Count Basie, Sarah Vaughan - Count Basie & Sarah Vaughan

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 46:06
Size: 105.5 MB
Styles: Jazz vocals
Year: 1962/1995
Art: Front

[2:10] 1. Perdido
[3:56] 2. Lover Man
[2:53] 3. I Cried For You
[3:53] 4. Alone
[3:09] 5. There Are Such Things
[2:48] 6. Mean To Me
[2:43] 7. The Gentleman Is A Dope
[4:50] 8. You Go To My Head
[3:07] 9. Until I Met You
[3:21] 10. You Turned The Tables On Me
[4:50] 11. Little Man (You've Had A Busy Day)
[2:50] 12. Teach Me Tonight
[2:42] 13. If I Were A Bell
[2:48] 14. Until I Met You

Although Count Basie gets top billing, he actually doesn't even appear on this set. Basie's Orchestra and pianist Kirk Stuart are purely in a supporting role behind the magnificent voice of Sarah Vaughan, other than a couple of short spots for trumpeter Joe Newman and Frank Foster's tenor. Sometimes Vaughan sounds overly mannered and seems to give little weight to the words she is singing, but her wide range and impeccable musicianship carry the day. Highlights include "Perdido," "Mean to Me," and "You Go to My Head," and the set is understandably recommended more for Sarah Vaughan fans than Count Basie collectors. [Some reissues add a pair of charming Vaughan duets with Joe Williams, "Teach Me Tonight" and "If I Were a Bell," that were originally released as a single, plus an alternate take of "Until I Met You."] ~Scott Yanow

Count Basie & Sarah Vaughan

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Ben Sidran - On The Cool Side

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 48:21
Size: 110.7 MB
Styles: Cool jazz
Year: 1985/1999
Art: Front

[5:15] 1. Mitsubishi Boy
[3:03] 2. Lover Man, Pt. 1
[4:54] 3. Lover Man, Pt. 2
[3:52] 4. Brown Eyes
[5:50] 5. On The Cool Side
[3:34] 6. Old Hoagy
[3:56] 7. Heat Wave
[4:16] 8. Take It Easy Greasy
[3:33] 9. Lazy River
[4:25] 10. That's What The Note Said
[5:37] 11. Lost In The Stars

Ben Sidran - Piano, Vocals; Billy Peterson - Bass; Ricky Peterson - Synthesizer; Steve Miller - Guitar, Vocals; Paul Peterson - Synthesizer; Howard Arthur - Guitar; Dr. John - Vocals.

My first step into the world of digital instruments, I used the latest gear at the time (Lynn drum machine, Yamaha DX7, etc.) to capture the spirit of the times, and it did: the sound of this recording is forever locked in the 1980s. Some of the songs, on the other hand, like "Mitsubishi Boy", have had many reincarnations. ~Ben

Ben Sidran's musical persona has always been one of cool-cat hipster, talk-singing his songs in a style reminiscent of his mentor, Mose Allison. On the Cool Side was one of his more commercially viable solo releases, finding an audience in the small coterie of contemporary jazz stations in the mid-'80s. The title track is a classic of the genre, an upbeat, joyous affirmation of life, featuring a backing vocal from old pal Steve Miller. Sidran's take on "Lover Man" adds a whole new funky dimension to that oft-recorded warhorse, as do his versions of "Heat Wave" and "Up a Lazy River," the latter featuring Dr. John on second vocal. The music on this recording is heavily electronicized, with programmed drums, synthesized riffs, and Fender Rhodes piano, but it sure sounds like a lot of fun. And, you'll find yourself walking down the street singing "keep on searching, keep it on the cool side" with a big smile on your face. ~Jim Newsom

On The Cool Side

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The World's Greatest Jazz Band - At Manchester's Free Trade Hall, England 1971 (2-Disc Set)

Bob Wilber (clarinet, soprano saxophone); Bud Freeman (tenor saxophone); Billy Butterfield (trumpet, flugelhorn); Yank Lawson (trumpet); Vic Dickenson, Eddie Hubble (trombone); Ralph Sutton (piano); Bob Haggart (electric bass); Gus Johnson (drums).

With an over-the-top (and perhaps tongue in cheek) name like the World's Greatest Jazz Band, all modesty has been happily tossed out the window. Whether any band can actually live up to such a title is questionable, but At Manchester's Free Trade Hall, England 1971 does qualify as a fine recording of a vivacious live show. This rather large band (nine players), including trumpeters Yank Lawson and Billy Butterfield, and pianist Ralph Sutton, turns back the clock to a jazz form -- Dixieland -- that hadn't been "in" since the 1910s. The set list, "Ain't Misbehavin'," "Carolina in the Morning," and "Bourbon Street Parade," reflects this backward glance. The odd thing about this date for anyone immersed in contemporary jazz (anything from Coltrane on) is how melodic and fun jazz was before it became sophisticated. Sutton and clarinetist Bob Wilbur's freewheeling solos on "Ain't Misbehavin'" concoct an intoxicating mood, while the instrumental interchanges and intertwinings by the band throw the proceedings into high gear. The band offers quite a few variations on the Dixieland style, varying the arrangements and featuring different players on different cuts. This, plus the fact that most of the tracks hover around three- to five minutes, means that these two discs keep the listener tuned in. The only factor that seems a bit old-fashioned here are the song introductions, though they do provide a space to identify the featured musician(s) on each cut. At Manchester's Free Trade Hall, England 1971 delivers over an hour-and-a-half of spontaneous, effervescent jazz, and stands as a worthy testament to the World's Greatest Jazz Band. ~ Ronnie D. Lankford, Jr.

Album: At Manchester's Free Trade Hall, England 1971 (Disc 1)
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 47:27
Size: 108.7 MB
Styles: Dixieland
Year: 2006

[1:34] 1. Yank Introduces The WGB
[5:42] 2. Panama
[4:56] 3. Dogtown Blues
[5:50] 4. Ain't Misbehavin'
[4:19] 5. Black And Blue
[4:02] 6. Alligator Crawl
[4:42] 7. I Got Rhythm
[5:05] 8. Limehouse Blues
[3:46] 9. Big Noise From Winnetka
[4:02] 10. What's New
[3:25] 11. South Rampart Street Parade

At Manchester's Free Trade Hall, England 1971 (Disc 1)

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Album: At Manchester's Free Trade Hall, England 1971 (Disc 2)
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 54:54
Size: 125.7 MB
Styles: Dixieland
Year: 2006
Art: Front

[4:57] 1. Bourbon Street Parade
[4:02] 2. The Girl On The Beach
[4:38] 3. Just One Of Those Things
[5:27] 4. Summertime
[5:31] 5. Viper's Drag
[5:34] 6. At Sundown
[3:44] 7. Carolina In The Morning
[5:22] 8. In A Sentimental Mood
[6:24] 9. Wolverine Blues
[5:35] 10. Muskrat Ramble
[3:35] 11. Up-Up And Away My Inspiration

At Manchester's Free Trade Hall, England 1971 (Disc 2)

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Kelley Suttenfield, Nick Romano - Among The Stars

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 39:01
Size: 89.3 MB
Styles: Jazz vocals
Year: 2014
Art: Front

[4:15] 1. Fly Me To The Moon
[4:40] 2. Harvest Moon
[2:49] 3. Beautiful Love
[4:41] 4. Wash Me Clean
[3:31] 5. Just Say I Love Him
[3:50] 6. One Fine Day
[4:34] 7. Try Your Wings
[4:11] 8. People Will Say We're In Love
[3:55] 9. Until It's Time For You To Go
[2:30] 10. I'll Be Your Baby Tonight

Voice and nylon-string guitar. That's it. Nothing else to hear on this one, but nothing else is really needed. Vocalist Kelley Suttenfield's first album—Where Is Love (Rhombus Records, 2009)—was a well-crafted, full band affair that reimagined the works of everybody from Wes Montgomery ("West Coast Blues") to Caetano Veloso ("Coraçao Vagabundo") to The Platters ("Twilight Time"). On her sophomore date, she strips away the band, leaving only guitarist Tony Romano in the picture to help her explore music of the night and songs of love.

Among The Stars offers quiet and absorbing takes on jazz standards along with classics from singer-songwriters like Neil Young and Bob Dylan. In theory, pieces like "Fly Me To The Moon" and "Harvest Moon" may not seem like they belong back-to-back on the same program, but Suttenfield and Romano shape each and every number to fit their aesthetic. "Fly Me To The Moon," for example, has no Sinatra-esque swinging swagger to it, moving instead atop moody lines, and there's no steady strum to calmly propel "Harvest Moon." Actually, there's rarely any steady strum to speak of. Romano isn't a four-chords-to-a-bar accompanist. He's far more interactive with song and singer, dropping his own bass notes into place, connecting the harmonic dots with single note lines, and giving the occasional chordal punctuation or aside. When Romano does wear the rhythm guitarist hat, as on parts of the striking "Just Say I Love Him," he remains understated in his approach.

Suttenfield's voice has been rightly compared to that of Susannah McCorkle in the past, but that connection is really just a surface similarity. McCorkle had great highs and lows in her delivery; Suttenfield works in narrower confines, but she knows her working space extremely well. She doesn't usually look upward toward the heavens or explore the depths, preferring instead to get the most out of the middle ground. These ten numbers come and go in less than forty minutes, but that's more than enough time for Suttenfield and Romano to make a lovely statement. Among The Stars is a real low-key charmer. ~Dan Bilawsky

Among The Stars

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Archie Shepp Quartet - Blue Ballads

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 52:23
Size: 119.9 MB
Styles: Saxophone jazz
Year: 1996/2007
Art: Front

[ 5:54] 1. Little Girl Blue
[ 7:15] 2. More Than You Know
[ 7:53] 3. Blue In Green
[ 5:09] 4. Blue And Sentimental
[ 7:50] 5. Cry Me A River
[ 7:29] 6. If I Should Lose You
[10:51] 7. Alone Together

Bass – George Mraz; Drums – Idris Muhammad; Piano – John Hicks; Tenor Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone, Vocals – Archie Shepp. Recorded at Clinton Studio "A" on November 24 & 25, 1995 in N.Y.

Recorded in November 1995, saxophonist Archie Shepp's Blue Ballads is a counterpart to True Ballads and Something to Live For, which date from the same period. All three albums feature pianist John Hicks, bassist George Mraz, and drummer Idris Muhammad. These intimate studies in shared introspection, along with Black Ballads and True Blue, document Shepp's astute exploration of the ballad form during the 1990s. On Blue Ballads Shepp mingled time-honored standards such as Rodgers & Hart's "Little Girl Blue," Arthur Schwartz's "Alone Together," and Vincent Youmans' "More Than You Know" with the Miles Davis-Bill Evans masterpiece "Blue in Green" and "Blue and Sentimental," which had served as the feature number for Count Basie's star tenor saxophonist Herschel Evans some 60 years earlier. Once again and in all the best ways, Shepp shines in parallel with his contemporary Pharoah Sanders. Both are skilled balladeers as well as free spirits who simply cannot be bottled or pigeonholed. ~arwulf arwulf

Blue Ballads

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Buck Clayton - Tenderly

Styles: Trumpet Jazz, Swing
Year: 1959
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 37:09
Size: 86,2 MB
Art: Front

(4:25)  1. I've Got My Love To Keep Me Warm
(2:48)  2. Rosetta
(3:09)  3. Lonesome
(3:23)  4. Tenderly
(2:57)  5. Sugar Blues
(2:45)  6. Black And Blue
(2:31)  7. Premier Bal
(2:56)  8. These Foolish Things
(3:07)  9. Louise
(2:45) 10. Pennies From Heaven
(3:24) 11. Stompin' At The Savoy
(2:52) 12. I'm In The Mood For Love

This out-of-print Inner City LP has tasteful playing by Buck Clayton with a French quintet comprised of Jean-Claude Pelletier on piano and organ, guitarist Jean Bonal, bassist Roland Lobligeois and expatraite drummer Kansas Fields. 

The emphasis is on ballads and standards (although there are a pair of obscure Sidney Bechet tunes) but Clayton's appealing sound, naturally melodic style and swinging solos make all of the concise performances of interest to mainstream jazz fans.~ Scott Yanow http://www.allmusic.com/album/tenderly-mw0000911536

Personnel:  Buck Clayton – trumpet;  Jean-Claude Pelletier - piano, organ;  Jean Bonal – guitar;  Roland Lobligeois – bass;  Kansas Fields - drums

Tenderly

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Greta Matassa - Favorites From A Long Walk

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2005
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 62:22
Size: 143,9 MB
Art: Front

(4:42)  1. Double Rainbow
(4:46)  2. Inside A Silent Tear
(3:04)  3. Sweet And Lovely
(4:08)  4. He's Gone Again
(3:27)  5. If I Love Again
(6:23)  6. Listen Little Girl
(5:55)  7. I Will Wait For You
(4:55)  8. Look At That Face
(3:55)  9. Late, Late Show
(6:31) 10. Speak Low
(6:20) 11. Never Never Land
(4:44) 12. The Man With A Horn
(3:25) 13. There'll Be Another Spring

A nice album of relatively unknown songs originally done by the great female vocalists of yesteryear. Greta Matassa has a nice way with the music, alternately whispering softly and belting out cadences as the compositions require. Matassa doesn't quite mimic the classic singers, but she does have hints of their styles slyly embedded in her delivery. Ella comes out just a bit when she starts to scat. Carmen McRae comes through a bit on a Jobim number. Sarah Vaughan comes out when she needs to purr a little. Ultimately, there isn't much new to be found here, if one has already heard Matassa's formidable prowess. However, it's a nice round of songs whether it's new or not. Perfect for a slow weekend afternoon. ~ Adam Greenberg  http://www.allmusic.com/album/favorites-from-a-long-walk-mw0000263030

Personnel: Greta Matassa (vocals); Darin Clendenin & Friends, Darin Clendenin (piano); Clipper Anderson (electric bass); Richard Cole (saxophone); Thomas Marriott (trumpet); Mark Ivester (drums).

Favorites From A Long Walk

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Sadao Watanabe - Fly me to the Moon

Styles: Saxophone And Flute Jazz
Year: 1967
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 34:44
Size: 81,2 MB
Art: Front

(2:35)  1. The Girl from Ipanema
(2:45)  2. Meditation
(3:20)  3. Black Orpheus
(2:54)  4. O Grande Amor
(2:10)  5. Bonita
(4:02)  6. Dindi
(2:20)  7. Mas que Nada
(3:05)  8. The Shadow of Your Smile
(2:16)  9. Fly me to the Moon
(2:41) 10. A Man and a Woman
(3:33) 11. So Danco Samba
(2:56) 12. She is Carioca

Sadao Watanabe has long had a split musical personality. He alternates excellent bebop dates with pop albums. Watanabe learned clarinet and alto in high school, and in the 1950s he moved to Tokyo, joining Toshiko Akiyoshi's bop-oriented group in 1953. When the pianist moved to the U.S. in 1956, Watanabe took over the band. He attended Berklee during 1962-1965 and had the opportunity to work with Gary McFarland, Chico Hamilton, and Gabor Szabo. However, throughout his career Watanabe has remained mostly based in Japan, where he is a major influence on younger players. He has recorded steadily through the years, most notably with Chick Corea in New York (1970) and with the Galaxy All-Stars (1978). Watanabe's bop records are inspired by Charlie Parker, and his pop dates by Brazilian-flavored music. ~ Scott Yanow http://www.allmusic.com/artist/sadao-watanabe-mn0000282544/biography

Personnel:  Sadao Watanabe (Sax, flute); Sadanori Nakamure (Guitar); Masabumi Kikuchi (Piano); Isao Suzuki (Bass); Msahiko Togashi (Drums); Hideo Miyata (Cavasa).

Fly me to the Moon

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Rich Perry - Hearsay

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2002
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 63:49
Size: 184,5 MB
Art: Front

( 9:03)  1. King Baby
( 8:56)  2. Hearsay
(10:14)  3. Sam
( 6:30)  4. Penance
( 8:26)  5. Bigos
( 7:54)  6. Gymel
( 7:39)  7. Then From Now
( 5:03)  8. On Clouds Danced

Rich Perry's eighth Steeplechase disc makes a point of featuring the little-known trumpeter/composer Steve Lampert, who penned all but two of the tunes for the session. Bassist Dennis Irwin and drummer Jeff Hirshfield complete the lineup. The absence of a chordal instrument makes for a lot of harmonic openness, and that serves these sparse, freebop-oriented tunes just fine. Lampert, playing muted all the way through, proves to be a fluid and compelling soloist. As a composer, he gravitates toward unusual rhythmic feels, the best examples being the modified 12-bar blues "Gymel" and the agitated double-time "Penance." Perry seems to thrive on these relatively abstract themes; his interaction with the rhythm section is typically laid-back and imaginative.

Personnel: Rich Perry (tenor saxophone); Steve Lampert (trumpet); Dennis Irwin (bass); Jeff Hirshfield (drums).

Hearsay

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Thomas Marriott - Constraints & Liberations

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 2010
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 54:12
Size: 124,4 MB
Art: Front

( 4:14)  1. Diagram
(10:46)  2. Up From Under
( 7:33)  3. Constraints and Liberations
( 6:56)  4. Waking Dream
( 9:35)  5. Early Riser
(10:43)  6. Clues
( 4:22)  7. Treadstone

Trumpeter Thomas Marriott keeps growing as an artist. He has released CDs at a healthy pace since 2005: an introduction for many perhaps unwary jazz fans to some warped country western flavor on Crazy: The Music of Willie Nelson (Origin Records, 2008); cranking an all-star quintet up in a modern mainstream mode on Flexicon (Origin Records, 2009); and letting it rip on a two-trumpet blow fest with fellow brass man Ray Vega on East-West Trumpet Summit (Origin Records, 2010). Constraints and Liberations ups his output to two releases in 2010. Spontaneity has always been a big part of Marriott's jazz game, but with Constraints and Liberations, it seems he has gone deeper into that mode. The set opens with his original "Diagram." A bright splendor of two-horn harmony introduces the tune with a teaming of the leader's open horn and Hans Teuber's haunting tenor saxophone, leading to a shift into brass/reed conversation, with Teuber telepathically finishing Marriott's opening statement. Here, and throughout the set, the rhythm team pianist Gary Versace; bassist Jeff Johnson, and drummer John Bishop maintains a low key tumult that keeps things on edge.

The sound of Constraints and Liberations is often moody and atmospheric, giving the impression of a soundtrack from a movie dealing with impending danger. Marriott is in excellent form, his tone by turns bright or dark, clean or murky, and sometimes anguished, always telling an eloquent story. Teuber's tenor has a distinctive sound, cool and hollow, and somehow diaphanous, like a saxophone played by a disconcerted ghost, while the versatile Versace who has contributed brilliantly to Maria Schneider's orchestra on accordion, and on organ, piano and accordion on numerous sideman dates including drummers John Hollenbeck and Matt Wilson, well as his own discs as leader slips into any accompanist/soloist task at hand, with a fluid sparkle on the title tune, or a quirky solo aside on "Diagram." "Waking Dream" opens with piano teardrops accompanied by a gorgeously introspective muted trumpet. Johnson's bass looms in and lies low, adding, with Bishop's whispering drums, a foundation to the abstraction. "Clues" introduces, in its inception, a late night, foreboding dark alley feeling, bass and drums lurking in the shadows, Marriott and Versace trying to shine a light. Thomas Marriott keeps moving the art forward. Constraints and Liberations may be his best so far. ~ Dan McClenaghan https://www.allaboutjazz.com/constraints-and-liberations-thomas-marriott-origin-records-review-by-dan-mcclenaghan.php

Personnel: Thomas Marriott: trumpet;  Hans Teuber: tenor saxophone;  Gary Versace: piano;  Jeff Johnson: bass;  John Bishop: drums.

Constraints & Liberations

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René Thomas, Jimmy Raney - 2 Guitars In Paris

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 75:49
Size: 173.6 MB
Styles: Guitar jazz
Year: 2010
Art: Front

[3:15] 1. Pennies From Heaven
[2:59] 2. Yesterdays
[3:35] 3. Body And Soul
[3:36] 4. All The Things You Are
[2:49] 5. The Continental
[2:22] 6. There Will Never Be Another You
[4:26] 7. There Will Never Be Another You
[4:29] 8. Stella By Starlight
[4:30] 9. Once In A While
[2:38] 10. Easy To Love
[4:15] 11. The Real Cat
[2:32] 12. How About You
[6:53] 13. You Go To My Head
[4:28] 14. Tres Chouette
[4:03] 15. Someone To Watch Over Me
[3:17] 16. Someone To Watch Over Me
[3:34] 17. Lover Man
[3:13] 18. Get Happy
[4:45] 19. Too Marvelous For Words
[4:00] 20. Goodnight, Wherever You Are

One of the finest European jazz guitarists to emerge during the 1950s, René Thomas appeared on many sessions with Americans during the next few decades. Influenced as one might expect by Django Reinhardt, Thomas was mostly self-taught and by the 1950s he was a greatly in-demand cool-toned guitarist, playing in a style similar to Jimmy Raney's. In addition to performing with the top European jazz musicians, Thomas worked with Chet Baker (1955), lived in Montreal during 1958-1963, played with Toshiko Akiyoshi and Sonny Rollins, was back in Europe by 1963, and during the next few years worked with Kenny Clarke, Lou Bennett, and Han Bennink among many others. During the 1969-1972 period, Thomas was a member of Stan Getz's European Band (with whom he recorded Dynasty). He died of a sudden heart attack in Spain when he was 47. As a leader, Thomas recorded for Vogue (1954), Barclay, Polydor, Jazzland (1960), RCA, Royal Jazz, and the Italian Vogel label (1974).

Jimmy Raney was different from the other jazz guitarists who came up during the bebop revolution in New York in the 1940s and ’50s. He was a complete composer as well as a talented player, and he was a quiet man looking to play an explosive style of music. Raney kept his amp turned down and found his own way of playing jazz. Jim Hall described Raney’s playing as a cross between Charlie Parker and Béla Bartók. Raney didn’t play the staccato riffs and lightning-fast bursts of notes that many bop players favored. Raney played long, legato melodic lines that seemed to ignore measures, took surprising twists and turns and often resolved in unexpected places.

Raney was born in Louisville, Ky. His father was a journalist and his mother played a little guitar and she showed young Jimmy a few chords. He later took classical lessons, and Raney landed his first professional job when he was 13. Raney managed to work quite a bit in Louisville during WWII because the draft took most of the older players, but he was playing mostly hillbilly and pop tunes. Then a teacher introduced Raney to Charlie Christian; Raney said he almost fainted. That same teacher recommended Raney to bandleader Jerry Wald and the young guitarist was off to New York. Wald’s pianist, Al Haig, took Raney to Harlem and introduced him to Parker, Dizzy Gillespie and Art Tatum. After returning to Louisville for a bit, Raney eventually landed in Woody Herman’s Second Herd. He left within a year because he hated the relentless touring schedule and he didn’t get much of a chance to solo. But he did meet saxophonist Stan Getz in the band and that relationship would put Raney in the spotlight.

2 Guitars In Paris

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Steve Nelson - Communications

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s

Time: 68:24

Size: 156.6 MB

Styles: Bop, Vibraphone jazz

Year: 1990

Art: Front

[ 7:21] 1. Blues All The Time

[ 7:33] 2. I Didn't Know What Time It Was

[ 4:06] 3. The Song Is You

[ 6:38] 4. Aten Hymn

[10:17] 5. What's New

[ 7:23] 6. Blues For Bob

[ 6:23] 7. Festival

[10:01] 8. Dignity

[ 8:39] 9. I Hear A Rhapsody

Steve Nelson (Vib); Mulgrew Miller (P); Ray Drummond (B); Tony Reedus (D). Recorded December 30, 1987 & October 11, 1989 in Englewood Cliffs, NJ, USA by Rudy Van Gelder

This outstanding vibraphonist and composer was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He graduated from Rutgers University with both Masters and Bachelors degrees in music and his teaching activities have included a position at Princeton University. As a resident of the New York area he has performed and recorded with many great musicians including Kenny Barron, Bobby Watson, Mulgrew Miller, David Fathead Newman, Johnny Griffin and Jackie McLean.

He has appeared at concerts and festivals worldwide and has made three recordings as the leader of his own group. His recordings as a leader include Live At Acireale (Red Records), Full Nelson (Sunnyside) and Communications (Criss Cross). Recordings with others include Mulgrew Miller, David “Fathead” Newman, Kenny Barron, Jackie McLean and Johnny Griffin.

Communications

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Phil Woods, Pepper Adams - Together For The First Time

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 50:42
Size: 116.1 MB
Styles: Saxophone jazz
Year: 2015
Art: Front

[ 7:04] 1. Pent Up House
[11:04] 2. Prelude To A Kiss
[ 7:18] 3. Three Little Words
[ 9:08] 4. Webb City
[ 6:55] 5. Time On My Hands
[ 9:09] 6. Long Ago And Far Away

This album brings together two of the finest musicians that have stepped onto a band stand. In their time, each has traveled the world, worked with the best sidemen and been awarded top honors by their peers. The Phil Woods tracks are from the last session done with his renowned0 quartet. The Pepper Adams tracks are said to be the very best that he had ever recorded.

Together For The First Time 

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The Jane Jarvis L.A. Quartet - S/T

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 44:01
Size: 100.8 MB
Styles: Piano jazz
Year: 1989
Art: Front

[4:48] 1. Love For Sale
[4:17] 2. So Beats My Heart For You
[5:47] 3. Clark's Bars
[6:52] 4. I'll Never Be The Same
[6:02] 5. Close Your Eyes
[4:53] 6. In Love In Vain
[6:31] 7. I Hear A Rhapsody
[4:48] 8. Alabaster

Recognition of pianist Jane Jarvis' talents has certainly come late in life; she did not record her debut as a leader until she was 70 and did not become more widely known until a decade later! Ironically she had been a bit of a child prodigy and she worked on a local radio station in Gary, Indiana as an accompanist during a children's program at age 12. When she was 13 her parents died in a train crash. That same year Jarvis became a staff pianist at WJKS-WIND Chicago where she had opportunities to accompany (among others) Ethel Waters, Sophie Tucker and Paul Whiteman's band. Always hard-working, Jarvis eventually gained a B.S. from Pace University (she attended five different conservatories along the way) and she was quite active in music (while rearing two children) throughout the Midwest. In addition to working on radio station WTMJ, Jarvis had opportunities to play with such visiting jazz stars as Eddie South, Billy Butterfield and Maxine Sullivan. She worked for 18 years at the Muzak corporation, eventually becoming Vice President. She also played organ regularly in the 1950's for the Milwaukee Braves home games, following it up with a longtime association (1964-79) as the New York Mets' organist. During the same period that she worked with the Metz and for Muzak, Jarvis played occasionally in New York clubs with such players as Roy Eldridge, Helen Humes, Richie Kamuca and Ruby Braff. After retiring as a baseball organist, Jarvis finally became a fulltime jazz pianist, playing for a long time at Zinno's (a Greenwich Village restaurant) with Milt Hinton. Jane Jarvis recorded two albums for Audiophile (1985 and 1988) and one for Arbors (1995), gaining some recognition for her work with the Statesmen of Jazz (starting in 1984) with whom she also recorded. She has also started an annual jazz party/festival called the Jane Jarvis Jazz Invitational held each November in Florida. A solid mainstream pianist, Jarvis had managed to retain both her enthusiasm and sense of swing into her 80's. ~bio by Scott Yanow

The Jane Jarvis L.A. Quartet

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Ben Webster - Jazz 'Round Midnight

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1993
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 64:58
Size: 152,9 MB
Art: Front

(3:10)  1. In The Wee Small Hours Of The Morning
(4:15)  2. Time On My Hands
(4:48)  3. Early Autumn
(4:12)  4. Prisoner Of Love
(4:56)  5. When I Fall In Love
(4:37)  6. Willow Weep For Me
(4:44)  7. Prelude To A Kiss
(3:37)  8. Chelsea Bridge
(3:22)  9. My Funny Valentine
(6:50) 10. You're Getting To Be A Habit With Me
(4:40) 11. Where Are You
(3:29) 12. Ill Wind
(4:42) 13. All Too Soon
(3:00) 14. Tenderly
(4:30) 15. We'll Be Together Again

Ben Webster is probably best known for his eloquent ballad playing. On Jazz 'Round Midnight, we are treated to no less than 15 ballads, all of which are performed superbly. Webster is one of the great jazz romantics, and his sultry ballad style stirs the heart and soul with every phrase. It's not just the way he caresses each note, or the thick airy sound he gets on his tenor sax; it's the lyrical, almost voice-like character of his playing that makes all of these songs so memorable. Backed by such notables as Oscar Peterson and Ray Brown, Webster's renditions of "You're Getting To Be a Habit With Me," "In the Wee Small Hours of the Morning," "We'll Be Together Again," and others, sparkle with vitality, romance, and warmth. Finally, Webster's idol, Coleman Hawkins, sits in on "Prisoner of Love" making this CD sparkle even that much more. One of the great jazz ballad albums, Jazz 'Round Midnight is a must for any candlelight dinner. http://www.allmusic.com/album/jazz-round-midnight-ben-webster-mw0000093614

Personnel: Ben Webster (tenor saxophone); Herb Ellis, Barney Kessel, Mundell Lowe (guitar); Al Young (flute, alto saxophone); Jimmy Hamilton, Tony Scott (clarinet); Coleman Hawkins (tenor saxophone); Danny Bank (baritone saxophone); Harry "Sweets" Edison (trumpet); Hank Jones , Jimmy Jones , Oscar Peterson, Teddy Wilson, Billy Strayhorn (piano); Dave Bailey , Ed Thigpen, Jo Jones , Louie Bellson, Alvin Stoller, Osie Johnson, Stan Levey (drums).

Jazz 'Round Midnight

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Tarbaby - Ballad of Sam Langford

Styles: Jazz, Post-Bop
Year: 2013
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 57:36
Size: 133,9 MB
Art: Front

(2:12)  1. Title Bout (Opening Round)
(4:53)  2. Aztec
(4:12)  3. When
(5:13)  4. MBBS
(7:23)  5. Rolling Vamp
(3:20)  6. Kush
(6:13)  7. Korean Bounce
(3:43)  8. Asiam
(3:04)  9. Hat Trick
(6:48) 10. August
(3:21) 11. Nobody Knows
(2:19) 12. Come
(4:47) 13. Title Bout

The Ballad of Sam Langford represents an auspicious third chapter in the recorded history of this adventurous cooperative trio, with guests. So their collective name is Tarbaby; exactly where did that provocative moniker originate, what inspired pianist Orrin Evans, bassist Eric Revis, and drummer Nasheet Waits to come up with that one? Was it the literary mind of Evans, son of a prominent playwright and by dint of his previous recordings, a man certainly not bereft of either humor or imagination? Or was it the adventurous likes of Revis, known also as the bassist of the Branford Marsalis Quartet, or perhaps Waits, the crafty drummer in another bristling trio, Jason Moran’s Bandwagon? The answer stems from boxing annals, and the title of this recording is homage to the source. Turn of the 20th century Canadian boxer Sam Langford, hailed by ESPN as the “Greatest fighter nobody knows,” was known as a fearsome puncher (Ring magazine rated him in its “100 greatest punchers of all time” list). No less than the great Jack Johnson is reputed to have ducked the compact (5’6 ½” 185 lbs.) pugilist, so prodigious were his skills. Langford was known by several sobriquets, the most impertinent being “The Boston Tar Baby”, thus the name of this exceptional trio. His story certainly sounds like one Orrin Evans’ late father, the playwright Don Evans might have championed theatrically.

Tarbaby’s first complete album The End of Fear, released in 2010 (their debut was a self-titled 2009 EP), invited three guests into their inventive lair, saxophonists JD Allen and Oliver Lake, and trumpeter Nicholas Payton. This time out they’ve invited Lake back for a second go on six tracks, as well as trumpeter Ambrose Akinmusire for an equal number. The rather inside/out perspectives of Lake and Akinmusire are a good match for Tarbaby’s ambitious tableaux. “Mr. Lake has lived this aesthetic for quite some time,” remarks Revis. “His contributions on and off the bandstand are immeasurable. To witness his artistic vitality in music, art and life is a tremendous source of inspiration to us all,” he continues on Lake, a man whose robust career has ranged from neo reggae to the World Saxophone Quartet to jump blues to new sonic textures. “Oliver recorded with my father, [drummer] Freddie Waits over 25 years ago. His sound is incredible!!! He’s a story teller of the highest order,” enthuses Waits. Akinmusire, the noted trumpet ace who records for Blue Note, is from the generation that arrived just after Evans, Revis and Waits. But he fits the Tarbaby approach quite comfortably and contributes quite essentially to this disc. “I’ve had the pleasure of working with Ambrose in some other situations, so I know he shares the same artistic integrity as we do,” says Waits. “Our goal in this music is to adhere to the concept of the continuum,” continues Revis. “Acknowledging and having a deep reference for tradition, while being very much committed to an artistic trajectory that is forward in nature. Ambrose embodies this aesthetic, so it was very natural for us to choose him as someone we wanted to collaborate with,” the bassist says of his fellow Californian.

Throughout this disc there is a keen sense of drama, in the way themes are stated and improvisations embellish those themes, as well as in the vigorous nature of playing these five musicians consistently display. Befitting the core trio’s co-led nature, no one figure ever predominates, not merely in the case of the whole program, but also within the 13 episodes that comprise this disc; and these are most assuredly episodes, or movements if you prefer, more than mere tunes. Tarbaby lays down a fine sense of true programming with this release; and believe me, there’s a fine line between programming and just playing tunes. “Title Bout” is a sonic prelude to the delicacies that follow, with Lake’s slightly acidic alto neatly balancing Ambrose’s subtle clarion. Lake’s “Aztec” bears the hang/fly quality of his inside/out perspectives. “When” is a pastoral Evans’ arrangement that bears a certain foreboding quality while seemingly asking musical questions. The pianist’s “MBBS is a line reminiscent of Jackie McLean. After Lake and Akinmusire state its pithy theme, and following a compact discourse from the trumpeter, the trail opens for Evans’ assertive swing with Revis and Waits; Ambrose and Revis dialogue on the dissolve.“Rolling Vamp” is Lake’s second contribution to this date, finding Ambrose riding the waves of Waits. “Kush” is a lovely dark chocolate ballad from Waits; listen to the way the trio breathes as one here. On Waits’ “Korean Bounce” dig how the composer’s crafty drum work elicits some overblowing and puckish mouthpiece manipulation from the trumpeter, prior to a free arco interlude from Revis; seems this Korean journey may have been a bit fraught with intrigue. Akinmusire’s contribution “Asiam” is a lovely trumpet/piano duet.

These 13 original compositions include four pieces collectively contributed by Tarbaby: the opening and closing episodes of “Title Bout”, “Nobody Knows,” and “Hat Trick.” Asked how the band goes about the task of collective composition, Revis says “The three of us have worked as a unit for over 10 years and we have known each other and worked in a variety of configurations even longer. One of the reasons we formed the group was our almost preternatural rapport. We think very much alike as to how we interpret music.” And with respect to their collective composition represented on this disc, “We decided to go in with either no preconceived ideas or very skeletal sketches,” says the bassist. “The tunes took on their shapes and personalities almost instantly.” Adds Waits, “We are like-minded in myriad ways. When there are discussions of the path (melody, rhythm, harmony… decisions were made expeditiously.” 

This chapter of Tarbaby is released on the independent Hipnotic Records label, the catalogue of the ambitious DC-based Tony Haywood, whose recordings reflect a keen eye for creativity. “I look for artists who have a strong reverence for jazz tradition and who also bring an original approach to the music through their playing, composing and arranging. Tarbaby obviously fits the bill with the dynamism and creative intensity they bring, individually and collectively. Oliver and Ambrose clearly are important and like-minded voices on their instruments,” agrees Haywood. Here’s a record that should rank high in year-end assessments because it has all the earmarks even before you give it a spin: a first class core and rhythm section, two distinctive guest instrumental voices – one somewhat younger, the other someone the core trio came up listening to and appreciating for his range of experiences and compositions which continually reveal their gifts with repeated spins. Willard Jenkins is a journalist-concerts & festivals presenter-consultant, broadcaster at WPFW in Washington, DC and author of African Rhythms, the autobiography of Randy Weston (Duke University Press). http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/tarbaby3

Personnel:  Orrin Evans-piano, Eric Revis-bass, Nasheet Waits-drums, Oliver Lake-alto saxophone, Ambrose Akinmusire-trumpet.

Ballad of Sam Langford

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Ari Ambrose - Introducing Ari Ambrose

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2000
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 63:31
Size: 145,7 MB
Art: Front

( 5:54)  1. Just for the love
( 6:53)  2. Ugly beauty
( 5:15)  3. Far away blues
( 8:51)  4. I wish i knew
( 4:59)  5. Esorbma
( 8:29)  6. Love letters
( 6:01)  7. Something to live for
(10:33)  8. Olvidandos
( 6:32)  9. West

It takes guts to devote your life to playing jazz, not to mention the tenacity to make a living of it in the hustle and bustle of New York City. Obviously 26-year- old tenor saxophonist Ari Ambrose has more than enough gumption to give it a try, while also making his debut disc anything but the expected and ordinary. For starters, Ambrose, who has recently been seen gigging with Ryan Kisor, George Colligan, and the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra, keeps fast company in the likes of bassist Dennis Irwin and drummer Billy Hart and then he opts for a piano-less trio date that leaves him out in the open as the main voice and soloist. Ambrose is largely successful with his maiden voyage, choosing wisely from some standards and throwing in four of his own tunes to boot. 

Since his style is still in the evolution stage, some of his influences can be detected, such as the breathy Ben Webster voice he brings to "Something to Live For," the cascading arpeggios a la Rollins from "Just For the Love," and the guttural squawks and moans on "Olvidandos" that suggest both Archie Shepp and Joe Henderson. In fact, it would come as no surprise to hear that Ambrose has a fondness for the live trio sides cut at the Vanguard by both Henderson and Rollins. Of course, this is not to propose that Ambrose merely runs down old solos by rote; his command of the instrument and advanced improvisational skills make for an engaging listen. Since recording this set in April of 1998, Ambrose has made a few more SteepleChase sides that have yet to make it to the States. As a way to trace his development, they are sure to be rewarding because this introductory piece suggests that Ambrose is a star on the rise. ~ C.Andrew Hovan https://www.allaboutjazz.com/introducing-ari-ambrose-ari-ambrose-steeplechase-records-review-by-c-andrew-hovan.php
 

Personnel: Ari Ambrose- tenor saxophone, Dennis Irwin- bass, Billy Hart- drums

Introducing Ari Ambrose

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Archie Shepp - The Magic Of Ju-Ju

Styles: Saxophone Jazz, Avant-Garde Jazz
Year: 1967
File: MP3@224K/s
Time: 35:20
Size: 56,7 MB
Art: Front

(18:38)  1. The Magic Of Ju-Ju
( 1:50)  2. You're What This Day Is All About
( 4:43)  3. Shazam
(10:07)  4. Sorry 'bout That

On this 1967 Impulse release, tenor saxophonist Archie Shepp unleashed his 18-minute tour de force "The Magic of Ju-Ju," combining free jazz tenor with steady frenetic African drumming. Shepp's emotional and fiery tenor takes off immediately, gradually morphing with the five percussionists Beaver Harris, Norman Connor, Ed Blackwell, Frank Charles, and Dennis Charles who perform on instruments including rhythm logs and talking drums. Shepp never loses the initial energy, moving forward like a man possessed as the drumming simultaneously builds into a fury. Upon the final three minutes, the trumpets of Martin Banks and Michael Zwerin make an abrupt brief appearance, apparently to ground the piece to a halt. This is one of Shepp's most chaotic yet rhythmically hypnotic pieces. The three remaining tracks, somewhat overshadowed by the title piece, are quick flourishes of free bop on "Shazam," "Sorry Bout That," and the slower, waltz-paced "You're What This Day Is All About."~Al Campbell http://www.allmusic.com/album/the-magic-of-ju-ju-mw0000744563

Personnel:  Archie Shepp: tenor saxophone;  Martin Banks: trumpet, flugelhorn;  Mike Zwerin: bass trombone, trombone;  Reggie Workman: bass;  Norman Connors: drums;  Beaver Harris: drums;  Frank Charles: talking drum;  Dennis Charles: percussion;  Ed Blackwell: rhythm logs

The Magic Of Ju-Ju

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Greg Gisbert - The Court Jester

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 56:46
Size: 129.9 MB
Styles: Trumpet jazz
Year: 1997
Art: Front

[8:15] 1. Robyn Song
[8:21] 2. The Love Dirge
[6:15] 3. The Court Jester
[6:06] 4. Soft Snow
[6:47] 5. Smile
[6:47] 6. My Ideal
[7:42] 7. Waltz For Toots
[6:29] 8. Dizzy Atmosphere

Greg Gisbert - trumpet & fluegelhorn, Conrad Herwig - trombone, Tim Ries - tenor sax, soprano sax & flute, Jon Gordon - alto and soprano sax, Janice Friedman - piano, Jay Anderson - bass, Gregory Hutchinson - drums. Recorded December 27, 1996 in New York City, NY, USA by Max Bolleman

Trumpeter Greg Gisbert is a modern-day equivalent of such predecessors as Conte Condoli, Marvin Stamm, Richard Williams, and Clark Terry. That is to say he has spent much of his young musical career in the big bands (Buddy Rich and Maria Schneider) and doing studio work that while providing a living doesn't necessarily make for high visibility among the record-buying public. A graduate of the Berklee College of Music in Boston, Gisbert has never lacked for work over the years and has been lucky enough to appear on a number of fine releases as of late (Mickey Tucker's Hang in There, on SteepleChase, comes to mind) in addition to cutting two previous discs for Criss Cross Jazz.

The album at hand, The Court Jester, is Gisbert's most impressive outing to date and the maturity shown in his writing is most apparent. For proof of that, one needs look no further than the album's two highlights. "The Love Dirge" starts with a military snare drum opening that leads to a swaggering line that Gisbert's muted horn makes the most of (shades of Ellington and Strayhorn to be sure!) The title track then goes for broke, with a dense scoring that develops a momentum all of its own. Gisbert's incendiary trumpet shouts towards the conclusion are certainly some of his finest recorded moments to date.

Elsewhere one gets the sense that Gisbert was trying to present a taste of all the recent writing tricks he has added to his arranger's bag. The tunes are unusual and the voicings for this large ensemble (that includes trombone, saxophones, and flutes) are sonorous and delightful. It should also be mentioned that the crack rhythm team of pianist Janice Friedman, bassist Jay Anderson and drummer Gregory Hutchinson adds support that can only be described as perfect. And while Gisbert's comments in the liner notes tend to suggest that he's a bit hard on himself in terms of his own playing, the fact remains that there's nothing here that seems at all superfluous or mundane. The Court Jester is a memorable disc that will stand up over repeated listening and what more could you want then that? ~C. Andrew Hovan

The Court Jester

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Helen Merrill - The Nearness Of You/You've Got A Date With The Blues

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s

Time: 73:54

Size: 169.2 MB

Styles: Jazz vocals

Year: 2009

Art: Front

[2:54] 1. Bye Bye Blackbird

[4:45] 2. When The Sun Comes Out

[2:07] 3. I Remember You

[3:17] 4. Softly, As In A Morning Sunrise

[2:04] 5. Dearly Beloved

[3:25] 6. Summertime

[3:30] 7. All Of You

[2:37] 8. I See Your Face Before Me

[2:46] 9. Let Me Love You

[4:01] 10. The Nearness Of You

[2:18] 11. This Time The Dream's On Me

[3:20] 12. Just Imagine

[5:21] 13. The Blues (From Black, Brown & Beige)

[3:31] 14. Am I Blue

[3:17] 15. Blue Gardenia

[3:28] 16. You've Got A Date With The Blues

[3:34] 17. The Thrill Is Gone

[3:08] 18. When The World Was Young

[3:36] 19. Blues In My Heart

[3:22] 20. Vous M'eblouissez [you Got To My Head]

[2:45] 21. Lorsque Tu M'embrasses

[3:05] 22. The Meaning Of The Blues

[1:32] 23. Signing Off

Helen Merrill (vcl), Kenny Dorham (tp), Bobby Jaspar (fl), Jerome Richardson or Frank Wess (fl, ts), Bill Evans, Jimmy Jones (p), George Russell, Barry Galbraith (g), Milt Hinton, Oscar Pettiford, Johnny Frigo (b), Jo Jones (d).

This release contains the complete original albums "The Nearness of You" (Emarcy) and "Youve Got a Date with the Blues" (Metro Jazz). These two LPs present Merrill in splendid form backed by swinging combos featuring stars like Bill Evans, Kenny Dorham, Bobby Jaspar, Oscar Pettiford, Milt Hinton and Jo Jones.

Although she was well-known among fellow musicians, Helen Merrill was not a star like Sarah Vaughan, Ella Fitzgerald or even Dinah Washington at the time these two albums were made. She only gained greater fame after she started touring Europe shortly after the two albums compiled here were made.

The Nearness Of You/You've Got A Date With The Blues 

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