Della Reese - Swing Slow And Cha Cha Cha

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2001
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 77:08
Size: 251,2 MB
Art: Front

(2:51)  1. Come On-A-My House
(2:48)  2. Why Don't You Do Right
(2:55)  3. Diamonds Are A Girl's Best Friend
(3:07)  4. When A Woman Loves A Man
(3:09)  5. Baby Won't You Please Come Home
(2:30)  6. You're Driving Me Crazy
(2:25)  7. I'm Beginning To See The Light
(3:49)  8. You're Nobody 'Til Somebody Loves You
(2:40)  9. It's So Nice To Have A Man Around The House
(2:12) 10. Tea For Two
(2:46) 11. Call Me
(3:22) 12. I Get The Blues When It Rains
(2:05) 13. There's Nothing Like A Boy
(3:16) 14. Whatever Lola Wants
(3:06) 15. Three O'Clock In The Morning
(2:43) 16. Daddy (Hey Daddy)
(2:42) 17. I'm Just A Lucky So And So
(2:27) 18. Let's Get Away From It All
(2:37) 19. I'll Get By
(2:40) 20. And Now
(4:23) 21. How Did He Look
(5:16) 22. Someday (You'll Want Me To Want You)
(3:10) 23. Won'cha Come Home Bill Bailey
(2:42) 24. The Most Beautiful Words
(2:35) 25. Don't You Know
(2:38) 26. Not One Minute More

This two-fer from BMG International features a pair of out of print Della Reese LPs: Swing Slow and Della Della Cha-Cha-Cha. 

Originally issued on RCA Victor in the early '60s, these 26 traditional pop songs include "Someday (You'll Want Me to Want You)," "Come on-A-My House," "Tea for Two," and "Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend." This is a nice sampler of familiar items that should satisfy the needs of casual fans.~AlCampbellhttp://www.allmusic.com/album/swing-slow-della-della-cha-cha-cha-mw0000767284

Swing Slow And Cha Cha Cha

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Marcus Koch - Behind The Rhodes

Styles: Piano Jazz, Smooth Jazz
Year: 2011
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 71:37
Size: 164,4 MB
Art: Front

(4:32)  1. Smooth
(4:11)  2. Lovely Clouds
(7:02)  3. Summertrain
(4:47)  4. Whispering Birds
(4:00)  5. Isolde
(4:47)  6. Misty Sax
(3:31)  7. Sonic Cubes
(4:07)  8. Lazy Old Trees
(4:29)  9. Affair
(4:30) 10. Bayana
(5:47) 11. Desire
(5:45) 12. Finest
(4:51) 13. Good News
(4:48) 14. Living Motion
(4:25) 15. Loft

Marcus grew up in a musical family and got an early piano lessons. As a teenager he developed a strong interest in the composition , as well as the production of their own music. During this time he learned more instruments among other guitar , drums and accordion . After graduation in 1998 he started studying music, which he successfully completed of 2004. Consequently, he worked as a producer in many recording studios with artists such as Martin Solveig , Shaun Baker and John Davies together. The M & M's remix of "Rocking Music" for Martin Solveig made ??it to number 9 of the Media Control Charts . The collaboration with Shaun Baker and John Davies could demonstrate various chart positions. 2011, wrote Marcus exclusively the label Plusquam Records and released his debut album "Behind the Rhodes" the lead single "Smooth" reached the 13th place of the German charts Chillout. 

The title of this album are now available on many successful and international compilations represented. 2012 published Marcus his second album "Last Summer", as well as the EP's "Maldives", "One by One" and "Symphony". 2013 took over the label Amaro - Music its entire music catalog. His third album "Chill Modes" and the piano-LP "Time" were released in December, 2013. Under the pseudonym "Symphonicum" published his first classical work named "Awakening" in the same year. Translate by google  https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marcus_Koch_(Musiker)

Behind The Rhodes

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Lonnie Liston Smith - Astral Traveling

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1973
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 60:28
Size: 138,9 MB
Art: Front

(5:33)  1. Astral Traveling
(6:21)  2. Let Us Go Into The House Of The Lord
(5:33)  3. Rejuvenation
(6:11)  4. I Mani (Faith)
(7:18)  5. In Search Of Truth
(4:35)  6. Aspirations
(5:41)  7. Astral Traveling (Alternate Take)
(6:38)  8. Rejuvination (Alternate Take)
(6:04)  9. Imani (Alternate Take)
(6:29) 10. In Search Of Truth (Alternate Take)

For many jazz fans, pianist Lonnie Liston Smith irredeemably blotted his copy book decades ago. Right enough, for Smith's smooth jazz and quiet storm albums of the 1980s and 1990s were bland, blissed-out, insubstantial affairs. But between 1965, when he was featured on saxophonist (Rahsaan) Roland Kirk's Here Comes The Whistleman (Atlantic), and the early 1970s, when he was a member of trumpeter Miles Davis' electric group, Smith was not only on the page, he was helping to write it.  From 1969-73, Smith was a key player in the astral jazz movement led by pianist/harpist Alice Coltrane and saxophonist Pharoah Sanders. It was Sanders who made the first fully-formed astral jazz album, his Bob Thiele-produced Impulse! debut, Tauhid (1967). Smith was featured as pianist (and occasional co-arranger) on five Sanders albums: Izipho Zam (Strata-East, 1969) and Impulse!'s Karma (1969), Jewels Of Thought (1970), Summun Bukmun Umyun (1970) and Thembi (1971). Smith did not work with Coltrane: she played all the piano she needed, plus the harp and Wurlitzer organ. In Sanders' bands, Smith approximated the sweeping harp and piano glissandos which were emblematic of Coltrane's spin on astral jazz. He also added block chord accompaniments more redolent of McCoy Tyner (an early influence), and fit into the music's hummable melodies and vamp- and ostinato-driven grooves like they were made for him.

With Sanders, Smith played a supporting role, but an important one. The trouble, the intimations of quiet storm, came when Smith started leading his own band, the Cosmic Echoes. Well, not exactly when he started. The group's debut, Astral Traveling produced by Thiele for Flying Dutchman, the label he set up on leaving Impulse! in 1969 was rooted in the sound of Sanders' bands. Revisited almost 40 years later, it still has weight.  Astral Traveling leads off with two tunes associated with Sanders: the title track, written by Smith, which Sanders and Smith had recorded on Thembi, and "Let Us Go Into The House Of The Lord," a traditional gospel tune which they had recorded on Summun Bukmun Umyun, where it had been arranged by Smith. George Barron, the Cosmic Echoes' saxophonist, is not in Sanders' league, technically or conceptually, but his soprano is pleasing enough on both tracks. His multiphonic tenor solo on "I Mani (Faith)" is more memorable. Smith, who is mainly heard on acoustic piano, solos infrequently, and approaches Astral Traveling much as he did Sanders' albums: embellishing the melodies and subsuming himself in the collective groove.  

The other musicians anchored by bassist Cecil McBee (a frequent member of Sanders' lineups) and drummer David Lee Jr drive the ostinatos and add color. There are three percussionists, including conga player James Mtume and tabla player Badal Roy (both Sanders alumni), and on "In Search Of Truth" (at 7:08, the longest track), Geeta Vashi is heard on tamboura, astral jazz's signature instrument. At no point does Astral Traveling reach the heights of Sanders' or Coltrane's contemporaneous albums, but on "Rejuvenation," "I Mani (Faith)" and "In Search Of Truth" it gets close enough. 

Recent CD reissues have included alternate takes of all three tracks. Anyone bitten by the astral jazz bug is sure to find plenty to enjoy on the disc. Sad then, that Smith's subsequent Flying Dutchman releases moved steadily towards smooth jazz and cocktail funk. 1974's Cosmic Funk had its moments, as did, to a lesser extent, the same year's Expansions. But by the time the synths and disco beats moved in, on 1975's Visions, it was bye-bye Lonnie Liston Smith for most of the jazz world. (A half dozen Pharoah Sanders/Alice Coltrane albums of the early/mid 1970s were reissued in October 2011 in Impulse!'s 2-on-1 series and are reviewed here). ~ Chris May  http://www.allaboutjazz.com/lonnie-liston-smith-astral-traveling-lonnie-liston-smith-by-chris-may.php

Personnel: Lonnie Liston Smith: piano, electric piano; George Barron: soprano saxophone, tenor saxophone; Joe Beck: guitar; Cecil McBee: bass; David Lee Jr.: drums; Sonny Morgan: percussion, conga; James Mtume: percussion, conga; Badal Roy: tabla; Geeta Vashi: tamboura.

Astral Traveling

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Chrystel Wautier - Before A Song

Size: 112,2 MB
Time: 48:16
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2016
Styles: Jazz Vocals
Art: Front

01. Before A Song (4:10)
02. B Town (4:12)
03. You Make Me Feel So Good (4:13)
04. Every Step (4:04)
05. Continuum (3:53)
06. Milagre (4:30)
07. A Gospel Tune (4:24)
08. Hard Time Killin' Floor Blues (5:10)
09. Fill In (4:10)
10. Family Tree (4:43)
11. Eternal Life (4:39)

Chrystel Wautier is a young Belgian singer, considered as one of the most promising artists of her generation.
Initially influenced by the "Soul" and "R'n B" music, she discovers the Jazz at a masterclass in 1999.

Born in 1980, she learns musical theory and traditional piano at the academy at the age of 7 and continues to study jazz piano in a private school.
Her father, preacher and musician, initiates her in "Gospel" music at the Protestant church. There she develops the skill of accompaniment. In 2000 she enters the Conservatory of Jazz in Brussels and studies with Anca Parghel. She obtains her first prize in 2002 and starts her career as a singer playing everywhere in Belgium with her first quartet with Raphaël Debacker, Sam Gerstmans and Yves Peeters. She gets known and starts to sing with some important Belgian jazz musicians such as Jean-Louis Rassinfosse, Paolo Radoni, Philippe Aerts, Michel Herr, Richard Rousselet, Mimi Verderame etc...

It's in 2005 that she finds a real musical identity in her trio with Quentin Liègeois and Sam Gerstmans. In 2007, after 2 years of work and concerts (Belgium, Morocco…), they record their first album "Between Us" with guest musicians, Guy Cabay and Jean-Paul Estiévenart.

Chrystel Wautier also appears as a backing vocal singer working with Inno De Sadjo "Afro-Soul-Jazz experiment", Tutu Puane "Songbirds" and "Krazy Mess Groovers" (Stars of Europe, Eurovision 2007).

Before A Song

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Meta Roos - Meta Sings Ella

Size: 110,0 MB
Time: 47:00
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2012
Styles: Jazz/Pop Vocals
Art: Front

01. Sweet Georgia Brown (3:14)
02. Can Anyone Explain (2:58)
03. By Strauss (2:25)
04. A-Tisket A-Tasket (1:53)
05. Body And Soul (3:51)
06. Organ Grinder's Swing (2:33)
07. It Might As Well Be Spring (4:59)
08. Lullaby Of Broadway (2:28)
09. Tenderly (2:52)
10. All Of Me (2:57)
11. Mr. Paganini (You'll Have To Swing It) (3:55)
12. Goody Goody (2:36)
13. Dream A Little Dream (3:22)
14. Can't Buy Me Love (2:36)
15. Bewitched (4:13)

Wiveca Margaret "Meta" Roos, born February 23, 1954 in Boda in Dalarna, is a Swedish jazz singer and revue artist.

Meta Roos was born and raised in Boda Kyrkby in Boda parish, Dalarna, but lives since 2002 in Bålsta Uppsala County. She debuted at the age of sixteen when she began singing with various dance bands in Dalarna, the greatest success she achieved with Nippe Sylwéns Band. Since 1984, she earned a living as an artist full time. In the 1980s, she sang in a dance orchestra Rosary that became popular throughout Europe.

Roos played a New Year show in Borlänge and came a few years later Peter Flack in Örebro, where she starred in four revues.

Meta Roos has performed as a singer in several films, his debut was in 1994. She sang the theme song A world full of life in the Walt Disney film The Lion King, and made mother Vesslas voice in The Animals of Farthing Wood. She has sung with several famous big bands in Sweden and toured with his own show My life as a singer. Meta Roos is also well known from the popular radio show Tele Chip Arna. ~Automatic translation

Meta Sings Ella

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Engelbert Wrobel, Paolo Alderighi, Nicki Parrott, Stephanie Trick - From Joplin To Jobim

Size: 147,7 MB
Time: 62:53
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2016
Styles: Jazz, Blues, Bossa Nova
Art: Front

01. The Cascades (4:01)
02. Blueberry Hill (4:52)
03. Tico Tico No Fuba (4:54)
04. September Song (4:30)
05. Agitation Rag (2:50)
06. Bei Mir Bist Du Schon (4:07)
07. Doralice (4:23)
08. Thanks For The Memory (3:43)
09. Liza (4:18)
10. Aquarela Do Brasil (2:54)
11. Donna (4:30)
12. The Girl From Ipanema/Wave/Aqua De Beber (7:23)
13. Willie El Gato (3:29)
14. Swingin' Ladies Boogie (3:05)
15. Il Profumo Del Mondo (3:46)

These jazz unique cast composed by two world-class pianists Stephanie Trick and Paolo Alderighi and the well known bassist and vocalist Nicki Parrott and clarinetist and saxophonist Engelbert Wrobel, present their new release entitled "from Joplin to Jobim". The repertoire ranges from early ragtime through swing, blues and boogie woogie to Bossa. A joyful and groove entertainment to the jazz fans.

Engelbert Wrobel (clarinet, saxophone, GER)
Stephanie Trick (piano, USA)
Paolo Alderighi (Piano, IT)”
Nicki Parrott (bass, vocal, AUS)

From Joplin To Jobim                

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Roderick Allen - Elevation Music

Size: 125,0 MB
Time: 53:32
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2015
Styles: Jazz: Smooth Jazz
Art: Front

01. I'm On My Way (Coming Back To You) (Feat. Eric Marienthal) (3:47)
02. Night Flight (Feat. Ashley Aluv Doe & Marcus Anderson) (4:40)
03. First & Goal (Feat. Eric Marienthal) (4:23)
04. How Long (Feat. Marcus Anderson) (4:37)
05. Elevation Music (Feat. Stanley Thompson) (4:29)
06. Turn It Around (Feat. Marcus Anderson & Stanley Thompson) (5:08)
07. Partly Cloudy (Feat. Bob Baldwin) (4:45)
08. Altitude (Feat. Richard Boulger) (4:27)
09. Tabatha's Song (Feat. Reggie Buie) (4:54)
10. My Name Is Roderick (3:57)
11. Broken Glass (3:58)
12. La Brisa De Noche (Feat. Quamon Fowler & Russ Corvey) (4:22)

Roderick Allen is an American-born music composer, producer, arranger, songwriter, & instrumental recording artist currently residing in Durham, North Carolina. Although a versatile musician, he has a strong preference for the urban-contemporary characteristics of smooth jazz. Born in 1971 in Fayetteville, NC, Mr. Allen became greatly influenced by the works of Stevie Wonder, James “D -Train” Williams, & George Duke. As a juvenile growing up in Raeford, NC, Fayetteville, NC, and Ft. Lee, VA, he took an interest in playing keyboards and piano after his best friend Stanley Thompson, began writing and recording original songs. Roderick soon found himself surrounded by very talented musicians and singers. This would ultimately play a significant role in his development as a musician and producer. In 1990 Roderick enlisted in the United States Marine Corps and after settling at Camp LeJeune, NC, he began performing with local bands. Although his skills as a musician earned him positions in countless performing groups, it is his ability to compose and arrange intriguing original music that has gained him the most notoriety. Recently, one of his songs, JUST ME & MY BABY featuring Shameka Henderson, was drafted as the closing theme for a fledgling television sitcom. In 2004, an online radio station facilitated his climb to the #13 position on its Top 100 Jazz Artists of 2004, an independent chart largely occupied by some of the biggest names in smooth jazz. Since then, he has worked tirelessly building his brand and bolstering his repertoire of quality smooth jazz compositions as heard on his debut album entitled ELEVATION MUSIC. ELEVATION MUSIC is a production of tranquil smooth jazz keyboards and sultry up-tempo grooves featuring award-winning saxophonists Marcus Anderson & Eric Marienthal. The album was released on Oct 9th 2015 and just four days later, it became the #1-selling jazz album in both the Smooth Jazz and Jazz fusion genres on Amazon for several days.

Elevation Music

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Nikki Lerner - The Things We Never Say

Size: 100,6 MB
Time: 43:18
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2016
Styles: Jazz/Soul/R&B Vocals
Art: Front

01. Selah (4:14)
02. Can We Start Over (4:27)
03. I Rise (3:39)
04. Let Us Talk Through The Night (6:11)
05. Choosing To Fall (3:42)
06. Never Gets Old (4:49)
07. Tell Me (4:10)
08. Love Pursues (4:17)
09. One Of These Days (3:32)
10. Let Me Say Goodbye (4:12)

The Things We Never Say is just that... a collection of meaningful songs that we, as people, don't normally have the courage to say but words that are nevertheless essential to remain engaged as humans and build relationship with one another. May you not only experience the sound of my season, but find your story represented in these songs. Enjoy! -Nikki

Features guitarist Mark Lettieri (Snarky Puppy, Kirk Franklin) on Let Me Say Goodbye, I Rise, and Tell Me, & guitarist Bob Lanzetti (Snarky Puppy) on Never Gets Old.

The Things We Never Say

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Charlie Parker & Dizzy Gillespie - Together

Styles: Saxophone And Trumpet Jazz
Year: 2011
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 74:03
Size: 171,4 MB
Art: Front

(2:48)  1. Groovin' High
(2:53)  2. Dizzy Atmosphere
(3:21)  3. Salt Peanuts
(3:02)  4. Shaw 'Nuff
(3:16)  5. Hot House
(3:18)  6. Slim's Jam
(4:24)  7. Dizzy Atmosphere
(4:22)  8. Shaw 'Nuff
(5:41)  9. Groovin' High
(5:08) 10. A Night In Tunisia
(4:07) 11. Dizzy Atmosphere
(5:20) 12. Groovin' High
(5:51) 13. Confirmation
(3:27) 14. Bloomdido
(3:25) 15. An Oscar For Treadwell
(3:37) 16. Mohawk
(3:26) 17. My Melanholy Baby
(2:32) 18. Leap Frog
(3:56) 19. Relaxin' With Lee

Born on October 21, 1917, in Cheraw, South Carolina, Dizzy Gillespie, known for his "swollen" cheeks and signature (uniquely angled) trumpet's bell, got his start in the mid-1930s by working in prominent swing bands, including those of Benny Carter and Charlie Barnet. He later created his own band and developed his own signature style, known as "bebop," and worked with musical greats like Cab Calloway, Ella Fitzgerald, Earl Hines, Charlie Parker and Duke Ellington. Gillespie's best-known compositions include "Oop Bob Sh' Bam," "Groovin' High," "Salt Peanuts," "A Night in Tunisia" and "Johnny Come Lately." Gillespie died in New Jersey in 1993. Today, he is considered one of the most influential figures of jazz and bebop. http://www.biography.com/people/dizzy-gillespie-9311417

Charlie Parker was born on August 29, 1920, in Kansas City, Kansas. From 1935 to 1939, he played the Missouri nightclub scene with local jazz and blues bands. In 1945 he led his own group while performing with Dizzy Gillespie on the side. Together they invented bebop. In 1949, Parker made his European debut, giving his last performance several years later. He died a week later on March 12, 1955, in New York City.  http://www.biography.com/people/charlie-parker-9433413

Together

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Rosie Carlino - What Matters Most

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2007
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 51:15
Size: 120,0 MB
Art: Front

(4:07)  1. More In Love
(3:24)  2. Talk To Me
(3:28)  3. Wave
(4:26)  4. Love Like Ours
(4:16)  5. You'll See
(2:57)  6. If It's The Last Thing I Do
(3:18)  7. Don't Go To Strangers
(3:57)  8. If Only For A Moment
(3:37)  9. I Was Telling Him About You
(3:44) 10. Is It Over Yet?
(4:08) 11. Heartache
(3:08) 12. Who's Sorry Now
(3:37) 13. If I Love Again
(3:00) 14. What Matters Most

I grew up in Pennsylvania in what was then a little town called Blue Bell. I am the youngest of eight children from an Italian-Irish home. From my earliest recollections, all I ever wanted to do was sing. So I did from morning to night sharing my days with a small pony named Lollipop. We’d spend our days wandering the fields and woods and neighborhoods of Blue Bell, and I would sing him all of my favorite songs. (Lollipop might have had his favorites, but he never shared them with me.) I sang songs like The Shadow of Your Smile, Who Can I Turn To, What Kind of Fool Am I, and Don’t Rain on My Parade --great songs, great times. My whole family loved to sing. My Dad and mother were both singers, and we all shared in their love of music. We sang in the evenings around the piano with my mom at the keys; we sang doing dishes; we sang at family gatherings. It gave us so much joy and kept the family connected while the natural stress of seven siblings took it’s toll. My dad would bring home songs for us to listen to songs by Sinatra, Dean Martin, Jimmy Durante, Eydie Gorme, and Vikki Carr. It was always such a treat to see my dad come up the walk with an album in his hand.

When I was about 12, my mother arranged for me to study voice lessons with a woman who shared my unusual first name, Rosina. I thought it was very special. Rosina taught me the beginning techniques and lifelong joy of singing. One evening in the spring of my eighth grade year my mother told me I had a vocal scholarship audition to an area high school. Wow, this was great. I won that scholarship, and it changed my life. I went to high school and sang and sang. I felt so free. I actually met my husband in my junior year. But as I moved closer to graduation and what I knew was my opportunity to pursue my one and only dream, my father decided that the pursuit of a singing career was not what he wanted for his youngest daughter. What a blow for me. I could never have crossed my very strong-willed Italian father at that age, and I didn’t. To make sure I didn’t, I developed a throat issue that kept me from singing until I was in my thirties and well into my own family.

As I moved forward in my twenties, I looked at other areas of life that might prove interesting. I married my high school sweetheart. I went to Katharine Gibbs Secretarial School and became an administrative assistant working for some wonderful people. But it surely wasn’t for me. I kept looking. I received my Real Estate license. That wasn’t it. I read the phone book hoping something else would spark my soul. Nothing did. I attended a variety of colleges trying out any and every direction I hadn’t ventured before. I studied communications, home economics, sewing, fashion design, flower arranging, horticulture and landscape design. Then I became pregnant with my first daughter, so I put school aside for a while. After my second daughter was born, I continued to look for the thing that would replace music in my life. My only outlet at this point for singing was for my children in the evenings. What a joy it was to sing, to share, and to be heard. I always taught my children that they could and should try a bit of everything so they would know what made their own hearts sing. I shared all my pursuits with them, I was never afraid to try something new. I felt that if someone else could do it, then so could I.

I collected large stones for our gardens; mowed the field for the ponies. I kept exploring. I dabbled in pottery, and taught the girls to throw pots and bowls and plates. I learned weaving and spinning, knitting and embroidery and taught them the workings of the wheel and the sensitivities of the wools. I pursued painting and woodworking and filled our home with both my and my children’s creations. Then with eleven great years as a mother under my belt, I decided I’d go to art school. But again it wasn’t meant for me. I became pregnant with my son. What a change in my late thirties to start again with a baby. It was both wonderful and challenging. I was filled again with the wonder of a baby and quickly made aware of how much less energy I had to chase him around. But I did it and he flourished. The children taught me so much about myself. Not only did their personal exploration into friendships, fashion, personal style, and life change their lives, it awakened me too. As my oldest daughter prepared to leave for college I knew it was time time for me to sing again. I could no longer teach my children to follow their hearts when I wasn’t doing it for myself. So I began to sing again both with my voice and in my heart. As I came out of my warm and safe cocoon, I began my journey of inviting more of the world into my life through my music. http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/rosiecarlino2

What Matters Most

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Jim Rotondi Quintet - New Vistas

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 2003
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 59:22
Size: 136,2 MB
Art: Front

(8:23)  1. Blues Nouveau
(7:39)  2. John Force
(6:42)  3. Firewater
(7:30)  4. My Love Waits
(6:54)  5. Autumn Chill
(8:40)  6. Isn't It a Pity
(7:10)  7. Assisi
(6:19)  8. Stranger Than Fiction

Aptly titled to be sure, Jim Rotondi's New Vistas offers somewhat of a new direction for this hard bop trumpeter, who finds himself mixing it up with a cast of new friends. Although he had included a few cuts with Larry Goldings on B3 for his debut Criss Cross release, this session also marks the first time that Rotondi has opted for an organ combo approach that goes beyond the norm with a little extra help from Chris Potter. In fact, many of the saxophonist's statements could arguably be considered some his best recorded work to date, and Rotondi is no less commanding as the leader of this crack team. Three of the eight cuts here are from Rotondi's pen, with "Stranger than Fiction" being a familiar chart cut previously by the group One For All. The lead off track, "Blues Nouveau," sets a healthy pace with Bill Stewart's drum pulse responsive to each soloist's every move. An updated boogaloo line with a sagacious tag, "John Force" finds the pots on for a healthy simmer, and even within this familiar framework Rotondi and Potter avoid the clichés with solo spots that each tell a story. Of course, this type of groove also provides the perfect setting for Peter Bernstein's single note runs and Sam Yahel's beefy chordal backing.

As a balance to the more fiery numbers, Rotondi weighs in with rewarding updates of Buster Williams' "Firewater" and Duke Pearson's "My Love Waits," the former benefiting from Yahel's light touch and melodic approach and the latter providing a spotlight for Rotondi's poetic brilliance. It's worth mentioning here as well that our leading man wisely chooses to vary the solo format on each number to avoid monotony and a jam session mentality, something even more important in an ensemble that boasts several lead instrumentalists. The most forward-thinking cut here is Chris Potter's "Assisi," which proves that the saxophonist's writing is as adventurous as his playing. 

Not merely a loose structure to blow over, Potter's line builds momentum as it progresses, its tag used as an interlude between solos. By contrast, from Bernstein's pen we get "Autumn Chill," a lively waltz tempo with a sunny disposition and chock full of the guitarist's lyrical gifts. With New Vistas , Jim Rotondi has found yet another side of his personality to share, and it's clear that there was a sense of mutual inspiration from everyone on board. Although often intangible and hard to put into words, this is the kind of record that just clicks from the get-go and keeps yielding new rewards with subsequent spins. I wouldn't be surprised to see it pop up on a few "end of the year" lists. I know it's one of the best records I've heard this year. ~ Andrew Hovan  http://www.allaboutjazz.com/new-vistas-jim-rotondi-criss-cross-review-by-c-andrew-hovan.php

Personnel: Jim Rotondi (trumpet and flugelhorn), Chris Potter (tenor sax and flute), Peter Bernstein (guitar), Sam Yahel (organ), Bill Stewart (drums)

New Vistas

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Woody Herman - Giant Steps

Styles: Clarinet And Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1973
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 39:01
Size: 89,6 MB
Art: Front

(5:03)  1. La Fiesta
(4:50)  2. A Song For You
(3:53)  3. Freedom Jazz Dance
(5:37)  4. The Meaning Of the Blues
(3:28)  5. The First Thing I Do
(4:31)  6. Think On Me
(4:03)  7. Giant Steps
(3:08)  8. A Child Is Born
(4:24)  9. Be-Bop And Roses

Woody Herman always went out of his way during his long career to encourage younger players, often persuading them to write arrangements of recent tunes for his orchestra. On this recording one gets to hear his band interpret such selections as Chick Corea's "La Fiesta," Leon Russell's "A Song for You," "Freedom Jazz Dance," "A Child Is Born" and "Giant Steps"; what other bandleader from the '30s would have performed such modern material? With strong solo work from tenors Gregory Herbert and Frank Tiberi, trumpeter Bill Stapleton and Herman himself, this is an impressive effort. ~ Scott Yanow  http://www.allmusic.com/album/giant-steps-mw0000188305

Personnel: Woody Herman (clarinet, soprano saxophone, alto saxophone); Joe Beck (guitar); Gregory Herbert (flute, alto flute, piccolo, tenor saxophone); Harry Kleintank (tenor saxophone, baritone saxophone); Steve Lederer, Frank Tiberi (tenor saxophone); Bill Stapleton (trumpet, flugelhorn); Larry Pyatt, Gil Rathel, Walt Blanton, Bill Byrne (trumpet); Geoff Sharp, Jim Pugh (trombone); Harold Garrett (bass trombone); Andy LaVerne (electric piano); Wayne Darling (electric bass, bass guitar); Ed Soph (drums); Ray Barretto (congas).

Giant Steps

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Massimo Farao Trio - Autumn Leaves

Size: 141,5 MB
Time: 60:51
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2015
Styles: Jazz: Piano Jazz
Art: Front

01. Corcovado (6:11)
02. Estate (6:55)Massimo Farao, piano
Aldo Zunino, bass
Marco Tolotti, drums
03. To Each His Own (5:35)
04. Chanson De Maxence (6:30)
05. Someday My Prince Will Come (4:59)
06. No Problem (5:15)
07. Cheek To Cheek (6:59)
08. Alone Together (5:29)
09. Autumn Leaves (7:32)
10. I Thought About You (5:21)

Personnel:
Massimo Farao: Piano
Aldo Zunino: Bass
Marco Tolotti: Drums

Recorded at Pianopiano Studios in Torino on February 11, 12, & 13, 2014.

Massimo Farao is an outstanding pianist who has performed with Nat Adderley, Albert "Tootie" Heath, Red Holloway, Tony Scott, Franco Ambrosetti, Jack DeJohnette, Chris Potter, and many more.

Autumn Leaves was recorded in a three day session in February 2014. The quality of each track is incredibly high. Farao's ardent style and passion are extremely appealing along with the plentiful harmonies he creates. The notes he plays are sparse, his arrangements are effortless, and the notes he does choose are beautiful. All of Farao's music--with his reliable ear for swing--exudes happiness.

Autumn Leaves

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Carin Lundin - What Now My Love?

Size: 102,0 MB
Time: 39:25
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2016
Styles: Jazz Vocals
Art: Front

01. Get Happy (2:51)
02. What Now My Love (4:56)
03. Second Time Around (3:59)
04. I've Got A Heart Full Of Rhythm (3:24)
05. Do Be Mama (4:32)
06. Baby, Won't You Please Come Home (4:01)
07. I Didn't Know What Time It Was (4:58)
08. Peel Me A Grape (3:45)
09. Just Squeeze Me, But Please Don't Tease Me (3:46)
10. Tribute To Miss A (3:08)

Carin Lundin is a class act, one of Sweden's best jazz singers. She hangs in there year on year, ably fending off the challenge of newer arrivals, without ever getting the full recognition she so richly deserves.

In 2005 her disk, "Songs We All Recognize" was named one of the year's best albums by the national newspaper Svenska Dagbladet. In 2007 she won the national Jazz Museum's Anita O'Day prize and in 2010 her album "Smulor och Parafraser (Crumbs and Paraphrases)" made it to fifth place in jazz magazine Orkester Journalen's Gyllene Skivan (Golden Record) reader's poll.

For this, her fourth album, a collection of standards and two of her own songs, she is accompanied by some of the Nordic nation's best young session men, led by the talented pianist Mathias Algotsson.

The title track is based on the 1961 French song, "Et Maintenant" by Gilbert Bécaud, with English lyrics penned by Carl Sigman. It was most famously performed by Elvis Presley for a live audience of a billion people in his satellite show Aloha From Hawaii, beamed to 43 countries via INTELSAT.

Lundin's version features a fine trumpet solo by Johan Setterlind, who—appropriately—goes one better on "The Second Time Around."

Dicken Hedrenius contributes excellent trombone solos on the old Louis Armstrong song "I've Got A Heart Full Of Rhythm" and "Peel Me A Grape."

The latter, along with Lundin's version of "I Didn't Know What Time It Was," is right up there with the best of them. So too the up-tempo numbers "Get Happy," on which she displays her O'Day credentials, and that fine old chestnut "Baby, Won't You Please Come Home."

Of the originals, "Do Be Mama" is a light-hearted meditation by a mother watching her children growing up and becoming independent. Lundin says, "I suddenly have so much time. Maybe I should be happy about it, but I miss being with and taking care of my kids."

"Tribute To Miss A" is a heartfelt look at the loss of a friend, at the age of 37 hit by a truck while cycling in central Stockholm—"While a lot seems faded, her precious tone lingers on." ~Chris Mosey

Personnel: Carin Lundin: vocals; Johan Setterlind: trumpet; Dicken Hedrenius: trombone; Mathias Algotsson: piano; Mattias Wein: bass; Daniel Fredriksson: drums.

What Now My Love?

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Professor Cunningham & His Old School - The Rhythm Method

Size: 103,7 MB
Time: 44:32
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2016
Styles: New Orleans Jazz/Blues, Vocals
Art: Front

01. Joshua Fit The Battle At Jericho (3:13)
02. Lesson In Groove (3:27)
03. High Degree (3:01)
04. Chant In The Night (3:04)
05. One Thing (2:24)
06. Down By The Riverside (3:19)
07. Black Coffee (4:35)
08. So Nice (Feat. Tamar Korn) (3:25)
09. You Shook Me All Night Long (3:35)
10. It Ain't Necessarily So (3:11)
11. Inside Out (3:45)
12. Ain't Gonna Bring Me Down (2:58)
13. Amazing Grace (4:28)

The Professor's syllabus is taken from the finest New Orleans repertoire, from Sidney Bechet to Fats Domino, catered to the lindy hop dancers..
Led by Aussie reedman Adrian Cunningham (Baby Soda, Gordon Webster) the band performs regularly in NYC and out of town, the Professor and his group focuses on music that makes you wanna move!

"Professor Cunningham & His Old School are a new favorite at Boston Swing Central! Delightfully danceable, The Professor has studied his old jazz records, carefully selecting material that is great for dancing." ~Mike Hibarger- Boston Swing Central

"We recently had the privilege of Professor Cunningham and his Old School play for our monthly swing dance at Club Helsinki in Hudson, NY. Though only a trio, the richness and fullness of their arrangements rivaled many wonderful quartets and quintets we've had play for us. I was equally impressed with their sensitivity to playing different tempos and musical styles that maintained great energy on the dance floor for the entire night. They clearly love what they do and love sharing it with dancers. Thank you Professor!!" ~Paul Rix- swing dancer and cohost of Helsinki Swings

The Rhythm Method

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Karolina Strassmayer & Drori Mondlak - Of Mystery And Beauty

Size: 162,0 MB
Time: 69:51
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2016
Styles: Jazz
Art: Front

01. From Her Pale Blue Home (7:46)
02. Of Mystery And Beauty (9:05)
03. Postcard From A Quiet Place (6:25)
04. Fanfare From Another World (7:27)
05. Wandering (7:18)
06. Gently Spoke The Mermaid (6:43)
07. Four Us All (4:08)
08. Of Space And Rest (6:38)
09. Side To Side (5:00)
10. Cascades (3:54)
11. Still In Her Ears (5:22)

Over the past decade and a half Austrian saxophonist Karolina Strassmayer has established herself as a superbly consummate musician. Her multifaceted compositions are always subtly, engagingly inventive and brim with brilliant wit and lyricism. As an improviser she plays with a reserved intensity and a captivating and suave spontaneity. Her seventh release Of Mystery and Beauty showcases again her unique style that has matured and ripened without losing any of its vibrant energy.

Like all of Strassmayer's previous albums this one is also in collaboration with American drummer Drori Mondlak. An undisputed master percussionist Mondlak, with his virtuosity and bold, explorative spirit, is the indispensible driving force behind the pair's music. Case in point; his unaccompanied solo "Cascades" is breathtakingly spirited and unexpectedly tuneful.

Together with their quartet Klaro! Strassmayer and Mondlak interpret the ten originals with a sublime mix of magical ethereality and visceral earthiness. The title track for instance opens with bassist John Goldsby's contemplative reverberating strings. Pianist Rainer Böhm's resonant chiming keys and Mondlak's softly propulsive beats create an expectant ambience for Strassmayer's yearning poetry. Heavily tinged with mysticism. Strassmayer lets loose intricate meandering alto lines that build an intriguing and passionate melody. After Böhm's shimmering, incandescent deluge of notes tense sonic fragments usher in the darkly hued conclusion.

The dramatic and provocative "Four Us All" has an otherworldly mood and lilting cadence. Mondlak's primal rumble and rustling sticks together with Goldsby's thumping vamps and Böhm's sparse, haunting chords form a loose and angular rhythmic framework. Strassmayer fills this gripping harmonic shell with her free flowing and open-ended extemporization making the piece one of the most innovative on the record.

Elsewhere on the funky and emotive "Side by Side" Strassmayer's blues-drenched saxophone dances seductively and with muscular phrases around the main theme. Böhm's buoyant piano echoes and expands on the altoist's mordant and acerbic tones and stirring wail.

The vigorous "Fanfare From Another World," meanwhile, features Böhm's lithe pianism. His breathtaking acrobatics are equal parts technical prowess and elegant artistry. Strassmayer blows with fiery gusto the bubbling head over her band-mates hard swinging refrains. Mondlak bisects the tune with his thunderous thumps and complex, overlapping polyrhythms.

This captivating record closes with the hypnotic and gorgeous ballad "Still In Her Ears." This Strassmayer and Böhm duet spotlights the former's thick breathy flute as it undulates gracefully over the latter's introspective and classically influenced performance.

Simultaneously unconventional and accessible Of Mystery and Beauty is an imaginative work. With charm and intelligence it eschews both abstruseness and banality. It engrosses with its diversity yet remains conceptually cohesive. It stimulates and moves with its ingenious complexity and fascinating fluidity. In short it is, to date, Strassmayer and Mondlak's finest disc and one that surely will stand the test of time. ~Hrayr Attarian

Personnel: Karolina Strassmayer: alto saxophone, flute; Drori Mondlak: drums; John Goldsby: bass; Rainer Böhm: piano.

Of Mystery And Beauty

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Scott Bradlee's Postmodern Jukebox - PMJ And Chill

Size: 115,3 MB
Time: 49:24
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2016
Styles: Jazz, Ragtime, Pop, Vocals
Art: Front

01. Sorry (Feat. Shoshana Bean) (3:57)
02. Bye Bye Bye (Feat. Tara Louise) (4:17)
03. Ex's & Oh's (Feat. Lisa Gary) (2:47)
04. Here (Feat. Aubrey Logan) (3:45)
05. I’m Not The Only One (Feat. Cristina Gatti) (3:56)
06. Hotline Bling (Feat. Cristina Gatti) (3:01)
07. Ignition (Remix)) (Feat. Rayvon Owen) (3:19)
08. Love Yourself (Feat. Sara Niemietz) (4:18)
09. Hello (Feat. Maiya Sykes) (4:18)
10. Just Like Heaven (Feat. Natalie Angst) (4:22)
11. Focus (Feat. Lavance Colley) (3:21)
12. Thinking Out Loud (Feat. Holly Campbell-Smith) (3:50)
13. Heroes (Feat. Nicole Atkins) (4:06)

How did Miley Cyrus' "We Can't Stop" become a '50s-style doo wop number? Since when was Meghan Trainor's "All About That Bass" about an upright bass fiddle? At what point did Macklemore's "Thrift Shop" evolve into a '20s hot jazz tune? And whose idea was it to rework Lorde's "Royals" into a polished ballad sung by a sad clown? It's all part of the topsy-turvy world of Postmodern Jukebox, an ongoing musical project spearheaded by pianist and arranger Scott Bradlee, who takes contemporary pop and rock tunes and fashions new arrangements for them that cast them in an unpredictable variety of musical styles from the past. Born on Long Island, Bradlee relocated to New York City after studying jazz at the University of Hartford. While playing gigs at restaurants and nightclubs in New York City, Bradlee began experimenting with ragtime and jazz arrangements of pop tunes from the '80s, and he recorded several self-released digital albums of his offbeat versions of well-known melodies, as well as performances that interpolated seemingly dissimilar songs of different eras. Bradlee upped the ante on these experiments in 2012 with an album called A Motown Tribute to Nickelback, but as he began imagining a new platform for his experiments, he thought of YouTube, where he had been posting solo performance videos since 2009. In 2013, Bradlee began posting weekly videos in which he and a rotating cast of musicians and vocalists performed a new song each week, recorded live in a single take in Bradlee's living room. In September 2013, Bradlee posted his '50s-style reimagining of Cyrus' "We Can't Stop," and the clip soon went viral, racking up over four million views in less than two months and topping 14 million two years later. Bradlee's Postmodern Jukebox channel was soon racking up Internet successes on a regular basis, and Bradlee continued to release both videos and albums based on his playful fun-house covers of popular songs. By 2015, Bradlee had made over 130 Postmodern Jukebox clips available online, and he and his crew were taking the show on the road, touring in North America, Europe, and the United Kingdom. ~Mark Deming

PMJ And Chill

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Art Farmer & Jim Hall Quartet - Complete Live Recordings

Styles: Jazz, Mainstream Jazz
Year: 2008
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 68:57
Size: 159,2 MB
Art: Front

(12:25)  1. Stompin' At The Savoy
( 5:56)  2. Swing Spring
( 4:28)  3. What's New
( 9:44)  4. I Want To Be Happy
( 5:07)  5. I'm Getting Sentimental Over You
( 7:49)  6. Sometime Ago
( 6:10)  7. Bilbao Song
( 4:55)  8. Darn That Dream
(11:21)  9. Valse Hot
( 0:58) 10. Theme

The Art Farmer-Jim Hall Quartet recorded only a handful of times in the early 1960s, making this reissue of two separate live performances all the more valuable. By the time Farmer recruited Hall for his new group, he had made the switch from trumpet to the richer sound of the flugelhorn, while the guitarist's style of playing complemented the leader perfectly. The first date originally was issued by Atlantic, though both the album and the subsequent CD reissue have long been unavailable; the rhythm section consists of Steve Swallow (who had not yet made the switch to electric bass) and drummer Walter Perkins. Except for Miles Davis' "Swing Spring," all of the songs are from the swing era. The extended workout of "Stompin' at the Savoy" is illustrative of the group's abilities, while Hall is featured in a lush setting of "I'm Getting Sentimental Over You." 

The last five tracks first appeared on the Moon bootleg CD Meets Mulligan & Hall, though it too has been out of print for some time, with Pete La Roca (aka Pete Sims) taking over on drums. The sound of these performances is a bit muddy, as if taken from a second or third generation of a broadcast taping, though the music is excellent throughout the set. This Gambit reissue repeats the earlier CD's sloppy composer credits, which attribute the lilting take of "Sometime Ago" to Chick Corea instead of Sergio Mihanovich, though the addition of detailed liner notes is welcome. The heartfelt arrangement of "'Darn That Dream" and burning take of Sonny Rollins' unusual jazz waltz "Valse Hot" are also highlights. ~ Ken Dryden  http://www.allmusic.com/album/the-complete-live-recordings-mw0001664687

Personnel: Art Farmer (flugelhorn); Jim Hall (guitar); Pete La Roca, Walter Perkins (drums).

Complete Live Recordings

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Charnett Moffett - The Art of Improvisation

Styles: Jazz, Post-Bop
Year: 2009
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 59:01
Size: 135,5 MB
Art: Front

(3:25)  1. We Pray
(5:07)  2. Moses
(5:10)  3. The Story
(5:05)  4. Dreams
(5:45)  5. Elements of Life
(4:44)  6. Call For Peace
(4:57)  7. The Awakening
(5:34)  8. Swing Rock
(4:28)  9. Enlightenment Part I
(7:26) 10. Enlightenment Part II
(3:50) 11. The Art of Improvisation
(3:23) 12. Star Spangled Banner

A fascinating recording, The Art of Improvisation is as mysterious as it is a showcase for the formidable bass playing skills of its leader Charnett Moffett; his playing on electric and acoustic basses has a grounded, vocal quality he always seems to be singing through his instruments. Even when he is playing a fusillade of notes (and Moffett does have fleet fingers), the feel of various folk musics (Asian, Middle Eastern, African, even Celtic) are invoked, as heard through both parts of "Enlightenment." "Part I" starts with a floating, meditative mood, building in speed and emotional intensity over a pedal tone. "Part II" becomes a duet of bass and drums, using the melodic materials of "Part I" in an approach similar to that of a sitar/tabla duet. 

Moffett's bass again sings a duet with Tibetan vocalist Yunchen Lhamo on "Call for Peace," a striking track of such sincerity it begs for more. "Dream," another fascinating composition, features a poet's recitation over a sonic landscape that sounds as if it could have been recorded in the '60s or '70s a cross between the Last Poets and music found at the Creative Music Studio. The title track, of course reminds listeners of Ornette Coleman's 1961 album, The Art of the Improvisers; Charnett, after all, is a contraction of Charles as in drummer Charles Moffett, his father and Ornette, Charles Moffett's boss circa 1965. And the bassist's version of the "Star Spangled Banner" convincingly revives the spirit of Hendrix's Woodstock version of the national anthem. 

Moffett doesn't take the usual route of making a recording that's a concise collection of tunes. He stretches out on his basses more than any other bassist/bandleader dares to. And though Moffett can remind one of Jaco Pastorius, James Jamerson, Milt Hinton, Charlie Haden, Stanley Clarke or an Edgar Meyer none would have made an album with this kind of directness. ~ Francis Lo Kee  http://www.allaboutjazz.com/the-art-of-improvisation-charnett-moffett-motema-music-review-by-francis-lo-kee.php

Personnel: Charnett Moffett: basses; Will Calhoun: drums Yungchen Lhamo: vocal; Scott Brown: piano; Pat Jones: guitar. Steve Barnes: guitar. Eric McPherson: drums. Charnette Max Moffett: drums. Robert Joseph Avalon: trumpet.

The Art of Improvisation

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Bernd Reiter Quartet feat. Roman Schwaller - Live at the Jazzland Vienna

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2007
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 69:31
Size: 159,3 MB
Art: Front

( 7:35)  1. Strike up the band
( 8:24)  2. Theme for Ernie
(10:44)  3. Ruby, my dear
( 7:48)  4. Bitter Suite
(12:21)  5. Cheesecake
(13:10)  6. Body and Soul
( 9:24)  7. Dear John

Any information of this album will be very welcome!

Personnel: Bernd Reiter – dr;  Roman Schwaller – ts;  Sascha Mutic – p; Robert Jukic - b

Live at the Jazzland Vienna

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