Hot Lips Page - Jump For Joy!

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 64:46
Size: 148.3 MB
Styles: Swing, Trumpet jazz
Year: 2001
Art: Front

[3:10] 1. St. James Infirmary
[2:39] 2. Walkin' In A Daze
[2:48] 3. Take Your Shoes Off, Baby
[2:34] 4. La Danse
[2:58] 5. Baby, It's Cold Outside
[2:58] 6. The Hucklebuck
[3:01] 7. Baby, Look At You
[3:12] 8. Far Away Blues
[3:20] 9. Jump For Joy
[2:51] 10. Limehouse Blues
[2:49] 11. Limehouse Blues
[2:48] 12. Now You're Talking My Language
[2:49] 13. (Back Home Again In) Indiana
[2:54] 14. When You're Smiling
[2:33] 15. I Can't Believe That You're In Love With Me
[2:31] 16. Why Did I Always Depend On You
[3:04] 17. Long Gone Blues
[3:06] 18. Got An Uncle In Harlem
[3:10] 19. Jeety-Boat Joad
[3:01] 20. Blow, Champ, Blow
[3:22] 21. There Ain't No Flies On Me
[3:02] 22. Miss Larceny Blues

Because this is a mix of solo sessions from one era (the late '40s and early '50s) and Hot Lips Page's work in the bands of Pete Johnson, Chu Berry, Teddy Wilson, and Billie Holiday from another era (the late '30s), it's too scattered to function as an overview or as a detailed snapshot of a particular aspect of Page's career. There's still some material here for Page fans to enjoy, particularly as some of the tracks were previously unreleased. On the solo sides, he comes off as similar but inferior to Louis Armstrong, though enjoyable on his own terms if comparisons with that behemoth are avoided; the interpretation of Ravel's "La Danse" is a highlight. A young Pearl Bailey duets with him on "Baby It's Cold Outside" and a previously unreleased alternate take of "The Hucklebuck." A young Joe Turner is the vocalist on the Johnson sides, and here the main collector attraction is the previously unreleased "Jump for Joy." More such goodies include a previously unreleased alternate take of "Limehouse Blues" (as part of Berry's band); two previously unissued performances as a member of Wilson's orchestra; and, finally, previously unavailable alternate takes of "Got an Uncle in Harlem" and "Jeety-Boad Joad" (both from 1949) and the hitherto unissued "Blow, Champ, Blow" (from 1950). ~Richie Unterberger

Jump For Joy!

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Curtis Cantwell Jackson & Janiece Jaffe - Songs That Make You Feel This Way

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 47:00
Size: 107.6 MB
Styles: Easy Listening
Year: 2008
Art: Front

[3:55] 1. Sunshine On My Shoulders
[4:47] 2. Lazybones
[3:25] 3. It's Lonely Here
[4:37] 4. Don't Know Why
[6:01] 5. Autum Leaves
[3:46] 6. Three Little Birds
[4:35] 7. You Send Me
[6:30] 8. Weakness
[4:44] 9. Corcovado
[4:36] 10. You Are So Beautiful

Curtis and I met at the Farmer's Market in Bloomington IN in 2002! We did not sing with each other until 2007 when we kept hearing from fans and friends that we should collaborate. Little did we know we would become such a dynamic duo! We both come from a rich background of teaching and performing, and enjoy the magic that comes from sharing our passion for life and music.

Songs That Make You Feel This Way

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Coleman Hawkins - On Broadway

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s

Time: 75:56

Size: 173.5 MB

Styles: Saxophone jazz

Year: 1997

Art: Front

[4:17] 1. I Talk To The Trees

[4:36] 2. Smoke Gets In Your Eyes

[2:23] 3. Wanting You

[6:14] 4. Strange Music

[4:03] 5. The Man That Got Away

[4:09] 6. Get Out Of Town

[4:05] 7. Here I'll Stay

[4:45] 8. A Fellow Needs A Girl

[4:10] 9. Loads Of Love

[4:18] 10. The Sweetest Sounds

[7:45] 11. Wouldn't It Be Loverly

[4:28] 12. Cry Like The Wind

[4:31] 13. Climb Ev'ry Mountain

[3:03] 14. Make Someone Happy

[4:48] 15. Out Of My Dreams

[3:23] 16. Have I Told You Lately That I Love You

[4:42] 17. I Believe In You

A generous 76-minute CD, Coleman Hawkins On Broadway contains 1962 recordings originally heard on three LPs: Good Old Broadway, Coleman Hawkins Plays Make Someone Happy From Do Re Mi and The Coleman Hawkins Quartet Plays The Jazz Version Of No Strings. All of the songs Hawk interprets were from Broadway plays, and everything boasts the sparkling Tommy Flanagan on piano, Major Holley on bass and Eddie Locke on drums. Fast-tempo aggression isn't a priority here instead, the seminal tenor saxman brings a relaxed confidence to standards like "The Sweetest Sounds," "Make Someone Happy" and "Get Out Of Town." Comfortable tempos are the rule, and in fact, much of this CD can function quite well as nocturnal mood music but mood music of a consistently high quality. And as usual, Hawk's big, breathy tone is something to savor. ~AAJ Staff

On Broadway

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Dinah Shore, Andre Previn - Dinah Sings Previn Plays

Styles: Vocal And Piano Jazz

Year: 2006

File: MP3@320K/s

Time: 45:27

Size: 104,5 MB

Art: Front

(3:19)  1. The Man I Love

(2:58)  2. April In Paris

(3:13)  3. That Old Feeling

(2:43)  4. I've Got You Under My Skin

(3:23)  5. Then I'll Be Tired Of You

(2:42)  6. Sleepy Time Gal

(3:42)  7. My Melancholy Baby

(3:36)  8. My Funny Valentine

(3:26)  9. It Had To Be You

(3:10) 10. I'll Be Seeing You

(3:22) 11. If I Had You

(3:00) 12. Like Someone In Love

(2:54) 13. Stars Fell On Alabama

(3:08) 14. While We're Young

(4:17) 15. The Man I Love

While maintaining her status as a television star, Dinah Shore made a series of classy albums for Capitol Records between 1959 and 1962. On this, the fourth of her five LPs for the label, she again teamed with André Previn, who had arranged and conducted her earlier album, Somebody Loves Me. This time, Previn took to the piano, joined only by an occasional rhythm section for another set of ballads (or, as the sleeve note put it, "songs in a mid-night mood"). They included standards by the Gershwins, Rodgers & Hart and others, and Shore handled them with more than her usual warmth; she smoldered. The result was a concept album that ranks with some of Frank Sinatra's. Maybe sales were negligible because the Shore of this album was hard to reconcile with the grinning hostess on TV, but it probably had more to do with the overexposure TV gives any regular performer, causing the public to look for her on the small screen rather than on the record shelves. In any case, that made this album a lost gem.~William Ruhlmann http://www.allmusic.com/album/dinah-sings-previn-plays-mw0000557770

Personnel: Dinah Shore (vocals); Dinah Shore; Red Mitchell (upright bass); André Previn (piano); Frank Capp (drums).

Dinah Sings Previn Plays

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Chano Dominguez - Hecho A Mano

Styles: Piano Jazz, Latin Jazz
Year: 1998
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 62:39
Size: 145,5 MB
Art: Front

(5:35)  1. Alma De Mujer
(4:23)  2. Retaila
(5:31)  3. Pinar Hondo
(4:35)  4. Tu Enciendes Las Estrellas
(2:52)  5. Cardamomo
(6:34)  6. Bajamar
(7:15)  7. Cilantro Y Comino
(6:58)  8. Solea Blues
(3:55)  9. Jacaranda
(7:23) 10. Bubango
(2:57) 11. Bemsha Swing
(4:34) 12. Solo Con Verte

The cross-pollination of Latin music and jazz has been going on for decades. Typically, a jazz group will borrow Latin grooves and instrumentation, while Latin players apply their rhythms and harmonies to the American standards songbook. It's usually a rather self-conscious blending in which the genre lines are still obvious; only a few musicians have managed to make the mix organic (Chick Corea, Michel Camilo, and Al DiMeola's The Grande Passion CD come to mind).  Now we have Chano Dominguez, a fine pianist from Cadiz, Spain, who weaves jazz with a flamenco approach. Hecho a Mano (aka Handmade) was recorded in Madrid in September, 1996, for Nuba Records, and released on October 15, 2002 by Sunnyside. Dominguez's ten originals integrate jazz improvisation and harmonies with the fire and mystery of his native culture; it's a seamless blend, exciting and original. Dominguez also breathes fresh life into a pair of classics: "Turn Out the Stars" gets a new Spanish subtitle {"You Turn On the Stars") as a tribute to composer Bill Evans; it also gets a new feel as a lovely flamenco waltz. Monk's quirky "Bemsha Swing" becomes a delightful mix of piano and powerful hand-clapping and shoe-tapping.

Dominguez introduces the American listener to a broad range of flamenco forms which extend far beyond the Hollywood stereotype of the fierce, scowling dancer to include the tango, the exuberant buleria and sequidilla, and the bluesy solea. His compositions range from a musical description of a woman's soul ("Alma de Mujer"), which builds from tenderness to passion, to the tabla-inflected "Cardomono," the gypsy "Retaila" and the sexy fandango, "Pinar Hondo." "Cilantro y Comino" is an extended journey that's full of rhythmic surprises and joyful energy. All the musicians are first-rate, with notable solos delivered by bassist Javier Colina and guitarist Tito Alcedo. This is exciting, soulful, memorable music.~Dr Judith Schlesinger http://www.allaboutjazz.com/hecho-a-mano-chano-dominguez-sunnyside-records-review-by-dr-judith-schlesinger.php

Personnel: Chano Dominguez: piano; Javier Colina: bass; Guillermo McGuill: drums; Tomatito: guitar; Antonio Toledo: guitar; Nono Garcia: guitar; Tito Alcedo: guitar; Tino di Geraldo: percussion, tablas, cajon, drums, tambourine, clapping); Chonchi Heredia: vocals, clapping; Joaquin Grilo: foot tapping, clapping; Juan Diego clapping; Lorenza Virseda: clapping.

Hecho A Mano

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Keyon Harrold - Introducing Keyon Harrold

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 2009
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 58:52
Size: 135,1 MB
Art: Front

(7:27)  1. TMF Nuttz
(7:17)  2. Sudden Inspiration
(8:00)  3. Shirley's Blues
(6:34)  4. Keyon Beyond
(6:41)  5. Amazing Grace/ Lord My God
(7:57)  6. Peace
(7:38)  7. Hip Hop Joint
(7:14)  8. The Awakening

Keyon Harrold comes to jazz and pop from his home in St. Louis, and at age 28 presents his debut recording of straight-ahead modern mainstream music in the typical Criss Cross label tradition. He's not carved in the mold of hometown icon Miles Davis, but has some of the bold technique of Freddie Hubbard and fluidity of Lee Morgan, while stylistically within the neo-bop range of Wynton Marsalis or Tom Harrell. Harrold has played with the Count Basie and Roy Hargrove big bands and as a sideman with Billy Harper, and has worked with Jay-Z, Beyoncé Knowles, and Snoop Dogg, among others, so he knows the twentysomething audience as well as grown-up purist jazz listeners. Brothers Marcus Strickland (saxes) and E.J. Strickland (drums) support Harrold, along with the fabulous young pianist Danny Grissett and bassist Derzon Douglas. 

As you'd expect, Harrold is an accomplished player with both youth and experience on his side, but also uses different arenas of modern jazz as a composer. His opener, "TMF Nuttz," is a Marsalis-type angular bop-strewn swinger powered by Grissett's two-fisted chords and a ripe solo by the brassman, and features Harrold's mentor, fellow trumpeter Charles Tolliver. The chunkier melody of "The Awakening" takes into account a blues aspect that identifies Harrell's pure tuneful sound, while an atypical version of Horace Silver's "Peace" is stewed in a light Brazilian broth with guitarist Jeremy Most added on in an interpretation quite different from the pensive, balladic original. Grissett is fond of switching to the electric Fender Rhodes piano, adding more of a retro feel to the funky boogaloo strains of "Shirley's Blues" and the 4/4 bounce during "Hip Hop Joint," with Harrold's muted horn alongside Marcus Strickland's solid tenor sax. In reference to his deep St. Louis gospel roots, "Amazing Grace"/"Lord, My God" is fairly typical in the main, but Marcus Strickland's soprano sax adds brighter color to the combo piece. 

These are all very good and well for what one might expect, but "Sudden Inspiration" stands out in its easy swing stance offset by staggered phrasings that jump out, where "Keyon Beyond" more perfectly envisions the duality of clockwork beats with a hip-hop sway that made Ahmad Jamal's "Poinciana" a seminal reference point for current music in the urban collective. Certainly this is a credible first effort, as Harrold only scratches the surface of his potential, and though somewhat derivative of past predecessors, it bodes well for his bright future alongside Jeremy Pelt, Sean Jones, and Ambrose Akinmusire as the leading jazz trumpet players of a new generation.~Michael G.Nastos http://www.allmusic.com/album/introducing-keyon-harrold-mw0000833353

Personnel: Keyon Harrold (trumpet); Jeremy Most (guitar); Marcus Strickland (soprano saxophone, tenor saxophone); Charles Tolliver (trumpet); Danny Grissett (piano); E.J. Strickland (drums).

Introducing Keyon Harrold

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Larry Coryell - Spaces

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 1974
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 37:04
Size: 85,2 MB
Art: Front

(9:23)  1. Spaces (Infinite)
(4:12)  2. Rene's Theme
(4:32)  3. Gloria's Step
(9:02)  4. Wrong Is Right
(9:32)  5. Crisis
(0:21)  6. New Year's Day In Los Angeles-1968

This album features the pioneer fusion guitarist Larry Coryell with quite an all-star group. Two selections match Coryell with fellow guitarist John McLaughlin, bassist Miroslav Vitous (doubling on cello) and drummer Billy Cobham, all important fusion players at the time. "Rene's Theme" is a guitar duet with McLaughlin, while "Gloria's Steps" (a Scott LaFaro composition) has Coryell, Vitous and Cobham jamming as a trio. Chick Corea sits in on electric keyboard for "Chris," and the 20-second closer ("New Year's Day in Los Angeles 1968") finds Coryell playing alone. Overall, the music has its energetic moments, but also contains some lyricism often lacking in fusion of the mid-'70s. In addition, all of the musicians already had their own original voices, making Spaces a stimulating album worth searching for.~Scott Yanow http://www.allmusic.com/album/spaces-mw0000197196

Personnel:  Larry Coryell – guitar;  John McLaughlin – guitar;  Chick Corea – electric piano;  Billy Cobham – drums;  Miroslav Vitous – bass

Spaces

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Jimmy Rushing - Remastered Collection

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 51:46
Size: 118.5 MB
Styles: Jazz-blues-R&B vocals
Year: 2015
Art: Front

[2:50] 1. Boogie Woogie
[3:04] 2. Goin' To Chicago Blues
[2:59] 3. Listen My Children (And You Shall Hear)
[2:42] 4. Exactly Like You
[2:59] 5. Pennies From Heaven
[2:25] 6. Boo-Hoo
[3:03] 7. Don't You Miss Your Baby
[2:29] 8. Georgianna
[3:05] 9. Good Morning Blues
[2:47] 10. Now Will You Be Good
[3:02] 11. The Blues I Like To Hear
[2:37] 12. Do You Wanna Jump, Children
[3:10] 13. Evil Blues
[3:03] 14. Blues In The Dark
[2:39] 15. I Can't Believe That You're In Love With Me
[2:37] 16. I Want A Little Girl
[3:13] 17. I Left My Baby
[2:53] 18. London Bridge Is Fallin' Down

He was known as "Mister Five-By-Five" -- an affectionate reference to his height and girth -- a blues shouter who defined and then transcended the form. The owner of a booming voice that radiated sheer joy in whatever material he sang, Jimmy Rushing could swing with anyone and dominate even the loudest of big bands. Rushing achieved his greatest fame in front of the Count Basie band from 1935 to 1950, yet unlike many band singers closely associated with one organization, he was able to carry on afterwards with a series of solo recordings that further enhanced his reputation as a first-class jazz singer.

Raised in a musical family, learning violin, piano and music theory in his youth, Rushing began performing in nightspots after a move to California in the mid-'20s. He joined Walter Page's Blue Devils in 1927, then toured with Bennie Moten from 1929 until the leader's death in 1935, going over to Basie when the latter picked up the pieces of the Moten band. The unquenchably swinging Basie rhythm section was a perfect match for Rushing, making their earliest showing together on a 1936 recording of "Boogie Woogie" that stamped not only Rushing's presence onto the national scene but also that of Lester Young. Rushing's recordings with Basie are scattered liberally throughout several reissues on Decca, Columbia and RCA. While with Basie, he also appeared in several film shorts and features.

After the Basie ensemble broke up in 1950, a victim of hard times for big bands, Rushing briefly retired, then formed his own septet. He started a series of solo albums for Vanguard in the mid-'50s, then turned in several distinguished recordings for Columbia in league with such luminaries as Dave Brubeck, Coleman Hawkins and Benny Goodman, the latter of whom he appeared with at the Brussels World's Fair in 1958 as immortalized in "Brussels Blues." He also recorded with Basie alumni such as Buck Clayton and Jo Jones, as well as with the Duke Ellington band on Jazz Party. He appeared on TV in The Sound of Jazz in 1957, was featured in Jon Hendricks' The Evolution of the Blues, and also had a singing and acting role in the 1969 film The Learning Tree. ~bio by Richard S. Ginnell

Remastered Collection

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Tara O'Grady - Black Irish

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 32:39
Size: 74.8 MB
Styles: Jazz vocals
Year: 2010
Art: Front

[2:46] 1. Black Velvet Band
[4:27] 2. Danny Boy
[4:35] 3. The Water Is Wide
[2:26] 4. I'll Tell Me Ma
[4:04] 5. Nora
[3:34] 6. Wild Rover
[3:24] 7. Peggy Gordon
[2:49] 8. Molly Malone
[4:31] 9. The Holy Ground

Nominated as one of Irish Voice’s Most Influential Women of 2010, her debut album, Black Irish, is a collection of Irish songs she grew up listening to as a child. But don’t expect any jigs on this CD. She’s swinging it, baby!

Her version of 'Danny Boy' was featured in a 2013 BBC documentary film for the song's 100th anniversary called "Danny Boy: The Ballad That Bewitched The World," along with Elvis Presley's and Johnny Cash's versions. Tara is also interviewed in the film along with folk singer Judy Collins, actor Gabriel Byrne, musician Paddy Maloney of the Chieftains, and film maker Jim Sheridan.

“I think Tara O’Grady has a fierce soul, because her glorious voice is positively dripping with it. I was totally moved by this album. Her unique jazz arrangements of Irish standards, and that VOICE, take me to places I haven’t been in a long time. This delightful album is not only fun, it’s deep!” ~Dr. Christine Ranck, Co-Author, Ignite the Genius Within.

Black Irish

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Carmell Jones - Mosaic Select (3-Disc Set)

Carmell Jones with Harold Land, Gary Peacock, Tricky Lofton, Gerald Wilson, Frank Strazzeri, Red Mitchell, and many others.

I have to claim a special affinity for the music of trumpeter Carmell Jones as documented on this three-disc set. Going back to an interview I conducted with Mosaic’s Michael Cuscuna a few years back, I commented on how much of the Pacific Jazz material that had been reissued up to that point consisted largely of albums from the ‘50s, ignoring the following decade’s trinkets. Cuscuna shared my feelings and expressed his desire to find some way to package items from the Pacific Jazz catalog that might not be as commercially viable as those classic Chet Baker, Gerry Mulligan, and Bud Shank sides. Now we have the Jones set at hand and things seem to be looking up.

Although the misconception exists that the prevailing jazz climate on the West Coast was much cooler than its East Coast counterpart, a quick listen to “I’m Gonna Go Fishin’” from 1961’s The Remarkable Carmell Jones should put that myth to rest. Jones is fluid and fiery throughout, as is tenor saxophonist Harold Land, who contributes some of his most incendiary improvisations. A rare item that fetches high prices on vinyl, this set has been long overdue for reissue, yet even more remarkable is the availability here of two additional Pacific Jazz rarities, Business Meetin’ and Brass Bag. These sets sport large ensemble charts arranged by Gerald Wilson and not only add much to our knowledge of Jones’ work, but also speak to the arranging prowess of Wilson. Little need exists for singling out specific performances as every moment deserves to be savored and the anonymity of these performances simply defies explanation.

Completing this package are two sessions that were not recorded under Jones’ leadership, but prominently feature his contributions. The first of these is a previously unissued 1963 Pacific Jazz date led by Frank Strazzeri. Consisting largely of the pianist’s originals, nothing all that revolutionary occurs, but Jones and tenor man Hadley Caliman form a potent front line and the solo spots are uniformly fine. Harold Land’s Jazz Impressions of Folk Music is entirely something else, an extensive hard bop reworking of public domain ‘oldies’ such as “Hava Na Gila,” “Tom Dooley,” and “On Top of Old Smokey.” To say that Jones and Land whip things into a vibrant froth is an understatement and the album’s inclusion here is an unmitigated bonus. ~Andrew Hovan

Album: Mosaic Select (Disc 1)

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s

Time: 65:26

Size: 149.8 MB

Styles: Bop, Trumpet jazz

Year: 2011

[11:12] 1. I'm Gonna Go Fishin'

[ 4:29] 2. Come Rain Or Come Shine

[ 4:01] 3. Night Tide

[ 5:45] 4. Sad March

[ 9:09] 5. Stellisa

[ 6:37] 6. Full Moon And Empty Arms

[ 6:04] 7. That's Good

[ 7:06] 8. Suearl

[ 5:22] 9. Hip Trolley

[ 5:38] 10. Beautiful Love

Mosaic Select (Disc 1)

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Album: Mosaic Select (Disc 2)

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s

Time: 54:56

Size: 125.8 MB

Styles: Bop, Trumpet jazz

Year: 2011

[4:49] 1. Business Meetin'

[2:33] 2. Stella By Starlight

[3:51] 3. Toddler

[3:53] 4. Cherokee

[3:46] 5. Brass Bag

[4:11] 6. Angel Eyes

[5:20] 7. Celery Stalks At Midnight

[5:19] 8. Mood Indigo

[5:24] 9. Moten Swing

[5:38] 10. Canadian Sunset

[6:49] 11. Ow!

[3:16] 12. Bluer Than That

Mosaic Select (Disc 2)

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Album: Mosaic Selects (Disc 3)

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s

Time: 72:12

Size: 165.3 MB

Styles: Bop, Trumpet jazz

Year: 2011

Art: Front

[5:42] 1. New Orleans

[6:22] 2. Lope In

[4:19] 3. Yvette

[5:45] 4. Huskey

[4:25] 5. Injun Jo

[4:48] 6. Effusion

[2:55] 7. Antler Rock

[6:44] 8. Take This Hammer

[5:12] 9. Hava Na Gila

[6:56] 10. Tom Dooley

[4:06] 11. Scarlet Ribbons

[4:19] 12. The Foggy Dew

[3:51] 13. Kisses Sweeter Than Wine

[2:56] 14. On Top Of Old Smokey

[3:44] 15. Blue Tail Fly

Mosaic Selects (Disc 3)

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Hugo Montenegro - Boogie Woogie & Bongos

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 30:55
Size: 70.8 MB
Styles: Contemporary jazz, Easy listening
Year: 1962/1991
Art: Front

[2:49] 1. Night Train
[2:32] 2. Woodchopper's Ball
[2:10] 3. Peter Gunn
[2:18] 4. Swanee River Boogie
[2:35] 5. Java Boogie
[2:35] 6. St. Louis Blues
[2:45] 7. Tuxedo Junction
[2:32] 8. Yancy Goes Honky Tonk
[2:58] 9. Begin The Beguine
[2:20] 10. Win, Win, Boogie
[2:43] 11. Boo Qui Woo Qui
[2:32] 12. Pinetop's Boogie Woogie

Scarce 1962 12-track LP of multi-channel experiments arranged and conducted by Hugo, issued on Time-Oriole as part of the Series 2000 with 'rough' textured labels.

Hugo Montenegro was a composer, arranger, and conductor who is primarily known for his movie work in the '60s, as well as his adaptations of film scores like The Good, the Bad and the Ugly. Montenegro began his musical career in the U.S. Navy, where he arranged scores for various military bands. After he left the Navy, he completed school at Manhattan College, then he began a professional music career.

Initially, Montenegro was the staff manager to André Kostelanetz at Columbia Records in New York, which eventually led to a job as a conductor/arranger for several of the label's artists, most notably Harry Belafonte. By the mid-'50s, Montenegro was making his own albums of easy listening orchestral music.

Montenegro moved to California in the mid-'60s and began to write film scores, starting with Otto Preminger's Hurry Sundown in 1967. That same year, he recorded a version of the theme to The Good, the Bad and the Ugly, which was written by Ennio Morricone. Featuring an arrangement that relied on a chorus, electric instruments, and special effects, the single was a major hit, reaching number one in the U.K. and number two in the U.S.; internationally, it sold over a million copies. An album titled Music from "The Good, the Bad and the Ugly" & "A Fistful of Dollars" & "For a Few Dollars More" appeared shortly after the single's release, and it reached the Top Ten in the spring 1968. Later in the year, Montenegro released a single of the theme from Hang 'Em High, which was a lesser hit, as was the album of the same name.

Montenegro began to branch out after the Hang 'Em High album, recording a diverse array of albums, ranging from show tunes to electronic experiments. Throughout the late '60s and '70s, he continued to score films, including Lady in Cement, The Undefeated, The Wrecking Crew, Tomorrow, and The Ambushers, among many others. He continued composing and recording until his death in 1981. ~bio by Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Boogie Woogie & Bongos

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Bob Brookmeyer - The 1954 Quartets: The Modernity Of Bob Brookmeyer

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 60:05
Size: 137.5 MB
Styles: Trombone jazz
Year: 2011
Art: Front

[5:32] 1. You Took Advantage Of Me
[4:24] 2. He Ain't Got Rhythm
[3:43] 3. What Is There To Say
[4:00] 4. There Will Never Be Another You
[4:38] 5. Jasmine
[8:02] 6. Sticks And Stems
[5:34] 7. The Bulldog Blues
[2:46] 8. Liberty Belle
[3:31] 9. Have You Met Miss Jones
[2:33] 10. Traditional Blues
[2:34] 11. Isn't It Romantic
[3:17] 12. Doe Eyes
[3:18] 13. Red Devil
[3:18] 14. Body And Soul
[2:47] 15. Last Chance

Fresh Sounds goes deep into the vaults to reissue a pair of early Bob Brookmeyer-led sessions on a single disc. Recorded in 1954 for Pacific Jazz and Verve at the height of West Coast jazz fever, Brookmeyer's early arranging and composing genius can be heard as already very sophisticated and expressive; his reputation as a soloist on the trombone had been well established by this time. The Bob Brookmeyer Quartet session recorded for Pacific Jazz over two days in July (and inexplicably sequenced on the latter half of this set) listed drummer Frank Isola, pianist John Williams, and alternate bassists Red Mitchell and Bill Anthony. The second session for Verve -- sequenced first -- was recorded in December, and features pianist Jimmy Rowles, drummer Mel Lewis, and bassist Buddy Clark. On the first six tracks (again, which make up the latter session originally titled The Modernity of Bob Brookmeyer), the leader contributes two tunes to a very modern mix that also includes very contemporary (for the time) readings of four standards, including Irving Berlin's "He Ain't Got Rhythm," Rodgers & Hart's "You Took Advantage of Me," and the Harry Warren-Yip Harburg nugget "There Will Never Be Another You." Brookmeyer wasn't afraid of a little dissonance and his own solos bear this out, as Rowles remains sweet and busy as ever. The initial Bob Brookmeyer Quartet session yields three fine pieces, including the first recording of his classic tune "Liberty Belle." In addition, there are some standards and a pair of Mitchell tunes, as well as a compelling reading of "Body and Soul." As is typical of a lot of Fresh Sounds releases, while there are decent liner notes, the mastering job is far from audiophile, so collectors and other jazz fans should be aware. ~Thom Jurek

The 1954 Quartets: The Modernity Of Bob Brookmeyer

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Dee Daniels - All Of Me

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 1991
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 38:35
Size: 88,8 MB
Art: Front

(2:47)  1. What A Difference A Day Made
(3:39)  2. I've Got The World On A String
(5:18)  3. I Got It bad (and That Ain't Good)
(3:18)  4. I'm Walking
(2:51)  5. Midnight Strangers
(2:51)  6. All Of Me
(3:34)  7. Honeysucle Rose
(4:54)  8. Stormy Weather
(3:29)  9. On A Clear Day
(5:49) 10. For Once In My Life

Dee Daniels mixes together the influences of Sarah Vaughan, R&B, and gospel in her own appealing style. She started off singing in church as a child and also took piano lessons so she could play for the choirs of her stepfather's church. She earned an art degree from the University of Montana in 1970 and taught art in high school in Seattle. She also sang on the side, at first for the fun of it and then eventually six nights a week with a band that performed rock and R&B. In 1972 she quit her teaching job to concentrate exclusively on singing. Over time, Daniels began to love improvising and gradually drifted toward jazz. While living in Europe during 1982-1987, she worked with such jazz greats as Toots Thielemans, Monty Alexander, Johnny Griffin, and John Clayton. Although she moved back to the U.S. in 1987, she has performed often in other countries including Canada, Australia, Hong Kong, 11 African countries, and throughout Europe, and is actually better known overseas than in the U.S. Daniels has appeared in such shows as the musical comedy Wang Dang Doodle and the 2001 Calgary Stampede, and she has performed with both jazz groups and pops orchestras. Along the way she has recorded for Capri, Mons (with the Metropole Orchestra), Three XD Music, and Origin in addition to releasing a DVD on Challenge. ~ Scott Yanow https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/dee-daniels/id155971580#fullText

Personnel:  Bass – John Clayton;  Drums – Bruno Castellucci;  Piano – Jack van Poll;  Vocals – Dee Daniels

All Of Me

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Otis Brown III - The Thought Of You

Styles: Contemporary Jazz, Post-Bop
Year: 2014
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 57:00
Size: 131,2 MB
Art: Front

(7:47)  1. The Way (Truth & Life)
(4:11)  2. The Thought Of You - Part I
(1:29)  3. Interlude I - Truth
(7:18)  4. Stages Of Thought
(6:51)  5. The Two Become One (For Paula)
(5:03)  6. You’re Still The One
(3:15)  7. The Thought Of You - Part II
(8:20)  8. I Love You Lord/We Exalt Thee/In The Beginning (Medley)
(5:27)  9. The Thought Of You - Part III
(5:10) 10. I Am Your Song
(2:04) 11. Interlude II - Life

Drummer Otis Brown III is a well-known, in-demand sideman and the founding drummer in Joe Lovano's Us Five. The Thought of You, his debut as a leader, was co-produced with Derrick Hodge. Pianist Robert Glasper, saxophonist John Ellis, trumpeter Keyon Harrold, and bassist Ben Williams -- the only one of these men who was not Brown's classmate at the New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music -- are the core of this lineup. Bilal Oliver (another schoolmate), Gretchen Parlato, and Nikki Ross all make vocal appearances. Hodge and Brown obviously share a love for the classic Blue Note quartet and quintet sounds of the late '50s through the middle '60s: tight, crisp, clean. But that doesn't mean the music is retro; it's anything but. Opener "The Way (Truth & Life)" commences with a punchy bass vamp before Brown enters with a kinetic Afro-Latin groove and Glasper offers his signature elliptical piano line. The horns counter with an urgent, melodic head with labyrinthine asides. Ellis moves toward the outside and Glasper follows.

Brown lays down hip fills and rolls and cymbal washes. The title track, written by Oliver, is quizzically done in three parts spread over the record -- though they were obviously edited from one longer cut. The first part the single has a knotty piano and horn intro before his breezy vocal claims the center briefly before the tune evolves into driving, fingerpopping post-bop. Parlato's reading of Shania Twain's "You're Still the One" is smoky, spacious, nocturnal, and understated. The hook is there, but in her phrasing and Brown's cymbal ticks and snare and tom-tom syncopations, its margin blurs and almost alchemically transforms into jazz. "Stages of Thought" and "The Two Become One" are instrumentals that offer differing sides of Brown's musical vision. The former is tumultuous, with layered dissonant harmonics. Glasper's piano alternates between inquisitive and declamatory as the horns engage in swooping dialogic call-and-response solos. The rhythm section prods and provokes with accents, feints, and dekes. The latter cut employs spoken samples from the tune's (literally) speaking subject (Brown's wife) during their wedding ceremony. It's a spacious, ethereal, open-ended ballad. Ellis' bass clarinet and Glasper's electric piano surround the rhythm section, which lays down a lithe, atmospheric groove. "I Love You Lord/We Exalt Thee/In the Beginning" is one of two fine Ross vehicles here. This one reveals the perfect intersection between gospel and contemporary jazz. 

Glasper's piano accompanies her on the melody, adding dimension and lyric harmony amid guest Shedrick Mitchell's organ swells. The singer soulfully and elegantly commits to the lyric yet never over-emotes. Brown's playing is like a chorale as he and Ross engage to develop an improvisational dialogue. The Thought of You is ambitious in its musical reach and affirmative in its themes of spiritual faith and family (actual and relational). It is a thoroughly classy, sophisticated, at times provocative offering by a top-notch talent.~Thom Jurek http://www.allmusic.com/album/the-thought-of-you-mw0002702040

Personnel: Otis Brown III (drums, cymbals, percussion); Gretchen Parlato, Bilal Oliver, Nikki Ross (vocals); Nir Felder (acoustic guitar); John Ellis (bass clarinet, tenor saxophone); Keyon Harrold (trumpet); Robert Glasper (piano, Fender Rhodes piano); Shedrick Mitchell (Hammond b-3 organ); Derrick Hodge (percussion).

The Thought Of You

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Roger Cicero - Beziehungsweise

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2007
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 45:00
Size: 104,2 MB
Art: Front

(2:46)  1. Die Liste
(3:32)  2. Nimm deinen Kerl zurueck
(3:24)  3. Kein Abendessen
(2:46)  4. Sie will es nun mal
(3:57)  5. Ich hab das Gefuehl fuer dich verlor'n
(3:43)  6. Das Experiment
(3:52)  7. Wovon traeumst du nachts
(3:32)  8. Der Anruf
(3:14)  9. Schoener war's ohne
(2:53) 10. Alle Moebel verrueckt
(4:15) 11. Gute Freunde
(3:51) 12. Ich haett' so gern noch Tschuess gesagt
(3:09) 13. Bin heute Abend bei dir

An exciting year Roger Cicero: Almost out of nowhere launched his debut album " Männersachen " the artist in the highest Charts regions. Sold out concerts enthusiastic visitors at the European Song Contest Roger represented the German colors. Also at the ECHO awards and "Golden tuning fork" cleared of Berlin. Now is with "Relativity" before the second album of the singer. And documented impressively his personal development and its own special flavor, as far as transport of classical music and style elements in the Present Time. Already with the single "The List" Cicero puts ordinary music logs into crackling Swing -Fire. The title impresses with pressure, speed, wit and of course a charmingly ironic text. The Berlin holds the Love reins firmly in his hand: "I invited you highlight on the list / You are the bright spot of my choice / I put 'stand out in my register / And then would I like to / You're a with which one time takes / one only would have trau'n / you are standing at the top of my list / the still kissing Frau'n ". In the story her original "Take your guy back" shines Cicero especially with his vocal versatility. "She wants it now time" is only superficially dressed in text suggestiveness, music shimmers a Latin American sound Costume. In "I have the feeling for you verlor'n" Roger jumping with verve into the music ballads specialist fifties together with vigorous Blues -Anstrich, swelling organ and razor-sharp wind-sets. Boredom has no chance to "Relativity" repeatedly puts Cicero with great wealth of variety to.

So in "The Experiment", a cool jazz Swing formulated with a sophisticated again, exciting story about the volatility of alleged Love feelings. Free from any text clichés and provided with hochspannendem story building - a clear Note 1 song! The pop-heavy "All the furniture crazy" recalls an unjustly forgotten Udo Jürgens -Komposition from the seventies. But Cicero will also be appreciated on the quiet sounds. "I'd 'have loved to Bye said" shows to be very personal, touching title, Roger devoted his late father. Here stands Cicero responsible as a text co-authored with Frank Ramond. Relaxed casual adopted Cicero fans with the charming, light-footed "Bin tonight with you." In contrast to the already shiny already rehearsed "Männersachen 'sound to the songs on" Relativity "still dissolved, airy, equipped with more drive and dynamism. Sauber played out, fine details and finesse and the use of blues, salsa and samba elements guarantee the variety and diversity Cicero and his team do not go the easy way, only colorize overused Classics hip and fresh. No trace of nostalgic transfigured look into yesterday: All 13 tracks present itself as a brand new compositions, the success-based producer team Frank Ramond / Matthias hatred again contributed the lion's share. So Welcome to Roger Cicero brightly lit ballroom. The interior is exquisite, the band is excellent, and the atmosphere exuberant song champagne bliss can celebrate itself. Pop, Jazz, Blues, Swing - the Cicero cocktail tastes just gorgeous and all its exquisite ingredients; assembled by master craftsmen and garnished lovingly-imaginative. Cheers!~Artur Schulz http://www.laut.de/Roger-Cicero/Alben/Beziehungsweise-23091(Translate by Google)

Beziehungsweise

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Herbie Hancock - Cantaloupe Island

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 42:06
Size: 96.4 MB
Styles: Piano jazz, Hard bop
Year: 1994
Art: Front

[5:26] 1. Cantaloupe Island
[7:03] 2. Watermelon Man
[6:54] 3. Driftin'
[8:15] 4. Blind Man, Blind Man
[6:31] 5. And What If I Don't
[7:54] 6. Maiden Voyage

A mini-retrospective of Herbie Hancock's early years as a jazz artist, this six-track CD touches on some of his best-known small-ensemble works from that period. Of his first five albums for Blue Note Records from 1963-1965, Takin' Off, My Point of View, Empyrean Isles, and Maiden Voyage are represented -- his third and perhaps most individually realized LP, Inventions & Dimensions, is not. You get hits "Canteloupe Island," "Watermelon Man," "Maiden Voyage," and three lesser titles, which remove it from "best-of" status. His sixth and seventh full-length Blue Note recordings, The Prisoner and Speak Like a Child, are also omitted. This is a decent, edited, and concise, but far from comprehensive view of Hancock's salad days, which some purport might still be his best. ~Michael G. Nastos

Cantaloupe Island

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Ella Mae Morse - Capitol Collectors Series

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 60:22
Size: 138.2 MB
Styles: Blues/Jazz/Country vocals
Year: 1992
Art: Front

[3:11] 1. Cow Cow Boogie
[3:00] 2. Mr. Five By Five
[2:55] 3. The Thrill Is Gone
[3:03] 4. Get On Board, Little Chillun
[3:15] 5. Shoo Shoo Baby
[2:34] 6. No Love, No Nothin'
[2:36] 7. Milkman, Keep Those Bottles Quiet
[3:11] 8. Tess' Torch Song (I Had A Man)
[2:53] 9. The Patty Cake Man
[2:50] 10. Captain Kidd
[2:58] 11. Rip Van Winkle
[2:56] 12. Buzz Me
[2:53] 13. The House Of Blue Lights
[2:51] 14. Pig Foot Pete
[2:31] 15. Get Off It And Go
[2:18] 16. Tennessee Saturday Night
[3:04] 17. The Blacksmith Blues
[2:26] 18. Oakie Boogie
[2:51] 19. Forty Cups Of Coffee
[2:39] 20. I Love You, Yes I Do
[3:18] 21. Ac-Cent-Tchu-Ate The Positive

After being out of print for many years, a well-chosen sampling of Morse's groundbreaking recordings are now available on this splendid compilation. Her ten charting solo singles are here, along with sides recorded with Freddie Slack and some obscure tracks. Morse blazes through every song, particularly "House of Blue Lights," "Milkman, Keep Those Bottles Quiet," "Pig Foot Pete," "The Blacksmith Blues," and her first recording, "Cow Cow Boogie." The album has terrific liners and superlative sound. ~Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Capitol Collectors Series

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Billy Stewart - The Best Of Billy Stewart

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 32:15
Size: 73.9 MB
Styles: R&B
Year: 2000
Art: Front

[3:01] 1. I Do Love You
[2:35] 2. Fat Boy
[2:20] 3. Reap What You Sow
[3:19] 4. Sitting In The Park
[2:54] 5. Love Me
[2:06] 6. Strange Feeling
[3:00] 7. Secret Love
[3:00] 8. Cross My Heart
[2:53] 9. Every Day I Have The Blues
[2:50] 10. Tell Me The Truth
[4:13] 11. Summertime

Billy Stewart was an utterly singular vocal magician who belongs to a long ago era, when an enormously gifted black man could astonish listeners by writing and recording something so utterly disarming as "Fat Boy" (Bo Diddley, another unreconstructed genius, discovered Billy and obviously had a hand in the song's production). Billy Stewart could dazzle with that voice of his, but his deepest and truest music speaks to the fat boy in each of us, somehow empowering anyone whose heart ached, or who was "different", or felt unworthy of love. What makes "Sitting In the Park" such a heavenly experience is that shimmering waterfall of a bridge, when the long suffering narrator's "Why oh why oh why oh why oh why oh whys?..." mark a revelatory moment of frustrated longing, after which he decides not to sit on that park bench yet again, waiting for his beloved - who may or may not show up. Just as the fat boy needs and finds love, "Park's" narrator eventually realizes he doesn't deserve abuse or indifference, and walks away. "I Do Love You" sweeps the listener into the ecstatic intensity of Billy's boundless love, a vocal reverie that swells with joy, with the Chess session stalwarts - especially Leonard Caston's piano - creating a soundscape of stunning beauty for Billy's exquisite vocal performance, in which he finally seems to dispense with mere words altogether.

Billy Stewart was a man's man, a couragious artist whose fearless vulnerability, honesty, and sense of just how raw and squirmingly alive we all are underlies his gift, for we're elevated by how he applies that astonishing voice to songs and themes that resonate now. Billy Stewart, fat, diabetic, a vocal virtuoso, revelled in ecstasy, and embraced love yet refused to let pain and heartache define him as a victim. Sure, "Summertime" is a knockout, a musical and vocal tour de force, especially in this long version, but one is impressed more by technique than passion. That makes it exciting, and a pleasure to hear - but thankfully an exception; technique rarely trumps content in Stewart's work. The deeper secrets are revealed elsewhere, which leads me to regret that this is such a scrawny volume to represent such a big artist. And if you care about decent sound, this 2000 remaster is the only game in town. But be forwarned, "Millennium" offers 11 songs in 32 minutes, short by even vinyl standards. Why so skimpy? If you want more you have to buy the drab sounding 1990 comp, which has twice as much music. Billy Stewart really deserves a career spanning retrospective, with the sort of warm, detailed, full sound unthinkable during the early digital era (1990). ~J.P. Ryan

The Best Of Billy Stewart

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Laura Silverstein - Something Blue: Fingerstyle Guitar & More

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 35:46
Size: 81.9 MB
Styles: Folk-jazz guitar
Year: 2008
Art: Front

[3:27] 1. Moondance
[3:08] 2. Something Blue
[2:35] 3. Old Cape Cod
[3:21] 4. Sweet Georgia Brown
[2:01] 5. Don't Mind If I Do
[1:55] 6. Second Street Jump
[2:31] 7. Charade
[3:38] 8. Flatworld
[2:08] 9. Scarborough Faire
[3:23] 10. Midnight In Moscow
[3:34] 11. Wayfaring Stranger
[3:58] 12. All Is Well... A Lullaby

Funky, Poignant, Upbeat, Romantic, Playful, and Tender….. describe Laura Silverstein’s instrumentals played with passion on her 1930 Gibson L0 guitar. “Something Blue – Fingerstyle Guitar and More” is an eclectic compilation of instrumentals spanning centuries and genres, and featuring fingerstyle guitar, joined on some tracks by violin, mandolin, and/or bass. Playing styles ranging from folk to blues, ragtime, Hawaiian slack-key, contemporary, and swing, Laura Silverstein’s guitar playing celebrates the power, passion, and versatility of fingerstyle guitar. Laura’s performances take listeners on a journey through love, joy, humor, and life--all expressed through the wonderful and expressive voice of the guitar.

Laura’s guitar playing reflects the influences of John Fahey, John Knowles, Judy Fjell, Kay Eskenazi, Harmony Grisman, Eddie Pennington, Kent Hillman, Eric Schoenberg, Pat Donohue, Doc Watson, and Marcel Dadi. Laura loves to share her passion for fingerstyle with others, teaching guitar at the Pacific Northwest Women’s Music Celebration, WildJamminWomen, and Women Making Music. She’s a regular participant at Puget Sound Guitar Workshop, where she learns from and networks with other guitarists from around the country every summer.

Something Blue: Fingerstyle Guitar & More

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Rachel Z - Trust The Universe

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1992
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 61:39
Size: 141,2 MB
Art: Front

(7:29)  1. Nardis
(5:16)  2. I Won't Cry 4 Us
(5:01)  3. Monk's Other Women
(7:01)  4. Inamorata
(4:21)  5. Under The Suit
(6:12)  6. Forgive Me
(3:42)  7. Save My Soul
(3:56)  8. Go!
(4:59)  9. One Night
(4:29) 10. Trust The Universe
(4:56) 11. When The Cats Away
(4:11) 12. Iyakutanda

Keyboardist Rachel Z divides her debut CD into mainstream and contemporary sections, but in reality she plays basically the same in both sessions, emphasizing her acoustic work in a style most influenced by Chick Corea, Herbie Hancock, and occasionally Bill Evans. The music is usually soulful enough for the jazz lite listener and contains just enough chance-taking for more serious jazz collectors. Nothing too unexpected occurs, but this enjoyable set has some fine solos from the leader and the contrasting saxophones of David Sanchez and David Mann.~Scott Yanow http://www.allmusic.com/album/trust-the-universe-mw0000094905

Personnel: Rachel Z (piano, keyboards); David Mann (soprano saxophone, alto saxophone, tenor saxophone); David Sanchez (soprano saxophone, tenor saxophone); Charnett Moffett (acoustic bass); Victor Bailey (electric bass); Al Foster, Lenny White (drums); Gumbi Ortiz (percussion).

Trust The Universe

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