Ron Levy's Wild Kingdom - B-3 Blues & Grooves

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 53:25
Size: 122.3 MB
Styles: Blues/Jazz/Soul, B-3
Year: 2012
Art: Front

[4:22] 1. Levtronic Blues
[5:49] 2. 6 8 Summertime
[5:29] 3. Chillin' Out (Feat. Albert Collins)
[4:50] 4. Gimme A Break
[4:32] 5. Prayin' The Blues Pt 1
[3:44] 6. Meter Made
[3:22] 7. Defrostin' (Feat. Albert Collins & Memphis Horns)
[7:06] 8. Eema's Song
[3:34] 9. Funk Finger
[5:01] 10. Rooseveltin'
[5:33] 11. Prayin' The Blues Pt 2

Ron Levy is one of the finest young masters of the Hammond B-3. Here are 11 soul-satisfying cuts that feature Levy's funky keyboard playing -- many written by Levy himself. Those who look for B-3 jams in the soul-jazz vein that are as funky as can be will not be disappointed. This is a great CD to own. ~Stephen Thomas Erlewine

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Lorez Alexandria - Deep Roots

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 28:28
Size: 65.2 MB
Styles: Jazz vocals
Year: 1962/2012
Art: Front

[2:45] 1. Nature Boy
[3:19] 2. I Was A Fool
[2:05] 3. No Moon At All
[2:58] 4. Spring Will Be A Little Late This Year
[2:32] 5. Softly As In A Morning Sunrise
[3:34] 6. Detour Ahead
[2:41] 7. It Could Happen To You
[3:23] 8. Trav'lin' Light
[2:18] 9. Almost Like Being In Love
[2:49] 10. I Want To Talk About You

The musicians John Young (p), Israel Crosby (b) and Vernel Fournier (d) as well as from time to time George Eskridge (g) do a work i really like behind Alexandria. The touch of Young is light and cool as well as the playing of the other musicians and somehow fit perfect to the warm singing of Lorez Alexandria. I totaly dig her singing in the lower registers and when she moves from below to higher notes and back like she does on 'Detour Ahead'. Don't hesitate if you can find this record, it's beautiful. ~Leunjean

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Andy Sheppard - S/T

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 40:53
Size: 93.6 MB
Styles: Folk, Fingerstyle guitar
Year: 2006
Art: Front

[3:18] 1. Dragonfly Helicopter
[4:01] 2. King Mzi
[3:49] 3. Intimate Awkward
[3:48] 4. Beautiful Downtown Chicken
[4:17] 5. Until Next Time
[4:28] 6. Light Sweet Crude
[2:46] 7. Shadow Boxing
[4:09] 8. All Thumbs
[3:40] 9. Ways & Means
[2:14] 10. My Lovely Elizabeth
[4:20] 11. Feuilles-O

Oil and water. It's all about contrasts for Andy Sheppard. He coaxes brave new sounds from a converted '69 Martin steel guitar and a late-model laptop. He smashes folk and world music together with found sounds and stompbox loops. He sings out lyrics of a childhood in tobacco country and stirs them together with world-wandering stories from Africa and Asia. His latest live album (to be released October '08) is a slide guitar manifesto - by turns delicate and reckless, sweet but heavy on the beat. Songs tinged with the gentlemanly humour and global twang of Ry Cooder, and the sparkling desperation of Sufjan Stevens. Oil and water.

Andy Sheppard won the 2006 Colleen Peterson Songwriting Award. He was a finalist in the 2008 Mountain Stage NewSong Competition. He toured in the UK and across Canada in 2008 with three other world-class guitarists as part of International Guitar Night.

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Sam Nestico & The SWR Big Band - Fun Time

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 76:11
Size: 174.4 MB
Styles: Big band
Year: 2009
Art: Front

[6:49] 1. Blues Samuel
[4:11] 2. A New Day
[6:12] 3. A Pair Of Aces
[5:32] 4. Out Of The Night
[5:48] 5. D'ann
[4:50] 6. Fun Time
[4:11] 7. Celebración
[4:41] 8. Struttin' With Some Barbecue
[5:22] 9. Orchids And Butterflies
[3:36] 10. Not Really The Blues
[4:44] 11. The Four Of Us (You 'n Me)
[7:39] 12. Rare Moment
[4:46] 13. Bye Bye Blues
[4:04] 14. A Song For Sarah
[3:39] 15. King Porter Stomp

Sammy Nestico: conductor, arranger; Klaus Graf: alto and soprano saxophones, flute; Joerg Kaufmann: alto saxophone, flute; Steffen Webber: tenor saxophone, flute; Andreas Maile: tenor saxophone, clarinet; Pierre Paquette: baritone saxophone, clarinet, bass clarinet; Felice Civitareale: trumpet, flugelhorn; Martijn de Laat: trumpet, flugelhorn; Ralf Hesse: trumpet, flugelhorn; Karl Farrent: trumpet, flugelhorn; Rudolf Reindl: trumpet, flugelhorn; Marc Godfroid: trombone; Ernst Hutter: trombone; Ian Cumming: trombone; Georg Maus: bass trombone; Klaus Wegenleiter: piano; Klaus-Peter Schoepfer: guitar; Decebal Badila: bass: Guido Joeris: drums.

Big band jazz has evolved into its own avant-garde art form, where the arrangements have become progressively more complex and cerebral. Not that there is anything wrong with that, but it does make for a different type of big band listening experience. Modern big band jazz, in some quarters, has veered off into a non-swinging, Stan Kenton direction and, while it remains interesting, it is not as enjoyable as a sweet Count Basie blues romp.

Speaking of Basie, the fabled bandleader retained many of the more celebrated arrangers and composers for his big band. Neal Hefti, Billy Byers, Frank Foster and Benny Carter are just a few of the musicians to arranged for Basie. Sammy Nestico enjoyed an extended relationship with the band from 1967 to 1984, where his arrangements showed up on Basie Big Band (Pablo, 1975), Fun Time (Pablo, 1975), Prime Time (Pablo, 1977) and Montreux '77 (Pablo, 1977). He also claims many recordings in his own right, several with the SRW Big Band: No Time Like the Present (Hanssler, 2005), Basie Cally Sammy (Hanssler, 2005) and Fun Time (Hanssler, 2009).

Nestico is back with the SWR (Südwestdeutschen Rundfunks) Big Band on this live Outing, Fun Time and More Live, recorded before an engaged audience at the Jazz Lights Oberkochen, Carl-Zeiss-Saal, March 19, 2010. Nestico guides this fine ensemble through 14 of his better-known arrangements, in a traditional big band recital that's more Basie than Glenn Miller or Benny Goodman. Nestico favors big brass and big sounds, conjuring forth such from this crack orchestra. ~C. Michael Bailey

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Lionel Hampton - Centennial Celebration

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 60:09
Size: 137.7 MB
Styles: Vibraphone jazz
Year: 2009
Art: Front

[ 5:06] 1. Perdido
[ 7:04] 2. Makin' Whoopee
[ 5:26] 3. Body And Soul
[ 7:13] 4. Somebody Loves Me
[ 8:01] 5. Deep Purple
[ 3:41] 6. Hamp's Boogie Woogie
[13:01] 7. Ring Dem Bells
[10:35] 8. Flyin' Home

This compilation features material drawn from the holdings of Pablo and Telarc, which were consolidated after Concord purchased both Fantasy and Telarc. The anthology includes five tracks from Lionel Hampton's work with pianist Art Tatum in 1955. While Tatum intimidated some players in jam sessions, the vibraphonist was not one to take on the challenge of the pianist's flurry of notes, while Buddy Rich's drumming is also up to their fireworks, especially in the playful "Makin' Whoopee." Things are a bit more relaxed for the ballads adding Harry "Sweets" Edison, Barney Kessel, and Red Callender, though Tatum never lets up. The last three songs come from Hampton's work as a leader for Telarc, all recorded at the Blue Note in 1991, when the vibraphonist was in his early eighties. Yet he had lost none of his firepower, thriving in front of an audience and backed by a superb rhythm section consisting of Hank Jones, Milt Hinton, and Grady Tate. Trombonist Al Grey is showcased in an abbreviated "Hamp's Boogie Woogie," while the leader is fueled by the riffs of Clark Terry, James Moody, Buddy Tate, and Grey in the rousing extended workout of his signature tune, "Flying Home." This collection will prompt younger fans less familiar with Lionel Hampton to seek out the complete CDs from which these performances were drawn. ~Ken Dryden

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Grant Green - Ballads

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 47:48
Size: 109.4 MB
Styles: Bop/Funk, Jazz Guitar
Year: 2002
Art: Front

[5:51] 1. My One And Only Love
[7:25] 2. God Bless The Child
[9:05] 3. My Funny Valentine
[7:11] 4. Little Girl Blue
[4:51] 5. Born To Be Blue
[6:21] 6. Nancy (With The Laughing Face)
[7:01] 7. 'round About Midnight

Ballads captures Grant Green in a mellow mood, offering something like a portrait of an artist as a young guitarist. All seven selections are from 1960 and 1961, mostly, as the liner notes state, because Green performed ballads less often as time went on (especially as a leader). It's instructive and gratifying, then, to have pieces like "My One and Only Love" and "Nancy (With the Laughing Face)" in one place. The personnel varies quite a bit since each cut originates from a different album, though pianist Sonny Clark plays on four cuts, including the lovely "Little Girl Blue." Flutist Yusef Lateef, organist Jack McDuff, and drummer Al Harewood join in for a delicate, impressionistic rendering of "My Funny Valentine," while bassist Ben Tucker and drummer Dave Bailey add minimalist support to a moody version of "'Round Midnight." On each tune, four of which exceed seven minutes, Green takes his time developing his ideas. He can dazzle, but he'd rather hold a note or allow a phrase to linger in the air for a moment. He'd rather wring a few more blue notes out of "God Bless the Child" than impress the listener with his speed and agility. For those unfamiliar with Green's softer side, Ballads offers a fine introduction. For those in the know, Ballads conveniently collects these pieces in the same place, creating an exquisite late-night disc. ~Ronnie D. Lankford Jr.

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Gloria Lynne - Day In Day Out

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 30:33
Size: 70.0 MB
Styles: R&B, Vocal jazz
Year: 1960/2011
Art: Front

[2:06] 1. I'm Just A Lucky So And So
[2:51] 2. I'm Always Chasing Rainbows
[2:24] 3. They Can't Take That Away From Me
[2:06] 4. Smile It Off
[2:22] 5. The Song Is You
[2:32] 6. My Little Brown Book
[2:50] 7. Cheek To Cheek
[2:35] 8. How Long Has This Been Going On
[3:07] 9. Day In, Day Out
[2:24] 10. They Say It's Wonderful
[2:42] 11. And This Is My Beloved
[2:29] 12. What A Man

Gloria Lynne recorded many albums for Everest in her early days, slipped away into obscurity, and then in the 1990s made a comeback. An excellent singer whose style falls between bop, 1950s middle-of-the-road pop, and early soul, Lynne was always capable of putting on a colorful show. Her mother was a gospel singer and Lynne started out singing in church. She had five years of concert training and in 1951 won the legendary amateur competition at the Apollo Theater. Lynne sang with some vocal groups, became a solo artist, and in 1958 was discovered by Raymond Scott, who at the time was a top A&R man at Everest. During her busy period with Everest (at least ten records were cut between 1958-1963), Lynne had hits in "I Wish You Love" (a song she virtually made a standard) and "I'm Glad There Is You." She recorded with both orchestras and jazz combos, becoming quite popular for a period. However, with the rise of rock and the change in the public's musical tastes, Lynne was forgotten for a time. Only a commercial record in 1975 for ABC broke the silence. But starting in the early '80s, Lynne started working regularly again, regained some of her earlier fame, and in the early '90s recorded a couple of CDs for Muse; her initial Everest date also reappeared as an Evidence CD. Gloria Lynne has remained active into the 21st century, and issued one of her strongest albums in decades, From My Heart to Yours, on the Highnote label in 2007. ~ Scott Yanow

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Frank Sinatra, Tommy Dorsey - Frank Sinatra With Tommy Dorsey: Greatest Hits

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s

Time: 45:08

Size: 103.3 MB

Styles: Vocal, Big band

Year: 2013

Art: Front

[3:01] 1. Night And Day

[3:11] 2. I'm Getting Sentimental

[3:14] 3. Once In A While

[3:18] 4. East Of The Sun And West Of The Moon

[3:43] 5. The Things I Love

[3:00] 6. Hear My Song Violetta

[2:57] 7. Whispering

[2:15] 8. Marie

[2:10] 9. I Hear A Rapsody

[2:53] 10. How About You

[3:10] 11. Stardust

[2:54] 12. I Think Of You

[3:07] 13. I'll Never Smile Again

[3:00] 14. Our Love Affair

[3:10] 15. Fools Rush In

In 1939, Frank Sinatra scored his very first success, "All Or Nothing At All," with trumpeter Harry James' Orchestra. The following year the young singer began an extraordinary two year apprenticeship with the much classier Tommy Dorsey Orchestra, a regimen which taught him everything he needed to know about musical taste and judgement if not popular adulation. Make no mistake, however; from the beginning, through sheer dint of will, Sinatra managed to make his time with the master trombonist and bandleader a collaboration of musical equals.

Milestone recordings like "Stardust," "I'll Be Seeing You," "I'll Never Smile Again," "Everything Happens To Me" et al are both big band classics and the beginning of a new age of romantic popular singing. No male singer had ever gone as far as Sinatra did in exploring the tender feelings expressed in these songs, in identifying so completely with a given song's meaning. It was a revolution in popular sensibility that we are still living through several decades later. ~AMG

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Tommy Flanagan - Beyond The Blue Bird

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 66:46
Size: 152.8 MB
Styles: Piano jazz
Year: 1991/1999
Art: Front

[5:40] 1. Bluebird
[8:58] 2. Yesterdays
[7:11] 3. 50-21
[7:11] 4. Blues In My Heart
[6:09] 5. Barbados
[4:44] 6. Beyond The Bluebird
[7:48] 7. Nascimento
[5:28] 8. The Con Man
[6:43] 9. Something Borrowed Something Blue
[6:50] 10. Bluebird After Dark

Bass – George Mraz; Drums – Lewis Nash; Guitar – Kenny Burrell; Piano – Tommy Flanagan. Recorded April 29 and 30, 1990, at Studio 44, Monster, Holland.

Veteran pianist Tommy Flanagan, in a quartet with guitarist Kenny Burrell, bassist George Mraz and drummer Lewis Nash, performs blues, ballads and some obscurities during one of his most rewarding recordings. Flanagan has never recorded an indifferent album, but this set seems more inspired than most, making it a perfect introduction to this tasteful, swinging and creative (within the bop mainstream) pianist. ~Scott Yanow

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Bobby Hackett - The Trumpet Player

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 57:34
Size: 131.8 MB
Styles: Trumpet jazz
Year: 2017
Art: Front

[3:12] 1. Ain't Misbehavin'
[2:45] 2. That Da-Da Strain
[2:27] 3. Blue And Disillusioned
[2:56] 4. You You And Especially You
[3:14] 5. I Surrender Dear
[2:46] 6. Clarinet Marmalade
[2:54] 7. If Dreams Come True
[3:32] 8. Ja-Da
[3:06] 9. Singin' The Blues
[3:51] 10. All Through The Night
[2:26] 11. Dardanella
[2:54] 12. Sunrise Serenade
[2:40] 13. That's How Dreams Should End
[2:57] 14. Embraceable You
[2:23] 15. That Old Gang Of Mine
[2:58] 16. A Ghost Of A Chance
[2:36] 17. Doin' The New Low-Down
[2:36] 18. At The Jazz Band Ball
[2:31] 19. After I Say I'm Sorry
[2:42] 20. Bugle Call Rag

Hackett was born in Providence, Rhode Island. He made his name as a follower of the legendary cornet player Bix Beiderbecke: Benny Goodman hired him to recreate Bix's famous "I'm Coming Virginia" solo at his (Goodman's) 1938 Carnegie Hall concert. In the late 1930s Hackett played lead trumpet in the Vic Schoen Orchestra which backed the Andrews Sisters. Hackett can be heard on the soundtrack to the 1940 Fred Astaire movie Second Chorus. In 1939 the talent agency MCA asked Hackett to form a big band with its backing. Unfortunately the band failed and Hackett was in substantial debt to MCA after it folded. Hackett joined the bands of Horace Heidt and then Glenn Miller to pay down this debt. To make matters worse, his lip was in bad shape after dental surgery, making it difficult for him to play the trumpet or cornet. Glenn Miller came to Hackett's rescue, offering him a job as a guitarist with the Miller Band. "When I joined the band and I was making good money at last, jazz critics accused me of selling out. Hell I wasn't selling out, I was selling in! It's funny, isn't it, how you go right into the wastebasket with some critics the minute you become successful". Despite his lip problems, Hackett could still play occasional short solos, and he can be heard playing a famous one with the Glenn Miller Orchestra on "A String of Pearls".

A dream come true for Hackett was his inclusion in Louis Armstrong's 1947 Town Hall Jazz Concert. In 1954, Hackett appeared as a regular on the short-lived ABC variety show The Martha Wright Show, also known as The Packard Showroom.

However, what made Hackett something of a household name was his being hired by Jackie Gleason as a cornet soloist for some of Gleason's earliest mood music albums. Starting in 1952, Hackett appeared on Gleason's first Capitol Records album, Music for Lovers Only. The record – as well as all of Gleason's next 10 albums - went gold. Hackett went on to appear on six more Gleason LPs. This association led directly to Hackett signing with Capitol for a series of his own albums.

In 1965, he toured with singer Tony Bennett. In 1966 and 1967 Hackett accompanied Bennett on two European tours. In the early 1970s, Hackett performed separately with Dizzy Gillespie and Teresa Brewer. In 2012, Hackett was selected to be inducted into the Rhode Island Music Hall of Fame.

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Lani Hall - Es Facil Amar

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 38:08
Size: 87.3 MB
Styles: Latin pop
Year: 1985/2014
Art: Front

[3:49] 1. Es Facil Amar
[3:59] 2. De Repente El Amor (Feat Roberto Carlos)
[4:18] 3. Fantasma
[3:47] 4. Amor Sin Manana
[3:47] 5. Si Me Amaras
[3:14] 6. Un Amor Asi
[4:35] 7. Ramito De Vio;etas
[3:17] 8. Dama Dama
[3:46] 9. Paginas Prohibidas
[3:33] 10. Pequeno Ser

The original voice of Sergio Mendes' Brasil '66, singer Lani Hall was also the wife of trumpeter and A&M Records co-founder Herb Alpert. Upon exiting Brasil '66, she made her solo debut in 1974 with the LP Sundown Lady; a series of releases including 1975's Hello It's Me, 1977's Sweetbird and 1979's Double or Nothing followed, but after appearing on the soundtrack to the 1983 James Bond film Never Say Never Again, Hall largely disappeared from the recording scene, resurfacing only to make the occasional cameo appearance on her husband's recordings. However, the rise of Latin pop during the 1990s inspired Hall to return to the studio, and in 1998 she issued Brasil Nativo. ~ Jason Ankeny

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Eric Lensink - Baby One More Time

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 49:45
Size: 113.9 MB
Styles: Piano/vocal jazz
Year: 2018
Art: Front

[2:40] 1. Our Love Is Here To Stay
[2:13] 2. There Is No Greater Love
[4:13] 3. I'm In The Mood For Love
[2:34] 4. It Had To Be You
[4:40] 5. These Foolish Things
[3:53] 6. ..Baby One More Time
[4:22] 7. Someone To Watch Over Me
[3:14] 8. The Way You Look Tonight
[4:30] 9. Bewitched, Bothered And Bewildered
[2:56] 10. Let's Fall In Love
[4:20] 11. Angel Eyes
[2:44] 12. Something About You
[4:05] 13. Don't Blame Me
[3:15] 14. Tomorrow

In the nursery of Eric Lensink there was an old piano. His bed stood next to it; the pillow was leaning against the piano. No wonder that the piano sounds he heard on the radio were also suspected somewhere in that instrument; soon every day there was tried to bring the old closet to life. "I remember that my father always played the first bars of Beethoven's Mondschein sonata, with slightly too strong basses, and that's what I wanted, because my parents listened to the radio during the day, always classical music. They were both very fond of Chopin. At parties, however, records of jazz pianists such as Oscar Peterson and Art Tatum were set up, according to my mother, 'nerve music'. I still know whole solos by heart. "

Through fun four-handed play with his father and the lessons of Laska Meseck, Kemal Ultanur, Harry Vooren and Feico de Leeuw, his play develops towards the 'light music': jazz, salon music, nightclub repertoire. Work was found at ballet schools, in restaurants and clubs. However, there was hardly any talk of a career at that time. In addition to the piano work, (bass) guitar was also played and composed in various bands, resulting in a Silver Harp from the Conamus foundation (1995) for his former band Vitalis. Since 2000 he runs a sound studio together with partner Jeroen Tenty, where mainly commissioned and produced.

Through the accompaniment work, vocalists also started to arouse his interest; his taste varies from 'The Velvet Mist' Mel Tormé to the kitsch by Dean Martin. Another such shock of recognition was the vocals of trumpet player Chet Baker. "He sings as he plays, not overly technically, but lyrical, velvety, honest, with almost no vibrato, a tremendous power of expression". He is also touched by more nostalgic sounds: "I can shamelessly dream away in the crackling sounds of Vera Lynn or Al Bowley.Collected by that BBC series 'The Singing Detective', which I saw on TV in the 80s."

It can not stop: Eric starts to sing more and more. The repertoire indeed varies from nostalgia to swing. "It feels like everything is starting to fall into place, sometimes even after 44. Moreover, Harry Connick Jr. almost never comes to the Netherlands, so I take the honors for as long as I can, so I have my own big band!" (Translated from Dutch.)

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Esperanza Spalding - Radio Music Society

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 57:37
Size: 131.9 MB
Styles: Adult Contemporary R&B, Contemporary jazz
Year: 2012
Art: Front

[6:32] 1. Radio Song
[5:33] 2. Cinnamon Tree
[4:32] 3. Crowned & Kissed
[1:53] 4. Land Of The Free
[5:14] 5. Black Gold (Special Guest Algebra Blessett)
[4:40] 6. I Can't Help It
[3:40] 7. Hold On Me
[5:47] 8. Vague Suspicions
[6:35] 9. Endangered Species
[4:19] 10. Let Her
[4:32] 11. City Of Roses
[4:16] 12. Smile Like That

Esperanza Spalding's fourth album, Radio Music Society (a companion piece to Chamber Music Society in name only) is one of enormous ambition -- polished production, sophisticated, busy charts, and classy songwriting -- that consciously juxtaposes neo-soul and adult-oriented jazz-tinged pop. It employs a stellar cast, largely of jazz musicians, to pull it off. She produced the set, with help from Q-Tip on a couple of numbers, and wrote all but two songs here: a cover of "I Can't Help It" (a Michael Jackson cover written by Stevie Wonder) and Wayne Shorter's "Endangered Species." There are truckloads of players, including three different all-star drummers in Terri Lyne Carrington, Jack DeJohnette, and Billy Hart, saxophonist Joe Lovano, and guitarists Jef Lee Johnson and Lionel Loueke on "Black Gold" (which also contains his vocals and an appearance by the Savannah Children's Choir). Though Ms. Spalding takes most lead vocals, there are also duet appearances from Lalah Hathaway and Algebra Blessett. Backing vocalists include Gretchen Parlato (who also anchors a chorus on several tunes) and Leni Stern. The American Music Program horn section appears on three cuts. The highlights here include "Crowned & Kissed" (a Q-Tip co-production) with its rubbery bassline, contrapuntal horns, Leo Genovese's artful pianism, and Carrington's impeccable sense of swing that bridges funk, neo-soul, jazz, and hip-hop. "Radio Song" contains layered interpolated rhythms (again courtesy of Carrington), sparkling Rhodes piano, syncopated horns and backing chorus, Spalding's alto croon, and a taut, popping bassline. Lovano's saxophone adds a truly elegant and graceful dimension to "I Can't Help It." The charts on Shorter's tune (with lyrics by Spalding) illuminate what may have been the composer's intent all along -- and nod at Pastorius-era Weather Report simultaneously. DeJohnette's funky subtlety drives the knotty fingerpop of "Let Her," and Hart's trademark, shimmering cymbal work on "Hold on Me" complements Spalding's sultry vocal in retro bluesy pop -- it's one of only a couple of places on the record where she plays acoustic bass. While Radio Music Society may play better to younger pop audiences than more die-hard jazzheads, this program is so diverse and well executed -- despite a little overreaching -- it's anybody's guess. ~Thom Jurek

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Charlie Byrd Trio - Isn't It Romantic

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 46:31
Size: 106.5 MB
Styles: Guitar jazz
Year: 1984/1992
Art: Front

[3:30] 1. Isn't It Romantic
[3:02] 2. I Could Write A Book
[4:29] 3. Cheek To Cheek
[3:23] 4. The Very Thought Of You
[2:49] 5. Thou Swell
[4:05] 6. I Guess I'll Have To Change My Plan
[4:01] 7. He Loves And She Loves
[3:45] 8. Last Night When We Were Young
[3:03] 9. One Morning In May
[3:51] 10. I Didn't Know What Time It Was
[3:02] 11. There's A Small Hotel
[3:48] 12. Someone To Watch Over Me
[3:38] 13. I Thought About You

Bass – Joe Byrd; Drums – Chuck Redd; Guitar – Charlie Byrd.

On this enjoyable set, Charlie Byrd's trio performs five classics by Rodgers & Hart and numbers by Ray Noble, Irving Berlin, Hoagy Carmichael, George Gershwin, and Jimmy Van Heusen. All of the songs are quite familiar, but Byrd (along with his brother Joe on bass and drummer Chuck Riggs) makes such potential warhorses as "Cheek to Cheek," "Thou Swell," and "I Thought About You" sound fresh and alive. Byrd's solo guitar interpretation of "Someone to Watch Over Me" is a highlight. ~Scott Yanow

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Spanish Harlem Orchestra - Across 110th Street

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 64:06
Size: 146.8 MB
Styles: Salsa, Latin pop
Year: 2014
Art: Front

[4:35] 1. Un Gran Dia En El Barrio
[4:49] 2. Cuando Te Vea
[5:04] 3. Tun Tún Suena El Tambor
[4:06] 4. Dime Si Llegué A Tiempo
[5:52] 5. Escucha El Ritmo
[4:12] 6. Bailadores
[4:50] 7. Te Cantaré
[4:32] 8. Como Lo Canto Yo
[5:12] 9. Maestro De Rumbero
[5:21] 10. La Hija De Lola
[6:02] 11. Perla Morena
[3:57] 12. Espérame En El Cieto
[5:29] 13. Tu Te Lo Pierdes

Spanish Harlem Orchestra has only been performing together since the year 2000, but this baker's dozen of musicians and vocalists swings as if it's been around for decades. That cohesiveness is at full-throttle on Across 110th St, SHO's second release and the follow-up to 2002's Grammy nominated Un Gran Dia en el Barrio. The group mixes classic salsa covers ("Cuando Te Vea, Esperame en el Cielo") with original compositions, and it makes for an unbroken flow of precise musicianship and sweltering instrumental interludes. The legendary Ruben Blades tackles singing duties on four tracks, which gives Across 110th St much of its commercial heft. Equally commendable, though, are the vocal stylings of regular SHO members Ray De La Paz, Marco Bermudez and Willie Torres. Everyone gets a chance to shine on Across 110th St--a very good thing for fans of great salsa music. ~Joey Guerra

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Bob Seeley, Lluis Coloma - International Boogie Woogie Explosion

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 66:58
Size: 153.3 MB
Styles: Piano blues, Boogie woogie
Year: 2012
Art: Front

[3:24] 1. Sixth Avenue Express
[4:51] 2. Suitcase Blues
[4:04] 3. Bumble Boogie
[5:46] 4. Yancey Special
[3:58] 5. Boogie Woogie Dream
[5:54] 6. Taboo
[4:03] 7. Strange Cargo
[2:44] 8. The Honeydripper
[3:56] 9. Cuttin' The Boogie
[4:46] 10. Lux's Boogie #2
[4:06] 11. Black And Blue
[3:43] 12. The Fives
[4:01] 13. Oh Lady Be Good
[3:02] 14. Honky Tonk Train Blues
[5:04] 15. Chicago Flyer
[3:29] 16. Yesterdays

Bob Seely a.k.a. 'The Spider' Seeley (piano right channel), Lluís Coloma a.k.a. 'Machine Gun Fingers' Coloma (piano left channel). Recorded live at Café Central, Madrid, Spain, 26-28 August, 2011.

"Boogie woogie has sometimes been described as limited and repetitive. Not so this set though! It had me hooked right from reading the sleeve notes, a wonderful, detailed interview with Detroit pianist Bob Seeley, who met Meade Lux Lewis (one of the original Boogie Woogie Trio) back in the 40s, and who left his mark on the young man as the four Lewis tracks here testify. The younger Spanish blues and boogie ace Lluís Coloma has come to my attention many times over the last few years and I can confirm that he is one excellent musician so put Coloma and Seeley together for a four-handed boogie fest and the expected fireworks sure do happen on this live set recorded in Madrid in 2011. The basses roll like thunder, but these guys can also slow it down and think outside the box (try Taboo).

Bob Seeley describes boogie-woogie as nothing but happy blues and thats just how I felt after listening to this. If youve ever been unsure about boogie, buy this CD. Recommended? You bet!" ~Norman Darwen

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Ethel Ennis - Lullabies For Losers+Change Of Scenery+Have You Forgotten (3 LPs on 2 CDs + Bonus Tracks)

Ethel Ennis (vcl), with Hank Jones (p), Eddie Briggs (g), Abie Baker (b), Kenny Clarke (d). Ray Ellis, Neal Hefti & Sid Feller Orchestras & Arrangements.

Ethel Ennis was blessed with a remarkable voice and an innate jazz feel that she poured into everything she sang. Relatively unknown when she made these late Fifties recordings, her acclaimed debut album, Sings Lullabies For Losers, spread her fame beyond the small East Coast club circuit and her hometown following in Baltimore, where she was born in 1932. Made with a heavyweight jazz quartet that included pianist Hank Jones and drummer Kenny Clarke, it signaled the emergence of a major singing talent.

She moved to Capitol, with which she made her next two albums, Change of the Scenery and Have You Forgotten. For these the label wheeled out the big guns Neal Hefti arranged and conducted the orchestra for a well-judged programme of swingers and torch songs on the first, while on the second Have You Forgotten? she sings in front of three different backgrounds a large string section, a full brass section and a rhythm section plus vibes and guitar, conducted and arranged by Sid Feller. Throughout, Ethel Ennis handles the diverse settings with remarkable aplomb, with a sure touch for the nuances of feeling and phrasing and singing with a maturity beyond her years.

Album: Lullabies For Losers+change Of Scenery+have You Forgotten (Disc 1)
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 46:46
Size: 107.1 MB
Styles: Jazz vocals
Year: 2012
Art: Front

[3:23] 1. Love For Sale
[4:34] 2. Dreamer Dreamer
[2:58] 3. Blue Prelude
[2:55] 4. Off Shore
[4:00] 5. Caually
[3:06] 6. Hey Jacques
[3:03] 7. Lullaby For Losers
[3:02] 8. Say It Aiin't So, Joe
[3:12] 9. You Better Go Now
[3:26] 10. Blue Willow
[4:19] 11. Bon Voyage
[2:52] 12. I've Got You Under My Skin
[3:17] 13. Got It In My Blood (Bonus Track)
[2:33] 14. A Pair Of Fools (Bonus Track)

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Album: Lullabies For Losers+change Of Scenery+have You Forgotten (Disc 2)
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 70:04
Size: 160.4 MB
Styles: Jazz vocals
Year: 2012
Art: Front

[3:03] 1. My Foolish Heart
[4:54] 2. Happiness Is Just A Thing Called Joe
[2:44] 3. Taking A Chance On Love
[4:02] 4. I Remember-The Corn Fields Of Home
[2:32] 5. I Still Get A Thrill
[2:27] 6. The Song Is Ended
[5:10] 7. I Cried For You
[3:40] 8. A Change Of The Scenery
[2:40] 9. Ev'rytime We Say Goodbye
[3:24] 10. Thrill Me
[2:49] 11. Then I'll Be Tired Of You
[2:53] 12. Have You Forgotten
[3:33] 13. How About Me
[2:43] 14. My Apple Pie Guy
[2:51] 15. There's No Fool Like An Old Fool
[3:09] 16. Serenade In Blue
[2:22] 17. A Little Bit Square But Nice
[3:26] 18. It Was So Beautiful
[2:22] 19. Three On A Match
[3:37] 20. The Things I Love
[2:18] 21. For All We Know
[3:13] 22. All I Am To You

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Guthrie Trapp - Pick Peace

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 48:16
Size: 110.5 MB
Styles: Guitar jazz-country-blues
Year: 2012
Art: Front

[3:16] 1. Saint Tommy B
[4:19] 2. Pick Peace
[4:44] 3. Huevos Al Gusto
[4:02] 4. Cows On The Buffalo
[4:57] 5. Monkey Bars
[5:22] 6. Patricia
[4:47] 7. Mudslide
[6:29] 8. Mambo Cheeks
[5:24] 9. Zim Zam Zoom
[4:52] 10. Brews Blues

Guthrie Trapp is one of Nashville’s preeminent guitar talents. He’s currently finishing work on a follow-up to his successful solo album, Pick Peace, a 2012 showcase for Trapp’s stellar talent that long supported the careers of superstar artists and his own bands. Pick Peace served as a perfect template for Trapp’s brilliant mix of musical influences, exploring country, blues, Latin, reggae, jazz, rock and experimental music. The innovative guitarist worked with long-time collaborators on Pick Peace, including bassist Michael Rhodes, percussionist Dann Sherrill, drummers Pete Abbott and Doug Belote, and Reese Wynans, former keyboard player for Stevie Ray Vaughan & Double Trouble, on B-3 organ, most of whom perform regularly with Trapp in live performances throughout Nashville with the Guthrie Trapp Trio, TAR (Trapp, Abbott & Rhodes) and the Nashville supergroup 18 South.

As a member of dobro legend Jerry Douglas’ band for five years, Trapp played on two of recordings of the “Muhammad Ali Of Dobro”, including “Jerry Christmas” and the Grammy-nominated album Glide, and toured extensively throughout North America and the UK, taking the stage at New York City’s Blue Note, Radio City Music Hall, Celtic Connections and the Montreal Jazz Festival. Trapp is a versatile musician who crosses many genres with ease, taste and authenticity. Prior to joining Douglas’ crew, he spent several years with revered country artist Patty Loveless, appearing on two studio albums with her including the Grammy-winning Mountain Soul 2. Onstage or in the studio, Trapp has supported the world’s most talented and best-selling artists including Garth Brooks, John Oates, Trisha Yearwood, Vince Gill, Travis Tritt, Dolly Parton, Tim O’Brien, Delbert McClinton, Randy Travis, George Jones, Alison Krauss, Sam Bush, Tony Rice, Earl Scruggs, Lyle Lovett, Rosanne Cash, “Cowboy” Jack Clement and many others.

Trapp was surrounded by music during his youth on the Florida/Alabama coast. His family exposed him to numerous genres. By age seven, Trapp had taken up harmonica, by age 10, he had graduated to guitar, later adding mandolin to his musical resume. Joining his first band at age 13, he was a regular performer at the clubs, festivals and events throughout the Gulf Coast region. At ages 15 and 16, Trapp won consecutive statewide guitar and mandolin competitions in Alabama. At age 18, Trapp travelled to Nashville to record on Gove Scrivenor’s album, Shine On, which also featured John Prine, Nanci Griffith, Lari White and Ray Flacke. Also a young adult, he teamed up with Nick Branch to form the popular band Filthy Rich, touring throughout the US and France.

Trapp eventually settled in Nashville in 2001, paying early dues with the heralded Don Kelley Band at the famed honky-tonk Robert’s Western World. He made his way to Music Row, where one of his first master sessions was playing mandolin alongside industry staples Willie Weeks, Ian Wallace and Tim Hinkley. He’s never looked back, expanding his resume to include participation as one of the most in-demand performers on the popular Artist Works instructional website, serving as music consultant got the “Nashville” television show, record-producing (singer Rylie Bourne’s debut album) and hosting weekly both a talk-show on Acme Radio and a live-music evening at Acme Feed & Seed, one of Nashville’s hottest venues.

“Guthrie Trapp is the Man For All Seasons on the guitar.” ~Delbert McClinton

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James Spaulding - James Spaulding Plays The Legacy Of Duke Ellington

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 41:30
Size: 95.0 MB
Styles: Bop
Year: 1976/2012
Art: Front

[4:31] 1. Take The 'a' Train
[5:53] 2. In A Sentimental Mood
[5:28] 3. Come Sunday
[5:27] 4. Caravan
[2:11] 5. I Love You Madly
[4:34] 6. Lucky So And So
[6:20] 7. Sophisticated Lady
[7:02] 8. It Don't Mean A Thing If It Ain't Got That Swing

Avery Brooks - Vocals; Billy Higgins - Drums; Sam Jones - Bass; James Mtume - Congas, Percussion; Steve Nelson - Vibraharp, Vibraphone; James Spaulding - Flute, Flute (Bass), Flute (Tenor), Piccolo, Primary Artist, Sax (Alto), Sax (Soprano); Cedar Walton - Piano.

Despite being a top altoist and flutist since at least the mid-'60s, when he played with Freddie Hubbard's band, James Spaulding did not get his recording debut as a leader until this 1976 LP. Spaulding, on various flutes, piccolo, soprano and alto, performs eight songs associated with Duke Ellington, including "Take the 'A' Train" (a Billy Strayhorn composition mistakenly co-credited in the liners to Duke), "Come Sunday," an impressive flute showcase on "Sophisticated Lady" and "It Don't Mean a Thing." Spaulding is joined by pianist Cedar Walton, a young Steve Nelson on vibes, bassist Sam Jones, drummer Billy Higgins and percussionist Mtume. The most unusual aspect of this set is that Avery Brooks (who has a deep baritone that Ellington might have liked) sings four of the eight songs. A sincere tribute. ~Scott Yanow

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Bix Beiderbecke - Volume 1: Singin' The Blues

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 59:55
Size: 137.2 MB
Styles: New Orleans jazz
Year: 1927/1990
Art: Front

[2:59] 1. Trumbology
[3:12] 2. Clarinet Marmalade
[2:59] 3. Singin' The Blues
[3:04] 4. Ostrich Walk
[3:06] 5. Riverboat Shuffle
[3:09] 6. I'm Coming Virginia
[2:49] 7. Way Down Yonder In New Orleans
[3:02] 8. For No Reason At All In C
[3:01] 9. Three Blind Mice (Rhythmic Theme In Advanced Harmony)
[3:16] 10. Blue River
[3:00] 11. There's A Cradle In Caroline!
[2:42] 12. In A Mist
[2:53] 13. Wringin' And Twistin'
[3:01] 14. Humpty Dumpty
[3:00] 15. Krazy Kat
[2:59] 16. (The) Baltimore
[3:02] 17. There Ain't No Land Like Dixieland To Me
[2:54] 18. There's A Cradle In Caroline!
[2:51] 19. Just An Hour Of Love
[2:49] 20. I'm Wonderin' Who

Bix was the only jazz musician of the '20s whose improvising prowess could possibly be compared to Louis Armstrong, and these 1927 Okeh tracks are the source of his legend, with such showpieces as Singing the Blues; Clarinet Marmalade , and For No Reason at All in C .

In jazz's childhood, Bix Beiderbecke was the only cornet player to rival Satchmo in terms of influence on other musicians and on the development of the genre. Armstrong's syncopated delivery, his blues shadings, his unique phrasing--in short, his swing--became, rightly so, the benchmark, the standard by which jazz improvisation was not only judged, but actually defined. In a way, Bix represented both a practical and symbolic alternative to Armstrong. Though he was completely self-taught and couldn't read music, Bix's tone was incredibly pure, full, and lush, and his style was cooler, more restrained (but not reserved), and more plaintive than Louis's hot, ebullient playing--even though his actual tone remained bright and his note choices forceful. All of these 20 cuts come from 1927, and many of them rank among the finest performances of that classic era nudged between Dixieland and swing. A key component of these successes is Frankie Trumbauer, a remarkably fluent and lyrical C-melody sax player who was Beiderbecke's close friend and musical kindred spirit. The septet cuts from February and May are uniformly excellent, but "Singin' the Blues" (featuring Eddie Lang's prominent single-string guitar support), "Riverboat Shuffle," "I'm Comin' Virginia," and "Way Down Yonder in New Orleans" are astonishing landmarks in jazz history. Also worth noting are two trio cuts featuring Beiderbecke on piano supporting Trumbauer and Lang, and "In a Mist (Bixology)," a Bix piano solo full of bold, unorthodox melodies, harmonies, and rhythms. ~Marc Greilsamer

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