Art Pepper - Cinnamon

Styles: Saxophone Jazz 
Year: 2009
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 30:41
Size: 71,0 MB
Art: Front

(2:59)  1. Chili Pepper
(2:54)  2. Surf Ride
(3:10)  3. Cinnamon
(3:15)  4. Nutmeg
(3:14)  5. Susie The Poodle
(3:11)  6. Holiday Flight
(2:52)  7. Straight Life
(3:29)  8. Thyme Time
(3:07)  9. Art's Oregano
(2:26) 10. Brown Gold

Despite a remarkably colorful and difficult life, Art Pepper was quite consistent in the recording studios; virtually every recording he made is well worth hearing. In the 1950s, he was one of the few altoists (along with Lee Konitz and Paul Desmond) who was able to develop his own sound despite the dominant influence of Charlie Parker. During his last years, Pepper seemed to put all of his life's experiences into his music and he played with startling emotional intensity. After a brief stint with Gus Arnheim, Pepper played with mostly black groups on Central Avenue in Los Angeles. He spent a little time in the Benny Carter and Stan Kenton orchestras before serving time in the military (1944-1946). Some of Pepper's happiest days were during his years with Stan Kenton (1947-1952), although he became a heroin addict during that period. The '50s found the altoist recording frequently both as a leader and a sideman, resulting in at least two classics (Plays Modern Jazz Classics and Meets the Rhythm Section), but he also served two jail sentences stemming from drug offenses in 1953 and 1956. Pepper was in top form during his Contemporary recordings of 1957-1960, but the first half of his career ended abruptly with long prison sentences that dominated the '60s. His occasional gigs between jail terms found him adopting a harder tone influenced by John Coltrane that disturbed some of his longtime followers. 

He recorded with Buddy Rich in 1968 before getting seriously ill and seeking rehabilitation at Synanon (1969-1971). Pepper began his serious comeback in 1975 and the unthinkable happened: Under the guidance and inspiration of his wife Laurie, Pepper not only recovered his former form, but topped himself with intense solos that were quite unique; he also enjoyed playing clarinet occasionally. His recordings for Contemporary and Galaxy rank with the greatest work of his career. Pepper's autobiography Straight Life (written with his wife) is a brutally honest book that details his sometimes horrifying life. Art Pepper died of a cerebral hemorrhage on June 15, 1982 at the age of 56. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/artist/art-pepper-mn0000505047/biography

Cinnamon

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Cecil Payne - The Very Best Of

Styles: Saxophone Jazz 
Year: 2010
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 64:51
Size: 149,8 MB
Art: Front

(3:50)  1. Man Of Moods
(7:50)  2. Arnetta
(5:29)  3. I'm Gonna Learn Your Style
(3:40)  4. Tall Grass
(6:40)  5. Saucer Eyes
(5:35)  6. Bringing Up Father
(6:21)  7. Like Church
(4:24)  8. This Time The Dream's On Me
(3:50)  9. Dexterity
(4:00) 10. Yes, He's Gone
(4:47) 11. How Deep Is The Ocean
(5:00) 12. Groovin' High
(3:20) 13. Chessman's Delight

Acclaimed by peers and critics among the finest baritone saxophonists of the bebop era, Cecil Payne remains best remembered for his three-year stint with Dizzy Gillespie's seminal postwar big band. Born in Brooklyn, NY, on December 14, 1922, Payne began playing saxophone at age 13, gravitating to the instrument after hearing Lester Young's work on Count Basie's "Honeysuckle Rose." Young's supple, lilting tone remained a profound influence throughout Payne's career. After learning to play under the tutelage of local altoist Pete Brown, Payne gigged in a series of local groups before receiving his draft papers in 1942. He spent the four years playing with a U.S. Army band, and upon returning to civilian life made his recorded debut for Savoy in support of J.J. Johnson. During a brief stint with Roy Eldridge, Payne put down his alto and first adopted the baritone. Later that year he joined the Gillespie orchestra, earning renown for his unusually graceful approach to a historically unwieldy instrument. Payne appears on most of Gillespie's key recordings from this period, including "Cubano-Be/Cubano-Bop," and solos on cuts like "Ow!" and "Stay on It," but despite near-universal respect among the jazz cognoscenti, he remained a little-known and even neglected figure throughout his career. After exiting the Gillespie ranks in 1949, Payne headlined a session for Decca backed by pianist Duke Jordan and trumpeter Kenny Dorham. Following tenures with Tadd Dameron and Coleman Hawkins, in 1952 Payne launched a two-year stint with Illinois Jacquet, and in 1956, he toured Sweden alongside childhood friend Randy Weston. That same year, Payne also headlined the Savoy LP Patterns of Jazz. In 1957, he and fellow baritonist Pepper Adams backed the legendary John Coltrane on Dakar. 

Shortly after the session he abandoned the music business to work for his father's real estate firm and did not return to performing until 1960. The following year Payne joined the cast of playwright Jack Gelber's off-Broadway hit The Connection, an exposé of the urban drug culture informed by its on-stage jazz performances. From there, he again toured Europe, this time as a member of Lionel Hampton's band, but returned stateside only to resume his real estate work. Payne recorded just a handful of sessions in the years to follow, most notably Zodiac, a superb 1969 date for the Strata-East label. He nevertheless remained a valued sideman, working with Machito from 1963 to 1966 and spending the next two years with Woody Herman. In 1969, he joined Basie, with whom he played for three years. Payne spent the 1970s on and off the radar, cutting sessions for Xanadu and Muse as well as joining the New York Jazz Repertory Orchestra in 1974. He also toured Europe in conjunction with a musical theater showcase titled The Musical Life of Charlie Parker. During the 1980s, he focused his energies into Dameronia, a band formed by drummer Philly Joe Jones in tribute to the music of Tadd Dameron. Payne continued with the ensemble throughout the decade, assuming an even greater creative role following Jones' 1985 death. He also rejoined Jacquet for an extended stint, and toured the New York City club circuit with Bebop Generation, a sextet he founded and led. During the early '90s, Payne helmed a series of well-regarded albums for Delmark. However, as the decade wore on he seemed to vanish, and eventually friends and admirers found him living in his Brooklyn home, a virtual recluse suffering from failing eyesight and living on a modicum of food. A proud, fiercely independent man, Payne only grudgingly accepted the financial assistance of the Jazz Foundation of America, but his health quickly improved and in time he returned to performing. He continued playing regularly well into his eighties, passing away November 27, 2007, just weeks shy of his 85th birthday. ~ Jason Ankeny https://www.allmusic.com/artist/cecil-payne-mn0000661645/biography

The Very Best Of

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Al Haig - Trio And Quintet!

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2000
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 50:00
Size: 115,2 MB
Art: Front

(5:40)  1. Maxology
(5:53)  2. Prince Albert
(6:10)  3. Yesterdays
(3:37)  4. Maximum
(4:01)  5. Just One Of Those Things
(3:09)  6. Yardbird Suite
(2:43)  7. Taboo
(4:55)  8. Mighty Like A Rose
(3:38)  9. S'Wonderful
(1:51) 10. Spotlight
(5:26) 11. 'Round Midnight
(2:49) 12. The Moon Was Yellow

One of the finest pianists of the bop era (and one who learned from Bud Powell's innovations quite early), Al Haig was quite busy during two periods of his career but unfortunately was pretty obscure in the years between. After serving in the Coast Guard (playing in bands during 1942-1944) and freelancing around Boston, Haig worked steadily with Dizzy Gillespie (1945-1946), Charlie Parker (1948-1950), and Stan Getz (1949-1951); and was on many recordings, mostly as a sideman (including some classic Diz and Bird sessions) but also as a leader for Spotlite, Dawn, and Prestige. However (other than little-known dates in 1954 for Esoteric, Swing, and Period), Haig did not lead any more albums until 1974. He played fairly often during the 1951-1973 period, but was generally overlooked. That changed during his last decade, when he was finally recognized as a bop giant and recorded for Spotlite, Choice, SeaBreeze, Interplay, and several Japanese and European labels. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/artist/al-haig-mn0000604469/biography

Personnel: Piano – Al Haig; Bass – Bill Crow, Tommy Potter ; Drums – Lee Abrams, Max Roach; Tenor Saxophone – James Moody; Trumpet – Kenny Dorham

Trio And Quintet!                  

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David Giardina - Crooning In Public

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2018
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 46:23
Size: 107,3 MB
Art: Front

(2:08)  1. Stairway to Paradise
(5:13)  2. Jeanie With the Light Brown Hair
(3:03)  3. Poor Butterfly
(2:10)  4. Do It Again
(3:12)  5. Glow Worm
(4:12)  6. Danny Boy - Londonderry Air
(2:11)  7. Sympathy
(3:54)  8. Tristesse
(2:55)  9. What More Can I Ask For
(4:22) 10. I'm Always Chasing Rainbows
(3:03) 11. I Want What I Want (When I Want it)
(3:09) 12. None But the Lonely Heart
(3:30) 13. A Pretty Girl Is Like a Melody
(3:14) 14. April Showers

“Croon Prince” David Giardina is doing it in public! Crooning that is. Giardina has been a crusader and interpreter of the timeless treasures of Tin Pan Alley since the early 1990’s. His first album “Alive In Tin Pan Alley!” showcased many beloved songs from this golden age of American popular music. In his latest album "Crooning In Public" he has put together some more classic songs that are now in the public domain. The album features selections by tune-writing teams George/Ira Gershwin, Henderson/Brown/DeSilva and Tchaikovsky/Goethe. Can’t make this stuff up! You’ll also hear songs by Irving Berlin, Victor Herbert, Stephen Foster and the last surviving Tin Pan Alley song writer Bernie Bierman plus many others. Some of the tunes are famous, some are..surprises. Special thanks to celebrated concert pianist Paul Bisaccia for his stellar work on most of the tracks. Also thanks to the incomparable Mark York for his fantastic work on "Poor Butterfly" and to Stu Chamberlain (piano) and Susan Mitchell (violin) for their wonderful playing on "What More Can i ask For". Should Crooning in Public be a crime? You be the judge. https://store.cdbaby.com/cd/davidgiardina12

Crooning In Public

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Eric Le Lann, Archie Shepp - Live in Paris

Styles: Trumpet And Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1996
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 71:48
Size: 165,3 MB
Art: Front

( 8:31)  1. Delicated to bessie smith
(13:19)  2. Hope two
( 6:19)  3. The man I love
(12:50)  4. Ask me now
(12:13)  5. Circle
( 5:19)  6. Twins valse
(13:14)  7. Things ain't what they used to be

"We are at the little newspaper Montparnasse Shepp who gives the voice, who blows fire on his quartet ... The Lann is even particularly highlighted on two of his titles ... and we say that for once, we just attended a concert where something really happened . " A. MERLIN / JAZZMAN. " Quarrelsome twins in a symbiotic breath, Eric Le Lann and Archie Shepp leave little time for the Petit Journal to breathe." R. GUYOMARC'H / IMPROJAZZ. "One is a living legend of jazz, the other might well be. Translate by Google http://www.lozproduction.fr/en/cddownload/archie-shepp-eric-le-lann/74-live-in-paris.html

Personnel:  Éric Le Lann - trumpet; Archie Shepp - tenor saxophone, soprano saxophone; Richard Clements - piano; Wayne Dockery - bass; Stephen McCraven - drums

Live in Paris

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Honi Gordon - Honi Gordon Sings

Styles: Vocal
Year: 1962
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 33:36
Size: 77,2 MB
Art: Front

(4:35)  1. Strollin'
(2:28)  2. Ill Wind (You're Blowing Me No Good)
(5:16)  3. My Kokomo
(4:57)  4. Why Try to Change Me Now
(3:19)  5. Cupid
(3:08)  6. Walkin' (Out the Door)
(3:25)  7. Why
(3:40)  8. Love Affair
(2:43)  9. Lament of the Lonely

Honi Gordon's obscurity (this was her only recording as a solo singer) is a mystery for she displays a great deal of talent on this date. Her father George Gordon wrote some of the tricky lyrics (which are phrased like a horn) and Honi (who is given stimulating support by pianist Jaki Byard, Ken McIntyre on flute and alto, guitarist Wally Richardson, bassist George Duvivier and drummer Ed Shaughnessy) is up to the job. Her version of Charles Mingus's "Strollin'" is definitive, she finds something new to say on "Ill Wind" and really digs into the originals. This is bop-based jazz singing at its best. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/honi-gordon-sings-mw0000273471

Personnel:  Honi Gordon – vocals; Ken McIntyre – alto sax, flute; Wally Richardson – guitar; Jaki Byard – piano; George Duvivier – bass; Ed Shaughnessy – drums

Thank You Luis!

Honi Gordon Sings

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Marvin Stamm - Mystery Man

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 1993
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 66:05
Size: 152,6 MB
Art: Front

(6:40)  1. Mark Time
(6:33)  2. Influence
(6:54)  3. Marionette
(7:51)  4. Man With the Cucumber (Mannen Med Gurkan)
(6:10)  5. Re-Re
(7:34)  6. Giuseppe
(6:07)  7. Old Ballad
(8:15)  8. Mystery Man
(6:13)  9. A Method To The Madness
(3:45) 10. My Funny Valentine

Trumpeter Marvin Stamm, rather than drag out the usual bebop standards, mostly introduces new material on his CD. Four songs are played by Berg's quartet with pianist Bill Charlap, bassist Mike Richmond, and drummer Terry Clarke; six add Bob Mintzer's tenor, and of those songs, three find Bob Malach (on tenor and soprano) making the band a sextet. Because Stamm paid as much attention to varying tempos and moods as he did to changing the instrumentation, this set holds one's interest throughout, swinging hard in a modern fashion. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/mystery-man-mw0000619145

Personnel: Trumpet, Flugelhorn – Marvin Stamm;  Bass – Mike Richmond; Drums – Terry Clarke; Piano – Bill Charlap; Tenor Saxophone – Bob Mintzer , Bob Malach

Mystery Man

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Tommy Flanagan Trio - Tommy Flanagan Trio

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1985
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 33:37
Size: 77,7 MB
Art: Front

(3:41)  1. In The Blue Of The Evening
(4:27)  2. You Got To My Head
(5:19)  3. Velvet Moon
(3:35)  4. Come Sunday - Solo Piano
(4:22)  5. Born To Be Blue
(5:30)  6. Jes' Fine - Instrumental
(6:39)  7. In A Sentimental Mood

Since this set (reissued on CD) was originally recorded for the Prestige subsidiary Moodsville, most of the selections are taken at slow tempoes. With bassist Tommy Potter and drummer Roy Haynes giving the pianist fine support, the trio cooks a bit on Flanagan's "Jes' Fine" but otherwise plays such songs as "You Go to My Head," "Come Sunday" (which is taken as a solo piano feature) and "Born to Be Blue" quietly and with taste. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/tommy-flanagan-trio-1960-mw0000340355

Personnel:  Tommy Flanagan - piano; Tommy Potter - bass; Roy Haynes - drums

Tommy Flanagan Trio

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Marvin Stamm Quartet - Alone Together

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 2007
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 73:35
Size: 169,1 MB
Art: Front

(13:51)  1. Alone Together
( 9:35)  2. Come Out and Play
(13:30)  3. Invitation
( 7:35)  4. Baubles, Bangles, and Beads
( 7:09)  5. Lagrima Agradecida
( 6:16)  6. Fun House
( 6:49)  7. When She Looks At Me
( 8:48)  8. T's Butter

Alone Together is not only another splendid album by trumpeter Marvin Stamm's quartet (does he ever produce anything less?), it also comes with a bonus a Dvd whose playing sequence duplicates the Cd and allows one to see and hear Stamm, pianist Bill Mays, bassist Rufus Reid and drummer Ed Soph as they study one another, alertly interact and carefully work things out in a concert taped on November 2006. The quartet as it now stands has been performing together for more than a dozen years, and the rapport and camaraderie are readily apparent. These gentlemen are longtime friends who obviously take pleasure in playing together. You can hear it on the Cd, and see it in their faces on the Dvd. Stamm underscores the point in his cogent liner notes: "Our sensitivity to one another is the only boundary; and because this is an innate quality within each of us, it allows us complete freedom of expression. This is the joy of our playing together. 

That freedom is immediately visible on "Alone Together, on which Mays "plucks the piano strings to lend a bracing twist to his solo, and surfaces elsewhere throughout the invigorating session. This is especially true on Mays' playful "Fun House, which swings happily along behind gregarious solos by Mays and Stamm. Mays also wrote "Lagrima Agradecida, Stamm the ballad "When She Looks at Me and the mercurial "T's Butter, Reid the lively "Come Out and Play. Completing the program are Bronislau Kaper's haunting "Invitation, Robert Wright and George Forrest's "Baubles, Bangles and Beads (from the Broadway musical Kismet) and the title song by Howard Dietz and Arthur Schwartz. The recording is crystal clear, albeit slanted a bit too heavily toward Mays' piano. No problem during solos, but his comping is at times intrusive. Not his fault, of course. Soph and Reid fare better, balance-wise. Reid has a number of tasteful solos, while Soph unleashes his impressive arsenal on "T's Butter, following the last of Stamm's admirable solos. As both the Cd and Dvd have playing times approaching an hour and a quarter, there's no cause for complaint in that area. Any written appraisal, of course, only scratches the surface. As Stamm observes, "One can talk and write about the music, but in reality, it is all in the listening. The suggestion here is that you take his advice and listen (and see) for yourself. ~ Jack Bowers https://www.allaboutjazz.com/alone-together-marvin-stamm-jazzed-media-review-by-jack-bowers.php

Personnel: Marvin Stamm: trumpet, flugelhorn; Bill Mays: piano; Rufus Reid: bass; Ed Soph: drums.

Alone Together

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Viktor Lazlo - Amour(s)

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2002
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 60:52
Size: 140,0 MB
Art: Front

(3:53)  1. Orage
(4:33)  2. Fleur
(4:11)  3. En Cas D'Amour
(3:57)  4. Les Passagers Du Vent
(5:06)  5. If One More Day
(4:18)  6. Danse
(4:18)  7. Si Moi, Si Lui
(3:33)  8. Don't Ask (English version of
(4:02)  9. The Sound of Expectation
(3:57) 10. Un Million D'Annees
(3:27) 11. Besame Mucho
(3:45) 12. It's a Message For You
(4:19) 13. Overjoyed
(3:32) 14. Tout Contre Lui
(3:53) 15. Someone (English version of Or

A stylish and sensual singer, Sonia Dronier became Viktor Lazlo when Belgian producer Francis Depryck discovered her and put together a package inspired by strong sexuality and black-and-white film. Born in Lorient, France, Dronier spent her college years studying and modeling in Brussels, Belgium. After she spent some time singing backup vocals in Depryck's band Lou & the Hollywood Bananas, the producer rounded up a set of nostalgic and noir-flavored songs and renamed her after a character in the Humphrey Bogart classic Casablanca. The stylish full-length She began her career in 1985 with a mix of songs sung in French, English, and Spanish. A French-language cover of Julie London's "Cry Me a River" ("Pleurer des Rivières") became a big hit across Europe a year later. In 1987 she hosted the televised broadcast of the Eurovision contest, which was held in Belgium that year. That same year she had another Euro hit with "Breathless," a duet with American singer James Ingram. After a move back to France in 1989 she released a series of successful albums before the ambitious Verso appeared in 1996 with funk and dub influences and a guest appearance from the classic reggae rhythm section of Sly & Robbie. Critical response to the album was so overwhelmingly positive that Dronier claimed interviews promoting the release had focused on her music instead of her clothes for the first time in her career. ~ David Jeffries https://www.allmusic.com/artist/viktor-lazlo-mn0000622920/biography

Amour(s)

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Lee Morgan - Lee-Way

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 1960/2002
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 39:25
Size: 90,7 MB
Art: Front

( 9:25)  1. These Are Soulful Days
( 9:41)  2. The Lion And The Wolf
(12:09)  3. Midtown Blues
( 8:10)  4. Nakatini Suite

This date was one of trumpeter Lee Morgan's more obscure Blue Note sessions, but fortunately, it has been reissued on CD. Matched with altoist Jackie McLean, pianist Bobby Timmons, bassist Paul Chambers, and drummer Art Blakey, Morgan interprets two of Cal Massey's compositions, McLean's "Midtown Blues" and his own blues "The Lion and the Wolf." The music is essentially hard bop with a strong dose of soul; the very distinctive styles of the principals are the main reasons to acquire this enjoyable music. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/lee-way-mw0000125017

Personnel:  Lee Morgan - trumpet; Jackie McLean - alto saxophone; Bobby Timmons - piano; Paul Chambers - bass; Art Blakey - drums

Lee-Way

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Buddy Morrow - Music for Dancing Feet

Styles: Trombone Jazz
Year: 1957/2016
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 32:53
Size: 77,1 MB
Art: Front

(2:40)  1. Music for Happy Feet
(2:07)  2. Who's Sorry Now
(3:06)  3. Scrub-A-Dub-Dub
(2:46)  4. So All Alone
(2:29)  5. Buddy's Blues
(2:42)  6. The Man with the Golden Arm
(2:08)  7. Bone Dance
(2:10)  8. Muskrat Ramble
(2:30)  9. Ron's Folly
(2:04) 10. Georgia Bop Dance
(2:25) 11. Ling Ting Tong
(5:40) 12. Carioca

Throughout his career, Buddy Morrow loved playing with big bands and doing what he could to keep nostalgic swing alive. He began playing trombone when he was 12 and within two years was working locally. Morrow developed quickly and moved to New York, where he studied at the Institute of Musical Art. He made his recording debut in 1936 with singer Amanda Randolph and trumpeter Sharkey Bonano. Morrow known as Moe Zudekoff until he changed his name in the early 1940s kept busy during the swing era, working with Artie Shaw (1936-37 and 1940), Bunny Berigan, Frank Froeba, Eddie Duchin, Tommy Dorsey (1938), Paul Whiteman (1939-40) and Bob Crosby. After serving in the Navy (1941-44) he was with Jimmy Dorsey's Orchestra (1945). In 1945, at age 26, Morrow formed his own big band but it quickly failed. He became a studio musician for the remainder of the decade. In 1950 he formed a new orchestra that had strong success, giving an R&Bish sound to older standards and having a hit with "Night Train." Morrow spent most of the 1960s and '70s as a studio musician but he worked a bit with the World's Greatest Jazz Band in 1970; in the late 1970s he took over Tommy Dorsey's ghost band. Since then Morrow has been one of the few full-time big band leaders, performing melodic dance music based in the swing era. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/artist/buddy-morrow-mn0000537569/biography

Personnel:  Trombone – Buddy Morrow

Music for Dancing Feet

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Microscopic Septet - Off Beat Glory

Styles: Progressive Jazz, Post Bop 
Year: 1986
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 42:09
Size: 97,5 MB
Art: Front

(5:39)  1. Brooklyn In The Fifties
(4:44)  2. Baghdad Blues
(5:16)  3. Crepuscule With Nellie
(7:34)  4. In The Mission
(2:44)  5. March Of The Video Reptiles
(5:13)  6. I Saw You In Utah (Idaho)
(4:01)  7. I Am The Police
(6:54)  8. By You, Do You Mean You Or Me?

The Microscopic Septet's third album may not have differed too much in spirit from their first two and certainly covers no particularly new ground, but there's still a good deal of enjoyment in listening to these strange fellows go about their business. The off-kilter melodies tinged with noir, the tight, richly arranged horn lines, and, above all, the mischievous humor of the compositions are all still intact. Pieces like co-leader Phillip Johnston's "Baghdad Blues" are still apt to turn on a dime from a smoky torch song to a carousing, rhythmic dynamo. There is, perhaps, something of a drop-off in the level of manic enthusiasm that made their first release, Take the Z Train, so surprising and gripping; some of the tunes drag just a bit. On the other hand, this was the first recording to feature tenor saxophonist Paul Shapiro, who brought a wonderful robustness and soul to the band; he's featured on Johnston's delightful (and delightfully titled) "I Saw You in Utah (Idaho)," with its jaunty hoedown echoes. 

When it came to song titles, it was tough to surpass the Micros, and "By You, Do You Mean You or Me?," which closes out the album, is a fine encapsulation of what the band was about: A romantic, winsome opening theme on soprano merging into a raucous rhythm & blues stomper, with baritone player Dave Sewelson on top roaring while the band layers riff after inspired riff behind him and eventually lapses into a gorgeous dirge. Off Beat Glory isn't the best of the four records they released, but it contains more than enough special moments to make it well-worth the purchase. ~ Brian Olewnick https://www.allmusic.com/album/off-beat-glory-mw0000890167

Personnel:  Tenor Saxophone – Paul Shapiro; Soprano Saxophone – Phillip Johnston; Alto Saxophone – Don Davis ; Baritone Saxophone – Dave Sewelson ; Bass, Tuba – David Hofstra; Drums – Richard Dworkin; Piano – Joel Forrester

Off Beat Glory

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Eddie 'Lockjaw' Davis - Lockjaw's Jazz-A-Samba

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2011
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 38:54
Size: 90,1 MB
Art: Front

(4:53)  1. Wild Rice
(5:20)  2. Guanco Lament
(5:06)  3. Tin Tin Deo
(4:14)  4. Jazz-A-Samba
(5:21)  5. Alma Alegre
(6:21)  6. Star Eyes
(7:36)  7. Afro-Jaws

Eddie Lockjaw Davis was one musician who provided a link from the big band era through to the soul jazz phenomenon of the late 1950s and early 1960s. Davis developed one of the most unmistakable tenor sax sounds in post war jazz. With a full bodied yet reedy tone that was equally at home in rhythm & blues settings as more modern contexts, his playing always had a direct, singing quality that was a huge influence on the next generation of sax men. Davis began to make his mark on the jazz scene in New York when he worked at Clark Monroe's Uptown House in the late 30s. Despite this establishment's close ties with the emergence of bebop a few years later, Davis' tenor saxophone playing was rooted in swing and the blues, and early in his career he displayed a marked affinity with the tough school of Texas tenors. In the early 40s he worked with a number of big bands, including those of Cootie Williams, Lucky Millinder and Andy Kirk. He also led his own small group for club and record sessions. Eddie “Lockjaw” Davis was a pioneer of the tenor-and-organ combo, between 1955-60, he toured and recorded with a unit featuring Shirley Scott on the Hammond B3. In this long-running group, Davis realized his vision of what an organ/tenor combo could achieve. Miss Scott’s taste and light touch on the organ made it possible for Davis to avoid the battering-ram approach and produce music of restraint and taste without sacrificing drive and excitement. After Scott left the band, Davis never really returned to the organ/tenor sound, despite his success with it. 

In 1952 Davis made the first of several appearances with the Count Basie band, which extended through the 60s and into the 70s. He was a mainstay at Prestige, and released a long list of fine sessions for that label and for their subsidiary Moodsville. It was with Basie that he made his greatest impact, although in between these stints he continued to lead his own small groups, notably Tough Tenors with Johnny Griffin in the early 60s. As the 1960s came into focus, Chicago tenor saxophonist Johnny Griffin and his New York counterpart, Eddie “Lockjaw” Davis, hooked up for a series of tenor battle albums that were easily a cut above most such recordings. For one thing, both saxophonists were rock solid bop players who were at the peak of their powers. For another, the two tenor men were very compatible in their playing styles and had a lot of mutual respect. “Tough Tenors” is a November, 1960, date. This record delivers an unbeatable program of music delivered by two of the greatest jazz tenors in top form. After temporarily withdrawing from active music in 1963 to work as a booking agent, he returned as a soloist and road manager for the Count Basie band in 1964. He played in Europe with Mr. Basie, and participated in European tours as part of the Norman Granz troupe with Ella Fitzgerald. He also joined up with Sweets Edison in the 70’s, with which he did sessions and tours. Davis' playing style showed him to be at ease on both gutsy, hard-driving swingers and slow, tender ballads. The former are most evident in his partnership with Griffin and his showstoppers with Basie, while the softer facet of his musical character came to the fore on a fine album of ballads he made with Paul Gonsalves. Davis always confounded critics. Because he was an acknowledged star to the soul-jazz idiom, they expected him to create in a somewhat formulaic setting, taking few chances. Jaws always took chances, and he always did things his way. Eddie Lockjaw Davis was a hard hitting tenor player from the old school, and his legacy survives in his vast and prestigious recordings and memorable live performances when he would dominate the stage. He passed in Nov. 1986, at age of 65. https://musicians.allaboutjazz.com/eddielockjawdavis

Lockjaw's Jazz-A-Samba

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Chris Connor - Lilac Wine

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2016
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 100:35
Size: 231,3 MB
Art: Front

( 3:36)  1. These Foolish Things
( 3:16)  2. Bargain Day
( 3:52)  3. The End of a Love Affair
( 3:35)  4. Glad to Be Happy
( 5:09)  5. Ballad of the Sad Café
( 4:26)  6. Good Morning Heartache
(66:43)  7. Something I Dreamed of Last Night
( 4:57)  8. Lilac Wine
( 5:00)  9. One for My Baby

Along with June Christy, Helen O'Connell, and Julie London, Chris Connor epitomized cool jazz singing in the 1950s. Influenced by Anita O'Day, the torchy, smoky singer wasn't one for aggression. Like Chet Baker on the trumpet or Paul Desmond and Lee Konitz on alto sax, she used subtlety and restraint to their maximum advantage. At the University of Missouri, Connor (who had studied clarinet at an early age) sang with a Stan Kentonish big band led by trombonist Bob Brookmeyer before leaving her native Kansas City for New York in 1947. Quite appropriately, she was featured in the lyrical pianist Claude Thornhill's orchestra in the early '50s. After leaving Thornhill, Connor was hired by Kenton at Christy's recommendation, and her ten-month association with him in 1952-1953 resulted in the hit "All About Ronnie." Connor debuted as a solo artist in 1953, recording three albums for Bethlehem before moving to Atlantic in 1955 and recording 12. Connor reached the height of her popularity in the 1950s, when she delivered her celebrated versions of Billy Strayhorn's "Lush Life" and George Shearing's "Lullaby of Broadway," and recorded such excellent albums as The Rich Sound of Chris Connor and Lullabies of Birdland for Bethlehem and Chris Craft and Ballads of the Sad Cafe for Atlantic. Connor made a poor career move in 1962, the year she left Atlantic and signed with a label her manager was starting, FM Records Connor had recorded only two albums for FM when they folded. Connor's recording career was rejuvenated in the 1970s, and she went on to record for Progressive, Stash, and Contemporary in the '70s and '80s. Connor maintained a devoted following in the 1990s and continued to tour internationally. ~ Alex Henderson https://www.allmusic.com/artist/chris-connor-mn0000776337/biography

Lilac Wine

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Ramsey Lewis - Keys To The City

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1987
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 42:00
Size: 97,1 MB
Art: Front

(5:58)  1. Keys To The City
(5:20)  2. You're Falling In Love
(4:15)  3. 7-11
(4:49)  4. Strangers
(6:16)  5. My Love Will Lead You Home
(6:09)  6. Melody Of Life
(4:12)  7. Shamballa
(4:57)  8. Love And Understanding

Keys to the City is a studio album by Ramsey Lewis released in 1987 on Columbia Records. The album peaked at No. 11 on the Cashbox Jazz Albums chart. The track "7-11" reached No. 67 on the Billboard Hot R&B Singles chart. The album was Lewis' penultimate release on Columbia Records. 

He would leave his longtime label the following year after releasing another album. Keys to the City was co-produced by Maurice White and Larry Dunn of Earth, Wind and Fire, their fourth collaboration, and the first since 1977's Tequila Mockingbird. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keys_to_the_City_(Ramsey_Lewis_album)

Personnel:  Ramsey Lewis: DX-7, Piano, Primary Artist; Roland Bautista: Guitar; Tony Brown: Guitar (Bass); Chris Brunt: Composer, Drums, Percussion; Chris Cameron: Synthesizer; Larry Dunn: Bass, Drums, Keyboards, Percussion; Steven Dunn: Drums, Percussion; Byron Gregory: Guitar (Electric); Luisa Justiz: Vocals; Brenda Mitchell-Stewart: Vocals (Background); Don Myrick: Saxophone; Joe Pusteri: Percussion; Bill Ruppert: Guitar (Electric); Robyn Smith: Drum Programming, Percussion, Synthesizer; Morris Stewart: Synthesizer, Vocals (Background); Wayne Stewart: Drums; Maurice White: Percussion

Keys To The City

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Charlie Palmieri - A Giant Step

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1984
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 49:10
Size: 113,6 MB
Art: Front

(6:12)  1. Fiesta A La King
(5:01)  2. Be Careful, It's My Heart
(7:54)  3. Start The World, I Want To Get On
(5:28)  4. Adios
(5:53)  5. Mis Amigos E.G.C.
(3:53)  6. Bajo Las Sombras De Un Pino
(5:49)  7. Muneca
(8:57)  8. Rhumba Rhapsody

The older brother of Eddie Palmieri, Charlie Palmieri was every bit as gifted a pianist as his sibling, very percussive and responsive to rhythm while also flashing florid passages that were clearly the product of a classical education. His piano studies began at seven and he attended the Juilliard School of Music, turning pro at 16. He started the group El Conjunto Pin Pin in 1948, and then played in a series of ensembles including those of Tito Puente, Tito Rodriguez, and Pupi Campo before forming his own Charanga Duboney group in 1958. As music director of the Alegre All Stars while recording for the Alegre label in the 1960s, Palmieri stimulated competition among Latin labels like Tico and Fania, which formed their own all-star bands in response. Like many Latin jazz artists of the time, Palmieri flirted with the popular Latin boogaloo style in the 1960s and made some records for major labels like RCA Victor and Atlantic. He endured a near mental breakdown in 1969, but rebounded to work again for Puente on his El Mambo de Tito Puente television program, and he also found a second career as a historian and teacher of Latin music and history at various New York colleges in the 1970s. Palmieri moved briefly to Puerto Rico from 1980 to 1983, and after suffering a severe heart attack and stroke upon his return to New York, he recovered to lead various Latin combos, including Combo Gigante. One of his last recordings was a galvanizing cameo appearance on Mongo Santamaria's "Mayeya" in 1987 (now on Mongo's Afro Blue: The Picante Collection for Concord Picante), and he appeared in England for the first time in 1988 shortly before his death. Almost all of Palmieri's work is hard to find through domestic channels, but Messidor's A Giant Step is available on CD. ~ Richard S.Ginell https://www.allmusic.com/artist/charlie-palmieri-mn0000212129/biography

Personnel:  Piano [Uncredited] – Charlie Palmieri ; Bass – Bobby Rodriguez; Bongos – Johnny "Dandy" Rodriguez; Congas – Frank Malabe; Timbales – Mike Collazo

A Giant Step

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George Russell - Stratusphunk

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1995
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 43:24
Size: 99,6 MB
Art: Front

(6:08)  1. Stratusphunk
(8:25)  2. New Donna
(6:16)  3. Bent Eagle
(8:25)  4. Kentucky Oysters
(7:13)  5. Lambskins
(6:55)  6. Things New

Stratusphunk is an album by George Russell originally released on Riverside in 1960. The album contains performances by Russell with Al Kiger, David Baker, Dave Young, Chuck Israels and Joe Hunt. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stratusphunk

Personnel:  George Russell: piano, arranger, conductor; Al Kiger: trumpet; David Baker: trombone; Dave Young: tenor saxophone; Chuck Israels: bass; Joe Hunt: drums

Stratusphunk

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Miss Sophie Lee - Miss Sophie Lee & New Orleans Jazz Vipers

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2007
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 33:40
Size: 83,6 MB
Art: Front

(3:37)  1. Stairway To The Stars
(3:50)  2. Am I Blue
(2:42)  3. I Want To Be Happy
(3:37)  4. Blue Skies
(3:01)  5. Me Mysel, And I
(3:58)  6. Bread And Gravy
(3:14)  7. Sugar Pie
(4:43)  8. I Must Have That Man
(4:54)  9. Goodnight My Love

Miss Sophie Lee met members of the New Orleans Jazz Vipers in 2002 and began performing with them in 2004. As a guest vocalist, Miss Sophie Lee has performed with the Vipers at the 2005 and 2006 New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival; the 2005 Monterey Jazz Festival and 2006 Lincoln Centers' A Midsummer Nights Swing. Miss Sophie Lee is a featured vocalist on the Vipers latest release, "Hope You're Coming Back" released in 2007. Bart Ramsey is a founding member of the gypsy jazz combo VaVaVoom who are a regular fixture on the Frenchmen Street scene and the surrounding New Orleans area. This is the first collaboration of these artists featuring Miss Sophie Lee exclusively on vocals. https://store.cdbaby.com/cd/misssophielee

Miss Sophie Lee & New Orleans Jazz Vipers

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David Giardina - David Giardina - Alive in Tin Pan Alley

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2016
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 32:11
Size: 74,8 MB
Art: Front

(2:31)  1. The Very Thought of You
(2:29)  2. Chitarra Romana
(2:32)  3. The Continental
(2:49)  4. In Old New York
(2:58)  5. Manhattan Moon
(2:28)  6. All the Things You Are
(2:13)  7. Would You
(2:43)  8. its a sin to tell a lie
(2:27)  9. let me love you tonight
(2:24) 10. Martha
(3:11) 11. My Melancholy Baby
(3:19) 12. When Your Lover Has Gone

David Giardina croons the classic tunes of Tin Pan Alley home to the Great American Songbook. Mining the incredible wealth of 1920's -30's s, Giardina serves up and array of haunting ballads, swingy upbeat numbers and fun novelty tunes. He features such notable composers as Gershwin, Berlin, Porter as well as lesser known but luminous hit makers. Tin Pan Alley may be long gone - but as the songwriter wrote: "The Melody lingers on".. https://store.cdbaby.com/cd/davidgiardina1

David Giardina - Alive in Tin Pan Alley

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