Bennie Moten - 1929-1932: Band Box Shuffle (2-Disc Set)

While most of Bennie Moten's music has been released, a single and complete volume of his important Victor recordings is still missing. Now there's Hep's Band Box Shuffle, which takes in Moten's prime 1929-1932 stretch for the company via 47 superbly remastered tracks. And mirroring the sterling transfers engineer John R.T. Davies has supplied, the liner notes, written by jazz photographer and historian Frank Driggs, provide a hugely readable and exhaustive account of the group's history. Of course, that history recounts the Moten band's position as one of the best of the many territory bands to emerge in the Southwest during the '20s, which was due in no small part to the presence of Count Basie and many of the other stars who would help him form his own big band in the '30s. Basie's future jump fleetness is especially evident on the ten classic 1932 sides that close this set, notably complex barnstormers like "Toby," "Lafayette," and "Moten Swing." The likes of Ben Webster, Hot Lips Page, and Walter Page all contribute to the fine swing. A good share of the remaining tracks, while often maligned in relation to these later cuts, have worn well, too -- clunky tuba, accordion, and all. ~Stephen Cook

Album: 1929-1932: Band Box Shuffle (Disc 1)

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s

Time: 73:36

Size: 168.5 MB

Styles: Big band

Year: 2005

[2:51] 1. Rumba Negro (Spanish Stomp)

[3:07] 2. The Jones Law Blues

[3:15] 3. Jones Law Blues

[2:34] 4. Band Box Shuffle

[3:10] 5. Small Black

[3:21] 6. Small Black

[3:08] 7. Everyday Blues (Yo Yo Blues)

[3:13] 8. Boot It

[3:14] 9. Mary Lee

[2:46] 10. Rit-Dit-Ray 2

[2:46] 11. Rit-Dit-Ray

[2:58] 12. New Vine Street Blues

[2:36] 13. Sweetheart Of Yesterday

[3:31] 14. Won't You Be My Baby

[3:14] 15. Won't You Be My Baby

[3:07] 16. I Wish I Could Be Blue

[3:08] 17. I Wish I Could Be Blue

[2:53] 18. Oh! Eddie

[2:54] 19. Oh! Eddie

[3:12] 20. That Too, Do

[3:20] 21. That Too, Do

[2:58] 22. Mack's Rhythm

[3:15] 23. You Made Me Happy

[2:54] 24. Here Comes Marjorie

1929-1932: Band Box Shuffle (Disc 1)

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Album: 1929-1932: Band Box Shuffle (Disc 2)

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s

Time: 71:25

Size: 163.5 MB

Styles: Big band

Year: 2005

Art: Front

[3:10] 1. The Count

[3:02] 2. Liza Lee

[3:05] 3. Liza Lee

[2:56] 4. Get Goin' (Get Ready To Love)

[3:22] 5. Professor Hot Stuff

[3:12] 6. When I'm Alone

[2:51] 7. New Moten Stomp

[3:07] 8. As Long As I Love You

[3:04] 9. Somebody Stole My Gal

[3:02] 10. Now That I Need You

[3:10] 11. Bouncin' Round

[3:14] 12. Ya Got Love

[2:55] 13. I Wanna Be Around My Baby All The Time

[3:24] 14. Toby

[3:20] 15. Moten Swing

[3:22] 16. The Blue Room

[3:23] 17. Imagination

[2:59] 18. New Orleans

[3:12] 19. The Only Girl I Ever Loved

[2:46] 20. Milenberg Joys

[2:46] 21. Lafayette

[2:50] 22. Prince Of Wails

[3:03] 23. Two Times

1929-1932: Band Box Shuffle (Disc 2)

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Linda Ronstadt - Frenesi

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s

Time: 43:01

Size: 98.5 MB

Styles: Latin folk

Year: 1992

Art: Front

[3:33] 1. Frenesi

[2:54] 2. Mentira Salome

[3:15] 3. Alma Adentro

[3:24] 4. Entre Abismos

[3:07] 5. Cuando Me Querias Tu

[3:06] 6. Piel Canela

[3:27] 7. Verdad Amarga

[3:06] 8. Despojos

[2:53] 9. En Mi Soledad

[2:57] 10. Piensa En Mi

[3:27] 11. Quiereme Mucho

[3:47] 12. Perfidia

[4:01] 13. Te Quiero Dijiste

Frenesi is Linda Ronstadt's third in a series of Spanish-language releases. This one -- inspired by her work on the soundtrack to the film Mambo Kings -- tackles Afro-Cuban pop and jazz. While some tracks, especially "Entre Abismos," swing mightily, there's little that sounds street level or rootsy about these sessions. I can't help picturing a wind-up lounge band holding court at some tourist-trap Holiday Inn in Acapulco. ~Roch Parisien

Frenesi

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Joe Mancuso, Dave Black - Just The Two Of Us

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 56:02
Size: 128.3 MB
Styles: R&B/Blues/Jazz
Year: 2016
Art: Front

[5:17] 1. Summertime
[5:22] 2. Route 66
[7:52] 3. All Or Nothing At All
[4:50] 4. Unchain My Heart
[4:58] 5. I Can See Clearly Now
[4:32] 6. Just The Two Of Us
[6:23] 7. Moondance
[4:12] 8. In The Wee Small Hours Of The Morning
[4:01] 9. Softly As In A Morning Sunrise
[4:55] 10. Witchcraft
[3:36] 11. Sweet Home Chicago

Vocalist, Joe Mancuso & Guitarist, Dave Black have been performing all over St. Louis for the last couple of years as an Acoustic Jazz Duo. They perform a very unique blend of Jazz Standards, Rock, Pop, Blues & R&B classics re-harmonized and re-imagined in the Jazz idiom. This award winning Duo is very excited about releasing their first record.

Mancuso, who grew up on The Hill, is an in-demand jazz singer. He describes his sound as different from traditional jazz because of his rock 'n' roll roots. His 2014 debut album, Cut to the Chase, features 13 classic jazz standards—all brought alive by his trademark electric energy. Although he studied music at Webster University, he says he's only been on the music scene for about four years. But he's been able to accomplish so much (including a handful of top music awards from the Riverfront Times) because of hard work and a true passion for music.

Just The Two Of Us

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Paul Simon - Graceland (25th Anniversary Deluxe Edition)

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 67:24
Size: 154.3 MB
Styles: Adult Contemporary, African Traditions, Soft Rock
Year: 2012
Art: Front

[3:58] 1. The Boy In The Bubble
[4:48] 2. Graceland
[3:11] 3. I Know What I Know
[2:42] 4. Gumboots
[5:48] 5. Diamonds On The Soles Of Her Shoes
[4:39] 6. You Can Call Me Al
[9:37] 7. The Story Of Graceland
[3:34] 8. Under African Skies
[3:47] 9. Homeless ( Ladysmith Black Mambazo)
[4:16] 10. Crazy Love, Vol. Ii
[2:52] 11. That Was Your Mother (Good Rockin' Doopsie, The Twisters)
[3:13] 12. All Around The World Or The Myth Of Fingerprints (Los Lobos)
[2:26] 13. Homeless (Demo)
[4:39] 14. Diamonds On The Soles Of Her Shoes
[3:14] 15. All Around The World Or The Myth Of Fingerprints
[2:02] 16. You Can Call Me Al [demo]
[2:28] 17. Crazy Love [demo]

The simple answer to the question, "What made Graceland the most successful album of Paul Simon's solo career and one of the best albums of the 1980s?" is that Simon hit on the idea of combining his always perceptive songwriting with the little-heard mbaqanga music of South Africa, creating a fascinating hybrid that re-enchanted his old audience and earned him a new one. It is true that the South African angle (including its controversial aspect during the apartheid days) was a powerful marketing tool and that the catchy music succeeded in presenting listeners with that magical combination: something they'd never heard before that nevertheless sounded familiar. But there was more to it than that. For one thing, the album, as eclectic as any Simon had made, also delved into zydeco on "That Was Your Mother" (on which Simon was accompanied by Good Rockin' Dopsie & the Twisters) and into conjunto-flavored rock & roll on "All Around the World or the Myth of Fingerprints" (on which he was accompanied by Los Lobos). For another, beyond its aural delights, Graceland marked a surprising new lyrical approach (though it was presaged by some songs on Hearts and Bones, if anyone was listening). For the most part, Simon abandoned a linear, narrative approach to his words, instead drawing highly poetic ("Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes"), abstract ("The Boy in the Bubble"), and satiric ("I Know What I Know") portraits of modern life, often charged by striking images and turns of phrase torn from the headlines or overheard in contemporary speech. When combined, the unusual musical contexts and surprising lyrics (along with Simon's own ease and confidence as a singer) made for a creative rebirth for an artist already known for a string of artistic accomplishments. As a result, Graceland went multi-platinum, won Grammys for Album of the Year and Record of the Year (for the title song), and became the standard against which subsequent musical experiments by major artists were measured. (Besides, it has a good beat and you can dance to it.)

[The 25th Anniversary edition of Graceland arrives in several different formats: a single-disc expanded by four cuts -- a demo of “Homeless,” an alternate version of “Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes,” an early version of “All Around the World or the Myth of Fingerprints,” and “The Story of ‘Graceland’ as Told by Paul Simon”; a double-disc that contains all those four tracks and adds demos of “You Can Call Me Al” and “Crazy Love” to the CD, then devotes a DVD to the acclaimed new feature-length documentary Under African Skies; and a deluxe box, exclusively sold at Amazon, that separates the bonus tracks onto a second CD, adds a third CD of five live tracks recorded on a 1989 tour of Spain, then has the DVD of the documentary, in addition to various tchotchkes, books, and replicas. Among all these musical extras lie only two new archival cuts: the spare demos of “You Can Call Me Al” and “Crazy Love,” items that are surely worth the time of the devoted, but what makes this worthwhile for those who have purchased either of the previous reissues of Graceland -- the latest arriving in 2011, just months before the release of this deluxe set -- is the presence of Under African Skies, the feature directed by Joe Berlinger (who helmed the Metallica doc Some Kind of Monster) who doesn’t shy away from some of the uncomfortable questions surrounding the creation of Graceland.] ~William Ruhlmann

Graceland (25th Anniversary Deluxe Edition)

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Donald Harrison Jr. - Kind Of New

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 47:45
Size: 109.3 MB
Styles: Post bop, Saxophone jazz
Year: 2002
Art: Front

[7:12] 1. Kind Of New
[5:16] 2. Blue Is Green
[8:35] 3. So What
[3:30] 4. All Blues
[5:54] 5. Freddie Freeloader
[5:22] 6. It Is
[5:19] 7. Flamenco Sketches
[6:32] 8. What Next

If a recent flurry of promotion by the British Candid label helps win the 42-year-old New Orleans musician Donald Harrison a wider reputation (one more in tune with the soulfulness and streaming fluency of his alto-sax playing), it wouldn't be before time. Kind of New is the tribute to Miles Davis that Harrison vivaciously played live in London last November, and the earlier Real Life Stories features six originals plus three classics: Sonny Rollins's Oleo, Dizzy Gillespie's A Night in Tunisia and Paul Desmond's Take Five. The former disc might appeal more for the iconic familiarity of its repertoire (Miles Davis's 1960 Kind of Blue is the best-selling jazz album ever), but both discs hum with life.

Harrison always stood out for his combination of Charlie Parker-like attack, southern soul and bold, Coltrane-era angle on harmony. Real Life Stories emphasises what he calls "nouveau swing": a mixture of bop time, funk, Latin and reggae, with jazz always uppermost. A fine band, including a superb Eric Reed on piano, saves the disc from sounding like another stuttering, jump-cut, idiomatically indecisive post-bop formality. Harrison's Keep the Faith is a jubilant, jazz-gospel sermon, and of the standards, A Night in Tunisia is gentler and more whimsical than usual. Oleo features a scything alto solo bordering on free jazz, and Take Five is more sinewy than the Desmond/Brubeck hit version.

Kind of New is much straighter and very respectful. The title track cleverly blends the famous Milestones vamp with other celebrated Davis echoes from the period, and on the ballads teenage trumpeter Christian Scott mixes uptempo bravura with a muted-Miles type of impassioned murmur. Harrison's energy, agility and formidable clarity of purpose put his signature all over a furious alto solo on Freddie Freeloader. But this is a tribute disc for which the title is misleading, and Real Life Stories better balances Harrison's resourcefulness with some unexpected turns to the story. ~John Fordham

Kind Of New

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The Deanna Jones Orchestra - Very First Dance

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 45:46
Size: 104.8 MB
Styles: Jazz vocals
Year: 2006
Art: Front

[2:43] 1. Red Carpet (Black Tie)
[2:48] 2. Very First Dance
[2:44] 3. Lil Ole Me
[4:37] 4. Ocean Eyes
[4:17] 5. Funny Because
[3:59] 6. Gravy
[3:30] 7. To Have And To Hold
[2:07] 8. What If
[3:57] 9. Food For My Soul (Cold)
[2:46] 10. I'm Satisfied
[4:36] 11. Astounded
[2:55] 12. Picture Me
[4:42] 13. Food For My Soul (Hot)

As one of New York's premier bands, The Deanna Jones Orchestra has performed at thousands of special events and celebrity functions. With fans ranging from Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta-Jones to Jimmy Buffett and Geraldo Rivera, you know that they must be something special to appeal to the sophisticated listener. It's not difficult to understand their success; collectively, the credits of individual band members reads like a veritable "who's-who" of the music industry.

"Very First Dance" features new, all-original music in a wide variety of jazz styles. Written by vocalist/bandleader Deanna Jones and producer/keyboardist Mark Falchook, this CD evokes of all the sensations and nuances of a new romance. The lyrics range from the touching and poignant "Astounded" and "Ocean Eyes", to the funny and playful "What If" and "I'm Satisfied", (which they actually performed at Douglas' and Zeta-Jones' wedding). "Food For My Soul" gets two different treatments on this CD. Deanna explains, "Originally it was written as a sultry latin ballad, reminiscent of the early stages of a romance, when you're discovering each other for the first time. But then Mark suggested that we try it with more energy and fire (complete with burning sax solo), and it turned out to be equally compelling. Rather than having to choose between the two, we decided to include both." Also of special mention is "Gravy", which brings to mind the arrangements of Steely Dan. "Musically, that was my homage to Donald Fagen, whose songwriting has always been an inspiration", adds Mark. Deanna's insightful lyric reminds us to appreciate those things that are truly important in life, and that everything else is just "Gravy".

Deanna's vocals are lush and seemingly effortless, with a warm intimate quality as smooth as a fine wine. Falchook's arrangements are a perfect match; supportive and elegant without overpowering, casting Deanna's vocals in the perfect light. Whether your taste is for traditional swing or smooth jazz, funky or romantic, latin or big band; The Deanna Jones Orchestra's "Very First Dance" is an endlessly creative adventure that deserves a home in your collection.

Very First Dance

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Earl Hines, Jaki Byard - Duet!

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s

Time: 38:37

Size: 88.4 MB

Styles: Piano jazz

Year: 1975/2015

Art: Front

[5:51] 1. A-Toodle-Do, Toddle-Do

[3:26] 2. This Is Always

[4:49] 3. Rosetta

[5:15] 4. I Can't Trust Myself Alone

[2:53] 5. Sweet Georgia Brown

[5:48] 6. As Long As Ilive

[6:15] 7. Genoa To Pescara

[4:17] 8. La Rosita

Jaki Byard recorded several duo piano dates (one with Tommy Flanagan made for Prestige is unreleased and possibly lost). His meeting with Earl Hines, however, is the most successful one because of the common ground they shared. Byard's lively boogie-woogie "A-ToodleOo, Toodle-Oo" is a captivating opener, while Hines' "Rosetta" is quite unusual as the two pianists take their time gradually working their way into this classic piece. The album highlight is "Sweet Georgia Brown," a true masterpiece of improvisation on a familiar standard by both men. ~Ken Dryden

Duet

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Till Bronner - Chattin With Chet

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 2000
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 52:59
Size: 126,3 MB
Art: Front

(5:33)  1. You Don't Know what Love Is
(5:53)  2. Everything Happens to Me
(4:46)  3. She Was Too Good to Me
(4:42)  4. Have You Met Chet
(5:15)  5. When I Fall in Love
(3:00)  6. My Funny Valentine
(4:44)  7. Ev'ry Time We Say Goodbye
(5:37)  8. Tell Me
(5:28)  9. But Not for Me
(2:39) 10. Not Like This
(5:16) 11. Chattin with Chet

Trumpeter and crooner Till Brönner is the most famous German jazz musician of his generation, updating traditional bebop sensibilities via elements of contemporary R&B and hip-hop. Born in Viersen, Germany, on May 6, 1971, Brönner discovered the music of Charlie Parker at 13, and later studied jazz trumpet at the Hochschule für Musik Köln. After just three semesters, he turned professional as a member of pianist Horst Jankowski's RIAS-Tanzorchester. In 1993 he cut his debut solo LP, Generations of Jazz, a traditional hard bop homage recorded with guests including bassist Ray Brown and drummer Jeff Hamilton. The album won a number of awards, among them the Preis der Deutschen Schallplattenkritik and the Preis der Deutschen Plattenindustrie. With his third release, 1996's German Songs, Brönner arranged classic German film themes for jazz quartet and classical orchestra, anticipating the creative detours of sessions to follow. 1998's Love heralded his first release for the venerable Verve imprint as well as his debut as a singer, and two years later he issued Chattin with Chet, a project that cemented his growing debt to the American cool jazz legend Chet Baker. After scoring the acclaimed 2001 feature Jazz Seen, a documentary spotlighting the influential photographer William Claxton, Brönner resurfaced a year later with the ambitious Blue Eyed Soul, a collaboration with Japanese DJ Samon Kawamura and soul vocalist Mark Murphy that embraced electronica idioms to update the trumpeter's sound into the postmodern era. 

A concert tour with soul singer Joy Denalane followed, setting the stage for Brönner's biggest mainstream hit to date: 2004's That Summer, which reached number 16 on the German pop charts and made him the nation's biggest-selling jazz artist of all time. Two years later he resurfaced with the Larry Klein-produced Oceana, an all-star effort featuring contributions from singers spanning from Madeleine Peyroux to model Carla Bruni. In 2009, Brönner paid tribute to the the music of Brazil with Rio  particularly the bossa nova. In addition to his own vocals, he also enlisted artists Melody Gardot, Kurt Elling, Annie Lennox, Sergio Mendes, Luciana Souza for the project. A collection of softer versions of rock classics At the End of the Day appeared a year later. The set included the unlikely pairing of his band with metal band Type O Negative on a surprisingly reverent cover Seals & Crofts' "Summer Breeze." Brönner eschewed vocals altogether on his next project, a self-titled album that featured his own band and some background strings, released in 2012. The set looked back at the production sounds of labels like CTI and Verve under Creed Taylor for inspiration, in a thoroughly modern jazz context; the tunes showcased his trumpet chops as the predominant voice of the recording. In 2014, Brönner fulfilled a life-long dream by recording The Movie Album. Cut in Los Angeles with a host of the city's top-flight studio musicians, it collects a wide range of film themes and songs from the classic to 21st century (including "As Time Goes By" from Casablanca and "Happy" from Despicable Me 2). The set also featured appearances by notable vocalists (including Gregory Porter) who assisted him in realizing these interpretations. It was issued by Universal International in September of 2014. ~ Jason Ankeny http://www.allmusic.com/artist/till-br%C3%B6nner-mn0000927067/biography

Personnel:  Till Brönner- Trumpet, Keyboards, Flugethorn, Ride Symbal, Vocals;  Frank Chastenier- Piano, Fender Rhodes;  Wiebke Schroeder- Voices;  Carmen Cuesta- Vocals;  Gregorie Peters- Tenor Sax;  Chuck Loeb- Guitar;  Dean Brown- Guitars;  Karl Schloz- Rhythm Guitar;  Dieter Ilg- Bass;  Tim Lefebvre- Electric Bass;  Gene Lake, Wolfgang Haffner- Drums;  Zach Danzinger- Drum Programming;  David Charles- Percussion;  Samon Kawamura- Turntables

Chattin with Chet

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Mary Stallings - Remember Love

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2005
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 63:50
Size: 146,5 MB
Art: Front

(1:30)  1. What A Difference A Day Makes
(4:18)  2. No Greater Love
(6:24)  3. Hello Yesterday
(4:47)  4. Centerpiece
(4:18)  5. Moment To Moment
(5:37)  6. Dindi
(3:56)  7. Remember Love
(4:35)  8. Lucky To Be Me
(3:22)  9. I Just Found Out About Love
(3:12) 10. Make Me Rainbows
(7:18) 11. Why Should There Be Stars
(3:31) 12. Still THe One
(5:57) 13. Stuck In A Dream
(2:53) 14. Funny Not Much
(2:04) 15. What A Difference A Day Makes

Starting with Concord Jazz in the '90s and continuing with MaxJazz and now Half Note Records, Mary Stallings's talents have finally been revealed.  On Remember Love, she is abetted by a stellar band, including pianist Geri Allen (who also provides arrangements and serves as producer), drummer Billy Hart, Frank Wess on tenor and flute, trumpeter Wallace Roney, and alto saxophonist Vincent Herring. Stallings sings well and stays focused, avoiding a distracting habit of singing the wrong words. She seems to relish the lyrics of Henry Mancini's "Moment to Moment as well as Allen's Latin-inflected setting. The gorgeous "Dindi, however, never finds its focus. Like the great Etta Jones, Stallings is at her best as a flat-footed (Jones' apt term for her own sorely missed art), straight-shooting raconteur of love lost and found. As if to prove this point, with just Darryl Hall's bass, she smokes "Centerpiece, and she outswings the curiously restrained band on "I Just Found Out About Love.  

The band seems reluctant to let loose, creating an atmosphere far too somber at times. The rough-and-tumble accompaniment of Gene Harris and Monty Alexander on previous sessions is missing here. And, because of this restraint, there is too much of one mood. Songs like Shania Twain's "Still the One and "Stuck in a Dream, although nicely sung, fail to take off. One of the session's finest moments comes, however, when Stallings stands "Funny Not Much on its head, eschewing the usual slow tempo for a bracing stroll. Likewise, she negotiates the rhythmic shifts of "There Is No Greater Love skillfully. Allen's organ solo is thoughtful and restrained. "Hello Yesterday and "Why Should There Be Stars showcase her art so well as she lingers over blue-hued melodies, singing of lost loves. This type of singing, almost a forgotten art today, is not merely a lesson in nostalgia, but a reminder of the continuing importance of tradition in jazz. Here the arrangements lovingly frame the singer, and Wess and Roney carefully caress her declarations. Stallings takes the long-honored blues-ballad approach, shows she is not afraid to swing hard, and revitalizes a venerable tradition in jazz singing. ~ Andrew Rowan https://www.allaboutjazz.com/remember-love-mary-stallings-half-note-records-review-by-andrew-rowan.php
 

Personnel: Mary Stallings: vocals;  Geri Allen: piano, organ;  Darryl Hall: bass;  Billy Hart: drums;  Frank Wess: tenor saxophone, flute;  Vincent Herring: alto saxophone;  Wallace Roney: trumpet.

Remember Love

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Duke Pearson - How Insensitive

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1969
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 34:29
Size: 79,2 MB
Art: Front

(4:40)  1. Stella By Starlight
(2:44)  2. Clara
(3:25)  3. Give Me Your Love
(3:54)  4. Cristo Redentor
(2:55)  5. Little Song
(2:15)  6. How Insensitive
(3:31)  7. Sandalia Dela
(4:37)  8. My Love Waits
(3:30)  9. Tears
(2:51) 10. Lamento

Like most Blue Note artists, Duke Pearson moved toward commercial-oriented soul-jazz in the late '60s. At least, How Insensitive was supposed to be commercial. Pearson simplified his original compositions, chose standards like "Stella By Starlight," and covered contemporary pop songs like Jobim's "Lamento." He also assembled a large band with rock instrumentation like electric guitars, bass, electric pianos, and drum kits. Most importantly, he hired the New York Group Singers' Big Band a group of singers that are arranged like a horn section (males are the trombones, females are alto saxes, etc.) to sing on each song. The vocalists may be technically gifted in particular, Andy Bey has a rich voice but their presence on these arrangements is quite bizarre, especially since they take center stage. 

Each song on How Insensitive boasts extravagant, layered arrangements that flirt with schmaltz, but the voicings and attack are so unusual, the result is a weird variation on easy listening. There is little opportunity for Pearson to showcase his tasteful playing through improvisation, yet the arrangements are so off-kilter, the music never quite works as background music. In other words, it's a very interesting failure and one of the strangest by-products of Blue Note's late-'60s commercialization. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine http://www.allmusic.com/album/how-insensitive-mw0000463221

Personnel:  Duke Pearson - piano, electric piano, arranger;  Al Gafa - guitar (tracks 1-6 & 8);  Dorio Ferreira - guitar, percussion (tracks 7, 9 & 10);  Bob Cranshaw - bass (tracks 1-6 & 8);  Bebeto Jose Souza - bass (tracks 7, 9 & 10);  Mickey Roker – drums;  Airto Moreira – percussion;  Andy Bey - lead vocals (track 2), vocals (1, 3-6 & 8);  Flora Purim - lead vocals (tracks 7, 9 & 10);  The New York Group Singers' Big Band - vocals (tracks 1-6 & 8);  Jack Manno - conductor

How Insensitive

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Pharoah Sanders - With a Heartbeat

Styles: Flute And Saxophone Jazz 
Year: 2003
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 49:43
Size: 113,9 MB
Art: Front

(17:06)  1. Across Time
( 7:45)  2. Morning Tala
( 8:58)  3. Alankara (Beats of the Heart)
(15:52)  4. Gamaka

OK, this sounds like a pretty hokey concept: Pharoah Sanders and some of Bill Laswell's Material crew perform along with recordings of a heartbeat, supplied by Dr. Jean-Louis Zink. Fortunately, it comes off far better in execution than one might expect. First off, the heartbeat itself is sonically treated to be more of a bass pulse, which Laswell then elaborates on when his bass is in the picture. As might be expected with Laswell, there are strong elements of dub throughout, from the sound of the basslines to the way the instruments fade in and out. Besides the heartbeat, which is always present to varying degrees, the main sounds are the guitar and electric sitar of Nicky Skopelitis and keyboards either by Jeff Bova or Laswell. Pharoah Sanders' playing is excellent, and the album is enjoyable, but one gets the sense that this is Laswell's project, and Pharoah just plays on it. If you're looking to start a Pharoah Sanders collection, begin with something from the Impulse catalog, like Karma or Thembi. As a Pharoah Sanders record, With a Heartbeat makes a fine Bill Laswell album. ~ Sean Westergaard http://www.allmusic.com/album/with-a-heartbeat-mw0000028192

Personnel: Pharoah Sanders (flute, tenor saxophone); Nicky Skopelitis (guitar, electric sitar); Bill Laswell (flute, keyboards); Graham Haynes (cornet, electronics); Jeff Bova (keyboards); Trilok Gurtu (tabla).

With a Heartbeat

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Groove Holmes, Jimmy McGriff, Junior Parker - Troubadours Of Groove

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 37:49
Size: 86.6 MB
Styles: R&B, Soul- jazz
Year: 1996/2012
Art: Front

[3:30] 1. Richard 'Groove' Holmes - Groove Grease
[3:11] 2. Richard 'Groove' Holmes - The Bird
[3:34] 3. Richard 'Groove' Holmes - Plain Brown Bag
[3:38] 4. Richard 'Groove' Holmes - Ain't It Funky Now
[2:46] 5. Jimmy McGriff - River's Invitation
[3:19] 6. Jimmy McGriff - Love Ain't Nothin' But A Business Goin' On
[5:15] 7. Jimmy McGriff - Night Glider
[3:30] 8. Jimmy McGriff - Fly Jack
[5:19] 9. Junior Parker - You've Got It Bad
[3:42] 10. Junior Parker - Red Onion

"The Troubadours" are not actually a group, but these are three groovemeisters who made important individual contributions to the soul-jazz and R&B-blues movements. The four Jimmy McGriff and four Richard "Groove" Holmes' organ combo numbers are good but far from essential tracks in their careers. Two Junior Parker numbers are the same. It's hard to understand the concept behind the release of Troubadours of Groove, as many other recordings yield better music and more vital sessions than these. It's not a bad party record though, one time through. ~Michael G. Nastos

Troubadours Of Groove

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Nilson Matta Brazilian Trio - Forests

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 62:20
Size: 142.7 MB
Styles: Latin jazz, Piano jazz
Year: 2008
Art: Front

[6:19] 1. Amor
[7:04] 2. Forests
[6:39] 3. Samba Alegre
[6:22] 4. Montreux
[7:06] 5. Pro Zeca
[5:48] 6. Tarde
[6:24] 7. Ubatuba
[5:54] 8. Paraty
[3:37] 9. Flying Over Rio
[7:03] 10. Vera Cruz

Helio Alves: piano; Nilson Matta: bass; Duduka Da Fonseca: drums, percussion.

This exciting recording is a perfect example of the thorough absorption of the Bossa Nova being integrated with the mainstream jazz piano trio. All three members of Brazilian Trio are, in fact, Brazilians but have lived in New York City for decades,settling in the 1970s, '80s and '90s.

Pianist Helio Alves is the youngest of the three, having worked with Oscar Castro-Neves, Rosa Passos and Paquito D'Rivera. His decidedly modal approach to piano jazz is undoubtedly a credit to the influence of Bill Evans. Like Alves, bassist Nilson Matta hailed from Sao Paulo and has been a prolific musician seemingly appearing on scores of dates over the years. Drummer Duduka Da Fonseca relocated from Rio in 1970 and has been a vital part of the New York jazz scene ever since; at one time he was a part of the Don Pullen Afro-Brazilian Connection. His wife is Brazilian vocalist Maucha Adnet, who has established herself as a primary interpreter of Antonio Carlos Jobim. Da Fonseca and Matta form two-thirds of Trio Da Paz along with guitarist Romero Lubambo.

The music on Forests, while reflecting the pulse and passion of Brazil, is not really Bossa Nova or Samba. Rather, it represents a synthesis of those forms with the style of the American jazz trio. The tunes are redolent of the forests of Brazil, presented in a manner that moves the music into a new category. Opening with Ivan Lins' lovely "Amor," featuring Alves' lyrical piano, the session moves into Matta's title tune, dedicated to the forests of the Earth and in particular the Amazon Rain Forest, with Da Fonseca offering some tasty brushwork. Milton Nascimento contributes "Tarde," a beautiful melody that is limned again by Alves' Bill Evans-style work. Hermeto Pascoal's "Montreux" is a hard-to-find and rarely recorded title that made its debut at the 1979 Montreux Jazz Festival. The album concludes with Nascimento's popular "Vera Cruz," a full blown jazz samba. One significant observation about Brazilian Trio is that, despite its members' individual recording experiences, this is a fully interactive trio, bringing the distinctive touch of Brazil to a faraway studio. ~Michael P. Gladstone

Forests

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Margareta Bengtson - I'm Old Fashioned

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 53:20
Size: 122.1 MB
Styles: Vocal jazz
Year: 2006
Art: Front

[4:30] 1. I'm Old Fashioned
[6:03] 2. This Is New
[5:36] 3. Corcovado
[5:45] 4. Once Upon A Summertime
[4:26] 5. Twisted
[5:11] 6. It Never Entered My Mind
[4:05] 7. Like Someone In Love
[5:23] 8. Dindi
[6:16] 9. Someone To Watch Over Me
[6:01] 10. Some Other Time

Jazz standards aren't done any better than this! One of the most beautiful soprano voices is that of Margareta Bengtson, one of the founding members of "The Real Group." Melodious, clear and with such lilting voicings, she breathes new life into these well crafted jazz compositions. Her heritage with the Real Group has honed her interpretations of these classic standards like few female vocalists in our time. You'd think this lovely and extremely talented woman from Stockholm, Sweden was "all American". Margareta has captured the soul of this music! ~Barry Fincher

I'm Old Fashioned

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Gary Smith - Soft Jazz For Lovers

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 49:38
Size: 113.6 MB
Styles: Guitar jazz, Easy Listening
Year: 2015
Art: Front

[6:27] 1. I'm Glad There Is You
[4:18] 2. The Gentle Rain
[4:14] 3. Dancing On The Ceiling
[3:54] 4. You And Me
[4:07] 5. Jazz Baby
[2:43] 6. I'm So Confused
[4:23] 7. Springis Here
[4:11] 8. How Long Has This Been Going On
[5:59] 9. Kathy
[4:09] 10. In A Mellow Tone
[5:08] 11. Hung Up On Spring

Gary Smith has more than 40 years of experience in the music business and has worked with some of America’s leading entertainers which include: Bernadette Peters, Frankie Laine, Billy Daniels, Barbi Benton, The Coasters, The Platters, Vickie Carr, Kaye Starre, Riders in the Sky, Sheckie Greene, Anna Marie Alberghetti, Danny and The Juniors Barry Williams and many more. As a Producer, Gary Smith has produced over 90 Albums in most genres of music. Some Artists Gary has recorded or recorded with include three time GRAMMY winner Ernie Watts, Lloyd Mabrey, Jeannie Walla, Paul Severson, Warren Kime, Jeff Pine, Ed Stabler, Susan Rowland, Krystyn Hartman, Gary McCallister, Carlos and Andrea Elias, Connie Pyle, Jack Gaby, Swing City Express and many more. Gary Smith has won eight national awards (Silver Microphone awards) for music for advertising and is a voting member of the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (GRAMMYs) as well as a member of BMI. As a recording artist Gary Smith has released over 12 Jazz Guitar Albums, released on the GRS WEST MUSIC label.

Soft Jazz For Lovers

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Bill Frisell and Joe Lovano with Paul Motian - Motian in Tokyo

Styles: Guitar And Saxophone Jazz 
Year: 1991
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 54:54
Size: 127,1 MB
Art: Front

( 7:13)  1. From Time to Time
( 6:32)  2. Shakalaka
( 7:05)  3. Kathelin Gray
( 1:00)  4. The Hoax
(11:02)  5. Mumbo Jumbo
( 1:36)  6. Birdsong I
( 7:40)  7. Mode VI
( 5:11)  8. Women from Padua
( 5:24)  9. It Is
( 2:06) 10. Birdsong II

Some improvisers prefer a comfort-zone approach to jazz; in other words, they find a style of jazz they're comfortable with and stick to it which isn't necessarily a bad thing. Scott Hamilton's comfort zone, for example, is a swing-to-bop style that recalls the mid-'40s. The tenor saxman has never been groundbreaking or innovative, but he's undeniably superb at what he does. While the comfort-zone approach works well for a traditionalist like Hamilton, drummer Paul Motian is impressive in a very different way he's the sort of thrill-seeker who enjoys the challenge of hurling himself into a variety of musical situations. Recorded in Tokyo, Japan in 1991, Paul Motian in Tokio finds Motian leading a trio that boasts Bill Frisell on electric guitar and Joe Lovano on tenor sax; piano or keyboards and bass are absent, but neither are missed. In Tokio isn't among Motian's essential recordings, although it's a decent album that draws on influences ranging from Keith Jarrett and the ECM Records catalog to Ornette Coleman. In fact, one of the tunes is "Kathelin Gray," which Coleman and Pat Metheny wrote for their Song X collaboration in 1985. But most of the material was written by Motian himself and easily lends itself to an inside/outside approach. Although cerebral, abstract and avant-garde, In Tokio is far from an exercise in atonality and it certainly isn't harsh or confrontational in the way that a free jazz firebrand like Charles Gayle is harsh and confrontational. Actually, the songs tend to have a floating quality, and Motian's trio demonstrates that outside playing can be reflective rather than in-your-face. Again, In Tokio isn't a five-star masterpiece, but it's a likable document of Motian's association with Frisell and Lovano. ~ Alex Henderson http://www.allmusic.com/album/in-tokio-mw0000329312

Personnel: Paul Motian (drums), Joe Lovano (tenor saxophone), Bill Frisell (guitar).

Motian in Tokyo

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Carol Sloane - When I Look In Your Eyes

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 1994
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 62:22
Size: 145,2 MB
Art: Front

(4:17)  1. Give Me The Simple Life
(4:16)  2. Isn't This A Lovely Day
(7:34)  3. Midnight Sun
(3:24)  4. Take Your Shoes Off, Baby
(5:31)  5. I Didn't Know About You
(3:49)  6. Soon
(4:47)  7. Old Devil Moon
(6:54)  8. Let's Face The Music And Dance
(5:23)  9. Something Cool
(2:54) 10. Tulip Or Turnip
(4:39) 11. I Was Telling Him About You
(5:34) 12. When I Look In Your Eyes
(3:15) 13. Will You Still Be Mine?

This is one of Carol Sloane's finest recordings. Having developed into a superb interpreter of lyrics who always swings, Sloane works closely with pianist Bill Charlap (who is sometimes joined by bassist Steve Gilmore, drummer Ron Vincent, and guitarist Howard Alden) on a variety of haunting ballads and an occasional romp. Her rendition of "Something Cool" ranks with June Christy's (Sloane really sounds purposely pitiful); "I Didn't Know About You" and "I Was Telling Him About You" are quite expressive, and Sloane brings a happier mood to "Give Me the Simple Life" and "Tulip or Turnip." Highly recommended to fans of first-class singing. ~ Scott Yanow http://www.allmusic.com/album/when-i-look-in-your-eyes-mw0000119385

Personnel: Carol Sloane (vocals); Bill Charlap (piano); Howard Alden (guitar); Steve Gilmore (bass); Ron Vincent (drums).

When I Look In Your Eyes

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Sadao Watanabe - Dedicated to Charlie Parker

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1993
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 40:32
Size: 93,0 MB
Art: Front

( 8:53)  1. Parker's Mood
( 6:56)  2. A Song for Bird
( 4:11)  3. Everything Happens to Me
( 5:38)  4. I Can't Get Started
(10:13)  5. Au Privave
( 4:39)  6. If I Should Lose You

Dedicated To Charlie Parker album for sale by Sadao Watanabe was released Jun 08, 1993 on the Denon label. One of his best, due mainly to material. ~ Ron Wynn http://www.allmusic.com/album/dedicated-to-charlie-parker-mw0000188917

Personnel: Sadao Watanabe (alto saxophone); Terumasa Hino (trumpet); Kazuo Yashiro (piano); Masanaga Harada (bass); Fumio Watanabe (drums).

Dedicated to Charlie Parker

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Till Bronner - The Good Life

Styles: Trumpet Jazz

Year: 2016

File: MP3@320K/s

Time: 60:00

Size: 138,0 MB

Art: Front

(4:57)  1. The Good Life

(4:04)  2. Sweet Lorraine

(5:21)  3. For All We Know

(4:41)  4. Come Dance with Me

(4:57)  5. Change Partners

(5:49)  6. Love is Here to Stay

(4:58)  7. I Loves You Porgy

(3:48)  8. I Might Be Wrong

(4:45)  9. O Que Resta

(3:57) 10. I'm Confessin' that I Love You

(5:08) 11. I'll be Seeing You

(4:10) 12. Her Smile

(3:20) 13. In The Wee Small Hours Of The Morning

The Good Life is the debut album on Sony Music Masterworks from renowned jazz trumpeter, Till Brönner, Germany's best known and best-selling jazz artist. The album is conceived for relaxed moments and draws inspiration form the great American jazz songbook, including new arrangements of works made famous by Frank Sinatra, Billie Holiday, Nat King Cole and many more. Along with his masterful trumpet playing, The Good Life also features Brönner singing on eight of the tracks and includes two original songs written by the two-time Grammy® nominee. Featuring an all-star band John Clayton/bass, Anthony Wilson/guitar, Larry Goldings/piano and Jeff Hamilton/drums The Good Life is an intimate, pared-down, back-to-basics tour de force and testimony to the unique power of jazz to amplify and enrich the most beautiful and poignant moments of our lives.

Till Brönner holds an unrivalled position as Germany s most successful jazz musician. His exceptional international career sees him perform, sing, produce, compose, arrange, record and collaborate with the world s greatest artists from the jazz world and beyond. Throughout his stellar career, he has worked with great musicians such as Dave Brubeck, Herbie Hancock, Tony Bennett, Annie Lennox, Michael Brecker, Al Di Meola, Chaka Khan, Natalie Cole and many more. Guest appearances on Brönner s past albums include a wide range of internationally renowned artists such as Gregory Porter, Arturo Sandoval, Aimee Mann, Sergio Mendes, Kurt Elling, Madeleine Peyroux and Milton Nascimento. https://www.amazon.com/Good-Life-Till-Br%C3%B6nner/dp/B01BGGTZ84

The Good Life

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Don Byas - Avalon

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 36:37
Size: 83.8 MB
Styles: Bop, Saxophone jazz
Year: 2010
Art: Front

[3:04] 1. Avalon
[3:14] 2. Blue And Sentimental
[2:49] 3. Little White Lies
[3:16] 4. Out Of Nowhere
[3:03] 5. Deep Purple
[3:04] 6. Them There Eyes
[3:19] 7. Once In A While
[3:05] 8. My Melancholy Baby
[2:39] 9. Should I
[2:55] 10. You Call It Madness (But I Call It Love)
[2:53] 11. Jamboree Jump
[3:12] 12. Pennies From Heaven

One of the greatest of all tenor players, Don Byas' decision to move permanently to Europe in 1946 resulted in him being vastly underrated in jazz history books. His knowledge of chords rivalled Coleman Hawkins, and, due to their similarity in tones, Byas can be considered an extension of the elder tenor. He played with many top swing bands, including those of Lionel Hampton (1935), Buck Clayton (1936), Don Redman, Lucky Millinder, Andy Kirk (1939-1940), and most importantly Count Basie (1941-1943). An advanced swing stylist, Byas' playing looked toward bop. He jammed at Minton's Playhouse in the early '40s, appeared on 52nd Street with Dizzy Gillespie, and performed a pair of stunning duets with bassist Slam Stewart at a 1944 Town Hall concert. After recording extensively during 1945-1946 (often as a leader), Byas went to Europe with Don Redman's band, and (with the exception of a 1970 appearance at the Newport Jazz Festival) never came back to the U.S. He lived in France, the Netherlands, and Denmark; often appeared at festivals; and worked steadily. Whenever American players were touring, they would ask for Byas, who had opportunities to perform with Duke Ellington, Bud Powell, Kenny Clarke, Dizzy Gillespie, Jazz at the Philharmonic (including a recorded tenor battle with Hawkins and Stan Getz), Art Blakey, and (on a 1968 recording) Ben Webster. Byas also recorded often in the 1950s, but was largely forgotten in the U.S. by the time of his death. ~bio by Scott Yanow

Avalon

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