Joe Williams - Nothin' But The Blues

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 58:49
Size: 134.7 MB
Styles: Blues/Jazz vocals
Year: 1983/1992
Art: Front

[5:17] 1. Who She Do
[4:45] 2. Just A Dream
[2:41] 3. Hold It Right There
[5:12] 4. Please Send Me Someone To Love
[4:49] 5. Goin' To Chicago Blues
[3:52] 6. Ray Brown's In Town
[6:55] 7. In The Evening/Rocks In My Bed
[4:40] 8. Alright, Okay, You Win
[7:33] 9. Mean Old World Wee Baby Blues
[5:05] 10. The Come Back
[4:26] 11. Tell Me Where To Scratch
[3:27] 12. Sent For You Yesterday (And Here You Come Today)

Bass – Ray Brown; Drums – Gerryck King; Guitar – Phil Upchurch; Organ, Piano – Jack McDuff; Saxophone, Leader – Red Holloway; Vocals – Joe Williams; Vocals, Saxophone – Eddie "Cleanhead" Vinson.

According to Joe… Enthusiasm coming from every pore! That’s how I’ve felt about this album, right fromt he first day, when Ralph Jungheim hit me with the idea of doing an all-blues album with an all-star blues band. Overseas, jazz is looked on and respected as part of our classical presentation. So, recording the first jazz album on a prestigious American classical label like Delos is a giant step toward broadening our audience here in this country. About this band. I’ve worked with most of these guys before at one time or another, but never expected to work with them all at once! That’s why these dates were such a tremendous experience for me. I don’t remember singing the blues with such verve for a long time! All four sessions were special. For one thing, there wasn’t one note on paper, except for “Ray Brown’s Back In Town,” Red Holloway’s instrumental. All the other tunes were spontaneous, on-the-spot head arrangements, which really only works when you have players with really big ears, all really listening to each other and everybody contributing. You can’t rehearse the blues (not that we needed to) so we nailed most of the tunes on the first take. Another special thing was the relaxed atmosphere we had happening in the studio, with friends dropping in to visit. You know how you can get that magic and electricity going on a live date with a good audience? Well, that’s the feeling we had right there in the studio. There was a lot of love in that room. “Nothin’ But The Blues” captures the magic. It is the blues! – Joe Williams

Nothin' But The Blues

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Sweet Jazz Trio - Live

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 58:19
Size: 133.5 MB
Styles: Contemporary jazz
Year: 2002
Art: Front

[6:19] 1. Gnid
[6:44] 2. I Want A Little Girl
[7:28] 3. It's Allright With Me
[4:36] 4. Oh! Lady Be Good
[2:23] 5. Skylark
[6:45] 6. My Old Flame
[4:38] 7. There Is No Greater Love
[4:38] 8. Ask Me Now
[7:44] 9. Peewee's Blues
[7:01] 10. I'm Beginning To See The Light

Mats Larsson - Guitar; Lasse Törnqvist - Trumpet; Hans Backenroth - Bass.

The pianist Teddy Wilson mentions in his autobiography that the expression "jazz chamber music" was probably first used by John Hammond when describing the music of the Benny Goodman Trio - with clarinet, piano and drums.

Without making any other comparison I would say that the instrumention of the SWEET JAZZ TRIO is even more of a chamber music character, due to the absence of drums, and the velvety and mellow guitar and double bass sound. This becomes apparent when you hear the SWEET JAZZ TRIO live. We can turn the volume down to "almost silence" - as one critic expressed it. Our type of music fits nicely into the intimacy of a room with perfect acoustic conditions. Play the CD and you are inviting the soft sound of the SWEET JAZZ TRIO into your own home!

Live

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Nina Simone - Forever Young, Gifted & Black: Songs Of Freedom And Spirit

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 63:37
Size: 145.6 MB
Styles: Jazz vocals
Year: 2006
Art: Front

[ 2:48] 1. To Be Young, Gifted And Black
[ 3:31] 2. Backlash Blues
[ 3:06] 3. I Wish I Knew (How It Would Feel To Be Free)
[12:54] 4. Martin Luther King Suite: Why (The King Of Love Is Dead)
[ 6:52] 5. Martin Luther King Suite: Mississippi Goddam
[ 4:32] 6. Revolution, Pt. 1
[ 2:23] 7. Turn! Turn! Turn! (To Everything There Is A Season)
[ 3:13] 8. Ain't Got No I Got Life
[ 8:46] 9. Westwind
[ 5:53] 10. The Times They Are A-Changin'
[ 9:35] 11. To Be Young, Gifted And Black

Forever Young, Gifted & Black: Songs of Freedom and Spirit is a textbook case for preparing a compilation by a single artist, thematically. These 11 tracks were recorded between 1967 and 1969, at the split seam in cultural and political history, where the African-American civil rights movement ceded its popularity -- among young people -- to the more visceral and visual Black Power movement. As an artist, Nina Simone was a presence and participant in both. Her influence continues to be an anchor and an inspiration to songwriters and singers from Alicia Keys (who wrote a short liner essay here) to Tracy Chapman, Robinella, Me'Shell NdegéOcello, and Lauryn Hill, to name a few. The compilation contains a smattering of her many songs that deal with struggle, equality, and perseverance. It opens with "To Be Young, Gifted and Black," issued as a single in 1969 (the CD is bookended by this version and a live one at the end). The song itself is timeless; it rings with assertiveness and conviction nearly four decades later. But this is merely the beginning. There are three unedited performances here, all of which were originally cut and reshaped by producers for various recordings. The first of these, "Why (The King of Love Is Dead)," was written by her bassist, Gene Taylor, after hearing that Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated. The previously issued version was part of the "Martin Luther King Suite." Here, it contains full spoken and sung sections and is nearly 13 minutes long. To call it stunning and revelatory would be an understatement. Ditto the full version of "Mississippi Goddam," which was also part of the aforementioned suite. This is the first time either of these recordings have appeared on CD in full unedited versions. Likewise, "Revolution (Pts. 1-2)" is restored as one tune instead of two as it appeared on To Love Somebody in 1969. A couple of unreleased alternates are fine touches and offer different shadings, colors, and interpretive gestures to their album-issued counterparts: Simone's wonderful read of "Turn! Turn! Turn!," stripped to her voice, piano, and a pair of backing vocalists; and "Ain't Got No/I Got Life," cut for 'Nuff Said!, which contains a horn section. Other tracks here, such as Simone's reading of Bob Dylan's "The Times They Are A-Changin'" and "I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel to Be Free," are strident, forceful, soulful, and deeply moving. Fans will want this comp for the unreleased material and for its thematic slant. Those seeking out Simone for the first time may look to other sources, but this is a side of the artist that was present in everything she ever recorded, and deserves the focus it receives here. In these dark times in the early 21st century, these are songs of hope delivered by a true American original. ~Thom Jurek

Forever Young, Gifted & Black: Songs Of Freedom And Spirit

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Jamie Lancaster - Joyride

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 32:21
Size: 74.1 MB
Styles: Adult Contemporary, Vocal jazz
Year: 2015
Art: Front

[2:59] 1. It Ain't Over 'til It's Over
[3:12] 2. Boys Don't Cry
[3:33] 3. Billie Jean (with Karen Souza)
[2:55] 4. Girls And Boys
[2:33] 5. Get Here
[3:42] 6. True
[4:12] 7. Joyride
[2:54] 8. I Love Rock N Roll
[3:25] 9. All You Need Is Love
[2:51] 10. China In Your Hand

Joyride

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The Jim Cullum Jazz Band - Honky Tonk Train: The Boogie Woogie Craze

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 49:19
Size: 112.9 MB
Styles: New Orleans jazz
Year: 2004
Art: Front

[5:10] 1. Narrative New Orleans Hop Scop Blues
[4:47] 2. Jungle Blues
[3:19] 3. Pinetop's Boogie Woogie
[2:13] 4. Narrative
[5:26] 5. Jammin' The Boogie
[4:03] 6. Honky Tonk Train
[3:58] 7. Riverwalk Blues
[5:01] 8. Celestial Express
[3:50] 9. Interview
[4:42] 10. Roll 'em
[3:26] 11. Beat Me Daddy, Eight To The Bar
[3:17] 12. Boogie Woogie On St. Louis Blues

This entry in the valuable series of Jim Cullum radio broadcasts ("Riverwalk, Live from the Landing") focuses on the history of boogie-woogie. There is some narration, with excerpts from some historical recordings and lots of exciting piano from Dick Hyman and John Sheridan. Cullum's hot jazz band (a septet with the cornetist/leader, Sheridan, clarinetist Allan Vache and trombonist Mike Pittsley) has several romps, including "Jammin' the Boogie," "Roll 'Em" and "Beat Me Daddy Eight to the Bar." Most intriguing is "Celestial Express," in which Hyman switches to celeste and is joined in a quartet by Vache, guitarist Howard Elkins and bassist Don Mopsick. Fun music that is easily recommended. ~Scott Yanow

Honky Tonk Train: The Boogie Woogie Craze

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The Jazz Crusaders - The Thing

Styles: Jazz, Big Band

Year: 1965

File: MP3@320K/s

Time: 35:23

Size: 81,6 MB

Art: Front

(4:41)  1. The Thing

(5:12)  2. Sunset In The Mountains

(3:35)  3. While The City Sleeps

(4:51)  4. White Cobra

(4:43)  5. New Time Shuffle

(6:38)  6. Para Mi Espoza

(5:41)  7. Soul Kosher

The Crusaders are an American music group popular in the early 1970s known for their amalgamated jazz, pop, and soul sound. Since 1961, more than forty albums have been credited to the group (some live and compilations), 19 of which were recorded under the name "The Jazz Crusaders" (1961–1970). https://www.amazon.com/JAZZ-CRUSADERS-THING/dp/B00C76FSIE

Personnel:  Wayne Henderson – trombone;  Wilton Felder - tenor saxophone;  Joe Sample – piano;  Monk Montgomery - electric bass (tracks 2, 3, 6 & 7);  Victor Gaskin - bass (tracks 1, 4 & 5);  Stix Hooper - drums

The Thing

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Nikki Yanofsky - Nikki

Styles: Jazz, Vocal

Year: 2010

File: MP3@320K/s

Time: 46:46

Size: 108,5 MB

Art: Front

(3:33)  1. Take The "A" Train

(2:28)  2. Never Make It On Time

(3:45)  3. I Got Rhythm

(2:52)  4. For Another Day

(5:05)  5. God Bless The Child

(3:23)  6. Cool My Heels

(4:18)  7. You'll Have To Swing It (Mr. Paganini)

(3:50)  8. Bienvenue Dans Ma Vie

(3:06)  9. First Lady

(2:40) 10. On The Sunny Side Of The Street/Fool In The Rain

(3:22) 11. Grey Skies

(3:11) 12. Try Try Try

(5:08) 13. Over The Rainbow

With Norah Jones choosing to pursue a career as a Bohemian singer/songwriter (and Nellie McKay revealing herself to be too artfully camp to even consider the mainstream), the door was wide open for a singer like Nikki Yanofsky: a bright, cheerful jazz-pop traditionalist happy to sing those old songs once again. And so she does on here 2010 debut, Nikki, produced in tandem by the legendary Phil Ramone and Jesse Harris, the guitarist/songwriter who came to prominence via his work on Jones’ debut Come Away with Me, where he penned her breakthrough hit “Don’t Know Why.” Harris performs a similar function on Yanofsky’s debut, co-writing the bulk of the non-classics here with the assistance of Ron Sexsmith and Yanofsky herself, crafting smooth, assured soft rock that’s of a piece with the sultriness of Come Away with Me (with the notable exception of the cabaret swing of “Bienvenue Dans Ma Vie”). But Nikki Yanofsky is clearly not Norah Jones: she possesses a puppy-dog eagerness that jibes with her 16 years, happy to perform and please. Her status as a show biz kid can occasionally grate whenever she succumbs to scatting, or does a too-cute mashup of “On the Sunny Side of the Street” and Led Zeppelin’s “Fool in the Rain,” she gives the impression of that too-talented, over-coached kid who dominates drama club but there’s also an innate brightness to her persona that is beguiling, particularly when she’s singing those numbers written with Harris and Sexsmith, songs that feel timeless and contemporary and take full advantage of her sunny nature. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine http://www.allmusic.com/album/nikki-mw0001977293

Nikki

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Jeff Cascaro - The Soul Of Jeff Cascaro

Styles: Vocal, Soul
Year: 2010
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 50:11
Size: 115,3 MB
Art: Front

(4:23)  1. I Feel Fine
(3:27)  2. Soul Of A Singer
(5:22)  3. Love Is In The Air
(3:39)  4. The Sun Is Shining For Our Love
(5:57)  5. Love Will Find A Way
(3:56)  6. Follow You, Follow Me
(3:31)  7. Try
(5:57)  8. When She Sings To Me
(8:17)  9. Holler / I'm Talking To You Baby (Live Swr 1 Headphones Concert)
(5:37) 10. Tripping Out (Live Swr 1 Headphones Concert)

Cascaro won at the age of 18 years the national competition Jugend jazzt and since then as a professional musician working. He has master classes with Jay Clayton , Rachel Gould , Marjorie Barnes and Walter Norris through. He has performed with most German radio big bands (including NDR Bigband and RIAS Big Band ) and groups such as the Fantastic Four , the Guano Apes , H-Blockx , the New Rock Conference and Klaus Doldinger Passport. He also worked with Till Brönner , Ute Lemper , Sasha , Joe Sample , Howard Johnson , Georgie Fame , Herb Geller , Bobby Shew , Horst Jankowski and Götz Alsmann together.  Since 2000 he has been a professor in jazz singing at the Hochschule für Musik Franz Liszt . At the talent show Germany seeks the superstar he worked as a vocal coach (including for Thomas Godoj ) with. After albums with the trio of Martin Sasse (Let's Fall In Love!) And the hr-Bigband (The American Songs of Kurt Weill with Silvia Droste ) was published in 2006 his first solo album Soul of a Singer (with Christian von Kaphengst as producer and bassist Ulf Kleiner , piano, Bruno Müller, guitar, Peter Luebke and Roland Peil , drums, and Michael Heupel , flute). In 2008 he was the album Mother and Brother. Translate by Google https://translate.google.com.br/translate?hl=en&sl=de&u=https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeff_Cascaro&prev=search

The Soul Of Jeff Cascaro

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Martin Jacobsen - At The Jazzhouse

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2015
File: MP3@256K/s
Time: 63:02
Size: 144,5 MB
Art: Front

( 7:42)  1. Reggie Of Chester
(10:50)  2. Forest Flower
( 8:35)  3. Stairway To The Stars
( 7:40)  4. U. M. M. G.
( 9:56)  5. In A Sentimental Mood
( 9:49)  6. Witchcraft
( 8:26)  7. This I Dig Of You

Although Danish-born Martin Jacobsen considers Paris his home base, the busy saxophonist travels extensively throughout Europe and abroad, performing with such notable jazz performers as David Sanborn. Born in Copenhagen, Denmark, he began playing the tenor saxophone at the relatively late age 19, driven by a strong urge for musical expression after listening to jazz for about a year, especially the Miles Davis group with John Coltrane of the 1950s. He received a few lessons from fellow tenorman Tomas Franck, but largely taught himself to play. "It isn't always the best way to learn because you can make mistakes, do things wrong and then you have to waste time correcting bad technique. But also, doing it the hard way, you can make discoveries. You definitely find out what is really important." Through the 1990s, Martin worked with a host of talented young jazz players on the Copenhagen scene and was heard with the Bust'n Bloopers Big Band with among others Bob Mintzer and formed his quartet with guitarist Jacob Fischer in 1993. In 1995, he took the advice of saxophonist Bob Rockwell who suggested he move to either New York or Paris. Martin plumped for "Paree" and has since been performing and recording CDs, radio and television shows with Doug Raney, Bobby Durham, David Sanborn, Gil Goldstein, Rick Hollander, Jesse van Ruller, Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen, Antonio Farao, Mark Taylor, Yutaka Shiina and many others.  Martin Jacobsen has his base in Paris, but is a busy traveler in Europe and abroad and has performed in more than 25 countries, including Japan, Italy, England, Germany, Vietnam, Cambodia, Mongolia, Singapore, China, Mongolia, Macedonia, Albania, Scotland, South Korea, Canada, Indonesia, Spain, UAE, Mozambique, Portugal, Switzerland, Hungary, Netherlands, Belgium, Lebanon and of cause in Denmark. http://www.martinjacobsen.com/biography.htm

Personnel:  Martin Jacobsen, tenor sax;  Doug Raney, guitar; Jesper Lindgaard, bass;  Rick Hollander, drums

At The Jazzhouse

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Jeff Richman - Aqua

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 2007
File: MP3@256K/s
Time: 56:30
Size: 104,0 MB
Art: Front

(5:37)  1. Everything About You
(6:21)  2. Kahuku
(4:31)  3. Priceless
(6:56)  4. The Big Step
(5:22)  5. Aqua
(4:55)  6. Where I Belong
(6:12)  7. Storm Before The Calm
(5:58)  8. Peace of Work
(5:17)  9. The Nest
(5:17) 10. Down by the River

Taking a decisive turn down his own creative path, Jeff Richman’s latest CD “Aqua” is an evocative and emotional presentation from this artist better known for edgier fusion styles. After producing six tribute CDs for the Tone Center record label, “Aqua” is his first release of new material since 2004 and Richman felt it was time to do something completely new and self-inspired.

Jeff’s Comments:  I wanted to reflect the peaceful, calming sensation of the ocean which I grew up around in the overall sound for this album and each song is a part of that whole concept. I really knew what I wanted for this album, from the warm and jazzy sound of my guitar, to each of the musicians who appeared. This CD came out better than I ever expected. Each musician on this album were my first and only choice because they know how to interpret my music. Individually and collectively, they helped me with my vision and the result is what I feel to be my best work to date. Two world-class and uniquely different drummers, Simon Philips and Will Kennedy blend funk, blues, rock and jazz, perfectly on this album. Dean Taba and I have been recording and playing together for over fifteen years. Abraham Laboriel is a legend and brings a unique magic to every project he’s involved with. Mitchel Forman and Jeff Babko are my two favorite keyboard players because their creativity always compliments what I do. Jeff Beal and Brandon Fields on horns have the creative strength to interpret my music. I’ve worked with Walfredo Reyes since my first album “Himalaya” in 1985 and his percussion adds depth and dimension to the music. Chris Wabich was recommended to me for steel drums and he really pulled off the ideas I had giving me the sound I was looking for. http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/jeffrichman5

Aqua

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Di Anne Price - Wild Women

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 50:27
Size: 115.5 MB
Styles: Blues piano & vocals
Year: 2000
Art: Front

[5:05] 1. Wild Women Don't Get The Blues
[5:44] 2. The Soul Of A Man
[8:52] 3. Wrong Key Hole
[3:05] 4. Tonight's The Night
[3:32] 5. Fisherman's Blues
[4:26] 6. I Didn't Like It The First Time Don't Save It Too Long
[3:19] 7. Fishin' In The Sea Of Matrimony
[4:02] 8. Knocking Myself Out
[3:33] 9. Will My Man Be Home Tonight
[4:22] 10. Blues Have Been Good To Me
[4:22] 11. Pig Meat

Memphis pianist-vocalist Di Anne Price channels the spirit of classic blues divas Ida Cox, Alberta Hunter, Sippie Wallace and Memphis Minnie on Wild Women. A profoundly soulful singer, Price's expressive voice is etched with pain on "The Soul of a Man" and brimming with sly humor on the calypso-flavored "Fishin' in the Sea of Matrimony" and the naughty "Wrong Key Hole." She is equally adept at tickling the ivories and is particularly sharp on the rolling "Fisherman's Blues," the two-fisted shuffle "I Didn't Like It the First Time" and the boogie woogie workout "Pig Meat." A new talent well worth checking out. ~Bill Milkowski

Wild Women

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Nnenna Freelon - Better Than Anything

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 57:30
Size: 131.7 MB
Styles: Jazz vocals
Year: 2008
Art: Front

[4:53] 1. Better Than Anything
[4:31] 2. I Won't Dance
[3:22] 3. Straighten Up And Fly Right
[4:12] 4. Nature Boy
[5:07] 5. Them There Eyes
[4:14] 6. I Say A Little Prayer
[4:52] 7. Body And Soul
[4:56] 8. Button Up Your Overcoat
[7:25] 9. The Tears Of A Clown
[5:10] 10. Ooh Child
[3:56] 11. One Child At A Time
[4:48] 12. Balm In Gilead

Nnenna Freelon has recorded for the Concord label since 1996. Better Than Anything has some of the high points from her first nine years with the company, drawing its dozen selections from six previously released CDs. Freelon had developed into an individual voice and a subtle improviser before she hooked up with Concord but she has grown in depth ever since, being increasingly willing to take chances and stretch herself into other idioms while staying true to her jazz vision. On Better Than Anything, seven of the dozen selections are jazz standards, with "I Say a Little Prayer" and "Balm in Gilead" being among the exceptions. But even such tunes as "Them There Eyes" (taken from a project that had modernized versions of Billie Holiday-associated songs) and "Body and Soul" sound different than expected. The most joyful performance is "Straighten Up and Fly Right," which teams Freelon with Take 6. They should record a full-length project someday. Better Than Anything is an excellent all-round sampler, although Nnenna Freelon's best fans will prefer to obtain her original CDs individually. ~Scott Yanow

Better Than Anything

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Reid Jamieson - The Presley Sessions Revisited

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 25:44
Size: 58.9 MB
Styles: Country-pop
Year: 2015
Art: Front

[3:04] 1. That's When Your Heartaches Begin
[2:26] 2. Blue Moon Of Kentucky
[2:29] 3. Mystery Train
[2:58] 4. I Only Have Eyes For You
[2:10] 5. I Don't Care If The Sun Don't Shine
[1:53] 6. Only You
[2:42] 7. Trying To Get To You
[2:38] 8. It Is So Strange
[2:12] 9. When I Hear It Now
[3:09] 10. In Dreams

All vocals & instruments performed by Reid Jamieson. Track 9 with additional vocals by Carolyn Victoria Mill.

The Presley Sessions Revisited is a musical love letter to the greats of the 50s era, including songs made popular by Elvis, Roy Orbison, The Platters and The Flamingos. Following up on his rather unintentional hit 'The Presley Sessions' - a homespun recording originally intended as a birthday present for his then sweetheart (now wife) - this incredible vocalist has once again captured the essence of a magical moment in music history. Playing every instrument himself (and standing in for the Jordanaires all by his lonesome), this record showcases an artist of exceptional talent. Expect a boatload of memories plus the swingin' new original 'When I Hear It Now' featuring the missus - Carolyn Victoria Mill. Some records were created for one simple reason only - to make people happy. We hope you enjoy listening to the Presley Sessions as much as we enjoyed making it.

The Presley Sessions Revisited

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Seamus Blake Quintet - Live at Smalls

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2009
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 56:34
Size: 129,7 MB
Art: Front

(11:15)  1. Subterfuge
(12:26)  2. Amuse Bouche
( 8:00)   3. Consequence
(11:05)  4. Stranger in Paradise
(13:45)  5. Fear of Rooming

Recorded at the Greenwich Village club on August 31st and September 1st 2009, Live At Smalls showcases the inventive sound of English-born, Canadian-raised and New York-based Seamus Blake. The tenor saxophonist's career to date includes membership in the Mingus Big Band, BANN and the Victor Lewis Quintet, as well as his own combos. Live At Smalls finds Blake leading a sharp and swinging quintet on a series of post-bop originals and a cover of "Stranger in Paradise." The quintet on these dates also appears on Bellwether (Criss Cross, 2010). The musicians work well together, as an ensemble and also in the soloist/rhythm section format, always complementary in their approach. Blake is a strong player, capable of fast and fairly wild solos, without any danger of losing control. He's also able to craft a more romantic and reflective sound, as he shows on "Stranger in Paradise" or his own "Consequence."  Guitarist Lage Lund is also impressive, both for his precise and crystal clear picking and his fluid and melodic sound. Lund's solos on "Subterfuge" and "Amuse Bouche" are lovely examples of these qualities, bringing well-deserved whoops of pleasure from the crowd.  

The tight and flexible rhythm section underpins Blake and Lund's lead work with flair. Bill Stewart and Matt Clohesy set up stylish rhythms on the ballads and the more up-tempo tunes alike. Stewart's drumming is at the front of the mix occasionally too far to the front, to the detriment of Clohesy's bass sound. Pianist David Kikoski's spacious comping is always effective, while his solo work on "Consequence" and his interplay with Blake on "Stranger in Paradise" are lyrical and romantic.  Live At Smalls documents a quintet on top form in front of an appreciative crowd. Spike Wilner's production ensures that the live atmosphere infuses the entire album, giving a real sense of "jazz as it happens" in this classic venue. ~ Bruce Lindsay https://www.allaboutjazz.com/live-at-smalls-seamus-blake-review-by-bruce-lindsay.php
 

Personnel: Seamus Blake: tenor saxophone; Lage Lund: guitar; Dave Kikoski: piano; Matt Clohesy: bass: Bill Stewart: drums.

Live at Smalls

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Ella Fitzgerald & Oscar Peterson - Ella and Oscar

Styles: Vocal And Piano Jazz
Year: 1975
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 66:45
Size: 158,3 MB
Art: Front

(3:30)  1. Mean to Me
(4:59)  2. How Long Has This Been Going On?
(4:57)  3. When Your Lover Has Gone
(4:37)  4. More Than You Know
(4:58)  5. There's a Lull in My Life
(3:40)  6. Midnight Sun
(5:12)  7. I Hear Music
(4:08)  8. Street of Dreams
(8:40)  9. April in Paris
(5:01) 10. How Long Has This Been Going On? (take 5)
(4:36) 11. More Than You Know (take 1)
(3:41) 12. Midnight Sun (take 1)
(8:40) 13. April in Paris (take 2)

Although Ella Fitzgerald worked in many different settings, from big bands to guitar-and-voice duets to sets with nearly every piano player in the business (from Duke Ellington on down), one could make a case that her best recordings were made with Oscar Peterson and his small bands. Released in 1976, Ella and Oscar is one of those classic recordings, an album that's as spare and intimate as any that the pair ever issued. 

In fact, the only other performer featured on this set is Peterson's longtime bassist Ray Brown, whose contributions are minimal. These songs, from the mellifluous "Mean to Me" to a languid "April in Paris," are simple and beautiful. http://www.allmusic.com/album/ella-oscar-mw0000649509

Personnel: Ella Fitzgerald (vocals); Oscar Peterson (piano); Ray Brown (bass).

Ella and Oscar

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Frank D' Rone - Frank D' Rone Sings

Styles: Vocal
Year: 1959
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 26:38
Size: 61,7 MB
Art: Front

(1:45)  1. Love And The Weather
(2:05)  2. Yesterdays
(2:11)  3. I Could Write A Book
(3:46)  4. Everything Happens To Me
(2:01)  5. My Foolish Heart
(2:03)  6. Fascinating Rhythm
(2:09)  7. The Moon Is Blue
(3:22)  8. Sophisticated Lady
(2:38)  9. Joey, Joey, Joey
(2:36) 10. Spring Is Here
(1:57) 11. The Way You Look Tonight

Chicago singer Frank D'Rone recorded four LPs for Mercury during the late '50s and early '60s, one of them (After the Ball) with name arranger Billy May. A swinging vocalist having much in common with Bobby Darin, D'Rone was originally a band guitarist before making his debut on Mercury in 1957 with a trio of short sessions. His first LP, Frank D'Rone Sings, was followed in 1959 by Blue Velvet. D'Rone made a trip to Los Angeles in order to record with Billy May for 1960's After the Ball, but his time with Mercury ended in 1962 after In Person. D'Rone has continued to perform and record into the 21st century, with his latest CD, Double Exposure, slated for release in January 2012. The album includes big-band arrangements featuring Phil Kelly & the Northwest Prevailing Winds. ~ John Bush  http://www.allmusic.com/artist/frank-drone-mn0000190407/biography

Frank D'Rone Sings

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Cynthia Miller - A Simple Christmas

Size: 103,5 MB
Time: 41:22
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2014
Styles: Jazz/Pop Vocals, Xmas
Art: Front

01. O Come All Ye Faithful (4:03)
02. Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas (3:23)
03. I'll Be Home For Christmas (3:26)
04. Little Drummer Boy (3:58)
05. O Holy Night (4:41)
06. Heaven Everywhere (3:26)
07. Mary Did You Know (4:11)
08. My Favorite Things (3:57)
09. What Child Is This (3:53)
10. The Christmas Song (Feat. Calvin Norton) (3:01)
11. Go Tell It On The Mountain (3:18)

Cynthia Miller grew up singing with her sister and family around the piano as her father played and taught her to sing harmony. As a little girl in California she volunteered as much as she could in school to sing the song “This Land” after the Pledge. Her family relocated to Texas after her grandfather passed away. He pastored a church in Houston.

Cynthia always loved singing but like every artist she had her challenges. Early on she recognized her need to learn how to accept compliments while at the same time finding her place in music. And that she did find.

From her basic training to a professional career, she found herself on stage singing. Her voice opened many doors to sing the National Anthem for almost every major Houston sporting event, including The Houston Livestock and Rodeo Show, Houston’s Freedom Over Texas 4th of July events, and even NASCAR.

She recorded a five-song demo in 2003 titled “Reflections” with more of a gospel sound. This was followed by a self-titled CD in 2008 showcasing a jazzy-pop sound. In 2014, her Christmas CD entitled “A Simple Christmas” got back to basics and allowed the dynamic range of her voice to carry the emotion and nostalgia of Christmas.

A Simple Christmas

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Ruby Braff & Dick Hyman - Fireworks

Size: 104,8 MB
Time: 44:57
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 1983/2016
Styles: Jazz
Art: Front

01. Somebody Loves Me (6:14)
02. Bidin My Time (4:30)
03. High Society (3:57)
04. They Cant Take That Away From Me (7:21)
05. Lady Be Good (5:42)
06. Liza (Piano Solo) (5:38)
07. Swan Lake (5:23)
08. Sugar (6:09)

This 1983 concert performance at the New School in New York City by cornet player Ruby Braff and pianist Dick Hyman is one where fortune smiled on the two swing era-styled jazz musicians. Performing as a duet since 1975, calling tunes here on-stage, with no P.A. system and nothing but a cassette player to document the performance, Braff and Hyman winged it with a fairly satisfying result. The tape changed hands several times before being mastered and turned into this original Inner City LP, now available on CD. A program consisting mainly of Gershwin tunes, the honesty and mutual trust between these great traditional jazz masters clearly shines through, even if the sound is a bit muffled. Well-known songs like "Somebody Loves Me," "They Can't Take That Away from Me," and "Lady Be Good" are all masterfully done, respectively with luscious interplay and Braff stepping up in pronounced volume levels, working on an easygoing chamber level, or in the case of the cornetist, using vocal-type, chatty techniques that are his signature sound. Hyman is really the ultimate versatile jazz piano genius in his ability to support, supplant, or supercharge these tunes. He hops up the remarkably hot "High Society" in stride fashion, goes deep in post-worry blues during the simple and easy "Sugar," and plays solo in various keys, mixed pacings, phrasings, and tempos on the Gershwin evergreen "Liza" which could never sound staid or stale in his hands. A five-minute version of Pyotr Tchaikovsky's "Swan Lake" is adapted and arranged into a form reminiscent of "St. Louis Blues" with Braff's chortling and guffawing horn again striking a singing pose. Digitally cleaned up, Fireworks is an improvement on the vinyl version, and is a good reminder of how swing was still valid 50 years after the fact, and in very good hands via Braff and Hyman. ~by Michael G. Nastos

The Fireworks

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Diane Armesto - The Intimate Side

Size: 121,1 MB
Time: 52:17
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2016
Styles: Jazz Vocals
Art: Front

01. The Nearness Of You (Radio Edit) (3:39)
02. I Don't Want To Love You (Radio Edit) (3:38)
03. If You Could See Me Now (Radio Edit) (3:03)
04. My Dear Friend (Radio Edit) (3:34)
05. For All We Know (Radio Edit) (4:14)
06. The Nearness Of You (7:06)
07. I Don't Want To Love You (6:45)
08. If You Could See Me Now (5:59)
09. My Dear Friend (6:15)
10. For All We Know (7:59)

The daughter of composer/Eastman School of Music graduate, John Armesto (John Burke), and of soprano, Isabelle Rinker Armesto (prior manager of Buffalo Chamber Music Society), Diane Armesto has an early back ground in classical music. At six years old Diane started piano lessons. At around age nine she was playing violin. Around this same time, Diane began listening to Peggy Lee and Cannonball Adderley. As a teenager, Diane’s record collection included LPs by Mile Davis, Chet Baker, Oscar Peterson, Bill Evans — and recordings with arrangements by Ernie Wilkins, Torre Zito, Claus Ogerman, and Quincy Jones's "Walking In Space”.

In her twenties, Diane Armesto moved from New York to California with aspirations of attending UCLA to study screen-writing. It was then that she met and eventually became involved with jazz trombonist Frank Rosolino who at the time was living with mutual friends of theirs in the San Fernando Valley.

Appreciative of Armesto’s keen ear for music, Rosolino delighted in exposing Diane to the many greats he knew and for whom he had the highest regard. At a very early age Diane Armesto had the honor and privilege of listening to and being in the company of band leaders and arrangers such as Count Basie, Stan Kenton, Quincy Jones, Michelle LeGrand; pianists Horace Silver, Oscar Peterson, Bill Evans; vibraphonist Milt Jackson who had been a school mate of Frank’s at Miller High in Detroit; bassists Ray Brown; drummers Art Blakey, Buddy Rich, Elvin Jones; saxophonists James Moody, Stan Getz, “Cannonball” Adderley; trumpet players Dizzy Gillespie, Freddie Hubbard, Chet Baker; trombonists Kai Winding, JJ Johnson, Jimmy Cleveland; harmonica player Toots Thielemans; singers Frank Sinatra, Mel Torme, Sarah Vaughan, June Christy, Carmen McRae — the list is endless. Conversations with musicians and singers such as this would prove to be invaluable.

Recognizing Diane Armesto’s talent for writing, Frank Rosolino also encouraged her to compose a lyric to an orchestral composition, “Violets”, written by Dutch composer Jerry Van Rooyen. This music, dedicated to Mr. Rosolino, had been recorded by him with the Metropole Orchestra in Holland, 1975. Diane Armesto (AKA Diane Rosolino), was present during this session. Afterward, Frank repeatedly told his fiancé the music was calling for words. With time, Diane created a lyric and “Violets”, became “Once I loved". After listening, Rosolino enthusiastically took Armesto to Sage & Sound Recording studios in Hollywood, California to overdub the words. This would be Diane’s first attempt at singing. Diane's vocal rendition of this song has yet to be released.

A self--taught burgeoning, Jazz drummer, but not interested in pursuing a career in music herself, Diane Armesto was content to be Frank Rosolino’s manager. With time, she became a booking agent, serving other renowned musicians such as trumpeter Conte Candoli, saxophonists Rudolf Johnson (with Ray Charles), Bob Berg and Joe Farrell, pianists Larry Willis and Cedar Walton, drummer Billy Higgins, organist Jimmy McGriff — and more.

It was during her protracted recovery from the tragic death of Frank Rosolino, that Diane Armesto eventually returned to the world of music she loves. With a passion now to express herself as a vocalist, Armesto formed her own group. With time and enough experience, Diane Armesto would become known by many musicians, critics and fans for her expressive contralto voice, her unique approach to singing jazz, her talent for writing lyrics - and eventually music.

The Intimate Side

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Boots Randolph - Boots With Strings

Size: 103,1 MB
Time: 36:16
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 1966/2016
Styles: Jazz, Easy Listening
Art: Front

01. The Shadow Of Your Smile (3:10)
02. What Now My Love (2:57)
03. Days Of Wine & Roses (3:00)
04. Yesterday (2:14)
05. You've Lost That Loving Feeling (4:04)
06. What Kind Of Fool Am I (2:39)
07. Moon River (2:45)
08. Michelle (2:44)
09. Stranger On The Shore (3:48)
10. I Left My Heart In San Francisco (2:38)
11. Dear Hearts (3:04)
12. Unchained Melody (3:07)

Tenor saxophonist Boots Randolph was an important contributor to the Nashville sound, the set of pop-flavored textures that dominated country music in the late '50s and early '60s. He was born in Paducah, KY, but grew up in small-town Cadiz, in Trigg County. Born Homer Louis Randolph III, he acquired the nickname "Boots" in childhood from his brother Bob. Randolph began playing the trombone in school and learned several other instruments, but by the time he was 16 he had begun to focus seriously on the sax. He honed his chops as a member of the U.S. Army Band during World War II.

After the war, Randolph returned home and performed semi-professionally for some years around Indiana, Kentucky, and Illinois. In the late '50s, Jethro Burns heard him play and suggested he move to Nashville. Burns introduced Randolph to Chet Atkins, who signed him to the RCA label. Randolph also quickly made the acquaintance of Atkins rival Owen Bradley and performed on many recordings Bradley helmed as producer. Nashville's new corps of session musicians spent its leisure time in the Printer's Alley section of the city's downtown, an actual alley (between First and Second avenues) that offered entrance to various basement barrooms, and Randolph became one of the group. Like other Nashville players, he took enthusiastically to jazz and rock & roll in addition to country music.

One single, the 1963 instrumental "Yakety Sax," showed Randolph putting all these influences together and delivering an extremely catchy tune; it became his only real hit. But Randolph was a consistent seller of LP albums (with 13 charted releases) in the 1960s and 1970s; offering pleasant saxophone covers of material from various genres of music, he became a counterpart to Atkins on guitar and Floyd Cramer on piano. He moved from RCA to the Monument label in 1966. For well over a decade, in addition, he averaged 200-300 studio sessions a year on recordings made by others. The saxophone heard on Elvis Presley's later records is likely to be Randolph's.

In 1977, Randolph opened a successful club of his own in Printer's Alley; it endured into the 1990s and spawned another club in the Opryland U.S.A. area. Randolph remained active as an entertainer into the 2000s, and in 1994 the original Yakety Sax album was admitted into the unofficial country canon; it was reissued by Germany's Bear Family label. Randolph suffered a brain hemorrhage in late June 2007 and remained in a coma until his passing at the age of 80 on July 3, 2007. ~by James Manheim

Boots With Strings

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