Lonnie Liston Smith - Love Is the Answer

Styles: Vocal And Piano Jazz
Year: 1980
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 67:37
Size: 155,8 MB
Art: Front

(4:19)  1. In the Park
(4:46)  2. Love Is the Answer
(5:57)  3. Speak About It
(4:01)  4. Bridge Through Time
(5:46)  5. On the Real Side
(4:57)  6. The Enchantress
(6:05)  7. Give Peace a Chance (Make Love Not War)
(3:13)  8. Free and Easy
(7:06)  9. Space Princess (Special Disco Version)
(7:07) 10. A Song for the Children (Special Version of the 7inch Single)
(3:42) 11. Love Is the Answer (7inch Version)
(3:36) 12. Bridge Through Time (7inch Version)
(3:41) 13. Give Peace a Chance (Make Love Not War) (7inch Version)
(3:14) 14. Free and Easy (7inch Version)

Lonnie Liston Smith entered the 1980s with Love Is the Answer, which is quite similar to previous Columbia efforts like Exotic Mysteries and Song for the Children. Jazz's hard-liners continued to call Smith a sellout; as they saw it, a musician who was talented enough to have been employed by the likes of Pharoah Sanders, Betty Carter, and Rahsaan Roland Kirk had no business becoming more commercial and catering to the quiet storm audience. But while Love Is the Answer isn't as challenging as Smith's work with Kirk and Sanders and isn't in a class with such Flying Dutchman gems as Astral Traveling and Expansions, it isn't a bad album either. "The Enchantress," "Bridge Through Time" (which female rap group the Conscious Daughters sampled on their 1993 recording "We Roll Deep"), "In the Park," and other instrumentals on this LP aren't brilliant, but they're pleasant and likable. 

Love Is the Answer was the second Smith album to employ vocalist James "Crabbe" Robinson, who had replaced Donald Smith and is featured on the mellow title song as well as the funkier selections "Speak About It" and "Give Peace a Chance (Make Love Not War)." The charismatic Donald Smith was a tough act to follow, but Robinson handled himself nicely when he was a member of the Cosmic Echoes. While Love Is the Answer isn't among the pianist/keyboardist's essential releases, it isn't anything to be ashamed of either. ~ Alex Henderson https://www.allmusic.com/album/love-is-the-answer-mw0000916894

Personnel:  Piano, Electric Piano, Producer – Lonnie Liston Smith; Backing Vocals – Butch Jackson, Cassie Hawkins, Gloria Jones, Keith Rose, Marcella Allen;  Bass – Pee Wee Ford; Congas, Bongos – Lawrence Killian; Drums – Lino Reyes; Guitar – Abdul Wali; Horns – Albert "Duke" Jones, Johnathan Lewis, Kevin Jasper, Koran Daniels, Louis P. Barbarin; Percussion – Asante; Tenor Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone, Flute – Dave Hubbard; Vocals – James "Crabbe" Robinson

Love Is the Answer

---

Vicky Wyman - While The Music Plays On

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2008
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 34:07
Size: 79,6 MB
Art: Front

(3:06)  1. Mad About The Boy
(2:31)  2. Amado Mio
(4:36)  3. You Go To My Head
(3:52)  4. Harlem Nocturne
(2:34)  5. Perhaps, Perhaps, Perhaps
(4:26)  6. While The Music Plays On
(3:46)  7. I Concentrate On You
(3:20)  8. The Rules Of The Road
(2:44)  9. You And The Night And The Music
(3:09) 10. Quiet Nights Of Quiet Stars

Vicky Wyman sings contemporary jazz pop standards with power and passion updated with strains of Afro Cuban and blues. From the American songbook to Brazilian pop classics, Vicky\'s vocals smoke and soar. Vicky began in a folk duo in Pennsylvania as a teenager and quickly moved into professional theatre and cabaret in New York City. The move influenced her to look for an edgier sound she formed a rock band and her songwriting flourished. During this period she explored blues and country as well and landed gigs in top NYC venues. Her debut album Heartland was recorded in Nashville with the Grand Ole Opry band, a hybrid of country and rock. Now she is backed by Newport, Rhode Island\'s finest jazz musicians including Gray Sargent, a longtime guitarist of Tony Bennett. With While The Music Plays On, Vicky has ultimately created a masterful style that brings the story of each of these songs to life and allows its sounds and images to linger. https://store.cdbaby.com/cd/vickywyman

While The Music Plays On

---

Tom Grant - Delicioso

Styles: Piano, Vibraphone Jazz
Year: 2010
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 61:09
Size: 142,0 MB
Art: Front

(5:21)  1. Luxurium
(4:18)  2. Cute New Car
(4:21)  3. Whistling In The Dark
(4:54)  4. Language of Our Own
(5:41)  5. Lizard Lounge
(5:20)  6. Delicioso
(4:35)  7. Nature Walk
(5:19)  8. The Dog Park
(3:59)  9. Escape Into Dreamland
(3:35) 10. Dancing Heart
(3:55) 11. Enamorata
(5:13) 12. Breathing In The Love
(4:38) 13. Heidi's Song

The reputation of smooth jazz went from bad to worse in the ‘90s and 2000s, and 2010 was full of forgettable, shamelessly uncreative smooth jazz CDs that did absolutely nothing to make its soiled reputation any better. But Tom Grant's self-produced Delicioso, it turns out, is among 2010's more substantial smooth jazz releases. The pianist/keyboardist (who is also heard on vibes) offers a light, commercial, gently funky blend of jazz, R&B and pop; Delicioso never pretends to be a Red Garland recording. But there is a difference between light and lightweight, and laid-back, groove-oriented offerings such as "Whistling in the Dark," "Lizard Lounge," "Cute New Car," and "Luxurium" are light rather than lightweight. The vibe that Grant seems to be going for on much of this album is something along the lines of Joe Sample, Lonnie Liston Smith, Jeff Lorber, or Rodney Franklin circa 1979-1982; Delicioso isn't in a class with Sample's Carmel or Smith's Loveland, but it isn't a bad album, either. Grant isn't afraid to stretch out and do some improvising, and his solos have more energy than one usually expects from the jazz-lite crowd. Plus, the 60-minute CD's Brazilian-flavored tunes (which include "The Dog Park" and the title song) are also easy to appreciate. It's obvious that Grant, who turned 64 in 2010, didn't want to record just another turn-your-brain-off album for smooth jazz/NAC radio programmers. That said, Delicioso does have a few throwaway tracks; the disc is slightly uneven. And even though Grant gives himself adequate solo space, he overdoes it with the electronic programming (which is fine for electronica or hip-hop, although jazz is better served by a more organic approach to producing). But all things considered, Delicioso is a decent listen and demonstrates that smooth jazz doesn't have to be total fluff. ~ Alex Henderson https://www.allmusic.com/album/delicioso-mw0002028528

Personnel: Tom Grant - vocals, piano, vibraphone, programming; Marlon McClain - guitar; Dan Faehnle - guitar; Chance Hayden - guitar; Shelly Rudolph - vocals; Paul Mazzio - trumpet; Renato Caranto - saxophone

Delicioso

---

Scott Hamilton/Rossano Sportiello - Midnight At Nola's Penthouse

Styles: Saxophone And Piano Jazz
Year: 2011
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 67:24
Size: 156,0 MB
Art: Front

(8:49)  1. Wonder Why
(6:06)  2. A Garden in the Rain
(7:08)  3. This Can't Be Love
(5:40)  4. A Time for Love
(7:16)  5. Come Back to Sorrento
(5:29)  6. All My Tomorrows
(7:24)  7. Big Butter and Egg Man
(6:10)  8. It's All in Your Mind
(6:46)  9. All God's Chillun' Got Rhythm
(6:31) 10. In the Middle of a Kiss

Scott Hamilton emerged in the mid-'70s as a player who had a gift for creating a lush, swinging sound, regardless of the tempo or style. His partner on this 2010 studio session, Italian pianist Rossano Sportiello, is two decades younger, but the perfect partner. Their program includes a mix of standards and lesser-known songs, all played with a minimum of fuss and a maximum of beauty. 

"A Garden in the Rain" isn't the first ballad one would expect a jazz duo to choose, but the lush interpretation here could launch others into investigating its potential. Hamilton's boisterous playing is boosted by Sportiello's driving accompaniment, with the influence of the late Dave McKenna apparent. "Big Butter and Egg Man" is rarely played outside of traditional jazz/New Orleans jazz, but their brisk, lyrical interpretation should open some ears. They also sizzle with their driving rendition of "All God's Chillun' Got Rhythm," with plenty of fireworks as they trade the lead. This rewarding date deserves a follow-up meeting. ~ Ken Dryden https://www.allmusic.com/album/midnight-at-nolas-penthouse-mw0002078955

Personnel:  Scott Hamilton - Saxophone;   Rossano Sportiello - Piano.

Midnight At Nola's Penthouse

---

Ethel Smith - Ethel Smith Swings Sweetley

Styles: Jazz, Post Bop
Year: 2015
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 30:53
Size: 72,2 MB
Art: Front

(2:16)  1. A String of Pearls
(2:48)  2. Tenderly
(3:00)  3. Moonglow
(4:59)  4. Theme and Variations
(2:36)  5. Lullaby of Birdland
(2:37)  6. Misty
(2:53)  7. Sophisticated Lady
(2:15)  8. Shuffle Rock
(2:22)  9. My One and Only Love
(2:43) 10. Stompin' at the Savoy
(2:19) 11. The Gospel

The widely acknowledged "First Lady of the Hammond Organ," Ethel Smith remains best remembered for her recording of the Argentine traditional "Tico-Tico," which sold close to two million copies during the mid-'40s. Born Ethel Goldsmith in Pittsburgh on November 22, 1910, she studied music and linguistics at Carnegie Tech, and upon graduation accepted a job playing piano with a local theater; when a Schubert show passing through the Iron City invited Smith to join their troupe, she soon embarked on a 28-week U.S. tour, eventually landing in California. There she was first asked to play the Hammond electric organ on a Hollywood studio lot -- virtually overnight she seemed to master the instrument, and in 1940 she was tapped for a headlining gig at New York's St. Regis Hotel. While at the St. Regis, Smith received a call from Hammond Studios: the owners of Rio de Janeiro's famed Copacabana Club were looking for a female organist to headline a 26-week engagement. In all she remained in Brazil for about a year, immersing herself in the local musical culture and traditions.

While strolling through one of Rio's seedier districts, Smith stumbled on a local dancehall combo performing a song she'd never heard before; intrigued, the musicians explained the song was a traditional Argentine favorite, although its name and composer were unknown. Dubbing the tune "Tico-Tico," she incorporated it into her act, and it quickly became a crowd favorite. The Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor hastened Smith's return to the U.S. and the St. Regis, where one evening she was approached by George Washington Hill, the head of the American Tobacco Company. Hill had caught Smith's show at the Copacabana and now invited her to join the radio blockbuster Your Hit Parade -- she accepted, becoming one of the show's highest-paid performers. In 1944, she recorded "Tico-Tico," which would go on to rank among the best-selling hits of the decade; that same year, Smith also made her film debut, appearing opposite Esther Williams in Bathing Beauty. Subsequent film appearances include 1945's George White's Scandals and 1946's Cuban Pete, which starred Desi Arnaz.

With her bright, colorful dresses, omnipresent hats, and trademark high-heels, Smith cut a glamorous figure indeed, and in 1945 she made headlines by marrying actor Ralph Bellamy, then appearing on Broadway in State of the Union. The couple split two years later, and Smith rededicated herself to her performing career, becoming almost as proficient on guitar as she was on the Hammond. Although she never repeated the massive success of "Tico-Tico," she toured extensively during the 1950s and 1960s, and also continued her acting career, appearing in a series of non-musical roles in small off-Broadway plays. In 1969, Smith also enjoyed a brief run in a musical version of Tom Jones. But with the arrival of a new decade she retired from touring and settled in Palm Beach, FL, where she continued performing at local benefits and social engagements well into her eighties. Smith died at the age of 85 on May 10, 1996. ~ Jason Ankeny https://itunes.apple.com/ca/album/ethel-swings-sweetly/499557448

Ethel Smith Swings Sweetley

---

Christine Fawson - Here Now

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 2016
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 40:54
Size: 95,0 MB
Art: Front

(1:13)  1. Who Am I Anyway
(4:47)  2. Here Now
(4:49)  3. Sleep
(6:20)  4. Aqui
(5:25)  5. Feel Like Makin' Love
(4:35)  6. She's out of My Life
(5:03)  7. Imagination
(4:48)  8. Pikong Kong
(3:51)  9. The Nearness of You

As a vocalist and trumpet player, Christine Fawson has always loved performing classic jazz standards from the American Songbook. On her 2016 album, Here Now she shows a new side of trumpet playing. This album is a combination of standards throughout the years as well as a few original tunes. https://store.cdbaby.com/cd/christinefawson2

Here Now

---

The Ray Conniff Singers - It's The Talk Of The Town

Styles: Vocal
Year: 1959
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 28:24
Size: 66,5 MB
Art: Front

(2:43)  1. It's The Talk Of The Town
(2:28)  2. You're An Old Smoothie
(2:18)  3. Buttons And Bows
(2:14)  4. Let's Put Out The lights
(2:15)  5. It's Been A Long, Long Time
(2:08)  6. Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah
(2:17)  7. Deep In The Heart Of Texas
(2:42)  8. Love Is The Sweetest Thing
(2:30)  9. They say It's Wonderfull
(2:17) 10. Hands Across The Table
(2:31) 11. My heart Cries For You
(1:55) 12. Rosalie

Ray Conniff brought his chorus into the foreground for the first time on It's the Talk of the Town, and credited the album to the Ray Conniff Singers. Conniff's chorus is bright and cheery, unlike the immense-sounding Norman Luboff Choir or the comparatively stodgy Robert Shaw Chorale. But despite the high level of energy and enthusiasm, the choral format gives the album a throwback feel that is only amplified by material like "Zip-a-dee-doo-dah" and the Gene Autry favorite "Buttons and Bows," although the latter is, admittedly, very good. The increased focus on the chorus comes at the expense of the instrumental arrangements, which are relegated to a supporting role well behind the voices. It's the Talk of the Town, more than any of Conniff's other vocal albums, treads a little too close to Mitch Miller territory for comfort. ~ Greg Adams https://www.allmusic.com/album/its-the-talk-of-the-town-mw0000654359

It's The Talk Of The Town

---

Barb Jungr, John McDaniel - Float Like a Butterfly: The Songs of Sting

Styles: Vocal And Piano Jazz
Year: 2018
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 67:11
Size: 157,3 MB
Art: Front

(3:12)  1. Wrapped Around Your Finger
(3:45)  2. Englishman in New York
(3:54)  3. Fields of Gold
(5:31)  4. King of Pain
(5:19)  5. Moon Over Bourbon Street
(4:12)  6. Shape of My Heart
(4:37)  7. Roxanne
(4:32)  8. It's Probably Me
(3:44)  9. Until (A Matter of Moments)
(2:31) 10. August Winds
(4:04) 11. Don't Stand So Close to Me
(4:06) 12. Fortress Around My Heart
(3:32) 13. Desert Rose
(2:12) 14. Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic
(5:07) 15. Fragile
(2:31) 16. Message in a Bottle
(4:15) 17. Every Breath You Take

In her introduction Barb Jungr has pointed out the hurdles of interpreting a singer-songwriter of near legendary status such as Sting who comes with all the trappings of such fame. It has, she suggested, made some folk recoil at the mention of his name even before getting to the essence of what the man is all about. Interpreting and adapting Sting’s songs for herself and her pianist John McDaniel throws up a number of challenges not least how to re-configure songs where the backings by the groups in the original recordings are regarded as an essential part of the package. The 18 songs in this programme cross the decades, the most recent being ‘August Winds’ from the short-lived Broadway musical The Last Ship in 2014 (opening in Newcastle on 12 March 2018, followed by a major UK and Ireland tour.). The hits are here but a number of the lesser-known songs suggest that Jungr has paid careful attention to all the texts, stripping each one down to the bare essentials and singing them with an insight and a rawness and emotional energy that she can truly call her own. Jungr can do fun too, her harmonica interpolations being a joy in their own right. ‘Russians’, a polemic against US/Russian foreign policy of the mid 1980s, is launched on the piano with Prokofiev’s ‘Entry of the Montagues and Capulets’, is a rousing anthem in her hands, as is ‘Fortress Around My Heart’. She lends ‘Every Little Thing He Does Is Magic’ a catchy bounce in contrast to the gentle sway of the tune and accompaniment in her interpretation of ‘An Englishman in New York’, so apt for the figure of Quentin Crisp. I loved her evocation of ‘Fields of Gold’, inspired it seems by a pastoral scene viewed from a window in Sting’s Wiltshire house, and in similar vein, ‘Fragile’, a song addressing green issues, prefaced by her poetic description of walking on her beloved Isle of Skye. Her linking narrative is pithy and sometimes unexpected as in her tale of Hogarthian shenanigans in a gentleman’s club in St James’ where she applied for her first job in London in 1975.She also gives us a little insight into the problems lyrics, as in ‘Desert Rose’, can present to a singer instancing a trait in Sting’s lexicon whereby he’ll alter just one word in a line making it “hideous to learn”. The pianist McDaniel is the accompanist and arranger of the songs, a consummate professional, who is at ease whether singing solo, joining in harmony on the refrains, or adding a few words of his own to the links between the songs. One senses a rare rapport between the two of them and a fervent wish from the audience that they will return before too long. http://musicaltheatrereview.com/barb-jungr-john-mcdaniel-float-like-a-butterfly-the-sting-collection-the-pheasantry/

Personnel: Vocals, Harmonica – Barb Jungr; Vocals, Piano – John McDaniel

Float Like a Butterfly:The Songs of Sting

---

Five Play - Five Play Plus

Styles: Jazz, Post Bop
Year: 2007
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 56:20
Size: 130,1 MB
Art: Front

(4:33)  1. Theme From Mr. Broadway
(5:43)  2. That Old Feeling
(5:13)  3. Funk In A Deep Freeze
(8:17)  4. Crazy, He Calls Me
(6:12)  5. If I Only Had A Brain
(5:56)  6. Polka Dots And Moonbeams
(4:50)  7. Pure Imagination
(5:38)  8. Bud Powell
(4:26)  9. In The Wee Small Hours Of The Morning
(5:29) 10. On The Good Ship Lollipop

Here's another bright and swinging album by drummer Sherrie Maricle's able quintet, Five Play (a.k.a. DIVA Lite), encumbered at times by questionable mixing but as a whole quite engaging. For the group's second recording on Arbors, Maricle has assembled an international troupe of all-stars from the larger ensemble alto saxophonist Karolina Strassmayer hails from Austria, tenor Anat Cohen from Israel, bassist Noriko Ueda and drummer Tomoko Ohno from Japan and set aside room for guest shots by two members of DIVA's first-class trumpet section, Jami Dauber and Barbara Laronga, on five selections to lend color and variety to the two-reed front line (and to lend the album its title).  Every member of the group is impressive Cohen, Strassmayer and Ohno especially so on their showcase numbers, Cohen (clarinet) on "That Old Feeling, Strassmayer on "Crazy, He Calls Me, Ohno on the Arlen/Harburg classic from The Wizard of Oz, "If I Only Had a Brain. Dauber frames tasteful solos on Hank Mobley's "Funk in Deep Freeze, Leslie Bricusse/Anthony Newley's "Pure Imagination, and (muted) Richard Whiting/Sidney Clare's show-stopper for Shirley Temple, "On the Good Ship Lollipop. 

Laronga does the same on Chick Corea's boppish "Bud Powell and the standard "In the Wee Small Hours of the Morning (on which Ueda carries the melody). Maricle, who swings consistently in the style of her chief role model, the legendary Buddy Rich, bonds with Ohno and Ueda to form a taut and agile rhythm section on which Cohen, Strassmayer and their guests can always lean for support. As for the mixing gaffe alluded to earlier, it affects mainly Strassmayer on the quintet numbers, "Theme from Mr. Broadway and "Polka Dots and Moonbeams, wherein her alto sounds remote and is largely overshadowed by the more prominently recorded rhythm section. But that's hardly enough to put a damper on the session, which is lively and invigorating from start to finish, with sparkling group interplay and admirable solos by every member of the crew. If you've not heard Five Play before, this is a splendid way to get acquainted. 

~ Jack Bowers https://www.allaboutjazz.com/five-play-plus-five-play-arbors-records-review-by-jack-bowers.php

Personnel: Sherrie Maricle, leader, drums; Anat Cohen, tenor sax, clarinet; Karolina Strassmayer, alto sax, flute; Tomoko Ohno, piano; Noriko Ueda, bass. Special guests: Jami Dauber (3, 7, 10), Barbara Laronga (8-10), trumpet, flugelhorn.

Five Play Plus

---

Mari Wilson - Pop Deluxe

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2016
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 54:13
Size: 125,0 MB
Art: Front

(0:56)  1. Island of Dreams (Intro)
(3:53)  2. Always Something There to Remind Me
(3:33)  3. I Couldn't Live Without Your Love
(4:48)  4. The Look of Love
(4:33)  5. Don't Sleep in the Subway
(4:41)  6. You're My World
(7:06)  7. 24 Hours from Tulsa
(4:32)  8. In Private
(3:45)  9. White Horses
(3:39) 10. Anyone Who Had a Heart
(4:37) 11. I Close My Eyes and Count to Ten
(4:54) 12. I Just Don't Know What to Do With Myself
(3:10) 13. Island of Dreams

2016 album from the British vocalist. Regarded by many as one of the UK's best pop singers and interpreters of songs, Mari Wilson (aka The Neasden Queen Of Soul) is releasing an album in which she brings her own unique take to some classic pop songs from British icons including Dusty Springfield, Petula Clark, Sandie Shaw and Cilla Black. The inspiration for Pop Deluxe came from Mari's memories of growing up, listening over and over to these songs on the Dansette in her bedroom whilst daydreaming of one day being on Top Of The Pops herself. Each of the chosen songs means something truly personal to Mari. Her decision to sing the 'White Horses' TV theme is firmly rooted in her childhood: "This song is almost in my DNA. When I would come home from school, my dad and I would always do the Evening News crossword and watch The White Horses TV Show - the theme tune would send shivers down my spine and still does. " 

~ Editorial Reviews https://www.amazon.com/Pop-Deluxe-Mari-Wilson/dp/B01C68SMY4

Pop Deluxe

---

Ted Curson - Plenty Of Horn

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 2000
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 39:18
Size: 91,1 MB
Art: Front

(2:52)  1. Caravan
(6:16)  2. Nosruc Waltz
(4:22)  3. The Things We Did Last Summer
(3:41)  4. Dem's Blues
(4:20)  5. Ahma ( See Ya )
(3:33)  6. Flatted Fifth
(3:55)  7. Bali - H'ai
(5:03)  8. Antibes
(5:12)  9. Mr Teddy

An excellent and flexible trumpeter, Ted Curson will always be best known for his work with Charles Mingus' 1960 quartet (which also included Eric Dolphy and Dannie Richmond). He studied at Granoff Musical Conservatory; moved to New York in 1956; played in New York with Mal Waldron, Red Garland, and Philly Joe Jones; and recorded with Cecil Taylor (1961). After the 1959-1960 Mingus association (which resulted in some classic recordings), Curson co-led a quintet with Bill Barron (1960-1965), played with Max Roach, and led his own groups. He spent time from the late '60s on in Europe (particularly Denmark) but had a lower profile than one would expect after returning to the U.S. in 1976. 

He led sessions for Old Town (1961), Prestige, Fontana, Atlantic, Arista, Inner City, Interplay, Chiaroscuro, and several European labels. Curson died of a heart attack on November 4, 2012. He was 77 years old. ~ Scott Yanow https://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/plenty-of-horn-remastered/915587792

Personnel:  Ted Curson (trumpet), Bill Barron (tenor sax on #5 & 6), Eric Dolphy (flute on #3 & 7), Kenny Drew (piano), Jimmy Garrison (bass), Roy Haynes (drums on #5 & 6), Danny Richmond (drums on #3 & 7) and Pete La Roca (drums on #1,2,4,8 & 9).

Plenty Of Horn

---

Horace Silver - Live At Newport '58

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2007
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 44:46
Size: 103,1 MB
Art: Front

( 0:44)  1. Introduction By Willis Connover
(13:10)  2. Tippin'
(11:47)  3. The Outlaw
( 8:42)  4. Señor Blues
(10:21)  5. Cool Eyes

For a jazz artist of such longevity, pianist Horace Silver has precious few live recordings as leader. Before Paris Blues: Olympia Theater, Paris, 1962 (Fantasy, 2003) was released, Silver's single live recording was Doin' The Thing At The Village Gate (Blue Note, 2006/1961). This fact makes any newly discovered and released live recording somewhat of an event. Enter Horace Silver Live At Newport '58. Horace Silver Live At Newport '58 aurally details July 6, 1958 at the Newport Jazz Festival. The Horace Silver Quintet closed that Sunday afternoon's performances with a 40-minute set drawn from music Silver was composing and recording during at the time. The performance falls between Silver's recording of Further Explorations (Blue Note, 1958) and Finger Poppin' (Blue Note, 1959) and includes "The Outlaw" from that session and "Tippin'," recorded on June 15, 1958 for the b-side of the vocal version of "Senor Blues" (Bill Henderson, vocals). This performance is notable for the presence of trumpeter Louis Smith, who served as a bridge between Donald Byrd and Blue Mitchell. This represents the only full performance by Smith as part of Silver's quintet and one of the only times that "Tippin'" was recorded live by its original quintet. To be sure, Smith is neither Byrd nor Mitchell. He is a lightning bolt briefly illuminating the jazz sky with force and brilliance. This earliest example of live Silver shows the leader fully formed as a stage personality. If Horace Silver can be described as anything, it would be as his music is described: "funky cool." Horace Silver is part of the hard bop trinity, along with trumpeter Miles Davis and drummer Art Blakey. This trio ushered in a more accessible form of be-bop, making it acceptable to a wider audience by their infusion of blues and gospel elements. Hard bop was the first jazz genre to tax the confines of description. It is a more subtle artifact of jazz evolution than the earthquake which produced be-bop, which was a major mutation of jazz genes. Hard bop is extroverted where be-bop is introverted. It is muscular and brash, loose and sensual or frankly sexual music, particularly in the blues. 

The Newport performance is book ended with two classic be-bop constructions shot through with hard bop swagger. "Tippin'" is a classic AABA composition after Gershwin's "I Got Rhythm." It sports a complicated head and assertive soloing, and it swings with a jackhammer momentum, driven by the muscular drumming of Louis Hayes, who prefaces Tony Williams a decade later. "Cool Eyes" is similarly constructed with a devilishly complex Horace Silver head. Both pieces illustrate how hard bop was born out of be-bop. Those pieces performed between are the heart of hard bop, compositions that adopt challenging structures and time signatures. "The Outlaw"is pure genius, carefully constructed to convey the maximum drama. It stirs blues, Tin Pan Alley, church, and disorder at the border into a potent cocktail intended to weaken one's knees after the first shot. That soloists can spin their respective wares over these challenges is a credit to their musicianship. "Senor Blues" needs little introduction. It is the minor key blues of "Birk's Works" introduced to "My Little Red Shoes" with plutonium added for a slow burn. "Senor Blues" showcases its composer, allowing him to demonstrate the universe of his composing and pianist talents. If the late 1950s has a soundtrack, it would be "Senor Blues." Horace Silver Live At Newport '58 joins three other recent releases from trumpeter Dizzy Gillespie/saxophonist Charlie Parker, pianist Thelonious Monk and saxophonist John Coltrane as one of the most significant new finds in jazz. It appropriately casts Horace Silver as a significant jazz composer and reminds the modern listener that there are still giants among us, no matter how briefly. ~ C.Michael Bailey https://www.allaboutjazz.com/horace-silver-live-at-newport-58-by-c-michael-bailey.php?width=1920

Personnel: Horace silver: piano; Louis Smith; trumpet; Junior Cook: tenor Saxophone; Gene Taylor: bass; Louis Hayes: drums.

Live At Newport'58

---

Pat Patrick & The Baritone Saxophone Retinue - Sound Advice

Styles: Saxophone And Flute Jazz
Year: 2015
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 47:37
Size: 110,8 MB
Art: Front

(0:50)  1. Stablemates - Intro
(7:05)  2. Funny Time
(4:42)  3. Uptightedness
(9:26)  4. Eastern Vibrations
(7:05)  5. Sabia
(8:46)  6. East of Uz
(8:32)  7. The Waltz
(1:08)  8. Stablemates

Baritone saxophonist and flautist Pat Patrick was a member of Sun Ras's Arkestra for 35 years, and also played with Duke Ellington, Eric Dolphy, Thelonious Monk, and John Coltrane; in 1977 he assembled this 12-piece band with 8 baritone sax players, 4 of them doubling on flute, to present incredible versions of original work and modern standards. "Originally released in 1977 by Sun Ra's El Saturn label, this 2017 reissue includes printed inner sleeve. As composer, bandleader, and full-time member of the Sun Ra Arkestra, Pat Patrick was a visionary musician whose singular contribution to the jazz tradition has not yet been fully recognized. As well as holding down the baritone spot in the Arkestra for 35 years, Patrick played flute and alto, composed in both jazz and popular idioms, and was a widely respected musician, playing with Duke Ellington, Eric Dolphy, Thelonious Monk, and John Coltrane, with whom he appeared on Africa/Brass (1961). But he is best known for his crucial contributions to key Sun Ra recordings including Angels and Demons at Play (1967), Jazz in Silhouette (1959), and The Nubians of Plutonia (1967), among dozens of others. But as a bandleader, Patrick only released one LP the almost mythical Sound Advice, recorded with his Baritone Saxophone Retinue, a unique gathering of baritone saxophone masters including Charles Davis and Rene McLean. Sound Advice is a deep-hued exploration of this special instrument, a lost masterpiece of Arkestrally-minded Ellingtonia on which higher adepts of the lower cosmic tones are heard in rare conference. Unissued since original release, this unique jazz masterpiece now returns to the limelight. Released in collaboration with the Pat Patrick estate."-Artyard

Personnel:  Pat Patrick - Baritone saxophone, flute; Rene McLean - Baritone saxophone, flute; George Barrow - Baritone saxophone, flute; Reynold Scott - Baritone saxophone, flute;  Charles Davis - Baritone saxophone;  Mario Rivera - Baritone saxophone;  Kenny Rogers - Baritone saxophone;  James Ware - Baritone saxophone;  Hilton Ruiz - Piano;  Steve Solder - Drums;  Jon Hart - Bass;  Babafemi Humphreys - Conga

Sound Advice

---

The Ken Peplowski Quintet - Sonny Side

Styles: Saxophone And Clarinet Jazz
Year: 1989
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 50:01
Size: 116,1 MB
Art: Front

(4:46)  1. Ring Dem Bells
(5:25)  2. Bright Moments
(4:47)  3. Don't Take Your Love From Me
(4:32)  4. When I Take My Sugar To Tea
(4:12)  5. Ugly Beauty
(5:48)  6. Sonny Side
(4:01)  7. Everything I Love
(3:57)  8. Who Wants To Know?
(4:26)  9. Half Nelson
(4:39) 10. Alone At Last
(3:25) 11. Hallelujah

Switching between tenor, clarinet and alto, Ken Peplowski is hard-swinging and consistently brilliant throughout this quintet set with guitarist Howard Alden, pianist Dave Frishberg, bassist John Goldsby and drummer Terry Clarke. The music is mostly mainstream swing, with the highlights including "Ring Dem Bells," "When I Take My Sugar to Sea," Sonny Stitt's "Sonny Side" and "Hallelujah." 

As if to show that he is aware of later styles, Peplowski also does a good job on Rahsaan Roland Kirk's "Bright Moments," Thelonious Monk's "Ugly Beauty" and Miles Davis' "Half Nelson." Recommended. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/sonny-side-mw0000199765

Personnel:  Alto Saxophone, Tenor Saxophone, Clarinet – Ken Peplowski;  Bass – John Goldsby;  Drums – Terry Clarke;  Guitar – Howard Alden;  Piano – Dave Frishberg

Sonny Side

---

Diva Jazz - A Swingin' Life

Styles: Jazz, Post Bop
Year: 2014
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 54:46
Size: 127,7 MB
Art: Front

(4:53)  1. What The World Needs Now Is Love Sweet Love
(6:32)  2. Nothin'
(5:03)  3. All My Tommorrows
(2:45)  4. All Of Me
(6:09)  5. The Very Thought Of You
(4:38)  6. Pennies From Heaven
(4:17)  7. Blues Medley [Goin' To Chicago Blues; Kansas City; Every Day I Have The Blues]
(5:15)  8. Blackberry Winter
(2:58)  9. Wonder Why
(6:38) 10. Nocturne #6 Opus 9, Number 2
(5:34) 11. Blues For Hamp

What do you get when you have fifteen talented and swinging female jazz musicians in an orchestral setting? The answer, drummer Sherrie Maricle and the DIVA Jazz Orchestra offering A Swingin' Life as proof that hard-charging big band music is not the exclusivity of the male gender. Building upon the work of more than a dozen previous albums, DIVA presents music from the Great American Songbook and more, capturing eleven audacious tracks recorded live by Jazz at Lincoln Center at Dizzy's Club Coca Cola in New York and, at the renowned Manchester Craftsman's Guild in Pittsburgh.  Adding to the experience of these live performances are two very special guests, two giants of the business, two vocalists who have left their mark on the jazz world. Legendary singers Marlena Shaw and Nancy Wilson lend their vocal charm on five beautiful charts and while some are certainly swinging tracks for sure, there are a couple of ballads that take your breath away. Wilson takes the Van Heusen/Sammy Cahn standard "All My Tomorrows," to another level expressing heart-felt emotion as the band plays humbly. Vocalist Shaw lays down a warm and gentle performance delivering a fantastic interpretation of Alec Wilder's "Blackberry Winter" for the two soft spots of the album.  However, the limited tender material here is the exception and not the rule as the swinging times obviously carry the date. Opening up with a rousing rendition of Burt Bacharach's "What The World Need Now Is Love," the DIVA's announce their intentions with a full blast of the brass and reeds capped off by a solo from tenor saxophonist Janelle Reichman. 

Appearing once again as one of the main soloist, Reichman, this time on the clarinet, joins trumpeter Jami Dauber on the Stanley Kay piece "Nothin,'" another perky burner showcasing the band. On another of the few light tunes, Nadje Noordhuis on the flugelhorn is simply enchanting on the time-honored Ray Noble classic "The Very Thought of You" as Maricle is heard on the soft brushes making this number, one to remember. The group gets back to some hard-driving sounds on the swinging version of "Pennies from Heaven." Maricle and the girls get real bluesy on "Blues Medley," a fusion of "Going to Chicago Blues," "Kansas City," and "Every Day I have the Blues," featuring singer Shaw. 

The DIVAs show their powerful instrumental voices on the last three tunes showcasing their reach on "Wonder Why," "Nocturne #6 Opus 9, Number 2," and the Terry Gibbs arranged finale "Blues For Harp," demonstrating quite ably why this orchestra is regarded as one of the best jazz bands in the business. Kudos to Sherrie Maricle and the DIVA Jazz Orchestra as they roar through a splendid repertoire of big band jazz on A Swingin' Life, combining instrumental muscle with the elegant vocals in a live setting that is thankfully, documented well here. ~ Edward Blanco https://www.allaboutjazz.com/a-swingin-life-diva-jazz-mcg-review-by-edward-blanco.php

Personnel: Sherrie Maricle: drums; Sharel Cassity: alto saxophone, flute; Karoline Strassmayer: alto saxophone (3, 4); Leigh Pilzer: alto saxophone, flute, baritone saxophone (3, 4); Kristy Norter: alto saxophone (3, 4); Janelle Reichman: clarinet, tenor saxophone (3, 4); Anat Cohen: clarinet, tenor saxophone (3, 4); Roxy Coss: tenor saxophone; Scheila Gonzalez: tenor saxophone (3, 4); Lisa Parrott: baritone saxophone; Tanya Darby: lead trumpet, Flugelhorn; Liesl Whitaker: lead trumpet (3, 4); Jami Dauber: trumpet , Flugelhorn; Barbara Laronga: trumpet (3, 4); Carol Morgan: trumpet, Flugelhorn; Nadje Noordhuis: trumpet, Flugelhorn; Deborah Weisz: trombone; Jennifer Krupa: trombone; Lori Stuntz: trombone (3, 4); Leslie Havens: bass trombone; Tomoko Ohno: piano; Chihiro Yamanaka: piano (3, 4); Noriko Ueda: bass; Nancy Wilson: vocals (3, 4); Marlena Shaw: vocals (7, 8, 9).

Swingin' Life

---

Dexter Gordon & Johnny Griffin' - Great Encounters

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1979
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 44:50
Size: 102,9 MB
Art: Front

(14:05)  1. Blues Up And Down
( 4:52)  2. Diggin' In
(12:04)  3. Cake
( 8:41)  4. Ruby, My Dear
( 5:08)  5. It's Only A Paper Moon

The two great tenors, Dexter Gordon and Johnny Griffin, battle it out on in exciting fashion on live versions of "Blues Up and Down" and "Cake." Bop singer Eddie Jefferson and trumpeter Woody Shaw join Gordon and his quartet (pianist George Cables, bassist Rufus Reid and drummer Eddie Gladden) on "Diggin' In" and "It's Only a Paper Moon" and Gordon takes Thelonious Monk's ballad "Ruby My Dear" as his feature. Everything works quite well on this diverse but consistent LP, one of Dexter Gordon's later efforts. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/great-encounters-mw0000421077

Personnel:  Dexter Gordon, Johnny Griffin (Tenor Saxophone); Rufus Reid (Double Bass); Eddie Gladden (Drums); George Cables (Piano); Curtis Fuller (Trombone); Woody Shaw (Trumpet); Eddie Jefferson (Vocals).

Great Encounters

---

David 'Fathead' Newman - Davey Blue

Styles: Flute And Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2002
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 53:39
Size: 123,0 MB
Art: Front

( 6:10)  1. Cellar Groove
( 6:47)  2. Cristo Redentor
( 5:33)  3. For Stanley
( 5:49)  4. A Child is Born
( 5:34)  5. Black
( 4:17)  6. Amandla
(13:00)  7. Davey Blue
( 6:26)  8. Freedom Jazz Dance

This excellent session does a fine job of showing off David "Fathead" Newman's jazz talents. Newman is heard on tenor sax on four selections, taking two songs apiece on flute and alto. Joined by pianist Cedar Walton, the fine if underrated vibraphonist Bryan Carrott, bassist David Williams, and drummer Kenny Washington, Newman stretches out on such numbers as "Cellar Groove," "Cristo Redentor," "Freedom Jazz Dance," and a tribute to Stanley Turrentine, "For Stanley," sounding at his prime on each of his instruments. Recommended. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/davey-blue-mw0000657383

Personnel:   David "Fathead" Newman - flute, alto saxophone, tenor saxophone, producer;  Bryan Carrott - vibraphone;   Cedar Walton - piano;  David Williams - bass;   Kenny Washington - drums

Davey Blue

---

Tom Grant and Rebecca Kilgore - Winter Warm

Styles: Vocal, Piano, Christmas 
Year: 2007
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 50:00
Size: 115,5 MB
Art: Front

(2:29)  1. Christmas Waltz
(3:17)  2. Santa Claus is Coming to Town
(3:22)  3. Christmas Time is Here
(3:39)  4. I'll Be Home for Christmas
(4:06)  5. Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer
(4:49)  6. The Christmas Song
(3:11)  7. A Song for Christmas
(2:30)  8. Let it Snow
(4:50)  9. Winter Warm
(4:12) 10. Winter Wonderland
(3:30) 11. Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas
(4:02) 12. Sleigh Ride
(2:43) 13. Christmas Dreaming
(3:14) 14. Snowbound

Warm is a treasure from two Northwest jazz icons. Pianist Tom Grant has produced over twenty albums of chart-topping smooth jazz and singer Rebecca Kilgore, a featured regular on Garrison Keillor’s Prairie Home Companion and Terry Gross’ Fresh Air (both on NPR), is an acclaimed performer of the Great American Songbook. Rebecca tours the world with her own band and has sung on over 30 records. Famed guitarist Bucky Pizzarelli has said of her “If Benny Goodman were alive today, he’d hire Becky to sing in his band.” Dick Hadlock, author and jazz host on KCSM-FM, San Mateo CA says that Rebecca “has refined her vocal gifts and stands now….as a leading interpreter of America’s classic popular songs.” She has toured with the famed pianist, humorist-composer Dave Frishberg and they have recorded together as well. He says of Rebecca “she has a great sense of swing…and a heartfelt unpretentiousness.” Tom Grant has toured the world with such jazz greats as Joe Henderson, Tony Williams and Charles Lloyd. Jeff Lorber says “Tom is a terrific improviser and writer. He plays with an inventiveness, elegance and economy. He is one of the best players on the scene today.” He has recorded on Verve Forecast, Windham Hill and many smaller labels and during the 80’s and 90’s had sales of 30-50 thousand units on various titles.

Tom Grant is a fixture on the Northwest music scene. He was a pioneer of jazz fusion and adult contemporary jazz. His longtime group, the Tom Grant Band, was one of the biggest drawing bands of the ’80s and ’90s. Tom’s numerous recordings consistently landed at the top of the New Adult Contemporary and Smooth Jazz charts, a genre Tom helped pioneer in the mid-80s. Over the years he has played with numerous jazz icons, including Jim Pepper, Woody Shaw, Tony Williams and Joe Henderson. He plays jazz piano with the harmonic sophistication and deep sense of swing that comes from more than three decades on the bandstand, and his smooth crooning voice blends perfectly with Day’s clear-cut interpretations of the classics. Grant was recognized for his lifetime of work by the Jazz Society of Oregon, being its inductee to the Hall of Fame for 2004. The material on this Holiday record reflects Rebecca’s unique gift for finding little-known song gems. The title track “Winter Warm”, is a Burt Bacharach/Hal David song whose only prior recording is by the relatively obscure 50’s artist, Gale Storm. Another great track is the singularly quirky (and jazzy) Frishberg winner, “Snowbound”. Tom and Rebecca do a charming duet on a slightly obscure Sinatra classic called “Christmas Dreaming.” Another rare beauty is “A Song for Christmas” which Rebecca sings with a tenderness that touches the soul. http://tomgrant.com/winter-warm

Winter Warm

---

Five Play - Live At the Deer Head Inn

Styles: Jazz, Post Bop 
Year: 2015
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 61:30
Size: 141,6 MB
Art: Front

( 7:13)  1. Que Sera, Sera
( 6:55)  2. Struttin' With Some Barbeque
( 7:51)  3. I'm in the Mood for Love
( 7:29)  4. Beo Dat May Troi
( 7:30)  5. Seesaw
( 5:26)  6. La Americana
(11:25)  7. Shenandoah
( 7:38)  8. Organ Grinder's Swing

I haven't been to the Delaware Water Gap in Pennsylvania in years. But if I make it there, I hope to time my visit to coincide with Five Play at theDeer Head Inn, which bills itself as the "oldest continuously running jazz club in the country." Long may it prosper, for there are good musical things happening there. Big bands and their leaders have always had small groups:from Benny Goodman to Stan Kenton, and Woody Herman and Tommy Dorsey inclued. This is the first time I've heard Five Play in this configuration. I was pleasantly surprised. They give you a lot of looks, some Blakeyish, some Ornette, and some distinctively themselves. The can bop, swing and bossa, sometimes in disconcerting juxtaposition.And they do their share of originals. Nothing staid about their repertoire. The live set opens with that famous jazz standard "Que sera,sera." I'm being facetious. It's been a few years since I heard it, and certainly not the arch reading that Fiveplay gives it. There are romping solos by Tomoko Ohno and Noriko Ueda, two thirds of a seriously cooking rhythm section. Janelle Reichman , who doubles on clarinet and tenor sax makes a nice statement. Reichman's clarinet playing is, to say the least, technically assured, but it can be quite beautiful and thoughtful as well, as her solo on "I'm in the Mood for Love" shows. She takes a long solo on "Struttin' With Some Barbecue" as does Jami Dauber who plays very nice and extremely tasteful jazz. 

Her trumpet lead gives the group a much bigger sound and presence than I would've expected. As to adventuresomeness, the originals by Ohno and Ueda are supplemented by "Bao Dat May Troi," a Vietnamese folk song that works very well. There is the traditional Shenandoah, beautifully played too. I will never accuse Maricle of sticking to the tried and true with Diva, her big band, again. As for Sherrie, well, Sherrie plays like Sherrie. For someone ostensibly inspired by Buddy Rich, she is awfully musical. She really plays the drums, including the bass drum, in a way that I'd associate more with Mel Lewis. Her brushwork is inspired and occasionally, her time just seems to float. But she has help. Dauber plays a wonderfully reflective muted solo on "I'm in the Mood for Love" that put me in mind of Warren Vache not that she needs anyone's endorsement. You want up-tempo shouting? The session closes out with "Organ Grinder's Swing" which really gets rolling, propelled by hot choruses by Dauber and Reichman. Everyone gets into the act. So there's a lot of good stuff going on in the recording, and it opens up to further thought as you listen over again, always the mark of something special. These are remarkably talented musicians, and to put it in Maricle's terms, they swing hard, but make it sound easy. I have only one question. What if the group is short Dauber or Reichman some night? What do you call the quartet? Let me guess. ~ Richard J.Salvucci https://www.allaboutjazz.com/live-at-the-deer-head-inn-five-play-deer-head-records-review-by-richard-j-salvucci.php

Personnel: Sherrie Maricle (D); Jami Dauber (TPT); Janelle Riechman (T Sax/CL); Tomoko Ohno (P); Noriko Ueda (B)

Live At the Deer Head Inn

---

Carolyn Leonhart - Carolyn Leonhart

Styles: Vocal
Year: 1992
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 60:04
Size: 137,8 MB
Art: Front

(4:46)  1. I Saw You in Sofi
(2:59)  2. Come Rain or Come Shine
(4:56)  3. Whisky
(4:43)  4. The Way You Look Tonight
(4:21)  5. Manhattan Lullaby
(2:45)  6. Teach Me Tonight
(5:49)  7. There Used to Be Colors
(6:14)  8. Bei Mir Bist Du Schon
(6:40)  9. The Island
(3:46) 10. Autumn Leaves
(9:44) 11. All Blues
(3:16) 12. My Funny Valentine

Carolyn Leonhart is a jazz singer with one foot firmly planted in the rock/pop universe. She is the daughter of veteran bassist Jay Leonhart, so her jazz sensibilities flow from her upbringing. Yet she gained wide exposure during the '90s as a backup vocalist for the reunited Steely Dan. Her jazz style is tinged with the edginess of a soul or R&B singer. Her first U.S. album, an inspired collaboration with pianist/songwriter Rob Bargad titled Steal the Moon, was released in 2000. ~ David R.Adler https://www.allmusic.com/artist/carolyn-leonhart-mn0000183584/biography

Carolyn Leonhart

---