1 For All - Wide Horizons

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 57:11
Size: 130.9 MB
Styles: Contemporary jazz
Year: 2002
Art: Front

[7:20] 1. The Nomad
[8:05] 2. Nemesis
[7:34] 3. Wide Horizons
[6:13] 4. Infant Eyes
[6:50] 5. Central Park South
[7:00] 6. The Conformist
[7:29] 7. Cold Smoke
[6:37] 8. A Calling

Eric Alexander (Ts); Jim Rotondi (Tp / Flh); Steve Davis (Tb); David Hazeltine (P); Peter Washington (B); Joe Farnsworth (D). Recorded December 20, 2002 in Brooklyn, NY, USA by Max Bolleman.

A frontline consisting of Eric Alexander's tenor sax, the trumpet and fluegelhorn of Jim Rotondi, and trombonist Steve Davis executes the band's arrangements of original compositions (plus two jazz standards) with elan, as well as blowing spirited solos. Stimulating the horns, pianist David Hazeltine, bassist Peter Washington, and Joe Farnsworth on drums comprise a first-class rhythm section that completes the ensemble's unique sound.

Wide Horizons

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Arthur Prysock - Here's To Good Friends

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 38:12
Size: 87.5 MB
Styles: R&B/Soul/Pop
Year: 1978/2013
Art: Front

[5:21] 1. Midnight Blue
[2:00] 2. Here's To Good Friends
[3:02] 3. Sad Eyes
[3:46] 4. The Love I Need
[3:39] 5. All I Can Do Is Cry
[4:44] 6. Sad
[9:06] 7. Spunky
[3:39] 8. Funny How Time Slips Away
[2:51] 9. Baby I'm-A Want You

Alto Saxophone, Baritone Saxophone – Michael Pedicin, Jr; Bass – Vince Fay; Congas – Larry Washington; Drums – Grant MacAvoy; Flugelhorn – Evan Solot, Rocco Bene; Guitar – Ronnie James; Keyboards – Carlton Kent; Trombone – Bob Moore, Roger DeLillo; Trombone [Bass] – Richard Genovese; Trumpet – Evan Solot, Rocco Bene. Recorded at Sigma Sound Studios, Philadelphia, A&R Recording Studio, New York, Kingdom Sound, Syosset, Long Island.

Sometimes known as a jazz singer, sometimes known as an R&B singer, Arthur Prysock was immediately recognizable for his golden throaty baritone voice reminiscent of the great Billy Eckstein. Prysock fronted big bands throughout the 1940’s, went solo in 1952 and enjoyed great success for four decades – both on recordings and in live performance. Presented here is his classic 1978 album of R&B, pop and jazz standards “Here’s To Good Friends.” All selections newly remastered.

Here's To Good Friends

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Roy Hargrove, Christian McBride, Stephen Scott - Parker's Mood

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 64:40
Size: 148.0 MB
Styles: Bop, Trumpet jazz
Year: 1995
Art: Front

[4:39] 1. Klactoveesedstene
[4:19] 2. Parker's Mood
[3:23] 3. Marmaduke
[4:22] 4. Steeplechase
[5:09] 5. Laura
[5:00] 6. Dexterity
[3:55] 7. Yardbird Suite
[2:07] 8. Red Cross
[6:38] 9. Repetition
[4:05] 10. Laird Baird
[2:36] 11. Dewey Square
[3:27] 12. Cardboard
[3:07] 13. April In Paris
[2:56] 14. Chasin' The Bird
[3:07] 15. Bongo Beep
[5:41] 16. Star Eyes

Bass – Christian McBride; Piano – Stephen Scott; Trumpet, Flugelhorn – Roy Hargrove. Recorded direct to 2-Track at Effanel Music Studio, April 12 - 14, 1995, NYC.

On this unusual album, Roy Hargrove (trumpet, flugelhorn), Christian McBride (bass) and Stephen Scott (piano) pay homage to the father of bebop with a generous set of (mostly) Charlie Parker compositions performed in trio, duet and solo arrangements. These three musicians, all of whom are part of the back-to-bop youth movement and all of whom have made names for themselves as session players and fledgling bandleaders, approach the tunes with a combination of reverence and iconoclastic innovation -- how often do you think you'll hear "Red Cross" as a bass solo or "Chasin' the Bird" as a trumpet/bass duet? This approach has its limitations, of course; as revealing as Hargrove's solo take on "Dewey Square" is, sometimes the weight of rhythmic responsibility weighs too heavily on McBride's shoulders during the trio numbers, and the groove suffers. Unless you're listening on headphones or in a quiet room with very good speakers, the rhythmic thread of the bassline can easily get lost in the mix, leaving Scott's syncopated comping sounding disjointed. But it doesn't happen very often, and the overall effect of this album is one of new light being shed on an aging but beautiful art collection. Those who know these tunes already will enjoy the album most. Those who don't will find they have much to learn, and should be excited at the prospect. ~Rick Anderson

Parker's Mood

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String Of Pearls - Brazilian Jewels

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 61:21
Size: 140.5 MB
Styles: Vocal Harmony Group, Jazz vocals
Year: 2014
Art: Front

[4:05] 1. Sukiyaki
[4:34] 2. Dreamer
[3:54] 3. Without Samba Life's A Bore
[4:23] 4. This Happy Madness
[4:49] 5. Mr. Sandman
[4:24] 6. Say That You Love Me
[4:34] 7. Love Is The Seventh Wave
[4:35] 8. Perpetual Stroll
[3:26] 9. I Bet You Thought I'd Never Find You
[4:34] 10. I'll Be Back
[4:01] 11. I Say A Little Prayer For You
[3:32] 12. Madalena
[3:34] 13. Obsession
[3:15] 14. One-Note Samba
[3:35] 15. Sunday Girl

The singers in String of Pearls - namely, Sue Halloran, Jeanne O'Connor, and Holli Ross - have delighted audiences in the U.S. and abroad with their unique mix of vintage "girl group" harmonies, fresh modern jazz and swing, and sinuous Brazilian sounds. Sue Halloran, Jeanne O’Connor and Holli Ross were all working as professional solo singers in New York when they were brought together to perform at a nostalgia-oriented concert. Since then the group has created a repertoire that ranges from authentic re-creations of Boswell Sisters songs from the 1930s, to adventurous original jazz arrangements. The Pearls’ charming show can move from Andrews Sisters to Sinatra, Basie, Carole King, Brazilian, and bebop.

Brazilian Jewels

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Ramsey Lewis - Hang On Sloopy

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 43:53
Size: 100.5 MB
Styles: Piano jazz, Soul-jazz
Year: 1965/1988
Art: Front

[4:58] 1. A Hard Day's Night
[4:18] 2. All My Love Belongs To You
[2:28] 3. He's A Real Gone Guy
[5:46] 4. And I Love Her
[3:16] 5. Movin' Easy
[5:18] 6. The More I See You
[6:11] 7. Satin Doll
[3:00] 8. Hang On Sloopy
[5:48] 9. The In Crowd
[2:45] 10. High Heel Sneakers

Bass – Eldee Young; Drums – Red Holt; Piano – Ramsey Lewis. Recorded At The Lighthouse, Hermosa Beach, CA.

This 1965 live album marks Lewis' move to more popular music capitalizing on his earlier single, In Crowd, that put him in the pop charts. In addition, this is his second live album in a row. The preceding one was The In Crowd, which contained a rendition of the title song. Although this album capitalizes on a number of pop tunes that have a wider appeal (Hard Day's Night, And I Love Her and Hang On Sloopy), the arrangements and playing were pure jazz. ~Mike Tarrani

Hang On Sloopy

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Charles Davis Quartet - Plays The Music Of Bent Jaedig: Our Man in Copenhagen

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2006
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 48:36
Size: 112,0 MB
Art: Front

(7:13)  1. Atlicity
(5:44)  2. Drum Case
(6:21)  3. The Red Lightning
(7:23)  4. Ballad For Brew
(6:05)  5. Rod's Shtick
(9:13)  6. Sizzling
(6:33)  7. The Strootch

Like Bent, Charles is well known and highly respected by his peers, but not as known to the general public as he deserves to be. He also has remained open to all types of music in his long career and today he is still found in as different contexts as Barry Harris group and the Sun Ra Arkestra. He is completely committed to his musical message, a timeless yet constantly evolving message. Like Bent, he has released only a handful of albums under his own name, but they are of extremely high quality. Charles Davis is a master of the saxophone and I am truly honored that he has agreed to do this album.
His writing was sparse, but when he wrote something it was precise. I would guess that there are around 15 Bent Jædig compositions that we know of. On this album we have recorded 8 of them. I wanted people to hear this music interpreted by the best quartet I could imagine. I see Ben Street as the most important bassist of his generation, highly original and sophisticated, also Sam Yahel, to me, is playing the most exiting stuff on the scene today on piano and organ.

This is the first album on Fresh Sound Records by the Charles Davis Quartet. This All-Star group is lead by one of the greatest exponents of true Be Bop sax playing in the world. At 75 years of age Charles Davis continues to perform regularly with such great bands as the Barry Harris group, the Jimmy Heath big band and the Sun Ra Arkestra and leads his own bands. Davis lives and works out of New York as he has been since he left Chicago in 1957. he has performed with Billy Holliday, John Coltrane, Cecil Taylor, Sun Ra, Billy Higgins, Hank Mobley, Clifford Jordan among others. He is acknowledged by his peers as a very original lyrical improviser. http://www.freshsoundrecords.com/charles-davis-albums/5029-plays-the-music-of-bent-jaedig-our-man-in-copenhagen.html

Personnel:  Charles Davis (ts), Sam Yahel (p), Ben Street (b), Kresten Osgood (d).

Plays The Music Of Bent Jaedig: Our Man in Copenhagen

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Gillian Palette - Reminisce

Styles: Vocal
Year: 1999
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 53:44
Size: 123,6 MB
Art: Front

(4:40)  1. You
(4:25)  2. One Nighter
(5:09)  3. Letting Go
(3:49)  4. When I Sit Along
(3:50)  5. No Free Jam
(5:45)  6. The Only Thing
(3:07)  7. Look Who's Here!
(4:15)  8. I Know You Love
(4:02)  9. How Do I Know
(5:38) 10. Reminisce
(3:28) 11. As Long As You Want Me
(5:29) 12. Through It All

This album consists solely of love songs that encapsulate romance in one way or other. I'm sure at least one of them will touch you deeply in a way you have felt once before, or a way you may feel in the future. There will alway be those special people you've have crossed paths with, or maybe you're still with them. Either way our songs tell stories. They are interludes of the heart. Through them, we learn that we are all bonded together regardless of age, through song. All the music on this album was written by my Dad Frank. He also wrote the lyrics on tracks 8,9,10,11. Shannon Shor a wonderful lyricist wrote the lyrics to tracks 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,12. I would like to say a special " Hello " to the wonderful people at the hospital where I work as an oncology nurse. People and families I hold dear to my heart, and will forever. This album is decicated to Becky and Aaron. https://www.cdbaby.com/cd/palette2

Reminisce

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Niels Lan Doky - Misty Dawn

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1994
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 54:23
Size: 125,0 MB
Art: Front

(7:49)  1. Ach Vaermland Du Skoena
(4:04)  2. Rough Edges
(7:07)  3. The Shadow Of Your Smile
(3:41)  4. Misty Dawn
(0:57)  5. Things
(5:00)  6. The Truth
(6:33)  7. Pax Americana
(5:03)  8. For All We Know
(4:43)  9. Serial Thriller
(4:40) 10. So Fine
(4:42) 11. All The Things You Are

Although still not that well-known in the United States, Niels Lan Doky is an impressive pianist who has recorded pretty extensively, with 14 albums as a leader by 1996. Born to a Danish mother who sang and had hit records and a Vietnamese father who was both a doctor and a classical guitarist, Niels first played guitar when he was seven, switching to piano when he was 12. Three years later, he played with Thad Jones, who wrote a letter recommending him to the Berklee School of Music. Doky lived in Boston while attending Berklee from 1981-1984, spent a long period in New York, and eventually settled in Paris. He has worked with Joe Henderson, Woody Shaw, Jack DeJohnette, Bob Berg, Clark Terry, Tom Harrell, and many others, and had such players as Niels-Henning Orsted Pedersen, Bob Berg, Terri Lyne Carrington, and John Scofield as side players on his records. Niels Lan Doky has recorded as a leader for Storyville, Milestone, and Soul Note, and occasionally co-leads the Doky Brothers with his younger sibling Chris, who plays bass; they have recorded a set for Blue Note. ~ Scott Yanow https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/niels-lan-doky/id75566991#fullText

Personnel: Piano, Producer – Niels Lan Doky;  Bass – Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen;  Drums – Alex Riel

Misty Dawn

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Andy Laverne Trio - Another World

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1991
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 58:38
Size: 136,1 MB
Art: Front

(5:37)  1. Spiral
(3:56)  2. Another World
(5:22)  3. Tallboys
(6:17)  4. Arizona
(7:58)  5. Cream Puff
(5:37)  6. Utah
(6:09)  7. Straight For Life
(1:44)  8. Fleur De Lys
(6:28)  9. Arizona (Alternate Take)
(5:57) 10. Straight For Life (Alternate Take)
(3:27) 11. Another World (Alternate Take)

This trio date focuses exclusively on originals by this very underrated pianist, joined by bassist Mike Richmond and drummer Billy Hart. The intense and aptly named "Spiral" features some virtuoso playing by Richmond, as does the racehorse "Tall Boys." LaVerne's playing is especially notable on the dark ballad "Cream Puff" and the two takes of "Straight For Life." The only gripe is the unnecessary addition of a synthesizer to the opening of "Spiral," which was evidently deemed so insignificant that its presence was omitted from the instrumentation listed. ~ Ken Dryden http://www.allmusic.com/album/another-world-mw0000185110

Personnel: Andy LaVerne (piano); Mike Richmond (bass); Billy Hart (drums)

Thank You Mai Naime!!

Another World

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Woody Shaw Quintet - Lotus Flower

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 1982
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 42:57
Size: 99,9 MB
Art: Front

( 9:45)  1. Eastern Joy Dance
( 6:46)  2. Game
( 7:01)  3. Lotus Flower
( 8:04)  4. Rahsan's Run
(11:21)  5. Songs of Song

This CD features one of trumpeter Woody Shaw's finest groups, a quintet with trombonist Steve Turre, pianist Mulgrew Miller, bassist Stafford James, and drummer Tony Reedus. The five-song program has an original apiece by each of the musicians (other than Reedus) with two by the leader. Shaw was one of the great trumpeters of all time, as he shows on such advanced yet swinging numbers as "Eastern Joy Dance," "Rahsaan's Run," and "Song of Songs." Virtually every Woody Shaw recording is well worth acquiring, including this one. ~ Scott Yanow http://www.allmusic.com/album/lotus-flower-mw0000308958

Personnel:  Woody Shaw (trumpet); Steve Turre (trombone); Mulgrew Miller (piano); Stafford James (bass); Tony Reedus (drums).

Lotus Flower

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Toots Thielemans - Blues Pour Flirter

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 36:07
Size: 82.7 MB
Styles: Easy Listening
Year: 1989/2001
Art: Front

[2:44] 1. Winter In Madrid
[5:30] 2. Willow Weep For Me
[2:37] 3. Satin Doll
[3:18] 4. Bag's Groove
[3:46] 5. We'll Be Together Again
[2:23] 6. Hot Toddy
[4:00] 7. Try A Little Tenderness
[3:18] 8. Talk To Me
[2:42] 9. Le Trottoir
[2:57] 10. Honeysuckle Rose
[2:46] 11. Flirt

Double Bass – Roland Lobligeois; Drums – Philippe Combelle; Guitar – Toots Thielemans; Piano – George Arvanitas; Whistling – Toots Thielemans (track 11). Recorded January 3 and 4, 1961 at the Polydor studio, Paris. Digitally remastered on 24-bit.

Although Toots Thielemans is far better-known for his virtuoso harmonica playing, he sticks exclusively to guitar on this pair of studio dates, initially taped in 1961 for Polydor. Accompanied by pianist Georges Arvanitas, bassist Roland Lobligeois, and drummer Philippe Combelle, Thielemans leads a primarily laid-back session with the focus on the leader, covering standards ("Willow Weep for Me" and "We'll be Together Again"), adding a soft wordless background vocal to "Satin Doll," and giving a loping treatment to Milt Jackson's "Bags' Groove." No matter that none of Thielemans' compositions have come close to matching the widespread popularity of his huge hit, "Bluesette"; two blues he wrote for this date, "Le Trottoir" and "Flirt" (the latter of which is the only track to feature his famous whistling), are very enjoyable. Even if this Verve CD reissue falls short of being an essential purchase, any fan of Toots Thielemans will want to acquire it. ~Ken Dryden

Blues Pour Flirter

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Don Hales - Unified String Theory

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 62:25
Size: 142.9 MB
Styles: Guitar jazz
Year: 2008
Art: Front

[ 6:56] 1. Strawberries-Rasberries
[ 7:05] 2. Seaweed Song-Tic Tac Toe
[ 6:43] 3. Feelings
[ 8:26] 4. Louie The Greek
[ 6:31] 5. Mighty Mouse
[ 6:51] 6. Motivation
[10:51] 7. Breath Of The Blues
[ 8:58] 8. Dance Of The Zodiac

Don Hales - Primary Artist, Guitar; Tony Monaco - Organ; Matt Wagner - Drums; Andy Woodson - Acoustic Guitar, Electric Bass, Acoustic Bass; Kris Keith - Flute, Tenor Saxophone.

Guitarist Don Hales is one of those jazz musicians almost too good to be true, one who has had a lengthy local career who finally bobs to the surface with a head-turning release. The disc is Unified String Theory and Tony Monaco's presence is no accident. Hales grew up in a Toledo neighborhood where he was exposed to a wide variety of ethnic and regional music. He taught himself to play guitar, was tutored by Rusty Bryant and Bobby Shaw. Hales went on to tour with the great Eddie Harris and Bill Doggett before returning home to Columbus to work in the Monaco family Italian Restaurant.

Talk about a well kept secret...Don Hales not only has chops, he is quite the funk master in composing. Six of the eight tunes presented are Hales originals. The two standards are "Feelings" and "Motivation," both dispatched with a Horace Silver soul-jazz sensibility. Hales' compositions all stretch the definition of the typical organ-guitar-tenor combo. Speaking of tenor, Kris Keith's tenor saxophone and flute fit into this quintet like a hand in a glove, a finely crafted glove. Check out "Breath of the Blues" and "Dance of the Zodiac." ~C. Michael Bailey

Incredibly gifted Midwest legend Don Hales makes a statement with this great jazz guitar recording, produced and played on by Tony Monaco. In his hometown, Hales has been performing for years with the Columbus Jazz Orchestra, Columbus Symphony, and ProMusica Chamber Orchestra.

Unified String Theory

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Suzi Woods - Sizzle

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 31:25
Size: 72.0 MB
Styles: Jazz vocals
Year: 2012
Art: Front

[2:58] 1. Let's Face The Music And Dance
[3:05] 2. Fever
[2:38] 3. A-Tisket A-Tasket
[2:59] 4. Summer Wind
[1:48] 5. Big Spender
[3:12] 6. Can't That Away From Me
[2:41] 7. Diamonds Are Forever
[2:28] 8. Mambo Italiano
[2:51] 9. Witchcraft
[4:00] 10. Dance Me To The End Of Love
[2:39] 11. Worrying

Suzi grew up as a Forces child along with her 3 brothers and sister, travelling with her parents to wherever her Father's job took them. Although she wanted to follow music from an early age, she had no background nor instrument to pursue. So instead she graduated in English Literature with her passion for singing and writing left as a guilty secret. She became a backing singer with local band ZooQ and eventually teamed up with guitarist and songwriter Vic Saul to form "Building Rome". In the few years that they existed they were lucky enough to tour with everyone from Tom Robinson, Labi Siffre, John Martyn, Hugh Cornwell as well as notable one-offs with the likes of the late, great Kirsty MacColl.

An 18 date tour support with Jools Holland resulted in their recording their first EP at his studio in Blackheath and the CD picked up Radio 1 airplay via Bob Harris, Johnnie Walker, Neal James and Steve Wright. It also earned them their live TV debut on Alan Titchmarsh's BBC1 show "Daytime Live" and a TV tour of Belgium. However, having achieved so much without any industry backing, they stumbled, owing to the lack of any distrbution for the CD and folded soon after. Vic now works extensively in the States and Suzi took time out to become a "Regular" artist as Receptionist on the BBC1 television series "Casualty". During this time the turmoil of the Record Business was left behind and Suzi enjoyed her new role with just occasional reminders of her musical involvement when she performed at "Casualty's" Christmas and Wrap parties. Things moved on again in the early "noughties" when the TV series revised it's booking policy and Suzi along with many others on the show, found herself without a job. It proved to be the start of her solo journey back into music making and performing.

In 2008 she was invited to become a Headline Artist guesting on most of the various cruise lines all over the world. From Crystal to Oceania via Royal Caribbean and Celebrity as well as Silver Seas and Azamara, she has worked extensively with bands both large and small entertaining in theatres and lounges for audiences of up to 1800. Her repertoire focusses on the American Songbook but mindful of the ever-changing nature of the market has evolved to include more contemporary hits from Nancy Sinatra to Adele and Amy Winehouse. In 2009 she was invited to join BASCA (British Association of Songwriters, Composers and Arrangers) and it reminded Suzi of her roots in music. It re-awakened her songwriting past and spurred her on to record and release many unfinished ideas that had lain dormant for so long. What you see here is the beginning of that re-awakening and it comes with the joy of writing and creating for its own sake.

Sizzle

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Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass - South Of The Border

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 27:40
Size: 63.3 MB
Styles: Jazz-pop, Easy Listening
Year: 1964/2016
Art: Front

[2:08] 1. South Of The Border
[2:36] 2. The Girl From Ipanema
[1:55] 3. Hello, Dolly!
[2:25] 4. I've Grown Accustomed To Her Face
[2:15] 5. Up Cherry Street
[2:11] 6. Mexican Shuffle
[2:40] 7. El Presidente
[1:56] 8. All My Loving
[2:21] 9. Angelito
[2:06] 10. Salud, Amor Y Dinero (Health, Love And Money)
[2:19] 11. Número Cinco (Number Five)
[2:42] 12. Adiós, Mi Corazón (Goodbye, My Heart)

Herb Alpert was still using an array of SoCal studio all-stars as his Tijuana Brass when South of the Border (1964) began to restore the combo's good name after the modest Herb Alpert's Tijuana Brass, Vol. 2 (1963) failed to ignite a fire in listener's ears. Alpert later commented that the Sol Lake composition "Mexican Shuffle" "opened a new door for me." That passageway meant the loss of the Tijuana Brass' practically forced mariachi style and the rise of Alpert's approach in arranging familiar melodies in fresh, creative settings. Nowhere would this stylistic progression be as pronounced as in the horn-driven updates of several then-concurrent chart hits. For instance, the mod sonic wrinkle in "Girl from Ipanema" emits a darkness veiled in mystery, directly contrasting the light buoyancy of "Hello! Dolly" or the footloose feel of the Beatles' "All My Loving." They seamlessly fit in with Sol Lake's "Salud, Amor y Dinero" and a cover of Julius Wechter's playful, midtempo "Up Cherry Street" -- which Wechter's own Baja Marimba Band had just recorded for their 1964 self-titled debut. The ballads "I've Grown Accustomed to Her Face," "Angelito," and "Adios, Mi Corazon" provide contrasts with Alpert's sensitive scores never seeming maudlin or unnecessarily over the top. If the regal "El Presidente" sounds particularly familiar, it may well be due to Alpert's slight renovation of the "Winds of Barcelona" from the Tijuana Brass' previous effort, the less than impressive Herb Alpert's Tijuana Brass, Vol. 2. It was renamed "El Presidente," presumably to honor the then-recent memory of the slain U.S. leader John Fitzgerald Kennedy. ~Lindsay Planer

South Of The Border

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Maureen McGovern - Naughty Baby: Maureen McGovern Sings Gershwin

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 58:13
Size: 133.3 MB
Styles: Standards, Traditional pop
Year: 1989
Art: Front

[3:39] 1. Stiff Upper Lip
[1:10] 2. Things Are Looking Up
[1:41] 3. (I've Got) Beginner's Luck
[4:12] 4. How Long Has This Been Going On
[3:08] 5. By Strauss
[3:22] 6. Naughty Baby
[1:49] 7. Love Walked In
[2:21] 8. Embraceable You
[3:40] 9. A Corner of Heaven With You
[5:01] 10. Somebody Loves Me
[3:32] 11. Little Jazz Bird
[2:01] 12. My Man's Gone Now
[3:21] 13. Porgy, I Is Your Woman (Bess, You Is My Woman)
[3:17] 14. The Man I Love
[1:21] 15. Piano Prelude II
[2:50] 16. Summertime
[0:50] 17. Strike up the Band
[1:40] 18. Fascinating Rhythm
[1:00] 19. Clap Yo' Hands
[2:05] 20. They Can't Take That Away from Me
[1:06] 21. 'S Wonderful
[0:50] 22. They All Laughed
[1:04] 23. I Got Rhythm
[3:03] 24. Love Is Here to Stay/Of Thee I Sing

McGovern as sophisticated pop singer, effectively handling an album of Gershwin material. Includes "Of Thee I Sing," the theme from a show in which she starred in 1987. ~William Ruhlmann

Naughty Baby: Maureen McGovern Sings Gershwin

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Freddie Redd Quartet, Jackie McLean - Music From The Connection

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 38:27
Size: 88.0 MB
Styles: Bop, Piano jazz
Year: 1960/1995
Art: Front

[5:20] 1. Who Killed Cock Robin
[5:55] 2. Wigglin'
[5:49] 3. Music Forever
[6:21] 4. Time To Smile
[4:42] 5. Theme For Sister-Salvation
[5:38] 6. Jim Dunn's Dilemna
[4:39] 7. O.D. (Overdose)

Alto Saxophone – Jackie McLean; Bass – Michael Mattos; Drums – Larry Ritchie; Piano, Composed By [Music] – Freddie Redd. Recorded at Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey on February 15, 1960.

Freddie Redd composed the music for Jack Gelber's The Connection, a gritty play about musician junkies. Gelber had originally thought that the play would feature real musicians -- who would also double as actors in minor roles -- improvising on blues and jazz standards in the tradition of Charlie Parker, but Redd convinced him to use an original score. The two weaved Redd's original compositions into the score, making it an integral part of the play, but the music holds up superbly on its own. Using the direction "in the tradition of Charlie Parker" as a starting point, the pianist wrote seven pieces of straight-ahead bop, wide open for improvisations, and then assembled a sterling quartet featuring himself, alto saxophonist Jackie McLean, bassist Michael Mattos, and drummer Larry Ritchie. The end result was a set of dynamic straight-ahead bop. While both Redd and McLean show signs of their influences -- the pianist blends Monk and Powell, while the saxophonist has built off of Bird's twisting lines -- they have developed their own voices, which gives the driving, bluesy bop on Music From the Connection an edge. McLean's full, robust tone often dominates, but he never overshadows Redd's complex, intricate playing, and both musicians, as well as Mattos and Ritchie, effortlessly keep up with the changes from hard-hitting, up-tempo bop numbers to lyrical, reflective ballads. Musically, Music From the Connection might not offer anything unexpected, but whenever straight-ahead bop is done this well, it should be celebrated. ~Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Music From The Connection

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Mike Baggetta - Small Spaces

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 2009
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 47:25
Size: 108,9 MB
Art: Front

(6:23)  1. The Heights
(7:41)  2. No Gravity
(5:33)  3. Stellar
(3:46)  4. Heartland
(6:44)  5. Olive Tree
(3:51)  6. Small Spaces
(8:27)  7. Hospital Song
(4:55)  8. Trails

New York based guitarist Mike Baggetta has recorded as a band leader before, but Small Spaces is his first CD as the leader of a quartet. This beautifully recorded CD of seven Baggetta originals and one cover, produced by Baggetta himself, shows that his 2009 ASCAP Young Jazz Composer award was well-deserved. Baggetta's guitar playing is characterized by a full, warm, tone whether he's vamping behind band members, soloing or duetting with Jason Rigby's tenor. Rigby's tenor style works beautifully in tandem with Baggetta's guitar: at no time do the instruments clash or work against each other, both musicians always displaying an understanding of what the other is doing. The opening "The Heights" and closer "Trails" are the most open and free-form pieces on this album. "Trails" has a particularly laidback feel to it, with drummer R.J. Miller's brush work and Eivind Opsvik's bowed bass part forming a solid foundation for sparse and atmospheric playing from Baggetta and Rigby. It's the more melodic numbers that work best, however. "Olive Tree," by Taiwanese composer Lee Tai-hsiang, is a delicate ballad with a beautiful melody line, played sparingly and effectively by Rigby after a sympathetic guitar intro in which Baggetta makes good use of harmonics. On "Small Spaces" Miller's drum work moves the tune along with an almost funky beat as Rigby and then Baggetta take solos. The first half of "Hospital Song" is particularly affecting. For the first three minutes Baggetta and Opsvik each play melodic patterns, underpinned by Miller's busy yet sympathetic drums, until Rigby enters and gradually takes over the lead role. Soon after, this the tune becomes less structured and also less effective, but the melodic approach of the tune's opening returns before the end. As a whole, Small Spaces is evidence of a maturing composer and a talented quartet of musicians who are willing to take the occasional risk while still not losing sight of melody and structure. ~ Bruce Lindsay https://www.allaboutjazz.com/small-spaces-mike-baggetta-fresh-sound-new-talent-review-by-bruce-lindsay.php
 

Personnel: Mike Baggetta: guitar; Jason Rigby: tenor saxophone; Eivind Opsvik: bass; R.J. Miller: drums.

Small Spaces

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Niels Lan Doky - Daybreak

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1989
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 58:32
Size: 134,4 MB
Art: Front

( 7:50)  1. Daybreak
( 6:51)  2. Natural
( 6:27)  3. Jet Lag
(10:44)  4. Final Decision
( 5:35)  5. Why
( 4:53)  6. All Or Nothing At All
( 5:03)  7. The Little Family
( 5:50)  8. Solo piano medley: a) Intro b) I thought about you c) December
( 5:16)  9. Tears

For this project, pianist Niels Lan Doky enlisted a particularly strong group (guitarist John Scofield, bassist Niels Pederson and drummer Terri Lyne Carrington) to perform five of his originals and the standard "All Or Nothing At All." 25 at the time, Doky was most influenced by McCoy Tyner but he manages to find his own niche within that style although Scofield usually takes solo honors. Excellent post bop music. ~ Scott Yanow http://www.allmusic.com/album/daybreak-mw0000273355

Personnel:  Bass – Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen;  Drums – Terri Lyne Carrington;  Guitar – John Scofield;  Piano – Niels Lan Doky

Daybreak

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Aaron Parks - Arborescence

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2013
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 50:00
Size: 114,7 MB
Art: Front

(4:14)  1. Asleep In The Forest
(6:16)  2. Toward Awakening
(4:28)  3. Past Presence
(7:04)  4. Elsewhere
(5:35)  5. In Pursuit
(2:21)  6. Squirrels
(5:11)  7. Branchings
(3:06)  8. River Ways
(3:24)  9. A Curious Bloom
(4:17) 10. Reverie
(3:59) 11. Homestead

Slowly but surely, over the past several years, ECM Records has forged relationships with some of New York City's most impressive musicians no mean feat given that, despite the Big Apple no longer being the jazz mecca it once was, it certainly remains a lightning rod for some of the world's most creative musicians, ranging from trumpeter Ralph Alessi and saxophonists Tim Berne and Chris Potter, to pianists David Virelles, Jason Moran and Craig Taborn all of whom have been represented, either as guests or leaders, on some of the most uncompromising and impressive music to be released in recent times not just on the heralded German label, but anywhere, period. Add to that list pianist Aaron Parks who, like Taborn's superb first recording as a leader for the label (2011's Avenging Angels), makes his own ECM debut by contributing another fine installment to a label that has, across four decades beginning with Chick Corea's Piano Improvisations Vol. 1 (1971) and Keith Jarrett's Facing You (1972), defined the litmus test against which all subsequent solo piano recordings are measured. Parks is a rarity: a young musician who, at a time when such things are difficult if not impossible, spent his first few professional years mentored by an older musician, in this case Terence Blanchard. The trumpeter met Parks when the pianist was 15, recruiting him three years later and giving him an opportunity to see how it was done both on the road and in the studio, so that when Parks stepped out on his own with the acclaimed Invisible Cinema (Blue Note, 2008), he was well and truly ready.

In the ensuing years, Parks has become increasingly in demand, including membership with the egalitarian James Farm , the promise of its 2011 eponymous Nonesuch debut confidently delivered with more recent live performances, and with Kurt Rosenwinkel, whose Star of Jupiter (Wommusic, 2012) represented yet another career milestone for the upwardly mobile guitarist. None of which prepare for Arborescence, a suite of eleven largely spontaneous creations that reflect a great many touchstones while, at the same time, speaking with a voice that has fully matured, now plainly assertive of its own personality. The opening "Asleep in the Forest" and darkly pastoral "Elsewhere" feel somehow a kinship to French composer Erik Satie, were he to have hailed from the forests of the Northwestern United States (where Parks grew up) instead of the southern estuary of the Seine River in Northwestern France. Minimalistic hints imbue the repetitive motif-driven "In Pursuit," where Parks' virtuosity never an end, just a means is more dominant, while the skewed and, at times, abstruse lyricism of "Branchings" and "Past Presence" hint at Paul Bley's innovations in the realm of spontaneously composition, despite Parks' independent voice a constant delineator throughout this 50-minute set. With Parks turning 30 a week prior to Arborescence's October 15 release, the pianist's milestones continue to accelerate. His past work may have been consistently impressive, but Arborescence represents the true watershed of Parks' arrival as an artist whose future shines brighter with every passing year. ~ John Kelman https://www.allaboutjazz.com/arborescence-aaron-parks-ecm-records-review-by-john-kelman.php
 

Personnel: Aaron Parks: piano.

Arborescence

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Karen Mason - It's About Time

Styles: Jazz, Vocal
Year: 2017
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 57:51
Size: 133,2 MB
Art: Front

(4:25)  1. It's About Time
(4:05)  2. Finding Wonderland
(2:25)  3. Zing! Went the Strings of My Heart
(3:17)  4. Everything's Coming up Roses
(4:29)  5. What Are You Doing the Rest of Your Life?
(3:12)  6. Just in Time
(4:51)  7. I Can't Give You Anything but Love
(5:26)  8. Somewhere / Impossible Dream
(4:00)  9. The Man That Got Away
(3:55) 10. A House Is Not a Home
(4:38) 11. Once Upon a Dream Come True
(4:04) 12. Over the Rainbow
(4:51) 13. Fifty Percent
(4:07) 14. Our Love Is Here to Stay

Karen Mason the acclaimed Broadway star and concert artist  releases her new album  It's About Time on Zevely Records. In a variety of settings from a lavishly-orchestrated full-band with exciting brass and lush strings to hushed solo piano, she performs timeless standards (“I Can’t Give You Anything But Love,” “Just in Time”) and theater classics (“Everything’s Coming Up Roses,” “Somewhere/The Impossible Dream”). The album also features fresh original songs by the album’s producer Paul Rolnick, including the album’s lead single, the title track “It’s About Time” which honors our national victory for Marriage Equality. Inspired by her recent turn in the Broadway-bound musical Chasing Rainbows, Karen honors the legendary entertainer Judy Garland with selections such as “The Man That Got Away,” “Zing! Went the Strings of My Heart” and the iconic “Over the Rainbow.” https://www.cdbaby.com/cd/karenmason1

It's About Time

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