Ruby Braff - The Canadian Sessions (2-Disc Set)

Ruby Braff has often recorded in small groups, which suit him well because all he really needs is a minimal backing for his beautiful musical statements. The duets between Ruby Braff and Gene DiNovi on this double CD were recorded in Toronto in 1984, and the quartet was recorded there in 1979.

Pianist Gene DiNovi cites his main influences as Teddy Wilson, Mel Powell, Ellis Larkins and Duke Ellington - all pianists with elegant taste. Ellis Larkins recorded some celebrated duets with Ruby Braff in 1955 and 1972, which proved that Braff needs a delicate pianist who is not going to drown him out. Gene DiNovi is another such pianist. Like Larkins, he is experienced in accompanying singers: a task which demands subtlety and which prepares a pianist for accompanying the singing cornet of Ruby Braff.

Most of the second CD puts Braff in a quartet which includes substantial players Don Thompson and Terry Clarke. Yet they don't drown out Braff either, and Ed Bickert supplies ideally gentle accompaniment and inventive solos. But it is good for Ruby to be challenged occasionally, and Terry Clarke's dynamic drumming adds sparkle to such tracks as I've Got A Feeling I'm Falling. Terry even swaps fours with Ruby on The World Is Waiting For The Sunrise. Gene DiNovi sings on a few tracks but his mediocre vocals add little to the album. Yet who cares when you have the mellow Ruby Braff with sympathetic accompanists for more than 140 minutes? ~Tony Augarde

Gene DiNovi (p, voc); Ruby Braff (co); Ed Bickert (g); Don Thompson (b); Terry Clarke (dr). Recording Date: June 14, 1979 & January, 1984.

Album: The Canadian Sessions (Disc 1)
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 69:54
Size: 160.0 MB
Styles: Trumpet jazz
Year: 1999

[9:15] 1. Medley: My Funny Valentine My Heart Stood Still Be Careful It's My Hea
[4:12] 2. Have A Heart
[3:33] 3. Says My Heart
[2:11] 4. Nobody's Heart
[4:32] 5. Break My Heart
[3:46] 6. My Foolish Heart
[3:08] 7. Sweethearts On Parade
[3:38] 8. Blues In My Heart
[3:10] 9. This Heart Of Mine
[3:23] 10. Beware My Heart
[5:36] 11. Medley: Love Walked In/Embraceable You/The Man I Love
[2:38] 12. Love Is Sweeping The Country
[4:07] 13. Of Thee I Sing
[3:29] 14. For You, For Me, For Evermore
[4:08] 15. I've Got A Crush On You
[5:50] 16. Oh, Lady Be Good
[3:08] 17. Maybe

The Canadian Sessions (Disc 1)

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Album: The Canadian Sessions (Disc 2)
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 71:08
Size: 162.9 MB
Styles: Trumpet jazz
Year: 1999
Art: Front

[3:27] 1. True Love
[5:01] 2. I've Got A Feeling I'm Falling
[4:33] 3. This Year's Kisses
[4:24] 4. The World Is Waiting For Sunrise
[5:38] 5. The Very Thought Of You
[7:02] 6. After Awhile
[5:16] 7. What Is There To Say
[5:11] 8. My Funny Valentine
[8:08] 9. Medley The Song Is Ended When I Fall In Love
[4:20] 10. I Must Have That Man
[4:38] 11. If Dreams Come True
[4:08] 12. Medley: Trumpeter/Blow Your Golden Horn/Do It Again
[3:25] 13. Isn't It A Pity
[5:49] 14. He Loves And She Loves

The Canadian Sessions (Disc 2)

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Julian Jackson Quartet - I Can't Get Started

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 58:41
Size: 134.3 MB
Styles: Harmonica jazz
Year: 2005
Art: Front

[3:15] 1. Alfie
[6:50] 2. Etude No. 1
[9:38] 3. I Can't Get Started
[1:57] 4. When I Fall In Love
[5:04] 5. Airegin
[7:42] 6. I Hear A Rhapsody
[5:56] 7. Three Views Of A Secret
[6:41] 8. Autumn Leaves
[8:07] 9. You Must Believe In Spring
[3:27] 10. Laurie

Julian Jackson (harmonica); Tim Lapthorn (piano); Tom Herbert (bass); Patrick Levett (drums).

You only have to listen to the first few seconds of this album to realize that Julian Jackson is a true master of the harmonica and that he has a tone to rival that of his heroes, Larry Aldler and Toots Thielemans, the superabundance of his ideas and his natural jazz feeling recalling the great Toots in particular.

Jackson has put together a nicely balanced programme for his debut solo jazz album. His harmonica sings beautifuly on the ballads "Alfie", "I Can't Get Started" and "When I Fall in Love", the latter an impressive a cappella version of Victor Young's classic tune, and effervesces on the swingers "I Hear a Rhapsody" and "Autumn Leaves". Sonny Rollins' "Airegin" is an exhilarating work-out for the quartet and features a telling solo from the talented Tim Lapthorn on piano. Jackson takes us on a wonderful musical journey on Jaco Pastorius' searching jazz waltz "Three Views of a Secret" with Lapthorn at his bluesy best, Patrick Levett displaying some impressive jazz-rock chops on drums. Jackson's lilting theme "Etude No 1" recalls the work of bossa nova genius Antonio Carlos Jobim, Michel LeGrand's haunting "You Must Believe in Spring" similarly infused with hypnotically swaying latin rhythms after its poignant rubato beginning. The album ends with Bill Evans' exquisite melody "Laurie", the last few bars evanescing into the ether with a series of harmonically ambiguous suspended chords, leaving the listener in a state of supreme calm.

Finally, taking time off from his bass guitar duties with award-winning groups Acoustic Ladyland and Polar Bear, Tom Herbert is rock-solid on acoustic bass, providing the necessary foundation for Jackson and co. to take flight. ~Geoff Eales

I Can't Get Started

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Jo Jones - Count On Me

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 78:25
Size: 179.5 MB
Styles: Mainstream jazz, Swing
Year: 2014
Art: Front

[4:42] 1. Georgia Mae
[6:39] 2. Embraceable You
[7:06] 3. Stomp It Off
[5:48] 4. Satin Doll
[5:50] 5. Shoe Shine Boy
[3:57] 6. Cubano Chant
[4:39] 7. Nice Work If You Can Get It
[6:29] 8. Lover Man
[6:38] 9. Ol' Man River
[4:43] 10. Ballin' The Jack
[5:14] 11. Squeeze Me
[4:49] 12. Splittin'
[7:45] 13. Lincoln Heights
[4:01] 14. Caravan

The sound of Jo Jones' drums defined the sound of swing: he brought the beat up from the bass drum into the drummer's hands, which took rhythm into the modern era. He expanded the drum kit's palette of accents, and forged a path for every drummer who has followed in his soft steps. His "ting-ta-ting" taps are ubiquitous, yet few listeners realize this is the sound Jo built.

Jones's elegant, propulsive groove laid the foundation for William "Count" Basie's breakout big band hits, such as "Tickle Toe," and "One O'Clock Jump." . Also not to be missed are the drummer's memorable small-group sessions with Benny Goodman, Billie Holiday and Lester Young, such as "I Can't Get Started" and "A Sailboat in the Moonlight."

Count On Me

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Sunny Sumter - Sunny

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s

Time: 59:10

Size: 135.5 MB

Styles: Jazz vocals

Year: 2010

Art: Front

[3:49] 1. Nick Of Time

[5:53] 2. Detour Ahead

[5:32] 3. I Fall In Love Too Easily

[8:23] 4. Jim

[3:56] 5. The Best Is Yet To Come

[5:33] 6. Nobody Knows The Trouble I've Seen

[7:21] 7. Overjoyed

[6:09] 8. Daydream

[7:47] 9. Save Your Love For Me

[4:43] 10. Lonely Woman

After hearing Sarah Vaughan on the radio at the age of 9, Washington, D.C. native Sunny Sumter knew that the life of a jazz singer was her future. After attending Washington's renowned Duke Ellington High School, she went on to Howard University to earn a music degree. Private studies from pianist/composer Geri Allen and drummer/vocalist Grady Tate were the icing on Sumter's educational cake. While at Howard, she worked at local clubs and in 1992, took a short tour of Europe. Sumter shared the stage at the Dominican Republic Jazz Festival with David Sanchez, Jason Marsalis, Mimi Fox and Pamela Williams. 1998 was a break through year. She opened for Shirley Horn and Dee Dee Bridgewater at D.C.'s Lincoln Theater, toured Russia (Moscow and St. Petersburg), performed at Camelot Jazz Club in Tel Aviv and at the LaVilla Jazz Club in Paris. Returning to the US, Sumter was at Sanford University with modern trombonist Wycliffe Gordon. Sumter was also a guest on a BET Jazz Central show hosted by Ramsey Lewis. Sumter's debut recording was Getting to Know You and her latest Sunny, on the Mapleshade label, features an eclectic program of ballads performed and/or composed by Sarah Vaughan, Billie Holiday, and Stevie Wonder. With influences as disparate as Sarah Vaughan, Phyllis Hyman, and Kate Bush along with a warm, deep and soulful voice, Sumter has all the musical tools to become a legitimate jazz diva. ~bio by Dave Nathan

Sunny     

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David Bowie - The Best Of 1980-1987

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 76:42
Size: 175.6 MB
Styles: Album rock, Dance rock
Year: 2007
Art: Front

[4:04] 1. Let's Dance
[3:35] 2. Ashes To Ashes
[4:02] 3. Under Pressure
[3:25] 4. Fashion
[3:57] 5. Modern Love
[4:14] 6. China Girl
[3:32] 7. Scary Monsters (And Super Creeps)
[3:13] 8. Up The Hill Backwards
[3:51] 9. Alabama Song
[2:25] 10. Drowned Girl
[4:10] 11. Cat People (Putting Out Fire)
[3:51] 12. This Is Not America
[7:06] 13. Loving The Alien
[5:35] 14. Absolute Beginners
[3:35] 15. When The Wind Blows
[3:09] 16. Blue Jean
[4:09] 17. Day-In Day-Out
[4:16] 18. Time Will Crawl
[4:24] 19. Underground

The '80s were a curious time for David Bowie. Never had he sold more records, had bigger hits, his influence was everywhere, and yet, the music he made often fell a little flat, especially after his commercial high-water mark of 1983's Let's Dance. The 2007 compilation Best of David Bowie 1980/1987 deals with that drop-off in quality in an admirable fashion, perhaps the only appropriate fashion: it ignores it. There are two tracks from 1984's Tonight, and two from its 1987 sequel Never Let Me Down, while there are four apiece from Let's Dance and Scary Monsters -- a skewed ratio that is nevertheless an accurate barometer of the worth of the albums. It also makes for a better listen as a compilation, since the hit singles from these records are surrounded by non-LP cuts and soundtrack contributions like "This Is Not America" and "Absolute Beginners," a move that's not only helpful as a clearinghouse of relative oddities, but also helps make this Best of David Bowie 1980/1987 a truly representative collection of the best music of some patchy years, which is a more worthwhile endeavor than having this be truly representative of the decade as a whole. For some Bowie fans, this may be all they need from that decade (although they'd be well-advised not to ignore the truly masterful Scary Monsters, and use that as a supplement to this excellent disc). ~Stephen Thomas Erlewine

The Best Of 1980-1987

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Phil Woods & Franco D'Andrea - Our Monk

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 65:58
Size: 151.0 MB
Styles: Bop,Saxophone jazz
Year: 1994/2011
Art: Front

[7:12] 1. Ask Me Now
[7:18] 2. Well You Needn't
[8:50] 3. 'round Midnight
[5:51] 4. Straight No Chaser
[6:38] 5. Pannonica
[6:28] 6. I Mean You
[7:08] 7. Misterioso
[5:59] 8. In Walked Bud
[4:52] 9. Epistrophy
[5:36] 10. Blue Monk

This lively duo date with pianist Franco D'Andrea is a very enjoyable all-Monk affair. Phil Woods was a part of several larger groups led by Thelonious Monk, and his effortless swing makes it clear why he was chosen. Another choice track is "I Mean You," highlighted by Woods' singing tone. D'Andrea isn't nearly as well known, but he justifies his presence with a clever tapestry of chords around Woods on "Well, You Needn't." Recommended. ~Ken Dryden

Our Monk

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Andy Leggett - 2 albums: Shades Of Bechet / Shades Of Bechet #2

Since 1996 Andy Leggett has worked in Germany as the clarinet/sax player in the Rod Mason Hot Five. The two "Shades of Bechet" CDs however are Andy's own tribute to one of the great New Orleans instrumentalists. Sidney Bechet wrote (or in a few cases claimed to have written) at least 120 tunes.

The first CD contains 16 tracks, 12 of which are Bechet's own. In addition, "The Coffee Grinder" which he claimed as his, was in fact based on the "Rubber Plant Rag" by Geo. L. Cobb, published in 1909 when Bechet was 12. There are also 3 tracks written and arranged by Andy Leggett, featuring Bechet-style clarinet and soprano sax. One of these, "Pussy Willow Blues" highlights the distinctive rolling piano of Dave Collett, composer of Acker Bilk's "Summer Set". The remaining tracks, recorded in Dormagen Germany in 2000/2001, were arranged over a three-year period. They display the improvisational and reading talents of outstanding German and English musicians, brought together as a studio band especially for the CD.

The second CD containsa further 17 tracks, 15 of which are Bechet compositions. In addition, the 12 bar "Blues In Thirds" is credited to Earl Hines but owes much to Bechet's three immortal chorusses. There is one more Leggett original – "Montserrat". Like the former CD, "Shades of Bechet #2" was recorded in the COMA Media Studio, Dormagen/Germany, and features an 8 piece Anglo-German band.

Album: Shades Of Bechet
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 58:53
Size: 134.8 MB
Styles: Traditional jazz combo
Year: 2011
Art: Front

[2:47] 1. The Fish Seller
[5:42] 2. As-Tu Le Cafard
[3:37] 3. Dans Les Rues D'antibes
[3:31] 4. I Keep Calling Your Name
[4:33] 5. Buddy Bolden Stomp
[4:50] 6. Refrain For Jane
[3:19] 7. The Coffee Grinder
[2:28] 8. I Had It But It's All Gone Now
[3:05] 9. Petite Fleur
[3:32] 10. Viper Mad
[3:49] 11. Pussy Willow Blues
[2:21] 12. The Onions
[3:01] 13. Southern Sunset
[4:23] 14. Old Stack O'lee Blues
[3:45] 15. Ce Mossieu Qui Parle
[4:02] 16. Gentle Treatment

Andy Leggett's tribute to the memory of the first great jazz soloist on the soprano saxophone. Bechet's compositions are arranged for an international 8-piece line-up.

Shades Of Bechet

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Album: Shades Of Bechet #2
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 53:12
Size: 121.8 MB
Styles: Traditional jazz combo
Year: 2011
Art: Front

[3:19] 1. Polka Dot Rag
[2:24] 2. Waste No Tears
[3:07] 3. Ghost Of The Blues
[4:26] 4. Si Tu Vois Ma Mere
[2:43] 5. Blackstick
[2:50] 6. Passport To Paradise
[3:11] 7. I Want You Tonight
[3:02] 8. Okey Doke
[4:11] 9. Bechet's Fantasy
[2:43] 10. Montserrat
[2:58] 11. Georgia Cabin
[3:18] 12. Blues Dans Le Blues
[3:59] 13. Halle Hallelujah
[2:49] 14. Blues In Thirds
[2:51] 15. Lastic
[2:37] 16. Egyptian Fantasy
[2:35] 17. DSC Blues

Recorded in Dormagen, Germany early in 2005. The following international line-up took part: Andy Leggett, soprano sax and clarinet; Matthias Seuffert, tenor sax and second clarinet; John Emms, trumpet; Christoph Wackerbarth, trombone; Fraser Gartshore, piano; Benny Daniels, string bass; Sean Moyses, guitar & banjo; Joerg Mueller, drums.

Andy Leggett's second tribute album to the first great jazz soloist on the soprano saxophone. Mostly Bechet's own timeless compositions, again arranged for an international 8-piece band.

Shades Of Bechet #2

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Lee Konitz, Steve Swallow, Paul Motian - Three Guys

Styles: Post-Bop, Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1999
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 49:56
Size: 115,1 MB
Art: Front

(5:02)  1. It's You
(5:31)  2. Come Rain or Come Shine
(7:47)  3. Thingin'
(4:08)  4. Luiza
(3:14)  5. From Time to Time
(5:39)  6. Ladies' Waders
(6:44)  7. Johnny Broken Wing
(6:11)  8. Eiderdown
(5:36)  9. A Minor Blues in F

Lee Konitz continues to record at peak form, as clearly evidenced by this trio with Steve Swallow on electric bass and Paul Motian on drums. All of the nine pieces are originals by members of the trio, the exceptions being a compelling version of "Come Rain or Come Shine" and a gorgeous take of Jobim's "Luiza." As to be expected, these three veterans mesh well together. While there are few extraordinary moments, there is plenty of well-played, emotionally satisfying jazz, the way Konitz has been doing it for a lifetime. You might confuse his pinched alto for a soprano at times, but there is no questioning his immaculate phrasing. Konitz has always shined best with a repertoire of standards, and the choice of tunes here is slightly less interesting. Motian is a good choice on the sticks, while Swallow remains an acquired taste. ~ Steve Loewy  http://www.allmusic.com/album/three-guys-mw0000246402
 

Personnel: Lee Konitz (alto saxophone); Steve Swallow (electric bass); Paul Motian (drums).

Three Guys

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Earl Hines - At Sundown

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2007
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 57:20
Size: 131,5 MB
Art: Front

(9:39)  1. At Sundown
(8:25)  2. There Will Never Be Another You
(7:07)  3. You're Driving Me Crazy
(7:15)  4. Love Me or Leave Me
(8:50)  5. Makin' Whoopee
(6:32)  6. Just in Time
(9:29)  7. My Buddy

During the final decade of his career, Earl Hines was very busy touring and recording. The pianist is in terrific form on At Sundown, accompanied by veteran drummer Panama Francis and talented young bassist Jimmy Leary. Hines starts things off with a stunning solo rendition of his composition "At Sundown," which shows off the pianist's still impressive technique. Leary's dancing bass and Francis' brushwork complement the master's interpretation of "There Will Never Be Another You." 

The remainder of the set draws from songs Hines had been playing for decades, including a very playful up-tempo "Love Me or Leave Me" and an entertaining take of "Makin' Whoopee" with an elaborate, wonderfully disguised introduction. Originally recorded during a 1974 studio session in France for Black & Blue, this 1995 CD reissue expands upon the original LP by adding an upbeat version of "Just in Time." This highly recommended CD is an excellent example of Hines' productive final years. ~ Ken Dryden  http://www.allmusic.com/album/at-sundown-mw0000086223

Personnel: Earl Hines (piano); Panama Francis (drums); Jimmy Leary (bass)

At Sundown

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Don Patterson & Booker Ervin - Legends Of Acid Jazz

Styles: Hard Bop, Soul Jazz
Year: 1964
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 63:16
Size: 145,0 MB
Art: Front

(10:11)  1. S'bout Time
( 5:14)  2. Up In Betty's Room
( 3:52)  3. Oleo
(10:58)  4. When Johnny Comes Marching Hom
(10:01)  5. The Good Life
(16:33)  6. Hip Cake Walk
( 6:25)  7. Love Me With All Your Heart

Among all the practitioners of soul-jazz during the genre heyday of the late 1960s into the 1970s, Hammond B-3 organ groovemeister Don Patterson and modern Texas tenor Booker Ervin (also a veteran of jazz ensembles led by Randy Weston and Charles Mingus) are among those usually overlooked. Yet the pair teamed up to release several albums during that time that were, if not standards of the genre precisely, full of vitality and fervor Ervin's playing, especially, often sounded so emotional and combustible that it seemed like he was suffering a nervous breakdown through his horn, perhaps a residue of his time with Mingus. 

Legends of Acid Jazz: Don Patterson / Booker Ervin surfs the cream of three mid-'60s recording sessions: in a trio setting with drummer Billy James, all five selections from The Exciting New Organ of Don Patterson, including one of Miles Davis' early signature tunes, "Oleo" (actually a Sonny Rollins composition); the title track from Hip Cake Walk, a 17-minute monument to the soulful power of organ that endured as Patterson's most-beloved hip-swiveler (featuring Leonard Houston on alto sax); and "Love Me With All Your Heart" from Patterson's People. Legends of Acid Jazz: Don Patterson / Booker Ervin suffers only slightly from a program that leans heavily toward the mainstream "Love Me With..." goes more than six minutes, and "When Johnny Comes Marching Home" nearly eleven. ~ Chris Slawecki  http://www.allmusic.com/album/legends-of-acid-jazz-mw0000615832

Personnel:  Organ – Don Patterson;  Tenor Saxophone – Booker Ervin;  Alto Saxophone – Leonard Houston (tracks: 6);  Drums – Billy James

Legends Of Acid Jazz

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Jane Morgan - In My Style...

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 33:59
Size: 77.8 MB
Styles: Vocal
Year: 1965/2014
Art: Front

[2:38] 1. Side By Side
[3:43] 2. My Coloring Book
[2:30] 3. I'm Sorry
[2:46] 4. My Heart Belongs To Daddy
[2:58] 5. You Belong To Me
[2:38] 6. Till I Waltz Again With You
[2:47] 7. Fascination
[2:54] 8. Downtown
[3:01] 9. People
[2:40] 10. Why Don't You Believe Me
[2:49] 11. We'll Sing In The Sunshine
[2:30] 12. Old Cape Cod

Vocalist Jane Morgan is known best for her lone Top Ten hit, "Fascination," drawn from the 1957 Billy Wilder film Love in the Afternoon. Born in Boston (as Jane Currier) but raised in Florida, Morgan was an early success as a singer in France. She made the transition back to America as a nightclub act, and signed to Kapp in the mid-'50s.

Jane Morgan made her chart debut late in 1956, appearing alongside Roger Williams on "Two Different Worlds." One year later she hit number seven with her theme "Fascination," based on the old French composition "Valse Tzigane." Both "The Day the Rains Came" and "With Open Arms" followed "Fascination" into the Top 40 during the late '50s, but Morgan had disappeared from the charts by the turn of the decade. (Her last hit was also a movie theme, for 1959's Happy Anniversary, directed by David Miller and featuring David Niven.) She continued recording for Kapp until 1962, and resurfaced four years later on Epic for Fresh Flavor, a rock-crossover LP that was only slightly embarrassing (her cover of "Good Lovin'" is a minor moment of kitsch). ~bio by John Bush

In My Style      

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Clare Fischer - The Latin Side

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 65:49
Size: 150.7 MB
Styles: Latin jazz, Piano jazz
Year: 1997
Art: Front

[6:16] 1. Como Come
[7:24] 2. Malibu Glide
[7:22] 3. C.P
[9:18] 4. Pensativa
[8:52] 5. Dancing Song
[5:50] 6. Memories Of You
[6:52] 7. Morning
[9:24] 8. Blues Bossa
[4:28] 9. Pajaro Loco

Clare Fischer, keyboards, with the Netherlands Metropole Orchestra conducted by Rob Pronk and Vince Mendoza.

Continuing its series of collaborations with well–known American Jazz musicians, the Netherlands Metropole Orchestra travels south of the border, figuratively speaking, for a program of Latin Jazz by one of its leading exponents, composer/pianist Clare Fischer. The eight studio tracks, conducted by longtime music director Rob Pronk, were recorded in 1991; the ninth, “C.P.,” was recorded in concert at The Hague in 1997 and conducted by Vince Mendoza. Fischer arranged every number and composed all but Eubie Blake/Andy Razaf’s ballad, “Memories of You,” which the two–time Grammy Award winner plays unaccompanied. If arranging for the relatively large and string–laden Metropole Orchestra presented a challenge, Fischer shows that he was up to the task, scrupulously dotting every i and crossing every t. The charts, in other words, are first–class. To further assure their success, the former director of the vocal group known as the Hi–Los brought with him one of its alumni, Don Shelton, who doesn’t sing but displays his superior talents on soprano saxophone (“Como Come?”), clarinet (“Pensativa,” a duet with Fischer) and flute (on five selections). Fischer also recruited his son, Brent, to play bass with the orchestra. Fischer plays acoustic piano on three numbers (“C.P.,” “Blues Bossa,” “Memories of You”), “digital piano” (which sometimes sounds like a harpsichord) on the others. It’s an acquired taste, but he’s such an accomplished musician that it charms more often than it annoys. “Pensativa” is perhaps Fischer’s best–known composition, but each of the others deserves comparable recognition. Shelton and Fischer are the principal soloists, with a handful of earnest but uncredited ad libs by members of the orchestra. Unlike some of the Metropole Orchestra’s recordings, this one is generously timed at 66:43, and is easily recommended to those who appreciate Latin Jazz, especially when written by a superlative composer and performed by a world–class orchestra. ~Jack Bowers

The Latin Side

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Carlos Barbosa-Lima - Merengue

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 43:20
Size: 99.2 MB
Styles: Latin rhythms, Guitar jazz
Year: 2009
Art: Front

[3:03] 1. Prelude No. 2
[5:19] 2. Seis Milonga
[3:00] 3. Danza Del Altiplano
[2:45] 4. Guajira Criolla
[2:23] 5. Cajita De Musica
[2:57] 6. Canhoto
[2:59] 7. Implicante
[2:56] 8. Cancion Carorena
[3:37] 9. Pais De Abanico
[5:34] 10. Nunca Te Olvido
[2:40] 11. Escorregando
[6:00] 12. Fantasy On A Hawaiian Lullaby

On Merengue, his fifth ZOHO CD, guitarist Carlos Barbosa-Lima takes an adventurous musical journey through Ibero-America, including his native Brazil, performing music by renowned composer-guitarists of Latin-America and Hawaii. Carlos invited as special guests Hendrik Meurkens (U.S.) on harmonica, Duduka Da Fonseca (Brazil) on percussion, Gustavo Colina (Venezuela) on cuatro, Marcilio Lopes (Brazil) on mandolin, and George Anderson (U.S.) on bass. “Merengue” also features the debut recording of the “World Guitar Trio”, with Barbosa-Lima joined by guitarist Karin Schaupp (Australia) and Christopher McGuire (Texas).

Barbosa-Lima’s career as concert guitarist has run uninterruptedly for over fifty years. He has recorded over fifty albums, initially for Chanteclair and Concord Records –now regrettably deleted- and since 2000 for ZOHO. Many composers, including Ginastera, Mignone, Santórsola, Cordero, Scott and Yasui, have written pieces for him, thus significantly enlarging the guitar literature. His imaginative concert programs have broken down the worn-out dichotomy between popular and classical music. Tt is therefore only just, in my humble opinion, to define Maestro Carlos Barbosa-Lima as a living legend!

Congratulations, Carlos, on this CD full of musical surprises, innovative arrangements and brilliant guitar playing - it is one of your best! Definitively, Carlos resembles great wine which also matures and gets better with the passage of time. ~Ernesto Cordero

Merengue

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Les McCann & The Jazz Crusaders - Jazz Waltz

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s

Time: 33:19

Size: 76.3 MB

Styles: Hard bop, Soul-jazz

Year: 1963/2012

Art: Front

[2:35] 1. Spanish Castle

[3:12] 2. Blues For Yna Yna

[4:13] 3. Damascus

[3:28] 4. 3 4 For God & Co

[2:57] 5. Bluesette

[2:58] 6. Big City

[3:05] 7. This Here

[3:46] 8. Jitterbug Waltz

[4:22] 9. All Blues

[2:37] 10. Jazz Waltz

Bass – Robert Haynes; Drums – "Stix" Hooper; Piano, Electric Piano, Organ – Les McCann; Piano, Organ – Joe Sample; Saxophone – Wilton Felder; Trombone – Wayne Henderson.

This short CD features both Les McCann and The Jazz Crusaders. While the song Damascus was previously issued on Les McCann's Relationships compilation, the rest of the record was never before released on CD until now. Every track is soul-jazz gold. I'm glad they finally reissued it. ~DW

Jazz Waltz

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Karen Souza - Hotel Souza

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 37:57
Size: 86.9 MB
Styles: Vocal jazz
Year: 2012
Art: Front

[3:45] 1. Paris
[2:34] 2. Night Demon
[3:57] 3. My Foolish Heart
[3:23] 4. Delectable You
[2:43] 5. Break My Heart
[3:44] 6. I Heard It Through The Grapevine
[3:55] 7. Wake Up
[4:14] 8. I've Got It Bad
[2:33] 9. Full Moon
[3:59] 10. Dindi
[3:08] 11. Lie To Me

Karen Souza: vocals; Alan Pasqua, Tom Ranier: piano; Trey Henry: bass; Larry Koonse, John Goux: guitar; Jaime Branly, Ralph Humphrey: drums; Steve Kujala, Brian Scanlon, Dan Higgins: woodwinds; Rick Baptist, Wayne Bergeron: trumpets; alan Kaplan: trombone; Brian Kilgore: percussion; Roger Wilke: Concertmaster; Track 6: "I Heard It through the Grapevine": Dany Thomas: acoustic piano, Hammond V3, keyboards;Andre De Santana: arranger, electric and upright bass; James Gadson: drums; Edgar Sandoval Violin; Horns: Miguel Gandelman: sax; Ray Monteiro: trumpet; Garrett Smith: trombone.

There is a 19th Century short story by author Frank Stockton entitled, The Lady, or the Tiger? The hook of that work is the teaser leave-you-hanging ending: is there a Lady or the man-eating Tiger behind the door that is selected and "opened." With Hotel Souza, her second CD, Buenos Aires-based vocalist Karen Souza leaves little to the imagination. This hotel has musical rooms of exquisite talent, beauty, elegance and intimacy.

Displaying sensuality without a cloying phoniness, Souza delivers eleven beautifully-performed and impeccably-arranged songs, backed here by some of L.A.'s "usual suspects." The result is a marvelously entertaining tour d' hote. Souza's voice is one of elegant restraint and sensuousness. Hers is not an overpowering vocal presence, but rather, a very inviting one. She seduces deliciously with gentleness and whisper-to-the mic sultriness. That feeling is pervasive across an interesting selection of ballads, bossas (Antonio Carlos Jobim's "Dindi"), softer swing ("Delectable You," "Full Moon") and soft-rock grooves ("Night Demon"). She hits a soulful home run with a dark blue rendition of Marvin Gaye's classic, "I Heard It Through the Grapevine," recorded here with members of Gaye's original band. The Joel McNeely arrangements are slick and frame Souza well without over-dominating her. That savvy set-up allows Souza's lyric and tonal skills to dominate. Her diction, phrasing, dynamic nuance and intonation are exceptional.

In addition to her song-styling chops, the compositions Souza co-authored here—eight of them, demonstrate that she has a flair for the melodic and poetic. The ensemble and brief solo outings across the board are First Class and without studio sterility. The famous Michelin Travel Guide may rate the world's hotels and attractions and not musical fare. Perhaps if they did, Hotel Souza would score extremely well. Select any musical door here and a Lady of exuberant talent and taste awaits. ~Nicholas F. Mondello

Hotel Souza

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Jack Jezzro - Candlelight Guitar

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 35:19
Size: 80.9 MB
Styles: Easy Listening
Year: 2007
Art: Front

[3:25] 1. Watch What Happens
[3:42] 2. Autumn Leaves
[4:09] 3. I Can't Get Started
[3:11] 4. Sunny
[3:34] 5. Satin Doll
[3:44] 6. There Will Never Be Another You
[3:07] 7. I Could Write A Book
[3:19] 8. Darn That Dream
[3:12] 9. Dancing On The Ceiling
[3:52] 10. Night And Day

A wonderful solo guitar recording of standards featuring Grammy nominated guitarist Jack Jezzro.

JACK JEZZRO has been one of Nashville’s most versatile musicians and record producers for over 30 years. He has appeared on many Grammy winning recordings and has numerous albums as an artist to his credit. His vast guitar discography as a recording artist includes the critically acclaimed Jazz Elegance and Brazilian Nights recordings, along with the Grammy nominated A Days Journey album. As a bassist, he was a member of the Nashville Symphony Orchestra from 1981-1991. He continues to be a member of the Nashville String Machine, playing on countless hit songs including those by Garth Brooks, Faith Hill, Bruce Springsteen, Carrie Underwood, Amy Grant, George Strait, Jennifer Lopez, Matchbox 20, Vince Gill, Wynonna, Olivia-Newton John, Rascal Flatts, Neil Diamond, Dolly Parton, and The Beach Boys. His productions, which number over 300 albums, include legendary jazz pianist Beegie Adair, acclaimed Dove award winning vocalist Kathy Troccoli, Grammy winning producer/composer/pianist Michael Omartian, jazz vocal great Jaimee Paul, tenor sax ace Denis Solee, bassist/vocalist Jim Ferguson featuring jazz great Chris Potter, renowned violinist David Davidson, composer/arranger/pianist Jeff Steinberg, multi-instrumentalist and Fiddler's Hall of Fame member Craig Duncan, virtuoso accordionist/pianist Jeff Taylor, singer/songwriter Christina Lake, pianist Christopher Phillips, trumpeter Leif Shires, jazz violinist Antoine Silverman featuring pianist Stefan Karlsson, and saxophonist Sam Levine. His music and productions could also be heard in several motion pictures, including the recent Woody Allen movie, "To Rome With Love."

Candlelight Guitar

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Various Artists - Disney Jazz: Everybody Wants To Be A Cat, Vol. 1

Styles: Straight-Ahead Jazz,Jazz-Pop 
Year: 2011
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 65:18
Size: 155,5 MB
Art: Front

(5:01)  1. Roy Hargrove - Ev'rybody Wants To Be A Cat
(3:51)  2. Esperanza Spalding - Chim Chim Cher-ee
(4:02)  3. Dave Brubeck - Some Day My Prince Will Come
(5:16)  4. Regina Carter - Find Yourself
(3:56)  5. Joshua Redman - You've Got A Friend In Me
(4:52)  6. Dianne Reeves - He's A Tramp
(5:39)  7. Kurt Rosenwinkel - Feed The Birds (Tuppence A Bag)
(4:28)  8. The Bad Plus - Gaston
(5:59)  9. Roberta Gambarini - Alice In Wonderland (With The Dave Brubeck Trio)
(7:13) 10. Alfredo Rodriguez - The Bare Necessities
(3:12) 11. Nikki Yanofsky - It's A Small World
(6:24) 12. Gilad Hekselman - Belle
(5:18) 13. Mark Rapp - Circle Of Life

What a discovery; what a great idea. Producer Jason Olaine has taken songs from a number of Disney movies some rarely recorded by jazz musicians and made fresh new versions, utilizing some of today's most well-known jazz artists. The performers range from 90 year-old piano legend Dave Brubeck to 17 year-old Canadian vocalist Nikki Yanofsky; established horn players such as trumpeter Roy Hargrove and saxophonist Joshua Redman; and international performers including Israeli-born/US-based guitarist Gilad Hekselman and avant-garde Cuban pianist Alfredo Rodriguez. Olaine has given these diverse artists full control, and they have mined 13 gems from the Disney catalog.  Hargrove delivers a sprightly, hard bop rendition of the sparkling "Everybody Wants to Be A Cat," from 1970's The AristoCats, while accordionist Gil Goldstein provides the haunting opening to Esperanza Spalding's creative arrangement of "Chim Chim Cher-ee," from Mary Poppins (1964), the bassist later vocalizing along with her bowed lines to underscore the song's evocative mood Brubeck gets two selections: first, a swinging version of "Someday My Prince Will Come," from 1937's Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, where the pianist breezes through the lilting melody, before coming on strong with his trademark chordal fury; later, he gives fine accompaniment to singer Roberta Gambarini on the theme song to Alice in Wonderland (1951).

Regina Carter's exotic violin merges with accordionist Gary Versace and kora master Yacouba Sissoko in the captivating and ear-opening "Find Yourself," from Cars (2006), while Redman adds depth to the innocuous "You've Got A Friend in Me, " from Toy Story (1995), the tenor saxophonist's creative energy unleashed in a trio with bassist Matt Penman and drummer Gregory Hutchinson. The irrepressible The Bad Plus is mind-blowing on a rousing version of "Gaston," from Beauty and the Beast (1991), taking this French-flavored tune through creative hijinks to a stirring climax, delivered with the brio of an Edith Piaf ballad. On the many strengths of Olaine's Everybody Wants To Be A Cat: Disney Jazz Volume 1, hopefully Volume 2 won't be far behind. ~ Larry Taylor  http://www.allaboutjazz.com/everybody-wants-to-be-a-cat-disney-jazz-volume-1-various-artists-disney-records-review-by-larry-taylor.php
 

Personnel: Roy Hargrove: trumpet (1); Justin Robinson: alto saxophone (1); Ameen Saleem: bass (1); Thaddeus Dixon: drums (1) Esperanza Spalding: bass, vocal (2); Gil Goldstein: piano, accordion (2); Dave Brubeck: piano (3, 9); Michael Moore: bass (3, 9); Randy Jones: drums (3, 9); Regina Carter: violin (4); Gary Versace: accordion (4); Yacoba Sissoko: kora (4); Chris Lightcap: bass(4); Alvester Garnett: drums, percussion (4); Joshua Redman: tenor saxophone (5); Matt Penman: bass (5); Gregory Hutchinson: drums (5); Dianne Reeves: vocal (6); Peter Martin: piano (6); James Genus: bass (6); Alvester Garnett: drums (6); Kurt Rosenwinkel: guitar and piano (7); Joshua Thurston-Milgrom: bass (7); Tobias Backhaus: drums (7); Ethan Iverson: piano (8); Reid Anderson: bass (8); Dave King: drums (8); Roberta Gambarini: vocal (9); Alfredo Rodriguez: piano and percussion (10); Nikki Yanofsky: vocal (11); Paul Shrofel: piano (11); Rob Fahle: bass (11); Geoffrey Lang: drums (11); Rod DiLauro: trumpet (11); Pat Vetter: alto saxophone (11); Christopher Smith: trombone (11); Jean Frechette: baritone saxophone (11); Gilad Hekselman: guitar (12); Joe Martin: bass (12); Obed Calvaire: drums, percussion (12); Mark Rapp: trumpet (13); Jamie Reynolds: piano, keyboards (13); Rene Hart: bass (13); Greg Gonzales: drums (13).

Disney Jazz: Everybody Wants To Be A Cat, Vol. 1

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Jeremy Davenport - Jeremy Davenport

Styles: Vocal And Trumpet Jazz
Year: 1996
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 55:47
Size: 128,6 MB
Art: Front

(5:13)  1. Was It Something I Did
(3:08)  2. The Night We Met in Paris
(5:24)  3. They Can't Take That Away from Me
(3:10)  4. I See Your Face Before Me
(4:38)  5. Why Oh Why
(5:38)  6. Joy Jones in the Temple of Doom
(3:01)  7. I'm Old Fashioned
(5:07)  8. Watch Out
(4:24)  9. I'm Confessin' (That I Love You)
(4:13) 10. Lora With an O
(5:06) 11. Just in Case
(6:38) 12. I'm In The Mood For Love

It is easy to have low expectations for this CD because Jeremy Davenport was clearly being positioned to be "the next Chet Baker," though he did not succeed. The seven cover boy photos make it a little difficult to take him seriously and the originals that he contributed to the set (particularly "Was It Something I Did?," which has abysmal words) are not too memorable. 

But, on the other hand, he plays trumpet well, his vocals, which sound much closer to Harry Connick, Jr. than to Baker, have their charm, and Davenport is fairly rewarding on the standards (such as "They Can't Take That Away From Me," "I'm Old Fashioned," and "I'm in the Mood for Love"). This CD is more successful than expected. ~ Scott Yanow  http://www.allmusic.com/album/jeremy-davenport-mw0000186863

Personnel: Jeremy Davenport (vocals, trumpet); Peter Martin, Glenn Patscha (piano); Christopher Thomas, Neal Caine (bass); Shannon Powell, Martin Butler (drums).

Jeremy Davenport

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Nat Adderley - The Scavenger

Styles: Cornet And Trumpet Jazz
Year: 1968
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 38:36
Size: 89,1 MB
Art: Front

(4:53)  1. Sweet Emma
(5:27)  2. Rise Sally, Rise
(6:08)  3. Unilateral
(3:05)  4. Melnat
(8:15)  5. The Scavenger
(4:47)  6. Bittersweet
(5:58)  7. But Not For Me

Nat Adderley may have spent a significant part of his career in the shadow of his better known older brother, the alto saxophonist Julian 'Cannonball' Adderley, but he was always a major contributor to their shared projects, and achieved a great deal in his own right after his brother's death in 1975. He was born Nathaniel Adderley, and took up trumpet as a teenager in 1946. He began playing in local bands in Florida, and made what became a career long switch to the smaller cornet in 1950. He did so against the prevailing tide. Cornet had been the horn of choice for New Orleans trumpet players in the early days of jazz, but had fallen out of fashion in favour of trumpet by the bop era.

Adderley evolved a distinctive signature on the instrument, blending a rich tone and earthy warmth with the horn's inherent touch of astringency to great effect. He played in an army band for a time during his military service from 1951-3, then joined the band led by vibraphonist Lionel Hampton in 1954, his first association with an established jazz figure. He remained with Hampton until 1955, and cut his earliest recordings for the Savoy and EmArcy labels that same year. Cannonball Adderley had made an early mark in New York when he sat in with bassist Oscar Pettiford at the Cafe Bohemia in Greenwich Village in 1955, but that did not translate into immediate success when the brothers joined forces in Cannonball's Quintet the following year. He broke up the group in 1957, and Nat worked with trombonist J. J. Johnson and bandleader Woody Herman before reuniting with his brother in 1959.

The earlier lack of success quickly evaporated. The band's funky, gospel-tinged jazz became one of the most successful sounds on the hard bop and soul jazz circuit, and they even scored an unexpected chart hit with 'Mercy, Mercy, Mercy' in 1966. Cannonball had featured alongside John Coltrane in Miles Davis's classic Sextet which made the legendary Kind of Blue album in 1959, and that association provided the boost he needed to take off as a star in his own right, with the cornetist very much his right hand man. Nat had continued to record under his own leadership, and made his most famous record for the Riverside label in January, 1960, with a band which featured guitarist Wes Montgomery. The resulting album, Work Song , included the tune which remains his best known composition, 'The Work Song'. Its bluesy call-and-response chorus was an emblematic example of the hard bop style of the period, and is still widely played. More... http://www.jazztrumpetsolos.com/Nat_Adderley_Biography.asp

Personnel:  Bass – Victor Gaskin; Cornet – Mel Lastie, Nat Adderley; Drums – Roy McCurdy; Electric Piano – Joe Zawinul; Flute – Jeremy Steig; Piano – Joe Zawinul; Tenor Saxophone – Joe Henderson; Trumpet [Electric] – Nat Adderley

The Scavenger

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Kitty Margolis - ...Live At The Jazz Workshop In San Francisco

Size: 100,8 MB
Time: 43:19
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 1989
Styles: Jazz/Pop Vocals
Art: Front

01. I Concentrate On You (7:29)
02. Sophisticated Lady (5:00)
03. All Blues (6:35)
04. With A Song In My Heart (5:35)
05. Nice Work If You Can Get It (3:52)
06. Every Time We Say Goodbye (4:46)
07. All The Things You Are (5:03)
08. Too Marvelous For Words (4:57)

Jazziz Magazine:
"Finally, I must say something about Kitty Margolis, the Bay Area singer who has just debuted on the obscure Mad-Kat Records. Live at the Jazz Workshop is a marvelous, ear opening live recording that introduces not just a fine young vocalist but an important new jazz voice. These eight standards let Margolis bare her imposing arsenal of musical weapons: steely attack, fiery warmth, exuberant pace, legato transitions, razor-sharp pitch, timbral variety, high-voltage scat, and, best of all, the ability o sing a through line, not just fancy riffs. Sheila Jordan summed up her response this way: "After hearing Kitty's wonderful work, I'm sure that the future of jazz singing Is safe and sound!"

Jack Fuller, The Chicago Tribune:
"Unless you have happened to come across her in San Francisco, chances are you have not heard of jazz- singer Kitty Margolis. Do yourself a favor. Take the time and trouble to order this album and discover a hot, energetic new voice. She is the real thing in jazz: stylish, swinging, in love with the risk of improvisation. You can hear a lot of influences in her work from Sarah Vaughan to Al Jarreau. But the-result is so genuinely individual that once you hear it you know you will recognize it if you are lucky enough to hear it again. At the moment about the only way to do that is to write Mad Kat-Records at Box 330425, San Francisco, Cal. 94133. But if any of the major record companies have sense, they will sign her up immediately and make the next album a smash in all the stores."

Bart Grooms, Option Magazine:
"On her debut album, Bay Area native Margolis proves that she is an accomplished, full-blown jazz singer. Not only does she have a strong sense of swing and phrasing, but she attacks the material with an improvisatory gusto. She can also scat up a storm, as befits someone who was the only singer in saxophonist Hal Stein's improv class at S.F. State. Few singers can make this approach work; Betty Carter has probably taken it further than anyone, and Margolis sounds as though she's digested the idiosyncratic Carter (and Sarah Vaughn- as well). Backed by a fine rhythm section . Margolis soars through standards like "I Concentrate On You," Miles Davis' "AII Blues," and "All The Things You Are" (with the Dizzy Gillespie intro). Fine stuff by a lady who's more than ready to strut hers."

Live At The Jazz Workshop In San Francisco

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