Monday, December 14, 2015

Linnzi Zaorski - Linnzi Zaorski & Delta Royale

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 55:08
Size: 126.2 MB
Styles: Vocal jazz, Swing
Year: 2010
Art: Front

[3:12] 1. Me Myself And I
[4:09] 2. The Way You Look Tonight
[4:47] 3. Mean To Me
[5:07] 4. Rockin' Chair
[2:23] 5. Carelessly
[3:15] 6. Lullabye Of Birdland
[4:11] 7. Don't Be That Way
[6:36] 8. What A Little Moonlight Can Do
[2:03] 9. I'm Gonna Lock My Heart And Throw Away The Key
[4:42] 10. Our Love Is Here To Stay
[2:56] 11. Stars Fell On Alabama
[6:16] 12. Why Was I Born
[5:24] 13. Dream A Little Dream

Ryan Berrage – Sax; Charlie Fardella – Trumpet; Robert Snow – Bass; Seva Venet – Guitar; Linnzi Zaorski – Vocals.

While technique, control and tone are important aspects of jazz singing, it is a performer's individual style that gets them recognized. You can learn technique, but not style. Throwback torch singer Linnzi Zaorski understands the importance of style as her debut album is brimming with it.Throughout, Zaorski is backed by a sympathetic quartet including Ryan Burrage on reeds, Jackson Square Band veteran Seva Venet on guitar, Charlie Fardela on trumpet and Robert snow providing the backbone on upright bass. Unlike her other gig with the New Orleans Jazz Vipers, Delta Royale veers away from the Hot Club swing into more of a singer's repertoire of popular standards made famous by the likes of Ella Fitzgerald and Billie Holliday. But Zaorski finds a voice outside of these singing giants on oft-covered classics like "Lullaby of Birdland" and "Stars fell On Alabama." Eschewing the pathos of Billie Holiday and the studied perfection of Ella, Zaorski evokes the great mildred Bailey (especially on the Bailey vehicle "Rockin Chair") with her stylized enunciation and bright tone. While it is Zaorski's affair, the band takes the spotlight swinging mightily on a hot version of "What A Little Moonlight Can Do." But it is to the band's credit as accompanists that the focus remains on the voice of Zaorski. Even when singing laments like "Why Was I Born?" you get the impression that beneath the pout, there is an assured smirk, that when she declares "Our Love Is Here To Stay," shes crosing her fingers. This girl's definitely got style. ~Christopher Blagg

Linnzi Zaorski & Delta Royale

Buster Smith - The Legendary Buster Smith

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 38:05
Size: 87.2 MB
Styles: Saxophone jazz
Year: 1959/2005
Art: Front

[3:32] 1. Buster's Tune
[6:50] 2. E-Flat Boogie
[3:49] 3. September Song
[4:31] 4. King Alcohol
[5:12] 5. Kansas City Riffs
[7:35] 6. Late Late
[6:34] 7. Organ Grinder's Swing

Alto sax player, arranger, and composer Buster Smith recorded sparingly during his career and this seven-track set, recorded in a single session on June 7, 1959 and released by Atlantic Records a month or two later, was the only album Smith did as a bandleader. It's a low key, pleasant affair featuring five original Smith compositions, including the lightly swinging "Buster's Tune" and the odd, wonderfully disjointed "King Alcohol," as well as versions of Kurt Weill's "September Song" and Will Hudson's "Organ Grinder's Swing." Smith's brother, Boston Smith, played piano at the session. Following a car accident in the early '60s, Smith was unable to continue playing sax and picked up the bass guitar, gigging regularly with various combos on bass in the Dallas area until his death in 1991. ~Steve Leggett

The Legendary Buster Smith

The Ames Brothers - For Sentimental Reasons

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 32:23
Size: 74.2 MB
Styles: Pop, Vocal harmony group
Year: 1964/2014
Art: Front

[2:56] 1. Exactly Like You
[2:28] 2. Man, Man Is For The Woman Made
[2:44] 3. The Very Thought Of You
[2:17] 4. Don't Leave Me Now
[2:47] 5. Too Ra Loo Ra Loo Ral
[2:40] 6. I Can't Give You Anything But Love
[2:34] 7. Fascination
[2:11] 8. Together
[3:08] 9. Around The World
[2:00] 10. You're Driving Me Crazy
[3:29] 11. For Sentimental Reasons
[3:04] 12. Noche De Ronda

Electronically reprocessed stereo versions of earlier singles.

The Ames Brothers got their beginning in Malden, where all four were born. The act consisted of brothers Joe (May 3, 1921 – December 22, 2007), Gene (born February 13, 1923 – April 4, 1997), Vic (May 20, 1925 – January 23, 1978) and Ed (born July 9, 1927).

Born into a non-professional, but musically talented family, the boys were raised to enjoy classical and operatic music. Their parents, David and Sarah Urick, were Russian Jewish immigrants from the Ukraine who read Shakespeare and semi-classics to their nine children from the time they were old enough to listen.

The brothers formed a quartet with a cousin named Lennie, and had been touring United States Army and Navy bases entertaining the troops and were offered a job at The Fox and Hounds nightclub, one of the fanciest clubs in Boston. This one-week engagement turned into several months when the word got around of their appearance. At the time, they were going by the name of the Amory Brothers, a name taken from Vic's middle name and they were becoming quite popular in the area. It was at this time that Joe decided to rejoin the group. He said they were just having too much fun together for him to miss out.[citation needed] Taking their act to New York City they got a job with bandleader Art Mooney. One day while at Leeds Publishing Company in search of a song called "Should I" that their mother had asked them to sing, Milt Gabler of Decca Records heard them singing it and had them cut a few sides for Decca Records just before the AFM recording ban which James Petrillo imposed in January 1948.

A year later when the ban was lifted, the Ames Brothers were the first artists to record for Coral Records. The name Amory was shortened to Ames. They were swept into national top billing with their first hit record, "Rag Mop", in January 1950. Doing radio shows for free at times just for the experience, they later became regulars on such shows as Arthur Godfrey and His Friends. One of the first acts to appear on the original The Ed Sullivan Show when it was known as Toast of the Town, they made their debut with him when the show was telecast live from Wanamaker's Department Store.

Soon, they were the top paid group in nightclubs and supperclubs everywhere and their popularity on television was nationwide. In 1956 they starred in their own show, The Ames Brothers Show, which was seen on Friday nights. It was the first syndicated television show to be shown in foreign countries. The brothers also appeared on ABC's The Pat Boone Chevy Showroom.

Over their fifteen-year career, their prolific work notched up 49 US chart entries, 21 of them on the Coral label before signing with RCA Victor. The group disbanded in the early 1960s, but Ed Ames continued with a successful singing and acting career, including playing Daniel Boone's sidekick, Mingo, on the popular Daniel Boone television series (1964–1970).

For Sentimental Reasons

Various - The Trombone Album

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 63:14
Size: 144.8 MB
Styles: Trombone jazz, Bop, Swing
Year: 2010
Art: Front

[7:36] 1. J.J. Johnson - Walkin'
[4:42] 2. J.J. Johnson - Jan Cee Brown
[3:29] 3. J.J. Johnson - Playgirl Stroll-Master
[4:12] 4. Frank Rosolino - Accident
[5:34] 5. Frank Rosolino - Darryl's Minor
[2:55] 6. Frank Rosolino - Rubberneck
[2:35] 7. Frank Rosolino - Mean To Me
[2:32] 8. Frank Wess - Sweet And Lovely
[2:43] 9. Frank Wess - Take Me Out To The Ballgame
[9:14] 10. Frank Wess - Lo-Fi
[4:24] 11. Billy Ver Planck - Wanting You
[5:19] 12. Billy Ver Planck - You'll Do
[3:09] 13. Billy Ver Planck - Boneology
[2:24] 14. Curtis Fuller - Down Vernon's Alley
[2:17] 15. Curtis Fuller - Riffette

Several of the top bop-oriented trombonists are featured on this two-LP set which was put out by Arista in 1980. The great J.J. Johnson teams up with baritonist Leo Parker in a quintet for three numbers, Frank Rosolino jams with a quartet in 1952 (including a version of "Take Me out to the Ballgame") and Frank Foster's arrangements for four trombonists are quite enjoyable. There are also three selections and an alternate take from an all-star session arranged by Billy Ver Planck that features a jubilant Bill Harris on "Playgirl Stroll." This two-fer concludes with a Curtis Fuller date from 1960 that also has solo space for trumpeter Lee Morgan, Yusef Lateef on flute and tenor, and pianist McCoy Tyner. A well-rounded and consistently enjoyable set; most of the recordings have yet to be reissued on CD. ~Scott Yanow

The Trombone Album

Art Taylor - Taylor's Wailers

Styles: Bop, Hard Bop
Year: 1957
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 41:07
Size: 94,5 MB
Art: Front

(9:52)  1. Batland
(4:43)  2. C.T.A.
(6:15)  3. Exhibit A
(6:35)  4. Cubano Chant
(5:38)  5. Off Minor
(8:01)  6. Well, You Needn't

Five of the six selections on this CD reissue feature drummer Art Taylor in an all-star sextet of mostly young players comprised of trumpeter Donald Byrd, altoist Jackie McLean, Charlie Rouse on tenor, pianist Ray Bryant, and bassist Wendell Marshall. Among the highpoints of the 1957 hard bop date are the original version of Bryant's popular "Cubano Chant" and strong renditions of two Thelonious Monk tunes ("Off Minor" and "Well, You Needn't") cut just prior to the pianist/composer's discovery by the jazz public. Bryant is the most mature of the soloists, but the three horn players were already starting to develop their own highly individual sounds. The remaining track (a version of Jimmy Heath's "C.T.A.") is played by the quartet of Taylor, tenor saxophonist John Coltrane, pianist Red Garland, and bassist Paul Chambers and is a leftover (although a good one) from another session. ~ Scott Yanow  http://www.allmusic.com/album/taylors-wailers-mw0000085856

Personnel: Art Taylor (drums); Jackie McLean (alto saxophone); John Coltrane, Charlie Rouse (tenor saxophone); Red Garland, Donald Byrd (trumpet); Ray Bryant (piano); Wendel Marshall, Paul Chambers (bass).

Taylor's Wailers

Tuck & Patti - As Time Goes By

Styles: Vocal And Guitar Jazz
Year: 2001
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 57:49
Size: 133,6 MB
Art: Front

(3:13)  1. I've Got Just About Everything
(3:04)  2. They Can't Take That Away From Me
(3:16)  3. Better Than Anything
(4:28)  4. Stella By Starlight
(2:55)  5. As Time Goes By
(3:19)  6. On A Clear Day
(3:57)  7. When We're Alone
(5:01)  8. Up And At It
(4:06)  9. Taking The Long Way Home
(3:39) 10. My Romance
(4:37) 11. Togetherness
(4:56) 12. Body And Soul
(2:38) 13. Walkin' One And Only
(5:37) 14. Manhã De Carnaval
(2:57) 15. I Will

This is the second Tuck & Patti compilation for the Windham Hill label. While it proves to be a fine companion to The Best of Tuck & Patti, it seems redundant to have two compilations from only six studio recordings (including Tuck's Reckless Precision). The selections are fine representations of their amazing talent, so it is recommended for casual fans. However, those who want to make more of an investment in this historically important duo are encouraged to pass on the compilations and go with the original studio recordings, as they are all excellent. ~ Robert Taylor  http://www.allmusic.com/album/as-time-goes-by-mw0000011795

Tuck & Patti: Tuck Andress (guitar); Patti Cathcart (vocals).

As Time Goes By

Alberta Hunter - Look For The Silver Lining

Styles: Vocal
Year: 1982
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 32:39
Size: 75,1 MB
Art: Front

(3:10)  1. Without Rhythm
(3:28)  2. Look For The Silver Lining
(3:13)  3. Now I'm Satisfied
(3:09)  4. Georgia On My Mind
(2:32)  5. J'ai Deux Amours
(3:42)  6. Black Man
(3:09)  7. He's Funny That Way
(2:49)  8. Somebody Loves Me
(3:54)  9. On The Sunny Side Of The Street
(3:28) 10. Somebody Told Me

Classic blues singer Alberta Hunter's final recording (made when she was 87, two years before her death) is as powerful as her previous three Columbia albums. The legendary delightful singer puts plenty of feeling into "Look for the Silver Lining," "He's Funny That Way," "Somebody Loves Me" and four of her originals. 

As was true of each of her final sets, Hunter is joined by the Gerald Cook quartet and several veteran horn players (trumpeters Doc Cheatham and Jonah Jones, trombonist Vic Dickenson and tenorman Budd Johnson), all of whom sound quite happy to be supporting the ancient yet ageless singer. ~ Scott Yanow  http://www.allmusic.com/album/look-for-the-silver-lining-mw0000312123

Featuring : Alberta Hunter (vocals), Vic Dickenson (trombone), Jonah Jones (trumpet), Frank Anderson (hammond organ), Billy Butler (guitar), Jimmy Lewis (bass), Butch Miles (drums), Vishnu Wood (bass)

Look For The Silver Lining

Bob Baldwin - Cool Breeze

Styles: Jazz Funk
Year: 1997
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 58:02
Size: 133,3 MB
Art: Front

(5:03)  1. Give In To Love
(5:08)  2. Summer Breeze
(4:58)  3. Bahia Maria
(5:51)  4. People Make The World Go Round
(5:09)  5. Ties That Bind
(5:10)  6. Walk On By
(5:03)  7. Hot Fun In The Sun
(5:20)  8. Vi's Pies
(5:05)  9. Cool Wind Blowing
(6:15) 10. I Give Unto You
(3:47) 11. Be Encouraged
(1:07) 12. Ties That Bind - Interlude

The smooth jazz format has lent itself to an unfortunate trend towards sugary and fluffy generic album titles that hardly characterize the grit and energy of the music they represent. Boney James went the route with Sweet Thing and now Bob Baldwin's blandly titled but explosively executed Cool Breeze makes a strong case for not judging a disc by its cover. As with his independent City Sketches earlier this year, the keyboardist never quite approaches the free-for-all soul-fusion jam sessions which marked his early Atlantic albums, yet he throws enough aggressive, improvisational punches into these up-tempo romps to remind his old fans of the way he once pounded. Rather than crazed earthquakes, he gives us thoughtful, slickly produced tremors that lean towards gospel every so often. 

He also twists familiar pop hits like "Summer Breeze" and "Walk on By" into funky blue knots. His artful, no-frills jazz trio spins on "Cool Wind Blowing" and "I Give Unto You" make many of the other tracks seem overproduced and machine generated by comparison. While Baldwin knows how to balance electric and acoustic currents to great effect, he should consider stripping down like this more often in the future. Why hide behind smoke and mirrors when you have this much emotion to offer? ~ Jonathan Widran  http://www.allmusic.com/album/cool-breeze-mw0000025975

Personnel: Bob Baldwin (strings, piano, keyboards, drums, loops); Larry Coryell (electric guitar); Marion Meadows (saxophone, soprano saxophone); Fred Vigdor (soprano saxophone, alto saxophone); Tad Gulley, Tony Lewis (drums, cymbals).

Cool Breeze

Sunday, December 13, 2015

Jonathan Stout & His Campus Five - Jammin' The Blues (feat. Hilary Alexander)

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 67:54
Size: 155.5 MB
Styles: Swing
Year: 2003
Art: Front

[2:46] 1. Seven Come Eleven
[3:29] 2. Oomph Fa Fa
[3:40] 3. Getting Dizzy
[3:01] 4. Mister 5x5
[3:03] 5. Lester's Bebop Boogie
[2:36] 6. Lester Leaps In
[3:40] 7. Stuffy
[3:50] 8. Cow Cow
[3:21] 9. Flying Home
[2:32] 10. Down The Road A Piece
[3:18] 11. Minor Swing
[3:25] 12. Benny's Bugle
[2:40] 13. I'll See You In My Dreams
[3:02] 14. Diga Diga Doo
[3:39] 15. Swingin' On Nothin'
[3:03] 16. Cottontail
[3:19] 17. Grand Slam
[3:36] 18. Squatty Roo
[2:59] 19. Shoo Fly Pie
[3:07] 20. Half Tight Boogie
[3:39] 21. Jammin' The Blues

The band covers several nonstandard swing tunes, such as Coleman Hawkins' "Stuffy", and the 1945 Benny Goodman Sextet Tune "Oomph Fa Fa," as well as several better known tunes like "Cottontail", "Flying Home", and "Lester Leaps In". Vocalist and Co-leader Hilary Alexander shines on 40's gems such as "Shoo Fly Pie," "Mister 5x5," and "Down the Road a Piece," while Leader and Guitarist Jonathan Stout burns on tracks such as Django Reinhardt's "Minor Swing," and Charlie Christian's "Seven Come Eleven." Jim Ziegler adds his vocals to a rippin' version of "Diga Diga Doo" and joins Hilary on "Swingin' on Nothin'".Of course, the peak of album is reached with the title track, "Jammin' the Blues," which finds the band hitting on all cylinders.

The album was recorded by vintage-jazz extraordinaire Dick Hamilton at his studio, the Doing, using vintage RCA 44 microphones to capture the traditional sound of classic small group swing. "Jammin' the Blues" features Los Angeles' best swing musicians, including Tenor Saxophonist and Clarinetist Albert Alva, Trumpeter and Vocalist Jim Ziegler, Pianist Christopher Dawson, Bassist Jim Garafolo, and Vintage-Jazz drumming phoneme Josh Collazo

Jammin' The Blues

Sonny Rollins - Newk's Time

Album: Newk's Time
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 34:02
Size: 77.9 MB
Styles: Hard bop, Saxophone jazz
Year: 1957/2004
Art: Front

[5:42] 1. Tune Up
[5:54] 2. Asiatic Raes
[5:57] 3. Wonderful! Wonderful!
[6:30] 4. The Surrey With The Fringe On Top
[6:42] 5. Blues For Philly Joe
[3:15] 6. Namely You

In his early prime and well-respected, tenor saxophonist Sonny Rollins cut this fine hard bop date as one of several late-'50s sessions for Blue Note. The record is part classic date, part blowing session, sporting a mix of engaging head statements and lengthy solos. Rollins takes to the spacious quartet setting, stretching out on taut versions of Miles Davis' '50s concert opener "Tune Up" and Kenny Dorham's "Asiatic Raes." Keeping the swing hard but supple are drummer Philly Joe Jones, bassist Doug Watkins, and pianist Wynton Kelly; Jones was certainly the standout in this well-respected sampling of the best young players of the period, as he oftentimes matched the intensity and ingenuity of the star soloists he backed. Jones, in fact, puts in some career highlights on "Wonderful! Wonderful!" and "The Surrey With the Fringe on Top," just two of many wholly unique Tin Pan Alley song interpretations Rollins has done in his long career. From a career-defining period before the legendary Williamsburg Bridge layoff of two years, Rollins' Newk's Time may not make classic status in jazz roundups, but it certainly is a must for fans of this most important of classic hard bop soloists. ~Stephen Cook

Newk's Time

Jaye P. Morgan - Just You, Just Me

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 34:32
Size: 79.1 MB
Styles: Vocal
Year: 1958/2004/2011
Art: Front

[2:06] 1. Just You, Just Me
[3:53] 2. I See Your Face Before Me
[2:29] 3. I Hear Music
[2:24] 4. You Are My Lucky Star
[2:40] 5. Why Shouldn't I
[2:47] 6. Day By Day
[2:58] 7. Love, Your Magic Spell Is Everywhere
[2:15] 8. Then I'll Be Happy
[2:27] 9. There's A Small Hotel
[4:01] 10. As Time Goes By
[3:59] 11. Where Are You
[2:28] 12. All I Do Is Dream Of You

A popular singer, actress and comedienne, Jaye P. Morgan is an entertainer who became a household name in the 1950s and '60s. She appeared on several television programs, in films and sang and performed concerts, recitals and in nightclubs. Her husky voice became her trademark.

Born in Colorado, Jaye P. Morgan began her career at an early age constantly performing for family and friends. After a while she moved to California to graduate from high school and begin a singing career. In 1949 she graduated from Verdugo Hills High School. From there her professional singing career took off. ~Kim Summers

Just You, Just Me

Robert Palmer - The Best Of Robert Palmer

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 38:33
Size: 88.3 MB
Styles: R&B/Rock/Pop
Year: 1999
Art: Front

[4:21] 1. Sneakin' Sally Through The Alley
[2:32] 2. Man Smart (Woman Smarter)
[3:13] 3. Every Kinda People
[3:53] 4. Best Of Both Worlds
[3:10] 5. Bad Case Of Loving You (Doctor, Doctor)
[3:36] 6. Can We Still Be Friends
[4:51] 7. Looking For Clues
[3:06] 8. Some Guys Have All The Luck
[6:04] 9. Addicted To Love
[3:42] 10. I Didn't Mean To Turn You On

This budget priced collection is a good place to start with Robert Palmer. Universal's various Millennium collections are geared toward the consumer curious about an artists' music, but who don't want to venture in to their non-hits catalog. At 38 minutes this could have been a couple of songs longer. I miss "Simply Irresistable", "Johnny and Mary" and "Some Like It Hot". But the 10 tracks chosen are fine. Decent liner notes and excellent sound make this a fine way to check out Palmer's varied sounds: Rock, Pop, New Wave and R&B, he tried it all. ~T. C Lane

The Best Of Robert Palmer

Rayford Griffin - Reflections Of Brownie

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 38:59
Size: 89.3 MB
Styles: Contemporary jazz
Year: 2015
Art: Front

[5:47] 1. Daahoud
[6:04] 2. Cherokee
[6:26] 3. Jordu
[8:08] 4. Willow Weep For Me
[7:28] 5. Sandu
[5:04] 6. Joy Spring

Rayford Griffin: drums; Phillp[e Saisse: keys; Everette Harp; sax; Doug Webb: sax; Rick Braun: trumpet; Brian Bromberg: bass; Michael "Patches" Stewart: trumpet;George Duke: keys; Nicolas Peyton: trumpet; Roy Hargrove: trumpet.

Reflections of Brownie, by drummer Rayford Griffin—Clifford Brown's nephew—pays tribute to pioneering trumpeter, not by trying to replicate Brownie's 1950s sound, but by updating it and giving it a new millennium sheen. Oddly, and delightfully, for a set that modernizes Brown, the disc spins to life with the child-like voice of Pee Wee Marquette, the diminutive 1950s MC at New York's Birdland, introducing "the trumpet sensation, Clifford Brown," followed by a rousing round of applause before the new century band kicks in, with "Daahoud," from, originally, the Clifford Brown Max Roach. Griffin and the band get funky. A driving Brian Bromberg electric bass and Griffin's deep groove drumming drives the horns, a rotating cast of trumpeters and sax guys.

Besides the modern drum/bass team, the keyboardists are the biggest factor in the update of the sound. Phillipe Saisse and the late George Duke supply the string-like drones and the dashes of pastel colors flashes of bright light that give the sound a dynamic smooth jazz feeling. And the horns are always fittingly gorgeous: Roy Hargrove, Rick Braun, Nicholas Payton on trumpet, Doug Webb and Everette Harp on saxophones. ~Dan McClenaghan

Reflections Of Brownie

The Dick Hyman Trio - Cheek to Cheek

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1996
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 66:00
Size: 151,5 MB
Art: Front

(5:26)  1. Cheek to Cheek
(6:43)  2. Django
(5:48)  3. Well, You Needn't
(8:47)  4. Misterioso
(5:46)  5. Can't Help Lovin' Dat Man
(3:10)  6. Lotus Blossom
(4:42)  7. Baby Boom
(8:23)  8. Get Out of Town
(2:40)  9. The Bobby Hackett Waltz
(7:23) 10. The Claw
(7:08) 11. My Inspiration

Although Dick Hyman has the ability to play quite credibly in most jazz styles, he has spent much of the 1980s and '90s performing stride and swing. This release, a trio date with guitarist Howard Alden and bassist Bob Haggart, was a change of pace, for Hyman plays mostly in a more boppish and modern mainstream vein. In the wide repertoire, the pianist ranges from "Django" and a pair of Thelonious Monk tunes to Flip Phillips' "The Claw," Billy Strayhorn's "Lotus Blossom," and two of his originals. The music is excellent, if not overly memorable. ~ Scott Yanow  http://www.allmusic.com/album/cheek-to-cheek-mw0000595251

Personnel: Dick Hyman (piano); Howard Alden (guitar); Bob Haggart (Bass).

Cheek to Cheek

Caroline Henderson - Jazz, Love & Henderson

Styles: Jazz, Vocal
Year: 2012
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 37:17
Size: 85,9 MB
Art: Front

(4:08)  1. The Evil Eye
(3:55)  2. Falling Again
(2:59)  3. Calamity Lane
(3:42)  4. Trilingual Love Song
(3:26)  5. From New York
(4:17)  6. Gone Fishin'
(3:35)  7. The World Goes Around
(3:41)  8. Corruptible
(3:53)  9. I Am She
(3:37) 10. Time Is Forever Young

Experience Denmark's largest jazz diva in her own exclusive concert theater with six international topdansere and a jazz quintet led by piano virtuoso Nikolaj Hess. “Utvandrad till Denmark "states the Hendersons Swedish papers. In a musical inner road movie Caroline Henderson looks back to where it all began. From Stockholm to New York, from Paris to Copenhagen. Fragments of Henderson's life played out in a mixture of concert, dream games, absurd humor and pink ostrich feathers. Jazz, Love & Henderson is a harrowing report from mid-life, black and white at the same time in a global jazz sound. Translate by google  http://carolinehenderson.dk/albums/jazz-love-henderson/

Jazz, Love & Henderson

Dexter Gordon & Ben Webster - Tenor Titans

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1972
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 66:16
Size: 152,0 MB
Art: Front

(11:52)  1. Sticky Wicket
( 5:11)  2. Do Nothing 'Till You Hear From Me
( 4:58)  3. Our Love Is Here to Stay
( 8:39)  4. How Long Has This Been Going on
(15:13)  5. Perdido
(10:48)  6. In a Mellotone
( 9:32)  7. C-Jam Blues

Although Dexter Gordon and Ben Webster both spent long period living in Europe, one does not usually associate the two classic tenor saxophonists with each other, since Webster was a swing stylist while Gordon emerged during the bop era. However, there was a lot of common ground between the two, and their careers overlapped on a few occasions. This 1997 CD has a couple of previously unreleased meetings between the two. Separately, Gordon is featured on his own basic tune "Sticky Wicket" with a quartet, and with an orchestra on "Do Nothing Till You Hear From Me." Webster takes "Our Love Is Here to Stay" from the same 1972 concert. But their collaborations actually are all from a 1969 set. They share a ballad medley and then jam on extended versions of "Perdido," "In a Mellotone" and "C Jam Blues." Although Gordon was meeting Webster on his own turf, Dexter has no difficulty and actually takes the longest solos. It is a rare joy hearing the two distinctive tenors playing together, making this an easily recommended disc. ~ Scott Yanow  http://www.allmusic.com/album/tenor-titans-mw0000030814

Personnel: Dexter Gordon (tenor saxophone); Ben Webster (tenor saxophone); Torben Munk (guitar); Michael Hove (alto saxophone); Jesper Nehammer, Knud Bjorno (tenor saxophone); Svend Båring (baritone saxophone); Erik Tschentscher, Palle Mikkelborg, Lars Togeby (trumpet); Peter Westh, Kjeld Ipsen (trombone); Kenny Drew, Thomas Clausen (piano); Alex Riel, Kasper Winding (drums, percussion); Bjarne Rostvold (drums).

Tenor Titans

Saturday, December 12, 2015

Clifford Brown - Jazz Immortal

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 32:19
Size: 74.0 MB
Styles: Bop, Trumpet jazz
Year: 1954/1990/2011
Art: Front

[4:09] 1. Daahoud
[3:48] 2. Finders Keepers
[3:13] 3. Joy Spring
[3:37] 4. Gone With The Wind
[4:12] 5. Bones For Jones
[3:13] 6. Blueberry Hill
[4:12] 7. Tiny Capers
[2:56] 8. Tiny Capers
[2:55] 9. Gone With The Wind

Baritone Saxophone – Bob Gordon; Bass – Carson Smith (tracks: 4 to 8), Joe Mondragon (tracks: 1 to 3); Drums – Shelly Manne; Piano – Russ Freeman; Tenor Saxophone – Zoot Sims; Trumpet – Clifford Brown; Valve Trombone – Stu Williamson. Recorded at Capitol Recording Studios, Los Angeles in July (#1-3) and August (#4-8) 1954. #8 does not appear on LP configuration and was originally issued on Pacific Jazz (JWC 500). #1-7 were originally issued on 10" LP - PJ19 and later 12" LP - PJ3.

Clifford Brown recorded this album in 1954 in California with a great band, including Zoot Sims on Tenor Sax and Russ Freeman on Piano. Clifford Brown was a masterful trumpet player at a very young age and soon achieved a high stature in the jazz world in the early 50's. He played with Charlie Parker and Tadd Dameron, as well as leading his own bands. I think this recording is one of his best, with original songs and arrangements done by Jack Montrose. Clifford Brown's alternatively sweet, tough and complex trumpet playing integrates wonderfully with Zoot Sims saxophone. The song 'Tiny Capers' is a brilliant excursion in jazz improvisation and playfulness, while retaining a beautiful melody. ~Jostein Berntsen

Jazz Immortal

Al Cohn - You Will Know My Name

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 77:33
Size: 177.5 MB
Styles: Saxophone jazz
Year: 2015
Art: Front

[3:52] 1. A New Moan
[4:16] 2. Just One Of Those Things
[6:10] 3. The Front Line
[3:14] 4. My Blues
[3:25] 5. I Ain't Got Nobody
[9:19] 6. Earthy
[3:22] 7. When Your Lover Has Gone
[3:30] 8. Mediolistic
[6:12] 9. I Wouldn't
[3:18] 10. 'round Midnight
[3:05] 11. More Bread
[6:27] 12. Soft Winds
[2:43] 13. The Song Is Ended
[3:09] 14. Crimea River
[4:09] 15. Plain Bill From Bluesville
[7:07] 16. What's Not
[4:06] 17. Blue Lou

An excellent tenor saxophonist and a superior arranger/composer, Al Cohn was greatly admired by his fellow musicians. Early gigs included associations with Joe Marsala (1943), Georgie Auld, Boyd Raeburn (1946), Alvino Rey, and Buddy Rich (1947). But it was when he replaced Herbie Steward as one of the "Four Brothers" with Woody Herman's Second Herd (1948-1949) that Cohn began to make a strong impression. He was actually overshadowed by Stan Getz and Zoot Sims during this period but, unlike the other two tenors, he also contributed arrangements, including "The Goof and I." He was with Artie Shaw's short-lived bop orchestra (1949), and then spent the 1950s quite busy as a recording artist (making his first dates as a leader in 1950), arranger for both jazz and non-jazz settings, and a performer. Starting in 1956, and continuing on an irregular basis for decades, Cohn co-led a quintet with Zoot Sims. The two tenors were so complementary that it was often difficult to tell them apart. Al Cohn continued in this fashion in the 1960s (although playing less), in the 1970s he recorded many gems for Xanadu, and during his last few years, when his tone became darker and more distinctive, Cohn largely gave up writing to concentrate on playing. He made many excellent bop-based records throughout his career for such labels as Prestige, Victor, Xanadu, and Concord; his son Joe Cohn is a talented cool-toned guitarist. ~ Scott Yanow

You Will Know My Name

Maria Mendes - Along The Road

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 46:04
Size: 105.5 MB
Styles: Vocal jazz
Year: 2012
Art: Front

[5:29] 1. Love Dance
[4:20] 2. Obsession
[4:38] 3. Saia Preta
[4:05] 4. Come Rain Or Come Shine
[6:21] 5. Olha Só No Meu Olhar
[3:25] 6. Somewhere Over The Rainbow
[6:19] 7. So Many Stars
[3:18] 8. Chorinho Pra Ele
[4:04] 9. Verão
[4:00] 10. Começar De Novo

Maria Mendes: vocals; Wim Dijkgraaf: harmonica; Karel Boehlee: piano; Clemens van der Feen: acoustic bass; Jasper van Hulten: drums.

Virtuosity needn't be on display at every moment; restraint, in fact, is an important yet often overlooked aspect of true virtuosity. Norma Winstone is a clear example; certainly capable of plenty, more often than not the British singer's performances are defined by nuance, subtlety and a direct line to the heart of the music. Maria Mendes is another, with the spirit of Brazil looming large over this young Portuguese-born/Netherlands-resident singer's impressive debut, Along the Road—a nine-song set of standards, material by well-known South American composers, one original and one very pleasant surprise.

With harmonicist Wim Dijkgraaf sharing the frontline, Mendes is ably supported by a trio of Dutch musicians clearly conversant in both jazz and Brazilian traditions. The set opens on a gently optimistic note with Brazilian songwriter Ivan Lins' enticing 1989 hit, "Love Dance." From the get-go, Mendes finds the essence of these songs and, with a pristine, pure voice and the slightest turns of phrase, makes each one her own. "Love Dance" also features a lovely, lyrical solo from Dijkgraaf; unmistakably influenced, in his formative years, by the great Toots Thielemans, with Dijkgraaf's now-personal confluence of "elegance, sophistication and emotion," as accurately described on his website, the harmonicist may well turn out to be the aging Belgian's torch-carrier.

The session doesn't exactly burn, but it does simmer on Dori Caymmi's "Obsession," a showcase for Mendes' accurate (and impressive) articulation, empathically supported by pianist Karel Boehlee, who—alongside bassist Clemens van der Feen (pianist Harmen Fraanje's trio) and drummer Jasper van Hulten (trumpeter Eric Vloeimans' Gatecrash)—ratchets the energy up, pushing and pulling with Dijkgraaaf during the harmonicist's thematically focused solo. Mendes' wordless improvisation at the song's end epitomizes her effortless control, leading to a final upper register note that she holds, crystal clear and strong, for ten full seconds before fading with a gently introduced vibrato.

Unlike some singers, Mendes' vibrato is simply one more color on her palette rather than a stylistic constant. And if she avoids overt virtuosity at the end of "Obsession," Mendes proves she can scat with the best of them on Hermeto Pascoal's enduring "Chorinho Pra Ele," which also gives bassist van der Feen a rare but fine moment in the spotlight. As for Mendes, her articulation is rapid-fire and absolute accurate, as she proves as capable of navigating Pascoal's changes as her band mates.

But beyond a soft look at "Come Rain or Come Shine" and a metrically playful yet wholly organic look at "Somewhere Over the Rainbow," it's Mendes' "Olha Só No Meu Olhar" that's Along the Road's biggest surprise. On this reverent yet personal adaptation of Pat Metheny's "Always and Forever," from the guitarist's classic Secret Story (Nonesuch, 1992), the singer takes the more expansively orchestral original and, with the addition of her own Portuguese lyrics, makes it even more intimate.

All too often, young jazz singers feel the need to prove something and all the attendant excesses that go along with it; on the elegant, gentle, joyous Along the Road, Mendes makes clear she has absolutely nothing to prove but plenty of promise and much to say. ~John Kelway

Along The Road

Benny Golson - Just Jazz!

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 37:09
Size: 85.1 MB
Styles: Hard bop, Saxophone jazz
Year: 2010
Art: Front

[3:13] 1. Groovin' High
[4:13] 2. Moten Swing
[4:05] 3. Out Of Nowhere
[4:36] 4. Autumn Leaves
[2:29] 5. Donna Lee
[3:50] 6. Quicksilver
[4:14] 7. Stella By Starlight
[3:41] 8. Ornithology
[2:58] 9. If I Should Lose You
[3:47] 10. Walkin'

Many jazz fans have probably searched for this long out of print (except for a lousy bootleg CD reissued by Fresh Sound) record by Benny Golson because of the promising list of musicians present: Bill Evans, Wayne Shorter, Eric Dolphy, Freddie Hubbard, and Curtis Fuller, among others. But the disappointing fact is that these sessions have a rather tortured history. Initially after these small-group sessions were taped (not all of the musicians are on every track), an 11-piece pop orchestra was dubbed over the original recordings, playing the chord changes of the pieces on which each of the jazz compositions was based. This LP, Pop + Jazz = Swing on the Audiofidelity label, was evidently a total flop. Some time following Eric Dolphy's death in 1964, the original masters, minus the overdubbed pop orchestra, were released as Just Jazz! There are still several problems with this later issue. Golson's arrangements are rather conservative and stiff, with the rhythm section proving to be rather stifled; neither are many of the individual solos very risk-taking. Only Dolphy's alto sax solo on "If I Should Lose You" has stood the test of time very well. Another major annoyance is that the horns frequently seem to have too much reverb added, making it sound as if they were recorded out in a hall away from the rhythm section and then mixed in later. The lack of attention to the packaging of the album includes a very boring front cover, misspelled names of musicians, an incorrect or incomplete list of composers, and, finally, "Groovin' High" and "Quicksilver" have their titles swapped. Collectors will, no doubt, still seek out this LP in spite of its flaws, but at least they have been forewarned before paying a premium price for it. ~Ken Dryden

Just Jazz!