Big John Patton - Let 'em Roll

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s

Time: 39:50

Size: 91.2 MB

Styles: Bop, Soul-jazz

Year: 1965/1993

Art: Front

[6:48] 1. Let 'em Roll

[7:20] 2. Latona

[6:52] 3. The Shadow Of Your Smile

[6:45] 4. The Turnaround

[5:35] 5. Jakey

[6:27] 6. One Step Ahead

Drums – Otis Finch; Guitar – Grant Green; Organ – John Patton; Vibraphone [Vibes] – Bobby Hutcherson. Recorded on December 11, 1965.

In an unusual setting for a groove/soul jazz setting, B3 organist extraordinaire big John Patton creates a band around himself that includes Grant Green, drummer Otis Finch, and vibraphonist Bobby Hutcherson. It's truly weird to think of vibes on a groove date, but the way Patton's understated playing works, and the way Green is literally all things to all players, Hutcherson's role is not only a clearly defined one, but adds immeasurably to both depth and texture on this date. What also makes this possible is the symbiotic relationship between Patton and Green. There is a double groove conscious swing happening on every track here, from the bluesed-out slip and slide of the title track which opens the record to a killer version of Hank Mobley's "The Turnaround," which expands the blues vibe into solid soul territory because of Hutcherson's ability to play pianistically and slip into the funk groove whenever necessary. Green's deadly in his solo on the track, shimmering arpeggios through Patton's big fat chords and chunky hammering runs. Also notable are Patton's own tunes, the most beautiful of which is "Latona," a floating Latin number with a killer salsa rhythm in 6/8. As Patton vamps through the chorus, Green slips in one of his gnarliest solos ever. It begins with a groove like run in the hard bop blues and then shoves itself into overdrive, capturing the cold sweat of a Bola Sete or Wes Montgomery in his groove years. But when Green goes for the harmonic edges, all bets are off: Hutcherson lays out, and he and Patton go running to the bridge and bring the melody back just in time to take it out. This is one of the least appreciated of Patton's records, and there's no reason for it; it is great. ~Thom Jurek

Let'em Roll 

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Courtney Pine - Black Notes From The Deep

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 41:09
Size: 94.2 MB
Styles: Saxophone jazz
Year: 2017
Art: Front

[3:11] 1. Rules
[4:51] 2. You Know Who You Are
[3:19] 3. Darker Than The Blue
[5:35] 4. Rivers Of Blood
[3:15] 5. In Another Time
[4:53] 6. The Morning After The Night Before
[4:25] 7. A Change Is Sure To Come
[6:27] 8. How Many More
[3:56] 9. Butterfly
[1:13] 10. A Word To The Wise

Ever one to mix things up, Britain’s most celebrated jazzer follows a low-key ballads album with a collection centred on funk-oriented duets with vocalist Omar, though Courtney Pine – back on tenor sax for the first time in years – conjures assorted moods. Rivers of Blood is a brooding meditation taking its title from Enoch Powell’s 1968 racist speech, while A Change Is Sure to Come is a wistful, flute-driven piece. Omar brings an elegant touch to Herbie Hancock’s Butterfly, and snappy vitality to opener Rules. Robert Mitchell’s piano shines among a supporting trio, and Pine, whether in contemplation or post-bop flurry, shows why he’s still top dog. ~Neil Spencer

Black Notes From The Deep

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Yusef Lateef - Part Of The Search

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 38:14
Size: 87.5 MB
Styles: Saxophone jazz
Year: 1974/2006
Art: Front

[3:42] 1. K.C. Shuffle
[0:39] 2. Oatsy Doatsy 1
[2:27] 3. Soul's Bakery
[3:25] 4. Lunceford Prance
[3:41] 5. Rock House
[0:15] 6. Oatsy Doatsy 2
[3:36] 7. In The Still Of The Night
[3:25] 8. Superfine
[4:11] 9. Strange Lullaby
[2:56] 10. Big Bass Drum
[9:53] 11. Getting Sentimental

Yusef Lateef's Atlantic albums tended to be erratic affairs with plenty of chances taken and the overall results being a mixed success. This set (reissued on CD) is one of his better efforts from the era. Lateef, doubling on tenor and alto this time, is backed not only by his trio but a big band, string quartet, three background vocalists and a variety of electric keyboardists and guitarists. There are enough good tracks (particularly "Lunceford Prance," "Rockhouse" and "I'm Gettin' Sentimental Over You") to make this a release worth checking out. ~Scott Yanow

Part Of The Search

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Cilla Owens - 'tis What It Is

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 54:20
Size: 124.4 MB
Styles: Jazz vocals
Year: 2008
Art: Front

[4:11] 1. I Mean You
[4:17] 2. Little Niles
[3:24] 3. Thou Swell
[2:06] 4. Twisted
[4:57] 5. 'tis What It Is
[5:18] 6. The Nearness Of You
[7:40] 7. Little Sunflower
[3:23] 8. You Don't Know What Love Is
[6:15] 9. What Is This Thing Called Love
[4:13] 10. Simple Samba
[4:20] 11. Take The 'a' Train
[4:12] 12. Fine And Mellow

Cilla Owens' credits include appearances at Lincoln Center, Carnegie Hall, The Blue Note, the original Small's Paradise, Symphony Space, Henry Street Settlement Playhouse, and the legendary Village Gate. She has performed in Germany, the Caribbean, and at various music festivals including Jazzmobile, The Newport Summer Fest, and La Fete de la Musique. For several years she performed with the Great Day Chorale, dedicated to the preservation of the Negro Spiritual, under the inimitable direction of master musicologist Louvinia Pointer. Cilla Owens is presently the Director of the Jazz Vocal Workshop at Hunter College/CUNY, where she earned a second B.A. in Music, and a M.A. in Performance. She is also the founder/director of the Jazzvox Performance Workshop as well as a private vocal coach.

Throughout the years Cilla has had the pleasure of performing with a variety of artists including Lionel Hampton, Bross Townsend, Michael Hill, Bob Cunningham, Tony Lewis, and Babi Floyd. She is a regular at the historic Cornelia Street Cafe in Greenwich Village, where she gets to rock the house along with Paul Shapiro's 'Ribs And Brisket Revue'.

'tis What It Is

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Jackie McLean - A Fickle Sonance

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 35:03
Size: 80.2 MB
Styles: Bop, Saxophone jazz
Year: 1961/2000
Art: Front

[7:03] 1. Five Will Get You Ten
[5:51] 2. Subdued
[4:51] 3. Sundu
[6:46] 4. A Fickle Sonance
[5:44] 5. Enitnerrut
[4:44] 6. Lost

Alto saxophonist Jackie McLean was one of the few jazz players to come up through bebop and incorporate free jazz into his style. Even though A Fickle Sonance preceded McLean's intense 1962 album Let Freedom Ring, the playing remained in a swinging blues-oriented style, showing no hint of the direction his music was about to take. The sidemen on the date (Tommy Turrentine [trumpet], Sonny Clark [piano], and Butch Warren [bass]) prove to be an invigorating combination of musicians, however not as involved in the burgeoning free music as drummer Billy Higgins. At the time of these sessions, Higgins had already played with Ornette Coleman, providing a link to the avant-garde, but nevertheless his playing follows the hard bop pace of the others. McLean provides two original compositions, "Subdued" and the title track, while Clark, Turrentine, and Warren fill the remaining tracks. ~Al Campbell

A Fickle Sonance

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Bobby Previte's Weather Clear Track Fest - Hue And Cry

Styles: Jazz, Post Bop
Year: 1993
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 57:55
Size: 133,4 MB
Art: Front

( 4:05)  1. Hubbub
( 5:59)  2. Smack-Dab
( 6:04)  3. Move Heaven And Earth
(14:10)  4. 700 Camels
( 7:03)  5. Valerie
(13:16)  6. Hue And Cry
( 7:15)  7. For John Laughlan And All That We Stood For.

Hue and Cry features an eight-strong, all-star version of Bobby Previte's Weather Clear, Track Fast band and results in one of his finest efforts as a leader. Along with Henry Threadgill, Previte, in the late '80s and early '90s, was one of the leading figures of avant-garde jazz, using mid-sized groups to explore complex compositional ideas more than as solo vehicles. He's also extremely adept at tension-and-release structures, often using what might have been an introductory riff for anyone else as an extended phrase, wringing out every bit of melody from it, and leaving the listener in a juicy state of anticipation for the eventual burst into the central theme. Previte uses an interesting pairing up in this band, with Don Byron and Marty Ehrlich often both playing clarinet, Robin Eubanks and Eddie Allen on brass, and, most prominently, Anthony Davis on piano alongside Larry Goldings' organ. Goldings is particularly out front on many of the pieces here, giving the band a very different cast from their earlier recording. 

Only the ambitious "700 Camels" fails to cohere completely; the remainder of the tracks all have both imaginative writing and (at the least) solid playing and soloing. On the other hand, the similarly lengthy title track pulls all the right switches, layering material in a rich fabric and hurtling toward a satisfying climax. The closing number is an unusual dirge, with Previte playing a martial rhythm, Davis trickling out single notes like rainfall, and Ehrlich keening on soprano. Recommended! ~ Brian Olewnick  https://www.cduniverse.com/search/xx/music/pid/1497658/a/hue+and+cry.htm

Personnel: Bobby Previte (drums), Marty Ehrlich (alto & tenor saxophones, clarinet, bass clarinet), Don Byron (baritone saxophone, clarinet), Eddie Allen (trumpet), Robin Eubanks (trombone), Anthony Davis (piano), Larry Goldings (organ), Anthony Cox (bass)

Hue And Cry

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Esther Williams - Inside Of Me

Styles: Vocal, Soul 
Year: 1981
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 36:51
Size: 85,3 MB
Art: Front

(7:49)  1. I'll Be Your Pleasure
(3:55)  2. Inside Of Me
(3:40)  3. Make It With You
(3:40)  4. You Are The Spice Of My Life
(4:28)  5. You Can Use It
(5:56)  6. Ready For Love
(3:42)  7. Who Said It Was Wrong
(3:38)  8. You Can Have It All

When Esther Williams' Inside of Me was first released in 1981, there was a lot of talk about how disco had died. To hear some people tell it, disco was so out of fashion in 1981 that even Donna Summer was trying to be new wave. But truth be told, disco was quite plentiful in 1981. Disco never died; it evolved and diversified, and new terms emerged in the ‘'80s (dance-pop, deep house, Hi-NRG). Williams enjoyed some exposure in dance clubs in 1981, especially with her seductive hit "I'll Be Your Pleasure" (which opens this album). Inside of Me, which the Brooklyn-based Funky Town Grooves reissued on CD in 2011, doesn't get into Euro-disco at all; rather, Williams favors a disco-soul approach (à la Loleatta Holloway or Jocelyn Brown) on club-friendly offerings such as "I'll Be Your Pleasure," "You Can Have It All," and "You Can Use It." 

But it would be a mistake to think that Inside of Me is strictly an album of uptempo dance grooves. Actually, the slower jams are very much in the Philadelphia soul vein, including "You Are the Spice of My Life," "Ready for Love," and the title song. So even though some parts of this 36-minute CD are club-friendly, other parts of it have a lot of quiet storm appeal. Inside of Me was not a huge commercial hit when it first came out on LP back in 1981; regardless, this is a solid effort from the talented but underexposed Williams (who married Washington, D.C.-based jazz saxophonist Davey Yarborough and shouldn't be confused with the actress who appeared in all those MGM musicals in the '40s and '50s). And it is good to see Inside of Me reissued on CD after being out of print for many years. ~ Alex Henderson https://www.allmusic.com/album/inside-of-me-mw0000847118               

Inside Of Me

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Gare du Nord - Kind of Cool

Styles: Smooth Jazz, Future Jazz 
Year: 2003
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 54:47
Size: 143,4 MB
Art: Front

(5:11)  1. Kind Of Cool 1 (Inner City Groove)
(5:49)  2. Sold My Soul
(4:14)  3. L'Hôtel Beat
(6:08)  4. Panchira (Rasa Clinic, 1962)
(5:29)  5. Profondo Blu
(4:13)  6. Dark Chill
(4:59)  7. Kind Of Cool 2 (Miles Et Juliette)
(4:35)  8. Chinese Whispers, Japanese Strings
(3:38)  9. You're So Tight
(4:45) 10. Yo... Que Pasa?
(4:27) 11. I'm Not A Woman, I'm Not A Man
(1:13) 12. Très Cool

As I fluttered through the album shelf in a well-known store, one album caught my eye more than others. Perhaps it is the exotic French inscription, Gare du Nord, or the oval and intriguing wrapping, but in my opinion the combination of the two is the winner, since at that time the journey still clung to me following my return from Paris and I have always loved the purple color.  Gare du Nord is the busiest train station in Europe and is located in the heart of Paris. The name means "the station of the north", and I think it is the most appropriate name for this pair, thanks to the versatility, urbanity, speed and changing styles that characterize railway stations in general and their music in particular. This is the second album of the French-inspired duo, which originally came from Germany and Belgium. Most of the songs were produced in large industrial cities such as Memphis, Berlin and London, and the album was produced in just three weeks. Despite the little time, the album is a delightful and colorful combination of sounds, languages and colors. A combination of different styles of blues, bossa nova, electronic music, jazz and a lot of soul that create one album with a clean and light sound and an uneven but complete musical line.

The album opens with the Kind Of Cool section, which has a distinctly urban feel. It was as if, at this moment, the door of the train car closed and galloped toward the next stop. A pleasant start accompanied by light jazz touches and an urban groove. Next, Sold My Soul, presents a different and different side from the opening, a combination of blues music touching along with wonderful and deep text, all of which is won by the pleasant voice of C Robert Walker who collaborates with the duo. In the fourth section, Panchira, Indian oriental music is associated with an amazing female voice and involves Western electronic rhythm. Panchira is a Japanese expression that was said to a Japanese girl with her skirt up and part of her body exposed. The album cover shows this picture not by chance. To a certain extent I felt that the duo had left no room for coincidence and closed all the edges, creating a clean and accurate album. The sixth track, Dark Chill , was written in the wake of the Twin Towers disaster, a symbol of the dark moments that accompany our lives. There is a mix of chilling media reports with threatening and mesmerizing music.

Later on the album the train continues to gallop between languages ??and places, Busana Nova melodies, light jazz and Latin rhythms. I could really feel the city, the place and the atmosphere in the wake of rooted music. The track that closes the album, Tres Cool, is like the final station, the sound of the groove from the opening returns again in a way that sums up the whole long trip. The auctioneer calls everyone to come down. Beyond the pleasant sounds that make you want to lie on a couch in the sun, it seems that the album is a quick urban creation of changing styles and sounds from one of the creators' ears. Beyond that, it hints at the universality of the Gare du Nord music center. The variety of styles that characterize the album gives it a special touch of internationality, a kind of touching the soul while riding a cool train around the world. When the final station is not known, every listener can choose a place to go down. Translate by Google  http://www.106fm.co.il/albums/12771

Kind of Cool

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Vincent Herring - Mr. Wizard

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2004
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 49:31
Size: 115,8 MB
Art: Front

(4:28)  1. All God's Children Got Rhythm
(4:43)  2. Citizen Of Zamunda
(4:05)  3. Hopscotch
(5:04)  4. You Leave Me Breathless
(5:04)  5. Four By Five
(7:43)  6. Encounters
(5:21)  7. Cassius
(7:19)  8. The Walk Home
(5:40)  9. Mr. Wizard

With more than a dozen discs as a leader under his belt, Vincent Herring has developed a foolproof prescription for making great records: employ compatible sidemen, choose appealing compositions and approach the music with zealous devotion. On Mr. Wizard the brilliant saxophonist follows this formula faultlessly and the result is another rewarding listening experience. Herring has one of the most recognizable voices on alto saxophone in music today and is increasingly developing his own personality on soprano as well, as heard on three of the nine tunes here. Joined by young veterans of his recent recordings  trumpeter Jeremy Pelt, bassist Richie Goods, drummer E.J. Strickland and an impressive newcomer in pianist Danny Grissett the leader navigates his quintet through a program mainly comprised of originals by the group’s members.  Beginning with a bebopping arrangement of “All God’s Children Got Rhythm,” featuring alternating alto and trumpet calls and responses in the melody and four bar exchanges with Strickland, the band shows where it’s coming from before Goods’ “Citizen Of Zamunda,” with its modernistic Native American sounding melody and rhythm featuring the leader’s soprano, demonstrates where it can go. Grissett’s “Hopscotch,” named for its stuttering introduction, is an engaging line that might easily be mistaken for a Horace Silver classic. Herring’s impassioned alto is particularly attractive on “You Leave Me Breathless.” The quintet fires up McCoy Tyner’s tricky “Four By Five” with admirable aplomb, breathing new life into a classic from a still neglected period of the jazz repertory. A second Grissett original, “Encounters,” is an harmonic exploration of the territory originally mined by Miles Davis’ ‘60s quintet, with the entire group blending into an expressive impressionism propelled by Strickland’s provocative percussion discussions. A pair from the pen of Pelt, “Cassius” and “The Walk Home,” the former a swinging affair and the latter a pensive waltz, demonstrates the trumpeter’s strength as a composer. Herring wraps up the date with his own “Mr. Wizard,” a Jazz Messengerish anthem that gives everybody in the band the kind of workout you can expect to hear in one of their exciting live performances. ~ Russ Musto https://www.allaboutjazz.com/mr-wizard-vincent-herring-review-by-russ-musto.php

Personnel: Vincent Herring: Alto Sax, Soprano Sax; Danny Grissett: Piano; Richie Goods: Bass; Jeremy Pelt: Trumpet; E.J. Strickland: Drums.

Mr. Wizard

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Louis Hayes - Serenade For Horace

Styles: Jazz, Post Bop

Year: 2017

File: MP3@320K/s

Time: 59:00

Size: 135,5 MB

Art: Front

(4:53)  1. Ecaroh

(5:20)  2. Señor Blues

(5:51)  3. Song For My Father (feat. Gregory Porter)

(4:08)  4. Hastings Street

(5:14)  5. Strollin'

(5:55)  6. Juicy Lucy

(5:03)  7. Silver's Serenade

(6:44)  8. Lonely Woman

(5:01)  9. Summer In Central Park

(5:49) 10. St. Vitus Dance

(4:56) 11. Room 608

This gem of a tribute album is, in the words of the poet Wordsworth, a "recollection in tranquility" conceived and led by drummer Louis Hayes in memory of his beloved lifelong friend, pianist Horace Silver. In 1956, Silver invited Hayes to New York City from his native Detroit to join the Horace Silver Quintet, which produced a series of ground-breaking Blue Note albums. Now, at 80, Hayes' drumming is as superb and as youthful as ever, a reason in itself to have this album. He brings together a group of seasoned, dedicated musicians to honor Silver, not by imitating or outdoing him, but by playing his music with great fidelity to Silver's ideas and the hard bop period which he helped to innovate. Thankfully, Hayes had the wisdom neither to copy nor expound upon but definitely emulate Silver's contribution in many respects. Pianist Tom Lawton has aptly summarized Silver's unique playing as follows: "Horace had a mixture of a very guttural approach to bebop: a percussive right-hand attack and often very raw, drum-like left-hand accents, (best example: "Opus de Funk"). He also explored a funky, gospel-tinged, soul and groove influenced music ("Song For My Father") that had a unique feel because of his father's origin in the island of Cape Verde." The Cape Verde Islands off the coast of West Africa were slave trade transit points to South America and the Caribbean and where Creole culture -so important to jazz originated, and which shares the Portuguese influence with Brazil. Silver composed his well- known "Song for My Father" after a trip to Brazil that profoundly influenced his subsequent playing. Silver was a prolific composer, sometimes adding his own lyrics. Most of his originals on this album are from the extended and extensive Blue Note recordings between 1952 and 1981. "Ecaroh" (Horace spelled backwards!) and "Room 608" are from the pre-Hayes Jazz Messenger period in which hard bop was literally invented. The album provides a retrospective that is firmly rooted in Silver and hard bop, but is more laid back and less feisty than the original Silver recordings.

The first tune, "Ecaroh" presages the whole album. Hayes' drumming is superb and measured, in contrast to the banal prestidigitation we hear too often. His swing is lighter and more subtle than in the Silver era, perhaps influenced a bit by Elvin Jones. The horn players Abraham Burton on tenor saxophone and Josh Evans on trumpet, vibraphonist Steve Nelson, and bassist Dezron Douglas are completely in service of the music rather than inserting their own idiosyncracies. Next, the iconic "Señor Blues" is a tad slower than on the Silver recording Live at Newport '58 (Blue Note, 2008). Hayes and the group emphasize the R&B influence over the Latin rhythm implied in the title. The saxophone and trumpet work is sharp and clean, echoing Silver Newport cohorts Junior Cookand Louis Smith. Guest vocalist Gregory Porter does a fine if understated delivery of "Song for My Father" with inflections that bear a distinct resemblance to Kurt Elling. The Brazilian samba rhythm that influenced Silver in writing this song comes through clearly. Dee Dee Bridgewater's version (Love and Peace: A Tribute to Horace Silver, Verve, 1995) is faster and more intense. Porter is closer to Silver's intention, but Silver's inspired piano improvisations on this song are well worth going back to for their own sake. At the suggestion of the producer Maxine Gordon, Hayes wrote one original for the collection. "Hastings Street" was stimulated by his memories of Detroit and is a "classic" hard bop tune that is a prefect vehicle for solos, in this case by Burton, Evans, and Nelson. Some feather-like vibes comping by Nelson adds a special touch, and there is some generous co-improvising at the end, something Silver liked to do in his arrangements. "Strollin'" is a virtual replica of the Horace Silver Quintet version on Horace-Scope (Blue Note, 1960) with Junior Cook on tenor and Blue Mitchell on trumpet. "Juicy Lucy" features an outstanding saxophone solo by Burton. The group does a straightforward version of "Silver's Serenade," while Silver's "Lonely Woman" (not the Ornette Coleman tune) is notable for Bryant's extended piano tribute to Silver, which one has been waiting for all along! Silver had a sunny disposition on most days, and "Summer in Central Park" is, as the title suggests, a pleasant sunny day walk in the park. The title of the next tune, "St. Vitus Dance," portends something different but turns out not to be so. St Vitus Dance is a disease characterized by rapid, uncoordinated jerking movements. The version on this album swings so well that it is a cure for that disease rather than a symptom of it! The album ends with "Room 608," a fast-paced strictly bebop tune which shows the important Bud Powell influence on Silver. Silver could have become just another great bebop player, but he was wise enough to pursue his own voice, which, if we can judge from the lyrics of "Song for My Father," is a striving that came from the advice of his dad. And Louis Hayes is to be thanked for adhering to his stated goal: a loving remembrance and tribute to Horace Silver rather than a flashy post- modern pot-boiler. ~ Victor L.Schermer https://www.allaboutjazz.com/serenade-for-horace-by-victor-l-schermer.php

Personnel: Louis Hayes: drums and leader; Abraham Burton: tenor saxophone; Josh Evans: trumpet; Steve Nelson: vibraphone; David Bryant: piano; Dezron Douglas: bass. (Gregory Porter, vocalist, on Song for My Father.”)

Serenade For Horace

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Georgie Fame, Lena Ericsson, Lasse Samuelson - Georgie, Lena, Lasse

Size: 104,3 MB
Time: 42:38
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 1986/2010
Styles: Jazz/Pop
Art: Front

01. My Second Home (5:13)
02. O Georgia Moon (3:36)
03. Runaway (2:45)
04. My Ship (3:35)
05. Let The Rest Of The World Go By (2:59)
06. Yes Indeed (3:00)
07. Soon And Very Soon (3:38)
08. Come Sunday (4:03)
09. Georgia On My Mind (3:49)
10. Amazing Grace (3:12)
11. Sweet Perfection (3:07)
12. Stormy Weather (3:35)

Personnel:
Vocals – Georgie Fame, Lena Ericsson
Piano – Georgie Fame
Drums – Egil Johansen, Ola Brunkert
Flugelhorn – Lars Samuelson

Georgie Fame's swinging, surprisingly credible blend of jazz and American R&B earned him a substantial following in his native U.K., where he scored three number one singles during the '60s. Fame played piano and organ in addition to singing, and was influenced by the likes of Mose Allison, Booker T. & the MG's, and Louis Jordan. Early in his career, he also peppered his repertoire with Jamaican ska and bluebeat tunes, helping to popularize that genre in England; during his later years, he was one of the few jazz singers of any stripe to take an interest in the vanishing art of vocalese, and earned much general respect from jazz critics on both sides of the Atlantic. ~by Steve Huey

Georgie, Lena, Lasse

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Michel Camilo - Live In London

Size: 123,7 MB
Time: 53:29
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2017
Styles: Jazz: Piano Jazz
Art: Front

01. From Within (Live) (10:37)
02. The Frim Fram Sauce (Live) ( 5:51)
03. A Place In Time (Live) ( 8:08)
04. Island Beat (Live) ( 5:30)
05. Sandra's Serenade (Live) ( 6:26)
06. Manteca (Live) ( 7:48)
07. I Got Rhythm - Caravan - Sing Sing Sing (Live) ( 9:05)

While he may be best known for fronting dynamic trios, piano titan Michel Camilo does just fine by himself. There's tremendous propulsion, clarity, and strength in play when Camilo takes to the bench, and there's truly no place better to hear that than in a solo setting.

Camilo has explored this format on record before—first on Solo (Telarc, 2005), later on What's Up? (Okeh, 2013)—but those efforts spoke to his work in the studio. Live In London was captured on the stage, making it Camilo's first live solo record. In many respects, the distinction is unimportant. His dazzling technique, complete with Art Tatum-esque flourishes, classical allusions, and Latin jazz flair, rarely differs from album to album or place to place. And his directional compass typically points to the same realms. The real difference that's noticeable here is in how Camilo responds to the moment and, subsequently, how the music blooms. His pianistic proficiency on all three albums is incontestable—let's face it, the man's chops are out of this world—but the level of passion he projects on this one completely trumps what he brought to those aforementioned dates.

Those in attendance for this performance at The Queen Elizabeth Hall in June of 2015 were given a real treat, as Camilo clearly wasted no time getting down to business. "From Within," where rhapsodizing quickly gives way to fervent thoughts, kicks off the show, serving as a springboard into the pianist's world. Then Camilo provides a quick detour to another time and place on "The Frim Fram Sauce" before returning to his own oeuvre with a glowing and dazzling "A Place In Time." Two more originals follow, offering contrast in tempo and tone. "Island Beat," a dance-friendly Cuban treat with a montuno foundation, and "Sandra's Serenade," built on contemplative ground, couldn't be more different. Yet both speak directly to the artist's state of mind and artistic outlook.

To wrap things up, Camilo gives the audience some crowd-pleasers with substance and power. "Manteca" is a tour de force, grooving over its insistent bass line, darting here and there, pouncing, sprinting, and even taking a brief trip to a Harlem rent party; and the album-ending medley—a sweat-inducing trip through "I Got Rhythm," "Caravan," and "Sing Sing Sing"—plays as vaudeville and pure virtuosity rolled into one entertaining package. Michel Camilo's been operating on this high a level for decades, but he consistently remains something to marvel at. ~Dan Bilawsky

Live In London

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Judy Renaud & Eddie Tobin - A Time For Love

Size: 129,1 MB
Time: 55:22
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2017
Styles: Jazz Vocals
Art: Front

01. A Time For Love (5:05)
02. A Foggy Day (3:02)
03. Early Autumn (4:43)
04. Besame Mucho (5:11)
05. Always On My Mind (3:11)
06. No Moon At All (3:21)
07. The Gentle Rain (5:08)
08. Cry Me A River (5:23)
09. The Island (5:49)
10. Everytime We Say Goodbye (5:10)
11. This Masquerade (5:04)
12. With You I'm Born Again (4:08)

I've always enjoyed the intimate club venues and the camaraderie of the local and out-of-town people I meet on a weekly basis. These are the folks that keep me going, that make me want to show up every night. They listen, they hear, and then they want to take the music home with them. This past year I spent some time in the studio with one of my favorite piano players, Eddie Tobin and we managed to record a few great songs in a short time. The result was three albums of jazz standards done the way we do them every night in the club. Just nice stuff!

Our first album, "When Love Comes Around The Corner, released in October 2016, is in it's second pressing thanks to our fans and friends. Wow! It's a great feeling to get these songs out there and to know that you, the listener, are enjoying the effort and helping make dreams and goals become realities.

"Something Cool," is the second album Eddie and I recorded this year and the title song is in tribute to one of my favorite female vocalists, June Christy. Hope I did it credit June! I am excited about this album that we released early 2017. Some great songs that don't get recorded that often anymore and they were fun to do.

"A Time For Love" is the third and final album in this series of jazz standards that Eddie and I recorded this past year and the choices here make a nice velvety bookend to the trilogy. Lots of great love songs to sit back and just listen to and enjoy. It will be released in November 2017.

I re-entered this world of music 25 years ago and have been lucky to spend time with some pretty amazing musicians both on the job and in classes and clinics. Jazz vocalists like Madeline Eastman whose credits include Director of the Stanford Jazz Clinic Vocal Workshop, and Artistic Director of Jazz Camp West who taught me to stretch, take chances and what it means to “swing” a song – no matter the tempo. Rebecca Paris, who I credit with making me aware of the importance of being authentic in my presentation of a song and telling the story so it can be understood and embraced by everyone listening. Mark Murphy who taught me why phrasing and dynamics are important in making a song interpretation my own. My husband, Tom Renaud who taught me that while I may be fronting the band, the best thing about the experience is being “part” of the band. And Diane Schuur, who after giving me a few critical pointers on presentation said, “I hope you are singing somewhere and often. You need to be heard.” Pretty fast company for me at the time. Still is! These are just some of the people who have been influential in helping me become the singer and performer I am today.

In my career I have always stuck around my home base where I live and play. Home for me was San Francisco for many years. I've also lived and worked in Ft. Lauderdale, Sacramento, Virginia Beach, Charlotte, San Jose, and for several years now, back in the Sarasota area of Florida. I've had the good fortune to perform with some of the most amazing musicians who, like me, have either stuck to their home base, or returned to their home bases after years on the road. We have the distinct pleasure of creating musical magic for ourselves and our fans. The list is long, but just to name a few musicians you might recognize, there is Steve Homan and Boyd Phelps in California. Jim Stack and Doug Henry in North Carolina. The After Six Big Band in Sacramento, opening for Pete Escovedo and Pancho Sanchez in a concert series with Nancy Wilson, Joe Williams and Louie Bellson. In the Sarasota area, Charlie Prawdzik, Fred Williams, and Mark Neuenschwander and concerts for the Sarasota Jazz Club. And for eighteen years my amazingly talented husband, Tom Renaud and I have worked a duo act wherever we've lived.

For the past five years, Eddie Tobin, my musical collaborator on this album, has become a huge part of my musical life. When we make music together it ebbs and flows, circles with energy and fun, softness and stillness, magical sounds and spaces. It just flows. We communicate and it feels good! Let me tell you a little about him.

Eddie Tobin is a piano player, arranger, vocalist, and entertainer extraordinaire and the consummate musician who truly cares about what he is presenting to the public. He started out on accordion at 5, piano at 11, and then studied music at the University of Miami with his mentor, Vince Laurence Maggio. For years he played around the Miami area, on cruise ships, and then performed all over the United States. Tell him where you are from and he has probably played there. Really! In 1987, he made Nashville his home for 15 years. He played for the Forester Sisters, opened for Kenny Rogers, played with Brenda Lee, and then became pianist and conductor for a show band for four years. Then came a seven and a half year ride as pianist, music director and conductor for Engelbert Humperdinck, performing all over the world at places like the London Palladium, Montreal’s Place Des Arts, the Universal Amphitheater in Los Angeles, and the Kremlin Palace of Moscow and traveling to Hong Kong, Australia, New Zealand, Germany, Belgium, and at various casinos in Las Vegas and around the country. Over the years his repertoire has grown to include a lot of genres. He covers most of it. For the past twelve years he has resided here on the west coast of Florida and has become one of Sarasota's fraternity of fine musicians and one of the busiest musicians in the area. Aren't we lucky!

I've always enjoyed the intimate club venues and the camaraderie of the local and out-of-town people I meet on a weekly basis. These are the folks that keep me going, that make me want to show up every night. They listen, they hear, and then they want to take the music home with them. And while it's been a long time coming, this album is a result of those requests. An album of requested favorites and some personal favorites. Two more albums are in production for release in 2017. Just like the kid I was so long ago, I just couldn't stop singing my songs. It's been quite a journey so far - one I wouldn't want to have missed for the world. And far from over!

A Time For Love

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Shane Theriot - Still Motion

Size: 103,8 MB
Time: 44:53
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2017
Styles: Jazz
Art: Front

01. Big Wig (4:34)
02. Just Sco Away (4:56)
03. F Thing! (3:16)
04. Long Money (4:23)
05. Yerba Mate Blues (5:52)
06. Iridescence (3:50)
07. Mid City Ditty (3:52)
08. The Water Was Cool, Perfect (4:25)
09. Cut And Dried (3:59)
10. At The End Of The Day (5:41)

Hailing from New Orleans, guitarist and producer Shane Theriot is a solo artist and upper-echelon session ace amid his stints with Hall & Oates, Ben Folds, and the Neville Brothers as the list goes on. Indeed, he has that soul-funk New Orleans vibe going on. But Theriot's far-ranging capabilities include jazz and blues, yet more importantly, he has that very special touch and feel that morphs into his musical persona, regardless of genre. On this outing, he assembles a formidable support system, including fabled New Orleans-based musicians, drummer Johnny Vidacovich and bassist James Singleton along with drummers extraordinaire, Jim Keltner and Kirk Covington, who alternate duties on a per-track basis.

The production is largely built in medium tempo funk and rock motifs with a few jazzy breakouts and other deviations or mini reconstruction efforts, marked by Theriot's crisply articulated phrasings via emphatic notes, crunching chord patterns and spirited solos. Moreover, the respective drummers inject solid beats, press rolls, off-beats, quirky tempo changes and punchy straight-four grooves with slick maneuvers intertwined into a given theme.

"Long Money" is an up-tempo ballad, featuring the guitarist's polytonal dynamics, framed with chutzpah and succinct melodies. Here, vibraphonist Matt Dillon adds soft colors, paired with the leader's congenial hooks. But "Mid City Ditty" is a swinging jazz blues, accelerated by Vidacovich's sweeping metrics and peppering accents. And the final track "At The End Of The Day," opens with Leni Stern's brief, yet uplifting spoken word, followed by Theriot's sublime voicings and sparkling solo that culminates into an airy mood-evoking tone poem, complete with tantalizing fabrics of sound.

While Theriot's previous solo albums have delved into the jazz-fusion space, while not forgoing the funk groove element, Still Motion is a downhome type venture, overhauled with a modern uplift, and abetted by the guitarist's technical savvy and compassionate performances. ~by Glenn Astarita

Personnel: Shane Theriot: guitars, lap steel, Omnichord, (bass on tracks 2, 4); Jim Keltner: drums (tracks 2, 4); Johnny Vidacovich: drums (tracks 3, 5, 6, 7, 10); James Singleton: upright bass (tracks 3, 5, 6, 7, 10); Kirk Covington: drums (tracks 1, 8, 9); Nate Wood: bass (track 1); Chris Maresh: bass (track 8); Leni Stern: voice on (track 10).

Still Motion

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Reta Watkins - That Christmas Feeling

Size: 100,2 MB
Time: 38:22
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2017
Styles: Jazz, Big Band, Pop, Xmas
Art: Front & Back

01. It's The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year (3:24)
02. Mary, Did You Know (3:04)
03. Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas (5:54)
04. Sleigh Ride (3:39)
05. Christmas In Heaven (4:15)
06. Wonderful Christmastime (3:10)
07. I've Got My Love To Keep Me Warm (3:19)
08. Behold Emmanuel (4:34)
09. The Christmas Song (3:42)
10. White Christmas (3:15)

Clear-tone vocalist Reta Watkins keeps the songs and feel traditional on this Christmas album, also including a pair of impressive originals. Of the latter, the team of Jeremy Johnson and Paul Marino deliver deeply thoughtful and celebrative pieces “Behold Emmanuel” and “Christmas in Heaven” which fit well in any stocking stuffer.

Watkins sounds cozy with the Nelson Riddle-style arrangements on pieces like “I’ve Got My Love To Keep Me Warm” and “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year.” Her voice glistens like the star on top of the tree on “Mary Did You Know” and is as inviting as mistletoe on “Sleigh Ride.” Nice mix of old and new! ~by George W. Harris

That Christmas Feeling

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Scott Bradlee's Postmodern Jukebox - The New Classics (Recorded Live!)

Size: 119,7 MB
Time: 50:53
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2017
Styles: Jazz/Pop Vocals
Art: Front

01. (Meet) The Flintstones (Live) (0:48)
02. All About That Bass (Live) (4:17)
03. Introduction (Live) (1:18)
04. Bad Blood (Live) (3:36)
05. Time After Time (Live) (4:55)
06. My Heart Will Go On (Live) (3:19)
07. Singing In The Rain (Live) (0:52)
08. Umbrella (Live) (3:00)
09. Halo (Live) (5:08)
10. Bye Bye Bye (Live) (4:14)
11. Don't Stop (Live) (3:50)
12. I Will Survive (Live) (4:38)
13. Black Hole Sun (Live) (6:15)
14. Stacy's Mom (Live) (3:42)
15. Don't Stop (Reprise) (Live) (0:56)

Postmodern Jukebox, also widely known by the acronym PMJ, is a rotating musical collective founded by arranger and pianist Scott Bradlee in 2011. PMJ is known for reworking popular modern music into different vintage genres, especially early 20th century forms such as swing and jazz.

The New Classics

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Duke Jordan - Change A Pace

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 51:25
Size: 117.7 MB
Styles: Bop, Piano jazz
Year: 1979/1990
Art: Front

[5:46] 1. Change A Pace
[5:42] 2. I Thought You'd Call Today
[7:06] 3. Double Scotch
[5:24] 4. Miss Kissed
[5:46] 5. Diamond Stud
[7:18] 6. It's Hard To Know
[6:42] 7. Anything Can Happen
[4:52] 8. Deacon's Blues
[2:46] 9. My Queen Is Home To Stay

After a flurry of recording activity, Duke Jordan had few opportunities to record as a leader for most of the 1960s. That changed in the following decade with the beginning of his long, fruitful relationship with the Danish label Steeplechase. By the time of this 1979, the pianist had moved to Denmark; he is joined by the great Danish bass virtuoso Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen and drummer Billy Hart, playing nine originals by the leader. The loping ballad "I Thought You'd Call Today" merits a bittersweet lyric to go with it, while "Double Scotch" sounds like the kind of jaunty tune that could have been conceived by Billy Strayhorn in the '40s. "Diamond Stud" is a breezy number with a few twists, with great solos all around. While none of Duke Jordan's compositions on this date ever became as well known as his "Jordu," "Flight to Jordan," or "No Problem," this session is warmly recommended. ~Ken Dryden

Change A Pace

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Angelo Debarre - Portrait Of Angelo Debarre

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 76:06
Size: 174.2 MB
Styles: Swing, Gypsy jazz
Year: 2002/2013
Art: Front

[3:37] 1. La Gitane
[3:20] 2. Blues En Mineur
[4:42] 3. Csardas De Monti
[2:44] 4. Valse De Bamboula
[5:39] 5. Nuages
[3:39] 6. Douce Ambiance (Django Reinhar
[4:44] 7. Romano Trajo
[3:31] 8. Coeur De Bois
[2:16] 9. Swing Chez Toto
[5:48] 10. Have You Something
[2:34] 11. Impromptu
[2:38] 12. Mw
[2:26] 13. Black And White
[3:03] 14. David
[4:50] 15. Angelo's Caprice
[3:49] 16. Inquietude
[3:50] 17. Mw
[5:44] 18. Anouman
[3:35] 19. There Will Never Be Another You
[3:27] 20. Swing Gitane

Accordion – Gabriel Androne (tracks: 8, 9), Ludovic Beier (tracks: 10); Balalaika – Petro Ivanovitch* (tracks: 12); Contrabass – Antonio Licusati (tracks: 8 to 10), Bernard Malandain (tracks: 14 to 17), Frank Anastasio (tracks: 1 to 4), Pete Kubryk-Townsend (tracks: 11), Pierre Procoudine Gorsky (tracks: 12), Svein Aarbostad (tracks: 13, 18, 19); Guitar – Moreno (9) (tracks: 13), Per Frydenlund (tracks: 18, 19), Phillippe "Doudou" Cuillerier (tracks: 14 to 17); Lead Guitar – Angelo Debarre; Percussion – Xavier Desandre Navarre (tracks: 14 to 17); Piano – Bojan Zulfikarpašić (tracks: 14 to 17), Tord Gustavsen (tracks: 5 to 7); Rhythm Guitar – Chris Garrick (tracks: 11), Max Robin (tracks: 8, 9, 14 to 17), Michel Delacroix (tracks: 10), Serge Camps (tracks: 1 to 4); Violin – Dave Kelbie (tracks: 11), Florin Niculescu (tracks: 8, 9, 14 to 17), Ola Kvernberg (tracks: 18, 19).

The recordings from which the contents of Portrait of Angelo Debarre were drawn were originally recorded and released on a variety of labels between 1989 and, strangely enough, 2002 (the same year as the compilation's release). Most of these tracks, though not all, find Angelo DeBarre paying tribute to the legendary Django Reinhardt, either by playing Reinhardt's compositions ("Anouman," and the inevitable "Minor Blues"), or by playing originals and other modern compositions in a style clearly indebted to the gypsy jazz master. The oldest -- and the most recent -- of these performances are the ones most explicitly based on the Reinhardt-Grappelli quintets of the 1930s; the 1989 cuts, which include thrilling renditions of "La Gitane" and "Minor Blues," feature DeBarre in a trio format, backed up only by acoustic rhythm guitar and bass; "There'll Never Be Another You" and " Swing Gitane" both add Ola Kvernberg's violin to the mix (and feature an almost all-Norwegian ensemble). Elsewhere, Gabriel Androne adds a melancholy accordion to "Coeur de Bois" and "Swing Chez Toto," and a balalaika makes an appearance on "Romano Trajo." What this all amounts to is a nice balance between slavish tribute and creative boundary-pushing. Highly recommended. ~Rick anderson

Portrait Of Angelo Debarre

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Teddi King - Now In Vogue

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 37:14
Size: 85.3 MB
Styles: Jazz vocals
Year: 1955/2011
Art: Front

[2:53] 1. Why Do You Suppose
[3:39] 2. Over The Rainbow
[2:37] 3. This Is Always
[2:42] 4. Fools Fall In Love
[2:58] 5. I Didn't Know About You
[3:26] 6. I'm In The Market For You
[2:22] 7. You Hit The Spot
[3:17] 8. Something To Live For
[2:40] 9. You Can Depend On Me
[4:07] 10. Old Folks
[2:49] 11. Like A Ship Without A Sail
[3:39] 12. You Turned The Tables On Me

The subtlety and intimacy of the signature Storyville label sound perfectly complement what critic Whitney Balliett once dubbed Teddi King's "peaceful, spacious way of phrasing," and Now in Vogue captures in full the singer's Zen-like serenity, showcasing her uncommonly lyrical phrasing and deep affinity for melody. Recorded with a stellar septet including trombonist Bob Brookmeyer, trumpeter Nick Travis and pianist Billy Taylor, the session boasts a deceptive simplicity that underscores the sheer grace of all its participants. King's contralto is both the focal point and just another instrument in the mix, fusing with the music so seamlessly that it seems as if she's been singing these songs and playing with this band her entire life. ~Jason Ankeny

Now In Vogue

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Mingus Big Band - Blues & Politics

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 74:58
Size: 171.6 MB
Styles: Contemporary big band
Year: 1999
Art: Front

[ 8:41] 1. It Was A Lonely Day In Selma, Alabama-Freedom
[ 8:19] 2. Haitian Fight Song
[ 9:44] 3. Goodbye Pork Pie Hat
[ 5:12] 4. Don't Let It Happen Here
[11:36] 5. Meditations For A Pair Of Wire
[ 6:33] 6. Pussycat Dues
[ 8:53] 7. Oh Lord Don't Let Them Drop That Atomic Bomb On Me
[15:56] 8. Little Royal Suite

The music of jazz bassist-composer Charles Mingus (1922-79) was decidedly vibrant and spirited, much like the man himself. He melded aspects of blues, swing, and bebop with a unique arranging flair (he was a huge fan of Duke Ellington) and a sharp sense of humor in concocting pieces that were sometimes rambunctious and rhythmic, sometimes poignant and brooding. Ultimately, Mingus's music was quite accessible and almost always touched the listener. The New York-based Mingus Big Band--an outgrowth of the Mingus Dynasty groups that were formed after the artist's death--has, since 1991, purveyed his works with authenticity and vitality; the first-rate Blues & Politics is no exception. Here, as the title indicates, selections with a blues essence touch on matters of social importance. "Haitian Fight Song" is a riotous, riff-oriented piece where the band drops in walls of sound over a driving beat. Soprano saxophonist Alex Foster and trumpeter Randy Brecker deliver ear-catching solos. "Pussycat Dues" is a raucous slow blues where trombonist Conrad Herwig's gleaming tone and solid swing are standouts. On the telling "Goodbye Porkpie Hat," tenor saxophonist Seamus Blake epitomizes emotive expression. The climactic "Little Royal Suite" is an intricate, brazen work. On the opening track, the late composer's voice is heard reciting an impromptu poem, "It was a Lonely Day in Selma, Alabama." Heady, heated stuff. ~Zan Stewart

Blues & Politics

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