Bob Baldwin - Bob Baldwin Presents The American Spirit

Size: 122,6 MB
Time: 52:40
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2002
Styles: Jazz: Smooth Jazz
Art: Front & Back

01. God Bless America (4:54)
02. Bridge Over Troubled Water (5:36)
03. My Country Tis Of Thee (3:58)
04. Shower The People (5:33)
05. America The Beautiful (2:34)
06. Follow Your Dream (5:15)
07. Lift Every Voice - Count The Ways (5:45)
08. Color Blind (5:35)
09. Let's Roll! (5:18)
10. The Star Spangled Banner (4:55)
11. God Bless The Usa (3:14)

Considering how much popular smooth jazz artists love to play on each other's projects, and especially for a good cause -- in this case, the victims' assistance program Safe Horizon -- it's surprising that it took its musical community almost a year to emerge with its first tribute to America post 9/11. Bob Baldwin is hardly a household name in the genre, but he's been faithfully cranking out some of its funkiest keyboard projects over the past decade. Even if he's a little too synth-and-drum-machine reliant, this is still a fun project which captures the joyful spirit of America in the wake of a troubled time. He bookends the set with two classics on which he plays all the instruments. His lively "God Bless America" offers the Jeff Lorber/ Fender Rhodes retro-keyboard approach, while "God Bless the USA" features the same in a more restrained setting. The overall success of the project is due to his collaborations with saxophonist Kim Waters. There's an easy funk reading of "Bridge Over Troubled Water," the original, gospel-flavored "Lift Every Voice/Count The Ways," Marion Meadows on the shuffling original "Let's Roll!" and Dean James -- who did a few solid genre albums in the mid-'90s -- on the joyful anthem "Color Blind." Phil Perry's powerful falsetto is utilized to powerful emotional effect on "My Country Tis of Thee," but the staid arrangement throughout most of "Shower the People" doesn't give him room to strut his stuff; the best part of this tune is Chuck Loeb's crisp soloing throughout. ~by Jonathan Widran

Bob Baldwin Presents The American Spirit

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Rene Taylor - Jingle Bell Jazz

Size: 134,1 MB
Time: 56:59
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2018
Styles: Jazz/Pop Vocals, Xmas
Art: Front

01. The Christmas Song (3:02)
02. Let It Snow (2:28)
03. Do You Hear What I Hear (4:16)
04. Joy To The World (2:48)
05. Santa Claus Is Coming To Town (2:16)
06. Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas (3:22)
07. Mr. Santa (1:54)
08. Winter Wonderland (3:04)
09. This Christmas (3:14)
10. Hark The Herald Angels Sing (3:20)
11. Mary Did You Know (3:30)
12. Santa Baby (3:05)
13. God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen (3:04)
14. Hallelujah (3:05)
15. Frosty The Snowman (2:40)
16. Grown Up Christmas List (5:00)
17. White Christmas (3:28)
18. What Are You Doing New Year's Eve (3:13)

Vocalist Rene Taylor is a true treasure. She has captivated audiences locally as well as nationally and internationally. She has performed in a variety of venues ranging from concert settings, headlining at galas, enamoring audiences on cruise ships to charming private party-goers. In her twenty plus years of performing she has been referred to as a true artist with a sultry voice, amazing talent and a classic style. Rene’s love for jazz started at an early age listening to Peggy Lee, Sarah Vaughn, Rosemary Clooney and Ella Fitzgerald. Rene's rich and sultry voice has been compared to Diana Krall and Nina Simone. On her first full-length Christmas album, vocalist Rene Taylor delivers with her smoky and sophisticated voice with fresh arrangements of Christmas favorites. That magical combination of rhythmic poise, immaculate phrasing and her slightly husky voice will raise your spirits now and for several Christmases to come!

Jingle Bell Jazz

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The Jelly Roll Jazz Band - Indoors At Last

Size: 86,0 MB
Time: 36:34
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2018
Styles: Jazz
Art: Front

01. I Wan'na Be Like You (4:21)
02. Bill Bailey, Won't You Please Come Home (3:53)
03. Sweet Sue, Just You (3:43)
04. My Sweetie Went Away (4:19)
05. After You've Gone (3:22)
06. Under The Sea (2:21)
07. Hiding Under The Bubble Wrap With You (3:23)
08. Les Oignons (2:22)
09. Sweet Georgia Brown (4:12)
10. On The Sunny Side Of The Street (4:33)

The Jelly Roll Jazz Band was originally formed in 2010 by Laurence Marshall, and first performed as a quartet of clarinet, tenor saxophone, banjo and tuba. According to Laurence,

Since those early days the band has developed considerably, and today it usually takes the form of a trio, with clarinet, banjo (or guitar) and double bass (or sousaphone). The band draws its musicians from a pool of around seven regular members depending on who is available, and this fluidity creates a constant stream of fresh inspiration and ideas.

One of the band’s greatest strengths is its flexibility. Much of the music is improvised around a core melody and chord progression, and therefore it is very easy to change or add instruments depending on the occasion and which players are free.

The musicians all originate from Scarborough, and the band still performs regularly in this area. However many of the members now live further afield, and they are available for bookings across the country. Recent performances have taken them as far afield as London, Darlington and Warwick.

Repertoire and Influences:
The style of music they play is traditional (‘Dixieland’) jazz, and they have a repertoire of around 100 songs so are able to play for hours without repeating themselves. Furthermore, they are capable of playing for hours without repeating themselves. They cover a range of standards from the 1900s to the 1930s, including such favourites as ‘Down By the Riverside’, ‘When the Saints’ and ‘The Sheik of Araby’. Their repertoire also features more recent hits like ‘The Bare Necessities’ and ‘Moon River’, and they have even branched out into ‘90s pop with versions of ‘My Heart Will Go On’ and ‘…Baby One More Time’. Always keen to broaden their horizons, the band have recently begun writing original material, and they are currently working on a trad. jazz version of Stravinsky’s ‘The Rite of Spring’.

Their influences include jazz greats such as Benny Goodman, Louis Armstrong, Fats Waller, Jelly Roll Morton and Chris Barber. The eccentric humour of The Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band plays a big part in their performance style as well, often lending a slightly surreal edge to proceedings.

Indoors At Last

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7th Ave. - Collab

Size: 103,3 MB
Time: 43:54
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2018
Styles: Jazz/Pop/Rock Vocals
Art: Front

01. This Is Me (3:27)
02. Route 66 (3:22)
03. Havana Nights (4:10)
04. Ashes (3:17)
05. Feelin Good (3:50)
06. There's Nothing Holding Me Back (3:19)
07. I Wanna Dance With Somebody (3:36)
08. Straight Up And Down (3:18)
09. I Kissed A Girl In The House Of The Rising Sun (3:43)
10. Genie In A Bottle (3:15)
11. Change The World (4:41)
12. Bring Him Home (3:51)

From the mind of Chris Rupp, founder of Home Free and the “Chris Rupp Project,” comes a brand new vocal quartet that is ready to forge a new identity in the music world. Each member has a unique musical and performance background, allowing for exciting possibilities. Combining elements of pop, swing, rockabilly, country, and much more, 7th Ave is aiming to reinvent and uproot the standard definitions of all of those genres through our innovative arrangements and fun music videos.

Collab

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Andy Fusco - Whirlwind

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2016
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 62:55
Size: 144,6 MB
Art: Front

( 6:22)  1. Acceptance
( 7:49)  2. Count's The Thing
( 7:13)  3. Waltz For Judy
(10:27)  4. Django
( 6:35)  5. The Touch of Your Lips
( 8:33)  6. Whirlwind
( 7:55)  7. How About Me
( 7:56)  8. In Dominic's Time

The opportunity to listen to six recently released discs on the venerable SteepleChase label (and the SteepleChase LookOut branch) is a little like reading an anthology of short stories by distinguished authors from a particular year or period. You get a hearty helping of vital, mature voices, most of whom operate somewhere in the jazz mainstream, without too much of an overlap of the artists' values, proclivities, and preferences. By and large, each leader and his cohort make a legitimate claim to the listener's attention. Founder/producer Nils Winther should be given credit for continuing to present memorable work, mostly by veteran artists who otherwise might remain undocumented. From the perspective of a longtime fan of alto saxophonist Andy Fusco (and of each member of his band as well), it's difficult to comprehend why Whirlwind wasn't issued for over twelve years after it was initially recorded. The briefest of back-stories is that trombonist John Mosca of the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra brought the original tape to Nils Winther, who recognized the music's value and took care of the business of getting it out and available to the public. Whirlwind is one of those rare releases that exceeds craft and competence, and establishes its own reasons for being. Among other things, it's a bottomless well of a jazz record. The more you play it, the more discoveries you make. The music offers multiple perspectives and can be enjoyed in a number of ways.

The chemistry between members of the quintet and their collective wisdom is on a level seldom attained on contemporary mainstream jazz recordings.  In terms of personnel and execution the recording is a prequel of sorts to Sight To Sound (Criss Cross), Walt Weiskopf's magnum opus recorded just a few months after, which featured Fusco who once mentored Weiskopf in the reed section of Buddy Rich's Big Band Mosca, pianist Joel Weiskopf (Walt's brother), and drummer Billy Drummond. The late Dennis Irwin is the bassist in Fusco's group. Walt Weiskopf's fingerprints are also on Whirlwind, in the form of two of his compositions, the title track and "Waltz For Judy."  It simply doesn't pay to make any blanket statements about the efforts of the record's primary soloists. Fusco, Mosca, and Weiskopf all have a knack for adapting their styles to the material at hand. Fusco's tone keening, tightly wound, sometimes sounding as if he's yanking notes out of the horn conditions much of what he plays. His phrases throughout "Count's The Thing" are measured, balanced, and contain a sense of urgency. A treatment of Irving Berlin's "How About Me" patient, romantic, and searching is a brilliant example of bebop balladry. Particularly on "Count's The Thing," Mosca manages to be everywhere at once, slippery and direct within the space of a couple of bars, without ever sounding particularly notey or busy. Throughout "In Dominic's Time" the trombonist creates something new and consistently breaks ground while clearly staying inside of the tune's parameters. Joel Weiskopf's virtues include a medium weight touch and the ability to swing with authority (he's so simpatico with Irwin and Drummond) without playing a lot of notes. Check out the title track for an example of a turn that's more effusive and emphatic then some of his other efforts on the record. It's enjoyable to isolate some of the couplings within the ensemble. Joel Weiskopf's sensitive, knowing comping amidst Fusco's solos often anticipates or inspires the saxophonist's next move.

Fusco's "Count's The Thing" improv and his turn on "How About Me" are good examples of their rapport. Contrary to conventional wisdom regarding the necessity of a drummer's diminished role behind a piano soloist, some of Drummond's most aggressive and effective playing on the record is behind Weiskopf. For instance, during John Lewis' "Django," accents to the snare and toms carry just the right amount of weight and spread out a bit, giving the music a slightly agitated vibe that never turns excessive. In other instances, such as the title track, he executes extended, contrapuntal lines behind the pianist. The widely imitated Coltrane/Jones saxophone and drum segments are given a new lease on life during a part of the head and some of Fusco's solo during "Whirlwind." In particular, the duo creates a long percussive rush, as Drummond chews on and spits out Fusco's litany of brief, agitated phrases.  It was indeed an exceptionally fine day in the studio. Many thanks to Nils Winther for enabling Whirlwind to escape the dustbin of history. ~ David A.Orthmann https://www.allaboutjazz.com/six-recent-steeplechase-releases-by-david-a-orthmann.php

Personnel:  Andy Fusco -  alto saxophone;  John Mosca -  trombone;  Joel Weiskopf - piano;  Dennis Irwin -  bass;  Billy Drummond -  drums

Whirlwind

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Charito - Watch What Happens: Charito Meets Michel Legrand

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2008
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 62:14
Size: 143,1 MB
Art: Front

(4:03)  1. Watch What Happens
(5:08)  2. Summer Me, Winter Me
(5:40)  3. The First Time
(3:19)  4. Pieces Of Dreams
(4:23)  5. Once Upon A Summer Time
(5:49)  6. How Do You Keep The Music Playing?
(6:48)  7. What Are You Doing The Best Of Your Life?
(3:45)  8. Quand On S'Aime
(3:01)  9. Ask Yourself Why
(6:05) 10. You Must Believe In Spring
(4:22) 11. I Will Wait For You
(3:41) 12. The Windmills Of Your Mind
(6:05) 13. The Summer Knows

Recognized as a prominent jazz singer in Japan, Philippine-born songbird Charito has been a vocal force in Asia and Europe since the early 1990s, and now presents perhaps her most ambitious project to date on Watch What Happens, a delightful collaboration with Grammy Award-winning French composer Michel Legrand. Stating that "This album has become one of my biggest accomplishments ever," Charito does, indeed, deliver a classy performance with her distinctive interpretation of love songs from Legrand's songbook. The singer embarks on an American tour of a project, recorded in France and originally released in Europe in 2008. Gifted with a beautiful, velvet voice, Charito's calm, laidback approach to the music serves her quite well. When Legrand accepted a request from the singer to perform a tune or two with the diva, the project shifted, from the original plan of a series of French love songs played by French musicians, to a collection of Legrand compositions sung exclusively, of course, with the maestro. 

Legrand plays piano as part of the jazz combo, scats on several pieces, and performs a duet with the singer on "Summer Me, Winter Me," "Pieces Of Dreams," and "Quand On S'Aime," where both artists sing in French and seem to have fun with the lyrics. With Alain Mayeras sharing piano duties and providing the musical arrangements, Charito is simply mesmerizing on the title piece, "The First Time," and beautiful "What Are You Doing The Rest of Your Life," from the 1969 movie The Happy Ending all accompanied by a full orchestra and string section (unfortunately, neither the orchestra or many of the key players are listed). Charito lends stylish interpretations to a couple of other Legrand compositions associated with film classics like "The Windmills of Your Mind," from The Thomas Crown Affair (1968) and "The Summer Knows," from the 1971 flick Summer of '42 (1971). 

Though their meeting in Paris was not truly by chance, this recording was never really in the plans and, as luck would have it, Watch What Happens turns out to be a musical invitation that embraces the talents of a legend and the vocal energy of a very special singer. On Watch What Happens, Charito meets Michel Legrand, and the results is a wonderful album of mature light jazz. ~ Edward Blanco https://www.allaboutjazz.com/watch-what-happens-charito-ct-music-review-by-edward-blanco.php

Personnel: Charito: vocals; Michel Legrand: piano, vocals; Alain Mayeras: piano, arranger; orchestra and other players unlisted.

Watch What Happens: Charito Meets Michel Legrand

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Ketil Bjørnstad - Early Years

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2000
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 75:46
Size: 178,8 MB
Art: Front

(6:10)  1. Blåmann (Blue Man)
(5:35)  2. Berget det blå (Blue Mountain)
(6:26)  3. Drømmen om havet (Ocean Dreams)
(4:19)  4. Sommernatt ved fjorden (Summer Night by the Fjord)
(5:20)  5. Gjesten (The Visitor)
(5:34)  6. Selena (Selena)
(4:49)  7. Finnes du noensteds ikveld (Are You There Somewhere, Tonight?)
(5:42)  8. Åpne havner (Open Harbours)
(5:04)  9. Tidevann (Tide)
(4:24) 10. Avskjed på forskudd (Farewell in Advance)
(6:37) 11. Dager på skæret (Days by the Shore)
(4:30) 12. Dedication (Dedication)
(6:17) 13. Nærmere (Closer)
(4:51) 14. Klovnen synger (The Clown Sings)

A classically trained jazz pianist with a bent toward avant-garde improvised music, Ketil Bjørnstad is a well-known musician and writer in Europe. With his cerebral, atmospheric style that belies a palpable inner passion and an inclination toward genre-crossing compositions, Bjørnstad helped develop and popularize the "European jazz" aesthetic. He is also a writer and poet and has published over 30 works beginning with his 1972 poetry collection Alone. Born in Oslo, Norway, Bjørnstad studied classical piano in London and Paris before making his debut in 1969 at age 16 with the Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra playing Béla Bartók's third piano concerto. Surrounded by the vibrant arts scene in Oslo during the '70s, Bjørnstad became interested in jazz and developing his own style of music. Citing an array of influences from Bach and Ravel to Thelonious Monk and Miles Davis, Bjørnstad began working in an improvised idiom. In 1973, he released his debut album Åpning featuring what would become a core group of longtime associates in drummer Jon Christensen, guitarist Terje Rypdal, and bassist Arild Andersen. The album would be the first of several outings Bjørnstad would record for Phillips. Over the years, Bjørnstad's particular mix of jazz, classical, folk, and rock music would become highly influential in the development of what became known as "European jazz." Although he has become well-associated with the premier European jazz label ECM, he did not record for the label until later in his career with 1993's Water Stories, 1994's The Sea, 1997's The River, and 1998's The Sea II. 

In 2000, Bjørnstad released the duo album Epigraphs with cellist David Darling on ECM. That same year, he composed the millennium oratorio "Himmel Rand," featuring the texts of the poet Stein Mehren. In 2002, he released the cinematic soundscape album Before the Light on Universal. In 2004, Bjørnstad released the rock-oriented Seafarer's Song featuring his ensemble with vocalist Kristin Asbjornsen. Four years later, he returned to ECM for the concert album Live in Leipzig with guitarist Rypdal. In 2008, Bjørnstad once again worked with drummer Christensen as well as tenor saxophonist Tore Brunborg for the ECM release Remembrance. In 2011, Bjørnstad delivered the duo album Night Song with cellist Svante Henryson on ECM. The pianist, who is also a published poet, novelist, and essayist, has stated that the Italian filmmaker Michelangelo Antonioni was one of his greatest influences; to that end, he composed a series of works meant to act as "a soundtrack to an inner film." Recording with bassist Arild Andersen percussionist Marilyn Mazur, cellist Anja Lechner, Eivind Aarset on guitar and electronics, and saxophonist Andy Sheppard, Bjørnstad released the live suite La Notte in the late spring of 2013. 2014 proved prolific for the composer and pianist. His first release of the year, appearing in March, was a 2012 recording entitled Sunrise: A Cantata on Texts by Edward Munch, performed by the pianist, his quartet, vocal soloist Kari Bremnes, and the Oslo Chamber Choir under the direction of conductor Egil Fossum. The musical work was set to surviving written texts by the famous painter. In October of that year, ECM also released the 2012 premier performance of Bjørnstad's A Passion for John Donne, a work based on the poet's life, commissioned by the Oslo International Church Festival, and performed live with the pianist's group the Oslo Chamber Choir under the direction of Hakon Daniel Nystedt. Interestingly, it featured the saxophonist Hakon Kornstad in a dual role, not only playing his horn but as a vocal soloist. ~ Matt Collar & Thom Jurek https://itunes.apple.com/au/album/early-years/14530086

Early Years

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Dmitry Baevsky & Jeb Patton - We Two

Styles: Saxophone And Piano Jazz
Year: 2018
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 51:05
Size: 117,9 MB
Art: Front

(3:54)  1. Swingin' The Samba
(5:41)  2. Something For Sonny
(3:59)  3. Inception
(5:21)  4. Le Sucrier Velours
(4:42)  5. All Through The Night
(7:24)  6. Don’t Let The Sun Catch You Cryin’
(5:17)  7. Fools Rush In
(4:17)  8. The Serpent's Tooth
(4:18)  9. Quasimodo
(6:08) 10. You'd Be So Easy To Love

Rarely have two musicians given the impression of making their artistic proximity so manifest. Alto saxophonist Dmitry Baevsky and pianist Jeb Patton have known each other for many years. They met at a young age in New York, driven by a same thirst to learn the language of jazz and to make it their idiom of predilection. What better way for these two musicians to reveal their entente than in a tête-à-tête? What better context than a one-on-one, in which they elaborate the music together, privileging careful listening to one another other, a dialogue, a complementarity? The complicity is obvious between Jeb Patton’s elegant and articulated piano playing and Dmitry Baevsky’s vivid, precise and lyrical alto saxophone. The complicity is obvious between Jeb Patton’s elegant and articulated piano playing and Dmitry Baevsky’s vivid, precise and lyrical alto saxophone. Magnificently recorded, they have achieved a classic and everlasting album that marks the meeting of two contemporary jazz masters, simply called ‘We Two’.

Personnel:  Dmitry Baevsky, alto saxophone;  Jeb Patton, piano

We Two

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Andrew Hill - Time Lines

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2006
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 65:28
Size: 150,0 MB
Art: Front

(7:03)  1. Malachi
(9:02)  2. Time Lines
(9:00)  3. Ry Round 1
(9:40)  4. For Emilio
(8:59)  5. Whitsuntide
(8:14)  6. Smooth
(7:55)  7. Ry Round 2
(5:32)  8. Malachi (Solo Piano Version)

March was a month to celebrate. It saw the release of Andrew Hill's new album, Time Lines (for his alma mater, Blue Note), and found him leading a powerhouse quintet for four magical nights at Birdland. The visionary's legions of fans gave him a joyous reception in concert, and there is no end of buzz around his latest effort (many questioned the likelihood of his return to music after he was diagnosed with cancer in 2004). To be sure, Hill is back, with an album that deserves close attention, not for the simple fact that it documents the return of a jazz giant to the company that got him off the ground, but rather as an achievement by a man who continues to give wholly of himself in the pursuit of high art. Time Lines begins and ends with the ethereal ballad "Malachi, a piece written for the late Hill collaborator bassist Malachi Favors, setting the tone for the entire album. The rapport between the players is immediately evident on this track, and as the album progresses, the role of each becomes clearer in Hill's delicate musical scheme. Hill himself plays a relatively supportive role in the proceedings, providing the occasional angular interjection and often sitting out altogether, content to just take it all in. On the album and in person, the main protagonists are two relative youngsters, multi-reedist Greg Tardy and the incredibly versatile bassist John Hebert. Like the classic Andrew Hill albums of yesteryear, much of the musical propulsion that characterizes his unique sound emanates from the bass chair, and Hebert doesn't disappoint. 

His buoyant phrases and deeply rooted rhythmic sense, along with Eric McPherson's sensitive drumming, lay the foundation for Tardy to soar on pieces like "Ry Round 2 and "For Emilio and inspire the reemerging master trumpeter Charles Tolliver to recapture the fire that characterized his earlier efforts with Hill and as a leader in his own right. Throughout all this, the distinctive signature of Hill's sound, both as a pianist and writer, is always present, about which any listener will surely agree upon hearing the final solo piano track. Like the learned sage, Hill sat perched on his throne at Birdland last month as the fruits of his genius swirled in the air around him, smiling almost imperceptibly. Forty-plus years of music had come and gone, and the master could think of nothing more appropriate than to smile at the beauty he had created. ~ Matthew Miller https://www.allaboutjazz.com/timelines-andrew-hill-blue-note-records-review-by-matthew-miller.php

Personnel: Andrew Hill: piano; Greg Tardy: tenor saxophone, clarinet, bass clarinet; Charles Tolliver: trumpet; John Hebert: bass; Eric McPherson: bass.

Time Lines

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Steve Coleman - Invisible Paths: First Scattering

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2007
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 71:41
Size: 164,5 MB
Art: Front

(4:06)  1. Ascending Numeration: Reformed
(2:11)  2. Shift
(6:37)  3. Possession of Images
(4:45)  4. Negative Secondary
(5:26)  5. The Witness
(3:14)  6. Invisible Paths
(4:05)  7. Fundamental Disturbance I
(4:34)  8. Fecundation: 070118
(5:05)  9. Embodiment
(5:07) 10. Facing West
(7:30) 11. Clouds
(3:08) 12. Back at the Crib
(2:39) 13. Cardinal-Fixed-Mutable
(4:32) 14. Fundamental Disturbance II
(4:16) 15. Individualization
(4:19) 16. Fecundation: 070118 (Another View)

To admire the music of saxophonist Steve Coleman is, indeed to admire the man. From his origins as a Chicago musician to his current life full of exploration of philosophy, musicology, symbols, and language, he has kept a directness and lucidity about his musical presentation. Invisible Paths: First Scattering is his first solo session, coming twenty-some years after he co-founded the M-Base collective that included (among many others) Greg Osby, Ravi Coltrane, Robin Eubanks, and Jean-Paul Bourelly. 

He did record a hard-to-find duo once with bassist Dave Holland in 1991, Phase-Space (DIW, 1994. Like the duo, this disc presents Coleman up front and with a clear manifest. Then again, his voice is almost instantly recognizable on all his recordings. This ambitious solo effort doesn't rework standards of the familiar jazz canon as much as it presents Coleman's music stripped of that familiar odd metered drumming and rhythms. Those familiar with Coleman's work will "hear the rhythm section in these unaccompanied tracks. As he is known to do, he begins a track propelling the music; it's just that the rhythm section never steps in. You know (and feel) that his familiar time signatures are driving this music forward. He even accompanies a bit of clapping with wordless rhythm sound to open "Fecundation: 070118 and offers a spoken "bom-bom refrain to his horn on "Facing West. Elsewhere he offers a bit of meandering improvisation on "Embodiment, grabbing bit of ballads and tones to pave a roadmap. These sixteen tracks stay true to the music of Steve Coleman. His style, recognizably showcased here as the skeleton upon which he hangs the body of his ever expanding work. ~ Mark Corroto https://www.allaboutjazz.com/invisible-paths-first-scattering-steve-coleman-tzadik-review-by-mark-corroto.php

Personnel: Steve Coleman: alto saxophone.

Invisible Paths: First Scattering

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Sofi Hellborg - To Give Is to Get

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2006
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 49:37
Size: 114,1 MB
Art: Front

(4:38)  1. Wouldn't That Be Fun
(4:55)  2. My Dream
(5:18)  3. To Give Is to Get
(4:22)  4. Har Du Hort
(5:33)  5. If You Ever
(5:45)  6. Jungle in My Livingroom
(4:30)  7. Bring It on Through
(5:00)  8. The Light
(3:37)  9. My Heart Is My Home
(5:54) 10. We Want No More War

Not new, but new to us. Debut CD from this Swedish sax player and vocalist. "To Give Is To Get" blends smooth late night jazzy grooves and some great grooves with some great Afro influences, with legendary drummer Tony Allen helping the African rhythms flow on this stellar outing.

Personnel:  Saxophone [Alto], Saxophone [Soprano], Flute, Vocals, Percussion [Small], Composed By, Producer – Sofi Hellborg;  Bass, Backing Vocals – Mats Ingvarsson;  Congas – Sal Dibba (tracks: 1, 7, 10);  Drums – Jean-Francois Ludovicus (tracks: 2, 5, 6, 8-10), Tony Allen (tracks: 1, 3, 4, 7);  Drums [Djembe] – Sal Dibba (tracks: 8);  Electric Piano [Fender Rhodes], Keyboards, Backing Vocals – Ola Hendén;  Guitar, Backing Vocals – Elias Källvik;  Organ, Mixed By, Producer – Jens Lodén (tracks: 7);  Percussion [Cucia] – Mats Ingvarsson (tracks: 2);  Percussion [Handclap] – Erik Alheim (tracks: 10), Mattias Alheim (tracks: 10);  Saxophone [Baritone] – Sven Andersson (3) (tracks: 1, 7);  Trombone, Backing Vocals – Ola Åkerman;  Vocals – Timbuktu;  Vocals [Rap] – Timbuktu (tracks: 4)

To Give Is to Get

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Yusef Lateef - In A Temple Garden

Styles: Saxophone And Flute Jazz
Year: 1979
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 38:06
Size: 91,5 MB
Art: Front

(5:18)  1. In A Temple Garden
(4:06)  2. Bismillah
(6:52)  3. Confirmation
(3:04)  4. Nayaz
(6:28)  5. Jeremiah
(3:55)  6. Honky Tonk
(3:57)  7. How I Loved You
(4:22)  8. Morocco

Yusef Lateef long had an inquisitive spirit and he was never just a bop or hard bop soloist. Lateef, who did not care much for the term "jazz," consistently created music that stretched (and even broke through) boundaries. A superior tenor saxophonist with a soulful sound and impressive technique, by the 1950s Lateef was one of the top flutists around. He also developed into the best jazz soloist to date on oboe, was an occasional bassoonist, and introduced such instruments as the argol (a double clarinet that resembles a bassoon), shanai (a type of oboe), and different types of flutes. Lateef played "world music" before it had a name and his output was much more creative than much of the pop and folk music that passed under that label in the '90s. Yusef Lateef grew up in Detroit and began on tenor when he was 17. He played with Lucky Millinder (1946), Hot Lips Page, Roy Eldridge, and Dizzy Gillespie's big band (1949-1950). He was a fixture on the Detroit jazz scene of the '50s where he studied flute at Wayne State University. Lateef began recording as a leader in 1955 for Savoy (and later Riverside and Prestige) although he did not move to New York until 1959. By then he already had a strong reputation for his versatility and for his willingness to utilize "miscellaneous instruments." Lateef played with Charles Mingus in 1960, gigged with Donald Byrd, and was well-featured with the Cannonball Adderley Sextet (1962-1964). As a leader, his string of Impulse! recordings (1963-1966) was among the finest of his career, although Lateef's varied Atlantic sessions (1967-1976) also had some strong moments. 

He spent some time in the '80s teaching in Nigeria. His Atlantic records of the late '80s were closer to mood music (or new age) than jazz, but in the '90s (for his own YAL label) Lateef recorded a wide variety of music (all originals) including some strong improvised music with the likes of Ricky Ford, Archie Shepp, and Von Freeman. Lateef remained active as a composer, improviser, and educator (teaching at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst) into the 21st century, performing and recording as a leader and collaborator on such noteworthy recordings as Towards the Unknown with composer/percussionist Adam Rudolph (released in 2010, the same year Lateef was recognized as a Jazz Master by the National Endowment for the Arts). Yusef Lateef died at his home in Shutesbury, Massachusetts in December 2013; he was 93 years old. 

~ Scott Yanow https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/in-a-temple-garden/1182630776

Personnel:   Yusef Lateef - tenor saxophone, flute;   Randy Brecker - trumpet;  Jim Pugh - trombone, bass trombone;  Jerry Dodgion - alto saxophone;  Michael Brecker - tenor saxophone;   Tom Schuman - piano, electric piano, synthesizer;   Jeremy Wall - keyboards, percussion;  Suzanne Ciani - synthesizer, programming;   Eric Gale - guitar;   Steve Gadd - drums;   Jimmy Madison - drums.

In A Temple Garden

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James Austin Jr. - Songs In The Key Of Wonder

Size: 129,3 MB
Time: 55:22
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2018
Styles: Jazz
Art: Front

01. Isn't She Lovely (5:20)
02. My Cherie Amour (4:51)
03. Another Star (6:34)
04. You've Got It Bad Girl (5:02)
05. Part-Time Lover (4:53)
06. Golden Lady (5:51)
07. Overjoyed (5:10)
08. You Are The Sunshine Of My Life (6:33)
09. Tuesday Heartbreak (5:39)
10. Lately (5:26)

Songs In The Key Of Wonder is an album of Stevie Wonder covers by jazz pianist James Austin, Jr. What’s interesting is that this is James Austin, Jr.’s debut album. I find it intriguing whenever an artist chooses for his or her first release to do a tribute album. The person the artist is covering and honoring must mean a lot to him or her personally and must have had a strong influence on his or her musical development. If you are going to do a tribute album for your first release, Stevie Wonder is certainly a good choice of artists to cover. Stevie Wonder has so many excellent songs. For the ten selections on this CD, James Austin Jr. chooses a few of Wonder’s most famous songs, such as “My Cherie Amour” and “You Are The Sunshine Of My Life,” but also some lesser-known numbers like “Golden Lady” and “Tuesday Heartbreak.” Joining the pianist on this release are Bobby Broom on guitar, Ben Rubens on bass, David Williams on bass, Kobie Watkins on drums, Samuel Torres on percussion, Jarrard Harris on alto saxophone, and Joe Magnarelli on trumpet.

This album opens with a sweet rendition of “Isn’t She Lovely,” a song that was included on Stevie Wonder’s Songs In The Key Of Life, the 1976 album that obviously gives this release its playful title. James Austin Jr.’s rendition begins differently from Stevie Wonder’s original version, with a nice, thoughtful, quiet introduction on piano. This version then builds and grows in joy, with some wonderful stuff on both trumpet and saxophone, as well as on drums, even including a drum solo. That’s followed by “My Cherie Amour,” which is given a different and prominent rhythm. But it is that lively piano lead that is most interesting. I don’t recall this song ever sounding so sprightly. James Austin Jr. then returns to Songs In The Key Of Life, giving us a rendition of that album’s “Another Star.” This version begins with the good groove, and the piano, when it comes in, basically at first simply joins that rhythm, adding its voice to it (a piano is a percussion instrument, after all). It is then the horns that rise above the strong rhythm. This is one should get your body moving.

“You’ve Got It Bad Girl” is a more relaxed number, with some nice work on bass. This is a song that was included on Stevie Wonder’s Talking Book, a 1972 LP from which James Austin Jr. chooses a total of three tracks to cover. The second song from that album to be included here is “You Are The Sunshine Of My Life,” which was also released as a single and reached #1 on the Billboard chart. The flip side to that single was “Tuesday Heartbreak,” the third track from Talking Book to be covered on this release. This version has kind of an easygoing vibe, and I really like James Austin Jr.’s lead section on keys.

“Part-Time Lover” was a big hit for Stevie Wonder in the mid-1980s, and here James Austin Jr. and his band seem to be having fun with it, getting loose, and delivering a really good rendition. This was never one of my favorite Stevie Wonder songs, but this version is giving me more of an appreciation for it. I particularly love the work on guitar and on drums. That’s followed by “Golden Lady,” which features some really nice stuff on both piano and trumpet, and a prominent rhythm. Then James Austin Jr. dips back into In Square Circle (the album that gave us “Part-Time Lover”) for a cover of “Overjoyed.” This is a gentle, incredibly pretty rendition, and I love that gorgeous, tender work on saxophone. This is one of my favorite tracks. This tribute to Stevie Wonder ends with “Lately,” from Hotter Than July. This version includes just piano and bass, and is an absolutely gorgeous way to conclude the album. ~by Michael Doherty

Songs In The Key Of Wonder

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Bob Baldwin - Bob Baldwin Presents Abbey Road And The Beatles

Size: 148,1 MB
Time: 63:25
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2018
Styles: Jazz: Smooth Jazz
Art: Front

01. Come Together (Can We All Just Get Along ) (6:00)
02. (Mellow) Yellow Submarine (7:05)
03. And I Love Her (5:26)
04. Don't Wanna Be (The Fool On The Hill) (Feat. CeCe Peniston) (5:52)
05. Imagine (Living As One) (Feat. Euge Groove) (5:11)
06. Michelle (My Girl) (Feat. Ragan Whiteside) (5:38)
07. Something (In The Way She Moves) (Instrumental) (3:44)
08. My Love (Feat. Lori Williams) (4:19)
09. Abbey Road (Feat. Lori Williams) (4:38)
10. Yesterday (4:43)
11. Eleanor Rigby (6:03)
12. Something (In The Way She Moves) (Vocal) (4:40)

As we enter into the fall of 2018, pianist/keyboardist Bob Baldwin has craftfully unleashed several projects this year in celebrating his 30th year as an artist, and 10/1/18 will mark his 10th year on the air with his NewUrbanJazz Radio Network, which begun with a humble five stations within the NPR Radio chain. The show continues to grow with over 45 terrestrial stations and a listening base of over 500,000 listeners. The show can be consumed with a NewUrbanJazz app via your smartphone, or you can listen in from your desktop computer at work. Archived weekly shows appear on Soundcloud.

So what way to further celebrate 30 years in the music business and still turn heads? By releasing a personal best 10 projects in a 12-month period. His brand new September 20 release entitled, Bob Baldwin Presents Abbey Road the Beatles featuring House groove singer CeCe Peniston, Smooth saxman Euge Groove, Flutist Ragan Whiteside and Washington DC vocalist Lori Williams.
His creatively arranged arrangements of classic tracks by Lennon, McCartney and the rest of the Abbey Road gang has been on the back burner for several years, but Baldwin had to time it perfectly to record and release the project in 2018.

Bob Baldwin Presents Abbey Road And The Beatles

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The Funkstamatics - Koekwaus: The Best Of The Euro Cinema Years

Size: 82,1 MB
Time: 35:01
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2018
Styles: Jazz Funk, Hammond Organ
Art: Front

01. Koekwaus (100K Horns Mix) (3:32)
02. Going Up (3:03)
03. One Kind Of Coffee (3:49)
04. Ducktape (3:39)
05. Funkstamatic (3:57)
06. Der Alte (3:02)
07. Scool (3:38)
08. Brooklyn Groove (3:08)
09. The Mulligan (3:10)
10. Jazz Dog (3:59)

Looks like The Funkstamatics (a.k.a. the band formerly known as Euro Cinema) have been having rather a lot of success on digital platforms these days recently clocking up an impressive one hundred thousand plays of their 2013 single Koekwaus. Thinking that perhaps they ought to celebrate, the band had a ponder about how they could top the original version of this guitar-n-Hammond-heavy beast and decided they might throw in a blaxploitation brass section courtesy of Efraïm ‘Amsterdam Funk Orchestra’ Trujillo. Which is precisely what they have done – and you can get your hands on the bad boy known as the Koekwaus (100K Horns Mix) as part of the band’s new comp. Koekwaus – the Best of The Euro Cinema Years.

Koekwaus

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Clara Vuust - Before You Walk Away

Size: 103,2 MB
Time: 44:22
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2018
Styles: Jazz Vocals
Art: Front

01. Some Other Time (6:16)
02. Estate (4:37)
03. I Will Wait For You (3:59)
04. Out Of Nowhere (4:13)
05. Sea Lady (4:02)
06. One November Day (2:53)
07. I Wish You Love (3:46)
08. Watch What Happens (2:51)
09. Tomorrow (4:01)
10. When I Look In Your Eyes (4:23)
11. Joana Francesa (3:18)

Clara Vuust is a Danish jazz singer from Copenhagen, a capital of jazz in Northern Europe and once home to great musicians such as Ben Webster and Dexter Gordon...

In September 2018 she is releasing her third studio album "Before You Walk Away" - recorded in both Copenhagen and Catania - from the very north to the very south of Europe. The sound combines a Nordic, lyrical vocal tradition with the Mediterranean warmth in the arrangements by Italian composer and arranger Francesco Calì - and as such it makes sense to have created the album in the two places that also come together in the music.

Clara was born in the outskirts of Aarhus – the second biggest town in Denmark. Her childhood was all about children's choir and classical piano until, at the age of 11, she discovered jazz music. For her eleventh birthday she got a Real Book filled with jazz standards and a new world opened: Nancy Wilson, Cannonball Adderley and Ella Fitzgerald were put on repeat on the stereo. Clara continued with classical singing, but slowly the love for the jazz genre took over and after a breif encounter with medical school she decided to pursue a career as a jazz singer and vocal trainer.

Clara Vuust did her musical education as a singer at RMC – the Rhythmic Music Conservatory – in Copenhagen. There she met Francesco Calì, pianist and composer from Italy. They quickly became partners, both in music and in life, and he co-writes, arranges and produces all of Vuust's albums.

Clara is currently an artist at Storyville Records - the oldest independent jazz label in Europe - where she has released two albums "Here's to Love" and "A Winter Tale", and has a third one coming September 2018. The Storyville "family" counts numerous great Danish Jazz musicians.

Before You Walk Away

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Milt Jackson Sextet - Invitation

Styles: Vibraphone Jazz
Year: 1962
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 49:15
Size: 116,5 MB
Art: Front

(3:54)  1. Invitation
(5:14)  2. Too Close For Comfort
(4:27)  3. Ruby, My Dear (take 6)
(4:20)  4. Ruby, My Dear (take 5)
(6:33)  5. The Sealer
(6:54)  6. Poom-A-Loom
(4:00)  7. Stella By Starlight
(5:53)  8. Ruby
(3:58)  9. None Shall Wander (take 8)
(3:59) 10. None Shall Wander (take 6)

Once in while, an audiophile reissue can make the listener realize that what seemed like a good, solid record is better than that. If I had been asked to evaluate Invitation before hearing this release, I would’ve said it was a fairly typical early-60s hard-bop record, led by the great vibraphonist Milt Jackson. I might have added that it suffers from neither the overly careful approach that plagued much of the Modern Jazz Quartet’s output, nor from the opposite extreme, of simply blowing long solos on overly familiar standards, something Jackson has done more than enough of in his time. The success of Invitation owes on both counts to the presence of trumpeter Kenny Dorham and alto saxophonist Jimmy Heath. Each contributes not only fine solos, but a couple of nifty arrangements. But what this listener had not fully appreciated from earlier releases is the fantastically subtle interplay of the rhythm section: Tommy Flanagan, piano, Ron Carter, bass, and Connie Heath on drums. On this remastered LP, one hears every nuance with delicious clarity, from the crackle of Kay’s cymbals to the big, fat sound of Carter’s walking lines. Rarely have Jackson’s uniquely swinging vibes been heard in a more sympathetic setting. ~ Duke Baker http://www.theabsolutesound.com/articles/milt-jackson-sextet-invitation/

Personnel:  Milt Jackson – vibes;  Kenny Dorham, Virgil Jones (tracks 2 & 6) - trumpet;  Jimmy Heath - tenor saxophone (tracks 1, 3-5 & 7-10);  Tommy Flanagan - piano;  Ron Carter - bass;  Connie Kay - drums

Invitation

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Janet Seidel - Songs in the Key of Peggy Lee

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2002
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 67:25
Size: 155,4 MB
Art: Front

(5:08)  1. Blues in the Night
(3:17)  2. You do Something to Me
(2:48)  3. He's a Tramp
(2:22)  4. Things are Swingin'
(5:18)  5. Fever
(4:14)  6. Johnny Guitar
(4:06)  7. It Takes a Long Train with a Red Caboose
(5:47)  8. Black Coffee
(2:43)  9. Why don't ya do Right
(3:12) 10. I Don't Know Enough About You
(4:34) 11. Bella Notte/La La Lu
(3:48) 12. Mr. Wonderful
(2:23) 13. Bye Bye Blues
(3:02) 14. The Folks Who Live on the Hill
(4:22) 15. Street of Dreams
(3:46) 16. Don't Smoke in Bed
(3:02) 17. Lover
(3:22) 18. Golden Earrings

Lounge and cabaret performer and all-around ace singer Janet Seidel's Don't Smoke in Bed honors the important contributions of Peggy Lee to the vocal art. Australia's Seidel doesn't stop at entries from the Great American Songbook that Lee liked to sing, and includes her significant contributions to that document as a composer. In addition to the title tune, "Don't Smoke in Bed," there are five more Lee pieces on the play list. Through her personal appearances and many recordings, Seidel is a virtual institution in that country down under. This album is understandably somewhat jazzier and a lot torchier than her previous release, which was a nod to another one her favorites, Doris Day. Thus, you have a swinging, lilting "Street of Dreams," a sassy "I Don't Know Enough About You," and a very smoky version of a Lee classic, "Black Coffee." Kevin Hunt and Chris Morgan on piano and guitar, respectively, add just the right amount of the jazz feel for this cut, especially Morgan's intense, smoldering guitar. Another interesting element added by Seidel and cohorts is that the songs are not just limited to Lee's big recordings, such as the always enduring "Fever," but those she sang in her early days with Benny Goodman and some from her movie work, such as the films The Lady and the Tramp and Johnny Guitar. As always, Seidel is backed by top musicians. In addition to Hunt and Morgan, reed player Don Burrows is on a couple cuts. Her brother, David Seidel, carries on with his usual bass duties, helped along by Adam Pache on drums. Seidel by no means replicatesLee's way of doing this material, but presents it Seidel style. So this release offers the best of two worlds, literally: Peggy Lee and Janet Seidel. ~ Dave Nathan

Personnel: Janet Seidel (vocal,piano);  Kevin Hunt (piano);  Chuck Morgan (guitar);  David Seidel (bass);  Adam Pache (drums);  Ian Bloxson (bongos), Special Guest: Don Burrows (flute, aito sax cralinet)

Songs in the Key of Peggy Lee

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Mary Ann Redmond - Here I Am

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2000
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 59:58
Size: 139,2 MB
Art: Front

(4:00)  1. Cry Love
(4:13)  2. Because I Told You So
(4:54)  3. Enemy Lines
(4:45)  4. Stop In The Name Of Love
(4:38)  5. Time Will Do The Talking
(4:46)  6. Man I Wanted
(5:02)  7. Man On A Mission
(5:07)  8. Here I Am
(4:02)  9. Alone But Not Lonely
(4:09) 10. (I Know) I'm Losing You
(4:58) 11. Out On A Limb
(4:10) 12. I've Been Loving You Too Long
(5:08) 13. You Don't Wanna Be With Me

When Mary Ann Redmond recorded Here I Am in 2000, she was a hot local attraction in the Washington, D.C., area. The expressive, whiskey-voiced singer wasn't well known nationally, but in and around D.C., people really swore by her. And listening to Here I Am, it isn't hard to understand why; this CD is an enriching example of what can happen when soul and rock intersect. All of Redmond's albums have some type of rock influence like Tina Turner, Redmond is a soulstress with rock leanings but Here I Am is especially rock-minded. Had this release come out in 1970 instead of 2000, it's quite possible that black radio would have responded to Redmond in much the same way that it responded to Ike and Tina Turner back then; in other words, some tracks would have enjoyed airplay on black radio, and some would have been considered "too rock." It's easy to envision the black radio of the late '60s and early '70s playing "Out on a Limb" or Redmond's version of the Supremes' "Stop in the Name of Love" (which she transforms into a slow, moody ballad). However, "Man on a Mission," the title track, and John Hiatt's "Cry Love" probably would have been considered "too rock" for black stations (just like some of Ike and Tina Turner's work). Regardless, Redmond is consistently soulful and funky. And while it is interesting to speculate on how Here I Am would have been received 25 or 30 years earlier, the fact is that Redmond isn't dealing with the '60s or '70s market she's dealing with the 21st century market. In 2000, this excellent album was well received in the D.C. area, although one hoped that Redmond would become as well known nationally as she was locally. ~ Alex Henderson https://www.allmusic.com/album/here-i-am-mw0000229321

Here I Am

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Jack Teagarden And His Band - 1951 - Live At The Royal Room-Hollywood

Styles: Trombone Jazz
Year: 1999
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 61:26
Size: 141,5 MB
Art: Front

(5:07)  1. Stars Fell On Alabama
(1:55)  2. Little Rock
(2:36)  3. But Not For Me
(5:53)  4. That's A Plenty
(6:42)  5. Ain't Misbehavin'
(6:00)  6. Muskrat Ramble
(6:54)  7. At The Jazz Band Ball
(1:44)  8. Tickled To Death
(2:15)  9. Possum And Taters
(4:20) 10. Peg O' My Heart
(7:01) 11. Struttin' With Some Barbecue
(4:46) 12. Stardust
(6:07) 13. Somebody Loves Me

Jack Teagarden was a trombone player, singer, and band leader whose career spanned from the 1920’s territory and New York jazz scenes to shortly before his death in 1964. Teagarden was not a successful band leader, which may explain why he is not as widely known as some other jazz trombonists, but his unusual singing style influenced several other important jazz singers, and he is widely regarded as the one of the greatest, and possibly the greatest, trombonist in the history of jazz. Teagarden was born in 1905 in Vernon, Texas. Born Weldon Lee Teagarden or Weldon John Teagarden (more sources say Weldon Lee, but John makes more sense considering his nickname), Jack’s earliest performances were working with his mother Helen, who played ragtime piano, in theaters. His siblings also became professional musicians: his younger sister Norma played piano, his younger brother Charlie, trumpet, and his brother Clois (“Cub”), drums. Jack Teagarden began playing piano at age five, took up baritone at age seven or eight, and had settled on trombone by age ten. Some sources claim his unusual style of trombone playing stemmed from the fact that he began playing before he was big enough to play in the farther positions. He moved to Chappell, Nebraska, with his family in 1918, but by 1921 was back in Texas playing with Peck Kelley’s Bad Boys. Through the early and mid 1920’s, he played with several other territory bands, including Doc Ross’s Jazz Bandits, and the Orginal Southern Trumpeters. My sources disagree concerning which band brought Teagarden to New York, and with whom he made his earliest recording, but there is agreement that he arrived in New York in 1927 and was playing with Ben Pollack’s orchestra by 1928. Although Teagarden enjoyed a long career, it was at this point that he had the greatest effect on the history of jazz. The reaction to his unique style of trombone- playing appears to have been both immediate and widespread. Historians and critics widely agree: “No one disputes Jack Teagarden’s place in the trombone pantheon”(Morgenstern, 2004, p.292). Teagarden “is considered by many critics to be the finest of all jazz trombonists....”(Kernfeld, 1988) Teagarden “single-handedly created a whole new way of playing the trombone “ a parallel to Earl Hines and the piano comes to mind “ and did so as early as the mid-twenties and evidently largely out of his own youthful creative resources.”

His unusual approach to trombone playing had both a technical and a stylistic component. His technical approach in particular was quite unorthodox. A short digression into the mechanics of trombone playing will explain why. The trombone slide has seven positions where traditionally notated (chromatic scale) pitches can be played. Each position causes the instrument to be a slightly different length, and the instrument can play a (different) harmonic series at each length. The notes in any harmonic series are much closer together in the upper part of the series. This has a practical effect on trombone playing: in the lower register of the instrument, there are fewer notes in any given position, and often only one position in which a note can be played. In the upper register, notes in any position are closer together, and many notes can be played in more than one position. New Orleans-style trombonists tended to play in the lower range of the instrument, where it is simply impossible to change notes as quickly as a trumpet or clarinet does; entire arms can’t move as fast as a single finger. So the traditional trombone stylists specialized in playing simpler accompaniment parts featuring cute special effects like glissandos. Jack Teagarden apparently did not like this “tailgate” style of trombone-playing. Instead, he played higher in the instrument’s range, using mostly the first and second positions, and rarely moving beyond fourth position. Using “alternate” positions and an embouchure that was apparently extremely flexible (meaning he could change the pitch of a note using only small changes in his lips, mouth, and face muscles), Teagarden could play in the way that appealed to him. It apparently also greatly appealed to other musicians as soon as they heard it, but it relied so heavily on using unusual slide positions and on his ability to bend notes with his unusually flexible embouchure, that his style is generally considered to be literally “inimitable.” Teagarden’s style is also often described using words such as lyrical, vocal, legato, relaxed, fluent and smooth. The two premier trombonists on the New York scene when Teagarden arrived had also already rejected “tailgate” style playing, and there is disagreement about how much Miff Mole and Jimmy Harrison influenced Teagarden. But Teagarden appears to have arrived in New York with a clear idea of how he wanted to sound, and although the three players do seem to have influenced each other somewhat, they each also retained their distinctive styles. Harrison also played in the upper register of the instrument, so that he could play fast trumpet-style licks, but his playing is still firmly in the jazz brass tradition, with hard, clear articulations. More.. https://musicians.allaboutjazz.com/jackteagarden 

Personnel:  Jack Teagarden-trombone & vocal;  Charlie Teagarden-trumpet (Jack's brother);  Norma Teagarden-piano (Jack's sister);  Helen Teagarden-piano (8.9) (mother);  Pud Brown-reeds;  Ray Leatherwood-bass;  Ray Bauduc-drums

Live At The Royal Room-Hollywood

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