Duško Goykovich - Soul Connection

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 70:22
Size: 161.1 MB
Styles: Hard bop, Trumpet jazz
Year: 1993
Art: Front

[9:49] 1. Soul Connection
[7:07] 2. Ballad For Miles
[8:49] 3. Inga
[7:48] 4. I'll Close My Eyes
[9:51] 5. Blues Time
[7:27] 6. Adriatica
[6:03] 7. Nyc
[4:19] 8. Blues Valse
[9:06] 9. Teamwork Song

Bass – Eddie Gomez;Drums – Mickey Roker; Piano – Tommy Flanagan; Tenor Saxophone – Jimmy Heath (tracks: 1, 3, 5, 6, 9); Trumpet, Flugelhorn – Duško Goykovich.

Trumpeter Dusko Goykovich, a fixture in Germany for decades, has had few of his recordings available in the United States. This Enja CD is an exception, an excellent quartet/quintet date with pianist Tommy Flanagan, bassist Eddie Gomez, and drummer Mickey Roker; tenor saxophonist Jimmy Heath is on five of the nine selections. Goykovich, whose hero was Miles Davis (one of his eight originals on this session is called "Ballad for Miles"), has a mellow tone and a likable swinging style. This relaxed CD is an excellent example of his talents. ~Scott Yanow

Soul Connection

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The Jazz Makers, The Jazz Five - The Jazzmakers & The Jazz Five

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 79:16
Size: 181.5 MB
Styles: Contemporary jazz
Year: 2014
Art: Front

[3:53] 1. The Country Squire
[3:35] 2. Pitiful Pearl
[4:00] 3. The Moonbather
[6:30] 4. The Real Funky Blues
[5:15] 5. It's A Big Wide Wonderful World
[4:51] 6. Blues For The Five Of Us
[3:41] 7. I Won't Fret If I Don't Get The Blues Anymore
[4:21] 8. How Long Has This Been Going On
[7:00] 9. There It Is
[7:10] 10. The Five Of Us
[7:45] 11. 'pon My Soul
[6:15] 12. The Hooter
[9:30] 13. Autumn Leaves
[5:23] 14. Still Life

Ronnie Ross (bs), Art Ellefson (ts), Stan Jones (p), Stan Wasser (b), Allan Ganley (d) / Vic Ash (ts), Harry Klein (bs), Brian Dee (p), Malcom Cecil (b), Bill Eyden, Tony Mann (d).

Twofer: Tracks #1-8, from the 12" album "Ronnie Ross & Allan Ganley - The Jazz Makers". Tracks #9-14, from the 12" album "The Jazz Five - The Hooter!’”.

This CD presents two of the best English modern jazz combos of the late 50s and early 60s, both sharing the same instrumentation. Two outstanding British talents, baritone saxophonist Ronnie Ross and drummer Allan Ganley, launched The Jazz Makers in 1958, recruiting the delightful tenor of Art Ellefson for an impressively balanced and imaginative front line, with pianist Stan Jones and bassist Stan Wasser completing a formidable rhythm section. Ross, always a strong, coherent and inventive soloist, blended intuitively with Ellefson’s warm, flowing style and the results were filled with tremendous snap, vigour and musicality. It was a superb ensemble which produced compelling results and much music to remember.

The Jazz Five was formed in 1960 by baritone Harry Klein and tenor Vic Ash, two consistent, capable and accomplished soloists. Klein a confident, self-assured performer, was an assertive and swinging player, while Vic Ash possessed an outgoing, fluent approach, making him an ideal front-line partner. On a well written set of five originals and one standard, their ensemble had a bruising impact, with the rhythm section rounding out the group effectively, thanks in no small measure to the stimulating style of pianist Brian Dee, one of the highlights of this reunion.

The Jazzmakers & The Jazz Five

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Pat Morrissey - Standing Pat: Pat Morrissey Swings Songs Of Love

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 29:43
Size: 68.1 MB
Styles: Easy Listening
Year: 2013
Art: Front

[2:03] 1. It's You Or No One
[2:42] 2. He Needs Me
[2:24] 3. Trapped In The Web Of Love
[2:11] 4. Mean To Me
[2:35] 5. The More I See You
[2:20] 6. Day In Day Out
[1:50] 7. I Can't Believe That You're In Love With Me
[1:58] 8. I Hadn't Anyone Till You
[3:32] 9. I'm A Fool About Someone
[3:11] 10. Easy Living
[3:15] 11. Weak For The Man
[1:37] 12. Everybody Loves My Baby

Standing Pat: Pat Morrissey Swings Songs Of Love

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Hot Club Of Derbytown - The Thomas Family Winery Live!

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 58:22
Size: 133.6 MB
Styles: Gypsy jazz
Year: 2007
Art: Front

[4:04] 1. Shine
[4:18] 2. Minnie The Moocher
[3:52] 3. Deep River Blues
[4:27] 4. Tchavalo Swing
[3:47] 5. Smike Smoke Smoke (That Cigarette)
[4:53] 6. Brain Cloudy Blues
[4:03] 7. After You've Gone
[4:02] 8. Kentucky Means Paradise
[3:47] 9. Hal C. Blake
[4:43] 10. Nuages
[3:46] 11. Talking Head Blues
[4:34] 12. Have A Little Dream On Me
[3:12] 13. Knock Knock
[4:48] 14. Sweet Georgia Brown

The Hot Club of Derbytown re-creates the hot sounds of vintage jazz produced in Paris in the 1930s and 40s produced by the Quintet of the Hot Club Of France featuring legendary jazz guitarist Django Reinhardt and the virtuoso swinging violinist Stephane Grappelli. We threw in a gypsy swing number, some Western Swing and swingy blues to round it out. Veteran performers Tom Cunningham (fiddle and vocals), 'Django' Jim Webb (guitar and vocals), and Blue 'Bleu' Murphy (bass and vocals) bring this sophisticated and energetic music to life once again, along with red-hot gypsy melodies and old-time blues and ragtime music. Throw in some Western Swing and you’ve got a swinging good party!

Jim Webb grew up in Washington, DC, and has played music professionally almost 40 years. He is a farmer, educator, ethnomusicologist who played with the Juggernaut Jug Band for several years. Jim was a KY Arts Council Artist in the Schools for 10 years, developing and implementing folk arts programs for the classroom. He played in the Falls City Ramblers and many other local bluegrass bands in Louisville. He has done research on British traditional music in Edinburgh, Scotland and played at the Philadelphia Folk Fest, Winfield, Silver Dollar City, Branson, MI, Sacramento Jazz Festival, National Press Club, Las Vegas Jazz Festival, KET Specials, Kent State Folk Festival, Kentucky FolkLife Fest., Somerset Master Musician Festival, Augusta Heritage Center Concert, Dollywood, Nashville Now. He has opened for Livingston Taylor, Norman Blake, Jonathan Edwards, Jimmy Martin, Frank Wakefield, Lester Flatt, John McEuen.

Tom Cunningham grew up in Pittsburgh, PA, but moved to Louisville 5 years ago. Tom is a multi-instrumentalist, singer-songwriter, performer and teacher, and creator of FiddleTales. He has been instrumental in founding, playing and arranging for many of Pittsburgh's best-known acoustic/bluegrass bands, including bluegrass bands The Flying Cunninghams, The Rank Strangers, swing band The Swing Shifters, and the contra dance band Band du jour. In Louisville, Tom has played with several top acoustic bands, including Flat Possum; The Hot Club of Derbytown; Blue Murphy and the Doghouse Serenaders; and The Next Exit. In addition, he has played (and acted) in many theatre productions, including: Woody Guthrie’s American Song, Grapes of Wrath, Christmas at Plum Creek, Quilters and Desire Under the Elms, at Pittsburgh’s City Theatre, Starlight Productions, Prime Stage Theatre and the University of Pittsburgh Theatre Department. The City Theatre production of Woody Guthrie’s American Song toured 4 states in 1995-96.

Blue Murphy started playing music in hippie drum circles when he was 19. He says, “Near that time, a friend had a bamboo flute he couldn't play, so he gave it to me. It was a Japanese flute called a shakuhachi. It was end-blown without the usual hole near the top. No one could get a sound out of it, so I spent a day and a half making myself dizzy until it finally sounded. It became an extension of my arm after that. My friend John Paul and I started a duo called OneSong. We did drums and flute and poetry. Somehow or another I lost the flute and didn't play anything for a couple of years. I found I couldn't live without playing music, so I picked up the bass. I've been playing ever since. I've been in a folk rock band, an Irish/Old-time band (Ten Penny Bit), a few Bluegrass bands, and most recently in a gypsy swing band.”

The Thomas Family Winery Live!

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Connie Francis - Do The Twist

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2013
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 74:50
Size: 172,5 MB
Art: Front

(2:10)  1. Mr. Twister
(2:27)  2. Teach Me How To Twist
(2:15)  3. Johnny Darlin'
(2:39)  4. Telephone Lover
(2:36)  5. Ain't That Better Baby
(2:42)  6. Mommy Your Daughter's Falling In Love
(2:50)  7. Drop It Joe
(1:58)  8. Kiss 'n' Twist
(2:29)  9. I Won't Be Home To You
(2:27) 10. My Real Happiness
(2:37) 11. Hey Ring-A-Ding
(2:49) 12. Does Ol' Broadway Ever Sleep
(2:59) 13. Gonna Git That Man
(2:32) 14. It Happened Last Night
(2:28) 15. Send For My Baby
(2:44) 16. Someone Else's Boy
(2:14) 17. I Walk The Line
(2:26) 18. I'm Gonna Be Warm This Winter
(1:58) 19. Hearts Of Stone
(2:28) 20. Baby Roo
(2:18) 21. Oh Lonesome Me
(2:56) 22. Don't Cry On My Shoulder
(2:13) 23. Playin' Games
(2:21) 24. Pretty Little Baby
(2:01) 25. Ein Boy Für Mich: Kiss 'n' Twist
(2:26) 26. Too Many Rules
(2:16) 27. I'm Movin' On
(2:40) 28. Valentino
(2:51) 29. It's Gonna Take Me Some Time
(2:45) 30. You're Gonna Miss Me

Born on December 12, 1938, in Newark, New Jersey, Connie Francis won television's Startime Talent Scouts at age 12 and signed with MGM Records. She performed "Who's Sorry Now" on American Bandstand, and it became an immediate hit. In 1974, Francis was the victim of a brutal rape in her hotel room. Her lawsuit led to improved security measures throughout the hotel industry. For years after she was assaulted, Francis didn't perform. She returned to the stage in the early 1990s and released an autobiography Who's Sorry Now, in 1984. Singer and actress Connie Francis was born Concetta Franconero, on December 12, 1938, in Newark, New Jersey. The daughter of George Franconero, a roofing contractor, Connie won first prize on Arthur Godfrey's Startime Talent Scouts television show at age 12, and performed on the show for four years. Godfrey convinced her to change her real last name to Francis after he had difficulty pronouncing it.

Francis signed with MGM Records in 1955 after she was rejected by nearly every major recording label. MGM released her first recording, "Freddy" because the president of MGM had a son named by the same name. During the next two years, she recorded a number of mediocre songs. Francis was all set to quit music and study pre-med at NYU on scholarship when her father convinced her to record a decades-old tune, "Who's Sorry Now." Dick Clark introduced the song on his Bandstand TV show in 1958, and it became an immediate hit, selling a million copies less than six months after release. She started working with songwriters Neil Sedaka and Howie Greenfield, and recorded a string of hits, including "Stupid Cupid," "Lipstick on Your Collar," "Everybody's Somebody's Fool," "My Heart Has a Mind of Its Own" and "Don't Break the Heart That Loves You." Francis is primarily known for her singing career, but she played the lead in a number of films created for teenagers in the early 1960s. She starred in four motion pictures, Where the Boys Are (1960), Follow The Boys (1963), Looking For Love (1964) and When The Boys Meet The Girls (1965).  http://www.biography.com/people/connie-francis-9542086#film-career

Do The Twist

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Benny Carter All Stars - Benny Carter All Stars

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2004
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 59:22
Size: 136,5 MB
Art: Front

(10:32)  1. Easy Money
( 5:27)  2. Memories Of You
( 4:39)  3. Here's That Rainy Day
( 8:47)  4. Blues For Lucky Lovers
( 5:34)  5. Work Song
( 6:33)  6. When Lights Are Low
( 6:24)  7. Just Friends
( 4:30)  8. Lover Man (Oh Where Can You Be)
( 6:51)  9. What Is This Thing Called Love

To say that Benny Carter had a remarkable and productive career would be an extreme understatement. As an altoist, arranger, composer, bandleader, and occasional trumpeter, Carter was at the top of his field since at least 1928, and in the late '90s, Carter was as strong an altoist at the age of 90 as he was in 1936 (when he was merely 28). His gradually evolving style did not change much through the decades, but neither did it become at all stale or predictable except in its excellence. Benny Carter was a major figure in every decade of the 20th century since the 1920s, and his consistency and longevity were unprecedented.

Essentially self-taught, Benny Carter started on the trumpet and, after a period on C-melody sax, switched to alto. In 1927, he made his recording debut with Charlie Johnson's Paradise Ten. The following year, he had his first big band (working at New York's Arcadia Ballroom) and was contributing arrangements to Fletcher Henderson and even Duke Ellington. Carter was with Henderson during 1930-1931, briefly took over McKinney's Cotton Pickers, and then went back to leading his own big band (1932-1934). Already at this stage he was considered one of the two top altoists in jazz (along with Johnny Hodges), a skilled arranger and composer ("Blues in My Heart" was an early hit and would be followed by "When Lights Are Low"), and his trumpet playing was excellent; Carter would also record on tenor, clarinet (an instrument he should have played more), and piano, although his rare vocals show that even he was human.

In 1935, Benny Carter moved to Europe, where in London he was a staff arranger for the BBC dance orchestra (1936-1938); he also recorded in several European countries. Carter's "Waltzing the Blues" was one of the very first jazz waltzes. He returned to the U.S. in 1938, led a classy but commercially unsuccessful big band (1939-1941), and then headed a sextet. In 1943, he relocated permanently to Los Angeles, appearing in the film Stormy Weather (as a trumpeter with Fats Waller) and getting lucrative work writing for the movie studios. He would lead a big band off and on during the next three years (among his sidemen were J.J. Johnson, Miles Davis, and Max Roach) before giving up on that effort. 

Carter wrote for the studios for over 50 years, but he continued recording as an altoist (and all-too-rare trumpeter) during the 1940s and '50s, making a few tours with Jazz at the Philharmonic and participating on some of Norman Granz's jam-session albums. By the mid-'60s, his writing chores led him to hardly playing alto at all, but he made a full "comeback" by the mid-'70s, and maintained a very busy playing and writing schedule even at his advanced age. Even after the rise of such stylists as Charlie Parker, Cannonball Adderley, Eric Dolphy, Ornette Coleman, and David Sanborn (in addition to their many followers), Benny Carter still ranks near the top of alto players. His concert and recording schedule remained active through the '90s, slowing only at the end of the millenium. After eight amazing decades of writing and playing, Benny Carter passed away quietly on July 13, 2003 at a Los Angeles hospital. He was 95. https://itunes.apple.com/gb/artist/benny-carter/id2984502#fullText

Personnel: Benny Carter (alto saxophone); Nat Adderley (vocals, trumpet); Horace Parlan (piano); Red Norvo (vibraphone); Ronnie Gardiner (drums).

Benny Carter All Stars

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Cab Calloway - The Hi-De-Ho Man

Styles: Big band, Swing
Year: 1994
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 48:18
Size: 110,9 MB
Art: Front

(2:55)  1. St Louis Blues
(3:12)  2. Minnie The Moocher
(3:05)  3. St James Infirmary
(3:19)  4. Nobody's Sweetheart
(3:23)  5. Six Or Seven Times
(3:15)  6. You Rascal, You
(3:10)  7. Kickin'The Gong Around
(3:02)  8. Between The Devil And The Deep Blues Sea
(3:13)  9. Minnie The Moocher's Wedding Day
(3:08) 10. The Seat Song
(2:30) 11. Bugle Call Rag
(2:56) 12. Blues In My Heart
(2:36) 13. Sweet Georgia Brown
(2:27) 14. Mood Indigo
(3:10) 15. Dinah
(2:48) 16. Aw You Dawg

Cabell "Cab" Calloway III (December 25, 1907 – November 18, 1994) was an American jazz singer and bandleader. He was strongly associated with the Cotton Club in Harlem, New York City, where he was a regular performer. Calloway was a master of energetic scat singing and led one of the United States' most popular big bands from the start of the 1930s to the late 1940s. Calloway's band featured performers including trumpeters Dizzy Gillespie and Adolphus "Doc" Cheatham, saxophonists Ben Webster and Leon "Chu" Berry, New Orleans guitar ace Danny Barker, and bassist Milt Hinton. Calloway continued to perform until his death in 1994 at the age of 86. More..https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cab_Calloway

The Hi-De-Ho Man

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Various - Blue Bossa

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 68:40
Size: 157.2 MB
Styles: Latin Jazz
Year: 1992
Art: Front

[4:18] 1. Horace Parlan - Congalegre
[3:53] 2. Charlie Rouse - Back To The Tropics
[7:20] 3. Big John Patton - Latona
[3:28] 4. Duke Pearson - Sandalia Dela
[3:09] 5. Ike Quebec - Loie
[3:31] 6. Cannonball Adderley - Sambop
[5:02] 7. Kenny Dorham - Afrodisia
[5:47] 8. Grant Green - Mambo Inn
[4:56] 9. Horace Silver - The Cape Verdean Blues
[6:17] 10. Andrew Hill - Mira
[8:09] 11. Hank Mobley - Recado Bossa Nova
[5:30] 12. Lou Donaldson - South Of The Border
[7:14] 13. Donald Byrd - Ghana

This compilation should be titled Blue Latin because it's more of a sampler of various Latin jazz styles than just a bossa nova-jazz mix. In an age of overzealous marketing and grab-bag reissues, though, the oversight is understandable. Thankfully, the misguided approach doesn't dim the quality of this very enjoyable Blue Note release. The six actual bossa nova tracks in the collection -- out of 14 -- range from effervescent, hard bop treatments by Hank Mobley ("Recado Bossa Nova") and Cannonball Adderly ("Sambop") to languid ballad renditions by Ike Quebec ("Loie") and Eliane Elias ("Waters of March/Agua de Beber"). The most authentic and best of the bunch is Duke Pearson's "Sandalia Dela," which spotlights Brazilian stars Airto Moreira and Flora Purim. Another standout is John Patton's B-3 organ bossa "Latona," which features inspired solos by guitarist Grant Green and vibraphonist Bobby Hutcherson. Throughout this collection, in fact, excellent solos and support abound by the likes of Lee Morgan, Joe Henderson, Willie Bobo, Dom Um Romao, Nana Vasconcelos, Horace Silver, and J.J. Johnson, among others. The remaining numbers on Blue Bossa showcase everything from mambos to calypso. The highlights here include Horace Parlan's piano trio number "Congalegre," Kenny Dorham's superbly arranged, large ensemble original "Afrodesia," and Donald Byrd's cool cooker "Ghana." If you fancy more authentic Brazilian jazz, bossa nova, or otherwise, then check out Blue Note's excellent Blue Brazil series, which features Brazilian musicians exclusively. If you are a jazz fan with a yen for Stan Getz and the whole stateside bossa nova craze of the '60s, then Blue Bossa is a great buy. ~Stephen Cook

Blue Bossa

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Howard McGhee - Dusty Blue Remembered

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 35:13
Size: 80.6 MB
Styles: Bop
Year: 1960/2012
Art: Front

[2:51] 1. Dusty Blue
[3:29] 2. Park Avenue Petite
[5:49] 3. Flyin' Colors
[4:17] 4. Groovin' High
[3:20] 5. The Sound Of Music
[4:05] 6. I Concentrate On You
[2:52] 7. Sleep Talk
[3:59] 8. With Malice Towards None
[4:27] 9. Cottage For Sale

Howard McGhee (tp) Bennie Green (tb) Roland Alexander (ts) Pepper Adams (bars) Tommy Flanagan (p) Ron Carter (b) Walter Bolden (d) recorded NYC, June 13, 1960.

McGhee had been one of bop’s premier league of trumpet-players since the Forties, alongside Miles Davis, Dizzy Gillespie, Clifford Brown, Kenny Dorham and notable for his collaborations with Fats Navarro, a fellow addict. Few had his mastery of the instrument, however his musical career in the Fifties was dogged by spells in prison as a consequence of his addiction, as was the case with Art Pepper and many other jazz musicians. Elvis’s “Jailhouse Rock” had more truth to it than people at the time imagined – Jailhouse Bop.

Dusty Blue, released in 1960 by Bethlehem, is one of the highlights of his Sixties comeback, and sees him teamed with some of long-standing bop collaborators like Bennie Green Tommy Flanagan and Pepper Adams, as they all slide seamlessly into the groove.

Dusty Blue Remembered

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Helen O'Connell - Green Eyes

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 31:55
Size: 73.1 MB
Styles: Vocal jazz
Year: 1950/2011
Art: Front

[3:08] 1. Star Eyes
[2:44] 2. Not Mine
[2:36] 3. Tangerine
[3:51] 4. Amapola
[4:51] 5. When The Sun Comes Out
[2:57] 6. All Of Me
[2:47] 7. Green Eyes
[3:32] 8. Jim
[2:47] 9. Time Was
[2:36] 10. Yours

Helen O'Connell, who had a fairly long career, will always be best remembered for her squeals on "Green Eyes" and her work with Jimmy Dorsey. She originally left her native Toledo with Jimmy Richards' nine-piece group, gigging and touring for a year and a half. O'Connell appeared on a regular radio show in St. Louis until she agreed to tour with Larry Funk's band (which was billed as "Band of a Thousand Melodies"). After the outfit started working in New York, she was discovered and quickly signed up by Jimmy Dorsey in 1938. O'Connell soon had a hit rendition of "All of Me," which was followed by popular recordings of "Embraceable You," "Brazil," "Jim." and "When the Sun Comes Out" (which she introduced). However, it was in December 1940, when she started sharing recordings with ballad singer Bob Eberly, that O'Connell for a time became a household name. Eberly generally took a slow chorus, Jimmy Dorsey would have a brief instrumental interlude, and then O'Connell would finish up the record with a swinging chorus. This combination worked very well on hit versions of "Amapola," "Yours," "Green Eyes" and "Tangerine." After appearing in the 1943 movie I Dood It with Dorsey (singing "Star Eyes"), O'Connell retired to get married; she would eventually have four daughters. In 1950 she began a successful solo career, making occasional records, appearing regularly on television (she spent a period as co-host of The Today Show), toured as part of Four Girls Four (which also included Kay Starr, Rosemary Clooney and Rose Marie) and made guest appearances with the Jimmy Dorsey ghost band, singing in an unchanged style. Although her voice was limited, she made her deficiencies into assets and carved out her own place in musical history. Helen O'Connell was active up until shortly before her death from cancer.

Green Eyes

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Trombone Shorty - Backatown

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 42:42
Size: 97.8 MB
Styles: Jazz/Funk/Rock/Soul
Year: 2010
Art: Front

[3:16] 1. Hurricane Season
[3:34] 2. On Your Way Down
[3:02] 3. Quiet As Kept
[3:40] 4. Something Beautiful
[2:45] 5. Backatown
[2:53] 6. Right To Complain
[2:59] 7. Neph
[3:18] 8. Suburbia
[3:14] 9. In The 6th
[2:47] 10. One Night Only (The March)
[2:57] 11. Where Y' At
[3:42] 12. Fallin'
[3:37] 13. The Cure
[0:50] 14. 928 Horn Jam

Troy 'Trombone Shorty' Andrews' new album, Backatown (Verve Forecast April 20), is the work of a rare artist who can draw both the unqualified respect of jazz legends and deliver a high-energy rock show capable of mesmerizing international rock stars and audiences alike. With such an unprecedented mix of rock, funk, jazz, hip-hop and soul, he had to create his own name to describe his signature sound: Supafunkrock! Andrews is the kind of player who comes along maybe once in a generation, and Backatown is the latest, clearest proof that his artistry is as singular as his raw talent.

The album title comes from the locals' term for the area of New Orleans that includes the Tremé [pronounced Tre-MAY] neighborhood in the city's 6th Ward, where Troy was born and raised-getting his nickname at four years old when he was observed by his older brother James marching in a street parade wielding a trombone twice as long as the kid was high. The cultural backdrop of the Tremé-the oldest black neighborhood in the U.S.-is at the very root of Troy's music, on top of which he's built his own sound. The streetwise, gritty feel of the term underscores the difference between the stereotype of the New Orleans jazz musician and what this audacious young artist and his cohorts are going for, and pulling off.

Equally adept on trombone and trumpet, Andrews plays a variety of other instruments as well. He's applied the same skill sets and fierce discipline to his vocal instrument, to soulful effect, as the album demonstrates. Surrounding Andrews is his band, Orleans Avenue-Mike Ballard on bass, Pete Murano on guitar, Joey Peebles on drums, Dwayne Williams on percussion and Dan Oestreicher on baritone sax-virtuosos every one.

Backatown

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Ron Kaplan - New York

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 55:12
Size: 126.4 MB
Styles: Easy Listening, Tin Pan Alley
Year: 2007
Art: Front

[5:38] 1. New York State Of Mind
[3:53] 2. Jumpin With Symphony Sid
[4:15] 3. New York New York
[4:21] 4. Lullaby Of Broadway
[5:05] 5. Take The 'A' Train
[4:09] 6. Drop Me Off In Harlem
[6:30] 7. Harlem Nocturne
[3:39] 8. Forty Second Street
[4:30] 9. Sunday In New York
[3:47] 10. On Broadway
[3:25] 11. Give It Back To The Indians
[5:55] 12. Manhattan

One of our finest contemporary singers of jazz standards, Ron Kaplan has spent his entire career championing the Great American Songbook, with much of that classic material written in or about New York City. So it makes perfect sense that this tradition-oriented vocalist dedicates his latest album, New York, to that remarkable metropolis.

“Although I am from California,” explains Kaplan, “every time I go to New York City I am always struck by the energy, excitement and exuberance of the place. Everything about it is exciting – the history, the architecture, the people, the culture, the arts. It’s the jazz capitol of the world. It’s the home of Broadway theatre, Tin Pan Alley, the Brill Building and countless legendary songwriters over the past century. There is so much to do and the atmosphere is so intense. It’s the city that never sleeps. It is one of the few cities in the world that has had many, many songs written about it. The difficulty wasn’t finding New York-themed songs for this recording, but deciding which ones to sing.”

New York

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Kenny Poole - Heritage

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 66:56
Size: 153.2 MB
Styles: Guitar jazz
Year: 2012
Art: Front

[3:55] 1. Mas Que Nada
[7:44] 2. Django
[4:31] 3. If You Never Come To Me
[5:58] 4. Voce E Eu
[6:24] 5. Our Love Is Here To Stay
[3:39] 6. Little White Lies
[6:27] 7. Jive At Five
[5:33] 8. The Song Is You
[4:03] 9. A Pele Do Martin Skin Of Ivory
[6:06] 10. Where Are You
[4:19] 11. Brazil
[6:33] 12. I Can't Get Started
[1:38] 13. Calcutta

Kenny Poole was a guitarist's guitarist. He never sought the limelight that others with his talents achieved, but his much admired jazz chops attracted musicians in the know. He performed with such luminaries as Jack McDuff, Tal Farlow, Joe Pass, Howard Alden and Jack Wilkins. Sadly, Poole lost his fight with cancer in 2006. But with the release of Heritage, a collection of his live solo performances at Cincinnati's Heritage Restaurant, Poole's soulful and sophisticated finger-style arrangements are available for the everyone to admire. The tracks included on Heritage are a marvelous cross-section of Poole's interest in American Songbook and bossa nova styles.

Heritage

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Grant Stewart - Plays The Music Of Duke Ellington & Billy Strayhorn

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2009
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 59:24
Size: 136,4 MB
Art: Front

(6:26)  1. Raincheck
(7:46)  2. Tonight A Shall Sleep
(8:18)  3. Angelica
(7:22)  4. I Let A Song Go Out Of My Heart
(5:53)  5. It Don't Mean A Thing
(7:07)  6. Something To Live For
(7:18)  7. The Star Crossed Lovers
(9:10)  8. The Feeling Of Jazz

Here's a refreshing take on Ellingtonia, one that doesn't rely on the overdone ("Take the A Train," "Perdido") or easy ("C-Jam Blues"). Canadian native Grant Stewart brings a post-Swing, combo approach to his Ellingtonia, even going so far as to reference Max Roach, Sonny Rollins, Charles Mingus, Thelonious Monk/John Coltrane collaboration. The tenor saxophonist, whose own distinctive style has echoes of Clifford Jordan and later Al Cohn in tone and conception, leads a pos tbop/hard bop-leaning quartet with pianist Tardo Hammer, bassist Paul Gill and drummer Joe Farnsworth.

All of the material here should be familiar to fans of Ellingtonia with one exception: "Tonight I Shall Sleep," a ballad the Ellington Orchestra first recorded in 1945 with guest soloist Tommy Dorsey limning the melody on trombone. Stewart brings a rich warm tone and Dorsey-like legato approach to both the melody and his lyrical solo. Hammer's delicate, mostly single-note solo lines are reminiscent of the late John Lewis. And the ending tenor coda, with its unresolved chord echoing the conclusion of "Lush Life," suggests Strayhorn may have had a hand in the tune, although it's credited solely to Ellington. Stewart ups the tempo, via Bob Mover's chart, of "Something to Live For," revs up "It Don't Mean a Thing" to bebop speed and excavates a bluesy groove on "The Feeling of Jazz." "Raincheck" and "I Let A Song Go Out of My Heart" demonstrate the charms of melodic substance to swing, while "Star-Crossed Lovers" from The Shakespearean Suite, is a tribute to alto saxophonist Johnny Hodges' sumptuous style. ~ George Kanzler  http://www.allaboutjazz.com/plays-the-music-of-duke-ellington-and-billy-strayhorn-grant-stewart-sharp-nine-records-review-by-george-kanzler.php

Personnel: Grant Stewart: saxophone; Tardo Hammer: piano; Paul Gill: bass; Joe Farnsworth: drums.

Plays The Music Of Duke Ellington & Billy Strayhorn

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Nat Adderley Sextet - Much Brass

Styles: Cornet Jazz
Year: 1959
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 40:11
Size: 94,3 MB
Art: Front

(7:41)  1. Blue Concept
(4:31)  2. Little Miss
(3:55)  3. Israel
(3:22)  4. What Next?
(5:05)  5. Moving
(5:43)  6. Blue Brass Groove
(5:43)  7. Accents
(4:07)  8. Sometimes I Feel Like A Motherless Child

Nat Adderley's cornet (which in its early days was strongly influenced by Miles Davis) was always a complementary voice to his brother Cannonball in their popular quintet. His career ran parallel to his older brother for quite some time. Nat took up trumpet in 1946, switched to cornet in 1950, and spent time in the military, playing in an Army band during 1951-1953. After a period with Lionel Hampton (1954-1955), Nat made his recording debut in 1955, joined Cannonball's unsuccessful quintet of 1956-1957, and then spent periods with the groups of J.J. Johnson and Woody Herman before hooking up with Cannonball again in October 1959. This time the group became a major success and Nat remained in the quintet until Cannonball's death in 1975, contributing such originals as "Work Song," "Jive Samba," and "The Old Country" along with many exciting hard bop solos. 

Nat Adderley, who was at the peak of his powers in the early to mid-'60s and became adept at playing solos that dipped into the subtone register of his horn, led his own quintets after Cannonball's death; his most notable sidemen were altoists Sonny Fortune (in the early '80s) and Vincent Herring. Although his own playing declined somewhat Adderley's chops no longer had the endurance of his earlier days Nat continued recording worthwhile sessions in the years prior to his death on January 2, 2000. Many but not all of his recordings through the years are currently available (for such labels as Savoy, EmArcy, Riverside, Jazzland, Atlantic, Milestone, A&M, Capitol, Prestige, SteepleChase, Galaxy, Theresa, In & Out, Landmark, Evidence, Enja, Timeless, Jazz Challenge, and Chiaroscuro). https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/nat-adderley-sextet/id2801407#fullText

Personnel:  Nat Adderley – cornet;  Slide Hampton - tuba (track 1), trombone (tracks 2-7);  Wynton Kelly – piano;  Sam Jones - bass (tracks 2-8), cello (track 1);  Laymon Jackson - bass (track 1), tuba (tracks 2-8);  Albert Heath - drums

Much Brass

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Scott Colley - The Magic Line

Styles: Jazz, Post-Bop
Year: 2000
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 62:52
Size: 151,9 MB
Art: Front

(5:30)  1. Take It And Like It
(6:34)  2. The Magic Line
(6:16)  3. Convergence
(4:34)  4. Monroe Street
(4:18)  5. Metropolis
(8:01)  6. Trip To Williamsburg
(6:44)  7. Dualessence
(6:29)  8. Soul Gravity
(5:13)  9. Mayberry
(7:12) 10. Dog Logic
(1:58) 11. Epilogue

One of the premier session bassist's in jazz steps out of the pocket with his first solo outing for the Arabesque label titled, The Magic Line. And along with the laudable support of saxophonist Chris Potter and drummer Bill Stewart, Scott Colley exhibits multifarious attributes as a leader and composer. The Trio serves up an interesting mix on pieces such as the title track where the bassist commences with an extended solo passage followed by Potter's entry on tenor. Here, the duo performs fluid unison lines amid Stewart's backwashes of tonal shading and altogether colorful utilization of his cymbals while Colley and Potter also display a resourceful and noticeably inventive harmonic relationship throughout the entire affair.

The band performs an affable groove oriented spin on the theme from the old Andy Griffith TV series, aptly titled, "Mayberry" while they also turn in a peppery swing vamp on "Dog Logic" as Stewart and Potter trade sprightly fours atop Colley's fervent walking bass lines and broad bottom. Overall, there's quite a bit to get revved up about here as the band emits a quiet fire amid thoughtful improvising and intriguing ensemble work. A noteworthy endeavor it is! ~ Glenn Astarita  http://www.allaboutjazz.com/the-magic-line-scott-colley-arabesque-jazz-review-by-glenn-astarita.php

Personnel: Scott Colley: bass; Chris Potter: tenor and soprano saxophones, bass clarinet; Bill Stewart: drums.

The Magic Line

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Cyrille Aimée - Let's Get Lost

Styles: Jazz, Vocal
Year: 2016
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 45:38
Size: 105,3 MB
Art: Front

(2:36)  1. Live Alone and Like It
(3:47)  2. There's a Lull in My Life
(3:20)  3. Estrellitas y Duendes
(4:52)  4. Lazy Afternoon
(2:32)  5. Three Little Words
(3:19)  6. T'es Beau tu Sais
(2:35)  7. Let's Get Lost
(4:20)  8. Samois a Moi
(2:52)  9. Nine More Minutes
(2:20) 10. Laverne Walk
(2:38) 11. That Old Feeling
(3:26) 12. Each Day
(3:41) 13. Words
(3:14) 14. Well You Needn't (Bonus Track)

'Let's Get Lost', Cyrille Aimée's second album for Mack Avenue Records brings to light a different side of the radiant singer. After two years of dazzling audiences around the world with the joyful repertoire of 'It's a Good Day', Aimée reflects on her musical and personal growth, telling us the story of a nascent love coming to full bloom. Accompanied by two guitar wunderkinds, Adrien Moignard and Michael Valeanu, as well as an Australian rhythm section (consisting of bassist Sam Anning and drummer Raj Jayaweera) so tight-knit that they are almost the same person, she adds pensive touches to her usual zest and reveals a bittersweet depth that will have listeners daydreaming for a while. 'Let's Get Lost' speaks of love in three different languages, wide ranging references, oldies and odd metered originals, yet it retains a distinct identity, like summer grass freckled with late afternoon sun. Aimée and her band weave confidently from one musical region to the next, and Valeanu's guitar arrangements always underscore the meaning of every word in uncontrived and subtle fashion.   http://www.amazon.co.uk/Lets-Get-Lost-Cyrille-Aim%C3%A9e/dp/B0188EOGU4

Let's Get Lost

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Gerald Wilson Orchestra - Legacy

Styles: Jazz, Big Band
Year: 2011
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 50:00
Size: 114,8 MB
Art: Front

(3:35)  1. Variation on a Theme by Igor Stravinsky
(9:58)  2. Virgo
(7:36)  3. Variations on Clair de Lune
(6:20)  4. Variation on a Theme by Giacomo Puccini
(7:05)  5. September Sky
(2:09)  6. A Jazz Mecca
(3:43)  7. A Night at the El Grotto
(1:55)  8. Riffin' at the Regal
(3:09)  9. Cubs, Bears, Bulls, and White Sox
(1:07) 10. 47th St. Blues
(1:01) 11. Blowin' in the Windy City
(2:17) 12. A Great Place to Be

The beauty of listening to an orchestra in fine form is like being treated to an oceanic swell of music that rises and falls, creating great harmonic waves of sound. This further regales the intellect with the swish of brushstrokes as the music changes in color, from sometimes thick, dark dripping shades, evoking brooding emotion to the pale and moist shades of elation in an ever-changing palette. Then there are the timbres that refresh the soul and the rhythms that dance as soloists and ensemble engage in endless maneuvers, to bring the music to life. This and so much more is something to that flows effortlessly and endlessly from the Gerald Wilson Orchestra on Legacy. The vibrant force of the music is unstoppable, as Wilson draws music from the soul of each member of his ensemble.

Aside from the sophistication of the music putting it in a stellar region all its own Wilson digs ever so deeply into his own heart and soul, and finds the magical element of the blues in its most visceral and elemental form. That and the almost vanishing aspect of great jazz: swing. So whether he is paying homage to one of his fellow-musicians, albeit from another era Igor Stravinsky, or Giacomo Puccini or Claude Debussy Wilson calls up the swagger and wickedly sensuous swish of rhythmic swing. Like the other masters of the attitudinal strut, Duke Ellington, his old mentor, Jimmie Lunceford, Count Basie and a handful of others, Wilson can make music dally almost languorously and yet move up and down and side to side in a hip-grinding manner. He is that young of heart.

With a handful of notes, a few bars of music tossed in the air like an expert juggler, Wilson creates sweeping sketches of impressionistic beauty in each case. The bone-crunching thunder of his "Variations on a Theme by Igor Stravinsky" is followed closely by an exquisitely complex wave of harmonic majesty in his homage to Debussy in "Variations on Clair de Lune." The deepest of emotion and painter-like brush-strokes are reserved for the Puccini impression. In all of these pieces, Wilson's joyous character is retained, as he makes the music of his ancestors meld with the Europeans, like an expert alchemist working the brass in bright bronzed shades, and hammering the metal into submitting to sheets of sound, tempered by virtuoso rhythm. No credit is given to soloists here, and the breaks are short, but the pirouetting cadenzas, but the technical virtuosity and the deep emotion of each are unparalleled.

Guitarist Anthony Wilson contributes "Virgo," a muscular, yet pliant and soaring piece that mimics the constellation. Eric Otis seems in tune with the magic and mystery of brassy musical alchemy in the wonderfully crafted "September Sky." But it is the unstoppable "Yes Chicago Is... (Suite)" that is ultimately the centerpiece. Legacy is a heartfelt homage to a city that has clearly touched Wilson to his very soul; one that he wants enshrined in gorgeous, joyful music. ~ Raul D´Gama Rose  http://www.allaboutjazz.com/legacy-gerald-wilson-mack-avenue-records-review-by-raul-dgama-rose.php

Personnel: Gerald Wilson: conductor; Lewis Nash: drums; Renee Rosnes: piano; Peter Washington: bass; Anthony Wilson: guitar; Antonio Hart: alto saxophone, flute; Dick Oatts: alto saxophone, flute; Kamasi Washington: tenor saxophone; Ron Blake: tenor saxophone; Jay Brandford: baritone saxophone; Gary Smulyan: baritone saxophone; Frank Greene: trumpet, flugelhorn; Sean Jones: trumpet, flugelhorn; Tony Lujan: trumpet, flugelhorn; Freddie Hendrix: trumpet, flugelhorn; Jeremy Pelt: trumpet, flugelhorn; Mike Rodriguez: trumpet, flugelhorn; Dennis Wilson: trombone; Luis Bonilla: trombone; Alan Ferber: trombone; Douglas Purviance: trombone.

Legacy

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Mark Turner - Ballad Session

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2000
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 55:11
Size: 127,5 MB
Art: Front

(5:42)  1. I Loves You Porgy
(5:27)  2. Some Other Time
(5:45)  3. Nefertiti
(5:55)  4. Skylark
(2:56)  5. No More
(5:20)  6. All or Nothing at All
(5:10)  7. Visions
(8:06)  8. Alone and I
(6:09)  9. Late Lament
(4:38) 10. Jesus Maria

Mark Turner’s Ballad Session presents a tenor saxophonist of extraordinary poise and emotional attunement. Throughout this recording Turner deftly maintains his balance, avoiding sentimentality, presenting a consistently direct emotional response to the compositions and to his fellow musicians. This disc reveals Mark Turner to be a young musician to watch carefully. Pianist Kevin Hays is an especially attentive accompanist whose solos add to the emotional focus of this recording. Bassist Larry Grenadier plays a spare, loping bass that allows plenty of room for interaction. Guitarist Kurt Rosenwinkel alternates with Hays in the second instrument slot, replacing Hays on about half of the disc’s tracks. He is also an excellent accompanist; his duet work with Turner is a highlight of this recording. Drummer Brian Blade’s presence is low-key and affective throughout; his lack of an intrusive ego is notable. 

Above this band soars Mark Turner with a clear, bright sound that often emphasizes the higher registers of the tenor. The earthier Zoot Sims provides an interesting comparison to Turner. They both have a harmonic sophistication that results in a sure-footed ability to make every phrase sound as if it were inevitable. Turner has succeeded in developing a band that seems to bring out the best in him. This recording is a dramatic advance from his earlier (1998) somewhat “steely” disc entitled In This World the difference being the emotional depth of this very fine session. Highly recommended. ~ Mike Neely  http://www.allaboutjazz.com/ballad-session-mark-turner-warner-bros-review-by-mike-neely.php

Personnel:  Mark Turner, tenor saxophone;  Kevin Hays, piano;  Kurt Rosenwinkel, guitar;  Larry Grenadier, bass;  Brian Blade, drums.

Ballad Session

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Minnie Riperton - The Best Of Minnie Riperton

Styles: Vocal, R&B
Year: 1993
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 67:25
Size: 156,6 MB
Art: Front

(3:23)  1. Perfect Angel
(3:48)  2. Lover And Friend
(3:30)  3. Memory Lane
(3:45)  4. Woman Of Heart And Mind
(3:23)  5. Lovin' You
(3:44)  6. Young Willing And Able
(4:16)  7. Can You Feel What I'm Saying?
(6:16)  8. Stick Together
(3:59)  9. Wouldn't Matter Where You Are
(3:17) 10. Stay In Love
(3:58) 11. Inside My Love
(4:05) 12. Here We Go
(4:05) 13. Give Me Time
(3:43) 14. You Take My Breath Away
(3:13) 15. Adventures In Paradise
(3:41) 16. Simple Things
(5:08) 17. Light My Fire

Until 1999's Free Soul (Capitol) and 2001's exhaustive but more excellent overall Petals (The Right Stuff) came along, Capitol Gold offered the best summation of this true original's horribly undervalued solo career. As with Free Soul, Capitol Gold leaves a significant gap by excluding the best moments from Minnie Riperton's debut (Come to My Garden), an album that was released on GTR. This issue would be rectified by The Right Stuff, a subsidiary of Capitol, for Petals. Still, Capitol Gold makes for a fine substitute introduction to Riperton; it includes all of her significant singles and a good survey of album tracks that didn't receive the notice they deserved when they were originally released. ~ Andy Kellman  http://www.allmusic.com/album/capitol-gold-the-best-of-minnie-riperton-mw0000098299

The Best Of Minnie Riperton

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