Brian Thomas & Alex Lee-Clark Big Band - Superhero Dance Party

Size: 134,9 MB
Time: 58:12
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2014
Styles: Jazz/Funk, Hammond Organ
Art: Front

01. Crawlin' (10:01)
02. Shootin' The $%#! ( 7:00)
03. Superhero Dance Party ( 8:28)
04. Rolo Tomassi ( 7:11)
05. Freetime ( 5:58)
06. New Days Ahead ( 9:21)
07. For Me To Know (10:11)

18 Piece Original Funk/Soul/Hip Hop/Jazz Big Band. This is not your daddy's big band!! (unless your daddy is James Brown!) Featuring a rotating cast of players including Aaron Bellamy, Amy Bellamy, Beau Sasser, Sam Gilman, Mike Tucker, Ben Griffin, Jeff Lockhart, Steve Fell, Ted Sullivan, Pete Levesque, Mark Zaleski, Dino Govoni, Paul Lieberman, Jared Sims, Jeff Galindo, Brian Thomas, Clayton DeWalt, Angel Subero, Yaure Muniz, Alex Lee-Clark, Trent Austin, Doug Olsen & Eric Bloom.

Superhero Dance Party

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Marian Bruce/Jacy Parker - Halfway To Dawn/Spotlight On Jacy Parker

Size: 164,8 MB
Time: 70:20
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2016
Styles: Jazz/Pop Vocals
Art: Front

Marian Bruce - Halfway To Dawn:
01. Lucky To Be Me (3:03)
02. Let Me Love You (3:17)
03. It Never Entered My Mind (3:23)
04. Things Are Looking Up (2:42)
05. Something To Live For (3:07)
06. Looking For A Boy (2:58)
07. I Got It Bad And That Ain't Good (3:17)
08. My One And Only (2:45)
09. A Ship Without A Sail (3:21)
10. No One Ever Tells You (2:12)
11. The Gentleman Is A Dope (2:19)
12. Don't Like Goodbyes (3:06)

Jacy Parker - Spotlight On Jacy Parker:
13. I Thought About You (3:02)
14. Guess Who I Saw Today (3:26)
15. Here Comes Trouble Again (3:39)
16. My Ship (3:22)
17. Time After Time (1:55)
18. You're The Cream In My Coffee (2:56)
19. Like The Likes Of You (2:21)
20. Sweet William (1:52)
21. Long Gone Love (3:29)
22. It's You Or No One (3:35)
23. You Mean Old World (2:04)
24. But Beautiful (2:57)

This CD showcases two fine singers who, after starting promising careers, recorded only a single album each.

In similar, intimate settings aimed at both pop and jazz listeners, they showed their sophisticated talents on a series of quality songs. Marian Bruce had perfected her sultry style in the early 50s night clubs of New York, Paris and London. In 1958 trumpeter Clark Terry introduced her to the Riverside label, where she was able to make the most of her warm, strong and beautiful voice on a laid-back, late-night album, aptly titled “Halfway to Dawn”, backed by the superb accompanist, pianist Jimmy Jones, and the subtle, sensitive trumpet of Joe Wilder, with bassist Al Hall and guitarist Everett Barksdale.

Jacy Parker recorded her lone and lovely date for Verve in 1962. Having left her hometown, Chicago, in her mid-20s, she had been singing and playing piano around New York since 1954. “Spotlight on Jacy Parker” captured well the clarity of her voice and her jazz-oriented, musical phrasing. Her style—like that of so many singers of her generation—was marked by the influence of Sarah Vaughan, but her wry, sassy vocals and forward-thinking piano solos are in stark contrast to the prevailing girl singer sensibilities of the time. She is backed by an equally fitting rhythm section, and persuasively supported by Ernie Royal’s insinuating trumpet.

Personnel on #1-12:
Marian Bruce, vocals, accompanied by Joe Wilder, trumpet; Jimmy Jones, piano; Everett Barksdale, guitar; and Al Hall, bass.
Reeves Sound Studios, New York City, April 1958

Personnel on #13-24:
Jacy Parker, piano and vocals, accompanied by Ernie Royal, trumpet; Don Cinderella, bass; Sticks Evans or Roy James (#14,16,24) drums.
Recorded in New York City, March, 1962

Halfway To Dawn/Spotlight On Jacy Parker

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Chuck Israels - Garden Of Delights

Size: 127,6 MB
Time: 55:02
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2016
Styles: Jazz
Art: Front

01. The Skipping Tune (6:21)
02. Garden Of Delights (6:31)
03. Mingus (6:29)
04. Speed Bumps (4:07)
05. Natural Beauty (4:45)
06. Bluesman's Holiday (5:07)
07. Warming Trend (5:20)
08. Double Clutching (4:16)
09. Chaconne A Son Gout (5:54)
10. Discretion Advised (6:08)

Best known for his work with the Bill Evans Trio from 1961 through 1966, he is also recognized for his pioneering accomplishments in the Jazz Repertory as Director of the National Jazz Ensemble from 1973 to 1981.

Chuck’s first release with Dot Time Records is entitled “Garden of Delights”, and will be released on April 15, 2016. In addition during the next year, Dot Time Records will also release selected archival recordings of the National Jazz Ensemble. The first release in this series is expected in early 2016.

Recently retired from directing the jazz studies program at Western Washington University, Chuck moved to Portland, Oregon to work in its vibrant jazz community and participate in his favorite Northwest city’s cultural life.

During his distinguished career Chuck has built a strong discography both as a leader and sideman including; “Coltrane Time”, with John Coltrane; “My Point of View”, with Herbie Hancock; “Getz au Go-Go”, with Stan Getz; and many recordings with the Bill Evans Trio, including “The Town Hall Concert”; “The Second Trio”; “Trio ’65; Live at the Trident”; “Time Remembered”; and “Live at Shelley’s Manne Hole.”

The Chuck Israels Orchestra was founded in 2011 to showcase some of the best jazz instrumentalists and vocalists in the Northwest playing finely crafted and demanding arrangements of the most exciting and durable music we know. The band has played at such international events as the Detroit Jazz Festival. Their debut CD, “Second Wind,” received a 4 ½ star review from DownBeat.

Garden Of Delights

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Mark Murphy - Live In Athens, Greece

Size: 169,8 MB

Time: 73:14

File: MP3 @ 320K/s

Released: 2016

Styles: Jazz/Blues Vocals

Art: Front

01. My Funny Valentine (9:43)

02. All Blues (8:16)

03. On Green Dolphin Street (6:32)

04. Summertime (4:41)

05. Autumn Leaves (2:53)

06. When I Fall In Love (8:22)

07. Bye Bye Blackbird (7:08)

08. Miles (2:57)

09. Milestones (8:02)

10. Red Clay (7:57)

11. Inutil Paisagem (6:40)

Why do we need another Mark Murphy album? After all, well over 40 were released in his own lifetime, not counting all the compilations, collaborations, guest appearances and remixes. This live set was recorded at the Gazarte Club, Athens, in 2008, not long after Murphy’s 76th birthday. It features Spiros Exaras (guitar), Thomas Rueckert (piano), George Georgiadis (double bass) and Alex Drakos (drums).

The tune selection veers toward the hackneyed (the ‘bog standards’, as one London gig booker recently designated them): Summertime, Autumn Leaves, Bye Bye Blackbird. Surely, one might think, we don’t need yet more versions of these.

And yet, and yet…. Mark Murphy shows any doubting Thomases what he has been showing anyone prepared to listen over the decades: not only can the sheer power of a standard survive its (over)familiarity, but with the right performer, unsuspected beauties may still be revealed.

Acknowledging the genii loci of Homer and Socrates, Murphy slips straight into My Funny Valentine. It’s a spine-chilling performance. Almost everything you need to know about Mark Murphy can be found in this opening track: the vocal swoops, falsetto lines, scatting, swinging and riffing, plus some good jokes: ‘Is your figure less than Greek? Excuse me, that’s the lyric…’ and ‘Don’t change your hairdo for me’, and ‘Your looks are laughable’, sung with an affectionate chuckle. It’s all very hip and fun – Murphy’s pleasure in performing never seemed to dim.

The band are excellent. Going into double-time on a ballad may seem just another cliché, but on this tune it perfectly fits with the mood established by the singer, and Exaras and Rueckert pull out some dazzling runs. Murphy ends with a held falsetto note that extends into the intro of the next number, All Blues. Here he improvises both wordlessly and on the lyric. Afterwards it’s straight into the verse of On Green Dolphin Street, sung rubato and unaccompanied right through the first head, followed by another unaccompanied chorus in which he goes into time, scatting again and fracturing the tune and its lyric, before the band finally come in behind him.

There are no duff tracks. I particularly love the storming performance of On the Red Clay, and the inclusion of Murphy’s never-forgotten formative influences – Nat King Cole (When I Fall In Love), Miles Davis (both his own composition, the ballad Miles, and his famous version of Milestones, with his own lyric) and Jobim (a medley of Inútil Paisagem and Dindi).

Harbinger Records are currently trying to organise distribution in Europe. In the meantime this wonderful album can be obtained from the US or through the usual digital channels.

Considering the vast recorded output of Mark Murphy, and the thousands of gigs he performed around the world over a 60-year career, Live in Athens must surely be the tip of the iceberg. What other treasures still lie in the vaults? ~by Peter Jones

Live In Athens,Greece                

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Suzanne Lorge - Wild Birds

Size: 110,6 MB
Time: 47:03
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2016
Styles: Jazz Vocals
Art: Front

01. Out Of This World (5:44)
02. The Touch Of Your Lips (3:05)
03. Better Than Anything (3:01)
04. Gentle Rain (4:49)
05. Fifty Ways To Leave Your Lover (3:38)
06. She's Leaving Home (5:34)
07. No More (3:04)
08. Nobody Else But Me (3:15)
09. I Fall In Love Too Easily (3:29)
10. The Very Thought Of You (5:25)
11. If I Loved You (5:54)

Suzanne Lorge has performed extensively as a singer in clubs, theaters, and concerts, from Carnegie Hall to cruise ships to cathedrals. She's also worked as a studio singer on a host of albums, animated films, commercials, and industrials. In live performance she focuses on jazz, theater, and sacred music, preferring vocal compositions with compelling lyrics and soaring melodies.

On her debut solo jazz album, Wild Birds, released February 2016, Suzanne explores the migratory nature of human relationships through a series of swing, bebop, Latin, and re-imagined pop tunes. The album features two different trios of world-class musicians: pianist Frank Kimbrough (currently with Maria Schneider's GRAMMY-winning orchestra), bassist Dean Johnson (Gerry Mulligan's sideman for many years), and drummer Tim Horner (The Tommy Dorsey Orchestra, The Vanguard Jazz Orchestra) played on eight of the tracks, and David Budway (Jeff "Tain" Watts, Branford Marsalis, Hubert Laws), bassist Hans Glawischnig (Maynard Ferguson, Chick Corea, Paquito D'Rivera), and drummer Tommy Campbell (Dizzy Gillespie, Sonny Rollins, Kevin Eubanks, Stanley Jordan) played on the remaining three.

Besides vocals, Suzanne contributed two pieces of verse to the project: original lyrics to the jazz waltz "Better Than Anything," a kinetic romp through some of the unforgettable places that she's visited in her world travels, and a poem that shares the album's title, "Wild Birds," a tribute to the wisdom of the natural world. Suzanne work-shopped this poem at the 2015 Bread Loaf Orion writers conference under the tutelage of poet/essayist Alison Hawthorne Deming, a direct descendant of writer Nathanial Hawthorne and a persuasive advocate for art as a bridge between the profane human and the numinous wild.

When not singing, Suzanne writes about culture, music, technology, and finance. Her work has appeared in The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Huffington Post, The Washington Times, Institutional Investor magazine, and All About Jazz. She writes a monthly column on vocal jazz for The New York City Jazz Record and has participated for several years in the NPR Jazz Critics Poll (formerly the Village Voice Jazz Critics Poll) edited by music journalist Francis Davis.

Suzanne holds a BA in Modern Languages & Literature from The Catholic University of America in Washington, DC and an MA in Vocal Performance from New York University. At NYU she studied composition with Kenny Werner and Rich Shemaria, percussion with Memo Acevedo, improvisation with Dave Pietro, voice with Brian Gill, and music criticism with Allan Kozinn. She continues to study privately with jazz superstars Jay Clayton and Sheila Jordan.

Wild Birds

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Mike LeDonne - On Fire

Styles: Straight-ahead/Mainstream, Jazz
Year: 2006
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 72:53
Size: 167,0 MB
Art: Front

( 9:46)  1. Could It Be I'M Falling In Love
(10:41)  2. Spinky
(13:41)  3. Idle Moments
(10:52)  4. At Long Last Love
(13:07)  5. Prayer for Mary
( 9:43)  6. Bones
( 4:59)  7. In the Bag

The organ combo, a time-tested format, can stick to your ribs like a good meal. Organist Mike LeDonne, tenor saxophonist Eric Alexander, guitarist Peter Bernstein and drummer Joe Farnsworth together are a tight working band, displaying all the qualities that make this formation classic and still relevant on their second Savant release, On Fire. LeDonne, best known for his stint in the late Milt Jackson's group as its pianist/musical director, has spent the past several years making the Hammond B-3 organ a focal point in his arsenal. For a long time now, he's been a featured organist at Smoke's Tuesday Hammond B-3 nights in New York. The quartet grooves right off with a cool swinging treatment of the soul classic "Could It Be I'm Falling In Love." Eric Alexander's impressive solo is a quick study of the big tenor sound that many younger players, except for James Carter and Joshua Redman, have forgotten. Alexander fits right in with the melody and form of the piece, tonally hinting at Gene Ammons and playing a few upper register notes that recall the huge, barking upper-register cries of Stanley Turrentine. Peter Bernstein follows with a masterful exercise in taste, letting his Kenny Burrell and Grant Green-influenced tone shine.

LeDonne's admiration for the late great "Mighty Burner," Charles Earland, is reflected in a skyrocket version of the late organist's "Spinky," based on "So What" and "Impressions." Alexander, Farnsworth and Bernstein are all veterans of Earland's combo, and Alexander in particular makes the most of his opportunity as does LeDonne, emulating Earland's stop setting, but infusing his solo and bass lines with some harmonic twists that are refreshing to hear in an organist's approach. Other highlights are a blue-hued take of Duke Pearson's "Idle Moments," featuring Bernstein, while LeDonne tips his hat to Jimmy Smith on a trio feature, Cole Porter's "At Long Last Love." He builds a stomping organ solo and takes us out with a little "squabbling," with great support from Farnsworth, who is what Grady Tate was to Smith: a great partner who didn't overwhelm the music. There is no question that LeDonne has a formidable technique on the organ, and this track should quiet astute jazz organ listeners who may posit that he's a pianist who cannot play organ. By the disc's end, the listener is put in a great mood. Mike LeDonne's organ group put together a satisfying session at Smoke for both those at the club and those listening to the disc at home. Despite the heavy nod in the direction of the jazz organ tradition, there is enough freshness here to make the album far from rote. New jazz organ albums seem more pleasurable these days, perhaps due to the fact the market is not so flooded with such albums as it was in the '60s and '70s. On Fire is fine listening for organ and mainstream jazz fans alike.~CJ Shearn http://www.allaboutjazz.com/on-fire-mike-ledonne-savant-records-review-by-cj-shearn.php
 

Personnel: Mike LeDonne: Hammond B-3 organ; Eric Alexander: tenor saxophone; Peter Bernstein: guitar; Joe Farnsworth: drums.

On Fire

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Dinah Shore - When Dinah Shore Ruled the Earth

Styles: Vocal
Year: 1993
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 75:23
Size: 174,2 MB
Art: Front

(2:44)  1. Introduction/It's De-Lovely
(2:47)  2. I Dream of You
(3:14)  3. Lucky Strike Theme: My Lucky Day/I'll Never Smile Again
(0:25)  4. Dinah Speaks: Lucky Strike Commercial
(2:50)  5. I've Got You Under My Skin
(3:05)  6. Shoo Fly Pie and Apple Pan Dowdy
(2:02)  7. Embraceable You
(2:33)  8. Like Someone in Love
(3:32)  9. The Thrill Is Gone
(1:48) 10. I'm Gonna Love That Guy
(2:51) 11. I Wish I Knew
(1:41) 12. Aren't You Glad You're You
(2:56) 13. I Can't Begin to Tell You
(3:05) 14. Laughing on the Outside (Crying on the Inside)
(2:30) 15. Personality
(3:08) 16. The Gypsy
(1:48) 17. Don't Fence Me In
(1:51) 18. Memphis Blues
(3:44) 19. Bill
(2:43) 20. Tea for Two
(1:46) 21. Remember
(2:56) 22. Dixieland Band
(3:02) 23. Now I Know
(3:23) 24. The Man I Love
(2:43) 25. Massachusetts
(1:21) 26. I'm Coming Virginia
(1:38) 27. If I Were a Bell
(1:59) 28. I'll Know
(1:48) 29. Oh Johnny, Oh Johnny, Oh!
(3:19) 30. I'll Be Around

Dinah Shore (born Frances Rose Shore; February 29, 1916 – February 24, 1994) was an American singer, actress, television personality, and the top-charting female vocalist of the 1940s. She reached the height of her popularity as a recording artist during the Big Band era of the 1940s and 1950s, but achieved even greater success a decade later, in television, mainly as hostess of a series of variety programs for Chevrolet. After failing singing auditions for the bands of Benny Goodman, and both Jimmy and Tommy Dorsey, Shore struck out on her own to become the first singer of her era to achieve huge solo success. She had a string of 80 charted popular hits, spanning the years 1940 to 1957, and after appearing in a handful of feature films went on to a four-decade career in American television, starring in her own music and variety shows from 1951 through 1963 and hosting two talk shows in the 1970s. TV Guide magazine ranked her at #16 on their list of the top fifty television stars of all time. Stylistically, Shore was compared to two singers who followed her in the mid-to-late 1940s and early 1950s, Doris Day and Patti Page.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dinah_Shore

When Dinah Shore Ruled the Earth

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Danny Sugar & Oli Silk - Duality

Styles: Jazz, Smooth Jazz
Year: 2002
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 51:44
Size: 118,7 MB
Art: Front

(4:17)  1. Duality
(3:36)  2. Everybody Be Cool
(4:13)  3. Real Love [feat. Paula Crawford]
(4:36)  4. Electri-City!
(6:39)  5. The Green Room
(6:05)  6. Love will Follow [feat. John Reid]
(4:57)  7. A.T.S. (Another True Story)
(5:26)  8. Oyster
(6:38)  9. Don't Give Up [feat. Jane Hamilton]
(5:12) 10. L'austin Pace

For the first time I became aware of Sugar & Silk reviewing the album "The Best of Passion Jazz - Volume 2". Sugar & Silk are presented with their tune  "Everybody Be Cool" on this collection. My attention was awaked. During my stay in London I used the opportunity to visit several big cd-shops at Picadilly Circus on the search of "Fact or Friction", Sugar & Silk's debut album. I had luck and have  unpatiently awaited their second album. After a delay of several months the album was finally released in July 2002. Sugar & Silk are Danny Sugar (bass guitar) and Oli Silk (keyboards).  Slamming groovy is the starting song Duality. Take the best of Brian Culbertson and you hit the performance point of Oli's programming and piano skills.

Everybody Be Cool adds to this laidback attitude James Vargas crazy alto sax. One theme is the starting point for several improvisations in sax and piano. Real Love is pure soulful funk with Paula Crawford 's wonderful young voice comparable to Siedah Garrett's best-known vocals. Electri-City! is an electrifying powerful Smooth Jazz tune in Richard Elliot's style. Very enjoing, very dancable. The Green Room reveals the more contemplative side of this amazing duo. A swinging bridge btween the melody strings and some jazzy improvisations showcases the background and the models of the band, which are to find in jazz history as Jaco Pastorius, Dave and Don Crusin and Charles Mingus. But they also respect the members of Fourplay and this is to hear loud and clear. Love Will Follow features John Reid's impressive vocals. Reid, who already appeared on Marsha Raven's dance album "Catch me", deserves a broader attentiveness. He could be the next Luther Vandross. A.T.S ( Another True Story) is perfectly arranged and performed. Be aware that this piece was completely made by only two musicians. It's furthermore an example for good drum-programming and Oli's piano play is UK's answer to Bob James.

James Vargas dynamic alto sax marks excentric notes on Oyster, while Oli's keyboards sounds are responsible for the luscious and impressive atmosphere.  Jane Hamilton is a new discovery on Don't Give Up. Sugar & Silk's website informs: "Jane who hails from Scotland now resides in Leicester. She is a prolific singer/songwriter and comes from a very musical family. Jane’s brother, Steve plays and tours with Bill Bruford. She gigs regularly around the Leicester area performing her self penned repertoire." L'austin Pace is the final tune, written and played for those which believe that Smooth Jazz is jazz. Is this fusion jazz piece the real face of the group?  Critics of this album are throughout positive and I am sure, JazzFM and Solar Radio will aready have tunes of this album at their playlists. Good music is always finding its way to success.http://www.smooth-jazz.de/firstview/SugarandSilk/Duality.htm

Personnel:  Danny Sugar (bass, guitar); Oli Silk (keyboards).

Duality

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Ernie Henry - Presenting Ernie Henry

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1956
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 38:51
Size: 89,3 MB
Art: Front

(3:24)  1. Gone With the Wind
(5:10)  2. Orient
(5:48)  3. Free Flight
(5:55)  4. Checkmate
(5:03)  5. Active Ingredients
(5:07)  6. I Should Care
(8:22)  7. Cleo's Chant

Long available on LP in the Fantasy Records catalog this reissue marks the first compact disc appearance of Ernie Henry’s auspicious debut as a leader. In the annals of jazz lore Henry has sometimes been discounted as merely a Charlie Parker imitator on alto saxophone. Based on his work on this inaugural album and the handful of others he fronted as a leader before his early demise at age 31 this once popular opinion appears something of an unfair assessment. In addition to possessing an adroit and diplomatic tone on his instrument that nods at Parker, but is clearly his own, Henry also has impeccable taste in associates as substantiated by the crew of hard bop heavyweights he assembled for this date. Dorham and Drew are both in particularly fine form and Ware and Taylor leave a memorable rhythmic stamp on the proceedings. The disc also serves as a chance for Henry to try out a cluster of his own compositions alongside a pair of standards and the quintet seizes the opportunity to play hard and with much gusto. 

Commencing with a bop-flavored reading of “Gone With the Wind” the group cycles through a unison head before Henry, Dorham and Drew all take brief solo statements. Taylor is the focal point on the briskly rendered “Orient” and his series of volcanic press rolls that close the piece take things out in a heated finish. “Free Flight” is less overtly kinetic but follows basically the same succession of solos with Henry, Dorham, Drew, Taylor and even Ware turning in burners. Both “Checkmate” and “Active Ingredients” are cut from the same bop-textured cloth and Henry uses their inherent alacrity to turn the pace of the group up a notch. The cerulean smoothness of “I Should Care,” negotiated at ballad speed, stands in sharp contrast. Henry takes an initial solo chorus before Dorham moves to the fore and caresses one of his most successful solos of session from his horn. The shuffling blues groove of “Cleo’s Chant” serves as a fitting addendum. Henry preaches a persuasive pitch and Dorham and Drew answer with resoundingly unanimous agreement. 

The only glaring disappointment with this disc is the paucity of solos by Ware. One of the greatest bassists in the history of the instrument he often shied away from the solo spotlight on his numerous recordings as a sideman. On this session he exhibits his usual reticence and Henry’s arrangements offer little encouragement for him to step beyond a strictly rhythmic role. Overall though this is a fine slice of vintage hard bop with lots of high points and very few lows.~Derek Taylor http://www.allaboutjazz.com/presenting-ernie-henry-fantasy-jazz-review-by-derek-taylor.php

Personnel: Ernie Henry- alto saxophone; Kenny Dorham- trumpet; Kenny Drew- piano; Wilbur Ware- double bass; Art Taylor- drums.

Presenting Ernie Henry

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Mike LeDonne - Keep The Faith

Styles: Straight-ahead/Mainstream, Jazz
Year: 2011
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 59:21
Size: 136,1 MB
Art: Front

(6:53)  1. The Backstabbers
(7:17)  2. Keep The Faith
(7:18)  3. Big John
(7:02)  4. The Way You Make Me Feel
(6:28)  5. Someday We'll All Be Free
(6:24)  6. Scratchin'
(6:24)  7. Waiting For You
(5:53)  8. Burner's Idea
(5:38)  9. Sweet Sweetie Dee

Connecticut-born / New York-based Mike LeDonne, who divides his time these days between piano and organ, has begun to record more frequently on the Hammond B3, especially with his suitably named Groover Quartet which, according to Owen Cordle's liner notes to Keep the Faith, has been together now for more than a decade. And that's a good thing, as these gentlemen certainly know how to groove, and do so with abandon on an album recorded roughly a year after the quartet's well-received The Groover (Savant 2100, 2010).  The organ trio has, of course, been a staple of small-group jazz for more than half a century, but LeDonne has expanded its range and power by adding another voice, that of the superlative tenor saxophonist Eric Alexander, who earned his spurs with organist Charles Earland's group nearly two decades ago and, since then, has risen steadily to the top rank among contemporary tenors. LeDonne and Alexander are bolstered by a brace of seasoned pros, guitarist Peter Bernstein and drummer Joe Farnsworth. On the other hand, perhaps "bolstered" isn't the proper word, as this is above all a quartet of equals, and Bernstein and Farnsworth's voices are no less decisive (or incisive) than LeDonne's or Alexander's.

Even so, it is the organ that enriches the groove, regardless of tempo, and LeDonne is impressively immersed in its tradition, echoing and saluting such eminent predecessors / role models as Earland, Jimmy Smith, Don Patterson and Jimmy McGriff, among others. LeDonne pays homage to another groove-based organist, the late Big John Patton, with "Big John," while Earland wrote the impulsive title selection. LeDonne also composed "Scratchin,'" "Burner's Idea" and "Waiting for You" (the last for his daughter, Mary) to complement "The Backstabbers," Michael Jackson's "The Way You Make Me Feel," Donny Hathaway's ballad "Someday We'll All Be Free" and Horace Silver's slow-cooked finale, "Sweet Sweetie Dee." No matter the setting, Alexander is always a pleasure to hear, while Bernstein affirms on every solo that the blues are in his soul. As for Farnsworth, he does what drummers do best, and that means keeping immaculate time and making sure his teammates are always in the spotlight. LeDonne, for his part, solos with enthusiasm and intelligence and comps the same way. Keep the Faith embodies another persuasive hour of well-grooved jazz by LeDonne's admirable quartet.~Jack Bowers http://www.allaboutjazz.com/keep-the-faith-mike-ledonne-savant-records-review-by-jack-bowers.php
 

Personnel: Mike LeDonne: Hammond B3 organ; Eric Alexander: tenor saxophone; Peter Bernstein: guitar; Joe Farnsworth: drums.

Keep The Faith

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Eileen Howard - Blues In The Green Room

Styles: Blues, Jazz, Vocal, Cabaret
Year: 2013
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 55:13
Size: 126,8 MB
Art: Front

(1:37)  1. Stormy Day Blues (Live)
(4:16)  2. Fever
(0:33)  3. Eileen's Reason #3 To Sing The Blues
(4:03)  4. Built For Comfort
(6:04)  5. It's Easy To Remember
(3:01)  6. Frim Fram Sauce
(4:13)  7. Everybody's Cryin' Mercy
(3:27)  8. I Need A Little Sugar In My Bowl
(5:38)  9. Black Coffee
(3:23) 10. Wild Women Don't Have The Blues
(3:06) 11. He Really Makes It Hard For Me To Sing The Blues
(6:00) 12. Body And Soul
(0:41) 13. Eileen's Reason #11 To Sing The Blues
(4:17) 14. Lost Mind
(4:45) 15. One For My Baby (And One More For The Road)

Brassy, sassy and sexy blues and ballads. Eileen Howard has been described as "singer well worth discovering" by Los Angeles Jazz Scene and as "one of the most creative and swingin’ singers ever to vocalize on the local jazz scene" by jazz deejay and reviewer Fritz "The Night Owl" Peerenboom. A New York and Columbus-based singer, Howard is well known for her swinging style, original compositions and engaging concerts. An award-winning actress, Howard performed in FOLLIES with Short North Stage at the historic Garden Theater in Columbus, forming a relationship that led to a series of sold-out Blues Cabarets in their intimate Green Room space the following winter. The cabarets blended Howard's acting skills, spontaneous humor, and passionate singing into a package that delighted audiences. Filled with sassy selections from blues artists as well as poignant ballads from The Great American Songbook, plus one original number, this album captures some of the excitement of the live show. Two of her "reasons to sing the blues" give just a taste of the spoken part of the cabaret act. The album includes numbers performed by legendary blues singers like Bessie Smith (I Need a Little Sugar in My Bowl), Willie Dixon (Built for Comfort), and Ida Cox (Wild Women Don't Have the Blues) as well as more recent blues such as Saffire: The Uppity Blues Women (He Really Makes it Hard for Me to Sing the Blues) and Mose Allison's Everybody's Cryin' Mercy. Poignant and intimate standards such as Body and Soul, Fever and One for My Baby show Howard's vocal and emotional range.http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/eileenhoward4

Blues In The Green Room

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Martial Solal, Dave Douglas - Rue de Seine

Styles: Piano and Trumpet Jazz
Year: 2006
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 48:40
Size: 111,9 MB
Art: Front

(5:24)  1. July Shower
(5:56)  2. Blues to Steve Lacy
(5:12)  3. 34 Bars Blues
(3:27)  4. For Suzannah
(3:45)  5. Fast Ballad
(5:08)  6. Elk's Club
(4:28)  7. Have You Met Miss Jones
(5:20)  8. Body And Soul
(3:20)  9. Here's That Rainy Day
(6:35) 10. All The Things You Are

French pianist Martial Solal is joined by American trumpeter Dave Douglas for this inspired duo session. Solal has long been one of Europe's top pianists, while he has made occasional trips to the U.S. to perform, while Douglas has become a favorite of critics for his diverse recordings. The 35-year age difference between the musicians means nothing, as they react like old friends who have played together countless times. The session is staged in an unusual fashion, alternating between originals by each player over the first six tracks, followed by several timeless standards. Douglas begins on muted horn for Solal's quirky "July Shower," stimulated by the pianist's unpredictable accompaniment that focuses on the lower half of the keyboard. The trumpeter puts aside his mute for his melancholy tribute "Blues to Steve Lacy," with Solal's dirge-like piano perfectly capturing its mood. The standards are all pieces that the two men have undoubtedly played hundreds of times. Solal's dissonant approach to "Have You Met Miss Jones" is extremely playful and stimulates Douglas' rapid-fire muted trumpet. Their spacious, somewhat pensive setting of "Here's That Rainy Day" is equally refreshing. There's never a mundane moment throughout this brilliant duo date by Martial Solal and Dave Douglas, which merits a follow-up meeting.~Ken Dryden http://www.allmusic.com/album/rue-de-seine-mw0000508422

Personnel: Dave Douglas (trumpet); Martial Solal (piano).

Rue de Seine

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Stephane Grappelli - Olympia 1988

Styles: Violin Jazz
Year: 1988
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 67:51
Size: 156,2 MB
Art: Front

(5:19)  1. Pick Yourself Up
(3:07)  2. Chicago
(2:26)  3. Shine
(5:15)  4. I Can't Give You Anything But Love
(5:40)  5. Love For Sale
(3:26)  6. I Get A Kick Out Of You
(4:16)  7. Swing 42
(4:13)  8. La Chanson Des Rues
(2:33)  9. Chatanooga Choo Choo
(4:45) 10. Someone to Watch Over Me / I Got Rhythm
(4:30) 11. Ol' Man River
(5:43) 12. Willow Weep For Me
(4:09) 13. 'S Wonderful
(4:00) 14. Lady Be Good
(3:46) 15. Nuages / Daphne
(4:37) 16. Honeysuckle Rose

Violinist Stephane Grappelli has recorded so many fine sets during the past two decades that although virtually all of them are enjoyable, most are not essential. This fine concert performance with a quartet (which also includes the guitars of Marc Fosset and Martin Taylor) is typical of Grappelli's ability to infuse familiar melodies that he has performed a countless number of times with enthusiasm, energy and wit. Pianist Martial Solal and violinist Svend Asmussen make guest appearances but most of the focus is on the great Grappelli, who never seems to have an off day.~Scott Yanow http://www.allmusic.com/album/olympia-88-mw0000314869

Personnel: Stéphane Grappelli (violin); Marc Fosset (acoustic guitar, electric guitar); Martin Taylor (electric guitar); Svend Asmussen (violin); Martial Solal (piano); Patrice Caratini (double bass).

Olympia 88

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VA - Jazz On A Summer's Day OST

Size: 176,8 MB
Time: 75:59
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 1960/2006
Styles: Jazz: Vocal Jazz, Swing, Big Band
Art: Front

01. Jimmy Giuffre - Train And The River (4:37)
02. Thelonious Monk - Blue Monk (3:29)
03. Sonny Stitt - Loose Walk (2:54)
04. Anita O'Day - Sweet Georgia Brown (4:26)
05. Anita O'Day - Tea For Two (3:43)
06. George Shearing Quintet - Rondo (2:15)
07. Dinah Washington - All Of Me (4:17)
08. Gerry Mulligan - Catch As Catch Can (3:50)
09. Big Maybelle - I Ain't Mad At You (3:46)
10. Chuck Berry - Sweet Little Sixteen (3:53)
11. Chico Hamilton - Chico's Chiquittas (5:48)
12. Louis Armstrong - Up A Lazy River (3:06)
13. Louis Armstrong - Tiger Rag (2:02)
14. Louis Armstrong - Rockin' Chair (3:33)
15. Louis Armstrong - When The Saints Go Marching In (1:44)
16. Mahalia Jackson - Everybody's Talkin' (1:59)
17. Mahalia Jackson - Didn't It Rain (3:24)
18. Mahalia Jackson - The Lord's Prayer (4:14)
19. Unknown - Intro Rehersal Interview (2:39)
20. Eli's Chosen Six - When Saints Go Marching (0:50)
21. Chico Hamilton Quintet - Rehersal (0:45)
22. Eli's Chosen Six - Bill Bailey Won't You Please Come Home (2:01)
23. Nathan Gershman - Rehersal (2:12)
24. Eli's Chosen Six - Maryland, My Maryland (Version 1) (1:12)
25. Louis Armstrong - Interview With Louis Armstrong (2:15)
26. Eli's Chosen Six - Maryland, My Maryland (Version 2) (0:53)

Jazz On A Summer’s Day is one of the greatest jazz movies ever made.

Filmed over the four days of the 1958 Newport Jazz Festival the film not only captured inspired performances from the biggest names in jazz at the time, but also the style and fashions of late Fifties America.

Includes performances by Thelonious Monk, Anita O'Day, Louis Armstrong, Dinah Washington, Gerry Mulligan and concludes with the peerless gospel singer Mahalia Jackson.

Jazz On A Summer’s Day was the only film made by leading stills photographer Bert Stern (Vogue magazine, Marilyn Monroe, Audrey Hepburn), his photographer’s eye for the subject matter and his picture composition being apparent in the film’s series of unforgettable images of the performers, the audience and the picturesque setting of Rhode Island.

This set includes an hour long CD of music highlights from the movie. This soundtrack CD was recently chosen as one of the all-time classic albums by Mojo magazine in its compendium, The Mojo Collection.

Jazz On A Summer's Day

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Tina Ferris - Out Of The Blue

Size: 108,4 MB
Time: 46:06
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2016
Styles: Jazz/Blues Vocals
Art: Front

01. Don't Misunderstand (4:06)
02. You Better Go Now (3:03)
03. All The Things You Are (3:34)
04. Out Of The Blue (3:16)
05. Close To You (3:18)
06. Am I Blue (2:32)
07. Mean To Me (2:44)
08. Didn't We (2:06)
09. You've Changed (3:58)
10. I Should Care (2:56)
11. It Never Entered My Mind (4:12)
12. Ain't Got Nothing But The Blues (3:30)
13. Guess I'll Hang My Tears Out To Dry (2:53)
14. Something Cool (3:51)

"Out Of the Blue" is my second album and features songs from "The Great American Songbook" plus one original tune which gave the album its name. This album tells a romantic tale of love found and love lost. A story we all know so well. I have some of the best jazz musicians who live in the San Francisco Bay Area accompanying me on this album. These songs create the feeling of an intimate evening at a small jazz club.

Out Of The Blue

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Brian Bromberg - Full Circle

Size: 168,0 MB
Time: 72:36
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2016
Styles: Jazz
Art: Front

01. Jazz Me Blues (2:22)
02. Full Circle (8:46)
03. Sneaky Pete (7:01)
04. Saturday Night In The Village (5:25)
05. Boomerang (9:54)
06. Havana Nights (Aka Havana Nagila) (8:32)
07. Bernie's Bop (8:09)
08. Don't Stop 'til You Get Enough (5:56)
09. Naw'lins! (8:21)
10. Susumu's Blues (5:48)
11. Washington And Lee Swing (2:18)

Personnel:
Arturo Sandoval: Trumpet
Alex Acuña: Percussion
Bob Sheppard, Doug Webb, Kirk Whalum: Saxophone
Otmaro Ruíz, Randy Waldman, Mitch Forman: Piano

Renowned jazz bassist Brian Bromberg is back with Full Circle, his first album since 2012.

In the interim between albums, Bromberg suffered an injury that left him with a back broken in two places and requiring rehabilitation to be able to walk. Full Circle is a testament to his recovery.

A desire to play music with his late father, a drummer, inspired Bromberg, who copied an acetate of his father and some buddies playing music and the overdubbed his bass, so that he could play as “part” of his dad’s group on two songs. These songs open and close the album.

“A few really amazing things happened to me when I was recording those tracks with my father; those tracks originally were recorded before I was born, so it was such a trip playing with my Dad before I was even on this planet! When I was playing with him I realized at that moment where I got my time feel and swing from, it was effortless to play with him, mind-blowing actually,” Bromberg said. “I guess the experience that inspired the whole concept of this album was feeling his time feel and swing inspired me to start playing drums again, because it felt so good.”

Bromberg played not only bass on the album, but also drums and piccolo bass, on which he created a “guitar”-like sound. And, while the album features a slew of originals, it also includes a jazz cover of Michael Jackson’s “Don’t Stop ’Til You Get Enough.”

Full Circle

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Andy Meadows - Modern Day Crooner

Size: 99,0 MB
Time: 36:46
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2016
Styles: Jazz/Blues Vocals, Swing
Label: Oscar Records
Art: Front

01. Just One Of Those Things (4:04)
02. You're Something Special To Me (3:22)
03. Never Be The Same (3:16)
04. One For My Baby (4:03)
05. House Of Blue Lights (3:38)
06. Trouble With A Ten (2:52)
07. You Don't Know Me (2:52)
08. I Don't Wanna Know (4:23)
09. The Way You Look Tonight (3:35)
10. Drunk On A Stool (4:37)

With his second full length CD on Oscar Records, Andy Meadows shows why many consider him one of the most versatile and talented crooners in the Lone Star State. With a playful duet on, "House of Blue Lights" a soulful rendition of Sinatra's classic, "One for my Baby" and a few originals that blend right in among the classics, this CD doesn't disappoint. Make yourself and Old Fashion, call up your favorite gal, and throw this album on!

Modern Day Crooner

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Kevin Eubanks - The Messenger

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 2012
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 56:22
Size: 129,7 MB
Art: Front

(5:40)  1. The Messenger
(5:47)  2. Sister Veil
(5:40)  3. Resolution
(4:27)  4. JB
(4:18)  5. 420
(5:33)  6. Led Boots
(6:00)  7. M.I.N.D.
(3:50)  8. Queen Of Hearts
(5:30)  9. The Gloaming
(4:09) 10. Loved Ones
(5:23) 11. Ghost Dog Blues

It's a shame that so few people only know guitarist Kevin Eubanks as the always-smiling, lick-delivering bandleader and guitar sidekick on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. He was sharing the stage with drummer Art Blakey and recording with drummer Billy Hart long before he ever did the daily grind in television studios, but time has an unfortunate way of rewriting history. Eubanks added volumes to Leno's program during his tenure with the comedian-turned host, both in terms of music and personality, but his creativity was shackled in such a restrictive setting; now, his mind is free to roam wherever he pleases. Eubanks left the land of late night television in 2010 and immediately announced his return to jazz with the worth-the-wait Zen Food (Mack Avenue Records, 2010). Now, he's back with a follow-up that's both slick and mellow at the same time.

It's hard to know exactly what to make of an album that contains a funky rewrite of saxophonist John Coltrane's music with a vocal bass line ("Resolution"), a sensitive solo guitar number ("Loved Ones") and a plain-as-day, but pleasing-as-anything blues ("Ghost Dog Blues"), but then again, this is Kevin Eubanks; if his time on television proved anything, it marked him as a versatility man and he's game to show that quality here. His music can be alternately moody ("Sister Veil"), powerful ("420") or peaceable ("The Gloaming"), and he's one of the only artists who can really be funky without being overly forceful ("JB"). His take on guitarist Jeff Beck's "Led Boots" proves to be the only misstep, as it's stripped of its potency and made into a bit of nonsensical jamming with the presence of Alvin Chea's vocal bass work; Chea is phenomenal on "Resolution," but a bit over-the-top here.

Eubanks' instincts about personnel decisions help to further the diversity at play in the music. His working quartet, which was also featured on Zen Food, controls the scenery and intensity, but the guests help to change the sonic identity of each number. Percussionist Joey De Leon Jr. adds a rumbling Latin presence to the title track, Chea has his day on the aforementioned tunes, and Eubanks' horn wielding siblings join the program in a few places; they never disappoint. Robin Eubanks' electronically shadowed trombone work on "JB" is an absolute gas and trumpeter Duane Eubanks immediately takes the baton and runs with it. Their appearances, both together and on separate tracks, help to make the argument that the Eubanks brothers are due for an official family offering. Eubanks sought "to communicate the breadth of his artistic influences" with this album and he can rest knowing that he accomplished his mission. The Messenger is Kevin Eubanks' wonderfully open personality filtered into music.~Dan Bilawskyhttp://www.allaboutjazz.com/the-messenger-kevin-eubanks-mack-avenue-records-review-by-dan-bilawsky.php
 

Personnel: Kevin Eubanks: acoustic guitar, electric guitar; Bill Pierce: tenor saxophone, soprano saxophone (1-5, 7-9, 11); Rene Camacho: bass (1-7, 11); Robin Eubanks: trombone (4, 8); Duane Eubanks: trumpet (2, 4, 5); Alvin Chea: vocals (3, 6); Joey De Leon, Jr.: congas, percussion (1, 5).

The Messenger

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Wynton Kelly Trio - It's All Right

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1964
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 39:33
Size: 91,6 MB
Art: Front

(2:51)  1. It's All Right
(5:30)  2. South Seas
(5:59)  3. Not A Tear
(4:37)  4. Portrait Of Jennie
(3:52)  5. Kelly Roll
(2:06)  6. The Fall Of Love
(3:53)  7. Moving Up
(4:31)  8. On The Trail (from The Grand Canyon Suite)
(2:57)  9. Escapade
(3:11) 10. One For Joan

The Wynton Kelly Trio (consisting of the pianist, bassist Paul Chambers, and drummer Jimmy Cobb) are augmented by guitarist Kenny Burrell and percussionist Candido on this 1997 CD reissue. The music is essentially easy listening jazz with concise versions of ten numbers, including a rendition of Charles Lloyd's "One for Joan" that was only previously out in Europe. In addition to the one "new" selection, a few unnecessary false starts for "Kelly Roll" have been included. A brief "The Fall of Love" finds the group joined by a steel drum band, although it makes little impression. The best are "Portrait of Jeannie" and "On the Trail," but overall, this effort is not too essential.~Scott Yanow http://www.allmusic.com/album/its-all-right!-mw0000028160

Personnel: Wynton Kelly (piano); Kenny Burrell (guitar); Paul Chambers (bass); Jimmy Cobb (drums); Candido Camero (congas).

It's All Right

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Dorothy Donegan - Live At The Widder Bar

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1986
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 63:30
Size: 146,3 MB
Art: Front

( 5:09)  1. Lover
( 7:42)  2. Tea For Two/Honeysuckle Rose
(10:19)  3. Autumn In New York/ I Can't Get Started/ On Green Dolphin Street
(12:42)  4. Makin' Whoope/ Warsaw Concerto/Darn That Dream/All Blue/ Sweet Lorraine
( 4:51)  5. Take The A Train
(12:35)  6. Prelude To A Kiss/ Mood Indigo/Perdido/Take The A Train
(10:09)  7. Like Someone In Love/ Here's That Rainey Day/For Once In My Life/In The Mood

After years of obscurity, pianist Dorothy Donegan finally started to gain some recognition in the mid-1980s. A brilliant pianist whose playing often takes unusual and unexpected turns (she always keeps her bassist guessing), Donegan is fond of not only putting together unlikely medleys, but suddenly switching styles altogether. 

For this live session with bassist Jimmy Woode and drummer Norman Fearrington, Donegan mostly sticks to a modern mainstream style, but her song quotes are very surprising and she somehow makes a medley out of "Like Someone In Love," "Here's That Rainy Day," "For Once In My Life" (a la Erroll Garner) and "In the Mood."~Scott Yanow http://www.allmusic.com/album/live-at-the-widder-bar-mw0001011148

Personnel: Piano – Dorothy Donegan;  Bass – Jimmy Woode;  Drums – Norman Fearrington

Live At The Widder Bar

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