Tommy Newsom & His Octo-Pussycats - S/T

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 56:13
Size: 128.7 MB
Styles: Mainstream jazz, Saxophone jazz
Year: 2006
Art: Front

[4:16] 1. Titter Pipes
[5:28] 2. Detour Ahead
[8:04] 3. Cinnamon And Clove
[6:55] 4. In A Mellow Tone
[7:11] 5. Speak Low
[8:02] 6. Come Sunday
[5:26] 7. Poor Little Rich Girl
[5:52] 8. Maids Of Cadiz
[4:55] 9. Upper Manhattan Medical Group

If you're over 35-years-old, chances are good that you remember Tommy Newsom (if at all) as the tenor saxophonist for the NBC Orchestra during the Johnny Carson years, and as that ensemble's stand-in conductor when Doc Severinsen wasn't around. The running joke on the show was that Newsom was so square -- he'd stand there quietly, hands clasped behind his back, a little smile on his face, while Johnny and Ed poked fun at him for his implacable Midwestern reserve. Those who bought that pose may be surprised by the fiery swing, fierce energy and uncompromising chops that Newsom brings to his recorded work -- there's nothing reticent or modest about his beautifully dancing composition "Titter Pipes" or his sturdily swinging arrangement of the Noël Coward tune "Poor Little Rich Girl." In fact, his arrangements are about as impressive as his playing and that of the rest of his octet -- though the best track of all is probably that wonderful "Titter Pipes," the sole original on what is otherwise a program of standards. The album's only less-than-stellar moment comes at the weak and out-of-tune flute solo on "Cinnamon and Clove." Highly recommended overall. ~Rick Anderson

Tommy Newsom & His Octo-Pussycats

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Erroll Garner, Billy Taylor - Separate Keyboards

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s

Time: 33:44

Size: 77.2 MB

Styles: Piano jazz

Year: 1955/2009

Art: Front

[2:56] 1. A Cottage For Sale

[3:02] 2. Rosalie

[3:02] 3. Everything Happens To Me

[2:48] 4. Stairway To The Stars

[3:01] 5. September Song

[2:56] 6. All The Things You Are

[2:36] 7. Mad Work

[2:32] 8. Solace

[2:40] 9. Night And Day

[2:43] 10. Alexander's Ragtime Band

[2:39] 11. The Bug

[2:43] 12. Take The 'A' Train

For this CD (put out by the Japanese Denon label), there are six selections apiece from pianists Erroll Garner and Billy Taylor. The Garner titles (which are also available elsewhere) are rhapsodic ballads that are both melodic and whimsical. The Taylor sides include the four songs that he cut at his very first session as a leader (March 20, 1945) plus two cuts made with a quintet (comprised of tenor saxophonist Jon Hardee, organist Milt Page, bassist John Simmons and drummer Shadow Wilson) in 1949. Despite the brief playing time (just 36 minutes) and lazy packaging (which includes three major misspellings on the back cover), the music is enjoyable and worth picking up if it can be found at a budget price. ~Scott Yanow

Separate Keyboards  

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Lena Horne - Being Myself

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 38:09
Size: 87.4 MB
Styles: Jazz vocals
Year: 1998
Art: Front

[3:40] 1. Some Of My Best Friends Are The Blues
[2:25] 2. As Long As I Live
[4:24] 3. Autumn In New York
[3:14] 4. It's All Right With Me
[3:35] 5. A Sleepin' Bee
[5:47] 6. Imagination
[4:40] 7. How Long Has This Been Going On
[3:12] 8. After You
[3:51] 9. Willow Weep For Me
[3:16] 10. What Am I Here For

At 81, Lena Horne's voice has retained its wonderful clarity and abundant expression. She seems to sound better in every outing, and these 10 tracks underscore that conviction. Her distinctive style is most evident on the ballads, "As Long as I Live," "Autumn in New York," "Imagination," "Willow Weep for Me" and "How Long Has This Been Going On?"

Horne's blues bag is enhanced by tenor saxophonist Houston Person and organist Bobby Forrester on "Some of My Best Friends Are the Blues" and guitarist George Benson on "It's All Right With Me." Also on the album are vibraphonist Milt Jackson, saxophonist Donald Harrison, pianist Mike Renzi, bassist Benjamin Brown, drummer Akira Tana, and her longtime producer, Rodney Jones, on guitar. A thoroughly enjoyable half-hour-plus. ~Patricia Myers

Being Myself

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Richie Havens - Sings Beatles And Dylan

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 73:04
Size: 167.3 MB
Styles: Folk rock
Year: 1986/2003
Art: Front

[2:44] 1. Here Comes The Sun
[2:47] 2. If Not For You
[4:30] 3. Lay Lady Lay
[5:14] 4. In My Life
[3:52] 5. Strawberry Fields Forever
[3:22] 6. All Along The Watchtower
[5:11] 7. Imagine
[3:01] 8. My Sweet Lord
[4:28] 9. It's All Over Now, Baby Blue
[3:10] 10. Eleanor Rigby
[5:16] 11. Just Like A Woman
[3:29] 12. The Long And Winding Road
[4:32] 13. Let It Be
[4:49] 14. License To Kill
[4:54] 15. The Times They Are A-Changin'
[5:02] 16. Working Class Hero
[4:13] 17. Rocky Raccoon
[2:21] 18. With A Little Help From My Friends

Richie Havens is probably the only '60s icon who could get away with an album like this without apology. But for the presence of the electric keyboards, synth bass, and '80s-style drums, these performances by Havens could easily have appeared 18 years earlier. His performances of "Here Comes the Sun," "If Not for You," "Strawberry Fields Forever," and "Lay Lady Lay" all display a satisfying intimacy, and "Rocky Raccoon" is just plain fun, but his cover of "The Long and Winding Road" is probably the best version of this song ever done, with "Let It Be" not far behind. Overall, they're more sophisticated than some of Havens' earlier work, a mix of soul and folk traditions with an overlay of rock, that any longtime fan will appreciate. ~Bruce Eder

Sings Beatles And Dylan

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Don Friedman - Jazz Dancing

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 36:17
Size: 83.1 MB
Styles: Piano jazz
Year: 2015
Art: Front

[3:44] 1. Donna Lee
[4:41] 2. Just Friends
[3:45] 3. Billie's Bounce
[5:11] 4. Well You Nedn't
[5:25] 5. Jazz Dancing
[4:43] 6. Woody N' You
[3:59] 7. Yardbird Suite
[4:45] 8. Half Nelson

There have been moments in every concert and club date of Don Friedman’s I’ve attended when I found it hard to credit my ears. It’s not just the technical virtuosity. That’s to be expected of performers at his level. Rather, it’s a combination of emotional depth and harmonic complexity that come together with all those notes. For me, they result in the kind of beauty that takes my breath away. Most pianists we hear perform on this afternoon’s Steinway offer us programs of meticulously composed, arduously rehearsed and beautifully played works. The difference today is that Don will be making up all the important stuff as he goes.

The music we call jazz has come a long way since Civil War surplus band instruments began to turn up in the street markets of New Orleans. From marching bands to dance hall frolics; from blues improvisations based on an elemental twelve-bar pattern to more sophisticated versions of popular songs; from jitterbug dance bands to night club acts; from self-taught sufficiency to conservatory trained prodigies, jazz has evolved from what the critic Clement Greenberg once called classical folk art to what musicians throughout the world today endorse as one of the highest fine arts.

Among the greatest challenges to purveyors of this art form is solo performance; that is, without supporting players. Because of the unique melodic, percussive and harmonic potential of their instrument, by far the largest number of solo performers in jazz are pianists. The solo pianist must perform the percussive function of a drummer and the harmonic function of a bass player while at the same time focusing on a melodic line. But solo piano performance has developed at the same pace as jazz itself, from ragtime to stride, from stride to swing, from swing to bebop, from bebop to free form. And with each stylistic transformation, new harmonic possibilities revealed themselves. You will hear echoes of all these styles in Don’s music since they are all incorporated, if only unconsciously. His playing can be voluptuously romantic. But whatever its content, its emotions are palpable.

One of Don’s greatest strengths is his mastery of jazz harmonics. It isn’t necessary to know the technical details. Just feel the waves of exquisite, always understandable sound propelling a piece forward as he develops the inexhaustible harmonic potential of one of his originals – or of a standard, a song we will all recognize when he finally presents it to us, simply and discreetly, as his gift. ~Warren Obluck

Jazz Dancing

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Eddie Thompson Trio With Roy Williams - When Lights Are Low

Styles: Piano And Trombone Jazz
Year: 1980
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 54:42
Size: 125,7 MB
Art: Front

(7:04)  1. The Lamp Is Low
(5:39)  2. Keepin' Out Of Mischief Now
(3:36)  3. Never Say Yes
(7:18)  4. When Lights Are Low
(5:44)  5. Don't Stop The Carnival
(5:50)  6. I've Got The World On A String
(6:33)  7. Mister Bojangles
(4:03)  8. Fred
(8:52)  9. It Never Entered My Mind

Born Edgar Charles Thompson, 31 May 1925, London, England, d. 6 November 1986, London, England. Born blind, Thompson learned to play piano as a child. In the late 40s he was active in London clubs, playing with Carlo Krahmer, Vic Feldman and others. In the 50s he played on radio, in studio bands, made records under his own name and with Tony Crombie, Tommy Whittle, Freddy Randall and others and by the end of the decade was house pianist at Ronnie Scott’s club. In the early 60s he went to the USA to live, playing regularly at the Hickory House in New York. Back in the UK in the early 70s, he led a trio that toured extensively and frequently backed visiting American jazzmen, including Buddy Tate, Ruby Braff and Spike Robinson. A dazzlingly inventive player in his early days, Thompson sometimes delivered bravura performances at the expense of feeling but in his maturity he made many memorable appearances at concerts around the UK. He had an enormous repertoire and when in musical sympathy with a guest he could be the best of accompanists. His solo playing was long overlooked by record companies but Alastair Robertson of Hep Records compensated for this with some excellent sessions in the early 80s. Thompson’s death at the age of 61 came when he was at the height of his powers.https://itunes.apple.com/nz/artist/eddie-thompson-trio/id134752047#fullText

Personnel:  Bass – Len Skeat;  Drums – Jim Hall (4);  Piano – Eddie Thompson;  Trombone – Roy Williams (3) (tracks: 2, 9)

When Lights Are Low

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Jane Horrocks - The Further Adventures of Little Voice

Styles: Vocal, Stage & Screen
Year: 2005
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 45:48
Size: 122,1 MB
Art: Front

(3:47)  1. Hello Dolly
(3:04)  2. The Best Is Yet To Come
(5:04)  3. It Don't Mean A Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing)
(3:50)  4. Dream A Little Dream
(3:45)  5. Just In Time
(3:35)  6. You're Just In Love (with Ewan McGregor)
(5:56)  7. It Was A Very Good Year
(3:14)  8. That Old Black Magic (with Robbie Williams)
(3:45)  9. Crazy
(3:37) 10. Too Close For Comfort
(4:12) 11. Baby Won't You Please Come Home (with Dean Martin)
(1:53) 12. Once I Loved

Jane Horrocks may not be a household name outside of the United Kingdom where she is based, and in some critics' quarters in New York, but she is an extraordinarily gifted actress who made strong men weak at their knees with her performance in Mike Leigh's Life is Sweet in 1989. She appeared in the cult TV series Absolutely Fabulous, did radio performances in England and appeared as Sally Bowles in the adaptation of Cabaret. And although she provided the voice of one of the chickens in Chicken Run, it is her performance in Mark Herman's small film Little Voice that took full advantage of her outsized talent and uncanny ability to channel the personas of the great singers of the 1950s and 1960s with herself as the medium. In the film's denouement, Horrocks as LV imitated the voices of Marilyn Monroe, Judy Garland and Shirley Bassey in one impassioned plea to her mother's boyfriend (played by Michael Caine). Summoning the ghosts of these formidable women, she displayed a rich palette of emotional colors from the gentle coos of Marilyn to a stentorian Bassey and segue without effort as Judy Garland echoing her famous line in her Carnegie Hall audience. That single scene may be unforgettable for most viewers, but it is her proven singing abilities in the film that will surely bring her closer to many people where her luminous talent can best be seen.

After the film's album made its way into people's living rooms, Horrocks came out with a solo album entitled The Further Adventures of Little Voice a release that endeavoured to showcase her vocal talents in various musical settings. She will sing by channeling the vocal inflections of Judy Garland, Marlene Dietrich, Marilyn Monroe, Billie Holiday and Shirley Bassey in songs these singers were not known to have recorded. The album's photos showed Horrocks do a Marilyn pout, a Julie London pose, and show an authentic Garland mannerism. The songs ranged from jazz staples like "The Best Is Yet To Come" to Ervin Drake's "It Was A Very Good Year." The musical accompaniment was topnotch as it recruited the very best New York session players who were known to have provided musical accompaniment to some of the great ladies of jazz. Horrocks showed her range in the first song ("Hello Dolly") that brought together the five voices of the musical icons she was paying homage to. It started with the reedy voice of Billie: "Hell-loww Judy"; and was answered by the crystalline grandness of Garland: "Well, hello Billie. It is nice to have you back where you belong." This sequence was followed by the swoops of Bassey and the croons of Marilyn and the unmistakable baritone of Dietrich. When the crescendo of the big-band instrumentation reached fever pitch, Horrocks quoted the famous lines of Garland and Marilyn in their movies interspersed with the other ladies' distinctive vocal mannerisms (of particular interest was Bassey's jive-like song-speech). Horrocks ended the cacophonous din with LV's famous "Shut up!" that conjured schizophrenic patients hearing other voices in their heads. It was as brilliant as the actual performances of the women she is channeling. Perhaps even more so when one realizes that Horrocks provided all the vocal pyrotechnics.

She recorded three duets with three musically disparate singers/actors: Ewan McGregor, Robbie Williams and Dean Martin. Ewan McGregor did a creditable "You're Just in Love" from Annie Get Your Gun while Horrocks was singing in her Bassey persona. Rock singer Robbie Williams sounded anachronistic at first and a tad out of place, but later on dissolved with Horrocks in the musical interplay. Dean Martin's honeyed croon proved that you can't go wrong with a singing veteran whose familiarity with the songs is evident in the subtler change in vocal dynamics. But Horrocks is the obvious gem and star of this recording. She seamlessly enters the skin of Marilyn and sing songs not usually associated with the former Norma Jean Baker. The listener will wonder how much of Marilyn's vocal particularities Horrocks mastered. She can sustain a ballad channeling Dietrich's husky contralto ranges and effortlessly slide to Lady Day's raspy understatements. Horrocks made the transition so skillful and discreet one feels that you are listening to the great singers themselves, which can sometimes be a problem. Horrocks' dexterous imitation makes you remember the singers more than the artist whose inch-perfect delivery will make one forget it is her record. But the delight is reimagining how your favorite songs would sound in your favorite singers' known vocal qualities.

An exciting parallel: singer Madeleine Peyroux in her 1996 album, sounded exactly like Billie Holiday. It was reported that in a Carnegie Hall concert, she shocked the audience by her consistent Lady Day vocals that when the concert was over, the audience was convinced it was no longer impersonation but actually hearing how Billie sang songs like "La Vie En Rose." Sadly, Peyroux is no longer waxing records despite her innate musicianship and keen understanding of songs. Perhaps, people would rather listen to Billie than her modern incarnation. Peyroux may no longer be active in recording, but it is refreshing to know that Horrocks is still with us and will hopefully make more records in the future. As always, the pleasure is hearing and discovering how songs (even modern ones) sound in the immortal vocal affectations of the immortal singers the previous century ever produced with Horrocks as the medium. A musical performance of a Horrocks, just like a Peyroux always showcases the cerebral approach to making music by summoning the radiance of timeless voices but in songs they may never even dream of including in their repertoire. Horrocks is the magic link that can make this impossible possible.~Joseph Palis http://www.erasingclouds.com/14lv.html

The Further Adventures of Little Voice

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Clark Terry - Portraits

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 2004
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 56:36
Size: 129,9 MB
Art: Front

(6:03)  1. Pennies From Heaven
(4:37)  2. Sugar Blues
(4:43)  3. Autumn Leaves
(3:52)  4. Finger Filibuster
(5:47)  5. Little Jazz
(5:13)  6. When It's Sleepy Time Down South
(8:13)  7. Jive at Five
(3:50)  8. Ciribiribin
(3:34)  9. Ow
(4:31) 10. I Can't Get Started
(6:08) 11. I Don't Wanna Be Kissed

Flugelhornist Clark Terry recorded quite frequently in the 1980s, and his consistency was very impressive. Terry's good humor, joyful and immediately distinctive sound, and creative, bop-oriented ideas combined to form a very accessible style. This Chesky CD finds C.T. joined by pianist Don Friedman, bassist Victor Gaskin and drummer Lewis Nash for a variety of superior standards and Terry's lone original "Finger Filibuster." The songs all pay tribute to various trumpeters, and some, such as "Pennies from Heaven," "Little Jazz" and "I Don't Wanna Be Kissed," were not performed by the flugelhornist all that often; the resulting music is fresher than usual and often quite inspired. Recommended.~Scott Yanow http://www.allmusic.com/album/portraits-mw0000203781

Personnel: Clark Terry (trumpet, flugelhorn), Don Friedman (piano), Victor Gaskin (bass), Lewis Nash (drums).

Portraits

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Horace Parlan - Speakin' My Piece

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1960
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 54:02
Size: 125,4 MB
Art: Front

(6:08)  1. Wadin'
(6:20)  2. Up In Cynthia's Room
(6:13)  3. Borderline
(6:54)  4. Rastus
(7:41)  5. Oh So Blue
(6:11)  6. Speakin' My Piece
(6:50)  7. Rastus (Alternate Take)
(7:41)  8. Oh So Blue (Alternate Take)

Horace Parlan had a gift for relaxed, swinging hard bop which placed his piano in a central, yet unassuming role. Speakin' My Piece is one of the first albums to find Parlan getting all the ingridients right, from his own subtle playing to soliciting fine contributions of his backing band. Stanley Turrentine, in fact, turns out to be an excellent complement to Parlan, playing in a similarly tasteful style. Five of the six numbers are band originals, and each number is quite similar bluesy, gently swinging hard bop. No one pushes too hard on Speakin' My Piece, preferring to create an intimate atmosphere with milder numbers and performances. Such an approach gives each muscian Parlan, Turrentine, bassist George Tucker, drummer Al Harewood a chance to shine with lyrical, melodic solos and/or sympathetic support, resulting in a charmingly low-key session.~Stephen Thomas Erlewine http://www.allmusic.com/album/speakin-my-piece-mw0000536889

Personnel:  Horace Parlan – piano;  Tommy Turrentine – trumpet;  Stanley Turrentine - tenor saxophone;  George Tucker – bass;  Al Harewood - drums

Speakin' My Piece

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Darren Barrett DB Quintet - Live And Direct 2014

Size: 139,6 MB
Time: 60:21
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2014
Styles: Jazz
Art: Front

01. True ( 9:01)
02. Announcements 1 ( 1:18)
03. Yes Oh Yes (11:08)
04. The King Is Among Us (12:37)
05. Straight Down The Middle (10:38)
06. Mi Les ( 5:13)
07. Announcements 2 ( 0:51)
08. Creative Locomotion ( 9:32)

Born in Canada to Jamaican parents, Barrett did his undergraduate work at the Berklee School in Boston and went to Queens College for his post-Grad years. He moved on to the Thelonious Monk Institute where he was a member of its first group of graduates - in fact, Mr. Barrett won the 1997 Monk International Jazz Competition. He's gone on to play with the Roy Hargrove Big Band, Herbie Hancock, Esperanza Spalding and many others. He's also issued 6 CDs as a leader, including 2 in 2014, "Energy in Motion: The Music of the Bee Gees" and "Live and Direct 2014" with his dB Band.

The latter recording features the same lineup that will grace The Side Door stage and they are Takeshi Ohbayashi (piano), the brothers Alexander L.J (bass) and Anthony A. Toth (drums - see below) plus the excellent saxophonist Myron Walden.

Live And Direct  

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Cheryl Bentyne - Lost Love Songs

Size: 118,5 MB
Time: 50:48
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2016
Styles: Jazz/Pop Vocals
Art: Front

01. This Masquerade (5:15)
02. The Lights Still Burn In Paris (4:27)
03. Land Of Make Believe (4:29)
04. Black Coffee (4:23)
05. If Ever (4:35)
06. He Was Too Good To Me (3:21)
07. Shattered (2:36)
08. Blue Prelude (3:50)
09. You Taught My Heart To Sing (5:04)
10. Love's River (4:43)
11. Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow (5:14)
12. Goodbye (2:46)

Cheryl Bentyne has recorded a lot of solo albums over the years, in addition to her work with the Manhattan Transfer. Most notably among those, a superb duo recording with the equally impressive Mark Winkler (“West Coast Cool”, 2013). This new compilation with hand-picked songs include tracks that have only been released in Japan. It is no big secret that the Japanese are crazy for jazz vocalists (Daryl Sherman’s new album is a Jap-only release, too; review follows soon).

The three albums from which they were culled are “Moonlight Serenade” and “The Lights Still Burn” (2003) and “Songs Of Our Time” (2011) and the chosen songs are a wonderful example of inventive and imaginative repertoire. And the album starts out with the most catchy and haunting arrangement of Leon Russell‘s “This Masquerade” that I’ve ever heard. Cheryl should move more towards this direction; the cute keyboards by Corey Allen plus exotic guitars all add up to a mesmerizing rendition of this classic.

“The Lights Still Burn In Paris”, a sweet dedication to the city of lights written by Don Freeman, is another sensitive gem which features mandolin (Grant Geissman) and accordion (Van Dyke Barks, not to be confused…) on a wonderful tribute. There is more exoticism on the percussive “Land Of Make Believe”, written by the great Chuck Mangione and featuring Don Alias, and a bluesy take on “Black Coffee” where Cheryl’s perfect pitch and intonation can be enjoyed.

Cheryl’s love for Brazilian composers is shared on “If Ever”, a tune written by the great Dori Caymmi with English lyrics by Tracy Mann – a sweet ballad that floats along beautifully. And the guitar/bass-only accompaniment on the Rodgers & Hart standard “He Was Too Good To Me” suits her extremely well. Her voice here is like a warm embrace from a dear friend (Grant Geissman on guitar, Kevin Axt on bass). The Jimmy Webb poem “Shattered” gets yet another special treatment here: the svelte string quartet adds grace and suaveness to this beauty which has been recorded by Linda Ronstadt (1989) and Webb himself (with Art Garfunkel, 2013).

Manhattan Transfer fans are best served on “Blue Prelude” which features the vocals of Mark Kibble (Take 6), Roger Treece, and Dave Tull on a swinging and powerful take on this Gordon Jenkins piece. McCoy Tyner‘s “You Taught My Heart To Sing” has always been one of my favorite love songs (lyrics by Sammy Cahn) and Cheryl tells this story in her signature, direct and conversational style. Simple and straight.

There is another Dori Caymmi tune, the very lush “Love’s River” and a relaxing “Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow”, maybe too relaxed. The well-chosen compilation finishes in a late-night mood with percussion and accordion on the Gordon Jenkins ballad “Goodbye” which, instead of a fade-out, would have gained a lot more if the repetitive part towards the end had been stretched out a bit longer. ~Gina Jazz

Lost Love Songs

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Adrienne Fenemor - Mo' Puddin'

Size: 115,6 MB
Time: 49:56
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2016
Styles: Jazz: Hammond Organ
Art: Front

01. Mo' Puddin' (6:02)
02. Minor Mixup (4:48)
03. Back at the Chicken Shack (4:51)
04. Old Yeller (5:56)
05. Lovers Embrace (5:07)
06. The Boss (6:30)
07. Sunday Sermon (5:29)
08. Caribbean Day Dream (4:22)
09. Moanin' (6:47)

Jazz organist Adrienne Fenemor is a truly unique talent on today’s music scene. With today’s musicians learning jazz within the classroom, it has become an exception rather than the rule for a musician develop and learn “on the road”, playing clubs, festivals and touring.

Born in New Zealand into a musical family, Adrienne acquired her first organ in 2003 when she imported a Hammond C3 from Canada and with no jazz organ players in her country, she taught herself to play by copying recordings by Jimmy Smith, Joey DeFrancesco, Groove Holmes and Jack McDuff. Having performed at clubs and festivals throughout New Zealand and Australia, Adrienne moved to the USA in 2008.

During a year spent in the Midwest, performing at Hammond organ summits, jazz clubs and jam sessions in Cincinnati, Detroit, Dayton and Columbus, Adrienne further developed her sound on the bandstand.

Now based in New York, Adrienne actively performs throughout the city including hosting a weekly jam session in one of harlems most historic rooms. She has CD's released on HMV in Japan, EQ Muisc in Singapore and on Ode Records in New Zealand.

Adrienne has shared the stage with Joey Defrancesco, Ronnie Cuber, Bruce Forman, Victor Jones, Tony Monaco, Sherrie Maricle and and headlined at jazz clubs including Cliff Bells (Detroit), The Blue Wisp (Cincinnati, OH) and Jazz Central (Dayton, Oh), Night Town (Cleveland, OH)and performed in New York clubs including Minton's, The Garage, Smoke and the Iridium (as a special guest with Joey Defrancesco).

Mo' Puddin' is Adrienne's first instrumental album showcasing her great talent as a composer and instrumentalist.

Mo' Puddin'

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Sundae + Mr. Goessl - Makes My Heart Sway

Size: 115,5 MB
Time: 49:29
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2016
Styles: Jazz/Pop Vocals
Art: Front

01. Love Me Or Leave Me (3:11)
02. Do You Know What It Means To Miss New Orleans (3:32)
03. Stompin' At The Savoy (2:25)
04. Low Down Man (3:37)
05. Young At Heart (3:15)
06. One Note Samba (2:32)
07. Makes My Heart Sway (4:08)
08. Nature Boy (4:19)
09. September In The Rain (3:27)
10. Smile (2:47)
11. I'm Confessin' That I Love You (4:54)
12. Fascinating Rhythm (2:37)
13. After You've Gone (4:54)
14. Pretty Little Thing (3:42)

Sundae + Mr. Goessl's much anticipated 2nd album, Makes My Heart Sway, is a diverse collection of songs ranging from tasty choices from the 1930's to an original to an interpretation of a local Seattle band's song. Tried and true, Seattle's Sweethearts have done it again and created another album fit to stay in your collection forever.

Sundae + Mr. Goessl are a husband/wife duo playing a mix of genres from an era long gone. Reviving great composers like Duke Ellington, the Gershwin brothers and Cole Porter, this duo takes it upon themselves to arrange every nuance and create their own fresh take on these classic tunes.

Makes My Heart Sway

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William Parker - Stan's Hat Flapping In The Wind (Feat. Lisa Sokolov & Cooper-Moore)

Size: 116,0 MB
Time: 48:14
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2016
Styles: Jazz Vocals
Art: Front

01. Footnote To A Dream (For Miguel Pinero) (2:23)
02. The End Of The World (1:18)
03. Hero’s Song (1:09)
04. Beloved Soul (2:39)
05. The Death Of Death (4:27)
06. Eternal (For Ornette Coleman) (2:09)
07. Norway (0:21)
08. Soul In Heaven (For Butch Morris) (3:27)
09. When A Sound Dances (0:27)
10. Mahalia (2:49)
11. Autumn Song (1:55)
12. All Love (4:58)
13. The Greatest Revolutionary (2:37)
14. For Jeanne Lee (2:44)
15. Poem For June Jordan (3:11)
16. Prayer (3:14)
17. Invocation (For David S. Ware) (5:18)
18. Angel’s Tear (2:09)
19. Light (0:48)

On April 1, 2016, a new album of William Parker's luminous compositions will be released on his own Centering Records imprint (distributed via AUM Fidelity). Stan’s Hat Flapping In The Wind presents new work from one of the jazz avant-garde’s most essential individuals, presented in one of the most traditional of forms: voice & piano duets; by fully illuminated masters of their instruments. 19 new songs composed by William Parker, and performed by Lisa Sokolov & Cooper-Moore. Parker is—among his many great talents—a master of evocative song-craft, as readily evidenced on Corn Meal Dance, and the very recently released Great Spirit, by his Raining On The Moon ensemble. The compositions and performances presented here are filled with devotion to compassion for all life. They touch on the possibility of peace and truth prevailing in the present.

Stan’s Hat Flapping In The Wind is also the name of a musical that William Parker has been writing since 1994. To date he has composed over sixty songs for the production. In this musical, the principal characters—through tribulations and exposure to the magic of all life around them—begin to learn the art of living and the systems of sacred music. On this new studio recording, 19 of these songs are presented; the longest being 5 minutes, the shortest is 22 seconds. All of the songs are connected in that they all reflect on the mysteries of death and life. And, many of Parker’s touchstone subject matters abound: compassion for all living things, the magic of sound, the revolutionary nature of flowers, and deeply affecting dedications and invocations to enlightened spirits who have departed.

Lisa Sokolov is a jazz vocalist, improviser and composer known for her pioneering range of tone, timbre and expression. Parker has worked with her for over 35 years in many situations. As he writes in the liner notes to this release, “she is a master of music healing, interpretation and vocal creativity. I don’t know of any other singer who puts as much love and dedication into singing.” One of her own releases, Presence, received a 5-Star “Masterpiece” review in DownBeat and their January 2010 issue cited the album as one of the Best CDs of the Decade. Sokolov is currently a full arts professor at the Tisch School of the Arts at NYU, and is recognized in the music therapy world as an innovator in the applications of the voice to human potential.

Cooper-Moore is another deservingly heralded great in the realm of avant-garde jazz, though he has an incredibly rich history in all manner of performance. He, too, has worked with Parker for many decades, including within his free-jazz supergroup, In Order To Survive. He was also fully featured on Parker’s recent 3CD box set, For Those Who Are, Still. A multi-instrumentalist, composer, storyteller, instrument-builder and educator living in East Harlem, New York City, his approach to music goes beyond simple categorization. Though what he is working on now is informed by Creative Improvised Music and the jazz avant-garde, his ears are rooted in the Gospel, Blues and Bluegrass traditions from where he came, rural segregated Virginia. As Parker writes, “Cooper–Moore is always a great addition to any musical situation he is associated with, and has a huge musical palate of sounds with which he paints both small and large masterpieces. He is a prolific composer, improviser, and builder of instruments, as well as an inventor, cook, and devoted family person who continues to find new ways to enter into the tone world. He is one those rare individuals who has had first-hand experience with the essential magic that circles divine music.” ~by Steven Joerg

Stan's Hat Flapping In The Wind

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Louis Jordan - Swingsation

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 50:20
Size: 115.2 MB
Styles: Swing, Jump blues
Year: 1999
Art: Front

[2:47] 1. House Party
[5:21] 2. Saturday Night Fish Fry
[2:51] 3. Onion
[3:02] 4. Ain't Nobody Here But Us Chickens
[2:55] 5. Crazy Baby
[2:41] 6. Choo Choo Ch'boogie
[2:32] 7. (You Dyed Your Hair) Chartreuse
[2:56] 8. I Want You To Be My Baby
[2:25] 9. That Chick's Too Young To Fry
[2:42] 10. Flat Face
[5:08] 11. Blue Light Boogie
[2:54] 12. They Raided The House
[2:48] 13. Barnyard Boogie
[3:19] 14. Trouble Then Satisfaction
[3:06] 15. It's A Great, Great Pleasure
[2:45] 16. Let The Good Times Roll

GRP's Swingsation sampler may not satisfy collectors and hardcore fans, who already have these 16 featured songs on original albums or comprehensive collections. Nevertheless, this is a good collection for casual fans and neophytes, since it contains a good balance of familiar hits and lesser-known tunes from Louis Jordan's Decca recordings, including "House Party," "Saturday Night Fish Fry," "Ain't Nobody Here But Us Chickens," "Crazy Baby," "Chartreuse (You Dyed Your Hair)," "That Chick's Too Young Too Fry," "Blue Light Boogie," "Barnyard Boogie," and "Let the Good Times Roll." True, there are a number of great songs, such as "Caledonia," missing, but it's an enjoyable listen that's worth its budget-price for budget-minded listeners. ~Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Swingsation

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Walt Weiskopf - Night Lights

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 62:09
Size: 142.3 MB
Styles: Saxophone jazz
Year: 1995
Art: Front

[7:25] 1. You Go To My Head
[6:20] 2. With The Wind And The Rain In Her Hair
[6:11] 3. Moonlight On The Ganges
[5:24] 4. Some Other Time
[4:56] 5. Baubles, Bangles And Beads
[3:58] 6. Night Owl
[6:40] 7. Camelot
[6:27] 8. Night Lights
[7:28] 9. Herbie's Lament
[7:17] 10. I Wish I Knew

Walt Weiskopf performs seven standards and three originals on this quartet set with pianist Joel Weiskopf, bassist Drew Gress and drummer Steve Davis. Weiskopf, who has written an instructional book on John Coltrane's style, sounds too close for comfort to 'Trane on this otherwise enjoyable set. He is certainly a technically gifted player and his versions of such tunes as "You Go to My Head," "Moonlight on the Ganges," "Some Other Time" and "I Wish I Knew" are reasonably adventurous but Weiskopf should really work on developing his own musical personality. ~Scott Yanow

Night Lights

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SWR Big Band, Ralf Schmid, Paula Morelenbaum - Bossarenova

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 77:56
Size: 178.4 MB
Styles: Bossa Nova, Big band
Year: 2010
Art: Front

[ 5:23] 1. Águas De Março
[ 4:40] 2. Chovendo Na Roseira
[ 4:18] 3. Blackbird
[ 4:04] 4. Mas, Que Nada
[ 3:33] 5. Modinha (Seresta No.6)
[ 3:37] 6. Perfume De Cebolla
[ 4:34] 7. Tarde Em Itapoã
[ 4:27] 8. Tempo De Amor
[ 3:54] 9. Vem Morena
[ 5:01] 10. Pra Que Chorar [ich Grolle Nicht]
[ 4:10] 11. O Morro Não Tem Vez [favela]
[22:26] 12. Setembro
[ 3:52] 13. L'habitant Du Ciel
[ 3:52] 14. Soul Bossa Nova

It is nearly impossible to speak about Paula Morelenbaum without mentioning Antonio Carlos Jobim. To those unfamiliar with her work, it is worth noting that Paula worked for ten years (1984 to 1994) singing alongside the Brazilian maestro. She participated in the recording of the albums Passarim (1986-Universal), Antonio Brasileiro (1993-Som Livre), Tom Jobim Inédito (1995-BMG) and Tom canta Vinicius (2000-Jobim Music/Universal), while performing with his group Banda Nova in Brazil, Japan, Europe, Canada and the United States, including shows at Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center. Jobim, himself, once described the band as "a group of five handsome girls, five handsome guys and a dirty old man!" Paula Morelenbaum's solo career began during the latter years of that collaboration. In 1992, she released her first solo album. The self-titled effort was produced by her husband and acclaimed cellist Jaques Morelenbaum, who also participated as an instrumentalist and arranger on a handful of tracks. The disc included songs from Gilberto Gil, Chico Buarque, Caetano Veloso, Rita Lee, Arrigo Barnabé, Paulo Jobim, Jose Miguel Wisnik, George Gershwin, Vinicius de Moraes and Tom Jobim (who also performed on the recording). It was this album with which Paula was awarded the Sharp Music Award 1993 in Brazil for the category "Revelation Female Pop-Rock." In 1995, Morelenbaum formed the Quarteto Jobim Morelenbaum with Paulo Jobim, Daniel Jobim and Jaques Morelenbaum, a quartet of vocal and instrumental chamber music whose repertoire was based on perpetuating the style of Antonio Carlos Jobim. Four years later the quartet released the album Quarteto Jobim Morelenbaum (Candles/Sony Music) and presented the music with a world tour that stretched around the globe. 
That same year Paula served as vocalist on the recording Smoochy by Ryuichi Sakamoto. The seed of a new and fruitful collaboration had been been planted. With Ryuichi Sakamoto and husband Jaques Morelenbaum, Paula launched the trio Morelenbaum2/Sakamoto in 2001 and soon released the album Casa (Kab/Universal Music), a tribute to Antonio Carlos Jobim, recorded at the maestro's home. This was followed by yet another world tour, which further extended her burgeoning international fan base and resulted in the live album Live in Tokyo 2001 (Warner Music Japan) and its subsequent 2003 follow up, A Day in New York (Kab/Sony Classical/Universal Music/Warner Music Japan), which as the title suggests was recorded in NYC all in one day. The CD earned them the 2004 Tim Brazilian Music Award in the category "Best Brazilian Music Group."

Now at the peak of her musical maturity, Paula Morelenbaum's latest work is a collaboration with the stellar Germany-based SWR Big Band and arranger/conductor Ralf Schmid. Together they created the album Bossarenova (ObliqSound/Skip Records). As the title describes, the work is a "restoration" of the classic Bossa Nova repertoire, yet distinctively re-imagined through the inspired pairing of Paula and Ralf. On the collection, she interprets timeless pieces such as "Agua De Março (Waters of March)" and "Chovendo na Roseira" by Antonio Carlos Jobim, "Mas Que Nada" and "Vem Morena" by Jorge Ben, "Tarde em Itapuã" by Toquinho and Vinicius de Moraes and rescues the beautiful "Tempo de amor" by Baden Powell and Vinicius.

In addition to these Bossa Nova's masterpieces, there are a number of reinterpretations that had a great influence on the Bossa Nova masters, such as compositions by Robert Schumann, Heitor Villa-Lobos and Lennon & McCartney. On the album, Paula Morelenbaum is deftly supported by the 16 musicians in the SWR Big Band, as well the renowned German trumpeter and co-founder of the 90's European acid jazz duet Tap Two Joo Kraus, pianist and arranger Ralf Schmid and Brazilian special guests Lula Galvão and Portinho. The US version of the release features two exclusive mixes of the songs "Aguas de Março" and "Modinha" reworked by producer Michele Locatelli and an exclusive Michael Olatuja remix of the classic Quincy Jones hit "Soul Bossa Nova," which appears on the album as an instrumental bonus track.

Bossarenova

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Charlie Parker - Confirmation: The Best Of The Verve Years (2-Disc Set)

This two-CD collection brings the best of Charlie Parker's Verve recordings. The Verve sessions were recorded under the influence of impresario Norman Granz, who put Parker into a wide range of settings (quartet, big band, strings, and even a woodwind quintet with vocals are included here), playing both Parker originals as well as popular songs of the day. These are not the pared-down, blistering performances of the Savoy and Dial sessions; however, they are quite remarkable in that they reveal the astonishing breadth of Parker's musical genius. A voracious talent, he shines brilliantly in every setting. The joy in this collection is getting to hear his bright ideas in such a range of musical situations. ~Michael Monhart

Album: Confirmation: The Best Of The Verve Years (Disc 1)
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 66:09
Size: 151.4 MB
Styles: Saxophone jazz
Year: 1995
Art: Front

[ 3:29] 1. Just Friends
[ 3:13] 2. Swedish Schnapps
[ 2:43] 3. Laird Baird
[ 3:23] 4. K.C. Blues
[ 3:05] 5. April In Paris
[ 2:56] 6. Laura
[10:31] 7. Embraceable You
[ 2:55] 8. Ballade
[ 2:37] 9. Au Privave
[ 2:56] 10. The Song Is You
[ 2:53] 11. Mango Mangue
[ 2:58] 12. Confirmation
[ 3:18] 13. Segment
[ 3:08] 14. She Rote
[ 2:57] 15. Kim
[ 3:21] 16. In The Still Of The Night
[ 3:33] 17. Star Eyes
[ 6:03] 18. How High The Moon

Confirmation: The Best Of The Verve Years (Disc 1)

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Album: Confirmation: The Best Of The Verve Years (Disc 2)
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 66:51
Size: 153.0 MB
Styles: Saxophone jazz
Year: 1995
Art: Front

[ 3:07] 1. Cardboard
[ 3:11] 2. I Didn't Know What Time It Was
[11:04] 3. Oh, Lady Be Good
[ 3:07] 4. I Can't Get Started
[ 3:21] 5. Lover Man
[13:26] 6. Funky Blues
[ 3:33] 7. Old Folks
[ 2:59] 8. Now's The Time
[ 2:43] 9. Tico-Tico
[ 2:35] 10. What Is This Thing Called Love
[ 2:45] 11. Blues For Alice
[ 2:28] 12. Leap Frog
[ 3:23] 13. Bloomdido
[ 3:02] 14. My Little Suede Shoes
[ 3:02] 15. Chi-Chi
[ 2:58] 16. Repetition

Confirmation: The Best Of The Verve Years (Disc 2)

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Shana Morrison - Joyride

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 51:49
Size: 118.6 MB
Styles: Rock/Country/Blues/R&B
Year: 2010
Art: Front

[3:29] 1. Joyride
[4:13] 2. Gone For Good
[4:51] 3. I Am A Rose
[3:59] 4. Tomorrow's Eve
[5:24] 5. Blue Angel
[3:25] 6. Means To Me
[3:11] 7. He Won't Send Roses
[4:11] 8. Heart Shaped Tattoo
[3:31] 9. No More Mrs Nice Girl
[4:20] 10. Ten Thousand Things
[3:18] 11. One Less Monkey
[3:25] 12. Makin Love
[4:26] 13. Good Enough For God

Shana Morrison’s musical style has been called pop with a side of blues and a side of rock. She has also been known to include other ingredients, like country, R&B, and jazz into the mix. Her material seems to be ever-changing and hard to pin down categorically. What always remains the same is Shana's unique and wide-ranging voice.

Shana Morrison began performing with her group Caledonia in the San Francisco Bay area in 1996. Her debut CD, Caledonia, was released on her own label, Belfast Violet Records, in 1998 and picked up by the Monster Music label in 1999. Caledonia received favorable reviews from the Los Angeles Times, the San Francisco Chronicle, and the San Francisco Examiner, as well as airplay on KPFA, KPIG, KPIX, KDVS, KHUM, and KFOG. Tours across the country soon followed.

2006 through 2008 saw Shana singing beside Van Morrison again during his U.S. and U.K. tour dates. Twelve years have passed since her beginnings singing duets with Mr. Morrison in his infamous Rhythm and Soul Review, which featured artists such as Jimmy Withersoon, Junior Wells, and John Lee Hooker. Since her first foray into recording on the Van Morrison releases A Night in San Francisco (1994) and Days Like This (1995), Shana Morrison has grown as a singer, a songwriter, and an artist. Her self-produced 2007 release, the R&B-flavored CD That's Who I Am, is on Belfast Violet Records. Joyride, produced by Kim McLean, was released in April 2010, also on Belfast Violet Records.

Joyride

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Clark Terry with Jeff Lindberg & Chicago Jazz Orchestra - Porgy & Bess

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 2004
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 53:52
Size: 123,9 MB
Art: Front

(4:03)  1. Buzzard Song
(5:22)  2. Bess, You is My Woman Now
(4:52)  3. Gone
(2:15)  4. Gone, Gone, Gone
(3:18)  5. Summertime
(4:31)  6. Bess, Oh Where's My Bess
(5:01)  7. Prayer (Oh, Doctor Jesus)
(4:11)  8. Fishermen, Strawberry & Devil Crab
(6:14)  9. My Man's Gone Now
(4:25) 10. It Ain't Necessarily So
(1:42) 11. Here Come De Honey Man
(4:34) 12. I Loves You, Porgy
(3:20) 13. There's A Boat That's Leaving Soon For New York

2004 appears to be the year for reevaluation of Miles Davis classics. First came g.org's A New Kind of Blue , applying a more modern bent to the iconic Kind of Blue. Now the Chicago Jazz Orchestra, under the direction of Jeff Lindberg, takes on the Miles Davis/Gil Evans classic Porgy & Bess , this time with Clark Terry in the trumpet seat. Tackling such a seminal album, where Miles was the featured soloist, may seem presumptuous, but the choice of Terry makes this a particularly intriguing effort, since Miles himself credited Terry as an early influence on his own playing. So getting the chance to hear the teacher reinterpret the student makes for an interesting perspective. Utilizing Evans' charts, but with a slightly larger orchestra that features clarinets and an expanded trumpet section, Lindberg manages to treat Evans' arrangements with respect while avoiding the trap of being too literal. The sound of the orchestra is warmer, less brash than the original, which works especially well on the ballads including "Summertime" and "My Man's Gone Now." As much as the original held as both a collection of outstanding tunes and a more cohesive whole, this version may actually hang together a little better.

And what of Clark Terry? Well, for one thing, on the original recording Miles stayed exclusively with the flugelhorn, while here Terry uses both the flugelhorn and trumpet. On "Summertime" Terry uses a mute, but not the Harmon mute that became so synonymous with Davis' sound, rather one that is less piercing, a little warmer. And by using trumpet as well as flugelhorn he paints with broader strokes. That's not to say Terry is necessarily better than Miles in interpreting the material, but his blues-drenched readings are unquestionably equally valid. You can hear why Terry was such an important figure to Miles in his early days. He shares the same sense of rich lyricism, avoiding pyrotechnic displays, instead reaching deep into the heart of the material. But more evident than anything else is the effect that a player's personality has on the way they interpret the music. Miles' reading of Porgy and Bess was dark and haunting. Terry, on the other hand, is more tender than melancholic, more poignant than brooding, and on "My Man's Gone Now" he demonstrates a pure joyfulness in his short solo that was nowhere to be found in Miles' readings. Does this new version of Porgy and Bess have the potential to reach classic status? Hard to say, and only time will tell. Clearly any reinterpretation of the same charts means that the element of the new is gone. And for a story of misfortune, Miles' darker disposition may ultimately prove to be the most fitting. Still, Lindberg and Terry's revisiting sheds new light on a timeless piece of music and shows how approach is inextricably tied to disposition, where, amidst the tragedy, Terry's reading manages to be somehow more optimistic and hopeful.~John Kelman http://www.allaboutjazz.com/porgy-and-bess-clark-terry-a440-music-review-by-john-kelman.php

Personnel: Clark Terry (vocals, trumpet, flugelhorn); Clark Terry; Darlene Drew (alto flute, piccolo); Jerry DiMuzio (alto flute, bass clarinet); Larry Combs (clarinet, bass clarinet); John Wojciechowski (alto saxophone); Arthur Hoyle (trumpet, flugelhorn); Brent Turney, Art Davis , Doug Scharf, Danny Barber, Kirk Garrison (trumpet); Christine Worthing, Greg Flint (French horn); Scott Bentall, Andrew Baker, Tim Coffman (trombone); Daniel Anderson (tuba); George Fludas (drums); Chicago Metropolitan Jazz Orchestra.

Porgy & Bess

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