Cece Teneal - Portrait Of A Queen: A Tribute To Aretha Franklin

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 44:22
Size: 101.6 MB
Styles: Soul/Blues vocals
Year: 2016
Art: Front

[3:42] 1. Until You Come Back To Me
[3:52] 2. Daydreaming
[2:51] 3. I Never Loved A Man The Way I Love You
[3:42] 4. Spanish Harlem
[2:47] 5. A Natural Woman
[2:35] 6. Since You've Been Gone
[3:01] 7. Don't Play That Song
[3:31] 8. I Say A Little Prayer
[3:21] 9. Rock Steady
[3:15] 10. Do Right Woman Do Right Man
[3:24] 11. Dr. Feelgood
[2:39] 12. Respect
[5:37] 13. Bridge Over Troubled Water

Critics and fans have called CeCe Teneal “a musical force to be reckoned with”, and her achievements in the industry over the past decade are certainly testament to that view. A country girl blessed with a powerful voice that is filled with soul and resonance, CeCe began as a cover artist and is now planning to captivate the globe by performing her own original music that aligns with a blues/soul/funk soundtrack.

Born in Osteen, just outside of Orlando, Florida, CeCe never envisioned herself as a performer. Having inherited her voice from her mother, she was handed a microphone in the family church at the age of six and stunned people with her chillingly beautiful vocals. At first keeping her talent within the walls of her home, CeCe quickly felt something bigger beginning to emerge. God had a different plan from what she had first imagined, and after singing at venues throughout her region, her career skyrocketed when she was selected as the lead singer for B.B. King’s Blues Club in Orlando in 2007. CeCe succeeded in transforming B.B. King’s into the most frequented live music venue in Orlando, and in 2011 she released her debut blues album, “Train from Osteen”, performing to sold out crowds and eventually being dubbed the “Voice of Neo-Blues”.

Portrait Of A Queen mc
Portrait Of A Queen zippy

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Lionel Hampton, Oscar Peterson - Jazz Masters 26

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 64:50
Size: 148.4 MB
Styles: Vibraphone jazz, Swing
Year: 1994
Art: Front

[ 4:42] 1. Jam Blues
[ 7:58] 2. Always
[ 6:10] 3. Soft Winds
[ 9:54] 4. Star Dust
[ 6:29] 5. Je Ne Sais Pas
[10:10] 6. Tenderly
[ 6:20] 7. Hallelujah!
[ 7:08] 8. Sweethearts On Parade
[ 5:56] 9. Date With Oscar

Vibraphonist Lionel Hampton and pianist Oscar Peterson are the stars of this delightful collection of jazz recordings supervised by producer Norman Granz over an almost exactly 12-month period extending from 1953 to 1954. Granz's marvelous knack for bringing together excellent musicians resulted in the combined presence of trumpeters Roy Eldridge and Dizzy Gillespie, trombonist Bill Harris, clarinetist Buddy DeFranco, tenor saxophonists Ben Webster and Flip Phillips, guitarist Herb Ellis, bassist Ray Brown, and drummer Buddy Rich. The combination of musical minds is extraordinary, and Hamp's amazing wavelength is dependably positive and uplifting. ~arwulf arwulf

Jazz Masters 26 mc
Jazz Masters 26 zippy

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Bruce Marini - Twist & Sabbath

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 33:19
Size: 76.3 MB
Styles: Saxophone jazz
Year: 2018
Art: Front

[5:10] 1. Misirlou
[4:58] 2. My Girl
[4:39] 3. Chicago Connection
[7:29] 4. Twist And Sabbath
[5:35] 5. Rock 'n Roll
[5:25] 6. Scuffle

Bruno Marini (Verona, Italy May 18th 1958) is an Italian Baritone saxophone and Hammond organ player. He has performed with: Jack McDuff, Shirley Scott, Steve Lacy, Gary Bartz, Benny Golson, Joe Henderson, Sal Nistico, Hal Singer, Paul Jeffrey, John Tchicai, Joe Lovano, Clark Terry, Nat Adderley, Kenny Burrell, Mal Waldron, Donald Garrett, Bobby Durham, Jimmy Cobb, Joe Chambers, Albert "Tootie" Heath, Han Bennink, Steve Ellington, Jimmy Carl Black.

Twist & Sabbath mc
Twist & Sabbath zippy

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Eddie Jefferson - Letter From Home

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s

Time: 36:42

Size: 84.0 MB

Styles: Vocal jazz

Year: 1962/1987

Art: Front

[2:59] 1. Letter From Home

[3:09] 2. Take The A Train

[2:45] 3. Billie's Bounce (Take 4)

[2:47] 4. Billie's Bounce (Take 3)

[3:06] 5. I Cover The Waterfront (Back In Town)

[2:49] 6. Soft And Furry

[3:30] 7. A Night In Tunisia

[3:08] 8. Things Are Getting Better

[2:57] 9. Keep Walkin' (Take 4)

[2:51] 10. Keep Walkin' (Take 1)

[3:09] 11. Body And Soul (I Feel So Good)

[3:27] 12. Parker's Mood (Bless My Soul)

This CD (which augments the original LP program with two alternate takes) is a fine showcase for vocalese master Eddie Jefferson. Backed by either a tentet or a quintet that gives solo space to altoist James Moody and the tenor of Johnny Griffin, Jefferson sings his lyrics to such numbers as "Take the 'A' Train," "Billie's Bounce," "I Cover the Waterfront," "Parker's Mood" (the latter differs from the famous lines immortalized by King Pleasure), "A Night in Tunisia," and "Body and Soul," among others. Jefferson is in prime form and these boppish renditions as a whole form a near classic. ~Scott Yanow

Letter From Home  

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Jacek Kochan, John Abercrombie, Pat LaBarbera, Jim Vivian - Standard Transmission

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 54:43
Size: 125.3 MB
Styles: Contemporary jazz
Year: 2013
Art: Front

[8:54] 1. Nardis
[6:03] 2. Gonz's Mood
[6:53] 3. Lullaby
[9:37] 4. I Love You
[7:51] 5. You Don't Know What Love Is
[7:48] 6. I Wished On The Moon
[7:33] 7. Blue Forest

Jacek Kochan, composer, arranger, producer and drummer begun his adventure with music in seventies. In early 80-ties he moved to New York. There he have played and recorded with jazz, funk and r&b bands and studied among the others.with Jaco Pastorius, Mike Clark, Robbie Gonzales.

By the mid 80's, Jacek moved to Montreal, where he further expanded his musical lexicon to include writing for choirs and orchestra (Tudor Singers, Repercussion) as well as playing and recording ethnic music (latin , african , balkan). There he worked with Michel Donato, Karen Young, Andrew Leroux, Yannick Rieu, Oliver Jones, Jean-Pierrre Zanella, Michel Cusson, Katleen Dyson, Helmut Lipsky, Lazaro Saucedo, Geoff Lapp, Johnny Scott and many others, perfoming at the clubs and jazz festivals.

In 1990, after moving to Toronto, he started to work as a leader and sideman in countless live and recording projects with artists like John Abercrombie, Jerry Bergonzi, Pat Labarbera, Kenny Wheeler, Don Thompson, Mike Murley, Neil Swainson, Reggie Schwager, Lorne Lofsky, Bernie Senensky, John MacLeod, Dave Restivo and Brian Dickinson.

In 1995 he returned to Europe where he continues to compose, play, tour and record music with artists like Dave Liebman, Gary Thomas, Joey Calderazzo, Palle Mikkelborg, Eddie Henderson, Dave Tronzo, Briggan Krauss, Cuong Vu, Eric Vloeimans, Lars Danielsson, Eddie Schuller, Skerik, Tomas Stanko, Zbigniew Namyslowski, Adam Pieronczyk, Piotr Wojtasik, Assif Tsahar, Tomasz Szukalski, Maciej Sikala and Piotr Baron

Standard Transmission mc
Standard Transmission zippy

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Sophisticated Lady - Crazy He Calls Me

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 44:20
Size: 101.5 MB
Styles: Vocal, Swing
Year: 1999
Art: Front

[6:55] 1. Crazy He Calls Me
[3:07] 2. S Wonderful
[3:37] 3. Whatever Lola Wants
[5:35] 4. Sophisticated Lady
[3:40] 5. Kissing Bug
[5:50] 6. Tempus Fugit
[6:50] 7. Don't Explain
[5:05] 8. The Very Thought Of You
[3:39] 9. All Of Me

Birgit Ellmerer, vocals; Jérôme De Carli, piano; Reimund Gerstner, contrabass, Lukas Bitterlin, drums; Andreas Steiner, trumpet/flugelhorn; Rolf Häsler, saxophone.

Singer Birgit Ellmerer’s band takes its name from Duke Ellington’s famous jazz ballad, Sophisticated Lady. Established in the Swiss jazz scene for 20 years, its top-notch musicians bring verve and swing to the timeless songs of the Great American Songbook. Ellmerer has an extraordinarily well-modulated voice that breathes new life into the All Time Standards in an enjoyable way.

The rhythm section consists of the savvy and versatile pianist Stefan W. Müller, the tight, creative contrabassist Samuel Joss, and the master of beats, drummer Lukas Bitterlin. Together they create a solid groove floor buttressed by an outstanding wind section consisting of Rolf Häsler on the saxophone and Andreas Steiner on the trumpet, both of whom thrill with solo flights of musical fancy. Sophisticated Lady’s catchy big-band vibe has been known to spark the enthusiasm of the audience and envelop it in a wonderous feeling.

Crazy He Calls Me mc
Crazy He Calls Me zippy

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Alex Sipiagin - Mirages

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 2009
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 70:53
Size: 162,4 MB
Art: Front

( 8:57)  1. One For Mike I
(10:43)  2. Mirages
(10:01)  3. Live Score
( 7:14)  4. Levitin's Kingdom
(10:26)  5. Just One Of Those Things
( 8:10)  6. Tetragon
( 6:04)  7. Iris
( 9:15)  8. One For Mike II

With little muss or fuss, trumpeter Alex Sipiagin has been gradually building a first-call reputation. Since emigrating from Russia in the early '90s, he has played with everyone from the late Michael Brecker and James Moody to David Binney and the Mingus Big Band. But it's his association with Dave Holland that's garnered him the greatest name recognition. He's a charter member of the bassist's Big Band, he's gigged with Holland's as-yet-unrecorded Octet, and toured extensively with the Sextet responsible for Pass It On (Dare2, 2008). With a growing discography as a leader the majority released by the Dutch Criss Cross label it's remarkable that Sipiagin has managed to demonstrate palpable growth from album to album, given the label's somewhat restrictive approach usually allowing only one day to record. Seeming to peak both compositionally and performance-wise with the one-two punch of his more spontaneous Prints (Criss Cross, 2007), and ambitious Out of the Circle (ArtistShare, 2007), where Sipiagin was afforded the luxury of both more recording time and a larger ensemble, Mirages is a more straight-ahead affair, with emphasis on solos and in-the-moment interaction. An effervescent energy pervading the entire set provides Mirages with its own unique place amongst Sipiagin's remarkably consistent and appealing discography. Tenor saxophonist Seamus Blake, drummer Johnathan Blake and bassist Boris Kozlov who emigrated from Russia at the same time as Sipiagin have all appeared on one or more of the trumpeter's nine albums as a leader. Only pianist Mulgrew Miller is a seeming newcomer, though he's no stranger to Sipiagin, having clocked significant road time with the trumpeter as a member of Dave Holland's Sextet. 

The pianist's instantly recognizable sound stemming from McCoy Tyner's modal innovation but with a lighter touch and broader harmonic sensibility cranks up the heat on Sipiagin's four originals, including two takes of the high-octane "One for Mike" that bookend the disc with sheer modal energy, pushing the entire group towards unrelenting power and thrilling interaction. Sipiagin's writing may be less complex and long-form this time around, but these are still tough charts that set up a variety of contexts over which the ample solo space provided by Sipiagin is exploited by the trumpeter and his bandmates. Of the three cover tunes, Wayne Shorter's balladic "Iris" is a memorable respite from the album's largely relentless energy. Still, there's a simmering heat, with Blake's solo in particular feeling barely contained; Miller's a capella intro is a remarkable feat of contrapuntal beauty and rich harmonic ideation, while Sipiagin's unerring melodicism scores some of the album's most striking moments. Mirages may seem to be something of a detour for Sipiagin, but in truth it fits seamlessly into the trumpeter's discography. The emphasis may be on playing rather than writing this time around but it's still earmarked with Sipiagin's characteristically appealing melodicism. And with a group this hot, it stands out as one of the trumpeter's most passionate records to date. ~ John Kelman https://www.allaboutjazz.com/mirages-alex-sipiagin-criss-cross-review-by-john-kelman.php

Personnel: Alex Sipiagin: trumpet, flugelhorn; Seamus Blake: tenor saxophone; Mulgrew Miller: piano; Boriz Kozlov: bass; Johnathan Blake: drums.

Mirages

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Bob Mintzer Big Band - Latin From Manhattan

Styles: Saxophone Jazz, Big Band
Year: 1998
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 60:15
Size: 141,5 MB
Art: Front

(4:50)  1. Oye Como Va
(6:04)  2. Al Caborojeno
(6:26)  3. Acha
(6:15)  4. Ellis Island
(6:02)  5. Carla
(7:35)  6. New Rochelle
(5:52)  7. Chant
(6:36)  8. San Juan Shuffle
(5:50)  9. New Mambo
(4:39) 10. Mambone

For this recording by Bob Mintzer's big band, the tenor saxophonist and his 17-piece ensemble perform ten numbers with an Afro-Cuban beat provided by percussionist Louis Bauzo. Although Mintzer's group does not really have its own distinctive musical personality, it is full of talented players. Best-known among the sidemen are tenor saxophonist Bob Malach, altoist Pete Yellin, trumpeter Mike Mossman, trombonist Dave Taylor and pianist Phil Markowitz. Mintzer and Markowitz have the best spots and although Mossman unfortunately does not get any solos, many of the lesser-known horn players are heard from. Other than "Oye Como Va" (which is given a fresh new arrangement) most of the pieces were newly-written. Overall this Afro-Cuban flavored effort serves as a strong change of pace for Mintzer's orchestra. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/latin-from-manhattan-mw0000035907

Bob Mintzer Big Band: Bob Mintzer, Bob Malach, Lawrence Feldman, Pete Yellin, Roger Rosenberg (saxophone); Bob Milikan, Larry Lunetta, Scott Wendholt, Mike Mossman (trumpet); Larry Farrell, Keith O'Quinn, Sam Burtis, Dave Taylor (trombone); Phil Markowitz (piano); Jay Anderson (bass); John Riley (drums); Louis Bauzo (percussion).

Latin From Manhattan

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Gary Peacock & Marilyn Crispell - Azure

Styles: Piano Jazz, Post Bop
Year: 2011
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 59:11
Size: 135,8 MB
Art: Front

(7:16)  1. Patterns
(6:18)  2. Goodbye
(5:47)  3. Leapfrog
(3:08)  4. Bass Solo
(9:23)  5. Waltz After David M
(6:38)  6. Lullaby
(2:44)  7. The Lea
(5:42)  8. Blue
(2:27)  9. Piano Solo
(3:40) 10. Puppets
(6:03) 11. Azure

Who leads a project is often nothing more than a matter of optics. Bassist Gary Peacock's name may come first on the cover of Azure, but there's no doubt that this is a collaborative affair, with pianist Marilyn Crispell an equal participant; the two even co-produced the recording, with label head Manfred Eicher nowhere to be found. Peacock and Crispell have worked as a duo for years, in addition to delivering two sublime trio recordings for the label with the sadly departed Paul Motian: the pianist's ECM debut, 1997's Nothing Ever Was, Anyway, and the even more impressive Amaryllis (2002). Still, even those recordings were shared affairs, with compositional contributions from all three on Amaryllis (Nothing Ever Was paid tribute to the music of pianist/singer Annette Peacock). Azure, however, represents the first time the work of this longstanding duo has been documented. Some have suggested that Crispell's more aggressive pre-ECM stance is evidence of artistic constraint by the label, but Azure proves nothing could be further from the truth. Peacock's discography as a leader/co-leader for the label including his landmark Voices from the Past Paradigm (1982) and duo date with guitarist Ralph Towner, A Closer View (1998) demonstrates his love of space, decay and melody. It also suggests a penchant for unfettered freedom, which nevertheless eschews aggression, instead occupying a sparer place where silence is an equal partner. That is no surprise, really, given Peacock and Crispell's shared connection in Buddhism and meditation. 

Crispell's ECM output has, indeed, been similarly predisposed towards the quieter end of the spectrum, but on recordings like One Dark Night I Left My Silent House, her completely improvised 2010 duo recording with clarinetist David Rothenberg, the pianist made clear that oblique strategies remain an essential part of her vernacular. As they do for Peacock. He may spend some of his time mining the Great American Songbook with Keith Jarrett and Jack DeJohnette recently on Somewhere (ECM, 2013) but at the end of the day it's all part of the same continuum; it's all just music. Here, the duo opens with Crispell's aptly named "Patterns," its series of knotty thematic constructs played with temporal flexibility by the pianist (in impressive unison, with both hands), acting as a foundation for some jerky interactions with Peacock, but four songs later her "Waltz After Dave M" explores melody in a most personal way; more clearly structured, it shows Crispell and Peacock at their most eminently lyrical and unashamedly beautiful. Peacock's tone is warmer than usual, and on his abstract "Puppets," he delivers a rare arco solo, reaching for the outer edges and pushing through them to a more rarefied space; still, as esoteric as his playing might seem, there's always an inner logic and unerring focus. Peacock returns to pizzicato on the closing title track, one of three completely free improvisations. Paradoxical in its combination of hovering stasis and forward motion, it feels both as structured and thoroughly open as all of Azure's eleven tracks. A long time coming, Azure demonstrates, with pristine clarity and utter transparency, a unique partnership now finally unveiled for a larger audience on the year's most superb and revealing duo recording. ~ John Kelman https://www.allaboutjazz.com/azure-gary-peacock-ecm-records-review-by-john-kelman.php

Personnel: Marilyn Crispell: piano; Gary Peacock: double bass.

Azure

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Monty Alexander - Fridaynight

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1985
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 49:57
Size: 116,2 MB
Art: Front

( 8:01)  1. Catwalk
( 9:50)  2. Never Let Me Go
( 8:28)  3. Renewal
(12:04)  4. Since My Baby Left Me
( 6:41)  5. River
( 4:51)  6. Milestones

Jamaican-born pianist Monty Alexander is a sophisticated, prolific performer with an urbane, swinging style informed by the bop tradition, as well as the reggae and Caribbean folk he grew up with. Born in Kingston, Jamaica in 1944, Alexander first started playing piano around age four and took classical lessons from age six. By his teens, however, he had discovered jazz and was already performing in nightclubs. Although his early career found him covering pop and rock hits of the day, it was his love of jazz-oriented artists like Oscar Peterson, Duke Ellington, Frank Sinatra, and Nat King Cole that brought him the most inspiration. In 1961, he moved with his family to Miami, Florida to better pursue his musical ambitions. It was there that Alexander met restaurateur and Frank Sinatra associate Jilly Rizzo, who eventually hired him as the house pianist at his New York nightclub, Jilly's. For the next several years, Alexander lived in New York and worked at Jilly's, where had the opportunity to befriend and perform with a bevy of stars including Sinatra, Ray Brown, Milt Jackson, and others. Buoyed by this success, in 1964 he traveled to Los Angeles, where he recorded several well-received albums for the Pacific Jazz label, including Alexander the Great and Spunky. A handful of additional efforts followed, including 1967's Zing! on RCA and 1969's This Is Monty Alexander on Verve. In 1969 he also appeared on vibraphonist Milt Jackson's That's the Way It Is. In the 1970s, Alexander built a long-lasting relationship with Germany's MPS (Musik Produktion Schwarzwald) label and released a steady stream of albums, including 1971's Here Comes the Sun, 1974's Perception!, and 1977's Cobilimbo with longtime friend and collaborator Ernest Ranglin. These albums found Alexander pushing his sound in new directions and often combining jazz with elements of the Caribbean musical traditions of his youth. During this period he formed working relationships with bassist John Clayton and drummer Jeff Hamilton. 

As a trio, they debuted to much acclaim on 1976's Live! Montreux Alexander, and would continue to work together in various configurations over the next several decades. The pianist also continued to record with Milt Jackson, and made appearances on albums by Quincy Jones, Dizzy Gillespie, Phyllis Hyman, and others. The '80s were also a fruitful period for Alexander, who continued to combine his love of straight-ahead jazz and Caribbean music with the release of such albums as 1983's The Duke Ellington Songbook, 1985's The River, and 1986's Li'l Darlin'. He also reunited with Clayton and Hamilton on 1983's Reunion in Europe and paired with bassist Ray Brown for several dates, including 1985's Full Steam Ahead and 1987's The Red Hot Ray Brown Trio. More albums followed, including 1994's Live at Maybeck and 1995's reggae-inflected Yard Movement. He rounded out the decade with 1997's Frank Sinatra-inspired Echoes of Jilly's and 1999's Stir It Up: The Music of Bob Marley. n 2000, Alexander's artistic achievements were recognized by the Jamaican government with his designation as a worldwide music ambassador and as Commander in the Order of Distinction for outstanding services to Jamaica. That same year, he collaborated with reggae giants Sly Dunbar and Robbie Shakespeare on Monty Meets Sly & Robbie, followed in 2001 by Caribbean Duet with pianist Michel Sardaby. He then paired again with Ray Brown and guitarist Herb Ellis for 2002's Triple Scoop and 2003's Straight Ahead. Two tribute sessions followed with 2008's The Good Life: Monty Alexander Plays the Songs of Tony Bennett and 2009's Calypso Blues: The Songs of Nat King Cole. Alexander then highlighted his fusion of reggae, ska, R&B, and jazz on 2011's Harlem-Kingston Express and 2014's Harlem-Kingston Express, Vol. 2: River Rolls On, both recorded at Dizzy's Club Coca-Cola at Lincoln Center. ~ Matt Collar https://www.allmusic.com/artist/monty-alexander-mn0000589256/biography

Personnel:  Piano – Monty Alexander;  Bass – Reggie Johnson;  Drums – Ed Thigpen

Fridaynight

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Solveig Slettahjell - Live At Victoria

Styles: Vocal And Piano Jazz
Year: 2018
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 47:03
Size: 108,1 MB
Art: Front

(3:23)  1. 12th Of Never
(5:18)  2. How Long Has This Been Going On
(3:25)  3. Visit
(5:29)  4. Be Steady
(5:57)  5. Take It With Me
(3:01)  6. Outlet
(5:33)  7. Is My Living In Vain
(6:37)  8. Come Healing
(4:48)  9. I Don t Feel No Ways Tired
(3:28) 10. A Day

A singer, alone, at a piano is not an unusual sight. But when that singer is Solveig Slettahjell, the rarity of the moment becomes vivid, and the expectation of what this moment could deliver is amplified. And, on a September night in 2017, at Nasjonal Jazzscene in Victoria, Oslo, Solveig gave such a performance. "Magical moments guaranteed" ran the tagline, and for once it was not advertising hyperbole. Guests joined for some songs: Pål Hausken provided percussive accompaniment on some tracks, while the choir Safari appeared to provide a whole new ambience to proceedings. However, their sparing use adds colour and drama at just the right moments, never resorting to mere chorus build-up and repetition. Featuring a set made of standards, original material, and settings of poems by Emily Dickinson, Solveig's performance is a masterful blend of emotional honesty and technical brilliance. Her delivery of classics by the likes of Gershwin, or more recent creations by Tom Waits and Leonard Cohen is bold and forthright, and her interpretations retain the spirits of the originals while marking them clearly with her own stylistic thumbprint. Her Emily Dickinson interpretations are much more than mere exercises they are charged with the energy of the original poetry, and often viewed through unexpected lenses, such as on "Visit" (where Solveig leaves the piano and is accompanied by Pål Hausken) which becomes a blues-washed chaingang song; "Outlet" again takes a view of the lyrics through a blues filter; and "A Day" presents an arrangement that Tom Waits at his Asylum Years best would be proud of.  This Solveig's second release through Jazzland Recordings, the previous being "Tarpan Seasons" (2009), a studio album that introduced a number of the tracks in this live recordings, perhaps most notably her interpretations of Emily Dickinson "A Day" and "Visit".

Personnel:  Solveig Slettahjell: Vocals, Piano;  Pål Hausken: Drums, Vocals; Safari (Eirik Kaasa, Åshild Kristin Stensrud Kaasa, Martha Sofie Eide, Malin Byberg, Åshild Sandvik, Nora Nesbakken, Tone Ravndal, Christoffer Holten Gidske and Johan Helland): choir;  Daniel Mikael Wold: live sound and recording.

Live At Victoria

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Harold Land - A New Shade Of Blue

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 52:30
Size: 120.2 MB
Styles: Saxophone jazz
Year: 1971/2017
Art: Front

[ 9:48] 1. A New Shade Of Blue
[10:37] 2. Mtume
[ 6:05] 3. Ode To Angela
[ 8:34] 4. Deliberation
[ 8:35] 5. Short Subject
[ 8:48] 6. Dark Mood

Harold Land: tenor saxophone; Bobby Hutcherson: vibraphone; Bill Henderson: piano, electric piano; Buster Williams: bass; Billy Hart: drums: Mtume: congas.

What came first, craft beers or the revival of vinyl records? I ask because both revolutions have moved your collective attentions away from corporate culture to smaller more specialized boutiques. That means better beer and certainly a more diverse choice in music. Case in point, saxophonist Harold Land's A New Shade Of Blue originally issued on Los Angeles' Mainstream Records in 1971. When the big record companies were touting their answer to rock-and-roll with electric Miles and Herbie, producers like Bob Shad were advancing modern jazz without ignoring its past. Land cut his teeth on hard bop before adopting modal sounds and joined vibraphonist Bobby Hutcherson's sessions for Blue Note Records (1968-1971).

The pair were living in Los Angeles in 1971 when these sides and Choma (Burn) were recorded for Mainstream. Back in the day, if this disc were released by Columbia or Blue Note it would have garnered praise it deserved with the stellar lineup of Hutcherson, Bill Henderson, Buster Williams, Billy Hart, and James Mtume. The music is a mix of modal jazz with undercurrents of hard bop. The title track is a casual blues piece suitable for players to stretch out a bit. Land solos first followed by Hutcherson, Henderson, and the sweetness that is Williams' bass. "Short Subject" is a knockout swinger and "Dark Mood" a modal piece with Land acknowledging the influence of John Coltrane on his sound. Although it was the only piece here not written by Land, "Mtume" is the centerpiece of the recording. It was also a composition recorded the same year on Hutcherson's release Head On (Blue Note) with an eleven-piece ensemble. The music, dedicated to the conga player, is a nod towards world music (a term not yet applied to the style) and it samples both African and Spanish flavors, with Henderson on electric piano. Even though it may have taken nearly fifty years to get the attention it deserves, A New Shade Of Blue is indeed a minor classic of jazz. The music is available in digital format, CD, and of course as an LP. ~Mark Corroto

A New Shade Of Blue 

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The Real Thing - Oh No! Not... The Real Thing... Again!

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 49:06
Size: 112.4 MB
Styles: Soul jazz, B3 Organ jazz
Year: 2018
Art: Front

[5:13] 1. Relaxin' At Smoke
[4:28] 2. Pat On The Shoulder
[4:54] 3. Dog Food
[4:44] 4. My Song For You
[5:16] 5. Backdoor Creeper
[6:28] 6. Melancolico
[3:42] 7. Doctor's Orders
[4:04] 8. Absolutely Yeah Yeah
[4:42] 9. Split Decision
[5:31] 10. Battle Hymn Of The Republic

Dave Edge (sax); Staffan William-Olsson (g); Paul Wagnberg(Hammond org); Hermund Nygård (ds).

The Real Thing is a Soul Jazz Band from Oslo, Norway, founded in 1992 when Sigurd Køhn and Palle Wagnberg formed the forerunner, The B3 Blues Band with Vidar Busk and Hamlet Pedersen. They changed the name when Staffan William-Olsson and Fredrik Carl Stormer joined the band. Størmer was replaced by Torstein Ellingsen in 1995, and Ellingsen again by Børre Dalhaug in 1998. Due to the sudden death of the band's saxophonist Sigurd Køhn in December 2004 The Real Thing was hibernating until a reunion in 2010.[1][2]

The quartet released eight albums, their debut in 1992 with the album The Real Thing and later both live and studio recordings. They for the most play original music, combining influences from American Blue Note jazz (represented by people such aslike Jimmy Smith, George Benson and Wes Montgomery) and elements from modern popular music. The result is a mixture of genres including swing, blues, soul, Latin, funk and rock.

Oh No! Not... The Real Thing... Again! mc
Oh No! Not... The Real Thing... Again! zippy

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Hot Club D'Europe - Kouvola Junction

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 44:02
Size: 100.8 MB
Styles: Swing, Gypsy jazz
Year: 2013
Art: Front

[3:58] 1. Anniversary Song
[4:45] 2. Cheek To Cheek
[3:31] 3. Others Of Us (Toiset Meistä)
[3:28] 4. Songe D'automne
[4:33] 5. Concierto De Aranjuez (Theme) Joseph, Joseph
[2:22] 6. Nuages
[3:08] 7. French Heels (Ranskalaiset Korot)
[2:56] 8. Fly Me To The Moon
[3:07] 9. Dark Eyes
[8:19] 10. Autumn Leaves
[3:49] 11. Kouvola Junction

Behind this ambitious Hot Club of Europe that comes his debut album this summer hiding three names already well known gypsy jazz: Paulus Schäfer, Sinti famous guitarist from Holland, author of three books including the recent and very successful Twelfth Year . Beside her, a young 22 year old Finnish Olli Soikkeli, the festival regulars Samois already know well, having crossed regularly over the years on the stand and AJL in Late Samoreau jams. Finally, the bass is provided by the inevitable Arnoud van den Berg, solid Dutch musician who already have a good CV (Voet Reiner, Jimmy Rosenberg, Robin Nolan, Nomy Rosenberg, Tolga during ...).

Convened in March by the producer Jarno Kanerva side of Kouvola in Finland, the trio recorded an album in a day comprised mostly of standar...ds: nothing new in that directory rather conventional, if not a few occasions of local composer Finnish Rauno Lehtinen (the lovely bossa Others of us ) and vibraphonist Erik Lindström (blues shuffle very French Heels ) and an original composed by the team, Kouvola Junction, bluesy swing (in the spirit of the Blues clear Django) and that naturally gives its name to the album: questions / answers from the duo We offer great flights of joining on a nice theme in unison.

The two guitarists are not the same age, nor the same experience. On the one hand, Paulus Schäfer proposes a game very safe, built, and virtuoso borrowing a nice feeling. We feel perfectly into his sentences the influence of the Dutch school through Stochelo Rosenberg and Wasso Grünholz. Especially since it is expressed here on acoustic guitar kind Selmer (it is also very good on archtop ...). Olli in young guitarist in the making that sign still here his second album, we appreciate the impeccable technique, already very safe sound and the fury: one feels that he wants to budge, the guitar itch, but fortunately never it is set loose and keep tempo Olli knows!

The clash of two swordsmen programmed turns so nicely to the friendly help of two musicians who enjoy playing together while they learn. A highly contagious fun!"

Kouvola Junction mc
Kouvola Junction zippy

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Luciana Souza - Brazilian Duos

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 42:15
Size: 96.7 MB
Styles: Brazilian jazz vocals
Year: 2002
Art: Front

[5:23] 1. Baiao Medley- Romance
[3:54] 2. Suas Maos
[2:41] 3. Pra Que Discutir Com Madame
[3:39] 4. Pra Dizer Adeus
[3:00] 5. Amanha
[2:36] 6. Eu Nao Existo Sem Voce
[4:00] 7. Doce De Coco
[3:31] 8. As Praias Desertas
[4:36] 9. Docemente
[2:05] 10. O Bolo
[3:58] 11. Viver De Amor
[2:46] 12. Saudade De Bahia

Luciana Souza - voice; Romero Lubambo - guitar; Marco Pereira - guitar; Walter Santos - guitar.

Luciana Souza’s second record for Sunnyside, Brazilian Duos, is a departure in two respects. First, the gifted vocalist is backed not by a jazz quartet, but rather by three different acoustic guitarists — Romero Lubambo, Marco Pereira (playing eight-string), and Walter Santos (her father). Second, Souza turns away from original material and toward classic Brazilian songs by figures like Dori Caymmi, Luiz Gonzaga, Djavan, Jobim, Toninho Horta, and her parents, Walter Santos and Tereza Souza. The range of moods is astounding, from the tongue-twisting virtuosity of the opening "Baião Medley" and the playfulness of "O Bolo" to the heartbreaking strains of "Pra Dizer Adeus," "Docemente," and "Suas Mãos." Souza’s voice, poised and attractive enough on its own, becomes a thing of transcendent beauty when matched with these sparse yet vibrant accompaniments. ~David R. Adler

Brazilian Duos mc
Brazilian Duos zippy

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Tim Warfield - Eye Of The Beholder

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 68:24
Size: 156.6 MB
Styles: Saxophone jazz
Year: 2013
Art: Front

[ 8:52] 1. Blues For Mr. Bill
[ 9:19] 2. The Undaunted
[ 2:46] 3. Tide A Dish I
[10:29] 4. I Remember You
[ 8:58] 5. The Backwards Step
[ 3:23] 6. Tide A Dish-II
[ 7:53] 7. Ramona's Heart
[ 7:58] 8. Second Thoughts
[ 8:41] 9. Forever, One Day At A Time

Tim Warfield (Ts / Ss); Nicholas Payton (Tp); Cyrus Chestnut (P); Rodney Whitaker (B); Clarence Penn (D). Recorded October 9, 2012 in Brooklyn, NY.

On Eye Of The Beholder, his seventh leader recording for Criss Cross (and 12th label appearance overall), tenor and soprano saxophonist Tim Warfield draws on musical relationships that have shaped his artistry from the very start. Pianist Cyrus Chestnut and drummer Clarence Penn, both of whom appeared on Warfield's 1994 debut and several other sessions, bring their powerful and sensitive presence to this new quintet date. Rodney Whitaker provides an unshakable yet flexible foundation on bass. Trumpet great Nicholas Payton, who featured Warfield in his own incendiary quintet of the mid to late '90, comes on board and contributes brilliant playing as well as original music.

Highlights include the exploratory Blues For Mr. Bill, the sumptuous ballad Ramona's Heart, and inspired reworkings of Payton's The Backwards Step, Marlon Jordan's The Undaunted and the standard I Remember You.

Eye Of The Beholder mc
Eye Of The Beholder zippy

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Bob Mintzer, Michael Brecker - Twin Tenors

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1993
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 59:02
Size: 135,8 MB
Art: Front

( 5:49)  1. The Saxophone
( 6:09)  2. Giant Steps (Version 1)
( 3:45)  3. Three Pieces
( 6:34)  4. Tenorman's Lament
( 8:17)  5. Two T's
( 5:29)  6. Sonny
(12:27)  7. Body And Soul / Everything Happens To Me
( 5:29)  8. Three Little Words
( 5:01)  9. Giant Steps (Version 2)

?Bob Mintzer and Michael Brecker appear together and individually on this date for Novus from the early '90s, joined by a fine rhythm section consisting of pianist Don Grolnick, bassist Michael Formanek, and drummer Peter Erskine. Mintzer is the dominant voice on the CD, playing without Brecker on six of the nine tracks and contributing five originals. His moving ballad "Tenorman's Lament" is a warm tribute to Wayne Shorter, while the driving blues "The Saxophone" is bursting with energy. Brecker is on hand for a joint romp through John Coltrane's "Giant Steps" (a second version features only Mintzer), Mintzer's intricate blues"Two T's," and on his own for a lush interpretation of "Body and Soul," the latter which is combined in a medley with Mintzer's setting of "Everything Happens to Me." While the CD title is a bit misleading, the performances are consistently at a high level. With the demise of the label, this out of print release has turned into a sought-after collectable. ~ Ken Dryden https://www.allmusic.com/album/twin-tenors-mw0000116541

Personnel: Bob Mintzer, Michael Brecker (tenor saxophone); Don Grolnick (piano); Michael Formanek (bass); Peter Erskine (drums)

Twin Tenors

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Nina Hagen - Big Band Explosion

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2003
File: MP3@256K/s
Time: 42:42
Size: 79,2 MB
Art: Front

(2:47)  1. Let me entertain you
(3:26)  2. Sugar blues
(2:35)  3. I want to be happy
(4:14)  4. The Lady loves me (duet with Lucas Alexander)
(3:06)  5. Rythm & Romance
(4:28)  6. Rainbow
(2:38)  7. If you ever should leave
(4:53)  8. Fever
(3:11)  9. Love & Kisses
(3:34) 10. All over nothing @ all
(3:28) 11. Let's call the whole thing off (duet with Lucas Alexander)
(4:17) 12. Starlit Hour

A big-band album from a Teutonic dominatrix that used to be pictured dressed in PVC and restraining ropes? Sure, why not? Just don't fall for the pretty bindi wear and butterflies flying out of her mouth on the cover. Nina Hagen is still Nina Hagen and time has made her gritty voice even grittier. The lady was born to entertain, and if you're warm to her in-your-face absurdity, Big Band Explosion is a heck of a lot of fun. You'll be on the edge of your seat as the singer delivers the tunes straight-faced, but you just know that any moment she's going to bust out the brash Nina of old. That's the way the most of the songs go almost to the point of being formulaic  but if anyone is going to pull it off it's Nina. Her greatest moment or most grating, depending on your tolerance  comes at the end of "I Want to Be Happy" when her guttural scatting ends in a cough and an "oh my God!" She's Betty Boop one minute and Godzilla the next, which is why her fans love her. The Leipzig Big Band does a fine job with the accompaniment, but they could have been pushed up a little higher in the mix, and you just have to wonder what the look on their faces was like. Wonder if naughty Nina's untied them yet. ~ David Jeffries https://www.allmusic.com/album/big-band-explosion-mw0000357186

Personnel:  Nina Hagen – vocals, concept, cover photo, creative consultant;  Frank Nowicky - alt sax (Bandleader);   Michael Arnold – tenor sax;    Andrea Bauer – baritone sax;  Wolfram Dix – percussion;   Torsten Hell – trumpet;  Matthias Büttner - trombone;  Hans-Peter Fechner - bass trombone;  Jack Roth – drums;  Ralf Schrabbe – keyboards, piano

Big Band Explosion

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Barney Kessel - Autumn Leaves

Styles: Guitar Jazz 
Year: 1968
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 57:14
Size: 137,9 MB
Art: Front

(4:55)  1. Autumn Leaves
(3:28)  2. Corcovado (Quiet Nights)
(4:47)  3. On a Clear Day, You Can See Forever
(5:06)  4. Aquarius
(4:17)  5. You're the One for Me
(4:10)  6. The Look of Love
(3:21)  7. I Will Wait for You
(3:35)  8. Watch What Happens
(4:06)  9. Blue Soul
(7:40) 10. Comin' Home
(3:09) 11. Shufflin'
(3:20) 12. Quail Bait
(5:17) 13. Watch the Birds Go By

This CD reissue contains a sleepy trio session by guitarist Barney Kessel who teams up with bassist Kenny Napper and drummer John Marshall for a variety of current pop tunes (including Burt Bacharach's "The Look Of Love" and two Michel Legrand songs) plus a few overly relaxed standards and originals. The CD is rounded out by three bouncy numbers from 1969 that feature Kessel with a big band that includes tenor-saxophonist Teddy Edwards and pianist Jimmy Rowles. Overall the lethargic performances function best as superior background music. ~ Scott Yanow  https://www.allmusic.com/album/autumn-leaves-mw0000613741

Personnel Barney Kessel (guitar); Teddy Edwards (tenor saxophone); Jimmy Rowles (piano); John Marshall (drums).

Autumn Leaves

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Wycliffe Gordon - Dreams of New Orleans

Styles: Trombone And Trumpet Jazz
Year: 2012
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 72:32
Size: 170,0 MB
Art:

(4:33)  1. When the Saints Go Marching In
(4:17)  2. Darktown Strutters' Ball
(5:34)  3. St. Louis Blues
(4:08)  4. Chinatown
(6:24)  5. Panama
(3:10)  6. Lil' Liza Jane
(7:07)  7. Some of These Days
(4:02)  8. Tiger Rag
(4:52)  9. Avalon
(5:12) 10. Royal Garden Blues
(5:53) 11. St. Louis Blues
(5:36) 12. Won't You Come Home Bill Bailey
(4:54) 13. Back Home Again in Indiana
(2:44) 14. Down by the Riverside
(4:05) 15. Sweet Papa, Mama's Getting Mad

Trombone player Wycliffe Gordon is best known for his work with the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra, under the direction of jazz maestro, Wynton Marsalis. The versatile trombonist can scat, multi-note, slide, and plunge, just like he stepped out of the 1930s. Gordon has played with many jazz luminaries, including Dizzy Gillespie, Joe Henderson, Branford Marsalis,Lionel Hampton, Tommy Flanagan, and Shirley Horn. His musical colleagues call him "Pine Cone," since he grew up in the piney woods of Georgia. It must have been this Ellington era quality that caught the ears of jazz educator Wynton Marsalis, who heard Gordon play while the trumpeter was giving a workshop at Gordon's alma mater, Florida A&M University. Their fortuitous meeting resulted in Gordon joining the Wynton Marsalis Septet, as well as the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra, in 1989. As a member of the illustrious band, Gordon contributed as both musician and composer. Gordon, who like Charles Mingus says he hears music in his head all the time, has managed to write some of it down, and then hear it performed all over the world by the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra. Whether they know it or not, National Public Radio fans are familiar with the musician's work: In 1993, Gordon composed the NPR theme song. Gordon, an admirer of Louis Armstrong, J.J. Johnson, and Jack Teagarden, prefers the melodic approach to playing and composition. The listener can hear that on any of his outstanding recordings. His first outing was with fellow trombonist Ron Westray on their 1996 release, Bone Structure. More good things came with Slidin' Home, recorded in 1999. Joined by Victor Goines, Eric Reed, Rodney Whitaker, Herlin Riley, Milt Grayson, Joe Temperley, and Randy Sandke, Gordon really struts his stuff on this one, showing a wide range of influences from big band to gospel.

The Search, recorded in 2000, ranges as far and wide as the title suggests, and includes Gordon holding forth on the didgeridoo. Gordon, whose father was the pianist at the church the trumpeter grew up in, devotes himself to his gospel roots on The Gospel Truth, (2000). What You Dealin' With, (2001), continues in a jazz vein with original compositions and jazz standards. Gordon's 2002 release We may be his best yet, as the trombonist collaborates with pianist Eric Reed on jazz and gospel tunes. Besides performing and educating at his own music school in his hometown of Augusta, GA, Gordon has another important project: writing the score for the Oscar Micheaux 1925 silent film, Body and Soul. Paul Robeson starred in the movie about race, religion, and small town life in the South. Gordon drew upon his own Southern upbringing to produce music from the church, the bars, and the home, to be performed by the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra. Gordon has begun to evidence an interest in vocalizing, something which he says he plans to do increasingly. The results are sure to be top drawer, as the exuberant Wycliffe Gordon throws himself into things, body and soul. ~ Rose of Sharon Witmer  https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/dreams-of-new-orleans/557724173

Personnel: Wycliffe Gordon (trombones, trumpet, vocals), Jon Erik-Kellso (trumpet, backing vocals), Adrian Cunningham (clarinet, soprano saxophone), Michael Dease (trombone, tenor and baritone saxophone, trumpet, backing vocals), Matt Munisteri (guitar, banjo, vocals), Ibanda Ruhumbika (tuba), Marion Felder (drums)

Dreams of New Orleans

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