Cal Tjader - Black Orchid

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 74:43
Size: 171.0 MB
Styles: Latin jazz, West Coast jazz
Year: 1993
Art: Front

[2:15] 1. Mi China
[3:10] 2. Close Your Eyes
[4:39] 3. Mambo At The M
[2:38] 4. Contigo
[2:27] 5. Bonita
[4:32] 6. The Lady Is A Tramp
[3:23] 7. Black Orchid
[3:43] 8. Happiness Is A Thing Called Joe
[2:07] 9. I've Waited So Long
[3:25] 10. Out Of Nowhere
[5:19] 11. Cuajira At The Blackhawk
[3:16] 12. I Want To Be Happy
[3:54] 13. The Nearness Of You
[3:48] 14. Pete Kelly's Blues
[3:51] 15. A Minor Goof
[3:20] 16. Undecided
[3:20] 17. Philadelphia Mambo
[4:10] 18. Flamingo
[3:59] 19. Stompin' At The Savoy
[3:18] 20. Laura
[4:00] 21. Lullaby Of Birdland

This CD has all of the music originally on the two LPs Cal Tjader Goes Latin and The Cal Tjader Quintet. Since each album had two sessions apiece, the CD does a fine job of giving one a sampling of the influential vibraphonist's popular Latin jazz groups of the era. Among the key sideman are flutist Paul Horn; Jose "Chombo" Silva on tenor; pianists Lonnie Hewitt, Vince Guaraldi, and Manuel Duran; and Mongo Santamaria and Willie Bobo on percussion. The music (a mixture of Latinized standards and newer originals) is quite appealing, showing why this infectious blending of bop with Latin rhythms has always been one of the most accessible styles of jazz. ~Scott Yanow

Black Orchid

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Terry Hanck - Always

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 47:08
Size: 107.9 MB
Styles: Soul-blues
Year: 2008
Art: Front

[4:39] 1. Cupid Must Be Stupid
[3:35] 2. The First Time Around
[4:37] 3. Good Good Rockin' Goin' On
[3:32] 4. My Last Teardrop
[2:56] 5. Stingy
[3:47] 6. When I Get My Shit Together
[3:34] 7. Quicksand
[4:21] 8. Always
[5:17] 9. Good Kind Of Lovin'
[3:08] 10. Live To Love
[5:11] 11. Peace Of Mind
[2:26] 12. Deep Fried Twinkies

“Exciting, tenor sax-driven blues and soul. This Chicago native, now based in South Florida, is steeped in those genre’s traditions as a musician, singer and songwriter Hanck’s choice of material and his presentation are impeccable. He starts this album with Elvin Bishop’s “Right Now is the Hour,” and he does it proud. The slow burn of “T’s Groove” is hot enough to cook a thick steak on. Vocally, Hanck drips 1950s soul on the first half of “My Last Teardrop,” then punches it into overdrive. If soul/blues is your bag, grab this." ~Bob Gottlieb

Always

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Jutta Hipp - Jutta's Swing

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 42:52
Size: 98.1 MB
Styles: Piano jazz
Year: 2011
Art: Front

[7:39] 1. Wee Dot
[6:13] 2. Violets For Your Furs
[6:20] 3. Almost Like Being In Love
[8:46] 4. Just Blues
[6:49] 5. Down Home
[7:03] 6. Too Close For Comfort

“As Hipp…matured artistically, she had defined her own artistic standards and revolted when pressured to record music she did not like. She also suffered from severe stage fright throughout her career. Thus being the featured artist at a large performance venue was more of a daunting chore for Hipp than a joyful public celebration of her talent.” ~ All About Jazz

The lore of jazz is filled with stories of musicians of prodigious gifts who appeared on the scene in a starburst and disappeared back to whence they came just as quickly; leaving behind perhaps a few recordings and the often faulty memories of those who worked with them. Pianist Jutta Hipp epitomizes these musicians.

Ms. Hipp was born in Leipzig, Germany in 1925. She learned to play the piano as a child, but in the immediate aftermath of the Second World War she studied painting at the Leipzig Kunstakademie. By this time her interest in jazz had begun. When the Soviets took over what would become East Germany in the late ’40’s, she moved with her family to Munich. There, Jutta began to play piano professionally, starting her own group. In the early 50’s, she joined a group led by saxophonist Hans Koller.

Jutta's Swing

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Aurélie Agostini - What Are You Doing The Rest Of Your Life?

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2013
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 56:58
Size: 131,0 MB
Art: Front

(4:24)  1. Heartbreaker
(4:58)  2. What Are You Doing the Rest of Your Life?
(3:48)  3. Walk On By
(3:14)  4. Je T'attends
(3:10)  5. I Say a Little Prayer
(4:30)  6. These Foolish Things
(2:54)  7. Do You Know
(3:44)  8. Un Ano de Amor
(3:23)  9. A Natural Woman
(4:16) 10. It's Not Unusual
(4:16) 11. Amado Mio
(4:24) 12. I Wish You Love
(5:27) 13. You've Got a Friend
(4:25) 14. That's What Friends Are for

After opera singing studies in the Master Radio France, Aurélie Agostini quickly noticed by professional musicians, began a career as a chorister. In Paris she sails recording studios in television studios. On stage she accompanied the great names of French song as Claude Francois, Mike Brant, Michel Polnareff, Joe Dassin, Mort Shuman and many others. A flawless journey that gives him the opportunity to participate in several musicals with the Grand Magic Circus Jerome Savari and a passage in the Grand Orchestre du Splendid. Today, with the help of his talented musicians, Aurélie Agostini pays homage to some great French composers, English, Americans she loves such as Michel Legrand, Charles Trenet, Charles Aznavour, Gilbert Becaud, Nino Ferrer, the bee Gees, Carole King and Burt Bacharach. Aurélie Agostini offers us some key works, it interprets this time as a soloist and in a Jazzy register This gives this album of covers, an original color, emotional and sensitive. ~  Serge André  Translate by google  http://www.aurelie-agostini.com/aurelie-bio-000.html

What Are You Doing The Rest Of Your Life

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Webster Young - For Lady

Styles: Cornet And Trumpet Jazz
Year: 1957
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 42:33
Size: 104,4 MB
Art: Front

(7:03)  1. The Lady
(7:08)  2. God Bless The Child
(7:48)  3. Moanin' Low
(8:58)  4. Good Morning Heartache
(7:15)  5. Don't Explain
(4:18)  6. Strange Fruit

While trumpeter Webster Young pays tribute to Billie Holiday on this, his only studio date as a leader, the set is equally a tribute to Young's musical role model, Miles Davis. Young has Miles' soft-focus tone from the early to mid-'50s and, according to Ira Gitler's liner notes, he is actually playing Miles' cornet on the date. The similarities between the two players make this 1957 session a satisfying companion to Miles' work circa 1951-1953. Young is nicely matched here with tenor saxophonist Paul Quinichette, with the two of them using a pleasantly blowsy approach to weave loose, discursive counterpoint around each other. Guitarist Joe Puma distinguishes the set with thoughtful, understated playing that calls to mind Kenny Burrell's own Prestige dates from this period. Pianist Mal Waldron, drummer Ed Thigpen, and bassist Earl May infuse the performances with a cohesive, relaxed swing. 

They give each other lots of space, and Waldron makes astute choices in his chord selection, phrasing, and comping strategies. The tracks comprise five pieces associated with Holiday and one Young original, written in homage to Lady Day. True to Holiday's approach, the mood is world-weary, bordering on bleak, but with breaches of light like those that would briefly suffuse Holiday's songs. "Strange Fruit" is the one track that misses the mark. Where Holiday allowed the stark irony of the lyrics to carry the song, Young's instrumental version labors the point by including an execution squad drum roll. This could have been effective had it been limited to the intro and ending, but when Thigpen's martial snare also crops up midsong it breaks the subtle, macabre atmosphere of the piece. ~ Jim Todd  

http://www.allmusic.com/album/for-lady-mw0000087852

Personnel: Webster Young (trumpet, cornet); Joe Puma (guitar); Paul Quinichette (tenor saxophone); Mal Waldron (piano); Ed Thigpen (drums).

For Lady

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Barbara Brussell - Lerner In Love: The Lyrics Of Alan Jay

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2005
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 70:40
Size: 165,2 MB
Art: Front

(3:05)  1. It's Time for a Love Song
(3:01)  2. Almost Like Being in Love/On the Street Where You Live
(3:29)  3. Come to Me, Bend to Me/The Heather on the Hill
(2:20)  4. From This Day On
(4:09)  5. Show Me
(2:33)  6. You're All the World to Me
(4:28)  7. Too Late Now
(2:11)  8. Thank Heaven for Little Girls
(3:42)  9. Gigi
(4:42) 10. I Could Have Danced All Night/Dance a Little Closer
(4:31) 11. There's Always One You Can't Forget
(2:54) 12. Hurry! It's Lovely Up Here!
(4:13) 13. I Loved You Once In Silence/before I Gaze At You Again
(2:33) 14. If Ever I Would Leave You
(3:17) 15. What Did I Have That I Don't Have?
(2:37) 16. I've Grown Accustomed To Her Face
(2:00) 17. Anyone Who Loves
(3:41) 18. On A Clear Day You Can See Forever
(4:05) 19. You Haven't Changed At All
(3:59) 20. One More Walk Around The Garden
(2:59) 21. My Last Love/here I'll Stay

Fellow fans of Alan Jay Lerner are in for some rich listening with this handsomely produced CD. Fresh, intimate arrangements and Brussell's warm, sensative vocals let more than two dozen Lerner lyrics shine out in all their glory. Along with familiar standards are some delicious rarities, such as "You Haven't Changed at All," a personal favorite from The Day Before Spring. Brussell gives lyrics and music equal attention, making this one of the most enjoyable cabaret recordings in recent years. 

Kudos to pianist Tedd Firth, producer/arranger Todd Schroeder and executive producer Frank Skillern for such a classy presentation and to Ms. Brussell for such a worthy tribute to a master Broadway lyricist and his gifted composing colleagues. http://www.musicals101.com/cd2005.htm

Personnel:  Barbara Brussell (Vocal), Todd Schroeder (piano), Gene Bertoncini (guitar); Robert Kyle (saxophone); Warren Vaché (trumpet); Steve LaSpina (bass instrument); Peter Grant (drums).

Lerner In Love: The Lyrics Of Alan Jay

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Ben E. King - Stand by Me -The Ultimate Collection

Styles: Vocal And Guitar Jazz
Year: 1997
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 55:08
Size: 127,2 MB
Art: Front

(2:52)  1. Stand By Me
(2:31)  2. Save The Last Dance For Me
(2:23)  3. I (Who Have Nothing)
(3:03)  4. That's When It Hurts
(2:30)  5. I Could Have Danced All Night
(2:16)  6. First Taste of Love
(2:35)  7. Dream Lover
(2:49)  8. Moon River
(2:56)  9. Spanish Harlem
(3:03) 10. Amor
(2:05) 11. I Count the Tears
(2:47) 12. Don't Play That Song (You Lied)
(2:31) 13. This Magic Moment
(2:17) 14. Young Boy Blues
(2:49) 15. It's All In the Game
(4:08) 16. Supernatural Thing, Pt. 1
(3:43) 17. On the Street Where You Live
(3:06) 18. Will You Love Me Tomorrow
(2:13) 19. Show Me the Way
(2:19) 20. Here Comes The Night

Available on cassette only, this brief set features some of Ben E. King's leads with the Drifters and a handful of solo efforts. Three solo monsters are included: the stalking "Stand by Me," fan favorite "Don't Play That Song," and the everlasting "Spanish Harlem." His stint with the Drifters is best represented by the popular "Save the Last Dance for Me" and the lilting "This Magic Moment." King's '70s smash "Supernatural Thing Pt. 1" is disappointing in this context because "Pt. 2" is omitted. Perfect for casual fans of Ben E. King and the Drifters who only need an appetizer. More serious fans should seek the many single- and double-disc sets for a better picture. ~ Andrew Hamilton  http://www.allmusic.com/album/the-ultimate-collection-stand-by-me-best-of-ben-e-king-ben-e-king-with-the-drifters-mw0000194477

Personnel: Ben E. King (vocals, guitar).

Stand by Me-The Ultimate Collection

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Ray Bryant - The Madison Time & A Hollywood Jazz Beat

Size: 155,7 MB
Time: 67:27
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2013
Styles: Jazz
Art: Front

01. The Madison Time, Part 1 (3:05)
02. The Madison Time, Part 2 (2:42)
03. Centerpiece (4:21)
04. Split T, Part 1 (4:03)
05. Split T, Part 2 (5:18)
06. Hit It!, Part 1 (3:13)
07. Hit It!, Part 2 (4:08)
08. Young Buddy (3:59)
09. The Huckle-Buck (5:06)
10. On Green Dolphin Street (2:15)
11. Ruby (3:07)
12. Invitation (2:56)
13. Secret Love (2:18)
14. An Affair To Remember (2:29)
15. The High And The Mighty (2:08)
16. Exodus (1:59)
17. Laura (4:30)
18. Three Coins In The Fountain (3:20)
19. El Cid (2:20)
20. Tonight (1:50)
21. True Love (2:09)

Although he could always play bop, Ray Bryant's playing combined together older elements (including blues, boogie-woogie, gospel, and even stride) into a distinctive, soulful, and swinging style; no one played "After Hours" quite like him. The younger brother of bassist Tommy Bryant and the uncle of Kevin and Robin Eubanks (his sister is their mother), Bryant started his career playing with Tiny Grimes in the late '40s. He became the house pianist at The Blue Note in Philadelphia in 1953, where he backed classic jazz greats (including Charlie Parker, Miles Davis, and Lester Young) and made important contacts. He accompanied Carmen McRae (1956-1957), recorded with Coleman Hawkins and Roy Eldridge at the 1957 Newport Jazz Festival (taking a brilliant solo on an exciting version of "I Can't Believe That You're in Love with Me"), and played with Jo Jones' trio (1958). Bryant settled in New York in 1959; played with Sonny Rollins, Charlie Shavers, and Curtis Fuller; and soon had his own trio. He had a few funky commercial hits (including "Little Susie" and "Cubano Chant") that kept him working for decades. Bryant recorded often throughout his career (most notably for Epic, Prestige, Columbia, Sue, Cadet, Atlantic, Pablo, and Emarcy), and even his dates on electric piano in the '70s are generally rewarding. However, Bryant was heard at his best when playing the blues on unaccompanied acoustic piano. After a lengthy illness, Ray Bryant died in Queens, New York on June 2, 2011; he was 79 years old. ~by Scott Yanow

The Madison Time & A Hollywood Jazz Beat

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Antoinette Montague - World Peace In The Key Of Jazz

Size: 127,2 MB
Time: 54:37
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2015
Styles: Jazz/Blues Vocals
Art: Front

01. Ain't Gonna Let Nobody Turn Me Round (3:44)
02. Imagine (3:54)
03. If I Had A Hammer (6:02)
04. Hard Times (4:53)
05. God Bless The Child (6:01)
06. How I Got Over - Contemporary (3:59)
07. Here's To Life (4:34)
08. Oh, What A Beautiful Morning (4:22)
09. All This Love (4:33)
10. And So It Is (3:05)
11. How I Got Over - Traditional (5:50)
12. What The World Needs Now (3:35)

Jazz and blues singer Antoinette Montague was born in Newark, NJ, where she grew up. She attended Seton Hall University and graduated with a degree in English. She moved to Fairfield, CT, and became a vice president of human resources at Boardroom, Inc., in Stamford, CT. All of that constitutes her non-music career. At the same time, she maintained a semi-professional career as a singer, initially in gospel and R&B groups after college, then, when she came under the tutelage of blues singer Carrie Smith, in blues and jazz. The vice president of the International Women in Jazz organization, she performed extensively with jazz groups in the New York metropolitan area. Eventually, she was able to record her own album, Pretty Blues, released by Consolidated Artists Productions in 2006. ~by William Ruhlmann

World Peace In The Key Of Jazz

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Mongo Santamaria - Live In The Netherlands

Size: 178,6 MB
Time: 77:13
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2011
Styles: Jazz: Latin Jazz, Afro-Cuban Jazz
Art: Front

01. Untitled ( 8:21)
02. Bonita ( 4:39)
03. Untitled ( 4:37)
04. Amanecer ( 6:37)
05. Para Ti ( 7:51)
06. Afro Blue (12:55)
07. Sofrito ( 9:10)
08. A Mi No Me Enganan (14:34)
09. Mambo Mongo ( 8:25)

A Mongo Santamaria concert is a mesmerizing spectacle for both eyes and ears, and even in his seventies, this seemingly ageless Cuban percussionist/bandleader could energize packed behemoth arenas such as the Hollywood Bowl. A master conguero, Santamaria at his best creates an incantatory spell rooted in Cuban religious rituals, quietly seating himself before his congas and soloing with total command over the rhythmic spaces between the beats while his band pumps out an endless vamp (a potent example on records is the hypnotic "Mazacote" available on Afro-Roots [Prestige]). He has been hugely influential as a leader, running durable bands that combine the traditional charanga with jazz-oriented brass, wind, and piano solos, featuring such future notables as Chick Corea and Hubert Laws. He also reached out into R&B, rock, and electric jazz at times in his long career. No Cuban percussionist, with the possible exception of Santana's Armando Peraza (and let's not count Desi Arnaz!), has reached more listeners than Mongo.

Ramon "Mongo" Santamaria originally took up the violin but then switched to drums before dropping out of school to become a professional musician. A performer at the Tropicana Club in Havana, Mongo traveled to Mexico City with a dance team in 1948 and then moved to New York City in 1950, where he made his American debut with Pérez Prado and spent six years trading percussive barrages with Tito Puente and performing and recording with Cal Tjader (1957-1960). Mongo's first significant recordings in America were made in 1958 for Fantasy; his second Fantasy album, Mongo (1959), contained a composition called "Afro-Blue," which quickly became a Latin jazz standard, taken up by John Coltrane, Dizzy Gillespie, and others.

Santamaria's breakthrough into the mass market may have come as a result of a bad night at a Cuban nightclub in the Bronx in 1962. As the story goes, only three people showed up in the audience, so the musicians held a bull session in which the substitute pianist for the gig, Herbie Hancock, demonstrated his new blues tune, "Watermelon Man." Everyone gradually joined in, the number became a part of Mongo's repertoire, and when producer Orrin Keepnews heard it, he rushed the band into a studio and recorded a single that leaped to the number ten slot on the pop charts in 1963.

The success of Santamaria's cross-pollination of jazz, R&B, and Latin music on "Watermelon Man" and a string of Battle and Riverside albums led to a high-profile contract with Columbia that resulted in a wave of hot, danceable albums between 1965 and 1970. With a brighter, brassy sound propelled by trumpeter Marty Sheller's driving charts, often covering hits of the day, the Santamaria band perfectly reflected the mood of the go-go '60s, and Mongo continued to mix genres into the '70s. Santamaria then returned to his Afro-Cuban base, recording for Vaya in the early '70s, teaming with Gillespie and Toots Thielemans for a live gig at Montreux for Pablo in 1980, recording several albums for Concord Picante (1987-1990), a sole effort for Chesky in 1993 and a return to the Fantasy fold via its Milestone subsidiary in 1995. He died on February 1, 2003, at Baptist Hospital in Miami, following a stroke. ~by Richard S. Ginell

Live In The Netherlands

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Jr Volcano Choy - Lava Flow

Size: 151,5 MB
Time: 65:31
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2015
Styles: Jazz: World Fusion, Latin Jazz, Vocals
Art: Front

01. Lava Flow (2015 Rendition) ( 8:19)
02. A Time For Love ( 5:53)
03. Hawaiinesia ( 6:22)
04. Delirio ( 7:23)
05. Lava Flow (Original Rendition) ( 8:19)
06. You Were Standing There ( 4:50)
07. Wahine Ilikea ( 5:55)
08. Man With The Horn ( 5:04)
09. Daahoud (Live Performance) (13:22)

One Of Hawaii's Finest Jazz Artists: Jr Volcano Choy

"I would describe my new release, Lava Flow, in a similar fashion as does CD Baby: “An eclectic album of jazz flavors that will satisfy the hunger pangs of any musical palate, with main courses being dished out by way of major league performances by the musicians on this album.” Yes, eclectic is an accurate term describing my many influences not only musically, but also culturally and ethnically. Hawaii is well known as the “melting pot” of the Pacific and so this album reflects that “melting pot” influence. For example, I sing in three languages on this one (English, Spanish and Hawaiian)."

Lava Flow

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Timo Lassy - Love Bullet

Size: 102,2 MB
Time: 43:21
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2015
Styles: Jazz
Art: Front

01. Love Intro (0:26)
02. Green Pepper Strut (5:27)
03. Love Bullet (3:49)
04. Hip Or Not (4:32)
05. Fast Fabio (2:34)
06. Stay Close (5:21)
07. We Jazz Theme (6:28)
08. Waltz Unsolved (4:11)
09. Undecided (8:10)
10. Bullet Outro (2:18)

Finnish tenor player Timo Lassy started his career in Amsterdam and returned to his homeland to do some notable work with the Five Corners Quintet and then with Fiver Corners alumnus Jukka Eskola (Review) , who guests on trumpet here. In a part of the world where electronic music tends to dominate, Lassy has remained faithful to acoustic playing, and performs adroit, world class hard bop and soul jazz.

Having recently supported singer Joyce Elaine Yuille on her debut album (reviewed here), Lassy is now back as a leader on this CD, his fifth album, with virtually the same line-up as featured accompanying Yuille: the gifted Georgios Kontrafouris on keyboards, Antti Lötjönen on bass and Abdissa Assefa percussion. They’re a great unit and freed of the discipline of comping, they really soar here.

The title Green Pepper Strut suggests Memphis Rn'B of the Booker T variety, and initially delivers this in spades, a funky, honking, hand-clapping treat with Timo Lassy probing forward and Kontrafouris adding characteristically virtuosic slabs of Wurlitzer. But it rapidly moves into a more polished CTI mode and then onto increasingly complex and modernistic pastures, with Kontrafouris ably conducting the tour and displaying all kinds of ability on the keyboard as he adapts along the way. It’s virtually a compact fifty year survey of popular jazz idioms, returning to its rhythm and blues roots as it wraps up.

Love Bullet presents wonderful soft cloud-of-sound sax from Lassy, alternately gorgeously gruff and beguilingly gossamer, supported by judicious vibes, lazy, lambent and concise, from Panu Savolainen. Subtle keyboard stabs courtesy of Kontrafouris help to set the pace. Hip or Not has a strong soul jazz feel with a hint of modernist astringency. There are superb chiming and shimmering keyboard passages with smart use of space, and lucid virile trumpet from Jukka Eskola. He hands over to Lassy, who raises his game in the afterglow of Eskola’s solo, playing spiky and eloquent tenor. The drumming — from Teppo Mäkynen — and Abdissa Assefa’s percussion are outstanding, contributing a Latin feel.

Undecided is a feature for Jukka Eskola and is initially suggestive of Freddie Hubbard in his prime, but soon Eskola, and indeed the whole ensemble, are evoking electric era Miles Davis in a sweetly thunderous, roiling and rolling workout. Bullet Outro is hypnotically rhythmic, weaving a pattern of percussion (great work by Assefa, in cahoots with Teppo Mäkynen), supported by Kontrafouris’s trademark keyboard stabs, before Lassy comes in to offer a tender commentary. ~by Andrew Cartmel

Love Bullet

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Nat King Cole Trio - The Best Of The Nat King Cole Trio: Instrumental Classics

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 51:39
Size: 118.2 MB
Styles: Small combo jazz, Piano jazz
Year: 1992
Art: Front

[2:25] 1. Jumpin' At Capitol
[3:18] 2. The Man I Love
[3:17] 3. Body And Soul
[2:54] 4. Prelude In C Sharp Minor
[2:55] 5. What Is This Thing Called Love
[3:09] 6. Easy Listening Blues
[2:16] 7. Sweet Georgia Brown
[3:00] 8. This Way Out
[2:53] 9. Smoke Gets In Your Eyes
[2:36] 10. Honeysuckle Rose
[2:31] 11. Rhumba Azul
[3:10] 12. Moonlight In Vermont
[2:38] 13. How High The Moon
[2:47] 14. I'll Never Be The Same
[3:11] 15. These Foolish Things
[3:18] 16. Laugh! Cool Clown
[2:34] 17. Bop-Kick
[2:37] 18. Peaches

When Nat King Cole started he had to overcome the perception that small groups were not viable entertainment (this was the big band heyday.) What he did, with two kindred spirits - Oscar Moore and Johnny Miller - was to prove that not only could a small trio be a powerhouse, but a drummer was not needed. Pretty heady stuff for the times.

The tracks on this album are not only superb examples of the virtuoso musicianship of Cole, Moore and Miller, but rivaled what was arguably the greatest rhythm section in jazz: Basie, Freddie Green, Walter Page and Papa Jo Jones. However, unlike the All American Rhythm Section, Nat's trio have to also handle melody and harmony. Their music excelled in all three, and especially harmony which set the trio apart from any other small group of not only the era, but just about any trio that has since followed.

Regarding the instruments in the ensemble: Oscar Peterson came close to achieving the same level of musicianship in his earlier trio, which included Herb Ellis on guitar and Ray Brown on bass. One of the best examples of their music (and a good comparison to this album) is Oscar Peterson Trio At The Stratford Shakesperean Festival. This same format was successfully employed by another piano great, Hank Jones, with this album showcasing yet another drummerless piano trio that set high standards: The Very Best Of 1953-1960.

However, it all started with Nat who was fortunate to have found both Johnny Miller and Oscar Moore (and Moore's later replacement, Irving Ashby.) As great as Nat was on piano Moore and Miller made significant contributions to the trio's success, and a careful listen to this album and how they played off each other will illustrate that. ~Mike Tarrani

The Best Of The Nat King Cole Trio: Instrumental Classics

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Charly Antolini - Jazz-Power

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 59:28
Size: 136.2 MB
Styles: Contemporary jazz
Year: 2007
Art: Front

[7:09] 1. The King
[6:38] 2. Willow Weep For Me
[4:08] 3. Please, Close The Door
[4:12] 4. I'm Coming Virginia
[6:42] 5. Lover Come Back To Me
[4:05] 6. You're My Everthing
[4:55] 7. What Is This Thing Called Love
[5:33] 8. Cry Me A River
[6:34] 9. In Walked Bud
[6:21] 10. Moten Swing
[3:05] 11. C-Jam Blues

Charly Antolini (born May 24, 1937 in Zürich) is a Swiss jazz drummer. Antolini started playing the traditional Swiss Basler drum and in 1956 went to Paris where he played with Sidney Bechet, Bill Coleman among others, and playing in the Oldtime Jazz Band "The Tremble Kids" with trumpeter Oscar Klein and clarinettist Werner Keller.

In 1962 he went to live in Stuttgart, Germany where he spent 5 years playing with bassist Peter Witte and pianist Horst Jankowski in the SWR Bigband led by Erwin Lehn. He also played in big bands with Kurt Edelhagen, Peter Herbolzheimer and Max Greger in the NDR Bigband. In 1976 he set up his own band, "Charly Antolini's Jazz Power", originally featuring Steve Hooks (tenor sax); Andrei Lobanov (trumpet); David Gazarov (keyboards) and Rocky Knauer (bass), although later members were Len Skeat and Brian Lemon. In the 80s he toured Germany, Italy and Denmark with Benny Goodman, as well as with Lionel Hampton, Barbara Dennerlein, Albert Mangelsdorff, Earl Hines, Roy Eldridge, Jimmy Giuffre, Art Farmer, Oliver Nelson, Art Van Damme, Stuff Smith, Baden Powell among others. In the late 80s-early 90s he recorded three live albums with British tenor saxophonist Dick Morrissey and in 1994 he set up the band Super Trio with pianist Dirk Raufeisen and bassist Jimmy Woode. At the end of 2004 Herman Rarebell, Pete York and Antolini formed a three drummer project called Drum Legends, and released a live CD and DVD. He also toured the Soviet Union. Charly lives in Munich - Germany and tours regularly with his own band Jazz Power.

Jazz-Power

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Benny Carter, Billy Eckstine - Billy Eckstine Sings With Benny Carter

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s

Time: 50:32

Size: 115.7 MB

Styles: Vocal jazz, Standards

Year: 1988/2013

Art: Front

[5:22] 1. You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To

[3:32] 2. My Funny Valentine

[3:51] 3. Here's That Rainy Day

[3:52] 4. Summertime

[3:52] 5. A Kiss From You

[3:45] 6. Memories Of You

[4:40] 7. I've Got The World On A String

[3:51] 8. Now That I Need You

[4:39] 9. Over The Rainbow

[3:56] 10. September Song

[3:43] 11. My Name

[5:24] 12. Didn't We

Billy Eckstine's final recording (although he would live until 1993) finds the 72-year old singer showing his age. Mr. B's famous baritone voice at this late date only hints at his earlier greatness although his phrasing and enthusiasm uplift what could have been a depressing affair. Ironically altoist Benny Carter (who was 79) still sounds in his prime on alto and he takes an effective trumpet solo on "September Song." Singer Helen Merrill opens and closes the set by interacting vocally with Eckstine on "You'd Be So Nice to Come Home To" and "Didn't We." Eckstine, backed by a trio headed by his longtime pianist Bobby Tucker, does his best on such songs as "My Funny Valentine," "Memories of You" and "Autumn Leaves" but his earlier recordings are the ones to get. ~Scott Yanow

Billy Eckstine Sings With Benny Carter    

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Ariana Savalas - Sophisticated Lady

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2014
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 26:22
Size: 60,5 MB
Art: Front

(4:27)  1. One Man Show
(4:43)  2. Peel Me a Grape
(3:16)  3. Shotgun
(5:22)  4. Too Late
(4:26)  5. Perfect Man
(4:07)  6. Sophisticated Lady

The youngest daughter of actor Telly Savalas and his wife Julie, Ariana Savalas is a singer/songwriter, dancer, and actress. Following the death of her father in 1994 when Ariana was seven, she and her family moved to her mother's home state of Minnesota, where Ariana studied at a convent high school to participate in its theater program. Her career as a pop singer got an early start when she recorded a song at a mobile karaoke station while on vacation in Austria in her teens. The song made its way to the label Startrax, for whom she recorded a single and an EP produced by European producer Jack White (not to be confused with the former White Stripes founder). This led to Savalas touring Europe and appearing on Austrian television. Following her tour, she was accepted into London's Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, where she studied acting and Shakespeare. 

Meanwhile, she taught herself piano and began writing songs inspired by Queen, David Bowie, and the Beatles as well as Frank Sinatra and other jazz and vocal pop stars from the '40s and '50s. After moving to Los Angeles, Savalas landed the lead role in the independent film Miriam, about holocaust survivor Miriam Shafer; her other acting credits include the film Akrasia and a role on the CBS drama Criminal Minds. During this time, she also pursued her music, performing as a jazz singer on the cabaret scene and recording her debut album, Kingdom, with producer Mark Portmann. Her debut single, Perfect Man, arrived in January 2012 and featured Grey's Anatomy's Eric Dane in its music video. Bio ~ Heather Phares  http://www.allmusic.com/artist/ariana-savalas-mn0002374392/biography

Sophisticated Lady

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Jessy J - My One And Only One

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2015
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 48:08
Size: 110,7 MB
Art: Front

(3:37)  1. Una Mas
(4:14)  2. My One and Only One
(5:16)  3. Lovesong
(4:26)  4. The Tango Boy
(3:52)  5. Paraíso Mágico
(6:15)  6. Back To the Basics
(6:23)  7. You're Makin' Me High
(4:53)  8. Siempre
(4:28)  9. Cuba
(4:39) 10. Strawberry Letter 23

Jessy J's solo albums Tequila Moon (2008), True Love (2009), Hot Sauce (2011) and Second Chances (2013) mark her constant way to fame and popularity in the smooth jazz community. Her fifth project is My One and Only One, scheduled for release May 26th, 2015. Paul Brown, Gregg Karukas, Roberto Vally, Sergio Gonzalez, Richie Gajate, Michael Ripoll, Zoux, Oskar Cartaya, Ruslan Sirota, Alex Al, Taku, Michael Angel, Frank Abraham, Iajhi Hampden, Bryant Siono, Norman Jackson, Jay Gore, Lee Thornberg, Dave Hooper, Ronnie Gutierrez, Janis Leibhart & Dave Darlington are mentioned as supporting musicians on her website. Jessy is toying gladly with her Mexican American ancestry. Many of her songs have a Latin American reference like the starting Una Mas. Capricious but warm on the skin like a soothing spring breeze soars the melody. The title track is more down to earth, so if she tried to retain My One and Only One.

Lovesong previous recorded by alternative rock band The Cure and British singer Adele is essential reinterpreted and immaculately limited to the melody. Swaying comes along The Tango Boy, the first single of the new album. Backed by a powerful horn arrangement, electric piano, Paul Brown on guitar, this is a tight show opener. On Paraíso Mágico Jessy J dives into the Latin American world sharing the melody on flute and vocally. Back To The Basics is enhanced with Brazilian rhythmic instruments, an awesome piano solo and a jazz-inspired Jessy on sax. With You’re Making Me High, Toni Braxton's former hit single from her album Secrets, Jessy moves on solid ground. Singing in Spanish belongs to Jessy's repertoire. 

With the euphonious Siempre she is in her element. In 2014 Jessy J had the pleasure of visiting Havana, Cuba for the International Jazz Festival. Cuba is at the same time remembrance and tribute to this island and their inhabitants connected with the music. Strawberry Letter 23, legendary by The Brothers Johnson, was also covered by Quincy Jones, the group Kiara, Tevin Campbell and Phil Upchurch. A melody worth to replay. The packaging makes music. Jessy J's appearance is outstanding, her stage presence is always a highlight for every event especially since she has preserved her naturalness. With such a jump start each album of her will succeed. http://www.smooth-jazz.de/firstview/JessyJ/MyOneAndOnlyOne.htm

My One And Only One

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Anne Sofie Von Otter, Brad Mehldau - Love Songs Disc 1 And Disc 2

American jazz pianist and composer Brad Mehldau and Swedish mezzo-soprano Anne Sofie von Otter pair up on this two-disc set of love songs. The first disc is devoted to Mehldau's Love Songs, a seven-song cycle commissioned by Carnegie Hall, KölnMusik, and Wigmore Hall. He takes as his texts five poems by Sara Teasdale and one each by e.e. cummings and Philip Larkin. Although the influence of American vernacular music is evident throughout, these are clearly not pop songs; they fit better in the "New American Art Song" category exemplified by composers like Ricky Ian Gordon, Jake Heggie, and John Musto. Mehldau's songs are notable for their generous lyricism, subtly complex rhythmic drive, a gift for melody, and a potent emotional punch. Although they make a striking set all together and each song is fully successful, "Twilight" and "Dreams" are especially evocative and memorable. 

The texts describe a variety of romantic experiences, but Mehldau's settings are essentially positive and optimistic. Not so the majority of songs on the second disc, most of which have the character of profoundly melancholy torch songs. About half are French, by composers such as Michel Legrand, Jacques Brel, and Léo Ferré, and there are songs by Joni Mitchell (the heartbreaking "Marcie"), Bob Telson ("Calling You"), and Leonard Bernstein ("Some Other Time"), among others. Von Otter does not have the sound of a crossover artist, but she has the maturity and flexibility to being just the right looseness and expressive freedom to these songs to make her performances fully persuasive. Her tone is full and pure, and her investment in the songs is absolute. Mehldau's exceptionally sensitive and inventive accompaniments contribute immeasurably to the success of the album. The sound is appropriately warm and intimate, but is a little on the close side on the second disc. ~ Stephen Eddins  http://www.allmusic.com/album/love-songs-mw0002044857

Personnel:  Anne Sofie von Otter (Vocal), Brad Mehldau (Piano)

Disc 1

Styles: Vocal, Chanson

Year: 2010

File: MP3@320K/s

Time: 30:48

Size: 70,9 MB

Art: Front

(5:43)  1. It May Not Always Be So

(4:02)  2. We Met At The End Of The Party

(2:19)  3. Child, Child

(2:51)  4. Twilight

(4:39)  5. Because

(5:30)  6. Dreams

(5:41)  7. Did You Never Know?

Love Songs Disc 1

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Disc 2

File: MP3@320K/s

Time: 48:27

Size: 111,6 MB

Art: Front

(4:14)  1. Avec le temps

(4:03)  2. Pierre

(3:58)  3. Marcie

(3:22)  4. Something Good

(5:14)  5. Chanson de Maxence

(4:11)  6. Chanson des vieux amants

(2:39)  7. Sakta vi ga genom stan

(2:42)  8. Att angora en brygga

(4:12)  9. Dis, quand reviendras-tu?

(3:10) 10. What Are You Doing the Rest of Your Life?

(4:08) 11. Calling You

(2:26) 12. Blackbird

(4:03) 13. Some Other Time

Love Songs Disc 2

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Red Garland Trio - A Garland Of Red

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 61:46
Size: 141.4 MB
Styles: Hard bop, Piano jazz
Year: 1956/1991
Art: Front

[25:22] 1. A Foggy Day
[16:11] 2. Little Girl Blue
[ 3:16] 3. What Is This Thing Called Love
[ 3:11] 4. Makin Whoopee
[ 3:30] 5. September In The Rain
[ 3:26] 6. Little Girl Blue
[ 3:33] 7. Constellation
[ 3:14] 8. Blue Red

Thirty-three at the time of this, his first recording as a leader, pianist Red Garland already had his distinctive style fully formed and had been with the Miles Davis Quintet for a year. With the assistance of bassist Paul Chambers (also in Davis's group) and drummer Art Taylor, Garland is in superior form on six standards, Charlie Parker's "Constellation" (during which he shows that he could sound relaxed at the fastest tempos) and his own "Blue Red." Red Garland recorded frequently during the 1956-62 period and virtually all of his trio recordings are consistently enjoyable, this one being no exception. ~Scott Yanow

A Garland Of Red

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Merle Travis - Strictly Guitar

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 24:09
Size: 55.3 MB
Styles: Country, Americana
Year: 1969/2004
Art: Front

[2:12] 1. Heart Of My Heart
[2:21] 2. Lazy River
[2:11] 3. Guitar Rag
[2:14] 4. Dance Of The Goldenrod
[2:40] 5. Cuddle Up A Little Closer
[2:00] 6. Cannonball Rag
[1:54] 7. Ma (He's Making Eyes At Me)
[1:53] 8. I'll See You In My Dreams
[2:56] 9. I Gotta Have My Baby Back
[2:19] 10. Way Down In New Orleans
[1:22] 11. Fisher's Horn Pipe

The thumb- and index-finger guitar picking method Merle Travis learned as a kid in Muhlenberg County, Kentucky served him very well throughout his long career, and he developed into one of the most skilled and innovative guitar players on the country (or any other) scene, capable of making an electric guitar sound like a complete swing orchestra. Strictly Guitar was recorded in Nashville in 1968 with Kelso Herston producing, and saw Travis revisit some of the tunes he cut his teeth on when he was first starting out in the 1920s and '30s, as well as tackling slightly later pieces like Floyd Tillman's 1949 hit, "Gotta Have My Baby Back," which Travis turns into an elegant, dream-paced instrumental masterpiece. This CD version of Strictly Guitar reproduces the original Capitol LP's cover art and set sequence, which means it comes in at under 25-minutes in length, making it a good deal short by digital-era standards, and one wishes Sundazedhad added some bonus material, but what is here is pretty amazing, including the set closer, a blistering guitar rendition of the old fiddle reel called "Fishers Horn Pipe." ~Steve Leggett

Strictly Guitar

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