Greg Skaff - Blues And Other News

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 50:54
Size: 116.5 MB
Styles: Jazz guitar
Year: 1996
Art: Front

[5:26] 1. Walk The Walk
[4:51] 2. Johnny Come Lately
[3:34] 3. Red Dirt
[6:06] 4. My Man's Gone Now
[6:30] 5. Ya Dig
[4:57] 6. In Walked Bud
[5:43] 7. Knaptown Vibe
[3:32] 8. Comin' At Ya
[6:12] 9. Highway 70
[4:00] 10. Jig Saw

Born in Wichita, guitarist Greg Skaff is a neo-modernist whose no-nonsense style is spiced with healthy dollops of blues and bop. Alto saxophonist Bobby Watson, another Kansan and Skaff's current employer, offers this assessment: "Greg is the most versatile and imaginative guitarist I've played with. He has one foot in the past and one foot in the future, so anything the music calls for...he's there!" Now that's an endorsement!

Among the gems are a seriously swinging "Walk the Walk," whose loamy contours Wes Montgomery would have felt at home with. For contrast, Skaff's poignant evocation of the William Warfield/Leontyne Price version of "My Man's Gone Now" transforms melancholy into tremulous, palpable hope. Throughout, group interactions are tight yet loose, and always swinging.

Although reflecting his work with such earthy essayists as Stanley Turrentine, Gloria Lynn and Ruth Brown, Skaff also digs into the contemporary lexicon forged by John Abercrombie and John Scofield. Here, abetted by fellow New Yorkers Bruce Barth (piano), Tony Scherr (bass) and Greg Hutchinson (drums), Skaff brightens the boulevard with strolls at once up-town and down. It's an exuberant and expansive debut. ~Chuck Berg

Blues And Other News

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Bruno De Filippi - In New York With Don Friedman Trio

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 61:32
Size: 140.9 MB
Styles: Harmonica jazz
Year: 1992
Art: Front

[6:08] 1. Blue Skies
[6:17] 2. New Dawn
[6:31] 3. As Long As Therès Music
[5:01] 4. Rap Your Troubles In Drums
[5:46] 5. Soft Drink
[8:46] 6. Ma L'amore No
[6:24] 7. Stardust
[5:13] 8. It's You Or No One
[6:08] 9. Serenade In Blue
[5:14] 10. Nice Sky

Bruno De Filippi started playing guitar in the recordings of the most famous italian singers: Mina, Caterina Valente, Johnny Dorelli and Ornella Vanoni. During his forty-year career he also worked with the most important jazz musicians on the international scene (Louis Armstrong, Bud Shank, Lionel Hampton, Bill Russo, Gerry Mulligan, Astor Piazzolla, Barney Kessel, Lee Koonitz) and italians (Franco Cerri, Enrico Intra, Tullio De Piscopo, Guido Manusardi, Renato Sellani). During the seventies he started playing chromatic harmonica with Mina, Pino Daniele, Toquino, Rossana Casale, Caterina Valente, Gino Paoli. From 1986 onwards he recorded in his own name the albums Harmonica, Sweet Jazz From Italy, Portrait in black and white and Different moods, that has the special feature of containing the jazz suite "Metamorfosi", composed by Bruno for harmonica and string quartet. The CD Bruno De Filippi in New York with Don Friedman Trio (1992) shows the talent that Bruno developed with the chromatic harmonica. The partnership with the american pianist Don Friedman leads in 1994 to the album You and the night and the music and numerous concerts through Europe and the United States. Bruno De Filippi played in New York at the "Town Hall", "Birdland" and the prestigeous "Blue Note", considered the most important jazz club in the world, and also at "the Green Mill" in Chicago, "Pier House" in Key West (Florida) and a number of jazz circuits in Germany and Indonesia. Among the jazz festivals, his attendings at the "Jazz at the Tropics" in Miami, "Django Reinhardt Festival" in Fontainbleau (France) and "Jakarta Jazz 95" (Indonesia) are worthy of note. His cd YOU MY LOVE, dedicated to his wife Mimi, was recorded also in New York, on December 9 1997 with Don Friedman, Billy Hart and Jeff Fuller, on the "Giants of Jazz" label. "I Love Paris", a collection of famous French songs rearranged with jazz charm, was recorded in Paris with Pierre Michelot on bass, George Arvanitas on piano and Philippe Combelle on drums. "Senti che lune" sees De Filippi in company with the accordeonist Gianni Coscia; the theme of the record is the moon and therefore the cd includes songs such as "Moonlight Serenade" and "Guarda che Luna". His last efford, "Alone togheter", is a two-voice work with his long-time friend Don Friedman. Bruno De Filippi died January 17, 2010.

In New York With Don Friedman Trio

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Viktoria Tolstoy - Pictures Of Me

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 48:48
Size: 111.7 MB
Styles: Jazz vocals
Year: 2006
Art: Front

[3:33] 1. Women Of Santiago
[3:40] 2. Have A Good Time
[4:12] 3. South
[3:47] 4. Te Amo Corazón
[3:20] 5. Two Sails
[3:26] 6. Kiss That Frog
[4:15] 7. Absentee
[3:34] 8. Strollin'
[4:28] 9. Don't Make Me Wait
[4:19] 10. Can't Help It
[3:28] 11. Green Little Butterfly
[3:09] 12. The Way Young Lovers Do
[3:32] 13. Old And Wise

Viktoria Tolstoy: vocals; Jacob Karlzon: piano, keyboards; Hans Andersson: acoustic bass; Peter Danemo: drums, percussion; Xavier Desandre Navarre: percussion; Tore Brunborg: saxophone, flute; Lars Danielsson: cello.

Since Norah Jones' gargantuan hit CD some years ago, the field of pop/jazz, folk/jazz, and R&B/jazz singers is getting crowded. Some may bemoan this jazz adulteration, but if it brings new listeners to the music it's all good. Charlie Parker was, after all, lambasted for ruining jazz with bebop. From Sweden comes 32 year-old Viktoria Tolstoy, whose career has been in full swing since 1994, but is only recently getting some much deserved attention outside her own country. Her surname should a ring a bell as she is the great, great, great granddaughter of renowned writer Leo.

Her breakout CD, White Russian (Blue Note, 1997), produced by Swedish piano phenom Esbjorn Svensson, garnered plenty of acclaim. Her follow-up, Blame It On My Youth (Blue Note, 2001), scored points with the jazz cognoscenti by including the warhorses "Midnight Sun, "Laura and "Baby Plays Around, along with the title track. Tolstoy switched to the German independent ACT label for a number of releases. Tolstoy admits, for Pictures Of Me, that her primary influences are less from the jazz pantheon and more from 1960s R&B singers, Chaka Khan in particular. She definitely wears her pop sensibilities on her sleeve. She demonstrates her lilting, airy, almost transparent voice on the opener, "Women Of Santiago, then proceeds with a dreamy and fun interpretation of Paul Simon's "Have A Good Time. Her exhilarating choruses on "South, written by her impressive pianist Jacob Karlzon, soar above her band mates. Prince's "Te Amo Corazon has a sly bossa feel, while Peter Gabriel's "Kiss That Frog kicks it with a funky, gospel-inflected piano groove, ending with church recalling tambourine bust-out. "Absentee, another Karlzon gem, is a floating, angelic, yearning ballad. In Tolstoy's hands "Strollin', again from Prince, becomes a sweet, seductive, and playful pop love ballad, with some impressive support from Karlzon. Seal's "Don't Make Me Wait becomes a blues and gospel-tinged craving for resolved love. Pictures Of Me winds down with a percussive, sweet and placid pop ballad, Can't Help It, "Green Little Butterfly, a pulsating, churning version of Van Morrison's "The Way Young Lovers Do and a gentle, piano-caressed "Old And Wise, with more beautiful playing/arranging from Karlzon. For those who can handle a pop/jazz approach, Pictures Of Me and Tolstoy's lovely, almost ethereal voice will be a rewarding experience. ~jEFF mONROE

Pictures Of Me

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Jazz On The Latin Side All Stars - The Last Bullfighter

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 69:16
Size: 158.6 MB
Styles: Latin jazz
Year: 2005
Art: Front

[5:33] 1. Bebop
[6:42] 2. Caramba
[6:11] 3. The Last Bullfighter
[5:25] 4. Sun God
[6:38] 5. Cozumel
[7:37] 6. Justo's Train Ride
[5:08] 7. Mr. Drop
[4:11] 8. Ironman James
[6:54] 9. Chupacabras
[7:13] 10. Saoco
[1:18] 11. Rumba Intro
[6:21] 12. Yo Soy La Rumba

Alto Saxophone – Robert Incelli; Baritone Saxophone – Scott Martin; Bass – Rene Camacho; Congas – Poncho Sanchez; Congas, Bata – Francisco Aguabella; Congas, Bata, Percussion – Joey De Leon; Drums – Alex Acuna; Flute – Danilo Lozano; Lead Vocals – Freddie Crespo; Piano – Chris Barron; Tenor Saxophone, Clarinet, Flute – Justo Almario; Timbales – Jimmy Branly; Trombone – Andy Martin, Eric Jorgensen, Francisco Torres; Trumpet – Bijon Watson, Gilbert Castellanos, Luis Eric Gonzalez, Ramon Flores, Sal Cracchiolo; Vocals, Bongos, Percussion – Alfredo Ortiz.

After two records, both of which were produced by the same live concert, Jazz on the Latin Side All Stars set out with a new label, a new musical director, and a new idea for their third album. Some may even consider this a sophomore release because of the nature of the first and second. Packed with individual character and a new aesthetic, The Last Bullfighter marks a new direction from this genuinely all-star group. Having been recorded in the studio instead of in a club, with a live and enthusiastic audience, makes a big difference. The fidelity is far superior to the previous two discs, and because of the controlled context, the arrangements are much more complex and interesting. The masterful and intricate horn arranging was done by trombonist Francisco Torres, who went from just an arranging credit on the first two records to arranger/musical director/producer on Bullfighter. Unfortunately, much of the vivacious, joyful quality captured in the club -- thanks to both the live crowd and the loose, descarga-style feeling of the music -- is lost. There is a feeling that the All Stars went from a neighborhood jam session to Carnegie Hall. It's good to play Carnegie Hall, but it's not the same. The musicianship throughout the record is truly fantastic, and the careful, measured approach toward arranging may prove more palatable to some than the previous record's loose, free, and sometimes frazzled energy. Hopefully, Latin jazz audiences can look forward to more from Jazz on the Latin Side All Stars, as they are one of the finer groups of their kind, studio precision and club frenzy alike. ~Evan C. Gutierrez

The Last Bullfighter

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Clifford Jordan - The Mellow Side Of Clifford Jordan

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 50:28
Size: 115.5 MB
Styles: Bop, Saxophone jazz
Year: 2009
Art: Front

[ 5:15] 1. Embraceable You
[ 2:57] 2. Cj's Riff
[ 9:01] 3. Trees
[ 4:07] 4. Jug's Groove
[16:29] 5. Soul Eyes
[ 5:42] 6. Five 'n' Free
[ 6:54] 7. Daydream

Clifford Jordan, soprano & tenor sax; Carter Jefferson, tenor sax; Julian Priester, trombone; Kenny Reed, trumpet; Larry Willis, piano; Chris Anderson, piano; Mike LeDonne, B-3 organ; Rudy Turner, electric guitar; Fred Cook, bari sax; Edson Machado, drums; Nasser Abadey, percussion.

The music on The Mellow Side of Clifford Jordan is rarer and more valuable than one would think from the outside packaging of the CD. Nowhere does it mention that the seven selections were previously unreleased and, despite its title, not all of the music is taken at a slow ballad tempo. These spontaneous performances, recorded by Mapleshade during Clifford Jordan's visits over a four year period, feature him in unusual settings. "Embraceable You" teams the distinctive tenor with organist Mike LeDonne and Brazilian drummer Edison Machado. "C.J.'s Riff" features a unique trio comprised of Jordan, fellow tenor Carter Jefferson and drummer Nasar Abadey who, having not brought his instrument along, plays a percussion set comprised of pots and pans. The same trio plus trombonist Julian Priester and baritonist Fred Cook (with Jordan switching to soprano) somehow sounds like a full group on "Five 'N' Free" despite the lack of piano and bass. Jordan teams up with trumpeter Kenny Reed (whom he had never played with before) and pianist Larry Willis for an emotional "Trees" and "Soul Eyes." In addition, Jordan plays duets with guitarist Ruby Turner ("Jug's Groove") and takes soprano with pianist Chris Anderson ("Daydream"). Although not completely flawless, the music is quite rewarding overall and displays the flexibility and creativity of the late great Clifford Jordan. ~Scott Yanow

The Mellow Side Of Clifford Jordan

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Roland Kirk - We Free Kings

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1961
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 37:45
Size: 87,2 MB
Art: Front

(3:08)  1. Three For The Festival
(4:21)  2. Moon Song
(4:37)  3. A Sack Full Of Soul
(3:37)  4. The Haunted Melody
(4:07)  5. Blues For Alice
(4:46)  6. We Free Kings
(2:28)  7. You Did It, You Did It
(6:08)  8. Some Kind Of Love
(4:30)  9. My Delight

We Free Kings, Roland Kirk's third long-player, is among the most consistent of his early efforts. The assembled quartet provides an ample balance of bop and soul compliments to Kirk's decidedly individual polyphonic performance style. His inimitable writing and arranging techniques develop into some great originals, as well as personalize the chosen cover tunes. With a nod to the contemporary performance style of John Coltrane, as well as a measure of his influences most notably Clifford Brown and Sidney Bechet -- Kirk maneuvers into and out of some inspiring situations. His decidedly 'Trane-esque solos on "My Delight" are supported with a high degree of flexibility by one-time Charles Mingus' pianist Richard Wyands and Dizzy Gillespie percussionist Charlie Persip. The album's title track is a Kirk original, based on the melody of the Christmas hymn "We Three Kings." Incorporating recognizable melodies into Kirk's oft times unorthodox musical settings would prove to be a motif throughout his career. An example is the highly touted cover of Charlie Parker's "Blues for Alice." This is an ideal avenue for the quartet to explore one of Kirk's specialties the blues. The almost irreverent manner in which he fuses blues and soul music into the otherwise bop-driven arrangements is striking. "A Sack Full of Soul" is a funky number with a walking-blues backbeat that perfectly supports Kirk's swinging solos. The stop time syncopation is reminiscent of Ray Charles' "What'd I Say." The 1987 CD version also includes an alternate take of "Blues for Alice." One additional track a cover of the Frank Loesser standard "Spring Will Be a Little Late This Year" was also recorded at these sessions and remained unissued until its inclusion on the ten-disc Rahsaan: The Complete Mercury Recordings of Roland Kirk box set. ~ Lindsay Planer http://www.allmusic.com/album/we-free-kings-mw0000649599

Personnel:  Roland Kirk: tenor saxophone, manzello, flute, stritch saxophone;  Richard Wyands: piano (tracks 3-5 & 9);  Art Davis: double bass (tracks 3-5 & 9);  Charlie Persip: drums;  Hank Jones: piano (tracks 1-2 & 6-8);  Wendell Marshall: bass (tracks 1-2 & 6-8)

We Free Kings

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Andrew Rathbun - The Idea Of North

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2010
File: MP3@256K/s
Time: 57:56
Size: 106,6 MB
Art: Front

(8:37)  1. Echoes
(8:32)  2. Harsh
(8:23)  3. Across The Country
(5:14)  4. December
(4:25)  5. Teru
(9:48)  6. Rockies
(5:00)  7. Minuet And Dance Of The Blessed Spirits
(7:52)  8. Arctic

What effect does solitude have on a person? How can one grow as a result of being alone? These questions provoke a musical response from saxophonist, Andrew Rathbun, though the roots of his inspiration for this music lie over forty years ago. In 1967, legendary concert pianist Glenn Gould produced a radio documentary called "The Idea of North" where simultaneously played voices narrated five people's views on Northern Canada. Gould called this experiment "contrapuntal radio," an extension of his own musical voice and an exploration of the theme of solitude, a state which he needed creatively and craved personally. In his own way, New York-based Rathbun's six compositions explore the vast expanses of his native Canada, translating the extremes of geography, climate, and the idea of solitude into musical narratives of contrasting mood. Gould, by his own admission, was a failed composer, a charge however, which could not be leveled at Rathbun. The six pieces are as structurally challenging as they are melodically pleasing, and the tender rendition of saxophonist Wayne Shorter's beautiful ballad "Teru" can be seen in the wider context of Rathbun's approach to music as a meeting of like minds. Like Shorter whether on tenor or soprano Rathbun embarks on absorbing excursions of cerebral design and emotive import. Trumpeter Taylor Haskins, guitarist Nate Radley and pianist Frank Carlberg are no less impressive, but much of the music's appeal lies in the imaginative harmonic and contrapuntal lines that weave in and out of the ongoing narrative.

The leader's canny orchestration stands out on the expansive "Across the Country," which opens with a delightful bass line from the ever-inventive Jay Anderson, who forms an intuitive rhythm section with drummer Michael Sarin and Carlberg. Significant support also comes from Radley, who excels equally in the role of deft accompanist. Rathbun and Radley unravel solos of great fluidity and momentum either side of the richly harmonic collective voice which carries the tune's melody. Delightful too, is the pairing of soprano and muted trumpet against razor-sharp guitar lines on the vaguely melancholic "December." There are striking dynamics at play within the avant-garde "Harsh"; a slightly jarring ambience where nervy brass, chattering bass and choppy piano are punctuated by a sinister motif. The music becomes gradually more urgent, spurred by Carlberg, as the sextet flirts with swing of a restless nature. "Rockies" sounds like an expansion on these ideas, dark and brooding, though with an inescapable walking rhythm over which the front line instruments carve out taut solos, laden with tension. In contrast, lilting soprano, lyrical bass and gently cascading piano illuminate 18th century German composer Christoph Gluck's lovely "Minuet and Dance of the Blessed Spirit, while "Arctic" is a surprisingly warm-toned, straight-ahead piece with a strong melodic core to close the disc. Rathbun's music is intellectually challenging and yet immediately accessible. Rathbun enjoys outstanding support from his musicians, but if solitude even as an abstract idea serves up music this satisfying, then maybe he should spend more time alone in his special place. ~ Ian Patterson https://www.allaboutjazz.com/the-idea-of-north-andrew-rathbun-steeplechase-records-review-by-ian-patterson.php

Personnel: Andrew Rathbun: saxophones; Taylor Haskins: trumpet; Nate Radley: guitar; Frank Carlberg: piano, electric piano; Jay Anderson: bass; Michael Sarin: drums.

The Idea Of North

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Jeff Parker - The Relatives

Styles: Guitar Jazz 
Year: 2005
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 40:51
Size: 93,6 MB
Art: Front

(3:25)  1. Istanbul
(6:06)  2. Mannerisms
(3:31)  3. Sea Change
(6:26)  4. When Did You Stop Loving Me, When Did I Stop Loving You
(3:26)  5. Beanstalk
(5:55)  6. The Relative
(5:00)  7. Toy Boat
(6:58)  8. Rang

Jeff Parker's second session as a leader, The Relatives, surprises by taking easygoing mainstream flavors and, stirring with spice, manages to honor the forms while tweaking them. Parker's regular rhythm section, Chris Lopes on bass and NY-Chicago drum machine Chad Taylor on percussion, keep the momentum crisp. Parker's earnest and deliberate delivery plays off space, often adding the right pinch of Grant Green. Frothy wah-wahed chords yawn through Taylor's brushed cymbals on "Istanbul. Parker winds a wiry line around the atmospheric accompaniment. Sam Barsheshet revisits his days in a Herbie Hancock cover band on Parker's "Mannerisms. His splashy electric piano invites clear measured musing from Parker. His candy-toned keyboard solo keeps the sweet soul jazz riff pumping. Lopes' "Sea Change takes the bassist to challenging unisons with Parker and a dexterous workout on his own. Marvin Gaye's "When Did You Stop Loving Me gets a solidly swinging interpretation with Barsheshet brisk on the cool keys, and Parker's double-tracked guitar skates through the changes. Lopes' "Beanstalk features the composer on flute for a Ben Allison feel. Parker dances through the sunny tune, the rhythm section percolating along. Mostly percussion and flanged guitar, "The Relative references physics more than family. When the Latin-tinged groove coalesces, Parker overdubs his thematic variances. Toy Boat keeps the band in tight step for Parker's economical and unpredictable additions. "Rang sets a two-note pattern that allows Taylor to stretch out impressively. Lopes explores the poles, and Barsheshet detours into radiant shimmer.  With accessible, catchy melodies and enthusiastic performances, Parker and company make it a pleasure to have The Relatives stay for awhile.~Rex Butters https://www.allaboutjazz.com/the-relatives-jeff-parker-thrill-jockey-review-by-rex-butters.php

Personnel:  Jeff Parker, guitar;  Chris Lopes, bass;  Chad Taylor, drums;  Sam Barsheshet, electric piano.

The Relatives

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Sarah Jane Morris & Antonio Forcione - Compared To What

Styles: Vocal And Guitar Jazz
Year: 2016
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 50:26
Size: 117,5 MB
Art: Front

(4:40)  1. Awestruck
(4:24)  2. Comfort Zone
(4:46)  3. Message In A Bottle
(4:53)  4. The Sea
(3:48)  5. All I Want Is You
(4:44)  6. I Bare My Soul
(2:51)  7. Northern Light
(3:55)  8. Superstition
(3:06)  9. I'll See You There
(2:56) 10. Moving Forward My Friend
(4:12) 11. Compared To What
(6:05) 12. Blowing In The Wind

Sarah Jane Morris and Antonio Forcione come together in a worldwide tour to promote the launch of their collaborative album: Compared to What. This duo have each been compared to an impressive array of musical geniuses including Janice Joplin and Tom Waits (vocally) as well as Jimi Hendrix (instrumentally)  a comparison Antonio wears with pride. Django Reinhardt also comes to mind. In truth, Sarah Jane and Antonio are great artists in their own right. Channelling their energies together, they share audiences in Italy, Britain, and all over the world. Together they increase their spheres of appreciation, giving loyal fans the chance to experience favourites afresh, as well as attracting new audiences with the strength and artistry of their unique partnership. Compared to what is the result of a fruitful and varied songwriting collaboration. It covers a number of traumatic social issues and many songs of emotional intensity which reflect the urgent concern both artists feel for the tragedy of refugees. One song in particular deals with the boat people a drama most keenly felt in Italy and by Italians with Sarah Jane and Antonio acting as tribunes of conscience. This sense of witness describes many of Sarah Jane's most passionately felt songs from the recent past, and in new material Antonio adds his own awareness and artistic response. Alongside the songs of conscience, Compared to What includes some wry comedy, also love songs and some memorable covers, notably Stevie Wonder and Bob Dylan. Sarah Jane's and Antonio's set touches heights of great musical beauty both in Antonio's unique virtuoso guitar playing and Sarah Jane's legendary voice, now more subtle and persuasive than ever, with range and power undiminished. The whole is a triumph of collaboration between two of the most individual and richly talented musicians on the world stage. https://www.amazon.co.uk/Compared-Sarah-Morris-Antonio-Forcione/dp/B01LVUV1ZN

Personnel:  Antonio Forcione Guitar;  Sarah Jane Morris Voice

Compared To What

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Oscar Peterson - Soul Espanol

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 37:53
Size: 86.7 MB
Styles: Piano jazz
Year: 1966/2015
Art: Front

[2:24] 1. Mas Que Nada
[3:42] 2. Manha De Carnaval
[5:13] 3. Call Me
[4:00] 4. How Insensitive
[4:32] 5. Carioca
[2:22] 6. Soulville Samba
[4:17] 7. Amanha
[4:12] 8. Meditation
[3:17] 9. Samba Sensitive
[3:50] 10. Samba De Orfeu

Bass – Sam Jones; Drums – Louis Hayes; Percussion – Harold Jones, Henley Gibson, Marshall Thompson; Piano – Oscar Peterson.

Oscar Peterson augmented his regular working trio of the time (bassist Sam Jones and drummer Louis Hayes) with Henley Gibson on congas, Marshall Thompson on timbales, and Harold Jones as an added percussionist for this release, which focuses mostly on the music of Brazilian composers (so the title Soul Espanõl is a bit misleading). With the surge of interest in bossa nova and samba, Peterson's interpretations of songs like "Manha de Carnaval," "How Insensitive," "Meditation," and "Samba de Orfeo" have stood up very well against similar jazz recordings of the mid-'60s. Peterson's "Soulville Samba" has a gospel flavor, while his "Sensitive Samba" is more laid-back; Vincent Youmans' decades-old "Carioca" also fit in nicely. This is an enjoyable, if not essential, part of Oscar Peterson's considerable discography. ~Ken Dryden

Soul Espanol

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The Gramophone Allstars Big Band - Jazzmaica

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 42:07
Size: 96.4 MB
Styles: Reggae, Funk, Jazz
Year: 2014
Art: Front

[5:05] 1. Scambalena
[4:28] 2. Color Him Father
[3:29] 3. Miracles
[5:30] 4. Can't Get Enough
[1:30] 5. Wise Two
[5:49] 6. Sophisticated Babylon
[4:53] 7. I Wish
[4:35] 8. (When) Twistin' I Love Him So
[2:29] 9. If You Can Want
[4:15] 10. Funky Kingston

The Gramophone Allstars publica el seu quart disc, ‘Jazzmaica’, on busca el punt de trobada entre la música afroamericana dels seixanta i els ritmes jamaicans. El grup, ampliat ara fins al format de big band, explora i reescriu el camí recorregut dècades enrere pels músics de l’illa caribenya en descobrir per les emissores nord-americanes els hits del soul, el funk o el rhythm & blues. Aquestes són ara les matèries primes del projecte ‘Jazzmaica’: temes clàssics de Stevie Wonder, Sam Cooke o Ray Charles al costat d’altres referents potser menys reivindicats com The Winstons, Jackson Sisters o Smokey Robinson. Els seus temes prenen una nova dimensió gràcies als sorprenents arranjaments, en clau jamaicana i amb la potència d’una big band. Tot un repte musical que, amb 15 músics sonant alhora, eleva a la màxima potència l’energia i l’explosivitat d’unes cançons que van néixer amb l’objectiu de fer ballar. ‘Jazzmaica’ representa l’aposta més ambiciosa en la trajectòria de The Gramophone Allstars. Una personalitat musical que ja s’ha plasmat en els discos ‘Just delightin’ (Silver Bullets, 2008), ‘Simbiosi’ (Liquidator, 2010) i ‘Levitant a la deriva’ (Liquidator, 2011). Sis anys de treball intens que els ha dut a tocar al principal festival europeu de l’escena jamaicana, el Rototom Sunsplash, a fer de backing band del reconegut Mr. T-Bone o a penjar un soldout en la presentació del darrer disc a l’Auditori de Barcelona.

Jazzmaica

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Isabella Lundgren - It Had To Be You

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 37:40
Size: 86.3 MB
Styles: Jazz vocals
Year: 2013
Art: Front

[3:50] 1. La Vie En Rose
[3:13] 2. It Only Happens When I Dance With You
[4:36] 3. It Had To Be You
[2:58] 4. I Cried For You
[3:48] 5. Blues In The Night
[3:27] 6. Don't Ever Leave Me
[3:20] 7. You Belong To Me
[5:20] 8. If I Should Lose You
[4:10] 9. Time After Time
[2:53] 10. Reach For Tomorrow

Alto Saxophone, Clarinet – Klas Lindquist; Bass – Anders Johnsson; Drums – Magnus Fritz; Guitar – Ola Bengtsson; Harmonica – Luciano Mosetti; Trombone – Dicken Hedrenius; Trumpet – Peter Asplund; Vocals – Isabella Lundgren.

Isabella Lundgren, born and raised in small town Karlstad, Sweden moved to New York city at the age of 18 to study music at the New School university for jazz and contemporary music. She quickly became a part of the citys musical scene and collaborated with a wide range of musicians, stretching from classical jazz to contemporary pop and blues. To mention a few: Gavin Degraw, Moby´s The little death, Woody Allens bandleader Eddy Davis, Dan Barrett, Fabrizio Sotti and Mino Cinuelo. She moved back to Sweden at the age of 23 where she released her debut album ”It had to be you” alongside pursuing her mastersdegree in Theology. Isabellas cd won great acclaim from both critics and the public and she was given four scholarships that year and made a great name for herself on the Swedish jazz scene. In Sweden she has worked together with Peter Asplund, Magnus Lindgren, Jan Lundgren, Nisse Landgren, Claes Jansson, Bengan Jansson, to name a few.

Isabella writes and performs music with heart and soul that opens doors to the past as well as to the present. Together with Carl Bagges dynamic trio she takes on music from the american songbook, the blues tradition and her original compositions, that hopefully will warm your heart and stir you´re thoughts.

It Had To Be You

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Sonny Stitt - Soul Classics

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 52:14
Size: 119.6 MB
Styles: Soul jazz
Year: 1988/2006
Art: Front

[7:11] 1. Soul Shack
[6:39] 2. When Sunny Gets Blue
[5:50] 3. Night Crawler
[3:49] 4. Goin' Down Slow
[5:14] 5. Night Letter
[4:05] 6. When It's Sleepy Time Down South
[8:34] 7. Walk On By
[3:27] 8. Lover Man
[7:22] 9. Goin' To D.C

Sonny Stitt (alto, tenor & Varitone saxophones); Virgil Jones (trumpet); Hank Jones (piano); Jack McDuff, Don Patterson, Gene Ludwig, Leon Spencer (organ); Eddie Diehl, Pat Martino, Grant Green, Billy Butler, Melvin Sparks (guitar); Leonard Gaskin, George Duvivier (bass); Herbie Lovelle, Art Taylor, Billy James, Idris Muhammad, Randy Gelispie (drums); Ray Barretto (congas).

Fine playing, frequently galvanizing solos.1988 reissue of cuts from 1962-1972. ~ Ron Wynn

Soul Classics

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Flora Purim - The Flight

Styles: Vocal

Year: 1994

File: MP3@224K/s

Time: 55:55

Size: 90,4 MB

Art: Front

(4:13)  1. Aviao (Airplane)

(3:25)  2. Perfume De Cebola (Fragrance Of Onion)

(6:03)  3. My Song For You

(5:16)  4. Maca (Apple)

(3:39)  5. Branco E Preto (White And Black)

(4:27)  6. Meu Mestre Coracao (Tutor Heart)

(5:36)  7. Rainha Da Noite (Queen Of The Night)

(5:16)  8. Tarde (Late Afteroon)

(4:47)  9. Radio Experienca (Radio Experience)

(3:52) 10. Dois Irmaos (Two Brothers)

(5:22) 11. Dona Olympia (Mrs Olympia)

(3:54) 12. Finale

Influenced by both traditional Brazilian singers and the improvisations of American jazz divas like Ella Fitzgerald and Sarah Vaughan, Flora Purim was one of the most adventurous singers of the 1970s. After meeting and marrying her husband, percussionist Airto Moreira, in their native Brazil, Purim moved with him to the U.S. in the late '60s. Though she worked with Stan Getz and pianist Duke Pearson before the decade ended, it wasn't until joining Chick Corea, Joe Farrell, Stanley Clarke, and Moreira in the original Return to Forever in 1972 that she became well known in the States. Purim showed considerable promise on Forever classics like "500 Miles High" and "Light As a Feather" and lived up to it when she went solo with 1973's Butterfly Dreams. Ranging from superb to passably decent, Purim's Milestone dates of the mid- to late '70s kept her quite visible in the jazz world. Purim's work grew erratic and uneven in the 1980s, and she wasn't recording as often (though she did provide one album for Virgin and three with Moreira for Concord's Crossover label). Purim didn't record very often in the early to mid-'90s either, but she continued to be highly regarded in Brazilian jazz circles. ~ Alex Henderson http://www.allmusic.com/artist/flora-purim-mn0000184637/biography

The Flight

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Jeff Parker Trio - Bright Light In Winter

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 2012
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 48:26
Size: 112,1 MB
Art: Front

(6:32)  1. Mainz
(4:49)  2. Swept Out To Sea
(5:10)  3. Change
(5:31)  4. Freakadelic
(3:13)  5. The Morning Of The 5th
(5:01)  6. Occidental Tourist
(6:07)  7. Bright Light Black Site
(5:22)  8. Istvan
(6:38)  9. Good Days

Chicago-based guitarist Jeff Parker has cut his proverbial teeth with the Association for Advancement of Creative Musicians (AACM) and remains an active member of that group. His own work is very much in the spirit of the AACM's musical philosophy, but enhanced by his unique vision that draws from all sources of improvised music including but not limited to jazz.  His third release as a leader, Bright Light in Winter, finds the guitarist in a lean setting with fellow Chicago Underground Orchestra members, drummer Chad Taylor and bassist Chris Lopes, blurring the distinction between composition and improvisation on nine originals by the members of the trio.  The music is generally modal and edgy with the right amount of dissonance to keep things engaging. "Swept Out to Sea," for example, is a minor-key sonata, with Parker logically building on the melody in an almost baroque structure.  All three musicians are masters of utilizing pauses and silent intervals to enhance and punctuate their notes and beats. The calypso "Bright Light Black Site" features Lopes' richly hued strings together with Taylor's lightly percussive cymbals weaving a shell into which Parker pours his sparse and lyrical textures.

The blending of genres is present throughout the album as on the Tzigane-esque "Istvan" that opens with Lopes' rich, horn-like bass solo, buoyed by Parker's occasional and properly timed strumming. Taylor keeps time and creates a hypnotic vamp that adds to the tune's mystery. These explorations are not limited to world music, but also expand to rock in a couple of fusion pieces. On the quietly balladic "Change," Taylor's rocking percussion is featured, while Parker and Lopes' duet is like a psychedelic dance adorned by the electronic accents. This sublime and contemplative record is best appreciated when heard from beginning to end in a single sitting; conceptually and harmonically, the tracks bleed into each other, creating a cohesive entity that is much more than just the sum of its parts. ~ Hrayr Attarian https://www.allaboutjazz.com/bright-light-in-winter-jeff-parker-delmark-records-review-by-hrayr-attarian.php
 

Personnel:  Jeff Parker: guitar and electronics;  Chris Lopes: bass, flute and electronics;  Chad Taylor: drums, percussion.

Bright Light In Winter

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Dave Ballou, Greg Gisbert & Tim Hagans - Jam Session, Vol. 22

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 1999
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 61:51
Size: 143,6 MB
Art: Front

(10:13)  1. One Finger Snap
( 9:54)  2. Like Someone In Love
(12:40)  3. Mamacita
( 2:27)  4. Ballad Medley : Body And Soul
( 2:19)  5. Ballad Medley : Stella By Starlight
( 2:56)  6. Ballad Medley : Angel Eyes
( 9:56)  7. Joy Spring
(11:23)  8. Solar

Trumpeter Dave Ballou is one of the few contemporary players who straddles the line between mainstream or progressive jazz and creative improvised musics. Ballou originally attended the Berklee School of Music in Boston, receiving his bachelor's degree in 1986 before achieving his master's at the University of New Hampshire in 1991. Since graduation, Ballou has been very active on the East Coast scene and in Europe and Japan, playing solo and with small and large ensembles, big bands, and symphonies. He has a small but growing discography as a leader almost exclusively for the Danish-based Steeplechase label. Ballou has worked prominently with Orange Then Blue, Gunther Schuller, Michael Formanek, Maria Schneider, Andrew Hill, Satoko Fujii, Dave Liebman, Sheila Jordan, Joe Lovano, Michael Jefry Stevens, John Hollenbeck, Oliver Lake, Denman Maroney, Nate Wooley, Jacob Garchik, Tom Rainey, Rabih Abou-Khalil, and Andy Biskin. In recent years Ballou has been incorporating electronics into his sound, and has been teaching as an assistant professor at Towson University in Maryland. ~ Michael G. Nastos https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/dave-ballou/id160815107#fullText

Personnel: Dave Ballou (trumpet, flugelhorn); George Colligan (trumpet, piano); Greg Gisbert, Tim Hagans (trumpet); Darren Beckett (drums).

Jam Session, Vol. 22

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Illinois Jacquet - The Man I Love

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 58:35
Size: 134.1 MB
Styles: Saxophone jazz
Year: 2007
Art: Front

[8:19] 1. The Man I Love
[6:14] 2. No Sweat
[5:48] 3. Misty
[4:39] 4. Blue Skies
[9:34] 5. Blues For New Orleans
[5:08] 6. Cottontail
[6:06] 7. It Don't Mean A Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing)
[4:10] 8. Blue And Sentimental
[8:33] 9. Pamela's Blues

In January 1973, while visiting Paris, Illinois Jacquet held a massive recording session with organist Wild Bill Davis and drummer Al Bartee for the Black & Blue label. Enough tracks were recorded for 2 LPs; this CD compiles most of that material, with a few sides left out because of time restrictions.

It was a good date all around. The program is varied, with tunes ranging from up-tempo wailers (IT DON'T MEAN A THING and the title track) to slow, down-home blues (BLUES FOR NEW ORLEANS and PAMALA'S BLUES). Jacquet is an emotional player who can get to the heart of a song quickly and accurately, and Davis handles the organ in a big-tone way. It's a shame that 2 tunes that didn't make the cut here but appeared on the LPs (WHAT AM I HERE FOR and ALL OF ME) didn't fit - they are excellent sides as well. An excellent CD, definitely worth checking out. ~Bomojazz

The Man I Love

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Charlie Apicella & Iron City - Payin' The Cost To Be The Boss

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 47:27
Size: 108.6 MB
Styles: Funk, Jazz-blues
Year: 2016
Art: Front

[4:13] 1. You Upset Me, Baby
[5:30] 2. I'm King
[7:16] 3. Rock Me, Baby
[6:19] 4. Mosaics
[7:23] 5. Delia Soul
[5:33] 6. Outer Space
[5:28] 7. Farid
[5:41] 8. Over In The Gloryland

Charlie Apicella - guitar; Stephen Riley - tenor, alto saxophones; Freddie Hendrix - trumpet; Dave Braham - organ; Mayra Casales - congas; Alan Korzin - drums.

"As a player, Apicella immediately brings to mind Grant Green. He’s funky, he’s bluesy, and he’s not afraid to get dirty at times. The perfect illustration of how great this band is together is Charlie’s “64 Cadillac.” Apicella and band have that perfect jazz rapport that allows them to be tight as hell and play off each other beautifully." ~JOHN HEIDT

Payin' The Cost To Be The Boss

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Various - Women With Standards

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 68:56
Size: 157.8 MB
Styles: Jazz vocals
Year: 1997
Art: Front

[4:55] 1. Anita Wardell - I Hear Music
[4:03] 2. Alison Bentley - September In The Rain
[3:46] 3. Shirley Kent - Don't Laugh At Me
[5:10] 4. Mandy Fox - Someone To Watch Over Me
[6:01] 5. Alison Bentley - Triste
[6:16] 6. Shirley Kent - Willow Weep For Me
[5:57] 7. Anita Wardell - This Can't Be Love
[4:09] 8. Mandy Fox - Crazy
[2:40] 9. Anita Wardell - Young And Foolish
[2:00] 10. Mandy Fox - No Moon At All
[5:28] 11. Alison Bentley - Eyes Of The Soul
[4:05] 12. Shirley Kent - Time After Time
[3:16] 13. Mandy Fox - The Thrill Is Gone
[3:22] 14. Alison Bentley - Beautiful Love
[4:26] 15. Anita Wardell - Blue Moon
[3:14] 16. Shirley Kent - We'll Gather Lilacs

Anita Wardell, Alison Bentley, Shirley Kent, Mandy Fox (vocals), Liam Noble, Dave Frankel, Richard Simmonds, Simon Purcell (piano), Malcolm Gibbons, Denny Ilett (guitar), Trevor Lines, Duncan Allen, Dave Jones (bass), Ben Clark, Paul Cavaciutti, Dylan Howe (drums). Recorded 1994-7.

Sixteen great jazz standards recorded by four of Britain's finest jazz vocalists, accompanied by the likes of pianist Liam Noble and drummer Dylan Howe.

Women With Standards

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Bob Wilber, Kenny Davern - Soprano Summit-1975 (2 -Disc Set)

Bass – George Duvivier (tracks: A1, A2, A5, A6, B2 to B5), Milton Hinton (tracks: A3, A4, B1, B6); Drums – Bob Rosengarden; Guitar – Bucky Pizzarelli; Piano – Dick Hyman; Soprano Saxophone, Clarinet – Bob Wilber, Kenny Davern. Recorded December 17th, 21st, 22nd, 1973 at Vanguard Studios, N.Y.C. on two-inch sixteen track tape using Dolby noise reduction equipment. Mixed down to a four track quadraphonic tape.

While clarinetist/soprano saxophonists Kenny Davern and Bob Wilber are of the generation that produced the first wave of bebop and hard bop players, both favor earlier jazz modes of small-group swing and New Orleans-inspired hot jazz. From 1972 to 1979, Davern and Wilbur co-led Soprano Summit, a hard-swinging quintet dedicated to pre-bop styles. Recorded live in 1975 and backed by simpatico fellow travelers Marty Grosz (acoustic guitar) and George Duvivier (bass) plus inspired guest Connie Kay (drummer for the MJQ), this Summit combo goes to town on New Orleans standards and Jelly Roll Morton gems. To fill out this double-disc set, there are fine live tracks by other small groups featuring Davern and Wilber (along with trombonist Dick Wellstood and cornetist Ruby Braff, no less). ~Mark Keresman

Album: Soprano Summit-1975 (Disc 1)
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 64:13
Size: 147.0 MB
Styles: Contemporary jazz
Year: 1977/2008

[ 4:53] 1. Nagasaki
[ 3:45] 2. Chalumeau Blue
[ 5:12] 3. Black And Tan Fantasy
[ 5:16] 4. Grenadilla Stomp
[ 1:42] 5. Danny Boy
[ 5:55] 6. Everybody Loves My Baby
[ 3:31] 7. Linger Awhile
[ 4:24] 8. Slightly Under The Weather
[ 3:50] 9. Wake Up Chillen'
[ 4:04] 10. Ole Miss
[ 2:46] 11. Debut
[ 5:52] 12. Some Of These Days
[12:56] 13. Jazzspeak

Soprano Summit-1975 (Disc 1)

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Album: Soprano Summit-1975 (Disc 2)
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 71:27
Size: 163.6 MB
Styles: Contemporary jazz
Year: 1977/2008
Art: Front

[3:50] 1. Prince Of Wails
[3:30] 2. Netcha's Dream
[4:54] 3. Oh, Daddy!
[4:44] 4. When Day Is Done
[5:17] 5. When My Dreamboat Comes Home
[4:59] 6. There'll Be Some Changes Made
[3:30] 7. If You Were The Only Girl In The World
[2:43] 8. I'd Climb The Highest Mountain
[2:38] 9. Wequassett Wail
[3:36] 10. Arkansas Lullaby
[4:02] 11. Crazy Rhythm
[5:22] 12. Lover, Come Back To Me
[6:31] 13. Nagasaki
[7:52] 14. Everybody Loves My Baby
[3:09] 15. Georgia Cabin
[4:45] 16. Song Of The Wanderer

Soprano Summit-1975 (Disc 2)

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