Jerry Garcia - The Very Best Of Jerry Garcia (2-CD set)

This special 2-CD collection salutes one of the most legendary figures in all of rock n' roll, beloved Grateful Dead lead guitarist, vocalist and eternal good will ambassador Jerry Garcia. Outside the realm of the Grateful Dead, Jerry pursued a broad array of folk, bluegrass, blues, and roots rock side projects throughout his storied career. His solo albums capture the heart & soul as well as the rich talents of this incomparable music icon. Disc 1 - studio tracks, Disc 2 - live tracks.

Album: The Very Best Of Jerry Garcia (Disc 1)

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s

Time: 77:23

Size: 177.2 MB

Styles: Roots rock

Year: 2006

Art: Front

[3:10] 1. Deal

[4:24] 2. Bird Song

[5:52] 3. Sugaree

[4:06] 4. Loser

[4:01] 5. The Wheel

[3:10] 6. Let It Rock

[3:03] 7. Russian Lullaby

[3:50] 8. Might As Well

[4:59] 9. Mission In The Rain

[9:24] 10. I'll Take A Melody

[5:14] 11. Rubin And Cherise

[5:27] 12. Cats Under The Stars

[5:08] 13. Rhapsody In Red

[3:38] 14. Run For The Roses

[7:27] 15. Knockin' On Heaven's Door

[4:23] 16. Without Love

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Album: The Very Best Of Jerry Garcia (Disc 2)

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s

Time: 77:49

Size: 178.1 MB

Styles: Roots rock

Year: 2006

Art: Front

[ 4:05] 1. Catfish John

[ 6:01] 2. Deep Elem Blues

[ 4:26] 3. Ripple

[10:40] 4. Positively 4th Street

[12:38] 5. The Harder They Come

[ 6:36] 6. Gomorrah

[11:37] 7. Dear Prudence

[ 7:45] 8. Señor (Tales Of Yankee Power)

[ 4:47] 9. Evangeline

[ 9:11] 10. Deal

The Very Best Of Jerry Garcia (Disc 1), (Disc 2)   

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Jean Frye Sidwell - For All We Know

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 56:18
Size: 128.9 MB
Styles: Easy Listening
Year: 2006
Art: Front

[4:53] 1. East Of The Sun (West Of The Moon)
[5:05] 2. My Foolish Heart
[3:29] 3. Give Me The Simple Life
[4:55] 4. For All We Know
[4:03] 5. It's All In The Game
[5:10] 6. This Is Always
[4:32] 7. They Can't Take That Away From Me
[4:53] 8. On Green Dolphin Street
[4:59] 9. Skylark
[3:21] 10. Love
[5:37] 11. A Nightingale Sang In Berkeley Square
[5:16] 12. You've Got A Friend

L.A. jazz scene jazz singer Jean Frye Sidwell sustains a largely quiet (though hardly sleepy) ambience throughout the CD's 12 selections. Vocal jazz from Gershwin's "They Can't Take That Away," her swing is artfully subdued, and her wry, expressive approach to "L-O-V-E" is pure charm. Yet Frye shines most luminously on classic jazz gems such as "For All We Know" and "A Nightingale Sang In Berkeley Square." And her Fresh approach to "You've Got A Friend", is brilliant. Anyone in search of a smooth jazz album ideal for watching city lights at 2 a.m. should keep " For All We Know in mind."

"Like a mink draped over mahogany, Jean Frye Sidwell's luxuriously supple alto adorns the vintage 30's & 40's songs of romance. This jazz singer has a palpable aura of glamour and late-night cool. Her ostensibly effortless command of phrasing and intonation, whether the mood is seduction or a sweet sassiness, further fortifies the opinion that the Los Angeles, California based vocalist possesses one of the great female jazz voices to surface.

For All We Know mc
For All We Know zippy

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Matt Belsante - Nice 'N' Easy

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 56:12
Size: 128.7 MB
Styles: Jazz vocals
Year: 2018
Art: Front

[4:11] 1. Nice 'n' Easy
[4:39] 2. Cheek To Cheek
[4:18] 3. Since I Fell For You
[4:34] 4. There Will Never Be Another You
[4:45] 5. I Got It Bad And That Ain't Good
[4:47] 6. The Look Of Love
[3:33] 7. They Can't Take That Away From Me
[3:04] 8. After You've Gone
[4:18] 9. Moon River
[5:10] 10. In A Sentimental Mood
[4:42] 11. Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow
[3:42] 12. You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To
[4:24] 13. One For My Baby

Every once in awhile there comes along a singer who reminds you of something familiar yet something so new that it leaves you smiling; a young crooner’s voice that wraps around you like a warm coat on a cold winters day. Matt Belsante is that rare kind of artist who has something new to offer.

A Naperville, Illinois native, Matt started to sing in the jazz choir in high school during his junior year while continuing to play sax in the band. His mindset was to continue to sing jazz with the big band because he loved it, but never really thought about it as a career.

At Vanderbilt University, Matt also sang and arranged music for an a cappella group called the Dodecaphonics. In his senior year, Matt got the opportunity to sing the songs of Frank Sinatra with the Nashville Jazz Orchestra, a group of Nashville’s top jazz musicians.

Nice 'N' Easy mc
Nice 'N' Easy zippy

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Steve Khan - Let's Call This

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 61:28
Size: 140.7 MB
Styles: Fusion, Guitar jazz
Year: 1991/2014
Art: Front

[7:00] 1. Let's Call This
[6:04] 2. Masqualero
[6:21] 3. Backup
[7:03] 4. Out Of This World
[6:05] 5. Played Twice
[8:10] 6. Little Sunflower
[5:05] 7. Buddy System
[7:47] 8. Street Of Dreams
[7:48] 9. Mr. Kenyatta

Best-known for his fusion recordings, Steve Khan (ten years after recording the purely acoustic solo date Evidence) stretches out on this pure jazz date. Accompanied by bassist Ron Carter and drummer Al Foster, Khan explores a variety of superior jazz standards (including songs by Thelonious Monk, Wayne Shorter, Larry Young, Freddie Hubbard and Lee Morgan) along with his own "Buddy System." This is one of Steve Khan's finest recordings to date and is highly recommended to those listeners not familiar with this side of his musical personality. ~Scott Yanow

Let's Call This mc
Let's Call This zippy

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Robin McKelle - Introducing Robin McKelle

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 39:07
Size: 89.6 MB
Styles: Adult Contemporary, Vocal jazz
Year: 2006
Art: Front

[3:13] 1. Something's Gotta Give
[3:34] 2. Bei Mir Bist Du Schon
[3:46] 3. Night & Day
[4:40] 4. For All We Know
[2:49] 5. You Brought A New Kind Of Love
[2:56] 6. Dream
[2:20] 7. Yes, My Darling Daughter
[3:47] 8. Deep In A Dream
[2:17] 9. I've Got The World On A String
[3:29] 10. Come Rain Or Come Shine
[3:01] 11. The Lamp Is Low
[3:11] 12. On The Sunny Side Of The Street

The debut of vocalist Robin McKelle is a throwback to an earlier era, when singers were backed by big bands as they sang songs destined to become standards. Although McKelle doesn't break new ground in her interpretations of this material and doesn't take many chances, she is an expressive performer, opening with an exuberant, slightly breathy "Something's Gotta Give," followed by an enchanting cha cha treatment of "Bei Mir Bist Du Schoen." Vocalist Robbie Wykoff joins her for her a duet of "You've Brought a New Kind of Love to Me." She's clearly having fun in "Yes, My Darling Daughter," a forgotten number from the big band era, with a brief detour into a Latin setting. The orchestra, which sometimes adds a string section, brings life to the charts adapted or transcribed by trumpeter Willie Murillo and trombonist David Stout, while the band includes veteran jazz instrumentalists like clarinetist Gary Foster, guitarist Larry Koonse and tenor saxophonist Pete Christlieb. ~Ken Dryden

Introducing Robin McKelle mc
Introducing Robin McKelle zippy

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Stan Getz - Live At Montmartre Vols 1 & 2

On January 28 and 30, 1977, Stan Getz performed live at the Café Montmartre Jazz-Hus in Copenhagen, Denmark, with pianist Joanne Brackeen, bassist Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen, and drummer Billy Hart. The excellent music recorded at these gigs was initially issued by Steeplechase on the albums Stan's Party and Live at Montmartre. All 11 tracks became available on CD in 2002 and again in 2008, courtesy of Japan's Video Arts label. This is a supremely satisfying spread of straight-ahead jazz, using a rich palette of melodies composed by Billy Strayhorn, Chick Corea, Wayne Shorter, Dizzy Gillespie, Steve Swallow, Milton Nascimento, and Stan Getz. Investigation reveals that there are a surprising number of different tunes that share the title "Lady Sings the Blues." The one performed by the Stan Getz Quartet on this live compilation album is not the famous air by Billie Holiday and Herbie Nichols but a more ruminative offering penned by Alec Wilder. ~arwulf arwulf

Album: Live At Montmartre Vol 1
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 51:26
Size: 117.7 MB
Styles: Saxophone jazz
Year: 1977/1985

[12:51] 1. Morning Star
[ 8:00] 2. Lady Sings The Blues
[ 8:46] 3. Cancao Do Sol
[ 4:43] 4. Lush Life
[ 8:07] 5. Stan's Blues
[ 8:57] 6. La Fiesta

Live At Montmartre Vol 1 mc
Live At Montmartre Vol 1 zippy

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Album: Live At Montmartre Vol 2
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 59:05
Size: 135.3 MB
Styles: Saxophone jazz
Year: 1977/1985
Art: Front

[ 6:36] 1. Infant Eyes
[13:26] 2. Lester Left Town
[12:27] 3. Eiderdown
[ 8:21] 4. Blues For Dorte
[18:14] 5. Con Alma

Live At Montmartre Vol 2 mc
Live At Montmartre Vol 2 zippy

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Alex Sipiagin - From Reality and Back

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 2013
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 71:14
Size: 163,3 MB
Art: Front

( 9:49)  1. Around the Bend
(10:03)  2. With the Tide
( 7:51)  3. From Reality and Back
(10:54)  4. End Of...
( 9:17)  5. Here and Now
( 7:41)  6. Chain Reaction
( 6:47)  7. Son Uvedeny Posle (Dream Seen Later)
( 8:50)  8. The Maze

From Reality And Back comes off as notable before a note of music ever reaches the ears. In fact, this album presents itself as a bit of a jazz PR dream: bassist Dave Holland makes a rare sideman appearance here, guitarist Pat Metheny contributed an original written strictly for this project ("Son, Uvedeny Posle"), and the rest of the band is rounded out by A-listers like pianist Gonzalo Rubalcaba, whose label 5passion serves as the record's home. After hearing all of that, it's tempting to say that trumpeter Alex Sipiagin is supremely lucky, but luck has little to do with this album's merits; better or more accurate to say that Sipiagin is skilled, motivated, talented and determined.  The Russian-born, Long Island-based Sipiagin is one of the most consistently creative trumpet forces on the scene today, but that's not news to most people who closely follow this art form. He's cemented his reputation as one of the best with a string of probing leader dates on the Criss Cross label, a stint with the late, great Michael Brecker, a thirteen-years-and-counting association with Holland and his band(s), and work with the Mingus Big Band. From Reality And Back is merely his latest foray into the great wide open, but words like "merely" downplay the significance of this outing; and make no mistake about it...this one is significant. 

Sipiagin spreads a wealth of musical ideas across eight tracks, creating music that's alternately edgy and clean cut, focused and far-reaching, and flexible and tight; the rhythm tandem of Holland and the indefatigable Antonio Sanchez on drums helps to rectify that last pair of opposing ideals, but everybody truly contributes to the broad scope of this record from the outset: Rubalcaba's electric piano creates the mood on the album-opening "Around The Bend," which balances its askance structure atop Holland's bass lines. Sanchez constantly twists and tweaks the rhythmic tides that he creates, and saxophonist Seamus Blake matches Sipiagin in the creativity department. Together, the two horn men run in stride, dovetail their lines, and take inspirational cues from all parties at play; they make for a formidable front line here and everywhere else. A list of highlights would have to include the brilliantly driven "End Of..." and Sipiagin's head-turner-of-a-solo on "With The Tide," but such lists are pointless when everything on a record could make the cut; not a weak spot can be found on From Reality And Back. ~ Dan Bilawsky https://www.allaboutjazz.com/from-reality-and-back-alex-sipiagin-5passion-review-by-dan-bilawsky.php

Personnel: Alex Sipiagin: trumpet; Seamus Blake: tenor saxophone; Gonzalo Rubalcaba: piano; Dave Holland: bass; Antonio Sanchez: drums.

From Reality and Back

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Natasha Miller - Spinvintage

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2010
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 57:22
Size: 131,6 MB
Art: Front

(4:59)  1. Summertime
(4:06)  2. The Very Thought of You
(4:36)  3. At Last
(5:54)  4. Blue Skies
(6:31)  5. What's New
(1:57)  6. Smile
(6:29)  7. The Nearness of You
(4:13)  8. Cry Me a River
(6:13)  9. My Funny Valentine
(6:43) 10. God Bless The Child
(5:35) 11. My Romance

Sooner or later, most singers get the urge to make a standards record. And they always try to make it different, says Natasha Miller, the sterling Bay Area-based jazz singer prized for her rich sound, streamlined phrasing and unforced feeling. I wanted to make a standards album that was different different. Miller pulls that off brilliantly on her pleasing new CD, SpinVintage, a collection of classic songs that sound anything but standard. She puts a bracing spin on some of the best known tunes in the American Songbook, among them the Gershwin s Summertime, Irving Berlin s Blue Skies and Rodgers & Hart s My Funny Valentine. A deft musician with a keen sense of dynamics, tone color and timing, Miller brings spontaneity to the music while staying true to the melodies and lyrics. Her supple voice dances and floats through Adam Theis daringly original arrangements. His quirky and grooving charts, with their popping horn lines and moody film-noir flavors, frame and underscore the graceful melodies Miller sings, creating the yin-yang that gives this recording its singular sound. Adam is a wild man genius, says Miller, who s worked with the creative Bay Area arranger, trombonist and bandleader and his genre-crossing Jazz Mafia crew over the years. I needed his playful insight into this music. I wanted him to take the standards I d chosen songs that were familiar to listeners and were my favorites and basically create new songs from them. Produced by Miller for her Poignant Records label, SpinVintage is a major departure from the vocalist s last two successful recordings, Don t Move, from 2006, and I Had a Feelin , releases two years earlier. 

They both featured the music of Bobby Sharp, the brilliant but forgotten songwriter who composed the 1961 Ray Charles classic Unchain My Heart. Miller brought Sharp back to public attention, showcasing many of his songs that had never been performed until she brought them to life. With this new record, I wanted to give the audience something they didn't expect from me, says Miller, a highly trained classical violinist from Des Moines who played with orchestras and chamber groups in the Midwest before moving to San Francisco in 1995 to write and perform her original songs. She worked in advertising while performing at night until the music took over and she gave up the day gig. Her signing career took off. Miller became a favorite on the Bay Area club and festival scene, and her two Bobby Sharp recordings brought her wider acclaim.

Reviewing a performance of Sharp s songs, Los Angeles Times jazz critic Don Heckman praised the way Miller sang the material with sensitivity and insight, her cool musicality and clear articulation illuminating the unfamiliar pieces. A versatile jazz artist who can create a mood of hushed intimacy or hothouse exuberance, Miller draws inspiration for a wide range of musicians, from the classical violinists Itzhak Perlman and Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg to singer-songwriter Ricki Lee Jones, the Police and operatic diva Frederica von Stade. Miller does the one operatic number on SpinVintage Summertime from the 1935 Gershwin opera Porgy and Bess in a decidedly un-operatic manner. She sings it in a lower octave than the original, giving the song a bittersweet reading in a dark-hued Theis arrangement set in 6/4 time. It s followed by Ray Noble s lovely The Very Thought of You, which sails along in relaxed bossa nova groove perfectly suited to the smiling sensuousness of Miller s vocal. I wanted to bring out the beauty and simplicity of the song, says the singer, who turns up the heat on a funky and joyous ride through the classic Etta James vehicle At Last. ~ Editorial Reviews https://www.amazon.com/SpinVintage-Natasha-Miller/dp/B003ZMWZGM

Spinvintage

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Bill Meyers & David Benoit - The Invitation From L.A.

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1990
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 43:26
Size: 100,7 MB
Art: Front

(5:21)  1. Killing Me Softly With His Song
(4:55)  2. Bridge Over Troubled Water
(3:32)  3. Flash Dance
(3:31)  4. Just The Way You Are
(3:55)  5. That's What Friends Are For
(3:58)  6. Sailing
(3:42)  7. Saving All My Love For You
(4:15)  8. The Way We Were
(5:06)  9. You've Got A Friend
(5:06) 10. We Are The World

A jazz/classical pianist and synthesist, Meyer bridges the gap between jazz, rock, and new-age. His is very high-quality music from a compositional perspective.~ Paul Koher https//www.allmusic.com/artist/bill-meyers-mn0000767072/biography

One of the more popular performers in the idiom somewhat inaccurately called "contemporary jazz," David Benoit has mostly performed light melodic background music, what critic Alex Henderson has dubbed "new age with a beat." Benoit has done a few fine jazz projects (including a tribute to Bill Evans and a collaboration with Emily Remler) but most of his output for GRP has clearly been aimed at the charts. He studied composition and piano at El Camino College and, in 1975, played on the soundtrack of the Robert Altman-film Nashville. After recording with Alphonse Mouzon and accompanying singer Gloria Lynne, he was signed to the AVI label when he was 24, recording sets like 1977's Heavier Than Yesterday that paved the way for his later output. In 1986, Benoit signed as a solo artist with GRP, a relationship that would last until 2003. Albums like 1989's Waiting for Spring and 1999's Professional Dreamer showcase his smooth, lyrical style, while projects like his 2000 tribute to Vince Guaraldi's Peanuts scores, Here's to You, Charlie Brown!: 50 Great Years!, demonstrate where his own tastes lie. A decade after their first joint venture, Benoit and Russ Freeman collaborated on Benoit/Freeman Project 2, released by the Concord-associated label Peak in 2004. For 2005's Orchestral Works he was joined by the Czech National Symphony Orchestra and members of the Asia America Symphony Orchestra. He released two studio albums including Full Circle in 2006 and Standards, which appeared later that same year. In 2008, Benoit paid tribute to some of his musical idols with the album Heroes. The album saw him covering songs by Elton John, the Beatles, Dave Brubeck, and others. Two years later, Benoit delivered the Clark Germain-produced electronica-inflected album Earthglow, and in 2012, he returned with Conversation, which featured the classical trio-meets-jazz-trio title track taken from his "Music for Two Trios" suite. n 2014, Benoit contributed to former Ambrosia guitarist David Pack's Napa Crossroads set with Alan Parsons, Ray Manzarek, Larry Carlton, Mindi Abair, and others. Benoit shifted focus on his next outing. Deciding to record an all-originals vocal album, he collaborated with lyricists Lorraine Feather, Mark Winkler, and Spencer Day. Released in the June of 2015, 2 in Love featured Grammy-nominated jazz vocalist Jane Monheit. She was also featured heavily on Believe, a Christmas recording that appeared just four months later. In 2017, Benoit paired with guitarist Marc Antoine for So Nice! on Shanachie Records. Also that year, he delivered the solo piano date The Steinway Sessions. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/artist/david-benoit-mn0000635760/biography

Personnel:  Keyboards – Barnaby Finch, Bill Meyers (tracks: 1, 5, 6, 8, 9), David Benoit (tracks: 2 to 4, 7, 10);  Backing Vocals – Darlene Koldenhoven (tracks: 7, 10), John Lekman (tracks: 7, 10), Joyce Wilson (tracks: 7, 10);  Bass – Niel Stubenhaus;  Drums – Vinnie Colaiuta; Guitar – Mike Landau;  Percussion – Luis Conte, Oliver C. Brown (tracks: 3, 4, 7, 10);  Saxophone – Brandon Fields (tracks: 1, 4 to 6, 8, 9), Gary Herbig (tracks: 2, 3, 7);  Vocals – Clydene Jackson Edwards* (tracks: 7, 10), Harold Payne (tracks: 4, 10)       

The Invitation From L.A.

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Manhattan Jazz Quintet - Live At Pit Inn

Styles: Jazz, Big Band
Year: 1986
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 70:51
Size: 163,2 MB
Art: Front

( 8:10)  1. So This
(11:02)  2. Angel Eyes
(12:04)  3. Round Midnight
( 9:13)  4. Misticized
(10:37)  5. S.u. Blues
(15:29)  6. Autum Leaves
( 4:14)  7. Rosario

The Manhattan Jazz Quintet are an unusual group in that they very rarely perform as a unit in the United States (much less Manhattan) but have been a major hit in Japan, both for their recordings and occasional tours. Originally comprised of leader/pianist David Matthews, trumpeter Lew Soloff, tenor saxophonist George Young, bassist Eddie Gomez, and drummer Steve Gadd, the band (which emphasizes straight-ahead hard bop swinging) first came together in 1983 at the suggestion of the King label and the top Japanese jazz magazine Swing Journal. To everyone's surprise, its first recording (simply called Manhattan Jazz Quintet) became such a big seller that it was awarded Swing Journal's annual 1984 Gold Disk Award as the number one album in Japan. Several years later the group broke up when Gomez and Gadd needed more time to pursue their individual projects and all of the quintet members later became quite successful in their own careers but this edition of the MJQ recorded reunions in 1990 (which found John Scofield guesting on a few selections) and in 1993. Victor Lewis replaced Gadd that year, and subsequently Young was replaced by Andy Snitzer and Gomez by Charnett Moffett. The Manhattan Jazz Quintet recorded primarily for King in Japan (those dates were mostly made available in the U.S. by Projazz) during the 1980s, although they cut some later recordings among the comparative very few that actually took place in Manhattan! for the Sweet Basil label. During the new millennium the Manhattan Jazz Quintet have recorded regularly for Video Arts.~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/artist/manhattan-jazz-quintet-mn0000674690/biography  

Personnel: Lew Soloff trumpet; George Young tenor saxophone;  David Matthews piano; Eddie Gómez bass;  Steve Gadd drums.

Live At Pit Inn

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Greg Osby - Black Book

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1995
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 56:30
Size: 130,3 MB
Art: Front

(4:41)  1. Pillars
(5:10)  2. Mr. Freeman
(4:54)  3. Rocking Chair
(3:38)  4. Buried Alive
(4:52)  5. Poetry in Motion
(4:57)  6. Black Book
(3:31)  7. Smokescreen
(4:36)  8. Brewing Poetry
(4:45)  9. Intuition
(4:48) 10. Fade to Black Medley: A) A Brother and a Token
(3:53) 11. Fade to Black Medley: B) In a City Blues
(6:39) 12. Fade to Black Medley: C) Urbanite Kodes

Post-bop saxophonist Greg Osby was born April 3, 1960 in St. Louis, playing in a series of R&B, funk, and blues units throughout his teen years before attending Howard University. Upon graduating from the Berklee School of Music, he settled in New York City and went on to play behind Jack DeJohnette, Andrew Hill, Herbie Hancock, and Muhal Richard Abrams; during the mid-'80s, Osby also served alongside Steve Coleman, Geri Allen, Gary Thomas, and Cassandra Wilson as a member of the renowned M-Base Collective. Making his solo debut with 1987's Sound Theatre, Osby went on to record several sets for the JMT label, also earning notice for his impressive contributions to Hill's 1989 date, Eternal Spirit, and its follow-up But Not Farewell; with 1990's Man-Talk for Moderns, Vol. X, he cut his first headling session for Blue Note, with subsequent efforts for the company (including 1993's 3-D Lifestyles and 1995's Black Book), pioneering a distinctive fusion of jazz and hip-hop. While 1996's Art Forum captured the saxophonist in an acoustic setting, Osby continues exploring new avenues with each successive release, capturing the improvisational intensity of his live dates with 1999's Banned in New York and reuniting with Hill and fellow elder statesman Jim Hill for the following year's The Invisible Hand. 

2001's Symbols of Light (A Solution) was a varied effort that witnessed him teaming with a string quartet, while the next year's Inner Circle was an older recording of sessions that featured a knockout version of Bjork's "All Neon Like." Osby teamed with pianist Marc Copland for 2003's Round and Round, while St. Louis Shoes was released that same year on Blue Note. Also released on Blue Note was 2005's Channel Three, which saw Osby working with drummer Jeff "Tain" Watts and bassist Matt Brewer. In 2008, Osby released 9 Levels, his first recording on his own Inner Circle Music label. ~ Jason Ankeny https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/greg-osby/1018518 https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/greg-osby/1018518

Personnel:  Greg Osby, alto & soprano saxophones, keyboards - Mulgrew Miller, acoustic piano - DJ Ghetto, turntable - Calvin Jones, bass - Bill McClellan, drums - Sha-Key, microphone (rhythm poetry) - Mustafo, microphone (rhymes) - The Betmix, (beat poetry) Featuring; Markita Morris, Taj McCoy, Riva Parker & Bernard Collins

Black Book

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Heath Brothers - Endurance

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 52:47
Size: 120.8 MB
Styles: Contemporary jazz
Year: 2009
Art: Front

[7:39] 1. Changes
[5:09] 2. Wall To Wall
[4:36] 3. You Or Me
[6:09] 4. Ballad From Leadership Suite
[6:14] 5. Dusk In The City
[4:21] 6. Two Tees
[7:42] 7. Autumn In New York
[3:22] 8. From A Lonely Bass
[7:31] 9. The Rio Dawn

Jimmy Heath: tenor, soprano sax; Jeb Patton: piano; David Wong: bass; Albert "Tootie" Heath: drums; Claudio Roditi: shaker (9).

The Heath family is illustrious in jazz. Percy and Jimmy got their starts in the late forties, a part of the emerging jazz scene in New York. The oldest, Percy on bass, became part of the Modern Jazz Quartet in 1952 and stayed with the legendary group for over forty years. Jimmy on reeds, meanwhile, has led and performed with the greats over the years. He has a substantial reputation as composer, arranger and educator. Albert "Tootie," several years the youngest, has established a reputation as a peerless drummer and educator.

The three have worked together as a group for over twenty years, making seven recordings together, with pianist Jeb Patton the fourth cog in recent years. When Percy died in 2005, the brothers decided to carry on, bringing in bassist David Wong. Endurance is the first without Percy, and endurance is certainly the keyword in describing the Heath Brothers.

Seven of the nine numbers here are originals by Jimmy. Each player gets many opportunities to shine. Beginning with "Changes," Jimmy's straight-ahead assertive tenor takes charge. Next, on "Wall to Wall," Tootie's drums and Patton's piano combine for some funky rhythmic fun at the onset, followed by Jimmy's rocking tenor solo. Wong's bass stars on "You and Me," sharing the stage with Tootie's spiffy brush work. Jimmy gets serious with the spiritual "Ballad for Leadership Suite," an impressive segment from his commission for the inauguration of the president of Howard University. He dedicates "Two Tees" to Tootie, who gets plenty of room to stretch in his drum solo, with Patton coming in for a romping turn on piano. Jimmy composed "From a Lonely Bass" as a memoriam to the Late Percy. Wong's bowed bass provides emotional warmth, assisted by Jimmy's elegiac soprano sax. Perhaps most effective is the group's lush rendering of Vernon Duke's 1934 standard, "Autumn in New York." Here, Jimmy shows his debt to Coleman Hawkins with his breathy tenor probing all aspects of the tune. ~Larry Taylor

Endurance mc
Endurance zippy

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Shannon Barnett Quartet - Hype

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 53:44
Size: 123.0 MB
Styles: Trombone jazz
Year: 2017
Art: Front

[6:41] 1. Hype
[7:14] 2. Lembing
[4:44] 3. People Don't Listen To Music Anymore
[6:55] 4. Red-Bellied Stickleback
[5:42] 5. Speaking In Tongues
[5:26] 6. Pg3
[5:55] 7. Ok Compupid
[4:42] 8. Chasing The Second
[6:20] 9. The Spirit Is Willing, But The Flesh Is Weak

Since moving to Germany, Shannon Barnett has become very active in the local scene. Her quartet, featuring Stefan Karl Schmid (tenor saxophone), David Helm (bass) and Fabian Arends (drums) was nominated as a seim-finalist in the 2017 Neuer Deutscher Jazzpreis. They have performed widely in Germany, including at the Acht Brücken and Winterjazz Festivals, the Peng Festival and IG Jazz in Mannheim. In 2016, they toured Australia, performing at the Wangaratta Festival of Jazz and Sydney Women's Jazz Festival. This is the quartet's debut album!

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Duško Gojković - Ten To Two Blues

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 41:51
Size: 95.8 MB
Styles: Bop
Year: 1971/2009
Art: Front

[7:00] 1. Ten To Two Blues
[5:14] 2. I Remember O.P
[8:33] 3. Old Fishernan's Daughter
[9:05] 4. I Love You
[3:37] 5. The Child Is Born
[8:19] 6. Blues To Line

Pianist Tete Montoliu recorded two fine albums under trumpeter Duško Gojković’s leadership in November 1971 in Barcelona, Spain. In quintet formation, with the Spanish pianist regular rhythm backing of German bassist Robert Langereis and drummer Joe Nay, they did It’s About Blues Time (Ensayo, reissued on CD by Fresh Sounds) and a day later in quartet they did Ten To Two Blues (Ensayo, reissued as After Hours on Enja). The rhythm section on both is the same and both albums are recommended. Gojković is in excellent form on the hard bop-oriented Ten To Two Blues (a.k.a. After Hours) which conjures up images of smoky nightclubs, reflections in rain puddles under dark skies, or perhaps just the quieter music... This album is a little too busy and blustery to live up to those preconceptions, but it is nevertheless an excellent example of that all-too-rare commodity, the trumpet quartet. With no saxophone to trade solos with, the trumpet must bear the burden of carrying the tune and sustaining interest while sharing the spotlight with the supporting trio. With influences extending from Serbia to Dixieland, from bebop to blues, Gojković contributes three songs and adds three standards to this mostly uptempo collection. With the pianist playing up to his usual level and fine support contributed by Langereis and Nay, Gojković takes stimulating solos with his poignant, soft tone on two standards (Thad Jones’ “A Child Is Born” and Cole Porter’s “I Love You”), Slide Hampton’s “Last Minute Blues,” and three basic originals. There is muted artistry of Gojković on “Old Fisherman’s Daughter” and a nostalgic opening solo on the title tune. Montoliu probably deserves a double-billing here: he is outstanding throughout, particularly on the ballad “Remember Those Days” and a boppish take of “I Love You.” Gojković never dominates the proceedings, and steps aside for long stretches on “Last Minute Blues.” One drawback here is the musty, prehistoric engineering: Langereis and Nay give great performances but are not heard to their best advantage, with Langereis especially sounding like he is in the next room. If the wide range of influences and the less-than-ideal (but typical for the time) recording are not a hindrance, listeners should enjoy this album. One mystery surrounding Ten To Two Blues regards its original release date. The recording date is given as November 1971, so one can assume it was first released not too long after. It has appeared on many labels in many different countries throughout the years, sometimes with different track listings. The LP/CD release on Enja After Hours has also two tracks re-titled: “I Remember O.P.” is re-titled to “Remember Those Days,” while “Blues To Line” is re-titled to “Last Minute Blues.” No matter the title, this album is recommended to straight-ahead jazz fans, while the Enja CD reissue seems to be the easiest to find. ~Slobodan Mihajlović

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Mel Carter - The Heart & Soul Of Mel Carter

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 45:04
Size: 103.2 MB
Styles: R&B, Vocal jazz
Year: 2009
Art: Front

[4:18] 1. Heart And Soul
[3:44] 2. It May Sound Silly
[3:12] 3. Please Don’t Talk About Me When I’m Gone, Who’s Sorry Now
[3:24] 4. Cry
[4:39] 5. Tomorrow Night
[2:58] 6. I Worry About You
[2:44] 7. Where Or When
[6:24] 8. The Glory Of Love, You’ll Never Know
[3:11] 9. Too Soon To Know
[2:55] 10. If It’s The Last Thing I Do
[3:43] 11. I Don’t Care Who Knows (Baby I’m Yours)
[3:47] 12. Heart And Soul (Reprise)

Piano/arr. - Randy Randolph; Bass - James Leary; Drums - Dean Koba; Guitar - Grant Geissman; Trumpet - Charlie Peterson; Trombone - Duane Benjamin; Alto Sax - Tim Messina.

Let me take you on a personal musical journey and feel the joy I had of remembering special moments in my life connected with the songs I’ve chosen for this CD. I was a big fan of Hoagy Carmichael in my teens, seeing and hearing him do his songs in films. One of these was “Heart And Soul” which was the second most played song at parties, next to the number one being “Chopsticks.” The Cleftones had a doo wop hit with this song in the fifties.

In 1957 I recorded an Ivory Joe Hunter song called “I Need You So” for Mercury Records. Among the other songs submitted to me was “It May Sound Silly.” This minor hit for Ivory Joe Hunter later became a mega-hit for the McGuire Sisters — and now this was my chance to keep the hit going. I’m lucky that as a teen I got to go to stage shows. They would have the regular movies playing at the theatres during the week, and on the weekends there would be live performances by popular artists of the day. I was at every one of those shows and saw lots of performers. Buddy Johnson and his sister Ella Johnson was one of the acts I saw. Ella was the first blues singer that sang so you understood all the words. “Baby, I’m Yours” was one of her songs that stayed with me through the years.

I hope you enjoy this musical journey as much as I have enjoyed recording these special songs for you. I give you, “The Heart and Soul of Mel Carter.” Thanks for listening... MC

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Vince Guaraldi - Essential Standards

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 54:13
Size: 124.1 MB
Styles: Piano jazz, Mainstream jazz
Year: 2009
Art: Front

[3:31] 1. Softly, As In A Morning Sunrise
[5:16] 2. The Girl From Ipanema
[5:21] 3. Moon River
[3:09] 4. Cast Your Fate To The Wind
[5:17] 5. Willow Weep For Me
[2:48] 6. Fascinating Rhythm
[4:20] 7. Since I Fell For You
[5:25] 8. Days Of Wine And Roses
[5:53] 9. On Green Dolphin Street
[4:23] 10. Autumn Leaves
[3:20] 11. Corcovado
[5:25] 12. Greensleeves

As part of the Essential Standards series from OJC, pianist and composer Vince Guaraldi is spotlighted on 12 tracks recorded for Fantasy in the '50s and '60s. While this compilation contains great performances (several are from Jazz Impressions of Black Orpheus and Cast Your Fate to the Wind), it may not be the best place for the casual fan to start. None of Guaraldi's songs associated with the Charlie Brown television cartoon are included, with the exception of the original master take of "Greensleeves." This set would, however, make a fine companion to Charlie Brown's Holiday Hits. ~Al Campbell

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Jessica Williams - Higher Standards

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1997
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 65:23
Size: 150,0 MB
Art: Front

(6:47)  1. Get Out of Town
(5:54)  2. When Your Lover Has Gone
(5:05)  3. Mack the Knife
(7:47)  4. A Night in Tunisia
(9:18)  5. Don't Take Your Love from Me
(9:04)  6. East of the Sun (And West of the Moon)
(6:18)  7. Solitude
(8:43)  8. Midnight Sun
(6:26)  9. My Heart Belongs to Daddy

For this typically superb effort, the brilliant pianist Jessica Williams (with the assistance of bassist Dave Captein and drummer Mel Brown) digs into nine standards and come up with fresh variations and consistently inventive ideas. Although a few of the songs (most notably "Mack the Knife," "A Night In Tunisia" and "East of the Sun") have been recorded many times, Williams comes up with original musical thoughts, full of wit and chance-taking, that make each of the selections sound new. Well worth acquiring. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/higher-standards-mw0000038938

Personnel: Jessica Williams (piano); Dave Captein (bass); Mel Brown (drums).

Higher Standards

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Dan Tepfer & Ben Wendel - Small Constructions

Styles: Piano And Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2013
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 51:27
Size: 118,4 MB
Art: Front

(5:24)  1. Still Play
(4:02)  2. Pannonica
(5:39)  3. Jean and Renata
(4:21)  4. Line Up
(2:00)  5. Line
(6:23)  6. Nines
(6:04)  7. Gratitude
(5:54)  8. Ask Me Now
(2:02)  9. Rygabag
(3:04) 10. Darn That Dream
(3:59) 11. Variation 1 in D minor
(2:28) 12. Oblique Strategy

The occasion. Some days spent at the Yamaha artist-space in Manhattan with some precious tools close at hand. The raw material. Two Monk classics, one of the best known standards, Lennie Tristano, Handel, a pinch of Messiaen and some original ones. The protagonists. Dan Tepfer, a young, award-winning pianist with an open mind and excellent collaborations (Konitz on all) and Ben Wendel, co-founder of Kneebody, one of the most interesting bands of the new electro-acoustic wave coming from the big apple. The result. Small Constructions. Brick after brick Tepfer and Wendel build colorful musical houses, small houses with different profiles, moods and perfumes, each with its own story to tell, each with a world to explore and share. The use in different passages of overdubs, the instruments that multiply and are also combined boldly - the mixture of piano and Fender Rhodes adds to the Tristanian "Line Up" a vaguely naive and psychedelic - contributes to greatly expand the palette timbre available to musicians, good at preserving size, good taste, respect for shapes and, why not, elegance. The risk of slipping into mannerism or of transforming the widespread intimacy of dialogue into a cloying exercise of style is averted by the familiarity of both with the canons of classical music, their innate propensity for research, and the gifts of exquisite improvisers. Finally, curiosity. In the last song, Tepfer and Wendel exchange instruments, the first takes the alto sax, the second sits at the piano. A simple melody, an execution with few notes, almost childlike, just over two minutes of poignant beauty, directly from the heart to warm up the soul. ~ AAJ Italy Staff https://www.allaboutjazz.com/small-constructions-dan-tepfer-sunnyside-records-review-by-aaji-staff.php

Personnel: Dan Tepfer (piano, fender rhodes, alto sax in # 12); Ben Wendel (saxophones, bassoon, melodica, piano in # 12).

Small Constructions

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Miles Tribut Big Band - Sketches of Catalonia

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2011
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 64:36
Size: 163,6 MB
Art: Front

( 7:39)  1. Quasimodo
( 8:46)  2. Four
( 6:51)  3. Half Nelson
( 5:16)  4. Someday My Prince Will Come
( 6:09)  5. Seven Steps to Heaven
( 5:23)  6. My Funny Valentine
( 5:16)  7. All of You
(11:07)  8. Tutu
( 8:07)  9. So What

4 years ago, Joan Chamorro was commissioned to assemble and lead an orchestra as a tribute to Miles Davis, coinciding with the 20th anniversary of his death. Pere Pons, artistic director of the Jamboree Club and San Miguel Mas i Mas Festival was the one who made the assignment to Chamorro: he wanted it to accompany the publication of a special issue dedicated to the Missouri trumpeter’s imprint left in Catalonia. Thus, besides the memories, anecdotes and words, all would revive in its most natural form, music. The effort would result in a unique concert, on August 31, 2011 at the Apolo in Barcelona, that would be recorded and published together with the monograph. Taking advantage of the enormous work that he had been doing with the Sant Andreu Jazz Band and Andrea Motis, Joan Chamorro decided to incorporate some of the young ones to form the Miles Tribut Big Band. They would also count with great soloists as bassist Carles Benavent (the only one who had come to work with Miles Davis), guitarist Jordi Bonell, saxophonist Llibert Fortuny and trumpeter Matthew Simon. Selected themes reviewed the different stages of Miles Davis, and arrangements were ordered from Alfons Carrascosa and Sergi Verges, two masters of detail. The production received its name recalling the 1960's Sketches of Spain by Miles Davis and Gil Evans. The concert was a resounding success: musicians, critics and audience. Today, four years later, the tribute has been celebrated again, this time at the Palau de la Musica Catalana and as the opening concert of 13 San Miguel Mas i Mas Festival. And Joan Chamorro has decided to reissue this particular album and finally make it available to everyone.

Personnel:  Joan Chamorro (Conductor, baritone, tenor and alto sax, bass clarinet); Matthew Simon, Jaume Peña, Alba Armengou (Trumpet); Andrea Motis (Trumpet and vocals); Josep Tutusaus, Sergi Verges, Dani Tellez (Trombone); Eva Fernandez (Baritone, alto and soprano sax and clarinet); Joan Marti, Alba Esteban (Alto sax); Isce Datzira (Tenor sax and clarinet); Carles Vazquez (Tenor sax and flute); Joan Monne (Piano and keyboards); Curro Galvez (Double bass, electric bass); Carles Benavent (Bass); Esteve Pi (Drums).

Sketches of Catalonia

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Sammy Rimington - Visits New Orleans

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 60:36
Size: 138.8 MB
Styles: Clarinet jazz
Year: 2009
Art: Front

[5:40] 1. Smile, Darn You, Smile
[4:41] 2. In The Upper Garden
[3:51] 3. You Always Hurt The One You Love
[5:55] 4. My Bucket's Got A Hole In It
[5:16] 5. Mazie
[4:13] 6. Burgundy Street Blues
[6:26] 7. Bugle Boy March
[4:29] 8. Far Away Blues
[4:30] 9. Red Wing
[4:28] 10. Over The Waves
[3:20] 11. Mobile Stomp
[7:43] 12. Sweet Georgia Brown

Title aside, British clarinetist Sammy Rimington has done much more than just visit New Orleans over the years: He has based his entire career on playing traditional New Orleans jazz, both with fellow Britons like Chris Barber and Ken Colyer, and with actual New Orleans musicians, including his major influences. The person who was visiting New Orleans in connection with this recording was Arhoolie Records founder Chris Strachwitz, who went there in April 2005 with filmmakers Maureen Gosling and Chris Simon for a documentary they were making about Arhoolie. Gosling and Simon wanted to see Strachwitz do what he had spent his career doing, recording his favorite musicians.

Movies can take a long time to edit and find distributors, however, and Strachwitz has opted not to wait for the eventual soundtrack album, instead releasing the results of his trip here and on A New Orleans Visit-Before Katrina. Rimington is heard in three contexts, with a group Strachwitz has dubbed his Hot Six at the Palm Court, a restaurant; with Michael and David Doucet, Lionel Batiste and Lars Edegran, in a private home; and with the Tremè Brass Band during a street parade. The sound has the quality of a field recording, but that only makes the performances more impressive. The Hot Six is especially lively on such selections as the opener, “Smile, Darn You, Smile,” but the Tremè Brass Band also devotes nearly eight raucous minutes to “Sweet Georgia Brown.” The album is a testament to the importance of New Orleans, before and after Katrina. ~William Ruhlmann

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