Bill Evans - A Simple Matter Of Conviction

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 37:23
Size: 85.6 MB
Styles: Post bop, Piano jazz
Year: 1967/2016
Art: Front

[3:18] 1. A Simple Matter Of Conviction
[4:09] 2. Stella By Starlight
[3:40] 3. Orbit (Unless It's You)
[4:17] 4. Laura
[5:13] 5. My Melancholy Baby
[4:10] 6. I'm Getting Sentimental Over You
[4:56] 7. Star Eyes
[4:02] 8. Only Child
[3:33] 9. These Things Called Changes

What separated this from the average good Bill Evans date was the inclusion of Shelly Manne on drums, who inventively pushed and took unexpected chances. This was, I believe, Eddie Gomez' (bass) debut release with Evans (piano) and it was quite impressive. There were numerous takes at this session and judging from Chuck Briefer's liners it might be interesting to hear them released. ~Bob Rusch

A Simple Matter Of Conviction

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Jessica Molaskey - Portraits Of Joni

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 55:30
Size: 127.1 MB
Styles: Folk
Year: 2017
Art: Front

[3:23] 1. Help Me
[3:40] 2. Dreamland/Carey
[5:12] 3. A Case Of You
[2:41] 4. The Dry Cleaner From Des Moines
[3:59] 5. Marcie
[3:48] 6. In France They Kiss On Main Street
[3:46] 7. The Last Time I Saw Richard
[3:17] 8. Raised On Robbery
[3:06] 9. Little Green
[4:09] 10. Circle Game/Waters Of March
[6:09] 11. All I Want/Blue
[5:17] 12. Chelsea Morning/Aquelas Coisas Todas
[4:06] 13. Both Sides Now
[2:50] 14. Big Yellow Taxi

Extremely well done. Captures the frankness of Mitchell’s lyrics and songs with a distinctive edge and facility of her own. A terrific match of singer and Song Book. Molaskey respects the lyrics, as usual, and understands the irony, wit, or pain under the melodies in the lyrics. This also represents a big step for Ms. Molaskey away from pop/theatre songs to contemporary “art” songs from the troubadours, such as Carole King, being honored these days. The shifting rhythm, keys, language of Joni Mitchell’s songs are forthright and this set delivers the integrity it deserves. ~Addisson DeWitt

Portraits Of Joni

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The Danny Moss Quartet - Steampower!

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 77:41
Size: 177.8 MB
Styles: Bop, Saxophone jazz
Year: 2002
Art: Front

[7:24] 1. Shiny Stockings
[6:28] 2. Doggin' Around
[5:25] 3. Limehouse Blues
[5:55] 4. This Is Always
[5:41] 5. Robin Hood
[4:50] 6. Day By Day
[5:55] 7. I'm Beginning To See The Light
[5:33] 8. Falling In Love Is Wonderful
[6:00] 9. Robbin's Nest
[7:23] 10. But Beautiful
[5:07] 11. The Surrey With The Fringe On Top
[5:42] 12. This Can't Be Love
[6:13] 13. Take The A Train

Dennis Moss MBE (16 August 1927 – 28 May 2008) was a British jazz tenor saxophonist. He was known for playing with most of the high-profile figures of British jazz, including Vic Lewis, Ted Heath, Johnny Dankworth, Alex Welsh, and Humphrey Lyttelton.

The son of a toolmaker, Moss was born in Redhill, Surrey in 1927. At the age of thirteen, he saw a jazz band appear briefly in a Bowery Boys film on a family cinema visit, and was so inspired by the clarinet playing that he swapped his most valued possession, his ice skates, for a second-hand instrument of his own. Self-taught on both this and the tenor saxophone, which he took up at school, he started playing professionally after leaving at the age of sixteen.

A spell of National Service at the age of eighteen saw Moss performing for three years in a Royal Air Force regional band. After leaving the forces he joined the Vic Lewis Orchestra, and in the next few years moved around various bands, especially ones with the potential for a soloist. In 1952, he joined Ted Heath's band, a well-paid role which he described as "the prestige job of all time". Soon, however, Moss found the group's focus on novelty numbers and faithful musical reproductions, including that of solos, to be limiting to his skills as an improviser, and he left after three years. In 1957 Moss joined John Dankworth's orchestra. Here, with the band's encouragement, he began to develop his characteristic saxophone sound, eschewing the contemporary focus on light tone and fast phrasing in favour of a thicker and more spacious sound informed by American pioneers such as Coleman Hawkins and Ben Webster. When the Dankworth band visited America, Moss' style was singled out for compliment by Count Basie, who declared his playing "real Texas tenor... the way it should sound!" He left Dankworth's band in 1962, as the band itself was winding down. From here, he joined Humphrey Lyttelton's group, where he continued to hone his style for another two years.

He then married jazz singer Jeanie Lambe, and the two moved from London to Sussex at her suggestion. Here, he formed his own quartet, playing a mix of club gigs, festival appearances and radio broadcasts for the BBC. He continued to tour with this quartet throughout the 1970s and 1980s, also playing and recording with high-profile singers like Tony Bennett, Ella Fitzgerald, Bing Crosby, Sarah Vaughan and Rosemary Clooney, and appearing as a guest soloist with American musicians such as Buck Clayton in the mid-'60s and Louis Armstrong on his last British tour. Moss also co-founded British jazz "supergroup" Pizza Express All-Stars in 1980, playing with them until the end of the 1980s.

Moss and Lambe moved to Perth, Western Australia in 1989, although Moss continued to play regularly in Europe; indeed, his distance from Europe only seemed to increase the level of demand for his performances there. Moss was appointed MBE in 1990.

Steampower!

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Bryan Ferry - Another Time, Another Place

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 42:03
Size: 96.3 MB
Styles: Contemporary pop/rock
Year: 1974/1999
Art: Front

[4:36] 1. The 'in' Crowd
[2:54] 2. Smoke Gets In Your Eyes
[4:44] 3. Walk A Mile In My Shoes
[3:32] 4. Funny How Time Slips Away
[6:46] 5. You Are My Sunshine
[2:54] 6. (What A) Wonderful World
[3:57] 7. It Ain't Me Babe
[3:34] 8. Fingerpoppin'
[4:15] 9. Help Me Make It Through The Night
[4:45] 10. Another Time, Another Place

Another Time, Another Place isn't as immediately thrilling as Ferry's solo debut, but still is a great listen. The same core band that backed Ferry up on the earlier record stays more or less in place here. If, like Roxy over the years, this collection is a touch less frenetic at points in comparison to Ferry's earlier solo stab, the opening blast through "The 'In' Crowd" doesn't show it. Porter's guitar rips along as intensely as Phil Manzanera's can, and the whole thing makes Dobie Gray's original take seem pretty tame. Beyond that, things will be familiar to anyone who's heard These Foolish Things -- same general atmosphere, same overall approach of Ferry taking classic originals and putting his own proto-lounge-lizard stamp on them, mixing energetic versions with far calmer ones. A very intriguing development is his inclusion of efforts from up-and-coming country writers and singers -- thus, a loud and groovy cover of "Funny How Time Slips Away" by Willie Nelson and another of Kris Kristofferson's "Help Me Make It Through the Night." Other country atmospheres slip in here and there via another nod to Elvis ("Walk a Mile in My Shoes," originally by Joe South), while other classics get tapped with versions of "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes" and Sam Cooke's "(What A) Wonderful World." The album as a whole feels a touch more formal than its predecessor, but Ferry and company, plus various brass and string sections, turn on the showiness enough to make it all fun. A harbringer of solo albums to come appears at end -- the title track, a Ferry original. ~Ned Raggett

Another Time, Another Place

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Jan Lundgren Trio - Plays The Music Of Jule Styne

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 66:43
Size: 152.7 MB
Styles: Piano jazz
Year: 2016
Art: Front

[4:20] 1. You Say You Care
[4:26] 2. People
[7:45] 3. Make Someone Happy
[6:54] 4. What Makes The Sunset
[7:48] 5. It's You Or No-One
[5:09] 6. Dance Only With Me
[7:22] 7. The Things We Did Last Summer
[6:39] 8. The Party's Over
[5:54] 9. Guess I'll Hang My Tears Out To Dry
[5:22] 10. Time After Time
[5:00] 11. I Fall In Love Too Easily

Jan Lundgren, piano; Mattias Svensson, bass; Morten Lund, drums. Special guests -- Eric Alexander, tenor saxophone; Mark Murphy.

In reviewing an earlier album by Swedish pianist Jan Lundgren ( Bird of Passage, Four Leaf Clover), I wrote that "he has, among other things, exquisite taste, marvelous touch, flawless technique, an attentive ear, power to spare... and a bounteous wellspring of creative ideas." Listeners should be pleased to learn that nothing has changed.

Well, one thing has changed—the music itself. Rather than playing mostly his own compositions, as he did on Passage and the more recent For Listeners Only (Sittel 9273), or Swedish folk music, as on Landscapes (Sittel 9297), Lundgren has chosen to reprise songs by the renowned Broadway/Hollywood tunesmith Jule Styne whose body of work includes such memorable themes as "Make Someone Happy," "People," "The Party's Over," "Time After Time" and many others. Lundgren has also enlarged the trio on half a dozen numbers, inviting vocalists Cæcelie Norby ("Make Someone Happy," "The Party's Over") and Mark Murphy ("What Makes the Sunset," "The Things We Did Last Summer") and tenor saxophonist Eric Alexander ("It's You or No One," "Guess I'll Hang My Tears Out to Dry") to help enliven the session. Why he found it necessary to do so is anyone's guess, but Alexander's fiery commentary is welcome in any framework, no questions asked, and he burns some serious rubber on "It's You or No One."

The trio sans guests opens with "You Say You Care" and "People," closes with "Time After Time" and "I Fall in Love Too Easily" and is heard as well on "Dance Only with Me." Lundgren, bassist Mattias Svensson and drummer Morten Lund are fastened at the hips, Lundgren solos astutely on every number, and Svensson and Lund respond emphatically whenever their names are called. While Norby and Murphy are, to me, the shaky links in the chain, those who appreciate vocals more than I may see that quite differently.

In any event, Lundgren, his capable colleagues and Alexander's impassioned tenor make the album well worth one's consideration, as do the wonderful songs by the great Jule Styne. ~Jack Bowers

Plays The Music Of Jule Styne

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Walt Dickerson - To My Queen

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 32:26
Size: 74.3 MB
Styles: Post bop, Vibraphone jazz
Year: 1962/1996
Art: Front

[17:30] 1. To My Queen
[11:01] 2. How Deep Is The Ocean
[ 3:54] 3. God Bless The Child

To My Queen is Walt Dickerson's crowning achievement, a perfect balance between his intellectually advanced concepts and deeply felt passion. Dickerson had always displayed a fertile imagination, but there hadn't been much indication that his vision could be as expansive as it was on To My Queen. Never before had he attempted such extended, freely structured performances, which makes the album's consistency and focus all the more impressive. Like the foreground of a canvas, the listener's attention naturally falls on the title cut, a side-long, 17-and-a-half-minute opus (written in tribute to his wife, Elizabeth) that became Dickerson's signature piece. It's deliberate, spare, and tender, with the soloists accompanied by either a gentle swing or the barest hints of support. Dickerson's shimmering opening statements are followed by thoughtful explorations from pianist Andrew Hill and bassist George Tucker, while drummer Andrew Cyrille offers subtle, whisper-quiet shadings, save for occasional drum rolls that come off like momentarily swelling passions amidst all the introspection. The second half of the album maintains the mood set by the first, featuring an 11-minute version of "How Deep Is the Ocean" and a vibes/bass duet on "God Bless the Child" that trumps Dickerson's earlier effort in the same vein. This is arguably the finest quartet Dickerson ever led, not just because of the advanced musicianship and sympathetic interplay, but also because each member serves the material with taste and care. The whole album is swathed in a gauzy glow that speaks even more eloquently than its creator's conceptual ambition; this is music from the heart as well as the mind. ~Steve Huey

To My Queen

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Buddy DeFranco & Oscar Peterson - Buddy DeFranco Meets The Oscar Peterson Quartet - Hark

Styles: Clarinet Jazz 
Year: 1985
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 49:46
Size: 115,8 MB
Art: Front

( 7:00)  1. All Too Soon
( 5:04)  2. Summer Me, Winter Me
(11:09)  3. Llovisna (Light Rain)
( 5:13)  4. By Myself
( 5:23)  5. Joy Spring
( 5:08)  6. This Is All I Ask
( 6:31)  7. Hark
( 4:18)  8. Why Am I

This CD reissue of a Pablo date by clarinetist Buddy DeFranco teams him with pianist Oscar Peterson, guitarist Joe Pass, bassist Niels Pedersen and drummer Martin Drew. They perform a few obscure originals plus Duke Ellington's "All Too Soon," "By Myself" and Clifford Brown's "Joy Spring." DeFranco has been very consistent throughout his long recording career but the presence of Peterson and Pass clearly inspired him to play even better than usual. Recommended. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/hark-mw0000201630

Personnel: Buddy DeFranco (clarinet); Oscar Peterson (piano); Joe Pass (guitar); Niels-Henning Orsted Pedersen (bass); Martin Drew (drums)                

Buddy DeFranco Meets The Oscar Peterson Quartet - Hark

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Lannie Garrett - Comes Love

Styles: Vocal
Year: 1995
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 55:01
Size: 126,2 MB
Art: Front

(4:12)  1. Easy Street
(2:34)  2. You're A Sweetheart
(5:13)  3. Detour Ahead
(3:53)  4. I Don't Know Enough About You
(4:06)  5. Invitation To The Blues
(3:41)  6. You're Lookin' At Me
(4:54)  7. I Wonder
(3:15)  8. You Can Be Replaced
(4:56)  9. Easy Living
(4:14) 10. Comes Love
(3:42) 11. Pickin' Up After You
(4:19) 12. Falling Back In Love With You
(4:15) 13. Time After Time
(1:42) 14. Go Slow

With a play list featuring, but not limited to, torch songs, Lannie Garrett's third album zeros in on her versatility in delivering a set of 14 tunes cutting across different styles of music. Garrett's home base is Denver, CO, where she was named "Favorite Female Vocalist" six years in a row by the Denver Post. Along the way, she has appeared with such luminaries as Bob Hope and Bill Cosby and opened for her idol Ray Charles. On this album, Garrett is joined by a cluster of very good musicians with the trio of Eric Gunnison, Mike Marlier, and Kenny Walker augmented by other musicians on various tracks. Prominent jazz-pop sax player Nelson Rangell shows up on several as saxophonist, flutist, and whistler! He whistles well, but he is no Elmo Tanner. Rangell's soulful tenor saxophone on "I Didn't Know Enough About You" helps to create a depressing mood that seems to be proper for this not-so-happy tune. Rangell turns whistler on "I Wonder," which Garrett leans on to construct a chilling picture of a dark, rainy street scene as she works through this tune. His tenor returns taking on a funky tone as Garrett goes vamp on the not oft recorded "You Can Be Replaced." Things get a bit brighter on "Comes Love" as Kevin Bollinger's muted trumpet figures beneath Garrett's voice and around Eric Gunnison's piano. Mitch Chmara's electric guitar makes significant contributions on this track. One of the highlights of the album is a vocal duet rendition of "Pickin' Up After You" as Garrett is joined by Tommy Malone from the the Subdudes. Together they fashion a colorful blend of Motown and country, with Kevin Bollinger's trumpet providing the bulk of the instrumental support. Contrast this with the other vocal duet on the set where Garrett and Chris Daniels of the Kings blend for a medium tempo, bouncy straightforward interpretation of Bobby Troup's "You're Lookin' at Me."This album amply demonstrates that Garrett is comfortable with any number of vocal styles, straight-ahead singing, R&B, country, and the blues. Although her vocal skills are not extraordinary, she certainly puts everything she has into each song she delivers, making her effort very credible as well as entertaining. This album is a set of good performances from a well-rounded entertainer and is recommended. ~ Dave Nathan https://www.allmusic.com/album/comes-love-mw0000238877  

?Personnel: Lannie Garrett (vocals); Chris Daniels (vocals, acoustic guitar); Tommy Malone (vocals); Kip Kuepper (strings); Nelson Rangell (saxophone, flute, whistle); Kevin Bollinger (trumpet); Eric Gunnison (piano); Mitch Chmara (guitar); Kenny Walker (bass); Mike Marler (drums).             

Comes Love

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Joshua Redman Quartet - MoodSwing

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1994
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 69:58
Size: 160,7 MB
Art: Front

( 8:43)  1. Sweet Sorrow
( 7:43)  2. Chill
(11:12)  3. Rejoice
( 4:33)  4. Faith
( 5:05)  5. Alone In The Morning
( 5:50)  6. Mischief
( 5:43)  7. Dialogue
( 5:12)  8. The Oneness Of Two (In Three)
( 4:53)  9. Past In The Present
( 6:54) 10. Obsession
( 4:05) 11. Headin' Home

In the extensive liner notes of this CD, tenor saxophonist Joshua Redman writes that the main problem with jazz at the time was not the music but the public perception of it as forbidding and overly intellectual; that in reality jazz is quite fun and emotional. Those descriptions can certainly be applied to Redman's music, which, while pulling at the boundaries of modern hard bop, is also fairly easy to grab on to. Joined by his regular bandmembers of the period (pianist Brad Mehldau, bassist Christian McBride and drummer Brian Blade), Redman performs a full set of originals which, although not derivative, do fit into the straight-ahead tradition. At this point in time, Redman was growing from album to album, having already started at a high level. A fine outing. 

~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/moodswing-mw0000117047

Joshua Redman Quartet: Joshua Redman (tenor & soprano saxophone); Brad Mehldau (piano); Christian McBride (acoustic bass); Brian Blade (drums).   

MoodSwing

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Jeremy Steig - Something Else

Styles: Flute Jazz
Year: 1989
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 69:09
Size: 160,5 MB
Art: Front

(4:40)  1. Home
(4:52)  2. Cakes
(4:12)  3. Swamp Carol
(4:15)  4. Down Strech
(6:52)  5. Give Me Some
(8:02)  6. Come With Me
(2:22)  7. Dance Of The Mind
(5:23)  8. Up Tempo Thing
(5:55)  9. Elefant Hump
(3:03) 10. Rock # 6
(6:32) 11. Slow Blues
(5:52) 12. Rock # 9
(7:04) 13. Something Else

One of the early pioneers of fusion, flutist Jeremy Steig often gets a bit overlooked in jazz history books because he did not record much for major labels. This particular CD reissue, which was originally titled "Fusion," is an excellent showcase for this artist, who is heard on the regular flute, an alto flute, a bass flute, and a piccolo. He is joined by keyboardist Jan Hammer, electric bassist Gene Perla (replaced by Eddie Gomez on two numbers), and drummer/percussionist Don Alias. They perform 12 diverse Steig originals (some of which were co-written with Hammer) and one tune by the keyboardist, music that straddle the boundaries between early fusion, post-bop, blues, and swinging jazz. Steig is heard throughout in prime form on this somewhat scarce budget release of material originally cut for the Groove Merchant label. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/something-else-mw0000194566

Personnel: Jeremey Steig (flute, alto & bass flutes, alto piccolo); Jan Hammer (electric piano, Chinese gong); Eddie Gomez, Gene Perla (bass); Don Alias (drums, congas, clap drums, percussion)        

Something Else

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Jonathan Butler - Do You Love Me?

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 1997
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 52:59
Size: 121,5 MB
Art: Front

(4:10)  1. Song for Elizabeth
(4:34)  2. Do You Love Me?
(4:33)  3. The Other Side of the World
(4:43)  4. Life After You
(4:05)  5. New Life
(4:16)  6. Dancing on the Shore
(4:29)  7. You Don't Belong To Me
(3:54)  8. The Way You Look Tonight
(4:18)  9. Amen
(4:01) 10. A Kiss
(5:26) 11. Lost to Love
(4:23) 12. My Only Joy

On Jonathan Butler's N2K Encoded Music debut, Do You Love Me, he continues his jack-of-two-trades approach, balancing R&B-based vocal tunes with easy, acoustic guitar-based instrumentals. While it's a friendly enough listen, Butler here doesn't display a powerful enough mastery of either format. His guttural, heartfelt vocal style reminiscent of Jon Secada can make even the most Lionel Richie-esque lyric seem deeper than it is (even a new song with a title like "The Way You Look Tonight"), but few of the adult-oriented vocal tunes here are as memorable or hooky as his best-known hit, "Sarah Sarah." "Do You Love Me?," for instance, should be a deep, emotional moment, but comes off as a pleasant, easily dismissed conversation. Fortunately, "You Don't Belong to Me" has more lyrical bite, nicely underscored with a percussive guitar line underneath his angry tone. Butler should put more of that pointed energy into his play-it-safe instrumentals, which generally gallop along smoothly without building much steam. The best one can do with this sort of album is like Butler a lot. ~ Jonathan Widran https://www.allmusic.com/album/do-you-love-me-mw0000595283

Personnel: Jonathan Butler (vocals, guitar, programming); Tom Scott (soprano saxophone, synthesizer); Kirk Whalum (tenor saxophone); Dave Grusin (Fender Rhodes); Larry Kimpel (bass, fretless bass, background vocals); Portia Griffin, Yvonne Williams, Earl Buffington (background vocals).           

Do You Love Me?

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Dutch Swing College Band - A Happy Dixie Christmas

Size: 114,6 MB
Time: 48:24
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2013
Styles: Jazz/Xmas
Art: Front

01. I'm Dreaming Of A White Christmas (3:44)
02. Jingle Bells (2:29)
03. Blue Christmas (Feat. Lils Mackintosh) (3:21)
04. Let It Snow (3:04)
05. Christmas In New Orleans (Feat. Lils Mackintosh) (3:28)
06. Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer (3:48)
07. The Christmas Song - Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas - Christmas Blues (5:27)
08. Jingle Bell Rock (2:43)
09. O Tannenbaum (3:26)
10. I'll Be Home For Christmas (Feat. Lils Mackintosh) (3:58)
11. Winter Wonderland (3:27)
12. We Wish You A Merry Christmas (3:05)
13. Santa Claus Is Comin' To Town (3:09)
14. The Christmas Saints (Feat. Lils Mackintosh) (3:10)

The Dutch Swing College Band, the most leading and best-known jazz orchestra in the Netherlands, brings a full-blown, fun-filled Christmas program and revives classics like Jingle bells, Let it snow and Rudolph the red nosed reindeer with her swinging traditional jazz interpretations. Singer Margriet Sjoerdsma adds an extra dimension to the performance. With her unique approach and great timing she is together with the Dutch Swing College Band to guarantee an evening of musical fireworks!

A Happy Dixie Christmas

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Debby Yeager - Mood Swing (21st Anniversary Remastered)

Size: 134,7 MB
Time: 57:55
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 1996/2017
Styles: Jazz Vocals
Art: Front

01. My Little Boat (5:28)
02. The Day It Rained (4:10)
03. Senor Blues (5:44)
04. Summer Dreams (4:36)
05. Reza (4:30)
06. Chances Are (3:56)
07. New Song / Venice Beach Memory (3:29)
08. You Don't Know What Love Is (5:16)
09. Pucker Up (4:45)
10. Nothing Like You (3:15)
11. True Turtle Tale (2:01)
12. Songo Mongo (4:59)
13. It Might As Well Be Spring (5:40)

The pulling power of the names of top stars is quite strong. Here the attraction is Bob Dorough who is "featured" on jazz vocalist Debby Yeager's initial album. "Featured" translates into duets with Yeager on two of the album's 12 cuts. Nonetheless, after this release Yeager should have some pulling power of her own. Showing an affinity to a wide swath of Latin music, she combines that syncopation of a jazz singer with the lyrical feel of a good cabaret singer, where that feel is needed. But it's the use of her voice as an instrument that sets her apart. On an exhilarating, exciting "Songo Mongo" her wordless vocalizing fits right in there with the pulsating piano of Mark Massey and the tenor sax of Doug Webb andSteve Crum on trumpet. There are times when Yeager comes across like a one-person New York Voices or Manhattan Transfer, so much energy does she exude with her voice. Other times she can deliver an ear-grabbing version of a tune like "My Little Boat" with distinctive and, more important, subtle phrasing. There is no need to pull any vocal gimmick from the bag of vocal tricks to put the song across. And once more, her voice is part of the overall musical tableau in which this song is presented and which makes it one of the more attractive tracks on the CD. The fretless bass of Marco Mendoza is prominent. Setting aside the voice as an instrument approach for a while, she gives full ballad treatment to "The Day It Rained" riding atop Webb's soulful flute, and has some fun with spoken semi-novelty tune "True Turtle Tale." Oh yes, the two cuts with Dorough are OK too, with "Nothing Like You" the better of the two cuts. ~ by Dave Nathan

Mood Swing

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Brian Charette - Kurrent

Size: 136,8 MB
Time: 58:12
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2017
Styles: Jazz
Art: Front

01. Doll Fin (8:02)
02. Time Changes (4:36)
03. Mano Y Mano (5:41)
04. Intermezzo 1 (0:22)
05. Honeymoon Phase (4:02)
06. Schooby's Riff (7:23)
07. Intermezzo 2 (1:26)
08. Conquistador (5:26)
09. 5th Base (6:34)
10. The Shape Of Green (6:21)
11. Intermezzo 3 (2:04)
12. Catfish Sandwich (6:11)

A mainstay of the New York scene since the '90s, organist Brian Charette has a worldly view on music that makes it hard to contain all his pent up musical energies in a conventional way. This partly explains why his recent spate of records for the Posi-Tone label seemed to satisfy while still leaving one with the nagging feeling that Charette has so much more to say then can be contained in the radio-friendly time limits set by the label.

This very fact makes his recent self-released set Kurrent the breakthrough offering that we have all been waiting for with baited breath. It's a diverse and disparate recital that manages to cover a whole lot of ground while still retaining a cohesive whole and identity. That is a task easier said than done and that makes this disc all the more satisfying.

The first three tracks alone cover quite a good deal of ground. "Doll Fin" is a definite groover that deceptively seems to be in an odd meter. "Time Changes" has a title that explains itself while striking a more conventional organ trio pose. With "Mano Y Mano," robot-like vocal riffs compete with a triplet heavy melody which itself stalks a backbeat groove, only to give way to Ben Monder's rocking metal licks. Elsewhere, Monder conjures up further mind-bending licks, sounding particularly incendiary on the rollicking "5th Base." At the other end of the spectrum, his fat-toned statements on "Conquistador" recall Jim Hall's with their logic and story-telling candor.

Charette seamlessly blends keyboard patches with his organ textures in a way that makes perfect sense and pushes the envelope in terms of what can be accomplished with such forward-thinking ideas. "The Shape of Green" is a great place to experience the mélange of styles. Starting out with guitar and organ counterpoint in a melody suggesting a Bach cantata, things quickly launch into the stratosphere with spacey resonances and more of Monder's spikey guitar. On the previously mentioned "Conquistador," Charette's solo includes the type of sign wave manipulations typical of early Moog synthesizers, while his Rhodes delivers an angular melody over a heavy backbeat.

Responsible for anchoring the grooves and navigating the ever-changing landscapes of Charette's originals, drummer Jordan Young has a formidable task to accomplish. Yet like Charette, his range of abilities is more impressively demonstrated here than on any other session he has been heard on to date. His drum fills are superb as he vamps on the closing riff of "Honeymoon Phase." On "Catfish Sandwich," the funky closer which sounds like Chitlin' Circuit fare on steroids, Young's assertive voice takes the piece to its apex with the drummer's ringing snare and open toms adding to the overall character of the piece.

While there seems to be a tendency these days for mainstream and experimental audiences to keep their distances from each other, Kurrent crosses the divide in a way that is sure to please both camps. ~By C. Andrew Hovan

Personnel: Brian Charette: organ/electronics; Ben Monder: guitar; Jordan Young: drums/electronics.

Kurrent

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Friend 'N Fellow - Fairy Godmother

Size: 106,2 MB
Time: 45:06
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 1995/2017
Styles: Jazz/Blues/Pop Vocals
Art: Front

01. Unhurt World (4:14)
02. In My Dreams (3:34)
03. Reverence For A Friend (3:26)
04. I'd Better Go (4:29)
05. Little Brother (2:56)
06. Now You Are Here (4:01)
07. Fairy Godmother (3:21)
08. F.G.M. (Long-Distance Call) (1:15)
09. Favourite Song (3:39)
10. Stars 'n Guitars (0:25)
11. Wake Up! (4:22)
12. The Wind Cries Mary (3:34)
13. Day By Day (1:52)
14. Friend 'N Fellow (Encore) (0:17)
15. It Makes No Difference (We Have The Same Sense) (3:37)

The duo Friend 'N Fellow had released a total of 6 CDs between 1995 and 2003, including the successful Ruf Records debut Home (which also contains a song together with their musical supporter Luther Allison) and the successor album Purple Rose. In the meantime, they became the favorites of the HiFi scene with their intense reduction to the essentials and their sound. Their reputation as outstanding live musicians with concerts in many countries over the world was documented with the double album Live. After some of the albums of these early years were not available anymore, their new label Doctor Heart Music decided to release a CD-Box with all 6 CDs.

For the first time, Fairy Godmother will also be available in stores - an album that the two musicians have sold exclusively at their concerts.

Fairy Godmother

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Charlie Apicella & Iron City - One Night Only: A Tribute To Jack McDuff

Size: 135,1 MB
Time: 58:08
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2017
Styles: Jazz Blues
Art: Front

01. Spain Blues (4:57)
02. Lookin' East (Feat. Sonny Fortune) (7:07)
03. Song Of The Soul (6:09)
04. Minor Mishap (6:28)
05. Is This Love (6:51)
06. Dink's Blues (6:32)
07. Sleeping Susan (8:06)
08. Woman You Must Be Crazy (6:16)
09. Struttin' With Some Barbecue (5:38)

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

“Apicella is a lithe, swinging guitarist with an affinity for the contrasting styles of both Grant Green and Wes Montgomery…An all-around impressive debut by a guitarist of substance.” MARK GARDNER, Jazz Journal

Classic jazz guitar tone and phrasing are the cornerstone of Charlie Apicella’s playing. He is the leader of the organ trio Iron City and has produced three of the band’s recordings including “Big Boss” on ZOHO Records. He has published lessons for DownBeat and Just Jazz Guitar magazines and was featured twice in Vintage Guitar magazine.

His straight-ahead sound has him among the first call as an accompanist for vocalists and his Freddie Green-style rhythm guitar playing keeps him in constant demand for big bands.

He is on the summer faculty at Jazz House Kids in Montclair, NJ along with Christian McBride, Billy Hart, Steve Johns, Dave Stryker, et. al., and on the summer faculty at the Noel Pointer School in Brooklyn.

Charlie Apicella is a ZOHO recording artist, an Eastman Guitars Featured Artist and a ZT Amplifiers Official Artist.

One Night Only

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Ray Charles - U.S. Singles 1952-1962

Size: 146,7+137,4+158,0+158,0 MB
Time: 62:04+58:06+67:05+67:07
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2017
Styles: Jazz, Soul, R&B, Blues
Art: Front

CD 1:
01. Roll With Me Baby (2:34)
02. The Midnight Hour (2:58)
03. The Sun's Gonna Shine Again (2:35)
04. Jumpin' In The Morning (2:45)
05. Mess Around (2:38)
06. Funny (But I Still Love You) (3:11)
07. Feelin' Sad (2:47)
08. Heartbreaker (2:49)
09. It Should've Been Me (2:38)
10. Sinner's Prayer (3:21)
11. Don't You Know (2:53)
12. Losing Hand (3:09)
13. I've Got A Woman (2:49)
14. Come Back Baby (3:03)
15. This Little Girl Of Mine (2:30)
16. A Fool For You (3:00)
17. Blackjack (2:17)
18. Greenbacks (2:48)
19. Drown In My Own Tears (3:19)
20. Mary Ann (2:44)
21. Hallelujah I Love Her So (2:32)
22. What Would I Do Without You (2:34)

CD 2:
01. Lonely Avenue (2:32)
02. Leave My Woman Alone (2:38)
03. Ain't That Love (2:50)
04. I Want To Know (2:07)
05. It's All Right (2:13)
06. Get On The Right Track Baby (2:16)
07. Talkin' 'bout You (2:46)
08. What Kind Of Man Are You (2:47)
09. Yes, Indeed! (2:14)
10. I Had A Dream (2:51)
11. My Bonnie (2:45)
12. You Be My Baby (2:25)
13. Rockhouse, Pt. 1 & 2 (3:50)
14. Night Time Is The Right Time (3:21)
15. Tell All The World About You (1:59)
16. That's Enough (2:43)
17. Tell Me How Do You Feel (2:39)
18. What'd I Say, Pt. 1 & 2 (5:03)
19. I'm Movin' On (2:09)
20. I Believe To My Soul (2:58)
21. Let The Good Times Roll (2:50)

CD 3:
01. Don't Let The Sun Catch You Crying (3:43)
02. Just For A Thrill (3:22)
03. Tell The Truth (3:05)
04. Sweet Sixteen Bars (4:03)
05. Come Rain Or Come Shine (3:39)
06. Tell Me You'll Wait For Me (3:21)
07. Doodlin', Pt. 1 & 2 (5:50)
08. Early In The Morning (2:44)
09. A Bit Of Soul (2:17)
10. Am I Blue (3:36)
11. Hard Times (No One Knows Better Than I) (2:52)
12. I Wonder Who (2:45)
13. My Baby (I Love Her Yes I Do) (3:00)
14. Who You Gonna Love (2:01)
15. Sticks And Stones (2:13)
16. Worried Life Blues (3:05)
17. Georgia On My Mind (3:32)
18. Carry Me Back To Old Virginny (1:58)
19. Ruby (3:50)
20. Hard Hearted Hannah (3:14)
21. Them That Got (2:47)

CD 4:
01. I Wonder (2:32)
02. One Mint Julep (3:02)
03. Let's Go (2:39)
04. I've Got News For You (4:29)
05. I'm Gonna Move To The Outskirts Of Town (3:38)
06. Hit The Road Jack (1:57)
07. The Danger Zone (2:21)
08. Unchain My Heart (2:48)
09. But On The Other Hand Baby (3:10)
10. Baby It's Cold Outside (4:06)
11. Goodbye We'll Be Together Again (3:14)
12. Hide Nor Hair (3:08)
13. At The Club (2:58)
14. I Can't Stop Loving You (4:11)
15. Born To Lose (3:12)
16. You Don't Know Me (3:13)
17. Careless Love (3:55)
18. You Are My Sunshine (2:57)
19. Your Cheatin' Heart (3:32)
20. Take These Chains From My Heart (2:54)
21. No Letter Today (2:58)

Born in Georgia in 1930, Ray Charles was a legendary musician who pioneered the genre of soul music during the 1950s. Often called the "Father of Soul," Charles combined blues, gospel and jazz to create groundbreaking hits such as "Unchain My Heart," "Hit the Road Jack" and "Georgia on My Mind." He died in 2004, leaving a lasting impression on contemporary music.

U.S. Singles 1952-1962 CD 1
U.S. Singles 1952-1962 CD 2
U.S. Singles 1952-1962 CD 3
U.S. Singles 1952-1962 CD 4

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Sharon Porter & Matt Cooper - Two For The Road

Size: 136,1 MB
Time: 57:30
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2017
Styles: Jazz Vocals
Art: Front

01. Secret O Life (Feat. Scott Steed & Michael Waldrop) (3:45)
02. Everything But You (Feat. Scott Steed & Michael Waldrop) (2:57)
03. Everything Happens To Me (Feat. Michael Waldrop & Scott Steed) (4:10)
04. Summer In Central Park (Feat. Scott Steed & Micheal Waldrop) (3:05)
05. Straighten Up And Fly Right (2:41)
06. Ode To Billy Joe (Feat. Scott Steed & Michael Waldrop) (6:57)
07. Two For The Road (Feat. Scott Steed & Michael Waldrop) (3:35)
08. One Note Samba (3:29)
09. Valentine's Day (2:59)
10. Come Rain Or Come Shine (Feat. Scott Steed & Michael Waldrop) (3:55)
11. Whiter Shade Of Pale (4:12)
12. Cold Cold Heart (3:13)
13. Tulip Or Turnip (Feat. Scott Steed & Michael Waldrop) (3:08)
14. I Ain't Got Nothin' But The Blues (Feat. Scott Steed & Michael Waldrop) (5:27)
15. Teach Me Tonight (Feat. Scott Steed & Michael Waldrop) (3:50)

This road trip through the great American songbook runs the gamut from Duke Ellington to James Taylor. Matt Cooper was a prizewinner in the Monk Competition (1988), and is the author of a book on Ellington’s piano styles. Cooper crafts his accompaniments from a blend of jazz, classical and gospel styles that have been described by critics as “memorable,” “thoughtful,” and “masterful” (Eugene Weekly, Washington Post, Blue Light).

Vocalist Sharon Porter is a Rosemary Clooney-styled song stylist who’s not afraid to show her Kentucky roots. Her background includes singing in Cincinnati-area vocal jazz ensembles and Inland Northwest bluegrass groups. Cooper and Porter’s interplay is the fruit of nearly three decades of collaboration. They are backed here by a noteworthy pair of Spokane musicians: bassist Scott Steed (Joe Williams, Diane Schuur, Nancy King, Horace Silver) and drummer Michael Waldrop (Triangularity Trio, Michael Waldrop/Jack Cooper Big Band).

Two For The Road

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Dexter Gordon - A Night In Tunisia: The Very Best Of Dexter Gordon

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s

Time: 118:40

Size: 271.7 MB

Styles: Saxophone jazz

Year: 2014

Art: Front

[ 5:19] 1. I Guess I'll Hang My Tears Out To Dry

[ 7:33] 2. Darn That Dream

[ 8:18] 3. A Night In Tunisia

[ 8:49] 4. Willow Weep For Me

[ 6:35] 5. Cheese Cake

[ 6:41] 6. Broadway

[ 5:20] 7. Where Are You

[ 7:02] 8. Second Balcony Jump

[ 5:39] 9. Three O'clock In The Morning

[ 7:23] 10. Scrapple From The Apple

[ 6:03] 11. Don't Explain

[ 7:02] 12. Devilette

[18:18] 13. Tanya

[ 6:12] 14. It's You Or No One

[12:19] 15. Society Red

Dexter Gordon was born in Los Angeles, California, on February 27, 1923. His father, Frank Gordon, was the physician of several prominent jazz musicians, including Duke Ellington and Lionel Hampton.

Gordon took up the clarinet at age 13, switching to the saxophone shortly thereafter. Post-war Los Angeles was a center for jazz and a hotspot for the developing bebop style. This put Gordon in a perfect position to get his start among jazz greats, including Charles Mingus and Buddy Collette, while he was still a teenager. Gordon joined Lionel Hampton's band in 1940, rounding out a saxophone section that included Illinois Jacquet and Marshall Royal. In 1943, he made his first recordings under his own name and played with Louis Armstrong, Fletcher Henderson and Billy Eckstine. He left Eckstine after several years and settled in New York City, performing and recording with Charlie Parker. He released his most famous recordings with Blue Note in the 1960s. These albums included Go and A Swingin' Affair. Gordon took part in regular tenor saxophone duels with another West Coast player, Wardell Gray, during this period.

It was also in the '60s that Gordon left the United States to live in Europe, primarily Paris and Copenhagen. There, he played regularly with fellow expatriates and continued to record for Blue Note. Gordon experienced better treatment in Europe, as a black man and a jazz player, than he had in the United States. He also found the change of scenery helpful in his struggle to kick his heroin habit, which had twice led to his imprisonment. While living in Denmark, Gordon became friends with the family of future Metallica drummer Lars Ulrich, and was later named as Ulrich's godfather. Gordon returned to the United States in 1976. He performed a celebrated homecoming show at the Village Vanguard in New York and began recording regularly with Columbia Records. His albums with Columbia are credited with popularizing acoustic jazz that was not necessarily recorded in a crossover style.

In addition to his formidable musical talent, Gordon was an accomplished actor. In 1986, he starred in the film Round Midnight, receiving an Academy Award nomination (best actor) for his performance. He appeared in several other films and television shows, including the movie Awakenings, starring Robin Williams and Robert De Niro. Awakenings was released after Gordon's death, in 1990.

A Night In Tunisia: The Very Best Of Dexter Gordon 

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Matt Bianco - Gravity

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 48:36
Size: 111.3 MB
Styles: Contemporary jazz
Year: 2017
Art: Front

[3:55] 1. Joyride
[4:31] 2. Invisible
[4:23] 3. Gravity
[4:40] 4. Heart In Chains
[3:58] 5. Solace
[5:50] 6. Summer In The City
[4:18] 7. Before It's Too Late
[3:24] 8. Am Pm
[5:04] 9. Paradise
[4:17] 10. The Autumn Leaves Are Falling
[4:11] 11. Joyride (Mark de Clive Rowe remix)

For their fifteenth album, frontman, vocalist and songwriter Mark Reilly recruited a superb new band featuring Swedish sax- and flute-star Magnus Lindgren and a large chunk of Jamie Cullum's group. Their mission: reviving and modernizing Matt Bianco's bossa and jazz roots, while keeping the easygoing swing of former successes, built around the singularly recognizable dry-martini-voice of Mark Reilly. The result is an energetic, yet relaxed collection of ten original songs, with enough gravity to please their most sophisticated admirers and plenty of new fans, who might have been bitten by the jazz bug via a Gregory Porter or Jamie Cullum.

Gravity

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