J.J. Johnson, Kai Winding - The Great Kai And J.J.

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 41:43
Size: 95.5 MB
Styles: Bop, Trombone jazz
Year: 1960/1997
Art: Front

[3:09] 1. This Could Be The Start Of Something Big
[3:48] 2. Georgia On My Mind
[4:28] 3. Blue Monk
[4:03] 4. Judy
[3:34] 5. Alone Together
[3:02] 6. Side By Side
[3:59] 7. I Concentrate On You
[4:01] 8. Theme From Picnic
[5:07] 9. Trixie
[3:08] 10. Going Going Gong
[3:18] 11. Just For A Thrill

Bass – Paul Chambers (3) (tracks: 1, 3 ,6, 7), Tommy Williams (3) (tracks: 2, 4, 5, 8 to 11); Drums – Art Taylor (tracks: 2, 4, 5, 8 to 11), Roy Haynes (tracks: 1, 3 ,6, 7); Piano – Bill Evans; Trombone – J.J. Johnson, Kai Winding. Recorded in 1961. Digitally remastered at MCA Music Media Studios, using 20-Bit Super Mapping.

This lively Impulse! set was the first recorded reunion of trombonists J.J. Johnson and Kai Winding. With pianist Bill Evans, either Paul Chambers or Tommy Williams on bass, and Roy Haynes or Art Taylor on drums, the two trombonists are in melodic and witty form on such tunes as "This Could Be the Start of Something Big," "Blue Monk," "Side by Side," and "Theme from Picnic." Recommended. ~Scott Yanow

The Great Kai And J.J. mc
The Great Kai And J.J. zippy

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Laurent Marode Nonet - This Way Please

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 39:16
Size: 89.9 MB
Styles: Big band
Year: 2017
Art: Front

[4:53] 1. Sacha's Mood
[5:35] 2. Wives And Lovers
[5:01] 3. The Adventure On Kleber 452
[3:22] 4. Start Stop
[9:04] 5. The Reason Why I Love You
[3:47] 6. Penny Lane
[5:43] 7. Very Last Round
[1:47] 8. This Way Please

This Way Please is a project that brings together exceptional musicians! FABIEN MARY. DAVID SAUZAY. FRANK BASIL. LUIGI GRASSO. JERRY EDWARDS, NIHOLAS THOMAS. LAURENT MARODE. FABIEN MARCOZ. MOURAD BENHAMMOU. This configuration allows Laurent Marode to use a prior arrangement techniques far apart from each other: the Big Band but also those of the great quintets and sextets of the history of jazz, as well as techniques related to classical music.

Passionate about film music and beautiful melodies, the compositions and selected pieces awaken and rehabilitate a forgotten jazz: popular, dreamlike and unifying, far from the elitist shackles of complex compositions intended for the discerning ears or the jazz ambulatory of fanfare. In this intermediate space of creation, This Way Please brings back to life a universalising jazz, demanding and offers a vast playground dedicated to the tribute and the creation. (Translated from French.)

This Way Please mc
This Way Please zippy

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Indra Rios-Moore - Heartland

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 47:15
Size: 108.2 MB
Styles: Jazz vocals
Year: 2015
Art: Front

[3:27] 1. Little Black Train
[3:19] 2. Azure
[4:09] 3. Money
[5:08] 4. What Becomes Of The Broken Hearted
[3:53] 5. From Silence
[4:35] 6. Blue Railroad Train
[6:55] 7. Heroes
[4:17] 8. Hacia Donde
[4:03] 9. Your Long Journey
[4:33] 10. Oshun
[2:52] 11. Solitude

If you’ve ever had to witness a parent or loved one suffer with cancer, you know the profound darkness that can engender. Especially in the late evenings, when you’re left all alone with your thoughts. For solace, some turn to literature, others to prayer, still others to things that numb the senses. And luckily for us, some, like Indra Rios-Moore, turn to music.

During a period in which her mother was battling the disease, and Indra herself was adjusting to new motherhood, she found comfort listening late nights to an eclectic collection of songs, previously recorded by other artists ranging from Duke Ellington to Doc Watson to David Bowie, that she would end up covering on Heartland under the guiding hand of producer Larry Klein, well known for his work with Joni Mitchell, Tracy Chapman and many other fine vocalists. Heartland was largely recorded over a 3-day period just a month after Indra’s mother had died, and what Indra, her band, and Larry have created in the aftermath of her passing is something quite beautiful.

Lest anyone get the wrong idea, Heartland is by no means a dark or “sad” album, nor do the songs themselves have anything directly to do with illness or loss; indeed, the album has its share of up-tempo tracks to complement the ballads and slower arrangements, most notably its opening track and compelling lead single, “Little Black Train,” which we recommended in a “First Listen” article in July. I mention the circumstances of Indra’s mother’s illness only to provide listeners with context that may help explain the depth and intensity of some of her vocal performances here, especially on the album’s emotional centerpiece, “From Silence,” a stunningly lovely track showcasing her warm upper register and spine tingling ability to hold a note for meaning, not just for affectation (listen at 2:45 to her extend the word “eyes” like no one quite has before).

Some readers may be skeptical regarding whether an album of covers of original jazz, rock and Americana compositions can hang together as a cohesive artistic expression, much less be of interest to soul music fans. The answer is that Indra, and Larry with his considerable feel for the heart of a composition, have taken the essence of these songs and reimagined them largely as a mélange of blues, soul and jazz that cuts across genres. Credit for the appealing soundscape here also must be given to the small ensemble of exceptional supporting musicians --Denmark-based bassist Thomas Sejthen, guitarist Uffe Steen, sax player Benjamin Traerup (also Indra’s husband), and drummer Jay Bellerose of Los Angeles -- who skillfully capture the spirit of the originals and unify the record stylistically but play with an elegant restraint that pushes Indra’s vocals to center stage. It’s the notes they don’t play, and the freedom they in turn give Indra, that in part make this work so well. ~Robb Patryk

Heartland mc
Heartland zippy

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Big Band Jazz Maresme - S/T

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 72:09
Size: 165.2 MB
Styles: Big band
Year: 2011
Art: Front

[7:03] 1. Backrow Politics
[5:06] 2. A Beautiful Friendship
[9:10] 3. Tin Tin Deo
[2:19] 4. This Can't Be Love
[3:48] 5. Half The Fun
[4:44] 6. Love For Sale
[8:29] 7. The Blues Machine
[6:02] 8. Come Rain Or Come Shine
[6:02] 9. Pots & Pans
[5:13] 10. Solitude
[4:43] 11. In A Mellow Tone
[5:57] 12. Mercy, Mercy, Mercy
[3:27] 13. T'ain't What You Do

Saxo alt: FRANCESCO CAFISO; Piano i direcció: Gerard Nieto; Trompetes:Ivó Oller, Jaume Peña, Albert Cruz, Ignasi Franco: Trombons: Aram Montagut, Tom Johnson, Jordi Montasell i Pere Bono; Saxos: Nil Villà, Marc, Joan Moragas, Jaume Maristany Albert Comaleras: Base rítmica: Lluís Murillas (guitarra) Pep Rius (contrabaix) Xavi Hinojosa (bateria).

Big Band Jazz Maresme, it's been ten years ahead of this project ... how is it possible? with the bureaucratic "sticks on the wheels" and other things that we encounter. Also, of wanderings, little institutional support and programmers are disappointing. There is only one explanation: we are crazy to touch and suffer from anxiety if we spend too many hours without contact with music. At the same time we also believe that we do a pedagogical social function, defending and showing this music that we like so much, jazz.

In these 10 years, the Big Band has evolved, has compacted its sound and currently has the ability to reach the repertoires of the different projects, much faster than at the beginning. Also, individually, we have evolved, as musicians, because we had to be at the level of demand that the orchestra, directed by Gerard Nieto, asked. As the director said at the beginning "we have to be a professional jazz orchestra, capable of achieving any repertoire or project" (he said nothing of: "in a short time and few essays" that we usually do, because as in all the rest of the things of life it always goes away at the last moment: the scores arrive late or it is difficult to coordinate 17 people (worse still: 17 musicians !!) to find the time to try.

Finally, to acknowledge, we have to know previously and as we said before, humbly, we believe we can do this teaching role, presenting intitulating proposals to help you get to know this music a bit more. (Translated from Spanish.)

Big Band Jazz Maresme mc
Big Band Jazz Maresme zippy

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Jean-Philippe Bordier - Duke Celebration

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 57:11
Size: 130.9 MB
Styles: Guitar jazz
Year: 2012
Art: Front

[4:42] 1. Searchin
[4:09] 2. Jeep Is Jumpin
[6:56] 3. Just Lucky So And So
[4:28] 4. All To Soon
[7:17] 5. Sunset With The Mocking Bird
[2:59] 6. Mainstem
[4:17] 7. Love You Madly
[6:22] 8. Ain't Got Nothing But The Blues
[5:06] 9. Warm Valley
[5:11] 10. Sucrier Velours
[5:39] 11. Caravan

Accompanied by his talented comedians, Jean-Philippe Bordier, in the tradition of Kenny Burrell and Georges Benson, plays a festive music full of swing tinged with various influences: jazz, caribbean, funky groove.

"What first strikes the listener is the disconcerting ease that this remarkable guitarist possesses because his music is full of inspiration, blues and swing at a hot temperature, and what touches me the most is the clarity and precision of his musical discourse that never uses gratuitous virtuosity or useless chatter.In all his compositions we find his innate sense of melody and all the elegance of his playing in the fluidity of each of his sentences. . " ~ Jean-Michel Reisser (Translated from French.)

Duke Celebration mc
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Johnny Sparrow - Sparrow's Flight

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 41:55
Size: 96.0 MB
Styles: Saxophone jazz
Year: 1990/2006
Art: Front

[3:00] 1. Boudoir Boogie
[2:57] 2. When Your Lover Has Gone
[2:21] 3. Paradise Rock
[3:00] 4. What's New
[3:10] 5. Serenade To Satchmo
[3:22] 6. Always
[2:12] 7. Indiana
[2:44] 8. Jump Steady
[2:52] 9. Sparrow's Flight No. 2
[3:21] 10. Sparrow In The Barrel
[2:45] 11. I'll See You In My Dreams
[4:18] 12. Yesterdays
[2:46] 13. Am I Blue
[3:00] 14. What's New (Previously Unreleased Take)

Johnny Sparrow's sides for the Gotham label, including six previously unreleased numbers and six previously unissued outtakes. "Sparrow's Flight" isn't here, although "Sparrow's Flight No. 2" is on hand. "Sparrow In the Barrel," which he'd originally cut for National and turned up as the B-side of his Gotham debut "When Your Lover Has Gone," features a strikingly dark solo from Sparrow. "Sparrow's Flight No. 2" soars effortlessly. "Boudoir Blues" shows Sparrow doing a distinctly '40s brand of jump blues, which comes off extremely well -- with superbly aggressive playing on his part -- but could hardly have been commercially appealing at the time. And "Serenade to Satchmo" is a loving tribute to Sparrow's ex-boss, with both flute and tenor sax solos. ~ Bruce Eder

After playing with Louis Armstrong and Lionel Hampton's bands in the mid-'40s, sax player Johnny Sparrow formed his own band, Johnny Sparrow and His Bows and Arrows. The group was based in Philly in the early 1950s, and signed to Gotham Records in 1952. This selection features the best of his Philly years, when the band was enhanced with a trombone, flute, baritone sax, and vibraphone.

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Sparrow's Flight zippy

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Brian Lynch - Madera Latino: A Latin Jazz Perspective on the Music of Woody Shaw

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 2016
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 109:28
Size: 251,3 MB
Art: Front

(10:25)  1. Zoltan
( 7:32)  2. Sweet Love of Mine
(11:17)  3. Time Is Right
( 8:28)  4. Just a Ballad for Woody
( 8:34)  5. In a Capricornian Way
( 9:08)  6. Blues for Woody and Khalid
( 9:06)  7. Tomorrow's Destiny
( 9:57)  8. Joshua C.
( 8:28)  9. On the New Ark
(11:11) 10. Song of Songs
(15:18) 11. Madera Latino Suite

The asymmetric rhythms belonging to the Afro-Cuban tradition substantiate this extraordinary double CD by Brian Lynch , who with Woody Shaw shares the sad destiny of being a great musician, but not very exposed to the light of the big stages. With the missing trumpet player, Lynch also shares a love for an all-round expressive dimension, capable of incorporating both a lyrical and nocturnal dimension, and a more energetic figure. The work in question is emblematic in this sense, which incorporates the polyrhythmic trend of Afro-Cuban percussion with the more canonical symmetric times of jazz. The result is a gripping work where everything works wonders and once again confirms the whole class of the leader. As a common denominator, Lynch's rare ability to infuse with his mobile solism what seems to be the essence of jazz: communicative, pathos, ability to transmit deep emotions contained in the unrepeatable and unique moment of jazz improvisation. His big band fully captures and manages to return all the expressive figure of Shaw, as oblique and irregular as lyric and peaceful. His compositions are here revisited with admirable intelligence and originality to give rise to a project of stringent consistency and rigor. An unmissable album that adequatamante pays homage to the masterful artistic figure of a complete and ductile musician, who made the most important business cards of refined refinement and technique. ~ Maurizio Zerbo https://www.allaboutjazz.com/a-latin-jazz-perspective-on-music-of-woody-shaw-bryan-lynch-hollistic-musicworks-review-by-maurizio-zerbo.php

Personnel: Brian Lynch, Sean Jones, Dave Douglas, Diego Urcola, Etienne Charles, Mike Rodriguez, Josh Evans, Philip Dizack, Bryan Davis: trumpet; Zaccai Curtis: piano; Luques Curtis: double bass; Obed Calvaire: battery; Pedrito Martinez, Little Johnny Rivero, Anthony Carrillo: percussion.

Madera Latino: A Latin Jazz Perspective on the Music of Woody Shaw

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Lady Kim - Autumn leaves

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2005
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 50:33
Size: 115,9 MB
Art: Front

(5:10)  1. Autumn Leaves
(2:16)  2. Bye Bye Blackbird
(5:01)  3. Willow Weep for Me
(4:26)  4. Tryin' Times
(3:32)  5. Corcovado
(4:48)  6. What a Difference a Day Made
(5:05)  7. In the Dark
(3:33)  8. Moanin'
(6:05)  9. Midnight Sun
(4:20) 10. Just the Two of Us
(6:10) 11. One for My Boby

I started singing in Boston as a young girl, inspired by Barbra Streisand and Diana Ross. My mom introduced me to the music of Billie Holiday, and I was hooked. My plans to become a pediatrician went out the window. Since then I’ve been described as “a musical jewel” with a repertoire that has included jazz standards, jazz-not-so-standards, the blues, funk, and reggae. Throughout my career I’ve been lucky enough to perform in a variety of great places : from The New York Jazz Session in Irkutsk, Siberia to the Blue Note in Fukuoka, Japan; from the Montreal’s International Jazz and Off Jazz Festivals to the Ginza Jazz Festival, Japan. And I have performed with a variety of stellar artists: from jazz bassist William Parker to the undeniable funk of George Clinton and Parliament Funkadelic; from Joe Hisaishi’s Japanese New World Philharmonic Orchestra to New Orleans’ Charles Neville. Originally from the States, I work with a fabulous group of Montreal musicians.  My vocal style has been called “warm as hot chocolate”, and the band and i swing with tunes from Thelonius Monk, make you cry with some of the best jazz standards, as well as open your ears with original songs! Montreal’s wonderful jazz critic, Len Dobbins, was also a fan and referred to me as a “great vocalist” he recommends listening to. I hope you enjoy what you hear. Singing is my deepest joy, is the place where I am my most real and best self. http://kimzombik.com/music/bio/

Autumn leaves

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Maceo Parker - It's All About Love

Styles: Vocal And Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2018
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 45:46
Size: 106,0 MB
Art: Front

( 5:52)  1. Who's Making Love
( 6:33)  2. I'm In Love
(11:23)  3. Gonna Put Your Lovin' In The Lay Away
( 6:18)  4. Love The One You're With
( 4:15)  5. Love Won't Let Me Wait
( 5:34)  6. Isn't She Lovely
( 5:48)  7. I Love You A Bushel And A Peck

One of the key sonic architects of funk, Maceo Parker first became a legend for his work with James Brown, whose impassioned shouts for a sax solo ("Maceo! Blow your horn!") would make Parker the Godfather of Soul's most famous sideman, though Parker would continue to enjoy a successful career long after leaving Brown's employ. Maceo Parker was born on February 14, 1943 in Kinston, North Carolina. Parker's mother and father both had an appreciation for music and sang in their church's choir, but it was his uncle who had the strongest influence on the youngster's musical development. Parker's uncle led a local jazz and R&B band called the Blue Notes, and Maceo would sometime watch them rehearse; in time, Maceo would take up the saxophone, while his brothers Melvin and Kellis respectively learned to play the drums and trombone. Their uncle was impressed enough with the youngsters' abilities that he dubbed them "the Junior Blue Notes" and had them perform between sets at Blue Notes shows. The Parker brothers were seasoned professionals by the time they enrolled at North Carolina A&T, where they studied music. In 1963, Melvin Parker had graduated and was offered an audition with James Brown, who was looking for a new drummer; Melvin landed the gig, and when he asked if Brown could use a new sax player as well, Maceo was also offered a spot in the band.

Originally playing baritone sax, Maceo eventually switched over to tenor, and his style on the instrument was ideal for the band rich, rhythmic, and full of sharp, staccato lines that meshed with Brown's taut and funky sound. After lending an inspired solo to Brown's 1965 smash "Papa's Got a Brand New Bag," Maceo became of the key members of Brown's recording and touring band, and his solos were an integral part of some of Brown's best-known songs, including "I Got You (I Feel Good)," "Mother Popcorn," "Sex Machine," and "Cold Sweat." However, Brown's well-documented reluctance to part with a dollar and firm hand over his sidemen led most of Brown's band to quit en masse in 1970; Maceo was one of the musicians who walked, and he soon formed his own group, Maceo & All the King's Men, with his brother Melvin on drums. Maceo & All the King's Men had released an album by the year was out, titled Doin' Their Own Thing, but despite the strength of their live show, they didn't fare as well as they had hoped commercially. In 1973, Maceo rejoined Brown's touring band, though he found time to cut a solo album, Us, in 1974. The following year saw another revolt sweep through the ranks of Brown's group, and Maceo, trombonist Fred Wesley, and bassist Bootsy Collins all jumped ship to work with George Clinton's various projects, including Parliament and Funkadelic. By 1984, Clinton's Parliament-Funkadelic empire was in tatters, and Maceo signed back on with James Brown for another four years, though he appeared as a guest on several of Clinton's solo albums from this period, and when Clinton produced the Red Hot Chili Peppers' sophomore album, Freaky Styley, Maceo stopped by to contribute some trademark sax solos. In 1988, Keith Richards invited Maceo to perform on his debut solo album, Talk Is Cheap, and as hip-hop acts began recycling James Brown's potent grooves, Parker found himself in demand with contemporary acts such as Deee-Lite, Living Colour, and Material, all of whom brought him in to play on their sessions.

In 1990, Maceo Parker stepped out as a solo act, releasing a jazz-oriented album called Roots Revisited through Verve Records and hitting the road in support. With funk back in fashion, Parker found he had a ready audience for his new music, and another jazz-flavored set, Mo' Roots, appeared in 1991. Parker upped the funk factor on the 1992 live set Life on Planet Groove, which featured fellow James Brown alumni Fred Wesley and Pee Wee Ellis, and it documented the powerful show Maceo and his band were playing up to 150 nights a year. Through the 1990s, Parker released a steady stream of solo records and made guest appearances on albums by De La Soul and Brooklyn Funk Essentials, as well as less likely collaborations with 10,000 Maniacs and Bryan Ferry. In 1999, noted funk enthusiast Prince recruited Maceo to play on his album Rave Un2 the Joy Fantastic, and he would be a regular contributor to Prince's studio projects over the next decade, as well as performing with his live ensemble. Alternative folk diva Ani DiFranco also persuaded Maceo to sit in with her, with the sax man contributing to the albums To the Teeth and Reveling: Reckoning. And in 1998, Maceo and his band were the opening act on a concert tour by the Dave Matthews Band; Maceo would often join in with the headliners, and one of the shows from that tour was belatedly released in 2001 as Live in Chicago 12.19.98 at the United Center. In 2004, Parker's impressive live show was documented on film for the documentary My First Name Is Maceo, which featured interviews with Maceo discussing his life and music along with extensive footage of him and his group in full flight. In 2007, Parker performed a series of concerts in Europe with the German ensemble the WDR Big Band; highlights from the tour appeared on the album Roots & Grooves, including a set of tunes made famous by Ray Charles, one of Parker's early influences. And Parker paid homage to a handful of other R&B greats on another collaboration with the WDR Big Band, 2012's Soul Classics, with Maceo putting his stamp on classic numbers by Stevie Wonder, Aretha Franklin, Isaac Hayes, and his former employer James Brown. ~ Mark Deming https://itunes.apple.com/au/album/its-all-about-love/1341066625

Personnel:  Alto Saxophone, Vocals – Maceo Parker.

It's All About Love

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Russell Malone - Wholly Cats

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 1999
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 63:45
Size: 146,3 MB
Art: Front

( 7:56)  1. Wholly Cats
(10:20)  2. I Concentrate On You
( 6:54)  3. Carousel
( 2:33)  4. Swing Low, Sweet Chariot
(10:33)  5. Off The Top
( 7:43)  6. Four In One
( 6:13)  7. After All
( 7:40)  8. Chitlin Blues
( 3:52)  9. Yesterdays

Russell Malone recording this studio date for Venus in 1995, though it was several years before the Japanese label got around to issuing it. Joined by an excellent rhythm section consisting of Larry Willis, Rodney Whitaker, and Yoron Israel, Malone is not afraid to go into lengthy exploration of an old favorite like "I Concentrate on You." Malone delves into jazz compositions of several generations, including a furious take of Benny Goodman's "Wholly Cats," an easygoing interpretation of Mulgrew Miller's wistful ballad "Carousel," and a virtuoso performance of Thelonious Monk's challenging "Four in One." 

His one original is the strident "Chitlin Blues," a duo track with a delicious exchange between the guitarist and Whitaker's humorous arco bass. Among his unaccompanied selections are a spacious yet subtle rendition of the spiritual "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot" and an intricate treatment of "Yesterdays." Recommended. ~ Ken Dryden https://www.allmusic.com/album/wholly-cats-mw0000533023

Personnel:  Electric Guitar – Russell Malone;  Bass – Rodney Whittaker; Drums – Yoron Israel;  Piano – Larry Willis

Wholly Cats

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Lisa Simone - Live At The Edge

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 57:53
Size: 132.5 MB
Styles: Jazz vocals
Year: 2017
Art: Front

[3:44] 1. Keeper Of The Flame
[3:35] 2. Fine And Mellow
[3:45] 3. Gal From Joes
[3:40] 4. Go To Hell
[4:00] 5. Hold No Grudge
[4:22] 6. Black Is The Color
[2:34] 7. Gonna Leave You
[4:54] 8. Dysfunction
[2:58] 9. Going Back Home
[3:40] 10. Pay 'em No Mind
[3:50] 11. Do I Move You
[3:28] 12. Love Me Or Leave Me
[3:40] 13. My Baby Just Care For Me
[5:31] 14. Work Song
[4:05] 15. Feeling Good

Lisa Celeste Stroud (born September 12, 1962), known by her stage name, Simone, is an American singer and actress, known for her work in the Broadway theatre field. She is the daughter of the late American vocalist and civil rights activist Nina Simone.

Lisa (who was featured on the 2010 soundtrack for Tyler Perry’s “For Colored Girls”) is no stranger to the road, having spent a couple of years with the acid jazz band Liquid Soul in the late ‘90s, earning a Grammy nomination in the process for the 2000 album “Here’s The Deal” before embarking on international touring, wowing audiences from London and Paris to Tokyo, Guadeloupe, and Sao Paulo to Vienna and Montreux, with her soulful vocals and dynamic stage presence.

Live At The Edge mc
Live At The Edge zippy

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Charles Davis - Reflections

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 48:07
Size: 110.1 MB
Styles: Bop, Saxophone jazz
Year: 1992
Art: Front

[6:58] 1. Monking
[9:22] 2. Reflections
[6:03] 3. K.D
[5:57] 4. To Duke With Love
[5:46] 5. Miriam's Delight
[7:47] 6. To The Highest Degree
[6:12] 7. K.D.(Alternative Take)

Charles Davis is a veteran saxophonist who's better known for his extensive resumé as a sideman (Duke Ellington, Dinah Washington, Kenny Dorham, Clark Terry Big Bad Band, and Abdullah Ibrahim, to name a few) than for the relatively few dates he's done as a leader. Although he plays several members of the reed family, he sticks to tenor sax on this session, which reunites him with Barry Harris; Peter Washington and Ben Riley round out his excellent rhythm section. The session is mostly made up of Davis' originals, kicking things off with the well-named "Monking," a brisk, dissonant line that implies the spirit of the late pianist. But Monk's "Reflections," although well played, is erroneously credited to the saxophonist. Two separate takes of "K.D.," a driving hard bop composition (presumably dedicated to Kenny Dorham, but there are no liner notes), prove to be stimulating. Harris contributed the peppy waltz "To Duke With Love." Hard bop fans will enjoy this CD. ~Ken Dryden

Reflections mc
Reflections zippy

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Fabien Mary Octet - Left Arm Blues

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 44:30
Size: 101.9 MB
Styles: Trumpet jazz
Year: 2018
Art: Front

[5:39] 1. Don't Look Back
[5:25] 2. Quercus Robur
[4:43] 3. Song For Milie
[5:59] 4. Left Arm Blues
[5:09] 5. Dark 'n' Stormy
[3:41] 6. Walk On The Highline
[5:17] 7. Autumn Melodie
[6:27] 8. You Make It Feel So Fun
[2:06] 9. All The Things You Are

Fabien Mary - trompette, arrangements; Pierrick Pedron - saxophone alto; David Sauzay - saxophone ténor, flûte; Thomas Savy - saxophone baryton; Jerry Edwards - trombone; Hugo Lippi - guitare; Fabien Marcoz - contrebasse; Mourad Benhammou - batterie.

The story behind this album is a broken arm in New York. Or how trumpet player Fabien Mary transcended his forced immobilization by composing ‘Left Arm Blues’, an album of originals that refect the hopes from a young jazzman in a city that never sleeps and always swings !

Left Arm Blues mc
Left Arm Blues zippy

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Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra - Groove Shop

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 52:24
Size: 120.0 MB
Styles: Bop
Year: 1990
Art: Front

[3:21] 1. Georgia
[5:37] 2. Raincheck
[3:33] 3. T'aint What You Do
[5:27] 4. Brush This
[3:31] 5. How Great Thou Art
[5:49] 6. Groove Shop
[6:07] 7. Sashay
[5:36] 8. Melt Away A Time For Love
[3:24] 9. I Won't Dance
[9:53] 10. Night Train

Alto Saxophone, Clarinet, Flute – Bill Green; Alto Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone, Oboe, Flute – Jeff Clayton (3); Baritone Saxophone, Bass Clarinet – Lee Callet; Bass Trombone – Maurice Spears; Double Bass – Herb Mickman; Drums – Jeff Hamilton; Guitar – Doug MacDonald; Piano – Mike Lang; Soloist, Double Bass – John Clayton; Tenor Saxophone, Clarinet – Rickey Woodard, Bob Hardaway; Trombone – George Bohanon, Ira Nepus, Thurman Green; Trumpet, Flugelhorn – Bobby Bryant, Clay Jenkins, Oscar Brashear, Snooky Young. Recorded April 18 & 19, 1989.

This Capri CD was the debut of the Clayton-Hamilton Orchestra, a notable L.A.-based big band co-led by bassist John Clayton, altoist Jeff Clayton, and drummer Jeff Hamilton. The 18-piece group has many top soloists, most notably the three co-leaders; tenor saxophonist Rickey Woodard; trumpeters Snooky Young, Clay Jenkins, and Oscar Brashear; and trombonist George Bohanon. However, it is the arrangements of John Clayton that give the orchestra its own sound. Highlights include "Raincheck," Young's vocal and trumpet feature on "T'Aint What You Do," Hamilton's showcase on "Brush This," Oscar Brashear's "Sashay" (which has a Clayton chart that recalls Thad Jones), and "Night Train." Highly recommended. ~Scott Yanow

Groove Shop mc
Groove Shop zippy

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Echoes Of Swing - Bix

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 60:42
Size: 139.0 MB
Styles: Contemporary jazz
Year: 2016
Art: Front

[0:33] 1. Ol' Man River (Intro)
[4:02] 2. At The Jazz Band Ball
[5:43] 3. Everything That Was
[4:57] 4. I'm Coming Virginia
[2:46] 5. Thou Swell
[6:05] 6. (Tango) In The Dark
[4:46] 7. At Children's Corner
[4:01] 8. Happy Feet
[4:50] 9. I'll Be A Friend With Pleasure
[2:46] 10. Nix Like Bix
[4:42] 11. Singin' The Blues
[4:03] 12. The Boy From Davenport
[5:41] 13. Jazz Me Blues
[5:40] 14. Ol' Man River

14 tracks of music associated with Bix Beiderbecke. It is performed by the Echoes of Spring quartet of musicians: Bernd Lhotzky, piano and music director; Chris Hopkins, alto saxophone; Colin T. Dawson, cornet and trumpet; and Oliver Mewes, drums. That group is supplemented by Shannon Barnett, trombone and vocals; Mulo Francel, c-melody sax and guitar; Pete York, drums, percussion and vocals and Henning Gailing, double bass. Emile Parisien guests on soprano saxophone on Jazz Me Blues.

This unusual CD should appeal to the person just getting acquainted with Bix’s music as well as the established Bix fan. The current musicians didn’t try precisely to reproduce the music of the 1920s but to give their own interpretations. Liner notes by Bernd Lhotzky, in German and English, are also helpful in appreciating careful effort which went into this production. Of special interest, I hope, will be the following arrangements by the current group and the Bix renditions: At the Jazz Band Ball; I’m Coming Virginia; Thou Swell; Singin’ the Blues and Jazz Me Blues. I will also count trombonist-vocalist Shannon Barnett’s Nix Like Bix in this category as it is based on Blue River, a tune on which Bix played with the Goldkette Orchestra. In Bix’s version, jazz enthusiasts will note Frank Trumbauer, Joe Venuti and Eddie Lang among the performers. The current versions of the tunes are arranged by various members of the group.

Bix mc
Bix zippy

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Dave Grusin, Don Grusin - Sticks And Stones

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 58:01
Size: 132.8 MB
Styles: Crossover jazz
Year: 1988/2012
Art: Front

[5:03] 1. Birds With Long Legs
[4:57] 2. Pico Pica
[4:19] 3. Sailing At Night
[5:13] 4. River Song
[6:09] 5. Sticks And Stones
[5:18] 6. Glissade
[7:29] 7. Good Ol' Boys
[5:29] 8. This Little Pig Has The Blues
[4:52] 9. Dog Heaven
[4:18] 10. Southern Wind
[4:50] 11. North-Tribal Step Dance

This set works very well. Dave Grusin and his younger brother Don Grusin use a variety of keyboards to create a series of colorful duets. Other than Dori Caymmi's "Southern Wind," all of the fairly spontaneous yet well-planned performances are originals by one or both of the brothers. Even listeners who are not that much into electronics will find much of interest on this melodic and funky, yet often unpredictable set. ~Scott Yanow

Sticks And Stones mc
Sticks And Stones zippy

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Jane McDonald - Jane

Size: 122,6 MB
Time: 52:24
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2008
Styles: Pop
Art: Front

01. Doctor's Orders (2:43)
02. Time For Love (4:19)
03. Song For You (3:25)
04. Mas Que Nada (2:43)
05. If I Knew Then (4:19)
06. How Do You Keep The Music Playing (4:50)
07. Sweet Talker (3:17)
08. If You Love Me (2:58)
09. Nine Times Out Of Ten (3:56)
10. Even Now (4:04)
11. You Do It All For Me (3:33)
12. The Hungry Years (4:05)
13. Not A Day Goes By (4:45)
14. One Voice (3:20)

Having been propelled to fame by a now long-forgotten TV reality show, The Cruise, Jane McDonald was in danger of being swallowed up by a plethora of new young singers, fresh out of talent shows. She had always been slightly different than these bright new young things, however, as her style was more akin to a cabaret lounge, or indeed a cruise ship, than a polished TV studio. And her choice of songs had always been paramount -- as definitely shown to be the case on her seventh album, Jane, released in the autumn of 2008. There was a maturity that had been lacking on several of her previous albums and indeed, McDonald's voice had improved from her early days in the recording studio at the beginning of the century. Five of the 14 songs were not even cover versions, but co-written by McDonald and Lisa Harman. The album opened with a very faithful reproduction of the Sunny Leslie hit from 1974, "Doctor's Orders," even including the phone call in the middle of the song, and continued with two slow piano-led jazzy ballads, "Time for Love" and "Song for You." What may have seemed a strange choice, the Brazilian samba rhythmic "Mas Que Nada," worked very well, and then the songs varied from uptempo 1960s-style numbers "Nine Times Out of Ten" and "Sweet Talker" to ballads "How Do You Keep the Music Playing" and "Not a Day Goes By." There were a couple of Barry Manilow covers, "Even Now" and "One Voice," and one of the highlights of the album was her version of Neil Sedaka's "The Hungry Years." One of Jane McDonald's better albums. ~by Sharon Mawer

Jane

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Kate McGarry, Keith Ganz, Gary Versace - The Subject Tonight Is Love

Size: 141,0 MB
Time: 60:39
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2018
Styles: Jazz Vocals
Art: Front

01. Prologue The Subject Tonight Is Love (1:16)
02. Secret Love (5:00)
03. Climb Down - Whiskey You're The Devil (6:44)
04. Gone With The Wind (4:16)
05. Fair Weather (7:58)
06. Playing Palhaço (4:43)
07. Losing Strategy, #4 (2:57)
08. My Funny Valentine (6:20)
09. Mr. Sparkle What A Difference A Day Made (5:05)
10. She Always Will - The River (7:39)
11. Indian Summer (6:54)
12. Epilogue All You Need Is Love (1:40)

The ancient Greeks spoke of love's many forms, codifying and distilling the essence of every one in detailed thought and language. Each of those documented variants rightly differs from the others, yet the keen mind can certainly discern that all of them basically stem from the same roots: connectivity and understanding. In something of a musical parallel, this outing presents as an exploration, cataloguing, and summation of love in many states. While different aspects of the topic at hand are examined within each track, all are in agreement in their adoption of its foundational pillars.

The trio of vocalist Kate McGarry, guitarist Keith Ganz, and multi-instrumentalist Gary Versace is ideally suited for these investigations of the heart, telescoping each song's core value(s) while also expanding on their meaning. In doing so, this tightknit group proves that it's as perceptive as they come. McGarry may serve as the primary focal point, but this album remains a statement of artistic fellowship between all three of these artists.

The title track—a recitation of a concise work from 14th century Persian Poet Hafiz—serves as a brief scene-setter of a prologue, but the first proper number comes in the form of "Secret Love." This reflection on clandestine bonding proves to be one of the standout tracks on the album, evolving into a soul-searching statement on finding one's inner passion(s). Opening with hush-hush ideals before easing into a buoyant zone featuring a joyous guitar solo from Ganz, it hits every mark its meant to while shining a light on a few that were heretofore unseen. McGarry follows that up by calling to her Irish ancestors on "Climb Down," a slow, spare, and bluesy evocation that moves through humid air. That five-and-a-half minute work stands firmly on its own, yet it resonates on a deeper level when it segues into an Irish folk song—"Whiskey You're The Devil"—with guest Obed Calvaire's martial snare drum calling in the distance.

Those first three numbers make it clear that these simpatico spirits don't deem any single source sufficient for uncovering or expressing love's magic and mysteries; the material that follows, likewise, speaks to varied origins and vantage points. "Gone With The Wind" touches on elegiac sentiments while countering them with suggestions of sunny swing and a light-and-loose departure, Egberto Gismonti's "Playing Palhaço" presents new lyrics from Jo Lawry and deals with love's reality apart from its appearance, "My Funny Valentine" is given a glistening facelift through Ganz's reharmonization, and McGarry's "Losing Strategy # 4," benefitting from Versace's coloristic contributions, investigates the topic of retribution and damaged love in the most heartbreaking of tones.

This album is full of emotional ups and downs, serving as a true reflection of life's rollercoaster, but the ever optimistic epilogue—a brief stroll through "All You Need Is Love" graced by Ron Miles' horn—closes things out with a welcome dose of optimism. That exit is a lesson to the masses in these troubled times about how to move forward, and this album is a gift to us all from a trio with something real and true to express. ~Dan Bilawsky

Personnel: Kate McGarry: vocals, piano (7); Keith Ganz: acoustic guitar, electric guitar, acoustic bass guitar; Gary Versace: piano, keyboard, organ, accordion; Obed Calvaire: drums (3); Ron Miles: trumpet (12).

The Subject Tonight Is Love

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Noah Preminger - Genuinity

Size: 145,6 MB
Time: 62:48
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2018
Styles: Jazz
Art: Front & Back

01. Halfway To Hartford (8:13)
02. The Genuine One (6:19)
03. Mad Town (5:36)
04. Ts And Her Spirit (6:41)
05. Ah (6:58)
06. My Blues For You (6:33)
07. Nashua (7:22)
08. Walking On Eggshells (5:20)
09. Acknowledgement (9:43)

Thirty-year-old tenor saxophonist Noah Preminger's debut on Criss Cross in a pianoless context with trumpeter Jason Palmer and bassist Kim Cass, who record here with the brilliant drummer Dan Weiss for the first time on this occasion.

The hour-long program consists of nine Preminger originals. Each evokes a different mood and ambiance with strong melodies and percolating grooves that provoke unfailingly cohesive, thematic improvisations by Preminger and Palmer.

Genuinity

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Debbie Deyo - When You Live Alone

Size: 118,1 MB
Time: 50:45
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2018
Styles: Jazz Vocals
Art: Front

01. It Don't Mean A Thing If It Ain't Got That Swing (4:51)
02. Take The 'a' Train (3:10)
03. Prelude To A Kiss (5:50)
04. How Insensitive (5:19)
05. Live Alone (4:14)
06. Whisper Not (4:00)
07. Good Morning, Heartache (4:26)
08. All The Things You Are (5:34)
09. Through The Eyes Of Love (5:40)
10. They Can't Take That Away From Me (4:03)
11. In My Life (3:33)

This mellow collection of classic jazz standards plus one original composition is newly arranged for a quartet of instrumentals and vocals. The singer/pianist is blind, but it doesn't stop her and her band from making insightful and expressive music.

I have been singing and playing since the age of five years old. I love collaborating with the other musicians in my band and have been a long time classical and jazz musician myself. My training as a classical pianist comes from years of studying and multiple degrees in music, music therapy, and music education. I started learning jazz at a very early age from my wonderful piano teacher James Woods. He introduced me to Braille music, and I was able to continue my journey studying classical music with another blind pianist named Audrey Friend. I currently study classical piano with Dalia Sakas and jazz piano with Michael Cochrane in New York City.

I'd like to thank my fellow musicians and dedicate this work in memory of my late husband Geoffrey who was a great supporter of my music.

When You Live Alone

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