Susannah McCorkle - Dream

Size: 101,1 MB
Time: 39:18
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 1987
Styles: Jazz Vocals
Art: Front

01. At Long Last Love (3:37)
02. Just For A Thrill (5:08)
03. Train In The Distance (4:07)
04. Bewitched (4:33)
05. All Of Me (3:20)
06. Dream (5:09)
07. I Get A Kick Out Of You (3:04)
08. Sleepy (3:24)
09. Triste (2:59)
10. Longings For A Simpler Time (3:52)

Susannah McCorkle, one of the finest jazz-influenced vocalists to emerge during the 1970's and 80's, sings a wide variety of music on her Pausa disc. In addition to some prebop material (including Cole Porter's "At Long Last Love," a vocalese version of "All Of Me," "I Get A Kick Out Of You" and Johnny Mercer's title cut), she also tackles tunes by Paul Simon, Oscar Brown Jr, Antonio Carlos Jobim and Leiber & Stoller. No matter what the style (she is essentially a swing singer), Susannah McCorkle uplifts each song. She is assisted by the Ben Aronov trio, and occasionally guitarist Gene Bertoncini and tenor-saxophonist Frank Wess. ~by Scott Yanow

Dream

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Peter O'Mara - Tele Time

Size: 174,1 MB
Time: 75:02
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2015
Styles: Jazz Blues
Art: Front

01. Teletime (5:38)
02. Swamp Romp (8:45)
03. Big Red (5:29)
04. Underground (6:43)
05. Green Slime (7:22)
06. Scufflin (7:30)
07. Big 57 (7:34)
08. We Got Changes (5:45)
09. Passing Time (7:10)
10. Long Way To Fargo (5:26)
11. To Be Continued (7:35)

Australian guitarist Peter O´Mara has long established himself as one of the world´s best jazz/fusion/blues guitarists with over 20 cd´s to his name. His latest release is Tele Time.

Playing his 1963 Fender Telecaster guitar exclusively, Peter´s music is a strong mix of fusion, blues, soul & groove. Joining him on this recording are renowned US American vibraphonist Tim Collins as well as German keyboarder André Schwager & drummer Sebastian Wolfgruber.

Together this band make music that is completely convincing, from the varied moods of the original compositions, to the breathtaking solo improvisations and dynamic communication within the group. Simply fantastic!

Tele Time

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Ingrid Mapson - Rhythms Of Your Heart

Size: 106,4 MB
Time: 45:37
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2015
Art: Front

01. On My Own (From Les Miserables) (3:54)
02. Angel (5:42)
03. Gold (Feat. Rosemary Siemens) (4:40)
04. Can't Help Lovin' Dat Man (From Showboat) (Feat. Eli Bennett) (3:11)
05. Regresa A Mi (Feat. Dave Martone) (4:09)
06. Song Bird (3:15)
07. La Vie En Rose (3:50)
08. Come What May (From Moulin Rouge ) (Feat. Roy Tan) (4:05)
09. Besame Mucho (Feat. Eli Bennett) (3:48)
10. Summertime (Feat. Vince Mai & Eli Bennett) (5:01)
11. Moon Love (3:58)

Her Voice: “Ingrid has an instrument with a rich, round, warm, honeyed color, and is very much at home in a variety of styles”, says renowned American-Canadian musical director and conductor Clyde Mitchell, who has worked with artists such as Michael Buble, Mel Torme and David Foster and every major Canadian orchestra. Ingrid is widely admired for her soulful and soothing interpretations of popular adult contemporary favorites as well as her dynamic and playful renditions of show tunes and light jazz classics. Her sound has the warmth of Diana Krall, the purity of Eva Cassidy and tenderness of Sarah McLachlan.

Her Appearances: Ingrid has most recently enchanted audiences in Symphony Pops engagements with Lions Gate Sinfonia (North Vancouver, 2013, 2014) the Thompson Valley Orchestra (British Columbia, 2015), and has appeared as soloist with Canadian Choral icon Larry Nickel, the 2010 Olympics Cariboo Stage, pianist JD Daniels (Paul Anka, Donnie Osmond, Beyonce), Michael Creber (k.d. Lange, Raffi), as well as with various choirs, jazz combos, orchestras and big bands throughout British Columbia.

Her Concerts: Ingrid's passion lies in masterfully connecting with her audiences through her vibrant stage shows. Performing with either a small combo or a full orchestra, her show is carefully planned so it's seamless in presentation whether she is singing timeless favorites like Danny Boy, Besame Mucho (Spanish), Can't Help Lovin' Dat Man (Showboat), and Summertime or heartfelt ballads like On My Own (Les Misérables), La Vie en Rose (French), and Songbird. Ingrid has built her show based on Nashville's renowned Live Music producer, Tom Jackson (Taylor Swift). His method is an industry proven technique for engaging audiences naturally night after night. Ingrid is a master at connecting with her listeners.

Her Accolades: Ingrid Mapson brings crowds to their feet with her “amazingly versatile voice that seems to effortlessly span genres” and her “rare ability to sincerely connect to her audience” (Miles Black, Juno Award winning producer/ multi instrumentalist/ composer.)

Her Album: Ingrid's Rhythms of Your Heart (2015) album is produced by Grammy-nominated producer Daryl Bennett and features the outstanding talents of Vancouver musicians: Daryl Bennett (cello, drums, percussion, orchestral programming, engineer, mixer), Roy Tan (piano, vocals, arrangements, orchestral programming ), Eli Bennett (saxophone), Vince Mai (trumpet), Dave Martone (guitar), Adam Thomas (bass) and the glamorous Rosemary Siemens (violin). Combined, this team of musicians have won several accolades and have performed and recorded with artists such as Sarah McLachlan, Michael Buble, Natalie Cole, Nickelback, and The Temptations.

Rhythms Of Your Heart

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Rob Tardik - Moments

Size: 115,9 MB
Time: 50:01
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2015
Styles: Jazz: Smooth Jazz, Guitar Jazz
Art: Front

01. Sip & Salsa Sip And Salsa (3:41)
02. Rite Of Passage (Feat. Will Donato) (4:05)
03. Moments (5:01)
04. Eros (Feat. Walle Larsson) (4:57)
05. Hang Time (3:56)
06. Serendipity (Feat. Will Donato) (4:20)
07. Stop Stop! (3:27)
08. Reflections (4:27)
09. A New Life (3:48)
10. Voyageur (3:45)
11. Moments (Instrumental) (4:30)
12. Rite Of Passage (Feat. Will Donato) (Radio Version) (3:58)

Canadian guitarist Rob Tardik can always be relied upon to deliver all original contemporary jazz that, invariably, is wrapped in a deliciously mellifluous package and this is exactly what he done with his latest project, ‘Moments’. It follows ‘Limitless’ that garnered no less than four hit singles and now, with a veritable bevy of guest artists on board, ‘Moments’ looks set to do exactly the same.

Take for example the intensely Latin ‘Sip and Salsa’ (that Tardik writes with Nate Harasim) or ‘A New Life’ which has a similar ‘south of the border’ feel to it. Both afford the album a modicum of urgency and much the same can be said of the upbeat ‘Stop!’ where fellow Canadian Walle Larsson comes up big on sax.

Sax-man Will Donato steps up to lend a hand on the free flowing, easy on the ear, ‘Rite Of Passage’ (which here is also offered as a radio edit) and he sticks around for the mellow ‘Serendipity’ that, when you break it right down, is exactly what contemporary jazz circa 2015 should all be about.

Producer and guitarist Steve Oliver is a presence throughout and none more so than with the easy grooving ‘Eros’ while elsewhere another Tardik – Oliver master-class comes in the form of the decidedly atmospheric ‘Reflections’.

The slightly ‘boppy’ style that Tardik occasionally employs is front back and centre of the groove drenched ‘Hang Time’. It features a stunning bass line from the always excellent Roberto Vally and is in complete contrast to the wonderfully deconstructed ‘Voyageur’ that, quite simply, is beauty personified.

In terms of personal favourites, a real hidden gem is the distinctly soulful ‘Moments In Time’. Although also provided as an instrumental, it is the vocal take on the tune that checks every smooth jazz box imaginable. Not withstanding snippets of trumpet from the hugely underrated Gabriel Mark Hasselbach, the cool singing voice of Aiden Castillo coupled with equally good backing of Dee and Brittani Cole take this one to a whole new level.

In an era where the genre is dominated by stand-alone singles and covers ‘Moments’ is a brilliant find and well worth checking out.

Moments

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Traci Cooper - Stepping Stone

Size: 118,6 MB
Time: 51:04
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2015
Styles: Jazz/Pop Vocals
Art: Front

01. The Best Is Yet To Come (4:08)
02. After The Lovin' (3:30)
03. Too Darn Hot (2:51)
04. Lilac Wine (4:40)
05. Love Will Follow (5:13)
06. So Nice/So Danço Samba (Jazz 'n' Samba) (3:53)
07. Getting Some Fun Out Of Life (4:09)
08. The Very Thought Of You - My One And Only Love (5:08)
09. Stepping Stone (4:09)
10. Close Your Eyes (3:27)
11. No Soap, No Hope Blues (4:03)
12. You Go To My Head (5:47)

Stepping Stone, the debut album from vocalist Traci Cooper accompanied by some of Houston's finest jazz musicians, features your favorite jazz standards along with a few pop tunes. It's guaranteed to delight you.

I've always loved music. I can remember lying on my mom's bed as a child listening to her portable radio until I started my own collection of records and could listen to whomever I chose.

I would sing along with Barbara Streisand, Carole King, Dionne Warwick and many others, imagining I was on stage with them, imagining having an album of my own.
In junior high, I joined choir and continued with it in high school and then in college at Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches where I was truly inspired by fellow musicians and awesome teachers. I've been a teacher, myself, for the last 28 years, teaching choir for the first six years and English as a Second Language (ESL) ever since.

So why did I make this album? For the last few years, I have been singing at various venues around the Houston, Friendswood, and Clear Lake area- a lot of Jazz, a lot of Easy Listening - and during set breaks, I kept being asked, "When are you going to put out a CD?" I guess they liked what they were hearing!
So...here I am. Stepping Stone will be the beginning of a new season in the life of Traci Stone Cooper, a stepping stone to new adventures. I hope you will enjoy it as much as I have enjoyed making it.

I chose songs for this album that reflect my own experiences, that I've enjoyed singing live, and that Jane Vandiver, my awesome producer, coach, and friend has recommended. Without her, Stepping Stone would have never happened. I don't believe in coincidences. She stepped into my life at just the right time. "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord. I truly believe she is a part of those plans.

I do want to mention one song that has a special place in my heart. My father was a traveling salesman when I was growing up and sometimes during the summer months, I would get to travel with him. I would close my eyes on those long road trips and listen to one 8-track tape after another. But one song in particular was very special to me- Engelbert Humperdinck's After the Lovin'. I've put this song on my album as a special tribute to my dad. ~Traci

Stepping Stone

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Harry Allen - Something About Jobim

Size: 130,7 MB
Time: 56:25
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2015
Styles: Jazz, Brazilian Rhythms
Art: Front

01. Dindi (7:28)
02. Chovendo Na Roseira (3:31)
03. Captain Bacardi (4:12)
04. Sue Ann (3:20)
05. Theme For Jobim (6:09)
06. Mojave (6:55)
07. Falando De Amor (4:45)
08. Antigua (4:18)
09. Angela (7:01)
10. Voce Vai Ver (3:38)
11. Tema Jazz (5:02)

Fathers serious about seeing their sons one day becoming famous athletes begin developing their offspring's skills at a very young age. In the case of Harry Allen's father, who was a big-band drummer, he played jazz records each day for Harry before he went off to kindergarten. Starting off with accordion lessons, there was a fortuitous switch to saxophone later. Attending Rutgers University, Allen studied saxophone with Sahib Shihab, Bob Mintzer, and John Purcell. In 1989, he graduated from Rutgers with a degree in jazz tenor saxophone. While at Rutgers, Allen got his first gig with the help of master bass player Major Holley, where he replaced Zoot Sims at a studio recording with John Bunch, George Masso, Bucky Pizzarelli, and Ruby Braff. During the session, Dizzy Gillespie dropped by. Quite heady company for a young tenor player doing his first recording. Wholley also led Allen to Oliver Jackson, who Allen subsequently accompanied on several tours to Europe. A 1986 session with Kenny Barron was Allen's first recording date. After that, Allen had 19 recordings to his name for such labels as Progressive, Audiophile, and Nagel-Heyer. Later, his recordings were with major label RCA-Victor. Three of his discs have been awarded a Gold Disc by Swing Journal Magazine and his CD Tenors Anyone won both the Gold Disc and New Star awards. He has recorded as a sideman with Bucky Pizzarelli (with whom he performs quite frequently), Warren Vache, and Jeff Hamilton. Allen's musical inspiration and interpretive approach come from the giants and innovators of mainstream saxophone, including Coleman Hawkins, Ben Webster, Stan Getz, Illinois Jacquet, and Lester Young. Unlike many of his contemporaries, Allen has pretty much eschewed the modern, avant-garde, and impressionist schools of jazz of John Coltrane, Archie Shepp, and Ornette Coleman. Allen continues to record extensively and makes frequent appearances at jazz festivals and concerts.

Something About Jobim

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Woody Herman - Songs For Hip Lovers

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 1999
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 38:13
Size: 89,2 MB
Art: Front

(3:25)  1. Makin' Whoopee
(2:38)  2. Won't Dance
(2:51)  3. I Guess I'll Have to Change My Plans
(3:36)  4. Willow Weep for Me
(2:32)  5. Moon Song
(3:23)  6. Can't We Be Friends?
(3:26)  7. Comes Love
(3:01)  8. Ev'rything I've Got
(3:06)  9. Alone Together
(3:26) 10. Bidin' My Time
(3:20) 11. Isn't This a Lovely Day?
(3:22) 12. Louise

Woody Herman left his clarinet and alto sax behind for this all vocal release. Herman is a swinging, friendly singer heard doing such time-tested standards as the humorous "Makin' Whoopee," a more upbeat than typical "Willow Weep For Me," and "I Won't Dance." The musicians from each of the two sessions provide strong accompaniment: "Sweets" Edison, Charlie Shavers, and Ben Webster are outstanding and Marty Paich's arrangements fit Herman's style rather well. Although not an essential CD for everyone, this is a fun session that shouldn't be dismissed out of hand. ~ Ken Dryden  http://www.allmusic.com/album/songs-for-hip-lovers-mw0000239436
 

Featuring: Woody Herman (vcl), Harry Edison (tp), Bill Harris (tb), Ben Webster (ts), Ted Nash (as, fl), Jimmy Rowles (p), Barney Kessel (g), Joe Mondragon (b) Larry Bunker, Alvin Stoller (d), Frank DeVol (cond.)

Songs For Hip Lovers

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Steve Lawrence & Eydie Gorme - It's Us Again

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2009
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 26:37
Size: 61,5 MB
Art: Front

(2:20)  1. It's Us Again
(2:49)  2. Sunday, Monday and Always
(2:21)  3. I Thought About You
(3:04)  4. Like Someone In Love
(2:37)  5. Ain't Love
(2:07)  6. Aren't You Glad You're You
(3:03)  7. But Beautiful
(2:48)  8. All About Love
(3:12)  9. Tell Her I Said Hello
(2:10) 10. I Wish You Were Mine

One of the rarer items in the Steve & Eydie discography, It's Us Again is an LP recorded as a promotional item for Silvirkin shampoo. On the ten songs, Steve Lawrence and Eydie Gorme duet on four tracks, the title tune, "Ain't Love Grand," "Aren't You Glad You're You," and the closer, "I Wish You Were Mine." Gorme takes solos on "Sunday, Monday or Always," "Like Someone in Love," and "All About Love," and Lawrence also has three solos: "I Thought About You," "But Beautiful," and "Tell Her I Said Hello." The performances are typical of the couple, separately and together, with the kind of post-swing big-band and string arrangements they generally use. Fans who come across copies will be glad they did, but only completists would want to spend serious money to obtain the disc. [Lawrence and Gorme issued the album on CD through their label, GL Music, with six bonus tracks, but that disc went out of print. The album has also been reissued by other firms.] https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/its-us-again/id327676166

It's Us Again

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The Ray Charles Singers - Love And Marriage

Styles: Vocal, Soul

Year: 2010

File: MP3@320K/s

Time: 34:46

Size: 80,8 MB

Art: Front

(2:44)  1. Love And Marriage

(3:07)  2. Love Is The Sweetest Thing

(2:34)  3. I Wanna Get Married

(2:51)  4. The Girl That I Marry

(2:54)  5. Love Is A Simple Thing

(3:00)  6. Let's Fall In Love

(3:04)  7. Waltz Down The Aisle

(3:07)  8. Love Is A Many Splendored Thing

(2:57)  9. Love Is The Reason

(3:09) 10. Love Is Here To Stay

(2:52) 11. I Married An Angel

(2:20) 12. To Have And To Hold

Love And Marriage

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Richard Elliot - Rock Steady

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2009
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 53:07
Size: 122,3 MB
Art: Front

(4:34)  1. Move On Up
(5:06)  2. Straight Up
(4:36)  3. Yaquala
(4:22)  4. Restless
(4:18)  5. Retro Boy
(4:34)  6. License To Chill
(4:23)  7. Candice Dance
(5:07)  8. Rock Steady
(4:51)  9. The Preacher
(4:49) 10. Spindrift
(6:21) 11. Keep On Truckin'

Richard Elliot has a history of picking the right tune and wrapping his signature sax sound around it witness People Make The World Go Round from Metro Blue, which topped the radio charts for 11 weeks. Now it's time to Rock Steady featuring the famed Aretha anthem, as well as first radio single Curtis Mayfield's Move On Up. Rock Steady also boasts appearances by: Gerald Albright, Rick Braun and Jeff Lorber among others. ~ Editorial Reviews  http://www.amazon.com/Rock-Steady-Richard-Elliot/dp/B001VIRKRG

Personnel: Richard Elliot (saxophone, tenor saxophone); Lynne Fiddmont (vocals); Dwight Sills (guitar); Rick Braun (strings, trumpet, programming); Gerald Albright (alto saxophone, tenor saxophone, bass guitar); Nick Lane (trombone); Tim Gant (keyboards, bass synthesizer, programming); Jeff Lorber, Philippe Saisse (keyboards, programming); Ron Reinhardt (keyboards); Ricky Lawson (drums); Luis Conte (percussion).

Rock Steady

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Cordova Reunion - Argentina Jazz

Styles: Latin Jazz
Year: 2006
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 54:00
Size: 124,0 MB
Art: Front

(1:47)  1. Pajas Blancas
(5:21)  2. Danza de las Madres
(4:19)  3. La Oncena
(6:08)  4. Ya Está
(4:23)  5. Una vez más
(5:52)  6. Chacaraca
(3:40)  7. Sueño'e Zamba
(3:59)  8. Río Xanaes
(5:35)  9. Marcari
(7:22) 10. La del Cuarteto
(5:30) 11. Zamba del Tiempo'e Naupa

Córdoba Reunión is made of the meeting of four high profile jazz musicans from the European scene who share a common origin - the town of Cordoba in Argentina and the same passion for Argentina jazz, to which they simply intend to turn the world into!!! To succeed in this friendly evangelization task, Córdoba Reunión has got an ultimate weapon: a unique talent to bring the house down! By crossing over improvised music with Argentina rythms (tango, zamba, chacarera, milonga, chaya) with a creativity, a musical quality and freedom of expression truely effervescent, those musicans have the power to immediately captivate any type of audience, far beyond the traditionnal community of jazz amateurs. If jazz connaisseurs are literally thrown by their virtuosity, no one can really stay unmoved by the vitality and spectrum of emotions this 'cuarteto' is capable to put across with such an outright talent and spontaneity. Welcome to the cheerful and magnificient Argentina jazzland!

In 1978, the young Cordobeses Di Giusto, Girotto, Buschini and Garaÿ were celebrating the goals of another child of the country Mario Kempes  who were making Argentina the winner of the World Cup. A break in the middle of the worst time of political repression. Then, a few years later, those children of Cordoba got to move abroad. Destination: USA or Europe, France for the percussionist Minino Garaÿ, Italy for the sax player Javier Girotto. The latter has built a rich career made of multiple collaborations with musicians as prestigious as Enrico Rava or Roberto Gatto. He has now become in Italy the most widely acclaimed Argentinian musician as the leader of his own jazzband « Aires Tangos ». The meeting with the pianist Gerardo Di Giusto and the bass player Carlos Buschini makes an interesting demonstration of a composition work that holds a dialogue between jazz harmonies and the traditional music from the Cordoba Region (ie: Chacareras among others). In this context, especially impressive are the improvisations of outright lyricism of Javier Girotto, in genuine successor of the best Gato Barbieri and the refined and held-back mastering of Di Guisto. A Unique repertoire, shared among Buschini, Di Giusto and Girotto, performed with the highest intensity and emotion, with some references to melodies as mythical as the Carnavalito and, above all, an expressive sense of thematic construction. A very nice record, featuring Mercedes Sosa (on one title) and paying a compassionate tribute to the Mothers of the Plaza de Mayo, the 'Danza de las Madres'. Francisco Cruz [from French] ~ Jazzman

The four Argentinian musicians of Córdoba Reunión, rich of the most various musical experiences and coming from the same region of Córdoba, have set up this jazz quartet in 1999. From the magic of this unique meeting and the help of the Swiss Italian Radio « Rete Due » is born their first album « Argentina Jazz ». Here comes a definitely up-to-date sharp cutting jazz where sheer moments of grace and restrained delicacy alternates with the feverish expression of passions deeply imprinted of melancoly. Here comes an atmosphere typically Argentinian although is doesn't particularly relate to Tango. From time to time, the alto sax player Javier Girotto drops some desperately declamatory and gasping phrasing that are not without reminding us of Gato Barbieri, the unmatched master. The highly subtle recalling the pianist Gerardo Di Giusto makes of « Carnavalito » in the « Ya Esta » title appears like an explicit tribute to the tenor of the Fenix period. Futhermore, the ample pianismo of Gerardo Di Giusto is somehow reminiscent of Mc Coy Tyner torrid exotism of the title « Sahara » from the « Atlantis » album. Hence, the interpretation comes out even more restrained and intimate in the compositions of Carlos Buschini and in the title « Marcari » written by Javier Girotto. In the third title - La Oncena -comes Mercedes Sosa's voice, guttural and direct, whose intonations go up in crescendo, and which is especially well supported here by the altogether original and thin color of Brizuela's guitar. [from Italian] ~ Muscia Jazz

Distance tends to change the way we look at things. The essential stands out more as and when details fades out. This is exactly what is happening with Córdoba Reunión who, in their first album, are paying a new visit to rythms and themes that are specific to the Argentine music. Argentina Jazz, the album title, only keeps of Argentine music what is essential, to then better raise it to a dimension that can relate to the Universal. If in their album one can trace back expressions of the traditional Argentine music, it is only go further beyond its natural horizon and explore from there new territories. Hence, the Zambas, Milongas, Huaynos and Chacareras rythms are making up a new jazzitic vocabulary that makes all the room necessary for improvisation. Crossing over styles is nevertheless a risky business that sometimes produces the best music - when the magic works sometimes the worst, when it fails to escape from a pale imitation of worn out models.

The excellence of interpretation, the quality of improvisation and solid arrangements allow Córdoba Reunión to easily avoid such a pitfall. Hence, the most mature album title is « La Oncena », the master piece of Edouardo Lagos. We have an interpretation here that stands out with some VIPs: Mercedes Sosa and her delightful guitarist Colacho Brizuela. A title that altogether demonstrates the superb work of the soprano sax player Javier Girotto. Their evocative power therefore probably comes out as the most distinctive character of this quartet. It is the case for instance with the first title -« Pajas Blancas » - reminiscent of « La Telesita », or of « Ya Esta », the « huayno » Javier Girotto is wonderfully helping himself out in taking inspiration from themes such as « Fuego en Animania » and « El humahuaqueno ». With this first album, what we are witnessing is a constant succession of new beginnings in which Argentine music reaches no less than its climax. This time, thanks to the work of four exceptional musicians. An exercice that indeed is not totally new in itself, but that nevertheless remains delightful when it reaches such a level of excellence. [from Spanish] ~ La Voz  Editorial Reviews http://www.amazon.com/Argentina-Jazz-Cordoba-Reunion/dp/B000SZ82LG

Argentina Jazz

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Sebastian Chames - Reconstruction

Styles: Piano Jazz

Year: 2013

File: MP3@320K/s 

Time: 61:16

Size: 142,4 MB 

Art: Front

(6:22) 1. Reconstrucción (feat. Jeremy Pelt & Justin Robinson)

(4:55)  2. Primero vino un vecino y luego la policía

(5:42)  3. Alone (feat. Jeremy Pelt & Justin Robinson)

(5:39)  4. 6 Taboos (feat. Jeremy Pelt & Justin Robinson)

(5:16)  5. I Didn't Know What Time It Was

(4:44)  6. Bluesy Tune For The King (feat. Jeremy Pelt & Justin Robinson)

(5:08)  7. El Pacifista (feat. Jeremy Pelt & Justin Robinson)

(6:39)  8. Esperando a Simón (feat. Jeremy Pelt & Justin Robinson)

(2:34)  9. Inma

(6:05) 10. Remember (feat. Jeremy Pelt & Eric Wyatt)

(4:29) 11. You Complete Me (feat. Earth Godessa & Eric Wyatt)

(3:37) 12. D&B Aislados (feat. Jeremy Pelt & Justin Robinson)

Sebastian Chames is a pianist belongs to the new generation of jazz musicians in Spain. He has both classic and modern training in Madrid and he completed his musical training in New York. He studied with Barry Harris, Rodney Kendrick, Bruce Barth, Fred Hersch, Bruce Barth. In 2008 he released his first CD as band leader Primera Toma issued by the label New Moods. During 2000-2003, he was the pianist of the house band of Clamores jazz club in Madrid and since 2005 to date, he leads the house trio of la fidula jazz club which plays regularly all Fridays and Saturdays; this session has become a meeting point of jazz musicians which visit Madrid. He will be recording this august his second album with Jeremy Pelt-trumpet; Justin Robinson-alto saxophone; Dwayne Burno-bass; and Willie Jones III-drums. He plays with his bands in clubs and festivals of Spain and in some cities of Europe. https://www.smallslive.com/artists/1564-sebastian-chames/

 

Reconstruction

Barbra Lica - Kissing You

Styles: Vocal

Year: 2014

File: MP3@320K/s 

Time: 36:17

Size: 84,2 MB 

Art: Front

(2:09)  1. The Food Song

(3:51)  2. Canoe

(3:41)  3. I Get a Kick out of You

(3:17)  4. That's What I Hate

(2:49)  5. Fishies

(2:39)  6. Waking Up

(3:33)  7. Don't Get Around Much Anymore

(2:57)  8. Just in Time

(2:51)  9. What's in a Name

(4:06) 10. Kissing You

(4:18) 11. I Wish You Love

Fast-rising young singer/songwriter Barba Lica made a real splash on the T.O. scene with her 2012 debut That's What I Do. She veers in a more pop direction on new album Kissing You, while retaining the subtle phrasing and songwriting ability she showed on the first. No tortured diva stuff here, just cheerful and melodic tunes that'll brighten your day. Notable veteran Lou Pomanti (Michael Buble) produced and played keyboards, while A-list players include Marc Rogers, Kevin Fox, Reg Schwager, Kevin Turcotte, and Mark Kelso. 

Well-chosen standards like "I Get A Kick Out Of You" nestle neatly alongside Lica's upbeat originals. Her fun videos are also attracting eyeballs (31k for "The Food Song"). Definitely one to watch. Jazz FM radio personality Jaymz Bee agrees, predicting on air that Lica will score a major record deal this year.http://www.newcanadianmusic.ca/releases/k/kissing-you/barbra-lica/2015-01-06

Kissing You

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Richard Elliot - Metro Blue

Styles: Saxophone Jazz

Year: 2005

File: MP3@320K/s 

Time: 40:55

Size: 94,0 MB 

Art: Front

(4:04)  1. Inside Out

(4:03)  2. Camella

(4:30)  3. Coastline

(4:24)  4. People Make The World Go Round

(4:10)  5. Say It's So

(3:58)  6. Chill Bill

(4:23)  7. Mystique

(4:33)  8. Mango Tango

(3:58)  9. Maxi's

(2:49) 10. Metro Blue

Richard Elliott, 45, was born in Scotland and moved to Los Angeles with his family when he was a child. In his early career, he toured with Natalie Cole and the Pointer Sisters. He spent time with a fusion band, Kittyhawk, followed by recording sessions with Smokey Robinson, the Four Tops, and the Temptations. After spending five years as a full-time member of Tower of Power, Elliott became a solo artist, releasing four #1 albums. On Metro Blue, which Elliott co-produced with Rick Braun, the tenor sax specialist delivers a nice mix of smooth jazz and soulful grooves. All but one song were composed by Elliott and Braun, including several that involved other writers. The lone cover is "People Make the World Go Round, written by Thom Bell and Linda Epstein and popularized by a 1970s soul group, the Stylistics.

"Inside Out opens the album with flair, sure to get dancers on their feet. Often in smooth jazz, programming can be the difference between an exceptional album and a boring one. In this case, Braun, Rex Rideout, Greg Karukas, Jeff Lorber, Brian Culbertson, and Phil Davis serve up programming that melds nicely with the other instruments. On "Inside Out and "Say It's So, Rideout's and Lorber's programs supplement rather than replace the drums. And on the other tracks, the drum synths are distinct enough that the listener is free to enjoy the whole song, rather than focus on how similar the program sounds to previous recordings.In addition to flugelhorn and trumpet, Braun contributes some elegant string synths including plucking to give "People Make the World Go Round an orchestral feel. Nate Phillips adds a funky bass line to enhance the groove of "Say It's So. 

Elliott delivers his best performance on the album with the ballad "Mystique, supported by Peter White on nylon string guitar and Lenny Castro on percussion, among others. Throughout the disc, Elliott efficiently puts his tenor through the paces, whether as lead instrument, soloist, or accompanist alongside Braun. Whether on an up-tempo groove or a tranquil ballad, Elliott, Braun, and the others have put together a fine album that will please fans of smooth jazz as well as those who prefer soulful jazz. ~ Woodrow Wilkins http://www.allaboutjazz.com/metro-blue-richard-elliott-artizen-music-group-review-by-woodrow-wilkins.php

Personnel: Richard Elliot: tenor sax; Dwight Sills: guitar; Lenny Castro: percussion; Nate Phillips: bass; Ronnie Garrett: bass (6); Michael White: drums; Rick Braun: trumpet, flugelhorn, keyboards (10); Jeff Lorber: piano (5); Rex Rideout: piano (7); Peter White: nylon string guitar (7); Brian Culbertson: keyboards (9); Red Rideout: keyboards, programming; Jeff Lorber: keyboards, programming; Gregg Karukas: keyboards, programming; Phil Davis: keyboards, programming; Rick Braun: keyboards, programming; Brian Culbertson: keyboards, programming.

Metro Blue

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Nelson Rangell - Soul To Souls

Styles: Saxophone Jazz

Year: 2006

File: MP3@320K/s 

Time: 52:43

Size: 121,3 MB 

Art: Front

(5:57)  1. Free As The Wind

(5:31)  2. City Lights

(4:21)  3. When I Saw You

(4:58)  4. Vonetta

(3:36)  5. Instrumental Theme, Pt. 2

(4:58)  6. Mean Business

(6:42)  7. A Night In Tunisia

(6:27)  8. A New Avenger

(4:19)  9. Send One Your Love

(5:51) 10. The World View

If you've never heard saxophonist Nelson Rangell, you may find Soul To Souls a pleasant step beyond typical smooth radio fodder. Listeners familiar with his work will find it, for better or worse, a return to safety. Rangell put out unpolished fusion albums with scattered moments of innovation during his early years, hit a brief peak during mid-'90s, and has since lapsed into lukewarm territory. He took a detour for the better on My American Songbook Vol. 1 (Koch, 2005), which featured chestnuts like "Billy Boy" with novel arrangements and honest-to-goodness straight-ahead soloing. But that relative daring is missing on Soul to Souls, replaced by steady beats, familiar licks, and highlighting of guest players like guitarists Chuck Loeb and Earl Klugh. 

"Doing a pop recording in this day and age has a lot of challenges," he writes. "The marketplace and the mechanisms within it can be complicated and often cynical." But Soul to Souls doesn't achieve his stated goal of overcoming those challenges with an album emulating a "direct experience of playing for people." Like many improvisers, his live performances can take things to a serious next level, but the glossiness of this album mostly leaves a nagging feeling that he's playing below his potential.Rangell's rapid-phrase solos go beyond mere lyricism, blending his classical flute training with harmonically challenging post bop, which is why they may catch the ears of first-time listeners. But those familiar with previous albums will almost certainly find themselves thinking they've heard these exact phrases before. Rangell's range of instrumentation isn't as diverse as it was on some albums; he doesn't spent much time dong the extreme upper-register alto sax exercises of years past, and there's no novelties like his strikingly clear and precise whistling.

Soul to Souls is basically a ten-song, radio-friendly album with an even mix of covers and originals co-written by Rangell. With such a lineup, a nearly seven-minute long version of Dizzy Gillespie's "A Night In Tunisia" all but demands extra attention. The first three minutes are a mood music prelude and feature a chorus somewhat diluted by smooth synths. Rangell fingers his way competently through a minute-long solo of those rapid notes without much direction or development. In a more lyrical and deliberate way, pianist Vlad Girshevich massages a pleasant but unmemorable passage against a backdrop of more synths.The beat-driven, high-register chorus of "A New Avenger" catches the ear enough to see if anything memorable will result, but the result from Loeb and Rangell is a lot more notes that are compatible with the composition without enhancing it. Klugh's impact is similarly minimal on "Vonetta," although it's as good a piece as any to hear Rangell on flute, where he often does his most accomplished work. ~ Mark Sabbatini  http://www.allaboutjazz.com/soul-to-souls-nelson-rangell-koch-records-review-by-mark-sabbatini.php

Personnel: Nelson Rangell: saxophones, flute, piccolo, vocals; Alex Nekrasov: keyboards, vocals; Christian Teele: drums, percussion; Chuck Loeb: guitar (1,8); Herb Lowe: bass (1,4,10); Joe Gamble: guitar (2,6,8); Ross Martin: guitar (3-5); Earl Klugh: guitar (4); Bill Cooper: guitar (9); Chris Engleman: bass (5); Vernon Barbary: bass (6); Vlad Girshevich: piano (7).

 

Soul To Souls

John Lee, Gerry Brown, Eef Albers, Daryl Thompson - Brothers

Size: 100,4 MB
Time: 40:13
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 1980/1997
Styles: Jazz: Jazz Rock
Art: Front

01. Uptown Express (6:15)
02. Brothers (4:27)
03. Rita (5:10)
04. Rise On (4:28)
05. For Bill (5:38)
06. Close The Door (4:44)
07. Uncle William (8:07)
08. Bury My Heart (1:20)

Personnel:
John Lee (electric bass)
Gerry Brown (drums)
Eef Albers (electric guitar)
Daryl Thompson (electric guitar)

John Lee and Gerry Brown have been friends since high school. When they recorded their album "Mango Sunrise" in 1972, they enlisted Dutch guitar master Eef Albers. In the mid seventies, guitarist Daryl Thompson was added to this formidable trio, and thus the genesis of "Brothers".

In the fall of 1980, John Lee, Gerry Brown, Eef Albers and Daryl Thompson embarked on a seven-week tour of Europe. The soaring fusion of jazz and rock performed by this well-rounded group of musicians was enthusiastically received by sold-out audiences all over the continent. During one such performance, the great German pianist Wolfgang Dauner heard the group and fell in love with their music. He asked John Lee if the group would like to record at the Sugar Factory Studio (Tonstudio Zuckerfabrik) in Stuttgart, Germany, and the result was one of the most outstandingrecords of the fusion era.

After seven weeks on the road, the band was absolutely tight and the music was second nature. The session lasted two days, around the clock. John Lee and Daryl Thompson mixed the album in twelve hours! Though labourious, the recording was "a labour of love". "Brothers" was chosen as the name of the band as well as the name of the recording, as it exemplifies the feeling that the group has for each other as well as for humankind.

"Brothers" was recorded and mixed at Tonstudio Zuckerfabrik, Stuttgart, Germany in December 1980.

Brothers

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Karolina - Songs Of Hope

Size: 101,3 MB
Time: 40:04
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2015
Styles: Jazz Vocals
Art: Front

01. The White Cliffs Of Dover (5:18)
02. I Will Wait For You I'll Walk Alone (2:59)
03. Poor Butterfly (3:42)
04. I'll Never Smile Again (2:51)
05. Morning Star (4:08)
06. We'll Be Together Again (4:30)
07. If You Go Away (5:29)
08. I'll Be Seeing You (3:05)
09. Waiting For The Train To Come In (2:20)
10. Rozszumialy Sie Wierzby Placzace (2:33)
11. We'll Meet Again (3:03)

What I love most about Karolina Naziemiec's voice... is her phrasing and warmth she brings to the lyric. Her approach to everything is very pure and soulful, I just can't get enough of this wonderful singer. --Carmen Bradford

Theme: Longing and loss of loved ones in commemoration of the 70th Anniversary of the end of WWII in Europe, primarily honoring Polish, American, and British couples forced to separate during the war.

Songs: A jazz CD recording of 9 - 12 songs primarily in English, but also Polish and French. Several of the songs on the CD will come from a repertoire known as the Great American Songbook, originally written and performed during the 1940's, but are not particularly common today. The songs reflect on life rather than war, on people's natural desire to enjoy days of peace, togetherness, and a bright future by bringing back the feelings of relief and hope which filled people's hearts across the world as the brutal fighting came to an end. I would like to dedicate my CD, in particular, to those few heroes still alive and the memories of those who never returned from the war, but paved the road for future generations to build a better world.
Perhaps it could also serve as a reminder of the pain and suffering that war causes for so many and the importance of striving to achieve and maintain justice through peaceful means.

Songs Of Hope

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Bob Merrill - Cheerin' Up The Universe

Size: 168,2 MB
Time: 72:14
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2015
Styles: Jazz: Trumpet Jazz, Jazz Vocals
Art: Front

01. Cheerin' Up The Universe (2:50)
02. What The World Needs Now (5:00)
03. The Secret O' Life (4:05)
04. Glad (7:46)
05. Political Science (Let's Drop The Big One) (3:24)
06. Somewhere (3:00)
07. Compared To What (4:54)
08. Imagine (5:08)
09. I Say A Little Prayer (6:30)
10. Feelin' Groovy (The 59Th Street Bridge Song) (2:29)
11. Overjoyed (4:55)
12. Happiness (4:00)
13. The Creator Has A Master Plan (7:24)
14. Happy (3:09)
15. Igy (What A Beautiful World) (4:18)
16. I'm So Tired (3:15)

Trumpeter/vocalist Bob Merrill has had an amazingly varied career in and around music—mentored by his late father-in-law Joe Bushkin, Jaki Byard, and Red Rodney; starting and operating Hip Pocket Recording Studios in New York City; and recording as a leader himself. "Cheerin’ Up the Universe," his new CD and fourth to date, is being released September 4 by Accurate Records, which has also reissued two of Merrill’s earlier albums ("Catch As Catch Can," "Got a Bran’ New Suit").

In the great tradition of trumpeter-singers, going back to Louis Armstrong, Dizzy Gillespie, Chet Baker, and Louis Prima, Merrill is both a carefree entertainer who wants to lift up his audience and a serious artist who pays the deepest respect to jazz tradition with his mastery of forms.

On previous albums, the New York-based artist mined the jazz mainstream, sometimes with a stylish Rat Pack-era sound, sometimes with a deeper blend of late swing and hard bop—and always, says Accurate Records honcho Russ Gershon, who has known Merrill since they were classmates at Harvard, with real jazz and real blues feeling. “He has a passionate attachment to the real thing,” said Gershon, leader of Either/Orchestra, who lends his saxophone skills to the album.

Backed by such one-of-a-kind guest players as trombone great Roswell Rudd and keyboardist John Medeski, Merrill indulges himself—and anyone who has grown up loving the likes of James Taylor (“The Secret o’ Life”), Steely Dan (“IGY [What a Beautiful World]”), Burt Bacharach (“I Say a Little Prayer”), and Stevie Wonder (“Overjoyed”)—by applying his personal touch to a selection of pop hits that in spirit and title promote happiness. For a little icing on the cake, he covers Pharrell’s inescapable “Happy,” with the lyrical bassist Nicki Parrott harmonizing and a touch of Lee Morgan’s infectious “Sidewinder” informing the bridge. The title track, a fetching Merrill original, aims to cheer up the universe “one star at a time.”

Merrill has deep history with the musicians on the date: guitarist Drew Zingg was a grade school classmate; his friendship with drummer George Schuller dates back to boarding school; keyboardist/arranger John Van Eps first connected with Merrill at the New England Conservatory.

John Medeski, who contributes to four tracks on piano and two on organ, met Merrill in 1989, when the keyboardist was hired, at Gershon’s suggestion, for a gig in Cambridge. “Russ also suggested some bass players who were all booked,” Merrill explains. “But my last call was to Chris Wood, who was free. It was on that gig that Medeski met Wood, and they later added Martin—the rest is history.”

Bob Merrill has had similar encounters with kismet throughout his life, which began in 1958 in Manhattan. He grew up in the Upper East Side building where Benny Goodman lived, and once he’d heard Goodman’s “Sing, Sing, Sing,” young Bob was hooked on jazz. After his head was turned by Doc Severinsen’s trumpet playing during a Tonight Show taping his father took him to, Bob devoted himself to the horn. He took lessons and played gigs with local trumpet guru Felix Sangenito and also studied with William Vacchiano, first trumpet chair at the New York Philharmonic.

While attending Phillips Academy in Andover, Massachusetts, he jammed with saxophonist Thomas Chapin. Accepted at Harvard, Merrill deferred for a year to study jazz at the New England Conservatory of Music, where his teachers included George Russell and Jaki Byard. He formed a group with drummer George Schuller, son of the late Gunther Schuller, then president of NEC.

Merrill began singing, he says, when he played wedding gigs and discovered that attractive women on the dance floor turned to hear what someone on stage was singing more than they ever turned to hear what someone was playing. His relaxed vocals add an important dimension to his art. He modestly says that his understated style is a concession to his vocal limitations. But with his Mel Tormé-influenced smoothness and Kurt Elling-like articulation, he is an appealing and distinctive interpreter of the Great American Songbook.

After marrying Christina Bushkin in 1991, Merrill coaxed her father, the fabled swing pianist Joe Bushkin, out of retirement. One of their first gigs was a memorable run at Tavern on the Green in Central Park with a group featuring bass immortal Milt Hinton, who credited Bushkin for bringing him to New York in the early ’50s for an extended run at the Embers with Jo Jones. Merrill produced CD reissues of Joe Bushkin’s classic LPs, and they played the jazz festival circuit until the pianist’s death in 2004.

The release of "Cheerin’ Up the Universe" opens a new chapter in Merrill’s musical life. “We now embark on the process of cheering up the universe in various venues, until we reach Pluto,” says Bob.

Cheerin' Up The Universe

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Alice Zawadzki - Lela

Size: 108,3 MB
Time: 46:33
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2015
Styles: Jazz Vocals
Art: Front

01. Black Nile (3:57)
02. Naima (4:51)
03. Tenderly (5:31)
04. Lela (Feat. Rosa Campos Fernandez) (5:56)
05. Coralie (4:34)
06. There At The Turnpike (Feat. Rosa Campos Fernandez) (5:14)
07. Basin Street Blues (3:16)
08. Para Ti (4:35)
09. I'm Gonna Leave You (3:53)
10. Lascia Ch'io Pianga (4:42)

Celebrated jazz singer Alice Zawadzki and pianist Dan Whieldon have a powerful musical affinity which is palpable throughout this CD. Alice describes their connection as "some kind of telepathy", a synchronicity which brings stunning musical results. This collection of songs pay tribute to the styles which have influenced these outstanding musicians. Jazz is at the heart of the disc, but there are nods to classical and continental folk styles as well. The prevailing mood is one of serenity or, in Alice's words, "heartfelt simplicity", accentuated by the creation of a spacious sonority combined with the luminosity of Dan Whieldon's piano playing. Alice has said that she wishes "that anyone listening to our music will be able to take a moment out of their busy life to breathe, and to ebb and flow with us." This CD invites listeners to share the musical intimacy of this exceptional creative partnership. As Alice says: "Some of the first songs I ever learned are on here, and it feels like going home".

Lela

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Dinah Washington - Original Album Series

Size: 415 MB

Time: 2:53:50
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2015
Styles: Jazz/Blues/R&B/Pop Vocals
Art: Front

CD 1: Dinah '62
01. Drinking Again (2002 Remastered Version) (3:29)
02. Destination Moon (1997 Remastered Version) (2:32)
03. Miss You (2002 Remastered Version) (3:35)
04. A Handful Of Stars (2002 Remastered Version) (3:22)
05. Is You Is Or Is You Ain't My Baby (2002 Remastered Version) (3:21)
06. You're Nobody 'Til Somebody Loves You (2002 Remastered Version) (2:43)
07. Red Sails In The Sunset (2002 Remastered Version) (2:31)
08. Where Are You (2002 Remastered Version) (2:12)
09. Coquette (2002 Remastered Version) (2:54)
10. Take Your Shoes Off (2002 Remastered Version) (2:42)

CD 2: In Love
01. Fly Me To The Moon (In Other Words) (2:26)
02. You're A Sweetheart (2:26)
03. Our Love (2:45)
04. Love Is The Sweetest Thing (2:43)
05. I'll Close My Eyes (2:49)
06. I Didn't Know About You (3:08)
07. If It's The Last Thing I Do (3:39)
08. Do Nothing 'til You Hear From Me (2:15)
09. My Devotion (2:38)
10. That's My Desire (2:51)
11. Was It Like That (2:37)
12. Me And The One That I Love (2:57)

CD 3: Drinking Again
01. Drinking Again (3:28)
02. Just Friends (3:14)
03. I'm Gonna Laugh You Out Of My Life (2:54)
04. I'll Be Around (2:53)
05. Lament (Love, I Found You Gone) (2:14)
06. I Don't Know You Anymore (2:44)
07. Baby Won't You Please Come Home (2:04)
08. Lover Man (Oh Where Can You Be) (2:59)
09. The Man That Got Away (3:30)
10. For All We Know (3:11)
11. Say It Isn't So (3:07)

CD 4: Dinah '63
01. I Wanna Be Around (3:37)
02. Make Someone Happy (From 'Do-Re-Mi') (3:12)
03. Rags To Riches (2:44)
04. Take Me In Your Arms (2:20)
05. Drown In My Own Tears (2:35)
06. Why Was I Born (Sweet Adeline) (1990 Remastered Version) (2:40)
07. I Left My Heart In San Francisco (2:12)
08. The Show Must Go On (2:49)
09. I'm Glad For Your Sake (2:50)
10. There Must Be A Way (4:10)
11. What Kind Of Fool Am I (2:04)
12. Bill (1990 Remastered Version) (2:57)

CD 5: Back To The Blues
01. The Blues Ain't Nothin' But A Woman Cryin' For Her Man (3:45)
02. Romance In The Dark (2:11)
03. You've Been A Good Ole Wagon (3:49)
04. Let Me Be The First To Know (2:38)
05. How Long (4:58)
06. Don't Come Running Back To Me (2:22)
07. It's A Mean Old Man's World (3:10)
08. Key To The Highway (2:39)
09. If I Never Get To Heaven (3:44)
10. Duck Before You Drown (2:11)
11. No Hard Feelings (2:33)
12. Nobody Knows The Way I Feel This Morning (8:39)

Dinah Washington was at once one of the most beloved and controversial singers of the mid-20th century -- beloved to her fans, devotees, and fellow singers; controversial to critics who still accuse her of selling out her art to commerce and bad taste. Her principal sin, apparently, was to cultivate a distinctive vocal style that was at home in all kinds of music, be it R&B, blues, jazz, middle of the road pop -- and she probably would have made a fine gospel or country singer had she the time. Hers was a gritty, salty, high-pitched voice, marked by absolute clarity of diction and clipped, bluesy phrasing. Washington's personal life was turbulent, with seven marriages behind her, and her interpretations showed it, for she displayed a tough, totally unsentimental, yet still gripping hold on the universal subject of lost love. She has had a huge influence on R&B and jazz singers who have followed in her wake, notably Nancy Wilson, Esther Phillips, and Diane Schuur, and her music is abundantly available nowadays via the huge seven-volume series The Complete Dinah Washington on Mercury.

Born Ruth Lee Jones, she moved to Chicago at age three and was raised in a world of gospel, playing the piano and directing her church choir. At 15, after winning an amateur contest at the Regal Theatre, she began performing in nightclubs as a pianist and singer, opening at the Garrick Bar in 1942. Talent manager Joe Glaser heard her there and recommended her to Lionel Hampton, who asked her to join his band. Hampton says that it was he who gave Ruth Jones the name Dinah Washington, although other sources claim it was Glaser or the manager of the Garrick Bar. In any case, she stayed with Hampton from 1943 to 1946 and made her recording debut for Keynote at the end of 1943 in a blues session organized by Leonard Feather with a sextet drawn from the Hampton band. With Feather's "Evil Gal Blues" as her first hit, the records took off, and by the time she left Hampton to go solo, Washington was already an R&B headliner. Signing with the young Mercury label, Washington produced an enviable string of Top Ten hits on the R&B charts from 1948 to 1955, singing blues, standards, novelties, pop covers, even Hank Williams' "Cold, Cold Heart." She also recorded many straight jazz sessions with big bands and small combos, most memorably with Clifford Brown on Dinah Jams but also with Cannonball Adderley, Clark Terry, Ben Webster, Wynton Kelly, and the young Joe Zawinul (who was her regular accompanist for a couple of years).

In 1959, Washington made a sudden breakthrough into the mainstream pop market with "What a Diff'rence a Day Makes," a revival of a Dorsey Brothers hit set to a Latin American bolero tune. For the rest of her career, she would concentrate on singing ballads backed by lush orchestrations for Mercury and Roulette, a formula similar to that of another R&B-based singer at that time, Ray Charles, and one that drew plenty of fire from critics even though her basic vocal approach had not changed one iota. Although her later records could be as banal as any easy listening dross of the period, there are gems to be found, like Billie Holiday's "Don't Explain," which has a beautiful, bluesy Ernie Wilkins chart conducted by Quincy Jones. Struggling with a weight problem, Washington died of an accidental overdose of diet pills mixed with alcohol at the tragically early age of 39, still in peak voice, still singing the blues in an L.A. club only two weeks before the end. ~by Richard S. Ginell

Original Album Series CD1+CD2
Original Album Series CD3+CD4
Original Album Series CD5

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