Billy Butler - Don't Be That Way

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 67:52
Size: 155.4 MB
Styles: Soul-jazz
Year: 2001/2008
Art: Front

[5:56] 1. Don't Be That Way
[6:09] 2. Jelly Jelly
[6:16] 3. Lullabies In Rhythm
[4:29] 4. Straighten Up And Fly Right
[5:23] 5. You Go To My Head
[3:59] 6. (Back Home Again In) Indiana
[6:07] 7. Blues For Marian
[3:56] 8. Cherry
[5:03] 9. I Don't Stand A Ghost Of A Chance With You
[5:27] 10. In The Evening
[8:03] 11. Satin Doll
[6:57] 12. April In Paris

Billy Butler (December 15, 1925 – March 20, 1991) was an American soul jazz guitarist born in Philadelphia.

He played with The Harlemaires, Tommy Flanagan, tenor saxophonist Floyd "Candy" Johnson, Houston Person, organist Harry "Doc" Bagby, Benny Goodman, Dizzy Gillespie, Jimmy Smith, David "Fathead" Newman, Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis, Bill Doggett, King Curtis, Sammy Price, William (Wild Bill) Davison, Dinah Washington, Panama Francis, Johnny Hodges, Norris Turney, Al Casey, Jackie Williams and others.

He also co-wrote, with Bill Doggett, the 1956 R&B hit "Honky Tonk". He was with the Doggett band from 1954 to 1964 and recorded many albums with the organist.

Don't Be That Way

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Ingrid Lucia - Almost Blue

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 53:24
Size: 122.2 MB
Styles: Jazz-blues vocals
Year: 2004
Art: Front

[3:25] 1. Sunny Afternoon
[3:12] 2. Hello Summer Goodbye Blue
[2:33] 3. Let Me In
[4:52] 4. This Time The Dream Is On Me
[3:49] 5. Stars Fell On Alabama
[5:00] 6. Please Send Me Someone To Love
[2:55] 7. Long Gone Lonesome Blues
[2:35] 8. Kiss Of Fire
[3:55] 9. Deep Purple
[3:54] 10. Going Back
[3:12] 11. I Want A Little Sugar In My Bowl
[4:09] 12. South Of The Border
[3:09] 13. I Remember When
[3:32] 14. Nightlife
[3:07] 15. Almost Blue

Ingrid Lucia grew up in a traveling family band, gypsy style. She lived in buses, boats and tents for the first eighteen years of her life. She started out as a dancer, by the age of 8 she was singing in the band. Her early years she was traveling with a Mexican Circus, then off to the big time. The Flying Neutrinos were born. Traveling and performing in Nyc, New Orleans and San Francisco. In her teens she lived in New Orleans in the winter months and worked on perfecting her craft. At 18 she and her cousin Todd Londagin left the family band to make it in Nyc. She did that, making her first Cd in one day.(I'd rather be in New Orleans) which features Doc Cheatham. Ingrid Lucia and The Flying Neutrinos next album (Hotel Child) was produced by Tommy Lipuma who has produced Barbara Streisand,Natalie Cole,Dinah Washington,Dr. John, Diana Krall, Miles Davis to name a few. Ingrids third record "Live from New Orleans" was recorded upon Ingrids return to the Crescent City in 2001. "Fortune" 2002 followed that. Ingrid wrote all but two songs on the record. February 2004 Ingrid released her fourth CD "Almost Blue" produced by Tracey Freeman who produces Harry Connicks recordings as well as many others.

Almost Blue

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Freddie Hubbard - Without A Song: Live in Europe 1969

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 69:31
Size: 159.1 MB
Styles: Trumpet jazz
Year: 2009
Art: Front

[11:04] 1. Without A Song
[11:12] 2. The Things We Did Last Summer
[10:36] 3. A Night In Tunisia
[ 9:46] 4. Blues By Five
[10:07] 5. Body And Soul
[12:06] 6. Space Track
[ 4:37] 7. Hub-Tones

Do you listen to the music of great jazz artists differently once they pass away? This newly-issued live date, with bassist Ron Carter, drummer Louis Hayes and the late pianist Sir Sir Roland Hanna, may elicit nostalgia and sadness mixed with a spirit of wonder and startled appreciation of the recently departed trumpet master Freddie Hubbard.

On the title cut the quartet blazes into the 1929 melody, with Hubbard's trademark masculine sass peppering with staccato phrasing and long fluid lines in sympathetic response to Hayes' rhythmic prodding. While comping and improvising Hanna gives equal weight to his right and left hand figures and takes a solo that scintillates. The pianist's chops always demonstrated his European classical training as a young man in Detroit; it's interesting to contrast his approach to that of, say, Herbie Hancock or Dr. Billy Taylor, also equipped with such training early on.

Ron Carter also was trained in the classical idiom, but his particular pizzicato approach within the jazz genre was an innovation. Carter's subtle command is especially evident on the ballads "The Things We Did Last Summer" and "Body and Soul," his signature phrases, big tone, note selection and embellishments of the beat and chords summoning what he calls "the magic and mystery of the music." Hayes opens several of the songs with ferocity and inspires Hubbard and Hanna to heights of double- and triple-time intensity on "A Night in Tunisia" and "Blues by Five," droppin' bombs with hard bop soul. They close out with Hubbard's "Space Track," the most abstract, free-jazz influenced number on the date, and the classic "Hub-Tones," where Hayes takes a brisk solo.

This European date is an essential recording in Hubbard's oeuvre in the beginning of the second decade of his illustrious career, a portrait of the legend right before his CTI period.

Freddie Hubbard: trumpet; Roland Hanna: piano; Ron Carter: bass; Louis Hayes: drums.

Without A Song

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Carter Calvert & The Roger Cohen Trio - Carter Calvert & The Roger Cohen Trio

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2012
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 45:22
Size: 104,6 MB
Art: Front

(3:33)  1. The Best Is Yet to Come
(3:33)  2. Fever
(4:59)  3. Bewitched Bothered and Bewildered
(3:20)  4. You Belong To Me
(3:26)  5. Not While I’m Around
(3:06)  6. Crazy
(2:39)  7. What A Little Moonlight Can Do
(4:30)  8. Send in the Clowns
(3:13)  9. Please Don’t Stop Him
(3:53) 10. Time After Time
(4:24) 11. Memory
(0:42) 12. Sometimes I Feel Like A Motherless Child
(3:58) 13. Washing of the Water

Stunning New York City singer and actress Carter Calvert has been on Broadway ("It Ain't Nothing But the Blues") and tours (Smokey Joe's Café and Cats) and now she offers her own CD of classics from the great American songbook and beyond, from a powerful run through Roger & Hart's "Bothered and Bewildered" and Andrew Lloyd Weber's "Send In the Clowns" to stretching out Cyndi Lauper's "Time After Time," a compelling reading of Peter Gabriel's "Washing of the Water" and even deep blues with "Motherless Child." That all said, she makes it more than obvious that jazz singing of the smoky and fiery kind is her true home, as in a smoldering reading of "Fever" and even her cover of country classic, "Crazy," that swings while Calvert simply soars, as she does the sassy "Please Don't Stop Him" (with a killer drum break from Cohen).

Throughout, Jim West (piano), Brian Glassman (bass), and Roger Cohen (drums, leader), have an uncanny chemistry and a smart way with an arrangements. It all comes together in the epic "Not While I'm Around" (Sondheim), a complex, yet elegant arrangement, with a passionate delivery by Calvert (check out the jaw-dropping final note) and an intriguing, ominous percolating outro. Calvert is someone who knows intuitively how to find the heart and center of a song, and her voice is pure pleasure. Surely one of the finest vocalists on the scene, she easily connects with this gorgeous record. Seek out Calvert and crew, and know you won't be disappointed.  http://www.dailyfreeman.com/general-news/20130726/sound-advice-carter-calvert-and-the-roger-cohen-trio-offer-american-classics

Musicians: Carter Calvert – vocals, Roger Cohen – drums and percussions, Jim West – piano, and Brian Glassman – acoustic bass

Carter Calvert & The Roger Cohen Trio

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Dave Brubeck, B.B. King - Jazz Café Presents

Styles: Piano And Guitar Jazz
Year: 2006
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 37:56
Size: 88,1 MB
Art: Front

(7:28)  1. Lover Man
(7:07)  2. Blue Rondo a la Turk
(6:24)  3. Ol' Bill Basie
(4:59)  4. The Thrill Is Gone
(5:47)  5. Guess Who
(6:09)  6. Payin' the Cost to Be the Boss

The Dave Brubeck Quartet with clarinetist Bill Smith, bassist Chris Brubeck and drummer Randy Jones, has the most interesting program, utilizing an electronic delay along with Smith's clarinet to add a new touch to "Lover Man," offering an energetic version of "Blue Rondo a la Turk" and introducing a recent work by Brubeck, the very swinging "Ol' Bill Basie" which showcases some fine playing by the leader and some choice bass trombone by son Chris. B. B. King's set is at best average and an odd choice to include on what is predominantly a jazz record. ~ Ken Dryden, All Music Guide

Personnel:  B.B. King & His Orchestra:  B.B.King vocals, guitar; Edgar Sunigal Jr. saxophone; James Bolden, Calvin Owens trumpet; Joseph Carrier keyboards; Caleb Emphrey, Jr. drums; Leon Warren, Russell Jackson guitar.

The Dave Brubeck Quartet:  Dave Brubeck piano; Bill Smith clarinette; Randy Jones drums; Chris Brubeck bass, bass trombone.

Jazz Café Presents

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Denise Sauter - Just One of Those Things

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2013
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 46:37
Size: 107,6 MB
Art: Front

(5:20)  1. Just One of Those Things
(5:27)  2. Skylark
(4:13)  3. Blue Skies
(5:51)  4. Embraceable You
(3:44)  5. Makin' Whoopee
(6:19)  6. Autumn Leaves
(4:52)  7. The Nearness of You
(3:40)  8. One Note Samba
(3:25)  9. In the Wee Small Hours of the Morning
(3:41) 10. Two Sleepy People

In her debut recording, Denise and her group of extraordinary musicians bring these beautiful jazz standards to life with a soulful intimacy that will make you feel as if they are being performed exclusively for you.

Passionate and effortless, Denise is able to bring any song to life with her beautiful voice and ability to make a phrase sound as if she is singing directly to you. Her intimate and soulful style is loved by anyone who listens to her perform. Surrounded by the top musicians in her area, this debut recording captures the magic Denise has to share with her audiences. With an expressive sensitivity, Denise makes the words come alive and transports the listener deep into the heart of every song. http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/denisesauter

Just One of Those Things

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George Shearing - Continental Experience

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1975
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 38:33
Size: 89,0 MB
Art: Front

(3:11)  1. Lullaby of Birdland
(2:56)  2. When Your Love Has Gone
(3:03)  3. To a Wild Rose
(2:39)  4. I'll Be Around
(2:54)  5. Think Alone
(6:31)  6. Don't Blame Me
(3:12)  7. The Continental
(3:01)  8. The Nearness of You
(3:00)  9. Roses of Picardy
(2:34) 10. Someone to Watch Over Me
(3:28) 11. East of the Sun
(1:58) 12. We'll Be Together

In spite of the dismal result from The Way We Are, an earlier project for BASF by the George Shearing Quintet & Amigos, this seven-piece group once again recorded for the label but stuck this time to a dozen standards instead of inane '70s pop songs as on the earlier record. While the results are greatly improved, this LP hardly measures up to the level of playing on Shearing Quintet recordings of the '40s, '50s, '60s, or the revived quintet of 2000. Part of the problem is the lack of soloists in addition to the leader and the incessant and generally extraneous Latin percussion. In spite of the very strong mix of songs  including "I'll Be Around," "Don't Blame Me," "East of the Sun," and "The Nearness of You" the rather conservative arrangements make this a relatively rare George Shearing LP one that jazz fans can safely bypass. ~ Ken Dryden  http://www.allmusic.com/album/continental-experience-mw0000882517

Continental Experience

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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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