Dick Hyman - Thinking About Bix

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2008
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 66:32
Size: 153,3 MB
Art: Front

(3:58)  1. Thinking About Bix
(3:20)  2. Singing' the Blues (Till My Daddy Comes Home)
(2:55)  3. Ostrich Walk
(5:23)  4. I'm Coming, Virginia
(3:43)  5. Jazz Me Blues
(4:33)  6. Candlelights
(2:43)  7. 'Tain't So, Honey, 'Tain't So
(2:54)  8. Since My Best Gal Turned Me Down
(6:02)  9. In the Dark
(2:49) 10. Clementine (From New Orleans)
(5:10) 11. Lonely Melody
(4:01) 12. In a Mist
(3:16) 13. Sweet Sue (Just You)
(4:51) 14. Wringin' and Twistin'
(2:56) 15. Flashes
(5:22) 16. Davenport Blues
(2:28) 17. You Took Advantage of Me

A piano is not a cornet. That should be obvious, yet both the name of the label, Reference Recordings and statements like this one by pianist Dick Hyman in the notes "As with all of these replicas, I've tried to reproduce Bix' solo exactly." belie that obvious fact. Hyman's reproductions of cornet solos by Bix Beiderbecke lack not only the sounds characteristic of brass wind instruments, but the context of those solos. This is an unaccompanied piano recording; Bix recorded the solos rendered here with mostly small bands playing the New Orleans/Chicago style now termed trad jazz.

Thinking About Bix (Piano Solo) is not a reproduction but a refraction through the prism of Hyman's piano and imagination, providing a fresh setting for music originally performed or in the case of the Bix piano pieces composed by Bix Beiderbecke. Like similar ventures that take transcribed solos from recordings and orchestrate them (the groups Pres and Bird Feathers, many tribute big band projects), Hyman's renditions here illuminate aspects of both Bix and the bands he worked with that are revelatory, clarifying harmonies and casting melody in a luminous spotlight. But Hyman's most impressive achievement is finding pianistic equivalents for band arrangements that reflect the suave sophistication of Paul Whiteman ("'Tain't So, Honey, 'Tain't So") or peppy, jazz age rhythmic spirit of Bix & His Gang ("Since My Best Gal Turned Me Down").

Only a jazz pianist as completely schooled in both piano technique and jazz piano history could pull off a project like this with the felicity and élan of Hyman. From the wonderful Bix and band interpretations and the four impressionistic piano compositions that make up Bix' "Modern Suite" to the final, rollicking four-hand duet with fellow pianist Mike Lipskin on "You Took Advantage of Me," Hyman imaginatively revives that old slogan: "Bix Lives!."~ George Kanzler  http://www.allaboutjazz.com/thinking-about-bix-piano-solo-dick-hyman-reference-recordings-review-by-george-kanzler.php

Personnel: Dick Hyman, Mike Lipskin: piano.

Thinking About Bix

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Pam Saulsby - The Full Measure Of A Woman

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2010
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 32:32
Size: 75,1 MB
Art: Front

(3:37)  1. Fever
(3:06)  2. Cheek To Cheek
(2:05)  3. Fly Me To The Moon
(4:47)  4. As Time Goes By
(4:45)  5. Besame Mucho
(3:37)  6. California Dreamin'
(5:18)  7. Peel Me A Grape
(5:15)  8. Cry Me A River

This CD is a simmering collection of covers. It is rich, sophisticated, full of passion, with a delivery that will touch your soul like no other. Without reinventing the wheel, this album is a gracious gem, full of both tenderness and sass, thanks to the blending of samba rhythms, smooth and traditional jazz, and a swing feel. It's a lively journey of a woman fully expressed in what she wants in love and how it should be delivered. http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/pamsaulsby

The Full Measure Of A Woman

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Joel Weiskopf - Change In My Life

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2002
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 64:18
Size: 147,4 MB
Art: Front

(5:45)  1. There's Been A Change
(7:46)  2. Enigma
(6:46)  3. Righteousness, Peace And Joy
(6:05)  4. First Love
(5:54)  5. You Are My Way, My Truth And My Life
(6:15)  6. Irish Folk Song
(6:25)  7. The Believer
(6:44)  8. Song For My Grandmother
(6:37)  9. All The Things You Are
(5:56) 10. Day Of Rejoicing

On his third outing for Criss Cross, pianist Joel Weiskopf returns to the trio format that launched his career as a leader. His sidemen require no introduction to jazz fans bassist John Patitucci and drummer Brian Blade (fresh from extensive touring the with great Wayne Shorter) are on hand to aid Weiskopf in his quest. This album features nine originals and one heavily reworked standard, all of which attest to Weiskopf's gifts as both a player and composer. ~ Editorial Reviews  http://www.amazon.com/Change-Life-Joel-Trio-Weiskopf/dp/B00007FZIA

Personnel: Joel Weiskopf (piano); John Patitucci (bass); Brian Blade (drums).

Change In My Life

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Kenny Drew - Trippin'

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1984
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 46:38
Size: 117,8 MB
Art: Front

(7:17)  1. Trippin'
(5:16)  2. On a Slow Boat to China
(6:10)  3. Vacation in Hakone
(4:46)  4. Easy Flight
(5:30)  5. Take the 'A'TRAIN
(6:24)  6. Concierto de Aranjues
(5:24)  7. The Eternal Traveller
(5:45)  8. Journey's end Blues

Kenny Drew gets a spot of great guest help here the legendary Toots Thieleman on guitar and harmonica joining a core trio that also includes Niel Henning Orsted Pedersen on bass and Ed Thigpen on drums! Toots only shows up on two of the album's eight tracks, but really makes them sparkle adding a sweet dose of color to the already great, well-honed rhythms of the group. 

Titles include "Journey's End Blues", "Easy Flight", "Take The A Train", "Concierto E Aranjuez", and "Trippin".  https://www.dustygroove.com/item/61889

Personnel:  Kenny Drew (Piano); Toots Thielemans (Harmonica, Guitar, Whistle) (#1, 5); Niels-Henning Orsted Pedersen (Drums); Ed Thigpen (Bass). 

Trippin'

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Marion Meadows - Forbidden Fruit

Styles: Saxophone Jazz, Smooth Jazz
Year: 1994
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 54:47
Size: 126,0 MB
Art: Front

(5:15)  1. Red Light
(4:54)  2. You're Always on My Mind
(5:58)  3. Asha
(5:48)  4. Forbidden Fruit
(4:43)  5. Whenever Your Heart Wants to Sing
(5:12)  6. You Will Never Know what You're Missing
(5:16)  7. Back 2 Back
(3:38)  8. Save the Best for Last
(5:02)  9. Somewhere Island
(4:59) 10. Comin' Home to You
(3:56) 11. Nocturnal Serenade

On Forbidden Fruit, Marion Meadows chooses tight, infectious material and surrounds his soprano sax with slick production, towering arrangements and brisk, exotic rhythms that generally keep the listener attentive, if not consistently enthralled. His problem? He only reallly lets loose on a few cuts ("Back 2 Back," "Comin' Home To You"). The rest of the time, he plays it strictly by the book, cruising demurely rather than generating explosive spark. More tonal variety would be appreciated. Meadows is a fine player who knows how to please and enchant at will, but too often he lets himself lose his way in what is essentially a top notch producer's project. ~ Jonathan Widran  http://www.allmusic.com/album/forbidden-fruit-mw0000110236

Personnel: Marion Meadows (soprano saxophone, tenor saxophone); Eric Benet Jordan (vocals, background vocals); Ricardo Silveira (guitar, acoustic guitar); Dori Caymmi , John T. Smith, Jef Lee Johnson (guitar); Yutaka Yokokura (koto, keyboards); Morris Pleasure (trumpet, keyboards); Johnny Britt (trumpet); Michael Bearden (piano, keyboards, synthesizer, programming); Werner "Vana" Gierig (piano, keyboards, synthesizer, keyboard programming); Don Grusin, Bobby Lyle (piano); Brian Alexander Morgan (keyboards, synthesizer, drums, drum programming, background vocals); Joe Melotti (keyboards, synthesizer, drums); Jerry Peters (keyboards); Derek Bramble (synthesizer, drums, percussion, programming); Stan Smith (drums, percussion); Michael Shapiro, Ricky Lawson, Lionel Cordew (drums); Luis Conte, Munyungo Jackson, Bashiri Johnson (percussion); Joe Wolf (programming); SWV, LeAnne Lyons, Tamara Johnson, Jilien, Cheryl Gamble (background vocals).

Forbidden Fruit

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Dion - Alone With Dion / Runaround Sue (Original Albums Plus Bonus Tracks 1961)

Album: Alone With Dion
Size: 83,2 MB
Time: 35:45
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 1961/2013
Styles: Pop Rock, Doo Wop
Art: Front

01. Lonely Teenager (2:16)
02. After The Dance (1:58)
03. P.S. I Love You (2:33)
04. Save The Last Dance For Me (2:33)
05. Little Miss Blue (2:17)
06. Havin' Fun (2:20)
07. Close Your Eyes (1:57)
08. Fools Rush In (2:46)
09. My One And Only One (3:22)
10. North East End Of The Corner (2:33)
11. One For My Baby (3:40)
12. Then I'll Be Tired Of You (2:21)
13. Ruby Baby (Bonus Track) (2:34)
14. Will Love Ever Come My Way (Bonus Track) (2:28)

Personnel:
DION DIMUCCI, lead vocals and guitar, plus:
The Del-Satins: Stan Zizka, Leslie Cauchi and Bobby Failla (tenor vocals),
Fred Ferrara (baritone vocals),
Tom Ferrara (bass vocals). Unidentified backing vocals on side 1, track 1.
Orchestras conducted and arranged by Glen Stuart, Stan Applebaum, and Robert Mersey
[exact personnel is unknown, as well as who conducted and arranged each song.]

Recorded between 1960 and 1961 at Allegro Sound Studios and Bell Sound Studios, New York.

This quintessential CD edition includes Dion's magnificent first solo album, Alone with Dion, originally released on the Laurie label in March 1961. This debut CD veers between portraying Dion as a sensitiveheart throb in the brilliantly sung “Lonely Teenager,” and as an all-around pop entertainer now grown up enough to sing standards in front of a big swing band, a la Bobby Darin (“North East End of the Corner”) or a string orchestra a la Johnny Mathis (“Fools Rush In”).

In addition to the original masterpiece, this collector's item contains 2 bonus tracks recorded during that same period but not included on the album (they were only released as the two sides of a single in 1961): “Kissin' Game” and “Heaven Help Me.”

Alone With Dion

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Album: Runaround Sue
Size: 100,6 MB
Time: 38:32
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2013
Styles: Pop Rock, Doo Wop
Art: Front

01. Runaround Sue (2:49)
02. Somebody Nobody Wants (2:43)
03. Dream Lover (2:16)
04. Life Is But A Dream (2:33)
05. The Wanderer (2:46)
06. Runaway Girl (2:25)
07. The Majestic (2:40)
08. Little Star (2:40)
09. Lonely World (2:07)
10. (I'll Remember) In The Still Of The Night (2:46)
11. Kansas City (2:39)
12. Take Good Care Of My Baby (2:24)
13. The Kissing Game (Bonus Track) (2:56)
14. Heaven Help Me (Bonus Track) (2:00)
15. Could Somebody Take My Place Tonight (Bonus Track) (2:41)

Dion as a solo artist was initially a kind of hybrid performer, known for his teen idol image but trying for a harder and also a more advanced sound, as revealed on this album. The hits included here, "Runaround Sue," "The Wanderer," and "The Majestic," are so familiar that they tend to eclipse the rest of this 14 song album -- all of the rest, however, is well-sung, -played, and -arranged, ranging from basic hard rock & roll ("Kansas City") to smooth teen pop, which always keeps at least one foot up to the ankle in rock & roll (hence the electric guitar solo on "Could Somebody Take My Place Tonight"). "Little Star" has rated inclusion on several key collections, while "Lonely World" is perhaps the lost single off of this album, with a great beat, killer hooks, and a beautifully shaped performance by the singer and his backup vocalists. What's more, even the covers of familiar material such as "Dream Lover" and "In the Still of the Night" are performed in a style unique to Dion and are worth hearing and owning. The singer was still straddling the gap between teen idol and serious rock & roller, and between late-'50s doo wop and a harder early-'60s sound, although the more serious love songs and the surprisingly articulate guitar solo on "Kansas City" clearly showed that he was winning the musical battle for his own distinct sound. It wasn't a long jump from the repertory here to his distinctive covers of R&B classics like "Ruby Baby." ~by Bruce Eder

Runaround Sue

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Milt Buckner - Locked Hands

Size: 100,9 MB
Time: 42:06
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 1968/2015
Styles: Jazz
Art: Front

01. Glady's Dance (4:28)
02. Jersey Bounce (5:48)
03. Blues For Anita (4:00)
04. Willi's Blues (5:10)
05. Sunny (4:51)
06. Jitterbug Waltz (5:32)
07. Lil' Darlin' (6:10)
08. Honeysuckle Rose (6:03)

Personnel:
Bass – Jimmy Woode Jr.
Drums – Kenny Clare
Organ – Milt Buckner
Piano – Milt Buckner

Pianist-organist Milt Buckner originated the “locked hands” technique in which parallel lines are played as two-handed “block” chords. The style has been emulated by his and future generations from George Shearing to Oscar Peterson and beyond. From 1941-1948, then again in the early 50’s, Buckner worked as arranger and director for jazz giant Lionel Hampton’s band. He was also instrumental in bringing the Hammond organ into modern popular music. From 1966 until his death in 1977 Bruckner spent most of his time in Europe. For French critic André Hodeir, “Bruckner must surely belong to the front line of pianists along with Earl Hines, Fats Waller, and Teddy Wilson.”

Locked Hands is the second of the MPS Milt Buckner trio albums. Ellington bassist Jimmy Woode is back, and English drummer Kenny Clare takes over Jo Jones’ seat. This set has the particular pleasure of Buckner playing four pieces on piano and four on organ. Glady’s Dance displays Buckner’s inimitable “locked hands” technique, with piano bass and drums trading fours and eights on the way back to the theme. Jersey Bounce, the WWII hit that Benny Goodman brought to #1 on the charts, is taken on in like manner. The Bruckner original Blues for Anita, a slow blues with a swinging 3/4 feel to the beat, is a real crowd pleaser replete with wolf whistles and lots of ahs and ohs, whereas Willi’s Blues is taken at a medium tempo. Buckner plays the bluesy classic Sunny with a relaxed swing on organ, and takes stride master Fats Waller’s Jitterbug Waltz at a fast clip, with a hip organ solo on this surprisingly modern-sounding piece. After a theme-driven organ solo on the popular ballad Lil’ Darlin’, Buckner takes on another Waller classic, Honeysuckle Rose, at the perfect bouncy tempo. It’s clear they’re having fun by their background exclamations; it’s big fun for the listener too.

Locked Hands

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Rebecca Kilgore & Nicki Parrott - Two Songbirds Of A Feather

Size: 123,8 MB
Time: 53:00
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2015
Styles: Jazz/Pop Vocals
Art: Front

01. Two Little Girls From Little Rock (3:29)
02. Two Songbirds Of A Feather (3:47)
03. The Very Thought Of You Why Stars Come Out At Night (5:03)
04. Life Is So Peculiar (4:04)
05. When Love Goes Wrong (3:33)
06. 'S Wonderful (3:51)
07. Theme From Valley Of The Dolls (4:49)
08. They Say It's Spring (4:29)
09. Blue Moon Moon Glow (4:14)
10. Them There Eyes (3:24)
11. A Woman's Preogative (3:55)
12. El Cajon (3:20)
13. When I Grow Too Old To Dream (4:56)

Personnel:
Becky Kilgore - vocals, guitar
Nicki Parrott - vocals, bass
Mike Renzi - piano
Harry Allen - saxophone
Chuck Redd - drums

First off. There isn’t a moment on this CD, whatever the mood or tempo, that doesn’t swing. And it’s a deep intuitive swing: take, for example, the a cappella chorus that begins WHEN I GROW TOO OLD TO DREAM. With all due respect to the instrumental accompaniment — a fine band — Becky and Nicki are swinging in the best understated but authentic Basie manner when they utter the first syllable. And their voices — alternatively lighter, darker, flying, trading places in mid-air — go together perfectly, whether they are alternating phrases within a song, singing in unison or harmonizing. Each performance is full of small sweet surprises (including some witty banter) which makes the CD an old-fashioned experience, a “show” rather than simply two people standing at microphones and singing one song after another. One can hear that the routines have been carefully planned, but nothing is stiff or formal. They sound as if they are having a good time, fully enjoying the pleasures of music-making. The effect is never cute or artificial, but there is a good deal of cheerful play. And singers could learn so much from studying this disc.

Some highlights. Nicki and Becky essay some of their proven crowd-pleasers, with roots in Louis Jordan (PECULIAR) and the Marilyn Monroe songbook (LITTLE ROCK, WRONG) — but much of the material here is new to Kilgore-Parrott fanciers. There’s a clever arrangement of S’WONDERFUL, a racing romp on THEM THERE EYES, and several blissfully tender performances — the Ray Noble medley couldn’t be more sweet; VALLEY OF THE DOLLS is rueful and yearning; the BLUE MOON – MOONGLOW collation enables us to hear those familiar songs anew. And the title track, SONGBIRDS, has a lively chorus by Brian Wittman — living up to his name — a verse by Becky, music by Nicki. True group work! If there were still a network of hip radio stations, the performance of the Johnny Mandel – Dave Frishberg EL CAHON would be an instant classic.

The thirteen selections are wonderfully varied and paced, so the CD seems far too short. And the band rocks gorgeously around and with the singers.

Two Songbirds Of A Feather

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Jacob Fischer - ...In New York City

Size: 148,1 MB
Time: 63:34
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2015
Styles: Jazz
Art: Front

01. How About You (5:00)
02. Love For Sale (8:07)
03. Crazy He Calls Me (6:21)
04. Swing 42 (4:27)
05. A Nightingale Sang In Berkeley Square (5:46)
06. Puttin' On The Ritz (5:30)
07. Tenderly (5:10)
08. Laverne Walk (4:51)
09. Day Dream (4:01)
10. Napolitana (4:47)
11. Avalon (4:25)
12. Every Time We Say Goodbye (5:04)

Personnel:
Jacob Fischer - guitar
Chuck Redd - vibes
John Webber - bass
Matt Wilson - drums

The electrically amplified guitar has been ubiquitous in jazz for so long that the pure, acoustic sound of the unamplified instrument comes almost as a novelty. This is especially so when it’s in the hands of the Danish guitarist Jacob Fischer. He plays in the modern swing idiom with great virtuosity and harmonic awareness, but there’s a unique clarity and warmth about it. Leading a quartet completed by vibraphone, bass and drums, he finds some brilliant ways of combining the sounds of guitar and vibes, played by Chuck Redd. The interplay between them is greased lightning at times. Apart from one Fischer original, the 12 pieces are all standards, but with a fresh and sometimes radical approach.

...In New York City

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Agata Pisko & Werner Radzik - Polish Touch

Size: 121,1 MB
Time: 52:42
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2015
Styles: Jazz/Pop Vocals
Art: Front

01. All I Want (4:43)
02. Chelsea Bridge (4:40)
03. So Reminding Me (4:23)
04. Kochaj Tylko Mnie (3:26)
05. Time Economy (4:02)
06. Then I'll Be Tired Of You (5:43)
07. Czy To Jest Milosc (4:53)
08. Throw It Away (4:40)
09. Midnight Sun (5:54)
10. Flor De Lis (5:32)
11. Wasted (4:41)

Lineup:
Agata Pisko/Vocals
Werner Radzik/Piano
Bernhard Wimmer/Cajon, Shakers
Axel Mayer/Trompete, Flügelhorn

„Polish Touch“ – a chic collection of jazz songs with Werner Radzik – piano, Agata Pisko – voice, and two special guests: Axel Mayer – trumpet and flugehorn, and Bernhard Wimmer – cajon.

Songs of singers and piano players such as Joni Mitchell, Keith Jarrett, Radka Toneff, Billy Strayhorn, Djavan, Johnny Mercer, Emanuel Schlechter have inspired Agata Pisko and Werner Radzik to create an elegant and intimate project of piano and voice. Agata’s delicate and flexible voice has a unique fancy flavor of a European singer who sings lyrics from the Great American Songbook. With no doubt, however, you can hear the influence of the jazz masters Agata had a chance to study with, such as Mark Murphy, Sheila Jordan, Madeline Eastman, Rebecca Parris.

Inspired by sound and structure of jazz vocal music, Agata has begun to compose music and write clever lyrics on her own. On this record, you are going to find two compositions of hers: a jazz waltz with a Polish lyric and a touch of Polish folk music “Czy to jest milosc?’, and a boogaloo ‘Time Economy’.

Werner Radzik is with no doubt a first class jazz instrumentalist, a highly sought after pianist and arranger. On this CD you will get to know him as being a careful accompanist and a brilliant soloist.

To make the music more intense, Agata and Werner invited some of the finest Austrian musicians to be featured in a few songs. You will hear fabulous Axel Mayer on trumpet and flugelhorn in the ballad “Then I’ll Be Tired Of You” and “Time Economy”, and expressive Bernhard Wimmer on cajon in “Time Economy” and in the jazz waltz “Czy to jest milosc?“.

“Polish Touch” is a fresh project of two experienced musicians with Polish roots: Agata originally comes from Krakow and has lived in Austria since the beginning of her studies at Kunst Uni Graz in 1999; Werner, an Austrian musician, on the other hand, has had Polish ancestors – his grandmother came from Warsaw.

Polish Touch

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Claude Williamson Trio - Song For My Father

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1993
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 38:49
Size: 91,0 MB
Art: Front

(7:16)  1. My Romance
(6:50)  2. Easy Living
(5:07)  3. Feelin' Fine
(3:43)  4. Work Song
(4:43)  5. Alone Together
(4:02)  6. There Will Never Be Another You
(7:05)  7. Song For My Father

A superior bop pianist influenced by Bud Powell, Claude Williamson has been busy playing on the West Coast since the 1950s. The older brother of trumpeter Stu Williamson, Claude started on piano when he was seven and had ten years of classical piano lessons, also studying at the New England Conservatory. Williamson's first major musical job was with Charlie Barnet's orchestra in 1947. This was followed by stints with Red Norvo (1948), Barnet's bebop big band of 1949, and June Christy (1950-51). In the 1950s, Williamson worked regularly with Bud Shank, Howard Rumsey's Lighthouse All-Stars, with his own trios, and as a studio musician. He spent most of the 1960s and '70s in the studios, although he returned to jazz in the 1980s with his improvising style virtually unchanged. 

Claude Williamson who has led sessions for Capitol (1954-1955), Bethlehem, Criterion, Contract (1961-1962), Sea Breeze (1977), Interplay, Discovery, Fresh Sound, and a few Japanese labels  recorded a memorable tribute to Bud Powell for V.S.O.P. in 1995. He currently plays regularly in the Los Angeles area. ~ Bio  https://itunes.apple.com/ca/artist/claude-williamson-trio/id400487693#fullText

Song For My Father

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Helen Forrest - The Complete Helen Forrest With Harry James

Styles: Vocal
Year: 1999
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 58:47
Size: 136,5 MB
Art: Front

(2:45)  1. The Devil Sat Down and Cried
(3:06) 2. He's 1-A in the Army and He's A-1 in My Heart
(3:06)  3. Make Love to Me
(2:40)  4. J.P. Dooley III
(2:54)  5. I Don't Want to Walk Without You
(3:08)  6. But Not for Me
(3:24)  7. I Remember You
(3:23)  8. Skylark
(3:07)  9. You're Too Good for Good-For-Nothing Me
(3:10) 10. You're in Love with Someone Else (But I'm in Love with You)
(3:21) 11. He's My Guy
(2:59) 12. That Soldier of Mine
(3:10) 13. I Cried for You
(3:00) 14. I Heard You Cried Last Night
(2:52) 15. Manhattan Serenade
(3:15) 16. My Beloved Is Rugged
(3:26) 17. I Had the Craziest Dream
(2:56) 18. Mister Five by Five
(2:56) 19. I've Heard That Song Before

Helen Forrest spent more time and made more recordings with bandleaders Artie Shaw and Benny Goodman, but her two-year tenure with Harry James (1941-43, resulting in only 19 cuts) had the biggest impact on her career. Seven of those 19 tracks made the Top Ten "I Had the Craziest Dream," "I've Heard That Song Before," "I Don't Want to Walk Without You," "Mister Five by Five," "I Heard You Cried Last Night," "He's My Guy," and "Manhattan Serenade." 

No wonder that, as Forrest prepared to launch a solo career in 1943, she was ranked as the top female band vocalist in several polls. Except for a string of duets with fellow James band veteran Dick Haymes that ran through 1946, Forrest's solo career didn't pan out, but her work with James, the big hits, some smaller ones, and some interesting obscurities, confirms that she deserved the accolades. She came into James' band shortly before Pearl Harbor, when the country was already arming for World War II, and the material often reflects the national situation, whether explicitly in numbers like "He's 1-A in the Army and He's A-1 in My Heart," "That Soldier of Mine," and "My Beloved Is Rugged," or in the wistfulness of "I Don't Want to Walk Without You." 

Forrest captures the conflicting moods of the war, sometimes sounding proud, loyal, and affectionate, sometimes sad and lonely. Though her voice is showcased in the arrangements, this is still big band music, and bandleader James is very much in evidence with his signature trumpet sound. Maybe a singer so closely associated with her time couldn't transcend it to succeed in the post-war era, but the recordings continue to evoke that period perfectly. ~ William Ruhlmann  http://www.allmusic.com/album/complete-helen-forrest-with-the-harry-james-orchestra-mw0000669048

The Complete Helen Forrest With Harry James

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Erik Truffaz - The Mask

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 2000
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 64:21
Size: 147,9 MB
Art: Front

( 2:07)  1. Sweet Mercy
( 6:26)  2. Arroyo
( 6:10)  3. More
( 3:55)  4. Less
( 7:09)  5. No Choice
( 4:15)  6. Mask
( 5:45)  7. Dawn
( 4:14)  8. Betty
( 8:10)  9. Bending New Corners
( 5:57) 10. Minaret
(10:13) 11. And

Erik Truffaz’ sweet, open trumpet tone reveals the influence of a 1970s Miles Davis. The Fender Rhodes with echo serves to drive that message home. Most of the compilation employs acoustic bass and a tasteful drummer in the mainstream jazz tradition. However, it’s the French trumpeter’s intimacy with Davis’ fusion periods that takes center stage. From the small town of Gex, ten miles from the French/Swiss border, Truffaz got his early training working with his father’s dance band. 

His formal training came later at the Geneva Conservatoire where the trumpeter studied composition, theory and technique. Each track is an original, composed by the quartet. Truffaz wrote "Betty," a light, lyrical waltz with open trumpet, acoustic piano and acoustic bass. A vocal-like trumpet message becomes soaked in the piano’s overlapping harmony. The title track a modal, fusion number - combines rock drumming with electric bass and Fender Rhodes around Truffaz’ meandering trumpet melody. "Less" and "More" follow in the same tradition, with one employing minimalist traits, while the other adds more electronic echo and a tightly muted Harmon sound. While "No Choice" takes an acoustic piano approach with upright bass and open trumpet, the comfortable quartet style weaves modern mainstream drama around a bright, uplifting harmony.

Elsewhere, an electronic trumpet device with echo, and a forward-leaning quartet recall the later fusion experiments of Miles. Although Erik Truffaz treads step-for-step too close to the shadow of Miles Davis, his quartet captures the essence of a searching ensemble that is looking in all the right directions. ~ Jim Santella  http://www.allaboutjazz.com/the-mask-erik-truffaz-blue-note-records-review-by-jim-santella.php

Personnel: Erik Truffaz- trumpet; Patrick Muller- piano, Fender Rhodes; Marcello Giuliani- electric bass, acoustic bass; Marc Erbetta- drums, percussion.

The Mask

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Dave Stryker - Messin' With Mister T

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 2015
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 70:37
Size: 162,4 MB
Art: Front

(7:04)  1. La Place Street
(6:49)  2. Pieces of Dreams
(8:13)  3. Dont Mess With Mister T
(6:27)  4. In a Sentimental Mood
(9:10)  5. Impressions
(6:29)  6. Gibraltar
(7:02)  7. Salt Song
(6:55)  8. Sugar
(5:40)  9. Side Steppin'
(6:43) 10. Let It Go

On Messin' with Mister T, guitarist Dave Stryker could have enlisted only his organ trio to salute friend, mentor and musical hero Stanley Turrentine; instead, he chose to step back and let other voices do most of the talking. The encomiums are thus provided by ten of the world's most accomplished tenor saxophonists, making this one of the most unique and impressive testimonials ever recorded. Turrentine would no doubt have been pleased to see such heavyweights as Houston Person, Jimmy Heath, Don Braden, Chris Potter, Bob Mintzer, Eric Alexander and others lining up to pay homage to his artistry, and even more pleased that every one of them, in Stryker's words, "came immediately on board" when asked to take part in the enterprise.

Not only did Stryker's guests agree enthusiastically to appear on the album, each of them, doubtless in deference to Turrentine, brought his "A" game, an observation that is borne out on every number. No one is phoning anything in, from Person who opens the session with Turrentine's bluesy "La Place Street" to young lion Tivon Pennicott who seals it with another engaging Turrentine composition, "Let It Go." The highlights are many, among them Duke Ellington's "In a Sentimental Mood," played with warmth and dexterity by eighty-eight-year-old Jimmy Heath, and Potter's emphatic reading of John Coltrane's "Impressions." Alexander is eloquent on the powerful "Salt Song," as are Braden on Marvin Gaye's "Don't Mess with Mister T," Mintzer on Freddie Hubbard's funky "Gibraltar," Javon Jackson on Turrentine's jazz evergreen "Sugar," Mike Lee on the enchanting "Pieces of Dreams" and Steve Slagle on Stryker's frisky "Sidesteppin,'" introduced by Turrentine in 1995 on the album T Time.

As for the organ trio, it is there to offer unflagging support, amplified on most numbers by tasteful solos from Stryker and organist Jared Gold. Drummer McClenty Hunter, a diligent and sturdy timekeeper, is aided and abetted on half a dozen tracks by percussionist Mayra Casales. Together, they make sure that each guest is loose and comfortable. The result is an album whose artistry and passion mirror that of its honoree, the sublime Stanley Turrentine. Kudos to everyone involved, and especially to Stryker for bringing them together. ~ Jack Bowers  http://www.allaboutjazz.com/messin-with-mister-t-dave-stryker-strikezone-records-review-by-jack-bowers.php

Personnel: Dave Stryker: guitar; Jared Gold: Hammond B3 organ; McLenty Hunter: drums; Mayra Casales: percussion (2, 6-10). Special guests – Houston Person: tenor sax (1); Mike Lee: tenor sax (2); Don Braden: tenor sax (3); Jimmy Heath: tenor sax (4); Chris Potter: tenor sax (5); Bob Mintzer: tenor sax (6); Eric Alexander: tenor sax (7); Javon Jackson: tenor sax (8); Steve Slagle: tenor sax (9); Tivon Pennicott: tenor sax (10).

Messin' With Mister T

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Buddy Tate, Al Grey - Just Jazz

Styles: Clarinet And Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1989
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 48:11
Size: 110,6 MB
Art: Front

(5:10)  1. Just Jazz
(6:24)  2. Blues In My Heart
(6:33)  3. Straighten Up And Fly Right
(6:52)  4. Topsy
(6:07)  5. Blue Creek
(6:27)  6. Tangerine
(5:20)  7. Straighten Up And Fly Right (alternate)
(5:16)  8. Just Jazz (alternate)

Tenor-saxophonist Buddy Tate (who also contributes a bit of clarinet) blends in perfectly with trombonist Al Grey on this swinging quintet session. With pianist Richard Wyands, bassist Major Holley and drummer Al Harewood completing the group, Tate and Grey perform on original apiece and four veteran standards; the CD reissue adds two alternate takes. Both Tate and Grey were in their late prime at the time and the highpoints include Grey's title cut, "Straight Up And Fly Right," "Topsy" and "Tangerine." ~ Scott Yanow  http://www.allmusic.com/album/just-jazz-mw0000665553

Personnel: Buddy Tate (clarinet, tenor saxophone); Al Grey (trombone); Richard Wyands (piano); Al Harewood (drums).

Just Jazz

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Monica Lewis - Fools Rush In

Size: 97,6 MB
Time: 32:49
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 195?/2014
Styles: Jazz Vocals
Art: Front

01. But Beautiful (2:41)
02. What'll I Do (3:13)
03. Do It Again (2:25)
04. You'd Better Go Now (2:13)
05. But Not For Me (3:00)
06. Isn't This A Lovely Day (2:25)
07. You Make Me Feel So Young (2:14)
08. Fools Rush In (2:13)
09. Am I Blue (2:23)
10. I'd Do Anything For You (2:44)
11. People Will Say We're In Love (3:50)
12. You Don't Know What Love Is (3:20)

Fools Rush In pairs Monica Lewis with arranger/pianist Jack Kelly for what would prove her most intimate and nuanced LP. Kelly's soft, moody approach perfectly complements the feminine complexity of Lewis' vocals -- while never the most gifted or accomplished singer, there's no denying the kittenish appeal she brings to familiar material like "But Not for Me" and "Am I Blue." Moreover, the songs and sequencing create a unified whole all too rare among albums from the era in question. More than just a slapdash collection of performances, Fools Rush In is a stunning evocation of mood and texture from a singer all too often overlooked in favor of less compelling contemporaries.

I Fools Rush In

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Diana Franco - I Believe In You

Size: 120,7 MB
Time: 51:54
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2015
Styles: Jazz Vocals, Brazilian Rhythms
Art: Front

01. Gabriela (3:30)
02. What Is This Thing Called Love (2:47)
03. Nature Boy (3:55)
04. Dindi (5:07)
05. I Believe In You (6:31)
06. I Loves You Porgy (4:09)
07. Stella By Starlight (2:58)
08. Esta Tarde Vi Llover (3:56)
09. Speak Low (3:59)
10. Estate (7:02)
11. On Green Dolphin Street (2:59)
12. Insensatez (4:57)

Raised since childhood in a mixture of U.S., Spanish (Caribbean coast of Colombia), Italian and Brazilian cultures, then switched from lyric soprano to jazz, here is my collection of American Standards, Jobim's Bossa Novas, a Bolero and an Italian standard.

I Believe In You

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Vera Marijt - Inside Out

Size: 105,2 MB
Time: 45:25
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2015
Styles: Jazz: Piano Jazz, Bebop
Art: Front

01. Beautiful Love (4:51)
02. Remember (5:39)
03. Mister And Mississauga (6:05)
04. Homage Danny Boy (7:01)
05. Cheeriokee (6:00)
06. You Look Familiar (5:23)
07. La Tempete De Neige (4:37)
08. Toys (5:44)

Vera Marijt released her debut album 'Insight Out' in July, 2015. It consists of original music as well as her arrangements of Jazz standards, and reflects the story of her experiences the past year in Montréal.

Vera's style can best be described as traditional bebop/swing, mixed with modern influences.

Personnel:
Vera Marijt - piano
Mathieu McConnell-Enright - bass
Louis-Vincent Hamel - drums
Benjamin Deschamps - alto sax (track 5 and 7)
Steven Willem Zwanink - bass (track 8)
Robbert Jan van Straalen - drums (track 8)

Bio:
Vera's appreciation for Jazz developed at a young age, while she was listening to Diana Krall and got introduced to the music of jazz icons such as Nat King Cole, Billie Holiday and Louis Armstrong.

After reading a book about the life of pianist Bud Powell and listening to his music, she got fascinated by the Bebop style and was hooked and determined to conquer the technique and language of this complex genre.

Upon finishing high school in 2007 Vera attended the prestigious Berklee College of Music in Boston, USA for the summer which became her entrance into the world of jazz. In the Hague she studied with the accomplished jazz pianist Juraj Stanik and participated in masterclasses by Barry Harris, Branford Marsalis, Mike Manieri, Alan Broadbent, Hein van de Geyn, Rob van Bavel and others.

Upon invitation to attend the annual International Association for Schools of Jazz (IASJ) at Graz, Austria in 2012, she played with international musicians from all over the world and was mentored by Dave Liebman and Hervé Sellin.

Vera Marijt performs arrangements of Jazz standards and originals at several occasions with her own trio. She won prices at competitions such as the Leidse Jazz Award and the Zoetermeer Jazz Concour in the Netherlands.

Besides her own project, Vera played in the West Coast Big Band, in which she had the privilege to play with some of the best musicians in the Dutch Jazz scene such as Ferdinand Povel, Martijn van Iterson, Bert Boeren, Frits Landesbergen and Joke Bruijs. For years she was a core member of Alice in Dixieland, a women's jazz band with whom she toured through Germany twice.

While in the Hague, Vera began collaborating with fellow band members Camilla van der Kooij on violin and guitar, and Oukje den Hollander on vocals in their trio called 'Mannekijn'. This trio's repertoire includes original compositions and arrangements of existing music by composers such as Jacques Brel, translated in Dutch. With this group she has toured through the Netherlands in 2013/2014 and just released a videoclip, available on Youtube.

Vera and Oukje den Hollander have a long history of collaboration. Last April they performed three nights in the famous Compagnie theatre in Amsterdam with the show 'Aria van een Angsthaas'.

In 2014, Vera moved to Montréal, Canada, to study with André White, Francois Bourassa and Rémi Bolduc at McGill Schulich of Music. Since then, she had the privilige to play with some of Montréal's finest musicians such as Fraser Hollins, Alec Walkington, Norman Marshall Villeneuve, Joe Sullivan and Jim Doxas. She did a small tour in Toronto with saxophonist Rémi Bolduc and played with the renowned McGill Jazz Orchestra featuring the great Danilo Perez.

In July 2015, Vera released her debut album Insight Out, featuring original music as well as arrengements of jazz standards. She launched her CD on July 15th, playing the opening concert of the Festival Internacional Jazz de Verano in Querétaro, Mexico.

Inside Out

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Teddy Randazzo - The Way Of The Clown

Size: 143,5+128,2 MB
Time: 60:45+54:29
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2015
Styles: Pop, Jazz Vocals, Swing
Art: Front

CD 1: I'm Confessin'
01. I'm Confessin' (That I Love You) (3:01)
02. What Is This Thing Called Love (2:06)
03. Among My Souvenirs (2:52)
04. River Stay Away From My Door (2:04)
05. But Beautiful (2:41)
06. Pagan Love Song (1:55)
07. Old Man River (1:56)
08. You Go To My Head (2:59)
09. Black And Blue (1:46)
10. My Foolish Heart (3:16)
11. You're Driving Mr Crazy (2:12)
12. For All We Know (3:02)
13. Lady Of Spain (2:42)
14. A Foggy Day (2:42)
15. Canadian Sunset (2:54)
16. It Happened In Monterey (2:18)
17. Blue Hawaiian Moon (2:20)
18. Under Paris Skies (2:25)
19. Brazil (2:41)
20. Autumn In New York (3:47)
21. On A Slow Boat To China (2:11)
22. Arriverderci, Roma (2:36)
23. Journey To Love (2:06)
24. To The Ends Of The Earth (2:00)

CD 2: Teddy Randazzo Twists
01. Bo Diddley (3:13)
02. U.S. Mail (2:15)
03. Shout (5:37)
04. Late Date Baby (2:09)
05. The Peppermint Twist (2:42)
06. Too Young To Fall In Love (1:56)
07. Twistin' To The Locomotion (2:34)
08. Foot Stompin' (2:58)
09. What'd I Say (4:44)
10. Cotton Fields (1:58)
11. Ooh-Poo-Pah-Doo (3:00)
12. Let The Sunshine In (3:13)
13. The Way Of The Clown (2:39)
14. But You Broke My Heart (2:15)
15. It's Magic (2:26)
16. Cherie (2:14)
17. Broken Bell (3:19)
18. Mother Goose Twist (2:31)
19. Triste Pagglacio (The Way Of The Clown - Italian Version) (2:36)

Teddy Randazzo is perhaps best remembered today for being a songwriter and producer during the mid to late 1960s. However he was initially immersed in the girl swooning teen idol sub-genre along with the likes of Fabian, Dion et al.

Herein are three original albums, I'm Confessin', Journey To Love and Teddy Randazzo Twists. This is prime late 50s pop. His first two albums were geared to the standards markets and the third was (as the title suggests) devoted to songs that you could twist to.

The bonus material includes his biggest solo hit, 'The Way of the Clown' along with a rare Italian language version of the hit.

The Way Of The Clown CD 1
The Way Of The Clown CD 2

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Dave McDonnell Group - The Time Inside A Year

Size: 134,1 MB
Time: 57:39
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2015
Styles: Jazz: Avant Garde, Free Jazz
Art: Front

01. Bullitt (5:47)
02. Vox Orion (6:39)
03. The Contract With Bees (7:14)
04. Aepse Mvt 1 (4:20)
05. Bakers Man (5:32)
06. Cyclo (6:45)
07. Discovery Of The Ancient Geologist (2:09)
08. Aepse Mvt 2 (2:27)
09. Brandywine (7:15)
10. Nodes Of The Moon (5:06)
11. Aepse Mvt 3 (4:20)

One of Dave McDonnell's biggest takeaways from putting time in with dozens of outfits is a desire for his own music to be immediate and reactive, mindful of pulse and the body's innate rhythm but also cerebral. A groove-oriented framework functions as rhythmic scaffolding for his complex harmonic motifs: witness the stacked polyrhythms on the hard-driving 'Bullitt' and lithe 'Vox Orion,' or the lively Latin feel of 'Nodes of the Moon. ' 'Brandywine' is hook-laden and swings hard, similar to the bookends of 'Bakers Man,' the bulk of which is dominated by explosive free-improv fireworks.

The Time Inside A Year

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