Mel Torme - At The Crescendo: Complete Recordings 1954 & 1957

Size: 145,8+140,0 MB
Time: 61:12+58:49
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2011
Styles: Jazz/Pop Vocals
Art: Front

CD 1:
01. From This Moment On (1:41)
02. September Song (2:50)
03. That Old Black Magic (3:14)
04. Get Out Of Town (3:22)
05. My Shining Hour (3:03)
06. Goody Goody (2:27)
07. County Fair (5:12)
08. This Christmas Song (3:04)
09. A Stranger In Town (3:25)
10. I Wish I Were In Love Again (2:08)
11. Moonlight In Vermont (2:26)
12. You're Driving Me Crazy (2:12)
13. Bernie's Tune (3:05)
14. Our Love Is Here To Stay (2:24)
15. Old Devil Moon (3:16)
16. Blue Moon (2:35)
17. Have You Met Miss Jones (2:47)
18. Jeepers Creepers (3:00)
19. Mountain Greenery (2:25)
20. Imagination (3:21)
21. Get Happy (3:02)

CD 2:
01. It's Only A Paper Moon (3:11)
02. What Is This Thing Called Love (4:03)
03. One For My Baby (4:44)
04. Love Is Just A Bug (2:31)
05. A Nightingale Sang In Berkeley Square (2:52)
06. Autumn Leaves (3:03)
07. Just One Of Those Things (2:29)
08. The Girl Next Door (2:58)
09. Lover Come Back To Me (2:43)
10. Looking At You (2:49)
11. The Tender Trap (3:23)
12. I'm Beginning To See The Light (2:23)
13. It's All Right With Me (4:26)
14. Manhattan (3:14)
15. Taking A Chance (1:59)
16. Home By The Sea (1:52)
17. It's De-Lovely (2:42)
18. Tenderly (2:19)
19. I Wish I Was In Love Again (2:29)
20. Nobody's Heart (2:28)

One of those singers who could sing a grocery list and make it work, Mel Tormé never met a song he couldn't at least make memorable, and in most cases, he did a whole lot more than that. Tormé wasn't a singer who fed off of glitz and flash, and his vocal work was full of such subtle and effortlessly inventive phrasing that it's easy to miss how he never sings a successive verse exactly the same in a song, working the edges of the melody so deftly that it all seems naturally right, even if what he's really doing is working his vocals like a veteran horn player. What this means is that Tormé, who had his successes in the recording studio, certainly, was really at his most transcendent as a vocalist in a live setting, and these two sets, recorded three years apart in 1954 and 1957 at the Crescendo on Sunset Strip with the Al Pellegrini Trio (1954) and the Marty Paich Quintet (1957), are the perfect proof of that. This is Mel Tormé in his element giving classics like the Gershwins' "Our Love Is Here to Stay" an almost perfect reading, feeding the melody the intimacy it cries for, scat singing (a Tormé specialty) his way through "Bernie's Tune" like a jazz trumpet player, and approaching "A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square" with just the right touch to bring out its inherent dignity. He does more of the same to two of his own compositions, the brilliant "Stranger in Town" and the so-good-it-seems-like-it's-been-around-forever holiday classic "The Christmas Song." Graceful, warm, and spry, Tormé's singing always fits his material, and he gently bends the melodies, shifts emphasis on the rhythm, and elegantly turns phrases in subtle little ways on song after song during these performances, but it's all done with such seemingly effortless ease that he appears to be singing everything straight and true. He isn't. A close listen to what he's doing reveals continual and delightful surprises, all of them carrying the song where it really wants to go. With 41 tracks on two discs, this is both a great introduction to Tormé's elegant vocal universe and a historic pairing of his two Crescendo nights in a single package, which, amazingly, no one has thought to do before. ~Review by Steve Leggett

At The Crescendo CD 1
At The Crescendo CD 2

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Michael Hershman - Undercovers

Size: 119,5 MB
Time: 51:20
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2014
Styles: Jazz: Saxophone Jazz, Smooth Jazz
Art: Front

01. Any Day Now (4:02)
02. Back To You (4:08)
03. And You Care (4:04)
04. Soull Deep (3:41)
05. Jade (4:37)
06. Undercovers (4:58)
07. You Know How It Is (3:47)
08. Love Is New (4:33)
09. Romantic Cruise (4:18)
10. Beside You (4:14)
11. Her Groove (4:32)
12. If For A Moment (4:19)

Funky, hip, soulful, melodic, original jazz. Featuring a wide array of great performances by great musicians including exciting horn & string sections All lead/solo soprano & alto sax by Michael Hershman - all songs composed by him as well...

"Michael Hershman is a remarkable talent! He can repeatedly achieve whatever musical goals that may lie ahead, again and again, indefinitely. It is hard to imagine anyone in "the industry" with a lick of sense passing on the opportunity to mine the gold lying there in wait." - (Doug Mackey Music Editor - Tacoma Weekly)

"Michael's music is as beautiful and sexy as he is while he performs it." ( Melony Denise Cunningham Executive Producer – KLAY

"Mike is one of the greatest horns players I've heard." – (Ike Turner Ike Turner Revue)

"Michael Hershman is the best saxophone player that I've ever heard and I love his CD." – (Step Stephan Wonn ESPN)

"Michael is a fabulous saxophonist and a great composer. His appeal to the audience is astounding." – (Armen Rominov Tour Manager - Sea of Japan Tour "98")

Undercovers

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Clare Teal & Grant Windsor With Special Guest Pee Wee Ellis - In Good Company

Size: 107,9 MB
Time: 46:57
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2014
Styles: Jazz Vocals
Art: Front

01. I'll Be Your Baby Tonight (4:17)
02. I Get Along Without You Very Well (4:57)
03. Inarticulate Speech Of The Heart (4:24)
04. A Kiss To Build A Dream On (3:37)
05. Lover Man (5:15)
06. Come Together (4:14)
07. The Nearness Of You (5:09)
08. Don't Go To Strangers (5:39)
09. I Got You (I Feel Good) (5:28)
10. My Neighbourhood (3:51)

Following on from the success of 'And So It Goes', Clare and Grant invited saxophone legend Pee Wee Ellis into the studio to make an 'as live' totally organic album. In Good Company was recorded over 2 days and is a collection of songs that have inspired, or influenced Pee Wee, songs that he has enjoyed playing throughout his vast career or that he has indeed written himself, not to mention a couple of random offerings that are there purely because they came up in conversation at the time!

In Good Company

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James Edward Cole III - The Jam Session

Size: 101,3 MB
Time: 43:37
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2015
Styles: Jazz: Smooth Jazz
Art: Front

01. The Jam Session (4:20)
02. Along For The Ride (4:08)
03. Smooth Move (3:56)
04. Moving To A Newer Level (3:34)
05. Better Than Before (4:55)
06. The Composer (5:27)
07. Not Far To Go (3:08)
08. Close To The Border (3:31)
09. No Two Ways About It (3:04)
10. Off The Ground (3:36)
11. Just Having Fun (3:53)

This is a composition of smooth jazz that has an acoustic guitar and keyboard sounds to it. A nice mellow sound that you will enjoy listening to if just out riding out on trip to get away and relax. I hope you will enjoy it.

The Jam Session

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Clare Teal & Her Mini Big Band - At Your Request

Size: 117,3 MB
Time: 49:42
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2015
Styles: Jazz Vocals
Art: Front

01. I'll Be Your Baby Tonight (4:11)
02. That Old Black Magic (3:16)
03. The Way Young Lovers Do (4:37)
04. Dream A Little Dream of Me (4:21)
05. Mountain Greenery (2:28)
06. Never Go Away (4:00)
07. The Folks Who Live on the Hill (3:45)
08. Hallelujah Part 1 (2:19)
09. Hallelujah Part 2 (5:30)
10. Fascinating Rhythm (3:26)
11. Nice Work If You Can Get It (3:54)
12. Teardrops From My Eyes (4:13)
13. Twenty-Mile Zone (3:36)

Clare Teal is one of the UK’s most celebrated and much loved jazz singers, as well as a prolific recording artist and popular BBC Radio 2 broadcaster. To date she has recorded and released 13 albums to public and critical acclaim. Her stunning voice, encyclopaedic knowledge of jazz, swing and big band music, and her innate warmth and wit have made Clare one of the most sought after singers and broadcasters in the country.

After signing to independent label Candid in 2001 and releasing three acclaimed titles, it was Clare’s first album for Sony Jazz which became her breakthrough record. Released in 2004, ‘Don’t Talk’ topped the Jazz charts and entered the UK Top 20, garnering extraordinary plaudits and several awards. She has gone on to release seven more successful albums, most recently her 2014 release ‘In Good Company’ featuring saxophone legend Pee Wee Ellis.

As a live artist, Clare has performed across the length and breadth of the UK and across the globe. Her shows are renowned not only for her stunning vocals and great song choices, but also because she has deservedly developed a reputation as one of our most entertaining and witty performers.

Clare loves working with large and small ensemble groups and performs with orchestras, big bands and most regularly with her trio, in 2013 she formed her own Big band, and a year later created a 16 piece Hollywood Band for a show celebrating the music of Doris Day. She has a particular passion for the Great American Songbook and more recently the Great British Songbook. Her love of the great female singers of our time has led her to develop her show ‘The Divas and Me!’ celebrating the leading lights of the jazz and big band world, including Ella Fitzgerald, Peggy Lee, Judy Garland and Anita O’Day.

Highlights of Clare’s live work include opening twice for Liza Minnelli at Kenwood House and the Royal Festival Hall, singing with the BBC Big Band at Proms in the Park, headlining the Bourbon Street tent at Glastonbury Festival, performing regularly at the world renowned Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club, storming the Marlborough Jazz Festival with her Big Band and performing with the 100 piece Halle Orchestra at the Bridgewater Hall.

A career pinnacle for Clare was producing, presenting and performing her own Prom during the 2014 Proms Season at the Royal Albert Hall. ‘Battle of the Bands Duke Ellington v Count Basie’ was filmed before a capacity crowd, broadcast simultaneously on BBC Radio 2 & 3 and was the most viewed prom of 2014 on BBC Four.

Clare is now a loved and respected broadcaster on the BBC radio 2. She presents her own 2 hour live show on BBC Radio 2 featuring the best of swing and big band music.

Clare won British Jazz Singer of the year in both 2005 and 2007, and BBC Jazz Singer of the Year in 2006. She was awarded Arts & Entertainment Personality of the Year in 2004 & 2011 Yorkshire Awards and was awarded a much coveted Gold Badge by BASCA (British Academy of Songwriters, Composers and Authors) in 2011.

Clare’s future plans include touring her tribute to the legendary Doris Day accompanied by her 16 piece Hollywood Band, further shows with The Clare Teal Big Band. In addition she will continue to tour with her Mini Big Band and perform with her beloved trio. She will release her 14th album, ‘At Your Request’ in February 2015.

At Your Request

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Larry Coryell - Live In Europe 2004 Vol. 1 & Vol. 2

Album: Live In Europe 2004 Vol. 1
Size: 145,5 MB
Time: 63:05
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2015
Styles: Jazz: Guitar Jazz, Jazz Rock
Label: Troubadour Records
Art: Front

01. Immer Geradeaus (13:03)
02. Dragon Gate (12:08)
03. Tricycles ( 7:39)
04. Bumpin' On Sunset ( 7:41)
05. In A Sentimental Mood ( 9:21)
06. Spaces Revisited (13:11)

As one of the pioneers of jazz-rock -- perhaps the pioneer in the ears of some -- Larry Coryell deserves a special place in the history books. He brought what amounted to a nearly alien sensibility to jazz electric guitar playing in the 1960s, a hard-edged, cutting tone, phrasing and note-bending that owed as much to blues, rock and even country as it did to earlier, smoother bop influences. Yet as a true eclectic, armed with a brilliant technique, he is comfortable in almost every style, covering almost every base from the most decibel-heavy, distortion-laden electric work to the most delicate, soothing, intricate lines on acoustic guitar. Unfortunately, a lot of his most crucial electric work from the '60s and '70s is missing on CD, tied up by the erratic reissue schemes of Vanguard, RCA and other labels, and by jazz-rock's myopically low level of status in the CD era (although that mindset is slowly changing).

According to Coryell, his interest in jazz took hold at the age of four, and after his family moved from Galveston to the state of Washington three years later, he began to learn the guitar, studying records by Tal Farlow, Barney Kessel and Johnny Smith. As a teenager, he played in a band led by pianist Mike Mandel, and by 1965, he gave up his journalism studies at the University of Washington in order to try his luck in New York as a musician. Before the year was out, he attracted much attention jamming in Greenwich Village and replaced Gabor Szabo in Chico Hamilton's band. In 1966, he made a startling recorded debut on Hamilton's The Dealer album, where his blues and rock ideas came to the fore, and that year, he also played with a proto-jazz-rock band, the Free Spirits. Coryell's name spread even further in 1967-68 when he played with Gary Burton's combo, and he was one of the most prominent solo voices on Herbie Mann's popular Memphis Underground album (recorded in 1968). He, Mandel and Steve Marcus formed a group called Foreplay in 1969 (no relation to today's Fourplay), and by 1973, this became the core of the jazz-rock band Eleventh House, which after a promising start ran aground with a string of albums of variable quality.

In 1975, Coryell pulled the plug, concentrating on acoustic guitar and turning in a prolific series of duo and trio sessions with the likes of Philip Catherine, Emily Remler, John Scofield, Joe Beck, Steve Khan and John McLaughlin. In the mid-'80s, Coryell toured with McLaughlin and Paco DeLucia, and in 1986 participated in a five-way guitar session with his old idol Farlow, Scofield, Larry Carlton and John Abercrombie for the Jazzvisions series. Coryell has also recorded with Stephane Grappelli, Charles Mingus, Sonny Rollins and Kenny Barron, and has taped Brazilian music with Dori Caymmi for CTI, mainstream jazz for Muse, solo guitar for Shanachie and Acoustic Music, and (for Nippon Phonogram in Japan) an album of classical transcriptions of music by Stravinsky and Rimsky-Korsakov. In other words, Coryell will probably remain as eclectic as ever throughout his career, which will no doubt make life difficult for musicologists with a yen for pigeonholing. Coryell's career in the 21st century has been just as active. 2004 saw the release of Tricycles, an excellent trio date with drummer Paul Wertico and bassist Mark Egan. Electric from 2005 found Coryell playing jazz standards and rock anthems with Lenny White on drums and Victor Bailey on electric bass. In 2006, he released the performance album Laid Back & Blues: Live at the Sky Church in Seattle. ~ by Richard S. Ginell

Live In Europe 2004 Vol. 1

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Live In Europe 2004 Vol. 2
Size: 161,1 MB
Time: 69:49
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2015
Styles: Jazz: Guitar Jazz, Jazz Rock
Label: Troubadour Records
Art: Front

01. Spaces Revisited (12:59)
02. Transparence ( 6:52)
03. Improvisation On A Solea ( 6:21)
04. Descending Grace ( 9:40)
05. She's Leaving Home - Yesterday ( 7:01)
06. Well You Needn't (12:19)
07. Inner Urge ( 8:16)
08. Love Is Here To Stay ( 6:18)

Live In Europe 2004 Vol. 2

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Shirley Scott - The Soul Is Willing

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 37:12
Size: 85.2 MB
Styles: Soul Jazz, Hard bop
Year: 1963/2013
Art: Front

[6:20] 1. The Soul Is Willing
[8:12] 2. Secret Love
[5:55] 3. Yes Indeed
[6:19] 4. Stolen Sweets
[6:14] 5. I Feel All Right
[4:09] 6. Remember

This is a good album that shows the husband and wife team of Shirley Scott and Stanley Turrentine in their usual, excellent form -- a fine example of organ combo soul jazz. Now part of the Prestige two-fer called Soul Shoutin'. ~Michael Erlewine

The Soul Is Willing

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The Carl Saunders Exploration - The Lost Bill Holman Charts

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s

Time: 53:44

Size: 123.0 MB

Styles: Straight ahead jazz, Big band

Year: 2007

Art: Front

[3:27] 1. Three Little Words

[5:51] 2. Ow

[4:01] 3. Mahogany Run

[5:41] 4. Primrose

[5:17] 5. Dearly Beloved

[7:04] 6. The Hook

[4:05] 7. We'll Be Together Again

[4:37] 8. All Too Soon

[4:07] 9. Doctor Deep

[3:43] 10. Hannibal

[5:45] 11. Scratch

The Bill Holman charts unearthed here by the Carl Saunders Exploration weren't so much "lost as overlooked hidden away for some two decades in a closet at the home of geologist/saxophonist Ted Richardson in Houston, Texas. On the other hand, as none of them had ever been recorded, they may accurately be described as "found.

The charts were written for Richardson's septet, which was disbanded in the mid-1980s before plans to record them could be carried out. Richardson took them home, where they stayed until he mentioned their existence to trumpeter Saunders, a member of Holman's big band since 1984. Saunders and Richardson soon agreed that the time had come to make them more widely known and set about ensuring that it was done. Looking for musicians who could apprehend Holman's music and make it sparkle, Saunders turned to the Holman band to enlist trombonist Andy Martin, baritone Bob Efford, pianist Christian Jacob and bassist Kevin Axt, added world-class tenor Pete Christlieb, versatile drummer Santo Savino from Las Vegas, and guest soloist Sam Most on flute and baritone.

What they have produced is a generous slice of contemporary small-group jazz that is so fresh, so invigorating, and swings so hard that it all but defies description. And to think we almost never heard these charts! Thank you, Carl; thank you, Ted; thank you, everyone else who took part in this stylish and thoroughly rewarding endeavor. Most of all, thank you, Bill Holman, for reaffirming your status as one of the preeminent composer/arrangers in the jazz idiom.

After neatly renovating the standard "Three Little Words, Holman places his purposeful stamp on Dizzy Gillespie's "Ow, Duke Ellington's "All Too Soon, the standards "Dearly Beloved and "We'll Be Together Again, Saunders' "The Hook (written especially for the occasion) and five of his inspired compositions. Each one is a textbook example of how such arrangements should be realized. As for the musicians, they are beyond reproach. Saunders solos brilliantly—no surprise there—as do Martin, Christlieb, Jacob, Most and Axt. Christlieb wails tenaciously on his feature, "Dearly Beloved, while Martin does the same on "We'll Be Together Again. In every instance, the front-liners are unerringly supported by the group's superlative rhythm section—Jacob, Axt and Savino.

A word of advice to big-band enthusiasts (and everyone else)—if there is one small-group recording to install on your radar screen this year, this is the one. If there were any justice (there isn't), The Lost Bill Holman Charts would earn every award to be had (including a Grammy) without breaking a sweat. ~Jack Bowers

Carl Saunders: trumpet, flugelhorn; Pete Christlieb: tenor sax; Bob Efford: baritone sax; Andy Martin: trombone; Christian Jacob: piano; Kevin Axt: bass; Santo Savino: drums. Guest soloist: Sam Most: flute, baritone sax.

The Lost Bill Holman Charts

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Julie London - The Very Best Of Julie London (2-Disc Set)

Julie London did not possess a big voice, but it sure was expressive, husky, intimate, and most of all, sexy. This 50 track, two-disc set is the most extensive Julie London collection available domestically. It spans her entire 30-plus album recording career at Liberty Records, from her biggest hit "Cry Me A River" from 1955's debut Julie Is Her Name to a scintillating take on the Doors' "Light My Fire" from her final effort, 1968's Yummy Yummy Yummy.

Aside from "Cry Me A River" (written by high school classmate Arthur Hamilton) and the also enclosed "Nice Girls Don't Stay For Breakfast (co-penned by hubby Bobby Troup), nearly all of London's recordings were previously popularized by others. But when remade by Julie, these songs sound fresh and distinctly different from the originals. "Wives And Lovers," for instance, becomes a very serious cautionary tale, warning the listener that sexy Julie will steal her man - probably with little effort - if she doesn't shape up and spruce up her appearance. And when, on "My Heart Belongs To Daddy," she seductively invites a guy over to "to dine on my fine finnan haddie," I don't think it is fish that she's actually offering him a nibble of!

For those looking for a more concise Julie London collection or perhaps some additional London recordings, check out Rhino's Time For Love from 1991. It includes 13 wonderful tracks (out of 18) not found on this set. ~Jim Bagley

Album: The Very Best Of Julie London (Disc 1)
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 69:54
Size: 160.1 MB
Styles: Jazz vocals
Year: 2006

[2:30] 1. Fly Me To The Moon (In Other Words)
[2:53] 2. Cry Me A River
[2:28] 3. Blue Moon
[2:33] 4. Sway
[2:39] 5. My Heart Belongs To Daddy
[3:18] 6. When I Fall In Love
[3:08] 7. Can't Help Lovin' That Man
[3:08] 8. Misty
[2:31] 9. Lover Man
[2:02] 10. Desafinado (Slightly Out Of Tune)
[2:38] 11. Girl Talk
[2:01] 12. Let There Be Love
[2:36] 13. Wives And Lovers
[2:46] 14. In The Wee Small Hours Of The Morning
[2:41] 15. Makin' Whoopee
[2:52] 16. The Good Life
[2:58] 17. The More I See You
[3:20] 18. A Taste Of Honey
[2:12] 19. Go Slow
[2:37] 20. You And The Night And The Music
[3:02] 21. Black Coffee
[3:02] 22. Basin Street Blues
[3:48] 23. Blues In The Night
[2:51] 24. 'round Midnight
[3:09] 25. As Time Goes By

The Very Best Of Julie London (Disc 1)

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Album: The Very Best Of Julie London (Disc 2)
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 67:21
Size: 154.2 MB
Styles: Jazz vocals
Year: 2006
Art: Front

[2:18] 1. Can't Get Used To Losing You
[1:38] 2. September In The Rain
[2:10] 3. Mad About The Boy
[2:49] 4. Love Letters
[2:45] 5. I Left My Heart In San Francisco
[1:57] 6. Diamonds Are A Girl's Best Friend
[2:16] 7. Goody Goody
[2:50] 8. The Days Of Wine And Roses
[2:11] 9. You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To
[3:16] 10. Light My Fire
[3:12] 11. Here's That Rainy Day
[2:23] 12. Body And Soul
[3:13] 13. God Bless The Child
[3:05] 14. They Can't Take That Away From Me
[2:17] 15. Our Day Will Come
[3:02] 16. I've Got You Under My Skin (Born To Dance)
[2:44] 17. The End Of The World
[4:05] 18. One For My Baby
[2:35] 19. Love For Sale
[2:23] 20. Sentimental Journey
[2:09] 21. I've Got A Crush On You
[2:45] 22. Call Me Irresponsible
[2:14] 23. You Made Me Love You
[2:28] 24. Nice Girls Don't Stay For Breakfast
[4:22] 25. Every Time We Say Goodbye

The Very Best Of Julie London (Disc 2)

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Diane Hubka - I Like It Here: Live In Tokyo

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2009
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 61:34
Size: 142,6 MB
Art: Front

(3:41)  1. I Like It Here
(3:46)  2. Agua De Beber
(5:32)  3. Angel Eyes
(6:13)  4. Faces
(4:45)  5. Get Out Of Town
(4:10)  6. It's Always 4 AM
(5:31)  7. Some Of My Best Friends Are The Blues
(7:11)  8. You Go To My Head
(4:53)  9. Dindi
(3:31) 10. Moonlight In Vermont
(6:26) 11. All My Tomorrows
(5:51) 12. One Note Samba

Cool-toned vocalist Diane Hubka first caught the attention of jazz journalists with her 1999 debut CD Haven't We Met?(Challenge-A) and she has continued to prove herself as an inventive, gifted interpreter of a wide range of material on her subsequent releases. Since leaving New York City for Southern California in 2004, she has played and recorded with a variety of top West Coast musicians.  Hubka faced two challenges for I Like It Here/Live in Tokyo. After being invited to tour Japan by the Sinatra Society of Japan, which asked her to perform songs associated with the legendary singer (which make up most, though not all, of this set), it was arranged to record her in concert, with Japanese musicians (pianist Kiyoshi Morita, bassist Masahiko Taniguchi and drummer Nobuhiko Yamashita) who were new to her and spoke very little English. 

But the language of jazz is universal and everything fell into place during this concert at JZ Brat in Shibuya.  Hubka handles the standards associated with Sinatra very well, as she has likely had most of them in her repertoire for some time. Her subtle take on the bittersweet "Angel Eyes" and slowly savored rendition of "You Go to My Head" (with a beautifully understated solo by Morita) are among the highlights of that portion of the set. Hubka adds her guitar on several sections, including a breezy "Agua de Beber" and the easygoing "Dindi" (both masterpieces by Antonio Carlos Jobim), while scatting up a storm in Ron Anthony's joyful "Faces" and excusing the rhythm section to accompany herself in Anthony's melancholy "It's Always 4 AM." ~ Ken Dryden  http://www.allaboutjazz.com/i-like-it-here-live-in-tokyo-diane-hubka-ssj-records-review-by-ken-dryden.php
 

Personnel: Diane Hubka: vocals, guitar (2, 4, 6, 10); Kiyoshi Morita: piano; Masahiko Taniguchi: bass; Nobuhiko Yamashita: drums.

I Like It Here / Live In Tokyo

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Bobbi Humphrey - Fancy Dancer

Styles: Crossover Jazz, Flute Jazz
Year: 1975
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 39:56
Size: 91,6 MB
Art: Front

(6:45)  1. Uno Esta
(5:41)  2. The Trip
(6:16)  3. You Make Me Feel So Good
(5:46)  4. Fancy Dancer
(4:52)  5. Mestizo Eyes
(4:24)  6. Sweeter Than Suger
(6:09)  7. Please Set Me At Ease

The third and final collaboration between flutist Bobbi Humphrey and Larry Mizell also marked the end of Humphrey's five-album run with Blue Note Records. Humphrey began recording with Larry and his brother Fonce (who provides arrangements and plays clavinet and trumpet here) in the aftermath of Donald Byrd's Black Byrd, the collaborative jazz-funk effort that resulted in a massively successful (and influential) commercial breakthrough for the trumpeter and the label. While not as well known as her Blacks and Blues album, her stellar debut with the pair from 1973, Fancy Dancer is every bit its aesthetic equal. The Mizells lined up a serious crew of studio aces for the date, including trumpeter Oscar Brashear; trombonist Julian Priester; Tyree and Roger Glenn on saxophone and piano, respectively; pianists Skip Scarborough and Jerry Peters (who were part of an army of them on this date); drummer Harvey Mason; bassist Chuck Rainey; and even the great Dorothy Ashby on harp. 

Recorded at their Sound Factory studio in Los Angeles, Fancy Dancer is a seamless collection of seven tracks that cruise the distance across soulful fusions of funk, Latin grooves, electric jazz, and gauzy vocal choruses that offer a hint as to what the underground dancefloor scenes of Los Angeles and New York were offering in at the predawn of the disco era. Humphrey's flute playing feels effortless as she hovers around and plays through the layers of spacy keyboards, shimmering rhythmic pulses, and seductive textures provided by lilting voices, hand percussion, and breaks. The set comes popping out of the gate with the glorious "Uno Esta," featuring bank upon bank of warm bubbling keyboards, roiling basslines, and hand drums courtesy of Mayuto Correa's congas. Craig McMullen and John Rowin contribute some bright chunky guitars, and Larry lays a fine horn chart in the cut as Humphrey begins the first of three solo breaks. When the chorus comes in, the rhythm shifts; the vibe get funkier but never loses the sheen and polish in the mix.

Following this is the stunning Chuck Davis number "The Trip." Commencing with a cut-time funk break, wah-wah guitars, and three different synth harmonic lines all painting a nocturnal spaced-out groove, Humphrey begins to play fills around and through them. A Rhodes enters and the drums become more pronounced in the mix, just as a guitar begins to play contrapuntal fills under her flute. This is one of the greatest tracks in her catalog because it is simultaneously dreamy and sensual and offers enough head-nodding funk to seduce an army. The title track feels more laid-back at first with its gentle chorus. But some flipped-out psychedelic soul finds its way through in waves of Latin percussion that build a shelf under Roger Glenn's vibes break, which in turn sets up Humphrey's burning flute solo prefiguring a salsa piano line and furious hand drumming in syncopated grooves.

"Mestizo Eyes" is a steamy, lusty babymaker with simmering, ratcheted intensity as Rainey's fat-bottom electric Fender bassline belies the chunky wah-wah guitars and synth strings and Dorothy Ashby's harp floats through the center. A chorus of male voices softly chants the title and Humphrey goes to town, rhythmically undulating her solo through the entire mix. There isn't anything approaching a middling moment here -- this is all killer, no filler. Jazz critics may have had their troubles with this set, but no one cared; Humphrey and The Mizells were creating a new kind of largely instrumental funk that was inclusive of everything they could weave in from world music to soul-jazz to club music to pop and the public responded. [In 2008, Fancy Dancer was released domestically on compact disc as part of the Michael Cuscuna-produced Blue Note Rare Grooves series.] ~ Thom Jurek  http://www.allmusic.com/album/fancy-dancer-mw0000548028

Personnel:  Bobbi Humphrey - flute & vocal; Oscar Brashear – trumpet; Julian Priester – trombone; Fonce Mizell - trumpet, clavinet, solina, vocal; Tyree Glenn Jr. - tenor saxophone; Larry Mizell - synthesizer, electric piano, piano, solina, vocal; Skip Scarborough - synthesizer, electric piano, clavinet; Chuck Davis - piano, electric piano; Roger Glenn - vibraphone & marimba; Dorothy Ashby - harp; Craig McMullen – guitar; John Rowin – guitar; Chuck Rainey - electric bass; Harvey Mason – drums; Mayuto Correa – conga; Jesse Acuna, Rosario Davila – vocal; Katherine Lyra,Augie Rey, Sonia Tavares - backing vocals; James Carter - whistler

Fancy Dancer

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Ben Webster - Ben Webster & Associates

Styles: Saxophne Jazz
Year: 1959/2000
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 44:39
Size: 102,9 MB
Art: Front

(20:18)  1. In A Mellow Tone
( 4:39)  2. De Dar
( 6:02)  3. Young Bean
( 4:35)  4. Budd Johnson
( 9:02)  5. Time After Time

Ben Webster and Associates is a 1959 session that took full advantage of the long-playing LP format. Highlighted by the 20-minute version of Ellington's "In a Mellow Tone" in which tenor titans Ben Webster, Coleman Hawkins, and Budd Johnson plus trumpeter Roy Eldridge stretch out, not so much in a cutting contest as a laid-back jam session amongst friends. This summit meeting turned out to be a tribute to another tenor master of the same generation, Lester Young, who had died less than four weeks before this session. 

The chosen rhythm section of Jimmy Jones on piano, Les Spann on guitar, Ray Brown on bass, and Jo Jones on drums equally matches the performance of the featured horns. Also tackled for this session were three Webster originals: "De-Dar," "Young Bean," and "Budd Johnson" and the standard "Time After Time." Unfortunately no bonus tracks are included (if they even exist) but the excellent sound restoration more than makes up for it. https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/ben-webster-and-associates/id264390

Personnel: Ben Webster, Coleman Hawkins, Budd Johnson (tenor saxophone); Roy Eldridge (trumpet); Jimmy Jones (piano); Les Spann (guitar); Ray Brown (bass); Jo Jones (drums).

Ben Webster & Associates

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Avishai Cohen Trio - From Darkness

Styles: Jazz
Year: 2015
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 41:38
Size: 95,5 MB
Art: Front

(2:05)  1. Beyond
(3:47)  2. Abie
(5:53)  3. Halelyah
(5:13)  4. C#-
(7:40)  5. Ballad for an Unborn
(3:04)  6. From Darkness
(2:59)  7. Lost Tribe
(2:54)  8. Almah Sleeping
(1:11)  9. Signature
(3:22) 10. Amethyst
(3:26) 11. Smile

Bassist Avishai Cohen is both prolific and eclectic. His latest album, a trio recording his regular band, pianist Nitai Hershkovits and young drummer Daniel Dor, is jazz infused with rock, classical and Latin influences. Though led by a bassist, it is very much a piano trio. All the tunes are written by Cohen, bar the rendition of Charlie Chaplin's Smile which closes the CD, it is Hershkovits' piano which is to the fore.

The opener Beyond features Dor, starting gently enough with Cohen and Hershkovits vamping behind him. One of the shorter pieces, they move swiftly on to the Latin-tinged Abie, in which Dor keeps several different rhythms going whilst Hershkovits plays the theme, the chords getting heavier and darker. The mixture of jazz, Latin and classical tones has an almost klezmer feel at times, but the rhythmic complexities hint at greater depth (and no dancing). Calling a tune Ballad for an Unborn can't help but recall another piano trio - est, who recorded their Ballad for the Unborn on 2003's Seven Days of Falling. Cohen is in very different territory: his piano trio is more wistful and lyrical. This Ballad is a vehicle for Cohen's bass, with a long solo over some very gentle, subtle brush work from Dor and some quiet, understated piano from Hershkovits. The title track, From Darkness, also features Cohen, on what sounds like an electric bass. Dor's drumming is more into Rick territory, with thunderous fills on tom toms as Cohen executes some very fast fretwork in the upper register. 

The lovely, almost lullaby-like Almah Sleeping has Cohen bowing his bass over Hershkovits gentle, repetitive piano and Dor's soft-again brushed drums. There are lots of standout moments on the record, but this tune I think is my favorite. At just over forty minutes for eleven tracks, it isn't a long CD, and one that of us who grew up in a vinyl world may appreciate. Several of the tunes are quite short, too, ending before the band have really been able to stretch out; it would interesting to hear whether the trio extend these pieces in a live setting. I'd certainly have been happy for some of the tracks to be longer, to see where they'd have got to. ~ Patrick Hadfield  http://www.londonjazznews.com/2015/02/cd-review-avishai-cohen-trio-from.html

From Darkness

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The New Morty Show - Straight Ahead

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s

Time: 41:19

Size: 94.6 MB

Styles: West Coast jazz

Year: 2000

Art: Front

[3:50] 1. Tico Tico

[5:10] 2. Stella By Starlight

[4:31] 3. Maiden Voyage

[5:46] 4. Long Long Summer

[2:02] 5. Destination Moon

[4:58] 6. Spring Can Really Hang You Up The Most

[3:07] 7. No Moon At All

[3:48] 8. Pork Pie

[4:32] 9. Samba Du Morpheus

[3:31] 10. All The Things You Are

Trumpeter Morty Okin isn't shy about his influences. He's all-Vegas, baby. We're talking 1950s glitzy Frank-Sammy-Dino Vegas. The booze, the broads, the all-night burners. Who cares if the bandleader and his backup group-most notably girl-among-wolves chanteuse Cynthia Lewis-are from San Francisco? No matter where the group gets together for a gig, the New Morty Show heads for Sin City anyway. This is the kind of big and brassy cocktail music-all arranged by Sandy Megas of Los Angeles jazz ensemble Hip Pocket-where setting the proper drinking mood is just as important as making them get up and dance.

On their second full-length album, Straight Ahead, produced by Jeffrey Wood, the band pays homage to the pioneers of West Coast jazz (a subtle cover of Bill Holman's "Pork Pie" features the band at its tightest). Things really get hot when Lewis steps front and center, and leads the boys by the balls on Alfred Fisher's dreamy "Destination Moon." And then there's the reason why the band is named the New Morty Show: Okin doesn't rule the roost simply because he knows every line in Ocean's Eleven. When the vibe gets too mellow and the T&T's start working the crowd into somnambulant fogs, the big man with the even bigger trumpet lets loose on Zequinha de Abreu's "Tico Tico" and Redd Evans' "No Moon at All." Now that, my friends, is a little hey-hey. ~Sean Daly

Straight Ahead

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The Rosenberg Trio - Djangologists

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 61:27
Size: 140.7 MB
Styles: Gypsy jazz
Year: 2010
Art: Front

[2:39] 1. Vendredi 13
[4:30] 2. Dream Of You
[3:19] 3. Peche A La Mouche
[3:19] 4. Clair De Lune
[2:23] 5. Choti
[5:14] 6. Double Jeu
[3:23] 7. What Kind Of Friend
[2:33] 8. For Sentimental Reasons
[2:35] 9. Gipsy Groovin'
[2:41] 10. Coquette
[4:15] 11. In A Sentimental Mood
[2:19] 12. I'll Never Smile Again
[3:40] 13. Sweet Chorus
[3:43] 14. Webster
[2:46] 15. Indifference
[2:52] 16. Moonglow
[2:36] 17. Yours And Mine
[6:31] 18. Tears

Biréli Lagrène (guitar); Stochelo Rosenberg (guitar); Nonnie Rosenberg (double bass). Recording information: Audioworkx Studios, The Netherlands (10/23/2009-10/29/2009).

The Rosenberg Trio's first studio collaboration with the one and only Biréli, for a surprising new album dedicated to the master: Django Reinhardt.

Djangologists

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Diane Hoffman - My Little French Dancer

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 47:49
Size: 109.5 MB
Styles: Jazz vocals
Year: 2007
Art: Front

[4:12] 1. Gone With The Wind
[3:05] 2. Well You Needn't
[3:52] 3. Close Enough For Love
[5:31] 4. When Love Was All We Had
[4:02] 5. Blackberry Winter
[4:24] 6. You're My Thrill
[3:30] 7. Sunday In New York
[5:01] 8. Two Years Of Torture
[4:35] 9. Yellow Days
[4:50] 10. Farewell, Noelle
[4:43] 11. When Did You Leave Heaven

Vocalist Diane Hoffman constructs a second independently produced disc of standards, interpretations, and one original, a hip, reflective homage dedicated to a deceased French dancer friend named Noelle. Hoffman's voice is seasoned and admittedly similar in phrasing to that of Carmen McRae. She honed her artistry over many years, coast hopping from Cambridge, MA, to California and then New York City. During this period she played folk guitar, became an accomplished mural painter, and a choral singer. Along the way she recruited the excellent pianist and arranger Oliver Von Essen, tenor saxophonist Jerry Weldon, and on four cuts for this effort, guitarist John Hart. Hoffman sounds better as the program moves along, especially on the ballads. Perhaps taking her time to enunciate properly is more to her advantage, as interpretations of "When Love Was All We Had" or the superior take of "Blackberry Winter," featuring Hart, readily displays. Another slow song "When Did You Leave Heaven?" showcases a melodic Weldon, Von Essen on organ and Don Militello on Fender Rhodes, making for interesting sonic contrasts. Her best swinger is the organ-driven take of "Sunday in New York," with Weldon at his swinging best. The singer is also fond of Brazilian rhythms, as heard on the upbeat version of "Gone with the Wind," at a similar pace as the samba-flavored, book-of -Billie Holiday (inexcusably spelled Billy in the notes) evergreen "You're My Thrill," and the light bossa "Yellow Days" with an inspired Hart. On the low end, Hoffman's perceptive imprecision shows up during McRae's famous lyrics on Thelonious Monk's "Well, You Needn't," and there are intonation problems during "Close Enough for Love." This is not a groundbreaking or ultimate recording for Hoffman, but her talent and compatibility with excellent sidemen is easy to enjoy. The third time should be the charm. ~Michael G. Nastos

My Little French Dancer

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Leon Redbone - Branch To Branch

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 34:17
Size: 78.5 MB
Styles: Pop-rock-jazz, Ragtime
Year: 1981/1989
Art: Front

[3:00] 1. Tee-Na-Na
[2:25] 2. In The Old Town Tonight
[2:42] 3. Papa's Getting Mad
[3:40] 4. Step It Up And Go
[3:04] 5. Your Cheatin' Heart
[2:39] 6. Seduced
[4:42] 7. Why
[2:23] 8. My Blue Heaven
[4:04] 9. Extra Blues
[2:00] 10. When You Wish Upon A Star
[3:33] 11. Prairie Lullaby

This is as extravagant and complicated a studio production as any of Leon Redbone's releases. Complete details about the musicians involved in each session are printed in miniscule yellow type of the eyestrain-inducing variety, perhaps a gesture at making younger listeners feel more sympathetic to the elderly music fans who would have been old enough to remember some of this material first-hand even back in the early '80s. Other songs are so familiar that recognition is not an issue; the question would be more appropriately, why bother? But questions of taste are not really a subject for this performer, who once having established his shtick and the prerequisite of technical talent required to pull it off, created albums that inevitably mix the sublime with the totally boring. Disastrous moves here include a weak Hank Williams cover, since expressing sincere emotion is not really in Redbone's bones. "Prairie Lullaby" is pretty sappy as well, and not really the sort of thing someone as immersed in vintage music as Redbone should have wanted to create. The tracks featuring Dr. John come off much better, examples of rollicking interplay that producer Beryl Handler, whose name even implies a hands-on touch, is wise to leave in a fairly spontaneous mode. While Redbone's performance of "My Blue Heaven" is fairly hack, a good rhythm section with bassist Bob Cranshaw and drummer Grady Tate certainly does a good job on the backup. ~Eugene Chadbourne

Branch To Branch

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Trudy Kerr - Déjà Vu

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2007
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 58:08
Size: 133,2 MB
Art: Front

(5:16)  1. Out Of This World
(4:21)  2. Déjà Vu
(3:24)  3. The Nearness Of You
(5:06)  4. Two Kites
(4:43)  5. They Say It's Wonderful
(6:00)  6. Dream Of The Elders
(4:50)  7. Up Jumped A Bird
(4:50)  8. Destination Moon
(3:47)  9. The Summer Knows
(4:49) 10. You're Gonna Hear From Me
(4:04) 11. Witchcraft / You Fascinate Me So
(6:51) 12. You Go To My Head

“A typically classy offering from Kerr. A lovingly crafted selection of songs beautifully sung and flawlessly played”. This is a typically classy set from the Australian born Kerr, now established as one of the UK’‘s most accomplished jazz vocalists. An otherwise diverse twelve song collection is united by a common theme; each tune has a strong link with Kerr’s past-hence the title. Kerr’s husband Geoff Gascoyne handles bass and arranging duties and is joined in a quality rhythm section by swinging drummer Steve Brown. Swedish pianist Jan Lundgren (recently heard in a totally different setting on the ACT album “Mare Nostrum”) is the album’s chief instrumental soloist and his resourceful, colourful playing is a big factor in the album’s success. Some titles feature the Juno String Quartet playing Gascoyne’s arrangements. The strings are judiciously and tastefully utilised and add appropriate shade and colour to the instrumental palette. Kerr opens with Arlen and Mercer’s “Out Of This World” which showcases her clear, well articulated vocals.

But she also exhibits a real talent for genuine jazz phrasing, something the swinging accompaniment positively encourages. Lundgren solos at length here and his sparkling playing is a delight. The title track is a soul ballad co-written by the great Isaac Hayes that Kerr used to sing in her first band at the age of seventeen. It benefits from Gascoyne’s low key string arrangement and articulate bass playing. Hoagy Carmichael’s “The Nearness Of You” is tackled in a playful up-tempo style. Lundgren shines again, Brown’s nimble drumming is full of delightful details and everyone sounds as if they’re having a ball. Jobim’s mildly salacious “Two Kites” was introduced to Kerr by Norma Winstone and throws a Brazilian flavour into an already diverse mix. The strings feature on Irving Berlin’s “They Say It’s Wonderful” but the real highlight is the pairing of Lundgren’s lyrical piano and Kerr’s warm, conversational vocal. Kerr added her own lyrics to Dave Holland’s “Dream Of the Elders”. 

Appropriately Gascoyne’s resonant bass is at the heart of the instrumental arrangement. The words were inspired by a period Kerr spent living in Vanuatu and complement Holland’s beautiful melody perfectly. The playful mood returns as Kerr duets with Bob Dorough on Dorough’s tune “Up Jumped A Bird”. Kerr’s honeyed tones and Dorough’s fragile voice dovetail on tongue twisting hipster lyrics.Gascoyne appropriates the bass line from the old Police hit “Walkin’ On The Moon” and grafts it on to the standard Destination Moon”. It’s an inspired piece of thievery and the whole track is great fun with Kerr supplying topical additional lyrics. Michel Legrand’s “The Summer Knows” features Kerr’s sensuous vocal alongside the string quartet in an effective piece of chamber jazz.The string quartet provide the introduction to Andre Previn’s “You’re Gonna Hear From Me” before the orthodox jazz instrumental takes over for a relaxed and swinging take on the tune. Gascoyne’s dexterous bass solo is a particular highlight. Witchcraft/You Fascinate Me So” continues the mood before Kerr concludes the album duetting with Lundgren on a beautiful version of “You Go To My Head”. There is nothing earth shattering about “Deja Vu” but it is a lovingly crafted selection of songs beautifully sung and flawlessly played. An above average offering in an often overcrowded field. 

~ Ian Mann  http://www.thejazzmann.com/reviews/review/trudy-kerr-deja-vu-songs-from-my-past/

Déjà Vu

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Randy Brecker With The DePaul University Jazz Ensemble - Dearborn Station

Styles: Straight-ahead/Mainstream, Trumpet Jazz
Year: 2015
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 57:37
Size: 131,9 MB
Art: Front

(8:18)  1. Squids
(7:05)  2. Well, You Needn't
(6:42)  3. On Green Dolphin Street
(6:53)  4. You're in My Heart
(5:35)  5. Infant Eyes
(5:07)  6. It's You or No One
(4:52)  7. Cathy's Song
(7:17)  8. Tina's Glass Nickel
(5:43)  9. Blues in Hoss' Flat

The renowned DePaul University Jazz Ensemble continues a tradition begun more than twenty years ago by performing and recording at the oldest historic jazz club in Chicago, the Jazz Showcase located in the historic 'Printer's Row' district of the Dearborn Station area. The Dearborn Station live recording also maintains another on-going tradition and that is documenting sensational sessions of big band music with an icon of jazz this time, with the phenomenal trumpeter Randy Brecker. Musical Director and renowned trumpeter Bob Lark and his university ensemble have in the past recorded with such greats as Phil Woods, Jeff Hamilton, Jim McNeely and Clark Terry among others. Now, it's Brecker's turn to lead this marvelous band and does so in rousing style taking the legendary Jazz Showcase by storm blowing the house down on a couple of his originals and four well-known standards.

Brecker's hot trumpet begins the session on an eight-minute blistering Andrew Janak arrangement of "Squids," the first of Brecker's two compositions that brings a forceful brass and reed sections to the fore and compliment power performances from the trumpeter and saxophonist Janak. Thelonious Monk's standard "Well, You Needn't" is another hard-driving piece this time featuring strong solos from alto saxophonist Brent Griffin, trombonist Brian Scarborough and more high-pitched solos from Brecker. There is a terrific fresh new arrangement from tenor saxophonist Corbin Andrick that makes the age old standard "On Green Dolphin Street" sound almost like new. The other original contribution from the guest trumpeter is "You're In My Heart" featuring beautiful moments from saxophonist J.T. Teichert and Brecker in one of the more tasteful classy tunes of the album. Wayne Shorter's signature and sublime "Infant Eyes" occupies one of the warm spots of the project where Brecker displays his reach and the softer side of his playing as well as featuring a solid reed section on a truly inspiring rendition of the classic. The power and muscle of the ensemble and Brecker's hot trumpet are best evident on the sizzling version of time-honored standard "It's You or No One" where the swing is so pronounced and fitting for Brecker's last appearance of the set.

The Thomas Matta arrangement of the original Lark composition "Cathy's Song," a favorite of the band leader and one which was previously documented on one of the Phil Woods recordings with the band, is the perfect vehicle in showcasing the ensemble's tender side highlighted by Bobby Lark's (Bob Lark's son) soft flugelhorn voice and Lee Rothenberg's sweet guitar. The big band sounds wind down on Richie Palys' "Tina's Glass Nickel" and Frank Foster's familiar "Blues in Hoss' Flat" completing another incredibly powerful and rich-sounding large orchestration album sending a message that big band music is alive and well. Dearborn Station not only provides a platform for the great Randy Brecker clearly, one of the all-time masters of the horn, but also reaffirms the notion that the DePaul University Jazz Ensemble, continues to be one of the premier college bands in the country, professional in every way. ~ Edward Blanco  http://www.allaboutjazz.com/dearborn-station-randy-brecker-jazzed-media-review-by-edward-blanco.php
 

Personnel: Bob Lark: director, trumpet solo (6); Marques Carroll: trumpet, flugelhorn; Kyle Granville: trumpet, flugelhorn; Bobby Lark: trumpet, flugelhorn; Gibron Lockhart: trumpet, flugelhorn; Brent Griffin: alto, soprano sax, flute; J. T. Teichert: alto sax, flute; Corbin Andrick: tenor sax, flute, clarinet; Andrew Janak: tenor sax, clarinet; Michael Brawley: baritone sax, bass clarinet; Brian Scarborough: trombone; Chris Shuttleworth: trombone; Brett Balika: trombone; Bryan Tipps: bass trombone; Scott Williams: piano, keyboard; Lee Rothenberg: guitar; Jackson Kidder: bass; Rob Dicke: drums. Special guest artist – Randy Brecker: trumpet (1-6).

Dearborn Station

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Kenny Werner - Democracy: Live at the Blue Note

Styles: Post-Bop, Piano Jazz
Year: 2006
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 49:53
Size: 114,4 MB
Art: Front

(13:04)  1. Democracy Now
( 7:28)  2. Fish Gotta Fly
( 9:17)  3. Untitled Lament
( 8:36)  4. One for Joni
( 1:32)  5. Intro to Hedwig's Theme
( 9:53)  6. Hedwig's Theme

It's hard to believe that a jazz musician would be fired for trying to create something new every night, but it's happened to pianist Kenny Werner. "I'm a lousy sideman, he says in the liner notes to Democracy: Live at the Blue Note. Fortunately, this is his gig, and its loose exploratory nature proves it's not necessary to abandon symmetrical time or change-based structure to keep things sounding fresh, night after night. This may be Werner's gig, but the title says it all. He surrounds himself with a group of like-minded players, including bassist Scott Colley and drummer Brian Blade, who feel like two halves of the same organism. Matt Shulman is a sharply focused trumpeter who bears some comparison to Kenny Wheeler who, coincidentally, makes a guest appearance on the album's closing two tracks. Saxophonist David Sanchez has, in recent years, transcended his Latin roots, evolving into a significant player in any context. 

Earmarks of Werner's desire to "create new stuff on the bandstand every night begin with his gentle solo intro to "Democracy Now. Gradually building towards a two-chord vamp that signals the band in, its theme is a brief but complex statement. Sanchez and Shulman are the primary voices, but Colley and Werner provide occasional counterpoint and Blade creates a turbulent undertow that pulls everyone forward into the solo section. Blade's intuitive strength on the lithely swinging, Wayne Shorter-inspired "Fish Gotta Fly elevates Werner's already imaginative solo to even higher ground. And when the band drops out in the middle of the balladic "Untitled Lament, Werner proves himself on the same plane as Keith Jarrett when it comes to spontaneous invention. Jazz artists have been inspired by singer/songwriter Joni Mitchell's innovative guitar voicings for years, but Werner's buoyant "One for Joni captures her distinctive language and phrasing better than most. 

Blade and Colley give it an ever-so-slight gospel-cum-funk underpinning, and Werner delivers his most resonant solo of the set. Wheeler joins the group for the set's finale. "Intro to Hedwig's Theme is a freely lyrical duet with Colley that leads into the minor-key main body of the tune. Sounding at first like something out of the soundtrack to The Elephant Man, it morphs into a Coltrane-like modal workout where Sanchez starts simply, but builds into referential cascading flurries and high pitched screams. Wheeler's brief solo is a fiery counterpoint to the gentle lyricism of his own recent It Takes Two! (Cam Jazz, 2006), while Werner's solo is, once again, uncannily supported by Colley and Blade.

The multifaceted Democracy might make you wish you'd been there, but it's even better news that it's been documented, allowing you to discover something new with each and every listen. ~ John Kelman  http://www.allaboutjazz.com/democracy-live-at-the-blue-note-kenny-werner-half-note-records-review-by-john-kelman.php

Personnel: Kenny Werner: piano; Brian Blade: drums; Scott Colley: bass; David Sanchez: saxophone; Matt Shulman: trumpet; Kenny Wheeler: trumpet (5,6).

Democracy: Live at the Blue Note

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