Jimmy Cobb Quartet - Jazz In The Key Of Blue

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 55:26
Size: 126.9 MB
Styles: Hard bop
Year: 2009
Art: Front

[6:46] 1. Every Time We Say Goodbye
[5:30] 2. With You I'm Born Again
[5:08] 3. I'll Still Be In Love With You
[4:52] 4. Emily
[5:23] 5. Stairway To The Stars
[4:31] 6. I Had The Craziest Dream
[8:21] 7. Remembering U
[4:12] 8. What Will I Do
[6:25] 9. If Ever I Would Leave You
[4:16] 10. We'll Be Together Again

A superb, mostly self-taught musician, Jimmy Cobb is the elder statesman of all the incredible Miles Davis bands. Cobb's inspirational work with Miles, John Coltrane, Cannonball Adderly and Co. spanned 1957 until 1963 and included the masterpiece Kind of Blue, the most popular jazz recording in history. On this new Chesky Records recording, Jazz In the Key of Blue, Jimmy Cobb partners with past collaborators Roy Hargrove and John Webber and guitarist Russell Malone for this collection of standards.

Jazz In The Key Of Blue

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Bobby Wellins - Nomad (Feat. Claire Martin)

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s

Time: 64:29

Size: 147.6 MB

Styles: Saxophone jazz, Vocal jazz

Year: 1993/2008

Art: Front

[5:43] 1. CUCB

[5:42] 2. Be My Love

[4:35] 3. Nomad

[4:25] 4. Sandu

[7:44] 5. Love For Sale

[7:27] 6. Willow Weep For Me

[5:41] 7. Remember Me

[2:59] 8. This I Dig Of You

[5:51] 9. Little Rootie Tootie

[4:45] 10. Silent Love

[4:25] 11. This Here

[5:07] 12. Cabin In The Sky

This Scottish jazz saxophonist was born Robert Coull Wellins to a father who played saxophone and clarinet, and a mother who sang. The couple performed professionally, and had appeared in the Sammy Miller show band, as well as doing shows as a duo. Wellins' father started him on lessons on alto saxophone when he was 12; the lessons including a complete round of music theory which naturally involved learning some piano. He studied at Chichester College of Further Education, including keyboard harmony, and continued at the RAF School of Music in Uxbridge where he began clarinet. Upon graduating, Wellins entered the world of so-called palais bands, including stints with British show-band vets Malcolm Mitchell and Vic Lewis. The latter leader took his whole band on an ocean liner to New York, where Wellins had the thrill of running into his idol, the great tenor saxophonist Lester Young.

Wellin's recording career kicked off in 1956 when he joined the piano-less Buddy Featherstonhaugh quintet, also featuring the young Kenny Wheeler on trumpet, who eventually became one of England's most well-known jazz players. The experience in this band consolidated Wellins' decision to concentrate on tenor saxophone. In the early '60s, he was hired by bandleader Tony Crombie for his latest band, beginning what would be a long association between Wellins and the influential British pianist Stan Tracey. The positive creative energy extended beyond whatever band they were in, leading to ambitious co-operative productions. The "Culloden Moor Suite" was Wellins' first major extended composition, written for and performed in this period by the New Departures Quartet supplemented by a 14-piece orchestra. The suite was recorded in 1964, and the following year the Tracey quartet recorded a suite of pieces inspired by Dylan Thomas' Under Milk Wood. Three decades later this record was remembered fondly, picked repeatedly in jazz magazines as an all-time favorite of British jazz.

In the '70s, Wellins began concentrating on his own groups, usually a quartet formation. He began recording as a leader, which he continued to do regularly excepting the types of gaps that seem to occur in the careers of every jazz musician. Further collaborations with Tracey took place in the '80s, along with a very special recording project including the wonderful jazz trombonist Jimmy Knepper, whose projects were unfortunately few and far between after his former boss Charles Mingus smacked him in the mouth and messed up his trombone embouchure permanently. The oversize coach overflowing with liquor and musicians that is known as the Charlie Watts big band of course dropped by and picked up Wellins, who appears amongst the throngs of players on the 1986 release Live at Fulham Town Hall. In the '90s, the saxophonist released some of his most well-received work to date, and was planning a collection of music associated with premier saloon singer Tony Bennett for the early 2000s. He also has developed a flair for the intricate and oddball music of Thelonios Monk, performing it in several repertoire groups. His influence and importance to several generations of British jazz musicians and improvisers is obvious just by checking out how many of them mention him as either an influence, collaborator, teacher -- or all three. ~bio by Eugene Chadbourne

Nomad (Feat. Claire Martin)    

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Mollie O'Brien - Big Red Sun

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 42:22
Size: 97.0 MB
Styles: Contemporary blues vocals, Country-blues
Year: 2006
Art: Front

[2:39] 1. In My Girlish Days
[4:16] 2. No Ash Will Burn
[3:28] 3. Denver To Dallas
[5:37] 4. Love Like Blood
[2:26] 5. Eleezah
[3:21] 6. Little Baby
[3:50] 7. Big Red Sun Blues
[2:30] 8. Brown Eyed Handsome Man
[5:04] 9. Looking For Trouble
[3:24] 10. Gambling Man
[2:55] 11. No Hiding Place
[2:46] 12. Rollin'

Mollie O'Brien has a great voice and knows how to use it. It is perfectly feasible to believe she can sing anything. This time out, O'Brien hits the ground running with Memphis Minnie's blues tune "In My Girlish Days." It is an amazing look back from a female perspective that climbs to new heights under Mollie's capable vocals. Just as enticing are "Denver to Dallas" and John Hiatt's "Love Like Blood." "Eleezah" is intoxicating with John Magnie's accordion, and Chuck Berry's "Brown Eyed Handsome Man" is presented in a smooth, easy style. The title track, penned by Lucinda Williams, displays all of Mollie O'Brien's ability nicely. With a wide variety of tunes from traditional to Willie Dixon to Steve Goodman and Randy Newman, O'Brien creates a patchwork quilt of American roots music all sewn together with the strong threads that are her undeniable talent. ~Jana Pendragon

Big Red Sun

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Chicago Transit Authority - S/T

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 76:36
Size: 175.3 MB
Styles: Jazz rock
Year: 1969/2002
Art: Front

[ 6:36] 1. Introduction
[ 4:34] 2. Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is
[ 7:49] 3. Beginnings
[ 4:59] 4. Questions 67 And 68
[ 3:22] 5. Listen
[ 8:34] 6. Poem 58
[ 6:46] 7. Free Form Guitar
[ 6:28] 8. South California Purples
[ 7:40] 9. I'm A Man
[ 0:56] 10. Prologue, August 29, 1968
[ 4:10] 11. Someday (August 28, 1968)
[14:36] 12. Liberation

Few debut albums can boast as consistently solid an effort as the self-titled Chicago Transit Authority (1969). Even fewer can claim to have enough material to fill out a double-disc affair. Although this long- player was ultimately the septet's first national exposure, the group was far from the proverbial "overnight sensation." Under the guise of the Big Thing, the group soon to be known as CTA had been honing its eclectic blend of jazz, classical, and straight-ahead rock & roll in and around the Windy City for several years. Their initial non-musical meeting occurred during a mid-February 1967 confab between the original combo at Walter Parazaider's apartment on the north side of Chi Town. Over a year later, Columbia Records staff producer James Guercio became a key supporter of the group, which he rechristened Chicago Transit Authority. In fairly short order the band relocated to the West Coast and began woodshedding the material that would comprise this title. In April of 1969, the dozen sides of Chicago Transit Authority unleashed a formidable and ultimately American musical experience. This included an unheralded synthesis of electric guitar wailin' rock & roll to more deeply rooted jazz influences and arrangements. This approach economized the finest of what the band had to offer -- actually two highly stylized units that coexisted with remarkable singularity. On the one hand, listeners were presented with an incendiary rock & roll quartet of Terry Kath (lead guitar/vocals), Robert Lamm (keyboards/vocals), Peter Cetera (bass/vocals), and Danny Seraphine (drums). They were augmented by the equally aggressive power brass trio that included Lee Loughnane (trumpet/vocals), James Pankow (trombone), and the aforementioned Parazaider (woodwind/vocals). This fusion of rock with jazz would also yield some memorable pop sides and enthusiasts' favorites as well. Most notably, a quarter of the material on the double album -- "Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is?," "Beginnings," "Questions 67 and 68," and the only cover on the project, Steve Winwood's "I'm a Man" -- also scored as respective entries on the singles chart. The tight, infectious, and decidedly pop arrangements contrast with the piledriving blues-based rock of "Introduction" and "South California Purples" as well as the 15-plus minute extemporaneous free for all "Liberation." Even farther left of center are the experimental avant-garde "Free Form Guitar" and the politically intoned and emotive "Prologue, August 29, 1968" and "Someday (August 29, 1968)." The 2003 remastered edition of Chicago Transit Authority offers a marked sonic improvement over all previous pressings -- including the pricey gold disc incarnation. ~Lindsay Planer

Chicago Transit Authority

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Mike LeDonne - To Each His Own

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s

Time: 53:00

Size: 121.3 MB

Styles: Piano jazz, Post bop

Year: 1998

Art: Front

[5:43] 1. Encounter

[6:46] 2. To Each His Own

[6:38] 3. Movin' Along

[8:35] 4. The Pharaoh

[5:38] 5. Star-Crossed Lovers

[7:54] 6. My Romance

[6:11] 7. Pretty Little One

[5:31] 8. Bleeker Street Theme

Pianist Mike LeDonne switches labels -- from Criss Cross to Double-Time -- and issues this strong trio recording, joined by bassist Peter Washington and veteran drummer Mickey Roker. LeDonne's lyrical, bop-oriented expertise comes through on three originals, a vibrant "My Romance," two Strayhorn items (including a rhythmically spiced-up "Star-Crossed Lovers"), and blues themes by Wes Montgomery ("Movin' Along") and Cedar Walton ("Bleecker Street Theme"). The opening "Encounter," based on "Love for Sale" changes, finds LeDonne sounding quite a bit like Inception-era McCoy Tyner. ~David R. Adler

Recording Date: January 14 & 15, 1998

To Each His Own

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John Stein - John Stein In Brazil

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 51:46
Size: 118.5 MB
Styles: Guitar jazz, Hard bop
Year: 2013
Art: Front

[6:28] 1. Happy Hour
[4:46] 2. Lonely Street
[4:56] 3. Night Has A Thousand Eyes
[8:14] 4. It's About Life
[6:07] 5. Marta
[6:33] 6. I'm A Fool To Want You
[4:27] 7. Blues In Maude's Flat
[6:03] 8. Sometime Ago
[4:07] 9. Inutil Paisagem

"Don’t expect an album of conventional Brazilian jazz… In fact, the band’s ability to imply a beat—to play with it and circle around it—owes as much to Bill Evans’ trios or the Miles Davis quintet of the 1960s as it does to native Brazilian elements. And yet, this is jazz played by Brazilians. In a very real sense, it couldn’t have been made anywhere else but Brazil. There’s an approach to ensemble playing, a way of articulating rhythm, and a sense of melody that seems essentially Brazilian in character." (Ed Hazell from the liner notes)

John Stein, guitar; Frank Herzberg, bass; Zé Eduardo Nazario, drums; Alexandre Zamith, piano; Bocato, trombone; Teco Cardoso, flute and bass flute; Pedro Ito, percussion

Recording Date: May 31, 2005 - November, 2005

John Stein In Brazil

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Nancy LaMott - My Foolish Heart

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2005
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 39:49
Size: 91,8 MB
Art: Front

(4:21)  1. My Foolish Heart
(2:57)  2. I'm Glad There Is You
(2:51)  3. Best Is Yet to Come
(3:27)  4. Rhode Island Is Famous for You
(3:46)  5. Two for the Road
(4:36)  6. Laura
(4:47)  7. How Deep Is the Ocean
(4:52)  8. No Moon at All/ Old Devil Moon
(5:28)  9. Good Thing Going/ Not a Day Goes By
(2:41) 10. Where Do You Start?

Nancy LaMott was born December 30, 1951, in Midland, MI, or as she termed it, a suburb of the Dow Chemical Corporation. Clearly a gifted musician, she learned music in public schools and started publicly singing with the big jazz dance band of her father, trumpeter Jack LaMott, in 1966 at age 15 while dreaming of a professional career. As a teenager she worked at the local Sears outlet. But in her late teens, Nancy developed Crohn's disease, a serious bowel disorder that often caused her to be hospitalized. Feeling a need to leave Michigan at the age of 19, she and her drummer/brother Brett left for San Francisco, CA. LaMott quickly became a popular cabaret singer, but her continued affliction frequently interrupted regular work. Overwhelming medical bills summarily plagued her, but a loyal friend and fan paid for a plane ticket, and she headed for New York City. The burgeoning cabaret scene in the Big Apple adopted LaMott, and in 1989 she met composer/conductor David Friedman, who offered to produce her recordings, the debut album being Beautiful Baby. A close-knit team developed around her, including pianist/arranger Chris Marlowe.

For several years, LaMott would make a record, and go back into the hospital for intestinal bypass surgery. Finally, her disease became too serious, and she was forced to have an ileostomy. This surgery changed her life, and she finally felt well enough to eat whatever she wanted. Given LaMott's newfound energy, her career took off enough for her to tour. Discovered by famous New York City songwriter and disc jockey Jonathan Schwartz, she received support and promotion that led to radio airplay across the board, and was championed via television appearances with Regis Philbin and Kathie Lee Gifford. LaMott also sang at the White House twice, and became a favorite of President Bill Clinton and first lady Hillary Rodham Clinton. Some of the prominent musicians who accompanied her included Jay Leonhart, Mike Migliore, Glenn Drewes, Ken Sebesky, Rick Jensen, Bruce Samuels, John Redsecker, and the Angeles Quartet. In March of 1995, she was diagnosed with uterine cancer, and chose to battle the disease with hormone therapy as opposed to surgery. She completed the album Listen to My Heart with a full orchestra directed by Peter Matz. Just after her diagnosis, Nancy was in San Francisco doing an AIDS benefit when she was introduced to actor Peter Zapp. They quickly fell in love and began a bicoastal romance. That summer, LaMott was told that the hormone therapy had not worked and that she needed to have a hysterectomy. She had the surgery and was told that the cancer had spread slightly and that she would need chemotherapy.

During this period, she kept performing, doing a sold-out week at Tavern on the Green and fulfilling concert dates around the country. Then she would have a chemo treatment, but the cancer prevailed. A few days after her last concert performances and an appearance on the nighttime television talk show hosted by Charles Grodin, LaMott was rushed to the hospital and her shocked friends and family were told that she had just a couple of days to live. In the last hour of her life, Nancy LaMott was married in a bedside wedding ceremony at St. Luke's-Roosevelt Hospital Center in New York City to Peter Zapp, and then passed away at age 43 on December 13, 1993. A decade later, family and estate issues were resolved, resulting in the reissue of her six albums, including Come Rain or Come Shine,The Songs of Johnny Mercer and What's Good About Goodbye?, as well as a DVD of live performances and interviews. Bio ~ Michael G.Nastos  http://www.allmusic.com/artist/nancy-lamott-mn0000308772/biography

My Foolish Heart

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Chico O'Farrill & El Arabe - The Rhythmic Spell Of Chico O'Farrill & El Arabe

Styles: Trumpet And Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2010
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 40:33
Size: 93,8 MB
Art: Front

(2:30)  1. Granada
(2:18)  2. It's Not for Me to Say
(2:24)  3. Drumme Negrita
(2:09)  4. Canto Karabali
(2:27)  5. Anything Goes
(3:02)  6. Serenade in Blue
(1:58)  7. Somebody Loves Me
(2:49)  8. I Had the Craziest Dream
(2:22)  9. Stella by Starlight
(3:17) 10. Dream
(2:40) 11. Undecided
(3:11) 12. How Long Has This Bean Going On
(2:01) 13. Jungle Moon
(2:07) 14. Around the World
(2:12) 15. They Didn't Believe Me
(2:57) 16. Tuya Soy

Born in Cuba, Chico O'Farrill began his musical career as a trumpeter. However his writing skills were so strong that, by the time he moved to the United States in the late 1940s, he worked primarily as an arranger-composer. His exciting Afro-Cuban charts for his own groups, Machito, Benny Goodman and others were stirring, historic and innovative. In 1957 O'Farrill moved to Mexico where he carved out a career for himself during the next eight years in which he mostly did commercial work. This particular set, recorded in 1958, reissues one of his first Mexican sessions. The results are primarily melodic dance music, using cool-toned players and closer to Count Basie musically than to Dizzy Gillespie. 

The performances are quite concise, leaving very little room for soloing other than from altoist Hector "El Arabe" Hallal and guest trumpeter Cesar Molina. O'Farrill is also heard in brief spots on trumpet but the emphasis is on the ensembles of the mostly unidentified studio orchestra which also occasionally includes strings. The final four selections are from El Arabe's own similar orchestra during the same period. Except for the wavering soprano on "Serenade in Blue," the music overall is pleasant, pleasing and danceable without ever really catching fire. https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/rhythmic-spell-chico-ofarrill/id462196518

Personnel:  Chico O’Farrill (directeur, trompette);  Héctor Hallal " El Arabe " (saxo alto);  César Molina (trompette)

The Rhythmic Spell Of Chico O'Farrill & El Arabe

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Bernie Senensky Quintet - New Horizons

Styles: Hard Bop, Piano Jazz
Year: 1999
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 73:58
Size: 169,8 MB
Art: Front

( 6:56)  1. Eddie J.
( 5:47)  2. Blues News
(10:27)  3. Blues For Clifford
( 8:22)  4. Don't Look Back
( 6:47)  5. Little Miles
( 6:17)  6. Jump For Joe
( 8:49)  7. First March
( 7:00)  8. Every Day That I Miss You
( 6:03)  9. Better Late Than Never
( 7:27) 10. Double Life

The Canadian pianist and composer Bernie Senensky fits smack dab in the middle of the hard bop tradition. His quintet includes a front line of trumpeter Eddie Henderson and the Canadian saxophonist Kirk McDonald, with a solid rhythm section of Senensky, bassist Neil Swainson, and drummer Jerry Fuller in support. Senensky, who is a seasoned writer with a knack for just slightly off-center melodies, penned all but one of the ten tunes. Henderson, who is in top form, is a good choice on trumpet; his clipped phrases are a constant joy. At times, the award-winning McDonald seems a tad superfluous, although he plays competently on the seven cuts in which he appears, and he adds greatly as a second horn on the heads. Hardly innovative, McDonald's tenor blows with the verve and panache of some of the middle-weight performers from the 1950s. 

Senensky is a fine bop pianist, though there is not anything about his playing that particularly stands out. He does have lots of speed and a good feel for the music, and he has clearly mastered the idiom. For those looking for a delightful romp through some new tunes in the genre of hard bop in the style of the masters, you could do worse than to try out the Bernie Senensky Quintet. https://itunes.apple.com/br/album/new-horizons/id293536353

Personnel: Bernie Senensky (piano); Kirk MacDonald (soprano saxophone, tenor saxophone); Eddie Henderson (trumpet, flugelhorn).

New Horizons

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Bud Powell - Bud Powell's Moods

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1954
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 37:59
Size: 87,5 MB
Art: Front

(3:34)  1. Moonlight In Vermont
(4:05)  2. You Go To My Head
(2:34)  3. The Best Thing For You
(3:27)  4. Spring Is Here
(2:59)  5. Buttercup
(3:04)  6. Fantasy In Blue
(2:56)  7. It Never Entered My Mind
(3:44)  8. A Foggy Day
(4:17)  9. Time Was
(2:53) 10. My Funny Valentine
(4:20) 11. I Get A Kick Out Of You

One of the giants of the jazz piano, Bud Powell changed the way that virtually all post-swing pianists play their instruments. He did away with the left-hand striding that had been considered essential earlier and used his left hand to state chords on an irregular basis. His right often played speedy single-note lines, essentially transforming Charlie Parker's vocabulary to the piano (although he developed parallel to "Bird").

Tragically, Bud Powell was a seriously ill genius. After being encouraged and tutored to an extent by his friend Thelonious Monk at jam sessions in the early '40s, Powell was with Cootie Williams' orchestra during 1943-1945. In a racial incident, he was beaten on the head by police; Powell never fully recovered and would suffer from bad headaches and mental breakdowns throughout the remainder of his life. Despite this, he recorded some true gems during 1947-1951 for Roost, Blue Note, and Verve, composing such major works as "Dance of the Infidels," "Hallucinations" (also known as "Budo"), "Un Poco Loco," "Bouncing with Bud," and "Tempus Fugit." Even early on, his erratic behavior resulted in lost opportunities (Charlie Parker supposedly told Miles Davis that he would not hire Powell because "he's even crazier than me!"), but Powell's playing during this period was often miraculous.

A breakdown in 1951 and hospitalization that resulted in electroshock treatments weakened him, but Powell was still capable of playing at his best now and then, most notably at the 1953 Massey Hall Concert. Generally in the 1950s his Blue Notes find him in excellent form, while he is much more erratic on his Verve recordings. His warm welcome and lengthy stay in Paris (1959-1964) extended his life a bit, but even here Powell spent part of 1962-1963 in the hospital. He returned to New York in 1964, disappeared after a few concerts, and did not live through 1966.

In later years, Bud Powell's recordings and performances could be so intense as to be scary, but other times he sounded quite sad. However, his influence on jazz (particularly up until the rise of McCoy Tyner and Bill Evans in the 1960s) was very strong and he remains one of the greatest jazz pianists of all time. Bio ~ https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/bud-powell/id31573#fullText

Bud Powell's Moods

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Benny Golson & Art Farmer - Beware

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 78:09
Size: 178.9 MB
Styles: Hard bop
Year: 1959/2014
Art: Front

[5:23] 1. Just In Time
[4:50] 2. Stella By Starlight
[7:15] 3. In Love In Vain
[4:04] 4. Sonny's Back
[5:20] 5. Whisper Not
[7:15] 6. Mad About The Boy
[4:24] 7. Rue Prevail
[5:11] 8. Richie's Dilemma
[6:26] 9. This Nearly Was Mine
[4:37] 10. The Masquerade Is Over
[5:13] 11. Space Station
[7:26] 12. My Romance
[5:28] 13. Along Came Betty
[5:10] 14. Ruby My Dear

"It was very sudden. I was planning to start a sextet and I heard that Art was leaving Gerry Mulligan. I planned to ask him to join the sextet. In the meantime, unknown to me, he was planning a quintet and he was thinking of asking me to join him. When I called him, he started laughing. So we got together and consolidated our plans." ~Benny Golson

Beware (feat. Grachan Moncur III, Harold Mabern, Tommy Flanagan & Wynton Kelly) by Benny Golson & Art Farmer was released on 2014-03-25 in USA.

Beware

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Michel Camilo - Thru My Eyes

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 63:10
Size: 144.6 MB
Styles: Piano jazz, Hard bop, Latin jazz
Year: 1997
Art: Front

[5:04] 1. Poinciana
[5:04] 2. Perdido
[4:25] 3. Watermelon Man
[6:06] 4. A Night In Tunisia
[6:00] 5. Song For My Father
[4:31] 6. Armando's Rhumba
[5:25] 7. St. Thomas
[3:39] 8. Oye Como Va
[6:03] 9. Afro Blue
[6:18] 10. Mambo Inn
[3:48] 11. My Little Suede Shoes
[6:43] 12. Manteca

THRU MY EYES is pianist Michel Camilo's take on his favorite standard tunes. With but a few exceptions, Camilo, being such an accomplished composer, has found little need in past efforts to resort to covering other artist's songs. Here, however, his keen musical taste has yielded a collection of 12 outstanding interpretations of some of the best Latin-flavored gems in the repertoire. With such high-class sidemen as Anthony Jackson, John Patitucci and percussion powerhouse Horacio "El Negro" Hernandez, Camilo has turned in yet another top-flight performance.

The classic "Poinciana" opens the set with a gentle bounce as Camilo proceeds to wash lush chords over the silky melody. Next, "Perdido" gets an exciting Latin workout before heading into a burning bebop solo by the leader. As expected, Latin jazz favorites like "A Night In Tunisia," "Manteca" and "St. Thomas" are given a vigorous turn with that special Camilo touch. Several surprises are in store, however, as Chick Corea's "Armando's Rhumba," Tito Puente's "Oye Como Va" and Bird's "My Little Suede Shoes" are given refreshing interpretations with plenty of delightful solo work by all. If you are tired of cookie cutter standards records, this is a standout collection by a legendary performer.

Recording Date: October 30, 1996 - November 3, 1996

Thru My Eyes

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Ruth Brown - Late Date With Ruth Brown

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 36:14
Size: 83.0 MB
Styles: R&B, Vocal jazz
Year: 1959/2007/2013
Art: Front

[3:06] 1. It Could Happen To You
[2:13] 2. Why Don't You Do Right
[4:33] 3. Bewitched, Bothered And Bewildered
[3:33] 4. I'm Just A Lucky So And So
[2:37] 5. I Can Dream, Can't I
[2:30] 6. You And The Night And The Music
[1:53] 7. You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To
[4:18] 8. We'll Be Together Again
[2:29] 9. I'm Beginning To See The Light
[2:42] 10. I Loves You, Porgy
[4:06] 11. No One Ever Tells You
[2:08] 12. Let's Face The Music And Dance

A good after-hours, smoky blues and R&B session featuring Ruth Brown in prime form. Nobody, male or female, sang with more spirit, sass, and vigor than Brown during the '50s, and this session reminded those who had forgotten that Brown could also hold her own with sophisticated material as well as sexy stuff. ~Ron Wynn

Recording Date: January 27, 1959 - February 5, 1959

Late Date With Ruth Brown

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Javon Jackson, David Hazeltine, Tony Reedus, Paul Gill - Sugarhill: The Music Of Duke Ellington & Billy Strayhorn

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 54:11
Size: 124.1 MB
Styles: Hard bop, Standards
Year: 2007
Art: Front

[5:19] 1. Caravan
[6:29] 2. Warm Valley
[5:54] 3. In My Solitude
[7:10] 4. Prelude To A Kiss
[5:03] 5. Things Ain't What They Used To Be
[6:36] 6. Chelsea Bridge
[5:34] 7. In A Mellow Tone
[7:02] 8. In A Sentimental Mood
[5:00] 9. Lotus Blossom

This is a tight little quartet date led by saxophonist Javon Jackson, celebrating the music of the Duke. His co-conspirators on the session are arranger/pianist David Hazeltine, drummer Tony Reedus, and bassist Paul Gill. The material ranges from the obvious like "Caravan," "Chelsea Bridge," and "Lotus Blossom," to selections usually not played by quartets such as "In My Solitude." The emphasis here is on the bluesier and moodier side of Ellington's music, which works beautifully. The colors and textures a larger orchestra display may be richer, but in the quartet setting they can go deeper. It puts additional pressure on the individual players, but Jackson and Hazeltine as front line soloists are more than up to the challenge. The greatest proof of this lies in the ballads like "Warm Valley," and in the more lithe and slightly more up-tempo tunes like "In a Sentimental Mood." This is a fine session, and utterly lyrically beautiful all around. ~Thom Jurek

Sugarhill: The Music Of Duke Ellington & Billy Strayhorn

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Paul Kuhn Big Band - Looking Back

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 59:00
Size: 135.1 MB
Styles: Big band, Swing
Year: 2000
Art: Front

[2:54] 1. Something To Start With
[3:46] 2. South Rampart Street Parade
[3:50] 3. How Deep Is The Ocean
[2:33] 4. For Dancers Only
[2:55] 5. 720 In The Books
[3:51] 6. Come Rain Or Come Shine
[3:11] 7. Woodchopper's Ball
[4:05] 8. I Got Rhythm
[6:01] 9. Over The Rainbow
[2:59] 10. As Time Goes By
[3:17] 11. On The Sunny Side Of The Street
[4:18] 12. From This Moment On
[6:21] 13. Caravan
[4:20] 14. The King
[4:31] 15. Get Happy

When it comes to looking back, Paul Kuhn has an illustrious 60-year career in music to reflect upon. This album, with his Big Band, was recorded at the Philharmonie in Cologne, where he has given a concert every year since 1986. And it features some of the great popular standards and jazz instrumentals of all time. And, it goes without saying that it swings from start to finish.

Looking Back

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Trudy Kerr - Like Minds

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 56:40
Size: 129.7 MB
Styles: Vocal jazz
Year: 2009
Art: Front

[5:12] 1. Don't Get Around Much Anymore
[4:24] 2. Prelude To A Kiss
[4:44] 3. I'm Beginning To See The Light
[4:37] 4. October Woman
[3:23] 5. Do Nothing 'till You Hear From Me
[4:12] 6. In A Sentimental Mood
[3:20] 7. Heaven
[3:23] 8. Respondere Amour
[5:33] 9. Mood Indigo
[4:29] 10. Song By The Sea
[5:12] 11. Sophisticated Lady
[4:21] 12. Down On Your Knees
[3:44] 13. Lush Life

Trudy Kerr is renowned as one of the UK's finest jazz vocalists. Mojo Magazine says of her singing "Trudy Kerr is the genuine article - She is a Joy!" All About Jazz has described her as "100% real jazz musician with fluid phrasing and a mellifluous, warm and sensuous tone."

Born in Australia, Trudy moved to the UK in the early 1990's to pursue a career in Jazz. She got her big break when Ronnie Scott asked her to perform at his Club and Trudy's career grew from there. She has performed at many major venues and festivals in the UK as well as engagements in Europe, her homeland Australia and the Far East.

On this album Trudy is accompanied by the respected British jazz pianist Michael Garrick and it is mostly a duo album. It mainly features songs composed by Duke Ellington but given a more contemporary feel, and also includes some of Michael's original compositions.

Like Minds

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Mark Elf - Swingin'

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 57:19
Size: 131.2 MB
Styles: Guitar jazz
Year: 2000
Art: Front

[5:49] 1. I Won't Dance
[4:27] 2. Indubitably
[4:18] 3. Lazy Bird
[4:55] 4. Gambinie's Bambinies
[7:35] 5. All Of You
[5:19] 6. Waltz For Wilke
[3:50] 7. Hey There
[5:05] 8. Middle Of The Night
[4:12] 9. Blowins' For The Cohen's
[3:41] 10. Hov Lane
[4:31] 11. Manhattan
[3:31] 12. It Might As Well Be Spring

New York plectrist Mark Elf has been producing solid, bop-oriented music on his Jen Bay Records for the past 13 years. His playing style can be described as spherical. His tone is roundly polished and his playing is deliberately cyclical. His talent is virtuosic without being particularly technical or flashy. His most recent recordings have been characterized by an evolution in Elf's style manifested by his solidly swinging vision.

Mark Elf's chosen format for his last several discs has been the guitar trio. This has proven to be a durable set-up for Elf, who excels in the wide-open spaces of the small chamber orchestra. Swingin' finds Elf in his typically tasteful mainstream mood with the caveat that he is testing new harmonic waters with the inclusion of John Coltrane's "Lazy Bird" as well as his own "HOV Lane." Elf adds a jaunty little skip to the disc with the nuclear trill of "Gambinie's Bambinies". The very able talents of Winard Harper on Drums and Robert Hurst on bass, with a couple of cameos by pianist Aaron Goldberg support Elf.

With all of this talent in tow, Elf sets off with the same deliberate, laid-back temperament that has characterized his past recordings. The result has been consistently excellent small ensemble recording and this disc is no exception. His past recordings have also showcased Elf in a solo guitar setting and for Swingin', he executes a walking "Manhattan" that just plain swings. ~C. Michael Bailey

Mark Elf: Guitar; Robert Hurst: Bass; Winard Harper: Drums; Aaron Goldberg: Piano.

Swingin'

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Rachel Weston - Gentle Rain

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2006
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 44:51
Size: 103,3 MB
Art: Front

(5:23)  1. What Are You Doing the Rest of Your Life
(4:43)  2. The Gentle Rain
(3:54)  3. Autumn Leaves
(3:10)  4. Miss Otis Regrets
(5:03)  5. Isn't It A Pity?
(3:50)  6. How Deep Is the Ocean?/  What'll I Do?
(3:20)  7. And So It Goes
(4:07)  8. Burn for You
(3:08)  9. Unusual Way
(4:49) 10. Southbound Train
(3:20) 11. The Candle

New Zealand-born Rachel starred in several television series including Children of Fire Mountain (released on DVD in April 2010) during her childhood. She trained as a classical singer and while still a student was a finalist in NZ’s prestigious Mobil Song Quest. After graduating with a degree in music, Rachel worked as a singer/pianist and as a presenter of arts and music television programmes on TVNZ. Selected to represent New Zealand in the World Chorus at the Calgary Winter Olympics, Rachel sang the solo in David Foster’s theme song at the Opening Ceremony to a live audience of 40,000 and a TV audience of 2 billion people. Invitations to record programmes of pop songs for Radio New Zealand followed, one of them earning Rachel a Mobil Radio Award. After moving to London Rachel was in The Phantom of the Opera before joining a cappella vocal octet The Swingle Singers, whose albums she’d collected since childhood. 

She travelled with the group for four years, giving concerts in 25 countries and working as their Musical Director. Since leaving The Swingle Singers Rachel has given her own cabaret recitals in London and New York, and has appeared with Rambert Dance Company for two seasons as the singer in their Cole Porter ballet Elsa Canasta. Rachel’s current work as a soloist with orchestra has seen her perform with the Ulster Orchestra (Belfast), the RTE Concert Orchestra (Dublin), the Lahti Symphony Orchestra (Lahti, Finland) and the BBC Concert Orchestra (London), working with conductors John Wilson and Benjamin Pope. During 2012 Rachel made her debut with the Hallé, and sang again with the Lahti Symphony in a concert celebrating the career of Julie Andrews. 

Rachel also tours internationally with specialist ensemble Synergy Vocals (as she has done since they began in 1996 as a 4-member ensemble), collaborating with leading orchestras (London Symphony Orchestra, Boston Symphony Orchestra, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, New York Philharmonic) and conductors (Boulez, Robertson, Saraste, Harding). Together they perform in major venues throughout Europe and the United States including the Concertgebouw and Carnegie Hall. In the recording studio, Rachel has worked on the soundtracks of many movies including Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter, Shrek, Moulin Rouge, Transformers, Avatar, Alice in Wonderland, Nanny McPhee and Prometheus. She has also contributed to the albums of such diverse artists as Bjork, Missy Elliott, Mika, Keith Urban and Michael Jackson. 

Bio ~ http://rachelwestonsinger.com/biography/

Gentle Rain

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Thilo Wolf Trio Feat. Chuck Loeb, Randy Brecker - A Swinging Hour In New York

Styles: Jazz, Big Band
Year: 1997
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 62:16
Size: 143,1 MB
Art: Front

(2:41)  1. The Last Blues
(4:46)  2. Late Summernight
(3:03)  3. Fascinating Rhythm
(4:39)  4. When I Fall In Love
(4:05)  5. Another Sunburn
(4:18)  6. Teach Me Tonight
(2:47)  7. Riffifi
(4:00)  8. The First Step
(3:36)  9. Sizzle Whizzle
(4:42) 10. Days In Paris
(4:45) 11. They Can't Take Away
(4:42) 12. Nice Toys
(3:27) 13. Little White Lies
(3:46) 14. In The Wee Small Hours Of The Morning
(6:50) 15. Sing Sing Sing

Randy Brecker and guitarist Chuck Loeb join pianist Wolf for A Swinging Hour in New York, a collection of lively trio recordings which succeeds in spite of a lack of truly inspired material the performances alone make it a keeper. ~ Jason Ankeny  http://www.allmusic.com/album/swinging-hour-in-new-york-mw0000033780

Personnel: Thilo Wolf (piano);  Christian Diener (Bass);  Wolfgang Haffner (Drums); Chuck Loeb  (Guitar);  Randy Brecker (Trumpet); New York Strings (Orchestra)

A Swinging Hour In New York

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Benoit Viellefon Hot Club - Live At The Quecumbar

Styles: Gypsy Jazz
Year: 2012
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 66:26
Size: 153,7 MB
Art: Front

(1:04)  1. Bonjour
(2:35)  2. Flambée Montalbanaise
(3:42)  3. All of Me
(4:19)  4. It Don't Mean a Thing
(6:36)  5. The Godfather
(4:00)  6. My Dog Is a Gypsy
(5:37)  7. Minor Swing
(4:53)  8. Les Yeux Noirs
(4:12)  9. Douce Ambiance
(3:07) 10. Mon Amour
(3:09) 11. Mon Coeur Vagabond
(7:15) 12. Caravan
(3:31) 13. More Money
(4:34) 14. After You've Gone
(3:26) 15. Daphné
(4:19) 16. Whispering

"This is the perfect album to listen to on a late summer afternoon" ~ Vintage Life Magazine

"...If you missed Benoit Viellefon’s festival show, you missed a treat. - We’d all be much happier if Benoit’s music was the soundtrack to our lives."?
~ Lauren Rodgers - Norfolk Norwich Festival 2011

“It’s okay, you can keep talking…” delcares an affable Benoit at the beginning of this live recording. The man’s safe in the knowledge that his band’s sweet’n'sassy brand of gypsy jazz ( mixed with a whole host of other aural flavors ) will be impossible to ignore once they really get going. With a set list that includes All Of Me, Django’s Minor Swing, as well as five originals written by Monsieur Viellefon himself, this record will effortlessly sweep you away on sonic gossamer wings to the happy, happy place of your choice.~ Vintage Rock Magazine

Djangophile Daper dans get Battersea swinging. Benoit Viellefon is a 30-something French guitarist who resided in the UK. Viellefon is a dapper dresser his look is that of an entertainer from the pre-rock’n'roll era( bow tie and tux ) and his sound is inedebted to the gypsy jazz that Django Reinhardt created in the 1930s Parisian clubs. His hollow body guitar rapidly strums a fluid rhythm while other instruments breathe melody into the music. Accompanying musicians include very gifted accordion and clarinet players, trumpet saxophone, double bass and guitar. Viellefon and band to to bring together a variety of pre-World War II music forms bal musette, chanson francaise, Russian folk, even a subtle Latin American rhythm carefully weaving the different styles together. They always keep things swinging and good humoured. Originals such as “More Money” and “My Dog Is a Gypsy” are pleasant confections while standards like “Minor Swing” and “All Of Me” are handled confidently. There’s nothing new here but this live album recorded at Battersea’s music bistro Le Quecumbar ( listen and buy the CD ) is very enjoyable.~ Songlines Magazine http://benoitandhisorchestra.com/uk/album-hotclub-live-Q.html

Live At The Quecumbar

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