Silky Denims

Friday, August 5, 2016

Various - The Aretha Franklin Songbook

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 56:05
Size: 128.4 MB
Styles: Jazz/Soul/R&B
Year: 2013
Art: Front

[4:43] 1. Dr. Lonnie Smith - Think
[4:40] 2. George Benson - Don't Let Me Lose This Dream
[5:39] 3. Stanley Turrentine - Dr. Feelgood
[4:35] 4. Cassandra Wilson - Angel
[4:59] 5. B.B. King - Spirit In The Dark
[4:19] 6. Will Downing - Daydreaming
[7:45] 7. Jimmy Smith - After Hours
[3:46] 8. Grover Washington, Jr. - All The King's Horses
[2:27] 9. Dianne Schuur - Climbing Higher Mountains
[7:13] 10. Quincy Jones - Daydreaming/First Time Ever I Saw Your Face
[5:55] 11. Stanley Turrentine - Dr. Feelgood (Alt. Take)

She is both a 20th and 21st century musical and cultural icon known the world over simply by her first name: Aretha. The reigning and undisputed “Queen Of Soul” has created an amazing legacy that spans an incredible six decades, from her first recording as a teenage gospel star, to her current releases. Her many countless classics include “(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman,” “Chain Of Fools,” “I Never Loved A Man (The Way I Love You)”; her own compositions “Think,” “Daydreaming” and “Call Me”; her definitive versions of “Respect” and “I Say A Little Prayer”; and global hits like “Freeway Of Love,” “Jump To It,” “I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me),” her worldwide chart-topping duet with George Michael, and “A Rose Is Still A Rose.”

The recipient of the U.S.A.’s highest civilian honor, The Presidential Medal Of Freedom, an eighteen (and counting) Grammy Award winner – the most recent of which was for Best Gospel Performance for “Never Gonna Break My Faith” with Mary J. Blige in 2008 – a Grammy Lifetime Achievement and Grammy Living Legend awardee, Aretha Franklin’s powerful, distinctive gospel-honed vocal style has influenced countless singers across multi-generations, justifiably earning her Rolling Stone magazine’s No. 1 placing on the list of “The Greatest Singers Of All Time.”

The Aretha Franklin Songbook

Jimmy Rushing - The Very Best Of (2 Parts)

He was known as "Mister Five-By-Five" -- an affectionate reference to his height and girth -- a blues shouter who defined and then transcended the form. The owner of a booming voice that radiated sheer joy in whatever material he sang, Jimmy Rushing could swing with anyone and dominate even the loudest of big bands. Rushing achieved his greatest fame in front of the Count Basie band from 1935 to 1950, yet unlike many band singers closely associated with one organization, he was able to carry on afterwards with a series of solo recordings that further enhanced his reputation as a first-class jazz singer.

Raised in a musical family, learning violin, piano and music theory in his youth, Rushing began performing in nightspots after a move to California in the mid-'20s. He joined Walter Page's Blue Devils in 1927, then toured with Bennie Moten from 1929 until the leader's death in 1935, going over to Basie when the latter picked up the pieces of the Moten band. The unquenchably swinging Basie rhythm section was a perfect match for Rushing, making their earliest showing together on a 1936 recording of "Boogie Woogie" that stamped not only Rushing's presence onto the national scene but also that of Lester Young. Rushing's recordings with Basie are scattered liberally throughout several reissues on Decca, Columbia and RCA. While with Basie, he also appeared in several film shorts and features.

After the Basie ensemble broke up in 1950, a victim of hard times for big bands, Rushing briefly retired, then formed his own septet. He started a series of solo albums for Vanguard in the mid-'50s, then turned in several distinguished recordings for Columbia in league with such luminaries as Dave Brubeck, Coleman Hawkins and Benny Goodman, the latter of whom he appeared with at the Brussels World's Fair in 1958 as immortalized in "Brussels Blues." He also recorded with Basie alumni such as Buck Clayton and Jo Jones, as well as with the Duke Ellington band on Jazz Party. He appeared on TV in The Sound of Jazz in 1957, was featured in Jon Hendricks' The Evolution of the Blues, and also had a singing and acting role in the 1969 film The Learning Tree. ~bio by Richard S. Ginnell

Album: The Very Best Of (Part 1)
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 72:36
Size: 166.2 MB
Styles: Jazz/Blues/R&B
Year: 2009

[2:51] 1. Baby, Don't Tell On Me
[3:14] 2. Rock And Roll
[7:37] 3. Evenin'
[4:50] 4. How Long, How Long Blues
[3:13] 5. I Left My Baby
[3:04] 6. Hey Pretty Baby
[2:36] 7. Bye Bye Baby
[2:53] 8. Somebody Stole My Gal
[1:47] 9. Baby Won't You Please Come Home
[2:45] 10. I'm Gonna Move To The Outskirts Of Town
[4:33] 11. Harvard Blues
[2:49] 12. Money Is Honey
[2:24] 13. Hi-Ho Sylvester
[2:52] 14. Sent For You Yesterday (And Here You Come Today)
[2:48] 15. Where Were You
[2:45] 16. Nobody Knows You When You're Down And Out
[3:01] 17. Blues In The Dark
[3:08] 18. Don't You Miss Your Baby
[4:20] 19. How You Want Your Lovin' Done
[2:45] 20. If I Could Be With You (One Hour Tonight)
[6:12] 21. Every Day I Have The Blues

The Very Best Of (Part 1)

Album: The Very Best Of (Part 2)
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 59:04
Size: 135.2 MB
Styles: Jazz/Blues/R&B
Year: 2009
Art: Front

[3:39] 1. Boogie Woogie
[1:31] 2. Pretty Little Baby
[3:36] 3. Goin' To Chicago Blues
[2:12] 4. She's Mine, She's Yours
[2:54] 5. Undecided Blues
[2:16] 6. Goodbye, Baby
[2:27] 7. In The Moonlight
[2:53] 8. Blue Skies
[3:22] 9. After You've Gine
[3:05] 10. It's The Same Old South
[2:38] 11. Take Me Back, Baby
[3:16] 12. It's Hard To Laugh A Smile
[3:22] 13. The Blues I Like To Hear
[3:11] 14. Good Morning Blues
[2:40] 15. Gee, Baby, Ain't I Good To You
[4:18] 16. I Want A Little Girl
[3:01] 17. Stop Beatin' Around The Mulberry Bush
[2:29] 18. Draftin' Blues
[2:57] 19. Jimmy's Blues
[3:07] 20. Ain't It Lonesome

The Very Best Of (Part 2)

Karen Mason - Right Here, Right Now

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 41:16
Size: 94.5 MB
Styles: Easy Listening
Year: 2008
Art: Front

[3:10] 1. All That Jazz
[3:04] 2. Secret Love
[4:33] 3. Like The Heavens Hold The Stars
[3:37] 4. Diamonds Are A Girl's Best Friend
[4:35] 5. Help Being Alive
[2:58] 6. Hurry! It's Lovely Here
[2:50] 7. Make Someone Happy
[4:32] 8. Right Here Right Now
[3:09] 9. Get Happy
[4:43] 10. As If We Never Said Goodbye
[1:56] 11. Everything Old Is New Again
[2:03] 12. Look For The Silver Lining

Zevely Records is proud to present the long-awaited new CD from acclaimed vocalist Karen Mason. With her CD recordings, concerts, Broadway stage performances and TV appearances, Karen Mason “has few peers when it comes to ripping the roof off with her amazing voice that knows no bounds” (TheaterScene.net), which her stunning new recording reaffirms. Mason has headlined at Carnegie Hall, the Kennedy Center and Lincoln Center and has shared concert stages with such musical luminaries as Luciano Pavarotti, Rosemary Clooney, Liza Minnelli and Michael Feinstein.

The nine-time MAC Award winner, including Major Female Vocalist of the Year for six consecutive years, releases her sixth CD, RIGHT HERE/RIGHT NOW. The recording is a showcase for Karen’s dynamic vocals and musical versatility, featuring a mix of classic standards, Broadway and motion picture favorites, as well as two never before recorded songs. Mason maximizes her vocal talents on this shining effort. From her jazz-tinged delivery on "All That Jazz" and "Everything Old Is New Again", Mason also shows her sensitive side, with exquisite, haunting readings on the classic standards "Secret Love", "Make Someone Happy" and "Look For The Silver Lining", giving them a depth and meaning that they never had before. Two of the recording’s high points are brand new songs co-written by Emmy Award-winning composer Paul Rolnick. The album’s title cut "Right Here, Right Now" and "Like The Heaven Holds The Stars" are given heartfelt and emotional performances as only Karen can. Another standout is Karen’s powerful rendition of "As If We Never Said Goodbye", from Sunset Boulevard. Karen had played the lead role of Norma Desmond to critical acclaim and standing ovations on Broadway and in Los Angeles over 200 times. The celebrated stage actress is currently starring as Velma Von Tussle in the Tony Award-winning Broadway smash hit Hairspray. Mason also originated the role of Tanya in Mamma Mia!, for which she was awarded a 2002 Drama Desk nomination as Best Actress and won the Outer Critics Circle Award for her performance in And The World Goes Round.

Right Here, Right Now

Bob Dorough & Dave Frishberg - Who's On First

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 56:53
Size: 130.2 MB
Styles: Bop, Vocal jazz
Year: 2000
Art: Front

[2:53] 1. Rockin' In Rhythm
[3:43] 2. Who's On First
[3:04] 3. Lookin' Good
[4:23] 4. Too Long In L.A
[2:42] 5. You Are There
[1:24] 6. Intro: The Underdog
[3:45] 7. The Underdog
[0:28] 8. Intro: Where You At
[3:46] 9. Where You At
[4:13] 10. Health Food Nut
[3:29] 11. Devil May Care
[4:57] 12. Nothing Like You
[3:21] 13. Hong Kong Blues
[1:29] 14. Intro: I'm Hip
[3:59] 15. I'm Hip
[5:00] 16. At The Saturday Dance
[4:09] 17. Conjunction Junction

Bob Dorough and Dave Frishberg (his co-leader on this CD) have a lot in common. Both are swinging pianists, likable vocalists that do not have conventional voices, and superb lyricists with very original wits. They only collaborated once before making this CD, writing "I'm Hip" back in 1965. In recent times Ruth Price of Los Angeles' Jazz Bakery persuaded the pair to perform as a duo and this live recording is the result. After an instrumental version of "Rockin' in Rhythm," Frishberg and Dorough perform a new classic by the former, "Who's on First," which deals with the difficulties of deciding who should perform first during their joint show! Frishberg "won" and he sings and plays the biting "Lookin' Good" which is about the advantages of being good-looking in this society. Other highlights of the delightful program include the touching "You Are There," "Where You At," Dorough's "Health Food Nut," "Hong Kong Blues," "Devil May Care," "Nothing Like You," and, of course, "I'm Hip." Frishberg and Dorough also perform their long overdue second collaboration, "At the Saturday Dance," and the set concludes with Dorough's catchy "Conjunction Function" from Schoolhouse Rock. This is a fun CD that lives up to its potential. ~Scott Yanow

Who's On First

Lena Horne - The Classic Lena Horne

Styles: Jazz, Vocal
Year: 2001
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 44:05
Size: 101,3 MB
Art: Front

(3:23) 1. Stormy Weather
(3:22) 2. One for My Baby (And One More For the Road)
(3:26) 3. How Long Has This Been Going On?
(3:13) 4. Love Me Or Leave Me
(3:32) 5. Fun To Be Fooled
(2:51) 6. I'd Do Anything
(2:23) 7. Get Out Of Town
(2:43) 8. Darn That Dream
(2:52) 9. Come On Strong
(2:47) 10. I Hadn't Anyone Till You
(3:15) 11. Someone To Watch Over Me
(3:36) 12. The Rules Of The Road
(3:44) 13. I Get The Blues When It Rains
(2:51) 14. I Got Rhythm

Lena Horne served three separate tours of duty with RCA Victor Records, from 1941 to 1945, from 1955 to 1963, and from 1975 to 1976, making the label the largest repository for her recordings. While RCA has never reissued her work in any comprehensive manner, periodically the label assembles a single-disc compilation, and The Classic Lena Horne, part of its "100 Years of Music" centenary series, is yet another one. For once, terms like "greatest hits" and "best of" are not being used, which is a relief in Horne's case since, as annotator Colin Escott is at pains to point out, she didn't have much in the way of chart hits. Actually, unlike RCA's 2000 Greatest Hits album, this one does have her sole Top 20 hit, "Love Me or Leave Me." Also included is her 1941 recording of "Stormy Weather," made before she sang it in the movie of the same name and it became her signature song. Otherwise, compiler/sequencer Buzz Ravineau has adopted a roughly chronological approach and chosen a couple of other '40s performances ("One for My Baby [And One More for the Road]" and "How Long Has This Been Going On?") to go with various studio recordings made in the '50s and early '60s. Standards like Ira and George Gershwin's "Someone to Watch Over Me" and "I Got Rhythm" are mixed with less-well-known, but nevertheless impressive songs like Cy Coleman and Carolyn Leigh's "The Rules of the Road." The result is a sampler that is not, and does not claim to be, the best of Lena Horne on RCA, but that is instead a representative sampling of the kind of high-quality work she did for the label. ~ William Ruhlmann http://www.allmusic.com/album/the-classic-lena-horne-mw0000005796

The Classic Lena Horne

Charlie Haden & Gonzalo Rubalcaba - Tokyo Adagio

Styles: Jazz, Straight-ahead/Mainstream
Year: 2015
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 51:49
Size: 121,5 MB
Art: Front + Back

( 9:05) 1. En La Orilla Del Mundo
(11:54) 2. My Love And I
( 8:29) 3. When Will The Blues Leave
( 5:47) 4. Sandino
( 9:12) 5. Solamente Una Vez (You Belong To My Heart)
( 7:19) 6. Transparence

Tokyo Adagio is a posthumous release, but one that Charlie Haden ardently desired prior to his passing in July 2014. The album marks the pinnacle of the American bassists collaborations with Gonzalo Rubalcaba, the pianist of genius he first encountered in Cuba in 1986, and with whom Charlie immediately developed a bond bordering on the telepathic. Several recordings the famous Montreal Tapes (1998), the studio albums Nocturne (2001) and Land of the Sun (2004) are evidence of the deep concordance of these two musicians, but no recording had yet captured the communal purity with which the duo displayed for the audience at the Blue Note Tokyo on consecutive evenings in the Spring of 2005.

Ten years on, Impulse!/Universal Music Classics are happy to publish this unique eyewitness account with a title to Charlies taste, since he often referred to himself as an adagio guy. Tokyo Adagio is both a tribute and a testament to the nobility of his inimitable grace; through this release the spirit of Charlie Haden will endure. Despite the 26-year gap in our ages, he never treated me as an inferior in any sense. We had each other s confidence. We could talk about politics, life, family, business. Spending so much time with him, I learned not only about music, but also about being. Our connection was about love, for the music and for our families, and for each other. ~ Gonzalo Rubalcaba https://www.amazon.com/Tokyo-Adagio-Charlie-Haden/dp/B00WFKXPKK

Personnel: Gonzalo Rubalcaba (piano); Charlie Haden (bass).

Tokyo Adagio

Donald Harrison - This is Jazz

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2011
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 56:21
Size: 129,3 MB
Art: Front

( 9:29) 1. Cut & Paste
( 9:52) 2. MSRP
( 5:32) 3. You Are My Sunshine
(11:32) 4. Seven Steps to Heaven
( 8:45) 5. I Can't Get Started
(11:09) 6. Treme Swagger

Saxophonist Donald Harrison's name is writ large on the cover of This Is Jazz, but the album is a collaborative trio in every sense. After all, playing with legendary bassist Ron Carter and drummer extraordinaire Billy Cobham could never be equated with simply hiring sidemen. Recorded live at New York's Blue Note, the six tracks on this album take post- bop expansion to exemplary heights and keep it there for the duration. Harrison has a tight but wandering presence on alto. He drifts off into almost spacey places as he improvises, with peculiar trills and off-key runs, but in doing so he stays fairly close to the beats and, ultimately, the melodies as well. He does a masterful job of engaging in serious explorations without dissolving the framework of the songs.

Carter, with five decades of professional experience and an unparalleled list of cohorts, can play anywhere he wants, for as long as he wants, and he takes full advantage of his seniority. This Is Jazz shows him not only as a great rhythm bassist, but also as an exceptional soloist. He's always rock-solid behind Harrison, but really shines in his solo improvisations, bouncing around against the drums, or, in the case of "You Are My Sunshine," simply playing the whole song by himself. Part of the thrill can be credited to recording engineer Steve Remote of Aurasonic, Ltd. who captures the woodiness, vibrations and scale of the acoustic bass, instead of just low-note tones. The drums are the most understated element of the trio, but the skins are also where the album reveals its deepest subtlety. Cobham is an elegant drummer, with stick work that is supportive and unerringly tasteful, but also quietly complex. Seemingly content in the rhythm role, Cobham doesn't take a solo until the fourth track, Victor Feldman/Miles Davis' "Seven Steps To Heaven," and even then his statement is a tightly considered against the composition. Cobham's drumming reveals class and an attention to detail that should be studied and emulated. This record features three masters showing all the world how this music is really played. Combining a first-rate set list, equal measures of exceptional soloing and ensemble playing, and an energy that should be bottled, This is Jazz truly lives up to its name. ~ Greg Simmons https://www.allaboutjazz.com/this-is-jazz-donald-harrison-half-note-records-review-by-greg-simmons.php

Personnel: Donald Harrison: alto saxophone; Ron Carter: bass; Billy Cobham: drums.

This is Jazz

Preston Reed - Handwritten Notes

Styles: Guitar, Contemporary Jazz
Year: 2000
File: MP3@256K/s
Time: 55:47
Size: 102,4 MB
Art: Front

(4:58) 1. Night Ride
(3:42) 2. Gianaina
(4:28) 3. First summer without you
(3:50) 4. Tractor pull
(4:45) 5. Crossing open water
(3:01) 6. The Groove is Real
(5:02) 7. What you don't see
(3:22) 8. Accelerator
(3:59) 9. Love in the Old Country
(3:28) 10. Along The Perimeter
(4:33) 11. Lost time
(3:35) 12. Quintana roo
(3:58) 13. After the rain
(3:00) 14. Shinkansen

Preston Reed is a guitarist of many parts - so many parts that when he brings them all into play, first time listeners often find it impossible to believe that they're hearing just the one musician, in real time. At full tilt, Reed's fingers, thumbs, fists and hands at once suggest a drummer, keyboardist, bassist and several guitarists at work. It's a dizzying, exhilarating phenomenon. A portrait of the acoustic guitar as full-on heavy metal band. But impressions of rock bands - and high speed trains and duelling, pulling tractors - are only one side of Reed. While acknowledging that somewhere inside him there is a screaming electric guitarist pacing like a caged lion, Reed is also a player of deep sensitivity who can compose and play a blues or a ballad with a touch reminiscent of his great jazz piano-playing hero, Bill Evans. Reed's entry into this guitar odyssey was inauspicious enough, his path thereafter largely self-discovered. A few chords learned from his guitar playing father, a brief, very brief, flirtation with the ukulele, clandestine practice sessions of his favourite Beatles and Stones songs on Dads guitar.... and then a too-strict classical guitar teacher led to premature retirement. At 16, however, Reed heard Jefferson Airplane's rootsy blues offshoot, Hot Tuna. His interest was rekindled big time. Acoustic guitar heroes John Fahey and Leo Kottke were studied, their styles absorbed but not imitated, and at this point things really begin to get interesting because, at 17, Reed, by now precociously proficient, played his first live gig, supporting beat poet Allen Ginsberg at the Smithsonian Institute.

Just getting on a train from his native Armonk in New York state to Washington was a cool adventure. And it was just the first of many, not least of which was the one which resulted from his signing his first deal with a major record company, MCA, through the auspices of his friend, country singer-songwriter Lyle Lovett. Determined to make the most of this opportunity, Reed pushed himself to go beyond the standard fingerpicking styles he'd perfected. The result was the beginnings of the startlingly innovative style, with its percussive, two-handed fretboard attack, that you hear today and which as caused guitar luminaries such as Al DiMeola and the late Michael Hedges to describe Reed as "phenomenal" and "inspiring". Reed's compositional talents extend to film soundtracks and prestigious commissions for the Minneapolis Guitar Quartet, and as well as appearances alongside Bonnie Raitt and Linda Ronstadt his major performances include an historic live satellite broadcast on Turkish National Television in 1997 with renowned saz player and composer Arif Sag which reached an audience of 120 million in 17 countries, prompting a flood of international telephone calls to the station from stunned viewers. Since 1979, he has recorded thirteen albums and three videos and charmed audiences on three continents. He continues to tour with the same hunger and relish that informs his guitar playing and he gives regular workshops where he passes on the techniques he has developed for extending the acoustic guitar's possibilities. The secret, he says, is to relax and let the guitar patterns run by themselves. Which explains how, at full tilt, he may sound like a full-on heavy metal band but he still won't have broken sweat. http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/prestonreed

Handwritten Notes

Thursday, August 4, 2016

Dinah Washington - Back To The Blues

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 51:35
Size: 118.1 MB
Styles: Soul/Jazz/R&B
Year: 1963/2015
Art: Front

[3:45] 1. The Blues Ain't Nothin' But A Woman Cryin' For Her Man
[2:11] 2. Her Man
[3:49] 3. In The Dark
[2:38] 4. Let Me Be The First To Know
[4:58] 5. You've Been A Good Old Wagon
[2:22] 6. Don't Come Running Back To Me
[3:10] 7. It's A Mean Old Man's World
[2:39] 8. The Key To The Highway
[3:44] 9. If I Never Get To Heaven
[2:11] 10. Duck Before You Drown
[2:33] 11. No Hard Feelings
[8:39] 12. Nobody Knows The Way I Feel This Morning
[2:34] 13. Don't Say Nothing At All
[2:04] 14. No One Man
[4:13] 15. Me & My Gin

Prior to her 1959 hit "What a Difference a Day Makes," nearly every Dinah Washington recording (no matter what the style) was of interest to jazz listeners. However, after her unexpected success on the pop charts, most of Washington's sessions for Mercury and Roulette during the last four years of her life were quite commercial, with string arrangements better suited to country singers and Washington nearly parodying herself with exaggerated gestures. Fortunately, this 1963 LP is an exception, a blues-oriented collection that features Washington returning to her roots, backed by a jazz-oriented big band (with occasional strings and background voices). Eddie Chamblee and Illinois Jacquet have some tenor solos, guitarist Billy Butler is heard from, and the trumpet soloist is probably Joe Newman. In general, this is a more successful date than Washington's earlier investigation of Bessie Smith material, since the backup band is more sympathetic and the talented singer is heard in prime form. Dinah Washington clearly had a real feeling for this bluesy material. ~Scott Yanow

Back To The Blues

Jared Wilson & The Vibe - Worry No More

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 54:42
Size: 125.2 MB
Styles: Saxophone jazz
Year: 2007
Art: Front

[4:30] 1. Worry No More
[5:48] 2. Cold Duck Time
[8:08] 3. Softly As A Morning Sunrise
[5:31] 4. Gia
[6:00] 5. Brother What Say You
[4:47] 6. St. Thomas
[7:10] 7. Willow Weep For Me
[3:54] 8. Mr. Clean
[4:04] 9. Gene's On It
[4:46] 10. Vibe Vamp

Feel good jazz is what we have here. That kind of laid back sound that wafts through the air on a Sunday morning… like the smell of a good brew of coffee and fresh baked goods, Jared Wilson’s jazz is strongly appealing. Easy, joyful jazz is the focus here on WORRY NO MORE. According to the artist, “Music is something that should make you feel good. It has the power to transform one’s mood from gloomy to feelings of jubilation.” A driven young talent from Pittsburgh, PA, Jared Wilson originally gravitated toward the trumpet before perusing the saxophone. But by the age of 13, he discovered the tenor sax and the rest, as they say, is history. Inspired by the greats: Grover Washington, Jr., Michael Brecker and Bob Mintzer… Jared Wilson & The Vibe have been laying down good feelings for more than a decade. The release of their debut CD WORRY NO MORE guarantees this musical offering will be received way outside of Pittsburgh as our global community of jazz enthusiasts discovers it here on SmoothJazz.com. In addition to the Vibe, the project features legendary organist Gene Ludwig throughout. The compositions range from straight-ahead jazz to funk to R&B. From the relaxing title track to a cool cover of “Cold Duck Time,” to the lovely and soulful ballad Jared wrote for his wife “Gia” with a similar feel to Coltrane’s “Naima,” to the SmoothJazz.com hit “Vibe Vamp,” WORRY NO MORE feels good from start to finish. ~SANDY SHORE

Worry No More

Eddie Cochran - The Best Of Eddie Cochran

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 43:45
Size: 100.2 MB
Styles: Rock & Roll, Rockabilly
Year: 1996
Art: Front

[1:58] 1. Summertime Blues
[1:54] 2. C'mon Everybody
[2:21] 3. Three Steps To Heaven
[1:58] 4. Sittin' In The Balcony
[1:59] 5. Drive-In Show
[2:18] 6. Jeannie, Jeannie, Jeannie
[2:03] 7. Teenage Heaven
[2:09] 8. Somethin' Else
[2:13] 9. My Way
[1:47] 10. Cut Across Shorty
[1:41] 11. Twenty Flight Rock
[1:46] 12. Weekend
[2:21] 13. Hallelujah! I Love Her So
[2:12] 14. Lonely
[2:07] 15. Sweetie Pie
[3:36] 16. Three Stars
[2:09] 17. Skinny Jim
[2:17] 18. Nervous Breakdown
[2:32] 19. Completely Sweet
[2:12] 20. Rock And Roll Blues

One of Rock and Roll's first "legends" Eddie Cochran was an early performer of rockabilly music and one of it's most exciting and dynamic guitar players. Over the years, Eddie's records have remained popular and is now recognized worldwide as one of the most important figures of pre-Beatles music. This 2 CD collection features the hits 'C'mon Everybody', 'Weekend', 'Summertime Blues', 'Sweetie Pie' & 'Somethin' Else' among others.

The Best Of Eddie Cochran

Hiromi Kasuga - Rising Sun

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 53:44
Size: 123.0 MB
Styles: Contemporary jazz
Year: 2014
Art: Front

[5:55] 1. Forgotten Beauty
[6:43] 2. House Of The Rising Sun
[4:44] 3. Hydrahgea
[6:04] 4. I Dreamed A Dream
[6:34] 5. I Wish You Were Here
[2:39] 6. Lush Life
[5:29] 7. Lullaby Of Itsuki
[5:36] 8. Smoke Gets In Your Eyes
[4:59] 9. Laura
[4:55] 10. W.S.

This album is mix of Jazz standards,pops, broadway show song,Japanese folk song and originals tunes, from quintet,quartet,trio, and solo piano setting. This album is unique and beautiful melodies and arrangements.

Rising Sun

Thelonious Monk - 'Round Midnight: The Complete Blue Note Singles 1947-1952 (2-Disc Set)

Alto Saxophone – Danny Quebec West, Lou Donaldson, Sahib Shihab; Bass – Al McKibbon, Robert Paige, Gene Ramey, John Simmons, Nelson Boyd; Drums – Art Blakey, Max Roach, Shadow Wilson; Piano – Thelonious Monk; Tenor Saxophone – Billy Smith, Lucky Thompson; Trumpet – George Taitt, Idrees Sulieman, Kenny Dorham; Vibraphone – Milt Jackson; Vocals – Kenny 'Pancho' Hagood.

This collection presents for the first time Monk’s Blue Note recordings in their original 78 rpm sequence of release, adding as bonus tracks the alternate takes that appeared on later LP and CD releases.

The two-disc Thelonious Monk anthology, 2014's 'Round Midnight: The Complete Blue Note Singles (1947-1952)), compiles all of the influential jazz pianist’s original 78 rpm singles released on the storied Blue Note label. These are Monk's first recordings under his own name, leading a group (not his debut recordings as a sideman with Coleman Hawkins). All of these recordings were later collected on various albums including Genius of Modern Music, Vol. 1., and other anthologies. Here, they are presented in chronological order and with alternate takes. Recorded in six separate sessions beginning in October of 1947 and ending in May of 1952, these sides showcase many of the songs Monk composed, and which would quickly become part of the jazz canon. Included are "Evidence," "Mysterioso," "Well, You Needn't," and others. While the focal point of these albums is Monk's innovative use of dissonance and unexpected, angular melodicism, the recordings also benefit from a veritable who's-who of modern jazz of the period. Backing Monk here, variously, are such luminaries as drummers Art Blakey and Max Roach, vibraphonist Milt Jackson, trumpeters Kenny Dorham and Idrees Sulieman, saxophonists Lou Donaldson and Lucky Thompson, and many more. While these recordings are widely available, it's both historically enlightening and aesthetically pleasing to have them collected so thoughtfully here. ~Matt Collar

Album: 'Round Midnight: The Complete Blue Note Singles 1947-1952 (Disc 1)

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s

Time: 75:10

Size: 172.1 MB

Styles: Bop, Piano jazz

Year: 2014

[2:57] 1. Thelonious

[2:59] 2. Suburban Eyes

[3:09] 3. 'round Midnight

[2:57] 4. Well, You Needn't

[3:01] 5. Evonce

[2:59] 6. Off Minor

[2:54] 7. In Walked Bud

[3:04] 8. Epistrophy

[3:11] 9. Ruby, My Dear

[2:30] 10. Evidence

[2:51] 11. Humph

[3:19] 12. Misterioso

[2:55] 13. All The Things You Are

[2:59] 14. I Should Care

[2:43] 15. I Mean You

[3:06] 16. Monk's Mood

[2:40] 17. Who Knows

[2:59] 18. Nice Work If You Can Get It

[3:19] 19. April In Paris

[3:26] 20. Four In One

[2:55] 21. Straight, No Chaser

[2:54] 22. Criss-Cross

[3:02] 23. Eronel

[3:13] 24. Ask Me Now

[3:00] 25. Willow Weep For Me

Round Midnight: The Complete Blue Note Singles 1947-1952 (Disc 1)

Album: 'Round Midnight: The Complete Blue Note Singles 1947-1952 (Disc 2)

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s

Time: 70:13

Size: 160.8 MB

Styles: Bop, Piano jazz

Year: 2014

Art: Front

[2:58] 1. Skippy

[3:46] 2. Let's Cool One

[3:11] 3. Hornin' In

[3:25] 4. Carolina Moon

[3:00] 5. Evonce

[2:54] 6. Suburban Eyes

[2:59] 7. Nice Work If You Can Get It

[3:04] 8. Ruby, My Dear

[2:53] 9. Well, You Needn't

[2:40] 10. April in Paris

[3:10] 11. Introspection

[2:43] 12. Who Knows

[3:00] 13. I Should Care

[2:42] 14. Misterioso

[3:26] 15. Four in One

[2:47] 16. Criss-Cross

[4:26] 17. Ask Me Now

[3:06] 18. Skippy

[3:05] 19. Hornin' In

[3:26] 20. Sixteen

[3:38] 21. Sixteen

[3:44] 22. I'll Follow You

Round Midnight: The Complete Blue Note Singles 1947-1952 (Disc 2)

Judy Holliday - Trouble Is A Man

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 40:50
Size: 93.5 MB
Styles: Easy Listening
Year: 1958/1995
Art: Front

[2:36] 1. Trouble Is A Man
[3:30] 2. How About Me
[2:34] 3. What I Was Warned About
[3:29] 4. I Got Lost In His Arms
[2:43] 5. What'll I Do
[3:40] 6. Lonely Town
[2:56] 7. Am I Blue
[1:59] 8. Confession
[2:20] 9. Occasional Man
[3:38] 10. A Ride On A Rainbow
[3:16] 11. Where Have You Been
[3:15] 12. I'm One Of God's Children (Who Hasn't Got Wings)
[2:19] 13. Loving You
[2:31] 14. The Party's Over

Judy Holliday was an actress, not a singer, but she recorded two albums of songs in 1958 and 1960. Her voice is just OK, so the stronger pieces on this offering are the ones where her sincerity wins out or she gets to show off her ability as a comedian while joined by an orchestra arranged by Glenn Osser. Fans of the actress will find this CD of interest, but most other listeners can safely pass this by. ~Scott Yanow

Trouble Is A Man

Sue Bell - Starry Night

Size: 121,9 MB
Time: 52:21
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2006
Styles: Jazz Vocals
Art: Front

01. I Won't Last A Day Without You (5:11)
02. It's Going To Take Some Time This Time (3:36)
03. Vincent (Starry Starry Night) (6:58)
04. All Is Fair In Love (5:34)
05. One Less Bell To Answer (6:12)
06. Let Me Be The One (4:32)
07. The Very Thought Of You (4:16)
08. Too Late Baby (3:50)
09. Can't Make You Love Me (6:49)
10. Never Dreamed You'd Leave In Summer (5:18)

Personnel:
Sue Bell - Vocals
John Hansen - Piano
Chuck Deardorf - Bass
John Morton - Guitar
Steve Hill - Drums
Tony Grasso - Trumpet

Starry Night, continues to gain interest from Europe and has received notice from a radio station in Germany and a concert promoter in Italy.

Thank you for the continued sales through itunes and cdbaby from Japan, Switzerland, the UK, Canada and here in the U.S.

With qualities compared to that of Norah Jones, Carly Simon and Nancy Wilson, vocalist Sue Bell, presents"Starry Night" a collection of outstanding pop tunes arranged and performed by a group of some of the Northwest's premier jazz musicians. From Ray Noble's "The Very Thought of you", to songs by Stevie Wonder, Carole King, Burt Bacharach and others, Sue Bell offers heartfelt interpretations of some of America's finest popular music.

Starry Night

Bob Sneider - Out Of The Darkness

Size: 138,1 MB
Time: 59:40
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2001
Styles: Jazz
Art: Front

01. Isfahan (6:47)
02. Out Of The Darkness (5:20)
03. David’s Tune (4:24)
04. Waltz For Aleta (6:04)
05. Love Walked In (8:40)
06. Ev’ry Time We Say Goodbye (7:27)
07. Vivo Sonhando (Dreamer) (3:40)
08. If I Had You (6:14)
09. You’d Be So Nice To Come Home To (6:11)
10. Pyramid (4:49)

Guitarist Bob Sneider, based in Rochester, New York, won two Downbeat awards for "Best Performance" before he was out of college, then went on to perform with Houston Person, Freddie Cole, Nnenna Freelon, and Jon Faddis; he also toured with Chuck Mangione for four years. Now teaching jazz guitar at the prestigious Eastman School of Music, Sneider is a classy player with a honeyed tone and smooth, melodic lines. Out of the Darkness is a good title for a CD where dissonance is an accent, rather than a lifestyle; listening to it is like taking a springtime ride with the top down.

On Sneider's second outing for Sons of Sound , he appears in different settings - duo with percussion, bebop quintet, trio - each revealing a different color in his extensive palette. His writing gifts are especially evident on the burning title tune and the tender "Waltz for Aleta," and his addition of an intriguing head-twist to "Love Walked In." There's a good mix of electric and acoustic guitar, and the pacing is a naturalistic, satisfying sequence of density and mood. A string quartet enhances two tracks without adding any of that cloying sweetness; in fact, "Ev'ry Time We Say Goodbye" is a highlight of the album, along with the graceful takes on "Isfahan," "Pyramid," and Jobim's "Dreamer." Bassist Bob Stata, pianist Paul Hofmann and drummer Mike melito are consistently first-rate. The last track, Kenny Burrell's "Lyrestro," is actually a concert video, playable on Quicktime 3.0, which my antique equipment will not accommodate; but while I can't report on the audio, the video reveals that a good time was had by all. It certainly sounds like it. A thoroughly enjoyable CD. ~Dr. Judith Schelesinger

Personnel: Bob Sneider (electric and classical guitar), John Sneider (trumpet), Paul Hofmann (piano), Bob Stata (bass), Mike Melito (drums), Tony Padilla (percussion), string quartet: Diedre Foley (violin), Heather Netz (violin), Adrienne Sommerville (viola), Christoher Hutton (cello), strings arranged by David Ravello

Out Of The Darkness

Rhonda Ross - In Case You Didn't Know

Size: 140,9 MB
Time: 60:30
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2016
Styles: Jazz Fusion, Soul, R&B
Art: Front

01. In Case You Didn't Know (5:10)
02. All I Want (0:00)
03. Summer Day (Prelude) (1:01)
04. Summer Day (3:54)
05. Breathe (5:53)
06. Here Right Now (6:42)
07. Drumbeat Of Life (5:25)
08. Evermore (4:42)
09. Run On (4:20)
10. From Now On (5:39)
11. Nobody's Business (5:06)
12. It Don't Matter (4:00)
13. You're My Song (3:34)
14. Run On (Feat. Jaliyl Yaseen) (4:58)

Singer-songwriter, Rhonda Ross, is an international Social-Artist, who explores questions of race, gender, sexuality and spirituality through her art. Her original music lives in the gap between jazz, funk and gospel while her lyrics delve into life's biggest questions and answers. From racism, sexism and homophobia to the need for self-love and spirituality, Rhonda uses her music to examine the society in which she lives and through all of it, asks “In the midst of THIS, how can I still be free?" She has great power on stage and her refreshingly personal and moving performances set her apart from other vocalists of her era. Rhonda's music flows straight from her essence and her bright spirit uplifts everyone in the room. With a crown of natural hair, Rhonda graces the stage with the gravitas and glamour of a modern-day queen. As the only child of Diana Ross and Motown Founder Berry Gordy, it has become evident that Rhonda not only has the talent, but the significance to carry on her parents’ legacy, all the while establishing her own unique musical destination.

Rhonda's music is based in traditional jazz, but pulls from the entire African diaspora. In 1994, she met, married, and began a 20-year musical collaboration with jazz pianist and composer Rodney Kendrick. Through him, Rhonda commenced studying with the late jazz great Abbey Lincoln. “It was Abbey and Rodney who convinced me to begin my journey as a singer-songwriter.” Rhonda says, “I primarily consider myself a story-teller and poet. I use my music to inspire and to uplift. To teach people – including myself.” Their live CD, Rhonda Ross Live: Featuring Rodney Kendrick is a hot internet seller.

Now a mother to a young son, Rhonda’s music has taken on the more mature stance of a woman “with the understanding and wisdom of a 40 yr old, but the passion and dream-seeking of a 20 yr old!” And what a combination it is! Rhonda is one of the rare artists today using her music to examine the society she lives in – from racism to sexism to homophobia to the need for self-love and spirituality, Rhonda’s songs look through all of it and ask “In the midst of THIS, how can I still live the best life possible? New songs have emerged. Songs like: “Nobody’s Business” – a groovy, bass-led reminder that “your joy comes from the inside and that it’s nobody else’s job to make you happy”, and “Summer Day” - an upbeat realization that even after the harshest winter, the sun will re-emerge and “the buds of hope can still bloom”. ”Through Rhonda’s individual and creative expression, the legendary Ross influence continues to live on and expand.

Rhonda headlined one of President Obama’s 2nd Inaugural Balls, and later performed to standing ovations and rave reviews at The Hollywood Bowl, The Montreal International Jazz Festival, Wolf Trap, and The Theater at Madison Square Garden. Rhonda's live performance will thoroughly entertain you and move you to the point of tears – all while inspiring you to believe that you can do or be anything!

In Case You Didn't Know

Sonny Stitt - Live At The Hi Hat Vol. 2

Size: 150,3 MB
Time: 64:07
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 1996
Styles: Jazz
Art: Front

01. S.O.S. (Colombus Avenue Rhythm) (Live) ( 8:05)
02. Rockin' At The Hi Hat (Live) ( 2:22)
03. Indiana - Second Version;live ( 3:14)
04. They Can't Take That Away From Me (Live) ( 4:24)
05. Lover (Live) ( 3:03)
06. Flying Home - Second Version (Live) ( 2:54)
07. Mass Ave Swing (Live) ( 2:29)
08. They Say It's Wonderful (Live) ( 2:10)
09. One O'clock Jump (Live) (12:20)
10. Jeeper's Creepers (Live) ( 4:16)
11. Baritone Blues (Live) ( 4:01)
12. How High The Moon (Live) ( 6:10)
13. Body And Soul (Live) ( 3:53)
14. If I Had You (Live) ( 1:58)
15. Jumpin' With The Symphony Sid (Live) ( 2:41)

Sonny Stitt spent most of his career touring as a single, picking up rhythm sections wherever he appeared. On February 11, 1954, he was booked at the Hi-Hat in Boston and the local sidemen he came up with (pianist Dean Earl, bassist Bernie Griggs, and drummer Marquis Foster) were competent but undistinguished. That didn't matter much, though, because they were able to state basic chord changes, allowing Stitt to stretch out on standards and his riffing originals. Most unusual about this typical bebop jam is that in addition to his alto and tenor, Stitt triples on baritone (an instrument he otherwise only utilized on two songs for a Prestige date during this period). Stitt often switches horns during the brief piano spots and in fact, on a 12-minute version of "One O' Clock Jump," he takes solos on tenor, alto, and baritone. Although his flights and constant double-time passages could be predictable, Stitt's huge mental storage of ideas, song quotes, and personal licks is impressive and his fans will certainly enjoy this reasonably well-recorded set. ~by Scott Yanow

Live At The Hi Hat Vol. 2

Buddy Greene - December's Song

Size: 102,6 MB
Time: 40:36
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2013
Styles: Folk, Holidays
Art: Front

01. Canticle Of The Turning (4:12)
02. Come Darkness, Come Light (4:37)
03. Sleigh Ride (3:01)
04. Christmas Time Is Here (Feat. Georganna Greene) (3:30)
05. If We Make It Through December (3:30)
06. Children Go Where I Send Thee (3:49)
07. I'll Be Home For Christmas (3:26)
08. Si Bheag Si Mhor/In The Bleak Midwinter (3:29)
09. Mary, Did You Know (3:31)
10. Joy To The World (Feat. Joyce Martin Sanders) (3:15)
11. Immanuel (God Is With Us) (4:12)

Buddy Greene is perhaps most well known as the co-writer of the Christmas favorite, "Mary, Did You Know?". On December's Song, his second seasonal recording (and 18th recording project), he offers up some of his favorite tunes of the season.

Highlights includes Buddy's extraordinary harmonica playing and accompany fellow musicians and singers. You'll hear: Bryan Sutton on guitar, mandolin, and bouzouki; Jeff Taylor on accordion, piano, and whistles; Byron House on upright bass; Aubrey Haynie on fiddle; and background singers Angie Primm, Joyce Martin, Jill Phillips, Charlotte Ritchie, Todd Suttles.

December's Song

Peggy Lee & George Shearing - Beauty and the Beat

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 1959
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 34:04
Size: 108,6 MB
Art: Front + Back

(3:01) 1. Do I Love You
(2:24) 2. I Lost My Sugar in Salt Lake C
(2:17) 3. Dreams Come True
(2:33) 4. All Too Soon
(1:40) 5. Mambo in Miami
(2:52) 6. Isn't It Romantic
(2:03) 7. Blue Prelude
(2:48) 8. You Came a Long Way from St Lo
(1:55) 9. Always True to You in My Fashi
(2:21) 10. There'll Be Another Spring
(1:54) 11. Get Out of Town
(2:44) 12. Satin Doll
(2:29) 13. Nobody's Heart
(2:56) 14. Don't Ever Leave Me

Upon its first release Beauty and the Beat! was billed as a live recording from a Miami convention of disc jockeys. Though Peggy Lee and George Shearing did in fact perform there (and attempts were made to record them for later release), the songs heard on the subsequent LP were recorded in the studio and overdubbed with rather obvious canned applause, announcements, and even post-production echo. Lee and Shearing, who had never recorded before, conceived a set of completely new arrangements that played to their strengths: stately blues and effervescent swing. The best of the former comes on a pair of locale-referencing quasi-blues, "I Lost My Sugar in Salt Lake City" and "You Came a Long Way From St. Louis," both of which Lee and Shearing are able to transform into languorous, respectable torch songs. The usually downcast "Blue Prelude" is actually taken at a laissez faire tempo that Lee treats well, and the original set ends with "Get Out of Town" and "Satin Doll," a pair of bemused, affectionate performances that perfectly suit the pair. Lee and Shearing's only collaboration on record- though both would occasionally perform together thereafter is a supremely chilled session of late-night blues from two masters of the form. ~ John Bush http://www.allmusic.com/album/beauty-and-the-beat!-mw0000611837

Personnel: Peggy Lee (vocals); George Shearing (piano); Toots Thielemans (guitar); Ray Alexander (vibraphone); Carl Pruitt (bass); Ray Mosca (drums); Armando Peraza (congas, percussion).

Beauty and the Beat