Sunday, February 11, 2018

Wild Bill Davis - Free, Frantic & Funky

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 38:14
Size: 87.5 MB
Styles: Soul-jazz, B3 Organ jazz
Year: 1965/2016
Art: Front

[2:35] 1. C Jam Blues
[3:45] 2. C.C. Rider
[2:28] 3. Hit The Road Jack
[4:36] 4. Just Squeeze Me (But Don't Tease Me)
[2:49] 5. I Can't Stop Loving You
[2:32] 6. Sent For You Yesterday (And Here You Come Today)
[2:45] 7. Well, Git It
[3:32] 8. Azure-Te (Paris Blues)
[3:44] 9. Free, Frantic And Funky
[2:11] 10. Don't Cry Baby
[3:16] 11. Tippin' In
[3:55] 12. Make Love To Me

Bass – George Duvivier; Drums – Jimmy Hopps, Osie Johnson; Guitar – Dicky Thompson, Mundell Lowe; Organ – Wild Bill Davis; Tenor Saxophone, Flute – Bob Brown, Jerome Richardson, Seldon Powell. Recorded in 1965 in RCA Victor's Studio B, New York City.

With the dynamic, swirling sounds of his Hammond B-3 organ, Wild Bill Davis provided a bridge from the big band swing of the 1930s and '40s to the organ-driven R&B of the 1950s and early '60s. Together with guitarist Floyd Smith and drummer Chris Columbus, Davis set the framework for the jazz organ combo sound. Initially a guitarist, Davis made his debut with Milt Larkin's band in 1939. The group is remembered for the double-saxophone attack of Eddie "Cleanhead" Vinson and Arnett Cobb. Davis, who was inspired by the guitar playing of Freddie Green, remained with the band until 1942. Moving to the piano, Davis joined Louis Jordan & His Tympany 5 in 1945. By then, he had already attracted attention as a skilled writer and arranger. He later furnished original material and arrangements for both Duke Ellington and Count Basie. He was scheduled to record his arrangement of "April in Paris" with the Count Basie Orchestra in 1955, but was unable to make it to the recording sessions. Recorded without his participation, the tune went on to be a Top 30 pop hit. Intrigued by the organ playing of Fats Waller and Count Basie, Davis began to experiment with the Hammond B-3. He soon developed his unique approach. "I thought of (the organ) as a replacement in clubs for a big band," he said during a late-'80s interview. Although he left Jordan's band after five years to form his own trio, Davis periodically returned to play special engagements. Although eclipsed by succeeding jazz organists, including Jimmy Smith and Bill Doggett in the late '50s, and Booker T. Jones in the '60s, Davis remained active until his death from a heart attack in August 1995. His summer appearances in Atlantic City, New Jersey were an annual treat for almost three decades.

A native of Moorestown, New Jersey, Davis studied music at Tuskegee University and Wiley College in Texas. ~ Craig Harris

Free, Frantic & Funky mc
Free, Frantic & Funky zippy

Peter Wildbolz Unit - Chill The Jazz

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 47:35
Size: 108.9 MB
Styles: Smooth jazz
Year: 2005
Art: Front

[6:05] 1. The Joker
[7:08] 2. Buenos Aires Blue
[5:10] 3. Perpetual Love
[3:41] 4. Loose As A Goose
[5:21] 5. Many Moons Ago
[5:28] 6. Havana Strut
[6:14] 7. Lonely Nights
[6:41] 8. Easy Digging
[1:42] 9. Farewell

Peter Wildbolz, the Bernese saxophone player, can look back on a long, diverse musical career which started in the early 60s when he opened his jazz club, the “Blue Note”, in Bern. He later founded the FreeJazzTrio, then the New Jazz Quartet; he was also a member of the jazz-rock band Off & Out. In the 80s, he led the bebop trio “Frontline”. The success of “Blue Notes”, the album released in 1998, convinced sax-player and composer Wildbolz to focus on smooth jazz.

Chill The Jazz mc
Chill The Jazz zippy

Atlanta Rhythm Section - Champagne Jam

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 32:58
Size: 75.5 MB
Styles: Southern rock
Year: 1978/2005
Art: Front

[2:57] 1. Large Time
[4:06] 2. I'm Not Gonna Let It Bother Me Tonight
[3:22] 3. Normal Love
[4:31] 4. Champagne Jam
[5:08] 5. Imaginary Lover
[4:34] 6. The Ballad Of Lois Malone
[4:46] 7. The Great Escape
[3:31] 8. Evileen

Released in 1978, this was the breakthrough album that marked the zenith of music-making, critical support and popular acclaim for ARS. Eight great songs-all originals-are showcased with the top notch, smooth pop production the group had been refining for years. The songwriting and musicianship maintain the superior standards the band had established through its previous albums. The songs continue the pattern of blending beautiful melodies with shifting tempos, with each of the songs clocking in at a moderate three to five minutes.

The album opens with a classic Southern rock song, Large Time, that pays tribute to recently fallen comrades. Three of the next four songs may be unmatched in their concise demonstration of the extraordinary talent and multifaceted skills of the band. I'm Not Gonna Let It Bother Me, Champagne Jam and Imaginary Lover are all classics-hits at the time that still sound fresh and resonate as nicely today as when they were released. The first two share a buoyant, positive sound that turns more subdued with the third. The album winds down with three more songs that lyrically present a darker image of wild times and loves-each with beautiful musical backing that both contrasts with and perfectly represents the stories being told.

Champagne Jam mc
Champagne Jam zippy

Roxane de LaFontaine - Paris & America

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 41:56
Size: 96.0 MB
Styles: Vocal jazz
Year: 2012
Art: Front

[3:56] 1. It Don't Mean A Thing
[3:58] 2. Fly Me To The Moon
[5:10] 3. Why Don't You Do Right
[4:20] 4. I Love Paris
[4:15] 5. C'est Si Bon
[4:36] 6. Azure Te
[4:55] 7. La Vie En Rose
[4:33] 8. Les Yeux Ouverts
[2:52] 9. Un Dimanche à Paris
[3:18] 10. C'est Beau Un Homme

Roxane de Lafontaine : Voix, Violon; Sylvain Daigneault : Piano; François Rioux : Guitare; David Gagné : Contrebasse; Pierre-Emmanuel Beaudoin : Batterie, Percussions; René Béchard : Saxophones, Clarinette; Élise Béchard : Chœur; Guillaume Gilbert : Guitare; Mathieu Tarlo : Contrebasse, Trombone; Jean-François Montour : Batterie; Jean Gervais : Trompette; Annie Richard : Violoncelle; Élise Béchard : Percussions.

Born in Quebec City, it was at the age of five that Roxane moved to Sherbrooke, his father's hometown. It is there, very young, that she is attracted by the scene. Every day, with passion, she plays the violin and does dance. Soon she was invited to television shows like "The Green Mouse" and "Good Friends" where she made several appearances. From her beginnings on the violin she is supervised by great masters; Claude Letourneau, Luis Greenhouse. At the age of 12, she was appointed solo violin assistant at the Sherbrooke Youth Orchestra and already played in the first violin section at the Orchester symphonique. During her elementary and high school studies, she combined concerts, recitals and dance performances as a member of the École Pierre Lapointe ballet troupe. She also accompanies several artists during major events and shows.

In December 2010, she produced and directed her first solo album, Strad, my rebellious soul, which will bring her to play on big Quebec scenes; Raoul-Jobin Hall (Montcalm Palace), Edwin-Bélanger Bandstand (Plains of Abraham), Granada Theater (Sherbrooke) and at important musical events; Quebec City Summer Festival, Concerts of the City (Sherbrooke), Festivoix of Trois-Rivières, etc.

Encouraged by Lorraine Desmarais, an internationally renowned jazz pianist, Roxane Del joins her voice as a singer-songwriter and finds her style in jazz-pop music. She launches her own record label, Private Club and signs with Distribution Select. (Translated from French.)

Paris & America mc
Paris & America zippy

Big Band Jazz Maresme - Meeting Our Neighbours

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 61:18
Size: 140.3 MB
Styles: Big band
Year: 2018
Art: Front

[7:37] 1. Soupbone
[6:06] 2. Ya Gotta Try… Harder
[2:15] 3. Almost Like Being In Love
[4:49] 4. Ask Me Now
[7:25] 5. Squatty Roo
[5:50] 6. I'm Just A Lucky So And So
[4:40] 7. Angel Eyes
[6:24] 8. Stolen Moments
[3:02] 9. Hallelujah I Just Love Him So
[5:00] 10. Without A Song
[8:05] 11. There Is No Greater Love

For this project, we had the privilege to collaborate with two internationally renowned artists. The virtuoso Italian trumpet player Fabrizio Bosso and the elegant and sensual French singer Tricia Evy.

Fabrizio Bosso is an energetic musician with a dizzying agility and speed. His spectacular and powerful sound contrasts with his sweet and warm tunes. All these combined makes him a unique and exceptional musician. A regular trumpet player of well known record labels such as BLUE NOTE, VERVE (Universal) or EMI.

Tricia Evy is, at the moment, one of the most requested voices worldwide, due to her unique and personal style. Her elegant, warm and sensual voice brings us back to the 30’s. An era framed by great singers such as Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday …

Meeting Our Neighbours mc
Meeting Our Neighbours zippy

Jackie & Roy - Bits & Pieces And Free & Easy

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 72:34
Size: 166.1 MB
Styles: Vocal
Year: 2011
Art: Front

[3:28] 1. Look Around
[4:05] 2. Stopping The Clock
[4:22] 3. (So You've Had A) Change Of Heart
[3:37] 4. Honey Did
[3:37] 5. Whisper Not
[2:38] 6. Say Cheese
[4:58] 7. Aura
[4:04] 8. Darn That Dream
[2:15] 9. I'm Forever Blowing Bubbles
[3:16] 10. Walking
[2:58] 11. Free And Easy
[2:45] 12. There Will Never Be Another You
[3:55] 13. Angel Eyes
[2:44] 14. It's A Lovely Day Today
[3:25] 15. Dixie
[3:17] 16. Who Wants To Fall In Love
[3:55] 17. So It's Spring
[2:58] 18. Ooh! That Kiss
[3:29] 19. I'm Glad There Is You
[2:21] 20. Aren't You Glad You're You
[4:16] 21. Pent-Up House

Jackie and Roy Kral rose to fame in the late Forties with their delightful vocal contribution to Charlie Venturas popular bop combo. Exciting and swinging, their work, imbued with their love and understanding of music, made these two bright young stars real and immediate favorites of jazz fans. On these recordings made in New York and Los Angeles in 1957, the duo is backed by two top studio bands conducted by Roy himself and by the great Bill Holman. Impeccably selected and tastefully presented, the material is illuminated by inventive singing delivered with consistent freshness and splendid technical command. Jackie is the featured singer, but Roy joins in often enough to heighten the pacing that much more. The arrangements are full-voiced, with swinging, functionally effective backdrops for the vocals, garnished with occasional instrumental solos from the stellar personnel. Holman wrote most of the arrangements, but Ernie Wilkins, Ralph Burns and Quincy Jones also collaborated in the New York sessions. "The way this set is packaged, if you arent up and your Jackie & Roy, you might not realize that this is a value packed twofer of prime Jackie & Roy thatll blow you away. Two sets from their prime 50s years finds them in the company of Bill Holman and Quincy Jones along with players including Richie Kamuca, Clark Terry, Jerome Richardson, Herbie Mann, Shelley Manne and a host of other mind blowers when they were young and clawing for a piece of the action. Bopping, scatting, singing, swinging and flying through some vocalese, 1957 was a killer year for this duo. Before their CTI, Vegas, Sondheim, etc ventures in the later years, they were the cool definition of cool. If you want some wonderful jazz vocals to take your mind off high gas prices and the rest of the worlds troubles, plunk down a few bucks for this oasis and lose yourself in this hipsters paradise."

Bits & Pieces And Free & Easy mc
Bits & Pieces And Free & Easy zippy

Saturday, February 10, 2018

Southside Johnny - Detour Ahead: The Music Of Billie Holiday

Size: 148,8 MB
Time: 63:52
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2018
Styles: Jazz/Blues Vocals
Art: Front

01. Don't Explain (4:56)
02. Ain't Nobody's Business (7:27)
03. Lover Man (6:48)
04. Detour Ahead (5:51)
05. Billie's Blues (8:22)
06. Crazy He Calls Me (4:25)
07. These Foolish Things (6:07)
08. Do Nothin Till Ya Hear From Me (4:52)
09. In My Solitude (5:04)
10. You Don't Know What Love Is (6:24)
11. I Thought About You (3:31)

Southside Johnny's tribute to the incomparable Billie Holiday. Recorded over two days in early January of 2017, "Detour Ahead: The Music of Billie Holiday" is just that; John's tribute to the great Lady Day. Arranged, produced and mixed by Asbury Jukes saxophonist John Isley, the album is a 10 song offering of all original arrangements and interpretations of some of Billie's most classic songs as well as a few hidden gems.

Detour Ahead

Ed Partyka Jazz Orchestra - Kopfkino (Feat. Julia Oschwesky)

Size: 134,0 MB
Time: 58:08
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2017
Styles: Jazz, Vocals
Art: Front

01. The Summer Of My Discontent (The Summer Of My Disco Tent) ( 9:55)
02. Out Of This World (11:50)
03. Fee Fi Fo Fum ( 8:55)
04. It's The Peace That Deafens ( 7:16)
05. One Two Three Ten ( 9:46)
06. Ataraxia (10:25)

The Ed Partykas Jazz Orchestra (EPJO) was launched in Berlin in 2007. Its trademark is an unmistakable, and in all likelihood globally unique, mix of musical personalities. "Old stars" from the European big band establishment play side by side with newcomers from the young and hip jazz scenes of Berlin, Amsterdam, Vienna and Prague. Musicians from the USA, Germany, Austria, Holland, Switzerland and the Czech Republic get together – each of them brings their own musical language, and adds their unique national sound into the mix.

As on their previous CD Hits! Vol.1 (MONS Records), the singer and composer Julia Oschewsky plays a prominent role on the current album Kopfkino.
"Her voice adds a clarity and intensity that had been lacking in the sound of the orchestra so far" enthused Ed Partyka, "and it definitely colours my arrangements in a very special way."

"Kopfkino" – it means fantasies, and the sequences of events and occurrences that play out in your own imagination.
Ed Partyka purposely chose this title for the new album by the Ed Partyka Jazz Orchestra, and he uses the concept as a synonym for his composition (The Summer Of My Discontent (Summer In My Disco Tent)) and arrangements.
Composers such as Wayne Shorter (Fee Fi Fo Fum), Harold Arlen (Out Of This World), Ola Onabule (It’s The Peace That Deafens), Julia Oschewsky (One Two Three Ten) and Joris Roelofs (Ataraxia) all have their say; Ed Partyka puts his stamp on their work with his unmistakeable arrangements and inimitable musical ingenuity.

"This music invites you to (day) dream. The dense texture of the orchestration, the melodically improvised solos, and the bright-sounding voice of Julia Oschewsky fire up the imagination. A feeling of sad beauty infuses the music and the whole power of the orchestra is revealed in my dramatic arrangements" said the artist.

Kopfkino

Raquel Tavares - Roberto Carlos Por Raquel Tavares

Size: 128,1 MB
Time: 54:37
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2017
Styles: Fado Pop, Fado Canção
Art: Front & Back

01. Voce (2:56)
02. Como E Grande O Meu Amor Por Voce (3:48)
03. Sua Estupidez (4:13)
04. De Tanto Amor (Feat. Ana Carolina) (3:13)
05. A Distancia (3:55)
06. Debaixo Dos Caracois Dos Seus Cabelos (Feat. Caetano Veloso) (4:21)
07. Palavras (3:09)
08. Fera Ferida (5:12)
09. Detalhes (5:01)
10. Cavalgada (3:48)
11. Nao Se Esqueça De Mim (3:44)
12. Olha (3:22)
13. Do Fundo Do Meu Coraçao (4:02)
14. Emoçoes (3:46)

"Roberto Carlos By Raquel Tavares" is based on the repertoire of one of the greatest artists in the world, Roberto Carlos, and features contributions by Caetano Veloso in "Debaixo Dos Caracois Dos Seus Cabelos" and Ana Carolina in "De Tanto Amor". The project received the gold certificate in Portugal, where it stayed for several weeks in the first place among the best-selling albums.

Raquel Tavares is a Portuguese fado singer. Its name gained notoriety in Portugal for the first time in 1997, year in which, at age 12, it won in the Great Night of the Fado. In 2006 she released her first album "Raquel Tavares" and in the same year she received the Amália Rodrigues Award for 'Revelação Feminina', from the Amália Rodrigues Foundation. In 2007, Casa da Imprensa awarded him the 'Revelation Prize' of the year. With the success and subsequent releases, Raquel has performed in several countries like Spain, France, Italy, Greece, Marocco, Germany, Belgium, Holand, Scotland, England, Ireland, Uruguai, Argentina, Brazil, Canada, China and recently, Australia.

Roberto Carlos Por Raquel Tavares

Siril Malmedal Hauge & Jacob Young - Last Things

Size: 103,0 MB
Time: 40:53
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2018
Styles: Jazz/Pop Vocals
Art: Front

01. Bounce With Me (3:39)
02. I Will (3:55)
03. Little Wing (2:53)
04. Skylark (3:48)
05. Last Things (3:48)
06. Deep River (5:19)
07. So In Love (4:08)
08. No Moon At All (2:57)
09. Lilac Wine (4:50)
10. Ballad Of The Sad Young Men (5:30)

The duo of Siril Malmedal Hauge and Jacob Young arose after they were both invited to participate as studio musicians on a record recording in 2016.
A few weeks later Siril called to Jacob and wondered if they should do anything more, something Jacob had already had in mind. Thus it became reality. They started working and did some sporadic performances together before going to the studio and playing for the result "Last Things".

Siril's unique talent and formidability as a vocalist takes immediate focus when listening to her. Siril and Jacob are both comfortable in much of the classic jazz repertoire, but at the same time they are not afraid to explode with songs from other genres.

"Beautiful, melodious and melancholy" - Fredrik Wandrup, Dagbladet

"Duo debut with crafts and art.
A young singer and a tanned guitarist performs as a duo in a ballad-dominated jazz / pop / original repertoire. "- Terje Mosnes, Jazzinorge.no

Last Things

VA - JazzInFado

Size: 100,5 MB
Time: 39:48
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2017
Styles: Latin Jazz, Fado, Fusion
Art: Front

01 Carlos Do Carmo - Lisboa Menina E Moça (4:57)
02 Helder Moutinho - Estranha Forma De Vida (3:59)
03 Carminho - Escrevi Teu Nome No Vento (4:30)
04 Antonio Zambujo - Veio A Saudade (3:55)
05 Raquel Tavares - Limao (4:17)
06 Marco Rodrigues - Solidao (3:47)
07 Ana Bacalhau - Fado Portugues De Nos (3:13)
08 Cuca Roseta - Coimbra (3:23)
09 Maria Berasarte - A Nadie Se Lo Confieso (3:26)
10 Joana Almeida - Tudo Isto E Fado (4:16)

The best fado songs, their best performers and some of the most important musicians in Latin jazz today are joining an innovative album, "JazzInFado". This album seeks to widen the frontiers of fado, bringing together great fado singers, including Carlos do Carmo, Hélder Moutinho, Carminho, António Zambujo, Raquel Tavares, Marco Rodrigues, Ana Bacalhau, Cuca Rosetta, Maria Berasarte and Joana Almeida, who interpret emblematic themes of history of fado allied to the harmonies of Latin jazz.

"JazzInFado" celebrate the six years since the fado was raised to Intangible Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO.

The idea of joining these fado greats to jazz harmonies came from Óscar Gomez, a Cuban musician and producer, currently living in Spain, a five-time Grammy winner, a member of the Board of the Latin Grammy Academy and whose productions have sold more than 20 million records worldwide.

"I always liked being a transgressor and a rebel," says the producer. "What we did was to bring fado to jazz and harmoniously enrich it [...] and enter rhythms of the Caribbean, Flemish, Brazilian, bossa nova and tango. Enter the rhythms worked in Latin jazz and enrich the harmonies a little, always respecting, obviously, the melodies and the lyrics ".

"JazzInFado" was recorded between Madrid and Lisbon and on the recordings the fadistas were accompanied by mostly Cuban musicians, as is the case of Pepe Rivero or Ivan "Melon" Lewis.

"JazzInFado" is a unique object that highlights the immense richness of fado, but showing how this music also dialogues in an innovative way with jazz.

JazzInFado

Jon Hendricks, Annie Ross - Sing The Lambert, Hendricks & Ross Songbook

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 47:36
Size: 109.0 MB
Styles: Vocalese, Jazz vocals
Year: 2015
Art: Front

[2:28] 1. Lil Pony
[5:26] 2. Come Home
[2:15] 3. Twisted
[2:57] 4. Gimme That Wine
[2:32] 5. Farmer's Market
[2:15] 6. Cloudburst
[3:34] 7. Jackie
[5:47] 8. In Summer
[2:25] 9. Centerpiece
[3:45] 10. Doodlin'
[3:48] 11. Stockholm Sweetnin'
[6:46] 12. Music Is Forever
[3:31] 13. Jumpin' At The Woodside

Jon Hendricks (born September 16th 1921) is a renowned jazz vocalist, lyricist and exceptional improviser. Lambert, Hendricks and Ross went on to become one of the most successful vocal groups of all time. They toured the world and inspired other singers such as The Manhattan Transfer, and the New York Voices to perform vocalese, the setting of lyrics to instrumental music. The legacy of Lambert, Hendricks and Ross continues to live on. As the primary lyricist of the group Hendricks proved to the world that he had a tremendous gift for words.

Sing The Lambert, Hendricks & Ross Songbook mc
Sing The Lambert, Hendricks & Ross Songbook zippy

Triosence - Hidden Beauty

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 54:41
Size: 125.2 MB
Styles: Jazz
Year: 2017
Art: Front

[4:44] 1. As If It Was Yesterday
[6:32] 2. Hidden Beauty
[5:10] 3. Sad Chilean
[4:15] 4. Hit By Life
[5:18] 5. Thaisinha
[4:48] 6. Day At Scarlett's
[5:27] 7. Some Things Never Change
[4:07] 8. Out Of Reach
[6:41] 9. Juquei
[4:01] 10. Leave Me Here
[3:32] 11. Basically It's All Quite Simple

Bernhard Schüler (piano) Matthias Nowak/Ingo Senst (bass) and Stephan Emig (drums) have caused a sensation within the music press for some years now. They have been called “the new leading standard”, “an example of musical trinity”, “a highlight that touches you deeply”, “their music makes the sun rise in the west” to name only a few of the positive responses to the trio.

Formed in 1999, triosence has won almost every Jazz competition there is to win in Germany. After receiving the 1st prize at the German federal competition “Jugend jazzt” they won the Ostsee (Baltic Sea) Jazz Festival Prize, a CD recording contract with the German national radio network “Deutschlandfunk”, the “Kulturförderpreis” of the city of Kassel and many more. Furthermore they were nominated for the German Record Review Award and for being the best newcomers of the German International Jazz Charts. Since their debut CD release of “First Enchantment”, in Japan the band has been regarded as one of the most successful newcomer jazz bands and the German magazine “stern” (star) calls them “the new faces of German Jazz”.

The “trio-essence” lies within the emancipation of piano, bass and drums, achieved by Bernhard Schüler’s original compositions and by the strong individuality of the three musicians. Each instrument can take the lead. Thus, they have a much wider spectrum of sound than traditional trios normally have. There are influences of Jazz, Fusion, Folk, Pop and World. The emphasis on melodies and their clarity creates a fresh and new style that the band has coined songjazz. This not only satifies connoisseurs of jazz music, but also people having less background with jazz.

Hidden Beauty mc
Hidden Beauty zippy

John Stevens - Red

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 36:37
Size: 83.9 MB
Styles: Vocal
Year: 2005
Art: Front

[3:20] 1. Come Fly With Me
[2:40] 2. My Blue Heaven
[4:43] 3. Someone To Watch Over Me
[3:00] 4. Here, There And Everywhere
[2:57] 5. All Of Me
[4:09] 6. This Love
[4:04] 7. I Only Have Eyes For You
[3:05] 8. Let's Fall In Love (Feat. Erika Christensen)
[2:46] 9. It Had To Be You
[3:18] 10. The Shadow Of Your Smile
[2:29] 11. Don't Get Around Much Anymore

John Stevens was on "American Idol" before I started watching -- I think I was scheduled to work on those nights. "Red" sounded interesting from the reviews and is a genre I enjoy. Maroon 5's "This Love" is one of the most interesting tracks on the CD. Like Paul Anka's several recent outings, Stevens takes a pop song and reinvents it, making it into a lush Spanish-flavored ballad, "Touching your tender lips, moving my fingertips over every inch of you because I know that's what you want me to do." Some of the standards work better for me than others. "The Shadow of Your Smile," like many standards, has been recorded by numerous artists. Think about a song that's been recorded by Shirley Bassey, Tony Bennett, Perry Como, Bobby Darin, Marvin Gaye, Astrud Gilberto, Dexter Gordon, Jack Jones, Brenda Lee, Peggy Lee, Johnny Mathis, Johnny Rivers, Frank Sinatra, Nancy Sinatra, Barbra Streisand, Sarah Vaughn, Bobby Vinton, Nancy Wilson and Stevie Wonder! What can John Stevens bring to it? He does well with this lovely ballad, his voice hushed and thin polishes the lovely melody. "All of Me" also fares extremely well here with Stevens' enthusiastic delivery and the punchy arrangement. Steve Tyrell, known now as the lead from the "C.S.I." TV series, has a long musical history, finding B.J. Thomas and producing "Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head." He does a great job here making John Stevens sound like a confident young singer. A couple tracks work less well for me. The Beatles' "Here, There & Everywhere" sounds like a male version of Claudine Longet's thin wispy voice. "Someone to Watch Over Me" may tend to make you fall asleep. However, most of this disc is well done. Whether Stevens develops his skills and earns the popularity of Michael Buble or my favorite in this genre, Peter Cincotti, remains to be seen. Enjoy! ~Lee Armstrong

Red mc
Red zippy

Kate Ceberano - Nine Lime Avenue

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 43:35
Size: 99.8 MB
Styles: Adult contemporary
Year: 2007
Art: Front

[4:31] 1. Heroes
[4:34] 2. Raspberry Beret
[4:44] 3. Do You Really Want To Hurt Me
[4:30] 4. Love My Way
[4:16] 5. The First Time I Ever Saw Your Face
[3:33] 6. Throw Your Arms Around Me
[3:16] 7. Brass In Pocket
[3:58] 8. If You Leave Me, Can I Come Too
[2:32] 9. Roxanne
[3:36] 10. Go Your Own Way
[4:01] 11. It Must Be Love

2007 release from the Australian vocalist, one of the finest female voices to emerge from the Land Down Under. Over two decades in the business, Ceberano is an Aria Award winner, a best-selling artist and even won first place on Australia's Dancing With The Stars in 2006. Nine Lime Avenue is a collection of covers that inspired Kate in the early '80s as she pursued her career in music. Features 11 tracks including the first single, a cover of Fleetwood Mac's 'Go Your Own Way'.

Nine Lime Avenue mc
Nine Lime Avenue zippy

Lee Morgan - Here's Lee Morgan

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 71:44
Size: 164.2 MB
Styles: Trumpet jazz
Year: 1960/1993
Art: Front

[5:20] 1. Terrible T
[7:47] 2. Mogie
[5:39] 3. I'm A Fool To Want You
[6:09] 4. Running Brook
[6:19] 5. Off Spring
[6:26] 6. Bess
[6:59] 7. Terrible T (Take 6)
[7:29] 8. Mogie (Take 2)
[5:56] 9. I'm A Fool To Want You (Take 1)
[6:50] 10. Running Brook (Take 4)
[6:43] 11. Bess (Take 3)

Bass – Paul Chambers; Drums – Art Blakey; Piano – Wynton Kelly; Tenor Saxophone – Cliff Jordan; Trumpet – Lee Morgan. Recorded at Bell Sound Studio B, NYC, February 8, 1960.

The original set is augmented by very rare and unreleased alternative takes. The music is good solid hard bop that finds Lee Morgan (already a veteran at age 21) coming out of the Clifford Brown tradition to display his own rapidly developing style. Matched with Clifford Jordan on tenor, pianist Wynton Kelly, bassist Paul Chambers and drummer Art Blakey, Morgan's album could pass for a Jazz Messengers set. Recommended.

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Horace Parlan - Musically Yours

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 48:42
Size: 111.5 MB
Styles: Piano jazz
Year: 1979/1994
Art: Front

[6:15] 1. Alone Together
[6:17] 2. Memories Of You
[5:38] 3. Musically Yours
[7:02] 4. Ill Wind
[5:22] 5. Lullaby Of The Leaves
[5:47] 6. Ruby My Dear
[6:29] 7. Jitterbug Waltz
[5:48] 8. Nardis

Piano – Horace Parlan. Recorded November 26, 1979.

Horace Parlan has recorded many albums for SteepleChase since moving permanently to Copenhagen in 1973. Parlan tends to sound at his best in a trio where he can draw inspiration from his sidemen, so this often-sparse set of unaccompanied piano solos, despite some good moments, is not his most essential outing. However, Parlan's chordal style is quite distinctive on the five jazz standards (including "Alone Together" and "Lullaby of the Leaves") and his own "Musically Yours," and his fans will be interested in what was his first purely solo date; another record issued later on (The Maestro) also resulted from the same day. ~Scott Yanow

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Louis Petrucciani - The Librarian

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 46:17
Size: 106.0 MB
Styles: Contemporary jazz
Year: 1990/2009
Art: Front

[7:14] 1. Little Esther
[6:13] 2. Sweet Georgia Bright
[5:02] 3. The Librarian
[5:25] 4. For Old Time Sake
[8:12] 5. Billy's Bossa
[4:16] 6. Around The Blues
[3:14] 7. Izabo
[5:24] 8. Stella By Starlight
[1:13] 9. E.D

Bass – Louis Petrucciani; Drums – Eliot Zigmund; Piano – Horace Parlan, Michel Petrucciani; Saxophone – Bob Malach. Recorded and mixed at Gimmick Studio, Yerres, France by Hervé Leguil.

Member of a famous family of musician, know nowadays worldwide, Louis PETRUCCIANI, active on the jazz scene for more than four decades, is today one of the a major figure in European jazz. After a strong classical formation, enriched by the intense and assiduous practice of jazz with the family trio, he left France to work the double bass in the USA in Rochester, where he worked with Chuck Israel and Percy Heath.

Back in France, he works with Barre Philips during 3 years and with Bobby Few, Eliot Zigmund, Bob Malach, Lee Konitz, Sangona Everett, Claude Nougaro, Bernard Lubat, Aldo Romano, Alain Jean -Marie, Talib Kibwe. He also workes with his father Tony and his brother Michel with whom he played countless time. He participated to more than twenty albums as an accompanist, five albums with his brother Michel, including a live album in Japan with Lenny White .He is the author of five albums under his name and a DVD. Louis distills today with a flawless instrumental expression, through a musical narration that literally takes you away, a music that tells us about life, stars, love and humor as well. Served by perfect mastery of this magnificent instrument that is the double bass, it leads us to reverence our life as it should be.

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Renee Geyer - Swing

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 44:46
Size: 102.5 MB
Styles: Big band, R&B
Year: 2013
Art: Front

[2:52] 1. Baby Please Don't Go
[3:37] 2. I Got Rhythm
[2:19] 3. I Wanna Be Around
[2:51] 4. Fly Me To The Moon
[3:25] 5. Comin' Home Baby
[3:43] 6. Alfie
[4:08] 7. Say I Love You
[5:20] 8. What A Wonderful World
[5:08] 9. My Funny Valentine
[5:24] 10. Somewhere
[5:55] 11. It's A Man's Man's World

Acoustic Bass – Philip Rex; Alto Saxophone, Clarinet, Bass Clarinet – Julien Wilson; Alto Saxophone, Flute – Lachlan Davidson, Tim Wilson; Baritone Saxophone, Tenor Saxophone, Clarinet – Paul Williamson; Bass Trombone – Simon Scerri; Drums, Percussion – David Beck; Electric Piano, Organ [Hammond] – Bruce Haymes; Guitar – Sam Lemann; Piano – Sam Keevers; Tenor Saxophone, Clarinet – Carlo Barbaro; Trombone – David Palmer*, Jordan Murray, Nick Mulder; Trumpet – Eamon McNelis, Gianni Marinucci, Greg Spence, Ross Irwin, Scott Tinkler.

‘Swing’ is a first for Renee. The album is her Big Band interpretation of evergreen classics as well as Calypso remakes of two of her own hits. ‘Say I Love You’ and ‘It’s a Mans Man World’. The latter, a cover of the James Brown classic, was her very first hit song nearly 40 years ago. ‘Swing’ is also Renee’s first album for Robert Rigby’s Fanfare Records label.

“The album is a collection of wonderful songs delivered by Renee in a tour de force,” says Rigby. “On this record she had a great deal especially with her great friend Paul Kelly on a classic Mel Torme song ‘Comin’ Home Baby’.” The album features arrangements by Paul Williamson and Dave Palmer. ~Paul Cashmere

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Nikolaus Neuser 5tet - Pink Elephant

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 47:21
Size: 108.4 MB
Styles: Trumpet jazz
Year: 2016
Art: Front

[4:26] 1. Happy Vamping
[2:34] 2. Hypertorus
[4:59] 3. Eigene Tat
[1:44] 4. Tiergarten
[6:42] 5. Dekonstrukt
[6:12] 6. Einweinfrei
[3:11] 7. Pfrümmff!
[1:52] 8. Immer Leiser
[7:07] 9. Pink Elephant
[4:52] 10. Kropsky..
[2:33] 11. In Fremder Schrift
[1:04] 12. Jalla, Jalla

Three winds, bass and drums. A harmony instrument is not needed here, as the Berlin quintet of the trumpeter Nikolaus Neuser moves confidently through free tonalities. That's probably free jazz in the real sense - but provided with a strong rhythmic push and fed with a clear thematic material. Both clearly increase the fun of the free thing for the listener. Above all, the themes of the bandleaders can captivate - sober, witty, rhythmically diverse motif collages, which again and again remind of the great archetype of such composing: Ornette Coleman's "Congeniality". Neuser's tonal-atonal improvisation on the trumpet is also worth listening to. The saxophonist Silke Eberhard works at his side more explosively, however, who is also able to develop longer free solos with astonishing stringency. (Translated from German.) ~Hans-Jürgen Schaal

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