Saturday, November 29, 2014

Harry Roy & His Band - S/T

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 37:41
Size: 86.3 MB
Styles: Big band
Year: 2009
Art: Front

[2:54] 1. Bugle Call Rag
[3:13] 2. Casa Loma Stomp
[3:25] 3. The Roy Rag
[2:55] 4. Alexander's Ragtime Band
[3:03] 5. Canadian Capers
[3:01] 6. She Had To Go And Lose It At The Astor
[2:52] 7. Tiger Rag
[3:22] 8. Somebody Stole My Gal
[3:31] 9. Twelfth Street Rag
[3:21] 10. Nobody's Sweetheart
[2:50] 11. Porcupine Rag
[3:08] 12. Temptation Rag

Alf Horton, Arthur Calkin, Basil Kirchin, Bert Wilton, Dave Kaye, Dick Boothroyd, Harry Goss, Harry Roy, Ivor Moreton, Jack Collins, Joe Arbiter, Maurice Sterndale, Norman White, Tommy Porter, Tommy Venn.

Harry Roy is best remembered for having led a popular swing band in England and throughout portions of the British Empire during the 1930s. Roy was born Harry Lipman in London, England, on January 12, 1900, and as a teenager he worked in his father's carton manufactory, studying various musical instruments during his free time. In 1919, when the Original Dixieland Jazz Band wowed the crowds in London, young Harry was dazzled by Larry Shields and took up the clarinet. In 1921, he formed a band with his brother, pianist Syd Lipman. They called their group the Darmswells, but when the O.D.J.B. ended their run at the Hammersmith Palais de Danse the Roy Brothers Original Lyrical Five took their place. This was a variation on yet another of their various titles, the Original Crichton Lyrical Orchestra. The now Anglicized "Roys" waxed a test pressing for Columbia in 1922 and made their first issued recordings for Vocalion in 1927 as the Crichton Lyricals. Over the next few years their music became available to the public on the Guardsman, Coliseum, Aco, Scala, Crown, Beltona, Imperial, and Crystalate record labels. The Lyricals played all of the best halls and clubs in London, visited Paris, then toured Australia, Tasmania, and South Africa in 1928. They cut two sides for the Broadcast label in 1929 and visited Berlin in 1930, providing live entertainment and making a few more phonograph records. Harry was a born showman, comedian, and vocalist who specialized in songs like "I Wonder How I Look When I'm Asleep?"

Harry became the leader of a new enlarged version of the band in 1931, with Syd assuming managerial duties. The Harry Roy Orchestra spent half a year serenading patrons before and betwixt motion picture screenings at RKO's Leicester Square Theatre, opened at the London Pavillion in 1932, and broadcast over BBC radio from the Café Anglais in 1933. Their theme song was now established as the "Bugle Call Rag." Roy's band distinguished itself at the Mayfair Hotel in 1934 and remained there until 1936. In 1935, Harry married "Princess Pearl" Eliza Vyner Brooke, daughter of Charles Vyner Brooke, the last white Rajah of the state of Sarawak in Northwestern Borneo. The Harry Roy Orchestra even appeared in motion pictures: "Everything in Heaven" was released in 1935, starring vocalists Princess Pearl and Mabel Mercer, and "Rhythm Racketeers" followed in 1936.

Harry Roy's Orchestra enjoyed a successful tour of South America in 1938 and toured consistently throughout England and the Middle East during the Second World War, after which Roy attempted to perform in the United States of America but was unable to obtain a work permit. His band resumed playing the Café Anglais in 1949. Soon afterward he dissolved his band and opened a restaurant. His last-known public appearance was with a quartet in 1969. Roy fell ill and passed away in London on February 2, 1971. ~bio by arwulf arwulf

Harry Roy & His Band

Marcos Valle & Stacey Kent - Ao Vivo: Comemorando Os 50 Anos De Marcos Valle

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 68:00
Size: 155.7 MB
Styles: Bossa Nova, Brazilian jazz
Year: 2013
Art: Front

[4:40] 1. The White Puma (Puma Branco)
[5:55] 2. Look Who's Mine (Dia De Vitória)
[4:22] 3. The Face I Love (Seu Encanto)
[3:33] 4. The Answer (A Resposta)
[4:33] 5. Drift Away
[5:14] 6. Summer Samba (Samba De Verão)
[3:23] 7. Gente
[4:21] 8. Passa Por Mim
[4:12] 9. Batucada Surgiu
[4:52] 10. La Petite Valse
[6:27] 11. If You Went Away (Preciso Aprender A Ser Só)
[3:59] 12. Pigmalião 70
[4:37] 13. The Crickets (Os Grilos)
[2:47] 14. She Told Me, She Told Me (Sonho De Lugar)
[4:58] 15. My Nightingale

A really wonderful collaboration – completely unexpected, and a fresh chapter in the career of both artists too! The set was done in celebration of Marcos Valle's 50 years in music – and features Marcos himself on acoustic piano and a bit of vocals, Stacey Kent on lead vocals, and some guest tenor sax from Jim Tomlinson! The setting is lean, mostly small group backing, but full of feeling – thanks partly to Stacey's expressive vocal performance, but also to Valle's still-great sense of timing and tone – which makes the arrangements very different than Kent's usual bag. Stacey really takes the vocal lead on most of the record – and the bossa setting is a great one for her style – and arrangements are by Valle and Jesse Sadoc, who leads the combo on trumpet.

Ao Vivo: Comemorando Os 50 Anos De Marcos Valle  

Art Hodes - I Remember Bessie

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 59:35
Size: 136.4 MB
Styles: Piano jazz
Year: 2013
Art: Front

[4:17] 1. Baby Won't You Please Come Home
[3:38] 2. Alexander's Ragtime Band
[3:37] 3. You've Got To Give Me Some
[3:28] 4. Yonder Comes The Blues
[3:37] 5. Cake Walkin' Babies From Home
[4:31] 6. Back Water Blues
[3:29] 7. Nobody Knows You When You're Down And Out
[3:31] 8. At A Georgia Camp Meeting
[4:08] 9. You've Been A Good Ole Wagon
[4:10] 10. Slow And Easy Man
[3:39] 11. Yellow Dog Blues
[3:34] 12. A Good Man Is Hard To Find
[3:44] 13. St. Louis Blues
[0:19] 14. Mayor Calling
[3:33] 15. After You've Gone
[2:22] 16. Cake Walkin' Babies From Home (Alt)
[3:51] 17. Gee, Baby, Ain't I Good To You

The end of World War II remains the most profound demarcation in jazz history. Jazz changed so radically and abruptly after 1945 that fans of the music split into two bickering camps. Pre-war jazz fans argued that their music had structure, charm and romanticism that post-war jazz lacked. Post-war jazz fans countered that their music was about individualism, advocacy and daring—viewing pre-war jazz as archaic, formulaic and dull.

Pianist Art Hodes [pronounced HOE-deeze] was considered a pre-war pianist and often expressed bewilderment and exasperation with modern forms like bebop. But in retrospect, his approach in the decades following the war seemed to be routinely updated, particularly in his voicings. Yet Hodes' name is all but forgotten today, disregarded by decades of post-war jazz fans deaf to the music of the '20s and '30s. Hodes deserves better.

In September 1976, Hodes recorded at a Santa Monica, Calif., bungalow of a friend. There was a Yamaha grand there along with superb engineering by Cecil Spiller. The theme Hodes chose for the session was songs made famous by singer Bessie Smith. One by one, Hodes applies his deliberate, textured style to songs like You've Got to Give Me Some, Yonder Come the Blues and Cake Walkin' Babies From Home.

Now Art Hodes: I Remember Bessie (Delmark) is out for the first time on CD with previously unreleased tracks. This is a thrilling album for many reasons. First, the sound is fantastic—Hodes is practically in your room. Second, Hodes is a positively glorious soloist—rekindling the joy and excitement of pre-war jazz. But even more important, Hodes performs as if singing through his hands, growing soft and loud in different places and tossing in a mini solo here and there with the most unusual fingering.

What I find particularly miraculous is how he offers something completely different in each bar. It's almost impossible to conceive how one person could be playing. In Hodes' hands, you hear the blues, Bessie's bossy voice and the early architecture of R&B piano, with its snap and stride. Hodes would probably insist that what you're hearing is just pre-war jazz—over easy. ~Marc Myers

I Remember Bessie

Tom Graf - Smokin'

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 34:51
Size: 79.8 MB
Styles: Crossover jazz
Year: 2014
Art: Front

[4:45] 1. Smokin'
[3:35] 2. Samba 60
[4:20] 3. Gela
[5:05] 4. Changes
[4:23] 5. Set Your Soul Free
[4:17] 6. On The Way
[3:56] 7. I'm In Love
[4:26] 8. Voyage

Tom Graf's melodies and underlying harmonic structure are a focus of this CD. The talented musicians making the music come alive are familiar faces on recordings across the spectrum of jazz, latin, and rhythm and blues. David K. Mathews (currently with Santana) arranged the compositions with help from, and overall production by, Ray Obiedo. This is the way smooth jazz used to sound when played by the likes of Freddy Hubbard, Milt Jackson, and Wes Montgomery. Just sit down and get ready to take a journey through latin, samba, straight-ahead, tango, and blues moods.

Ray Obiedo, David K. Mathews, Amikaeyla, Mike Olmos, Marc Russo, Michael Spiro, Harvey Wainaple, Norbert Stachel. Released 07 November 2014

Smokin'

Melora Hardin - All The Way To Mars

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2010
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 62:59
Size: 145,0 MB
Art: Front

(2:45)  1. Raise The Roof
(4:28)  2. You (Once Tomorrow Now Yesterday)
(4:06)  3. All Messed Up
(2:09)  4. Everybody Says Don't
(4:44)  5. Close To You
(3:15)  6. A Boy And His Cat
(3:06)  7. I Never Meant To Hurt You
(3:09)  8. Fading Away
(2:03)  9. He's So Married
(4:29) 10. Makin' Love
(2:56) 11. Ride Your Rocket
(4:15) 12. Girl Talk
(3:58) 13. Teenager
(3:21) 14. Everything Must Change
(3:59) 15. I Dreamed A Dream
(6:55) 16. Roxie
(3:13) 17. Come Home With Me For Christmas

"Hardin displays a distinct dexterity with comedic material too rarely represented on recordings of singer/actors and cabaret artists of her ilk." ~ Pat Cerasaro, BroadwayWorld.com, January 2010

"Hardin has proved with this album that she is equally at home on the screen, the stage and the recording studio." ~ Pat Cerasaro, BroadwayWorld.com, January 2010

"Melora Hardin's new album  All The Way To Mars traverses the galaxy in a madcap manner most immediately reminiscent of a `60s cocktail hour album and for that frivolous and fun factor alone it deserves high praise..." ~ Pat Cerasaro, BroadwayWorld.com, January 2010

In February of 2010, Melora Hardin will add another jewel to her crown of achievements: Recording Artist. Having been a successful Hollywood actress since a very young age, music has always been a passion that she simply did not have the time to pursue. She landed Director Richard Jay-Alexander (who has worked with stars like Barbra Streisand, Bette Midler, Ricky Martin, Bernadette Peters, and Johnny Mathis) to build an act with her. It debuted in Los Angeles with stellar reviews, deeming it "a hit". She then continued acting, filming box office hits "17 Again" and "Hannah Montana: The Movie", all the while continuing to star in "The Office". 

Additionally, Hardin just made her directorial debut with the feature film entitled, "You," currently available on DVD and online at Amazon.Then along came an opportunity on Broadway and a stunning debut as `Roxie Hart' in the smash long-running hit, Chicago. Writing and performing songs since the age of 8, she has sung in many productions including the Disney feature "The Rocketeer" where she was honored to work with the legendary arranger Billy May. She also played the chanteuse ghost in the Disney TV movie "Tower of Terror" and a crazy cabaret singer in the short-lived series "Man & Machine" where she was produced by Mark Mothersbaugh of Devo fame. Hardin has previously self-released two albums of her original songs called "The Meloradrama" and "Purr" both of which have a large cult following.

While in production working in New Orleans this year on a new film called, "Knucklehead," due out April of 2010, in which she stars, she simultaneously recorded a live album titled, "All the Way to Mars" making this Hardin's first nationally distributed album. December 1st of this year Melora will also release a beautiful, original Christmas single titled, "Come Home with Me for Christmas" which people can download exclusively on iTun! es. With all that she's been doing it's a wonder how she still found the time to go in and record a full studio album. "All The Way To Mars" features songs from Broadway, standards, Pop, and a few that she wrote herself. People who have heard advances of the upcoming album are amazed by the versatility and range that Hardin exhibits. The album will be released on the LML Music Label February 9, 2010 and will be available in stores nationwide and online at Amazon & iTunes. Hardin currently resides in Los Angeles with her husband actor/writer, Gildart Jackson, and their two young daughters. ~ Editorial Reviews http://www.amazon.com/All-The-Way-To-Mars/dp/B002WHT168

Francesco Cafiso Quartet - Seven Steps To Heaven

Styles: Jazz, Neo-Bop
Year: 2006
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 57:32
Size: 132,6 MB
Art: Front

(6:49)  1. Seven Steps To Heaven
(7:16)  2. Green Chimneys
(7:07)  3. Yesterdays
(9:44)  4. On The Trail
(8:08)  5. My Funny Valentine
(6:51)  6. Milestones
(5:33)  7. Crazeology
(6:00)  8. Skylark

Francesco Cafiso surprised the jazz world with his blazing chops in his early teens during a stunning duo concert with veteran pianist Franco D'Andrea. Several years afterward, he is working on developing a distinctive style of his own, which is a challenge for any young musician. These 2006 sessions mix well-known jazz compositions of the 1940s and 1950s with timeless standards, with the alto saxophonist backed by a solid rhythm section consisting of pianist Andrea Pozza, bassist Aldo Zunino, and drummer Nicola Angelucci. He shows off a bit in a wild treatment of Thelonious Monk's "Green Chimneys" that starts in a funky manner, shifts to an aggressive hard bop mood, and also has an unaccompanied solo section. Cafiso's spry take of "Yesterdays" proves convincing, while the exotic rhythm setting of "My Funny Valentine" takes this chestnut into somewhat new territory. There are times where Cafiso reveals his youth by forcing in odd quotes that prove to be more of a distraction than help to his improvisations. But this CD indicates that Francesco Cafiso is serious about a career in jazz and not merely a young flash in the pan who will flame out after a brief foray into the limelight. ~ Ken Dryden  http://www.allmusic.com/album/seven-steps-to-heaven-mw0000772797

Personnel: Andrea Pozza (piano); Nicola Angelucci (drums).

Maxine Sullivan With Scott Hamilton - Swingin' Sweet

Styles: Vocal And Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1988
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 50:04
Size: 115,4 MB
Art: Front

(7:01)  1. Sweet Georgia Brown
(2:11)  2. As Long As I live
(3:15)  3. I Got A Right To Sing the Blues
(4:03)  4. Something To Remember You By
(2:58)  5. Wrap Your Troubles In Dreams (And Dream Your Troubles Away)
(3:43)  6. Georgia On My Mind
(3:12)  7. You Were Ment For Me
(3:48)  8. A Hundred Years From Today
(3:14)  9. Just One Of Those Things
(3:22) 10. I'm Crazy 'Bout My Baby
(3:19) 11. I Hadn't Anyone Till You
(3:59) 12. Cheatin' On Me
(2:26) 13. You're Driving Me Crazy
(3:25) 14. Loch Lomond

Maxine Sullivan's final concert (although she would record part of her Jule Styne tribute studio album for Atlantic a few months later) is an excellent retrospective of her career. Joined by tenor saxophonist Scott Hamilton's quintet (with pianist John Bunch and guitarist Chris Flory), Sullivan performs for the final time some of her favorite numbers, including nostalgic and near-classic renditions of "As Long as I Live," "I Got a Right to Sing the Blues," "A Hundred Years From Today" and "You're Driving Me Crazy." Ironically, the final song that Maxine Sullivan sang was also the same tune that she had used to start her recording career back in 1937, "Loch Lomond." Recommended. ~ Scott Yanow  http://www.allmusic.com/album/swingin-sweet-mw0000197117

Personnel: Maxine Sullivan (vocals), Scott Hamilton (tenor sax), John Bunch (piano), Chris Flory (guitar), Phil Flanigan (bass), Chuck Riggs (drums).

Swingin' Sweet

Andre Charlier & Benoit Sourisse - Heritage

Styles: Jazz
Year: 2010
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 58:12
Size: 134,4 MB
Art: Front

(1:16)  1. Shabada Roots
(6:02)  2. At the Juke Joint
(3:36)  3. Worksong
(5:17)  4. L'Improbable Afrobeat
(4:01)  5. Ragtime Ragoût
(7:01)  6. Le Langage des Sages
(1:19)  7. Last Griot
(5:32)  8. Trio
(4:58)  9. Edge of Dream
(6:30) 10. Gravé Dans La Cire
(1:15) 11. Trompe-Oreilles
(4:27) 12. Sleepwalkers
(6:52) 13. Heritage

André Charlier - Born in Verviers (Belgium) on June 13th, 1962. André began the battery in 1978. He has study in Musician Institute of Los Angeles in 1985-1986. In 1988-1989, he began a series of tours with the singer Maurane (Belgian singer). At the end of this year of 1989 he was Prize-winner of the competition of the Defense. In 1991, he sees itself awarded the Price of the best soloist to the international competition of French-speaking jazz. André Charlier turns since 1993 on the stages of the whole world beside Didier Lockwood (quintet, quartet and trio), accompanies the harmonica player Jean-Jacques Milteau within various training courses (quartet, quintet, seven), drummer of the group of rhythm' blues Captain Mercier, Pierre-Jean Gaucher (Zappa project), Marc-Michel Le Bévillon seven, Romane Quartet. He notably played beside John Scofield, Michel Petrucciani, Scott Henderson, Michel Portal, Toots Thielemans, Mike Stern on the occasion of exceptional concerts. For some years, he develops his own music within the duet " CHARLIER-SOURISSE ". With which he recorded four CD with in guest Jerry Bergonzi (saxophone), Kenny Garrett (saxophone), Kurt Rosenwinkel (guitar) and Alex Sipiagin (Trumpet). André Charlier is co-director and responsible for the department battery (drum kit) in the CMDL (center of the music Didier Lockwood). Sponsored by batteries TAMA and cymbals PAISTE.

Benoît Sourisse - Born in 1964, this French pianist / organist has already revealed his improviser's talents as soloist, but also beside inescapable personality of the jazz. In 1994, Didier Lockwood suggests him participating in his various projects: in the piano, quintet and quartet (" Round About Silence ", on 1998) as well as in the organ Hammond (D. Lockwood Trio and " New Quartet " on 2003). Didier also confides him the musical direction of his albums: "Storyboard" recorded in 1996 in New York (Steve Gadd, James Genius, J.Di Francesco) - " Newspaper of a User of the Space 2 " (in 1999, Opera of D. Lockwood and Charlotte Nessi on a notebook of G.Perec). Sanctimonious realize orchestrations. "Tribute to Stéphane Grappelli" (in 2000 with Bireli Lagrène and N.H.O.P). These numerous tours give him the occasion to share the stage with Michel Petrucciani, Martial Solal, John Scofield, Michel Portal, Mike Stern, Toots Thielemans... And this mostly with his "alter ego"; André Charlier (to the battery) with whom he works for more than fifteen years. They dedicate both a big energy to their duet " Charlier / Sourisse ". Their album " Gemini " (where Sanctimonious mix the tones of the organ Hammond to those of the piano) taken out in April, 2001 presents, besides talented guests of the new French generation such as Stéphane Guillaume (soprano sax) and Olivier Ker Ourio (harmonica), one of the most appreciated of the saxophonists current tenors, Jerry Bergonzi. Big passionate person of Blues, co-founder in 1989 of the group " CAPTAIN haberdasher "; with which he gave more than 900 concerts, Sanctimonious also work today on Jean - Jacques Milteau's highly-rated within his various training courses (of the duet in seven). Fascinated by pedagogy, Benoît Sourisse teaches the improvisation to the Superior National Music academy of Lyon since 1988, as well as through of numerous "Masterclass" in all France. ~ Bio  http://charliersourisse.free.fr/biographies_en.html

With their third opus "Heritage", Andre Charlier and Benoit Sourisse invite us to travel through the paths of their musical roots, nursed by the organic and original elements of jazz: African rhythms (poetry of sounds and percussions) and European harmony light blend by the virgin soil of Louisiana. The album presents an encounter with American guitarist Kurt Rosenwinkel (accompanist with Brad Mehldau, Mark Turner etc) whose unusual lyricism and phrasing pull him up to the rank of the biggest musicians today. Two high standing French musicians are also present: Stephane Guillaume (saxophone, clarinet) and Pierre Perchaud (guitar, banjo).  http://charliersourisse.free.fr/discographie_en.html

Friday, November 28, 2014

Jakki Ford - A Jakki Ford Christmas: Her Favorite Things

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 49:30
Size: 114.6 MB
Styles: Holiday
Year: 2011
Art: Front

[3:38] 1. My Favorite Things
[3:04] 2. Christmas Blues
[3:46] 3. The Christmas Song
[4:26] 4. Grown Up Christmas List
[3:04] 5. Santa Baby
[5:36] 6. Little Drummer Boy / Do You Hear (Medley)
[3:53] 7. What Child Is This
[5:40] 8. We Three Kings / God Rest Ye (Medley)
[6:38] 9. Breath Of Heaven
[6:01] 10. White Christmas Medley
[3:40] 11. My Favorite Things (Instrumental)

Jakki Ford is an accomplished and versatile performing artist. She enjoys a growing reputation, nationally and internationally, as an outstanding vocalist with a 4-octave vocal range. As a professional actress and talented dancer, she is widely recognized for her artistic sensitivity, gracefulness and extraordinary magnetism on stage, television and film.

Jakki holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan, majoring in Speech and Theater, and has completed many post-graduate courses in Vocal, Music and Drama at the University of Nevada, Reno, learning from acclaimed Master Artists. She has sung with the University Choral and Symphonic Choirs, toured the United States singing back-up for a major recording artist and joined the Nevada Opera Company as First Soprano in Verdi's Italian opera, Macbeth. Jakki will perform in the season's upcoming French production, Samson and Delilah.

Jakki commands a dynamic versatility of vocal styles that inspire, dazzle and delight audiences. She offers an exciting freshness to her interpretations of the many musical styles she presents, including popular music, Bosa Nova, Jazz, Motown, Gospel, Rock & Roll and Broadway, among others. Audiences become entranced with her exquisitely unique and totally delightful renditions of these often sung lyrics, which she seems to weave into her own personal tapestry of sound that reaches into the soul of each listener. And then, when the audience catches its breath, the applause begins and the encores are given. Then as she leaves, she turns and smiles her lovely smile, and the audience roars again.

Her favorites - the audiences, too - include compositions by Cole Porter, Gershwin, Loesser and Mercer, which she sings in coffee shops and cabarets. She has been the back-up singer for Rosemary Clooney at Carnegie Hall in New York, and has been featured in multi-million dollar spectaculars at the MGM GRAND in Las Vegas, in addition to singing Rock & Roll with Chubby Checker at the Nugget.

A Jakki Ford Christmas: Her Favorite Things

Ray Anderson - Old Bottles New Wine

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 39:08
Size: 89.6 MB
Styles: Post bop, Trombone jazz
Year: 1985/2010
Art: Front

[4:48] 1. Love Me Or Leave Me
[5:15] 2. Bohemia After Dark
[6:29] 3. La Rosita
[3:35] 4. Ow!
[6:25] 5. In A Mellotone
[5:41] 6. Laird Baird
[6:51] 7. Wine

Trombonist Ray Anderson, best-known for his avant-garde recordings, surprised many with these explorations of standards. His high-note outbursts are often hilarious, yet on this program he really digs into the material. "Love Me or Love Me," "La Rosita" and "In a Mellotone" are among the highpoints and Anderson takes an interesting vocal on "Wine." The all-star rhythm section (pianist Kenny Barron, bassist Cecil McBee and drummer Dannie Richmond) is also a strong asset to this memorable date. ~Scott Yanow

Old Bottles New Wine

Diknu Schneeberger Trio - Rubina

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 47:04
Size: 107.8 MB
Styles: Gypsy jazz
Year: 2007
Art: Front

[3:23] 1. Made In France
[2:38] 2. Some Of These Days
[2:40] 3. Rhythme Futur
[5:24] 4. Autumn Leaves
[3:57] 5. Caravan
[2:51] 6. Rubina
[2:15] 7. Hungaria
[4:34] 8. Sandys Bolero
[3:19] 9. Rose Room
[4:00] 10. Moonflower
[1:41] 11. Valse A Rosenthal
[2:54] 12. Les Yeux Noirs
[4:57] 13. For Sephora
[2:25] 14. Sweet Georgia Brown

Diknu Schneeberger is an exceptional talent, a rising star in guitar heaven. This very young musician has this typical virtuosity and rhythmic precision of the Gipsy Jazz in his playing, and a distinctive feeling for melody and sound.

In February of the year 2004 he was starting to have rhythm guitar lessons with Striglo Stöger, in June of the same year he already had the first public performance and October he was making the first recordings for a CD with the Joschi Schneeberger Quintet. From 2005 Diknu attended classes with the well-known Vienna Jazz guitarist Martin Spitzer. Soon they developed a tight friendship and found they both had the dream of playing music with the esprit of Django Reinhardts. 2006 they founded the Diknu Schneeberger Trio with Diknu’s father Joschi Schneeberger on bass! The trio plays rapid Gipsy Swing, carefully arranged standards, interesting originals and Django's finest compositions, but also those of his follower like Stochelo Rosenberg or Bireli Lagrene, who enriched the Gipsy Jazz with some modern elements.

Rubina

Terry Gibbs - More Vibes On Velvet

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 39:09
Size: 91.2 MB
Styles: Bop, Vibraphone jazz
Year: 1959/2011
Art: Front

[3:01] 1. Moonlight Serenade
[4:10] 2. Blues In The Night
[3:12] 3. Impossible
[2:58] 4. What Is There To Say
[2:46] 5. I Remember
[3:17] 6. The Things We Did Last Summer
[2:44] 7. You Make Me Feel So Young
[2:49] 8. At Last
[3:58] 9. Lazy Sunday
[2:45] 10. Every Day Is Spring With You
[3:24] 11. With All My Love To You
[4:00] 12. Don't Cry

More Vibes on Velvet, Terry Gibbs' sequel to his 1956 album Vibes on Velvet, pairs cheesecake cover art with Gibbs' economical, melodic vibes work on a dozen pop and jazz tunes, as well as a few originals. Gibbs' "Velvet" albums, as the titles suggest, are intended to showcase his soft and sentimental side, and his playing is accordingly restrained and subdued. The selections are all slow to midtempo ballads, from "Moonlight Serenade" and "Blues in the Night" to Gibbs' own "Lazy Sunday." In place of the sweet strings one might expect on a project such as this, Gibbs' vibraharp hovers over horn arrangements that feature Joe Maini and Charlie Kennedy, along with a piano and rhythm section that combine to create more of a jazz feel than an easy listening one. Gibbs' vibes virtuosity is on display elsewhere in his catalog -- More Vibes on Velvet is for those who enjoy soft instrumental music and the warm sound of the vibraharp. ~Greg Adams

More Vibes On Velvet

Kate Hammett-Vaughan - Devil May Care

Styles: Jazz, Vocal
Year: 2003
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 59:49
Size: 137,6 MB
Art: Front

(6:07)  1. All Of You
(5:03)  2. I Remember You
(5:00)  3. Prelude To A Kiss
(5:51)  4. You Know Who ( I Mean You)
(4:36)  5. Strange Weather
(9:10)  6. Poor Boy
(5:11)  7. Throw It Away
(5:27)  8. Devil May Care
(6:13)  9. Weird Nightmare
(7:05) 10. Show Me

Many contemporary singers who want to get to wear a jazz mantle but at the same time wish to attract a younger set of fans more accustomed to rock and adult pop cut CDs with a mix of songs covering several popular music genres. That's fine, as long as intelligence and discretion are used in shaping the agenda. That Kate Hammett-Vaughan took the time to do just that separates her album from many other contemporary jazz vocalists who were not as discerning in putting together their play list. Hammett-Vaughan has reached back to the 1970s and before to include Tom Waits' "Strange Weather," which she delivers in a nocturnal, moving manner, and Nick Drake's "Poor Boy." This cut sets aside plenty of room for the bass of André Lachance and the drums of Tom Foster. Somewhere along the musical spectrum comes "Show Me" from My Fair Lady. 

This latter track is not only used to display the singer's vocal virtues, but allows for solos and give and take by Jim Pinchin on soprano sax and Chris Gestrin on piano. Then there's a little vocalese with an arrangement of Thelonious Monk's "I Mean You" refigured to come out as "You Know Who." The obligatory piece by Abbey Lincoln is here as "Throw It Away." (It's either Lincoln or something by Joni Mitchell that predictably shows up on these albums.) But the real point is that whatever Hammett-Vaughan and her quintet chooses to perform, it's done with verve, élan, and a flawless sense of what they are supposed to do with the music. This is a fine album providing both an entertaining vocal and instrumental experience, and is recommended. https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/devil-may-care/id210449993

Herb Ellis & Ray Brown - Soft Shoe

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 1974
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 32:33
Size: 75,6 MB
Art: Front + Back

(4:53)  1. Inka-Dinka-Doo
(5:22)  2. Soft Shoe
(6:11)  3. Edison Lights
(4:56)  4. Easter Parade
(2:31)  5. Green Dolphin Street
(2:36)  6. Ellis Original
(6:02)  7. The Flintstones Theme

This early Concord recording is unusual in a couple of ways. Guitarist Herb Ellis and bassist Ray Brown (who are the co-leaders) are joined not only by trumpeter Harry "Sweets" Edison (who is in colorful form) and drummer Jake Hanna but pianist George Duke in one of his very few mainstream records. Their repertoire includes jazz versions of such unlikely tunes as "Inka-Dinka-Doo," "Easter Parade" and "The Flintstones Theme"; the latter version (which is based on the familiar "I Got Rhythm" chord changes) was the first of many to turn that cartoon melody into jazz. In addition Brown ("Soft Shoe"), Edison and Ellis contribute a song apiece plus there is a brief rendition of "Green Dolphin Street" that is taken as a Brown-Ellis duet. Recommended. ~ Scott Yanow  
http://www.allmusic.com/album/soft-shoe-mw0000201107

Personnel: Herb Ellis (guitar), Ray Brown (bass), Harry "Sweets" Edison (trumpet), Jake Hanna (drums), George Duke (piano).

Threestyle - Get It (feat. Magdalena Chovancova)

Styles: Saxophone Jazz, Smooth Jazz
Year: 2014
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 46:20
Size: 107,3 MB
Art: Front

(3:30)  1. Just for Fun
(3:59)  2. Straight Ahead
(4:06)  3. Stories from the Reef
(4:39)  4. Vintage One
(3:55)  5. Get It
(4:37)  6. While On the Beach
(4:13)  7. Soul Candy
(4:30)  8. Red Squirrel
(3:52)  9. Singapore Nights
(4:30) 10. Droppin the Box
(4:23) 11. Funky Lights

Europe's Threestyle, is founded by German guitarist Robert Fertl and his partner, Czech Republic's Magdalena Chovancova who plays saxophone, piano and flute for the ensemble. The project, currently based in Germany, also features Magdalena's twin sister, Gabriela Chovancova on drums, along with an assortment of European A-Listers! Threestyle truly personifies Smooth Jazz with killer originals and a sophisticated, modern spin with their blend of smooth, nu, funk, soul and chill jazz! Threestyle has collaborated with Paul Brown, Gail Jhonson (Jazz in Pink) , Katja Rieckermann (Rod Stewart) James L. Manning , Chaka Khan, Marcus Anderson (Prince), Julian Vaughn, Jackiem Joyner, Matt Marshak, Latonya Black and many more. 

The band continues to tour the world on a regular basis, from the U.S. (Palm Springs, Las Vegas, Seal Beach-Spaghettini ) to South Africa (Shiraz Jazz Festival, China (Expo), Indonesia, Brazil, Australia to the Caribbean and throughout Europe. All releases are available on WeLoveMusic Recording Label Top 40 smooth jazz hits and 5 albums. The prolific collaboration keeps an ambitious recording schedule and releases new music every month. http://smoothjazz.com/jazzblast/Feature/threestyle_magdalena.htm

Ken Peplowski & Jesper Thilo - Happy Together

Styles: Clarinet And Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2009
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 52:35
Size: 120,6 MB
Art: Front

( 7:56)  1. Vignette
( 9:02)  2. I Want To Be Happy
( 6:20)  3. Gee Baby, Ain't I Good To You
( 7:06)  4. The World Is Waiting For The Sunrise
( 5:03)  5. Polka Dots And Moonbeams
( 6:40)  6. In Your Own Sweet Way
(10:26)  7. Centerpiece

Ken Peplowski and Jesper Thilo have much more in common than the solid expertise of each on both tenor saxophone and clarinet as demonstrated here. The two effortlessly and authentically bring the Swing Era to vibrant life anew. With "Peps," who began his professional career with the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra, one has only to hear the first few notes from his clarinet on "I Want to Be Happy" to appreciate how great an influence Benny Goodman had on him. Thilo's thrilling trilling, as he races up and down the scales on "The World is Waiting for the Sunrise," is more straight-tahead and euphoric Swing Era jazz. This number is also an opportunity for some friendly dueling of clarinets that understandably evokes excited roars from the audience on this live set. Don't misunderstand. This is no mere nostalgic or imitative nod to a bygone era. 

On the '40s classic, "Polka Dots and Moonbeams," Peplowski weaves an alluring spell that is as intricate as it is delicately dreamy. On this tune and throughout the set, Thilo Wagner's piano offers accompaniment that is subtle and quiet so that at times it almost seems on the verge of disappearing. Yet somehow it doesn't and the effect is to lend a constant underpinning of melodic strength.  Everyone gets time to swing easy on the wrap-up number, an extended take on Edison/Hendricks' "Centerpiece." Both Peplowski and Thilo give out with unhurried tenor sax sweetness on this one, Thilo especially, with a warmth that for this listener recalled shades of the great Ben Webster. ~ Andrew Velez  http://www.allaboutjazz.com/happy-together-live-at-birdland-volume-one-ken-peplowski-nagel-heyer-records-review-by-andrew-velez.php#.VHKEZcmHmtg

Personnel: Ken Pelowski: tenor saxophone (1, 7), clarinet (1, 4, 5); Jesper Thilo: tenor saxophone (1, 2, 3, 7), clarinet (4) and vocals; Thilo Wagner: piano; Isla Eckinger: bass; Gregor Beck: drums.

Thursday, November 27, 2014

Bryan Shaw & The Hot Shots - The Bluebird Of Happiness

Size: 159,8 MB
Time: 68:30
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2013
Styles: Jazz
Art: Front

01. Love Me Or Leave Me (5:06)
02. All My Life (4:20)
03. Wang Wang Blues (4:12)
04. Vignette (4:20)
05. Papa De Da Da (4:32)
06. Song Of Dreams (3:12)
07. Lucky So And So (5:25)
08. Old Man Bowers (5:29)
09. Bloomin' Blue (5:05)
10. I Lost My Gal From Memphis (4:23)
11. Ellie (4:20)
12. Blue Room (4:15)
13. Chloe (4:02)
14. Strange Blues (5:11)
15. The Bluebird Of Happiness (4:33)

Personnel:
Bryan Shaw: trumpet
Dan Barrett: trombone
Evan Arntzen: reeds
Ehud Asherie: piano
John Dominguez: bass
Brad Roth: guitar, banjo
Jeff Hamilton: drums

Bryan Shaw performs wondrously on trumpet, the way pre-jazz players in the South were called singing horns before the word jazz was in vogue. After winning a national Dixieland contest, Bryan has been performing internationally and the music is instantly recognizable as his unique jazz sound.

Features jazz all-stars Ehud Asherie on piano and Dan Barrett on trombone. Nat Hentoff wrote the liner notes, and declared in the Wall Street Journal that Bryan Shaw is a torchbearer for timeless swing.

The Bluebird Of Happiness

Fabio Sartori, Marco Colonna, Cristiano Calcagnile - (In)Obediens

Size: 89,7 MB
Time: 38:39
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2014
Styles: Jazz: Mainstream Jazz
Art: Front

01. Frame (5:33)
02. Frenetic Dance (4:24)
03. (In)Obediens (8:53)
04. Flex Frame (4:12)
05. Impro#1 (5:18)
06. Celebra(L)Tion Day (3:33)
07. Arlequin (6:44)

Personnel:
Marco Colonna - bass clarinet, clarinet, tenor sax
Fabio Sartori - piano
Cristiano Calcagnile - drums, percussions

The rich, wide-ranging sound produced by Marco Colonna’s reeds makes for an intense counterpoint to the elegant notes of Fabio Sartori’s piano and the bounty of Cristian Calcagnile’s masterful percussion. The trio’s music, clearly identifiable with the strengths of a jazz that possesses both the awareness and the willingness to embrace adventure, explores a natural sequence of alternating moments. Broad, reflective stretches are interspersed with vigorous clusters of notes, as the three players consistently bring to their music an intriguing clarity of form, an unflagging feel for the lyrical and a remarkable gift for collective interplay.

"(In)Obediens is a play on words that signifies deep listening. There, where the creative thrust arises, often in contrast to what lays outwards. That means a disobedience, the refusal of established and preconstituded models. Improvisation is the way. The opening and ending themes are written, as the parentheses in the title. The rest is a discovery within every instant shared among the musicians. The title track represents this work at its best." Fabio Sartori

(In)Obediens

Deb Silver - In Spring

Size: 102,2 MB
Time: 43:57
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2014
Styles: Jazz: Vocals, Smooth Jazz
Art: Front

01. 90 In The Shade (5:19)
02. What's New (4:56)
03. Love Song #9 (3:46)
04. Miho (4:20)
05. You Must Believe In Spring (3:02)
06. Permission For The Blues (Feat. Lew Soloff) (4:35)
07. Poor You (4:05)
08. The Emperor (4:16)
09. Love Asylum (4:59)
10. Permission For The Blues (Feat. Jeff Lee Johnson) (4:35)

On her album In Spring, Deb Silver delivers a striking collection of original songs mixed with unique interpretations of her favourite standards, producing a jazzy journey woven through with Deb’s smooth vocal dexterity.

A published songwriter with a lengthy career as a live performer in New York City–including a 12-year residency at Manhattan’s Zinc Bar–Deb has steadily established herself as a swinging jazz vocalist, recognized as both a sensual and witty musical interpreter and a highly accessible composer in her own right.

Whether delivering her own take on the classics or contributing songs of her own, Deb’s focus remains on telling her musical stories with her core group of downtown NYC jazz musicians, their many years of playing together infusing each track with the textured contours and lived-in familiarity that only the best long-term musical partnerships can provide.

In Spring

Artie Shaw - Both Feet In The Groove

Size: 88,2 MB
Time: 38:03
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 1956/2014
Styles: Jazz: Vocals, Big Band, Swing
Art: Front

01. One Foot In The Groove (3:41)
02. Rockin' Chair (3:07)
03. Jungle Drums (3:29)
04. Solid Sam (3:15)
05. Just Kiddin' Around (3:20)
06. Octoroon (2:55)
07. Prosschai (3:09)
08. What Is This Thing Called Love (3:11)
09. Lazy Day (3:03)
10. Little Jazz (3:00)
11. Comin' On (2:44)
12. One Night Stand (3:03)

Born in New York City in 1910 and raised in New Haven, Connecticut, Artie Shaw worked for several years as a saxophonist and clarinetist in name bands, and as a free-lance studio musician in Manhattan radio and recording work, before his career as a bandleader began, almost by accident, in 1935. In the spring of 1937 Artie started a new band with the regular saxes-brass-rhythm instrumentation. This was the band that catapulted him to fame a year later when he recorded Begin the Beguine. Some of the numbers in this album go back to that era; in fact one tune, Comin' On, was recorded on the same day at the same session as the historic Beguine-July 24, 1938. This Shaw panorama should convince you that, in truth, Artie Shaw at all times has had both feet in the groove.

Both Feet In The Groove