Allegra Levy - Lonely City

Styles: Jazz, Vocal
Year: 2014
File: MP3@256K/s
Time: 53:01
Size: 98,5 MB
Art: Front

(5:10)  1. Anxiety
(3:57)  2. I Don't Want to Be in Love
(5:34)  3. Everything Green
(4:52)  4. A New Face
(5:19)  5. Why Do I
(4:57)  6. A Better Day
(5:16)  7. I'm Not Okay
(4:02)  8. Clear-eyed Tango
(4:26)  9. Lonely City
(4:13) 10. Our Lullabye
(5:10) 11. The Duet

Steep in the traditions of classic jazz interludes, Lonely City from vocalist Allegra Levy resonates with authentic American swing trimmings and smooth blues grooves. If audiences didn’t know any better they’d think Levy’s tunes are all jazz standards, but in fact, the songs are all originals penned by Levy as she brings the jazz of yesteryear into a modern age. The New York City-based singer creates an amalgamation of blues, jazz and soul clad with the sensual vocal stylizing of Nancy Wilson as she synthesizes an intimate atmosphere with nostalgic beauty. Earthy sensations mingle with ethereal dreams in the lyrical content making for a recording that expresses the multiple dimensions of the human soul.  Levy embraces the classic jazz spectrum in “Anxiety” illustrating an American swing palette that is reminiscent of vintage tunes composed by Jimmy Van Heusen and Johnny Mercer. “I Don’t Want to Be in Love” is an upbeat romp with springy rhythmic grooves and horns that flare with sheer elation. The pop-fringed ballad “Everything Green” is helmed by gentle vocal strokes shrouded in a light sprinkle of keys and strings. The sunny tone of the horns in “A New Face” have an airy vibrancy carried along the wings of gliding keys while the smooth jazz ballad “Why Do I” conveys an introspective mood.

The sparse instrumentation of “A Better Day” is chiseled in flouncy horns and trickling keys which flex a bluesy tone in “I’m Not Okay” as Levy’s vocals progress in waves of suavely driven struts which bring out the woeful state expressed in the lyrical content. An acceptance of fate is conveyed as Levy nurses a deep sadness, “I’m not okay and I never will be / I’m not okay and that’s okay with me / Don’t be a fool and try to save me / I’d rather sit and live the blues God gave me.” Levy sings as though the sorrow is being drowned in gallons of libation. The slow rhythm of “Clear-Eyed Tango” transitions into an Argentine tango preening a gypsy-like shimmy in the zigzagging notes of the strings. The romantic ambiance of the title track is sparked by atmospheric guitar chords and dripping keys as Levy’s vocals purvey a soft simmer reflective of Sara Barielles traveling into the smooth winding ballad of “Our Lullaby.” The pop ballad “The Duet” closes the album looming soft bass notes around Levy’s vocals as gently twinkling keys are entwined in violin swirls creating delicate silhouettes along the track. The frolicking cantor of Levy’s vocals is expressive sharing the impulsive nature of Regina Spektor to improvise along the vocal melody. The songs, though exemplary of classic jazz standards, are modern anthems sharing thoughts of personal conflicts and introspective feelings. Her connection with blues, jazz, swing, and soul creates an intimacy with audiences that is genuine and bridges classic jazz with a modern age. ~  Susan Frances  https://www.axs.com/album-review-lonely-city-from-allegra-levy-27671

Personnel:  Allegra Levy – vocals, Richie Barshay – drums, Jorge Roeder – bass, Adam Kolker – tenor saxophone, Steve Cardenes – guitar, John Bailey – trumpet, Carmen Staaf – piano, Mark Feldman – violin

Lonely City

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Chuck Mangione - Everything For Love

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 2000
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 64:34
Size: 149,1 MB
Art: Front

(6:10)  1. Peggy Hill
(7:08)  2. Slo Ro
(7:02)  3. Amazing Grace
(6:18)  4. Seoul Sister
(7:48)  5. Viola
(4:14)  6. Fox Hunt
(6:33)  7. Annalise
(6:00)  8. I Do Everything For Love
(6:29)  9. Papa Mangione
(6:50) 10. Freddie's Walkin'

Chuck Mangione, the famed flugelhornist and trumpeter fills his first recording of the 21st century with some wonderfully subdued love songs whose subtle, intimate qualities may surprise those of his fans who best know his boisterous pop hits. More than simply expressing a romantic boy-girl kind of love, Mangione is playing gentle, atmospheric jazz for a wide variety of special people, real and animated. And there is no doubt that the truest love here is that between the artist and some of his old bandmates; saxman Gerry Niewood played with Mangione from 1968 through the mid-'70s, while guitarist Grant Geissman (showing a rich, traditional jazz depth only hinted at on most of his smooth jazz efforts) and bassist Charles Meeks were there during Mangione's late '70s pop heyday. "Slo Ro," dedicated to Mangione's wife, is a moody reflection piece led by a drifting muted trumpet and the bluesy duality of Niewood's smoky tenor and Allen's keys. A seven-minute meditative version of "Amazing Grace" begins as a quiet, prayer-like duet between Mangione and Geissman, who switches partway through from the Wes sound to an electric rock axe for an edgy solo; then, Allen's organ solo takes this very spiritual rendition to church before Niewood chimes in with a sweet flute solo. Within each song, there are moments when Pellegrini's drums kick the softness up a few notches, and the peppery horn playing on "Fox Hunt" and the clapping percussion on the Latin-spiced "I Do Everything for Love" show a more playful side than Mangione displays elsewhere. Fans who know Mangione's whole career will see this as a fine addition to his jazz catalog; those who want more pop hits will be surprised at the low-key nature of the project. ~ Jonathan Widran http://www.allmusic.com/album/everything-for-love-mw0000104126

Personnel: Chuck Mangione (trumpet, flugelhorn); Charles Meeks (vocals, electric bass); Gerry Niewood (soprano & tenor saxophones); Corey Allen, Tim Regusis (keyboards); Grant Geissman (acoustic & electric guitars); Darryl Pellegrini (drums); Paulette McWilliams, Cindy Mizelle (background vocals).

Everything For Love

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Kirk Knuffke - Amnesia Brown

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 2010
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 53:11
Size: 139,1 MB
Art: Front

(3:22)  1. How It Goes
(2:31)  2. Double
(3:29)  3. Level
(3:47)  4. Amnesia Brown
(2:52)  5. 2nd
(1:55)  6. Read Bag
(4:19)  7. Leadbelly
(3:12)  8. Practical Sampling
(3:31)  9. Hears It
(4:54) 10. Totem
(3:26) 11. Need
(3:38) 12. Fix It, Charlie
(2:46) 13. High-Pants Bob
(3:14) 14. Narrative
(3:03) 15. Please Help, Please Give
(3:04) 16. Anne

Brooklyn-based trumpeter Kirk Knuffke's sophomore effort, Amnesia Brown is a far more esoteric affair than his conventional piano-less quartet debut, Big Wig (Clean Feed, 2008). Eschewing a traditional rhythm section, Knuffke is joined by fellow members of Butch Morris' Nublu Orchestra legendary Downtown stalwarts Doug Wieselman (on clarinet and electric guitar) and drummer Kenny Wollesen. Through sixteen brief cuts, the trio waxes and wanes from contemplative to impassioned, bounding effortlessly from one mood to the next. Swinging without constraint, Knuffke's trio ignores the conventions of free-bop hegemony, moving beyond the stylistic antecedents of his previous release, invoking not only the innovations of the New Thing and AACM, but genres beyond jazz as well. Generating a surprising level of timbral diversity from a limited palette, Knuffke, Wieselman, and Wollesen veer from the chamber music-like austerity of "Narrative" to the raucous futuristic rockabilly of "Fix it, Charlie."

Wieselman's approach towards his choice of instrument often dictates the trio's tenor; his clarinet can be mellifluous and lyrical ("Need"), or strident and caterwauling ("High-pants Bob"). His amplified fretwork tends to be more abrasive, coloring "Red Bag" with coruscating shards, but he is also prone towards reverb-laced twang, used to good effect on the surf-inflected "Leadbelly." Knuffke's warm tone and earthy phrasing provides a stimulating contrast to Wieselman's skronky guitar, while transparently knitting with his pliant clarinet cadences. Wollesen proves his rhythmic ingenuity without a bassist, fulfilling the role of both time-keeper and melodic colorist. Although the tunes are brief (three minutes on average) the trio manages to pack a significant number of ideas into each of these miniatures more than some artists fit into an entire album. The title track and "Leadbelly" are stellar examples of the trio's ability to integrate inventive, succinct improvisations into memorable themes. Showcasing their diversity, "Please Help, Please Give" serves as the dissonant flipside to the album's tender closer, the romantic and sentimental ballad "Anne." Referring to a bizarre family incident involving his great grandfather from many years ago, Amnesia Brown is appropriately disjointed, but compositionally astute, revealing an expansive worldview encapsulated in microcosmic fragments. ~ Troy Collins https://www.allaboutjazz.com/amnesia-brown-kirk-knuffke-clean-feed-records-review-by-troy-collins.php

Personnel: Kirk Knuffke: trumpet; Doug Wieselman: clarinet and guitar; Kenny Wollesen: drums.

Amnesia Brown

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Steve Gadd And Friends - Live At Voce

Styles: Crossover Jazz, Fusion
Year: 2010
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 77:44
Size: 178,5 MB
Art: Front

( 9:10)  1. Watching The River Flow
( 7:36)  2. Way Back Home
( 8:20)  3. Undecided
(10:29)  4. Bye Bye Blackbird
(11:45)  5. Them Changes
( 6:04)  6. Georgia On My Mind
( 8:55)  7. Back At The Chicken Shack
( 8:57)  8. Sister Sadie
( 2:23)  9. Here I Am Now
( 3:59) 10. Down

In 2009, veteran pop and jazz session drummer Steve Gadd hosted a rare club date that has resulted in an even rarer recording under his own name. On Live at Voce, Gadd fronts a jazz quartet also including Joey DeFrancesco (organ and trumpet), Ronnie Cuber (baritone saxophone), and Paul Bollenbeck (guitar). They turn in a hard bop blowing session that finds them giving jazzy readings to pop songs like Bob Dylan's "Watching the River Flow." An obvious choice, and the album's longest track at 11:45, is a version of Buddy Miles' "Them Changes" that Gadd begins with his characteristic brushes-on-tom-toms sound before it turns into a horn challenge between Cuber and a muted DeFrancesco. These two dominate the solos throughout, whoever may be credited as leader. But Gadd does take the occasional solo, as does Bollenbeck. The players stretch the tracks out, often putting quotes from other songs in their leads, demonstrating their mastery of pop and jazz repertoire. 

This is not an album that is going to change jazz history or the career of Steve Gadd, but it sounds like it was fun to be in the club that night. [The deluxe edition of the album adds two tracks written and sung by Edie Brickell. Brickell's husband, Paul Simon, has employed Gadd frequently (that's him playing the signature snare part on "50 Ways to Leave Your Lover," for instance), and she and Gadd have even formed a band, the Gaddabouts. Here, the two combine in a voice-and-drums version of the optimistic "Here I Am Now," while the more downcast "Down" boasts a fuller pop/rock arrangement. 

~ William Ruhlmann http://www.allmusic.com/album/live-at-voce-mw0002030417

Personnel:  Steve Gadd – drums;  Joey DeFrancesco - Hammond B3 organ, trumpet;  Ronnie Cuber - baritone saxophone;  Paul Bollenbeck - guitar

Live At Voce

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Keith Jarrett - My Foolish Heart: Live at Montreux Disc 1 And Disc 2

Album: My Foolish Heart: Live at Montreux   Disc 1

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2007
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 50:32
Size: 115,8 MB
Art: Front

( 9:10)  1. Four
(12:25)  2. My Foolish Heart
( 6:37)  3. Oleo
( 7:54)  4. What's New
( 7:43)  5. The Song Is You
( 6:41)  6. Ain't Misbehavin'

Pianist Keith Jarrett's career practically invites criticism or, at the very least, intense comment. His outspokenness, his utter seriousness of intent and the resulting love-hate relationship with the audience, even his vocalisms, evoke strong responses, both pro and con, from listeners. As the years have gone by, expectations have continued to rise, almost to the point that no matter what he does, Jarrett will fail in someone's eyes, and My Foolish Heart is no exception. However, the only issue that really matters is this: does he and, by extension, the trio, communicate with and connect to the listener?  ECM has released this double-CD live recording from the 2001 Montreux Jazz Festival as a sort of now-to-then comparison to the upcoming release Setting The Standards: New York Sessions 1983, which will mark the twenty-fifth anniversary of this trio in 2008. Any Jarrett release is an event and, when combined with Jarrett's liner notes which talk about how special this performance was, practically promises a revelatory listening experience. Revelation is, however, a very personal thing. Since this music consists of well-known standards the magic, if it is to be found, will not be in new sounds, but in the details of the performance for those who can, or desire to, hear them.

The best jazz is the music of spontaneous, unexpected creation. It requires dynamic energy and concentration plus the seeming contradictory ability to let go, forgetting all the technique and theory and just playing. In this case, what is to be played starts with the tunes themselves, with melody. A standard is labeled as such because its construction has achieved the delicate balance between the melodic phrasing and harmony that creates something unique, and being immediately identifiable and memorable. To treat such a creation as mere changes is to violate its sanctity, and true improvisation will maintain contact, however tenuous, with the source of the inspiration. In this respect, Jarrett is masterful and there is nary a moment on any track when it is not obvious which tune is being played. The changes are respected, but so are the melody and emotional essence of the tune, with Jarrett using the musical language of conventional bebop jazz. 

Bassist Gary Peacock and drummer Jack DeJohnette, acknowledged masters in their own right, obviously know Jarrett and each other extremely well. Any given performance can vary, but this one does seem to find this rhythm section in top form. DeJohnette's famous energy is controlled but white hot while Peacock, whose solos are short but meaningful, adds a delightful bounce and verve. The trio is playing as one and this is the joy of the performance. The surprise comes with the three stride tunes, "Ain't Misbehavin,'" "Honeysuckle Rose" and "You Took Advantage Of Me," and if anyone was waiting for a reason to gush about this performance, it is here. Place it where you will in Jarrett's discography, My Foolish Heart is true jazz artistry. ~ Budd Kopman https://www.allaboutjazz.com/my-foolish-heart-keith-jarrett-ecm-records-review-by-budd-kopman.php

Personnel: Keith Jarrett: piano; Gary Peacock: double-bass; Jack DeJohnette: drums.

My Foolish Heart: Live at Montreux Disc 1

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Album: My Foolish Heart: Live at Montreux    Disc 2

Year: 2007

File: MP3@320K/s

Time: 58:08

Size: 133,2 MB

( 6:45)  1. Honeysuckle Rose

( 8:54)  2. You Took Advantage of Me

(10:04)  3. Straight, No Chaser

( 6:36)  4. Five Brothers

(11:09)  5. Guess I'll Hang My Tears Out To Dry

( 8:18)  6. On Green Dolphin Street

( 6:19)  7. Only the Lonely

My Foolish Heart: Live at Montreux Disc 2

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Joanie Sommers - Let's Talk About Love

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2015
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 34:41
Size: 80,0 MB
Art: Front

(2:29)  1. Let's Talk About Love
(4:13)  2. Spring Is Here
(2:26)  3. I'm Nobody's Baby
(2:19)  4. Something's Coming
(3:47)  5. Make the Man Love Me
(2:24)  6. I Can't Believe That You're in Love with Me
(2:28)  7. Til There Was You
(3:19)  8. After the Lights Go Down Low
(2:11)  9. There's No Such Thing
(3:13) 10. Namely You
(2:32) 11. Kiss and Run
(3:13) 12. I'll Never Stop Loving You

At the time of the release of this little-known LP (singer Joanie Sommers' fifth for Warner Bros), she was being packaged as the "voice of youth." Backed by a big band arranged and conducted by Tommy Oliver, Sommers interprets a dozen songs having something to do with love, programmed so as to tell a story. Sommers' voice at this point in time was quite musical but can be a bit of an acquired taste. She swings the pieces (a couple newer songs and such standards as "I'm Nobody's Baby," "I Can't Believe That You're in Love with Me," "Till There Was You" and "Kiss and Run") with sincerity and understanding of the lyrics. Some of the arrangements are a bit dated (using early-'60s pop rhythms), but in general the album works well. ~ Scott Yanow http://www.allmusic.com/album/lets-talk-about-love-mw0000591608

Let's Talk About Love

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The Manhattan Transfer - Brasil

Styles: Vocal, Big Band
Year: 1987
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 42:48
Size: 102,0 MB
Art: Front

(5:16)  1. Soul Food To Go (Sina)
(4:06)  2. The Zoo Blues (Asa)
(4:58)  3. So You Say (Esquinas)
(5:11)  4. Capim (Capim)
(4:36)  5. Metropolis (Arlequim Desconhecido)
(4:08)  6. Hear The Voices (Bahia De Todas As Contas)
(5:10)  7. Água (Água)
(3:32)  8. The Jungle Pioneer (Viola Violar)
(5:47)  9. Notes From The Underground (Antes Que Seja Tarde)

Riding a wave of nostalgia in the '70s, the Manhattan Transfer resurrected jazz trends from boogie-woogie to bop to vocalese in a slick, slightly commercial setting that balanced the group's close harmonies. Originally formed in 1969, the quartet recorded several albums of jazz standards as well as much material closer to R&B/pop. Still, they were easily the most popular jazz vocal group of their era, and the most talented of any since the heyday of Lambert, Hendricks & Ross during the early '60s. When the group was formed in the late '60s, however, the Manhattan Transfer was a hippie cornball act similar to the Lovin' Spoonful or Spanky & Our Gang. The lone LP that appeared from the original lineup leader Gene Pistilli plus Tim Hauser, Erin Dickins, Marty Nelson, and Pat Rosalia was Jukin', assembled by Capitol. An odd and hardly successful satire record, it was the last appearance on a Manhattan Transfer album for all of the above except Hauser. After Hauser met vocalists Laurel Masse and Janis Siegel in 1972, the trio re-formed the Manhattan Transfer later that year with the addition of Alan Paul. The group became popular after appearances at a few New York hotspots and recorded their own debut, an eponymous LP recorded with help from the jazz world (including Zoot Sims, Randy Brecker, Jon Faddis, and Mel Davis).

 Featuring vocalese covers of "Java Jive" and "Tuxedo Junction" as well as a Top 40 hit in the aggressive gospel tune "Operator," the album rejuvenated the field of vocalese (dormant since the mid-'60s) and made the quartet stars in the jazz community across Europe as well as America. The Manhattan Transfer's next two albums, Coming Out and Pastiche, minimized the jazz content in favor of covers from around the music community, from Nashville to Los Angeles to Motown. A single from Coming Out, the ballad "Chanson d'Amour," hit number one in Britain. Though Masse left in 1979 for a solo career, Cheryl Bentyne proved a capable replacement, and that same year, Extensions introduced their best-known song, "Birdland," the ode to bop written by Weather Report several years earlier. Throughout the 1980s, the group balanced retreads from all aspects of American song. The 1981 LP Mecca for Moderns gained the Manhattan Transfer their first American Top Ten hit, with a cover of the Ad Libs' 1965 girl group classic "The Boy from New York City," but also included a version of Charlie Parker's "Confirmation" and a surreal, wordless tribute named "Kafka." (The album also earned the Manhattan Transfer honors as the first artist to receive Grammys in both the pop and jazz categories in the same year.) The production on virtually all was susceptible to '80s slickness, and though the group harmonies were wonderful, all but the most open of listeners had trouble digesting the sheer variety of material. The group's 1985 tribute to vocal pioneer Jon Hendricks, titled Vocalese, marked a shift in the Manhattan Transfer's focus. Subsequent works managed to keep the concepts down to one per album, and the results were more consistent. Such records as 1987's Brasil, 1994's Tubby the Tuba (a children's record), 1995's Tonin' ('60s R&B), and 1997's Swing (pre-war swing) may not have found the group at their performance peak, but were much more easily understandable for what they were. 

The group stayed very active and concept-heavy during the 2000s, beginning with a tribute to Louis Armstrong for 2000's The Spirit of St. Louis. They included a pair of Rufus Wainwright songs among the jazz material on 2004's Vibrate, and released An Acapella Christmas the following year. The Symphony Sessions followed in 2006, offering re-recordings of some of their best-known songs with orchestral arrangements. In 2009, the Transfer saluted one of the biggest names in jazz with The Chick Corea Songbook, and featured contributions from Corea, Airto Moreira, Christian McBride, and Ronnie Cuber, among others. During the early 2010s, the group focused more on performing, although both Bentyne and Hauser were forced to find temporary replacements during medical procedures. After spinal surgery in 2013, Hauser returned to the group, but then died suddenly from cardiac arrest in October 2014. 

~ John Bush https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/manhattan-transfer/id150513#fullText

The Manhattan Transfer: Tim Hauser, Janis Siegel, Alan Paul, Cheryl Bentyne (vocals).

Additional personnel: Uakti, Marco Antonio Guimaraes, Paulo Sergio Dos Santos, Artur Andres Ribeiro, Decio De Souza Ramos (various instruments); Victor Biglione, Toninho Horta, Oscar Castro-Neves, Dann Huff, Wayne Johnson (guitar); Stan Getz, David Sanborn (saxophone); Yaron Gershovsky (piano); Jamal Joanes Dos Santos, Nathan East, Abraham Laboriel (bass); John Robinson, Buddy Williams (drums); Frank Colon, Paulinho Da Costa, Djalma Correa (percussion); Wagner Tiso, Larry Williams, Jeff Lorber (programming); Milton Nascimento, Djavan (background vocals).

Brasil

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Chico Hamilton - Chic Chic Chico

Styles: Hard Bop, Post Bop, Cool Jazz 
Year: 1965
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 36:07
Size: 83,4 MB
Art: Front

(2:49)  1. Chic Chic Chico
(5:36)  2. Corrida de Toros
(3:08)  3. Tarantula
(6:05)  4. What's New
(3:07)  5. St Paddy's Day Parade
(6:40)  6. Carol's Walk
(2:47)  7. Swampy
(5:51)  8. Fire Works

Very very cool set of weird grooves from Chico Hamilton. Some tracks are Latiny, others have lots of weird guitar, and they're all kind of spacey, but not exactly free. This period of Chico's is one of his weirdest, and it's kind of hard to figure out where he was heading, but the trip to that place is always a joy, and these tracks are all marked by a very fresh approach to jazz. Players include Willie Bobo, Jimmy Woods, Harold Land, Lou Blackburn, and other obscure jazz players from the LA underground. Gabor Szabo, of course, plays guitar on most tracks as well. With "Tarantula", "Swampy", "Fire Works", and "Carol's Walk". (Rainbow label pressing. Cover has a small cutout hole.) © 1996-2016, Dusty Groove, Inc. https://www.dustygroove.com/item/15105

Personnel:  Bass – Albert Stinson;  Drums – Chico Hamilton;  Flute, Flute [Piccolo] – Bill Green;  French Horn – Henry Sigismonti;  Guitar – Gabor Szabo;  Tenor Saxophone – Harold Land;  Trombone – Lou Blackburn;  Trumpet – John Anderson

Chic Chic Chico

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Wolfgang Muthspiel - Rising Grace

Styles:  Guitar Jazz
Year: 2016
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 68:37
Size: 157,3 MB
Art: Front

( 5:56)  1. Rising Grace
(10:17)  2. Intensive Care
( 8:04)  3. Triad Song
( 8:14)  4. Father and Sun
( 8:02)  5. Wolfgang's Waltz
( 6:44)  6. Superonny
( 7:30)  7. Boogaloo
( 7:50)  8. Den Wheeler, Den Kenny
( 1:23)  9. Ending Music
( 4:34) 10. Oak

Austrian guitarist Wolfgang Muthspiel made a big splash early in his career, playing with vibraphonist Gary Burton and recording for PolyGram Records (including 1990's The Promise, produced by Burton). Since founding his own label Material Records in 2000 he has had a somewhat lower profile, although in addition to a number of his projects the label released From A Dream (2009), the stunning debut of the cooperative trio MGT (with fellow guitarists Slava Grigoryan and Ralph Towner). Muthspiel made his ECM debut with that trio on 2013's Travel Guide, followed by his leader debut in 2014 with the trio album Driftwood (with bassist Larry Grenadier and drummer Brian Blade).  Rising Grace adds to that winning combination with now-veteran pianist Brad Mehldau and young trumpeter Ambrose Akinmusire. That's a lot of potential virtuosic firepower, but the group is characterized by lyricism and a conversational style. The approach can be heard in different ways throughout the program. "Intensive Care" begins with an unaccompanied nylon-string guitar introduction (he uses nylon-string on about half of the album), which suggests how an acoustic solo recital might sound. A group dialog ensues, with various instruments alternately taking the lead.

"Father And Sun" has a bass solo from Grenadier, but Mehldau's accompaniment is so active it is almost a duet: then Muthspiel takes over on nylon string guitar while the piano commentary continues. Akinmusire is especially lyrical here. "Wolfgang's Waltz" was written by Mehldau, the only selection not composed by the leader. It features electric guitar on the head; then after trumpet and guitar solos the piece ends in a collective exchange. So while there certainly are clear solos, "head followed by a round of solos" is not the default mode. The title tune opens the set, featuring a long melody over an ostinato pattern in a style that suggests label-mate (and trio partner) Ralph Towner. "Boogaloo" finds Muthspiel using overdrive on his electric guitar the only time on the album giving it a more assertive edge. With "Den Wheeler, Den Kenny" (which translates to "this Wheeler I know") he pays tribute to another ECM artist, the great trumpeter Kenny Wheeler specifically to the album Gnu High (ECM, 1976) which was a big influence while Muthspiel was growing up, as well as a model for this group's interaction. The trumpet playing is worthy of the dedication, and Mehldau contributes a beautiful, rhapsodic unaccompanied section. Good as Muthspiel's previous recorded work has been, he really takes things to a new level here. His playing and composing have grown in richness and subtlety, and these excellent musicians are all at the top of their game, individually and collectively. They sound like they were always meant to play together. ~ Mark Sullivan 

https://www.allaboutjazz.com/rising-grace-wolfgang-muthspiel-ecm-records-review-by-mark-sullivan.php
 

Personnel: Wolfgang Muthspiel: guitar; Ambrose Akinmusire: trumpet; Brad Mehldau: piano; Larry Grenadier: double-bass; Brian Blade: drums.

Rising Grace

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Keith Jarrett Trio - Bye Bye Blackbird

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1991
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 67:55
Size: 155,8 MB
Art: Front

(11:14)  1. Bye Bye Blackbird
(10:46)  2. You Won't Forget Me
( 6:37)  3. Butch And Butch
( 6:42)  4. Summer Night
(18:43)  5. For Miles
( 6:47)  6. Straight No Chaser
( 4:02)  7. I Thought About You
( 3:00)  8. Blackbird, Bye Bye

This is the Keith Jarrett Trio's  featuring bassist Gary Peacock and drummer Jack DeJohnette elegy for their former employer Miles Davis, recorded only 13 days after the maestro's death. The lonely figure in shadow with a horn on the cover contrasts with the joyous spirit of many of the tracks on this CD, yet there is still a ghostly presence to deal with and in keeping with Miles' credo, Jarrett's choice of notes is often more purposefully spare than usual. There is symmetry in the organization of the album, with "Bye Bye Blackbird" opening and the trio's equally jaunty "Blackbird, Bye Bye" closing the album, and the interior tracks immediately following the former and preceding the latter are "You Won't Forget Me" and "I Thought About You." 

The centerpiece of the CD is an 18-and-a-half-minute group improvisation, "For Miles," which after some DeJohnette tumbling around becomes a dirge sometimes reminiscent of Miles' own elegy for Duke Ellington, "He Loved Him Madly." As an immediate response to a traumatic event, Jarrett and his colleagues strike the right emotional balance to create one of their more meaningful albums. ~ Richard S.Ginell http://www.allmusic.com/album/bye-bye-blackbird-mw0000096952

Personnel:  Keith Jarrett (piano); Gary Peacock (bass); Jack DeJohnette (drums).

Bye Bye Blackbird

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Bette Midler - The Divine Miss M Disc 1 And Disc 2

Album: The Divine Miss M   Disc 1

Styles: Vocal
Year: 1972
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 41:00
Size: 94,6 MB
Art: Front

(2:44)  1. Do You Want To Dance?
(2:53)  2. Chapel Of Love
(5:10)  3. Superstar
(3:32)  4. Daytime Hustler
(5:25)  5. Am I Blue
(2:50)  6. Friends (Session 1)
(4:16)  7. Hello In There
(3:29)  8. Leader Of The Pack
(5:17)  9. Delta Dawn
(2:25) 10. Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy
(2:56) 11. Friends (Session 2)

Album: The Divine Miss M   Disc 2

Time: 27:38
Size: 63,8 MB

(2:44)  1. Chapel of Love (The Single Mix)
(2:17)  2. Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy (The Single Version)
(2:55)  3. Do You Want To Dance? (The Single Mix)
(2:58)  4. Friends (The Single Mix)
(2:52)  5. Old Cape Cod (Early Version)
(2:31)  6. Marahuana (Early Version)
(5:08)  7. Superstar (Alternate Version)
(3:09)  8. Saturday Night (Demo)
(3:01)  9. Mr. Freedom and I (Demo)

Bette Midler was one of the last major artists who emerged from the traditions of nightclub performing, after rock & roll changed the rules of the music business, though she was a singer capable of working both sides of the fence. Midler's approach bore more than a passing resemblance to the traditions of supper-club performers wearing their hearts on their sleeves for the audience, but she could balance sincerity and a deep respect for songcraft with a large dose of camp and broad humor, coupled with a love of R&B and girl group sounds that put her within a stone's throw of rock. (And if the nightspot where Midler first found her audience was a gay bathhouse in New York, that was just one more wrinkle that separated her from the major nightclub acts of the '50s and '60s.) Midler's 1972 debut album, The Divine Miss M, gave her an ideal introduction to the listening audience, a set that honored her brassy and introspective sides with equal care and skill. While Midler was and is best known for her outgoing stage persona, numbers like "Am I Blue" and "Do You Want to Dance?" demonstrate how much emotional heat she can bring to a torch song, and her interpretations of "Delta Dawn" and "Hello in There" are powerful, moving stuff, portraying their characters with a palpable compassion and nuance. Midler's loving renditions of "Chapel of Love" and "Leader of the Pack" show how much she learned from Brill Building pop, and "Friends," which opened and closed side two, made clear Midler could wrap some very complicated emotions in a catchy (but smart) pop tune. 

And the production (half by Joel Dorn, half by Geoffrey Haslam, Ahmet Ertegun, and Midler's then musical director, Barry Manilow) knows when to move in close to catch the sweet grain of her voice and when to step back and take in the whole show. If Midler matured as a performer with time, The Divine Miss M remains her best album, one that captured the many facets of her musical personality beautifully and showed her quirks were a rich part of what made her music so powerful. ~ Mark Deming http://www.allmusic.com/album/the-divine-miss-m-mw0000650495

Personnel: Bette Midler (vocals); David Spinozza (guitar); Gene Orloff, Emmanuel Green (violin); Selwart Clarke (viola); Kermit Moore (cello); Barry Manilow, Pat Rebillot, Dick Hyman (piano); Ron Carter, Milt Hinton (bass); Ralph MacDonald (drums, percussion); Cissy Houston, Melissa Manchester, Gail Kantor (background vocals).

The Divine Miss M Disc 1 And Disc 2

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Paul Bley Trio - Reality Check

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1996
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 54:46
Size: 126,3 MB
Art: Front

( 4:43)  1. Reality Check
( 8:14)  2. For George
( 8:21)  3. It Isn't
( 7:59)  4. Above You
( 7:24)  5. I Surrender Dear
(11:11)  6. Do Something
( 6:50)  7. Swan Song

Pianist Paul Bley, whose earliest recordings sound like Al Haig or Bud Powell, took the styles and techniques associated with Oscar Peterson, Wynton Kelly and Bill Evans to new levels of creative experimentation, becoming an indispensable force in modern music by combining the best elements in bop and early modern jazz with extended free improvisation and procedural dynamics often found in 20th century chamber music. This approach places him in league with artists as diverse as Red Garland, Elmo Hope, Mal Waldron, Jaki Byard, Stanley Cowell, Keith Jarrett, Andrew Hill, Lennie Tristano, Cecil Taylor, Ran Blake, Sun Ra, and Marilyn Crispell. Even a cursory overview of Bley's life and work can be pleasantly overwhelming, for he is among the most heavily recorded of all jazz pianists and his story is inextricably intertwined with the evolution of modern jazz during the second half of the 20th century.

Hyman Paul Bley was born in Montreal, Canada on November 10, 1932. A violin prodigy at five, he began playing piano at eight and studied at the McGill Conservatorium, earning his diploma at age eleven. Before long, Hy "Buzzy" Bley was sitting in with jazz bands and had formed his own group. Already a skilled pianist, he landed a steady gig at the Alberta Lounge soon after Oscar Peterson left to begin working for Norman Granz in 1949. The following year Bley continued his musical education at the Juilliard School in New York while gigging in the clubs with trumpeter Roy Eldridge, trombonist Bill Harris, and saxophonists Ben Webster, Sonny Rollins, and Charlie Parker. While enrolled at Juilliard he played in a group with trumpeter Donald Byrd, saxophonist Jackie McLean, bassist Doug Watkins, and drummer Art Taylor. He also hung out at Lennie Tristano's residential studio, absorbing ideas.

Paul Bley's earliest known recordings survive as soundtracks from Canadian television; the first in 1950 with tenor saxophonist Brew Moore and the second in February 1953 with Charlie Parker, special invited guest of the Montreal Jazz Workshop, an artist-run organization Bley helped to establish. His first studio recording date took place in November 1953 with bassist Charles Mingus and drummer Art Blakey. The young pianist's constant interaction with archetypal and influential musicians was phenomenal; he also sat in with trumpeter Chet Baker and saxophonist Lester Young. In 1954 he led three different recording sessions with bassists Peter Ind and Percy Heath, and drummer Alan Levitt. At this stage of his career Paul Bley was an inspired, extremely adept bop pianist whose first decisively innovative period was just about to commence. More... arwulf arwulf  http://www.allmusic.com/artist/paul-bley-mn0000745617/biography

Personnel:  Paul Bley (piano);  Jay Anderson (bass);  Victor Lewis (drums).

Reality Check

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Stanley Cowell - Prayer For Peace

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2010
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 58:46
Size: 134,9 MB
Art: Front

(6:47)  1. When Lights Are Low
(6:04)  2. Blues For Rama
(5:18)  3. Time Can Only Tell
(4:13)  4. Japanese Tea House
(6:46)  5. Today, What A Beautiful Day
(4:49)  6. I'll Never Be The Same
(5:02)  7. For James Williams
(8:06)  8. Stealing Gold
(4:24)  9. Chirality
(7:12) 10. Prayer For Peace

For a good part of his career, pianist Stanley Cowell has had greater exposure recording for labels in Europe and Japan than in his native United States. Prayer for Peace marks his first recording in over a decade, though it is immediately apparent that Cowell has not been playing in a vacuum but continuing to evolve. In addition to the seasoned rhythm section, consisting of bassist Mike Richmond and drummer Victor Lewis, the pianist features his daughter Sunny, who sings or plays viola on several tracks. Cowell has long been an underrated composer, and his "Japanese Tea House" conveys a memorable aural portrait of the Far East, with Sunny's viola adding an essential element to this driving post-bop tune. The solo piano composition "For James Williams" was written in memory of the beloved pianist/composer/educator; it's a soulful, intricate blues which captures his spirit perfectly. The leader's demanding "Chirality" is full of sudden shifts in direction, also giving Sunny a chance to show off her improvisational skills on her viola, and her expressive vocals are featured in the swinging opener, Benny Carter's "When Lights Are Low," along with the standard "I'll Never Be the Same," with her father playing Art Tatum-like riffs in spots behind her. Sunny contributed the pop-flavored "Time Can Only Tell," though her adept use of her voice belies her extensive vocal studies. Perhaps Stanley Cowell won't wait a decade before returning to the studio after this outstanding effort. ~ Ken Dryden http://www.allmusic.com/album/prayer-for-peace-mw0002079681

Personnel:  Bass – Mike Richmond;  Drums – Victor Lewis;  Piano – Stanley Cowell;  Viola – Sunny Cowell

Prayer For Peace

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Joe Roccisano - Nonet

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1998
File: MP3@224K/s
Time: 59:22
Size: 96,5 MB
Art: Front

(7:12)  1. Moment's Notice
(6:17)  2. Mr. Day
(5:34)  3. Days of Wine and Roses
(6:26)  4. Springsvill
(8:48)  5. Charade
(6:56)  6. Some Other Time
(4:51)  7. So In Love
(7:54)  8. No More Blues
(5:20)  9. America

Joe Roccisano had only a month to live when Nonet was recorded on October 9, 1997 on November 9, the Charlie Parker-influenced alto saxman died of a massive heart attack at the age of 58. For Nonet, his final studio date as a leader, Roccisano led what his friend Phil Woods would term a "little big band" a nine-piece unit that includes, among others, trombonist Conrad Herwig, tenor saxophonist Tim Ries, baritone saxophonist Jack Stuckey, trumpeter Greg Gisbert, pianist Bill Charlap and drummer Terry Clarke. Enjoyable, if conventional, Nonet finds Roccisano sticking with what he did best straight-ahead hard bop and familiar jazz and pop standards such as John Coltrane's "Moment's Notice" and Antonio Carlos Jobim's "Chega de Saudade (No More Blues)." This swan song reminds us that while Roccisano was never an innovator, he was a warm, likable improviser who always swung. ~ Alex Henderson http://www.allmusic.com/album/nonet-mw0000046092

Personnel: Joe Roccisano (alto saxophone); Tim Ries (tenor saxophone); Jack Stuckey (baritone saxophone); Bob Millikan, Greg Gisbert (trumpet); Conrad Herwig (trombone); Bill Charlap (piano); Doug Weiss (bass); Terry Clarke (drums).

Nonet

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Inga Swearingen & The Bill Peterson Trio - Reverie

Size: 144,8 MB
Time: 62:10
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2005
Styles: Jazz Vocals
Art: Front

01. Tiptoes (4:11)
02. Black Crow (5:31)
03. Reverie (5:17)
04. Where Flamingos Fly (5:15)
05. Stargazer (6:27)
06. Down By The Riverside (4:40)
07. Happy To Be (3:42)
08. Sunrise (4:01)
09. Stompin' At The Savoy (4:19)
10. Spring Can Really Hang You Up The Most (5:57)
11. Beautiful Love (4:47)
12. Just In Time (3:08)
13. My One And Only Love (4:49)

"Reverie" is an intriguing mix of moody originals and carefully chosen standards. Inga's clear, strong voice paints a colorful landscape of soaring notes and earthy rhythms beautifully framed by Bill Peterson on piano, Jeff Denson on bass and Ronen Itzik on drums.

Reverie

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Jenny Evans - Be What You Want To

Size: 119,1 MB
Time: 51:12
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2016
Styles: Jazz/Pop Vocals
Art: Front

01. The Sunshine Of Your Love (4:15)
02. Be Want You Want To (4:17)
03. Paint It Black (4:19)
04. Englishman In New York (5:09)
05. She's Leaving Home (5:46)
06. Living In The Past (5:20)
07. Oh Darling (4:45)
08. It's Allright (4:52)
09. Death Of A Clown (4:09)
10. Star Song (3:43)
11. A Hard Day's Night (4:30)

Born in London, England, in the lowly outskirts of Beckenham, Jenny Evans is a talented master of many trades. She is an unforgettable jazz singer, but she has also been an actress and lyricist, and she has run a jazz club for five years called Jenny's Place. She has been in musicals such as Blood Brothers, her voice has been used in films, and she even has a M.A. degree in linguistics to fall back on (as if she would ever need to). Evans moved to Munich, Germany, in 1976 to study to be a teacher of music and English. While working toward her degree, she became the lead singer for a band called Old Socks New Shoes. The ragtime numbers she performed with the group slowly blended toward classic jazz. Though she appears comfortable and capable singing anything from Gershwin songs to numbers by the Beatles, her sultry voice seems made just for jazz. In 1997, Evans released her debut album for ENJA Records, Shiny Stockings. The album won her good reviews by many. Girl Talk hit the stores in 1999 with tracks like "Love for Sale," "Mr. Bojangles," and "I Wanna Be Near to You." Evans keeps busy between recordings, playing at many clubs and festivals, and touring in Europe, Germany, Australia, Russia, and Japan. ~ Charlotte Dillon

Be What You Want To

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Lee Konitz & Kenny Wheeler Quartet - Olden Times: Live At Birdland Neuburg

Size: 181,0 MB
Time: 78:18
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 1999/2016
Styles: Jazz
Art: Front

01. Lennie's (Live) ( 8:09)
02. Where Do We Go From Here (Live) ( 7:34)
03. Kind Folk (Live) ( 8:32)
04. Thingin' (Live) (14:34)
05. On Mo (Live) ( 9:33)
06. Olden Times (Live) ( 4:21)
07. Aldebaran Play Fiddle Play (Live) ( 3:59)
08. Kary's Trance (Live) ( 8:54)
09. Bo So (Live) ( 6:12)
10. No Me (Live) ( 6:25)

This re-release of the 1999 recording Live At Birdland has been remastered for optimal sound quality and includes a bonus track not previously included on the album. Lee Konitz was born in 1927 in Chicago. When he was 11 years old, he received his first instrument, a clarinet, but later dropped the instrument in favor of the tenor saxophone. He eventually moved from tenor to alto. His greatest influences at the time were the Swing big bands he and his brother listened to on the radio, in particular Benny Goodman. He started his professional career in 1945, and played with all the greats, from Miles Davis to Joe Henderson. Kenny Wheeler was born in 1930 in St. Catharines, Ontario. He studied trumpet in Toronto and moved to London in 1952. Versatile artist as he was, he played free improv in the Globe Unity Orchestra of Alexander von Schlippenbach as well as jazz-rock in the United Jazz & Rock Ensemble. He passed away on September 18, 2014. Light shines on this rerelease, on the glistening vibrato of the alto saxophone, the lyrical melancholy of the flugelhorn, the spinning web-like weaving of the piano as well as the clever architecture of the bass. Everything joins into a shimmer mesh of interaction and strategy of technical brilliance and solo sophistication.

Olden Times

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Sue Raney - Christmas Lady

Size: 106,1 MB
Time: 39:00
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2016
Styles: Jazz Vocals, Xmas
Art: Front

01. Christmas Lady (2:57)
02. The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year (2:32)
03. A Christmas Love Song (4:31)
04. The Christmas Waltz (3:01)
05. A Marshmallow World (3:01)
06. Christmas Time Is Here - From A Charlie Brown Christmas (2:54)
07. Silver Bells (3:10)
08. White Christmas (2:35)
09. I'll Be Home For Christmas (3:29)
10. Merry Christmas, Darling (2:26)
11. We Need A Little Christmas (1:58)
12. The Christmas Song (3:17)
13. Silent Night (3:03)

Blessed with a beautiful voice from an early age, Sue Raney has performed music ranging from swinging jazz and ballads to cabaret, middle-of-the-road pop and jingles. Her mother was a singer and a great great aunt had been in German opera. Raney started singing when she was four and a year later she first performed in public, at a party in Wichita, Kansas. Because a voice teacher could not be found for her daughter (because of her extreme youth), Raney's mother took voice lessons herself and then passed down what she learned to Sue. A professional before she was a teenager, Raney worked steadily in New Mexico when her family relocated and took several trips out to Los Angeles during a couple of summer vacations. She joined the Jack Carson radio show in 1954 in L.A. when she was barely 14. Raney then appeared on Ray Anthony's television program and became his band's main vocalist. At 18 she started working as a single. She had already recorded for Phillips and then signed with Capitol, recording several middle-of-the-road jazz-influenced pop dates for the company. In the 1960's Raney often appeared on television variety shows, she led her own group and became very active in the studios where her impressive voice helped sell products. By the early 1980's, she was also working as a voice teacher. In the 1990's Sue Raney has sung with the L.A. Voices and Supersax, the Bill Watrous big band and as a single in addition to staying active as a jazz educator and in the studios. Her main jazz recordings were a trio of albums for Discovery in the 1980's; a VSOP/Studio West CD features the singer on various live performances from the 1960's. ~ Scott Yanow

Christmas Lady

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Girls From Mars - Return To Planet Swing

Size: 103,9 MB
Time: 44:12
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2016
Styles: Jazz Vocals, Retro Swing
Art: Front

01. Let Me Off Uptown (2:55)
02. Hit That Jive Jack (4:21)
03. Blue Drag (3:44)
04. Don't Blame Me (4:04)
05. Take The A Train (4:11)
06. Daddy Daddy (3:26)
07. On The Sunny Side Of The Street (3:04)
08. Rhythm Town (2:48)
09. Comes Love (3:06)
10. Meet Me With Your Black Drawers On (3:49)
11. Left With The Thought Of You (2:53)
12. Sway (2:56)
13. Drum Boogie (2:48)

Girls From Mars (Wendi Bourne, Lauren Janson & Annie Patterson) have been singing Jazz & Swing for over 30 years. Their much anticipated CD, Return to Planet Swing, is now available here! Produced by Glenn Barratt & Wendi Bourne and recorded at 2x Grammy award winning engineer/producer Glenn Barratt's Morning Star Studios. Barratt captures perfectly the deep, swingin' groove that has become the band's hallmark.

Their previous CD, "Planet Swing" has been selling around the world for the past decade, loved by those who appreciate old swing music that is not "schmaltzed up". The Girls call it "Cave Man Jazz". On both "Planet Swing" and "Return to Planet Swing", a three or four part rhythm section holds down the groove and sets up the pocket - the vocals deepen the pocket. Great instrumental soloists are the "cherry on top" !

The Martians are accompanied by some of the best in the business on this record: Ralph Gordon - bass, Howard Sitron - trumpet, Myles Rothwell and Matt Scarano - drums, Dave Posmontier - piano, Tom Mitchell - guitar, Ron Kerber - Sax and the list goes on. The Girls From Mars' stellar three part harmony can be heard on such tracks as Let Me Off Uptown, Hit That Jive Jack, Blue Drag, Take the A Train, Sunny Side of the Street and more.

Return To Planet Swing

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Jan Garbarek - Star

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1991
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 42:24
Size: 97,2 MB
Art: Front

(6:15)  1. Star
(4:21)  2. Jumper
(6:08)  3. Lamenting
(6:16)  4. Anthem
(5:39)  5. Roses For You
(4:38)  6. Clouds In The Mountain
(5:21)  7. Snowman
(3:42)  8. The Music Of My People

Saxophonist Jan Garbarek, bassist Miroslav Vitous and drummer Peter Erskine have been making records for ECM for a long time, both as leaders and as sidemen. They know each other's styles well, they're familiar with ECM label head Manfred Eicher's echo-drenched production tendencies, and they know how to turn jazz formulas into hip, lyrical romanticism. On this leaderless trio album, as with most ECM releases, you get the feeling of music emerging from a vast and echoey space; Erskine's Morse-code drum accents, Vitous' thrumming basslines and the plaintive cry of Garbarek's soprano and alto saxophones are far removed from what some would consider "jazz," but that's not the point. The tunes may be somewhat interchangeable, but the music is virtuosic, thoughtful and thoroughly lovely, at times heart-tugging. Makes you wish these three would get together more often. ~ Rick Anderson http://www.allmusic.com/album/star-mw0000677682

Personnel:  Jan Garbarek - soprano saxophone, tenor saxophone;  Miroslav Vitous – bass;  Peter Erskine - drums

Star

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