Bruce Barth - East & West

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 58:46
Size: 134.5 MB
Styles: Piano jazz
Year: 2001
Art: Front

[6:19] 1. At The Ranch
[5:42] 2. I'm Old Fashioned
[5:17] 3. Riding Off..
[6:37] 4. Sundown Time
[7:04] 5. The Lexter
[3:51] 6. Ask Me Now
[5:30] 7. The Dude
[7:48] 8. A Joyful Noise (For Jw)
[4:00] 9. My Shining Hour
[6:33] 10. Let's Call This

Alto Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone, Clarinet – Steve Wilson; Bass – Ugonna Okegwo; Drums – Al Foster; Piano, Producer – Bruce Barth; Soprano Saxophone – Sam Newsome; Tenor Saxophone, Bass Clarinet – Adam Kolker; Trumpet, Flugelhorn – Terell Stafford. Recorded December 3-4, 2000.

Pianist Bruce Barth is a producer for MAXJAZZ. He has been instrumental in producing the highly successful Vocal Series for the label. He now steps halfway out of the sound booth and gets behind his piano to produce, with the help of an all-star cast, jazz of great complexity, thoughtfulness and sensitivity. I don't know if Mr. Barth is doing anything different, but the refinement in this music seems to elevate it to a level somewhere well-beyond what usually crosses my desk. That is saying a lot because I have listened to precious little bad music.

Barth's compositions have an old time feel while remaining strictly contemporary. "At The Ranch" evokes a "Hot Fives and Sevens" temperament in the head and middle Miles feel in the solos. This duplex philosophy is further explored in the standards "I'm Old Fashioned" and "My Shining Hour". The disc is saxophone heavy, with all but the baritone represented. Adam Kolker, who spends most of his time in the tenor chair, pulls out the bass clarinet to provide a Harry Carney/Eric Dolphy ambience. Likewise soprano saxophonist Sam Newsome adds a Coltrane flair to the whole affair. Newcomer Terell Stafford, hot off his recent Nagel Heyer release Fields of Gold proves why he is the new next-best-thing-to-sliced-bread. ~C. Michael Bailey

East & West mc
East & West zippy

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Nikoletta Szöke - Moonglow

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 55:15
Size: 126.5 MB
Styles: Jazz vocals
Year: 2017
Art: Front

[3:40] 1. I Wish You Love
[3:24] 2. My Baby Just Cares For Me
[3:40] 3. Moon Glow
[4:56] 4. Eu Sei Que Vou Te Amar
[5:16] 5. So Many Stars
[6:52] 6. What Are You Doing The Rest Of Your Life
[5:20] 7. Smile
[4:35] 8. Someone To Watch Over Me
[5:36] 9. All The Good Life
[4:20] 10. Day In Day Out
[4:06] 11. Teach Me Tonight
[3:25] 12. Let There Be Love

I was born in the city of Zalaegerszeg, on 8 May, 1983. I was only four years old when we moved to Budapest and I started my studies there. From my musician family, to my cimbalom player father since my birth I was surrounded with music and my talent showed in a very early age,however my life went to a different direction. Yet in Zalaegerszeg, I begun to go to kindergarten music but because of moving I had considerably long break, fourteen years. Thereafter at age eighteen after my high-school graduation exam it defined in me that I would like to learn to sing. At my first significant performance I met my future husband bassist József Barcza Horváth and thankfully through him I found the genre of music were I can express most of all my self: that is Jazz. He was the person who introduced me to my later singing teacher,the known and acclaimed Gábor Winand. Finishing Economy Technical College and External Trade Administration Department Qualification achievement I wanted entirely devote my self to singing. In this there was interference, I was studying at the Study of Music Art School and also at the same time at Loránd Eötvös University of Science Liberal Arts English and Russian department, nevertheless when I had to choose the decision was obvious. From thereon nothing could hampered that I want to spend my day to days with singing jazz and in big part because when I was learning singing I begun to perform as well. At first with Robert Szakcsi Lakatos trio and after with more and more combos. After three and a half years of study and continuous performances I applied to the Famous Monteux Jazz festival were they held the third voice competition in 2005 called Shure Montreux Jazz voice Competition were from all around the world under 30 years of age singers could apply. To my big joy I was invited to the only 8 semifinalist, where I came out as the first prize winner and also as the winner of the audience award. For me this achievement is not only important because it comes with prestige but because such artists (Barbara Hendricks, Randy Crawford among others) were judging me that I look up professionally with out any condition. In January 2006 I took part on Conference of International Associaton for Jazz Education (IAJE Conference) in New York, and I performed in Hilton New York Hotel and in the club of Lincoln Center, Dizzy's Club. My partners were: Gilad Hekselman, Israel (2005 Montreux Guitar Competition Winner), Harold Lopez Nussa-Torres, Cuba (2005 Montreux Piano Competition Winner) and Geoff Newman and Anthony Pinciotti from USA. In 2006 I won a scholarship, which can be given to three young Hungarian musicians every year. I am very proud of this scholarship, because the jury consisted of very recognized Hungarian musicians, Béla Sa-chi and Kalman Olah amongst others. I returned to Montreux as a performer with my beloved band - Róbert, József and András - and we made a concert on 30 June 2006 before Paolo Conte.

Moonglow mc
Moonglow zippy

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Chet Baker - Chet Baker Sings: It Could Happen To You

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 50:51
Size: 116.4 MB
Styles: Trumpet jazz, Vocal jazz
Year: 1958/2010
Art: Front

[2:58] 1. Do It The Hard Way
[5:02] 2. I’m Old Fashioned
[2:52] 3. You’re Driving Me Crazy
[2:49] 4. It Could Happen To You
[3:24] 5. My Heart Stood Still
[3:02] 6. The More I See You
[5:01] 7. Everything Happens To Me
[3:05] 8. Dancing On The Ceiling
[4:06] 9. How Long Has This Been Going On
[2:55] 10. Old Devil Moon
[4:18] 11. While My Lady Sleeps (Take 10)
[3:37] 12. You Make Me Feel So Young (Take 5)
[2:46] 13. The More I See You (Take 8)
[4:51] 14. Everything Happens To Me (Alternate)

The ultra-hip and sophisticated "cool jazz" that Chet Baker (trumpet/vocals) helped define in the early '50s matured rapidly under the tutelage of producer Dick Bock. This can be traced to Baker's earliest sides on Bock's L.A.-based Pacific Jazz label. This album is the result of Baker's first sessions for the independent Riverside label. The Chet Baker Quartet featured on Chet Baker Sings: It Could Happen to You includes Kenny Drew (piano), Sam Jones (bass), and Philly Joe Jones (drums). (Performances by bassist George Morrow and drummer Dannie Richmond are featured on a few cuts.) This results in the successful combination of Baker's fluid and nonchalant West Coast delivery with the tight swinging accuracy of drummer Jones and pianist Drew. Nowhere is this balance better displayed than the opening and closing sides on the original album, "Do It the Hard Way" and "Old Devil Moon," respectively. One immediate distinction between these vocal sides and those recorded earlier in the decade for Pacific Jazz is the lissome quality of Baker's playing and, most notably, his increased capacity as a vocalist. The brilliant song selection certainly doesn't hurt either. This is an essential title in Chet Baker's 30-plus year canon. [Some reissues contain two bonus tracks, "I'm Old Fashioned" and "While My Lady Sleeps"]. ~Lindsay Planer

Chet Baker Sings: It Could Happen To You mc
Chet Baker Sings: It Could Happen To You zippy

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Eartha Kitt - That Bad Eartha

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 37:08
Size: 85.0 MB
Styles: Jazz-pop vocals
Year: 1956/2007
Art: Front

[3:30] 1. I Want To Be Evil
[2:59] 2. C'est Si Bon
[3:26] 3. Angelitos Negros
[2:53] 4. Avril Au Portugal
[3:04] 5. Let's Do It
[3:02] 6. My Heart Belongs To Daddy
[3:09] 7. Uska Dara-A Turkish Tale
[2:51] 8. African Lullaby
[2:36] 9. Mountain High, Valley Low
[3:46] 10. Lilac Wine
[2:41] 11. Under The Bridges Of Paris
[3:04] 12. Smoke Gets In Your Eyes

Like its predecessor, RCA Victor Presents Eartha Kitt, Eartha Kitt's second album, That Bad Eartha, also released in 1953, became a Top Five hit in a year when the curiosity about this exotic creature seemed to be limitless. Although she was actually from South Carolina by way of Harlem, Kitt came across as an international chanteuse, which spending a few years in Paris, among other places, will do for you. Her recording of "C'est Si Bon (It's So Good)," included here, had reached the Top Ten in August, preceded by a minor chart entry in "Uska Dara -- A Turkish Tale" and followed by another, "I Want to Be Evil." Both were also included. In addition to French and Turkish, Kitt sang in Spanish and Swahili, which was more than enough to justify her image as a classy import. Another part of that image was her somewhat predatory sex appeal, which was explored fully in "I Want to Be Evil" and two Cole Porter favorites, "Let's Do It" and "My Heart Belongs to Daddy." Of course, there was sleight-of-hand going on there, too, but Kitt didn't suffer from having a wholly contrived persona, because she let her listeners in on the joke. It wasn't accidental that the title of the album had quotes around it. And in the same way, her relatively limited vocal range didn't matter because she acted her way through her performances as if they were short plays. The only problem, in fact, was that Kitt defined herself so well she was ultimately one-dimensional. It was not surprising when the hits dried up within a year, since she came across on records as a novelty act; but she had developed an act she could keep playing for the rest of her life. And that's exactly what she did. ~William Ruhlmann

That Bad Eartha mc
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Bill Doggett - Am I Blue

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 67:49
Size: 155.3 MB
Styles: Piano blues/jazz
Year: 1978/2008
Art: Front

[6:02] 1. Guess Who
[4:47] 2. Anahuac Breakdown
[6:00] 3. Time On My Hands
[5:53] 4. Am I Blue
[7:30] 5. Please Send Me Someone To Love
[5:01] 6. Grease Bowl
[5:39] 7. When Your Lover Has Gone
[5:31] 8. This Bitter Earth
[7:13] 9. Night Train
[7:32] 10. Where Are You
[6:36] 11. It Could Happen To You

Bill Doggett, an R&B man famous for the hit "Honky Tonk", is heard here playing the blues, but a warm, jazz-based blues, accompanied by the beautiful sax of Bubba Brooks, Pete Mayes on guitar and vocalist Toni Williams sounding a lot like Ella with her beautiful voice on the title track. This is a real gem of a recording. ~Little Joey

This record is an opportunity to hear not only Bill Doggett on the organ and piano, but also the excellent Bubba Brooks on tenor sax, the guitarist Pete Mayes and the rarely Heard singer Toni Williams.

Am I Blue mc
Am I Blue zippy

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Bucky Pizzarelli - Challis In Wonderland

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 64:38
Size: 148.0 MB
Styles: Guitar jazz
Year: 2012
Art: Front

[4:59] 1. Sunday
[4:05] 2. Sugar
[4:01] 3. Challis In Wonderland
[7:09] 4. Davenport Blues
[3:00] 5. In The Dark
[1:29] 6. Romanza
[5:38] 7. Singing The Blues
[4:52] 8. In A Mist
[3:41] 9. Oh Baby
[5:55] 10. Sugar
[5:11] 11. Candlelight
[6:38] 12. What's New
[4:55] 13. I'm Coming Virginia
[2:58] 14. Flashes

Bucky Pizzarelli salutes arranger Bill Challis, who was responsible for many of the most important charts played by the Jean Goldkette Orchestra and Paul Whiteman's Orchestra, along with helping transcribe the handful of compositions by legendary cornetist Bix Beiderbecke. In his eighties at the time of these sessions, the seven-string guitarist shows no signs of slowing down, joined by bassist Jerry Bruno and on a few tracks adding his son John on guitar or a swinging string quartet led by the talented young violinist Aaron Weinstein with string arrangements by Dick Lieb. Most of the repertoire includes music of the '20s and '30s, with two exceptions. Pizzarelli's original "Challis in Wonderland" is a lush, laid-back ballad saluting the arranger performed as a guitar duet, while Bob Haggart's timeless ballad "What's New" has long been a part of the leader's repertoire. Zez Confrey (the novelty pianist and composer of "Kitten on the Keys") penned the obscure "Romanza," played as an intimate father/son duet. The trio's intricate reading of Beiderbecke's "In the Dark" is a lyrical masterpiece. Pizzarelli is buoyed by the strings in his breezy, toe-tapping rendition of Beiderbecke's "Davenport Blues," while the cornetist's "In a Mist" has long been a brilliant, expected solo feature for the guitarist at jazz parties. Weinstein switches to mandolin for a swinging setting of "Oh Baby" with the leader and Bruno. These rewarding sessions by Bucky Pizzarelli provide ample proof that the master guitarist keeps the spirits of Bix Beiderbecke and Bill Challis very much alive. ~Ken Dryden

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Freddie Hubbard - Hub-Tones

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 60:42
Size: 138.9 MB
Styles: Bop, Trumpet jazz
Year: 1962/1999/2014
Art: Front

[6:32] 1. You're My Everything
[5:27] 2. Prophet Jennings
[8:19] 3. Hub-Tones
[9:36] 4. Lament For Booker
[8:33] 5. For Spee's Sake
[6:25] 6. You're My Everything (Alternate Take)
[7:55] 7. Hub-Tones (Alternate Take)
[7:51] 8. For Spee's Sake (Alternate Take)

Trumpeter Freddie Hubbard teams up on record with James Spaulding (who doubles on alto and flute) for the first time on this excellent set, with the assistance of pianist Herbie Hancock, bassist Reggie Workman, and drummer Clifford Jarvis. The quintet performs four of the trumpeter's originals (including "Lament for Booker" and the title cut) plus an advanced version of the standard "You're My Everything." John Coltrane's modal music was starting to influence Hubbard's conception and his own playing was pushing the modern mainstream ahead without really entering the avant-garde.

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Hub-Tones zippy

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Sam Most - Sam Most Plays Bird, Bud, Monk & Miles

Styles: Clarinet Jazz
Year: 1957
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 40:16
Size: 92,9 MB
Art: Front

(5:26)  1. Strictly Confidential
(3:42)  2. Half Nelson
(5:31)  3. 'Round Midnight
(3:56)  4. In Walked Bud
(6:04)  5. Serpent's Tooth
(3:45)  6. Celia
(4:12)  7. Confirmation
(7:36)  8. Bluebird

One of the first great jazz flutists, a cool-toned tenor, and a fine (if infrequent) clarinetist, Sam Most was the younger brother of clarinetist Abe Most. He picked up early experience playing with the orchestras of Tommy Dorsey (1948), Boyd Raeburn, and Don Redman. By the time he led his first session (1953), Most was a brilliant flutist (among the first to sing through his flute) and he briefly had the jazz field to himself. 

Most recorded fine sessions for Prestige, Debut (reissued on Xanadu), Vanguard, and Bethlehem during 1953-1958, doubling on clarinet. He also worked in different settings with Chris Connor, Paul Quinichette, and Teddy Wilson. After playing with Buddy Rich's Orchestra (1959-1961), he moved to Los Angeles and became a studio musician. Sam Most worked with Red Norvo and Louie Bellson, gained some new prominence with his Xanadu recordings of 1976-1979, and became a local fixture in Los Angeles, sometimes playing in clubs with his brother. Most died of cancer in June 2013; he was 82 years old. ~ Scott Yanow  https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/sam-most-plays-bird-bud-monk-miles-remastered-2013/689372772

Personnel:  Sam Most - Clarinet;  David Schildkraut - Alto Saxophone, Tenor Saxophone;  Oscar Pettiford - Bass;  Tommy Potter - Bass;  Paul Motian - Drums;  Bob Dorough - Piano;  Dick Meldonian, Eddie Wasserman, Marty Flax - Tenor Saxophone, Bill Elton, Frank Rehak, Jim Dahl - Trombone;   Al Stewart, Charles Harmon, Don Stratton, Doug Mettome, Ed Reider, III - Trumpet

Sam Most Plays Bird, Bud, Monk & Miles

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Holly Near - Show Up

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2006
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 49:26
Size: 113,6 MB
Art: Front

(3:08)  1. Family Band
(5:01)  2. Somebody's Jail
(3:50)  3. Gandhi/Buddha
(4:00)  4. I Am Willing
(4:15)  5. I Want You Gone Too
(4:52)  6. Lives in the Balance
(3:58)  7. Bound by the Beauty
(4:22)  8. Hattie and Mattie
(2:28)  9. Show Up
(4:17) 10. It's About Time
(3:12) 11. Drunken Sailor
(3:34) 12. This is Peace
(2:22) 13. Oh River

The song, Where Have All the Flowers Gone, flourished on the airwaves during the height of the Vietnam War. It’s hard to forget Pete Seeger’s haunting refrain When will they ever learn? When will they ever learn? These words demonstrate the power that an artist and a song can wield to help end a war. But can today’s popular music bring about a similar cultural and political change one that will help end the war in Iraq? If so, what are the songs and who will sing them?  Holly Near an outspoken activist, singer, teacher, and recording artist has spent the past 35 years working for progressive political and social change. Over the years, Holly’s powerful anthems have captured the mood of many movements and now her voice and messages are no less urgent than those of 35 years ago. As one Holly Near fan put it, “She is a delightful combination of Pete Seeger and Judy Garland!”  Her latest recording, Show Up, is a pointed and provocative look at where society sits today in a new millennium and going into the fourth year of a U.S. led foreign war. From her poignant treatment of Jackson Browne’s scathing indictment of the big business war machine in Lives in the Balance to an ironic rewrite of Laura Love’s I Want You Gone, no topic is sacred to Holly Near. War, peace, love, family, corporation, government, addiction they all come under her scrutiny on Show Up. But Holly is not merely an observer. She invites audiences to take a stand to take the higher road of vision, peace, perspective, and leadership and to Show Up.  A superb mix of original songs and covers, Show Up showcases Holly’s extraordinary talent. Her songs Family Band and Somebody's Jail have the multi-layered poetry that do for a song what a high-powered lens does for a camera. I Am Willing is a healing balm in this time of great discouragement and despair; and she celebrates the environment in Jane Siberry’s Bound by the Beauty. Addiction gets a long hard look in Holly’s reworking of the old sea shanty Drunken Sailor, accompanied solely by Jackeline Rago’s driving percussive rhythms. This new recording is a launch pad for a tour by this powerful singer and delightful storyteller. Holly brings history alive as she relates her 35 years of work as a singer/songwriter and social change activist. And history meets the present as she takes on the opportunities and challenges facing the peace and justice movements of today. Whether out on her own or uniting with other contemporary activists, such as Gloria Steinem, Cindy Sheehan, and Medea Benjamin, Holly Near is keeping the political song tradition alive. https://store.cdbaby.com/cd/hollynear7

Show Up

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Herbie Mann - Do the Bossa Nova with Herbie Mann

Styles: Flute Jazz
Year: 1962
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 33:13
Size: 76,3 MB
Art: Front

(4:21)  1. Deve ser amor (It Must Be Love)
(5:31)  2. Menina feia (Ugly Girl)
(2:38)  3. Amor em paz (Love in Peace)
(4:23)  4. Voce e eu (You and I)
(3:22)  5. One Note Samba (Samba de uma nota so)
(4:08)  6. Blues Walk
(4:26)  7. Consolacao (Consolation)
(4:21)  8. Bossa velha (Old Bossa)

Recorded in Rio w/ Baden Powell, Dom Um Romao, Durval Ferreira, Paulo Moura, Sergio Mendes, Antonio Carlos Jobim, Luis Carlos Vinhas and even a 17=piece Escola de Samba! Very much ahead of the curve, Mann headed out to Brazil to record this stunning Brazil meets Jazz collaborations - in our humble opinion one of the toughest and most successfull of all Bossa meets Jazz records. https://soundsoftheuniverse.com/sjr/product/herbie-mann-do-the-bossa-nova-1962

Personnel:  Flute, Alto Flute – Herbie Mann;  Alto Saxophone – Paulo Moura;  Bass – Gabriel, Octavio Bailly Jr; ;  Drums – Dom Um, Juquinha, Papao;  Guitar – Baden Powell , Durval Ferreira;  Piano – Luiz Carlos Vinhas, Sergio Mendes; Piano, Arranged By, Conductor – Antonio Carlos Jobim;  Trumpet – Pedro Paulo;  Vocals – Antonio Carlos Jobim

Do the Bossa Nova with Herbie Mann

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Oliver Nelson - Screamin' The Blues

Styles: Saxophone Jazz 
Year: 1960
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 39:54
Size: 91,4 MB
Art: Front

(10:59)  1. Screamin' The Blues
( 4:59)  2. March On, March On
( 5:49)  3. The Drive
( 6:43)  4. The Meetin'
( 6:25)  5. Three Seconds
( 4:58)  6. Alto-itis

Screamin' the Blues is an apt description of the soloists' approach on this 1960 session, here reissued as an RVG remaster, the first of three matching leader Oliver Nelson with avant-gardist Eric Dolphy. Although not as well-known as Nelson's masterpiece, Blues and the Abstract Truth (1961), the date is characterized, above all, by "generosity" on the part of all three principals, including the underrated trumpeter Richard Williams. Nelson's tenor solo on the title tune is the equivalent of an operatic tenor aria full-throated, dramatic, played to the back row. It alone is testimony to the remarkable player he was before putting the horn aside and arranging for everyone from Ringo Starr to Thelonious Monk to opera diva Rise Stevens. Add to these activities his film scores for Last Tango in Paris, Lady Sings the Blues, and Alfie, with a sound-track featuring Sonny Rollins, and you begin to wonder less at why he died so young than how he accomplished so much in his forty-three years. On both tenor and alto Nelson favored a pure but powerful sound. His vibrato spins tightly and he's forward on the beat, but otherwise the decisiveness and absolute assurance with which he "sticks" every note is prime-time Dexter Gordon. Moreover, he thinks like a composer constructing solos with a beginning, middle, and end, each musical narrative culminating in a majestic but hard-earned climax. As harmonically grounded as he is, no player is more averse to "running the changes"; in fact, Nelson incorporates the principle of tension and release practically to the extreme. He will repeat an identical phrase derived from a chord's "extension notes" to the point of discomfort before relinquishing it to the harmonic mainstream. Especially striking examples are his solos on "Perdido (Soul Battle, 1960) and "Mainstem (Mainstem, 1961). Following the stentorian statements of Nelson's tenor and Williams' trumpet on the title tune, Dolphy's squawking bass clarinet sounds like an odd duck. But once moving to alto for "March On, March On" he reveals the aggressive technique and bold harmonies that caused Nelson, a harmonic experimenter and virtuoso player in his own right, to see in Dolphy an adventurous musical soul and kindred spirit, someone capable of pushing the leader to greater risks and potentially greater rewards. Dolphy remains on alto for the next five tunes, frequently raising the bar for Nelson, whose musical-emotional rhetoric, fueled by Dolphy's range-busting top tones and volcanic technique, is not about to give an inch. 

After a particularly blistering solo by the guest alto player on the leader's "Alto-itis," Nelson starts his solo tenuously, as though planning his attack carefully before executing with breathtaking surgical precision, leaving the "screamin'" to the entire ensemble on the out chorus. Sounding no less eruptive than the Count Basie band from the Wyands-Duvivier-Haynes power plant to the three explosive horns each impersonating an entire section it's a fitting finale by musicians for whom feeling blue is an occasion for celebrating. ~ Samuel Chell https://www.allaboutjazz.com/screamin-the-blues-oliver-nelson-prestige-records-review-by-samuel-chell.php

Personnel: Oiver Nelson: tenor and alto saxophones; Eric Dolphy: alto saxophone and bass clarinet; Richard Williams: trumpet; Richard Wyands: piano; George Duvivier: bass; Roy Haynes: drums.

Screamin' The Blues

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Simon Spillett - Introducing... Simon Spillett

Styles: Saxophone Jazz

Year: 2007

File: MP3@320K/s

Time: 64:05

Size: 147,1 MB

Art: Front

( 6:28)  1. Make Someone Happy

(10:24)  2. Off The Wagon

( 8:21)  3. Spring Can Really Hang You Up The Most

( 4:18)  4. Gee Cross

( 3:58)  5. Another Setting

( 7:17)  6. Nobody Else But Me

( 6:46)  7. But Beautiful

( 5:18)  8. New Beginning

( 6:23)  9. Howdy Doody

( 4:48) 10. Cherokee

Simon Spillett's debut album clearly marks his preferred territory. Taking his cue from the late Tubby Hayes, he delivers the ten tracks as bold statements of intent and not merely space fillers. Spillett knows his music and has made an intelligent choice balancing barnstormers like the opener "Make Someone Happy with exquisitely sublime ballads "Spring Can Really Hang You Up The Most and "But Beautiful. Although a long-standing disciple of Hayes, Spillett is no copyist. He's too self-aware to slide down the slope of soundalikes. Realising that no one can ever sound like his idol, what Spillett does do is to carefully reincarnate some of the elements that made Tubby Hayes a true jazz legend. Interestingly, this is one of the few occasions when the debut album from a young jazz musician is so overtly influenced by a British jazz star, as opposed to the customary American models. Tubby Hayes had covered all the standards on the album and wrote "Off The Wagon, from Mexican Green (Fontana, 1968), which is given a robust ten-minute workout here.

Spillett clearly demonstrates a subtle yet real love of Tubby Hayes with the self-penned "Another Setting, in which the ultimate chord of the theme borrows from the ultimate chord in the bridge of Tubby Hayes' "Dear Johnny B, from Mexican Green. This subtle chordal quoting device is also used to good effect in Spillett's "New Beginning, which is surely also a nod in the direction of British alto saxophonist supremo Peter King (an erstwhile colleague of Hayes), who cut an album for Spotlite of the same name. In truth there isn't a bad track on Introducing Simon Spillett, and all are memorable. Due to the fiery way in which they are tackled, the more well-known tunes such as "Nobody Else But Me and "Cherokee work surprisingly well and sound fresh. As for the four original tracks by Spillett (the two others being "Gee Cross and "Howdy Doody ), they are of sufficiently high quality as to auger well for his future career. So if this album introduces Simon Spillett, then his followup recording will be certainly unmissable. ~ Roger Farbey https://www.allaboutjazz.com/introducing-simon-spillett-simon-spillett-woodville-records-review-by-roger-farbey.php

Personnel: Simon Spillett: tenor saxophone; Martin Drew: drums; John Critchinson: piano; Andrew Cleyndert: acoustic bass.

Introducing... Simon Spillett

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Quincy Jones & Band - I Dig Dancers

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 32:58
Size: 75.5 MB
Styles: Easy Listening, Contemporary jazz
Year: 1960/2010
Art: Front

[2:15] 1. Pleasingly Plump
[6:20] 2. G'wan Train
[2:47] 3. Moonglow
[3:39] 4. Tone Poem
[2:29] 5. You Turned The Tables On Me
[2:40] 6. Chinese Checkers
[3:10] 7. Love Is Here To Stay
[4:31] 8. The Midnight Sun Will Never Set
[2:30] 9. Trouble On My Mind
[2:32] 10. A Sunday Kind Of Love

Original issue of this 1960 album from composer, arranger, producer and Jazz icon Quincy Jones. On I Dig Dancers, Jones doesn't abandon his Jazz direction: her merely steps up the beat and offers a platter of danceable grooves that are infectious and instantly identifiable as delicious Quincy classics. His band on the album includes Benny Bailey, Freddie Hubbard, Melba Liston, Curtis Fuller, Jerome Richardson, Oliver Nelson, Sahib Shihab, Patti Brown and Les Spann.

I Dig Dancers mc
I Dig Dancers zippy

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Jan Harbeck Quartet - In The Still Of The Night

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 70:14
Size: 160.8 MB
Styles: Saxophone jazz
Year: 2008
Art: Front

[ 8:06] 1. If I Should Lose You
[10:03] 2. La Rosita
[ 4:51] 3. Someday You'll Be Sorry
[ 9:41] 4. In The Still Of The Night
[ 8:18] 5. Come Sunday
[ 6:08] 6. Petite Fleur
[ 5:06] 7. After You've Gone
[ 5:13] 8. Poinciana/Song Of The Tree
[ 5:44] 9. Django
[ 7:01] 10. Bye Bye Blues

Not every European jazz saxophonist is immersed in trying to be the latest cutting-edge innovator. Jan Harbeck has played a wide range of material on the Danish jazz scene, but his debut as a leader is a striking, old-fashioned quartet session -- dominated by songs from the Great American Songbook and top American jazz composers -- with the support of an excellent rhythm section, including pianist Henrik Gunde, bassist Eske Nørrelykke, and drummer Kresten Osgood. One can hear elements of several greats in the tenor saxophonist's playing, though he never results to pure copying of any one man's style. "If I Should Lose You" is a suitably lush opener, with a brief rapid-fire run suggestive of Duke Ellington's explosive soloist Paul Gonsalves, while his reverent treatment of Ellington's "Come Sunday" would have likely impressed its composer. Harbeck also delights in early, now infrequently performed songs like "Someday You'll Be Sorry," "Petite Fleur," and "Bye-Bye Blues," finding plenty of life left in these old chestnuts. While there is no new ground broken on this warm debut disc, Jan Harbeck has done a fine job interpreting these familiar standards. ~Ken Dryden

In The Still Of The Night mc
In The Still Of The Night zippy

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Gladys Knight - At Last

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 56:39
Size: 129.7 MB
Styles: Soul, Urban
Year: 2001
Art: Front

[3:27] 1. Do You Really Want To Know (What Makes Me Fall In Love)
[3:56] 2. If I Were Your Woman Ii
[5:03] 3. I Said You Lied
[5:14] 4. Grandma's Hands
[4:31] 5. Love Hurts
[4:17] 6. I Wanna Be Loved
[4:26] 7. Greatest Love Of All
[3:47] 8. Better Love Next Time
[3:38] 9. Please Help Me I'm Falling (In Love With You)
[5:00] 10. Something Blue
[3:40] 11. Just Take Me
[4:44] 12. Rose Bouquet
[4:51] 13. That's Why They Call It Love

At Last, Gladys Knight's first studio album since 1995, offers a much-welcomed return by the gifted vocalist who easily adapts to contemporary music without compromising her signature sweet tones. The 13 tracks featured on At Last are a blend of mid-tempo R&B fare and ballads. Because Knight seamlessly incorporates a 2001 music sensibility to this recording, At Last can comfortably sit alongside works by Destiny's Child, Toni Braxton, Faith Evans, and other younger musical counterparts. Single releases from this album will be right at home on R&B and urban radio stations. Being out of the studio for six years has had no effect on Knight, as she is in top form. Her voice is rich, soulful, and silky as she grooves on such tracks as "If I Were Your Woman II" and "Greatest Love of All." "Grandma's Hands" takes a more soulful, gospel-like turn, with words reminiscent of Southern ragtime blues. References to fried bacon, Sunday morning, and church imagine a Southern lifestyle deeply rooted in family and religion. "Love Hurts" sees Knight's voice full of emotion as she offers a nurturing and sage perspective on matters of the heart. Actor Jamie Foxx takes a turn on the mic with Knight on "I Wanna Be Loved." It's the album's one mildly uncomfortable moment because Foxx lacks the power and presence to hold his own alongside Knight. His voice just disappears on this duet. At Last marks a refreshing return by Gladys Knight, who doesn't miss a beat. ~Liana Jonas

At Last mc
At Last zippy

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Stella Starlight Trio - The Best So Far...

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 35:31
Size: 81.3 MB
Styles: Pop, Lounge
Year: 2014
Art: Front

[3:37] 1. Don't You Want Me
[3:13] 2. Tainted Love
[2:44] 3. Can't Buy Me Love
[3:12] 4. Don't You (Forget About Me)
[2:43] 5. Another Brick In The Wall (Part 2)
[4:42] 6. Time
[4:44] 7. New Year's Day
[3:22] 8. My Sweet Lord
[3:37] 9. Black Hole Sun
[3:33] 10. Tainted Love

Stella by Starlight is an American electropop band, formed in 2006 in Durham, North Carolina. As of 2012, the band is composed of Nathan Fowler (songwriting, production, synths, and vocals) Stella by Starlight has collaborated with Mike Posner and Eric Holljes (guitar, songwriting, and additional vocals). The band won mtvU's 2007 Woodie Award for Best Music on Campus.[1] Fowler is a 2008 graduate of Duke University. Past performers include Katie Peterson, Chris Prolowski, Steve Wilson, Sonny Byrd, Greg Laird, and Shuhei Yamamoto.

Stella by Starlight is currently based out of Los Angeles, California, and has played with OK Go, Mutemath, Paper Route, 3OH!3, Innerpartysystem, Jason Mraz, Common, Ke$ha and The Anix.

The Best So Far... mc
The Best So Far... zippy

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Mel Carter - The Other Standards

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 40:54
Size: 93.7 MB
Styles: Jazz/Pop vocals
Year: 2011
Art: Front

[2:47] 1. Goody Goody
[3:23] 2. I'm Just Your Fool
[2:54] 3. Everything I Have Is Yours
[2:50] 4. A Tear Fell
[4:13] 5. Cry Me A River
[3:23] 6. Honeysuckle Rose Everybody Loves My Baby
[3:07] 7. I Wonder Where My Love Has Gone
[2:35] 8. Crying In The Chapel
[3:59] 9. I Only Know
[3:17] 10. My Lips Can't Find The Lyrics
[5:32] 11. Haunted Heart I Never Had A Chance
[2:49] 12. Sometimes I'm Happy

Anyone who enjoyed those great singers in the amazing musical sixties, Mel Carter stands out as one of the greatest from this tremendous musical era filled with uniquely talented singers, thrilling memorable hits like "Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me", "The Richest Man Alive" and many others stood out with engrossing beautifully shaded & richly soaring vocals from the great singer whose success would have continued had radio continued building on talent instead of flavor of the day, but such is life and current sad state of Music Industy show the result. "The Other Standards" is a brilliant set of great songs arranged to perfection showing Mel Carter has retained that sublime magical voice, holding his own as a singer with a timeless quality, putting him high on the list of great singers over the past fifty years and counting. Big-band treatment of opener "Goody, Goody" is off the chart great, throughout Mel is magnificent doing a mix of blues, ballads and standards in peak passionate form making this collection a must-have for every "great singer" collection! Surprise of the collection is wondrous self-penned jam "My Lips Can't Find The Lyrics" taking listener on an extraordinary rhythmic ride with a great singer...Bravo Mel, this one should become a New Standard! ~Bradly briggs

The Other Standards mc
The Other Standards zippy

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Willie Mitchell - The Best Of Willie Mitchell

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 45:51
Size: 105.0 MB
Styles: Memphis soul
Year: 2014
Art: Front

[2:18] 1. Soul Serenade
[2:12] 2. Papa's Got A Brand New Bag
[2:17] 3. Mercy Mercy Mercy
[2:22] 4. Bum Daddy
[2:25] 5. Barefootin'
[2:09] 6. Have You Ever Had The Blues
[2:23] 7. Grazing In The Grass
[2:18] 8. Strawberry Soul
[2:50] 9. Misty
[2:08] 10. Buster Browne
[2:10] 11. 20-75
[2:15] 12. Sunrise Serenade
[2:20] 13. Searching For My Love
[2:27] 14. The Horse
[2:09] 15. Woodchopper's Ball
[1:56] 16. Slippin' & Slidin
[2:27] 17. Bad Eye
[2:24] 18. Everything Is Gonna Be Alright
[2:07] 19. That Driving Beat
[2:04] 20. The Crawl

Before Willie Mitchell became the architect of Al Green's classic '70s sound, he was a Memphis trumpeter and bandleader purveying instrumental dance-party soul that sounded like what Booker T. and the MGs might have been doing had they possessed a horn section. This CD collects 20 tracks that posit Mitchell as a more than worthy peer of those Stax Records titans and a direct link to the even leaner funk of the Meters. If those outfits make your rump shake, you'll have trouble resisting the likes of "20-75," "Bum Daddy." Not that there's any reason you should. --Rickey Wright

The Best Of Willie Mitchell mc
The Best Of Willie Mitchell zippy

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Slim Gaillard - Sabros! Here's Smorgasbord!

Styles: Jazz, Vocal
Year: 1991
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 76:50
Size: 177,6 MB
Art: Front

(4:53)1.Opera in Vout (Groove Juice Symphony)Part 1-2
(3:09) 2. Opera in Vout (Groove Juice Symphony)Part 3
(3:48) 3. Opera in Vout (Groove Juice Symphony)Part 4
(2:40) 4. Momma's in the Kitchen But We've Get 'Pop' on Ice
(2:21)  5. Down by the Station
(2:31)  6. Communications
(2:19)  7. Serenade to a Poodle
(2:55)  8. Laughin' in Rhythm
(2:08)  9. Soony-Rroony
(2:28) 10. Oh, Lady Be Good
(2:29) 11. Sabroso
(3:33) 12. Babalu
(2:33) 13. Yo Yo Yo
(2:54) 14. For You
(2:32) 15. Vip Roc Heresy
(2:44) 16. The Hip Cowboy
(2:29) 17. Chicken Rhythm
(2:20) 18. St. Louis Blues
(2:34) 19. I Know What to Do
(2:28) 20. Taxpayers Blues
(2:30) 21. Eatin' with Boogie
(2:35) 22. I Only Have Eyes for You
(2:29) 23. As You Are
(2:39) 24. I Can't Give You Anything But Love
(3:06) 25. Potato Chips
(2:38) 26. I'm in the Mood for Love
(2:22) 27. Mishugana Mambo
(2:31) 28. Gomen-Nasai (Forgive Me)

One of the most eccentric vocalists ever to hit the jazz scene, Slim Gaillard became a legendary cult figure thanks to his own privately invented jive dialect "vout," a variation on hipster slang composed of imaginary nonsense words ("oreenie" and "oroonie" being two other examples). Gaillard's comic performances, laid-back cool, and supremely silly songs made him a popular entertainer from the late '30s to the early '50s, especially on the West Coast, and several of his compositions became genuine hits, including "Flat Foot Floogie" and "Cement Mixer." Versatility was not Gaillard's stock-in-trade, but he was highly effective at what he did, and his musical ability as a singer, Charlie Christian-style guitarist, and boogie-woogie pianist was perhaps a bit overlooked in comparison to the novelty value of his music. Slim was born Bulee Gaillard, most likely on January 4, 1916 in Detroit, MI; some sources list his birth date as January 1, and Gaillard sometimes claimed to have been born in Santa Clara, Cuba, instead of Detroit. His father worked as a steward on a cruise liner, and sometimes brought young Slim along, once accidentally leaving him behind on the island of Crete. 

Gaillard was mostly raised in Detroit, though, where he tried his hand at professional boxing, worked as a mortician, and ran bootleg rum for the Purple Gang during the '30s. He also developed an act in which he played guitar and tap danced simultaneously, and eventually moved to New York to work the vaudeville circuit. In 1936, he teamed up with bassist Slam Stewart as Slim & Slam, and two years later they scored a substantial hit with "Flat Foot Floogie," which was quickly covered by the likes of Benny Goodman and Fats Waller in the wake of the original recording's success. Gaillard and Stewart kept cutting songs in a similar vein, including "Tutti Frutti" and "Laughin' in Rhythm," and eventually took their act to Hollywood, where they appeared in the 1941 film Hellzapoppin. Their partnership continued on through 1942, when World War II interrupted; both served in the military, Gaillard in the Air Force.  Upon exiting the service in 1944, Gaillard settled in Los Angeles and took up residency at Billy Berg's Hollywood Boulevard club, a hot spot for stars of the era. Now in tandem with bassist Bam Brown, Gaillard became a top draw and a hip name to drop; his 1945 hit "Cement Mixer" returned him to national prominence, and he recorded frequently that year, often with a quartet featuring Brown, pianist Dodo Marmarosa, and drummer Zutty Singleton. He also cut a session with bop greats Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie in late 1945, the most notable result of which was "Slim's Jam." The latter half of the '40s saw Gaillard's popularity at its peak; he appeared in several films and recorded for Verve up through 1951. He had further hits with 1948's "Down by the Station," which became a popular children's nursery rhyme, and 1951's "Yep Roc Heresay," a recitation of the menu from a Middle Eastern restaurant that one radio station banned for its "suggestiveness." 

He performed in New York frequently from 1951-1953, and also participated in Norman Granz's Jazz at the Philharmonic in 1953; a few years later, he was name-checked in Jack Kerouac's On the Road. By the mid-'50s, Gaillard's popularity was on the wane. He spent much of the latter part of the decade on the road with Stan Kenton, and recorded for Dot in 1958. He took a hiatus from music in the '60s; he managed a motel in San Diego for a time, and bought an orchard near Tacoma, WA. He also played clubs and spent time in Los Angeles, where he drifted into acting toward the end of the decade, appearing on TV shows like Marcus Welby, M.D., Charlie's Angels, Mission Impossible, Medical Center, and Along Came Bronson. He reunited with Slam Stewart at the 1970 Monterey Jazz Festival, and in 1979 he appeared in the miniseries Roots: The Next Generation. In 1982, Dizzy Gillespie talked Gaillard into returning to music. He traveled to the U.K. and made his first recordings since 1958 for Hep, which issued them as the album Anytime, Anyplace, Anywhere; he also hit the festival circuit and toured Europe extensively, making London his new home base in 1983. He appeared in the cult film Absolute Beginners in 1986, and was the subject of a multipart BBC special called The World of Slim Gaillard in 1989. Gaillard passed away on February 26, 1991, after a bout with cancer. ~ Steve Huey https://www.allmusic.com/artist/slim-gaillard-mn0000750203/biography

Sabros! Here's Smorgasbord!

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Helen Abbey - Second Time Around

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2009
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 44:56
Size: 103,4 MB
Art: Front

(2:43)  1. The Lady Is A Tramp
(5:41)  2. I've Got You Under My Skin
(2:50)  3. The Second Time Around
(4:29)  4. Just The Two Us
(3:43)  5. Free Spirit
(4:05)  6. Come Fly With Me
(3:21)  7. Ain't Misbehavin'
(3:39)  8. Always Something There To Remind Me
(5:14)  9. That Old Devil Called Love
(2:42) 10. Twisted
(6:24) 11. Bewitched

Helen Abbey debut album Simply Me was well received and took her to the finals of the Sony Search For A New Jazz Star competition. Helen Abbey graduated from the Rose Bruford College of Speech and Drama with a Diploma in Performing Arts. She started her singing career with The Swing Sisters, an acapella group performing on the alternative cabaret scene, and The Seafood Mamas, a close harmony group with a regular slot at The Ritz Hotel. Motherhood beckoned and her musical career went on hold while she took time out to raise her three children. She cites jazz vocal masterclasses with Claire Martin, Sheila Jordan and Ian Shaw as being the catalysts for finding her voice again. And her recent success at Pizza on the Park, Knightsbridge confirms that she is now firmly back on the scene. After winning an award from the Arts Council England she teamed up with a group of fine British jazz musicians and brought in her songwriting partner Luigi Ferrara (who is also Italy's top jazz harmonica player). The result is her long awaited debut album. It delivers the best in a wide range of jazz styles mainstream standards, swing, ballads, and a sprinkling of original songs. The album is a true reflection of Helen's inimitable smooth style and is called, appropriately, “Simply Me”. United Kingdom  https://news.allaboutjazz.com/helen-abbey-long-awaited-follow-up-album-second-time-around.php

Second Time Around

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