Tuesday, January 31, 2017

Kenny Clarke - Plays The Arrangements Of Andre Hodeir, Pierre Michelot, Christian Chevallier & Francy Boland

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 76:58
Size: 176.2 MB
Styles: Contemporary jazz
Year: 2015
Art: Front

[3:50] 1. Jeru
[3:23] 2. On A Riff
[2:45] 3. Swing Spring
[3:51] 4. Eronel
[2:54] 5. The Squirrel
[3:46] 6. Blue Serge
[3:02] 7. The Squirrel
[3:24] 8. Eronel
[2:53] 9. 'round About Midnight
[3:05] 10. When Lights Are Low
[3:55] 11. Cadenze
[4:26] 12. Tahiti
[3:36] 13. Love Me Or Leave Me
[2:32] 14. Fun For Four
[3:29] 15. Fantasy For Bass
[3:25] 16. Jackie My Little Cat
[3:33] 17. Dream Time
[2:47] 18. Gold Fish
[2:53] 19. Black Knight
[2:47] 20. Jean-Paul
[2:46] 21. Bell Hop
[2:30] 22. More Than You Know
[5:16] 23. Tampico

Kenny Clarke (d), with Roger Guérin, Bernard Hulin (tp), Billy Byers, Nat Peck (tb), Hubert Rostaing, Hubert Fol, Lucky Thompson, Armand Migiani (saxes), René Urtréger, Martial Solal, Maurice Vandair (p), Pierre Michelot, Jean Warland (b).

Recorded during 1956-1960, the initial years of drummer Kenny Clarkes permanently settling in Europe, these four sessions display his versatility and consistently commanding musicianship over richly varied settings, some graced, among others, by the stellar presence of US tenor giants Lucky Thompson and Don Byas. They show, too, the superior quality of some European players and composerarrangers who were to be outstanding names in continental jazz -primarily French and Belgian, but also including the great Algerian pianist, Martial Solal.

Solal and trombonist Billy Byers are featured on the opening session of André Hodeirs excellently conceived arrangements of originals by himself, Ellington, Monk, Mulligan, Dameron and others. On the Kenny Clarke Plays Pierre Michelot session, Michelot reveals his considerable gifts as composer and arranger, influenced by the Miles Davis Nonet, with Clarke and Thompson at their best. The Bill Holman-influenced composer-arranger Christian Chevalliers good writing animates the next session. Both sessions benefit from a rhythm section which includes the arrestingly brilliant piano of Maurice Vandair. The final session, from 1960, showcases Francy Bolands writing, presaging his long collaboration with Clarke. Apart from Clarke and Byas, the musicians are Belgian, with vibist Fats Sadi the most original soloist among them and Clarke, as always, an inspiring presence.

Plays The Arrangements Of Andre Hodeir, Pierre Michelot, Christian Chevallier & Francy Boland

Cristina Saraiva - Só Canção

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 48:25
Size: 110.8 MB
Styles: Latin jazz
Year: 2006
Art: Front

[3:22] 1. Rosa Cigana
[4:30] 2. Na Corda Bamba
[4:17] 3. Mestre Narciso
[5:10] 4. Meia Volta
[3:45] 5. Só Canção
[3:56] 6. Além Mar
[3:48] 7. Amor De Poeta
[3:55] 8. Feito Nascente
[3:40] 9. Pedra Por Pedra
[3:52] 10. Beijo
[3:47] 11. Eterna Canção
[4:17] 12. Pequena Cantiga De Amor

"Lindo, bonito, gostoso" - cute, beautiful and delicious - is Só Canção, the project produced by Rio de Janeiro lyrics writer Cristina Saraiva. Cristina is endorsed by Chico Buarque as 'her lyrics are excellent. I pass the baton to her'. Such an endorsement sets high expectations. Which are brilliantly met on this CD. Music and words are simply tasteful and beautiful, typically a CD that you want to sit down for to listen carefully, or else play it to create a warm and comfortable ambience -for whatever it is you need such an ambiance for.

The musical ambiance is created by the contemporary Brazilian composers Rafaél Altério, Felipe Radicetti, Simone Guimarães, Dante Ozetti, Théo de Barros, Edu Santana, and Clarisse Grova, a fine set of interpreters: Chico Buarque, Leila Pinheiro, Clarisse Grova, Dante Ozetti, Renato Braz, Ná Ozetti, Paula Santoro and Simone Guimarães - and we can even hear Cristina Saraiva herself on the last track, accompanied by a collection of very professional musicians. One of the gems on this CD is Amor de Poeta, sung by Leila Pinheiro, a wonderful composition of Théo Barros, that shows Cristina's lyrical capacities. With a minimum of words, she portrays unconditional love: Another diamond on this album is Pequena Cantiga de Amor, a delicious composition of Clarisse Grova. Clarisse is one of the few contemporary Brazilian singers who can take a song from an introvert beginning to the 'high sea'. The crown jewel is Só Canção, stunningly performed and composed by Dante Ozetti. It's perfect in every way, the singing, the original arrangements and instrumentation (guitar, cello, piano, bass, percussion). This CD surely is a Good Taste project, bringing together some of the best of Brazilian lyrics, interpreters, musicians and arrangements. ~Olaf Burgman

Só Canção

Dick Cary's Tuesday Night Friends - Got Swing?

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 68:55
Size: 157.8 MB
Styles: Bop, Swing
Year: 2001
Art: Front

[3:30] 1. My Inspiration
[3:54] 2. Warm For June
[4:24] 3. The Sleepwalkers
[4:39] 4. Halrem Speaks
[4:03] 5. Echoes Of Harlem
[3:09] 6. Clarinet Gumbo
[4:44] 7. Sweet And Lovely
[3:47] 8. Fifty Sax
[3:08] 9. Little Eddie's Song
[3:23] 10. Caravan
[3:02] 11. Tent Blues
[3:44] 12. It Don't Mean A Thing
[2:29] 13. I Didn't Know About You
[3:38] 14. Puttin' On The Ritz
[3:03] 15. Soft And Easy
[3:35] 16. Struttin' With Some Barbecue
[3:26] 17. A-La-Carney
[2:55] 18. Local Blues
[4:13] 19. Down South Camp Meeting

Dick Cary was a composer and arranger who gathered a rehearsal band in southern California, referred to as his Tuesday Night Friends. Although Cary died in 1994, this informal group lived on, continuing to explore gems from the huge stockpile of compositions and arrangements which the pianist and baritone horn player left behind. Trumpeter Dick Hamilton, who also doubles on piano and alto horn, has taken over as the leader of these sessions; the supporting cast isn't made up of recognizable stars, but musicians who have played important roles in various big bands and backing popular singers. The music covers a wide range of jazz, ranging from classic jazz and swing to cool and bop, all of which will be sure to put a smile on the listener's face. Kudos to Arbors for making a strong effort to share the music of Dick Cary with a wider audience. ~Ken Dryden

Got Swing?

Sheena Easton - No Strings

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 46:17
Size: 106.0 MB
Styles: Pop/Jazz vocals
Year: 1993
Art: Front

[3:18] 1. Someone To Watch Over Me
[4:14] 2. Medley:I'm In The Mood For Love/Moody's Mood For Love
[3:18] 3. The Nearness Of You
[3:41] 4. How Deep Is The Ocean
[5:53] 5. If You Go Away (Ne Me Quitte Pas)
[5:51] 6. Body And Soul
[6:10] 7. Medley:Little Girl Blue/When Sunny Gets Blue
[3:24] 8. The One I Love Belongs To Somebody Else
[4:24] 9. The Man That Got Away
[2:37] 10. I Will Say Goodbye
[3:22] 11. Never Will I Marry

Alto Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone – Fred Jackson, Jr.; Alto Saxophone, Tenor Saxophone – Bob Sheppard, Fred Jackson, Jr.; Bass – Ken Wild, Reggie Hamilton; Cornet – Ray Brown; Drums – John Guerin, Ndugu Chancler; Flugelhorn – Ray Brown; Flute – Valerie King; French Horn – Marni Johnson), Richard Todd; Guitar – Paul Jackson, Jr., Phil Upchurch; Piano – Patrice Rushen; Tenor Saxophone, Clarinet – Larry Williams; Tenor Saxophone, Soloist – Bob Sheppard; Trombone – Lew McCreary, Reggie Young; Trombone [Bass] – Lew McCreary; Trumpet – Ray Brown; Trumpet, Flugelhorn – Rick Baptist. Recorded and mixed at Group IV Recording, Los Angeles, CA. Mastered at Bernie Grundman Mastering, Hollywood, CA.

"'NO STRINGS' has a Pop/Jazz feel that is the result of my pop vocals over the superb jazz musicians who deliver Patrice Rushen's arrangements so beautifully. It is a style that blends the past and the present, the era the songs were written in leaves its traces in a contemporary interpretation. The lyrics of yesterday still touch the heart so deeply today. I hope they will touch you, too. Listen and you will hear a story which charts the course of a relationship from hopeful beginnings to its bittersweet end - love found, love lost, but life must go on - with or without strings." ~Sheena from Liner Notes

No Strings

The Cookers - Warriors

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 54:17
Size: 124.3 MB
Styles: Bop, Straight ahead jazz
Year: 2010
Art: Front

[ 6:53] 1. The Core
[ 4:57] 2. Spookarella
[ 6:14] 3. Close To You Alone
[ 7:29] 4. Priestess
[ 5:45] 5. Sweet Rita Suite
[10:58] 6. Capra Black
[ 7:01] 7. Ladybugg
[ 4:56] 8. U Phoria

Acoustic Bass – Cecil McBee; Alto Saxophone – Craig Handy; Drums – Billy Hart; Flugelhorn – Eddie Henderson; Flute – Craig Handy; Piano – George Cables; Tenor Saxophone – Billy Harper; Trumpet – David Weiss, Eddie Henderson.

The Cookers is an all-star ensemble made up primarily of veteran bandleaders and star soloists, including tenor saxophonist Billy Harper, trumpeters Eddie Henderson and David Weiss, alto saxophonist Craig Handy, pianist George Cables, bassist Cecil McBee, and drummer Billy Hart. The fireworks begin with their sizzling treatment of the late Freddie Hubbard's "The Core," though it is a shame that the liner notes don't specify the order of the trumpet solos. The veterans in the group contributed the remaining songs. Cables' off-center, loping "Spookarella" has a Monk-like humor and playful flute solo by Handy, while the pianist's pretty ballad "Sweet Rita Suite, Pt. 2: Her Soul" is a complex work that the band interprets with finesse, with Handy again a major voice on flute, and lush ensembles by the brass and tenor. Harper penned the funky, insistent "Priestess." His passionate "Carpa Black" is often dissonant, highlighted by his burning tenor sax. McBee's lush ballad "Close to You Alone" (showcasing Handy's heartfelt alto solo) and delicious hard bop vehicle "U Phoria" also merit strong praise. The solos and ensembles are enjoyable throughout this session, while the musicians obviously had a great time and are likely eager to schedule a follow-up meeting for Jazz Legacy. ~Ken Dryden

Warriors

Lester Young - Centennial Celebration

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 60:30
Size: 138.5 MB
Styles: Bop, Saxophone jazz
Year: 2009
Art: Front

[ 5:24] 1. Jumpin' With Symphony Sid
[ 5:41] 2. Tea For Two
[ 3:32] 3. I Can't Get Started
[ 6:21] 4. Pennies From Heaven
[ 6:11] 5. I'm Confessin' (That I Love You)
[ 7:21] 6. Oh, Lady Be Good
[ 7:00] 7. Just You, Just Me
[11:49] 8. Undecided
[ 2:50] 9. I Cover The Waterfront
[ 4:15] 10. Up 'n' Adam

Lester Young: tenor saxophone: Earl Swope: trombone; Bill Potts: piano; Norman Williams: bass; Jim Lucht: drums; Flip Phillips: tenor saxophone; Roy Eldridge: trumpet; Hank Jones: piano; Ray Brown: bass; Max Roach: drums; Oscar Peterson: piano; Herb Ellis: guitar; Ray Brown: bass; J.C. Heard: drums.

Although he'd lived a scant 50 hard years when he died in 1959, tenor sax giant Lester Willis Young was and remains one of the most vital and influential forces in jazz. He used words as singularly as he played, dubbing Billie Holiday "Lady Day"; theirs was an incomparable musical pairing and she returned the favor, calling him "Prez" for president. Prez proved to be the key link between the early jazz of Louis Armstrong and Coleman Hawkins with the bop of the '40s. Among the legions of players influenced by his playing were Stan Getz, Al Cohn and Zoot Sims.

Sides 1-7 in this Centennial Celebration are from a 1956 Washington, DC gig in a relatively intimate setting as Young swings comfortably with musicians mostly a generation younger than himself. His playing is elegant, eloquent and subtle. Inventiveness and brisk pace on "Tea For Two" transform that chestnut while on "I Can't Get Started" he slows down and plays real pretty. For "Oh Lady, Be Good," a standard from his celebrated days with the '30s Count Basie band, he kicks the tempo up, swinging solidly in tandem with trombonist Earl Swope. Throughout he displays the surprising rhythmic and melodic style for which he was famous. On "Just You, Just Me," Prez ebulliently calls out "beautiful" after a particularly sizzling drum solo from Jim Lucht. The last three sides included are from Jazz at the Philharmonic performances and find Young in company with the likes ofOscar Peterson, Roy Eldridge, Herb Ellis and Max Roach, giants all. The closer is Young's own signature tune, "Lester Leaps In," with the blazing heat of his soloing eliciting cheers and whistles from the audience. ~Andrew Velez

Centennial Celebration

Dusko Goykovich - Celebration

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 1987
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 61:51
Size: 143,2 MB
Art: Front

(4:16)  1. Celebration
(6:48)  2. Inga
(7:49)  3. Nella
(3:58)  4. Blues In The Closet
(5:13)  5. New Bop Theme
(7:51)  6. Doboy
(7:41)  7. Recado Bossa Nova
(5:54)  8. Easy Living
(4:59)  9. Faros
(7:17) 10. The Touch Of Your Lips

Bosnian trumpeter, composer, and general jazz hero Dusko Goykovich is an anomaly among his Eastern European countrymen. Far from the madding crowd of avant-guardists, Goykovich has his roots deeply sunk into the post-bop, early modalism of early-'60s jazz, and the lyrical, melodic improvisational invention of Paul Desmond and Bill Evans. With a band that includes pianist Kenny Drew, bassist Jimmy Woode, and drummer Al Levitt, Goykovich penned six of the set's ten tunes, and they are easily the best stuff here. His gorgeous bossa ballad, "Inga," comes from an A minor motif and works horizontally, bringing the entire range of chromatic color into its off-key, metrically resilient structure. The Drew and Goykovich solos complement each other nicely, trailing from modal into bossa and samba patterns before weaving each other into a patchwork quilt of matching arpeggios. Of the covers, Oscar Pettiford's "Blues in the Closet" is in the pocket funky. As greasy as its name, Goykovich allows the melody line instigated by Woode to settle in before kicking in to a stomping hard bop blues reminiscent of a Hank Mobley or Art Blakey thematic feel. Drew shines here as his ostinato walks the bar all over the tune, punching deck at every sharp and turning the blues riff around on a dime. Goykovich trusses the piano and then ventures on his won into stuttering skein of clipped bop phrases, scattering eighth notes all over the scale. As the pair come together to approach the melody for the send off, they square off harmonically, teetering on the edge of disaster only to sweep it all under the rug at check out time. It's a breathless ride, full of stops, starts, and surprises, and is indicative of not only how well this band plays together, but how well their leader can hold court and remain a part of the ensemble. Celebration is a disc that lives up to its lofty title. ~ Thom Jurek http://www.allmusic.com/album/celebration-mw0000202713

Personnel: Trumpet – Dusko Goykovich;   Bass – Jimmy Woode;  Drums – Al Levitt;  Flugelhorn – Dusko Goykovich;  Piano – Kenny Drew

Celebration

Bodil Niska - First Song

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2001
File: MP3@256K/s
Time: 54:43
Size: 101,7 MB
Art: Front

(3:52)  1. Danny Boy
(6:57)  2. Rosetta
(3:44)  3. Merlin
(6:15)  4. Only Trust Your Heart
(6:02)  5. First Song
(5:44)  6. Up Jumped Spring
(3:26)  7. I Skovens Dype, Stille Ro
(4:31)  8. Funk In The Deep Freeze
(3:35)  9. Lotus Blossom
(4:39) 10. To Your Dear One
(2:24) 11. Vuggevise For Benedicte
(3:26) 12. Mood

Bodil Aileen Niska (born 21 August 1954 in Vadsø, Norway) is a Norwegian jazz musician (saxophone), well known for popular releases of jazz standards. Growing up in Hammerfest she was taught music by her father, the accordion player Aksel Niska, studied under guidance of Kjell Bartholdsen, and ran the jazz club "Montenegro" (1979–89). After moving southward in Norway in 1990, Niska collaborated within the trio "Girl Talk" from 1992, including Tine Asmundsen (double bass) and Elizabeth Walker. They released the album Talkin' Jazz (1996) which sold very well. She performed within Bodil Niska Quartet, including Per Husby (piano), Stig Hvalryg (bass) and Roger Johansen (drums), at the Oslo Jazz Festival in 2005. She is also known for her collaboration with Pete Brown Trio, including Scott Hamilton and Harry Allen. Niska has established the "Bare Jazz" store in Oslo, and a record label by the same name. For her work she received "Sildajazzprisen" in 2005 and the Oslo Jazz Festival award "Ella-prisen" in 2009. http://www.wikivisually.com/wiki/Bodil_Niska

Personnel: Bodil Niska (tenor saxophone); Egil Kapstad (piano).

First Song

Rich Perry - Grace

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2009
File: MP3@256K/s
Time: 63:45
Size: 122,9 MB
Art: Front

(7:55)  1. Falling Grace
(7:19)  2. Very Early
(5:51)  3. Funkalero
(6:55)  4. Goodbye Pork Pie Hat
(7:04)  5. Eronel
(6:11)  6. Modinha
(7:33)  7. Thedia
(8:32)  8. Time Remembered
(6:20)  9. Israel

A fine young veteran tenor player, Rich Perry went on the road in 1975 with the Glenn Miller ghost band. In 1976, he moved to New York and joined the Thad Jones/Mel Lewis orchestra. He went on to play with a wide variety of top players including Chet Baker, Machito, Bob Moses, Jack McDuff, Billy Hart, Eddie Gomez, Tom Harrell, the Mel Lewis big band, and Harold Danko. Rich Perry first recorded as a leader in 1993 for SteepleChase. ~ Scott Yanow  https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/rich-perry/id81007264#fullText

Personnel: Rich Perry, tenor sax;  Jay Anderson, bass; Jeff Hirshfield, drums.

Grace

Wolfgang Haffner - Urban Life

Styles: Contemporary Jazz, Fusion
Year: 2001
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 51:54
Size: 137,4 MB
Art: Front

(5:30)  1. Urban Life
(5:07)  2. Keep Going
(5:04)  3. The Real Thing
(6:14)  4. Nightride
(6:37)  5. Rising Sun
(5:31)  6. Criss Cross
(5:47)  7. Time Out
(6:32)  8. Long Way Home
(5:28)  9. After Hours

Wolfgang Haffner was born in Wunsiedel/Germany in 1965. He started playing drums and piano at the age of six. He began his career as a professional musician in the German French Jazz Ensemble, conducted by German Jazz legend Albert Mangelsdorff. The Band played Festivals including the Paris Jazzfestival and the Jazzfest Berlin. Haffner later became the drummer in Klaus Doldingers "Passport", with whom he played for 11 years, touring Europe and Southafrica. From 1994 to 1995 he was the drummer in the Band of one of the greatest female singers of all times, Chaka Khan. 1994 he joined the US Fusion Superband METRO with Chuck Loeb, Mitch Forman and Anthony Jackson. In 1997 Haffner and his long-time colleague Roberto Di Gioia started their succesful Group "Zappelbude".
Haffner worked with many great Jazz Artists including Pat Metheny, Michael & Randy Brecker, Larry Carlton, Bill Evans, Earl Klugh,Woody Shaw, Roy Hargrove, Johnny Griffin, CassandraWilson, Joe Pass, Bob James, Joe Lovano, Clark Terry, Pat Martino, Eddie Daniels, Mc Coy Tyner, Art Farmer, Pee Wee Ellis, Esbjoern Svensson, Joe Sample, Fred Wesley, Roy Ayers, Hiram Bullock, Will Lee, Robben Ford… ), also with artists and Bands like Jan Garbarek, Michael Franks, "Die Fantastischen Vier", No Angels, Stefan Raab Helge Schneider, Xavier Naidoo, Sasha, Wolfgang Niedecken, Konstantin Wecker, DePhazz, Lalo Schifrin, NDR Big Band Hamburg and the WDR Big Band Cologne.

Haffner has played Festivals around the world, such as Montreux, Paris, Chicago, North Sea Jazzfestival, Los Angeles, Berlin, Vienna, San Diego, Geneva, Amsterdam, Nice, Stockholm, Madrid, Oslo, Zurich, London. He toured more than 50 countries (Argentinia, Brasil, Venezuela, Nicaragua, Chile, Uruquay, Mexico, Peru, Bolivia Columbia, Portugal Southafrica, USA, India, Egypt, Lebanon, Syria, Italy, Jordan, Poland, Hungary, Thailand, England, Spain, Japan, Finland, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Latvia, Russia, China…)  In 2002 Haffner formed the Wolfgang Haffner Band which toured Europe. When not performing with his own Band he plays with the Nils Landgren Funk Unit of sweden. Haffner has played on about 350 Recordings, including 11 albums under his own name. In spring 2004 he produced the new album of the iclandic supergroup "Mezzoforte". http://www.last.fm/music/Wolfgang+Haffner/+wiki

Personnel:  Alto Saxophone – Ian Hendrickson-Smith;  Bass – Will Lee;  Bass, Synthesizer, Guitar, Piano [Fender Rhodes] – Roberto Di Gioia;  Drums, Producer, Arranged By – Wolfgang Haffner;  Flugelhorn, Trumpet – Till Brönner;  Guitar – Chuck Loeb, Martin Scales, Peter Tiehuis;  Guitar [Wah Wah] – Peter O'Mara;  Keyboards – Eythor Gunnarsson;  Percussion – David Charles (2), Marcio Doctor;  Piano – Bob James;  Piano [Fender Rhodes] – Michael Forman;  Rap – Tom Nicolas Jr.;  Soprano Saxophone – Jay Beckenstein;  Tenor Saxophone – Lothar Van Staa, Pee Wee Ellis, Tony Lakatos;  Trombone – Fred Wesley, Ludwig Götz, Nils Landgren;  Trumpet – Andy Haderer, Rüdiger Baldauf;  Vibraphone – Roy Ayers;  Vocals – Carmen Cuesta, Eddie Greene

Urban Life

Kelly Eisenhour - Invitation

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2017
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 62:01
Size: 142,4 MB
Art: Front

(4:47)  1. A Beautiful Friendship
(6:09)  2. Invitation
(6:37)  3. Don't Blame Me
(7:30)  4. Moonglow (Moon Glow)
(5:03)  5. Dearly Beloved
(5:04)  6. Ernie's Tune
(5:51)  7. Softly as in a Morning Sunrise
(7:21)  8. Midnight Sun
(4:56)  9. Legend of Victoria Regia
(4:00) 10. I'll Be Seeing You
(4:39) 11. Teach Me Tonight

Kelly Eisenhour is a jazz vocalist of exquisite style and technical accuracy. Her newest release, Invitation, features her regular working quartet. She has toured as guest soloist with the Boston Pops Orchestra conducted by Keith Lockhart and also worked with Gladys Knight. Eisenhour is a graduate of Berklee College of Music and was the head of the vocal jazz program at Brigham Young University from 2005-2008. She currently teaches jazz and choirs at Green River Community College near Seattle. https://www.amazon.com/Invitation-Kelly-Eisenhour/dp/B01LTI1FGO

''A superior jazz vocalists deserving of widespread popularity... a seductive voice that is at once cognac-smooth and espresso-rich...'' ~ Christopher Loudon, JazzTimes

Invitation

Monday, January 30, 2017

Karen Blixt - Mad Hope

Size: 151,7 MB
Time: 65:00
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2008
Styles: Jazz Vocals
Art: Front & Back

01. Billie's Bounce (4:14)
02. Jazz Ants (3:33)
03. Antigua (5:03)
04. Shadow And Light (5:37)
05. Five & Five (Take Ten) (7:36)
06. Sundown In My Heart (5:52)
07. Time For Earth (Follow Your Heart) (5:40)
08. Faith Baby Faith (2:28)
09. My Blue Shadow (5:47)
10. Frida (4:58)
11. Desire Is Your Name (5:57)
12. 7th Heaven (5:00)
13. You Are There (3:07)

Spring 2008 welcomes the release of Mad Hope by San Francisco based jazz singer, Karen Blixt. Building on her successful 2006 jazz debut, this recording reveals the confidence of an artist in full voice – taking bold strides in odd meters, intricate rhythms and engaging lyrics. Performing for years in jazz clubs in Northern and Southern California, Karen arrived via her debut album “Spin This”, acclaimed for its inventive take on the masters and resoundingly refreshing original compositions, including the surprisingly politically charged anti-Bush title track. Suddenly the former “nice church girl” from upstate New York, who discovered soulful compatriots in the Bay area arts scene, had found her voice a relevant gift to jazz enthusiasts and pop music fans whose appreciation of the form was confined to coffeehouses and art galleries. Two years since her debut, she reflects further on the state of affairs and a deliberate choice to keep faith by returning with Mad Hope, an uplifting collection of 13 tracks, 7 of which are originals and 2 additional instrumentals with new lyrics by Blixt.

“On Mad Hope, we wanted to put out some really different material,” says Blixt. “Different in the sense of going beyond re-interpreting the great american songbook. That meant writing new material. And beyond that, writing it in a variety of ways, using several odd-meters and different feels, like jazz/funk, latin/world, ballad, and straight ahead jazz. With the dream band we had assembled for the project, we knew the sky was the limit – so we went for it.”

Working collaboratively once again with Arranger/ Producer Frank Martin (Stevie Wonder, Sting, Patti Austin, Angela Bofill, Al Jarreau, and Dori Caymmi), the pair enlisted the top notch rhythm section of Abraham Laboriel (Bass), Jose Neto (Guitar), Alex Acuña (Percussion), Will Kennedy (Drums), and Patrice Rushen (Piano), along with musicians Randy Brecker (trumpet) Sheldon Brown (Bass Clarinet),Paul Hanson (Bassoon), and Kenny Washington (vocals) the album was recorded over two days in November 2007, at Skywalker Studios in Northern California. To say the team had to make a mad dash to complete the record on schedule is an understatement. “Due to everyone’s hectic schedules, we had to be structured to fit in all the work at hand. But I also knew who I was working with and really trusted these musicians—and knew instinctively I was in great hands to pull it off in two days. I was able to focus on the music, rather than all the extraneous stuff.”

The band of musicians were the chosen ones, the top brass of a wish list Blixt and Martin had drawn up prior to the recording session. With over 100 years of musical experience between them, “great hands” may be the understatement. With Laboriel, the most recorded electric bassist in history driving the rhythm section, and Patrice Rushen, a legendary composer and singer in her own right, Will Kennedy (the Yellowjackets) and Alex Acuna (Weather Report) the Mad Hope session was a dream on fast forward. Approaching the tunes from their own expert angles, the musicians intersected in a magical place, where their individual talents flourished and propelled Karen’s vocals in unexpected directions.

Mad Hope

Leonieke Scheuble - In The Studio

Size: 141,4 MB
Time: 60:46
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2016
Styles: Soul Jazz, Vocals
Art: Front

01. Please Send Me Someone To Love (5:56)
02. Work Song (5:46)
03. Mean To Me (3:08)
04. These Foolish Things (5:26)
05. Wade In The Water (4:16)
06. So In Love (5:40)
07. L's Blues (7:10)
08. Brother, Can You Spare A Dime (6:14)
09. The Cat (6:03)
10. Goodnight, My Love (5:24)
11. Moanin' (5:39)

Leonieke started to play piano after being inspired by “Ray,” a movie based on the life of Ray Charles. Without any prior musical training, she began to spend great lengths of time at the piano
creating pieces that were rhythmically interesting and compositionally balanced. She was 5 or 6.

At age 7, Leonieke recorded a handful of pieces including two of her own compositions. This was brought to the attention of Steve Ash, a highly respected Jazz pianist, who then agreed to take her on as a student. She has been with him ever since.

As her love of Jazz, Blues, Soul and Gospel motivated her to develop her musical skills, Leonieke has received a great deal of attention and has been afforded some wonderful opportunities. Among them, would be winning the 2013 International Women in Jazz “Youth in Action” Award and giving performances at The DiMenna Center, Shanghai Jazz, The Kitano, Silvana’s, Symphony Space, Trumpets and several times at both the Nuyorican Poet’s Cafe and The Watchung Arts Center with the Beacon Hill Jazz Band. In November of 2015, The New Brunswick Jazz Project presented Leonieke’s quartet which included two prominent jazz masters, Bill Easley and Bill Crow.

Besides nightclubs and jazz venues, Leonieke also has performed in many Jazz vespers along with musicians such as Steve Turre (Saturday Night Live Band), Tim Ries (saxophonist/keyboardist for the Rolling Stones), Sharel Cassity, Mark Gross and Steve Davis. She has also performed fundraisers for The Un-Domiciled Project (Brooklyn, NY), Love Notes for the Homeless (Union, N.J.), American Cancer Society (Rockaway, NJ) and The Victoria Soto Memorial Scholarship (Woodstock, CT).

Two of the world’s most respected organists have played pivotal roles in Leonieke’s development. The first is Joey DeFrancesco who introduced her to his Hammond B-3 at Dizzys Club Coca-Cola (Jazz at Lincoln Center) in February of 2011. The second is Dr. Lonnie Smith, who after meeting and hearing a clip of Leonieke, arranged for a Hammond organ to be delivered to her as a gift. Another important influence is Bob Belden, (former A&R Blue Note records). Mr. Belden introduced Leonieke to Herbie Hancock and had become a mentor (Belden) until his untimely passing.

In October of 2013, Leonieke and trombonist, Coleman Hughes were the feature for an hour long special called “The Future of Jazz” over radio station WBGO (the foremost jazz radio station in America). Later that month, she entered the studio of Rudy Van Gelder, widely regarded as the greatest engineer in jazz history, and began recording her first professional album, “Debut”. Among the musicians contributing their talents to this recording is the legendary Jimmy Cobb.
Shortly after it’s release, the legendary jazz club, Birdland, added “Debut” to their house system.

Leonieke was recently named “Best Up & Coming Young Artist” (HotHouse NYC Fans Decision 2015 Awards).

In The Studio

Hank Jones - Hank Jones: His Hifi Hits EP aka Hank Jones Quartet

Size: 127 MB
Time: 35:27
File: FLAC
Released: 1956/2013
Styles: Jazz
Art: Front

01. Moonlight Becomes You ( 7:04)
02. Relaxin' At Camarillo (12:07)
03. Minor Contention ( 5:21)
04. Sunday In Savannah ( 4:29)
05. Spontaneous Combustion ( 6:24)

Hank Jones has made many memorable albums over his long career, but this 1956 session with Belgian flutist Bobby Jaspar is one that could easily get overlooked. Jaspar's melodious flute adds some magic to an already memorable arrangement of "Moonlight Becomes You." He also keeps up nicely with Jones in Charlie Parker's tricky blues line "Relaxin' at Camarillo." "Minor Conception" is a slightly exotic number by Jones, while Cannonball Adderley's "Spontaneous Combustion" wraps up the session with a flourish. Jones delivers his usual superb performance, while Paul Chambers has several fine solos, and drummer Kenny Clarke propels the date with his crisp brushwork. At just over 36 minutes, this music is well-worth acquiring. ~by Ken Dryden

His Hifi Hits EP FLAC
His Hifi Hits EP MP3

Eight O'Five Jive - Swing Set

Size: 99,3 MB
Time: 36:13
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2017
Styles: Blues/Jazz Vocals
Art: Front

01. Make Mine A Double (3:10)
02. Ragged (3:36)
03. Get Away (2:52)
04. Put It Back (2:44)
05. Never (3:19)
06. I Won't Wear Flats (To Your Funeral) (2:46)
07. One More Glass Of Wine (3:39)
08. My Mumblin' Baby (2:35)
09. Watch Out For Their Wives (3:48)
10. Back Of My Hand (3:56)
11. A Little Bit Of Bourbon (3:44)

Recorded at The Jive Hive in Nashville, TN and produced by Eight O'Five Jive, "Swing Set" features 10 band original songs plus a creative re-imagining of Rudy Green's "My Mumblin' Baby." The band - a tight, inventive ensemble - includes Lee Shropshire (vocals), Andy Scheinman (guitar), Bill Bois (bass), Duane Spencer (drums), and Patrick Mosser (sax).

The music, birthed in bars during an era where a favored theme is drinking, is timeless and universal. There may be no better time to draw the past into the present than now.

The groovin’ rhythm and witty, tongue-in-cheek lyrics of swing tunes and jump blues on "Swing Set" can be counted on to infect some controversy, humor and joy. Since 2013, Eight O’Five Jive has been delivering this feeling in spades, with tunes that not only launch audiences onto the dance floor, but also tickle the funny bone of those who stop and catch the words.

Live or in the studio, when Scheinman and Mosser step out front, their solos combine classy lines with electrifying raw tone and energy - and fun! This is a band that local Nashville and regional audiences, festival and event organizers, and dance organizations, have been raving about.

“The late 1940s to the late 1950s were hip,” Lee said, “blending the sounds of artists such as Louis Jordan, Ruth Brown, Nat King Cole, Big Jay McNeely, Esther Phillips, Rudy Green…. There was also bebop and scatting, and beat poetry, all before we got Buddy Holly.

“There were all these hot session players burning up the speakeasies with strong and dynamic vocalists. It didn’t take much convincing… I elbowed Andy to 'jump' on the guitar stylings of jump blues, he dug it, and we put a band together.”

In drummer Duane Spencer, bassist Bill Bois, and tenor saxophonist Patrick Mosser, the couple found their musical soulmates who complement, and exuberantly expand this unique style of music.

The band’s ability to deliver the goods has garnered them the Nashville Industry Music Award (NIMA) for "Best Live Blues Performers" two years in a row (2014, 2015), “Best Blues Band” (2016), a Blues Blast Magazine Award nomination, as well as the Nashville Blues Challenge top prize for both 2016 and 2017's International Blues Challenge.

Their debut album, "Too Many Men," showcased the band’s first take on some lively jump blues by legends including Little Esther Phillips, Big Jay McNeely, Memphis Minnie, Jimmy Liggins, Big Maybelle and more, as well as two hot originals, "Young Enough To Be My Son" and "Misery Loves Company."

“Our material covers a time in American history when blues, jazz, doo-wop, swing, big band and various other styles got mixed up into one big pot before it became rock ‘n’ roll,” said Scheinman.

Jump forward and you’ll see a resurgence of raucous swing, jump, blues, and jazz fusion in dance clubs, blues & whiskey bars, and massive flash-mobs on the city streets by talented national dance troupes.

Eight O’Five Jive’s gourmet combination of these classic ingredients proves their mix of sophistication and irreverent fun to be a tasty, irresistible recipe.

Swing Set

Greg Hatza Organization - Diggin Up My Roots

Size: 150,5 MB
Time: 64:18
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2017
Styles: Blues, R&B, Jazz, Hammond Organ
Art: Front

01. Baltimore Strut ( 3:43)
02. Big Big Back ( 3:42)
03. High Heel Sneakers ( 5:08)
04. Headin On Down South ( 5:52)
05. I Got A Woman ( 8:05)
06. Back At The Chicken Shack ( 7:53)
07. Night Train ( 5:05)
08. Please Send Me Someone To Love (10:19)
09. Hand Jive ( 3:33)
10. Something You Got ( 4:43)
11. Stagger Lee ( 6:10)

The music on this CD is a collection of R&B and Blues songs that I grew up with in Reading, Pa. Ever since I started piano lessons I was drawn to African American music. Improvising boogie woogies on the piano at 5 years old is probably why my mother decided get me to a piano teacher quick. My father owned a small restaurant that had a juke box which had all the current R&B, blues, and rock & roll songs. When the box was serviced for new records, they gave the old 45’s to my father who in turn gave them to me. I had a large collection of 45's that I listened to all the time. That is how I first heard Bill Doggett's "Honky Tonk." That's when I really started to fall in love with the organ. Then along came Jimmy McGriff and Jimmy Smith and I was off to the races. When I was around 14, I bought my first Hammond organ, the compact M series. Around the same time I joined an African American R & B band that played current and older R&B and Blues songs. I must acknowledge that the African American community in Reading and later in Baltimore was very embracing of me and my music and was very instrumental in helping to form my career as a jazz organist. This is something I will never forget for the rest of my life and musical career.

Diggin Up My Roots

Georgia Gibbs - Call Me Georgia Gibbs

Size: 168 MB
Time: 29:32
File: FLAC
Released: 1966/1998
Styles: Pop
Art: Front

01. In Time (2:46)
02. Let Me Dream (2:28)
03. I Wouldn't Have It Any Other Way (2:41)
04. Venice Blue (2:52)
05. Let Him Know (2:03)
06. Let Me Cry On Your Shoulder (2:23)
07. Big Wide World (2:47)
08. Call Me (2:09)
09. Don't Cry Joe (2:09)
10. You Can Never Get Away From Me (2:33)
11. Kiss Of Fire (2:33)
12. Blue Grass (2:01)

A constant visitor to the charts in the first half of the 1950s, Georgia Gibbs failed to leave as strong an imprint as many of her fellow stars, at least in part because of her versatility. She did ballads, straight pop, novelties, pop-jazz, cha-chas -- whatever the marketplace might take, she could adapt. In the mid-'50s she, like many other white pop singers, covered R&B hits for the pop audience. Today's she's most remembered for outselling Etta James (with a cover of "The Wallflower," renamed "Dance with Me Henry") and LaVern Baker (on "Tweedle Dee"), although this phase of her career was pretty brief. Gibbs began singing in Boston ballrooms as a teenager and made her recording debut in 1938 under her given name, Fredda Gibson. She made some recordings in the early '40s with Artie Shaw's band and by the early '50s had waxed some hits for the Coral label. She enjoyed her commercial prime, though, on Mercury, for whom she recorded hit after hit from 1951 to 1956. The tango-tinged "Kiss of Fire," which went all the way to number one in 1952, was the biggest and best of these. Her very white, pop-oriented takes on "Tweedle Dee" (late 1954) and "Dance with Me Henry" (early 1955) are what she remains most notorious for. And with some good reason: although it would be ridiculous to blame Gibbs for singing material that Mercury selected for her, these covers stole a lot of the thunder from the gutsier original performers, at a time when rock & roll was struggling to gain a foothold in the pop mainstream. In any case, Gibbs' days on the hit parade were numbered. She never entered the Top 20 again after 1955 and left shortly Mercury afterwards, partially because her A&R men (Hugo Peretti and Luigi Creatore) had left the label. After a brief and unsuccessful stint at RCA, she had her last Top 40 hit, "The Hula Hoop Song," for Roulette in 1958. She curtailed her professional activities considerably in the 1960s, though she remained active to some degree through the ensuing decades, finally succumbing to complications from leukemia on December 9, 2006, when she was 87 years old. ~ Richie Unterberger

Call Me Georgia Gibbs

Duke Jordan - Midnight Moonlight

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 40:45
Size: 93.3 MB
Styles: Bop, Piano jazz
Year: 1982/1996
Art: Front

[5:02] 1. Midnight Moonlight
[2:44] 2. Dance In Plaid
[4:33] 3. Wait And See
[3:05] 4. Mellow Mood
[2:25] 5. Yes I Will
[2:37] 6. Table Chess
[3:15] 7. Orange Mist
[3:06] 8. Gabrielle's Wish
[3:16] 9. Jordanish
[3:17] 10. Swedish Honey
[3:22] 11. Danish Pastry
[3:58] 12. St. Germain

The solo album here showcases Jordan as pianist/composer, all 12 pieces are his, a review of 30 years of writing, and it is a delight from first to last notes….this music is timeless . ~Terry Martin

Midnight Moonlight

The Fleetwoods - Come Softly To Me: The Very Best Of The Fleetwoods

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 67:08
Size: 153.7 MB
Styles: AM Pop, Easy Listening
Year: 1993
Art: Front

[2:23] 1. Come Softly To Me
[2:09] 2. I Care So Much
[1:58] 3. Graduation's Here
[2:23] 4. Mr. Blue
[2:48] 5. Unchained Melody (A Capella Version)
[2:32] 6. You Mean Everything To Me
[2:07] 7. Outside My Window
[2:31] 8. Runaround
[2:35] 9. Skylark
[3:07] 10. The Last One To Know
[2:18] 11. Confidential
[2:44] 12. Tragedy
[2:54] 13. Little Miss Sad One
[2:12] 14. (He's) The Great Imposter
[2:01] 15. Lavender Blue
[2:35] 16. One Little Star
[2:11] 17. Lovers By Night, Strangers By Day
[2:27] 18. They Tell Me It's Summer
[2:21] 19. (Goodnight My Love) Pleasant Dreams
[2:03] 20. My Special Lover
[2:32] 21. Gone
[2:23] 22. What'll I Do
[2:54] 23. Ten Times Blue
[2:27] 24. Before And After (Losing You)
[2:43] 25. Lonely Is As Lonely Does
[0:35] 26. Radio Jingle
[2:36] 27. Come Softly To Me (A Capella Version)
[2:26] 28. Mr. Blue (A Capella Version)

The single-disc collection Come Softly to Me: The Very Best of the Fleetwoods is a treasure for devoted fans, featuring alternate takes, radio commercials, a comprehensive discography and unreleased tracks. Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Come Softly To Me: The Very Best Of The Fleetwoods

Mark Cally - Cally Plays Standards

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 53:24
Size: 122.3 MB
Styles: Guitar jazz
Year: 2017
Art: Front

[5:25] 1. Jewels For Jules
[5:47] 2. Fool On The Hill
[6:14] 3. Hummingbird
[5:16] 4. Again
[4:29] 5. Walkin' My Baby Back Home
[4:13] 6. 64 Bars On Wilshire
[6:18] 7. Watermark
[7:10] 8. Darn That Dream
[8:27] 9. Tread Softly With My Heart

Mark Cally: Guitar; Mando Dorame: Tenor; Matt Politano: Piano; David Miller: Bass; Josh Collazo: Drums; MB Gordy: Percussion; Kye Palmer: Trumpet; Nick Mancini: Vibraphone; Jennifer Keith: Vocals.

Mark Cally is a jazz guitarist working for many years with the famous American jazz and roots band "Royal Crown Revue." As such he has toured the world many times over performing across Europe, Asia and Australia. Mark's latest solo CD is an homage to the sophisticated jazz sounds of the 1950s, tipping his hat to such guitarists as Barney Kessel, Tal Farlow, and Wes Montgomery. A perfect compliment to a vodka martini, "Cally Plays Standards" is an eclectic mix of old standards and some new originals to enjoy.

Cally Plays Standards