Barbara Martin - Eyes on the Horizon

Styles: Vocal 
Year: 2010
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 43:10
Size: 99,8 MB
Art: Front

(4:04)  1. Since You've Been Here
(6:31)  2. Too Late to Die Young
(4:41)  3. Eyes on the Horizon
(4:07)  4. Same Old World
(3:17)  5. Taking a Chance
(5:14)  6. The Fire Burning in Me
(2:41)  7. I'm OK
(3:28)  8. One for Me
(4:44)  9. Blue Storm
(4:19) 10. Painting a Picture

“I wanna be James Dean with insolent lips” writes jazz and blues singer-songwriter Barbara Martin in her song “It’s Too Late to Die Young,” from her Eyes on the Horizon recording, and the lyrics and song title couldn’t be more descriptive of a musician known for being an accomplished vocal interpreter of the great jazz and blues standards yet brave enough to stretch the boundaries of the female jazz and blues singer stereotype. Eyes on the Horizon was two years in the making. Part of the reason for this was Barbara's decision to use all original songs. She also wanted to use only the finest jazz musicians and was willing to wait till her and their busy schedules had openings. Robert Redd is on the piano with his brother, Chuck Redd on drums and vibes. Barbara's bassist from her Rare Bird Quartet of the 1990's, Steve Wolf returns on this album. Duo partner and recording engineer, Mac Walter, adds a classical guitar lead on "I'm OK" and the CD ends with a co-write with Mac the guitar/vocal "Painting a Picture". Bruce Swaim on saxophone, John Jensen on trombone and Matt Finley on flugel horn round out the roster of musicians. The songs range from bossas and a samba to swing, blues and ballads. From Jim Newsom, Portfolio Magazine: "The ten-song setlist is all originals, filled with a lyrical sophistication and playfulness that continues to unfold with each listening. The band includes some of the best players from the DC/Annapolis/Baltimore jazz scene, including veteran Charlie Byrd sideman Chuck Redd on drums and vibes, and his brother Robert on piano. Martin’s regular bassist Steve Wolf anchors the core trio but longtime collaborator Mac Walter, whose magnificent acoustic guitarwork is always a marvel to hear, appears in only a few places. This time out, Martin has chosen a more traditional piano trio motif with occasional horn accents. “Since You’ve Been Here” kicks things off with a blissfully light-hearted celebration of the myriad ways that life changes when you let another person into your life. “Too Late to Die Young” takes a bluesy ride over Wolf’s walking bassline: “I want to be James Dean with insolent lips,” the singer intones, “but it’s too late to die young.” John Jensen’s boogie-woogie trombone solo accentuates Robert Redd’s muscular piano comping. 

The title track is pure cocktail lounge you can almost smell the cigar smoke wafting up from the back. The mood shifts to a playfully swinging samba on “Same Old World,” followed by “Taking a Chance,” a tune that starts off like a Vince Guaraldi theme for Charlie Brown before bouncing along on a smoothly melodic carpet of swing. Martin gets slow and sultry on “The Fire Burning in Me.” Chuck Redd then picks up his mallets for some sweet vibraphonics on “I’m OK,” setting up Walter’s first appearance. The lyrics here define the tone of this record: “When life doesn’t follow my wish-it-would-be’s…I’m OK.” “One for Me” is a jaunty stroll through loneliness tempered with an optimistically hopeful tinge. The last two cuts on the album accentuate Walter’s gorgeous guitar playing, reminding a longtime listener of previous Barbara Martin outings. In fact, “Blue Storm” originally appeared on Different View, and the arrangements are similar though this version feels gentler, reflecting the subtle shift that Martin’s vocal delivery has undergone in the intervening years. The disc closes with its most beautiful song, “Painting a Picture,” a voice and guitar duet the two cowrote, built on James Taylor-esque chording and a wistfully yearning from-the-road lyric. It’s the perfect denouement to a pleasurable outing from one of Virginia’s finest. https://store.cdbaby.com/cd/BarbaraMartin

Eyes on the Horizon

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Spyro Gyra - The Deep End

Styles: Fusion, Smooth Jazz
Year: 2004
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 64:53
Size: 152,0 MB
Art: Front

(4:58)  1. Summer Fling
(5:02)  2. Eastlake Shuffle
(7:00)  3. Monsoon
(4:36)  4. As You Wish
(6:10)  5. Soburg Sam
(7:17)  6. The Crossing
(6:48)  7. Wiggle Room
(6:15)  8. Wind Warriors
(4:46)  9. In Your Arms
(5:46) 10. Chippewa Street
(6:09) 11. Beyond The Rain

With their third label release, the longtime contemporary jazz powerhouse ensemble led by fluid and funky sax legend Jay Beckenstein celebrates 30 years of a consistent mix of making instrumental pop hits and pushing the musical envelopes into fusion territory. The title promises a plunge into something deep, or at least a little stretching, and the band showcasing new drummer Ludwig Alfonso on a few tunes more than delivers. But not right away. They open smooth and light-funky with the playful, sax-driven "Summer Fling," which is breezy and fun but only digs deep with Tom Schuman's heavily retro key solo. "Eastlake Shuffle" balances Beckenstein's adventurous sax punch with a heavy blues mood driven by Schuman and the rockin' guitar harmonies and solo of Julio Fernandez. Things don't really heat up until the exotic fusion jam "Monsoon," a live show crowd-pleaser that builds from an Indian-flavored meditation (complete with distant chance and bird calls) into a moody sitar-laced melody before exploding into a powerful, blues-drenched extravaganza featuring some of Beckenstein's most powerful lines blended with Fernandez's brimming, ready-to-explode guitar on the hook. From this point, the band alternates its light moods ("As You Wish") with more aggressive and sometimes blistering rock-flavored explorations ("Joburg Jam," one of the four tracks featuring the shimmering vibes action of Dave Samuels, "Wiggle Room"). Most veteran bands would gasp for survival in the culture of stricter radio formats by playing it ever safer and trendy, but Spyro Gyra has never been most bands. Each release has a few sweet pleasantries (and even these feature magnificent musicianship) but a great deal more energy and blowing than today's average smooth jazz listener is used to. It's worth the plunge. ~ Jonathan Widran https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-deep-end-mw0000458674

Personnel:  Jay Beckenstein – saxophones; Tom Schuman – keyboards; Scott Ambush – bass guitar; Julio Fernandez – guitars, vocals on "The Crossing"

The Deep End

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Mack Avenue SuperBand - Live from the Detroit Jazz Festival

Styles: Jazz, Big Band
Year: 2015
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 59:16
Size: 136,5 MB
Art: Front

( 0:59)  1. Introduction
( 9:49)  2. Riot
(10:31)  3. The Struggle
( 7:53)  4. A Mother's Cry
(11:25)  5. Santa Maria
( 7:01)  6. For Stephane
( 1:17)  7. Introduction to Bipolar Blues Blues
(10:17)  8. Bipolar Blues Blues

Bands fostered by labels and sourced from their stables are nothing new. The concept itself has always carried great possibility, but many a label has dropped the ball on the artistic responsibility side of the equation. At their worst, these types of get-togethers have come off as incongruous gatherings that are crudely slapped together. The concerts and/or albums that often fall into that category typically have one thing in common: they're there to make a quick buck and nothing else really matters. But not every label gathering is made for that purpose. A label band, when done right, can help to showcase artists while displaying and furthering a sense of community. The Mack Avenue Superband projects prove that point.  So what exactly makes this album and its two antecedents work while other such projects have failed miserably? There's no easy answer, but organization and attention to detail may very well be the keys to success. This gathering may take place on one fine day, but the band's music director bassist Rodney Whitaker starts to formulate a plan several months ahead of time, reaching out to the musicians to put together a program where everybody has input. So while the seven musicians featured on this album may not be the most stylistically well-matched on paper, with relatively straight ahead players, a gypsy jazz guitarist, and a smooth-gospel saxophone star joining forces, they're all on the same page from beginning to end and there's a spirit of togetherness here that's refreshing to encounter on such an offering.  

Everybody involved with this album knows the drill and comes prepared. Whitaker, his longtime drumming partner Carl Allen, Hot Club of Detroit guitarist Evan Perri, and pianist Aaron Diehl have all been on board for both of the previous incarnations of this group; vibraphonist Warren Wolf and saxophonists Tia Fuller and Kirk Whalum have each taken part in one of these gatherings before. Here, they all gel beautifully in various combinations. Whalum and Fuller blow atop the rhythm section with vim and vigor on the former's "Bipolar Blues Blues"; Wolf and Perri prove to be surprisingly well-matched partners, locking in together on Herbie Hancock's "Riot" and pulling from the same stylistic bag on Perri's Spanish-tinged, Chick Corea-esque "For Stephanie"; Wolf's vibes, Fuller's soprano, and Whalum's flute meld and move gently atop the light Latin flow below on Whitaker's "A Mother's Cry"; and Diehl's gifts as a genre-blind player with exquisite taste and an enormous musical vocabulary come to the surface on his own "Santa Maria," a piece which opens on three-and-a-half minutes of expression-rich piano exploration before taking shape as a swinger that vacillates between lightheartedness and resoluteness. This edition of the Mack Avenue Superband has much to offer, proving that the difference between success and failure with label bands rests with the execution and the chemistry. With sound planning and the right participants, a label concoction can be a very good thing. ~ Dan Bilawsky https://www.allaboutjazz.com/live-from-the-detroit-jazz-festival-2014-mack-avenue-superband-mack-avenue-records-review-by-dan-bilawsky.php

Personnel: Rodney Whitaker: music director, acoustic bass; Carl Allen: drums; Aaron Diehl: piano; Tia Fuller: alto saxophone, soprano saxophone; Evan Perri: guitar; Kirk Whalum: tenor saxophone, flute; Warren Wolf: vibraphone.

Live from the Detroit Jazz Festival

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Lita Roza - Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea & Singles Compilation (1951-53)

Styles: Vocal
Year: 1953
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 71:32
Size: 166,2 MB
Art: Front

(2:51)  1. Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea
(3:16)  2. Willow Weep for Me
(3:18)  3. Little White Lies
(3:45)  4. Moon Song
(3:36)  5. Wrap Your Troubles in Dreams
(2:49)  6. I Only Have Eyes for You
(2:18)  7. You Turned the Tables on Me
(3:35)  8. I Cover the Waterfront
(3:01)  9. You're Driving Me Crazy
(3:08) 10. Moonglow
(2:32) 11. You Took Advantage of Me
(2:43) 12. No Moon at All
(2:55) 13. My One and Only Love
(2:30) 14. Lullaby of Broadway
(2:57) 15. A Wonderful Guy
(2:36) 16. I'm Gonna Wash that Man Right Out of My Hair
(2:38) 17. It's All in the Game
(2:23) 18. It's All Over but the Memories
(2:54) 19. Somewhere in the Moonlight
(2:31) 20. Oakie Boogie
(2:53) 21. Raminay
(3:01) 22. Blackpool Bounce
(2:08) 23. Botch-a-Me (Ba-ba-Baciami Piccina)
(2:42) 24. Ooh What You Do to Me
(2:23) 25. Crazy Man Crazy

Lita Roza was born Lilian Patricia Lita Roza on March 14, 1926 in Liverpool to Elizabeth Anne and Francis Vincent Roza, a Spanish marine engineer and part-time pianist at a local nightclub. The eldest of seven children, she auditioned as a dancer at the age of 12 in a pantomime to help support the family, eventually working up to performing with the comedian Ted Ray and actress Noel Gordon in the show Black Velvet. Because life was becoming too dangerous in London during the blitz of 1940, her family wanted her back in Liverpool. She turned to singing on her return and managed to get a job as a resident singer in a Merseyside club called The New Yorker. Shortly afterwards, she signed to become a singer with the Harry Roy Orchestra, one of Britain's leading wartime big bands, although when Roy was booked to tour the Middle East, the young Lita Roza was not allowed to join them, being only 17 years old. At just 18, she retired from show business, marrying James Shepherd Holland, one of the Canadian servicemen who was stationed in the U.K.; they moved to Miami. The marriage did not last, however, and after the war she returned to Britain, finding work with another top bandleader of the time, Ted Heath, alongside Dickie Valentine and Denis Lotis. As many of her contemporaries, she combined working with a big band with a career as a solo singer, and in 1953, she recorded a version of Patti Page's "How Much Is That Doggie in the Window," which topped the charts in April for one week, easily beating off the challenge of the Page version, and only the eighth number one song in the then recently introduced British charts. Despite its success, Roza hated the song and would never perform it in public. She left the Ted Heath band and married Ron Hughes, a trumpet player. She was voted Top Girl Singer of 1951-1952 in the Melody Maker dance band polls and won the Top Female Singer category in New Musical Express from 1951-1955 consecutively. 

Another couple of minor solo hits followed, "Hey There" and "Jimmy Unknown," but despite releasing a total of 55 singles and four albums on Decca Presenting Lita Roza, Listening in the After-Hours, Love Is the Answer, and Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea her record sales were halted by the arrival of rock & roll and in the mid-'50s she concentrated on television work (including her own show Lita Roza Sings and several appearances with Ted Heath and on the new TV pop show Six Five Special, the only pop show on TV in the mid-'50s) and working in cabarets around the world including in Australia, New Zealand, and the Flamingo Hotel in Las Vegas. She was asked to join a series of Ted Heath reunion concerts in 1982 along with Denis Lotis and Don Lusher and most of the original musicians from the band. In 2001, Roza was honored as the first artist with a bronze disc placed on the Wall of Fame in Matthew Street, opposite the Cavern Club, which featured all the acts from Liverpool who had achieved a number one to date including everyone from Frankie Vaughan, Michael Holiday, and the Beatles to Sonia, Mel C, and Atomic Kitten. Throughout the late '90s and into the 21st century, Universal Music, which owns the rights to Roza's Decca recordings, released several compilations of her songs as well as her final album, Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea, and Ted Heath Singles 1951-1953. She gave her final performance on Radio Merseyside in November 2002. Lita Roza died at her home in London on August 14, 2008; she was 82 years old. ~ Sharon Mawer https://www.allmusic.com/artist/lita-roza-mn0000496575/biography

Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea & Singles Compilation (1951-53)

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Patrick Cornelius - Maybe Steps

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2011
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 56:09
Size: 129,6 MB
Art: Front

(4:43)  1. Christmas Gift
(5:32)  2. Maybe Steps
(2:32)  3. Bella's Dreaming
(6:26)  4. Brother Gabriel
(4:47)  5. Shiver Song
(6:08)  6. Into The Stars
(6:17)  7. A Day Like Any Other
(5:51)  8. Echoes Of Summer
(4:55)  9. My Ship
(3:59) 10. Conception
(4:54) 11. Le Rendez-vous Final

Maybe Steps is alto saxophonist Patrick Cornelius' third album, and his first for the excellent Los Angeles-based Posi-Tone Records. He's joined by the talented rhythm section of pianist Gerald Clayton, bassist Peter Slavov and drummer Kendrick Scott in a graceful and melodically strong performance, mostly of his original tunes. Cornelius' compositions swing gracefully, with seemingly effortless ease on the part of all of the musicians. "Maybe Steps" typifies this relaxed groove; the tune also appears on Cornelius' second album, Fierce (Whirlwind Recordings, 2010) where it was characterized by a brighter sound and Michael Janisch's tough bass line. This new version is more effective, the subtle playing of Clayton, Slavov and Scott providing a perfectly judged backdrop to Cornelius' warm alto. On "Echoes of Summer," Cornelius is joined by guitarist Miles Okazaki, the two instruments complementing each other sonically and giving added depth to its melody. Ispired by Cornelius' baby daughter, "Bella's Dreaming" is a lovely ballad that displays the saxophonist's masterful control of his instrument. "Brother Gabriel," which Cornelius first recorded with the Transatlantic Collective on Travelling Song (Woodville Records, 2009), gets its inspiration from singer/songwriter Peter Gabriel's reflective and downbeat "Here Comes The Flood." Once again, Cornelius produces a beautifully controlled performance, this time on a tune that is a touch more intense than most in this collection. "Le Rendez-vous Final" swings gently, thanks especially to Scott's drumming, and yet it carries an air of sadness that is somehow at odds with this rhythm.  Pianist Asen Doykin duets with Cornelius on an understated and delicate performance of Kurt Weill's melancholic "My Ship"; slow, measured and emotive, it's a superb interpretation of this classic song. Sir George Shearing's "Conception" is more upbeat, driven by Scott's percussion and given added depth, once again, by Okazaki's deft guitar work. Cornelius' star continues to rise. Maybe Steps is his strongest outing yet, demonstrating his all-too-rare ability to combine the writing of memorable and accessible tunes with a performance that engages with, and enhances, their beauty and emotional connection. ~ Bruce Lindsay https://www.allaboutjazz.com/maybe-steps-patrick-cornelius-posi-tone-records-review-by-bruce-lindsay.php

Personnel: Patrick Cornelius: alto saxophone; Gerald Clayton: piano; Peter Slavov: bass; Kendrick Scott: drums; Mile Okazaki: guitar (6, 8); Assen Doykin: piano (9).

Maybe Steps

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Chick Corea - Akoustic Band

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1989
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 60:15
Size: 139,3 MB
Art:

(4:55)  1. Bessie's Blues
(4:47)  2. My One And Only Love
(6:53)  3. So In Love
(5:06)  4. Sophisticated Lady
(8:13)  5. Autumn Leaves
(6:11)  6. Someday My Prince Will Come
(6:33)  7. Morning Sprite
(5:12)  8. T.B.C. (Terminal Baggage Claim)
(6:29)  9. Circles
(5:52) 10. Spain

After recording a string of fusion records in the late '80s with his Elektric Band, Chick Corea returned to acoustic jazz with this trio date. Enlisting Elektric Band sidemen John Patitucci and Dave Weckl, Corea swings through ten tracks with noticeably mixed results. The leader is as romantic as ever, playing with bravado even on ballads, flawlessly executing complicated ideas, reveling in drama and melodrama. Patitucci's upright playing clearly betrays his electric pedigree; listen quickly to his solo on "So in Love" and you might mistake it for a Jaco Pastorius spot. Weckl has been accused of being a soulless technician serving questionable music in the past, and those who are predisposed against him will find nothing here to change their minds. On the Corea-penned compositions, the band sounds tight and fresh, but on the standards, they sound out of place. 

The band's reading of "Sophisticated Lady," for example, is busy and confused, but once they get their hands on Corea's own "Morning Sprite," the resulting joyful romp is pure pleasure. An unremarkable performance of "Autumn Leaves" is balanced by a great new take on Corea's classic "Spain," where Weckl and Patitucci tear through the song with panache as Corea solos gleefully on top. This band seems made for one thing: to play Chick Corea originals and in any situation other than that they sound awkward. If this album is an attempt to take the standard piano trio and apply a fusion-informed, Corea-style attitude toward familiar material, it is an interesting experiment. In the end, however, it still does not work as well as some of Corea's other efforts, but you can't blame him or his bandmates for trying. A pleasant, though by no means essential, entry in Corea's discography. ~ Daniel Gioffre https://www.allmusic.com/album/chick-corea-akoustic-band-mw0000199498

Personnel:  Piano, Producer – Chick Corea; Bass – John Patitucci; Drums – Dave Weckl

Akoustic Band

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Fourplay - Esprit De Four

Styles: Jazz, Funk, Soul, Fusion 
Year: 2012
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 55:01
Size: 126,6 MB
Art: Front

(7:46)  1. December Dream
(4:12)  2. Firefly
(7:11)  3. Venus
(4:12)  4. Sonnymoon
(6:08)  5. Put Our Hearts Together - Instrumental Version
(4:16)  6. All I Wanna Do
(7:05)  7. Logic Of Love
(6:22)  8. Esprit De Four
(4:26)  9. Sugoi
(3:18) 10. Put Our Hearts Together - Vocal Version

Bands don't last over two decades with minimal turnover in personnel and continued success if they're composed of egotists, prima donnas, drama queens or people that just don't play nice together. Fourplay has endured and thrived because it is an egalitarian coalition of seasoned professionals who set aside private agendas to serve the group dynamic. When a new guitarist joins Fourplay it typically takes their sophomore recording with the long-running band before they truly begin to fit in. In over 20 years there have been only three personnel changes, with original guitarist Lee Ritenour being replaced by Larry Carlton, who manned the spot for 12 years and seven albums, until he exited and Chuck Loeb became the "new guy" on Let's Touch the Sky (Heads Up, 2010). Stability has been a strength for this assemblage of veteran musicians even if consistency has led the band to be dismissed by critics little more than slick, smooth jazz. That was truer before than it is now as the Fourplay of 2012 bears little resemblance to the 1991 version despite three-quarters of the lineup being still composed of founders Bob James, Nathan East and Harvey Mason. James' keyboards are still at the heart of the group, but whoever the guitarist is gives it much of its soul, and on Esprit De Four a lion's share of the direction as well. Loeb is predominantly featured on the first four tracks and guides the group into making music that is too passionate to be "slick." Even when East takes his standard vocal turn on "All I Wanna Do," Loeb's guitar is front and center leading the way. This hardly means the rest of the band recedes into the background. Mason's "Venus" is lush and lovely with James and Loeb gently trading leads before smoothly dueting to the close. "Sonnymoon" is the closest these old pros come to sounding like "classic" Fourplay, as the Mason and East rhythm section keeps things fast and funky. It's just an excuse for four minutes of jamming, but let no one think Fourplay can't still get down when it wants to. 

If Loeb steps up to assert himself as primary soloist, James, who will turn 73 in December 2012, seems willing to relinquish some of the spotlight to Loeb, or at least doesn't seem the least stressed out sharing it. James has a deep fondness for Eastern culture and his two contributions, "Sugoi" and "Put Our Hearts Together," are evidence of that influence. "Put Our Hearts Together" (in both an instrumental and vocal version) is dedicated to the people of Japan in the wake of 2011's horrific earthquake and tsunami. Esprit De Four eschews the Fourplay formula of American chart-topping guest vocalists such as Anita Baker or Michael McDonald in favor of a demonstration of cross-cultural outreach, as Japanese superstar Seiko Matsuda to provides the vocals for "Put Our Hearts Together." The charge most frequently levied at Fourplay by its detractors is that the music is safe and formulaic. While it would be an untruth to say this is the most freewheeling quartet in jazz, it's petty to confuse popularity and acclaim with shallowness and superficiality. Fourplay cares too deeply about its music to be a cynical superstar band conceived as little more than a cash grab. ~ Jeff Winbush https://www.allaboutjazz.com/fourplay-esprit-de-four-by-jeff-winbush.php

Personnel: Bob James: keyboards; Nathan East: bass, vocals; Chuck Loeb: guitars, synths; Harvey Mason: drums, percussion, vibes, synths; Seiko Matsuda: vocals (10); Lizzy Loeb: additional vocals (1); Kenny Mason and the Voices of Praise Choir.

Esprit De Four

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Oscar Peterson - An Oscar Peterson Christmas

Styles: Piano, Christmas
Year: 1995
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 52:25
Size: 121,7 MB
Art: Front

(3:25)  1. God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen
(4:46)  2. What Child Is This?
(3:40)  3. Let It Snow
(3:48)  4. White Christmas
(3:14)  5. Jingle Bells
(2:49)  6. I'll Be Home for Christmas
(3:29)  7. Santa Claus Is Coming to Town
(3:16)  8. O Little Town of Bethlehem
(6:52)  9. Christmas Waltz
(3:56) 10. Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas
(3:08) 11. Silent Night
(4:06) 12. Winter Wonderland
(3:33) 13. Away in a Manger
(2:17) 14. O Christmas Tree

Oscar Peterson takes it easy during his relaxed set. He had not completely recovered from his stroke but he was still an impressive pianist. Peterson, who is assisted by guitarist Lorne Lofsky, bassist David Young, and drummer Jerry Fuller, is joined by a 20-piece string section arranged and conducted by Rick Wilkins. The 14 holiday tunes (which include "God Rest Ye Merry Gentleman," "White Christmas," "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town" and "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas") are given tasteful and lightly swinging treatments and there are guest appearances by vibraphonist Dave Samuels and flugelhornist Jack Schantz. But no real surprises or chancestaking occurs and the music is mostly just pleasant. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/an-oscar-peterson-christmas-mw0000179179

Personnel:  Oscar Peterson – piano; Dave Samuels – vibraphone (3, 4, 7, 10, 12); Jack Schantz – flugelhorn (5, 6, 13); Lorne Lofsky – guitar; David Young – double bass; Jerry Fuller – drums; String orchestra conducted and arranged by Rick Wilkins

An Oscar Peterson Christmas

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Diana Krall - Christmas Songs

Styles: Vocal, Piano, Christmas
Year: 2005
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 44:50
Size: 103,1 MB
Art: Front

(3:25)  1. Jingle Bells
(4:01)  2. Let It Snow
(4:23)  3. The Christmas Song
(3:14)  4. Winter Wonderland
(3:07)  5. I'll Be Home for Christmas
(3:34)  6. Christmas Time Is Here
(2:53)  7. Santa Claus Is Coming to Town
(4:19)  8. Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas
(4:32)  9. White Christmas
(4:10) 10. What Are You Doing New Year's Eve
(3:27) 11. Sleigh Ride
(3:40) 12. Count Your Blessings Instead of Sheep

On her first full-length Christmas album, pianist/vocalist Diana Krall delivers a smoky, sophisticated, and slightly melancholy album perfectly suited to accompany egg nog cocktails and romantic afterglow holiday affairs. Although there isn't anything unexpected on Christmas Songs Irving Berlin's "Count Your Blessings Instead of Sheep" is as close to obscure as it gets Krall coos life into such standards as "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas," "What Are You Doing New Year's Eve," and "I'll Be Home for Christmas." It also doesn't hurt that she gains top-notch support from the Clayton-Hamilton Orchestra, whose urbane arrangements help bring to mind similar works by such iconic vocalists as Nat King Cole, June Christy, and Frank Sinatra. But it's not all deep sighs and bedroom eyes; on the contrary, Krall keeps things swinging with such uptempo numbers as the joyous "Jingle Bells," "Winter Wonderland," and the Blossom Dearie-inflected "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town." If you like your holiday albums cool and classy, Christmas Songs is a stocking stuffer that's sure to please. 

~ Matt Collar https://www.allmusic.com/album/christmas-songs-mw0000703424

Personnel:  Diana Krall - piano, vocals, arranger

The Clayton/Hamilton Jazz Orchestra: Jeff Hamilton - drums; Robert Hurst - upright bass; Anthony Wilson - guitar; Gerald Clayton - piano on "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town"; Tamir Hendelman - piano on "Sleigh Ride", fender rhodes on "What Are You Doing New Year's Eve"; Jeff Clayton - alto saxophone, flute; Keith Fiddmont - alto saxophone, clarinet; Rickey Woodard - tenor saxophone solos, clarinet; Charles Owens - tenor saxophone, clarinet; Adam Schroeder - baritone saxophone, bass clarinet; Rick Baptist - trumpet

Christmas Songs

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Big Band All Stars - When Shadows Fall

Styles: Jazz, Big Band
Year: 2018
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 29:42
Size: 68,7 MB
Art: Front

(2:51)  1. Sweet and Lovely
(3:14)  2. Song of India
(3:31)  3. Penthouse Serenade
(2:32)  4. Ramona
(2:54)  5. When Shadows Fall
(3:00)  6. Autumn Leaves
(3:31)  7. Mean to Me
(2:56)  8. The Night Is Young
(1:55)  9. Ciribiribin
(3:15) 10. Tenderly

When Shadows Fall

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Michael Law's Piccadilly Dance Orchestra - Brighter Than the Sun

Styles: Easy Listening
Year: 2011
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 50:52
Size: 117,4 MB
Art: Front

(3:02)  1. Brighter Than the Sun
(2:49)  2. My Hat's On The Side of My Head
(3:46)  3. It Don't Mean a Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing)
(3:13)  4. It Can't Be Wrong
(2:49)  5. Masculine Women! Feminine Men!
(3:22)  6. In The Still of the Night
(3:06)  7. Jubilee Stomp
(2:59)  8. Deep In a Dream
(3:41)  9. White Jazz
(2:50) 10. You Ought to See Sally on Sunday
(3:46) 11. Midnight, The Stars and You
(3:38) 12. If I Had a Talking Picture of You
(3:11) 13. Embassy Stomp
(2:29) 14. The Lady is in Love With You
(3:09) 15. Let Yourself Go
(2:54) 16. Let's Call the Whole thing Off

The Piccadilly Dance Orchestra was founded by Michael Law in 1988. In October of that year the orchestra met for the first time to record two songs, Santa Claus Is Comin' To Town and Two Sleepy People, which were issued privately as the two sides of the orchestra's first ever release, a vinyl single. PRT records (formerly PYE records) liked it and reissued the single in time for Christmas 1988, then recorded our first album, Let Yourself Go, which was released in April 1989 on CD, cassette and vinyl LP record. In 1993 the orchestra began a series of recordings for John Yap's TER/JAY records at the world famous Abbey Road studios. Their sixth album, Brighter Than The Sun, recorded ‘live’, was released on the PICCD label in 2011. In 1992, Alan Bennett-Law joined the orchestra with the aim of matching the standard of administration, technology and customer service to the already high standards of the music. Within a short period of time, Alan negotiated the recording contract with TER/JAY records and his dynamic ideas and enthusiasm took Michael and the orchestra from strength to strength, playing for many top events and parties, as well as developing musical programmes for concert performances. The PDO's performance highlights have included many years playing for dancing for the Henley Festival, Earl Spencer's 30th Birthday Party (where Princess Diana asked the orchestra to play In The Mood - twice!), special BAFTA awards parties for Julie Andrews and Sean Connery, the first ever Proms In the Park and a residency at The Ritz Hotel in Piccadilly. Michael Law then achieved a lifelong ambition when the orchestra began a series of Saturday night dinner dances (Stompin' At The Savoy) at the cradle of British Dance Band music, the Savoy Hotel in October 1997, which continued until December 2003. Other clients include Sir John Paul Getty (60th and 70th birthday parties and a ball at Clarence House where Baroness Thatcher led the dancing), Sir Terence Conran, Earl Spencer's ball to celebrate 500 years of Althorp House and many corporate events. The orchestra have been seen on television for Wogan, Daytime Live, Pebble Mill, Play It Again and Lorraine Live. BBC live radio broadcasts include: for Radio 2 (Radio 2 Arts Programme, Friday Night is Music Night and the VE Day celebrations from Hyde Park), Radio 3 (a live lunchtime concert from the Wigmore Hall) and Radio 4 (a special edition of Loose Ends to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the BBC). Acclaimed worldwide for their spirited recreations of the music of the British Dance Bands, Michael and the PDO were especially chosen for BBC 4's highly successful Len Goodman's Dancing Feet (first broadcast in December 2012) and in July 2013, filmed a sequel, Len Goodman's Dance Band Days. …and you can catch The PDO in the Helen Mirren/Michael Caine movie "Last Orders", playing Chattanooga Choo-Choo! http://www.pdo.org.uk/History

Brighter Than the Sun

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Ian McDougall Sextet - Burnin' The House Down

Styles: Trombone Jazz
Year: 2001
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 46:13
Size: 106,6 MB
Art: Front

(10:17)  1. Strivin' for a Riff
( 7:45)  2. I Mean You
( 4:10)  3. Royal Blue
( 2:05)  4. Undecided
( 5:43)  5. When Joanna Loved Me
( 2:45)  6. Hi Lili Hi Lo
(13:25)  7. O.S. Blues

Canadian trombonist Ian McDougall is perhaps best known for his work with Rob McConnell's Boss Brass Ian was lead trombone and soloist for twenty years. He was also a founding member, soloist, lead trombone, and arranger for the Brass Connection. His compositions and arrangements in both jazz and classical idioms are performed internationally. Ian now resides in Victoria, BC, where he performs regularly with his quartet and sextet, and is also busy teaching and writing. Ian McDougall was born in Calgary, Canada, and grew up in Victoria, leaving there in 1960 to tour in Great Britain with the John Dankworth Band. He returned to Canada in 1962 and began a lengthy career as a freelance player, composer and arranger in Vancouver and in Toronto where, until 1991, he was also the lead and solo trombonist with Rob McConnell's Juno and Grammy award-winning Boss Brass.Two suites composed by Ian have been recorded by that group The Pellet Suite (The Boss Brass Again, UMB GEN1-12), and The Blue Serge Suit(e) (Brassy and Sassy, Concord Jazz, CCD 4508). Ian also was lead trombone and composer/arranger for The Brass Connection, who won the Juno award for best Jazz album in 1982. Since the early 1980's McDougall has become even more involved in composition, and his works have been performed by the CBC Vancouver Orchestra, the Lafayette String Quartet, the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, the Rob McConnell Tentet, and the Toronto Cantata Chorus,among others. Ian now resides in Victoria, where he continues to play, compose, and teach. He taught trombone, composition, and jazz studies at the University of Victoria, leaving there in 2003 as Professor Emeritus. Ian was awarded the University of Victoria's "Distinguished Alumni" award in 2004. The past decade has included tours in Canada and abroad, both as a soloist and with his groups, to Ireland, Scotland, Australia, Denmark, Holland, the USA, Germany, and England, where Ian was music director for two BBC Big Band broadcasts. Over the years, Ian has been invited to be a performer and clinician at three International Trombone Association conventions, in Nashville, Rochester, and in Las Vegas. Also, in the past decade, Ian has been featured as leader on six CDs. His latest double CD is entitled "In a Sentimental Mood," and features the music of Billy Strayhorn and Duke Ellington with Ian joined by his quartet. http://www.ianmcdougall.com/biography.html

Burnin' The House Down

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McCoy Tyner - Beautiful Love

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1991
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 60:07
Size: 139,4 MB
Art: Front

(3:44)  1. Beautiful Love
(5:32)  2. Suddenly
(3:56)  3. Giant Steps
(6:11)  4. Darn That Dream
(3:48)  5. Rhythm-A-Ning
(4:50)  6. You Taught My Heart to Sing
(5:09)  7. Bluesin' with Bob
(6:17)  8. Monk's Dream
(4:26)  9. Naima
(7:08) 10. Miss Bea
(4:39) 11. Rio
(4:23) 12. Lady from Caracas

McCoy Tyner is in top form in this solo concert recorded at the 1991 Warsaw Jazz Festival, playing with added energy throughout the set. Although he does play two John Coltrane compositions (a runaway "Giant Steps" and lush "Naima") and a pair of Thelonious Monk's songs (a romp through "Rhythm-A-Ning" and a jaunty "Monk's Dream"), plus moving interpretations of two standards ("Beautiful Love" and "Darn That Dream"), the focus is primarily on his own works. Although Tyner isn't as well-known a composer as his late boss, he has composed many memorable songs, especially the touching ballad "You Taught My Heart to Sing" (which Sammy Cahn contributed lyrics to, making it popular with a number of jazz vocalists). 

Other highlights include the buoyant "Miss Bea" (a tribute to Tyner's mother), the exotic "Lady from Caracas," and the dazzling "Suddenly." This is one of the lesser-known CDs in McCoy Tyner's discography, though it has been reissued numerous times by different labels under various titles. ~ Ken Dryden https://www.allmusic.com/album/immortal-concerts-beautiful-love-mw0000607160

Beautiful Love

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Beegie Adair - Winter Romance

Styles: Piano, Christmas
Year: 2009
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 48:38
Size: 112,9 MB
Art: Front

(4:00)  1. I'll Be Home For Christmas
(3:54)  2. Winter Wonderland
(4:10)  3. Merry Christmas Darling
(3:59)  4. Sleigh Ride
(3:27)  5. Santa Baby
(4:51)  6. A Winter Romance
(4:07)  7. It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas
(3:58)  8. A Child Is Born
(3:41)  9. Mistletoe And Holly
(4:32) 10. Snowfall
(4:25) 11. It's The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year
(3:28) 12. Auld Lang Syne

For her Christmas album, pianist Beegie Adair engages an orchestra to back her usual trio. That action pushes the genre designation for her music from "jazz" to "easy listening." Although generally defined as a jazz artist, Adair is on the more conservative side, usually playing the melodies of the standards she likes to fill her albums with, while adding only brief improvisational sections and embellishments. Here, the string arrangements don't leave much room even for that, making this instrumental pop with a holiday bent and almost no jazz content. Of course, it's a pleasant recording of some very familiar material, festive and occasionally playful ("Santa Baby") as well as sentimental. Most artists use their Christmas albums simply to present seasonal music in their established styles; Adair goes beyond that somewhat by adding the orchestra, but this album still sounds like what her followers would expect. ~ William Ruhlmann https://www.allmusic.com/album/winter-romance-mw0001778192

Personnel:   Piano – Beegie Adair;  Bass – Roger Spencer; Cello – John Catchings, Sari Reist; Clarinet – Lee Levine; Contrabass [String Bass] – Jack Jezzro; Drums – Chris Brown; Flute – Erik Gratton; French Horn – Beth Beeson, Jennifer Kummer;  Guitar – Jack Jezzro; Harp – Mary Alice Hoepfinger; Keyboards – Jeff Steinberg; Oboe – Ellen Menking;  Orchestra – The Jeff Steinberg Orchestra; Percussion – Eric Darken;  Tenor Saxophone – Denis Solee;  Viola – Jim Grosjean, Kristin Wilkinson, Monisa Angell;  Violin – Conni Ellisor, David Angell, Karen Winkelmann, Pam Sixfin;  Violin, Concertmaster – David Davidson

Winter Romance

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Aaron Heick, William Jay Stein, Michael Rosen - Jazz at Midnight

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2017
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 13:30
Size: 32,5 MB
Art: Front

(2:33)  1. Rainy Days and Sundays
(1:16)  2. Streets of Detroit
(2:23)  3. Casting Dreams
(1:10)  4. Moody Manhattan
(1:09)  5. Reflections on the City
(1:34)  6. Everything Happens to You
(2:12)  7. West Seventy Seventh Street
(1:08)  8. Blue Haze

Seattle-born Aaron Heick is currently a freelance saxophonist and multi-instrumentalist living in New York City. He became a long-time member of R&B diva Chaka Khan's touring band, following what was to be a one-time recording session. Over the past 20 years, Aaron has also worked with a diverse group of artists including Paul Simon, Suzanne Vega, Aretha Franklin, Carly Simon, Frank Sinatra, Donald Fagen, Vonda Shepard, Cyndi Lauper, Ben E. King, Bobby Caldwell, Vanessa Williams, Manhattan Transfer, Steps Ahead, Jim Beard, Dennis Chambers, Grover Washington Jr. and Ray Baretto. Saxophonist Aaron Heick has immersed himself in a musical community as diverse as the City of New York itself. In addition to his eight-year association with Chaka Khan, he has maintained a role as an active member of the New York studio scene. Between his frequent tours to Europe and Japan, Aaron Heick also finds time to sub regularly on Broadway. It seems there is no one specific definition for Aaron Heick's work as a saxophone player. His musical pursuits are as varied as his interests. The one constant in his musical life is the saxophone. http://www.mymusicbase.ru/PPB/ppb40/Bio_4076.htm

Jazz at Midnight

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Laura Dickinson 17 - Auld Lang Syne

Styles: Vocal, Christmas
Year: 2018
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 41:20
Size: 96,4 MB
Art: Front

(4:06)  1. Happy Holiday / The Holiday Season
(3:12)  2. I've Got My Love to Keep Me Warm
(2:46)  3. Christmas Is Starting Now (From Phineas & Ferb)
(3:41)  4. Peace and Joy (From Sofia the First)
(3:11)  5. The Man with the Bag
(5:02)  6. Love, You Didn't Do Right by Me
(2:54)  7. A Marshmallow World
(4:23)  8. Miss You Most (At Christmas Time)
(4:21)  9. Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!
(3:46) 10. Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas
(3:53) 11. Auld Lang Syne

In 2017, Laura won three GRAMMY® awards for her work as a female music producer and vocal contractor. In 2018, Michael Bublé's Nobody But Me album was nominated in the Traditional Pop category, which Laura was honored to work on as vocal contractor with a featured vocal on the first track. Dickinson’s sophomore album ventures into a classic, holiday mood with her 17-piece big band comprised of Los Angeles’ finest session musicians. She hand-selected her favorite arrangers and oversaw every detail in creating this timeless winter love letter. Laura Dickinson’s debut album, One for My Baby  To Frank Sinatra With Love, showcases the powerhouse vocals that have won her countless accolades on Emmy-award winning TV shows along with her talents as an arranger and multi-instrumentalist. In her mind, Laura heard Sinatra's classics in a fresh new way. It's those inspired arrangements played by a full big band and a lush string section that make One for My Baby a romantic romp of sonic bliss. A native of Southern California, Laura simultaneously infuses a unique freedom and laser-beam vocal precision into every song she performs. An in-demand vocal contractor and voice actress in Hollywood, her soaring vocals can be heard in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, War For The Planet Of The Apes, Sing, the Pitch Perfect franchise, Justin Timberlake & Chris Stapleton’s Say Something music video, A Christmas Story Live, on commercials for Maybelline, Target, and Priceline along with hit shows such as Modern Family, Son Of Zorn and Supernatural. However, it's her award-winning work on Disney Channel's animated hits Phineas and Ferb, Jake and The Never Land Pirates and Sofia The First that bring her the most attention. With a wink, Laura will introduce herself as "I'm your nine year-old daughter's favorite singer." Between her recording career, live performances, leading her own big band, and her responsibilities as a vocal director and vocal contractor for Disney TV Animation, Laura enjoys vocal contracting the most. Her recent contracting credits include Michael Bublé's Nobody But Me album and several international tours, The Simpsons' creator Matt Groening’s Disenchantment, Milo Murphy's Law, Pickle and Peanut, Elena Of Avalor and Amazon's The Last Tycoon starring Kelsey Grammer and Matt Bomer. She recently toured the United States with UK space rockers Spiritualized, sang on the MTV VMAs with Florence + The Machine, performed on Ellen with Keala Settle from The Greatest Showman, performed on the The Talk with Andy Grammer, and opened for many artists including Tony Bennett, Lyle Lovett and Bob Newhart. Her newest and upcoming recording credits include Paul McCartney’s new album Egypt Station, Ralph Breaks The Internet: Wreck-It-Ralph 2, The Nun, The Christmas Chronicles with Kurt Russell, and Call Of Duty: Black Ops 4. http://www.lauradickinson.com/about.php

Auld Lang Syne

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Big Band All Stars - A Swingin' Christmas

Styles: Christmas, Big Band 
Year: 1999
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 46:36
Size: 110,3 MB
Art: Front

(2:08)  1. Jingle Bells
(3:20)  2. White Christmas
(2:45)  3. The King's Horses
(3:01)  4. Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
(2:27)  5. Santa Claus Is Coming to Town
(1:34)  6. Happy Holiday
(2:16)  7. Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree
(2:11)  8. Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!
(2:29)  9. Baby It's Cold Outside
(2:35) 10. I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday
(2:45) 11. Sleigh Ride
(2:13) 12. Jolly Old St. Nicholas
(1:34) 13. Wonderful Christmastime
(2:48) 14. It's The Most Wonderful Time of the Year
(2:48) 15. Frosty the Snowman
(1:56) 16. Winter Wonderland
(1:41) 17. Mister Santa
(1:53) 18. Christmas Alphabet
(1:58) 19. All I Want For Christmas (Is My Two Front Teeth)
(2:04) 20. We Wish You A Merry Christmas

A Swingin' Christmas

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Typhanie Monique - Call It Magic

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2017
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 51:14
Size: 117,7 MB
Art: Front

(5:25)  1. Magic
(4:43)  2. Just Friends
(5:28)  3. This Bitter Earth
(3:31)  4. What Is This Thing Called Love/ This Thing
(5:05)  5. Heart of the Matter
(6:11)  6. Where Is Love / Love Is
(6:11)  7. Called Love
(6:41)  8. Sister/ Miss Celie's Blues
(4:52)  9. Letting My Love Go
(3:03) 10. Don't Get Around Much Anymore

Call It Magic is the fourth album from Chicago vocalist and educator Typhanie Monique. It is a long-awaited project that finds her channeling the passions, frustrations and complexities of love into a work of shimmering beauty. It is her most ambitious recording to date. It features her current quartet - pianist Ben Lewis, bassist Josh Ramos, drummers Dana Hall and Greg Arty - with special guests, clarinetists Ken Peplowski and Victor Goines, organist Tony Monaco and tenor saxophonist Joel Frahm. Call It Magic was produced by Jeff Levenson.  And though Monique surveys standards familiar to lovers of the Great American Songbook, Call It Magic contains quite a few surprises - including originals and tunes from the pop music playlists of Coldplay, Don Henley and Dinah Washington. It is a 10-act master class on the art of pure singing, and she endows it with deep-seated poignancy. Downbeat's Frank Alkyer says, "This is an album that's been years - heck, decades - in the making. It's where the road has taken her and it's a beautiful spot to take in the view. It's music made with great thought, even more care and, yes, a little magic. That's the artistry of Typhanie Monique."  Well known in Midwest jazz circles, Monique has studied with legendary vocalists Bobby McFerrin, Sheila Jordan and the late Mark Murphy. She has shared stages with foundational colleagues Joe Lovano, Chris Potter, Mavis Staples and The Manhattan Transfer. All have made inspiring music that resides within her.  Which helps explain the richness of Typhanie Monique and the soulfulness of Call It Magic - an album that travels straight to the heart. http://www.jazzcorner.com/news/display.php?news=7923

Personnel:  Typhanie Monique - Vocals; Ben Lewis - Piano; Josh Ramos - Bass; Dana Hall - Drums (tracks 1, 3, 4, 6) ; Greg Arty - Drums (tracks 2, 8, 9, 10).

Special Guests: Ken Peplowski - Clarinet; Victor Goines - Clarinet; Tony Monaco - Organ; Joel Frahm - Tenor Saxophone.

Call It Magic

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Chet Baker - Silent Nights

Styles: Trumpet, Christmas
Year: 1986
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 36:04
Size: 83,6 MB
Art: Front

(2:59)  1. Silent Night - Part I
(2:09)  2. The First Noel
(2:32)  3. We Three Kings
(2:04)  4. Hark, The Herald Angels Sing
(4:01)  5. Nobody Knows The Trouble I Have Seen
(3:41)  6. Amazing Grace
(4:32)  7. Come All Ye Faithful
(2:45)  8. Joy To The World
(1:45)  9. Amen
(2:01) 10. It Came Upon A Midnight Clear
(3:28) 11. Swing Low, Sweet Chariot
(4:01) 12. Silent Night - Part 2

This obscure LP teams Chet Baker with altoist Christopher Mason in a quintet for a set of Christmas-oriented music. The concept might have worked better but the performances (all but one being under four minutes and most under three) are overly concise and rarely get beyond the melodies. No chances are taken during this so-so release. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/silent-nights-a-christmas-jazz-album-mw0000195481

Personnel: Trumpet – Chet Baker;  Alto Saxophone – Christopher Mason; Bass – Jim Singleton; Drums – Johnny Vidacovich; Piano – Mike Pellera

Silent Nights

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Kyle Eastwood - Metropolitain

Styles: Jazz, Post Bop
Year: 2009
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 53:24
Size: 122,6 MB
Art: Front

(6:35)  1. Metropolitain
(4:53)  2. Bold Changes
(5:01)  3. Hot Box
(6:10)  4. Black Light
(4:33)  5. Bel Air
(7:22)  6. Samba de Paris
(3:24)  7. Song For You
(5:07)  8. Rue Perdue
(4:52)  9. Le Balai
(5:22) 10. Live for Life

Recorded in Paris, Kyle Eastwood's Metropolitain achieves an original jazz sound that combines the tradition of his father, Clint's record collection with a new generation of influences. He hasn't fallen prey to any gimmicks of style and is carving out his own musical voice with elements that combine to appeal to a broad audience. Anyone who has seen a movie recently will realize that modern jazz remains a big partner in bringing emotions to life. Eastwood and writing partner Michael Stevens have contributed to the scores for several of Clint Eastwood's recent films; among them: Changeling (2008), Flags of Our Fathers (2006), Letters From Iwo Jima (2006) and Gran Torino (2008). Don't get the idea that Kyle Eastwood is merely riding on his father's coattails. He paid his dues while living in the Los Angeles area for several years and then New York and Paris. Playing live gigs has given the young bassist and composer a wealth of experience upon which he rides comfortably on Metropolitain. The hottest tracks feature Eastwood on electric bass with plenty of energy kickin' around. He solos comfortably on both electric and acoustic models, showing enthusiasm for the creative spirit that derives from a lifetime of listening. "Live for Life," "Rue Perdue" and "Le Balai" stand out as the album's most creative tracks. With trumpet and piano trading fours on "Samba de Paris," Eastwood leads with majestic bass lines that tell a story of celebration and festivities. "Black Light" runs amok in 5/4 part of the time, representing an adventure that sends chills up and down the spine. "Hot Box" sends out a rhythmic message about jazz in today's entertainment world where instrumental music can tell a story completely, conveying an attitude faster than visual images. Metropolitain has one track with lyrics. "Live for Life" allows vocalist Camille to express a poignant message of wishes fulfilled; take interest in yourself and live life as you please. She also raps a chorus in the song's midsection, emphasizing the central thought forcefully. Eastwood's music allows impressions to exist clearly, with a full-body experience that lives on through his jazz ideas. ~ Jim Santella https://www.allaboutjazz.com/metropolitain-kyle-eastwood-candid-records-review-by-jim-santella.php

Personnel: Kyle Eastwood: double bass (2, 5, 6), electric bass (1-4, 7-10); Manu Katche: drums (1, 3, 6-10); Franck Agulhon: drums (2, 4, 5); Till Bronner: trumpet (1, 2, 4, 6-10); Graeme Blevins: tenor saxophone (2, 4, 8, 10); Eric Legnini: piano (1, 5-7), electric piano (1); Andrew McCormack: piano (2, 3), electric piano (2-4, 7-10), organ (4, 9); Camille: vocals (1, 10).

Metropolitain

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