Stan Getz, Gerry Mulligan - Getz Meets Mulligan In Hi-Fi

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 54:21
Size: 124.4 MB
Styles: Post bop, West Coast jazz, Saxophone jazz
Year: 1957/1991
Art: Front

[6:25] 1. Let's Fall In Love
[3:35] 2. Anything Goes
[6:54] 3. Too Close For Comfort
[5:55] 4. That Old Feeling
[8:44] 5. This Can't Be Love
[5:41] 6. A Ballad
[8:05] 7. Scrapple From The Apple
[8:59] 8. I Didn't Know What Time It Was

Stan Getz tenor sax & Gerry Mulligan baritone sax were consistently voted top dogs on their respective instruments in successive Downbeat polls and sooner or later they were bound to meet up for a recording date. From 1957 a fine jazz album with a unique twist the two men swap instruments on three numbers, producing some interesting comparisons between the styles of both musicians. Quintet is made up by the superb rhythm section of Lou Levy piano, Ray Brown bass, Stan Levey drums.

Getz Meets Mulligan In Hi-Fi

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Suss Von Ahn - Zeldas Park

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 38:49
Size: 88.9 MB
Styles: Vocal jazz
Year: 2004
Art: Front

[2:57] 1. When The Lights Go Down
[2:40] 2. Gone Fishing
[2:10] 3. Sunday
[3:24] 4. Welcome To My House
[3:37] 5. Sally
[2:33] 6. Zeldas Park
[3:07] 7. One Of These Days
[3:10] 8. Mrs Blue
[3:44] 9. Everybodyâ's Talking
[3:02] 10. Confession
[2:42] 11. No One There
[3:32] 12. Life Before This
[2:03] 13. Donâ't Wanna Talk About Us

In Sweden Suss has often been compared to Norah Jones and this album shows her fantastic vocal and songwriting abilities in a mixture of jazz and pop. She´s got Sweden's best musicians to back her up with Christer Jansson on drums, Matts Alsberg on bass,Torbjörn Stener,Pelle Robertsson, Robert Öberg and Thomas Tjärnkvist on guitars, Jonas Sjöblom on percussion and Suss plays all the keyboards. Stockholm Power Horns contribute on a couple of songs.

Suss grew up in the northern part of Sweden and as a preacher's daughter experienced the benefits of moving around a lot. She spent 5 years of her childhood in Liberia, on the west coast of Africa . At the age of thirteen she started to write her own songs and learned to play the piano. Shortly after that she became a member in a band in Umeå, Sweden and also the pianist of a gospel choir. A few years later she started her own band. In 1994 her first album was released. She has performed at: Falun Jazz Festival; Umeå International Jazz Festival; Stockholm Jazz Festival just to name a few and many times on Swedish Television.

Zeldas Park

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Bobby Hutcherson - The Kicker

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 53:43
Size: 123.0 MB
Styles: Post bop, Vibraphone jazz
Year: 1999
Art: Front

[10:31] 1. If Ever I Would Leave You
[ 6:49] 2. Mirrors
[ 7:52] 3. For Duke P. (Aka XYZ)
[ 6:04] 4. The Kicker
[14:16] 5. Step Lightly
[ 8:09] 6. Bedouin

Bobby Hutcherson recorded frequently for Blue Note in the 1960s, though this session remained unissued until 1999. The first half features the vibraphonist in a cooking hard bop session with Joe Henderson and Duke Pearson, starting with an energetic take on the normally slow ballad "If Ever I Would Leave You" and a sizzling Hutcherson original, "For Duke P." Guitarist Grant Green is added for the second half, beginning with the first recording of Henderson's "The Kicker," which became well known from it's later rendition on Horace Silver's highly successful release Song for My Father. Because this is part of Blue Note's limited-edition Jazz Connoisseur series, don't delay in picking it up. ~Ken Dryden

The Kicker

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Jeff Hamilton Trio - The Best Things Happen

Styles: Jazz, Straight-ahead/Mainstream 
Year: 2004
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 67:28
Size: 154,9 MB
Art: Front

(5:40)  1. I Love Being Here with You: I Love Being Here
(5:38)  2. I Concentrate On You
(5:35)  3. We'll Be Together Again
(6:22)  4. I Didn't Know What Time it Was
(6:00)  5. Like a Lover: Like a Lover
(5:03)  6. Poinciana
(3:48)  7. Bennissimo
(4:23)  8. The Best Things Happen While You're Dancing
(6:18)  9. Skylark
(7:15) 10. Moonbird
(6:30) 11. C Jam Blues
(4:51) 12. L'il Old Lady

The Best Things Happen' when you listen to Jeff Hamilton. He's universally acknowledged as one of the greatest drummers in jazz, whether he's swinging the Clayton/Hamilton Jazz Orchestra or waking up a famous ghost band by sitting in I witnessed that once, and the before/after difference was stunning. Unmatched for chops, ears, and flair, Hamilton has led his own trio for nine years. Previously with the superb Larry Fuller and maestro Lynn Seaton, it now contains players who all live in the same city. Pianist Tamir Hendelman's Eastman composition degree shows in his imaginative arrangements, and bassist Christoph Luty has a fat sound and unerring sense of melody. Together they balance, challenge, and support each other wonderfully, fulfilling Hamilton's mandate that a trio should consist of three equal parts.

But enough with the background. From the irresistible swing of its first track, "I Love Being Here with You," this CD is a first-class ticket to musical fulfillment. The journey includes new twists on old favorites for example, "Poinciana," while explicitly honoring the historic Ahmad Jamal version, lifts and lightens its familiar beat. Luty's innovative arrangement gives "C Jam Blues" a langorous morning-after feel, all slow and stretchy. The spirit of Oscar P. hovers happily over Hendelman check out his precise parallel octaves on the closing burner, Hoagy Carmichael's "L'il Old Lady." 

Hendelman also provides an intriguing new setup to the quietly lustrous "Skylark," and he wrote the jubilant "Bennissimo" in tribute to pianist Benny Green, who trio-ed with Ray Brown and Hamilton in the early '90s. As for the leader' while he's long-celebrated as a fully frontal player, Hamilton's brushwork is exceptionally elegant and judicious. You can hear this most clearly on Larry Golding's lovely "Moonbird" and the graceful "We'll Be Together Again," where his contribution is both crucial and nearly subliminal. All told, this CD is a fabulous ride, and highly recommended. ~ Dr Judith Schlesinger  http://www.allaboutjazz.com/the-best-things-happen-jeff-hamilton-azica-records-review-by-dr-judith-schlesinger.php

Personnel: Jeff Hamilton (drums), Tamir Hendelman (piano), Christoph Luty (bass)

The Best Things Happen

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Marica Hiraga - Mandelcini

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2015
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 52:00
Size: 119,8 MB
Art: Front

(2:56)  1. Moon River
(4:03)  2. Two for the Road
(3:44)  3. Cinnamon & Clove
(4:41)  4. Emily
(5:04)  5. Charade
(6:13)  6. A Time for Love
(3:35)  7. Moment to Moment
(4:42)  8. The Shadow of Your Smile
(4:38)  9. Close Enough for Love
(3:46) 10. Days of Wine and Roses
(3:17) 11. Loss of Love (Sunflower)
(5:16) 12. Dear Heart

Marica Hiraga is Japan’s leading jazz vocalist with a rich talent both in expression and technique. Her professional career began in 1981 after she was awarded the Asia Music Award in Hong Kong. She has acquired her understanding and feeling of jazz by performing and traveling between Tokyo and New York. Her first Jazz standard album, My Shining Hour, was released in 2001, and won the Best Singing Techniques award at the 19th Japan Jazz Vocal Award hosted by Jazz World magazine in 2003. Her 2nd album, Faith, released in 2006, was recorded with Eric Alexander and Harold Mabern Trio. Faith was selected as “ Swing Journal Gold Disc” and became her breakthrough album. She then worked with the legendary jazz combo, the Manhattan Jazz Quintet, lead by David Matthews, on 3rd album, Close to Bacharach, which was highly praised as the new Bacharach standards. The album was again selected as “ Swing Journal Gold Disc” and she received the Best Vocal award at the 41st Jazz Disc Award, hosted by Swing Journal, one of the most prestigious awards for jazz music in Japan.

In May 2008, she released a collection of mature love songs as 4th album, More Romance, and in November, she released 5th album, Batucada-Jazz‘ n’ Bossa, on which she worked with many prominent musicians including the genius Gil Goldstein, the leading AOR musician Michael Franks, Marcos Valle, Phil Woods, Kenny Garrett and Randy Brecker, as a celebration album for bossa nova’s 50th anniversary. Batucada was again selected as“ Swing Journal Gold Disc” and won her the Best Vocal award at the 42nd Jazz Disc Award. In 2009, she released 6th album, Sing Once More-Dear Carpenters, a tribute album to Carpenters, for which she received the grand prize at the 25th Japan Jazz Vocal Award and the Best Vocal award at the 43rd Jazz Disc Award, making her the first musician to receive this award for 3 consecutive years. In 2011, She released 7th album, Mona Lisa-Tribute to Nat King Cole, a tribute album to the legendary singer, Nat King Cole. Marica Hiraga’s latest album, Sings With The Duke Ellington Orchestra, released in April 2012, The full big band album which becomes the first in self is challenged, and costarring with a historical big band is achieved. She has been performing at numerous concert halls and jazz festivals, and her artistic talents extend to a wide range of activities, such as being a radio personality and contributing as a music magazine columnist. ~ Bio  http://www.last.fm/music/Marica+Hiraga/+wiki

Mandelcini

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Jacques Stotzem, Thierry Crommen - Different Ways

Styles: Jazz
Year: 2011
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 39:31
Size: 90,9 MB
Art: Front

(3:59)  1. The Rules of the Game
(3:34)  2. Ljubljana
(4:28)  3. Always There
(5:20)  4. Close to You
(4:17)  5. Blues for Germain
(3:23)  6. La Part Du Rêve
(3:35)  7. Different Ways
(6:42)  8. Lovely Eyes
(4:10)  9. Sombre Histoire

Time passes quickly when Stotzem and Crommen set off a brilliant fireworks of exceptionally well-ripened ideas from melancholic folk, juicy blues, swinging jazz and even driving rock - ideas that they have succeeded in developing during their ten-year professional careers (in part together, but mostly on their individual paths). While Thierry Crommen at home on both the chromatic and the diatonic harmonica, as well as in a great variety of music styles excelled at the world championship for harmonica and participated in countless studio recordings, Jacques Stotzem's star in the acoustic-guitar heavens rose at the beginning of the Nineties. Extensively praised for his inimitably melodious fingerpicking compositions, the spectrum of which ranges from dreamy ballads to snappy jazz and up to practically thundering acoustic rock, Stotzem has in the meantime evoked storms of enthusiasm at festivals on both sides of the Atlantic with his music that is equally exciting and simply beautiful. http://www.acoustic-music.de/jacques-stotzem-thierry-crommen-different-ways/en

Different Ways

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Sarah Jane Morris - Love And Pain

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2002
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 50:48
Size: 117,3 MB
Art: Front

(4:33)  1. Love And Pain
(4:10)  2. I Get High
(3:52)  3. Cowboy Junkies
(3:56)  4. Innocence
(3:35)  5. Nothing Comes From Nothing
(4:55)  6. Arms Of An Angel
(3:38)  7. Mad Woman Blues
(3:59)  8. 'It's Jesus I Love'
(3:42)  9. Blind Old Friends
(3:12) 10. Once In Every While
(5:18) 11. A Horse Named Janis Joplin
(5:50) 12. Fields Of Wheat

To underpin her classic blue-eyed soul voice with electronic swoops and programmed drums is a very clever entrance into Sarah Jane Morris' Love and Pain. The swirling organ and sparse bass do their jobs as well to further bolster the acoustic guitar-driven opening track, "Mad Woman Blues." It serves as the signature, cornerstone piece setting the tone and kicking off a terrifically intriguing series of 12 tunes. These juxtaposed instrumental choices and themes weave in and out of the sonic landscape, making room for other just as titillating production elements such as world-tinged percussion grooves, guitars on the brink of distortion, way-hip sampled bits and beats, processed vocal parts, and more. Morris' smoky voice is the common thread holding it all together. 

Her performances dance from sultry to sassy in the blink of an eye (or the change of a track, as the case may be). From moment to moment, you might think of Garbage, Moby, Alison Moyet, or Primitive Radio Gods, or even reach as far as Erykah Badu. But while those works might seem similar, Love and Pain is something else altogether, and it's pretty darn cool. ~ Kelly McCartney  http://www.allmusic.com/album/love-and-pain-mw0000039761

Personnel: Sarah Jane Morris (vocals); Calum MacColl, Martyn Barker (various instruments, programming); Mornington Lockett (saxophone); Simon Edwards (bass).

Love And Pain

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Herb Geller - That Geller Feller

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2010
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 35:03
Size: 80,7 MB
Art: Front

(5:54)  1. S'pacific View
(5:40)  2. Jitterbug Waltz
(6:15)  3. The Fruit
(4:40)  4. Here's What I'm Here For
(4:39)  5. Marable Eyes
(3:40)  6. An Air for the Heir
(4:12)  7. Melrose and Sam

Herb Geller was a veteran of the Los Angeles jazz scene of the 1950s who played better than ever by the turn of the millennium. Geller played in 1946 with Joe Venuti's Orchestra, and in 1949 he traveled to New York to play with Claude Thornhill. In 1951 he moved back to L.A. and married the excellent bop pianist Lorraine Walsh. Geller was a fixture in L.A., playing with Billy May (1952), Maynard Ferguson, Shorty Rogers, Bill Holman, and Chet Baker, among others; jamming with Clifford Brown and Max Roach (1954); and leading a quartet that included his wife (1954-1955). Lorraine Geller's sudden death in 1958 eventually resulted in the altoist deciding to leave the country to escape his grief. 

He played with Benny Goodman off and on between 1958-1961, spent time in Brazil, and in 1962 moved to Berlin. Geller worked in German radio orchestras for 30 years, played in European big bands, and continued to grow as a musician, although he was pretty much forgotten in the U.S. From the early '90s into the 2000s, Herb Geller returned to the States on a more regular basis, and he recorded tributes to Al Cohn and Arthur Schwartz for Hep. Geller also recorded as a leader in the 1950s for EmArcy, Jubilee, and Atco, and in his later years for Enja, Fresh Sound, and VSOP. Herb Geller died in Hamburg, Germany on December 19, 2013; he was 85 years old. ~ Bio Scott Yanow  http://www.allmusic.com/artist/herb-geller-mn0000677067/biography

Personnel: Herb Geller (soprano saxophone, alto saxophone); Harold Land (tenor saxophone); Kenny Dorham (trumpet); Lou Levy (piano); Larance Marable (drums).

That Geller Feller

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George Robert & Dado Moroni - Youngbloods

Styles: Trombone And Piano Jazz
Year: 2014
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 70:40
Size: 162,3 MB
Art: Front

(4:59)  1. I Remember You
(5:57)  2. Blues For Andy
(3:37)  3. Lush Life
(6:28)  4. Love's Mirror Image
(4:16)  5. East of the Sun
(5:47)  6. Missing You
(3:38)  7. Voyage
(5:09)  8. My Kind Of World
(4:44)  9. Pacific Sunset
(5:09) 10. Easy to Love
(4:28) 11. Spring Can Really Hang You Up the Most
(4:15) 12. Stablemates
(4:48) 13. Susanita
(7:17) 14. Body And Soul

This duo date features two of Europe's finest jazz musicians of the 1990s, George Robert and Dado Moroni, in a program that mixes exciting versions of standards and jazz compositions. "I Remember You" gets things off to a fast start, with Robert's alto sax and Moroni's piano inviting comparison to a match of Phil Woods and Kenny Barron. This comparison doesn't last, as these musical chameleons refuse to be pigeonholed; a mesmerizing "Lush Life," a driving "Easy to Love," and an emotional take of "Spring Can Really Hang You Up the Most." The duo also interprets classics from the jazz canon, such as "Stablemates" and Kenny Barron's "Voyage" (which has become one of the most frequently interpreted works of the post-bop era) with the same level of imagination. 

The only misfires occur when Moroni makes an ill-advised switch to a Fender Rhodes electric piano, badly dating Jimmy Woode's otherwise swinging "My Kind of World," as well as distracting from the beauty of Robert's lyrical clarinet on "Body and Soul" and a bossa nova arrangement of "East of the Sun." Robert also wrote three of the songs, including the lively gospel-flavored "Blues for Andy," the bittersweet ballad "Missing You," and the Latin-flavored "Pacific Sunset." Both of these talented musicians should command wider audiences as the 21st century progresses. ~ Ken Dryden  http://www.allmusic.com/album/youngbloods-mw0000181476

Personnel: George Robert (trombone); Dado Moroni (piano, Fender Rhodes piano).

Youngbloods

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Arnett Cobb - Blues & Ballads (Feat. Red Garland's Trio)

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s

Time: 72:48

Size: 166.7 MB

Styles: Saxophone jazz

Year: 2014

Art: Front

[7:36] 1. Sizzlin'

[5:23] 2. Black Velvet

[3:20] 3. Your Wonderful Love

[6:56] 4. The Way You Look Tonight

[5:24] 5. P.S. I Love You

[7:12] 6. Willow Weep For Me

[7:46] 7. Blue Sermon

[4:49] 8. Darn That Dream

[5:23] 9. Blue And Sentimental

[5:09] 10. Sweet Georgia Brown

[2:53] 11. Why Try To Change Me Now

[4:49] 12. Hurry Home

[6:03] 13. Georgia On My Mind

Arnett Cobb (ts), Red Garland (p), George Tucker, George Duvivier (b), J.C. Heard (d).

Twofer: Tracks #1,2,4,7,10,13 originally issued on the 12" album “Sizzlin’” (Prestige PRST-7227). Recorded in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, on November 30, 1960. Tracks #3,5,6,8,9,11,12 originally issued on the 12" album “Ballads by Cobb” (Moodsville MVLP-14). Recorded in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, on November 13, 1960.

Tenor man Arnett Cobb, became known in the ‘40s for his honking, stomping and general full-bodied, expansive style displayed with Lionel Hampton’s band and his own group on the kind of business that Louis Jordan had covered for so long. The 1960 recordings gathered here brought to the fore the hushed, boastful tone and good taste, along with the swinging debt to Coleman Hawkins, obvious throughout—though it must be admitted that Cobb is very much his own man, with a fully assimilated, personal style.

In these two albums “Sizzlin’” and “Ballads” he’s in assertively rhythmic company, riding easily on the up and mid tempo tunes with his warm and vibrant approach and his rough, tweedy tone. In his quiet moments, playing blues or ballads—most of the tunes on this set—Cobb manages to expose his music by “talking” with his horn in a highly suggestive manner. Cobb’s quartet plays with force, directness, honesty and conviction, and Garland’s piano is effective in his accompanying role, and particularly touching and sensitive in his solo work. Red and drummer J.C. Heard, with George Tucker and George Duvivier sharing the bass duties complete the made-to-measure rhythm sections. The music is well-made, swinging, sensitive, unpretentious, accessible and, above all, rooted in the common experience of the musicians involved

Blues & Ballads (Feat. Red Garland Trio)

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Sacha Boutros - Simply Sacha

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s

Time: 63:45

Size: 145.9 MB

Styles: Vocal

Year: 2008

Art: Front

[3:45] 1. Speak Low

[4:26] 2. Amor Imposible

[4:39] 3. Estate

[2:05] 4. I Can't Give You Anything But Love

[4:46] 5. Mi Inspiración

[3:34] 6. Chega De Saudade

[3:25] 7. Time To Fall

[4:34] 8. Un Homme Et Une Femme

[3:35] 9. El Viento

[6:54] 10. This Masquerade (Feat. Geoffrey Keezer)

[3:25] 11. I'll Never Stop Loving You

[4:37] 12. Cry Me A River

[7:17] 13. Stormy Monday (Feat. Red Holloway)

[1:46] 14. Les Feuilles Mortes

[4:52] 15. Dedication (Feat. Chuchito Valdes)

Recognized by music critics, peers, celebrities, and musical legends, Sacha is one of the top jazz artists today. Introduced by the great American entertainer Frankie Laine as his “ingénue,” and as Protege of the Legendary Red Holloway Sacha has opened for and performed with Patti Austin, James Moody, Karrin Allyson, Julio Iglesias, Marvin Hamlisch, Chubby Checker, Ann Hampton Callaway, Patti Page, Kay Starr, and so many others.

San Diego native, Sacha, has gone from gigging at a few San Diego clubs and U.S. festivals to touring the world and back, to having her recordings hit the top of the charts in Japan and on e-music, to even receiving a Grammy nod for best jazz and Latin jazz album in 2008 and 2013.

Growing up in San Diego, Boutros had music coursing through her veins. Her grandparents instilled a love of music and a facility for composition and harmonies at an early age. Her mother once marveled, “She has been singing from the time she was two.” At four, she’d sit on a pillow for her first piano lessons. She sang in church with her grandfather, who taught her how to play with lyrics and harmonies. And, she learned fast, adding songwriting to her piano and vocal skills.

Unbelievably, she didn’t pursue singing as a career until the last year of her studies at the University of San Diego, there on a sports and academic scholarship. “I finished My business and marketing degree and flipped over to music,” she explained. “I always felt like I was born in the wrong time. Growing up, I loved Sinatra, the ‘20s, ‘30s and the whole golden age of Hollywood. I always fantasized about the music and living in those times.”

Simply Sacha  

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Sonny & Cher - The Best Of Sonny & Cher

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 38:18
Size: 87.7 MB
Styles: AM pop
Year: 2005
Art: Front

[3:26] 1. The Beat Goes On
[3:35] 2. What Now, My Love
[3:06] 3. I Got You Babe
[3:18] 4. Little Man
[3:28] 5. Just You
[2:29] 6. Let It Be Me
[2:48] 7. Beautiful Story
[3:02] 8. It's The Little Things
[3:01] 9. But You're Mine
[3:38] 10. Sing C'est La Vie
[2:52] 11. Laugh At Me
[3:30] 12. Living For You

Cher met Sonny Bono when she was 16 and he was 27. The two began dating, and Sonny got his girlfriend gigs as a backup singer on songs like the Ronettes' "Be My Baby" and Darlene Love's "A Fine, Fine Boy." The two formed their own musical duo, and in 1965 they released their biggest hit, "I Got You Babe." The couple had their only child, Chaz Bono, in 1969. In 1971 Sonny and Cher launched their own TV show, The Sonny and Cher Comedy Hour. The variety show was a success, but the couple's marriage fell apart, ending in a bitter 1975 divorce. When Bono died in a ski accident in 1998, Cher delivered a tearful eulogy.

The Best Of Sonny & Cher

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Harold Mabern & Geoff Keezer - For Phineas

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 65:12
Size: 149.3 MB
Styles: Hard bop, Piano jazz
Year: 1995
Art: Front

[ 8:48] 1. For Carl
[10:07] 2. Jeannine
[ 4:43] 3. I Get A Kick Out Of You
[ 7:57] 4. Jate
[12:01] 5. While My Lady Sleeps
[ 5:50] 6. Consummation
[ 9:07] 7. Rakin' & Scrapin'
[ 6:20] 8. Straighten Up & Fly Right
[ 0:16] 9. Bonus Track

Duo piano performances always have the possibility of being overcrowded, too dense and a bit directionless. Fortunately, this live set from the Montreal Bistro in Toronto, Canada avoids the potential flaws. Pianists Harold Mabern and Geoff Keezer (who also comprise 2/5ths of the Contemporary Piano Ensemble) have complementary styles and blend together quite well on the set. Dedicated to Phineas Newborn, with two of Newborn's songs included ("Jate" and "While My Lady Sleeps"), there are also selections by Leroy Vinnegar, Duke Pearson ("Jeannine"), Nat Cole and Mabern ("Rakin' & Scrapin"). Mabern takes Cole Porter's "I Get a Kick Out of You" as his feature, while Keezer is showcased solo on Thad Jones' "Consummation." A swinging high-quality set within the modern mainstream. ~Scott Yanow

For Phineas

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George Benson - Inspiration (A Tribute To Nat King Cole)

Styles: Vocal And Guitar Jazz
Year: 2013
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 43:39
Size: 101,4 MB
Art: Front

(0:57)  1. Mona Lisa -  Lil' Georgie Benson
(2:42)  2. Just One Of Those Things
(5:05)  3. Unforgettable
(2:43)  4. Walkin’ My Baby Back Home
(4:03)  5. When I Fall In Love
(3:50)  6. Route 66
(2:40)  7. Nature Boy
(2:46)  8. Ballerina
(3:22)  9. Smile
(3:05) 10. Straighten Up And Fly Right
(3:27) 11. Too Young
(3:04) 12. I’m Gonna Sit Right Down And Write Myself A Letter
(3:04) 13. Mona Lisa
(2:45) 14. Mona Lisa (Calypso Version)

Million-selling, hugely popular and readily recognisable jazz artists are a bit thin on the ground these days. So when one such giant records a tribute to another it's something of an event. George Benson's Inspiration: A Tribute To Nat King Cole certainly falls into that category: an album of songs from one of the biggest stars of the twentieth century, performed with due respect by one of the biggest names in the contemporary jazz scene. The album's opener, "Mona Lisa," is credited to "Little Georgie Benson" and features the 8-year-old future star on vocals and ukulele an indication of how early in his life Benson came to Cole's work. It has charm, but thankfully Big Georgie Benson is a far more consummate performer. The rest of Inspiration: A Tribute To Nat King Cole is as stylish and sophisticated as a tribute to Cole should be. The Henry Mancini Institute Orchestra, under the direction of arranger Randy Waldman, perfectly captures the atmosphere of Cole's own recordings powerful and driving on "Just One Of Those Things," relaxed and swinging on "Route 66," coolly romantic on "Unforgettable." The guest performers are well-chosen and enhance each tune on which they appear. Wynton Marsalis' trumpet on "Unforgettable" is positive and uplifting, Till Bronner's brief appearance on "Smile" is warm yet melancholy.

Idina Menzel duets with Benson on "When I Fall In Love" and makes her impact from the first note. Her voice is crystal clear a hint of Barbra Streisand comes through in the final few lines her commitment to the performance is total. Judith Hill's voice is more soulful than Menzel's and her performance is equally impressive. On "Too Young" she erases any thoughts that Benson, around 40 years older than Hill, isn't really too young at all. Benson sounds like he's having a great time and such enthusiasm is infectious. He makes sparing use of his trademark guitar scatting, so when it does appear, on "Just One Of Those Things" for example, it sounds fresh and fun. His guitar solos are fluid, nuanced and understated. Vocally, he's a delight. He's a fine exponent of Cole's relaxed, seemingly effortless, vocal style but never makes the mistake of attempting an impression of Cole's voice. There are times when Benson's sound does come very close to Cole's"Walkin' My Baby" comes very close indeed. There are also times where he's recognisably Benson, while some of his phrasing on "Unforgettable" is reminiscent of Johnny Mathis. More importantly, whoever he may sound like, he's consistently excellent. Inspiration: A Tribute To Nat King Cole is actually a superb tribute to Cole and Benson. ~ Bruce Lindsay  http://www.allaboutjazz.com/inspiration-a-tribute-to-nat-king-cole-george-benson-concord-records-review-by-bruce-lindsay.php
 

Personnel: George Benson: vocals, guitar, ukulele (1); Randy Waldman: conductor; The Henry Mancini Institute Orchestra; Idina Menzel: vocals (5); Judith Hill: vocals (11); Wynton Marsalis: trumpet (3); Till Brönner: trumpet (9).

Inspiration (A Tribute To Nat King Cole)

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Marlena Shaw - The Blue Note Years

Styles: Jazz, Vocal
Year: 2010
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 68:00
Size: 158,6 MB
Art: Front

(10:06)  1. Woman Of The Ghetto (Live)
( 3:40)  2. Easy Evil
( 3:11)  3. Love Has Gone Away
( 4:06)  4. It's Better Than Walking Out
( 4:19)  5. Loving You Was Like A Party
( 5:04)  6. Feel Like Making Love
( 5:14)  7. Me And Mr. Jones
( 4:09)  8. Save The Children
( 4:49)  9. Running Out Of Fools
( 4:04) 10. The Show Has Begun (Live)
( 3:56) 11. Twisted (Live)
( 3:21) 12. Last Tango In Paris
( 3:29) 13. Somewhere
( 3:17) 14. Time For Me To Go
( 5:09) 15. What Are You Doing For The Rest Of Your Life?

UK compilation collects the finest moments from the acclaimed vocalist's three Blue Note albums, such as the full version of 'Woman Of The Ghetto', & the previously unreleased rarity, 'Me & Mrs. Jones'. 16 tracks including single versions & live material recorded at the Montreux Jazz Festival, Switzerland 1973. Stateside. 2003. ~ Editorial Reviews  http://www.amazon.com/Blue-Note-Years-Marlena-Shaw/dp/B0000AEKBB

In 1972, after leaving the Basie Orchestra, Shaw was the first female vocalist signed to Blue Note Records, and she toured for a while with the late Sammy Davis Jr. Shaw recorded five albums and several singles for Blue Note, and critics likened her singing style to Dinah Washington and Sarah Vaughan. At her club shows, Shaw dazzled audiences with her intoxicating blend of straight-ahead jazz, soul, pop, and classic R&B, but her recordings will also satisfy fans of traditional jazz who have no prejudices about blues and R&B. ~ Richard Skelly  http://www.bluenote.com/artists/marlena-shaw

The Blue Note Years

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Gary Smulyan Quartet - Homage

Styles:  Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1992
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 66:22
Size: 152,5 MB
Art: Front

( 5:30)  1. Muezzin
( 8:39)  2. Claudette's Way
( 5:55)  3. Bossallegro
( 6:51)  4. Urban Dreams
(11:08)  5. Twelfth and Pingree
(10:28)  6. Ephemera
( 7:29)  7. Civilization and It's Discontents
(10:18)  8. Trentino

Born 4 April 1956, Bethpage, New York, USA. Smulyan started out playing alto saxophone while still very young before changing to the baritone saxophone. In high school he was encouraged to look to jazz as a means of self-expression and he went on to sit in with several noted touring musicians, including Chet Baker, Lee Konitz and Jimmy Knepper. In the mid- to late 70s he studied at SUNY-Potsdam and Hofstra University before joining Woody Herman in 1978. In addition to playing at many venues in the USA, he also played at festivals overseas during succeeding decades. From the early 80s he played with several noted leaders, often in big bands, including Toshiko Akiyoshi - Lew Tabackin, Louie Bellson, George Coleman, Benny Green, Lionel Hampton, Tom Harrell, Gene Harris, Joe Henderson, Freddie Hubbard, Mel Lewis, Machito, Kevin Mahogany, Mingus Epitaph, the Philip Morris Superband, Tito Puente, Red Rodney, Don Sickler and Clark Terry.

In the 90s Smulyan began associations with the Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra and with Three Baritone Saxophone Band, in which group he is teamed with Nick Brignola and Ronnie Cuber. Smulyan has acknowledged that his baritone idols are Harry Carney and Pepper Adams, and something of the richly flavoured sound of the former and the sometimes detached approach of the latter make an intriguing blend that is apparent in his work. Smulyan’s Homage pays tribute to Adams not only as player but also by using his idol’s compositions on all tracks. ~ Bio  http://www.allmusic.com/artist/gary-smulyan-mn0000595496/biography

Personnel: Gary Smulyan (baritone saxophone); Tommy Flanagan (piano); Kenny Washington (drums)

Homage

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Earl Klugh - The Spice Of Life

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 2008
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 58:06
Size: 133,4 MB
Art: Front

(5:11)  1. Ocean Blue
(5:08)  2. Sleepyhead
(5:33)  3. Canadian Sunset
(2:34)  4. Venezuelan Nights
(3:47)  5. Driftin'
(4:39)  6. Snap!
(3:57)  7. Bye Ya
(4:17)  8. Heart of My Life
(5:25)  9. Morning In Rio
(4:51) 10. C'est Si Bon
(3:48) 11. Lucy's World
(6:15) 12. My Foolish Heart
(2:35) 13. The Toy Guitar

Smooth jazz guitarist Earl Klugh’s Spice Of Life shows that he hasn’t lost any of his mellow flair. Plus, he’s learned a thing or two. Spice reflects the influence of Latin American classical and pop music forms, as Klugh alternates lush orchestration and unaccompanied solo guitar. Variety, in this case, is the Spice Of Life, Klugh effortlessly mixes straight-up jazz (a Thelonious Monk classic getting a Brazilian makeover), romantic R&B, chilled-out balladry, pop, and a touch of funk. ~ Mark Keresman  http://www.allmusic.com/album/the-spice-of-life-mw0000783646

Personnel: Earl Klugh (acoustic guitar, keyboards, synthesizer, percussion); Grace Paradise (harp); Karen Karlsrud, Rob Shaw, Eric Degioia, Laura Oatts, Rick Dolan, Una Tone, Dale Stuckenbruck, Martin Agee, Cenovia Cummins , Carol Pool (violin); William Paul Murphy, Debra Shufelt, Maxine Roach, Kenji Bunch (viola); Laura Bontrager, Daniel Laufer, Richard Locker, Sarah Seiver (cello); Hubert Laws, Pamela Sklar (flute, alto flute, bass flute); Keith Underwood (alto flute, bass flute, contrabass flute); Robert Bush (alto flute, bass flute); Ann E. Lilya (oboe); Carl Nitchie (bassoon); Lenny Price (saxophone); Brice C. Andrus (French horn); John Corrozzu (keyboards, synthesizer); Gordon Gottlieb (vibraphone, shaker); Jeff Cox (acoustic bass); Al Turner (electric bass); Yonrico Scott, Scott Meeder (drums, percussion); Ron Otis (drums); Gene Dunlap (drum programming).

The Spice Of Life

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Judith Owen - The Beautiful Damage Collection

Size: 138,5 MB
Time: 59:16
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2010
Styles: Jazz Vocals
Art: Front

01. Best Friend (3:04)
02. Blighty (2:53)
03. Conway Bay (4:03)
04. Cool Life (Feat. Ian Shaw) (3:48)
05. Emily (4:04)
06. Cry Me A River (4:39)
07. Here (3:19)
08. Sympathy (3:10)
09. I Promise You (4:34)
10. My Father's Voice (3:19)
11. Train Out Of Hollywood (Feat. Keb' Mo') (4:33)
12. Nicholas Drake (Feat. Ron Thompson) (2:34)
13. Smoke On The Water (3:36)
14. That Scares Me (Feat. Julia Fordham) (3:40)
15. Water (4:18)
16. When I Am Laid (3:36)

British singer/songwriter Judith Owen's eclecticism has seen her records shelved in the rock, folk, and jazz sections of record stores. She was born the daughter of an opera singer and began writing songs as a teenager. Becoming a professional musician, she met and married actor/musician Harry Shearer and contributed vocals and keyboards to his 1994 album, It Must Have Been Something I Said. Her debut solo album, Emotions on a Postcard, was released on her own Dog on the Bed label in 1996. Among its songs was "Hand on My Heart," which was featured in the 1997 film As Good as It Gets and appeared on the soundtrack album. Owen befriended singer/songwriter Julia Fordham and appeared on Fordham's albums East West and That's Live. Another musical association was struck up with Richard Thompson, which led to Owen's appearances on the Thompson albums Mock Tudor, 1000 Years of Popular Music, and Old Kit Bag.

She released her second solo album, Limited Edition, in 2000. "Creatures of Habit" and "Get into It" from the album were featured in the film Olive Juice. 12 Arrows (2003), her third album, boasted guest appearances by Fordham and Thompson, and it featured Owen's cover of Soundgarden's "Black Hole Sun." It earned her an opening slot on a k.d. lang tour. In 2004, Owen released a holiday EP, Christmas in July, including her cover of "Christmas with the Devil," a song by her husband's fictional group Spinal Tap. She also placed her song "Dreaming" in the film P.S., then used it on her fourth album, Lost and Found, released on her newly formed Courgette Records label in 2005. Her cover of the Kinks' "I Go to Sleep" was featured in the TV movie Mrs. Harris, and she then included it on her fifth album, Here, released August 8, 2006. Happy This Way appeared a year later in 2007, with Mopping Up Karma following the next year. The compilation Beautiful Damage was issued in 2010, while a new studio album, Ebb & Flow, arrived four years later in 2014. ~ by William Ruhlmann

The Beautiful Damage Collection

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Antonio Adolfo - Tema

Size: 120,5 MB
Time: 51:35
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2015
Styles: Jazz: Latin/Brazilian Jazz
Art: Front

01. Alegria For All (5:38)
02. Natureza (6:07)
03. Phrygia Brasileira (4:23)
04. Sambojazz (5:57)
05. Alem Mares (6:46)
06. Sao Paulo Express (4:17)
07. Todo Dia (4:31)
08. Trem Da Serra (6:06)
09. Melos (5:28)
10. Variations On A Tema Triste (2:18)

What a marvelous disc this is. Absolutely marvelous. Antonio Adolfo and his music have been congenial bedfellows and the Brazilian’s pianism and his music are compelling on many different levels. There is a sense of sharing the sheer sensuous thrill of Mr. Adolfo’s keyboard writing. This is particularly evident in the more virile movements such as the fierce and brilliant “SamboJazz” that nestles in the centre of this disc. But that is not to say that brilliance does not exemplify the other material on Tema, an enigmatic name for this disc. Common to all is a sense of being fleet, but never breathless, with time enough for textures to tell.

At every turn you get a sense of Antonio Adolfo flexing his compositional muscles in this music that goes back almost fifty-five years. There is a sense of Mr. Adolfo demonstrating just how much variety could be built around a tema of melodies. In Antonio Adolfo’s hands the music occupies its own world of mood and rhythmic delight. This music is also fashioned in Mr. Adolfo’s unique way with counterpoint that is at once strong-jawed and supple. We are always aware of the music’s subject , for instance, as it peeks through the texture in different registers or reappears stood on its head, yet is never exaggerated as is sometimes the tendency with less imaginative musicians.

Tema - Antonio AdolfoAnd how Mr. Adolfo can dance at least at his keyboard – in “SamboJazz”, as it is urged into life through subtle dynamics, voicings, articulation and judicious ornamentation. A very different kind of dance reveals itself in “Sao Paulo Express” a Paulista musical vignette in which he takes a more impish view than many, the sonorous drone effect contrasting delightfully with the tripping upper lines. The way he (and his guitarists Leo Amuedo and Claudio Spiewak) has considered the touch and dynamic of every phrase means that these readings constantly impress with fresh details each time you hear them. This is a classic illustration of the exceptional genius of Antonio Adolfo, as a pianist, composer, arranger and guide of the musicians who have given everything of themselves to follow him.

Even the most unassuming numbers such as “Todo Dia” gain a sense of intrigue as he invites the musicians of the ensemble to re-examine this from every angle, again bringing multifarious shadings to the music. And it all flows effortlessly though a journey might have been anything but that. Highlights abound: in the murmuring “Trem da Serra” the pianist’s reactivity leaves other Brasilians – including some guitarists – sounding a touch unsubtle, which is really saying something. This is followed by one of the most extraordinary of pieces on the disc, “Melos”. While many musicians would revel in echoing harmonies expressed in a piece such as this, Mr. Adolfo draws you daringly into his own world. This whispered intimacy extends into his insertion of an ornamented version of “Variations on a Tema Triste” which proves to be a masterclass in ornamentation, yet never overburdening the melodic lines. Fittingly there are long meditative silences as the piece fades.

You can be in no doubt of the thought that has gone into this enterprise from Mr. Adolfo’s ordering of tema which he explains in his brief liner notes to their devolution into the songs themselves. At every turn he harnesses the possibilities of the piano in the service of his music. The result is a clear labour of love , and one in which he shines new light on older music to mesmerising effect, all of which is captured by a warmly sympathetic recording.

Personnel: Antonio Adolfo: piano and electric piano (4); Marcelo Martins: flute, alto flute (2) and soprano saxophone; Leo Amuedo: electric guitar; Claudio Spiewak: acoustic guitar and electric bass; Jorge Helder: double bass; Rafael Barata: drums and percussion; Armando Marçal: percussion; Hugo Sandim: additional Samba percussion.

Tema

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Curtis Stigers - All That Matters: The Best Of Curtis Stigers

Size: 159,3 MB
Time: 68:27
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2001
Styles: Pop Rock
Art: Front

01. I Wonder Why (4:25)
02. You're All That Matters To Me (4:36)
03. Time Was (5:08)
04. Every Time You Cry (4:04)
05. Anything You Want (5:08)
06. The Man You're Gonna Fall In Love With (4:23)
07. People Like Us (4:33)
08. Cry (3:40)
09. There Will Always Be A Place (4:21)
10. Keep Me From The Cold (3:56)
11. The Ghost Of You And Me (4:15)
12. The Last Time I Said Goodbye (3:38)
13. Never Saw A Miracle (3:39)
14. I Guess It Wasn't Mine (3:54)
15. Sleeping With The Lights On (4:00)
16. This Time (4:39)

Singer/songwriter Curtis Stigers' interest in music began as a teen in Boise, playing in punk and blues bands as well as receiving classical training in clarinet and saxophone in high school. After graduation, Stigers moved to New York to pursue rock music, but soon found himself more at home in the city's blues and jazz clubs. He attracted label attention as the saxophonist/vocalist of a jazz trio, signing a deal with Arista and releasing two albums for the label: 1991's self-titled, multi-platinum debut and 1995's Time Was. His smooth, ballad-heavy blend of soul and rock translated into commercial appeal, particularly on his cover of Nick Lowe's "(What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love and Understanding" on the Bodyguard soundtrack.

Released in 1999, Stigers' third album, Brighter Days, featured appearances by Jackson Browne and Benmont Tench, as well as songs co-written by Carole King and Jules Shear. The album's single "To Be Loved" also appeared on the Dawson's Creek soundtrack, ensuring his continued popularity. In addition, Stigers moonlighted as a jazz vocalist, performing and recording with artists like Gene Harris and the Doky Brothers.

In 2001, Stigers issued an album of jazz standards, Baby Plays Around, which was recorded for the Concord Jazz label and featured backing by Randy Brecker and Chris Minh Doky, among others. Five more jazz-oriented albums for Concord followed: Secret Heart (2002), You Inspire Me (2003), I Think It's Going to Rain Today (2005), Real Emotional (2007), and Lost in Dreams (2009). In 2012, Stigers released the country-tinged album Let's Go Out Tonight, featuring covers of songs by such artists as Steve Earle, Hayes Carll, and Richard Thompson, among others. Another collection of sharply chosen covers and originals, Hooray for Love, appeared in the spring of 2014. ~by Heather Phares

All That Matters

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