David Kikoski - Details

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2003
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 67:51
Size: 155,5 MB
Art: Front

(12:13)  1. In Your Own Sweet Way
( 7:35)  2. Detachment
( 9:09)  3. 7/4 Ballad
( 6:17)  4. Inner Urge
( 6:00)  5. Juriki
( 6:45)  6. Adorable You
( 5:45)  7. K's Blues
( 6:52)  8. Presage
( 7:09)  9. Tag Blues

David Kikoski has earned his chops backing everyone from legends like Roy Haynes (two decades and counting) to young gun David Sanchez. Though he can commandeer a set when he wants (an astoundingly fractured, nearly chaotic barrelhouse blues piano solo is all that remains in memory of the last Pat Martino gig I caught), by nature he's a team player: gently tenacious exploration and ethereal post-bop empathy are this Berklee grad's true bread and butter. Thus Details , as you might expect from its title, is loaded with both. It's a trio disc, and for this kind of patient investigation, Kikoski could scarcely have filled out the group better. Bass man Larry Grenadier and drummer Bill Stewart provide the pianist with a near-telepathic unity that lifts the disc immediately above the ordinary. (Stewart, whose extensive trio forays with keyboardist Larry Goldings have prepared him magnificently for this kind of work, seems particularly alert.) From the group's leisurely twelve-minute stroll through Dave Brubeck's "In Your Own Sweet Way," to its thoughtful, intense work on Joe Henderson's great "Inner Urge," and through the host of tricky Kikoski originals that comprise the remainder of the material, ideas flow free and quick and no subtle shift goes unnoticed. (Even Kikoski's single-track detour on electric keyboard, "K's Blues," comes off.) Short on flash but loaded with exquisite three-way rapport, Details is a dreamy, first-rate disc from a player deserving more attention. ~ AAJ Staff https://www.allaboutjazz.com/details-dave-kikoski-criss-cross-review-by-aaj-staff.php

Personnel: Dave Kikoski: Piano;  Larry Grenadier: Bass;  Bill Stewart: Drums. 

Details

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Swing Out Sister - Live in Tokyo

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2005
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 78:41
Size: 180,6 MB
Art: Front

(5:49)  1. Surrender/World Out Of Control
(6:47)  2. Get in Touch with Yourself
(5:18)  3. La La Means I Love You
(5:17)  4. Sugarfree
(4:51)  5. Stoned Soul Picnic
(7:40)  6. Closer than the Sun/Forever Blue
(6:08)  7. Heaven Only Knows
(6:34)  8. Filth & Dreams
(6:31)  9. Now You're Not Here/No Scrubs
(8:08) 10. Am I the Same Girl
(7:57) 11. Breakout/When Morning Comes
(7:36) 12. Twilight World

This trend-setting act with a cult like following returns with LIVE  beautifully crafted new live arrangements of some of their biggest hits ever! Included are completely new and revamped versions of the 1980s worldwide hits 'Breakout' and 'Am I the Same Girl', each with a completely new and fresh approach and arrangement. Also included are many of their other greatest US hits like 'La La Means I Love You' and 'Stoned Soul Picnic', each classic cover executed in a refreshing new way! Recorded live in Tokyo, the 10 piece Swing Out band includes incredible vocalists, multiple keyboard players, funky rhythm and jazz guitars, tight drums and auxiliary percussion. Shanachie. 2005.~ Editorial Reviews

Personnel:  Bass Guitar – Juneroy Johnson;  Congas, Percussion, Kalimba – Jody Linscott;  Drums – Chris Bailey ;  Guitar, Backing Vocals – Tim Cansfield;  Lead Vocals – Corinne Drewery ;  Vocals [Additional] – Delores Clay

Live in Tokyo

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Naoko Terai - The Standard

Styles: Violin Jazz
Year: 2017
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 72:07
Size: 166,3 MB
Art: Front

(4:27)  1. Night And Day
(6:16)  2. Fly Me To The Moon
(3:59)  3. Devil May Care
(6:28)  4. What Are You Doing The Rest Of Your Life
(6:08)  5. It's All Right With Me
(6:42)  6. Soul Eyes
(4:46)  7. Samba de Uma Nota Só
(6:38)  8. Yesterdays
(5:31)  9. Bluesette
(5:47) 10. Golden Earrings
(4:33) 11. Les Feuilles mortes
(5:17) 12. Nardis
(5:29) 13. Blue Velvet

Born in Kanagawa Prefecture. Began playing the violin at the age of 4 and appearing at the age of 6 at NHK Educational TV "Keiko no Violin". When I was 12 years old, I received an encouragement prize at "Student Music Competition East Japan Convention" sponsored by the Mainichi Newspaper Company. Received again at the age of 14. In 1988, he debuted professionally as a jazz / violinist. Since being co-starred with Kenny • Baron who came to Japan in 1995, he was invited to guests of his album "Things unseen" and recorded for the first time in NY. In 1998, the first leader work "Thinking of You" was announced. In the blink of an eye, it gets notice as a heroine of the jazz world. In January 2001, he won the Jazz Disc Grand Prize "New Star Award" sponsored by Swing Journal magazine. In August 2002, I participated in my 1st "Tokyo Jazz 2002" in my band. The overwhelming performance of becomes a topic. Herbie Hancock invited me to join his session. In February 2003, EMI (now Universal Music) first release "Anthem" was announced. Became a big best seller and received the Japan Gold Award Grand Prize . December, announced the second transfer "Jazz  Waltz" announcement. Jazz disc award "Jazz Award" won by swing journal magazine. In April 2004, in the swing journal magazine reader popularity vote, he won three divisions , . Become a top artist in the jazz world with both name and reality. From this year onwards until 2009, serve KINCHO mosquito coil TVCM character. (I will be in charge of music continuously after that) In January 2008, received the 33rd Nanri's Fumio Award. In March 2010, the Agency for Cultural Affairs received the Prize for Art Scholarship Minister Entry Science Minister's Newcomer Award (Grand Prize Division). From May, serve as the first regular personality in the BS - TBS program "Cinemagic Café" (~ 2012). In September 11th, "Tokyo Jazz" celebrating the 10th anniversary, she appeared on the stage entitled "Astor Piazzolla Project" with world accordionist Richard Galliano and performed again etc. The stage live record "Libertango in Tokyo" is also reputed. In January 15, the regular band was renewed for the first time in 12 years, and the latest work "Hot Jazz" was announced. (Translate by Google) https://www.universal-music.co.jp/terai-naoko/biography/

The Standard

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Caribbean Jazz Project - Afro Bop Alliance

Styles: Latin Jazz, World Fusion 
Year: 2008
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 60:46
Size: 142,1 MB
Art: Front

(4:55)  1. Rendezvous
(6:11)  2. Naima
(8:45)  3. Five For Elvin
(5:20)  4. Soul Sauce
(6:30)  5. Picture Frame
(8:35)  6. Stolen Moments
(4:55)  7. Birds Of A Feather
(7:42)  8. Afro Green
(7:52)  9. Bemsha Swing

Lionel Hampton was one of the first "real" jazz vibraphonists. In more recent years, Gary Burton has been among those who have kept the instrument an integral part of the jazz scene. However, another name is also synonymous with the instrument. That is Dave Samuels. A longtime member of Spyro Gyra who occasionally reunites with the group, performing on a few songs here and there for recordings, Samuels is a master of both the vibraphone and the marimba. He also, when desiring a certain effect, has used a mallet-triggered synthesizer. After a brief solo career that included such recordings as Living Colors (MCA, 1988) and Ten Degrees North (MCA, 1989), Samuels joined forces with pals Paquito D'Rivera on alto sax and clarinet and Andy Narell on steel pans, to form the Caribbean Jazz Project. D'Rivera and Narell are no longer with the group, but Samuels is still its leader. Afro Bop Alliance revisits nine songs previously recorded by CJP, done this time with the Maryland-based Afro Bop Alliance, a big band with a Latin sound. The set begins with a dynamic offering of "Rendezvous," a track Samuels wrote for the Africa-themed Ten Degrees North and later appeared on CJP's Grammy-nominated Here and Now Live in Concert (Concord, 2005). While the first two recordings are exceptional, this one is equally engaging. 

With a heavy dose of horns, Joe McCarthy and Roberto Quintero splitting percussion duties, and Tim Stanley's trumpet solo, "Rendezvous" is more exciting than ever. John Coltrane's "Naima," which also was on Here and Now, is moderately paced. Samuels' vibraphone solo is the highlight, but the CJP rhythm section of McCarthy, Quintero and Max Murray on bass, complements the entire package. Steve Williams contributes an elegant soprano saxophone solo, underscored by soft horns. "Five for Elvin," another Samuels original, gives the percussionists plenty of room to stretch out. First, they underscore Samuels' marimba solo, complemented by Murray and pianist J.J. Wright. Later in the song, McCarthy and Quintero are out front, accompanied only by piano and bass, setting up the song's closing. Samuels and the rhythm section set up Oliver Nelson's "Stolen Moments." Luis Hernandez contributes a moving tenor sax solo, which gives way to Samuels on the marimba, punctuated by an amplified horn section. The horns then back off, leaving it to Samuels, pianist Harry Appelman and the rhythm section; Murray's bass stands out and the horns come back in to help close the song. Other tracks presented here are Dizzy Gillespie's "Soul Sauce," Thelonius Monk's "Bemsha Swing" and Samuels' "Picture Frame," "Birds of a Feather" and "Afro Green." Throughout, the Afro Bop horn section is strong but doesn't overpower CJP. Samuels, as he has done throughout his career, shows his versatility. Whether carrying the melody, stretching out on a solo or complementing the other musicians, he demonstrates why he is regarded as one of the world's leaders in jazz vibes and marimba. Afro Bop Alliance is an hour's worth of engaging music.~ Woodrow Wilkins https://www.allaboutjazz.com/afro-bop-alliance-dave-samuels-heads-up-international-review-by-woodrow-wilkins.php

Personnel: Dave Samuels: vibes, marimba; Steve Williams: lead alto, soprano saxophone, solo (2); Andy Axelrad: alto saxophone; Luis Hernandez: tenor saxophone, solos; Vince Norman: tenor saxophone; Rob Holmes: baritone saxophone; Chris Walter: lead trumpet; Nick Cooper: trumpet; Greg Reese: trumpet; Tim Stanley: trumpet, solo; Dan Drew: lead trombone; Jim McFalls: trombone; Mark Morgan: bass trombone; Harry Appelman: piano; J.J. Wright: piano (3); Max Murray: bass; Joe McCarthy: drums, percussion (bells, timbale, clave, chekere, shakers); Robert Quintero: percussion (congas, bongos, maracas).

Afro Bop Alliance

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Mary Lou Williams - Lady Piano

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1955
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 44:41
Size: 104,4 MB
Art: Front

(2:06)  1. Fandangle
(3:26)  2. Mama, Pin a Rose On Me
(3:36)  3. Roll' em
(3:32)  4. Sweet Sue
(5:15)  5. Lullaby of the Leaves
(2:17)  6. Taurus
(3:30)  7. Jericho
(4:44)  8. I Love Him
(4:00)  9. Amy
(4:40) 10. Talk of the Tawn
(3:30) 11. I Love You
(4:00) 12. Easy Blues

To say that Mary Lou Williams had a long and productive career is an understatement. Although for decades she was often called jazz's greatest female musician (and one has to admire what must have been a nonstop battle against sexism), she would have been considered a major artist no matter what her sex. Just the fact that Williams and Duke Ellington were virtually the only stride pianists to modernize their style through the years would have been enough to guarantee her a place in jazz history books. Williams managed to always sound modern during a half-century career without forgetting her roots or how to play in the older styles. Born Mary Elfrieda Scruggs (although she soon took the name of her stepfather and was known as Mary Lou Burley), she taught herself the piano by ear and was playing in public at the age of six. Growing up in Pittsburgh, Williams' life was always filled with music. When she was 13, she started working in vaudeville, and three years later married saxophonist John Williams. They moved to Memphis, and she made her debut on records with Synco Jazzers. John soon joined Andy Kirk's orchestra, which was based in Kansas City, in 1929. Williams wrote arrangements for the band, filled in for an absent pianist on Kirk's first recording session, and eventually became a member of the orchestra herself. Her arrangements were largely responsible for the band's distinctive sound and eventual success. Williams was soon recognized as Kirk's top soloist, a stride pianist who impressed everyone (even Jelly Roll Morton). In addition, she wrote such songs such as "Roll 'Em" (a killer hit for Benny Goodman) and "What's Your Story Morning Glory" and contributed arrangements to other big bands, including those of Goodman, Earl Hines, and Tommy Dorsey. Mary Lou Williams stayed with Kirk until 1942, by which time she had divorced John Williams and married trumpeter Harold "Shorty" Baker. She co-led a combo with Baker before he joined Duke Ellington. 

Williams did some writing for Duke (most notably her rearrangement of "Blue Skies" into a horn battle called "Trumpets No End") and played briefly with Benny Goodman's bebop group in 1948. She had gradually modernized her style and by the early to mid-'40s was actively encouraging the young modernists who would lead the bebop revolution, including Thelonious Monk, Bud Powell, Tadd Dameron, and Dizzy Gillespie. Williams' "Zodiac Suite" showed off some of her modern ideas, and her "In the Land of Oo-Bla-Dee" was a bebop fable recorded by Gillespie.  Williams lived in Europe from 1952-1954 and then became very involved in the Catholic religion. She retired from music for a few years before appearing as a guest with Dizzy Gillespie's orchestra at the 1957 Newport Jazz Festival. Williams returned to jazz and by the early '70s sounded more like a young modal player (clearly she was familiar with McCoy Tyner) than a survivor of the 1920s. Although she did not care for the avant-garde, she occasionally played quite freely, although a 1977 duo concert with Cecil Taylor was a complete fiasco. Williams wrote three masses and a cantana, was a star at Benny Goodman's 40th-anniversary Carnegie Hall concert in 1978, taught at Duke University, and often planned her later concerts as a history of jazz recital. By the time she passed away at the age of 71, she had a list of accomplishments that could have filled three lifetimes.  

Mary Lou Williams recorded through the years as a leader for many labels including Brunswick (a pair of piano solos in 1930), Decca (1938), Columbia, Savoy, extensively for Asch and Folkways during 1944-1947, Victor, King (1949), Atlantic, Circle, Vogue, Prestige, Blue Star, Jazztone, her own Mary label (1970-1974), Chiaroscuro, SteepleChase, and finally Pablo (1977-1978).~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/artist/mary-lou-williams-mn0000859820/biography

Lady Piano

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Donald Harrison, Ron Carter, Billy Cobham - New York Cool

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2005
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 63:24
Size: 146,5 MB
Art: Front

(10:51)  1. Body and Soul
(10:28)  2. Harrisburg Address
( 8:39)  3. Easy Living
( 9:31)  4. I'll Remember April
(10:34)  5. Star Eyes
( 8:32)  6. Third Plane
( 4:46)  7. Blues For Happy People

Altoist Donald Harrison gained his initial fame in the late '70s when he was a member of Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers, following that up by co-leading a notable quintet with trumpeter Terence Blanchard. Although he never quite became a poll winner or a major influential force, Harrison has always been a solid improviser. New York Cool moves his career up a notch and is one of his finest recordings to date. Reuniting in 2005 with bassist Ron Carter and drummer Billy Cobham (the trio had recorded Heroes for the Nagel Heyer label in 2002), Harrison and his sidemen constantly challenge each other, with each of the musicians feeling free to set the direction of the performances. The repertoire is comprised of "Body and Soul," "Harrisburg Address" (based on "I Got Rhythm"), "Easy Living," "I'll Remember April," "Star Eyes," Ron Carter's "Third Plane" (which deserves to become a standard), and the medium-tempo "Blues for Happy People." The musicians feed off each other's ideas and their interplay is full of subtle surprises and unpredictable moments. New York Cool demonstrates that there is plenty of life still to be found in bebop standards when they are played in creative fashion. Highly recommended.~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/new-york-cool-live-at-the-blue-note-mw0000349623

Personnel:  Donald Harrison - alto saxophone;  Ron Carter - bass;  Billy Cobham - drums.

New York Cool

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Della Reese - The Classic Della

Styles: Vocal
Year: 1962
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 36:38
Size: 84,8 MB
Art: Front

(2:49)  1. The Story of a Starry Night
(3:35)  2. These Are the Things I Love
(3:07)  3. If You Are But a Dream
(3:39)  4. My Reverie
(2:42)  5. Take My Heart
(3:02)  6. Stranger in Paradise
(2:38)  7. Gone
(3:24)  8. Serenade
(2:58)  9. Moon Love
(2:42) 10. Softly My Love
(3:20) 11. Till The End of Time
(2:36) 12. Don't you know

The pun in the title of Della Reese's most popular album for RCA Victor refers to the musical basis for these 12 songs: classical pieces originally composed by Tchaikovsky ("Symphony No. 6," "Melodie Op. 42"), Debussy ("Reverie"), Schubert ("Serenade"), Chopin ("Etude in E, Op. 10 No. 3," "Polonaise No. 6 Op. 53"), and Puccini ("Musetta's Waltz Song" from La Boheme), among others. The idea is a full-length expansion of her 1959 single, "Don't You Know," one of the biggest hits of her career (and also included here). Fortunately, Della Reese's voice as strong, controlled, and pitch-perfect as it had proven in the past is up to the challenge of such heavy material. Meanwhile, Glenn Osser's arrangements are gauzy and string-heavy, quite suited for the material and Reese's vocals. Though it's not a definitive performance, Reese admirably stretches her grasp of popular song by assimilating pieces from the classical repertoire.~ John Bush https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-classic-della-mw0000469815

The Classic Della

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Clara Ponty - Mirror of Truth

Styles: Piano Jazz 
Year: 2004
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 43:37
Size: 100,4 MB
Art: Front

(4:37)  1. Glimpses Of Paradise
(3:57)  2. In Quest Of New Horizons
(3:24)  3. Mirror Of Truth
(4:08)  4. Autumn Bells
(3:05)  5. The Last Romantics
(3:06)  6. Joyous Awakening
(3:30)  7. Atlantis
(3:02)  8. Time To Say Farewell
(4:51)  9. In The Shadow Of Stars
(3:41) 10. The Paths To Wisdom
(3:02) 11. Serenity
(3:09) 12. The Cry Of The Forest

Classical artists making crossover music are usually sabotaged by a surfeit of technique and an inability to restrain themselves for emotional and musical clarity. Witness any opera singer tackling pop songs. They bludgeon them with virtuosity. That has never been pianist Clara Ponty's problem. A concert-trained pianist, she shifted gears several years ago to create music that revealed her classical background but fell into a new instrumental music netherworld. Recorded after she left New York for her childhood home in France, Mirror of Truth is her first new CD in five years. She's joined on many tracks by her father, renowned fusion violinist Jean-Luc Ponty, recording together for the first time. On tracks like the pensive "Autumn Bells," the violinist colors his daughter's moods like the sun shifting shadows. His solo on "In the Shadow of Stars" is refined elegance, full of reigned-in emotions. Compared to Embrace, Mirror of Truth is under-produced. The occasional percussion sounds like an afterthought and the ambience is more classical than the lush sheen of Embrace. But Clara Ponty's original compositions still linger with a haunted, if not always provocative, allure. ~ John Diliberto https://www.amazon.com/Mirror-Truth-Clara-Ponty/dp/B00028HP26

Personnel:  Clara Ponty  piano;  Taffa Cissé  percus;  Jean-Luc Ponty  violon, synthés;  Laurent Cirade  violoncelle;  Jeremy Lewis  contrebasse;  Patrick Manouguian  guitare

Mirror of Truth

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Terry Gibbs - A Jazz Band Ball, Second Set

Styles: Vibraphone Jazz
Year: 1957
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 40:50
Size: 95,9 MB
Art: Front

(3:33)  1. The Dipsy Doodle
(3:44)  2. Where Or When
(4:01)  3. I'm Getting Sentimental Over You
(4:58)  4. Hollywood Blues
(3:19)  5. Tangerine
(3:32)  6. Just Friends
(4:08)  7. Softly As In A Morning Sunrise
(3:35)  8. Memories Of You
(3:07)  9. Broadway
(6:47) 10. Allen's Alley

This reissue is unrelated to another V.S.O.P. set simply titled A Jazz Band Ball. Terry Gibbs on vibes and marimba matches wits and creativity with Victor Feldman and Larry Bunker, both of whom double on vibes and xylophone. Assisted by pianist Lou Levy, bassist Max Bennett and drummer Mel Lewis, the intriguing frontline essentially plays bop, but with a great deal of color. The interaction between the vibraphonists, who are all featured and occasionally trade off, is the main reason to acquire this very interesting set.~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/jazz-band-ball-mw0000046596

Personnel: Terry Gibbs - vibraphone, marimba; Max Bennett - bass;  Lou Levy - piano; Larry Bunker, Vic Feldman - vibraphone, xylophone; Mel Lewis - drums.  

A Jazz Band Ball, Second Set

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McCoy Tyner - With Stanley Clarke and Al Foster

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2000
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 64:55
Size: 152,1 MB
Art: Front

(9:10)  1. Trane-Like
(5:28)  2. Once Upon A Time
(4:16)  3. Never Let Me Go
(5:15)  4. I Want To Tell You Bout That
(6:43)  5. Will You Still Be Mine
(6:28)  6. Goin' Way Blues
(7:35)  7. In The Tradition
(4:49)  8. The Night Has A Thousand Eyes
(5:37)  9. Carriba
(3:31) 10. Memories
(5:56) 11. I Want To Tell You Bout That

The piano trio performs standards at one end of the small dining room while you and your companion sip champagne at a nearby table. It’s a cool jazz session from an acoustic trio. Certainly relaxed and enjoyable, this evening wears a graceful posture but refuses to serve you subtle fire or strong emotion. It’s a far cry from John Coltrane’s classic quartet of the early ‘60s. This cool acoustic trio carries over the percussive keyboard style of McCoy Tyner, but delivers without hammerin’ the message home and without including excessively improvised spates from any of the three veterans. Tyner prefers to stay with the melody for the most part and lets loose on occasion. Bassist Stanley Clarke opts for the acoustic stand-up instrument on this session, accompanying lyrically and issuing rapid-fire runs during solo spots. Drummer Al Foster offers a plain and simple (tasteful) accompaniment, and shows a variety of textures when trading fours. Standards "Never Let Me Go" and "The Night Has a Thousand Eyes" appear as pleasant as you’ve heard them a thousand times. Keeping good taste at the forefront, Tyner improvises only slightly as the chords change in familiar fashion, never losing sight of the melody. Clarke and Foster take their turns at the solo mic’ without ever breaking a sweat. Elsewhere, "Going ‘way Blues" sashays to a relaxed toe-tapping groove and two versions of "I Want to Tell You ‘bout That" compare Clarke’s acoustic bass principles to his electric bass virtuosity. While the timbre remains different, both takes use the common denominator found in the blues and jazz. The trio ensures that spontaneity, syncopation, and familiar rhythms make the blues tunes more exciting than middle-of-the-road standards. Since McCoy Tyner has chosen to present us with both aspects, we are welcome to sit back in our comfortable night club seats, enjoy a little more champagne, and appreciate both sides.~ Jim Santella https://www.allaboutjazz.com/mccoy-tyner-with-stanley-clarke-and-al-foster-mccoy-tyner-telarc-records-review-by-jim-santella.php?width=1920

Personnel:  McCoy Tyner- piano;  Stanley Clarke- bass;  Al Foster- drums.

With Stanley Clarke and Al Foster

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David 'Fathead' Newman - The Blessing

Styles: Saxophone And Flute Jazz
Year: 2009
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 55:10
Size: 138,7 MB
Art: Front

(6:23)  1. SKJ
(5:47)  2. Someone To Watch Over Me
(4:55)  3. As Time Goes By
(5:27)  4. Manha De Carnival
(6:33)  5. Smile
(7:31)  6. Romantic Night
(5:59)  7. Chelsea Bridge
(5:24)  8. Whispers Of Contentment
(7:07)  9. The Blessing

What an apt name The Blessing is for David Newman's final recording before his death ended a long career last January (2009). He played for more than a decade with Ray Charles and alongside Herbie Mann, Aretha Franklin and Roy Ayers, among many others. For this last studio session he was in fine form. A Milt Jackson gem, "SKJ," is the set's opener, Steve Nelson's vibes providing glowing cascades before Newman swings in with a solo as brief in its measured warmth as it is satisfying. Here too and throughout the set Peter Bernstein's guitar is vigorous in a style that is direct as it mixes blues and bebop. In Newman's blues-drenched take on Gershwin's "Someone To Watch Over Me" (which in moments has echoes of Duke Ellington's "In A Sentimental Mood"), again there is a dazzling display of colors and tones. He begins with a statement of the original tune, albeit with little turns, pauses and a warm, floating, utterly romantic sound.

Nelson is always there with just the subtlest echoes of the melody. Newman's tenor saxophone is as gentle as it is full-bodied, with nary a superfluous embellishment. David Leonhardt's piano solo leads perfectly into Newman's bridge and the final bars. It must be noted that Newman's brand of romanticism is never mushy or sentimental. His version of "As Times Goes By" is abetted by the brisk, crystal warmth of Nelson's vibes on the bridge. Newman is authoritative and yet relaxed and it segues into "Manha de Carnival," on which his sax, Nelson's vibes and Leonhardt's piano effect a subtle tension by both anticipating and playing after the beat. It is Leonhardt's own composition, "Romantic Night," that showcases Newman at a peak on the recording and brings out the best from all hands. 

Shifting between major and minor modes, it's a beautifully structured performance. Newman gives a textbook example of a veteran player who swings easily as he makes it feel so good, yet without ever allowing things to get too cozy. The closer is the title track, Newman's own tune, this time with him on flute. It's a gospel-tinged piece that closes the set on a funky, upbeat note. As with all of Newman's music, this piece could as aptly have been called "a gift."~ Andrew Velez https://www.allaboutjazz.com/the-blessing-david-fathead-newman-highnote-records-review-by-andrew-velez.php

Personnel: David "Fathead" Newman: tenor saxophone, flute;  Steve Nelson: vibes;  David Leonhardt: piano;  Peter Bernstein: guitar;  John Menegon: bass;  Yoron Israel: drums.

The Blessing

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Patti Austin - Jukebox Dreams

Styles: Vocal
Year: 1996
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 51:46
Size: 122,4 MB
Art: Front

(4:38)  1. Maybe
(4:19)  2. Got To Give It Up
(4:20)  3. Don't Go Away
(4:33)  4. Why You Wanna Be Like That
(4:39)  5. I Musta Been Dreamin'
(5:13)  6. I'll Never Get Over You
(5:24)  7. I Offer You Love
(4:58)  8. If We're Not In Love
(5:38)  9. I Will Be There
(3:56) 10. Doe-Si-Doe-In
(4:04) 11. Kiss

Grammy winner Patti Austin crosses all musical genres, has made 17 solo albums, and has performed her award-nominated hit songs on the GRAMMYS® and the Oscars. As a performer, songwriter and vocalist she has had a star-studded career that began at the age of four, making her one of the most beloved artists over the world and a mainstay on the Billboard Jazz Albums charts. Her most recent release, Avant-Gershwin, won Austin the Grammy for Best Jazz Vocal Performance. As with 2002’s GRAMMY®-nominated homage to Ella Fitzgerald For Ella, Patti worked her magic again with the WDR Big Band on Avant-Gershwin. A new high water mark for Patti, Avant-Gershwin finds her re-imagining George Gershwin’s complex and fascinating body of work. “You can judge a brilliant piece of music by how you can bend and stretch it,“ said Austin. “I always believed George Gershwin to be avant-garde so I wanted to challenge myself and rework everything melodically and lyrically.” She created unique and personal interpretations with arranger Michael Abene (Lionel Hampton, Buddy Rich, B.B. King), aiming for an operatic but contemporary feeling. Quincy Jones has already said of the album ” ‘Avant-Gershwin’ is a Triumph. Listen Up!” The ambitious “Overture/Gershwin Medley” leads off the album with a rousing fanfare, bridging together several Gershwin classics and immediately riveting the listener. For “Porgy & Bess,” Austin leaves behind some of the misogynistic messages and portrays a strong female role. She creates “Swanee” in the image of a jazz song, with a hard shuffle. Austin also replaces the conspicuously racist word “mammy” with the word “momma.” The singer follows Ella Fitzgerald’s lead on “Lady Be Good,” making it a rollicking, up-tempo ride. The resulting album is a work that goes beyond the “American Songbook,” into Austin’s bold and profound vision. As if all of the above wasn’t enough, Patti has teamed up to with the WDR Big Band yet again to record an amazing and innovative tribute to Duke Ellington, now set for release in 2013! Her pop R & B offering entitled “Sound Advice” which has received critical acclaim and continues to amaze audiences in performances. Patti continues to demonstrate her dedication to social issues and the importance of mentoring those in need of inspiring life lessons. (all of us!). When asked to co create an organization dedicated to mentoring, she said “Of course” and the “Over My Shoulder” mentoring foundation was born. All of this new exciting creative energy follows Patti’s physical transformation. She doesn’t hide the fact that she had gastric bypass surgery after years of being overweight and suffering from diabetes and other health issues. Realizing how her choices impacted her health, she made a commitment to educate others. “That surgery saved my life,” said Austin. Patti has also devoted considerable time to performing for AIDS-related organizations. More... http://pattiaustin.com/biography-and-history/

Jukebox Dreams

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Andrew Hill - Verona Rag

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1986
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 48:12
Size: 122,0 MB
Art: Front

(14:28)  1. Retrospect
( 6:17)  2. Darn That Dream
(16:38)  3. Verona Rag
( 4:25)  4. Tinkering
( 6:23)  5. Afternoon In Paris

Although Andrew Hill in this solo recital does wonders with the standards "Darn That Dream" and "Afternoon in Paris" and contributes two other superior originals, it is his breakdown of his striding "Verona Rag" that is most fascinating, transforming the piece from a spiritual-type rag into a very advanced improvisation. Hill, a true individualist, embodies the best in creative jazz.~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/verona-rag-mw0000197822

Personnel:  Andrew Hill - Piano.

Verona Rag

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Les McCann - Les McCann Ltd. In New York

Styles: Piano Jazz 
Year: 1961
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 58:55
Size: 137,8 MB
Art: Front

(7:45)  1. Chip Monck
(6:10)  2. Fayth, You're...
(7:38)  3. Cha-Cha Twist
(9:24)  4. A Little 3/4 For God & Co.
(8:51)  5. Maxie's Changes
(5:10)  6. Someone Stole My Chitlins
(8:56)  7. One More Hamhock Please
(4:57)  8. Oatmeal

A thoroughly satisfying live date. The good-time pianist forgets singing on this Village Gate outing, and the band just cooks. Silky saxman Stanley Turrentine and trumpeter Blue Mitchell play as one on some cool McCann originals. It's almost inconceivable that the sextet had only one rehearsal.~ Mark Allan https://www.allmusic.com/album/les-mccann-ltd-in-new-york-mw0000073426

Personnel:  Les McCann - piano;  Stanley Turrentine - tenor saxophone;  Blue Mitchell - trumpet;  Frank Haynes - tenor saxophone ( note: Haynes' name is mis-spelled on the album cover);  Herbie Lewis - bass;  Ron Jefferson - drums;  Curtis Amy - tenor saxophone;  Bobby Hutcherson - vibraphone

Les McCann Ltd. In New York

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Johnny Griffin - Dance Of Passion

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1993
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 58:02
Size: 133,9 MB
Art: Front

(5:26)  1. From Here To There
(8:36)  2. Dance Of Passion
(5:31)  3. Make Up Your Mind
(6:54)  4. The Way It Is
(8:00)  5. Take My Hand
(7:20)  6. You've Never Been There
(8:07)  7. Dawn
(8:04)  8. All Through The Night

As with many other jazz legends during the hard bop revival of the '80s, tenor saxophonist Johnny Griffin was signed to a major label after having cut titles for a plethora of independent (often European) jazz labels in the late '60s and throughout the '70s. From 1955 until the mid-'60s, Griffin had made a major splash with other young turks like Hank Mobley, Donald Byrd, Lee Morgan, and Coltrane, and became a sought-after sideman by the likes of Thelonious Monk, Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis, and Wes Montgomery. The rise of rock and soul, though, forced Griffin to move overseas and join several other ex-pat jazz stars. And while Griffin has remained in Europe, he has consistently recorded in the states. This fine 1993 release marks one of Griffin's recent recording triumphs for the above-mentioned major labels and finds him in the company of such stellar guest soloists as trombonist Steve Turre, tuba player Dave Bargeron, and French horn player John Clark; the band's core is made up by Griffin's then regular quartet featuring pianist Michael Weiss, bassist Peter Washington, and drummer Kenny Washington. This supple but tight ensemble ably handle Griffin's rich store of seven originals and a cover of Cole Porter's "All Through the Night." The updated hard bop arrangements by Griffin and Weiss are all engaging and prove to be prime solo vehicles for Turre especially; Griffin avails himself admirably too with a somewhat refined, yet still meaty version of his once big and fast tenor sound. A treat for Griffin fans and one of the more enjoyable modern trad dates available.~ Stephen Cook https://www.allmusic.com/album/dance-of-passion-mw0000092915

Personnel:   Johnny Griffin - Tenor saxophone;  Michael Weiss - piano, arranger;   Peter Washington - bass;  Kenny Washington - drums;  Steve Turre - trombone;  John Clark - French horn;   Dave Bargeron - tuba.

Dance Of Passion

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Johnny Hodges - Triple Play

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 47:47
Size: 109.4 MB
Styles: Saxophone jazz
Year: 1967/2015
Art: Front

[3:38] 1. Take 'em Off, Take 'em Off, Pt. 1
[2:55] 2. Take 'em Off, Take 'em Off, Pt. 2
[3:45] 3. The Nearness Of You
[3:52] 4. Monkey On A Limb
[4:53] 5. A Tiny Bit Of Blues
[3:01] 6. For Jammers Only (A.K.A. Wild Onions)
[2:51] 7. On The Way Up
[3:19] 8. Big Boy Blues
[2:48] 9. The Very Thought Of You
[6:21] 10. Fur Piece
[3:18] 11. Sir John
[2:38] 12. Figurine
[4:20] 13. C-Jam Blues

Baritone Saxophone – Harry Carney; Bass – Aaron Bell, Joe Benjamin, Milt Hinton; Cornet – Ray Nance; Drums – Gus Johnson, Oliver Jackson, Rufus Jones; Guitar – Billy Butler, Les Spann, Tiny Grimes; Leader, Alto Saxophone – Johnny Hodges; Piano – Hank Jones, Jimmy Jones, Nat Pierce; Piano – Jimmy Jones; Tenor Saxophone – Jimmy Hamilton, Paul Gonsalves; Trombone – Benny Powell, Buster Cooper, Lawrence Brown; Trumpet – Cat Anderson, Roy Eldridge; Vibraphone – Bill Berry.

Altoist Johnny Hodges is heard in three different settings on this reissue CD. Such top swing stars as trumpeters Ray Nance, Cat Anderson and Roy Eldridge, trombonists Buster Cooper, Lawrence Brown and Benny Powell, tenors Paul Gonsalves and Jimmy Hamilton, baritonist Harry Carney, pianists Hank Jones and Jimmy Jones (the latter two sometimes together), guitarists Tiny Grimes, Les Spann and Billy Butler, bassists Milt Hinton, Aaron Bell and Joe Benjamin and drummers Gus Johnson, Rufus Jones and Oliver Jackson are heard in nonets with the great altoist. Despite the many changes in personnel, the music is pretty consistent, with basic swinging originals, blues and ballads all heard in equal proportion. As usual, Johnny Hodges ends up as the main star. ~Scott Yanow

Triple Play mc
Triple Play zippy

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Donald Harrison - The Burners

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 113:09
Size: 259.0 MB
Styles: New Orleans jazz, Saxophone jazz
Year: 2009
Art: Front

[5:18] 1. Playa Haters
[4:17] 2. Oleo
[5:43] 3. Keep The Faith
[5:54] 4. One Of A Kind
[7:59] 5. Double Trouble
[4:41] 6. Free Style
[6:04] 7. Get Your Swerve
[6:43] 8. So What
[8:01] 9. Well You Needn't
[7:03] 10. Free To Be
[8:46] 11. The Survivor
[9:05] 12. The Hook Up
[7:39] 13. Nouveau Swing
[6:58] 14. Mr. PC
[6:00] 15. Drum Line
[8:46] 16. I'm The Big Chief Of Congo Square
[4:02] 17. Two Of A Kind

Donald Harrison - alto sax; Christian Scott - trumpet; Mulgrew Miller - piano; Eric Reed - piano; Ron Carter - bass; Billy Cobham - drums.

Donald Harrison is being called one of the most important musicians of the new millennium by CBS Sunday Morning. The boundary leaping New Orleans alto saxophonist’s distinctive broad toned sound is immediately recognizable as his own, regardless of the environment in which it is being heard, be it bebop, hardbop, swing, New Orleans R & B or funk. Harrison has managed to forge his variegated influences and extensive experience into a uniquely personal style. Through talent and perseverance, Harrison has developed into one of the most significant artist to emerge in the last twenty years! The question with Harrison is not what he can do, but is there anything he can’t do? So far he has mastered and influenced everything he has touched.

The son of late great Big Chief Donald Harrison, Sr. began working with Roy Haynes at age 19 and Jack McDuff at age 20. He joined Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers at age 21. A few years later, he co-led a band with Terence Blanchard that had an enormous impact on the development of the "neo-conservative" movement.

The Burners mc
The Burners zippy

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Manu Katché - Live In Concert

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 65:57
Size: 151.0 MB
Styles: Contemporary jazz
Year: 2014
Art: Front

[6:16] 1. Pieces Of Emotion
[5:13] 2. Shine And Blue
[7:45] 3. Song For Her
[2:48] 4. Loving You
[9:45] 5. Clubbing
[5:17] 6. Springtime Dancing
[6:54] 7. Walking By Your Side
[7:56] 8. Beats And Bounce
[4:56] 9. Drum Solo
[9:03] 10. Snapshot

Manu Katché / drums; Luca Aquino / trumpet; Tore Brunborg / sax; Jim Watson / piano & Hammond organ. Recorded live at the New Morning, Paris, 16.06.2014.

June. Monday night. Inside the New Morning, the atmosphere is special: the faithful are here — all connoisseurs — and you can feel it. As soon as Manu Katché launches into his concert — with the snap of a snare, a rumble on the toms — you can sense this is going to be some journey and he's not holding back. His bass-drum thuds with authority, punctuated by flashing cymbals, and his sticks fly into the air before they drop softly: right from the start, they express the elegant dynamics which have come to characterize his style. They're his signature now. Beneath his beige cap, a broad grin lights up his immense desire to play. There's something in the air: an exceptional moment is coming. The quartet present on stage played some 130 concerts last year, which gives it impressive cohesion; the sound is superbly solid, sweeping all.

Live In Concert mc
Live In Concert zippy

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Sarah Vaughan - Sassy Swings Again

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 31:03
Size: 71.1 MB
Styles: Jazz vocals
Year: 1967/2006
Art: Front

[1:48] 1. Sweet Georgia Brown
[2:40] 2. Take The A Train
[4:06] 3. I Left My Heart In San Francisco
[3:08] 4. S'posin
[4:22] 5. Everyday I Have The Blues
[2:19] 6. I Want To Be Happy
[2:21] 7. All Alone
[4:26] 8. The Sweetest Sounds
[3:34] 9. On The Other Side Of The Tracks
[2:17] 10. I Had A Ball

Vaughan ended her longstanding and career-defining tenure at Mercury with this fine set from 1967. Entering her autumnal prime, Vaughan effortlessly ignites such chestnuts as "Take the 'A' Train" (one of the best interpretations of the Billy Strayhorn classic), "I Want to Be Happy," and "Sweet Georgia Brown." She also dips into some rarely heard gems like Richard Rodgers' "The Sweetest Sounds" and Cy Coleman's "On the Other Side of the Tracks." Uncharacteristically, Vaughan also digs into the B.B. King favorite "Everyday I Have the Blues," which, while impressively delivered, demonstrates why her forte was not the dirty lowdown side of the musical coin. Vaughan, however, does shine on a blues-tinged version of Irving Berlin's swinger "All Alone," showing she certainly could convey a dusky mood in the right setting. As usual, Vaughan rides in style throughout, compliments of some fine arrangements by Thad Jones, J.J. Johnson, Manny Albam, and a young Bob James. And with the likes of Clark Terry, Joe Newman, Freddie Hubbard, Kai Winding, Phil Woods, and Benny Golson sitting in, the backing band here is equally impressive. An often overlooked but essential session from that most divine of jazz chanteuses. ~Stephen Cook

Sassy Swings Again mc
Sassy Swings Again zippy

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Cuban Jazz Train - Como Suena

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 48:22
Size: 110.7 MB
Styles: Afro-Cuban jazz
Year: 2018
Art: Front

[3:45] 1. A Mi Aire
[3:33] 2. Sincopatres
[3:47] 3. Como Suena
[6:29] 4. Manteca
[5:15] 5. Why Am I Here
[4:23] 6. School Memories
[4:34] 7. Ill Tell You
[7:01] 8. Blue South
[5:45] 9. Descarga
[3:45] 10. Danza Naniga

Calixto Oviedo: production, drums, congas, güiro, timbales and chekere (1, 3, 6, 8, 9 & 10); Yosmel Montejo: production and bass; Joel Nuñez: saxophone (1 – 6 & 9); Christian Moraga: congas (2, 4, 6 & 7); Nathaniel Molina: piano (2 – 5, 9 & 10); Alex Rivas: piano (1, 6 – 8); Lily Hernandez: vocals (10); Rachel López: flute (1); Yosiel Pérez: trumpet (3); Richard Velzen: trombone (8).

This is exactly how you would expect Afro-Cuban music to sound in this day and age; romantic but without an ounce of sentimentality, which, sadly, is the road that many Latin American artists go down. Either that or they try and reinvent the idiom, both of which seem to dilute the tradition to the extent that it turns into something not remotely like what it was intended to sound like. There is, however, nothing wrong with making the music danceable, but when the musicians (and I shall not name names) get too cute.

Cuban Jazz Train - Como Suena featuring Calixto Oviedo Cuban Jazz Train, as the short note suggests, attempts to redefine the relationship between the Afro-Cuban idiom and its doppelgänger – Jazz. Both come from the same root, and both are born of African polyrhythm. One is Spanish-inflected and the other is blues-inflected. And when you combine the two you get almost the same result. So in the hypothesis of Cuban Jazz Train, the musics are contiguous. While this may be so, the clave of Afro-Cuban music makes it distinct from the altered fifths of Jazz. And yet it can be – magically – combined to make both musics stronger. Even the AACM found this to be so when Art “Turk” Burton melded his congas with Henry Threadgill and the other musicians of that forward-thinking group of musicians.

The rhythm of the cha-cha-cha, the guaguancó and the danzón is ever present in this record which swings in clave and vice-versa. One has only to imbibe the music of “Manteca” to feel this uniqueness, this rhythmic crossover and bask in the ingenuity of this production that is shared between the men who make it happen, primarily Calixto Oviedo and Yosmel Montejo. This is an intelligent re-imagining of a song which brilliant rhythms were invented by the great Chano Pozo and realised by the ingenuity of Dizzy Gillespie. However this version by the Cuban Jazz Train, although leaning heavily on the original infuses it with funky rhythms.

That, of course, is not the only reason for the album. The repertoire is smartly laid out so that the energy of the record winds up like a coiled spring when the first beats are sounded and continues until the penultimate “Descarga,” that proverbial Cuban Jam that made its first appearance under the watchful eye of Cachao. Here these young musicians, mentored by the experienced Calixto Oviedo turn out the music of their lives. And what spectacular music it is. I would be remiss if I did not also mention that the ballad with Lily Hernández on vocals is played and sung with balletic grace; a perfect song to temper the heat of the rest of the music of this beautiful record.

Como Suena mc
Como Suena zippy

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