Billy Butler - Night Life

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 68:06
Size: 155.9 MB
Styles: Guitar jazz
Year: 2001
Art: Front

[9:26] 1. Blow For The Crossing
[4:02] 2. Golden Earrings
[4:16] 3. The Thumb
[5:45] 4. Honky Tonk
[3:01] 5. B+B Calypso
[5:42] 6. Seven Come Eleven
[3:27] 7. Medley: Autumn Nocturne/You Go To My Head
[5:12] 8. Yesterday, Today And Tomorrow
[4:55] 9. Girl Talk
[5:42] 10. Dancing On The Ceiling
[3:50] 11. Hold It
[4:08] 12. Evening Dreams
[3:46] 13. The Butler Did It
[4:47] 14. Sweet Georgia Brown

Billy Butler is well known to guitarists only, as the co-author of the early R&B funked-up standard "Honky Tonk," with organist Bill Doggett. The two albums featured in this single disc two-fer reissue -- Guitar Soul and Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow, both released in 1970 -- offer a wider view of the man and his music. The opening track on Guitar Soul is a cut worthy of the Meters in its New Orleans-styled second-line funk called "Blow for the Crossing." Nine and a half minutes in length, it's dark, spooky, greasy, and funky as hell. With Seldon Powell on tenor, Sonny Phillips on organ, Specs Powell on drums, and Bob Bushnell on bass, it's a jam du jour. Everybody solos, but Butler and Phillips are the pair that bend the tune all over the place like Gumby on Pokey. With an elongated melodic line played by Powell on the saxophone and punched-up by the drums, there's nothing to keep the body still in its massive groove-o-phonics. But the almighty groove wasn't Butler's only strength. With a saxophonist like Houston Person, he could play the most elegant swing -- as in their read of the Rodgers & Hart classic "Dancing on the Ceiling" on the second half of the album, or as a solo guitarist he could play from the Montoya fake book as he does on "Golden Earrings," with a classical guitar. There's even a reworked version of "Honky Tonk" here that adds the explosiveness of Butler's playing to the grove of the original. Further, there's the gorgeous jazz-only medley of "Autumn Nocturne" and "You Go to My Head," where Butler and Seldon Powell reach for the most subtle nuances possible to get the melodic idea across by understatement. Solos wind into one another, each one keeping the melodic fragment inherent in the harmonic changes of the breaks so it's there, in both tunes, ever present like a ghost that can't decide which direction to turn and just hovers there. The wildest tune on the Person sessions on the second half of the album is Neil Hefti and Booby Troup's "Girl Talk." Before this I could never have imagined hearing this tune as an instrumental, but it works like grease on a bicycle chain with Butler punching up the melody and bending his strings all over it to make the language impenetrable to all but his rhythm section, and Person who flies over the top making the simple pop song into a work of groove jazz artistry. This disc is a welcome introduction to one of the great, all-but-lost talents in jazz history. Billy Butler was a guitarist's guitarist and an innovator in both production and arrangements. This disc is solid from top to bottom and reveals the restless spirit of a quiet yet demanding artist. ~Thom Jurek

Night Life

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Robert Stewart - Nat The Cat: The Music Of Nat King Cole

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 51:40
Size: 118.3 MB
Styles: Saxophone jazz
Year: 2010
Art: Front

[5:54] 1. Nat The Cat
[4:31] 2. Make Her Mine
[8:31] 3. Harlem After Midnight
[4:06] 4. Blue Gardenia
[5:22] 5. Somewhere Along The Way
[3:54] 6. A Blossom Fell
[2:27] 7. That Sunday, That Summer
[3:59] 8. The Sand And The Sea
[2:47] 9. I Don't Want To See Tomorrow
[6:03] 10. The Ruby And The Pearl
[4:00] 11. Mona Lisa

Robert Stewart, ts; Ed Kelly, p; Mark Williams, bs; Sly Randolph, dr; K. Stewart, piano; R. Stewart, fl.

This entire album is dedicated in loving memory of the great Nat King Cole. May his spirit and his music live through eternity. ~Robert Stewart

One of the most impressive hard bop tenor saxophonists to emerge during the 90s, Oakland, CA native Robert Stewart did not take even take up the instrument until the age of 17; however, he so completely immersed himself in the music of Coleman Hawkins, Ben Webster, Sonny Rollins and John Coltrane - as well as the work of his personal mentor, Pharoah Sanders - that he quickly developed his own muscular tone. ~Scott Yanow

Nat The Cat: The Music Of Nat King Cole

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The Buckinghams - Time & Charges

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 29:16
Size: 67.0 MB
Styles: AM pop
Year: 1967/2012
Art: Front

[2:28] 1. Don't You Care
[2:25] 2. Pitied Be The Dragon Hunter
[2:44] 3. And Our Love
[2:25] 4. Why Don't You Love Me
[3:29] 5. You Are Gone
[2:37] 6. I'll Be Back
[2:46] 7. Mercy, Mercy, Mercy
[2:22] 8. Remember
[3:40] 9. The Married Life
[4:15] 10. Foreign Policy

Producer James William Guercio took on such a major role in the Buckinghams' second album that he amounted to a more influential force, perhaps, than anyone in the band. He arranged, conducted, and wrote or co-wrote six of the ten selections. Most noticeably, there were orchestral arrangements, complete with tympanis and blaring horns, that wouldn't have been out of place in film scores, large jazz bands, or even (at their most dissonant) early Frank Zappa records. Obviously he and/or the band were trying to be more experimental than they could on their hit singles, and the inclusion of the hit pop singles "Don't You Care" and "Mercy, Mercy, Mercy" made the LP all the more a strange affair. Not nearly as rock-oriented as their debut album, it was a quirky failure, as the Buckinghams were ultimately much more suited towards making AM singles than delving into somewhat strange orchestrated horn rock (although Guercio's songs were usually fairly hummable love songs when the arrangements were stripped away). In fact, the strongest cut other than the hit singles, "Remember," could have been a hit without the oddball horn charts. ~Richie Unterberger

Time & Charges

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Andrea Wright - September In The Rain

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 35:10
Size: 80.5 MB
Styles: Jazz vocals
Year: 2009
Art: Front

[3:16] 1. September In The Rain
[3:11] 2. Day By Day
[3:30] 3. Falling In Love With Love
[3:26] 4. Where Is Love
[3:33] 5. Lullaby Of The Leaves
[3:14] 6. Watch What Happens
[3:27] 7. I've Grown Accustomed To His Face
[4:05] 8. Day Dream
[3:01] 9. I'm Beginning To See The Light
[4:22] 10. For All We Know

Harry Whitaker, piano; Saul Rubin, guitar; Noriko Ueda, bass; Quincy Davis, drums; Warren Vaché, trumpet; Andrea Wright, vocals.

Andrea migrated to New York City to pursue a performance career and her artistry flourished when she met jazz / bebop vocalist Marion Cowings. Mentoring her in his New York Smalls Jazz Vocal Workshop, she found her own identity through improvisation and now has a considerable jazz standard repertoire.

In 2009 she released her first studio Jazz Album September in the Rain. At home in New York Andrea has played Jazz spots like Carlyle Hotel’s Bemelman’s Bar and the Friar’s Club, most recently for Mayor Dinkin’s book signing. She has toured internationally in Japan, Cyprus and Canada. In addition to a US state Department tour, Andrea continues to work closely with Mercedes Ellington and The Duke Ellington Center for the Arts to promote American Jazz education and history.

September In The Rain

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Eddie Harris - The In Sound

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s

Time: 35:52

Size: 82.1 MB

Styles: Hard bop, Saxophone jazz

Year: 1965/2005

Art: Front

[5:29] 1. The Shadow Of Your Smile

[5:08] 2. Born To Be Blue

[6:02] 3. Love For Sale

[4:45] 4. Cryin' Blues

[4:41] 5. 's Wonderful

[9:44] 6. Freedom Jazz Dance

This is one of Eddie Harris' great records and fortunately all of the music from the LP has returned as part of a reissue in the Rhino/Atlantic CD series (combined with Harris' Mean Greens date). The underrated but popular tenor-saxophonist introduces his standard "Freedom Jazz Dance," plays one of the earlier versions of "The Shadow of Your Smile," romps on "Love for Sale" and "'S Wonderful," and also performs "Born to Be Blue" and his own "Cryin' Blues." Harris is heard in prime form in a quartet/quintet with pianist Cedar Walton, bassist Ron Carter, drummer Billy Higgins, and sometimes trumpeter Ray Codrington. A gem. ~Scott Yanow

The In Sound                

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Connie Evingson - Fever: A Tribute to Peggy Lee

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 1999
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 50:36
Size: 116,4 MB
Art: Front

(3:52)  1. I Love Being Here With You
(6:22)  2. Some Cats Know
(4:52)  3. I Wanna Be Loved
(2:44)  4. He's a Tramp
(6:30)  5. Black Coffee
(2:39)  6. It's a Good Day
(3:10)  7. Why Don't You Do Right
(4:26)  8. Fever
(3:47)  9. I Don't Know Enough About You
(2:41) 10. I'm Gonna Go Fishin'
(5:04) 11. Where Can I Go Without You
(4:24) 12. Is That All There Is?

It's a daunting task to record a tribute album to a legend like Peggy Lee, if for no other reason than every song will be compared to the original, but Minneapolis-based Connie Evingson does it, and does it well. While she uses similar arrangements, she doesn't try to sound like Lee. Her voice is deep and sultry like Lee's, but it's also somewhat lighter. To her credit, Evingson's tribute is not only to songs that Lee sang, but to those she wrote, reminding us that the multi-talented Lee was also a composer of some note. Most of the tunes on the album are familiar Lee fare. On "Black Coffee," Dave Karr's tenor sax assumes the role that Conte Candoli's muted trumpet played on the 1953 release. "It's a Good Day," written with former husband, guitarist Dave Barbour, was a big pop hit for Lee in 1947. 

Evingson's version features some outstanding guitar work by Reuben Ristrom. While Evingson brings her own style to these tunes, on "Fever," she pretty much follows Lee's finger-poppin' tom-tom arrangement. Another Lee classic, the sardonic "Is That All There Is?," is one of the album's highlights; Karr's flute is prominent on this cut. The Duke Ellington-Lee composition "I'm Gonna Go Fishin'" is the album's barnburner, with Karr's sax swinging at a frenetic pace behind Evingson. Despite the fast pace, though, they never lose their place, and Evingson's diction remains crisp. Things slow down considerably on "Where Can I Go Without You?" On this tune more than any, Evingson shows that she has a style all her own. Featuring a set of fine Minneapolis musicians, this album is not only a tribute to the inestimable brilliance of Peggy Lee, but also to the singing talent of Connie Evingson. ~ Dave Nathan  http://www.allmusic.com/album/fever-a-tribute-to-peggy-lee-mw0000011855

Fever:A Tribute to Peggy Lee

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Jeff Rupert + Dirty Martini - Save Your Love For Me

Styles: Latin And Brazilian Jazz
Year: 2004
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 52:58
Size: 122,0 MB
Art: Front

(3:04)  1. Desafinado
(4:46)  2. Eu Quero Um Samba
(3:11)  3. Falsa Bahaina
(3:28)  4. Save Your Love For Me
(4:15)  5. Lotus blossom
(4:51)  6. Leva E Traz
(6:08)  7. Nancy With the Laughing Face
(4:05)  8. So danço samba
(4:50)  9. Love For Sale
(5:03) 10. Cherokee
(4:19) 11. The Jester
(3:39) 12. Change Partners and Dance With Me
(1:15) 13. Desafinado (Reprise)

Jeff Rupert and Dirty Martini began playing Bossa Novas a few years ago. Jeff Rupert had been in NYC for a year, and upon returning to Orlando in 2002 rejoined Keith Wilson and Chuck Archard, who introduced Jeff to Chris Rottmayer. It was that first gig as a quartet that the group realized that we were all in a similar space.... yearning to play music full of passion, with a lyrical quality. Bossa Nova loosely translated means new flair. 

While most of the repertoire on this recording is not new, perhaps the idea of playing purely for the sake of passion is something we rekindled in ourselves. In addition, it is our pleasure to add vocalist Michelle Amato, who contributes to the passion on two cuts of this recording. As we chose repertoire for our gigs and this recording, it became obvious that the tunes had a similar quality- they made us smile. If music is merely a metaphor for the life experience, then perhaps we have embraced its unforeseen passion and hope it reaches you through our debut album. Cheers. http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/rupertmartini

Save Your Love For Me

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Nina Ferro - Waiting For The Sunset

Styles: Jazz Soul
Year: 2008
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 60:28
Size: 139,0 MB
Art: Front

(4:50)  1. Sweet Dreams
(3:25)  2. Tossin' & Turnin'
(4:50)  3. Creepin'
(5:25)  4. Waiting For the Sunset
(5:03)  5. Overcrowded Dreams
(4:52)  6. All I Have to Do Is Dream
(5:08)  7. I Wanna See You
(5:20)  8. I Should Care
(3:29)  9. I'm Only Sleeping
(3:48) 10. Talking In My Sleep
(4:40) 11. All Night Long
(9:33) 12. Dreamweaver

"A fabulous performer with a knockout voice." ~ Tony Bennett

Nina Ferro is a multi award winning vocalist and songwriter, whose warm sensuous voice, impeccable timing and stunning vocal range have done much to establish her enviable international reputation. Her wealth of experience has seen her perform at festivals, clubs and concerts throughout the USA (San Diego, Las Vegas, Arizona and Californian Jazz Festivals, The Landing Jazz Club Texas), Europe (Copenhagen, Malta, Brecon, Haugesund, Malmo, Gent, Breda, Dusselldorf Jazz Festivals), Asia and Australia (Sth Pacific and Kobe Jazz Festivals and the Melbourne, Sydney and Perth International Festivals, Melbourne Commonwealth Games Opening Ceremony) and The Middle East (Bahrain Music Festival). Originally hailing from Australia and now residing in London, Nina is fast establishing her mark as one of the hottest Soul-Jazz vocalists on the UK scene. Nina has appeared alongside such greats as Tony Bennett, Hugh Jackman, Jose Feliciano, Michael Buble, Billy Ocean, Ricky Martin, Curtis Stigers, Gilbert O'Sullivan and Kyle Eastwood. Jazz legends including Chick Corea, Dave Sanborn, Jimmy Scott, Monty Alexander and Les Paul. As well as The Commitments, The Blues Brothers Band, The Cat Empire and The Melbourne Symphony Orchestra.

Nina has been performing regularly at Ronnie Scott's Jazz Club, Cafe De Paris, The Barbican, 606 Club, Shepherd's Bush Empire, Pizza on the Park, Octave Jazz Bar, The Spice of Life and many more. Nina's music can be regularly heard on BBC Radio 2 and her own albums, songs, and performances have received rave reviews world wide.

"Ms Ferro's mellifluous voice reflected her warm personality & as Bob Hope said of Dinah Shore: "Naturally the voice is good. Just look where it's been." Jack Massarik, Evening Standard, London.

"Ferro's voice is a pleasure to hear.... natural, sexy and effortless." Cadence Magazine, New York.

"What an amazing voice, a standout performance." Hugh Jackman.

This soul-full songstress has a quality of tone, honest emotion and technique that make her performances nothing short of inspirational. Her energetic style and musical grace ensure an entertaining and powerful evening of slick Jazz Standards, sultry soul as well as her own original compositions.

"Nina Ferro may be an unfamiliar name to some in the US but that won't last long. Nina's voice is smooth, consistent and rich. Her energy and feeling for the music is fresh and infectious. The US will want to hear more of this stellar vocalist." - Paul Pearce, Bass World Magazine, USA.

AWARDS: 4th Place for "Tossing & Turning" (Rock/Metal/Indie Category) Australian Song Writing Association Competition 2006. Yalumba Jazz medal for most up and coming Jazz Artist. Congratulations to the "CAT EMPIRE" on winning an Aria Award for their album "Cities" (Nina is a featured vocalist on several tracks). http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/ninaferro4

Waiting For The Sunset

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Richard Tee - Strokin'/Natural Ingredients

Styles: Jazz Funk, Soul
Year: 1979/1980
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 71:41
Size: 167,0 MB
Art: Front

(4:57)  1. First Love
(5:27)  2. Every Day
(5:23)  3. Strokin'
(5:04)  4. I Wanted It Too
(5:32)  5. Virginia Sunday
(4:46)  6. Jesus Children of America
(4:43)  7. Take the 'A' Train
(6:11)  8. What A Woman Really Means
(6:12)  9. Wow
(4:32) 10. The Nuts Off The Screw
(4:34) 11. Tell It Like It Is
(4:43) 12. Us
(4:51) 13. Back Door Man
(4:40) 14. Spinning Song

Native New Yorker Richard Tee is one of the unsung heroes of jazz, funk and soul. He was a ubiquitous session pianist during the 1960s, '70s and '80s and he's mainly remembered - he died in 1993 from prostate cancer - for his work accompanying jazz legends, among them Rahsaan Roland Kirk, Hank Crawford and George Benson, but he also made significant contributions to albums by rock and pop artists; namely George Harrison, Billy Joel, David Bowie and the Bee Gees. A versatile musician, then, Tee was also a member of the Big Apple-based session supergroup, Stuff, in the late '70s and during the same timeframe cut a couple of albums for Bob James' CBS-distributed Tappan Zee imprint. Often overlooked and underappreciated, those two long out-of-print albums have just been reissued as a tasty twofer by the Cherry Red imprint, Robinsongs. Tee's hallmark was rolling, gospel-infused acoustic piano licks and on '79's 'Strokin'' he doesn't disappoint. 

The set was helmed by Bob James who had worked with Tee on many C.T.I./Kudu sessions for producer Creed Taylor and features a stellar line-up of sideman: including fellow Stuff members Eric Gale and Steve Gadd plus bassist Chuck Rainey, percussionist Ralph MacDonald, and horn men, Tom Scott and the Brecker brothers. The opener, the Chuck Rainey-penned, 'First Love,' is a driving instrumental with a disco-funk backbeat that highlights Tee's churchy piano chords. He supplies a textured, resonant vocal on the ballad 'Every Day,' a song he co-penned with Bill Withers. The rest of the album is devoted to slick, adroitly-executed but soulful instrumentals, such as the blithely grooving title cut which spotlights Tee's piano and 'I Wanted It Too,' a slice of mirrorball funk which features Tee on organ and Hugh McCracken on harmonica. 'Virginia Sunday' is a dreamy ballad whose mellow mood is quickly dispelled by a superb jazz-funk deconstruction of Stevie Wonder's 'Jesus Children Of America.'

The set closes with a highly imaginative retooling of Duke Ellington's Billy Strayhorn-penned 'Take The A Train,' which not only shows off Tee's virtuosity on the piano but also his sublime arranging skills as it morphs from a quasi-piano concerto into a seismic chunk of disco-funk. Also produced by Bob James, 1980's 'Natural Ingredients' featured mainly the same line up of musicians but laid more emphasis on Tee as a vocalist. It opens with the pianist's funked-up vocal take on the Ralph McDonald/William Salter tune, 'What A Woman Really Means' (a song also recorded at an earlier juncture in the '70s by Donny Hathaway). 'Now' is a fine instrumental distinguished by a bluesy Eric Gale guitar solo while the humorous 'The Nut's Off The Screw' - another Tee/Bill Withers co-write - is a fluid slice of four-on-the-floor funk featuring Tee's husky vocal and some evocative harmonica playing.  Aaron Neville's 'Tell It Like It Is' also gets a run out but is rejigged as a chugging, late night groover. Willie Dixon's blues classic, 'Back Door Man,' also gets a makeover, transmogrified into an undulating funk groove propelled by slapped bass. 

The album's closer, believe it or not, is Tee's take on 'Spinning Song' by classical composer, Felix Mendelssohn, which is transfigured into piano-led romp through blues, jazz, gospel and funk styles. The piece cogently not only demonstrates the pianist's genius at melding different musical elements into a cohesive whole but also succinctly encapsulates his unique and immediately recognisable piano style. It's been 21 years since Richard Tee's death but excellent reissues like this will certainly help in keeping his memory alive. ~ Charles Waring  http://www.soulandjazzandfunk.com/reviews/2717-richard-tee-strokin-and-natural-ingredients-robinsongscherry-red.html

Strokin'

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April Hall - Something Like That

Size: 100,5 MB
Time: 41:28
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2000
Styles: Jazz Vocals
Art: Front

01. Something Like That (4:49)
02. Prides Crossing (3:22)
03. Round About The Middle (2:52)
04. Jeri (4:17)
05. Shadow Of A Woman (2:22)
06. I Climb The Trees (3:50)
07. Likeness To Castles (3:49)
08. The Ohio (4:29)
09. Kisses Aren't Promises (4:52)
10. Holding On (3:19)
11. Mr. I'll Save You (3:22)

April Hall has delivered a fantastic, honest, heart-felt recording! "Something LikeThat" is absolutely packed with clear powerful vocals and memorable melodies. April passionately tells her stories. Coupled with dazzleing vocal arrangements, this recording has a jazzy angellic-gospel feel.

April Hall and her band have the rare ability to deliver slightly different music styles, yet keep the records overall consistent heart-felt feel. Given the experience of all musicians involved "Something Like That" is more of a musical story book. April Hall accompanied by Malcom Granger -Acoustic Guitar, Mark Poniatowski-Acoustic Bass, Mike Piehl-Drums and Melissa "Chip" Lewis Background vocals help set this recordings sexy/seductive, passionate tone.

"Something Like That" is a great CD. You may reach for "Something Like That" if you are in the mood for Miles Davis "Kind of Blue". The songs contain that much passion!

Something Like That

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Vince Seneri - Straight Ahead

Size: 103,5 MB
Time: 42:02
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2002
Styles: Jazz: Hammond Organ
Art: Front

01. Softly As In A Morning Sunrise (4:13)
02. Besame Mucho (5:03)
03. Gentle Rain (5:53)
04. Stolen Moments (6:57)
05. Stormy Monday (9:40)
06. There Will Never Be Another You (4:19)
07. Sugar (5:54)

Personnel:
Vince Seneri/Hammond B3
Tony Viscardo/Guitar
Buddy Williams/Drums

Vince Seneri is one of the most dynamic ‘burners’ of the Hammond B3 organ on the music scene today. Endorsed by Hammond Suzuki Organ Company USA, he is a new generation B3 player with a class and style all his own. This charismatic performer has been entertaining for over 20 years, and consistently delivers a first-class performance at all his shows. His dedication and integrity for the music and aim to please his audience is paramount. As a musician, composer, and arranger, this multi-talented artist is known for his energy and expertise with the B3. He is a true master of the instrument, and has captured the hearts of fans worldwide. Vince Seneri has performed and recorded several CDs with some of the best musicians in the business today, including: Randy Brecker, Dave Valentin, Houston Person, David “Fathead” Newman, Paul Bollenback, and Buddy Williams, His latest “Street Talk”, has special tributes to music legends Ray Charles (Unchain My Heart) and Jimmy Smith.

Straight Ahead

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George Anderson Band - From Cape Town To London (Live)

Size: 142,7 MB
Time: 61:38
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2015
Styles: Jazz: Jazz Funk, Vocals
Art: Front

01. Intro (Live) (1:22)
02. Herbie (Live) (5:10)
03. Cool Operator (Live) (5:03)
04. High And Mighty Love (Live) (4:21)
05. Into U (Live) (4:17)
06. Lay Ur Hands On Me (Live) (4:54)
07. Weakness (Live) (5:01)
08. Babel (Bass Solo) (Live) (2:38)
09. Latin Love (Amour Latino) (Live) (5:35)
10. Back In The Day (Live) (4:54)
11. Day By Day (Live) (6:04)
12. Brazilian Love Affair (Encore) (Live) (7:44)
13. Never Too Much (Encore) (Live) (4:28)

George Anderson’s bass has underpinned the sound of the hugely successful British jazz-funk outfit Shakatak since 1981. His very satisfying solo albums “Positivity” (2009) and “Expressions” (2012) have secured his reputation as a solo artist – and an invitation to fulfil a dream of playing in front of South African fans in December 2014.

Those fans were treated to the cream of the songs from those first two studio albums, kicking off with the insanely groovy, horn-laden Herbie. For me, a song this good underlines the relevance that British jazz-funk continues to have – I’ve always believed in it. Fans of soul vocals will love the sultry Cool Operator and High and Mighty Love. Vocalists Janine ‘Blaq Pearl’ and Mikhaela Faye Kruger really do a fine job on these songs. The ‘London’ connection on the hypnotic Weakness comes courtesy of another fine vocal from Debby Bracknell.

I’d love to have been in the audience for the crowd-pleasing Into U and Back in the Day. George grooves like crazy on these songs and the Stevie Wonder homage in Back in the Day sees him really throwing down. Of course, when a bassman fronts his own band live, we hope for a juicy solo and, oh yes, low-end fans can go nuts for Babel, just before the band flies into the utterly sublime Latin Love. It has delicious echoes of what George Duke was doing in the late 1970’s – I really can’t compliment it more highly than that. Props to drummer Bjorn Petersen’s superb off-the beat playing here. Nathan Carolus on guitar totally blazes and trumpeter Ian Smith takes a short but splendid solo, as does saxman Don Vino.

We’re warmed up now, so following a take on Shak’s own Day by Day, we launch into George Duke’s Brazilian Love Affair. What you don’t know about this song, I can’t tell you. This foot-stomping, hand-clapping masterpiece is a heartfelt tribute and, God knows, you have to really feel the music to reproduce Byron Miller’s killer bassline on this tune so well. Yes – of course GA solos on the bridge – I have lump in my throat writing this because he totally smashes it and fabulous memories come flooding back. Keyboardist Raphael Bushman, another artist whose contribution was recorded in London, has equally big shoes to fill and his soloing is outstanding. The trumpet and sax both have superb moments. Wish I’d been there...

While we’re talking of big shoes, Isaac Monty’s vocals on Never too Much are very strong and this gem, obviously, has George holding down the line just like Marcus Miller did. More than a cover version – an outstanding performance.

The deluxe digital edition of this album includes three additional songs: Funking for Cape Town (Funking for Jamaica), Wanna Make you Mine and Beauty Inner Smile. The deep funk and sharp horn work on Funking really are a fitting tribute to one of the most influential jazz-influenced dance records ever.

Be in no doubt though, George’s own compositions draw out the best in his band members and you’ll find lovely moments in the final two songs from the expanded edition – they are both real growers, just in different ways.
If you’re familiar with George Anderson’s solo output, you’ll enjoy how it sounds live. If you’re not, you have some surprises in store. In either case, you can’t fail to be drawn in by such a great collection of original songs and covers, performed with great heart and technical skill. ~Chris Mann

The From Cape Town To London

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Cluster Sisters - Cluster Sisters

Size: 106,9 MB
Time: 45:18
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2015
Styles: Jazz: Swing, Woogie Boogie, Vocals
Art: Front

01. Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy (2:34)
02. Tuxedo Junction (3:01)
03. Everybody Loves My Baby (2:37)
04. It Don't Mean A Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing) (3:22)
05. Minnie The Moocher (3:12)
06. A Historia De Lily Braun (3:58)
07. Hold Tight, Hold Tight (Want Some Seafood Mama) (3:22)
08. Bei Mir Bist Du Schon (2:21)
09. Solid Potato Salad (2:08)
10. Crazy People (2:43)
11. Route 66 (3:47)
12. Mule Skinner Blues (3:15)
13. Tico Tico No Fuba (2:39)
14. Sing Sing Sing (3:41)
15. What A Wonderful World (Bonus Track) (2:31)

Personnel:
Gabriela Catai- Vocal
Giovanna Correia- Vocal
Maitê Motta- Vocal
Emílio Mizão- Guitarra
Filipe Barthem - Contrabaixo
Bruno Cotrim - Bateria
Wesley César - Saxofone

Sisters cluster is a Brazilian band formed only for girls, with sound based on the classical jazz of the Decade of 30. The group, part of the Superstar, Rede Globo, debuted at the show with the song ' It Don't Mean A Thing ', famous in the voice of Nina Simone. The Cluster Sisters were sponsored by Fábio Jr.

The band was created in 2008, inspired by the Puppini Sisters disk and Sister Swing, both contemporary groups, reminiscent of the golden age of Swing. Le amiche, Gabriela, Giovanna and Maite, met in the choir of the Nfb, where approached by mutual musical interests and an identification with the "vintage" style.

Initially, the three friends studied the roots of Swing jazz vocal trios that sparkled in the decades of 30 and 40, which turned out to be its most important references. Among them are the Andrew Sisters, Boswell Sisters, Ross Sisters and The King Sisters. Later was added to the Repertoire of the Cluster Sisters not only influences the swing, as also the Bepbop, Blues and Folk music, plus contemporary tunes arranged in these musical styles. ~automatic translatation

The Cluster Sisters

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Jon Regen - Stop Time

Size: 99,5 MB
Time: 38:05
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2015
Styles: Jazz/Pop Vocals
Art: Front

01. I Will Wait (4:00)
02. Morning Papers (4:22)
03. Run To Me (3:59)
04. Borderline (4:06)
05. Stop Time (4:46)
06. Walk On Water (3:28)
07. Annie (4:12)
08. Home Again (3:30)
09. Chapter Two (3:13)
10. These Are The Days (2:25)

Produced by Mitchell Froom (Crowded House, Paul McCartney), and featuring Davey Faragher and Pete Thomas from Elvis Costello and the Imposters, Stop Time finds Regen at the peak of his songwriting and pianistic powers, with ten original tunes that brim with humor and heart. Songs like “I Will Wait,” “Morning Papers” and “Stop Time” prove Regen a master of the sticky lyric and the penetrating piano hook, recalling the work of forbears like Billy Joel and Randy Newman while simultaneously showcasing Regen’s singular take on modern love.

Regen talks about the making of Stop Time in the video teaser, which contains rare studio footage and offers a sneak preview of the album’s new songs. Fans who pre-order the album on iTunes will immediately receive the first single “I Will Wait,” which the Wall Street Journal will premiere exclusively online on March 17.

“The album really began after I met the actor Jeremy Irons at a party in London,” Regen says. “We started talking over ample amounts of wine and soon after, he asked me to play the piano for him. Not wanting to disappoint an Oscar winner, I sat down and started playing a bluesy, New Orleans kind of vamp. Without warning, he grabbed a cello off the wall and started playing it like an upright bass. We jammed together on that one song for nearly fifteen minutes! When I returned home to New York City, I married the bluesy feel of that jam session to a set of lyrics I had written about a guy who becomes dismayed watching his youth slip away. The resulting song ‘Stop Time’ became the anchor for the album that was to come.”

“Jon plays pop music that people might associate with artists like Elton John and Randy Newman, but at the same time, he has a kind of swing in his piano playing that is distinctly his own,” Froom explains. “I think the result is just a tremendous sense of humanity and positivity that you get listening to him. I feel that I’m catching him at a time where everything is really coming together for him as a singer/songwriter.”

A protégé of the legendary pianist Kenny Barron, Regen began his career as a sympathetic sideman to jazz artists like Kyle Eastwood and Little Jimmy Scott. After releasing a series of acclaimed instrumental jazz recordings, Regen made an abrupt left turn in 2004 and released the singer/songwriter EP Almost Home. Regen followed the EP with his full-length 2008 release Let It Go, which featured Andy Summers of the Police and Martha Wainwright.

In 2011, Regen co-produced and released the album Revolution. Featuring contributions from Andy Summers, Benmont Tench from Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers and Rob Thomas of Matchbox Twenty, the album received rave reviews the world over. Bloomberg and Allmusic each awarded it “Four Stars.” The Philadelphia Inquirer pronounced Regen “a supremely accomplished pop artist,” and JazzTimes described his music “as potent as anything crafted by Sting.” Regen surprised listeners again in 2013 with the release of the instrumental album Change Your Mind, his collaboration with the renowned physician and meditation expert Dr. Mitch Gaynor. The album debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard New Age charts and took the top spot at iTunes and Amazon.com as well.

But for Regen, Stop Time cuts even closer to his core.

“For me, the new album is all about hope and home,” Regen says. “In many ways, the album is a sort of love letter to my wife, who helped me realize that there is life beyond the breakup song!” (Regen’s May 2014 wedding was profiled in the Vows section of the New York Times). “It’s a heartfelt album, but it’s also a humorous one because living in New York City is always an adventure. I decided to call the album Stop Time because it’s the song that started this whole wild ride in the first place. And maybe if we all could stop time once in a while, we would realize how much there already is to celebrate.”

The Stop Time

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King Curtis - The Blues Don't Care

Size: 180,6 MB
Time: 77:55
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2015
Styles: Jazz: Saxophone Jazz, Blues Jazz, Soul Jazz
Art: Front

01. Ain't Nobody's Business (3:04)
02. Soul Street (9:06)
03. I Have To Worry (2:40)
04. Jivin' Time (4:48)
05. Fever (2:40)
06. Lazy Soul (7:12)
07. Night Train (2:56)
08. Trouble In Mind (2:57)
09. Tuxedo Junction (2:56)
10. Soul Meeting (6:57)
11. Nobody Knows You When You're Down And Out (3:22)
12. So Rare (2:32)
13. Blues At The Five Spot (5:39)
14. All The Way (5:28)
15. Lean Baby (2:57)
16. Jeep's Blues (6:54)
17. Woke Up In The Morning (2:49)
18. Sweet And Lovely (2:51)

Curtis Ousley (February 7, 1934 – August 13, 1971), who performed under the name King Curtis, was an American tenor, alto, and soprano saxophonist who played rhythm and blues, soul, rock, and soul jazz.

Curtis was born in Fort Worth, Texas. During the 1950s and early to mid 1960s he both worked as a session player on such records as Yakety Yak and recorded his own singles. His best known singles from this period are “Soul Twist” (Enjoy) and “Soul Serenade” (Capitol). In 1965 he moved to Atlantic Records, where his most successful singles were “Memphis Soul Stew” and “Ode to Billie Joe. ” He led Aretha Franklin’s backup band, The Kingpins, and produced records, at first with Jerry Wexler and then by himself.

Curtis guested on John Lennon’s Imagine and was capable of attracting the best session musicians to put in appearances for his own albums, including Eric Clapton, guitarist Duane Allman on Instant Groove, and organist Billy Preston and drummer Bernard Purdie on Live At Fillmore West.

On Saturday August 13 1971 he was stabbed outside his apartment and pronounced dead upon arrival at hospital.

The Blues Don't Care

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Charlie Barnet & His Orchestra - Swingin' On Nothin'

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 47:40
Size: 109.1 MB
Styles: Big band
Year: 2010
Art: Front

[2:37] 1. The Jeep Is Jumpin'
[2:24] 2. Miss Annabelle Lee
[3:00] 3. I Get Along Without You Very Well
[3:05] 4. Tin Roof Blues
[3:31] 5. When The Sun Comes Out
[3:21] 6. West End Blues
[3:05] 7. I Didn't Know Enough About You
[3:05] 8. Commanche War Dance
[2:03] 9. Uptown Blues
[3:10] 10. Swingin' On Nothin'
[3:12] 11. Southland Shuffle
[3:11] 12. Only A Rose
[3:12] 13. Strange Enchantment
[3:22] 14. Casa Manana Stomp
[2:44] 15. Lullaby Of Birdland
[2:32] 16. Song Of The Volga Boatman

Charlie Barnet came from a wealthy family. His parents had hoped that their son would become a lawyer. However the free spirited Barnet, at just 16 years of age, led his own band on a transatlantic ocean liner crossing the ocean 22 times and later went to the South Seas and Latin America.

Barnet first became well known in jazz circles as a leader of a band that played the Paramount Hotel in NYC in 1932. His fame also spread as a soloist on several Red Norvo Octet sides in 1934 including “The Night Is Blue” which also featured Teddy Wilson, Artie Shaw and others.

Swingin' On Nothin'

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Rob Keiter - The Glory Of Love

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 57:02
Size: 130.6 MB
Styles: Jazz vocals
Year: 2010
Art: Front

[5:17] 1. This Nearly Was Mine
[5:23] 2. Looking For Another Pure Love
[4:50] 3. Laughter In The Rain
[3:32] 4. The Glory Of Love
[3:08] 5. Alfie
[4:16] 6. For No One
[6:24] 7. What Are You Doing The Rest Of Your Life
[3:47] 8. Get Happy
[6:13] 9. Our Loving Eyes
[4:22] 10. Grateful For A Pleasant Trip
[5:11] 11. What The World Needs Now
[4:35] 12. You Are My Heaven

Rob Keiter describes himself as "helpless romantic". The best requirement as composer and jazz vocalist for a collection of love songs, he has released under the significant title The Glory of Love. What does predestine a singer to intone love songs? Certainly a break-up of a long-lasting marriage.

Rob Keiter comments: “Even though I had lost love, I wanted to sing love songs because I still believe in love. Having sung my entire life, I would say that I truly found my voice as a result of that experience (in the studio).”

Rob is accompanied on several of the tracks by Randy Brecker (trumpet), Amber Whitlock (vocals), Rob Whitlock (piano), Trey Henry (bass), Cliff Almond (drums), Pat Kelly (guitar). The horns are delivered by Wayne Bergeron (trumpet, flugelhorn), Andy Martin (trombone) and John Rekevics (sax, flute).

The Glory Of Love

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Molly Ryan - Songbird In The Moonlight

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 73:43
Size: 168.8 MB
Styles: Vocal jazz
Year: 2008
Art: Front

[3:40] 1. Hooray For Love
[3:49] 2. These Foolish Things
[3:14] 3. I Take To You
[3:10] 4. Around The World
[4:13] 5. It's Wonderful
[4:21] 6. Put The Blame On Mame
[4:11] 7. There's A Lull In My Life
[4:03] 8. Everybody Loves Somebody
[4:31] 9. You're A Heavenly Thing
[3:29] 10. Like Someone In Love
[4:40] 11. It's A Sin To Tell A Lie
[3:30] 12. I Was Lucky
[5:23] 13. By Myself
[4:21] 14. Night Wind
[3:58] 15. All My Life
[3:20] 16. There's Something In The Air
[3:42] 17. The Ballad Of The Sad Young Men
[5:58] 18. What A Little Moonlight Can Do

Dan Levinson - Clarinet / tenor saxophone; Mark Shane - Piano; Kevin Dorn - Drums; Jon-Erik Kellso - Trumpet.

A critic's favorite" - so proclaims author and music writer for The Wall Street Journal Will Friedwald in reference to Molly Ryan. Indeed, Molly's silvery voice and lush, elegant vocal style evoke the big band singers of the 1930s and breathe new life into familiar old standards.

Songbird In The Moonlight

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Stochelo Rosenberg - Ready'n Able

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 39:49
Size: 91.2 MB
Styles: Swing, Gypsy jazz
Year: 2005
Art: Front

[3:02] 1. Joseph's Tiger
[2:58] 2. Relaxing At Camarillo
[3:44] 3. I Wish
[3:57] 4. Touch
[3:11] 5. Sunny
[2:45] 6. All The Things You Are
[3:05] 7. Djangology
[3:42] 8. I Will Wait For You
[3:15] 9. Ready 'n Able
[4:56] 10. Body And Soul
[2:51] 11. Blue Bossa
[2:16] 12. Listen

A towering figure in today's Gypsy jazz scene and -- like Django Reinhardt before him -- a member of Western Europe's Sinti community, Stochelo Rosenberg manages to push the Hot Club sound into the 21st century without compromising its fiery technique and snappy acoustic tone. On Ready 'n Able, Rosenberg mixes originals (the Joe Pass-meets-Segovia "Listen" is astounding) with tunes by Charlie Parker ("Relaxing at Camarillo"), Stevie Wonder ("I Wish"), and soul-jazz organist Jimmy Smith ("Ready 'n Able"). Toss in such classics as "Djangology," "All the Things You Are," and "Body and Soul," and you have the ingredients for an eclectic, deeply satisfying jazz-guitar experience. Skillfully accompanied by guitarist and younger brother Mozes (who contributes wonderful solos of his own) and upright bassist Sani Van Mullem, Rosenberg delivers blistering arpeggios and runs with a quivering vibrato and lightning speed worthy of Mr. Reinhardt himself. Armed with vintage Selmer and modern Léo Eimers 6-strings, Rosenberg makes genuine jazz manouche that sounds fresh, yet timeless. ~twangmon

Ready'n Able

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Cheryl Conley - Lemon Twist

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2010
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 59:15
Size: 136,1 MB
Art: Front

(5:53)  1. Lemon Twist
(3:59)  2. Yeh Yeh
(5:20)  3. Ain't Misbehavin'
(4:30)  4. Old Devil Moon
(5:39)  5. They Say It's Wonderful
(3:52)  6. Whisper Not
(5:42)  7. If You Never Come
(3:13)  8. Well You Needn't
(4:04)  9. I Got Lost In His Arms
(3:36) 10. Speak Low
(5:22) 11. Here's to Life
(4:30) 12. Song for my Father
(3:27) 13. Sleepin' Bee

Cheryl Conley, a native of Pasadena CA, is a jazz singer with a rather unusual background, which includes running away as a teenager to join the Ike & Tina Turner Review as an Ikette, and then later becoming a member of 70's west coast pop group The Free Movement, who recorded for Decca and Columbia. Jazz was always her first love and career priority though and today she is recognized by critics and musicians as one of America's finest jazz singers. Surprisingly, 'Lemon Twist', her latest album, is only her third jazz recording to date. 'Lemon Twist' features Cheryl Conley in the company of fellow west coast musicians, the most notable names including tenor saxophonist Chuck Manning (Alan Broadbent, Ravi Coltrane), bassist Isla Eckinger (Kenny Clarke, Dexter Gordon, Mal Waldron), pianist Jim Szilagyi (Poncho Sanchez, Alphonse Mouzon), and trumpeter Noland Shaheed (Count Basie Orchestra, Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder). The program is a collection of jazz and popular standards that takes in everything from Thelonius Monk to Fats Waller, Horace Silver to Carlos Jobim, and Irvin Berlin to Kurt Weil. If you like Ella, Sarah, Carmen or Shirley, then Cherly Conley is for you! "Phrasing with the sensitivity of a horn player, her intonation is flawless." ~  Leonard Feather, Los Angeles Times  http://www.amazon.co.uk/Lemon-Twist-Cheryl-Conley/dp/B00353W1YW

Personnel: Cheryl Conley (vocals); Chuck Manning (tenor saxophone); Nolan Shaheed (trumpet); Jim Szilagyi (piano);  Tim Pleasant (drums).

Lemon Twist

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