been associated with Brazilian styles (especially after playing with Sergio Mendes's Brasil '77 in the '70s), and 2005's  World Of Brazil continues that association to excellent effect. Ritenour's smooth, soulful style lends itself perfectly to bossa nova and samba grooves on this mix of originals and covers (including, not surprisingly, several tunes by the genre's greatest composer, Antonio Carlos Jobim).

But one of the things that makes World Of Brazil such a treat is the host of guest stars, which includes keyboardists Herbie Hancock and Dave Grusin, bassist John Pattitucci, singer El Debarge, and percussionist Carlinhos Brown. No less a luminary than Tropicalia pioneer Caetano Veloso appears on his own "Linda," and his sultry tenor sounds as alluring as ever. With its mix of smooth jazz and Brazilian flavors, the overall vibe of this disc is relaxed, sophisticated, and cool. http://www.allmusic.com/album/world-of-brazil-mw0000408791

Personnel: Lee Ritenour (guitar, keyboards, synthesizer); Lee Ritenour (bass instrument); Djavan (vocals, guitar); El DeBarge, Gonzaguinha, Kevyn Lettau (vocals); Oscar Castro-Neves, Paul Jackson, Jr. (guitar); Dan Higgins (flute); Larry E. Williams (tenor saxophone, keyboards, synthesizer); Jerry Hey (trumpet, horns); Russell Ferrante (keyboards, synthesizer); David Witham, Greg Phillinganes (keyboards); Barnaby Finch (midi piano); John Patitucci, Anthony Jackson (bass instrument); Gary Novak, Omar Hakim, Carlos Vega (drums); Alex Acuña (percussion); Marietta Waters, Kate Markowitz (background vocals); Joao Bosco (vocals, guitar); Ivan Lins, Caetano Veloso (vocals); Art Porter (soprano saxophone); Ernie Watts (tenor saxophone); Dave Grusin (piano, keyboards); Herbie Hancock (piano); Carlinhos Brown (djembe); Paulinho Da Costa, Cassio Duarte (percussion); Gracinha Leporace (background vocals).

World Of Brazil

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Zona Sul - Beira

Styles: Jazz, Brazilian Jazz
Year: 2006
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 41:14
Size: 101,5 MB
Art: Front

(1:44)  1. Por Toda Minha Vida
(4:20)  2. Tout Les Garçons Et Les Filles
(5:52)  3. Vai e Vem
(2:59)  4. Canto de lemanjá
(3:01)  5. And I Love Her
(4:01)  6. Lugar Comum
(4:20)  7. Mais Feliz
(1:59)  8. Encontros e Despedidas
(3:36)  9. Dança da Solidão
(4:29) 10. Samba de Orly
(4:49) 11. Mães e Filhas

“Germany‘s number one bossa nova singer.” ~ Welt am Sonntag

BEIRA “sounds even more relaxed than its predecessor and holds the charm of lastingly unnerving melancholia. Sophie relates to jazz in a remarkably flexible manner, lending many of her songs not only a lyrical, but also a lasciviously intellectual note.” ~ Süddeutsche Zeitung

“The sun, finally! With these great songs – who needs to travel to Rio de Janeiro?” ~ Petra

BEIRA is an “enchanting journey to Rio‘s sugarloaf mountain, where even Françoise Hardy and the Beatles meet. The band‘s whole trip into Brazilian music is wonderful and really worth listening to. With her sweetly sensuous and relaxed voice Sophie Wegener knowingly seduces in English, French and particularly in Portuguese.” ~ Jazzthing  http://sophiewegener.net/about/press/

Sophie Wegener (vocals): Born to a French mother and a German father, she grew up in a bilingual household and had music lessons at an early age. She received a liberal arts education attending university in the US, France, England and Germany. Later, Sophie studied jazz privately at numerous late-night jam sessions in New York City and with Sheila Jordan, Luciana Souza, Judy Niemack and jazz legend Barry Harris. Sophie started out as a jazz singer but fell in love with the bossa nova and Brazil and founded ZONA SUL in 1999. She sings in English, French and Portuguese. The press called her “Germany‘s number one bossa nova singer.“ (Die Welt)

Pedro Tagliani (guitar & vocals): Guitarist, arranger and composer. Born in Porto Alegre, Brazil. Attended the conservatory in Porto Alegre, where he later taught guitar. Guitarist and composer of the band “Raiz de Pedra“, with whom he recorded four albums, among which “Diário de Bordo“ (Enja). He has worked with Egberto Gismonti, Dave Samuels, Wolfgang Lackerschmidt and Thomas Kugi, with whom he recorded “Arvoredo“.

Personnel: Tizian Jost (piano): One of Germany‘s best jazz pianists. He worked with, among others: Mark Murphy, Tony Lakatos, Brazilian singer Leny Andrade, Dusko Goykovich. He studied Brazilian music intensely and founded the band DOMUNDO with Brazilian singer and pianist Lygia Campos. With his Trio he recently recorded “United in the big Blue“ (Enja) with Mario Gonzi (drums) and Thomas Stabenow (bass).

Matthias Engelhardt (bass): Impresses listeners with his enthusiastic and very “Brazilian“ bass-playing. In 1996, he won first prize at “Jugend jazzt“, a jazz competition for young musicians. Then he was granted a scholarship for the Berklee College of Music in Boston, where he intensely studied jazz and world-music. He is a free lance musician in Munich since 2000. Worked with Bobby Shew, Wolfgang Haffner, Peter Herbolzheimer, George Garzone, Zoe and many others.

Hajo v. Hadeln (drums): An experienced, creative and sensitive accompanist, he intensely studied Brazilian rhythms and did “further training“ with Rosa Passos‘ drummer Celso Almeida and with Portinho and Duduka da Fonseca, From 1998 to 2010, Hajo’s Trio LaHaze could be seen live on German sports television‘s weekly talk show “Doppelpass“. Hajo also worked with Brazilian singer Ithamara Korax, recorded with Paula Morelenbaum and world class percussionist Marco Lobo. He is an endorser for Tama drums and Meinl Cymbals. “With his technical brilliance, v. Hadeln needs not fear the comparison with world-class jazz drummers like Art Blakey.“ (Sueddeutsche Zeitung)

Beira

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Charleston Chasers - Steaming South

Size: 188,4 MB
Time: 79:54
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 1996
Styles: Jazz: Big Band, Early Jazz
Art: Front

01. Swanee (2:27)
02. Funny Honey (3:28)
03. Stomp Off, Let's Go (2:44)
04. Baby! (4:35)
05. Charleston (2:32)
06. Carolina Stomp (2:45)
07. Paddlin' Madelin' Home (3:52)
08. Mixy Rag (3:28)
09. My Pretty Girl (2:33)
10. Allah's Holiday (5:08)
11. I'm On The End Of The Phone (3:18)
12. San (2:37)
13. I Want To Be Bad (3:04)
14. I Never Knew (2:46)
15. Melancholy Lou (3:10)
16. I Love My Baby (3:41)
17. Keepin' Out Of Mischief Now (4:36)
18. Sunday (3:01)
19. Since My Best Gal Turned Me Down (3:00)
20. She's Funny That Way (3:37)
21. Naughty Man (2:42)
22. I'll Be A Friend With Pleasure (3:32)
23. Steaming South (3:47)
24. Just Another Day Wasted Away (3:19)

The Charleston Chasers (a ten-piece British group that has no connection to the 1920s group) plays a wide repertoire of music from the mid- to late '20s. This CD is a step up from their previous Stomp Off release Pleasure Mad due to the developing writing talents of pianist Raina Reid. The band's main arranger, Reid also contributed four originals that fit well into the group's style; a highlight is her "I'm on the End of the Phone," which is in the style of McKinney's Cotton Pickers complete with Nik Payton whispering a vocal that sounds like Don Redman. The other vintage tunes generally avoid strict recreations and, even when based on a certain recording, the solos and some of the ensembles are different. The revivals of such rarely heard numbers as "Allah's Holiday," "I Want to Be Bad," "Melancholy Lou" and "Just Another Day Wasted Away" (which has the fine singer Debbie Arthurs accompanied only by Raina Reid's piano) are four additional reasons why classic jazz fans should search for this one. ~Review by Scott Yanow

Steaming South

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Alex Pangman - New

Size: 93,6 MB
Time: 36:12
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2014
Styles: Jazz Vocals
Art: Front

01. Fit As a Fiddle (3:36)
02. I'll Never Smile Again (3:03)
03. It's Never Enough (3:32)
04. Rhythm Is Our Business (2:48)
05. The World Is Waiting For the Sunshine (3:25)
06. You Let Me Down (5:15)
07. When I Got Low I Get High (3:16)
08. Sweet Substitute (4:14)
09. Who-oo? You-oo? That's Who! (2:25)
10. My Man Rocks (4:32)

Toronto’s Alex Pangman is set to release “new”, her 3rd album with Justin Time Records on November 3rd, at Toronto’s Hugh’s Room, with subsequent launches on November 7th at Montreal’s Upstairs Jazz, and November 9th at London ON’s Aeolian Hall.

The album was recorded in New Orleans. New being the theme, it represents both a new chance at life — Pangman had second lung transplant just seven months before recording this album — but also a shock of new things. New co-producer Andrew Gilchrist recorded Pangman in New Orleans using new musicians from the city where jazz was born. “I wanted to test myself as an artist by taking this record someplace different, physically and sonically. This new session has a slightly different soundscape, and I think it’s groovy and very swinging.”

Known for a dozen or so years as Canada’s sweetheart of swing, Pangman made sure to include Canadian compositions in this collection of tin pan alley gems. her original song It’s Never Enough slide in seamlessly beside Canadian classics, I’ll Never Smile Again, and, The World is Waiting For the sunrise. Her favourite song on the record is Fit As A Fiddle, “Because I am again,” she says. True to form, not even a year after her most recent transplant, she was on the road again touring the jazz festival circuit to prove it.

New

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Glendale One - Live At Asylum Artists (Feat. The B-Town Horns)

Size: 121,9 MB
Time: 52:04
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2014
Styles: Country Rock, Jazz Rock
Art: Front

01. Drive My Car (Live) (2:54)
02. I Saw Her Standing There (Live) (3:31)
03. Things We Said Today (Live) (3:54)
04. No Reply (Live) (2:28)
05. Tell Me Why (Live) (5:12)
06. Norwegian Wood (Live) (3:56)
07. I Call Your Name (Live) (2:53)
08. You Can't Do That (Live) (4:19)
09. A Hard Days Night (Live) (3:12)
10. Back In The U.S.S.R. (Live) (2:56)
11. It Won't Be Long (Live) (3:16)
12. Can't Buy Me Love (Live) (3:21)
13. What Goes On (Live) (4:49)
14. Rain (Live) (5:18)

GLENDALE ONE are five childhood friends reunited after 30 years to share their love for playing, performing and recording music together. Their name is the phone exchange they all shared in grade school. The addition of the B-Town Horns, a stellar five-piece brass section, featuring trombonist and arranger George Guerrette and lead trumpet Dave Harmsworth, has resulted in exciting new arrangements captured in the bands latest recording - LIVE at Asylum Artists

Glendale One pays homage to the Lennon/McCartney catalogue through unique arrangements in styles ranging from Texas Swing to Jazz Rock/Fusion. Proof positive you can go anywhere with a well written song. They are homegrown Canadian talent giving, “jump to your feet and dance”, performances to audiences throughout Ontario, at festivals and outdoor events and in Toronto at Hugh’s Room, the Cadillac Lounge and the Dominion on Queen, to name a few. Glendale One - nothing but fun.

Lead vocalist & guitarist Gordon Smith has a film career stretching from Platoon to X-Men but today explores 3D-listening environments for live amplified music performances with Asylum Artists.

Lead guitarist & vocalist, Brian Gibson, has television career ranging from Nikita to Rookie Blue. A vintage guitar collector, his collaboration with Smith goes back to the grand old days of the Riverboat.

Drummer & vocalist Kevin Frank, is an actor and the artistic director of Second City’s training and education program. He also lectures around the world on how improvisation applies to corporate relationships.

Rhythm guitarist & vocalist, Frank Reid, is an accomplished pianist, acoustics specialist and founder of Progressive Interiors, responsible for most of the professional sound recording studios in Toronto over the past 25 years.

Bass guitarist & vocalist, Craig Ryan, is also a talented drummer, graphic artist, and a professional organizational effectiveness “guru” with clients in both public and private sectors.

Live At Asylum Artists

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Mark Elf - Mark Elf Returns 2014

Size: 126,0 MB
Time: 54:16
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2014
Styles: Jazz: Straight-Ahead/Mainstream
Art: Front

01. A Little Diddy (6:20)
02. It Was So Beautiful (4:19)
03. Jacky's Jaunt (6:52)
04. Time On My Hands (4:46)
05. Michellie's Mambo (5:41)
06. Low Blow (Baritone Guitar) (5:36)
07. Titillating (6:49)
08. The Bottom Line (Baritone Guitar) (3:20)
09. People Will Say We're In Love (5:57)
10. The Sandy Effect (4:32)

Nothing can stop guitarist Mark Elf from making music. He's battled serious health problems, contended with the ups and downs of the music industry for decades, and, most recently, dealt with the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy, the massive storm that flooded his home, delaying the recording of this record for a year. In spite of all of those setbacks and hardships, Elf still manages to have a fairly sunny musical outlook when he straps on the guitar for this, his first album in eight years.

Mark Elf Returns 2014 finds the guitarist swinging alongside an A-list rhythm section made up of pianist David Hazeltine, bassist Peter Washington, and drummer Lewis Nash. All three men were aboard for Elf's two previous projects—Glad To Be Back (Jen Bay Records, 2004) and Liftoff (Jen Bay Records, 2006)—so there's instant rapport, something that's really required when recording without rehearsal, as was done here.

The music presented on this one is direct and accessible, as Elf delivers swingers, a couple of ballads, a spicy mambo, and plenty of songs that basically follow the tried-and-true head-solos-head format. And though the song form(s) may be predictable at times, song forms are merely vessels meant to contain the music. It's what the musicians put into those songs that counts, and these men only add the finest musical ideas and ingredients to these successful sonic recipes.

The album opens on "A Little Ditty," a swinging number that's based on the changes of "Jordu," and quickly moves to ballad country with "It Was So Beautiful." After that, there's more modest swing, a one-off guest shot from percussionist Steven Kroon on "Michellie's Mambo," a pair of burning numbers that feature Elf on baritone guitar, and a mellow goodbye in the form of "The Sandy Effect." There's lots to love here solo-wise, with plenty of fine work from Elf and Hazeltine, lots of trading fours with Nash, and an eye-of-the-storm solo from Washington during "Low Blow."

This is straight-ahead jazz as it should be played. Here's to hoping that life doesn't delay the next one from Elf. ~Dan Bilawsky

Personnel: Mark Elf: guitar; David Hazeltine; piano; Peter Washington: bass; Lewis Nash: drums; Steven Kroon: percussion (5).

Mark Elf Returns 2014

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Uptown Vocal Jazz Quartet - Vocal Madness (With Richie Cole)

Size: 149,1 MB

Time: 63:35

File: MP3 @ 320K/s

Released: 2014

Styles: Jazz Vocals

Art: Front

01. Now I Have Everything But You (3:30)

02. It's The Same Thing Everywhere (5:21)

03. Tokyo Rose Sings The Blues (6:51)

04. Take Me Away (5:31)

05. So You're Gone (5:23)

06. Bossa Nova Eyes (5:12)

07. He Was The Cat (4:00)

08. Pure Imagination (4:16)

09. I Got Friends (5:17)

10. Vanna Bonta (5:38)

11. D.C. Farewell (3:45)

12. I Love Lucy (8:45)

Legendary alto saxophonist Richie Cole first heard the Washington DC based Uptown Vocal Jazz Quartet in 2012 and immediately declared them "My new discovery, the whole package!" Cole, who has worked extensively with The Manhattan Transfer and been featured on their Grammy-winning albums "Vocalese," Mecca for Moderns," and "Extensions," instantly recognized the vocal appeal of Uptown Vocal Jazz Quartet and the unique songwriting and jazz arranging talents of their leader, Ginny Carr. A lover of swingin' vocal harmonies and a prolific songwriter himself, Cole invited Carr to arrange his own songs for her group and collaborate with him on a recording featuring their collective original compositions. Vocal Madness is a rich compilation of original songs by both Richie Cole and Ginny Carr, with most of the vocal arrangements by Carr. It's a high-flying and highly original performance by the power ensemble of Uptown Vocal Jazz Quartet and their terrific band, with guest Richie Cole on sax. The album includes two special reprises: Carr's original salute to the late Eddie Jefferson, "He Was The Cat," featuring Eddie's own musical partner and close friend Richie Cole on the alto sax solo, and a new version of Cole's famously bebopping "I Love Lucy" from his 1979 "Hollywood Madness" release... this time with Carr's vocal arrangement adding the UVJQ signature.

Vocal Madness 

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Michael Bubble - Christmas, Just The Two Of Us (Special Deluxe Edition)

Size: 103,7 MB
Time: 38:19
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2014
Styles: Jazz/Pop Vocals, Holiday
Art: Front

01. Baby It's Cold Outside (With Amy Taylor) (2:25)
02. It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas (1:34)
03. Blue Christmas (2:13)
04. Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas (3:29)
05. I'll Be Home For Christmas (With Claire Taylor) (2:22)
06. The Little Drummer Boy (With Matt Alexander) (3:26)
07. Santa Baby (With Claire Taylor) (3:27)
08. Merry Christmas Everyone (3:16)
09. Rockin Around The Christmas Tree (2:04)
10. Somethin' Stupid (With Claire Taylor) (2:46)
11. Silent Night (3:06)
12. All I Want For Christmas (3:56)
13. Let It Snow (With A.L. Martinez) (1:53)
14. White Christmas (2:16)

Michael Bubble is THE swing music performer from the UK. NOT to be confused with the young pretender Mr Bublé, Michael Bubble has been in the business of swing music since the mid 1980's and has toured extensively around Europe. Michael had previously released all his music on formats such as CD, Vinyl, and even Cassette (Remember them?), before making his debut on Itunes and other digital sites in July 2011 with the hugely successful album 'Forever, For Now'. He is currently in the process of releasing his follow-up album, and playing dates around the UK.

Christmas, Just The Two Of Us

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Zona Sul - Pure Love

Styles: Jazz, Brazilian Jazz
Year: 2004
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 55:14
Size: 127,2 MB
Art: Front

(3:14)  1. The Waters Of March
(4:45)  2. Bonita
(4:42)  3. Estate
(3:19)  4. Retrato Em Branco E Preto
(3:57)  5. Dorme Profundo
(3:14)  6. Águas De Março
(2:33)  7. Vivo Sonhando
(3:09)  8. Inútil Paisagem
(2:51)  9. O Cantador
(3:55) 10. Dans Mon Ile
(2:33) 11. Dreamer
(4:20) 12. Falando
(2:29) 13. Eu Vim Da Bahia
(3:33) 14. Chovendo Na Roseira
(3:09) 15. If You Never Come To Me
(3:24) 16. Estrada Do Sol

Zona Sul will appeal to anyone who fondly remembers the music of João and Astrud Gilberto, Antonio Carlos Jobim, or even Charlie Byrd. Discarding contemporary embellishments, Pure Love is a throwback of sorts, relying on quiet arrangements and soft vocals to create a gentle, lovely bossa nova. Sophie Wegener handles each vocal carefully, creating a "light as air" feel that perfectly underlines delicate songs like "O Cantador" and "Dans Mon Île." Pianist Tizian Jost, guitarist Pedro Tagliani, bassist Sava Medan, and drummer Hajo V. Hadeln join her, providing sensitive support that blends nicely with the compositions. 

The songs tend to stay in the three- and four-minute range, only leaving time for occasional solos. But Zona Sul's strength has less to do with their individual talents than their ability to play cohesively as a unit. The only oddity on Pure Love is that some songs "The Waters of March" and "Dreamer" are sung in English. Simply put, these songs just don't flow as poetically as those sung in Portuguese. The translation, arrangement, and supple vocal on Jobim/Gilbert's "If You Never Come to Me" transform a traditional piece of bossa nova into late-night cocktail jazz. Still, all of these selections are enjoyable and quite easy on the ears, and Pure Love is a fine turn on classic Brazilian jazz. ~ RonnieD.Lankford http://www.allmusic.com/album/pure-love-un-amor-t%C3%A3o-puro-mw0000696397

Personnel: Sophie Wegener (vocals); Tizian Jost (piano); Pedro Tagliani (guitar); Sava Medan (bass); Hajo V. Hadeln (drums).

Pure Love

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Bennie Wallace, Dave Holland & Elvin Jones - Big Jim's Tango

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1982
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 38:38
Size: 88,5 MB
Art: Front

( 5:41)  1. Big Jim Does The Tango For you
( 5:57)  2. My Heart Belongs To Daddy
( 9:41)  3. Green & Elloy
( 4:46)  4. Monroe County Moon
(12:31)  5. The Free Will

Bennie Wallace has long had his own unique style, combining together the raspy tone of Ben Webster with the frequent wide interval jumps of Eric Dolphy. He has an explorative style that sound-wise looks back toward the swing era. Wallace started on clarinet when he was 12 and a few years later switched to tenor. He graduated from the University of Tennessee in 1968, and in 1971 moved to New York, where he debuted with Monty Alexander. Wallace gigged with Sheila Jordan, played with many avant-garde musicians, was in George Gruntz's Concert Jazz Band in 1979, and led his own trio/quartet on and off throughout the 1970s and '80s. 

He recorded frequently prior to 1985 for Enja, but his mid- to late-'80s Blue Note recordings are more memorable, for they find him infusing his appealing sound with touches of New Orleans R&B and a healthy dose of humor. In the '90s, Wallace began writing music for films, including White Men Can't Jump. He also stayed active on the jazz scene, releasing Old Songs in 1993 on JVC, Talk of the Town also in 1993 on Enja, and Someone to Watch Over Me in 1999 on Enja. In 2002 Wallace scored critical success with Moodsville and followed it up with the release of In Berlin, a recording of a 1999 appearance at the Berlin Jazz Festival. Since that time, Wallace has released studio albums including The Nearness of You in 2004 and the Coleman Hawkins-themed Disorder at the Border in 2007. Bio ~ https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/bennie-wallace/id215522732#fullText

Personnel: Bennie Wallace (tenor saxophone); Dave Holland (bass); Elvin Jones (drums).

Big Jim's Tango

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Various Artists - I Just Love Jazz Piano

Styles: Hard Bop, Piano Jazz
Year: 2000
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 44:20
Size: 102,1 MB
Art: Front

(2:48)  1. Jumpin' Jacques
(4:54)  2. Blues Too Much
(3:06)  3. Thou Swell
(3:43)  4. The Boy Next Door
(3:00)  5. Together
(2:46)  6. Hou About You
(2:49)  7. Apart
(2:41)  8. Thou Swell
(2:43)  9. It's You Or No One
(2:29) 10. Don't Get Around Much Anymore
(2:46) 11. S'Wonderful
(2:31) 12. Nichols And Dimes
(2:40) 13. Who's Blues
(2:50) 14. Nichols and Dimes (Previously unissued alternate take)
(2:27) 15. Cherokee

I Just Love Jazz Piano is, if not essential, certainly an enjoyable collection of early-'50s jazz piano. It is perhaps most interesting because it contains some early Herbie Nichols recordings, which pre-date his better-known releases on Blue Note and Bethlehem. Unfortunately, and certainly to his credit, Nichols, in 1952, was not the harmonically challenging soloist that he would later become. Otherwise, this collection includes material by pianists Hampton Hawes, Paul Smith, and John Mehegan. While Hawes' selections are nice, and Smith's interesting (because he doubles on piano and organ simultaneously), it is Mehegan who provides the most engaging set. Perhaps this is because he is joined by the strongest rhythm section on the LP: Charles Mingus and Kenny Clarke. Either way, his speedy rendition of "Cherokee" is a welcome change on an LP dominated to a fault, even by too many reserved, mid-tempo numbers. ~ Brandon Burke  http://www.allmusic.com/album/i-just-love-jazz-piano-mw0000095364

I Just Love Jazz Piano

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Randy Newman - The Randy Newman Songbook Vol. 2

Size: 90,9 MB
Time: 38:38
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2011
Styles: Contemporary Pop/Rock
Art: Front

01. Dixie Flyer (3:19)
02. Yellow Man (2:02)
03. Suzanne (2:45)
04. The Girls In My Life (Part 1) (1:46)
05. Kingfish (2:11)
06. Losing You (2:43)
07. Sandman's Coming (2:16)
08. My Life Is Good (3:24)
09. Birmingham (2:20)
10. Last Night I Had A Dream (1:54)
11. Same Girl (2:45)
12. Baltimore (3:02)
13. Laugh And Be Happy (2:19)
14. Lucinda (1:34)
15. Dayton, Ohio 1903 (1:51)
16. Cowboy (2:20)

Nearly eight years after releasing The Randy Newman Songbook, Vol. 1, in which one of America's finest and most distinctive songwriters revisited a handful of songs from his back catalog in elegant, austere new recordings, Newman has delivered the implied follow up, in which he revisits sixteen more tunes with just his own piano work accompanying his vocals. Unlike many veteran artists past official retirement age, Newman's skills as a performer haven't suffered a bit with the passage of time, and these new recordings sound fresh and immediate; while Newman has never had a traditionally "good" voice, his instrument sounds as strong as ever and he's even better at assuming his cast of often questionable characters than he was on his early LPs, while his piano playing, a remarkable fusion of traditional pop and New Orleans groove, is emotionally and technically dazzling and gives these songs all the form and color they need. As good as it is, The Randy Newman Songbook, Vol. 2 feels a bit like the second Greatest Hits album drawn from a career artist's catalog; so many great songs were pulled for Vol. 1 that the sophomore effort seems slightly weak in comparison, and though Newman certainly has enough great songs to come up with another Songbook installment as strong as the first, there are a few numbers here that aren't A-list, particularly "Sandman's Coming" from his fascinating but flawed musical Faust and "My Life Is Good," one of the rare examples of his venom not finding its target (it's also one of the only songs here that doesn't seem suited to this minimal arrangement). And while "Laugh And Be Happy" fares well, it also appeared on Newman's last pop effort, 2008's excellent Harps and Angels, and there are plenty of songs that better deserve a second look. The Randy Newman Songbook, Vol. 2 seems flawed compared to its sibling, but that's more a matter of the choice of material than any faults in Newman's performance or interpretation; he's the rare performer and songwriter who could undertake this sort of project and not only keep it from seeming redundant but make it revelatory and consistently pleasurable. Longtime fans will be pleased, and folks who only know Newman from his film scores will be startled at the depth of the man's body of work, even on a collection with a couple of (relative) ringers. ~Review by Mark Deming

The Randy Newman Songbook Vol. 2

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Pat LaBarbera - Deep In A Dream

Size: 164,1 MB
Time: 70:46
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 1999
Styles: Jazz: Straight-Ahead/Mainstream
Art: Front

01. Deep In A Dream (6:33)
02. Something To Live For (3:52)
03. There's A Lull In My Life (6:49)
04. It Shouldn't Happen To A Dream (5:38)
05. Maybe You'll Be There (4:54)
06. Here's To My Lady (4:12)
07. Moon And Sand (9:11)
08. What Good Would The Moon Be (5:57)
09. Why Try To Change Me Now (5:36)
10. Some Other Spring (5:38)
11. I Heard You Cried Last Night (7:19)
12. As Long As I Am Dreaming (5:01)

Last September tenor/soprano saxophonist Pat LaBarbera appeared at the Forest City Jazz Festival with the same rhythm section featured on this CD. At the time, he alluded to the fact that he had always wanted to record an all-ballads album. Thanks to Bill King and Greg Sutherland of RadioLand Jazz, Pat's dream has become a reality. Deep In A Dream is a 12-track collection of lovely, slow burners that is perfect for late-night listening. While some of the tunes are well-known standards (Something To Live For and There's A Lull In My Life), a number of Pat's hand-picked favourites are more obscure. Indeed, Pat states in the liner notes that master balladeer Frank Sinatra's early recordings, Maybe You'll Be There, Why Try To Change Me Now and Deep In A Dream, were the source for these song choices. Although Pat has always been known for his up-tempo, Coltrane-influenced screamers, Deep In A Dream shows that Stan Getz and Lester Young have also inspired him. Brother Joe LaBarbera's brush work is light and feathery, Neil Swainson pulls deep, rich tones from his bass and pianist Don Thompson's occasional solo spots are suitably restrained. Break out the candles and wine and enjoy! *** ~By John Sharpe

Deep In A Dream

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Mary Panacci - Her Perfume

Size: 107,0 MB
Time: 46:06
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2014
Styles: Jazz Vocals
Art: Front

01. A Beautiful Friendship (3:20)
02. How About You (Feat. John Alcorn) (4:07)
03. Love Is Stronger Far Than We/Al Cuore Non Comandi Mai (5:11)
04. Double Rainbow (Chovendo Na Rosiera) (4:30)
05. Love Dance (6:02)
06. Tangerine (2:42)
07. I Wish You Love (Feat. Luis Mario Ochoa) (4:30)
08. Her Perfume (3:40)
09. A Child Is Born (4:12)
10. Some Other Time (3:27)
11. Almost Like Being In Love (Bonus Track) (Feat. Natalie Panacci) (4:19)

Long before Anthony Panacci sent me a copy of this record featuring his vocalist wife, Mary, he told me about the upcoming album he was producing for her. It was going to feature a lot of this country's top jazz players. In the end, that's precisely what happened. He didn't add that the record would be a gem. He didn't have to. Family, friends and colleagues each added their fingerprint. You can hear it. In fact, listening to this album, you can sense it and feel it.

Back then, I hadn't yet heard a note. Yet it sounded exciting. Anthony told me about the tunes, the players, the songs and the ups and downs of getting a record made. Over the years I have been privileged to know musicians, some have told me about the complexities of making records. They often describe the process as a labour of love. That is a bit of an understatement. It takes singers, arrangers, instrumentalists, engineers, artists, printers, manufacturers, time and money. Then add more time and more money. It takes patience, organization, perhaps a bit of plain old stubbornness.

I get excited when someone decides that something important has to get done and that they're the guys to get it done, and get it done well. But when it's all done satisfactorily, you and I get to hear their music and live in its acoustic cocoon. Mary, Anthony, their daughter Natalie, and everyone else whose work appears on this collection surely poured all their love into it. And to them I say, "Take a bow!" ~Terry McElligott

Her Perfume

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