Bob Dorough, Bill Takas - Sing And Swing

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 54:29
Size: 124.7 MB
Styles: Jazz vocals
Year: 1984/2011
Art: Front

[4:35] 1. Everything Happens To Me
[4:41] 2. Bijou, I'm Crazy For You
[7:49] 3. When Sunny Gets Blue
[4:56] 4. Be Careful, It's My Heart
[2:53] 5. It's Not Easy Being Green
[5:43] 6. Route 66
[5:07] 7. Moonlight In Vermont
[5:44] 8. Yardbird Suite
[7:15] 9. Quiet Nights
[5:42] 10. Better Than Anything

Bass – Bill Takas; Piano, Voice – Bob Dorough.

Although neglected and underexposed most of his life, Bob Dorough is an adventurous, risk-taking master of vocalese (the process of writing and singing lyrics to instrumental jazz solos) and scat singing who has directly or indirectly influenced Mark Murphy, Michael Franks, Mose Allison, and Kurt Elling. The Arkansas native started out on piano in the 1940s, then took up singing in the early '50s (when he played for boxer Sugar Ray Robinson, an entertainer at the time). From 1954-1955, Dorough lived in Paris, where he recorded with singer Blossom Dearie. The improviser launched his own recording career when he signed with Bethlehem in 1955 and recorded the excellent Devil May Care, which introduced the defiant title song and lyrics to Charlie Parker's "Yardbird Suite." But sadly, he recorded only sporadically after that. In 1962, Dorough co-wrote "Comin' Home Baby" (a hit for Mel Tormé) with Ben Tucker, and in 1966, he recorded his second album, Just About Everything, for Focus. In the early '70s, he began writing and directing the series of educational children's TV programs, Schoolhouse Rock. Though instructional material became his bread and butter, Dorough recorded obscure jazz dates for 52 Rue East, Orange Blue, Pinnacle, Boomdido, Laissez-Faire, and other tiny labels in the 1970s and 1980s. In 1997, a 73-year-old Dorough received some long-overdue attention from a major label when the Capitol-distributed Blue Note released Right on My Way Home. Too Much Coffee Man followed in the spring of 2000. His Sunday brunch residency at New York's Iridium club culminated in 2004's live offering Sunday at Iridium and, at a sprightly 82 years of age, Dorough traveled to England for a series of live dates. The tour culminated in a recording session that spawned the charming Small Day Tomorrow album in 2006. ~bio by Alex Henderson

Sing And Swing

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Morgana King - It's A Quiet Thing

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 30:58
Size: 70.9 MB
Styles: Vocal, Standards
Year: 1965/2009
Art: Front

[2:58] 1. It's A Quiet Thing
[3:56] 2. Dindi
[3:09] 3. Useless Landscape
[2:54] 4. Gone With The Wind
[3:31] 5. Little Girl Blue
[2:05] 6. Mountain High, Valley Low
[3:10] 7. How Insensitive
[2:35] 8. Here's That Rainy Day
[3:34] 9. Deep Song
[3:01] 10. If You Should Leave Me (E Se Domani)

A vocalist whose work unfortunately fell out of favor and went out of print for decades, Morgana King establishes such a brilliant presence on this album's opening and title track that in some ways it is impossible for her to live up to it throughout the program of ten titles. Blessed with incredible range, she operates in a vast dynamic range made possible not only by her technique, but by the sophisticated and classy, indeed outright lush arrangements by Torrie Zito. She gets to dive into "Useless Landscape," one of several bossa nova numbers from the DeOlivereira/Gilbert/Jobim songwriting team, with the strongly assuring backing of a lightly recorded string section, a steadily throbbing classical guitar, and a pungent French horn soloist. The arranger and producer really do seem fond of their bossa, also inserting the genre's trademark guitar waddle into the standard "Little Girl Blue." "Here's That Rainy Day" and "Gone With the Wind" also get nice treatments, with King showing plenty of flair for texture as well as rhythm. It's a consistently pleasing, professionally produced set of renditions, yet it can't be considered a good sign that a stranger wandering in the door would ask if it was a Tiny Tim record. This is most likely the result of the vocalist overdoing it "time after time," to paraphrase Cyndi Lauper, another stylish vocalist whose work in another era shares some similarities. At times one may wish it was Lauper and not the outrageous Yma Sumac that some of King's enunciation and pyrotechnics are reminiscent of. Any tendency to dismiss King outright would be a mistake, however. Like other somewhat eccentric vocalists, such as Al Hibbler and Betty Carter, aspects that seem inexplicable or tasteless at first listening are guaranteed to grow on the listener. ~Eugene Chadbourne

It's A Quiet Thing

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Gerry Gibbs Thrasher Dream Trio - Live In Studio

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 77:18
Size: 176.9 MB
Styles: Contemporary jazz
Year: 2015
Art: Front

[6:09] 1. Wives And Lovers
[6:01] 2. Summer Of '42
[4:33] 3. The Look Of Love
[3:36] 4. Spartacus Love Theme
[6:44] 5. On A Clear Day You Can See Forever
[3:53] 6. The Surrey With The Fringe On Top
[6:27] 7. Alfie
[5:22] 8. Watch What Happens
[3:22] 9. A Man And A Woman
[3:32] 10. Cast Your Fate To The Wind
[5:45] 11. What Are You Doing The Rest Of Your Life
[4:19] 12. More
[4:05] 13. Watch What Happens (Feat. Cassandra Wilson)
[4:14] 14. Music To Watch Girls By
[4:43] 15. Girl Talk
[4:25] 16. Charade

Kenny Barron: piano; Ron Carter: acoustic bass; Gerry Gibbs: drums; Roy Hargrove: trumpet, flugelhorn (5, 7, 11, 16); Cassandra Wilson: vocals (3, 7, 13).

Drummer Gerry Gibbs has been living a recurring dream with slight variations for the past few years. In December of 2012, he laid down tracks with two of his idols—the legendary Ron Carter and the estimable Kenny Barron—and dubbed their group the Thrasher Dream Trio. The eponymous debut from that band, featuring fifteen tracks recorded at those sessions, was, not surprisingly, a strong and classy affair filled with standards, some originals, and other jazz-friendly fare, such as Stevie Wonder's "Don't You Worry 'Bout A Thing" and Burt Bacharach's "Promises, Promises."

At the time of that album's release, those last-mentioned tracks could simply be viewed as part of the well-rounded program. But looking back now, it actually seems like they were dropped as hints of what was to come. About a year-and-a-half after that first Thrasher Dream Trio album was recorded, Gibbs brought the band together again to lay things down for We're Back (Whaling City Sound, 2014), a jazz-does-R&B project with A-list guests—vibraphonist Warren Wolf, saxophonist Steve Wilson, and organist Larry Goldings. That album offered multiple helpings of Wonder and Earth, Wind & Fire along with single servings of Bacharach, Marvin Gaye, Miles Davis, and the Average White Band. As on the trio's first album, the sparks were flying. The playing field, however, had changed a bit.

For this, the third go-around for this group, Gibbs does it again, tweaking the formula without altering the essence of the trio. This time he turned the focus toward pop-ish material from the '50s and '60s—the work of Bacharach, Henry Mancini, Michel Legrand, and others of that ilk—and put an audience in front of the band, recording live at Systems Two Recording Studio. Guests are part of the package again—now it's trumpeter Roy Hargrove and vocalist Cassandra Wilson, each appearing on a few tracks—and they help to add another wrinkle or two to the project without drawing focus away from the trio.

The album opens on a fluid "Wives And Lovers" that allows Barron's lyricism to shine through, gives Carter a chance to step into the spotlight, and puts Gibbs' brushwork at center stage. From there, the trio moves on with an unusually upbeat take on "The Summer Knows," a Wilson-enhanced version of "The Look Of Love" that moves from bossa nova to swing, and a variety of other familiar hits of yesteryear. Hargrove joins in for "On A Clear Day," quoting Ellington at one point and playfully trading solos with Gibbs; Vince Guaraldi's cheerfulness shines through on a perky trio performance of his "Cast Your Fate To The Wind"; "More" is transformed from a stale confection into an enjoyable swinger; and "Watch What Happens" happens twice—first as a cheerful, Brazilian-based instrumental, then as a swing-centered feature for Wilson.

Along the way there are plenty of other bright spots—an appropriately noir-ish "What Are You Doing The Rest Of Your Life?" with Hargrove on flugelhorn, a leisurely stroll through "Girl Talk"—and plenty of moments that serve as simple reminders as to why Barron and Carter are loved, respected, and emulated the world over. Their time and taste are impeccable, and when married to Gibbs' in-the-tradition drumming, you know the music is going to go in the right direction every time. ~Dan Billawsky

Live In Studio

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The Goodfellas - Olly Meets The Good Fellas

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 71:47
Size: 164.3 MB
Styles: Swing
Year: 2005
Art: Front

[4:15] 1. No One Knows
[2:23] 2. Secret Agent Man
[3:29] 3. Beautiful People
[2:11] 4. Triste Sera
[4:31] 5. Whose Side Are You On
[3:44] 6. No Worries
[3:47] 7. Vedrai Vedrai
[3:44] 8. Too Darn Hot
[3:41] 9. Un Bimbo Sul Leone
[2:17] 10. That Mellow Saxophone
[3:13] 11. Un Bimbo Sul Leone
[3:36] 12. Whose Side Aare You On (Live)
[2:50] 13. Cheek To Cheek (Live)
[2:35] 14. Pizza Gangster (Live)
[3:45] 15. Small Town (Live)
[3:25] 16. The Beautiful People (Live)
[4:11] 17. No One Knows (Live)
[5:43] 18. That Mellow Saxophone (Live)
[3:50] 19. Un Bimbo Sul Leone (Live)
[4:28] 20. Whose Side Are You On (Live)

The most cursory glance down the roster of America’s most popular troubadours, immediately reveals one prime and inescapable fact- the majority are of Italian-American extraction. Caruso, Sinatra, Como, Prima, Monte, Bennett, Darin…the list seems endless. “Why”, many an eager bobby-soxer has asked “are so many of the great singers Italian?” Why, indeed? The answer is, of course, to step into the history and folkways of a people that it would take thousands of words to explain. But, we can briefly say, it’s because of their warm-hearted, unrestrained humour and passion for life. As a part of this good company we can find “THE GOOD FELLAS”. Better known as the “GANGSTERS OF SWING”, dressed in old fashioned, strictly Italian made, double breast Capone suites, wearing two tone shoes, laughing at life like everyone does deep down in the land of pizza and mandolino. To be a “good fellow” means to be a true gentleman, loyal and respectful of strong heritage and traditions., It means to smell of the full Italian flavour, while always hungry for a lady’s kiss among the scene of a Neapolitan moonlight. What they do best is the well-known, truly genuine, Italian way of entertaining known the world over. Swingin and jokin’ all the time with the audience in that half Italian, half English, macaroni language. This band truly swings from “Oh Marie”, “Tu vuo fa l’americano”(You wanna be American) to Basie’s “Whirly Bird”, and from Haley’s “A rockin’ little tune” to Lou Monte’s Italian version of Fats Domino’s classic Rock’n’Roll “I’m Walkin”. They walk the junction between Italian American and Afro American music, follow the steps of the giants of swing era, spacing from a shuffle beat to a Philly houserock to Texas blues. Like many of the Italian citizens of the World War II age, the GOOD FELLAS feel the “American Dream”, falling in love with the American brashness, cleverness, then impossible madness, but never really thinkin’ to leave the country of sea and sun, their food, their roots. Lean against his big bass, he’s the boss, Mr. LUCKY LUCIANO, created his own way of swingin’ way back in 1993, always guarded by his “shadow”, boxeur/drummer BUM BUM LA MOTTA. With an experience of more than 100 gigs every year, these great musicians entertained the audiences of England, Germany, France, Switzerland, Wales, Belgium, Slovenjia and every corner of their beautiful Country. Over the Rockin’ scene, they blew the fuse of a spectacular audience at “THE RHYTHM RIOT” at Camber Sands, UK, and rocked the house at “SUMMER JAMBOREE” in Senigallia, obtaining massive compliments as top international act. It’s been a pleasure, during the years of their activity to be backing international stars such as JACK SCOTT, BLUE LOU MARINI, DAVE TAYLOR, GRAHAM FENTON, SCREAMIN’ LORD SUTCH, CHARLIE GRACIE, BIG JAY McNEELY, and they work very often with long time friend fellow musician RAY GELATO. Together, they recorded two albums; GELATO ALL’ITALIANA (1996) and GANGSTERS OF SWING (1998). The GOOD FELLAS have been featured several times on top TV shows and reviews, and recently played a role in the major Italian film “I FOBICI” that includes the beauty of international star SABRINA FERILLI. Fall 1999; the Fellas played the most important show in Italy, featuring the famous comedians ALDO, GIOVANNI E GIACOMO. The show, “Tel chi el Telùn” has been attended by more than 80,000 people during 52 days at the No Limits Hall in Milano, and seen by over 10 million per night on TV. The “SALUTE!” Cd was released in the year 2k. In 2002 Mr. Lucky is the music director for Aldo, Giovanni and Giacomo’s brand new motion picture movie “La leggenda di Al, John and Jack”, based on a gangster story, New York 1959. The fellas play 5 tunes of which 3 Lucky’s originals. Again in that same year and the following, they play their music on a superb new Variety show headlined by famous comedian Paolo CEVOLI, aka L’Assessore PALMIRO CANGINI, called “THE RONCOFRITTO SHOW”, which in 2003 became a theatrical comedy show “MOTONAVE CENERENTOLA” starring Russian beauty and Tv star NATASHA STEFANENKO, with over 120 replicas. 2004, the cd “SONGS FOR AL, JOHN AND JACK” hit the market. The new year 2005 began with a full swingin feeling. The band performs at “UMBRIA JAZZ WINTER”, main Italian jazz festival, selling out every show. Therefore, Carlo Pagnotta, promoter of the event, signs the band immediately for the forthcoming 2005 Summer edition of the Festival! April 2005, the latest release: OLLY MEETS THE GOOD FELLAS, starring guest singer Olly from ska core Italian top act SHANDON. A colourful, miscellania of Italian ballads, jazz tunes, early sixties soundtracks stuff and the unbelievable a-la-fellas versions of Marylin Manson and Queens of the Stone Age modern rock tracks! Wear your best suite, put on your dancin’ shoes, grab your girl and bring your best smile; and WATCH OUT, the GANGSTERS OF SWING are back in town!

Olly Meets The Good Fellas

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Paul Bley Trio - If We May

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s

Time: 55:36

Size: 127.3 MB

Styles: Avant garde jazz

Year: 1994

Art: Front

[ 9:32] 1. Long Ago And Far Away

[ 9:40] 2. Don't Explain

[10:04] 3. If We May

[ 5:57] 4. Indian Summer

[ 9:23] 5. All The Things You Are

[ 5:08] 6. Goodbye

[ 5:50] 7. Confirmation

Paul Bley has long enjoyed engaging in fairly free improvising, making this set of standards (along with the title cut, an original blues) a bit of a surprise. With bassist Jay Anderson and drummer Adam Nussbaum, Bley plays such songs as "Long Ago and Far Away," "All the Things You Are" and "Confirmation" fairly straight at first, almost as if he were normally a bop-based improviser. The music is quite accessible to straightahead fans even if Bley gives these warhorses some new twists, and he shows that he can swing with the best of them (not that anyone really doubted it). ~Scott Yanow

If We May   

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Al Caiola - Serenade in Blue

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 1955
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 34:54
Size: 80,7 MB
Art: Front

(4:38)  1. Serenade in Blue
(4:50)  2. Don't Worry About Me
(5:05)  3. Moments Like This
(4:15)  4. Early Autumn
(3:43)  5. Black and Blue
(5:02)  6. Indian Summer
(4:23)  7. Blue the Night
(2:56)  8. Dram-Buei

Al Caiola (whose name is misspelled Caiora throughout the outside of this CD, although it is correct on the inside!) was a studio guitarist who led some nice easy listening melodic jazz dates during 1955-60. On this budget release, he is heard on four numbers apiece with a pair of overlapping quintets featuring either Romeo Penque (on flute, bass clarinet, and English horn) or trumpeter Bernie Privin; Hank Jones or Ronnie Ball on piano; bassist Clyde Lombardi (listed as Clyde Rombaldi!); and drummer Kenny Clarke. The music, which includes "Don't Worry About Me," "Early Autumn," and "Indian Summer," is light and easy to enjoy, serving both as superior background music and melodic jazz. It is too bad that the packaging (which credits most of the standards, including "Serenade to Blue" and "Early Autumn," to "Caiora") basically stinks! Hopefully someday this set, and Caiola's earlier Savoy album, will be reissued in much more coherent form; they could easily be repackaged as a single CD.~Scott Yanow http://www.allmusic.com/album/serenade-in-blue-mw0000241191

Personnel:  Alto Flute, Bass Clarinet, English Horn – Romeo Penque (tracks: 2, 3, 6, 8);  Bass – Clyde Lombardi;  Drums – Kenny Clarke;  Guitar – Al Caiola;  Piano – Hank Jones (tracks: 2, 3, 6, 8), Ronnie Bell (tracks: 1, 4, 5, 7);  Trumpet, Flugelhorn – Bernie Privin (tracks: 1, 4, 5, 7)

Serenade in Blue

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Chantal Chamberland - Serendipity Street

Styles: Vocal And Guitar Jazz

Year: 2003

File: MP3@320K/s

Time: 68:55

Size: 158,2 MB

Art: Front

(4:12)  1. It's You

(4:05)  2. Time After Time

(4:03)  3. Solitude

(3:14)  4. Romance Me

(2:55)  5. Cry Me A River

(4:34)  6. Les Feuilles Mortes

(3:06)  7. Cheek To Cheek

(4:40)  8. Since I Fell For You

(3:34)  9. God Bless The Child

(5:24) 10. At Seventeen

(3:29) 11. Crazy

(4:23) 12. Across The Room

(5:00) 13. Summertime

(4:43) 14. At Last

(4:21) 15. Faded Valentine

(7:08) 16. Ne Me Quitte Pas

" With her smoky, late-night-at-the-club vocal presence, Chantal Chamberland is like a singer from a different era one from the days when standards by Gershwin and Berlin were pop songs of the moment and vintage jazz was the height of fashion. Serendipity Streetis a showcase for the artist's passionate, velvety singing voice and her equally adept skills as a guitarist. Featured are a series of standards, pop covers and original pieces, which include soulful renditions of Billie Holiday's classic "God Bless the Child," Cyndi Lauper's "Time After Time" and Willie Nelson's "Crazy." With each of these timeless torch songs, Chamberland proves herself as a singer with the chops to go up against the best of today's jazz innovators. You'll definitely want to check out this album if you are a fan of Diana Krall. " Chantal Chamberland's latest CD, Serendipity Street, is a passionate labour of love... sweet, sassy, sultry and sad. Not only does it revisit the standards, it offers intimate originals, some penned by Chamberland herself, others written as collaborative efforts. A native of St. Lambert, Quebec, Chantal Chamberland was raised in Montreal on the music of Edith Piaf, Ella Fitzgerald and Artie Shaw. Eventually, she moved to Ontario to pursue her own musical dreams and, of equal importance, to learn how to speak English.

Chamberland launched her professional career as part of an acoustic folk-rock duo, performing at venues and festivals throughout North America. During these years, she was asked to share the stage with such notables as Sarah McLachlan and the Barenaked Ladies. She then took a brief sabbatical during which she began exploring new areas of music and experimenting in a genre that had always been close to her heart Jazz. With that, she embarked on what promised to be the most gratifying adventure of her career. Her first contemporary jazz release, This is Our Time, gave her the opportunity to meet new artists, play new venues and attract a new fan base. Both radio and retail immediately showed their support for this independent release and This is Our Time soon became a testament to her personal evolution. A fan of Billie Holiday, Etta James, and Shirley Horn, among others, Chamberland's vocal delivery is so alluring that Canadian music critic, Nick Krewen, described her singing as "making love to her songs". It's precisely this technique, along with her captivating stage presence, that has made her musical transition to contemporary jazz artist so magical. With the recent release of Serendipity Street, Chantal Chamberland has become a top-selling independent artist in Canada, while also garnering increasing support and amazing critical response south of the border. As a result, says the owner of International Records in Atlanta, Georgia, "Serendipity Street is one of the fastest selling CD's in our 20 year history." Chantal Chamberland's latest burst of magic was her appearance at the prestigious Montreal International Jazz Festival, where she performed two exhilarating concerts for over 150,000 people. The audience was enthralled. They also recognized that the journey was just beginning; that there would be more magic ahead. So why not join Chantal as she sets out on her remarkable stroll down Serendipity Street? http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/chamberland3

Personnel: Chantal Chamberland (vocals, guitar); Bob Doidge (cello, accordion, flugelhorn).

Serendipity Street   

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Jackie McLean - Bluesnik

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1961
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 53:54
Size: 123,7 MB
Art: Front

(9:32)  1. Bluesnik
(6:34)  2. Goin' Way Blues
(5:52)  3. Drew' s Blues
(5:20)  4. Cool Green
(7:19)  5. Blues Function
(6:18)  6. Torchin
(6:42)  7. Goin' Way Blues (alt. take)
(6:15)  8. Torchin' (alt. take)

Bluesnik, Jackie McLean's seventh session as a leader for Blue Note Records, was one of only two recordings issued by McLean in 1961. With a lineup of trumpeter Freddie Hubbard, bassist Doug Watkins, pianist Kenny Drew, and drummer Pete La Roca, McLean laid down a hard blowing session of six tunes based completely on blues motifs. Many critics as well as jazz fans hold to the opinion that Bluesnik may be McLean's most accessible session for the label. That said, not all of these tunes are blues numbers strictly speaking. They use blues forms, but don't all fall into the conventional 12-bar structure, and therefore even move hard bop paradigms a bit. The title track opening the set is a prime example of this given that it quotes the theme in 12-bar but moves through a knotty ten-bar sequence before roaring into a furious but fluid cut time structure that allows for a maximum "stretching" of the changes by Drew. Drew's "Cool Green," screws around with the 12-bar in the melody, but given the introductory statements made before each line and in the solo breaks, it too pushes the standard blues architecture. There are the great moments in blues here that helped to establish McLean as a giant, such as "Drew's Blues," and the lovely "Torchin'," that closes the set. Hubbard's role here is relatively minor in that he had not yet established himself as a leader and he was still growing into his choppy, taut method of soloing. The swing factor of the rhythm section is undeniable, especially the interaction between Drew and La Roca. In all, this is a monster session effortlessly performed by a soloist at an early peak with a supporting cast of blazing sidemen.~Scott Yanow http://www.allmusic.com/album/bluesnik-mw0000200034

Personnel: Jackie McLean (alto saxophone); Freddie Hubbard (trumpet); Kenny Drew (piano); Doug Watkins (bass instrument, bass guitar); Pete La Roca (drums).

Bluesnik

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Art Tatum - Solos (1940)

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1990
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 45:16
Size: 104,6 MB
Art: Front

(3:16)  1. Elegie
(3:05)  2. Humoresque
(3:01)  3. Sweet Lorraine
(2:45)  4. Get Happy
(3:06)  5. Lullaby Of The Leaves
(2:15)  6. Tiger Rag
(2:59)  7. Sweet Emalina, My Gal (Take A)
(2:52)  8. Sweet Emalina, My Gal (Take B)
(2:21)  9. Emaline
(3:00) 10. Moonglow
(2:43) 11. Love Me
(2:50) 12. Cocktails For Two
(2:31) 13. St. Louis Blues
(2:42) 14. Begin The Beguine
(2:49) 15. Rosetta
(2:53) 16. (Back Home Again In) Indiana

MCA's short-lived Decca cd-reissue program put out this gem, all of Tatum's piano solos from 1940, including two versions of the previously unknown "Sweet Emalina, My Gal." Some of the routines on these standards were a bit familiar by now (this "Tiger Rag" pales next to his 1933 version) but are no less exciting and still sound seemingly impossible to play.~Scott Yanow 

http://www.allmusic.com/album/solos-1940-mw0000203005

Solos (1940)

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Paul Bley - Homage to Carla Bley

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1992
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 56:50
Size: 130,6 MB
Art: Front

(5:20)  1. Seven
(6:40)  2. Closer
(6:30)  3. Olhos de Gato
(5:15)  4. And Now the Queen
(5:37)  5. Vashkar
(3:43)  6. Around Again
(6:52)  7. Donkey
(3:54)  8. King Korn
(1:53)  9. Ictus
(5:07) 10. Turns
(5:56) 11. Overtoned

Pianist Paul Bley, whose earliest recordings sound like Al Haig or Bud Powell, took the styles and techniques associated with Oscar Peterson, Wynton Kelly and Bill Evans to new levels of creative experimentation, becoming an indispensable force in modern music by combining the best elements in bop and early modern jazz with extended free improvisation and procedural dynamics often found in 20th century chamber music. This approach places him in league with artists as diverse as Red Garland, Elmo Hope, Mal Waldron, Jaki Byard, Stanley Cowell, Keith Jarrett, Andrew Hill, Lennie Tristano, Cecil Taylor, Ran Blake, Sun Ra, and Marilyn Crispell. Even a cursory overview of Bley's life and work can be pleasantly overwhelming, for he is among the most heavily recorded of all jazz pianists and his story is inextricably intertwined with the evolution of modern jazz during the second half of the 20th century. Hyman Paul Bley was born in Montreal, Canada on November 10, 1932. A violin prodigy at five, he began playing piano at eight and studied at the McGill Conservatorium, earning his diploma at age eleven. Before long, Hy "Buzzy" Bley was sitting in with jazz bands and had formed his own group. Already a skilled pianist, he landed a steady gig at the Alberta Lounge soon after Oscar Peterson left to begin working for Norman Granz in 1949. The following year Bley continued his musical education at the Juilliard School in New York while gigging in the clubs with trumpeter Roy Eldridge, trombonist Bill Harris, and saxophonists Ben Webster, Sonny Rollins, and Charlie Parker. While enrolled at Juilliard he played in a group with trumpeter Donald Byrd, saxophonist Jackie McLean, bassist Doug Watkins, and drummer Art Taylor. He also hung out at Lennie Tristano's residential studio, absorbing ideas.

Paul Bley's earliest known recordings survive as soundtracks from Canadian television; the first in 1950 with tenor saxophonist Brew Moore and the second in February 1953 with Charlie Parker, special invited guest of the Montreal Jazz Workshop, an artist-run organization Bley helped to establish. His first studio recording date took place in November 1953 with bassist Charles Mingus and drummer Art Blakey. The young pianist's constant interaction with archetypal and influential musicians was phenomenal; he also sat in with trumpeter Chet Baker and saxophonist Lester Young. In 1954 he led three different recording sessions with bassists Peter Ind and Percy Heath, and drummer Alan Levitt. At this stage of his career Paul Bley was an inspired, extremely adept bop pianist whose first decisively innovative period was just about to commence. The plot thickened when Bley moved to California in 1957 and began holding down a steady engagement at the Hillcrest Club in Los Angeles, where he was recorded in 1958 with saxophonist Ornette Coleman, trumpeter Don Cherry, bassist Charlie Haden, and drummer Billy Higgins. He also performed with Canadian trumpeter Herb Spanier and recorded an album with vibraphonist Dave Pike, featuring liner notes and one composition by Karen Borg, a brilliant musician who married the pianist in 1957 and changed her name to Carla Bley. In 1959 the Bleys moved to New York City where they continued to interact with musicians who were operating on the cutting edge of modern jazz including multi-instrumentalist Roland Kirk, saxophonist and composer Oliver Nelson; composer and bandleader George Russell; composer, bassist and bandleader Charles Mingus; trumpeter and bandleader Don Ellis; bassists Gary Peacock and Steve Swallow; drummer Pete La Roca and multi-reedman Jimmy Giuffre. In 1961 Paul Bley made his first visit to Europe.More..~arwulf arwulf http://www.allmusic.com/artist/paul-bley-mn0000745617/biography

Homage to Carla

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Herbie Mann - Live At Newport

Styles: Flute Jazz
Year: 1963
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 40:24
Size: 94,0 MB
Art: Front

( 7:40)  1. Soft Winds
( 7:39)  2. Desafinado
( 6:09)  3. Samba De Orfeu
(10:49)  4. Don't You Know
( 8:05)  5. Garota De Ipanema

Most of Herbie Mann's Atlantic sessions of the 1960s are among the flutist's best and most popular work. Mann and his regular group of 1963 (which includes vibraphonist Dave Pike, pianist Don Friedman, guitarist Attila Zoller, bassist Ben Tucker and drummer Bob Thomas with added percussionists Willie Bobo and Potato Valdez) are heard in spirited form on this set from the 1963 Newport Jazz Festival. There are two surprises, both having to do with Antonio Carlos Jobim tunes. The bossa nova hit "Desafinado" is taken in straight 4/4 time without the percussionists, which makes it sound like a new song. And three months after Stan Getz, Jobim and the Gilbertos recorded "The Girl From Ipanema" (but before it was even released), Mann can be heard playing an instrumental version of the song, here listed as "Garota De Ipanema." A catchy rendition of "Soft Winds," the bossa nova "Samba De Orfeu," and Ben Tucker's "Don't You Know" round out the well-played program.~Scott Yanow http://www.allmusic.com/album/live-at-newport-mw0000011986

Personnel: Herbie Mann (flute); Attila Zoller (guitar); Don Friedman (piano); Dave Pike (vibraphone, background vocals);  Bobby Thomas (drums); Willie Bobo, Carlos "Patato" Valdes (percussion).

Live At Newport

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Buck Clayton, Joe Turner - Buck Clayton Meets Joe Turner

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 44:29
Size: 101.8 MB
Styles: Trumpet jazz
Year: 1965/1988
Art: Front

[7:27] 1. Honeysuckle Rose
[7:30] 2. I'm In A World Of Trouble
[4:10] 3. I Can't Get Started
[3:22] 4. Feel So Fine
[9:02] 5. Perido
[3:21] 6. I Want A Little Girl
[9:34] 7. Too Late, Too Late

Despite its title, trumpeter Buck Clayton and blues singer Big Joe Turner actually perform on three separate songs apiece, only coming together on the concluding "Too Late, Too Late." Recorded in Yugoslavia, these performances also utilize a four-piece Yugoslavian quartet, with vibraphonist Bosko Petrovic the only player to receive much fame through the years. Turner sounds fine on a pair of his blues and "I Want a Little Girl," while Buck jams enthusiastically on "Honeysuckle Rose," "I Can't Get Started" and "Perdido." Nothing all that surprising occurs, but the music is quite satisfying. ~Scott Yanow

Buck Clayton Meets Joe Turner

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Jo Lawry, Karen Oberlin, Michael Winther - Waiting For The Angel

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s

Time: 56:34

Size: 129.5 MB

Styles: Chamber pop

Year: 2015

Art: Front

[5:51] 1. Who Do You Belong To

[3:28] 2. Bad Idea

[4:41] 3. The Angels In The Attic

[3:23] 4. Nothing

[4:30] 5. Do You Think This Happens Everyday

[6:02] 6. Donna The Astronomer

[4:09] 7. The Girl In The Groovy Box

[6:26] 8. Suffer

[6:11] 9. Your Project

[4:19] 10. Good Things Happen Slowly

[3:19] 11. Lullaby For Nathan Charles

[4:10] 12. Weren't We In Love

After years of writing about songs in books and essays, David Hajdu has taken up writing them. Over the past five years, Hajdu has been working with several esteemed composers of jazz, pop and theater music: the pianists Renee Rosnes and Fred Hersch, the alternative-folk singer-songwriter Jill Sobule, and the veteran Broadway composer Michael (Mickey) Leonard. The result is Waiting for the Angel, a collection of quirkily artful songs that defy easy categorization.

An all-star group of artists came together to record the material: singers Jo Lawry, Karen Oberlin, and Michael Winther; pianists Rosnes and Hersch, playing the songs they composed; additional pianist Tedd Firth; and a band with saxophonist Steve Wilson, trumpeter Steven Bernstein, guitarist Peter Bernstein; oboist Charles Pillow, cellist Dave Eggar, bassist Sean Smith, and drummer Carl Allen. Much like Hajdu's writing in prose, the lyrics on Waiting for the Angel tell unexpected tales from unconventional vantage points. "David Hajdu's lyrics tell complex and moving stories -- always from his unique point of view," says Fred Hersch. "They are so easy to work with, the songs almost write themselves."

Jill Sobule adds, "I wish I wrote those lyrics myself." As Renee Rosnes says, "When David first asked if I might be interested in writing some songs together, I was very intrigued. I was well aware that he is a wordsmith of the highest order and was excited at the prospect that we might be able to create something of beauty together. Collaborating with David has been a true revelation. It was very fulfilling to hear Jo, Karen, and Michael bring our songs to life with their brilliant artistry. I feel that David's words have awakened a new compositional side of me, and it is one that I am looking forward to continuing to explore."

Waiting For The Angel

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Jim Croce - Photographs And Memories: His Greatest Hits

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 40:33
Size: 92.9 MB
Styles: AM pop, Folk/rock
Year: 1975/1995
Art: Front

[2:58] 1. Bad, Bad Leroy Brown
[3:46] 2. Operator (That's Not The Way It Feels)
[2:05] 3. Photographs And Memories
[2:42] 4. Rapid Roy (The Stock Car Boy)
[2:25] 5. Time In A Bottle
[3:05] 6. New York's Not My Home
[2:29] 7. Workin' At The Car Wash Blues
[3:09] 8. I Got A Name
[2:29] 9. I'll Have To Say I Love You In A Song
[2:59] 10. You Don't Mess Around With Jim
[3:01] 11. Lover's Cross
[2:44] 12. One Less Set Of Footsteps
[3:09] 13. These Dreams
[3:26] 14. Roller Derby Queen

Until his untimely death, Jim Croce was a force to be reckoned with on radio playlists. Photographs & Memories repackages some of his best work. Romantic acoustic-oriented songs were his hallmark, and songs like "Time in a Bottle," were huge hits because of their easy sentimentality. "I Got a Name" was the singer as well-worn folk traveler, while "Bad, Bad Leroy Brown" and even "You Don't Mess Around with Jim" followed standard boogie chord progressions, albeit with Croce's softer rock feel. There wasn't much really separating the overt emotions of "I'll Have to Say I Love You in a Song" and "Operator" from his sap-dripping contemporaries, but there was just enough of an edge in Croce's warm voice to elevate his love songs to another level. Like a, oh, moderately priced wine, Croce remains a classic--accessible, affordable, and easy to enjoy. ~Steve Gdula

Photographs And Memories: His Greatest Hits

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Doug Raney Trio - The Backbeat

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 1997
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 64:15
Size: 148,1 MB
Art: Front

( 8:57)  1. Love For Sale
(11:22)  2. Jimmy James
(10:31)  3. Prelude To A Kiss
( 7:56)  4. The Backbeat
( 8:33)  5. Purple Eyes
( 7:33)  6. Lee
( 9:21)  7. Driftin'

Some how out of the lineage of significant jazz guitarists, the late Jimmy Raney gets left out of the mix. In equal fashion, it seems like his son Doug suffers from the same lack of awareness on the part of the general jazz public. Doug’s choice to reside in Denmark probably doesn’t help the recognition factor either. Fortunately, SteepleChase has chosen on several occasions to provide a recorded forum for the younger Raney’s creative muse. Opting for a different line-up then utilized on his past SteepleChase efforts, Raney chooses to work in the organ combo format for The Backbeat. In the label’s entire catalog, this marks only the third time a B-3 would be on hand and the second appearance by De Francesco, the other two occasions both being Dave Stryker projects. It proves to be a winning combination, with Raney’s melodic warmth complimented nicely by Joey’s bop histrionics. As I listen to the relaxed lilt of “Jimmy James” (an original by Doug written for his late dad and his young son) the idea of this perfect combination becomes even more apparent. 

DeFrancesco keeps the bass plump and full each time the four-chord vamp comes around and even with all his technical ability, Raney takes his time and unfold his own story with patience. Hart is a model of heartening support throughout. He also creates great interest through his imaginative use of cymbal timbres. Other winners are Horace Silver’s title track and Herbie Hancock’s “Driftin’”. But then again, everything here comes out fitting as comfortably as a favorite old flannel shirt.~C.Andrew Hovan http://www.allaboutjazz.com/the-backbeat-doug-raney-steeplechase-records-review-by-c-andrew-hovan.php

Personnel: Doug Raney- guitar, Joey DeFrancesco- organ, Billy Hart- drums

R.I.P.
Born:  August 29, 1956 /Died:  May 2, 2016

The Backbeat

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Leandra Peak - The Honeysuckle Vine: Lullabies For Everybody

Size: 71,9 MB
Time: 30:28
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2010
Styles: Folk
Art: Front

01. Kentucky Babe (3:50)
02. In The Woods (3:45)
03. Travelin' To You (2:05)
04. Everybody Needs A Lullaby (4:00)
05. I Think About You (2:16)
06. Moon River (2:54)
07. I'll Be Here (2:26)
08. Now The Day Is Over (3:12)
09. Lullaby For You (2:46)
10. Stay Awake (3:09)

Leandra Peak has long been a favorite as half of the Minneapolis-based folk duo Neal & Leandra (with husband Neal Hagberg). Now she steps out front with her first solo recording, The Honeysuckle Vine: Lullabies for Everybody.

Lullabies have been a musical thread throughout Leandra’s life. She remembers her mother singing to her when she was young in Kentucky. She brings that same quiet intimacy to this beautiful collection of lullabies.

She says: “This CD is in response to the people who have told me how relaxing they find my singing. I’m never quite sure how to take it, but it seemed like a lullaby album would be a natural way to go. This is my offering to any of you who might need a break — or a nap. Because everybody needs a lullaby.”

The Honeysuckle Vine features six beautiful originals by Neal Hagberg. Covers include “Kentucky Babe” and “Now the Day Is Over” — songs Leandra’s mom sang to her. “Stay Awake,” is from Mary Poppins, and Leandra chose the Mancini/Mercer classic “Moon River” because she liked the idea of singer and listener being “two drifters, off to see the world.”

Joining Leandra are many top Twin Cities musicians: Jeff Victor, Peter Ostroushko, Dan Schwartz, Gordon Johnson, Dave Jensen, Karen Mueller, Jacqueline Ultan, Dan Chouinard, and Neal Hagberg.

The Honeysuckle Vine

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Todd Beaney - Come Dance With Me

Size: 112,0 MB
Time: 48:03
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2016
Styles: Jazz Rock
Art: Front

01. Come Dance With Me (4:00)
02. Live This Day (3:49)
03. Time For A Change (4:41)
04. Bring It On (4:23)
05. Get Going! (5:07)
06. Seeking To Become (3:37)
07. Today Is Happening (4:18)
08. Up To You (4:28)
09. Diamonds On The Water (6:24)
10. Wormwood's Dilemma (7:11)

Each of the ten originals on this remarkable CD is a gem in its own right, featuring a zesty blend of inspired individual performances, a band chemistry that is both controlled and explosive, and Beaney's distinctive compositional touch. The combination of these seasoned New York area musicians is a winner, as demonstrated in the variety of styles presented on this album--with each track more surprising than the last.
The ensemble work is excellent, and fine solo work is evident throughout as well, particularly in soaring improvisations from trumpeter Chris Pasin, saxophonist Jeff Schiller, and guitarist Al Orlo. Drummer Mark Dodge provides a backbone that is both unwavering and exquisitely tasteful, while keyboardist Beaney and bassists Steve Wexler and Kip Sophos supply solid underpinning and take smooth solo turns as well. There is even a guest appearance by the excellent Uptown Horns on one track--and, together with Pasin and Schiller, the six horns combined may make you think you are hearing a big band.
"Come Dance with Me" is a welcome new offering of contemporary jazz-rock. Fans of instrumental jazz will find it both intriguing and infectious!

Come Dance With Me

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Ann Martindale & Richard Busch - Blue Champagne

Size: 119,9 MB
Time: 51:25
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2016
Styles: Jazz Vocals
Art: Front

01. They All Laughed (2:43)
02. Sentimental Journey (3:10)
03. My Baby Just Cares For Me (2:14)
04. It Might As Well Be Spring (3:27)
05. I Can't Get Started (3:11)
06. Blue Champagne (3:13)
07. Nearness Of You (2:38)
08. Nice Work If You Can Get It (2:51)
09. Do You Know What It Means To Miss New Orleans (3:30)
10. A Nightingale Sang In Berkeley Square (4:02)
11. I Wish I Were In Love Again (2:37)
12. Come Rain Or Come Shine (3:23)
13. Don'tcha Go 'way Mad (2:31)
14. Drinking Again (2:22)
15. Something Cool (4:27)
16. Route 66 (2:37)
17. Can't Take You Nowhere (2:20)

Since 2007, Ann Martindale and Richard Busch have been performing classic American songs and jazz standards at venues in Massachusetts, Florida, New York and Connecticut.

Their repertoire includes songs by such greats as Rodgers & Hart, Duke Ellington, George Gershwin, Harold Arlen, Johnny Mercer, Cole Porter, Hoagy Carmichael, Nat King Cole, Thomas “Fats” Waller and two of their particular favorites, Blossom Dearie and Dave Frishberg.

Recent bookings include the Metropolitan Room in New York City, the historic Nantucket Atheneum, the Baker Art Museum in Naples, Florida, as well as other libraries, museums and other concert venues in Florida and New England.

Richard is an accomplished composer, pianist and a Juilliard graduate. He has received grants in composition from the National Endowment for the Arts and has been a noted conductor and choral director for many years in Massachusetts. Each summer, he performs in a series of classical piano concerts on Cape Cod. He lives in Dennisport, Massachusetts.

Ann has been a frequent soloist in Massachusetts, Florida and Connecticut classical and popular music concerts, including programs for several seasons at the Newtown Meetinghouse and the Merryall Center for the Arts in Connecticut, as well as in summer concert series on Cape Cod. She lives in Fort Myers, Florida, and Nantucket, Massachusetts.

Blue Champagne

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Groovy Jazz Trio - Blue Songs

Size: 167 MB
Time: 23:58
File: FLAC
Released: 2015
Styles: Jazz/Soul: Hamond Organ
Art: Front

01. I Got A Woman (3:48)
02. Stop And Listen (4:22)
03. Celestin (3:40)
04. Georgia On My Mind (4:24)
05. Work Song (4:10)
06. Four On Six (3:33)

Personnel:
Jean-Christophe Renvoyer : Electric Guitar
Antoine Hervier : Organ
Alban Mourgues : Drums

Blue Songs

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Clare Teal - Twelve O’Clock Tales

Size: 154,0 MB
Time: 66:40
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2016
Styles: Vocal Jazz
Art: Front

01. It Might As Well Be Spring (3:40)
02. Feeling Good (5:19)
03. Wild Is The Wind (3:55)
04. Sans Souci (3:26)
05. I'll Never Stop Loving You (5:31)
06. La Belle Dame Sans Regret (5:06)
07. Lush Life (5:58)
08. Never Again (3:33)
09. Spring Can Really Hang You Up The Most (6:42)
10. Always True To You In My Fashion (3:42)
11. Whole (It Isn't Like Me) (4:21)
12. Secret Love (6:27)
13. The Folks Who Live On The Hill (4:10)
14. Paradisi Carousel (4:43)

One of the UK’s finest Jazz singers and much loved performers Clare Teal explores timeless classics penned by the legendary musical storytellers of the last 100 years, and celebrates the giants of the Great American and British Song Books through to the work of more contemporary writers crafting the standards of today plus Clare’s own original compositions.

Accompanied by the renowned Hallé, conducted by Stephen Bell and arranged by British composer and trumpet maestro Guy Barker and celebrated jazz pianists Grant Windsor and Jason Rebello, the rich jazz infused repertoire includes songs from Cole Porter, Billy Strayhorn, Rodgers & Hammerstein and Tim Rice, made famous by the likes of Ella Fitzgerald, Nina Simone, Nancy Wilson and Peggy Lee.

The Hallé is now in its 158th season and ranks among the UK’s top symphonic ensembles with acclaimed performances worldwide

Twelve O’Clock Tales is Clare’s 15th Album and her 7th album released on MUD records.

Twelve O’Clock Tales

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