Branford Marsalis - Random Abstract

Styles: Saxophone  Jazz
Year: 1988
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 74:09
Size: 170,3 MB
Art: Front

( 6:46)  1. Yes And No
(11:05)  2. Cresent City
( 9:57)  3. Broadway Fools
( 8:13)  4. LonJellis
( 5:42)  5. I Thought About You
(16:25)  6. Lonely Woman
( 0:34)  7. Steep's Theme
(11:03)  8. Yesterday's
( 4:20)  9. Crepuscule With Nellie

Branford Marsalis (on tenor and soprano) and his 1987 quartet (which also includes pianist Kenny Kirkland, bassist Delbert Felix and drummer Lewis Nash) stretch out on a wide repertoire during this generally fascinating set. Very much a chameleon for the date, Marsalis does close impressions of Wayne Shorter on "Yes and No," John Coltrane ("Crescent City"), Ben Webster (a warm version of "I Thought About You"), Ornette Coleman ("Broadway Falls") and even Jan Garbarek (on a long rendition of Coleman's "Lonely Woman"). Random Abstract also includes a jam on Kirkland's "LonJellis," a piece without chord changes. This is one of Branford Marsalis' most interesting (and somewhat unusual) recordings. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/random-abstract-mw0000195820

Personnel: Branford Marsalis (Saxophone); Kenny Kirkland (piano); Delbert Felix (bass); Lewis Nash (drums).           

Random Abstract

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Betty Carter - Look What I Got!

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 1988
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 48:33
Size: 111,2 MB
Art: Front

(5:43)  1. Look What I Got
(4:56)  2. That Sunday, That Summer
(7:40)  3. The Man I Love
(4:41)  4. All I Got
(4:20)  5. Just Like The Movies (Time)
(4:55)  6. Imagination
(2:41)  7. Mr. Gentleman
(6:35)  8. Make It Last
(6:57)  9. The Good Life

This well-rounded set gives listeners a good look at the adventurous music of Betty Carter. For this CD, she is joined by one of two rhythm sections (with either Benny Green or Stephen Scott on piano) and, on four of the nine songs, tenor saxophonist Don Braden. Carter twists and turns some familiar songs (such as "The Man I Love," "Imagination" and "The Good Life") along with a variety of lesser-known material including two songs of her own. Consistently unpredictable (whether scatting or stretching out ballads) Betty Carter's recordings are always quite stimulating. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/look-what-i-got-mw0000195894

Look What I Got!

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Harry Connick, Jr. - Oh, My Nola

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2007
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 66:38
Size: 152,9 MB
Art: Front

(3:39)  1. Working In The Coal Mine
(3:58)  2. Won't You Come Home, Bill Bailey?
(3:26)  3. Something You Got
(5:03)  4. Let Them Talk
(3:41)  5. Jambalaya (On The Bayou)
(4:16)  6. Careless Love
(4:14)  7. All These People
(4:32)  8. Yes We Can Can
(2:41)  9. Someday
(3:59) 10. Oh, My Nola
(4:45) 11. Elijah Rock
(4:59) 12. Sheik Of Araby
(3:50) 13. Lazy Bones
(3:31) 14. We Make A Lot Of Love
(4:26) 15. Hello Dolly
(5:32) 16. Do Dat Thing

After Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans in the summer of 2005, musician Harry Connick, Jr. was one of the first people to lend not only his celebrity, but also his own two hands in aid to the survivors of the catastrophe. Connick brought a television crew with him as he traveled through his damaged hometown and shot footage to help draw attention to the situation. Soon after, he organized the benefit telethon A Concert for Hurricane Relief on NBC to raise money for the beleaguered residents of New Orleans. It was clear through all of this that Connick truly loved his hometown and perhaps even felt he owed the city a debt for all it had given to him. In that light, though he tastefully underplays his feelings about the tragedy, Connick's Oh, My Nola is clearly his response to Hurricane Katrina. But rather than making a one-note album filled with anger and sadness though he expresses those emotions here, too Oh, My Nola feels at once like a party-driven celebration of all that is New Orleans and a love letter to the city he almost lost. Featuring songs from, of, and about New Orleans, Oh, My Nola touches on almost every musical style that has come from the city and, in a similar sense, every style Connick has delved into over the years. For that reason it's both his most expansive and personal album to date, and finally finds the pianist/vocalist/arranger coalescing his eclectic tastes in jazz standards, stride piano, funk, Cajun, gospel, and contemporary pop under a unified vision that not surprisingly takes him back to the roots of New Orleans music.

To these ends, he turns Allen Toussaint and Lee Dorsey's classic R&B cut "Working in the Coal Mine" into a swaggeringly funky big-band workout. Similarly inventive, he does Hughie Cannon's traditional "Won't You Come Home, Bill Bailey?" as a second-line-inspired big-band swing number reminiscent of his own When Harry Met Sally soundtrack. But while these numbers showcase Connick's obvious talent for arranging and crafting large ensemble numbers, other cuts such as the traditional "Careless Love" reveal his more laid-back, country-inflected barroom piano style that recalls his early solo albums 20 and 25. Mixing this approach, Connick once again returns to Toussaint with the spiritual and motivational "Yes We Can" in a loping and funky, large-ensemble style. Always a student of American popular song, it's no surprise that Connick's original compositions stand up next to the classic tracks here; however, it's also on these originals that he moves toward expressing his anger over what happened to the city. On the half-improvised, stark, and funky "All These People" Connick sings, "I was so damn scared I held hands and wandered with the crazy man, but he wasn't crazy and I wasn't scared/We were just brothers that stood there and stared at all those people waiting there." 

It's one of the few moments of outright protest on the album and deftly conveys Connick's first-hand account of post-hurricane New Orleans. However, listening to the whole of Oh, My Nola, it becomes clear that the true protest Connick is concerned with is a protest of the soul against events that conspire to erase all that we hold dear. This is best expressed in Connick's own title track. Set to a simple midtempo traditional New Orleans jazz beat, he sings, "How proud would Louie and Mahalia be, to know that their memory was safe with me?/Oh, my Nola, old and true and strong just like a tall magnolia tree/Sit me in the shade and I'm right where I belong/Oh, my New Orleans, wait for me." ~ Matt Collar https://www.allmusic.com/album/oh-my-nola-mw0000554122                 

Oh, My Nola

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Michal Urbaniak - Fusion III

Styles: Violin Jazz
Year: 1975
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 49:54
Size: 114,6 MB
Art: Front

(5:29)  1. Chinatown (Part I)
(6:15)  2. Kuyaviak Goes Funky
(5:48)  3. Roksana
(2:41)  4. Crazy Kid
(5:21)  5. Prehistoric Bird
(4:22)  6. Bloody Kishka
(4:44)  7. Cameo
(6:22)  8. Stretch
(4:46)  9. Metroliner
(4:00) 10. Chinatown (Part II)

With song structures similar to Mahavishnu Orchestra and electric-era Return to Forever, Michal Urbaniak's Fusion III appealed to the same fusion-buying clientele. What most distinguishes this music from that of its contemporaries was the unique vocalizing of Urbaniak's wife, Ursula Dudziak. She could sound at times like a Polish Flora Purim, at other times like a synthesized presence from another world. On this recording, Urbaniak's playing is fresh and engaging, and his compositions occasionally sound like Frank Zappa's instrumental work from this same era. John Abercrombie and Larry Coryell turn in blistering guitar passages, and bassist Anthony Jackson and drummer Steve Gadd provide a funkified rhythmic foundation. ~ Jim Newson https://www.allmusic.com/album/fusion-iii-mw0000917962

Personnel: Michal Urbaniak (violin); Urszula Dudziak (vocals, synthesizer, percussion, electronic percussion); John Abercrombie (guitar); Wlodek Gulgowski (electric piano, electric organ, Moog synthesizer); Anthony Jackson (bass guitar); Steve Gadd (drums).              

Fusion III

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Ahmad Jamal - Marseille

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2017
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 59:38
Size: 136,8 MB
Art: Front

(8:34)  1. Marseille (Instrumental)
(5:48)  2. Sometimes I Feel Like A Motherless Child
(8:30)  3. Pots en verre
(7:23)  4. Marseille (feat. Abd Al Malik)
(8:48)  5. Autumn Leaves
(5:55)  6. I Came To See You / You Were Not There
(6:23)  7. Baalbeck
(8:14)  8. Marseille (feat. Mina Agossi)

There are few true jazz legends left alive now let alone still recording albums of the calibre of Marseille. Ahmad Jamal is one such venerable figure and the octogenarian (born July 2, 1930) has recorded an album of consistent brilliance. Jamal prefers to refer to his playing as American classical music rather than jazz and he's been regarded as a "mainstream" pianist but to stylistically stereotype him in this fashion is to do him an injustice. The title track is afforded three different versions, the first being a mesmeric modally-inspired instrumental foray. The title is also a paean to a country that has enthusiastically supported Jamal throughout his long career culminating in the French government awarding him the prestigious Chevalier De L'Ordre Des Arts Et De Lettres in 2007. The album itself was recorded in Malakoff, a suburb on the outskirts of Paris. It's well-known that Miles Davis was a fan of Jamal's and admitted to being influenced by the pianist. Miles and Jamal became friends in the 1950s and Davis recorded Jamal's "Ahmad's Blues" on Workin' and "New Rhumba" on Miles Ahead. So on one level, it's not too surprising that on "Sometimes I Feel Like A Motherless Child" Jamal includes a funky quote from Davis's "Jean Pierre" from We Want Miles, released in 1982. But on another level the inclusion of this vamp, which bookends the track, demonstrates how versatile is Jamal's approach, and how a standard can be completely transformed so seamlessly.

The quoting continues on "Pots En Verre" with a repetition of two tantalisingly familiar chords from Lee Morgan's "The Sidewinder." The French rapper Abd Al Malik contributes tersely spoken words in French on the next beguiling version of "Marseille" on which Jamal evinces an alternative chordal interpretation. "Autumn Leaves" is given a rich makeover, with percussionist Manolo Badrena and drummer Herlin Riley adding a Latin-esque feel and all underpinned by James Cammack's resonant double bass. There's even a micro-quote from Oliver Nelson's "Stolen Moments" here too. The languid "I Came To See You / You Were Not There" and the more vibrant "Baalbeck" almost conclude this set but for the addition of a sumptuous third version of "Marseille," adorned by Mina Agossi's mellifluous vocals. It's undoubtedly Jamal's use of space and deft light and shade which characterise his playing and this proves that frenetic pyrotechnics are not necessary to make a huge impact on an audience. This extraordinarily beautiful album, simultaneously released on CD and double vinyl, demonstrates how age alone does not diminish an artist's musical ability and creativity. This superb album's appeal will be undoubtedly very wide indeed. ~ Roger Farbey https://www.allaboutjazz.com/marseille-ahmad-jamal-jazz-village-review-by-roger-farbey.php

Personnel: Ahmad Jamal: piano; James Cammack: double bass; Herlin Riley: drums; Manolo Badrena: percussion; Abd Al Malik (4), Mina Agossi (8): vocals.

Marseille

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Louis Prima Jr. and The Witnesses - Blow

Styles: Vocal And Trumpet Jazz
Year: 2014
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 40:44
Size: 94,0 MB
Art: Front

(2:40)  1. Blow
(4:19)  2. Go, Let's Go
(5:10)  3. New Orleans
(5:10)  4. Someday (feat. Leslie Spencer)
(3:21)  5. That's My Home (feat. Louis Prima)
(2:51)  6. Fame and Glory
(3:24)  7. Might Be Crazy (feat. Leslie Spencer)
(3:17)  8. Goody Two Shoes
(3:21)  9. I Just Wanna Have Fun (feat. Leslie Spencer)
(2:39) 10. Robin Hood
(4:27) 11. Those Million Things

For a while, Louis Prima Jr. resisted the call of the wild. The only son of the celebrated Vegas headliner, Prima Jr. fronted a locally successful rock outfit in his 20s and continued to dabble in music while building a career in Sin City’s food and beverage trade. It wasn’t until 1995 that the trumpeter and vocalist, then 30, decided to focus fulltime on recapturing the colossal showmanship of his late father. Seventeen years later, having formed his own band of Witnesses, he made his recording debut with Return of the Wildest!, comprising mostly covers from his dad’s repertoire. Blow is fresher, bolder and braver, its playlist dominated by sharp, rowdy originals. Prima Sr. was a master of controlled chaos. While Prima Jr. captures his old man’s frenetic, party-all-night ethos ably, his sound is more loosely explosive with distinct rock underpinnings. His voice barely hints at Sr.’s barbequed foghorn, remaining much closer in tone and timbre to Huey Lewis. Papa Prima had two secret weapons: Keely Smith and Sam Butera. In Marco Palos, Prima Jr. has a sax ace every bit as ferocious as Butera. Vocalist Leslie Spencer sounds nothing like Smith (who ever could?) but is an impressively soulful stylist, gutsy and powerful. Prima invades his father’s songbook just twice, for a rollicking “Robin Hood” and a blistering, from-the-grave duet with Louis Sr. on “That’s My Home.” Side-by-side with his father, Louis Jr. proves how worthy an heir he is to dad’s King of Cool mantle. ~Christopher Loudon https://jazztimes.com/reviews/albums/louis-prima-jr-the-witnesses-blow/

Personnel: Louis Prima Jr. (vocals, trumpet); Leslie Spencer (vocals); Ryan McKay (guitar); Marco Palos (saxophone); Ted Schumacher (trumpet); Steve Pandis (flugelhorn); Philip Clevinger (trombone); Gregg Fox (piano, organ); A.D. Adams (drums).

Blow

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John Driskell Hopkins & The Joe Gransden Big Band - You Better Watch Out!

Size: 102,5 MB
Time: 39:56
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2017
Styles: Jazz Vocals
Art: Front

01. Santa Claus Is Coming To Town (3:13)
02. Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer (Feat. Bela Fleck) (4:18)
03. Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer (3:29)
04. Santa Baby (Feat. Aoife O'Donovan) (3:43)
05. I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus (Feat. Joe Gransden) (3:54)
06. Here Comes Santa Claus (Feat. Clay Cook) (2:56)
07. Happy Holiday - The Holiday Season (3:06)
08. Sing A Kris Kringle Jingle (2:43)
09. Donde Esta Santa Claus (Feat. Daniel De Los Reyes) (3:29)
10. Zat You, Santa Claus (2:43)
11. Jolly Old Saint Nicholas (2:56)
12. The Man With The Bag (3:22)

John Driskell Hopkins (founding member of the Zac Brown Band) has released his second holiday album, entitled You Better Watch Out, with The Joe Gransden Big Band. This follows the success of In the Spirit: A Celebration of the Holidays, released in 2015 with the Atlanta Pops Orchestra (and on vinyl in 2016).

Recorded and mixed at Hopkins’ new studio — Brighter Shade Studios — You Better Watch Out will feature appearances by musicians including Béla Fleck (“Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer”), Joe Gransden (“I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus”), Aoife O’Donovan (“Santa Baby”), Daniel De Los Reyes (“Donde Esta Santa Claus?”) and Clay Cook (“Here Comes Santa Claus”).

You Better Watch Out!

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Karen Souza - Velvet Vault

Size: 100,4 MB
Time: 40:30
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2017
Styles: Jazz/Pop Vocals
Art: Front

01. I Fall In Love Too Easily (3:45)
02. Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Me (3:58)
03. I'm Beginning To See The Light (2:34)
04. Valerie (4:12)
05. I'm Not In Love (4:05)
06. You Got That Something (4:04)
07. In Between Days (3:20)
08. In The Blink Of An Eye (3:43)
09. Walk On The Wild Side (3:14)
10. Angel Eyes (4:17)
11. Kids (3:13)

Three years after the release of her successful Essentials II, jazz diva Karen Souza is back with her fourth studio album. Velvet Vault is the title of a collection that combine jazz standards with jazz reworks of pop classics plus two songs co-written by Karen herself. Japan's superstar Toku duets with Karen on the track "You Got That Something". Also part of the album are Amy Winehouse guitarist Robin Banerjee and the legendary Tom "Bones" Malone (Blues Brothers, Saturday Night Live Band). Vocals were recorded in New York at the Orchard studios and produced by Richard Gottehrer of Blondie, Richard Hell and Dr. Feelgood fame. Velvet Vault is without a doubt, Karen's most accomplished record to date and will definitely surpass the success of her previous efforts.

Velvet Vault

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Fabrizio Bosso Quartet - Merry Christmas Baby

Size: 116,2 MB
Time: 49:25
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2017
Styles: Jazz, Vocals
Art: Front & Back

01. Winter Wonderland (3:35)
02. Frosty The Snowman (Feat. Walter Ricci) (3:11)
03. The Christmas Song (Feat. Karima) (5:19)
04. Jingle Bells (5:03)
05. Grown Up Christmas List (2:28)
06. Jingle Bell Rock (Feat. Walter Ricci) (5:46)
07. Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas (4:21)
08. Silent Night (3:53)
09. Merry Christmas Baby (5:31)
10. Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow! (1:44)
11. What Are You Doing New Year's Eve (Feat. Walter Ricci) (5:56)
12. Jingle Bell Rock (Feat. Walter Ricci) (Radio Edit) (2:34)

Fabrizio Bosso è uno dei più importanti e conosciuti musicisti jazz italiani. Due anni fa ha dato vita al Fabrizio Bosso Quartet, che raggruppa sotto lo stesso nome musicisti tra i più bravi in circolazione: Julian Oliver Mazzariello al piano, Jacopo Ferrazza al contrabbasso, Nicola Angelucci alla batteria e Bosso alla tromba.

Questo Natale il quartetto ha registrato "Merry Christmas Baby" (Warner Music), un album con i classici natalizi arrangiati in chiave jazz. "Merry Christmas Baby" vede inoltre la collaborazione delle voci di Walter Ricci ("Frosty the snowman", "What are you doing new year's eve?" e "Jingle bell rock") e di Karima ("The Christmas Song").

Merry Christmas Baby

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Nate Najar - Christmas In December

Size: 100,1 MB
Time: 42:47
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2017
Styles: Jazz: Smooth Jazz
Art: Front

01. Mistletoe And Holly (4:28)
02. Angels We Have Heard On High (6:57)
03. I'll Be Home For Christmas (4:53)
04. Hallelujah (5:03)
05. This Christmas (5:33)
06. What Are You Doing New Year's Eve (4:42)
07. River (4:31)
08. Merry Christmas Baby (4:18)
09. Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas (2:18)

“Christmas in December” is a new collection of holiday favorites from guitarist Nate Najar. Ranging from the subdued soul of the Donnie Hathaway classic “This Christmas” to the bright swing of “Mistletoe and Holly” and easy bossa nova of “I’ll Be Home For Christmas,” Najar draws on his widely varied musical experiences to present this engaging set. Vocalist Betty Fox turns in a captivating performance on Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah” accompanied by Nate’s lush chording, while tenor saxophonist Jeff Rupert and trumpeter James Suggs take turns on the soul drenched “Angels We Have Heard On High.” All the while the sound of Nate’s Ramirez classical guitar (formerly owned by the late Charlie Byrd) sets the mood.

In an industry that likes to conveniently pigeonhole even its most adventurous artists, Nate Najar has stood out with his full embrace of the great possibilities of playing jazz. Inspiring growing numbers of fans with his distinctive approach of playing jazz on the acoustic classical guitar with a right hand classical approach, the multifaceted artist has performed hundreds of trio dates throughout the world, scored a Top Ten Billboard Jazz single (“Groove Me”) and recorded tribute projects to his idol Charlie Byrd and the music of Brazil. The All Music Guide called Nate “one of the most consistently interesting and stylish young guitarists on the jazz scene.” JazzTimes Magazine referred to Nate’s playing as “intimate and soulful” and perhaps the greatest endorsement comes from Becky Byrd, wife of the late guitarist Charlie Byrd- “There is no doubt that there is a piece of Charlie’s soul in Nate’s mind, heart and fingers. Get ready world, here comes Nate Najar!"

Christmas In December

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Natalie Williams - A Little Bit Of Christmas!

Size: 116,6 MB
Time: 49:45
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2017
Styles: Jazz Vocals/Xmas
Art: Front

01. God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen (3:58)
02. In The Bleak Midwinter (3:54)
03. A Little Bit Of Christmas (4:22)
04. Little Drummer Boy (2:56)
05. Fairytale Of New York (Feat. Brendan Reilly) (4:38)
06. Jesus, What A Wonderful Child (4:44)
07. Oh Holy Night (4:05)
08. This Christmas (3:05)
09. Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas (3:42)
10. Coventry Carol (2:59)
11. What Does Santa Get For Christmas (4:35)
12. Stille Nacht (Silent Night) (3:32)
13. Xmas X My XXX (3:08)

One of the UK’s most endearing and popular soul/jazz artists, singer-songwriter Natalie Williams has 7 critically acclaimed albums under her belt and a dedicated following that extends throughout the world. Her Ronnie Scott’s residency, Soul Family Sundays has sold out every month for over 10 years, seeing her perform to over 30,000 enthusiastic fans at the world renowned jazz club.
Natalie has toured the globe as both a solo artist and lead vocalist of Jazz-Funk sensation, Incognito, and has performed at many of the world’s leading live music events and venues, including the London Jazz Festival, the Royal Albert Hall, The Barbican Centre, Montreux Jazz Festival, BB Kings in New York, Jakarta Jazz Festival, Blue Note in Tokyo, Love Supreme Festival, Glastonbury and many more…

Williams’ adaptable vocal talent and songwriting ability has brushed most musical styles.To the mainstream world of commercial music, she is an underground artist known for her distinctive vocals which have appeared on tracks by drum and bass icons such as Hospital Records DJ, Nu:Tone, with whom she has collaborated extensively. Most recently, she appeared as a featured artist with DnB producer and DJ, Goldie, their recent single, ‘Adore You’ from Goldie’s new album has gained rave reviews worldwide. Her own youthful output of soul and R&B based tracks resulted in her receiving a MOBO nomination.

August of 2016 saw her supporting the legendary Herbie Hancock on the Queen Mary 2 crossing from Southampton to New York and her most recent album ‘Kaleidoscope’ was greatly supported by Jazz FM who play-listed her duet with the virtuosic multi-instrumentalist and Grammy winning artist, Jacob Collier, on Billy Joel’s ‘For The Longest Time’.

2017 so far has been an eventful year for Natalie, starting in January with an amazing 22 date arena tour across the U.K as the featured guest artist for Young Voices. Says Natalie: “Young Voices has been an absolutely magical experience. Hearing 8000 kids singing together every night in those iconcic venues was utterly mind-blowing. I’m super excited to be doing the 2018 tour, this time having written a special song just for the Young Voices project. I can’t wait!!’

A Little Bit Of Christmas!

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Kirk Whalum - Colors

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1997
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 49:33
Size: 113,7 MB
Art: Front

(5:34)  1. Cannonnesque
(4:53)  2. All I Need
(4:19)  3. Daddy Loves You
(4:15)  4. Strength In You
(4:38)  5. If Only For One Night
(6:55)  6. Escolhido (Chosen)
(4:17)  7. Open My Eyes
(4:35)  8. After All This Time
(6:26)  9. Natchez
(3:37) 10. The Back Porch

In the liner notes to his 1996 Warner Bros.solo debut, Colors, saxophonist Kirk Whalum explained why the rhythms of "Escolido" carried him away. "I believe that heaven will be a place where all cultures and all types of music will be celebrated and enjoyed," he wrote. "But if I could choose one genre of music for my mansion there, it would be Brazilian." It's not heaven on earth yet, but at the dawning of the 21st century, musical influences from around the world are infusing jazz with new life. Here, on tunes like "Escolido," Whalum leans on the long, happy marriage of styles fostered by Stan Getz and others and displays how much promise it holds for contemporary jazz. ~ JAZZIZ Magazine Copyright © 2000, Milor Entertainment, Inc. ~ From Jazziz - Editorial Reviews https://www.amazon.com/Colors-Kirk-Whalum/dp/B000002NIV

Personnel:  Kirk Whalum (tenor saxophone, keyboards, programming); Vanesse Thomas, Curtis King, Kevin Whalum, Lynn Fiddmont-Linsey, Allison Krauss, Michael McDonald, Howard Hewett (vocals); Justo Almario (soprano saxophone); Gerald Albright (alto saxophone, bass); Stuart Duncan (violin, mandolin); Leon Pendarvis, Marc Harris (Hammond B-3 organ); Oji Pierce, Dan Shea, Philippe Saisse (keyboards, programming); Bill Cantos (keyboards); Marc Antoine, Chris Rodriguez (acoustic guitar); Nick Moroch (electric guitar); Paul Jackson Jr., Sheldon Reynolds, Mark Baldwin, Dwight Sills (guitar); Chris Minh Doky (acoustic bass); Tommy Simms (bass, keyboard programming); Abraham Laboriel, Ron Jenkins, Dwayne "Smitty" Smith (bass); Bill Maxwell, Sean McCurley, Chester Thompson (drums); Luis Conte (percussion); Paul Brown (programming).

Colors

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Michal Urbaniak - Manhattan Man

Styles: Violin Jazz
Year: 1992
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 53:12
Size: 156,7 MB
Art: Front

(5:47)  1. Manhattan Man
(5:48)  2. Street Talk
(6:25)  3. Paris Groove
(5:06)  4. Don't Wait
(4:36)  5. City Lights
(5:38)  6. Torn Apart
(5:56)  7. Beauty & Hope
(4:00)  8. You Only Love Once
(4:31)  9. Zephyrus
(5:20) 10. Manhattan Man (Reprise)

One never knows what to expect from violinist Michal Urbaniak, who has recorded bop, free jazz, funk and junk throughout his career with equal enthusiasm. Unfortunately, funk and junk are the main course on this CD, particularly during its first half. An odd collection, the set features plenty of electronic percussion and aimless grooves along with a few worthwhile moments. Urbaniak is overdubbed on strings, keyboards and saxophones but buries most of his guests under the mechanical percussion, including harmonica great Toots Thielemans on "Manhattan Man" and an otherwise acoustic trio featuring pianist Herbie Hancock on "Paris Groove." An odd record. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/manhattan-man-mw0000075203

Personnel: Michael Urbaniak (violin); Bervine Harris (vocals); Peter Burman, Toots Thielemans (harmonica); Herbie Hancock (piano); Bobby Baldwin (keyboards); Gregg Jones (bass); Lenny White (drums); Darren Quinland (drum programming)

Manhattan Man

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Javon Jackson - Have You Heard

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2005
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 54:34
Size: 125,7 MB
Scans: Front

(6:39)  1. In This Corner
(8:05)  2. Dance Floor
(6:03)  3. Have You Heard
(3:52)  4. Breakin' Up Somebody's Home
(5:46)  5. Dr Smith
(5:40)  6. Summertime
(5:32)  7. Move On Up
(5:26)  8. Quik
(3:59)  9. That’s The Way I Feel About Cha’
(3:27) 10. Funky In Here (Reprise)

Continuing down the path he laid with '03's Easy Does It, tenor saxophonist Javon Jackson's latest, Have You Heard, is another groove-happy release that turns away from his earlier straight-ahead discs on Criss Cross and Blue Note, moving even further towards a soulful, funky vibe with greater crossover appeal. Lightweight it may be, but it's also a lot of fun and, if assessed on its own merits, successful in an easy-on-the-ears kind of way. Back from Easy Does It are organist Dr. Lonnie Smith and guitarist Mark Whitfield, with bassist Kenny Davis and drummer Terreon Gully fleshing out the rhythm section. Gully is proving he can handle anything from the cerebral post bop of vibraphonist Stefon Harris' Grand Unification Theory to his more accessible Evolution. Singer Lisa Fischer has worked with everyone from Luther Vandross and the Rolling Stones to Patti Labelle over the past twenty years or so; she adds sultry vocals to the Jackson/Matthews blues tune "Feel Like Breakin' Up Somebody's Home," a more vivacious chorus to the disco-fied Roger Troutman hit, "Dance Floor," and some soulful wails on the equally dance-worthy "Funky in the House (reprise)."

Covering material by Curtis Mayfield (the surprisingly up-tempo "Move on Up") and Bobby Womack (the more appropriately soulful and balladic "That's the Way I Feel About Cha'"), the emphasis is on accessibility in the grooves, arrangements, and solos. Jackson's own originals flesh out a programme that also includes an upbeat version of the standard "Summertime," suggesting how it might sound had it been written by Stevie Wonder or Sly Stone, instead of Cole Porter.Jackson, Whitfield, and Smith contribute appropriately blues-informed solos to the session, but while everyone's playing is strong throughout, nothing really stands out. Less about virtuosity and more about vibe, it's perhaps that very definition that makes the album well-crafted, but more than a little generic at the end of the day. While the playing is too defined and the approach too organic to be classified as smooth jazz, this recording veers perilously close, with most songs relying on catchy vamps and eminently danceable rhythms to maintain interest. It's not as if other artists aren't incorporating contemporary elements into their music to make it more approachable, but Jackson seems to have done a complete reversal with his past couple of discs totally rejecting his past, as opposed to finding ways to integrate more accessible concepts with his own style and development. Still, Have You Heard is never less than engaging, although more of the body than the mind. A little more meat and a bit more spice might make Jackson's attempts at broader acceptance more palatable to both his existing fan base and the new one he's clearly trying to cultivate. ~ John Kelman https://www.allaboutjazz.com/have-you-heard-javon-jackson-palmetto-records-review-by-john-kelman.php

Personnel: Javon Jackson (tenor saxophone); Lisa Fischer (vocals); Mark Whitfield (guitar); Dr. Lonnie Smith (organ); Kenny Davis (electric bass); Terreon Gully (drums)

Have You Heard

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Katharine McPhee - I Fall in Love Too Easily

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2017
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 40:35
Size: 93,5 MB
Art: Front

(3:55)  1. All the Way
(5:38)  2. I'll Be Seeing You
(5:08)  3. Night and Day
(3:52)  4. I Fall in Love Too Easily
(3:28)  5. Everything Must Change
(2:43)  6. I've Grown Accustomed to His Face
(3:06)  7. Sooner or Later (I Always Get My Man)
(4:04)  8. Who Can I Turn To
(4:29)  9. It Never Entered My Mind
(4:07) 10. Blame It On My Youth

Modern pop music never treated Katharine McPhee especially well. She hit the Billboard Top 40 only once, when her 2007 post-American Idol debut, "Over It," went to 29. Given this, a move to the Great American Songbook makes sense, and 2017's I Fall in Love Too Easily is indeed a classy affair. Produced by Don Was and recorded at Capitol Studios, the place where Frank Sinatra cut so many of his classic records, I Fall in Love Too Easily is a smoky, subdued set of standards. McPhee and Was don't opt for the unexpected, preferring songs that are well-known and sturdy, withstanding decades of renditions: "All the Way," "I'll Be Seeing You," "Night and Day," "I've Grown Accustomed to His Face." 

McPhee doesn't radically reinterpret these warhorses, preferring to follow the contours of the songs exactly, so a lot of the weight on I Fall in Love Too Easily rests on the production. While there are strings and the occasional drum, the focus is always on McPhee and her pianist, giving this album the cozy, intimate feel of a nightclub. 

~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine https://www.allmusic.com/album/i-fall-in-love-too-easily-mw0003114157

I Fall in Love Too Easily

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Roy Eldridge - Little Jazz: The Best Of The Verve Years

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 77:34
Size: 177.6 MB
Styles: Trumpet jazz
Year: 1994
Art: Front

[3:35] 1. Dale's Wail
[2:37] 2. Little Jazz
[3:29] 3. I Remember Harlem
[3:21] 4. Let Me Off Uptown
[3:14] 5. Rockin' Chair
[3:20] 6. Willow Weep For Me
[5:05] 7. Bugle Call Rag
[4:36] 8. Ja Da
[3:11] 9. Wailin'
[3:57] 10. Blue Moon
[4:30] 11. Sweet Georgia Brown
[5:19] 12. Sunday
[5:45] 13. I Still Love Him So
[4:04] 14. Honey Hill
[3:05] 15. How Long Has This Been Going On
[9:07] 16. Roy's Son
[2:39] 17. Dreamy
[3:00] 18. When I Grow Too Old To Dream
[3:33] 19. The Song Is Ended

These 19 songs cut throughout the 1950s offer a smorgasbord of Roy Eldridge's expertise. There's an impressive array of musical talents and settings here, forming something of a sampler of Eldridge's time on the Verve label.

"Ja-Da" finds him combining with a spirited group of Basie alumni, while "Let Me Off Uptown" reunites the trumpeter with Anita O'Day and Gene Krupa in a reprise of their trend-setting 1941 hit which is as aurally fulfilling as the original. "I Remember Harlem" is another standout; here, the moody, atmospheric melody is like few other Eldridge recordings. Against a beautiful and eerie arrangement featuring a bevy of strings and flute, Eldridge's playing is gorgeous and seductive, illuminating the nocturnal mood of the song like a street light on a darkened avenue. ~AllMusic

Little Jazz: The Best Of The Verve Years

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Dinah Washington - For Those In Love

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 48:39
Size: 111.4 MB
Styles: Jazz vocals
Year: 1992
Art: Front

[6:21] 1. I Get A Kick Out Of You
[5:17] 2. Blue Gardenia
[4:59] 3. Easy Living
[4:01] 4. You Don't Know What Love Is
[6:49] 5. This Can't Be Love
[3:04] 6. My Old Flame
[4:28] 7. I Could Write A Book
[5:36] 8. Make The Man Love Me
[3:13] 9. Ask A Woman Who Knows
[4:45] 10. If I Had You

Dinah Washington cut a lot of sides in two decades of recording. However, her straight jazz sessions were few and far between because of the mass popular and commercial appeal that she had as a pop singer. Still, the versatile Dinah thrived in just about any setting and the one provided here in 1955 by the gifted Chicago producer Bob Shad showcases her intimate side to perfection.

Since Dinah Washington just about invented gospel-based soulful singing, it's thrilling to hear her at the peak of her powers backed by a small group that includes trumpeter Clark Terry and pianist Wynton Kelly. The session is also graced by Quincy Jones' tidy arrangements. With such expert support, the singer's powerful phrasing, precise diction, and pitch-perfect intonation draw as much emotion and meaning possible out of her chosen material, including Billie-associated tunes like "Easy Living" and "My Old Flame." Dinah Washington was first and foremost a musician--not a showboat. And part of her genius was that she could make her formidable presence actually underscore her own vulnerability, as in the lilting "Blue Gardenia" and blues-tinged "You Don't Know What Love Is." ~AllMusic

For Those In Love

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Eddie Palmieri - Straight Ahead

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 37:59
Size: 87.0 MB
Styles: Afro-Cuban jazz
Year: 2009
Art: Front

[5:15] 1. Si Echo Palante
[6:33] 2. Cafe
[4:05] 3. Mi Corazon Te Llama
[4:02] 4. Suave
[3:34] 5. Tu Tu Ta Ta
[3:34] 6. Es Mejor Separarnos
[5:27] 7. Mi Jeva
[5:27] 8. Sin Sabor Nada

This is one of Eddie's little known gems. Back in 1973 when I first listened to this album it was already a classic and not easy to find. I played trombone in a a garage salsa band back home in PR. We played mostly Willie Colon tunes. One day my uncle handed me this album and "Mozambique", he knew what we have been missing. When we heard the trombones come in on "Echando Pa'lante" we were stunned we couldn't believe our ears. Then we heard "Cafe" and that was it. This was the real deal, the band all the other trombone bands played second fiddle to.

La perfecta sound in this album is particularly clean and tight but with a feeling of sparseness and space. This session is not as explosive as "Mozambique" or "Molasses" still is a small band with a lot of drive and an absolute classic. Here you will find all the good things that made old salsa so enjoyable: Eddie's relentless and driving piano, heavy handed, pulsating percussion, clean and sharp brass playing infectious riffs, great singing and more importantly solos and descargas that bring excitement to the dancers and listeners alike. This is Vintage La Perfecta it doesn't get any better than this. ~Ramon Melendez

Straight Ahead

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Sean Harkness, Marcus Simeone - Blue

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 69:02
Size: 158.1 MB
Styles: Contemporary jazz
Year: 2017
Art: Front

[3:20] 1. Rainy Days And Mondays/Here's That Rainy Day
[3:19] 2. Blue Side
[3:53] 3. When Sunny Gets Blue
[3:44] 4. Nothing Compares To You
[2:46] 5. When Something Is Wrong With My Baby
[3:59] 6. Your Precious Love
[3:05] 7. Out Of Nowhere
[4:22] 8. Angel Eyes
[3:58] 9. Holy Days
[4:19] 10. Caught Up In The Rapture
[2:46] 11. Losing My Mind
[2:35] 12. Mood Indigo
[5:03] 13. Lay Me Down
[4:28] 14. Small Day Tomorrow
[4:48] 15. My Favorite Things
[4:50] 16. Stormy Monday
[4:40] 17. Skipping Under The Rainbow
[2:58] 18. I Can See Clearly Now

Marcus Simeone and Sean Harkness performed an elegant combination of blues songs and jazzy guitar solos to a seemingly awed audience. Dedicated to the loss of his husband of 17 years, it became apparent that Blue fits Simeone’s mood and style excellently. Dressed in all black—t-shirt, jeans and shoes—his heartfelt emotion rang through his fluid, suave voice, easing us into the set with an enchanting medley and the classic country ballad, “The Blue Side” (David Lasley/Allee Willis). Sean Harkness’ talented and sometimes unbelievably gifted guitar riffs backed Simeone’s enchanting feel as he inconsolably opened up his heart on the lines, “What I’ve got they used to call the blues” and “Same old me, in the same old clothes.” After this opening, the duo discussed the impetus for their show. Harkness then performed the first of three solo guitar numbers that were positioned throughout the show, “When Sunny Gets Blue.” As Simeone put it, Harkness’ fingers must have been “bleeding,” because he played so quickly and effortlessly. One of these guitar solos was an especially stunning original called “Holy Days.” However, Simeone truly captured my heart with “When Something Is Wrong with My Baby,” “Angel Eyes,” and a quick-paced “Mood Indigo.” The palpable emotion brought me into a nostalgic place. ~Chris Struck

Blue

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The Swingcats - Face To Face: The Swingcats Live

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 69:52
Size: 160.0 MB
Styles: Big band
Year: 2001
Art: Front

[4:57] 1. Good Queen Bess
[5:06] 2. I Want To Be Happy
[5:25] 3. Face To Face
[3:28] 4. Fascinating Rhythm
[3:26] 5. I Hear Music
[5:27] 6. (It Was) Just One Of Those Things
[6:27] 7. Indian Summer
[8:36] 8. Corrine, Corrina
[5:28] 9. Someone To Watch Over Me
[4:35] 10. It All Depends On You
[6:12] 11. What Is This Thing Called Love
[4:50] 12. You're My Everything
[3:18] 13. I'll See You In My Dreams
[2:31] 14. Everytime We Say Goodbye

Dutch swing revivalists of the 1990s & 2000s fronted by American singer Shaunette Hildebrand.

Face To Face: The Swingcats Live

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