Johnny 'Hammond' Smith - Opus De Funk

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 70:05
Size: 160.5 MB
Styles: Hard bop, Soul-jazz-funk
Year: 1961/2004
Art: Front

[4:29] 1. Sticks And Stones
[5:26] 2. Because You Left Me
[7:56] 3. Ribs An' Chips
[4:39] 4. Cry Me A River
[3:50] 5. Que Pasa
[3:04] 6. Invitation
[4:16] 7. Spring Is Here
[2:53] 8. Stimulation
[5:17] 9. Opus De Funk
[4:24] 10. Almost Like Being In Love
[4:07] 11. Autumn Leaves
[4:48] 12. Sad Eyes
[5:42] 13. Gone With The Wind
[4:28] 14. If Someone Had Told Me
[4:38] 15. Shirley's Theme

While organist Johnny "Hammond" Smith never attained the status of Jimmy Smith, he nonetheless fronted first-rate bands and accumulated a fine discography. Recorded in 1961, Opus de Funk brings together two Smith albums in one package, Stimulation and Opus de Funk. Since the same band -- vibraphonist Freddie McCoy, guitarist Eddie McFadden, bassist Wendell Marshall, and drummer Leo Stevens -- played on both sets, and since both albums aren't very long by contemporary standards, the pair fit snuggly on the same CD. The really unusual element here is the presence of McCoy, because one doesn't usually associate vibes with jazz organ combos. The vibes work, however, and give the resonance of Smith's organ a lighter counterpoint that brightens up the overall sound. The band delivers fine versions of familiar pieces -- "Cry Me a River," "Autumn Leaves," and "Gone With the Wind" -- alongside newer pieces like "Ribs an' Chips" and "Que Pasa?" With a couple of exceptions, this snappy unit likes to keep things tight, and seldom extends a piece for over five minutes. The one big exception is Smith's "Ribs an' Chips," a breezy eight-minute bit of blues with fine solos by McFadden and McCoy. Opus de Funk is a welcome reissue and will be greeted warmly by jazz organ fans. ~Ronnie D. Lankford Jr.

Opus De Funk

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Connie Russell - Alone With You

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 28:24
Size: 65.0 MB
Styles: jazz-pop vocals
Year: 1995/2011
Art: Front

[1:57] 1. Alone With You
[2:15] 2. Close Your Eyes
[2:31] 3. Near You
[2:31] 4. All I Do Is Dream Of You
[2:29] 5. I Can't Give You Anything But Love
[2:22] 6. Take Me In Your Arms
[2:13] 7. Dream A Little Dream Of Me
[2:19] 8. You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To
[2:09] 9. You And The Night And The Music
[2:44] 10. That Old Feeling
[2:22] 11. The Touch Of Your Lips
[2:26] 12. You're My Man

A wonderful set from vocalist Connie Russell – a sexy singer whose sound perfectly matches her bottomless look on the cover of the record! Arrangements are relatively soft, but with a nice touch of jazz – and Connie's dusky vocals move effortlessly through the tunes – with nice little inflections that make the familiar tunes her own, and which really illuminate some of the lesser-known numbers. Ian Bernard handles the backings – and titles include “You're My Man”, “You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To”, “Take Me In Your Arms”, “All I Do Is Dream Of You”, “You & The Night & The Music”, and “That Old Feeling”.

Alone With You

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Yakov Okun - New York Encounter

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 56:21
Size: 129.0 MB
Styles: Piano jazz
Year: 2011
Art: Front

[5:48] 1. Pent-Up Chaos
[8:19] 2. Kind Bug
[6:00] 3. Spillikins
[7:26] 4. Jitterbug Waltz
[6:29] 5. Eric Dolphy's Tomb
[5:09] 6. Falling In Love Again
[6:27] 7. Plain Jane
[5:33] 8. Giant Steps
[5:07] 9. Heaven

Yakov Okun (P); Ben Street (B); Billy Drummond (D). Recorded November 11, 2010 in Brooklyn, NY, USA by Joe Marciano.

A major force in Russian Jazz since the mid ‘90s, pianist Yakov Okun, finally places himself on the international stage with his Criss Cross debut, a trio date with world-class bass-drum team Ben Street and Billy Drummond, on which he mixes challenging original material with strong arrangements and less traveled Songbook repertoire and tunes by Sonny Rollins and Fats Waller.

At 38, Okun is an individualistic voice, an important player, able in his improvisations to refract an entire timeline of jazz vocabulary in a cogent, compositional manner.

New York Encounter

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Richard Harris - A Tramp Shining

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 31:30
Size: 72.1 MB
Styles: Vocal
Year: 1968/2016
Art: Front

[2:54] 1. Didn't We
[2:47] 2. Paper Chase
[3:50] 3. Name Of My Sorrow
[4:03] 4. Lovers Such As I
[2:40] 5. In The Final Hours
[7:24] 6. MacArthur Park
[2:09] 7. Dancing Girl
[3:14] 8. If You Must Leave My Life
[2:26] 9. A Tramp Shining

The artist's first collaboration with composer/producer Jimmy Webb is a great record, even 35 years later, encompassing pop, rock, elements of classical music, and even pop-soul in a body of brilliant, bittersweet romantic songs by Webb, all presented in a consistently affecting and powerful vocal performance by Harris. Harris treaded onto Frank Sinatra territory here, and he did it with a voice not remotely as good or well trained as his, yet he pulled it off by sheer bravado and his ability as an actor, coupled with his vocal talents -- his performance was manly and vulnerable enough to make women swoon, but powerful and manly enough to allow their husbands and boyfriends to feel okay listening to a man's man like Harris singing on such matters. The production and arrangements by Webb were some of the lushest ever heard on a pop album of the period, with a 35-piece orchestra whose presence was more influenced by the Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band album than it was by any of Nelson Riddle's work with Sinatra. Strangely enough, "MacArthur Park" -- the massive hit off the album -- isn't all that representative of the rest of the record, which relies much more on strings than brass and horns, and has a somewhat lower-key feel but also a great deal more subtlety. One can also hear the influence of Webb's then-recent work with the Fifth Dimension in the presence of the muted female chorus on "In the Final Hours" and, much more so, on "If You Must Leave My Life" (perhaps the best song on the album, and the most complex, with heavy rhythm guitar, a great beat, and lush orchestrations), which almost sounds like a lost Fifth Dimension cut. None of the support musicians are credited, though it's a safe bet that Larry Knechtel, Hal Blaine, and Joe Osborn are among those present. The domestic CD sounds amazingly good, considering that it was mastered in the 1980s, but serious fans may want to opt for Raven Records' The Webb Sessions, which contains this album plus its follow-up, The Yard Went on Forever. ~Bruce Eder

A Tramp Shining

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Oscar Peterson & Clark Terry - S/T

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 41:21
Size: 94.7 MB
Styles: Bop, Piano jazz
Year: 1975/2006
Art: Front

[4:20] 1. On A Slow Boat To China
[4:40] 2. But Beautiful
[4:25] 3. Shaw 'nuff
[7:09] 4. Satin Doll
[4:44] 5. Chops
[5:52] 6. Makin' Whoopee
[5:36] 7. No Flugel Blues
[4:32] 8. Mack The Knife

Pianist Oscar Peterson and flugelhornist Clark Terry always made for a perfect matchup. Their duet set (one of five Peterson made during this period) is quite friendly, witty and hard-swinging. C.T. generally sets the joyous mood and on numbers such as "On a Slow Boat to China," "Shaw 'Nuff," "No Flugel Blues" and "Mack the Knife," the warm-toned flugelhornist shows that he was one of the few who could truly keep up with the remarkable pianist. ~Scott Yanow

Oscar Peterson & Clark Terry

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The Cutting Edge - S/T

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 64:52
Size: 148.5 MB
Styles: Post bop
Year: 1999
Art: Front

[ 7:57] 1. Footprints
[ 5:53] 2. Yesterdays
[10:05] 3. Code Bleu
[ 6:36] 4. Canaloupe Island
[ 7:56] 5. Cutting Edge
[ 7:20] 6. Secret Of The Andes
[ 5:16] 7. Space Dozen
[ 7:14] 8. Our Destiny
[ 6:31] 9. Get Out Of Town

Bass – Jay Anderson; Drums – Steve Davis; Piano, Arranged By, Producer – Andy Laverne; Tenor Saxophone – Walt Weiskopf; Trombone – Conrad Herwig; Trumpet – Tim Hagans.

The Cutting Edge

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Jeri Southern - You Better Go Now

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 36:10
Size: 82.8 MB
Styles: Vocal jazz
Year: 2010
Art: Front

[2:53] 1. You Better Go Now
[3:03] 2. Give Me Time
[3:32] 3. Something I Dreamed Last Night
[3:02] 4. The Man That Got Away
[2:57] 5. When I Fall In Love
[2:47] 6. Just Got To Have Him Around
[3:01] 7. Dancing On The Ceiling
[2:31] 8. Speak Softly To Me
[2:58] 9. What Good Am I Without You
[3:04] 10. I Thought Of You Last Night
[3:10] 11. That Ole Devil Called Love
[3:07] 12. Remind Me

If you were to leaf through all the material written about Jeri Southern in the past five years or so by record reviewers, night club critics, newspaper columnists and others, you would notice a constant recurrence of such words as delicacy, sensitivity, taste, subtlety and restraint. If you find these qualities admirable, then it's a fine experience you have in store as you listen to these lyrical little milestones in Miss Southern's recording career. On some of them she sounds very close to tears, on others she sounds wise and profound and perhaps just a bit cynical. Sometimes she seems like a wistful little girl, and the next minute she's silken and sultry and seductive. The moods are many and complex, and they are all Jeri Southern's. They are all yours too, to share with her here in this album.

You Better Go Now

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David Hazeltine - Close To You

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 62:53
Size: 144.0 MB
Styles: Piano jazz
Year: 2004
Art: Front

[6:01] 1. Close To You
[5:43] 2. Waltzing At Suite One
[6:52] 3. I'm Old Fashioned
[7:05] 4. You Don't Know What Love Is
[4:59] 5. Barbara
[6:39] 6. Buddy's Tune
[6:18] 7. Blues For P. Wash
[6:17] 8. Minor Adjustment
[4:44] 9. I'll Only Miss Her
[8:13] 10. Willow Weep For Me

As a member of the hardbop unit One For All and a perennial sideman, David Hazeltine has firmly established his identity as a pianist and composer/arranger of considerable talent. With tried and true partners Peter Washington and Joe Farnsworth on hand, Hazeltine presents his latest trio set Close To You. Along with a clever new take on the title track originally made famous by The Carpenters, Hazeltine spruces up a great set of standards in his own inimitable way.

Close To You

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Howard Alden, Manu Lafer, Swami Junior - Trip The Light Fantastic

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 50:42
Size: 116.1 MB
Styles: Contemporary jazz
Year: 2016
Art: Front

[2:21] 1. High Is Better Than Low
[2:58] 2. Simon & Tha Amazing Dancing Bear
[3:53] 3. Mabel, Mabel
[3:20] 4. Guess Who's In Town
[3:22] 5. Some Of These Days
[3:08] 6. The Poor People Of Paris
[4:01] 7. The Very Thought Of You
[3:02] 8. You Should Have Told Me
[3:15] 9. Sky Girl (Fathom's Theme)
[3:03] 10. Who's Who
[3:24] 11. That Travelling Two Beat
[3:24] 12. Paint Yourself A Rainbow
[3:24] 13. You're An Old Smoothie
[3:26] 14. Sidewalks Of New York (East Side, West Side)
[4:33] 15. Right Now

Born in Newport Beach, California, in 1958, Howard Alden began playing at age ten, inspired by recordings of Armstrong, Basie and Goodman, as well as those by guitarists Barney Kessel, Charlie Christian, Django Reinhardt and George Van Eps. Soon he was working professionally around Los Angeles playing in groups ranging from traditional to mainstream to modern jazz. In 1979, Alden went east, for a summer in Atlantic City with Red Norvo, and continued to perform with him frequently for several years. Upon moving to New York City in 1982, Alden's skills, both as soloist and accompanist, were quickly recognized and sought-out for appearances and recordings with such artists as Joe Bushkin, Ruby Braff, Joe Williams, Warren Vache` and Woody Herman.

Swami Jr. is a brazillian acoustic guitar player (7-string), bass player, producer, arranger and composer. He recorded and played with several artists world wide, such as Omara Portuondo (Cuba), Chico Cesar, Elba Ramalho, Lokua Kanza (Congo), Zelia Duncan, Vanessa da Mata, Rita Lee, Elza Soares, Zeca Baleiro,Tom Ze, Rita Ribeiro, Luciana Souza, Jose Miguel Wisnik, Na Ozzetti, Danilo Caymmi, Virginia Rosa, Chico Pinheiro, Vania Bastos, Luiz Tatit, Marco Pereira, Marcos Suzano, Moska, Dominguinhos, and others.

Trip The Light Fantastic

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Sue Tucker - Back Home

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 48:24
Size: 110.8 MB
Styles: Jazz vocals
Year: 2006
Art: Front

[3:09] 1. Just A-Sittin' And A-Rockin'
[3:50] 2. Will You Still Be Mine
[3:50] 3. Lullaby In Rhythm
[3:10] 4. Day Dream
[3:06] 5. Whisper Not
[4:13] 6. When Lights Are Low
[4:20] 7. Exactly Like You
[3:37] 8. That Old Feeling
[3:57] 9. Bye Bye Baby
[4:33] 10. Beautiful Love
[3:28] 11. Under A Blanket Of Blue
[3:21] 12. Soon
[3:42] 13. Why Did I Choose You

Sue Tucker: vocals; Tanner Taylor: piano; Gary Raynor: bass; Kent Saunders: guitar; Luis Santiago: congas.

For her third album, singer Sue Tucker wanted to try something different. Her concept was to explore a more earthy jazz vocal album in which "jazz meets the gravel road" through the use of rhythm guitar instead of drums. She was also seeking less familiar tunes with great melodies and lyrics that apply to today's environment—and which haven't been overexposed on recordings. Appropriately, the album is titled Back Home.

Sue Tucker comes from a most musical family. Her father, Jack Oatts, was one of Iowa's first jazz educators; her brothers are trumpeter Jim Oatts and the much-recorded reedman Dick Oatts. The singer also has woodwind training and experience. Her last album, May I Come In (2004), benefited from the presence of Dick Oats, Ted Rosenthal, Joe Magnarelli and John Mosca. Here she utilizes local talent: pianist Tanner Taylor, bassist Gary Raynor and conguero Luis Santiago; the only familiar face from previous sessions is the guitarist, Kent Saunders.

I really enjoyed May I Come In, especially the mix of relatively obscure songs and Tucker's ability to make them swing. I don't know that the choice of material is any different on this album. Sue Tucker has a bit of a Susannah McCorkle-ish lilt to her voice and manages once again to make the music come alive.

The well-trodden Strayhorn/Ellington tune "Just A-Sittin' And A-Rockin'" opens the album in a mid-tempo pace, and Tucker smartly rides it along with Taylor. The Benny Goodman/Edgar Sampson piece "Lullaby in Rhythm" remains an untouched jazz vocal on contemporary recordings. The lyrics to Benny Golson's "Whisper Not" and Benny Carter's "When Lights Are Low," by Spencer Williams, make a solid choice for the singer, complemented by an arco solo from Raynor. Raynor also begins the Dorothy Fields/Jimmy McHugh standard "Exactly Like You" with a bass intro and then a duet with Tucker. Saunders takes a tasty guitar solo on the break.

On the Leo Robin/Jule Styne tune "Bye Bye Baby," Tucker begins with the sweetly voiced verse and then shifts into a swing tempo, with Kent Saunders taking a burning solo on guitar. On Victor Young's "Beautiful Love," a tune long associated with Bill Evans, Tucker chooses a rarely tackled vocal with some assistance from Santiago. The album concludes with a touching and effective ballad, a Broadway tune from Martin and Leonard, "Why Did I Choose You." ~Michael P. Gladston

Back Home

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The Hal Galper Quintet - Let's Call This That

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s

Time: 63:57

Size: 146.4 MB

Styles: Piano jazz, Post bop

Year: 1999

Art: Front

[ 8:14] 1. Let's Call This That

[ 9:11] 2. The Babes Of Cancun

[ 9:02] 3. Diane's Melody

[12:03] 4. Upon The Swing

[ 8:20] 5. In Love In Peacock Park

[ 9:58] 6. I'll Keep On Loving You

[ 7:06] 7. Constellation

Hal Galper expanded his regular trio to a quintet for this 1999 studio session, adding trumpeter Tim Hagans and tenor saxophonist Jerry Bergonzi; bassist Jeff Johnson and drummer Steve Ellington round out the group. The pianist kicks off the date with Sam Rivers' angular blues "Let's Call This That"; following his guests' straight-ahead solos, Galper mixes some unusual runs into his solo. Jaki Byard's "Diane's Melody" had special meaning to the leader, as its composer was found shot to death just two weeks prior to the making of this recording. Written as a tribute to one of Byard's two daughters, it takes on a melancholy air. Bergonzi is prominently featured in the soothing treatment of Bud Powell's "I'll Keep on Loving You," backed by Galper and Johnson. University of Miami music professor Ron Miller (one of Galper's favorite composers) contributed two songs, the lively "The Babes of Cancun" and the lyrical waltz "In Love in Peacock Park." The quintet finishes the date with a flourish, with a wild interpretation of Charlie Parker's "Constellation," in which Byard's influence on Galper's piano style is readily apparent. This CD is well worth acquiring. ~Ken Dryden

Let's Call This That

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Sy Oliver - Yes Indeed

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 38:16
Size: 87.6 MB
Styles: Trumpet jazz
Year: 2007
Art: Front

[3:10] 1. Yes Indeed
[3:52] 2. Rumble
[3:18] 3. Creole Love Call
[3:59] 4. Pennies From Heaven
[4:49] 5. Zonky
[2:59] 6. T'aint What You Do It's The Way You Do It
[4:56] 7. Undecided
[3:20] 8. Sophisticated Lady
[3:13] 9. Ain't She Sweet
[4:36] 10. Sy Oliver -Move

Born Melvin "Sy" Oliver on December 17, 1910, in Battle Creek, Michigan, he left home at age 17 to play trumpet with Zack Whyte and his Chocolate Beau Brummels. He later developed his growling trumpet style in Alphonso Trent's territory band. Oliver joined Jimmie Lunceford's band in 1933, playing trumpet and contributing many hit arrangements, including "My Blue Heaven" and "Ain't She Sweet." In 1939, he became Tommy Dorsey's main arranger, providing many hip arrangements for the group at the time (similar to Fletcher Henderson's role with the rival Benny Goodman Orchestra during the same period). After leaving the Dorsey band, Oliver worked as a freelance arranger, including 10 years as musical director at Decca Records, during which time he presided over arrangements of recordings for Ella Fitzgerald. He continued leading his own nine-piece band through the '70s and retired from the music scene in 1984. He passed away on May 29, 1988, at age 77. ~Bill Milkowski

Yes Indeed

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Peter Bernstein - Let Loose!

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 55:53
Size: 127.9 MB
Styles: Guitar jazz
Year: 2016
Art: Front

[6:47] 1. Let Loose
[7:04] 2. Resplendor
[5:59] 3. Hidden Pockets
[5:23] 4. Tres Palabras
[5:03] 5. Cupcake
[6:10] 6. Lullaby For B
[6:32] 7. Sweet Love Of Mine
[6:53] 8. Blue Gardenia
[5:56] 9. This Is Now

Guitarist Peter Berstein is justly renowned as an interpreter of other people’s music. His unerring, relaxed swing, his stunning gift for crafting and developing sophisticated melodies, the un-showy but absorbing narrative arc of his solos, the just plain rightness of his in-the-moment choices—all of these account for his well-established status as one of the most in-demand musicians on the New York jazz scene.

Let Loose, Bernstein’s debut release for Smoke Sessions Records, shifts the focus to Bernstein the composer. Five of the album’s nine tracks stem from the guitarist’s pen. It also features a quartet of artists who are equally well versed in tradition and innovation, who can breathe ecstatic life into these pieces while simultaneously anchoring them with deep roots. Bassist Doug Weiss and drummer Bill Stewart are longtime collaborators stretching back nearly three decades. Gerald Clayton is the newcomer but brings along a reputation as one of the most respected pianists of his generation.

The spirit of the session is pithily captured in the title of the album: Let Loose, a case of simplicity masking complexity. The surface meaning suggests an unbridling of passion, an opening of the floodgates of expression that definitely characterizes the playing of all four members of the quartet. But there’s also the suggestion of the need to allow oneself to be loose, free, open to whatever may come—a guiding principle on the stage as well as off.

Let Loose!

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Bobby Hutcherson - Wise One

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 53:45
Size: 123.0 MB
Styles: Vibraphone jazz
Year: 2009
Art: Front

[7:51] 1. Wise One
[5:48] 2. Like Sonny
[5:08] 3. Aisha
[5:28] 4. Equinox
[6:58] 5. All Or Nothing At All
[4:34] 6. Nancy (With The Laughing Face)
[6:40] 7. Spiritual
[6:16] 8. Out Of This World
[4:58] 9. Dear Lord

Bobby Hutcherson: vibes; Anthony Wilson: electric guitar; Joe Gilman: piano; Glenn Richman: bass; Eddie Marshall: drums.

Recently named NEA Jazz Master, Bobby Hutcherson has an extensive discography, though opportunities to record as a leader have slowed a good bit since the dawn of the 21st century. Hutcherson is still very much an important vibraphonist, as this excellent tribute to John Coltrane reveals. All nine songs were either written or recorded by Coltrane, though Hutcherson's choice of instrumentation deliberately moves away from the jazz master's typical groups. Guitarist Anthony Wilson takes the place of a second reed instrument while pianist Joe Gilman and drummer Eddie Marshall both have a lighter style of playing in comparison to McCoy Tyner and Elvin Jones respectively. Bassist Glenn Richman is not as well known as his fellow musicians on the date, though he establishes himself as a solid player from the onset. Hutcherson, who, despite being active in jazz for the last seven years of Coltrane's life, never recorded with him, offers interpretations that provide a striking contrast to those heard on the late saxophonist's albums.

The four Coltrane pieces, for the most part, are infrequently explored by other jazz musicians. The brooding, powerful "Spiritual" retains its tension, though the vibes are much lighter than Coltrane's soprano sax, as is Wilson's guitar in place of Eric Dolphy's piercing bass clarinet. The breezy Latin setting of "Like Sonny" contrasts with the reflective interpretation of the title track and the gently swinging "Dear Lord."

Although Coltrane was a prolific composer during the 1960s, he took time out to explore compositions by others. Two standards, "Nancy (With the Laughing Face)" and "All or Nothing at All," appeared on the Ballads album, rumored to have been a rebuttal to critics who thought Coltrane was no longer capable of playing a great melody without an avalanche of notes. Hutcherson takes the former in a reserved fashion while the latter is played as a brisk bossa nova, with delightful comping by the rhythm section. Tyner's "Aisha" is a rarity because Coltrane rarely recorded his sidemen's originals. Hutcherson's spacious, shimmering arrangement does much to unveil its beauty, an early work that is deserving of greater exploration by others. ~Ken Dryden

Wise One

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Solveig Slettahjell - Slow Motion Orchestra

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 52:32
Size: 120.3 MB
Styles: Jazz vocals
Year: 2001
Art: Front

[4:30] 1. All The Way
[5:41] 2. Comes Love
[5:14] 3. Blame It On My Youth
[6:46] 4. My Heart Belongs To Daddy
[3:06] 5. What A Little Moonlight Can Do
[4:17] 6. Little Girl Blue
[4:32] 7. I've Got A Crush On You
[5:34] 8. I Remember Clifford
[3:05] 9. Reaching For The Moon
[6:45] 10. Beatiful Love
[2:59] 11. Wild Is The Wind

Solveig Slettahjell: vocals; Sjur Miljeteig: trumpet, alto and barytone horns, electronics, vocals; Even Hermansen: guitar, vocals; Morten Qvenild: grand piano, synthesizers, harps, marxophone, programming, vocals; Andreas Ulvo: organ, vocals; Jo Berger Myhre: bass, baritone guitar, vocals; Per Oddvar Johansen: drums, percussion, electronics, musical saw, vocals.

From a simple idea, great things can sometimes come. When Solveig Slettahjell formed Slow Motion Orchestra for a 2001 performance that became the 15-piece group's eponymous first recording on Norway's Curling Legs, the premise was simple: take a collection of songs from the Great American Songbook, and slow them down. Way down. But over the course of three albums and an eye-opening performance at Kristiansand's 2007 Punkt Festival, the Norwegian singer and her trimmed-down quintet proved that slow, powerful and dramatic need not be mutually exclusive terms. ~John Kelman

Slow Motion Orchestra                

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Horace Parlan - Hi-Fly

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 71:32
Size: 163.8 MB
Styles: Hard bop, Piano jazz
Year: 1997
Art: Front

[6:55] 1. Hi-Fly
[7:27] 2. Round Abour Midnight
[4:43] 3. Once I Loved
[6:59] 4. Darn That Dream
[5:30] 5. Who Cares
[4:41] 6. West Coast Blues
[6:33] 7. Hi-Fly
[7:25] 8. Round Abour Midnight
[4:46] 9. Once I Loved
[6:51] 10. Darn That Dream
[5:12] 11. Who Cares
[4:25] 12. West Coast Blues

This Horace Parlan session is a bit different from most of his albums for Steeplechase. First, he utilizes a drummerless trio with guitarist Doug Raney and bassist Wilbur Little. Second, it was recorded initially via direct-to-disc, which meant no editing was possible and an entire album side had to be recorded in one take without stopping. The short-lived revival of this process produced albums of exquisite sound, but they had to be limited edition due to the limited wear the few disc masters could endure in the manufacturing process. Fortunately, the masters were either in great condition or the session was also taped on reels as well, because the identical six songs (played in the same order) are heard in alternate versions on this expanded CD reissue. The ease with which Parlan and Raney handle "Hi-Fly" over Little's walking bass is the mark of masters, while the bittersweet air of the bossa nova "Once I Loved" is carried by the guitarist. The alternate takes are just as viable as the masters, so it must have been difficult for producer Nils Winther to choose between them when the original LP was being prepared. ~Ken Dryden

Hi-Fly

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Sergio Pires & Bobby Broom - Passport Not Required

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 55:54
Size: 128.0 MB
Styles: Brazilian jazz, Latin rhythms
Year: 2007
Art: Front

[7:18] 1. A Tua Presenca
[4:50] 2. Zoom Zum
[7:57] 3. Dragao
[5:19] 4. Nove Meses
[3:47] 5. Tempo De Estio
[8:10] 6. Boipeba
[6:26] 7. Baton
[5:54] 8. Beira Do Mundo
[6:08] 9. Tarde Em Itapua

Sergio Pires was born in Salvador, Bahia, Brazil, self taught songwriter, playing original musical since his early twenties back in Brazil. Met Bobby Broom while living in Chicago around 1992 and since then they have been playing together around town. Bobby Broom is a gifted guitarrist, who played with Miles Davis, Stanley Turrentine, Sonny Rollins, among others. Currently on tour with Sonny Rollins, Bobby has a strong following all over the world and he is also a part of the Deep Blues Trio and his own trio.

Passport Not Required was produced by Sergio Pires and Bobby Broom in 2007, it has 9 songs blending from Brazilian music to jazzy organic grooves. Besides the original material written by Sergio Pires, it has two songs written by Cateano Veloso and Tarde em Itapua written by Toquinho and Viniicius de Moraes.

Passport Not Required

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Joey Calderazzo - Secrets

Styles: Piano Jazz

Year: 1995

File: MP3@320K/s

Time: 46:46

Size: 107,3 MB

Art: Front

(5:42)  1. Secrets

(4:32)  2. No One Knows I'm Here

(6:07)  3. Aurora

(4:55)  4. Scriabin

(7:36)  5. Echoes

(5:13)  6. Filles De Kilimenjaro

(5:34)  7. Last Visit Home

(7:03)  8. ATM

Joey Calderazzo may not have achieved the acclaim of some of the pianists of his generation like Benny Green and Bill Charlap, but he has consistently created CDs that stand the test of time. These 1995 sessions for Audio Quest feature him leading a variety of different ensembles ranging from trios to octets with potent arrangements by Bob Belden. Six of the eight tracks are Calderazzo's compositions, highlighted by the infectious horn lines in his rhythmic "Echoes" and the wistful air of "Last Visit Home." His trio with bassist James Genus and drummer Clarence Penn are afire in his driving "No One Knows Why I'm Here" and the explosive "ATM." Belden's setting of Miles Davis' "Filles de Kilimenjaro" has an exotic air with the addition of guitarist Fareed Haque and Charles Pillow's English horn. This is a rewarding disc that deserves to be more widely known.~Ken Dryden http://www.allmusic.com/album/secrets-mw0000645669

Personnel: Joey Calderazzo (piano); Tim Ries (soprano saxophone, flute); Charlie Pillow (tenor saxophone, English horn, bass clarinet); Tim Hagans (trumpet, flugelhorn); Earl McIntyre (bass trombone, tuba); John Clark (French horn); Tomas Ulrich (cello); Fareed Haque (guitar); James Genus (bass); Clarence Penn (drums).

Secrets

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Archie Shepp & Horace Parlan - Goin' Home

Styles: Saxophone And Piano Jazz
Year: 1977
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 51:15
Size: 118,0 MB
Art: Front

(6:10)  1. Goin' Home
(4:43)  2. Nobody Knows The Troubles I've Seen
(4:21)  3. Go Down Moses
(6:14)  4. Steal Away To Jesus
(4:51)  5. Deep River
(4:40)  6. My Lord What A Morning
(4:22)  7. Amazing Grace
(5:20)  8. Sometimes I Feel Like A Motherless Child
(2:43)  9. Swing Low, Sweet Chariot
(7:48) 10. Come Sunday

Archie Shepp's two duet albums with pianist Horace Parlan on SteepleChase (the other one is 1980's Trouble in Mind) both find the innovative avant-garde tenor in relaxed and melodic form, respectfully interpreting music of the 1920s and before. Goin' Home features Shepp (who doubles on soprano) and Parlan playing tasteful versions of nine ancient black folk melodies including "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot," "Nobody Knows the Troubles I've Seen" and "Deep River." Those listeners only familiar with Shepp's earlier Fire Music will find these compelling performances to be a revelation.~Scott Yanow http://www.allmusic.com/album/goin-home-mw0000192507

Personnel: Archie Shepp (soprano saxophone, tenor saxophone); Horace Parlan (piano).

Goin' Home

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Dave Stryker Quartet - Blue Degrees

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 67:07
Size: 153.7 MB
Styles: Blues/jazz guitar
Year: 1993
Art: Front

[10:54] 1. Blue Degrees
[ 8:17] 2. Scorpian Dance
[ 5:29] 3. Alfie
[ 7:56] 4. Out Of Bounds
[ 9:40] 5. Spirit In The Wind
[10:39] 6. Talkin' About J.C.
[ 7:12] 7. Stella By Starlight
[ 6:57] 8. Blues For Brother Jack

Whether you’ve heard guitarist Dave Stryker leading his own group (with 26 CD’s as a leader to date), co-leading The Stryker/Slagle Band, or as a featured sideman with Stanley Turrentine, Jack McDuff, and many others, you know why the Village Voice calls him “one of the most distinctive guitarists to come along in recent years.”

Early on Stryker realized that as much as he loved playing standards and the jazz repertoire he had to have something of his own to give to the music. He feels that his writing combined with his playing is what shapes his musical expression. He has recorded and published over 150 of his own compositions and has released “The Dave Stryker Songbook” with most of his original music. Also 18 of the compositions (from the first five SteepleChase CD’s) are compiled in the book: “The Music of Dave Stryker”.

Blue Degrees

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