Friday, May 3, 2019

Urbie Green - Thou Swell

Styles: Trombone Jazz
Year: 2016
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 26:55
Size: 62,2 MB
Art: Front

(3:22)  1. Thou Swell
(3:03)  2. Paradise
(2:48)  3. One For Dee
(2:50)  4. Warm Valley
(1:52)  5. Frankie And Johnny
(4:23)  6. You Are Too Beautiful
(2:07)  7. Limehouse Blues
(3:19)  8. Reminiscent Blues
(3:06)  9. Am I Blue

A fine jazz player with a beautiful tone who has spent most of his career in the studios, Urbie Green is highly respected by his fellow trombonists. He started playing when he was 12; was with the big bands of Tommy Reynolds, Bob Strong, and Frankie Carle as a teenager; and worked with Gene Krupa during 1947-1950. Green had a stint with Woody Herman's Third Herd, appeared on some of the famous Buck Clayton jam sessions (1953-1954), and was with Benny Goodman off and on during 1955-1957. He played with Count Basie in 1963, and spent a period in the 1960s fronting the Tommy Dorsey ghost band (1966-1967), but has mostly stuck to studio work. Urbie Green recorded frequently as a leader in the 1950s up to 1963 (for Blue Note, Vanguard, Bethlehem, ABC-Paramount, and dance band-oriented records for RCA and Command). He has appeared much less often in jazz settings since then, but did make two albums for CTI in 1976-1977. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/artist/urbie-green-mn0000300013/biography

Thou Swell

Eileen Farrell, Luther Henderson And His Orchestra - Here I Go Again

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2018
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 41:29
Size: 96,6 MB
Art: Front

(5:06)  1. My Funny Valentine
(3:01)  2. Fly Me To The Moon (In Other Words)
(3:58)  3. I Got It Bad And That Ain’t Good
(3:00)  4. Somebody Loves Me
(3:20)  5. Dreamy
(2:48)  6. Wrap Your Troubles In Dreams
(3:44)  7. The Man I Love
(3:22)  8. Solitaire (The Game Of Love)
(3:25)  9. To Be In Love
(3:15) 10. A Foggy Day
(3:31) 11. The Second Time Around
(2:52) 12. Taking A Chance On Love

While opera singers who dabble in popular music are common, those who do so successfully are rare, and those with large dramatic voices who do so are rarer still. Eileen Farrell was as authentic and natural a blues and jazz singer as she was an operatic soprano. She was in fact much more comfortable on the concert stage, on radio, and in the recording studio than in the opera house. She sang relatively few fully-staged performances and was ambivalent about opera and particularly opera house management throughout her entire career (when she taught at Indiana University, she hung a sign outside her office that read, "Help stamp out opera.") Her voice was huge, but capable of great nuances in volume and expressiveness as well as rapid and accurate coloratura, letting her sing bel canto roles such as Cherubini's Medea, the spinto-coloratura Leonora in Verdi's Il trovatore, the verismo Santuzza in Cavalleria Rusticana, and the great Wagner parts of Isolde and Brünnhilde (in concert). Her parents were both singers, The Singing O'Farrells, and recognizing her potential, sent her to study voice in New York. She auditioned for various radio shows and was hired by CBS for chorus and ensemble work. In 1941, she got her own program, Eileen Farrell Sings, where she performed songs and lighter classical music. She remained with them until 1947, when she began to explore other venues, including the Bach Aria Group. 

She also began studying with Eleanor McLellan, who helped her hone her vocal technique, particularly helping her develop a pianissimo. In 1955, she sang for the film dramatization of singer Marjorie Lawrence's life, Interrupted Melody (Eleanor Parker acted the role), and the music, ranging from folk to Brünnhilde's immolation scene, showed off her power, rich voice, and versatility. In 1957, she appeared for the first time on the opera stage, as Santuzza in Mascagni's Cavalleria Rusticana in Tampa, FL, and two years later, sang for the first time in London, in a recital. She made her Metropolitan Opera debut in 1960 in the title role of Gluck's Alceste, and in 1962, won a Grammy for her recording of Wagner's Wesendonck Lieder and the "Immolation Scene" from Götterdämmerung, conducted by Leonard Bernstein. Her relationship with Met management was an uncomfortable one, partly due to differences of personalities and her finding the repertoire they offered unchallenging, and her contract was allowed to drop in 1965. Towards the end of the decade, her voice was beginning to show signs of wear at the very top, and Farrell moved back into jazz and blues recordings, and taught music at Indiana University. She made her last record in 1993, at the age of 72. Farrell died on March 23, 2002. ~ Anne Feeney https://www.allmusic.com/artist/eileen-farrell-mn0000179714/biography

Here I Go Again

Kenny Barron Trio - Minor Blues

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2009
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 72:56
Size: 168,0 MB
Art: Front

(6:35)  1. Minor Blues
(6:57)  2. Beautiful Love
(6:54)  3. Emily
(9:03)  4. For Heaven's Sake
(8:20)  5. How Deep Is The Ocean
(8:37)  6. Too Late Now
(6:33)  7. Don't Explain
(6:25)  8. Hush - A - Bye
(6:51)  9. I've Never Been In Love Before
(6:37) 10. My Ideal

Kenny Barron was honored as an NEA Jazz Master on January 12, 2010, and it was a recognition that was due. Since entering the jazz scene in the early '60s, he has made his mark as a sideman (especially with Dizzy Gillespie and Stan Getz), solo pianist, leader, and composer. These 2009 sessions pair him with frequent collaborator Ben Riley and fellow veteran George Mraz on bass. While most of the focus is on familiar standards, the opener is Barron's slinky "Minor Blues," in which Barron and Mraz both shine backed by Riley's brushwork, though the drummer switches to sticks for his breaks. The leader's jaunty take of "Emily" and driving treatment of "How Deep Is the Ocean?" sizzle. His richly textured setting of "Too Late Now" doesn't require its lyrics to get across the mood of the song, while his breezy Latin arrangement of Billie Holiday's "Don't Explain" casts this ballad in a new light. This is yet another fine example of Kenny Barron's superb chops in a small-group setting. ~ Ken Dryden https://www.allmusic.com/album/minor-blues-mw0001969830

Personnel:  Kenny Barron – piano; George Mraz – bass; Ben Riley – drums

Minor Blues

Duke Ellington - The Pianist

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1974
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 42:17
Size: 98,0 MB
Art: Front

(2:33)  1. Don Juan
(3:58)  2. Slow Blues
(2:53)  3. Looking Glass
(5:47)  4. The Shepherd - Take 1
(6:32)  5. The Shepherd - Take 2
(2:50)  6. Tap Dancer's Blues
(6:35)  7. Sam Woodyard's Blues
(3:40)  8. Duck Amok
(4:26)  9. Never Stop Remembering Bill
(2:58) 10. Fat Mess

Duke Ellington had so many talents (composer, arranger, bandleader, personality) that his skills as a pianist could easily be overlooked. Fortunately he did record a fair amount of trio albums through the years so there is plenty of evidence as to his unique style which was both modern and traditional at the same time. The Pianist has trio performances from 1966 and 1970 and finds Ellington shifting smoothly between styles and moods while always remaining himself. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-pianist-mw0000201685

Personnel: Duke Ellington – piano; John Lamb (tracks 1-7), Paul Kondziela (tracks 8-10), Victor Gaskin (tracks 8-10) - bass; Sam Woodyard (tracks 1-7), Rufus Jones (tracks 8-10) - drums

The Pianist

Didier Lockwood - The Kid

Styles: Violin, Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2015
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 40:19
Size: 93,2 MB
Art: Front

(4:29)  1. Sunny Sonny
(3:08)  2. Sleight of Hands
(4:59)  3. Something Sweet
(3:37)  4. Bloody Mary
(4:01)  5. A Time to Touch
(3:28)  6. The Kid
(5:32)  7. La Ballade De Francis
(5:22)  8. Impressions
(5:39)  9. My Favorite Dream

Didier Lockwood (born February 11, 1956) is a French jazz violinist. He was born in Calais and studied classical violin and composition at the Calais Conservatory. However, his brother Francis made him receptive to forms of music other than the classical and he quit his studies in 1972. Didier was entranced by the improvisation of Jean-Luc Ponty on Frank Zappa's King Kong album and took up the amplified violin. He joined the progressive rock group Magma, touring and notable featured on their 1975 Live/Hhaï album. Lockwood was also influenced by Polish violinist Zbigniew Seifert and Stéphane Grappelli, whom he joined on tour. Didier Lockwood in concert (1992)He has also played with Quebecois fusion group Uzeb on their Absolutely Live album. He is famous for exploring new musical environments and for performing various sound imitations on his amplified violin, such as seagulls or trains. On July 23, 1982, in Montreux, Switzerland, he performed in concert with guitarist Allan Holdsworth, drummer Billy Cobham, bassist/vocalist Jack Bruce, and keyboardist David Sancious. Didier Lockwood created a string instruments improvisation school, CMDL (Centre des Musiques Didier Lockwood), in 2001. He is married to singer Caroline Casadesus. Throughout 2006 Didier has been touring with Martin Taylor the Jazz guitarist. In these performances it is noticeable to see that he is very involved in improvisation. https://musicians.allaboutjazz.com/didierlockwood

Personnel:  Didier Lockwood (Violin, Alto Saxophone, Violin [Violectra]); Barry Finnerty (Electric Guitar); Jean-Michel Kajdan (Acoustic Guitar); Alphonso Johnson (Bass); Richie Morales (Drums); David Sancious (Keyboards); Sydney Thiam (Percussion).

The Kid

Thursday, May 2, 2019

Dave Goldberg - Random Occurrences

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2012
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 65:22
Size: 150,6 MB
Art: Front

(6:28)  1. Summertime
(6:10)  2. April
(8:48)  3. Nowhere
(6:13)  4. Reach Up Touch My Soul (for Lainey)
(5:06)  5. Moon River
(7:03)  6. Years Apart, Miles Away
(6:16)  7. The Below E Blues
(5:50)  8. Blown Away
(7:55)  9. Random Occurrences
(5:28) 10. I've Grown Accustomed to Her Face

Dave Goldberg plays solid, bop influenced jazz the way it's supposed to be done."
- Matt Schudel (Ft. Lauderdale Sun Sentinel)

"Goldberg, displays a strong and assured tone and a maturity of style, rooted in swinging mainstream modern jazz.”
- Sid Gribetz (Jazz Times Magazine)

“The antidote to smooth jazz…Highly recommended, this quartet’s latest album looks to the future of jazz without digging up the roots.”
- Jim Santella (LA Jazz Scene)

“They sound wonderful, I’m quite impressed. They’re growing faster than I can even imagine.”
- Ira Sullivan

"The Dave Goldberg Quartet is a very exciting young group not merely cranking out the same old lame old."
- Bob Weinberg (City Link Magazine)

"Goldberg's tenor sound is full and rich; yet, he remains light throughout."
- Jim Santella (LA Jazz Scene)

"Goldberg's tone throughout tends to be warm, and I'm especially struck by his soprano tone..."
- Michael Coyle (Cadence Magazine) https://store.cdbaby.com/cd/davegoldberg

Personnel:  Dave Goldberg - saxophone, Matt Politano - piano, Roger Shew - bass, Al Sergel - drums, Jules Day - vocals (on Blown Away).

Random Occurrences

Aga Zaryan - High & Low

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2018
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 57:05
Size: 131,6 MB
Art: Front

(5:56)  1. Back
(4:25)  2. High & Low
(4:00)  3. Not Here For Long
(4:29)  4. Paths
(5:19)  5. Spirit Voices
(5:10)  6. Proof
(5:28)  7. Dreams, Themes & Schemes
(6:42)  8. Turn Me On
(5:20)  9. A Story From A Tram (Listen, Little Man)
(3:27) 10. Boo To You Too
(2:43) 11. Geri (In Memory Of Geri Allen)
(4:01) 12. Evil

We present Aga Zaryan entitled "Spirit Voices" from the upcoming album "High & Low" , which premieres in November. Also in November, Aga Zaryan embarks on a concert tour promoting the new album. The artist will visit as many as 15 Polish cities with an international team! The first lady of Polish jazz, the vocalist whose albums appear, among others, in the legendary Blue Note Records label, prepared a new original material. For November concerts, wonderful musicians were invited to Poland, who took part in the recording of the album.

"High & Low" is a unique album, which Aga Zaryan has completely wrapped in her texts, and the authors of the compositions are eminent jazzmen: Michal Tokaj, David Doruzka, Dariusz Oleszkiewicz and Marcin Wasilewski. During the November tour, we will hear both new and original compositions, as well as songs from the previous repertoire. The artist decided not to cross the borders for the first time and invited musicians from various parts of the world for November concerts. On the stage will be accompanied by: Michal Tokaj (piano), Slawomir Kurkiewicz (double bass, bass guitar), a virtuoso guitar from the Czech Republic - David Doruzka and a star of percussion instruments from Portugal, Pedro Segundo. Translate by Google https://translate.google.com.br/translate?hl=en&sl=pl&u=https://jazzsoul.pl/2018/10/26/aga-zaryan-prezentuje-utwor-promujacy-album-high-low/&prev=search

High & Low

Johnny Smith - Legends: Solo Guitar Performances

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 1994
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 62:03
Size: 146,7 MB
Art: Front

(2:20)  1. I'm Old Fashioned
(2:07)  2. Macho's Lullaby
(2:47)  3. 'Round Midnight
(1:30)  4. Wally's Waltz
(2:28)  5. Black, Black, Black
(3:02)  6. Golden Earrings
(1:33)  7. Romance De Los Pinos
(3:01)  8. Norteña
(2:12)  9. Maid With The Flaxen Hair
(2:33) 10. Waltz
(3:55) 11. The Old Castle
(4:17) 12. Sevilla
(2:21) 13. Cheek To Cheek
(4:15) 14. A Foggy Day
(1:12) 15. Tangerine
(2:19) 16. Sunny
(1:23) 17. Why Was I Born?
(2:36) 18. I Didn't Know What Time It Was
(5:22) 19. Tea For Two
(4:32) 20. The Man I Love
(1:42) 21. For You
(2:04) 22. I Hadn't Anyone Till You
(2:22) 23. I Could Write A Book

Despite the impression one could reasonably get from the cover of this reissue, these two guitar legends do not perform together, unfortunately. The next best thing are these solo sessions recorded almost 20 years apart. The first 12 items on the play list belong to Smith and capture his tasteful, clean sound coupled with complex chordal voices, which helped Smith in his adventures with playing classical compositions, including for the fabled Arturo Toscanini. Cuts that remind the listener of Smith's occasional classical foray include "Romance de los Pinos," "The Old Castle," and "Maid With the Flaxen Hair." But Smith was no slouch with constructing unique renditions of popular music. In 1952, teaming with Stan Getz, he made one of the best-selling jazz recordings of all times, "Moonlight in Vermont," which still sold well 50 years later. Van Eps was the master of the seven-string guitar, which allowed him to play his own basslines, well demonstrated on such cuts as "Tea for Two." The 11 pieces assigned to Van Eps reveal a predilection for highly rhythmic versions of well-known pop classics. Perhaps not as multi-faceted as Smith, he nonetheless had a fully developed style that approached the depth and complexity of Smith's. This can be heard on such cuts as "I Hadn't Anyone Till You" and "A Foggy Day." Besides which, he could and did swing. Although sideman on many a session, Van Eps left behind a relatively meager discography as a leader. These solo offerings are among his best. Although the styles of these two guitarists may go down different paths, their excellent technical skills, fully elevated imagination, and sensitivity to what they play clearly establish them among the elite of guitar players, true legends indeed. Recommended. ~ Dave Nathan https://www.allmusic.com/album/legends-solo-guitar-performances-mw0000118935

Personnel:  Guitar – George Van Eps (tracks: 13 1o 23), Johnny Smith (tracks: 1 to 12).

Legends:Solo Guitar Performances

Alex Welsh - Strike One

Styles: Trumpet, Dixieland, Swing 
Year: 2007
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 53:21
Size: 124,4 MB
Art: Front

(4:41)  1. Louisiana
(4:17)  2. I Wished On The Moon
(3:25)  3. Open Country
(5:06)  4. Davenport Blues
(4:17)  5. I Got Rhythm
(5:42)  6. Between The Devil And The Deep Blue Sea
(3:45)  7. Bluesology
(3:39)  8. Oh Baby
(3:19)  9. That Old Feeling
(4:00) 10. Strike One
(2:29) 11. My Blushing Rosie
(2:41) 12. When The Midnight Choo Choo Leaves
(3:35) 13. Sunday
(2:20) 14. Broken Doll

Highland high notes are what Alex Welsh blew. He was one of the great trad jazz players from the United Kingdom and one of the first Scottish musicians to make a name for himself in a genre far removed from bagpipes and haggis. He began his musical life in Leith on the smaller cornet, later switching to trumpet with either horn case in his hand finding an immediate home for his playing on the traditional jazz scene. That was fine with him, since he had loved jazz since his high school days. The teenage Leith Silver Band and later gigs with Archie Semple's Capital Jazz Band represented the earliest phases of his gigging. He moved to London in the early '50s, forming a new band that rushed to the head of its class like a genius dropped into the fourth grade. Showing the type of aplomb and taste that would serve him well throughout his bandleading career, Welsh made sure every position in the band was filled with an expert, exciting player. While some rival bands in this style focused on their stage costumes and antics or recorded in the pop style to break onto the charts, Welsh always put the integrity of the music first. 

His hope was to reach the type of intense, swinging interplay that was part of the best Chicago-style Dixieland jazz and at least some degree of success can be inferred from Welsh's following among trad jazz listeners, and even more from the respect he received from top American players such as Pee Wee Russell and Wild Bill Davison. Welsh's homegrown sidemen over the years included Archie Semple, Fred Hunt, Roy Crimmins, Roy Williams, John Barnes, Lennie Hastings, and Al Gay. In the '60s and early '70s, Welsh frequently toured, including several trips to the United States and performances with the likes of pianist Earl Hines and trumpeter Ruby Braff. Influenced by fellow trad jazz bandleader Chris Barber, Welsh developed a big repertoire, working from popular music as well as jazz and building up a large mainstream following for ensembles. If there was any real sense of blues to the proceedings, it would have been in memory of the first generation of sidemen who had built the band up from the ground, but who were no longer alive to enjoy the level of success the group had now achieved. By the mid-'70s, Welsh's health was also failing, but the trumpeter continued reaching for the high notes as long as he could. The BBC commissioned the '90s Lemonade King, described as "a 30-minute documentary about the life and music of the late, great Scottish jazz trumpet player Alex Welsh."~ Eugene Chadbourne https://www.allmusic.com/artist/alex-welsh-mn0000619892/biography

Strike One

Wednesday, May 1, 2019

Rob McConnell And The Boss Brass - Atras Da Porta

Styles: Trombone Jazz
Year: 1985
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 48:57
Size: 113,7 MB
Art: Front

(5:14)  1. Easy To Love
(5:24)  2. Flowers
(4:59)  3. Jo Jo's Dance
(5:46)  4. Atras Da Porta
(8:48)  5. Amor Ate O Fim
(7:11)  6. Autumn In New York
(4:57)  7. Didi
(6:34)  8. Bye Bye Blues

Virtually every release by Rob McConnell's Boss Brass is easily recommended to fans of straight-ahead and swinging big bands. Put out by the Canadian Innovation label, this release is a bit unusual in that five of the songs are by Latin American composers, two of which were arranged Jorge Calandrelli; in addition, the 22-piece orchestra plays "Easy to Love," "Autumn In New York," and "Bye Bye Blues." Although the material might be a bit different than usual, the band's distinctive sound is unchanged, and there is plenty of solo space for the usual top-notch players altoist Moe Koffman, guitarist Ed Bickert, flugelhornist Guido Basso, and Eugene Amaro on tenor. An interesting set that finds the big band showing a lot of flexibility. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/atras-da-porta-mw0000195203

Personnel:  Valve Trombone – Rob McConnell;  Alto Saxophone, Flute, Clarinet – Jerry Toth; Alto Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone, Flute, Piccolo Flute – Moe Koffman; Baritone Saxophone, Bass Clarinet – Bob Leonard;  Bass – Steve Wallace; Bass Trombone – Ron Hughes; Drums – Terry Clarke; French Horn – George Stimpson, James MacDonald; Guitar – Ed Bickert; Percussion – Brian Leonard , Memo Acevedo; Piano, Electric Piano – Jimmy Dale; Tenor Saxophone, Flute – Eugene Amaro; Tenor Saxophone, Flute, Clarinet – Rick Wilkins; Trombone – Bob Livingston , Dave McMurdo; Trombone [Lead] – Ian McDougall; Trumpet [Associate Lead], Flugelhorn – Erich Traugott; Trumpet [Lead], Flugelhorn – Arnie Chycoski; Trumpet, Flugelhorn – Dave Woods , Guido Basso, John MacLeod 

Atras Da Porta

Miki Howard - Private Collection

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2008
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 36:36
Size: 85,5 MB
Art: Front

(4:04)  1. Crazee
(4:16)  2. Favorite Time of the Year
(3:57)  3. Beer for Breakfast
(3:54)  4. She
(5:08)  5. You Made Me Love You
(2:43)  6. Skylark
(4:02)  7. Secret Love
(3:44)  8. Days of Wine and Roses
(2:16)  9. Guess Who?
(2:28) 10. Counting My Blessings

There is no doubt about the album of the month pick this time especially when this CD is also an extremely strong candidate for album of the year. Miki Howard’s previous CD Pillow Talk her first in five years was a collection of her favorite soul standards. When reviewing that album, I stated that I was “very happy that so many tracks have received a jazzy arrangement with lots of real instruments, and Miki is really in her element singing very personal readings of Inseparable, This Masquerade or Go Away Little Boy”. On this new album, Miki continues her exploration of standard songs, interpreting five of her favourite jazz ballads, but what is even more important, she opens the set with five brand new songs  all of which sound like instant classics! Miki is no novice at interpreting jazz standards: on her previous recordings, she has covered Imagination, You’ve Changed, Good Morning Heartache, This Bitter Earth and an albumful of Billie Holiday covers (Miki Sings Billie). You can thus easily believe that Miki is on familiar ground when she interprets Skylark, Secret Love, Days of Wine and Roses, Guess Who and Counting My Blessings. They are all backed by a genuine jazz trio of drums, piano and bass no saxophone this time. 

The overall atmosphere is quite serene, allowing Miki’s full-blown vocals to take the centre stage. I truly enjoyed every second. Still, I think the main course on Private Collection are the five new songs, on which the overall standard is sky high. They are produced by Miki herself together with Chuckii Booker. The set opens with the brilliant jazzy mid-tempo song Crazee, which really sounds like a classic but is a brand new song. The backdrop swings in an admirable way, driven by a strong bass line, piano riff and jazzy drumming, and in the middle of the track we are offered a lively piano solo. Miki herself sounds better and better each year, and I cannot imagine any other songstress to surpass her tasty performance on this pulsating masterpiece. Certainly among the top picks when we compile our year-end Quality Time top 30 list. The following track Favorite Time of the Year is equally breathtaking. It is a profound soul-jazz ballad with powerfully charged vocals by Miki from the very first second. It’s another track that will be listened intensively in this household years later. Beer for Breakfast is a song title that will delight beer aficionados amongst our readers  the actual song is quite impressive too, being a down-to-earth bluesy tune with great lyrics. The next two songs are obviously aimed for soul lovers. Those who adored Miki’s work with Gerald Levert and Marc Gordon in the late 80s, will undoubtedly fall in love with a track titled She, which sounds like late Mr. Levert would have masterminded both the composition and the arrangement. Chuckii Booker was of course also active on those times, producing many great soul artists like Lalah Hathaway, Marva Hicks, Angela Winbush and his godfather Barry White whereas Chuckii’s solo albums on Atlantic were from 1989 and 1992. 

Even much better is, though, the next new song You Made Me Love You, which rivals earlier Miki Howard classics such as Love Under New Management. I personally described Love Under New Management as a heavily gospel-influenced burner, and precisely the same description fits to You Made Me Love You; a majestic new composition with wonderful bitter-sweet lyrics and Miki’s powerful, emotional interpretation. https://www.soulexpress.net/mikihoward_privatecollection.htm

Personnel:  Miki Howard – Vocals, Composer; Chuckii Booker – Keyboards, Background Vocals, Composer; Brandon McCune – Piano; Trevor Allen – Bass; Producer – Chuckii Booker, Brandon McCune, Miki Howard

Private Collection

Jimmy Woods - Awakening!

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1995
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 41:37
Size: 96,4 MB
Art: Front

(4:05)  1. Awakening!
(4:22)  2. Circus
(7:54)  3. Not Yet
(3:37)  4. A New Twist
(6:38)  5. Love For Sale
(5:11)  6. Roma
(5:45)  7. Little Jim
(4:01)  8. Anticipation

Fantastic work by this obscure LA legend! Jimmy Woods was one of the unsung geniuses of the west coast scene at the start of the 60s and the few recordings he ever made stand as some of the best examples of how the avant garde was feeding into the hard bop scene out there and with fantastic results! Jimmy's alto is hard and biting throughout and although it veers in the direction of Ornette Coleman at times, the overall conception is very much Woods' own with a starkly clear voice that should have made him one of the key figures in 60s modern jazz. The rest of the group includes the great (and also underrecorded) Joe Gordon on trumpet, plus Amos Trice on piano, Milt Turner on drums, and either Gary Peacock or the highly rhythmic Jimmy Bond on bass. Titles include "Awakening", "Roma", "Not Yet", "New Twist", "Little Jim", and "Anticipation".  © 1996-2019, Dusty Groove, Inc. https://www.dustygroove.com/item/7830/Jimmy-Woods:Awakening

Personnel: Jimmy Woods - alto saxophone;  Milton Turner - drums

Awakening!

Tuesday, April 30, 2019

Don Burrows, James Morrison - In Good Company

Styles: Flute, Saxophone, Trombone, Trumpet Jazz
Year: 2015
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 121:09
Size: 279,6 MB
Art: Front

( 5:57)  1. (You’d Be So) Easy To Love
( 3:46)  2. A Day In The Life Of A Fool (Manhã de Carnaval)
( 3:44)  3. I Fall In Love Too Easily
( 5:13)  4. Please Don’t Talk About Me When I’m Gone
( 7:29)  5. I Thought About You
( 5:55)  6. The One I Love (Belongs To Somebody Else)
( 5:05)  7. Teach Me Tonight
( 6:11)  8. What’s New?
( 8:05)  9. Sweet Georgia Brown
( 7:51) 10. Donna Lee
( 8:00) 11. The 6th Variation
( 3:55) 12. Honeysuckle Rose
( 9:40) 13. Lace Embrace
( 3:48) 14. Squeeze Me
(12:10) 15. Basin Street Blues
( 7:12) 16. There Will Never Be Another You
(10:48) 17. Satin Doll
( 6:11) 18. Essa Cara

James’s latest release “In Good Company” with Don Burrows has remained in the Top 10 of the Aria Jazz Charts since its debut at No 2. After 10 weeks, fans still can’t get enough of this landmark recording. Don Burrows, widely regarded as the Father of Australian Jazz, recently retired from live appearances after a stellar career at the forefront of world jazz for more than 60 years and its fitting that his last recording should be with his protege, James Morrison. As James says “Don has many great sayings but one struck me the most Don loved playing with other people and he said ‘You’re only as good as the company you keep’. In his company, I’ve been at my best.” http://www.jamesmorrison.com/latest-news/in-good-company-with-don-burrows/

Personnel: Don Burrows (alto flute/clarinet/alto saxophone), Morrison (trombone/bass trumpet/trumpet), Phil Stack (acoustic bass) and a range of excellent ensembles.

In Good Company

Lola Albright - Best Of Lola Albright

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2011
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 69:35
Size: 161,4 MB
Art: Front

(3:26)  1. Dreamsville
(2:56)  2. Straight To Baby
(3:14)  3. Two Sleepy People
(1:55)  4. All Of You
(2:43)  5. Soft Sounds
(2:28)  6. Goodbye My Lover
(2:43)  7. I've Got A Crush On You
(2:36)  8. Slow And Easy
(2:50)  9. You're Driving Me Crazy
(2:36) 10. Aren't You Kinda Glad We Did
(2:19) 11. Put Your Arms Around Me
(3:23) 12. Brief And Breezy
(2:22) 13. How High the Moon
(2:06) 14. Candy
(2:31) 15. Do What You Gotta Do
(2:51) 16. He's My Guy
(2:27) 17. Think Of Me
(3:57) 18. It's Always You
(3:08) 19. Just You, Just Me
(2:44) 20. A Man, A Man, A Man
(3:00) 21. Sorta Blue
(2:45) 22. There's A Man In My Life
(2:20) 23. Here 'Tis
(2:48) 24. They Didn't Believe Me
(3:12) 25. We Kiss In A Shadow

Lola Albright is much better known as an actress than a vocalist. She enjoyed her greatest fame in the late-'50s and early-'60s television series Peter Gunn, playing Edie, the private detective's on-again, off-again love interest. Albright also appeared briefly in the '60s primetime soap opera Peyton Place, temporarily replacing the lead star Dorothy Malone for a few months when Malone became ill in the fall of 1965. Though Albright portrayed a nightclub singer on Peter Gunn, she was never a notable vocalist. Her delivery and style were in the "torch" and light pop mode, somewhat similiar to Julie London though not as effective. Her commercial appeal was directly linked to the popularity of Peter Gunn. ~ Ron Wynn https://www.allmusic.com/artist/lola-albright-mn0000829086

Best Of Lola Albright

Didier Lockwood - Fasten Seat Belts

Styles: Violin Jazz
Year: 2014
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 39:53
Size: 92,1 MB
Art: Front

(5:00)  1. Fasten Seat Belts
(4:20)  2. The Spy
(7:06)  3. Aorta
(2:32)  4. Boîte a musique
(3:56)  5. Aldino
(4:56)  6. Isn't She Lovely
(7:20)  7. He's Still Around
(4:41)  8. Mr. Piflos

Violinist Didier Lockwood's early MPS recordings were made available in the U.S. by Pausa, but are currently out of print. His 1981 quartet (which also includes keyboardist Francis Lockwood, electric bassist Jean-Michel Kajdan and drummer Kirt Rust) is joined on some cuts by tenorman Bob Malach. Other than Stevie Wonder's "Isn't She Lovely," all of the music is by band members. Despite some power by the ensembles and creative ideas, nothing very memorable occurs. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/fasten-seat-belts-mw0000891843

Personnel:  Violin, Mandolin – Didier Lockwood; Bass [Fender], Electric Guitar – Jean-Michel Kadjan; Drums – Kirt Rust; Piano [Fender Rhodes & Acoustic], Synthesizer [Prophet 5 & Minimoog] – Francis Lockwood; Saxophone [Tenor] – Bob Malach

Fasten Seat Belts

Brian Bromberg - Brian Bromberg

Styles: Jazz, Post Bop
Year: 1993
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 65:21
Size: 150,8 MB
Art: Front

(4:50)  1. Summer Afternoon
(5:16)  2. Bass Face
(5:04)  3. Her Eyes Her Heart
(5:09)  4. My Brother
(5:03)  5. Tunnel Vision
(5:01)  6. I'll Be Around This Time
(5:02)  7. Intimidage
(4:07)  8. Yo!
(4:06)  9. Bern City
(6:54) 10. Sedona
(5:59) 11. The Blessing
(5:06) 12. Her Eyes Her Heart
(3:39) 13. My Bass

On his self-titled album for Nova, bassist Brian Bromberg employs a who's who of smooth jazz and fusion talent for a varied outing that runs the gamut. Kenny Rankin appears on the vocal version of the hit "Her Eyes, Her Heart,"  its instrumental is also included  while guitarist Lee Ritenour, keyboard and programming whiz Jeff Lorber, and Kirk Whalum trade places with the likes of jazz harmonica boss Toots Thielemans and saxophone master Ernie Watts, who get in the groove too. Ivan Lins lends his vocal talents to a few numbers as well. In some ways, this is a very schizophrenic recording, though it works well. 

There are groovers like the opener "Summer Afternoon," which walks the jazz-funk tightrope, smooth cuts like the aforementioned, "My Brother," and "Intimadagé," and knotty fusion workouts such as "Tunnel Vision," and "Sedona," and even big groovers like "Yo!," with Thielemans, and Bob Boykin's "Bern City." What makes the album hold together so beautifully is sequencing. It's a big, glossy production handled by Bromberg's brother David (no relation to the American roots music master), but gives listeners a bit of everything. [Artistry Music re-released the CD in 2005.] ~ Thom Jurek https://www.allmusic.com/album/brian-bromberg-mw0000349618

Brian Bromberg

Glenn Miller - Jazz Moods - Hot

Styles: Jazz, Swing
Year: 2005
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 44:28
Size: 103,3 MB
Art: Front

(3:36)  1. In the Mood
(2:52)  2. Runnin' Wild
(3:16)  3. A String of Pearls
(3:33)  4. King Porter Stomp
(3:26)  5. American Patrol
(3:02)  6. The Lady's In Love with You
(2:52)  7. Little Brown Jug
(3:01)  8. Glen Island Special
(3:29)  9. Chattanooga Choo-Choo
(3:29) 10. Tuxedo Junction
(2:50) 11. The Rhumba Jumps
(3:26) 12. Song of the Volga Boatmen
(2:33) 13. We Can Live On Love
(2:57) 14. Bugle Call Rag

This CD was released as part of the extensive Bluebird/Legacy Jazz Moods series. There are two ways to look at this release. The 14 selections, other than the fact that most of them are cookers (or, in the parlance of the swing era, solid senders), are reissued in random order. The exact recording dates are not given (just the year) nor is there a personnel listing. The only liner notes, a paragraph on the back cover, informs listeners that "the Miller band was a star-laden organization which at various times featured the greatest soloists...." Nope, Miller's band was famous for its precise ensembles and did not have any famous soloists. The notes also state that "'Moonlight Serenade' is here, of course, are such other Miller mega-hits originally made for Bluebird and Columbia as 'Little Brown Jug'...." "Moonlight Serenade" and "Little Brown Jug" are not on this sampler and Miller's early records for Columbia resulted in zero hits; none of the Columbia recordings are here anyway. On the other hand, the music that is included is quite fun and does stick mostly to the rousing instrumentals, so listeners just wanting a sampling of Miller's jazz side will find these performances enjoyable. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/jazz-moods-hot-mw0000453443

Jazz Moods - Hot

Monday, April 29, 2019

Don Ellis - Live At Monterey

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 1998
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 63:56
Size: 147,4 MB
Art: Front

( 1:18)  1. Introduction By Jimmy Lyons
( 8:50)  2. 33 222 1 222
( 6:39)  3. Passacaglia And Fugue
( 6:26)  4. Crete Idea
(12:50)  5. Concerto For Trumpet
( 6:35)  6. 27/16
( 9:07)  7. Beat Me Daddy, 7 To The Bar
(12:08)  8. New Nine

The first effort by the Don Ellis big band, as with all of his other orchestral projects, has yet to be reissued on CD. One of the most exciting new jazz big bands of the period, Ellis' ensemble became notorious for its ability to play coherently in odd time signatures. One of the four originals heard on this acclaimed outing from the 1966 Monterey Jazz Festival is titled "33 222 1 222" to show how the band manages to perform in 19/4 time. The other selections are Hank Levy's "Passacaglia And Fugue," "Concerto For Trumpet" (in 5/4) and "New Nine." In addition to the time signatures, Ellis enjoyed utilizing unusual combinations of instruments; the instrumentation on this date consists of five trumpets, three trombones, five saxes, piano, three bassists, two drummers and a percussionist. Among the more notable sidemen are a young Tom Scott (who solos on alto) and tenor-saxophonist Ira Schulman. Highly recommended but unfortunately this album will be difficult to find. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/live-at-monterey-mw0000040544

Personnel:  Don Ellis - trumpet, arranger; Alan Weight, Ed Warren, Glenn Stuart, Paul Lopez - trumpet; Dave Wells, Ron Meyers - trombone; Terry Woodson - bass trombone; Ruben Leon - alto saxophone, soprano saxophone, flute; Tom Scott - alto saxophone, saxello, flute; Ira Shulman - tenor saxophone, alto saxophone, clarinet; Ron Starr - tenor saxophone, flute, clarinet; John Magruder - baritone saxophone, flute, clarinet, bass clarinet; David MacKay - organ, piano; Frank DeLaRosa, Chuck Domanico, Ray Neapolitan - bass; Alan Estes, Steve Bohannon - drums; Chino Valdes - bongos, congas; Hank Levy - arranger

Live At Monterey

Connie Russell - The Very Best Of

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2012
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 67:22
Size: 158,1 MB
Art: Front

(2:17)  1. Dream a Little Dream of Me
(3:47)  2. Prelude to a Kiss
(2:23)  3. You'd Be So Nice to Come Home To
(2:35)  4. All I Do Is Dream of You
(2:45)  5. You're My Thrill
(2:48)  6. That Old Feeling
(3:34)  7. For Every Man There's a Woman
(2:30)  8. You're My Man
(3:26)  9. Caravan
(4:31) 10. Angel Eyes
(2:13) 11. You and the Night and the Music
(2:19) 12. Close Your Eyes
(2:34) 13. Near You
(2:42) 14. Love Is a Simple Thing
(2:40) 15. Woman's Love
(2:32) 16. I Wanna Be Loved
(3:25) 17. Don't Smoke in Bed
(2:33) 18. The Thrill Is Gone
(3:44) 19. Lonely Town
(2:33) 20. I Can't Give You Anything But Love
(2:26) 21. Take Me in Your Arms
(2:01) 22. Alone With You
(2:26) 23. The Touch of Your Lips
(2:28) 24. You've Changed

Shapely, sultry singer Connie Russell came from show biz parents and was already performing in her parent's song-and-dance vaudeville act by age two. The New York-born Connie, whose musical heritage included well-known vaudevillian and grandmother Marie Russell, traveled both in the U.S. and Europe during her early days. She turned solo at age 11 and, quite mature for her age, began booking her own shows at popular London night spots in her mid-teens. Making her musical film debut in Melody and Romance (1937) while in England, MGM signed her up and she appeared to good advantage in Lady Be Good (1941) in which she sang "Fascinating Rhythm" but, despite her pin-up good looks, did not go on to better things with the studio, appearing in nothing parts in Joe Smith, American (1942) and the Red Skelton/Eleanor Powell musical Ship Ahoy (1942). She also dubbed Claire Trevor's singing voice in the film Crossroads (1942). TV proved to be more viable medium for her when she auditioned for Dave Garroway and became a regular on his Garroway at Large (1949) show. She appeared on a number of variety TV shows for such luminaries as Morey Amsterdam, Ed Sullivan, Steve Allen, Milton Berle and Eddie Cantor, and appeared in New York clubs in the early 50s. Returning to Hollywood she earned a strong showing in the musical film Cruisin' Down the River (1953) alongside Dick Haymes and became a prominent Las Vegas headliner. On the musical stage one of her most popular roles was in 1951's "South Pacific" as Nellie Forbush co-starring Richard Eastham," but hopes for the subsequent film role went down the tubes when the role went to Mitzi Gaynor. A solid recording artist with a jazzy style, her more popular renditions include "That's What a Rainy Day is For" and "You've Changed." Her last films were in This Is My Love (1954), in which she appeared as herself and sang the title tune, and the femme lead in the film noir thriller Nightmare (1956) with Kevin McCarthy and Edward G. Robinson. Marrying agent Mike Zimring, she abandoned her four-decade career after giving birth to her third daughter. She died in 1990 at age 67 of a heart ailment. Eldest daughter Lisa is also a singer.~ IMDb Mini Biography By: Gary Brumburgh / gr-home@pacbell.net  https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0751086/bio

The Very Best Of

Jimmy Woods Sextet, Elvin Jones - Conflict

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2015
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 56:54
Size: 131,2 MB
Art: Front

(5:47)  1. Conflict
(6:01)  2. Coming Home
(7:57)  3. Aim
(6:44)  4. Apart Together
(5:50)  5. Look to Your Heart
(6:32)  6. Pazmuerte
(4:54)  7. Conflict (Alt. Take)
(7:12)  8. Aim (Alt. Take)
(5:53)  9. Look to Your Heart (Alt. Take)

Jimmy Woods was a talented musician who made few recorded appearances before vanishing into obscurity. Conflict is the second of two '60s solo records on Contemporary, the first already reissued in a previous batch of limited edition releases. It’s tempting to judge Woods solely on the company he keeps certainly the likes of Andrew Hill, Elvin Jones, and Harold Land don’t have to be bothered with middling talent. However, Woods proves he can more than handle the responsibilities on a program consisting entirely of forward-thinking, advanced hard bop originals, which also utilize inventive call-and-response riffs. “Conflict” is a lopsided blues with an edgy vamp from Hill which allows the front line to indulge in some grand exploratory work. On the other hand, “Apart Together” features a complicated head and the type of restless chord progressions that serious musicians love to dig in to. Woods demonstrates his ability to handle the changes and aptly deserves the company he keeps. Elvin Jones fits in his usual thunderous moments, and the rest of the sidemen, Hill and Carmell Jones in particular, are models of creative expression. Contemporary signed Woods after Ornette Coleman’s departure to Atlantic. While not quite an equal replacement, Woods proved that he was a talented musician whose time in the spotlight, for whatever reason, was brief. ~ David Rickert https://www.allaboutjazz.com/conflict-jimmy-woods-fantasy-jazz-review-by-david-rickert.php

Personnel: Jimmy Woods-alto sax; Carmell Jones-trumpet; Andrew Hill-piano; George Tucker-bass; Elvin Jones-drums.

Conflict