Friday, November 27, 2015

Leny Andrade & Cesar Camargo Mariano - Ao Vivo

Size: 152,7 MB
Time: 65:36
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2015
Styles: Brazilian Jazz, Bossa Nova, Samba
Art: Front

01. Sambambaia (Instrumental) (Live) (9:10)
02. Tristeza De Nos Dois (Live) (5:03)
03. Redentor (Live) (3:14)
04. Vai De Vez (Live) (3:14)
05. A Ilha (Live) (6:22)
06. Ceu E Mar (Live) (3:36)
07. Fim De Sonho (Live) (4:57)
08. Voce Vai Ver (Live) (4:37)
09. Da Cor Do Pecado (Live) (7:19)
10. Carinhoso (Instrumental) (Live) (5:12)
11. Choro Do Minuto (Live) (2:10)
12. Quem Diz Que Sabe (Live) (6:41)
13. Alvoroço (Live) (3:57)

Making the virtuosic and vigorous style of samba-jazz her main field of expression, Leny Andrade acquired a solid reputation as a singer and improviser, acknowledged by the many top musicians who have performed with her, such as Paquito D'Rivera (who considers Andrade his favorite singer), Luiz Eça, Dick Farney, João Donato, Eumir Deodato, and Francis Hime. Leny Andrade's eclectic style became better defined with the advent of bossa nova, through which she introduced jazz elements into her singing. Finally, she opted for a synthesis of samba-jazz that refutes much of the delicacy and attention to the lyrics as proposed by bossa nova, in favor of a more energetic interpretation. The LP Registro (1979) is a good sample of her dedication to that genre. She also has albums dedicated to rootsy samba-canção/samba composers like Cartola, Leny Andrade Interpreta Cartola (1987), and Nelson Cavaquinho (Luz Negra, 1994). Throughout her career, Andrade had many hits and some of her biggest include "Estamos Aí" (Durval Ferreira/Maurício Einhorn), "A Resposta" (Marcos Valle/Paulo Sérgio Valle), and "Samba de Rei" (Marcos Vasconcellos/Pingarilho). At six, Andrade was already taking classical piano classes. At nine, she started to sing on radio shows like the Clube do Guri (Rádio Tupi, Rio de Janeiro). Six years later, she became the crooner for the Permínio Gonçalves Orchestra. In 1961, she performed at the historic nightclubs of the Beco das Garrafas, Bacará (accompanied by the Sérgio Mendes Trio), and Bottle's Bar. Her first album, A Sensação, was released that same year. In the next year, she became the crooner of Dick Farney's orchestra in São Paulo. In 1965, she had success with the show Gemini V, together with Pery Ribeiro and the Bossa Três at the Porão 73 nightclub, which was recorded live and released as an LP.

 In that same year, she recorded "Estamos Aí" (Durval Ferreira/Maurício Einhorn), one of the most important songs of her repertory, for an eponymous LP. Andrade departed then for a season in Argentina, at the end of which she settled in Mexico, where she lived from 1966 to 1970. In 1972, she and Ribeiro starred in the Gemini V show again, yielding the live recorded LP Gemini Cinco Anos Depois/Pery Ribeiro & Leny Andrade. In 1973, she participated on the live recording Expo-Som '73, together with Márcia, Simone, and Ari Vilela. Her international activities gained momentum in the decades of 1980 and 1990, a period in which she shared her time between the U.S. and Brazil. In 1993, she moved to New York, NY. In the U.S., she performed intensively in jazz festivals, 40 just in the first year. In August 1994, she participated in the Hollywood Bowl Festival (Los Angeles, CA), performing for 15,000 people. In the same year, she performed at the Lincoln Center and released her praised acoustic album in duet with guitarist Romero Lubambo (Coisa Fina). In 1995, she was nominated for the Sharp prize as Best MPB Female Singer, released Letra e Música in duet with Cristóvão Bastos (an album dedicated to Tom Jobim's originals with song and lyrics written without collaborators), and participated in the Umbria Jazz Festival (Umbria, Italy) and in the fourth Blu Jazz Festival (Blumenau, Santa Catarina, Brazil). In 1998, she also participated in the JVC Jazz Festival (New York, NY) and on the TV special Tim Maia Tribute (Multishow, Brazil). ~Alvaro Neder

Ao Vivo 

Marc Broussard - Magnolias & Mistletoe

Size: 98,9 MB
Time: 37:55
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2015
Styles: Soul, R&B, Xmas
Art: Front

01. The First Noel (4:03)
02. Auld Lang Syne (3:14)
03. O Come, All Ye Faithful (3:54)
04. O Holy Night (4:20)
05. The Christmas Song (3:06)
06. Angels We Have Heard On High (3:46)
07. O Come, O Come Emmanuel (3:22)
08. Hark The Herald Angels Sing (3:46)
09. When Christmas Comes Along (4:08)
10. Almost Christmas (4:12)

Magnolias & Mistletoe is a compilation of Holiday themed songs featuring two originals by Marc Broussard.

The son of Boogie Kings guitarist (and Louisiana Hall of Fame member) Ted Broussard, singer/songwriter Marc Broussard was seemingly destined for a life as a music man. His upbringing in Lafayette, Louisiana, instilled in him an affinity for R&B alongside the Cajun trappings of southern Louisiana. Drawing vocal and stylistic influence from Otis Redding and Brian McKnight while bearing the preternaturally gruff vocals of John Hiatt and Dr. John, Broussard was barely 20 at the time of his first album's release. Momentary Setback appeared to encouraging reviews on the independent Ripley Records label in September 2002. Soon afterwards, the young musician inked a deal with Island Def Jam. With Island's support, doors began to open for Broussard. "Just Like That," a track from the Momentary Setback album, was culled for inclusion in the 2003 Lost and Found, Vol. 1 compilation alongside such Americana artists as Ryan Adams and the Jayhawks; that same year, Broussard also appeared on a Bruce Springsteen tribute album, Light of Day, with the track "Back in Your Arms." He spent the autumn of 2003 on the road, where he served as opening act for Dave Matthews Band, Maroon 5, and fellow singer/songwriter Gavin DeGraw. Carencro, a sophomore album named after Broussard's hometown, was issued by Island Records in 2004, and he made the jump from Island to Atlantic Records four years later for the release of Keep Coming Back. He became a road dog after the album's release, opening for and sharing stages with everyone from Maroon 5 and the Dave Matthews Band to Willie Nelson, O.A.R., and Bonnie Raitt. In March of 2011, two songs -- "Lucky" and "Only Everything" -- were issued for digital download as a precursor to his self-titled, Jamie Kenney-produced album that appeared in July that also signaled his return to Vanguard. ~Joseph McCombs

Magnolias & Mistletoe

Rita Reys - Jazz Pictures at an Exhibitio/Marriage In Modern Jazz

Size: 185,1 MB
Time: 78:12
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2015
Styles: Jazz Vocals
Art: Front

01. I'm Gonna Sit Right Down And Write Myself A Letter (2:39)
02. Autumn Leaves (3:50)
03. Cherokee (3:27)
04. Poor Butterfly (3:47)
05. Can't We Be Friends (3:32)
06. I Get A Kick Out Of You (3:34)
07. I Remember Clifford (2:58)
08. Tangerine (2:46)
09. Speak Low (3:59)
10. What's New (3:09)
11. Summertime (3:22)
12. Broadway (3:04)
13. I've Got The World On A String (3:20)
14. No Moon At All (3:11)
15. How Deep Is The Ocean (3:09)
16. Have You Met Miss Jones (1:37)
17. Too Close For Comfort (2:24)
18. Like Someone In Love (2:46)
19. I'm Getting Sentimental Over You (2:33)
20. Thou Swell (2:54)
21. Willow Weep For Me (4:41)
22. But Not For Me (2:19)
23. Thou Swell (3:14)
24. I'm Getting Sentimental Over You (2:09)
25. Willow Weep For Me (3:36)

Rita Reys was long ago billed as "Europe's First Lady of Jazz." A legend overseas, Reys was one of the top jazz singers in Europe from the mid-'50s to the turn of the millennium. Born Maria Everdina Reys in Rotterdam, she began singing as a teenager. Reys won several song contests and in 1941, when she was 16, joined the Hawaiian Minstrels. In 1943 she became a member of her father's theater orchestra. Other early experiences included touring with Lex Van Spall, Ted Powder, and the Piet Van Dijk Orchestra. In 1945 she married drummer Wessel Ilcken, who introduced her to the postwar jazz scene. She worked with her husband's sextet for most of a decade. They were based in Stockholm for a time, where she recorded with the great baritonist Lars Gullin in 1953. In 1956 Reys recorded probably her most famous album, The Cool Voice of Rita Reys. Her backup band was Art Blakey & the Jazz Messengers. Reys and Ilcken spent a few months in the United States during 1956-1957. She had opportunities to sing not only with Blakey but Jimmy Smith, Chico Hamilton, Clark Terry, and Mat Mathews.

Back in Europe, tragedy struck in 1957 when a car accident resulted in the death of Wessel Ilcken. After some time, Reys continued her career. In 1960 she married pianist Pim Jacobs, working regularly with his combo up until his death in 1996. Along the way she performed with Zoot Sims, Oliver Nelson, the Dutch Swing College Band, and other notables. Reys, despite being influenced by Ella Fitzgerald and Mel Tormé, had her own approach to caressing ballads and swinging uptempo tunes. She celebrated her 80th birthday during 2004-2005, writing her memoirs (Rita Reys -- Lady Jazz) and having many special performances, including television specials and concerts all around the Netherlands. An excellent four-CD box set, The Rita Reys Story -- Songs of a Lifetime, sums up her musical legacy, dating from 1953-2000. ~by Scott Yanow

Jazz Pictures at an Exhibitio/Marriage In Modern Jazz

Marc Thomas - Shining Hours / Quai West

Album: Shining Hours
Size: 131,1 MB
Time: 56:17
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2011
Styles: Jazz Vocals
Art: Front

01. My Shining Hour (3:41)
02. I'm Through With Love (5:12)
03. Our Love Is Here To Stay (6:20)
04. Maybe September (4:49)
05. A House Is Not A Home (4:58)
06. Oh Me Oh My Oh Gosh (2:11)
07. Triste (4:08)
08. People Moon River (4:04)
09. Just One Of Those Things (4:21)
10. I'll Be Seeing You (4:18)
11. Sugar (4:05)
12. I'm Through With Love (Bonus Track) (5:00)
13. You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To (Bonus Track) (3:06)

Chanteur " crooner " et saxophoniste, le timide Marc Thomas caché derrière ses lunettes noires se révèle impressionnant sur scène.

Envolées de scats, chaleur du timbre, justesse de l'expression font partie de sa science vocale au service de la musique, louée par la critique depuis de nombreuses années. Accompagné d'une section rythmique qui ne s'en laisse pas conter, tantôt dans un swing puissant, tantôt dans la confidence, Marc Thomas offre toujours des lignes mélodiques d'une rare sensibilité.

Marc Thomas: voix, saxophone, Vincent Bourgeyx: piano, Gildas Boclé: contrebasse, Andrea Michelutti: batterie

Shining Hours

Album: Quai West
Size: 119,9 MB
Time: 51:41
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2013
Styles: Jazz Vocals
Art: Front

01. Dindi (5:10)
02. Sometimes I'm Happy (4:32)
03. Tenderly (6:32)
04. All Of You (3:53)
05. Our Love Is Here To Stay (4:24)
06. I Wish You Love, Que Reste-T-Il De Nos Amours (7:14)
07. Cheek To Cheek (4:13)
08. Have You Met Miss Jones (5:11)
09. The Shadow Of Your Smile (5:00)
10. Just Friends (5:28)

Marc Thomas: vocals
Guillaume Naud: piano (tracks 1-4)
Cédric Caillaud: bass
Vincent Frade: drums
Carl Schlosser: saxophone, flute
Pierre Christophe: piano (tracks 5-10)

Tracks 1-4 recorded at the Jazz Club Le Quai des Fleurs, with no public, at St. Savinien-sur-Charente, Charente Maritime, France, 2003
Tracks 5-10 recorded the same night at the Jazz Club Le Quai des Fleurs, with no public, at St. Savinien-sur-Charente, Charente Maritime, France, 2003

Quai West

The Bud Powell Trio - Blues In The Closet

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 37:36
Size: 86.1 MB
Styles: Bop, Piano jazz
Year: 1956/2015
Art: Front

[1:38] 1. When I Fall In Love
[3:30] 2. My Heart Stood Still
[2:59] 3. Blues In The Closet
[3:20] 4. Swingin' Till The Girls Come Home
[2:22] 5. I Know That You Know
[2:56] 6. Elegy
[3:53] 7. Woody 'n' You
[3:38] 8. I Should Care
[4:31] 9. Now's The Time
[3:58] 10. I Didn't Know What Time It Was
[2:23] 11. Bebop
[2:22] 12. 52nd Street Theme

In the bebop revolution of the 1940’s, as Charlie Parker was the leading voice of the alto saxophone, so was Bud Powell the leading voice of the piano. Recorded in 1956 (before his Paris sojourn), the long-unavailable BLUES IN THE CLOSET features Powell’s lightning-fast runs and nimble keyboard navigations on a set of originals and well-chosen standards. He is accompanied by Osie Johnson, a solid mainstream drummer, and the dean of jazz bassists, Ray Brown. A must for Powell fans and bop devotees. ~Mark Keresman

Blues In The Closet

June Christy - The Ballad Collection

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 55:02
Size: 126.0 MB
Styles: Jazz vocals
Year: 2000
Art: Front

[4:40] 1. Interlude
[2:43] 2. My One And Only Love
[4:03] 3. Lonely House
[2:10] 4. Softly, As In A Morning Sunrise
[3:04] 5. The Little Star
[2:35] 6. Cry Like The Wind
[3:23] 7. The Magic Gift
[2:36] 8. Don't Explain
[2:40] 9. Kissing Bug
[4:06] 10. Nobody's Heart
[3:19] 11. Night People
[4:53] 12. The Night We Called It A Day
[4:57] 13. Something Cool
[3:41] 14. The Wind
[3:30] 15. This Time Of Year
[2:35] 16. Winter's Got Spring Up Its Sleeve

June Christy was one of the best singers to follow in the wake of Anita O'Day, and while her career wasn't always the smoothest, she maintained a very special poise and exhibited a consistent creative and artistic integrity throughout. This set collects some of her greatest ballads, including "Nobody's Heart" and "Interlude," plus the first stereo versions of songs from her classic Something Cool album, cuts from her holiday album This Time of Year, plus material that she did with her husband, Bob Cooper. It's not the whole story, of course, but at 16 well-chosen tracks on a single disc, it's the best brief survey of Christy's career currently out there. ~Steve Leggett

The Ballad Collection

Sounds Orchestral - Cast Your Fate To The Wind

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 34:30
Size: 79.0 MB
Styles: Piano jazz
Year: 1965/1994
Art: Front

[3:05] 1. Something's Coming
[3:11] 2. Cast Your Fate To The Wind
[2:26] 3. Scarlatti Potion No. 9
[2:33] 4. While We Danced At The Mardi Gras
[3:29] 5. When Love Has Gone
[2:33] 6. To Wendy With Love
[3:39] 7. Sounds Anonymous
[2:30] 8. Carnival (Manha De Carnival)
[2:38] 9. Downtown
[2:28] 10. Scarlatti Potion No. 9
[2:52] 11. Love Letters
[3:01] 12. Like The Lonely

Johnny Pearson - Piano; Peter McGurk - Bass; Kenny Clare & Ronnie Verrell - Drums; Tony Gilbert - Violin; John Schroeder Orchestra.

British pianist Johnny Pearson and producer John Schroeder teamed up initially to cover Vince Guaraldi's US hit "Cast Your Fate to the Wind" - and went on to make 20 best-selling albums of jazz-influenced pop instrumentals together. Always accessible but with a cool middle-eight, and touches of classical.

Cast Your Fate To The Wind

Bill Wyman - Back To Basics

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 46:42
Size: 106.9 MB
Styles: Jazz/Blues/Rock
Year: 2015
Art: Front

[3:35] 1. What & How & If & When & Why
[3:35] 2. I Lost My Ring
[3:39] 3. Love, Love, Love
[4:03] 4. Stuff (Can't Get Enough)
[3:59] 5. Running Back To You
[3:54] 6. She's Wonderful
[3:46] 7. Seventeen
[3:04] 8. I'll Pull You Through
[3:41] 9. November
[3:39] 10. Just A Friend Of Mine
[2:02] 11. It's A Lovely Day
[3:48] 12. I Got Time
[3:52] 13. Exciting

Back To Basics does exactly what it says on the tin. It is unashamedly stripped back. The snappy lyrics are refreshingly audible and the instrumentation is clean, subtle and accomplished.

Back To Basics wears its influences on its sleeve – Tom Waits, Leonard Cohen, JJ Cale – and there’s more than a passing nod to Bill’s own English background. It is that rare thing, a meld of styles and genres that actually work together – uplifting in a jaunty, dancey way and pensive in a bluesy, narrative way.

Bill Wyman’s last solo UK album, ‘Bill Wyman’, was released in 1982. Back To Basics comprises only his fourth ever UK solo release. But Bill has not been idle of course. 31 years in the Rolling Stones, author of seven learned books, globally exhibited photographer, metal detecting expert with his own brand of metal detector, producer, composer for film and TV and founder of the very successful Rhythm Kings’, who still release CD’s and tour regularly – he has had a pretty full calendar. It was only when archiving old demos last year he realised he had around 60 songs he’d never released.

He chose three songs that needed reworking and did just that. He put them together with a bunch of brand new songs and went into his studio to record them. The CD comprises 13 tracks in total, eight of which are brand new songs. Musicians joining Bill in the studio include long time collaborator/guitarist Terry Taylor, Guy Fletcher (Mark Knopfler), Graham Broad and Robbie McIntosh, while co-production credit goes to Andy Wright (Jeff Beck, Eurythmics, Simply Red). On Bill Wyman’s Back To Basics you get music that’s the real deal… and you’re all the better for it.

Back To Basics

Phil Woods Quintet - Ballads & Blues

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2009
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 62:42
Size: 145,8 MB
Art: Front

(4:11)  1. Blood Count
(5:01)  2. Flower is a Lovesome Thing
(4:04)  3. Balcony Serenade
(4:13)  4. Isfahan
(7:56) 5. Ballad Medley: I Didn't Know About You/Lotus Blossom/Don't You Know I Care
(8:33)  6. How Little We Know
(5:00)  7. Ballad for Very Tired and Very Sad Lotus Eaters
(3:54)  8. Lush Life
(4:12)  9. My Little Brown Book
(5:00) 10. Rain Check
(5:09) 11. Johnny Come Lately
(5:24) 12. Take the A Train

Ballads & Blues celebrates compositions by Billy Strayhorn and Duke Ellington (as well as one by Hoagy Carmichael). Trumpeter Brian Lynch, a member of Woods' quintet since 1992, is a good foil for the alto legend, as on Carmichael's "How Little We Know". Lynch's solo is a model of tasteful note selection and his unison lines with Woods blend perfectly. 

Bill Charlap's solo rendition of "Lush Life" has a tender, precise quality, which epitomizes his attitude in Woods' ensemble for 14 years. The band sways with a tinge of sadness on "Blood Count" and swings "Johnny Come Lately" with optimism. ~ Greg Thomas  http://www.allaboutjazz.com/phil-woods-ballads-and-blues-live-at-the-jazz-showcase-the-childrens-suite-by-greg-thomas.php

Personnel:  Phil Woods – Alto Sax;  Brian Lynch – Trumpet;  Bill Charlap – Piano;  Steve Gilmore – Bass;  Bill Goodwin – Drums

Ballads & Blues

Ray Charles & Cleo Laine - Porgy & Bess

Styles: Jazz, Vocal
Year: 1976
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 62:41
Size: 144,1 MB
Art: Front

(6:16)  1. Summertime
(4:43)  2. My Man's Gone Now
(2:45)  3. A Woman Is A Sometime Thing
(3:04)  4. They Pass By Singin'
(2:25)  5. What You Want Wid Bess?
(3:52)  6. I Got Plenty O' Nuttin'
(3:24)  7. Buzzard Song
(5:29)  8. Bess, You Is My Woman
(2:13)  9. Oh, Doctor Jesus
(1:44) 10. Crab Man
(1:23) 11. Her Come De Honey Man
(0:55) 12. Strawberry Woman (instrumental)
(1:19) 13. Strawberry Woman
(4:17) 14. It Ain't Necessarily So
(3:24) 15. There's A Boat Dat's Leavin' Soon For New York
(5:03) 16. I Loves You, Porgy
(3:23) 17. Oh, Bess, Oh Where's My Bess (instumental)
(3:36) 18. Oh Bess, Oh Where's My Bess
(3:19) 19. Oh Lord, I'm On My Way

Charles and Cleo Laine duet on the songs from George Gershwin's opera, in a version arranged and conducted by Frank DeVol (who provides extra instrumentals) and produced by Norman Granz. The material is perfect for the performers, and they give it an effective, if unstudied, treatment. ~ William Ruhlmann  http://www.cduniverse.com/search/xx/music/pid/1519969/a/porgy+%26+bess.htm

Personnel: John Morell, Joe Pass, Lee Ritenour (guitar); Denizel Gail Laughton, Catherine Gotthoffer, Dorothy Remsen (harp); Ronald Folsom, Thelma Beach, Marvin Limonick, Anatol Kaminsky, Paul Lowenkron, Karen Jones , George Kaufman, Charles Veal, Ambrose Russo, Marcia Van Dyke, Daniel Shindaryov, Spiro Stamos, Bernard Kundell, Jacob Krachmalnick, Marshall Sosson, Israel Baker, Nathan Ross, Ralph Schaeffer, Harry Bluestone (violin); Dan Neufeld, Meyer Bello, Rollice Dale, Norman Forrest, Pamela Goldsmith, Allan Harshman (viola); Ron Leonard, David H. Speltz, Ronald Cooper, Anne Goodman, Harry Shlutz, Douglas Davis (cello); Tommy Morgan (harmonica); Ernie Watts, Gary Herbig, William Hood, Jerome Richardson, Sam Most, Bill Perkins, Wilbur Schwartz, Bud Shank (clarinet); Plas Johnson , William Green (saxophone); Harry "Sweets" Edison , Oscar Brashear, Ray Triscari, Bill Berry , Al Aarons, Buddy Childers (trumpet); George Roberts , J.J. Johnson , Jimmy Cleveland, Benny Powell, Britt Woodman (trombone); Joe Sample (piano, organ); Victor Feldman, Paul Smith , Ralph Grierson (piano); Washington Rucker (drums); Alan Estes, Emil Radocchia, Jerry Williams , Larry Bunker (percussion).

Porgy & Bess

Anke Helfrich feat. Tim Hagans - Dedication

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2015
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 57:49
Size: 132,9 MB
Art: Front

( 5:52)  1. Invictus
( 7:30)  2. Chan's Song
( 1:11)  3. Interlude - Lost & Found
( 7:11)  4. Rise and Shine
( 1:04)  5. Interlude - Wehklage
( 7:03)  6. Sagrada Familia
( 6:07)  7. Think of One
( 6:31)  8. Aspettami (Wait for Me)
(11:58)  9. The Prize
( 3:17) 10. A Simple Act of Kindness

Anke Helfrich belongs to the exclusive elite of European pianists who has been able to contribute a new kind of energy and spirit to jazz music. She is a fantastic pianist, known for captivating her audiences. Now, with Dedication, she reveals new facets of her musicianship. This release is a personal project where she successfully maintains jazz’ American roots while offering her own interpretation of jazz as it sounds today. We will always need artists who take chances, and Anke Helfrich does this masterfully.~ Christian Brorsen, Music Director  Jazzhus Montmartre, Copenhagen.

Anke Helfrich in her liner notes: "Dedication means commitment and devotion. Being a jazz musician and playing improvised music requires total commitment, in every way. It is a constant challenge. It offers the possibility to express yourself through music and to transform emotions into your playing and compositions. Each track of this CD is dedicated to inspirational figures, influential people in my life and themes, that have inspired me."

"During my childhood in Namibia my parents were committed to an anti-apartheid organization. I accompanied my mother regularly to the kindergarten of the black town ships to distribute donations, clothes and toys. It was a ritual to hold each other’s hands and to sing together "We shall overcome". Nelson Mandela was, also during the time of his incarceration, the venerated man. His determination and perseverance to believe in something and to not have his will power broken even in decades of captivity is inspiring and gives courage. The poem Invictus by William Ernest Henry gave strength to Mandela during this period. I created a dialogue between words and melody which culminates and than leaves space for the important message: I am the master of my fate, I am the captain of my soul!

I have read and researched a great deal about the life and work of Martin Luther King, Jr. As with Nelson Mandela I am touched and inspired, by his courage and incredible commitment, his fight for equal rights, improvement of living conditions, and change in thelaw. He is an icon for many jazz musicians and his attachment to blues and jazz is documented in the preface "On the Importance of Jazz", introducing the first Berlin Jazz Festival 1964. Here he describes how important this music was for the American Peace Movement. I harmonized his most significant speech and accompanied it on the the piano, giving it an almost gospel-like melody and sound." Excerpts from the liner notes. http://www.anke-helfrich.de/music/cd4/nucd4.htm

Personnel:  Anke Helfrich, piano, fender rhodes, harmonium;  Tim Hagans, trumpet, flugelhorn;  Ardie Walser: voice;  Martin Wind, bass;  Jonas Burgwinkel, drums

Dedication

John McLaughlin - Black Light

Styles: Guitar Jazz, Jazz Fusion
Year: 2015
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 50:26
Size: 129,2 MB
Art: Front

(6:27)  1. Here Come the Jiis
(5:58)  2. Clap Your Hand
(5:41)  3. Being You Being Me
(6:14)  4. Pandit Ji
(6:31)  5. 360 Flip
(5:37)  6. El Hombre Que Sabia
(4:15)  7. Gaza City
(5:54)  8. Kiki
(3:44)  9. Nothing to Lose but the Blues

All my recordings are personal and reflect what is happening in my interior world, and I’m happy about the way the diverse cultural influences that have impacted on me for so many years, are showing themselves in this new album. The inclusion of ‘movements’ inside the pieces is a new development for me and I like the way they work within, giving a breath, or pause with a different dynamic. The work here relates to, and is a development of the work I began with the album ‘Industrial Zen’.  In addition there are a number of homages:, namely in ‘Here come the Jiis’ to the memory of the wonderful musician with whom I played for 14 years, Mandolin Shrinivas. The piece ‘Panditji’ is a small thank you to a great human being and musician, Pandit Ravi Shankar, with whom I had the honor of studying under during the middle 1970’s.

‘El Hombre que Sabià’ is for the unforgettable Paco de Lucia, and is one of the pieces we had planned to record together last year. He was particularly fond of this piece, so I changed the title and worked out an arrangement with the great musicians of 4D; I’m really happy how it turned out. ‘Being you being me’comes out of an experience of seeing the One in the many. I am personally convinced that the only real evolution in humanity will be when we all see the divine in each other, and so accord the respect that every individual merits. In the opening and closing of this piece, you’ll hear the synth guitar. ‘360 Flip’ comes from skateboard move my son introduced me to, and reminded me of a 360 Flip that can happen in your mind, when your mind turns 360 degrees and you see everything the same but differently. This can happen while playing music, meditating or even walking in the mountains.’Clap your hand’ is a pun on the Zen koan, ‘What is the sound of one hand clapping?’

’Gaza City’ requires no explanation after the bombardment of that City in the summer of 2014. I played the synth guitar and electric guitar on this piece. And finally ‘Kiki’ who is such a dear friend and wonderful drummer. I hope you find something in the music. ~ John McLaughi  http://www.johnmclaughlin.com/project/black-light/

Personnel: John McLaughlin (acoustic guitar, electric guitar, synthesizer); Ranjit Barot (vocals, drums); Gary Husband (piano, synthesizer, drums, percussion); Etienne Mbappé (electric bass).

Black Light

Thursday, November 26, 2015

B.B. King - Reflections

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 46:09
Size: 105.7 MB
Styles: Contemporary blues
Year: 2003
Art: Front

[3:19] 1. Exactly Like You
[3:20] 2. On My Word Of Honor
[2:47] 3. I Want A Little Girl
[3:29] 4. I'll String Along With You
[3:01] 5. I Need You
[2:56] 6. A Mother's Love
[3:28] 7. (I Love You) For Sentimental Reasons
[4:25] 8. Neighborhood Affair
[3:34] 9. Tomorrow Night
[3:26] 10. There I've Said It Again
[3:54] 11. Always On My Mind
[4:28] 12. Cross My Heart
[3:55] 13. What A Wonderful World

B.B. King was 77 years old when Reflections was released, which perhaps entitled him to reflect back on the song standards the album contained. Despite advancing age, King had already been unusually busy on the recording front for a septuagenarian, turning out the gold-selling duets album Deuces Wild in 1997, Blues on the Bayou in 1998, Let the Good Times Roll: The Music of Louis Jordan in 1999, the double-platinum Riding With the King with Eric Clapton and Makin' Love Is Good for You in 2000, and the seasonal recording A Christmas Celebration of Hope in 2002. For Reflections, he again worked with Simon Climie, who produced Riding With the King, and collaborated with a session band including such notables as Joe Sample, Nathan East, and Doyle Bramhall II. The songs ranged from pop evergreens like "I'll String Along With You" and "For Sentimental Reasons" to blues favorites such as Lonnie Johnson's "Tomorrow Night," with oddities like "Always on My Mind" thrown in and even a couple of remakes of the earlier King songs "Word of Honor" and "Neighborhood Affair." The arrangements, which included horn and string parts, left room for King's distinctive blues guitar work, but really supported his always expressive voice. The result was a confident, easygoing album that stylistically could have been made in 1953 as easily as 2003. Blues purists and aficionados of blues guitar would find it only partially satisfying, but it reflected the breadth of musical taste of an artist who always played the blues but never restricted himself only to blues music or blues fans. ~William Ruhlmann

Reflections

Marian McPartland - Yesterdays: Marian McPartland The First Lady Of Jazz Piano

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 41:06
Size: 94.1 MB
Styles: Piano jazz, Standards
Year: 2006
Art: Front

[2:44] 1. Strike Up The Band
[3:14] 2. It Might As Well Be Spring
[2:51] 3. Yesterdays
[2:47] 4. Love Is Here To Stay
[2:27] 5. Love For Sale
[2:57] 6. Gypsy In My Soul
[2:41] 7. All The Things You Are
[2:21] 8. Liza (All The Clouds'll Roll Away)
[3:43] 9. Embraceable You
[3:47] 10. The Lady Is A Tramp
[3:06] 11. A Foggy Day
[4:02] 12. Manhattan
[4:19] 13. I've Got The World On A String

This recording is one of the best of Marian Mcpartland who is one of the great ones whose style always centers on a strong melody with smooth harmonies that never leave the melody behind. Over the years her radio show has displayed the breadth of her library of the great pieces in the spirit of what is known today as the "Great American Songbook". I never grow tired of her arrangements where I can always find something new even after listening to a piece times after the first play. ~Ernie Dossin

Yesterdays: Marian McPartland The First Lady Of Jazz Piano

Mel Tormé - Tormé

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 43:22
Size: 99.3 MB
Styles: Vocal, Standards
Year: 1958/2003
Art: Front

[3:26] 1. That Old Feeling
[5:11] 2. Gloomy Sunday
[3:34] 3. Body And Soul
[1:49] 4. Nobody's Heart
[2:52] 5. I Should Care
[2:49] 6. The House Is Haunted (By The Echo Of Your Last Goodbye)
[8:03] 7. Blues In The Night
[3:03] 8. I Don't Want To Cry Any More
[3:25] 9. Where Can I Go Without You
[3:21] 10. How Did She Look
[3:11] 11. 'round Midnight
[2:32] 12. I'm Gonna Laugh You Right Out Of My Life

Most of Mel Tormé's albums for Verve and Bethlehem during the 1950s concentrated on material either carefree (usually up-tempo) or reflective (mostly down-tempo), but 1958's Tormé blended the two. For every bouncy single like "That Old Feeling" or "I'm Gonna Laugh You Out of My Life," Tormé sinks into the depths with "Gloomy Sunday," "The House Is Haunted (By the Echo of Your Last Goodbye)," or his dramatic eight-minute reading of "Blues in the Night." All this makes for a bit of emotional confusion while listening to Tormé, but the LP pulls together for the most part. ~John Bush

Tormé

Coleman Hawkins & Pee Wee Russell - Jam Session In Swingville

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 78:08
Size: 178.9 MB
Styles: Bop, Swing, Saxophone jazz
Year: 1961/1992
Art: Front

[ 9:30] 1. Jammin' In Swingville
[10:40] 2. Cool Sunrise
[ 7:53] 3. Spring's Swing
[ 7:15] 4. Love Me Or Leave Me
[ 2:43] 5. I Want To Be Happy
[ 7:15] 6. Phoenix
[ 5:31] 7. So Glad
[ 6:47] 8. Things Ain't What They Used To Be
[ 6:33] 9. I May Be Wrong
[ 3:54] 10. Vic's Spot
[10:00] 11. Years Ago

This single CD has all of the music reissued in the mid-'70s on a two-LP set. Although sometimes issued under the names of Coleman Hawkins and Pee Wee Russell, the two great jazzmen actually do not appear together. The music, which is performed by two all-star groups with arrangements by either Jimmy Hamilton or Al Sears, is generally modern swing. Hawkins' band is comprised of trumpeter Joe Newman, trombonist J.C. Higginbottham, clarinetist Hamilton, altoist Hilton Jefferson and a four-piece rhythm section. Pianist Cliff Jackson plays "I Want to Be Happy," and clarinetist Russell's outfit also features trumpeter Joe Thomas, trombonist Vic Dickenson and both Al Sears and Buddy Tate on tenors. Nothing all that memorable or innovative occurs, but the performances are enjoyable. ~Scott Yanow

Jam Session In Swingville

Bud Shank featuring Chet Baker - Michelle

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1966
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 24:55
Size: 57,4 MB
Art: Front

(2:28)  1. Michelle
(2:42)  2. Petite Fleur
(2:24)  3. Girl
(2:10)  4. As Tears Go By
(2:27)  5. You Didn't Have To Be So Nice
(2:27)  6. Love Theme, Umbrellas Of Cherbourg
(2:36)  7. Sounds of Silence
(2:39)  8. Turn! Turn! Turn!
(2:39)  9. Yesterday
(2:19) 10. Blue on Blue

Bud Shank’s December 1965 recording, Michelle, consisted primarily of recent pop hits by the likes of the The Beatles, The Byrds and The Mamas and The Papas, arranged for the easy listening market by Bob Florence. Drenched in saccharine strings and given a choral backing, it proved to be a surprise hit, reaching #54 on the US album charts. “Chet showed up late, and wanted to borrow twenty dollars,” Shank later recalled. “Past that, everything was all right. He did exactly what he had to do and did it well.” http://www.funnyvalentine.org/funnyvalentine.org/Michelle.html

Personnel: Bud Shank (alto saxophone, flute); Bob Florence (arranger, conductor)

Michelle

Renée Fleming - Dark Hope

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2010
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 48:26
Size: 111,1 MB
Art: Front

(3:59)  1. Endlessly
(3:41)  2. No One's Gonna Love You
(4:15)  3. Oxygen
(3:22)  4. Today
(4:19)  5. Intervention
(5:33)  6. With Twilight As My Guide
(3:53)  7. Mad World
(5:01)  8. In Your Eyes
(3:26)  9. Stepping Stone
(3:11) 10. Soul Meets Body
(7:39) 11. Hallelujah

It’s fitting that Renée Fleming, “the people’s diva,” would make an album of pop songs that feels more like a labor of love than a crossover attempt. Dark Hope is filled with songs and arrangements that wouldn’t appear on a typical attempt to bring a classical vocalist into the mainstream witness her dark, intricate take on the Mars Volta’s “With Twilight as My Guide.” It should almost go without saying that Fleming's voice is just as remarkable here as it is in her usual milieu, but the album proves time and again that she is game for just about anything. Fleming learned how to sing in the more intimate, confessional style that Dark Hope's singer/songwriter and alternative rock fare requires just for this project; combined with her interpretive gifts, she does a masterful job of remaining true to the spirit of the original songs while offering her own twists on them. Her voice dances over the wordy, syllable-heavy lyrics of Willy Mason's “Oxygen,” brings a mature moodiness to “Stepping Stone” that was lacking in Duffy's spitfire version, and remains connected to the intimacy in the Arcade Fire’s “Intervention” even as the song swells around her. Indeed, Dark Hope's swelling arrangements are as much a weakness as they are a strength: at times, it feels like the album’s producers didn’t trust that her gorgeous voice singing these songs would be enough of a draw. Quite a few tracks have busy instrumentation that detracts from Fleming's singing; others have arrangements that try too hard to be tastefully contemporary, and dilute the songs’ impact. 

Fleming is divinely torchy on Muse's “Endlessly,” but her trip-hop-tinged surroundings are no match for her rich vocals. Her interpretation of Band of Horses' “No One’s Gonna Love You” is let down by an arrangement that sounds like generic alt-pop though, on the other hand, it’s a relief that it doesn’t sound like A String Tribute to Band of Horses. Despite these problems, both of these songs are among Dark Hope's standout tracks, along with the subtly sultry electro-folk turn on Jefferson Airplane’s “Today” and the urgent yet airy reading of Death Cab for Cutie's “Soul Meets Body.” It’s just frustrating that even songs as revered as Leonard Cohen's “Hallelujah”which is virtually a standard at this point are burdened with anything that takes away from a voice as remarkable as Fleming's singing a melody that powerful. She deserves credit for undertaking such a bold enterprise, but unfortunately Dark Hope's execution lets down the concept. 
~ Heather Phares  http://www.allmusic.com/album/dark-hope-mw0001989615

Dark Hope

One For All - No Problem

Styles: Jazz, Post-Bop
Year: 2003
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 63:23
Size: 145,5 MB
Art: Front

(8:18)  1. Our Father Who Art Blaky
(8:23)  2. No Problem
(8:31)  3. Moanin'
(7:53)  4. Whisper Not
(6:15)  5. Ugetsu
(7:43)  6. Time Off
(7:51)  7. Prelude To A Kiss
(8:28)  8. One For All

This starlit group hits the ground running with drummer Joe Farnsworth's driving tribute to Art Blakey: it's an introduction that says, "we have arrived, folks, just buckle up and ride." Not a hard thing to do and great fun to boot. Recorded at New York's historic Avatar Studios in April of 2003, the sextet's combined mastery and energy are impressive to say the least. "One for All" includes some of the brightest lights in jazz today, who apply themselves to a spirited program of classics and two band originals the aforementioned blistering "Our Father..." and trombonist Steve Davis's infectious closer, "One for All."

Fans of Eric Alexander's masterful tenor work will be especially delighted by his solo on "No Problem." So will David Hazeltine fans, and Jim Rotondi fans, and....in fact, the consistently strong solos are some of the many pleasures of this disk, along with the band's ability to play together as a driving force. The fact that the arrangements of classics like "Moanin'" and "Whisper Not" are pretty standard detracts nothing from the pleasure of their rendering by a group of this caliber. 

On "Time Off," where trombonist Steve Davis first displays the group's communal intention to take no prisoners, I was reminded of the old Maxell ad where the music blows the listener's hair straight back. The guys finally take a breath on "Prelude," in an interesting arrangement where Alexander evokes the ghost of Coltrane's ballad playing and Drummond steps up to the melody. Recorded so frontally that it sounds live, "One for All" is a powerful supergroup recording that cures the winter blues. ~ Dr. Judith Schlesinger  http://www.allaboutjazz.com/no-problem-one-for-all-venus-records-review-by-dr-judith-schlesinger.php

Personnel: Joe Farnsworth (drums), David Hazeltine (piano), Eric Alexander (tenor sax), Jim Rotondi (trumpet), Steve Davis (trombone), Ray Drummond (bass)

No Problem

Mark Murphy & Metropole Orchestra - The Dream

Styles: Jazz, Vocal
Year: 2000
File: MP3@224K/s
Time: 64:28
Size: 103,7 MB
Art: Front

(4:25)  1. The Dream
(5:20)  2. Since I Fell For You
(4:27)  3. So Many Stars
(3:39)  4. Laura
(4:19)  5. This Is New
(4:54)  6. Sometimes When You're Lonely
(5:58)  7. Gone (Dedicated to Sarah Vaughan)
(3:57)  8. Estate
(5:41)  9. Down Here On The Ground
(1:22) 10. Hopeless (A Blue Girl In a Red Sunrise)
(4:01) 11. Stairway To Paradise
(4:29) 12. I See Your Face Before Me
(3:16) 13. All In Love Is Fair
(3:52) 14. We Can Try Love Again
(4:41) 15. When The World Was Young

Mark Murphy is one of the world's greatest and hippest jazz vocalists performing today. On this album you will find very special and rare recordings, made in Holland with the METROPOL ORCHESTRA in several sessions from the late 60s till early 90s. GREAT arrangements and a great selection of songs! His coterie of fans includes tap dancer Gregory Hines, who spontaneously jumped up on stage at Mark's Las Vegas engagement in 1995 to join him for an impromptu duet. Legendary composer Alec Wilder said of Mark, 'I was quite literally amazed. Mark's musicianship, range, intonation, diction, inventiveness and incredible rhythmic sense are all of a piece and all marvelous.' Vocal greats Betty Carter, Peggy Lee, Cleo Laine and Shirley Horn all sing Murphy's praises as one of the best in he business and the legendary Ella Fitzgerald declared 'he is my equal.' A six-time Grammy nominee, Mark Murphy has enjoyed a prolific 40-year recording career, with over 40 releases to date. His original lyrics to 'Stolen Moments,' 'Red Clay' and more are known the world over. His innovative projects range from the work of Nat 'King' Cole to Jack Kerouac to Ivan Lins to Eddie Jefferson. Stereo Review dubs Mark 'one of the major artists of our age.' Mark Murphy is a jazz singer. 'For decades the question 'What exactly is a jazz singer' 'has had two easy answers, Betty Carter. And Mark Murphy.' writes the New York Post. 'He is arguably the best male jazz singer in the business,' declares Rex Reed. 'Mark Murphy is to jazz singing what Bobby Fisher is to chess.' Jazz journalist Dan Morgenstern writes, 'I can't help relishing his sure and swinging time, his musical and ever-inventive phrasing and that certain quality of sound and feeling combined with time and taste that to me spells jazz.'

Murphy is 'a hipster's hipster,' writes the New York Post. Jazziz magazine concurs, 'he is one of the true remaining jazz hipsters of our time.' 'Mark has devoted a long career to singing the hippest music with the best musicians,' states Leonard Feather. 'Consider the company he has kept on records. In the '60s, Clark Terry, Dick Hyman, Roger Kellaway. In the '70s, David Sanborn and the Brecker Brothers. In the '80s, Frank Morgan, Richie Cole and the Azymuth Trio. Consider the jazzmen to whose instrumental works he has composed and sung lyrics: Miles Davis, Sonny Rollins, Pat Metheny, Charlie Parker, McCoy Tyner, Charles Mingus, Herbie Hancock and Wayne Shorter.' It was Sammy Davis, Jr. who first discovered the young Mark Murphy in 1953 at a jam session in Murphy's hometown of Syracuse, New York. Impressed with Murphy's talent, Davis invited him to his show that night, where he asked Mark to join him on stage. Davis -- to whom Murphy devoted his Muse release, 'What a Way to Go' -- was supportive of Mark throughout the years and was responsible for getting Murphy on the 'Tonight Show' with Steve Allen. It was Allen's composition, 'This Could Be the Start of Something Big,' that Mark recorded a hit rendition of in 1959. More...http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/markmurphy

The Dream