Van Morrison - Pay The Devil

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s

Time: 45:34

Size: 104.3 MB

Styles: Country, Country-jazz

Year: 2006

Art: Front

[2:12] 1. There Stands The Glass

[2:36] 2. Half As Much

[3:07] 3. Things Have Gone To Pieces

[2:52] 4. Big Blue Diamonds

[4:10] 5. Playhouse

[2:28] 6. Your Cheatin' Heart

[2:19] 7. My Bucket's Got A Hole In It

[2:45] 8. Back Street Affair

[3:00] 9. Pay The Devil

[3:53] 10. What Am I Living For

[4:40] 11. This Has Got To Stop

[2:48] 12. Once A Day

[2:42] 13. More And More

[5:56] 14. Till I Gain Control Again

With stunning album-length explorations of jazz and 1950s acoustic skiffle and a country-rockabilly collaboration with Linda Gail Lewis behind him, Van Morrison continues exploring classic country with compelling reinterpretations of standards from the 1950s to the 1970s. He reaches back over half a century for Hank Williams Sr.'s "Half As Much," "Your Cheatin' Heart," and "My Bucket's Got a Hole in It" and Webb Pierce's landmark honky-tonk hits "Back Street Affair," "There Stands the Glass," and "More and More." Moving to the mid-'60s, he capably explores George Jones's "Things Have Gone to Pieces" and Connie Smith's "Once a Day." The 1970s are his limit, however, as he probes Rodney Crowell's "'Til I Gain Control Again." Three Morrison originals blend nicely into this mix, as do two non-country favorites: Chuck Willis's "What Am I Living For" and a gleeful spin on Blue Lu Barker's 1938 jazzy, single-entendre favorite "Don't You Make Me High." Recorded in Ireland with uncluttered hard-country backing, Pay the Devil reiterates Morrison's own musical diversity and flair for making any song his own. ~Rich Kienzle

Pay the Devil      

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Renee Rosnes Trio - A Time For Love

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 53:11
Size: 121.7 MB
Styles: Post bop, Piano jazz
Year: 2005
Art: Front

[6:44] 1. A Time For Love
[4:55] 2. Suddenly It's Spring
[5:04] 3. Lush Life
[4:37] 4. Lullaby Petite
[5:44] 5. I Was Doing All Right
[5:39] 6. Invitation
[4:12] 7. Wait Till You See Her
[4:35] 8. Ballad To The East
[4:33] 9. Dizzy Spells
[2:30] 10. The Bad And The Beautiful
[4:33] 11. The Duke

Renee Rosnes - piano; Peter Washington - bass; Lewis Nash - drums.

A classic trio outing featuring the exquisite rhythm team of Peter Washington and Lewis Nash. Ms. Rosnes explores a variety of rich material. From such masterpieces as "Lush Life" and "A Time For Love" to music penned by legendary pianists Oscar Peterson, Ray Bryant and Dave Brubeck, this recording spans the emotional palette. Ms. Rosnes' solo performance of film composer David Raksin's "The Bad and The Beautiful" is simply haunting. Another standout is the pianist's own "Dizzy Spells," a cascading, memorable melody based on Dizzy Gillespie's "Con Alma."

A Time For Love

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Stan Getz, Kenny Barron - People Time (2-Disc Set)

This album, a series of duets laying the wondrously inquisitive piano of Kenny Barron next to the breathy, half-lit tenor of Stan Getz, was both the last public appearance and the final recording in the life of Getz. Recorded with astonishing clarity live at Copenhagen's Montmartre Café, People Time serves as a passionate coda to the life of this great saxophonist. Many of the tunes seem chosen for their emotional content, as if Getz were aware this might be his swan song. Speculation aside, this is a remarkably gorgeous, exquisitely paced recording. Throughout, Getz and Barron exhibit both a deep understanding of the material as well as sympathetic, truly harmonious playing. Never rushed, never brash, People Time lingers over melodies, fleshing them out and extracting every ounce of feeling. A must-have for fans of both artists. ~S. Duda

Album: People Time (Disc 1)

itrate: MP3@320K/s

Time: 56:17

Size: 128.9 MB

Styles: Contemporary jazz

Year: 1992

[9:25] 1. East Of The Sun (And West Of The Moon)

[8:19] 2. Night And Day

[5:24] 3. I'm Okay

[7:59] 4. Like Someone In Love

[8:48] 5. Stablemates

[9:08] 6. I Remember Clifford

[7:11] 7. Gone With The Wind

People Time (Disc 1)

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Album: People Time (Disc 2)

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s

Time: 59:09

Size: 135.4 MB

Styles: Contemporary jazz

Year: 1992

Art: Front

[9:54] 1. First Song (For Ruth)

[8:35] 2. There Is No Greater Love

[9:19] 3. The Surrey With The Fringe On Top

[6:21] 4. People Time

[7:54] 5. Softly, As In A Morning Sunrise

[9:31] 6. Hush-A-Bye

[7:33] 7. Soul Eyes

People Time (Disc 2)

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Antonio Faraò - Next Stories

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 49:16
Size: 112.8 MB
Styles: Piano jazz
Year: 2002
Art: Front

[5:10] 1. I'm Waiting
[9:39] 2. Theme For Bond [dedicated To My Wonderful Dog]
[4:29] 3. Creole
[4:03] 4. Sweet
[7:28] 5. Next Stories
[4:40] 6. I Could Have Done More
[4:01] 7. What Is This Thing Called Love
[6:38] 8. Few Days
[3:04] 9. Sabrina And Joseph

Extraordinary Italian pianist Antonio Faraó was born in Rome in 1965. He attended the Giuseppe Verdi Conservatory in Milan in the '80s, where he refined his musical gifts. Faraó began cultivating his profound love of jazz at clubs when he was only in his teens. Even then, those around him didn't miss the natural talent for piano the young man had been blessed with. Faraó started touring at an early age, playing festivals like Lugano, Merano, Lyon, Umbria Jazz, Palermo, and many others. In 1987, at only 22, he won the New Talent Prize at the X1 Music Review. Four years later, he was voted Pianist of the Year, winning the Four Roses Prize. In 1998, he was invited to enter into the international competition for the Concours Martial Solal. Faraó came away as the winner. In 1999, he saw the release of his debut album, Black Inside, on the Enja Records label. Bassist Ira Coleman and drummer Jeff "Tain" Watts accompanied Faraó's piano work. With post-bop tracks like "Latin Dance," "Sweet," and "My One and Only Love," the album combined a Mediterranean touch with the African-American jazz styling that Faraó became known for. A sophomore effort titled Thorn followed in early 2001. As Faraó's reputation grew he was able to attract several jazz heavy-hitters to the studio, resulting in albums with saxophonist Bob Berg (2002's Far Out), bassist Miroslav Vitous (2005's Takes on Pasolini), and drummer Andre Ceccarelli (2008's Woman's Perfume and 2011s Domi). He then paired with saxophonist Joe Lovano, bassist Ira Coleman, and drummer Jack DeJohnette for 2014's Evan. In 2015, Faraó made his Verve label debut with Boundaries, which featured several of his longtime Italian collaborators including saxophonist/drummer Mauro Negri and bassist Martin Gjakonovski.

Next Stories

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The Mills Brothers - The Best Of The Mills Brothers

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 33:52
Size: 77.5 MB
Styles: Vocal harmony group
Year: 2000
Art: Front

[2:36] 1. Paper Doll
[2:44] 2. Lazy River
[3:06] 3. You Always Hurt The One You Love
[2:35] 4. Till Then
[2:27] 5. Across The Alley From The Alamo
[3:12] 6. I've Got My Love To Keep Me Warm
[2:54] 7. Someday (You'll Want Me To Want You)
[2:45] 8. Nevertheless (I'm In Love With You)
[3:11] 9. Be My Life's Companion
[2:38] 10. The Glow Worm
[2:44] 11. Standing On The Corner
[2:53] 12. Cab Driver

It might not strike one listening to the music on this collection--smoothly crafted, perfectly harmonized pop often set to gently loping swing rhythms--that the Mills Brothers were actually outstanding pioneers of black music. Their close harmony work, based on the barbershop quartets of a previous era, were an innovation in '30s popular music, arguably laying the groundwork for '50s doo-wop and by extension even the music of the Backstreet Boys and 'N Sync (but don't hold that against them!). This collection serves as a good introduction to the Mills Brothers' legacy, serving up a dozen of their infectious hits, a few of which ("Lazy River," "You Always Hurt the One You Love") still stand among the definitive renditions of the classic American songbook. And what other band has had a seven-decade career (their sons, nephews, and grandsons now filling the ranks), scoring Top 40 hits ("Paper Doll" and "Cab Driver") 46 years apart? ~Jerry McCulley

The Best Of The Mills Brothers

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Hank Jones - I Remember You

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1977
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 70:55
Size: 163,0 MB
Art: Front

(6:02)  1. I Remember You
(5:51)  2. Young No More
(3:12)  3. You Took Advantage of Me
(4:59)  4. Love Walked In
(5:05)  5. Dat Dere
(4:50)  6. I'll Be Around
(2:45)  7. Let's Fall In Love
(5:22)  8. Like Someone In Love
(7:28)  9. Theme for Jobim
(3:15) 10. It's the Talk of the Town
(6:09) 11. I Remember You (take 3)
(5:23) 12. Young No More (take 2)
(5:06) 13. Love Walked In (take 1)
(5:21) 14. Like Someone In Love (take 1)

Made for the French Black & Blue label and released in the U.S. on a Classic Jazz LP, this outing features pianist Hank Jones emphasizing the swing side of his flexible musical personality. Teamed up with bassist George Duvivier and drummer Oliver Jackson, Jones adds beauty and melodic ideas to such veteran numbers as "You Took Advantage of Me," "Love Walked In," "Like Someone In Love" and (easily the most recent tune) Bobby Timmons' "Dat Dere." A fine set that will be difficult to find. ~ Scott Yanow  http://www.allmusic.com/album/i-remember-you-mw0000271609

I Remember You

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Horace Silver - Music For Lovers

Styles: Hard bop, Piano jazz
Year: 2005
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 52:47
Size: 121,2 MB
Art: Front

(2:47)  1. Prelude To a Kiss
(5:58)  2. Peace
(3:52)  3. I Remember You
(5:05)  4. For Heaven's Sake
(5:17)  5. Next Time I Fall In Love
(6:57)  6. Lonely Woman
(4:13)  7. Shirl
(5:28)  8. Sweet Stuff
(6:09)  9. Cherry Blossom
(6:57) 10. My One and Only Love

Here are ten tracks showcasing the utter beauty of Horace Silver's playing and in some cases, composing jazz ballads. These tunes are lushly romantic and utterly soulful. Recorded between 1952 and 1968, this collection features such notable Silver compositions as "Peace," "Shirl," "Sweet Stuff," "Lonely Woman," and the gorgeous "Next Time I Fall in Love." The rest is choice as well especially for a budget-priced set  and includes Silver's read of Duke Ellington's masterpiece "Prelude to a Kiss," accompanied by Art Blakey and Curly Russell from 1952, and Guy Wood and Robert Mellin's "My One and Only Love," with Art Farmer, Hank Mobley, Louis Hayes, and Teddy Kotick. This isn't the funky, soul-jazzin' Silver, but the romantic, poetic balladeer whispering to lovers. ~ Thom Jurek  http://www.allmusic.com/album/music-for-lovers-mw0000673174

Music For Lovers

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Hamilton All Star Band - Swinging With The Stars (Disc 1) And (Disc 2)

Formed in 1984 by lifelong Hamilton resident Dr. Russ Weil, the HASJB has developed into one of the premier amateur big band organizations in Canada. The HASJB has an impressive record, having been twice named the most outstanding band in its class in Canada. It is the recipient of 10 consecutive regional gold awards, 3 national gold awards, an award of excellence at the Clark Terry Jazz Festival at the University of New Hampshire, 3 awards of excellence at the Tri-C Jazz Festival in Cleveland, Ohio and standing invitations to many of the world’s great jazz festivals.

In 1995, 2000, 2003, 2007, and 2012 the band performed at the world -famous Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland, an event that has over the years, been graced by the greatest names in jazz. The band has played eight concerts in Montreux and has made appearances at jazz festivals in Vienne, Avignon, Juan-les-Pins, Aix les-Bains, Aix-en-Provence and Reims in France along with Freiburg in Germany, SanRemo in Italy and additional concerts in Brienz, Switzerland. Special appearances came at the request of the Federal Minister for Canadian Heritage and the Canadian Ambassador to France to promote Canadian culture by performing an all-Canadian program in 2000 and 2003 at the Canadian Embassy in Paris and again at the Ambassador’s home for a private diplomatic function to celebrate Canada Day 2000. In 2003 and 2012, the tour included a special concert for the Juno Beach Memorial to Canadian Veterans in Courseulles-sur-Mer, France, with a program featuring the music of WWII. In 2007, the HASJB was the headline act in Ste. Die-de-Vosges, France for the 400th anniversary of the naming of the Americas by the scholars of Ste. Die.

In 1998, the HASJB was featured at the International Association for Jazz Education Conference in New York City, an event attended by some 8000 jazz artists and educators from all over the world. In Canada, they have performed for the Prime Minister, the Governor General and at a special celebration for the Golden Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II in Hamilton before over 15,000 appreciative fans.

Membership - There are three bands in the organization. Membership is available to all between the ages of 11 and 25. Entry to each ensemble is by audition. All groups are completely open and non-discriminatory. Each band usually consists of 5 saxophones, 5 trumpets, 5 trombones, guitar, bass, piano, drums and vocalist and the vocal jazz group can have up to 16 singers. During the past 27 years, over 750 musicians have participated in the All Star organization and many have gone on to pursue additional studies or professional careers in music or music education all over the world.

Program - During the organization’s history, they have concentrated on music of the “big bands” with special attention to the masters - Duke Ellington and Count Basie and the wonderful music of Ella Fitzgerald and Billie Holiday to name but a few. The All Stars often perform ‘tribute’ concerts to sold-out audiences, where they focus on the repertoire or style of a particular jazz great. The All Star Jazz Band has been featured many times at major theatres in Hamilton and has played to enthusiastic audiences at some of the great jazz venues in Toronto including “Ontario Place”, the “Montreal Bistro” and the “Rex Hotel Jazz Club”. In addition to performing with the Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra on two occasions, the HASJB has released 8 CDs to date, featuring some of the greatest names in jazz, who have “guested” over the years. They include Phil Nimmons, Pat LaBarbera, Rob McConnell, Rick Wilkins, Kenny Wheeler, Guido Basso, Alex Dean, Mike Malone and David Braid - an “all-Canadian” line-up.

Organization - The All Star family consists of the Hamilton Junior Jazz Band for 11 to 15 year olds, the Hamilton Rising Stars Jazz Band, for 15 to 19 year olds, and the Hamilton All Star Jazz Band for musicians up to 25 years of age.

The Mission of Hamilton All Star Jazz Band Inc. is "Music and Youth Building a Better Community". The bands aim to be the leading arts organization for youth in the Golden Horseshoe.

Our young people act as ambassadors for our community. We focus on the development of life skills - responsibility, commitment, teamwork, leadership and respect - in an intellectually and artistically challenging environment. 

We concentrate on excellence in music performance for local, national and international audiences. HASJB Inc. provides a proud legacy that is directed by an enthusiastic group of directors, advisors and volunteers who administer a self-sustaining, multi-tiered program for young people. We are a registered charitable organization for the youth of Canada. http://www.hamiltonallstarjazz.org/history.php

Disc 1
Styles: Jazz, Big Band
Year: 2015
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 41:42
Size: 96,0 MB
Art: Front

(4:14)  1. On Purple Porpoise Parkway
(6:14)  2. 500 Miles High
(3:18)  3. I'm Beginning To See The Light
(6:16)  4. Bang That Wall, Harvey
(2:07)  5. The Song Is You
(9:12)  6. The Gentle Piece
(2:24)  7. Deed I Do
(7:53)  8. Bopularity

Swinging With The Stars (Disc 1)

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Disc 2
Time: 43:21
Size: 99,7 MB
Art: Front

( 8:51)  1. A Tribute To Art Fern
( 2:39)  2. Straighten Up And Fly Right
( 7:36)  3. Manteca
( 2:56)  4. Don't Be That Way
( 5:00)  5. Slauson Cutoff
( 5:37)  6. Daydream
(10:39)  7. Caravan

Swinging With The Stars (Disc 2)

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Randy Sandke, Harry Allen, Mulgrew Miller, Peter Washington, Kenny Washington - Cliffhanger

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 72:13
Size: 165.3 MB
Styles: Mainstream jazz
Year: 2003
Art: Front

[3:46] 1. Let's Face The Music And Dance
[7:37] 2. Nobody Else But Me
[5:01] 3. What's New
[5:38] 4. Come Rain Or Come Shine
[4:36] 5. One For Mulgrew
[8:25] 6. I Fall In Love Too Easily
[4:17] 7. Cliffhanger
[7:04] 8. One Fine Day In May
[6:28] 9. I Concentrate On You
[7:36] 10. Willow Weep For Me
[7:01] 11. No Moon At All
[4:38] 12. Limehouse Blues

Randy Sandke is a spectacular trumpeter, one who is most associated with small-group swing but is actually a forward-looking improviser capable of playing in more modern idioms too. On this set he is teamed with the Stan Getz-inspired tenor saxophonist Harry Allen, pianist Mulgrew Miller, bassist Peter Washington, and drummer Kenny Washington. Trombonist Wycliffe Gordon makes his lone appearance on the quirky title cut. Other than the three Sandke originals ("Cliffhanger," "One for Mulgrew," and the jazz waltz "One Fine Day in May"), the repertoire consists of swing standards. Sandke and Allen work particularly well together while Miller (who normally sounds closer to McCoy Tyner) proves to be quite adaptable in this setting. Sandke, who has a warm tone, a wide range, and the ability to play the adventurous ideas he thinks of, is in top form throughout. Highlights include "Let's Face the Music and Dance," a passionate rendition of "What's New," "I Fall in Love Too Easily," and "Limehouse Blues." Every Sandke recording is well worth hearing, with Cliffhanger offering a strong example of his musical talents. ~Scott Yanow

Cliffhanger

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Pete Levin - Jump

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 63:27
Size: 145.2 MB
Styles: B3 Organ jazz
Year: 2010
Art: Front

[6:49] 1. Jump!
[6:48] 2. Exclamation!
[6:36] 3. That Was Then
[6:47] 4. The Big Dog Is Always Right
[6:31] 5. Talk To The Animals
[5:57] 6. Nostalgia In Times Square
[6:02] 7. Little Sunflower
[5:44] 8. Candido
[7:09] 9. Alone Together
[5:00] 10. Honeysuckle Rose

Some music, just by the act of listening to it, makes you feel cooler. A great jazz organ trio can do that with ease. Whether it's Jimmy Smith, Richard "Groove" Holmes, or Pete Levin, those syncopated stabs and walking basslines on the Hammond B3, when percolating with brushed drums and warm electric guitar, have the power to relax the mind and stoke the imagination.

As the fleet-fingered Levin saunters and swings through the mentholated grooves of "Exclamation!," "That Was Then" and "The Big Dog Is Always Right," the listener is suddenly in some smoke-filled corner bar, circa 1960, decked out in a sharkskin suit and a Dobbs lid. And as if he or she needed any more fuel for the way back machine, Levin even covers Mingus' aptly titles "Nostalgia in Time Square."

Remarkably, the B3 is not Levin's first instrument. In the '70s, he got his start playing French horn with Gil Evans, then branched out as one of jazz's first synthesizer specialists. His work with a wide array of artists across the spectrum, from Miles Davis and Wayne Shorter to Paul Simon and Annie Lennox, influences his own compositions, which are both harmonically interesting and immediate. And his choice of covers reflects a playful sensibility, from Doctor Doolittle's "Talk to the Animals" to Tin Pan Alley chestnuts "Honeysuckle Rose" and "Alone Together."

Bandmates drummer Lenny White and guitarist Dave Stryker get plenty of room to stretch out - Stryker's solo on "That Was Then" is especially lovely - but mostly this is Levin administering one long, invigorating shot of B3 cool. ~Bill DeMain

Jump

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Lee Wiley & Ellis Larkins - Duologue

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s

Time: 34:55

Size: 79.9 MB

Styles: Standards, Vocal jazz

Year: 1954/1984

Art: Front

[2:27] 1. My Heart Stood Still

[2:50] 2. Looking At You

[3:25] 3. You Took Advantage Of Me

[2:36] 4. By Myself

[2:37] 5. My Romance

[3:29] 6. Give It Back To The Indians

[3:04] 7. Mountain Greenery

[2:58] 8. It Never Entered My Mind

[3:19] 9. Perfume And Rain

[3:02] 10. My Funny Valentine

[2:46] 11. Then I'll Be Tired Of You

[2:17] 12. Glad To Be Unhappy

Although only 38 at the time of this recording and still in her musical prime, singer Lee Wiley was already thought of as a has-been, and was finding it increasingly difficult to locate work. Her sophisticated, gentle, yet sincere swing style was out of favor by the mid-'50s, but she still had something to say. This CD reissue features her haunting voice showcased on eight numbers with a quartet that includes trumpeter Ruby Braff, pianist Jimmy Jones, bassist Bill Pemberton and drummer Jo Jones; the best are "My Heart Stood Still," "My Funny Valentine" and especially memorable versions of "It Never Entered My Mind" and "Glad to Be Unhappy." Although pianist Ellis Larkins, who is heard on four unrelated unaccompanied solos, gets co-billing on the CD, he and Wiley never actually meet. ~Scott Yanow

Duologue

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Curtis Fuller - Soul Trombone

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 38:19
Size: 87.7 MB
Styles: Hard bop, Trombone jazz
Year: 1962/2011
Art: Front

[6:16] 1. The Clan
[4:53] 2. In The Wee Small Hours Of The Morning
[7:36] 3. Newdles
[3:59] 4. The Breeze And I
[9:03] 5. Dear Old Stockholm
[6:28] 6. Ladies Night

Curtis Fuller was very busy as a leader between his recording debut in 1957 and these 1961 sessions, which made up his first LP for Impulse and his eighteenth overall disc of his own. Though not quite as adventurous on the trombone as J.J. Johnson, Fuller more than holds his own leading a band including Freddie Hubbard, Jimmy Heath, Jymie Merritt, and either Jimmy Cobb or G.T. Hogan on drums. The solos on this hard bop disc are superb, with Fuller giving his musicians plenty of room, while his own work is first-rate. Three of the six pieces are originals and even if they never caught on, there is no filler present anywhere. ~Ken Dryden

Soul Trombone

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Gary Burton, Rebecca Parris - It's Another Day

Styles: Vocal And Vibraphone Jazz
Year: 1993
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 63:33
Size: 146,1 MB
Art: Front

(3:57)  1. Good Enough
(4:54)  2. A Deeper Dream
(4:55)  3. Emerald Mist (It's Another Day)
(5:53)  4. The Melody Is You
(4:35)  5. Our Love Is Here To Stay
(6:34)  6. Let the Flower Grow
(5:15)  7. Forest of Dreams
(6:22)  8. If The Moon Turns Green
(5:19)  9. Au Privave
(4:23) 10. Fire in the Forest
(4:52) 11. Solitude
(6:28) 12. We Can Try Love Again

Although vibraphonist Gary Burton gets top billing, this CD is actually a showcase for vocalist Rebecca Paris. 

The material is dominated by newer "contemporary" songs and pop tunes; every song except the closing voice-vibes duet is given a routine funk rhythm. ~ Scott Yanow  http://www.allmusic.com/album/its-another-day-mw0000108588

Personnel: Gary Burton (vibraphone); Rebecca Parris (vocals); Tommy Kamp (vocals, violin); Alan Pasqua (piano, keyboards); Chuck Loeb (guitar); Will Lee (bass, percussion); Peter Erskine (drums, percussion).

It's Another Day

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Gene Ammons - The Boss Is Back!

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1994
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 73:16
Size: 168,3 MB
Art: Front

(7:27)  1. Tastin' the Jug
(7:59)  2. I Wonder
(8:48)  3. Ger-ru
(6:06)  4. Here's That Rainy Day
(6:47)  5. Madame Queen
(5:34)  6. The Jungle Boss
(5:10)  7. Jungle Strut
(6:03)  8. Didn't We
(5:04)  9. He's a Real Gone Guy
(5:41) 10. Feeling Good
(4:06) 11. Blue Velvet
(4:26) 12. Son of a Preacher Man

The executives at Prestige must have been felt ecstatic when they heard Gene Ammons first play after his release from a very severe seven-year jail sentence. The great tenor proved to still be in his prime, his huge sound was unchanged and he was hungry to make new music. This CD, which completely reissues the first two LPs Ammons cut after his return (The Boss Is Back! and Brother Jug!) rewards repeated listenings. The first date (in an acoustic quintet with pianist Junior Mance) hints at his earlier bop-based music while the numbers from the following day (with organist Sonny Phillips) find Ammons playing over a couple of boogaloo vamps very much of the period. Actually it is his ballad statements (particularly "Here's That Rainy Day," "Feeling Good" and even "Didn't We") that really make this CD memorable, although on "He's a Real Gone Guy" Ammons shows that he had not forgotten how to jam the blues either. ~ Scott Yanow  http://www.allmusic.com/album/the-boss-is-back!-mw0000111625

Personnel: Gene Ammons (tenor saxophone); Billy Butler (guitar); Houston Person, Prince James (tenor saxophone); Junior Mance (piano); Sonny Phillips (organ); Bob Bushnell (electric bass); Frank Jones , Frankie Jones, Bernard "Pretty" Purdie (drums); Candido , Candido Camero (congas).

The Boss Is Back!

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Georgie Fame - Poet In New York

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2000
File: MP3@224K/s
Time: 54:51
Size: 88,3 MB
Art: Front

(3:38)  1. Tuned In To You
(5:42)  2. But Not For Me
(3:38)  3. Doodlin'
(4:43)  4. Declaration Of My Love
(4:42)  5. Symphony Sid
(5:10)  6. On A Misty Night
(4:47)  7. That's The Way It Goes
(3:15)  8. Do It The Hard Way
(4:09)  9. Girl Talk
(5:40) 10. It Could Happen To You
(3:40) 11. Accentuate The Bass
(5:42) 12. Lush Life

When Georgie Fame's name is mentioned, many people immediately think of his 1960s pop hits or his years as Van Morrison's keyboardist. But listeners should not forget that Fame is also a swinging jazz singer, and Poet in New York is an appealing demonstration of what he can do in an acoustic hard bop setting. Fame makes no concessions to pop, rock, or R&B tastes on this 2000 release, which is about as straight-ahead as it gets. Drawing on such influences as Mark Murphy, Jon Hendricks, and Bob Dorough, the British vocalist gets heavily into vocalise and reminds us how expressive an interpreter of lyrics he can be. Spontaneity prevails on material that ranges from Neal Hefti's "Girl Talk" and Billy Strayhorn's "Lush Life" to Rodgers & Hart's "Do It the Hard Way." 

Fame (who is joined by tenor saxman Bob Malach, pianist David Hazeltine, bassist Peter Washington, and drummer Louis Hayes) acknowledges some of the masters of vocalise, interpreting Hendricks' lyrics to Horace Silver's "Doodlin'" and King Pleasure's lyrics to Lester Young's "Jumpin' with Symphony Sid." The improviser also does some writing of his own, providing lyrics for no less than three Tadd Dameron pieces: "On a Misty Night," "Accentuate the Bass," and "That's the Way It Goes." Produced by Ben Sidran, Poet in New York is enthusiastically recommended to anyone who likes hearing Fame as a pure, unapologetic jazz vocalist. ~ Alex Henderson  http://www.allmusic.com/album/poet-in-new-york-mw0000090155

Personnel: Georgie Fame (vocals); Bob Malach (saxophone); David Hazeltine (piano); Peter Washington (bass); Louis Hayes (drums).

Poet In New York

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Giacomo Gates - Centerpiece

Styles: Jazz, Vocal
Year: 2004
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 58:11
Size: 133,8 MB
Art: Front

(5:48)  1. Summertime
(3:30)  2. I Told You I Love You, Now Get Out
(4:15)  3. Centerpiece
(4:51)  4. Meldey: How High The Moon / Ornithology
(5:28)  5. You'd Be So Nice to Come Home To
(4:33)  6. All Of Me
(5:00)  7. Lady Bird
(5:55)  8. Route 66
(5:03)  9. Scotch & Soda
(4:18) 10. Lester Leaps In / I Got The Blues
(3:44) 11. Milestones
(5:40) 12. Hittin' The Jug / Swan Song

Centerpiece is the third album from Connecticut-based crooner Giacomo Gates. This is full-fledged jazz lounge singing at its contemporary best. The songs are standards from throughout the timeline of jazz, but with an extra ounce of emphasis on some of the writers: Cole Porter, Eddie Jefferson, and King Pleasure. There are clear echoes in Gates' technique of Sinatra at times, Lambert, Hendricks & Ross methods at times, and maybe a bit of Joe Williams on some of the bop standards. With these echoes and influences in hand, Gates then fuses them into a coherent style of his own. The great thing here, beyond being able to mimic aspects of the greats, is his ability to jump from style to style along the way and claim the songs for himself. In "Route 66," he slows the pace down to a lazy croon. 

In "I Got the Blues," he picks up the phrasing to a jumping bop format very reminiscent of a sped-up round of some of the Dizzy Gillespie/Joe Carroll classics. The forward drive is only enhanced as he smashes into a lyricized version of "Milestones" (which also features some exceptional solos from the band). The album is an exceptional take on vocal jazz, which tends to lose its sheer power and fun in favor of sentimentality in many new artists. Gates reclaims the fun of it and keeps the technical aspects at peak performance to boot. Definitely worth picking up for any fan of older styles of vocal jazz, and most likely for fans of contemporary vocal jazz to get a glimpse of a different take. ~ Adam Greenberg  http://www.allmusic.com/album/centerpiece-mw0000205782

Personnel: Giacomo Gates (vocals); Vic Juris (guitar); Vincent Herring (alto saxophone); Harold Danko (piano); Ray Drummond (double bass); Greg Bandy (drums).

Centerpiece

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Yaala Ballin - Travlin' Alone / On The Road

Album: Travlin' Alone
Size: 100,1 MB
Time: 37:33
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2009
Styles: Jazz Vocals
Art: Front

01. The Best Thing For You (3:06)
02. Crazy He Calls Me (5:06)
03. Now, Baby, Or Never (2:55)
04. Love (3:00)
05. The Gypsy (3:52)
06. I Remember You (3:24)
07. Get Lost (4:25)
08. I Only Have Eyes For You (3:18)
09. You're Mine, You (4:52)
10. Travlin' Alone (3:31)

Personnel:
Yaala Ballin (vocals)
Chris Byars (tenor sax,alto sax)
Don Hahn (trumpet,fluglehorn)
Sacha Perry (piano)
Keith Balla (drums)
Ari Roland (bass)

Arriving in New York in 2005, she quickly won the admiration of many of the city's brightest talents. "Travelin' Alone" is Ms. Ballin's debut recording as a leader. The performances are highly personal statements, perfectly balancing each song's narrative qualities with Ms. Ballin's outstanding command of theory and harmony. The CD swings relentlessly, and is infused throughout with the profound inflection and emotional subtext of the deepest Blues.

Travlin' Alone

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Album: On The Road
Size: 101,4 MB
Time: 43:48
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2011
Styles: Jazz Vocals
Art: Front

01. Exactly Like You (3:46)
02. Every Time We Say Goodbye (4:53)
03. Three Little Words (2:38)
04. Evil Gal Blues/Salty Papa Blues (3:58)
05. Ask Me Now (3:09)
06. I Cried For You (2:57)
07. I Can't Give You Any Thing But Love (4:45)
08. More Then You'll Ever Know (3:22)
09. I'm Gonna Lock My Heart (3:52)
10. Long Gone Blues/Wise Woman Blues (5:22)
11. Bye Bye Baby (5:00)

Yaala Ballin's On The Road came into being as the young vocalist came off the road, completing an international tour with her working band. Ballin wisely chose to capitalize on the musical bonds and connections forged on the road, bringing the band into the studio to record a set that reflects the programming and flow of her live performances.

While some singers seem to thrive on the unexpected, transforming classics into near-unrecognizable numbers with odd re-harmonizations and rhythmic curve balls, Ballin doesn't fall into this category. Her largely straightforward approach to these standards marks her as an old soul and, while she clearly lives in the here and now, the material, arrangements and track length make this a retro record of sorts. Straight-up swing dominates the set and, with seven of the eleven tracks clocking in at four minutes or less, it almost seems like Ballin belongs to a time when the constraints of technology made longer recordings impossible.

Ballin shapes her performances with a consistency rarely heard, delivering radiant vocals over a tight musical safety net, but the consistency found within the arrangements can occasionally bog down the flow of the album. While she generously shares space with her band mates, giving each musician countless opportunities to deliver short solo statements, a formulaic approach found throughout the album tends to make too many performances sound similar. A good number of these pieces follow along a path where an introduction leads to vocals, with a saxophone delivering sly little responses in the empty spaces. Then, a string of brief solos, which don't last long enough to really develop into memorable statements, lead quickly back to Ballin. ~by Dan Bilawsky

The other issue that occasionally crops up has to do with the transitions. While each band member has no problem delivering a pleasing solo built on a sturdy foundation of technique and taste, things occasionally sound tentative or uncertain when they pass the baton along to the next person, and segues from drum solos back to Ballin's vocals can sound abrupt. Thankfully, this is merely a small blemish on an otherwise pristine package. In fact, Ballin's sensational and spirited vocals, along with the tight ensemble playing behind her, help to make many of these antique songs sound shiny and new. Drummer Keith Balla's tasty brush work and left foot interactions bring energy and excitement to "Three Little Words" at the outset of the song, and Ballin and pianist Vahagn Hayrapertyan sound marvelous as they start "Bye Bye Baby" all by themselves. Ballin also shows an affinity for the blues, best noticed during the first half of "Long Gone Blues/Wise Woman Blues."

When all is said and done, Ballin clearly brings class, confidence and sophistication to this music, making On The Road a pleasant drive through familiar surroundings.

Personnel: Yaala Ballin: vocals; Zaid Nasser: alto saxophone; Chris Byars: tenor saxophone; Vahagn Hayrapertyan: piano; Ari Roland: bass; Keith Balla: drums.

On The Road

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Akio Sasajima - Images Of Lennon/McCartney

Size: 129,9 MB
Time: 55:56
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2015
Styles: Jazz: Guitar Jazz, Hard Bop
Art: Front

01. A Hard Day's Night (7:23)
02. And I Love Her (4:54)
03. Eleanor Rigby (Samba) (5:28)
04. Here, There And Everywhere (7:39)
05. Ticket To Ride (5:18)
06. Michelle (5:00)
07. Nowhere Man (5:28)
08. Eleanor Rigby (Swing) (5:15)
09. Yesterday (5:15)
10. We Can Work It Out (4:12)

Akio Sasajima (born 1952) is a jazz guitarist born in Japan and currently based in Nevada City, California. His playing style incorporates bebop, hard bop, and jazz fusion. He recorded several albums as a leader for Muse and Enja in the late 1980s and early 1990s.

Images Of Lennon/McCartney

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The London Swing Orchestra - The Rise Of The Crooner 1945-1975

Size: 151,8 MB
Time: 63:42
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2015
Styles: Jazz: Swing, Vocals
Art: Front

01. Beyond The Sea (2:53)
02. Come Fly With Me (3:11)
03. Let's Face The Music And Dance (2:39)
04. Have You Met Miss Jones (2:17)
05. Fly Me To The Moon (3:07)
06. Brazil (2:58)
07. It Had To Be You (2:30)
08. Let There Be Love (2:37)
09. I've Got You Under My Skin (3:30)
10. I Get A Kick Out Of You (3:22)
11. I Left My Heart In San Francisco (3:43)
12. L.O.V.E (2:59)
13. Just A Gigolo - I Ain't Got Nobody (3:38)
14. Steppin' Out With My Baby (2:41)
15. Eager Beaver (3:03)
16. Is You Is Or Is You Ain't My Baby (3:05)
17. Soul Bossa (2:57)
18. Mack The Knife (3:15)
19. Now You Has Jazz (3:18)
20. New York New York (2:56)
21. Il Silenzio (2:53)

The London Swing Orchestra were formed by Graham Dalby for a VE Day event at The Hammersmith Palais in 1985. It became a full-time professional orchestra in 1987 and signed to President Records with whom they recorded four albums. Their first overseas performance was in the Confesshalle, Berlin with Gloria Gaynor and James Last followed by a summer trip to Norway to perform alongside notables such as Manhattan Transfer and Miles Davis. In 1990 the Orchestra came to the notice of Princess Margaret at a ball for the Devonshires at Chatsworth and that December the band were asked to play for the 40th Birthday of Princess Margaret and the 90th of HM The Queen Mother at Buckingham Palace - an invitation that was repeated for the Queen Mother's 100th at Windsor a decade later. In 1990 the orchestra were resident at Hong Kong's iconic Peninsular Hotel over Christmas and New Year's Eve. The Orchestra would return there often and in 1997 toured Beijing, Shanghai and Hong Kong for the Handover. That year they were signed to EMI. In 1998 the Orchestra recorded the music for the BBC TV series Mrs Bradley Murder Mysteries with Diana Rigg. They also played at the 21st Birthday of Kate (now Duchess of Cambridge) Middleton. The Orchestra saw in the Millennium at Claridges and during the 00's performed in Rome and Milan for Valentino. Recently the Orchestra have released three of a four album anthology of Jazz and Swing from 1920 to 1965 with Upbeat Records and are touring a concert programme in theatres starting in January 2015 with the Everyman in Cheltenham who have re-booked for January 16th 2016.

The Rise Of The Crooner 1945-1975

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Fred Wesley - Comme Ci Comme Ça

Size: 115,4 MB
Time: 49:40
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 1991
Styles: Jazz: Funky Jazz, Soul Jazz
Art: Front

01. Smile Stacey (6:12)
02. Love In L.A. (5:19)
03. On Green Dolphin Street (7:19)
04. Comme Ci, Comme Ca (5:46)
05. Love Child (4:56)
06. Just Like That (4:15)
07. This One Is For You (5:29)
08. Moose The Mooche (4:14)
09. Prayer (6:09)

Trombonist Fred Wesley has spent much of his career either in the R&B groups of James Brown or Brown's sidemen but he has long been a closet bebopper. This CD offers several fine examples of Wesley's J.J. Johnson-inpsired style. Using a superior group of associates (including altoist Maceo Parker, Karl Denson on tenor and trumpeter Hugh Ragin), Wesley is quite unselfish in delegating solo space. The selections (originals plus "On Green Dolphin Street" and "Moose the Mooche") all fall into the hard bop realm; Teresa Carroll chips in a couple of decent vocals. In general the music is consistently predictable and safe but enjoyable, one of Fred Wesley's better dates as a leader. ~by Scott Yanow

Thanks to Marc.

Comme Ci Comme Ça

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