Louis Hayes - Light and Lively

Styles: Jazz, Post Bop
Year: 1989
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 65:49
Size: 151,3 MB
Art: Front

(12:29)  1. Light and Lively
( 8:26)  2. If You Could See Me Now
( 6:15)  3. Enchantment
(11:59)  4. The 10th Dimention
( 6:23)  5. For the Love of What
( 9:50)  6. Darian
(10:25)  7. Blues for Macao

Not too light but plenty lively as Louis Hayes cooks things up with a great group that includes Bobby Watson on alto, Charles Tolliver on trumpet, Kenny Barron on piano, and Clint Houston on bass! The core trio of Hayes, Barron, and Houston is a great one skipping along with a fluid ease, and always hitting the in-the-pocket sort of rhythms that would be needed to make a session like this come off right and the horns of Watson and Tolliver in the frontline merge and separate with a lyrical soulfulness that takes us back to the best years of the Horace Silver group, especially when Hayes was a part of that ensemble. 

Titles include "For The Love Of What", "Darian", "Enchantment", "Blues For Macao", and "Light & Lively".  © 1996-2019, Dusty Groove, Inc. https://www.dustygroove.com/item/806505

Personnel:  Drums – Louis Hayes;  Alto Saxophone – Bobby Watson;   Bass – Clint Houston;  Piano – Kenny Barron;  Trumpet – Charles Tolliver

Light and Lively

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JaLaLa - That Old Mercer Magic!

Styles: Vocal Jazz 
Year: 2009
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 52:16
Size: 120,6 MB
Art: Front

(3:00)  1. Spring, Spring, Spring
(5:30)  2. You Must Have Been A Beautiful Baby
(3:35)  3. Jeepers Creepers
(4:22)  4. My Shining Hour
(4:24)  5. Accentuate The Positive
(3:34)  6. Dream
(3:29)  7. I'm Old Fashioned
(3:56)  8. Riding On The Moon
(7:29)  9. Moon River / Moon Country
(4:34) 10. Have You Got Any Castles Baby?
(2:18) 11. Too Marvelous For Words
(5:58) 12. The Dance Of Life

Janis Siegel has done a fair amount of recording away from the Manhattan Transfer during her decades-long tenure with the vocal group, but this a rare opportunity to hear her with other vocalists outside of it. JaLaLa, featured on four selections, includes Laurel Massé and Lauren Kinhan on vocals, with each singer leading individual selections.; the core group of musicians includes pianist Yaron Gershovsky, bassist David Finck, guitarist Frank Vignola, and drummer Matt Wilson, with guests added or substituted on some pieces. The songs selected from Johnny Mercer's vast output include both still-popular standards and obscurities, with the supporting cast varying from one track to the next. All three vocalists join forces for a fun-filled romp through "Ac-Cent-U-Ate the Positive" and the neglected "Spring Spring Spring," both of which add pedal steel guitarist Cindy Cashdollar. Siegel handles both "Jeepers Creepers" and "Too Marvelous for Words" effortlessly. Kinhan shines in the breezy bossa nova setting of "My Shining Hour," while Massé delivers a warm "Moon River" which is joined in a medley with the less familiar "Moon Country," a sauntering chart that features JaLaLa. Only the lame setting of "You Must Have Been a Beautiful Baby," saddled with the inane antics of DJ Sugarkone and a bland groove, proves disappointing. ~ Ken Dryden https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-old-mercer-magic%21-mw0000820178

Personnel: Janis Siegel, Laurel Massé (vocals); David Finck (guitar, acoustic bass); Frank Vignola (guitar); Aaron Weinstein (mandolin, violin); Sara Caswell (violin); Margot Leverett (clarinet); Lew Soloff (trumpet); Yaron Gershovsky (piano); Matt Wilson (drums); Rich "Dusty Chopmeat" Zukor (djembe); Eric Elterman (hand claps).

That Old Mercer Magic!

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Earl Klugh - Midnight In San Juan

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 1991
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 41:31
Size: 95,7 MB
Art: Front

(5:52)  1. Midnight in San Juan
(4:00)  2. Every Moment with You
(6:06)  3. Kissin' on the Beach
(4:33)  4. She Never Said Why
(4:41)  5. Mobimientos Del Alma (Rhythms of the Soul)
(3:44)  6. Jamaican Winds
(5:27)  7. Theme for a Rainy Day
(7:06)  8. Take You There

The majority of Earl Klugh's albums have been throwaways not because he's choosing pop-flavored jazz and jazzy instrumental pop over straight-ahead jazz, but because of their total lack of substance and musical integrity. One of his more listenable commercial efforts, Midnight in San Juan finds the guitarist placing an unusually heavy emphasis on Latin and Caribbean elements. The CD is decent more often than not, and listeners are reminded of the fact that commercial pop-jazz can be tasteful or not so tasteful. 

Some of the more worthwhile tunes include the Brazilian-flavored "Kissin' on the Beach," and the salsa-influenced "Mobimientos del Alma," the haunting "She Never Said Why" and the Joe Sample-ish title tune. Harmonica player Toots Thielemans has a melodic cameo on the pensive "Theme for a Rainy Day," and pianist Eliane Elias is in good form on the vibrant "Take You There." Meanwhile, Klugh tosses good taste to the wind on "Every Moment with You," a glaring example of the type of insipid, toothless schlock he so often stoops to playing. This is far from an essential purchase, but overall, it was certainly superior to most of his other commercial albums. ~ Alex Henderson https://www.allmusic.com/album/midnight-in-san-juan-mw0000674962

Personnel: Earl Klugh – guitar, keyboards; Toots Thielemans – harmonica; Ron Carter – bass; Chuck Loeb – guitar; Paul McGill – guitar; Jose Oribe – guitar; Oscar Hernández – bass; Lucio Hopper – bass; Abraham Laboriel, Sr. – bass; Eliane Elias – piano; Ruben Rodriquez – piano; Sammy Figueroa – percussion; Paulinho Da Costa – percussion; Ralph Irizarry – percussion; Barnaby Finch – keyboards; Ronnie Foster – keyboards; Mark Nilan – keyboards; Richard Tee – electric piano; Robby Ameen – drums; Harvey Mason Sr. – drums; Buddy Williams – drums

Midnight In San Juan

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Pete Zimmer Quintet - Burnin' Live at the Jazz Standard

Styles: Jazz, Post Bop
Year: 2006
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 61:58
Size: 142,7 MB
Art: Front

(13:23)  1. Woodside Blues
(11:13)  2. Getting Dizzy
(10:31)  3. Doin' Somethin'
( 9:42)  4. Brush Pitch
( 7:15)  5. Waltz for Opp
( 9:52)  6. A Whole New You

The beauty of music is that when a subgenre emerges, it can evolve, even as the overall genre evolves. This is evident with hard bop and Burnin' Live. To be sure, this is hard bop. It is patently East Coast. The combo format is a trumpet/tenor quintet. The music is bebop, as passed through the prism of the funky church, with complex heads and melodies. But this is 21st Century hard bop. Drummer Pete Zimmer assembles a band of New York City regulars who play with the grace of Miles Davis' early first great quintet and the fire of Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers. He does this with a lively collection of original music that transcends the '50s and '60s, while remaining true to the spirit of the period. The show opens with "Woodside Blues. Following a complex head, pianist Toru Dodo plays his best Maurice Ravel interpretation in an extended, impressionistic solo that sounds at once oddly out-of-place and perfectly appropriate to its environs. Joel Frahm follows with a conditioned tenor solo that is a solution of Wayne Shorter and Gene Ammons. Bassist David Wong and Drummer Zimmer provide the momentum. Zimmer's ride cymbal is a marvel as it guides the band. Trumpeter Michael Rodriguez plays with a mellow, tart and taut Lester Young-ish tone in mid-register. And so the remainder of the disc goes. There is hard bop here for all. "Getting Dizzy, a minor blues waltz, is like a collision between McCoy Tyner and Bill Evans, with the horns playing counter to one another... think Rodgers and Hammerstein meets Lee Morgan. Doin' Somthin' is like Hank Mobley in a time machine caught in a traffic jam. The staccato head provides the necessary funk to be elaborated on in the solo sections. Rodriguez heats up his horn, driving past Miles Davis into Kenny Dorham territory. Frahm opens his tenor tone wide and attacks the funk head on. Dodo again confounds with his perfectly erudite piano, which seamlessly barrels through European sensibility and rhythm and blues alike. "Waltz for Opp is the sole ballad in the set, pitting Frahm's introspective playing against Rodriguez's flugelhorn, which emits the sweetness of a near-ripe strawberry. "A Whole New You is the most beboppish of the bunch and acts as a little big band vehicle for the hottest playing on the record. When most listeners think of jazz, they typically think of hard bop. This is as fine a recording as could be hoped for, and it will be on my end-of-the-year list. ~ C.Michael Bailey https://www.allaboutjazz.com/burnin-live-at-the-jazz-standard-pete-zimmer-tippin-records-review-by-c-michael-bailey.php

Personnel: Pete Zimmer drums; Michael Rodriguez: trumpet, flugelhorn; Joel Frahm: tenor saxophone; Toru Dodo: piano; David Wong: bass.

Burnin' Live at the Jazz Standard

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Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass - Lost Treasures

Styles: Trumpet Jazz, Easy Listening 
Year: 2005
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 60:10
Size: 140,1 MB
Art: Front

(2:36)  1. Up Cherry Street
(2:56)  2. Lazy Day
(2:52)  3. Wailing Of The Willow
(2:44)  4. Fire And Rain
(2:47)  5. And I Love Her
(2:38)  6. I Can't Go On Living Without You Baby
(2:22)  7. (They Long To Be) Close To You
(2:34)  8. Promises, Promises
(1:52)  9. Happy Hour
(1:33) 10. Julius And Me
(4:14) 11. I Might Frighten Her Away
(2:14) 12. Alone Again (Naturally)
(2:33) 13. Tennessee Waltz
(3:03) 14. Tradewinds
(2:02) 15. Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head
(2:06) 16. Flowers On The Wall
(3:45) 17. Popcorn
(2:33) 18. Chris
(3:59) 19. Killing Me Softly
(3:18) 20. I'll Never Fall In Love Again
(1:51) 21. Speakeasy
(3:26) 22. Whistlestar

Early in 2005, Shout! Factory launched an extensive reissue campaign of Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass' '60s catalog. In the first wave of reissues, Alpert's classic 1962 debut, The Lonely Bull, and his third album, 1964's South of the Border, were given upgrades and they were joined by a new compilation of rarities called Lost Treasures. Compiled in large part by Alpert himself, Lost Treasures features a generous selection of 22 tracks, recorded somewhere between 1962 and 1972. It's difficult to discern the exact dates since the otherwise excellent liner notes by Josh Kun (with an introduction by Alpert) do not mention when any of the individual songs were recorded or if they've appeared on other albums (Alpert alludes to the fact that some of the cuts here were album tracks on otherwise "unsuccessful" LPs from the early '70s), nor do they mention recording personnel. This is a bit infuriating for any fan or collector who wants to place the cuts in historical context, but as a listening experience, Lost Treasures is as pleasurable as any of the best Tijuana Brass albums. 

Part of this is that Alpert has cherry-picked the best of the leftover sessions and he admits that he did re-record some trumpet parts in order to complete the tracks, but these overdubs are not really noticeable and he's carefully selected and sequenced these tunes so they flow like a real album. But the main reason that Lost Treasures is so enjoyable is that the songs are strong and the performances are nicely laid-back and breezy. Apart from a limber, rather funky reading of James Taylor's "Fire and Rain" and a silky take on the electro-novelty "Popcorn," this is pretty much the signature Tijuana Brass sound served straight up with no frills but a lot of breezy good vibes. But this is a time when no surprises is actually a good thing, since the compilation delivers what Alpert fans want most of all more high-quality tunes from his commercial and creative peak. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine https://www.allmusic.com/album/lost-treasures-mw0000140435

Lost Treasures

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Hank Mobley Quartet - Hank Mobley Quartet

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1955
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 25:13
Size: 58,3 MB
Art: Front

(4:31)  1. Hank's Prank
(3:47)  2. My Sin
(4:31)  3. Avila And Tequila
(3:40)  4. Walkin' The Fence
(4:32)  5. Love For Sale
(4:11)  6. Just Coolin'

Hank Mobley Quartet is the debut album by jazz saxophonist Hank Mobley released on the Blue Note label in 1955 as BLP 5066, a 10" LP. It was recorded on March 27, 1955, and features Mobley, Horace Silver, Doug Watkins and Art Blakey. The album was released on CD only in Japan, as a limited edition. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hank_Mobley_Quartet

Personnel:  Hank Mobley - tenor saxophone; Horace Silver - piano; Doug Watkins - bass; Art Blakey - drums

Hank Mobley Quartet

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Cecil Brooks III - Double Exposure

Styles: Jazz, Post Bop
Year: 2006
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 46:48
Size: 108,3 MB
Art: Front

(5:45)  1. On the Trail
(6:10)  2. Serenade in Blue
(7:34)  3. Tea for Two
(6:32)  4. Bird of Beauty
(6:35)  5. Double Exposure
(5:07)  6. I Can't Give You Anything but Love
(6:09)  7. You've Changed
(2:51)  8. Cute

The liner notes for Double Exposure recount that the disc was recorded in a few spare hours that drummer Cecil Brooks III and organist Gene Ludwig found themselves with while they were recording another album. That feeling of spontaneity and casual inspiration is very present on this rare organ and drum duo effort. Ludwig is a veteran who has been performing since the early '60s. His style is very much in the same vein as the other more well-known soul-jazz players of the era. He achieves a rich, stately and swinging feel, all at the same time. His work at the end of "Serenade in Blue reveals the majesty of Hammond B-3 in full flight with a long, sustained burst of sound. Elsewhere, on Stevie Wonder's "Black Beauty, Ludwig takes an opposite route, showing off some fast finger work. Brooks' playing throughout is steady and unobtrusive. He seems to sense that the best path to take when backing up an organ player is to keep things simple and make sure the proceedings don't get too abstract or loose. On his own composition, "Double Exposure, Brooks opens with some tensely rhythmic pounding that morphs into a slinking groove. He also gets to strut his stuff with some skittering breaks on Neal Hefti's "Cute.  Double Exposure is a fine, relaxed effort showcasing two musicians who play together with a great deal of comfort and conversational grace. The recording session was definitely a few hours of time well spent. ~ Stephen Latessa https://www.allaboutjazz.com/double-exposure-cecil-brooks-iii-savant-records-review-by-stephen-latessa.php

Personnel: Cecil Brooks III: drums; Gene Ludwig: organ.

Double Exposure

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Pete Zimmer - Chillin' Live @ Jazz Factory

Styles: Jazz, Post Bop
Year: 2008
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 61:45
Size: 142,0 MB
Art: Front

( 8:10)  1. Search
( 9:21)  2. Summer Somber
(13:06)  3. Doxy
( 7:16)  4. Una Mas
(12:05)  5. Common Man
(11:46)  6. From This Moment On

In an era when serving a lengthy apprenticeship in a working band is no longer an option, young players who shun fashionable pop-influenced sounds in favor of traditional jazz styles must be very resourceful. Thirty-year-old drummer/composer/bandleader Pete Zimmer balances a desire to extend the modern straight-ahead mainstream into the twenty-first century and the ability to support his ambitions by taking care of the business that surrounds the music. Shortly after arriving in New York City in 2001, Zimmer put together a band of like-minded peers, found a substantial amount of work, and began releasing records on his Tippin' Records imprint. There's no shortage of people carrying the torch for the range of hard bop styles that originated in the 50s and 60s; Zimmer and company are better at it than most. A stable core of personnel includes significant young voices such as trumpeter Michael Rodriguez, pianist Toro Dodo, and bassist David Wong, as well as veteran tenor saxophonist Joel Frahm. Zimmer's first three releases, Common Man, Burnin' Live at the Jazz Standard, and Judgment are largely comprised of original compositions by the leader and his sidemen. 

"Getting Dizzy," "Common Man," and "Road Taken" are good examples of Zimmer's ability to write memorable melodies and evoke a variety of moods. Whether it's Latin, boogaloo, or straight-ahead swing, a decisive, well-defined groove is the defining characteristic of Chillin' Live @ Jazz Factory, Zimmer's latest release. Trumpeter Jeremy Pelt and guitarist Avi Rothbard join Zimmer and Wong in producing a record that's somewhat more relaxed and spare then the Quintet sides. Pelt and Rothbard are fine soloists who have something interesting to say on every track. However, it's the hookup between Zimmer and Wong that makes Chillin' something special. Zimmer's composition "Summer Somber" is a waltz taken at a slow-to-medium tempo. The bassist and drummer create a pulse that's forthright, unpretentious, and contains just the right amount of grit. The music swings persistently yet gives the impression of open space. On a middling tempo rendition of Sonny Rollins's "Doxy," it's easy to lose yourself in the steady push of Wong's walking line and Zimmer's ride cymbal. The bassist and drummer tighten the groove ever so slightly in the middle of Pelt's solo, and Zimmer doesn't feel the need to jump in and react to a long, repetitive sequence by the trumpeter. The drummer goes full tilt at the onset of "Search." His lively Latin rhythms include moments of silence and they set the tone for the rest of the track. Zimmer's boogaloo treatment of Kenny Dorham's classic line "Una Mas" entails precise straight eighth note patterns on his "wet" and "dry" sounding ride cymbals. While staying in the pocket he executes neat snare and tom-tom combinations behind Rothbard's soulful, effusive melodies. The drummer's snare accents subtly propel the head of an update of "Common Man." Amidst Rothbard's chords and single note lines, Zimmer tucks accents under the dry ping of the ride and shoehorns in some multiple stroke fills. He plays straight, unobtrusive time during Wong's solo on an up-tempo rendition of Cole Porter's "From This Moment On." When the bassist resumes walking in the final sixteen bars, you catch an unvarnished view of their extraordinary rapport. ~ David A.Orthmann https://www.allaboutjazz.com/pete-zimmer-chillin-live-at-jazz-factory-pete-zimmer-by-david-a-orthmann.php
 

Personnel:  Drums – Pete Zimmer; Bass – David Wong; Guitar – Avi Rothbard; Trumpet, Flugelhorn – Jeremy Pelt

Chillin' Live @ Jazz Factory

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Laurie Antonioli - The Constant Passage of Time

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2019
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 43:06
Size: 99,6 MB
Art: Front

(5:35)  1. Longing for You
(4:33)  2. Riverwide
(3:56)  3. Layla
(5:30)  4. Moonbirds
(6:32)  5. Harry's House/The Arrangement
(3:55)  6. Love
(4:21)  7. Highway
(3:15)  8. And so It Is
(5:25)  9. Don't Let It Bring You Down

Laurie Antonioli is one of the era's definitive jazz vocalists, but she's got a little rock 'n' roll in her soul too. Her new album expands her creative purview with an emotionally trenchant program focusing on her collaborations with state-of-the-art jazz composers  including Russell Ferrante and Nguyn L and new arrangements of songs by iconic singer/songwriters Joni Mitchell, Neil Young, and Sheryl Crow. 'The Constant Passage of Time' is her 7th album overall and 3rd created with her American Dreams band, a superlative quintet featuring saxophonist Sheldon Brown, guitarist Dave MacNab, pianist Matt Clark, drummer Jason Lewis, and bassist/recording engineer Dan Feiszli. The arrangements cover a lot of gripping musical ground, making particularly brilliant use of Brown's bass clarinet and the stinging fretwork of MacNab. ~ Editorial Reviews https://www.amazon.com/Constant-Passage-Time-Laurie-Antonioli/dp/B07NHQHWWN

The Constant Passage of Time

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Ernie Watts - To The Point

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2008
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 66:48
Size: 154,4 MB
Art: Front

( 8:32)  1. Hot House
( 9:08)  2. Season Of Change
( 0:49)  3. Introduction
( 9:52)  4. For Michael
( 1:42)  5. Introduction
(11:30)  6. To The Point
( 7:57)  7. Road Shoes
( 0:18)  8. Introduction
( 6:04)  9. Nightscape
(10:51) 10. Reaching Up

After hearing saxophonist Ernie Watts' CD To The Point - Live At The Jazz Bakey , it's easy to imagine that he possesses superhuman talents similar to those held by members of the fictional Fantastic Four. He breathes fire, can cool with ice, whip up a storm, and shape his sax sound in ways otherworldly. This is a powerful, yet sensitive, technically Herculean, yet human, complex yet elegantly beautiful player no, a marvel.  Soloing as an intro to the bop classic "Hot House," a complex line laid over Cole Porter's "What Is This Thing Called Love?," Watts tells you right up front that he taps into an energy and spirit that is universal and highly charged, while never allowing his awesome technique to saturate creativity. Dig the faster than light arpeggiated riffs that give the illusion of multiphonics. Awesome. For years, Watts was the first call for reeds in the Hollywood studios, and after a decades long stint with Doc Severinsen and Johnny Carson's Tonight Show orchestra, Watts has moved closer to the point as a solo performer and as a featured member of bassist Charlie Haden's group. Here he's backed by a trio of Hollywood's, and the world's, best pianist David Witham (for years musical director for guitarist George Benson), bassist Bob Lett (of trumpeter Jack Sheldon's Orchestra) and drummer Bob Leatherbarrow. This group has performed together for over 20 years and it shows. The energy level is never let up. Watts' sensitivity and emotional control are spectacular on his own composition, "Season Of Change." There is a uniqueness about his sound vocal, lyric at all speeds, clean, classical. He brings the listener into his sound and solo creations. With such a colossus at the helm, the crew steps up beautifully. Witham's solos on this selection and elsewhere are tasteful, Lett also vocalises his solos and Leatherbarrow's time and touch are pure grace. 

"For Michael," a Watts and Leatherbarrow original dedicated to the late saxophonist Michael Brecker, expresses colors over a triple-metered rhythmic layer. Like Brecker, Watts fears no area on the instrument's range and wrings out tones across the range of the horn. Picking up on Watts, Witham's solo flows expressively. In an interlude between selections, Watts modestly tells those lucky to be at the Jazz Bakery gig that the title tune is a culmination, a moment of truth, wherein a musician's entire investment of time in their instrument is put right on the line. It is truth incarnate. And the truth here is that Watts, although he humbly states "I cannot be John Coltrane," is not only at the top of his game, but the top of the game. He approaches the doorstep to the saxophone pantheon with giant steps. "Road Shoes," a Watts original blues, aptly demonstrates that the composer can get down to root business and blow appropriately funky with the best of them. Witham's tasteful comping, Bob Leatherbarrow's drive and fills, and able support from Bruce Lett energize. The beautiful Jon Mayer ballad "Nightscape" displays an almost Ellingtonian melodic line that Watts covers beautifully, lyrically and vocally. Watts knows his saxophone roots oh so well. You hear shades of the great alto saxophonist Johnny Hodges, as well as Coltrane in Watts' beautifully classic, seductive sound. David Witham's pulsing vamp sends off "Reaching Up." Watts takes the lead and indeed reaches up improvisationally. The energy level across this CD is fever pitch. Watts and crew are indeed a Fantastic Four. The level of musicianship, improvisational skill and interplay among teammates is supreme. The recording and balance is excellent for a live session, so kudos to producer Tim Pinch as well. To The Point is an outstanding effort. And, yes, Ernie, Michael Brecker would, you feel, be very proud. ~ Nicholas F.Mondello https://www.allaboutjazz.com/ernie-watts-to-the-point-live-at-the-jazz-bakery-by-nicholas-f-mondello.php

Personnel: Ernie Watts, saxophones: David witham, piano; Bruce Lett, bass: Bob Leatherbarrow, drums.

To The Point

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Barbara Morrison, Houston Person - A Sunday Kind of Love

Styles: Vocal And Saxophone Jazz 
Year: 2013
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 54:26
Size: 126,1 MB
Art: Front

(4:41)  1. I'm Just a Lucky so and So
(3:46)  2. Soft Winds
(3:54)  3. The Green Door
(4:55)  4. Good Morning Heartache
(5:19)  5. A Sunday Kind of Love
(3:23)  6. On the Sunny Side of the Street
(5:27)  7. I Cover the Waterfront
(4:53)  8. My Romance
(3:50)  9. Polka Dots and Moonbeams
(4:28) 10. I Love You for Sentimental Reasons
(5:25) 11. Smile / Make Someone Happy
(4:21) 12. Let's Stay Together

While no female vocalist will likely ever match Dinah Washington’s brilliance at blending jazz and blues, Barbara Morrison has come closest. At age 60, she continues to rival Washington’s beam-rattling slither and thrust, though on gentler selections there’s the enticing suggestion of Billie Holiday blended with the late-career majesty of Maxine Sullivan. In 2005, Morrison teamed with tenor saxophonist Houston Person for a killer live recording at the Dakota in Minneapolis. At last reunited, they remain an ideal match, whether softly tracing the heartache of “I Cover the Waterfront” or emblazoning a Dinah-worthy reading of the title tune. Ably assisted by what Morrison refers to as her “automatic A team”-pianist Stuart Elster, bassist Richard Simon and drummer Lee Spath-the pair proves delightfully unpredictable across their 12-track playlist. They sandwich a swirling “Polka Dots and Moonbeams” between creamy treatments of “My Romance” and “(I Love You) For Sentimental Reasons,” and offset a growly “I’m Just a Lucky So and So” with an oxymoronically propulsive “Soft Winds” and a deeply moving “Good Morning Heartache.” Most surprising, and delightful, is their transformation of deejay Jim Lowe’s mid-’50s novelty hit, “The Green Door,” into a sly, bluesy cooker in the spirit of Morrison’s one-time boss Ray Charles. ~ Christopher Loudon https://jazztimes.com/reviews/albums/barbara-morrison-a-sunday-kind-of-love/

Personnel:  Vocals, Producer – Barbara Morrison; Tenor Saxophone, Producer – Houston Person; Drums – Lee Spath; Piano – Stewart Elster

A Sunday Kind of Love

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Bobby Hutcherson - In The Vanguard

Styles: Vibraphone Jazz
Year: 1987
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 55:25
Size: 127,5 MB

Art: Front

( 6:44)  1. Little Niles
( 7:56)  2. Estate
( 7:32)  3. Well, You Needn't
(10:23)  4. Young and Foolish
(10:02)  5. Some Day My Prince Will Come
( 7:44)  6. Witchcraft
( 5:02)  7. I Wanna Stand Over There

The reissue of Bobby Hutcherson's live Village Vanguard session from December 5-6, 1986 isn't the first. It's such a fine album that it's been issued quite a few times and has garnered high ratings. 32 Jazz has included Bob Blumenthal's original liner notes in which he lists several from the long list of jazz artists who've recorded live sessions at The Village Vanguard. Hutcherson's hard bop session features a lot of "blowing" by the leader on both marimba and vibes. His rhythm section on this date supports him well and provides an experienced conversation. Speaking of conversations, Fred Jung's interview with Hutcherson provides valuable insight into this session leader who got his start by laying bricks one summer in L.A. to save the money for his first set of vibes. Moving freely between vibraphone and marimba throughout the session, Hutcherson fills the traditional front line role by himself. The rhythm section is a thrill from start to finish, but leaves most of the soloing to the leader. Barron shines on "I Wanna Stand Over There," a hard-driving hard bop vehicle. The quartet oozes rich harmony on the long slow ballad "Young And Foolish," while "Some Day My Prince Will Come" waltzes excitedly with all-around high spirit. Recommended, Hutcherson's session features a seasoned rhythm section along with his full-speed-ahead front line "blowing."~ Jim Santella https://www.allaboutjazz.com/in-the-vanguard-bobby-hutcherson-32-records-review-by-jim-santella.php

Personnel: Bobby Hutcherson: vibraphone, marimba; Kenny Barron: piano; Buster Williams: bass; Al Foster: drums.

In The Vanguard

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Jeremy Pelt - Jeremy Pelt The Artist

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 2019
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 45:39
Size: 104,7 MB
Art: Front

(6:53)  1. The Rodin Suite, Pt. 1: L'appel Aux Armes
(1:59)  2. The Rodin Suite, Pt. 2: Dignity And Despair (Burghers Of Calais)
(5:59)  3. The Rodin Suite, Pt. 3: I Sol Tace (Gates Of Hell)
(2:33) 4. The Rodin Suite, Pt. 4: Camille Claudel (L'eternel Printemps)
(4:46)  5. The Rodin Suite, Pt. 5: Epilogue
(3:41)  6. Ceramic
(6:54)  7. Feito
(5:57)  8. Watercolors
(6:53)  9. As Of Now

Showcasing a five-part suite based on the work of French sculptor Auguste Rodin, Jeremy Pelt's 2019 album, The Artist, finds the trumpeter translating his love of the visual arts into a set of deeply textured compositions that touch upon harmonically rich modalism, driving post-bop, and lyrical balladry. Beginning with the hypnotic "The Rodin Suite, Pt. 1: L'Appel aux armes," which translates fittingly as "the call to arms," The Artist evokes the '70s jazz of artists like Woody Shaw and Bobby Hutcherson. It's a sound Pelt has long embraced, at least as far back 2013's fusion-influenced Water and Earth, and one that he has increasingly made his own. Which is to say, while The Artist brings to mind the vibes, keyboard, and groove-oriented aesthetics of '70s jazz, it never sounds like pastiche, and remains a nuanced palette for Pelt to draw from. Adding rich colors to this palette are Pelt's bandmates: pianist Victor Gould, bassist Vicente Archer, guitarist Alex Wintz, marimba player Chien Chien Lu, and percussionist Ismel Wignall. 

Together they play with a deft sense of group interplay that's as much the focus as Pelt's own improvisatory prowess and balmy tone. In fact, Pelt bows out of "The Rodin Suite, Pt. 2: Dignity and Despair (Burghers of Calais)" altogether, allowing Gould to lead the ensemble with his gem-tone keyboard warmth. "The Rodin Suite, Pt. 3: I sol tace (Gates of Hell)" is perhaps the most fusion-sounding track as the trumpeter paints the song's intro with thick wah-wah and echo pedal-dipped lines against a backdrop of woody marimba and conga, before settling into an arid, slow-burn noir groove. Similarly evocative is "The Rodin Suite, Pt. 4: Camille Claudel (L'Éternel printemps)," whose sparkling chimes, fuzzy marimba, and drawn-out dual guitar and trumpet melody conjure the image of sculptor Camille Claudel (Rodin's muse and partner), framing her tragic story in a haze of sadness and midday languor. Elsewhere, Pelt continues to pull inspiration from the visual arts, offering up the buoyant Latin rhythms of "Ceramic," the propulsive swing of "Feito," and the exuberant harmonic spirals of "Watercolors." With The Artist, Pelt has crafted an album that engages your attention and captivates your imagination much in the same way Rodin's famed sculptures continue to fascinate audiences. ~ Matt Collar https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-artist-mw0003243463

Personnel: Jeremy Pelt, trumpet; Victor Gould, piano; Vicente Archer, bass; Allan Menard, drums; Alex Wintz, guitar; Chien Chien Lu, vibraphone and marimba; and Frank Locrasto, Fender-Rhodes. 

Jeremy Pelt The Artist

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Steve Kuhn, Steve Swallow - Two by 2

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2007
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 58:00
Size: 133,6 MB
Art: Front

(4:01)  1. Gentle Thoughts
(3:51)  2. Two By Two
(5:56)  3. Remember
(4:33)  4. Wrong Together
(5:33)  5. Eidertown
(5:47)  6. Lullaby
(6:30)  7. Ladies In Mercedes
(6:32)  8. Deep Tango
(6:39)  9. Poem For # 15
(2:57) 10. Mr.Calypso Kuhn
(5:35) 11. Emmanuel

Few musicians possess anything like the lyrical capacity of Steve Kuhn and Steve Swallow, whether as composers or performers and this album of duets recorded in 1995 achieves an ideal of empathy. With the compositions roughly divided between the two, there's as much emphasis on the construction of durable melodic material as spontaneous interaction. Kuhn's opening "Gentle Thoughts" immediately achieves a limpid beauty, a vaguely Oriental theme that suggests light shimmering on water, while his "Two by Two" manages to reanimate traditional blues lines with sheer good spirits and just the lightest touch of ironic bluster. A triptych of Swallow compositions follows, with Kuhn buoyantly exuberant on "Remember," before the composer supplies the most guitar-like of electric bass solos, providing a slightly dissonant counterfoil to Kuhn's ebullience. Some of the best bop composers Tadd Dameron, Herbie Nichols seem to underpin "Wrong Together," a somber theme with a sprightly undercurrent that testifies to Swallow's ability to construct compound moods with subtle harmonic suggestion. 

There's more of the same in his familiar "Eiderdown," a fine performance of a genuinely memorable tune. Kuhn's "Lullaby" returns the two to the quiescent grace of the opening with Swallow achieving a glassy, resonant sound. There's a kind of Latin melodrama to Swallow's "Ladies in Mercedes," Kuhn's bright, soaring lines and Swallow's resilient underpinnings summarizing the duo's strength an ability to develop complex harmonic dialogue with grace and wit. Latin elements are even more pronounced in Kuhn's passionate "Deep Tango" and the brisk frolic of his "Mr. Calypso Kuhn." Kuhn's spoken-word performance of his "Poem for #15" recalls Swallow's deft settings of poems by Robert Creeley and focuses the recording's emotional intensity, suggesting how often this is music about something. In all, it's a superior performance by two masters of micro-ensemble intimacy. ~ Stuart Broomer https://www.allaboutjazz.com/two-by-2-steve-kuhn-sunnyside-records-review-by-stuart-broomer.php

Personnel: Steve Kuhn: piano; Steve Swallow: electric bass.

Two by 2

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Ellis Larkins Trio - Manhattan At Midnight

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2005
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 79:08
Size: 182,5 MB
Art: Front

(18:33)  1. Manhattan At Midnight
(19:42)  2. Penthouse Suite
( 3:03)  3. Am I Blue
( 2:58)  4. Blue Prelude
( 2:56)  5. Blue And Sentimental
( 3:02)  6. Blue Moon
( 3:09)  7. Blue Again
( 2:49)  8. A Blues Serenade
( 3:49)  9. Interlude #1
( 4:17) 10. At Loose Ends
( 4:26) 11. Ode To Marie
( 3:17) 12. Interlude #2
( 3:18) 13. Time
( 3:47) 14. Four Bar Intro With Tag

One of the most subtle, lyrical and intriguing of all jazz pianists, Ellis Larkins was considered the perfect accompanist. He recorded classic duets with Ella Fitzgerald and Ruby Braff, and fortunately led occasional sessions of his own. Two complete albums from the 1950s, Manhattan at Midnight and Blue and Sentimental, are reissued in full on this single CD. The former is particularly intriguing for it consists of two lengthy medleys that originally filled the two sides of an LP. The "Manhattan at Midnight Suite" has eight songs that musically hint at stories of New York nightlife in the 1950s while "Penthouse Suite" is perfect music for the cocktail hour. Larkins, guitarist Art Ryerson, and bassist Beverly Peer play as one, going smoothly and seamlessly from one song to another. The relaxed ambiance continues even when the performances are briefly uptempo. The Blue and Sentimental album continues the same mood during a dozen concise numbers. The first six are performed by a quartet with guitarist Skeeter Best with each song having "blue" in its title. The remainder of the project consists of duets with bassist Joe Benjamin on six fascinating Larkins originals. Although the music on this CD is perfect for backgrounds, turn up the volume and listen closely. There is a great deal of subtle creativity to discover. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/manhattan-at-midnight-mw0000472774

Personnel:  Piano – Ellis Larkins; Bass – Beverly Peer; Guitar – Art Ryerson.

Manhattan At Midnight

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Arturo O'Farrill & Jazz At Lincoln Center's Afro-Latin Jazz Orchestra - Una Noche Inolvidable

Styles: Latin Jazz, Big Band
Year: 2005
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 59:57
Size: 138,4 MB
Art: Front

(3:16)  1. Havana Special
(6:43)  2. Buscando La Melodía
(3:19)  3. Somos Novios
(3:23)  4. Estoy Commo Nunca
(5:59)  5. Volver A Los 17
(3:20)  6. Encantado De La Vida
(9:56)  7. Enseñame Tu & Piensalo Bien
(2:47)  8. Pianarabatibiri
(6:30)  9. Corazón Rebeldé
(3:43) 10. La Ley Del Guaguanco
(2:42) 11. Mi Amor Fugaz
(3:04) 12. Don Fulano
(5:07) 13. Avisale A Mi Contrario

It's never easy to replace a legend, especially when the legend happens also to be one's father. But Arturo O'Farrill, who doesn't want for courage or self-reliance, has seized the reins once held by his illustrious parent, the late Chico O'Farrill, and ridden the thoroughbred Afro-Latin Jazz Orchestra into the winner's circle in the first-ever live recording from Jazz at Lincoln Center's state-of-the-art Frederick P. Rose Hall, an occasion that was truly Una Noche Inolvidable (an unforgettable night). Commenting on the marvelous acoustics in Rose Hall, O'Farrill writes, "...all the musicians were smiling that night. And listening to this album, believe it or not, you can almost hear them smiling which is enchanting, as the most pleasurable Latin music is always presented with a smile. The concert was billed as "A Celebration of the Great Latin Jazz Vocalists, and the ALJO set the stage for two of the contemporary music scene's most celebrated soneros, Herman Olivera and Claudia Acuña. Olivera is showcased on seven of the album's thirteen tracks, Acuña on three, and there is one charming duet, "Encantado de la Vida. The ensemble opens with the buoyant "Havana Special and also goes it alone on pianist O'Farrill's fast-paced feature, "Pianarabatibiri. As this was essentially the singers' night to shine, there are few other solos. Alto Bobby Porcelli is heard briefly on "Buscando la Melodia, trombonist Luis Bonilla on "Volver a los 17, O'Farrill on "Corazon Rebeldé. Aside from that, the spotlight rests squarely on Olivera and Acuña, neither of whom needs much help to captivate an audience. Even so, they are given unwavering support throughout by the ALJO, which has been scrupulously assembled by O'Farrill from among the New York City area's most accomplished musicians, including a handful who were members of his father's Afro-Cuban Jazz Orchestra. Rose Hall lives up to its promise, as does the ALJO and its inimitable guests, Herman Olivera and Claudia Acuña, who together make this an unforgettable night for anyone who appreciates the bold and breathtaking panorama of Latin jazz. Jack Bowers https://www.allaboutjazz.com/una-noche-inolvidable-afro-latin-jazz-orchestra-palmetto-records-review-by-jack-bowers.php

Personnel:  Producer – Arturo O'Farrill; Bass – Ruben Rodriguez; Drums – Vince Cherico; Percussion – Joseph Gonzalez, Milton Cardona; Reeds – Bobby Porcelli, Erica vonKleist , Ivan Renta, Mario Rivera, Pablo Calogero; Trombone – Douglas Purviance, Luis Bonilla, Noah Bless, Reynaldo Jorge; Trumpet – Joseph Magnarelli, John Walsh, Michael Philip Mossman, Michael Rodriguez; Vocals – Claudia Acuña, Herman Olivera

Una Noche Inolvidable

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Ellis Larkins - A Smooth One [The Definitive Black & Blue Sessions]

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1977
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 51:19
Size: 118,9 MB
Art: Front

(9:08)  1. Rose Room
(7:31)  2. Saint Louis Blues
(4:18)  3. Blues In My Heart
(7:25)  4. A Smooth One
(3:45)  5. C.E.B.
(7:44)  6. Between The Devil And The Deep Blue Sea
(6:13)  7. I Want A Little Girl
(5:12)  8. Day Dream

Famed as a subtle accompanist who played harmonically complex chords in a lightly swinging style, pianist Ellis Larkins did not have any opportunities to record a full album as a leader after 1959 until this effort for the French Black & Blue label; it was last available domestically as a Classic Jazz LP. With fine support from bassist George Duvivier and drummer J.C. Heard, Larkins performs five swing-era standards, plus his own "C.E.B." The increasingly rare session gives listeners a good example of Ellis Larkins' tasteful playing. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/a-smooth-one-mw0000690076

A Smooth One [The Definitive Black & Blue Sessions]

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Dave Liebman, John Stowell - Petite Fleur: The Music of Sidney Bechet

Styles: Saxophone, Flute And Guitar Jazz
Year: 2018
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 59:40
Size: 138,4 MB
Art: Front

(2:35)  1. Petite Fleur
(5:10)  2. Daniel
(5:25)  3. When the Sun Sets Down South
(5:48)  4. Premier Bal
(4:11)  5. What a Dream
(3:55)  6. Petite Fleur (John Solo)
(5:58)  7. Passport
(5:51)  8. Creole Blues
(5:20)  9. Nous Deux
(6:00) 10. Si Tu Vois Ma Mere
(6:47) 11. Summertime
(2:35) 12. Petite Fleur (Dave Solo)

Saxophonist Dave Liebman leans "outside" for the most part. He came to a measure of fame in the bands of Miles Davis, during one of the influential trumpeter's decidedly outside periods the 1970s, when Liebman participated in Davis' On The Corner (Columbia Records, 1972), Dark Magus (CBS-Sony, 1975), and Get Up With It (Columbia, 1977). Post-Davis, the always prolific and adventurous Liebman offered up scores of recordings under his own name. Moving to the new millennium, these include Turnaround: The Music of Ornette Coleman (Jazzwerkstatt, 2009), Lieb Plays The Blues a La Trane (Daybreak, 2010), and Lineage: Rock and Pop Classics Revisited (Whaling City sounds, 2013). Petite Fleur: The Music of Sidney Bechet, features a teaming of Liebman with guitarist John Stowell, a reunion of sorts the duo released a terrific set in 2013: Blue Rose (Origin Records), that showcased the duo's adeptness jazz standards and The Great American Songbook. Petite Fleur is the pair's intimate and unfailingly gorgeous exploration of the music of soprano saxophone pioneer Sidney Bechet, the man who brought the "straight horn" into legitimacy as a jazz vehicle. The New Orleans-born Bechet began his recording career in the early 1920's, well before the advent of alto saxophonist Charlie Parker and the bebop revolution. That era before Parker before the complex harmonizations of bop isn't revisited as much as late 1950s thought late 1960s hard bop, mid-twentieth century cool jazz, or Miles Davis mid-sixties modal approach. Petit Feur says that's a shame. The tune that gives this disc it's title is one of Bechet's most famous offerings is visited three times once as a solo by Lowell; once as a solo by Liebman (on piano); and once as a duo. Direct and beautiful sounds. 

A major shaper of the New Orleans tradition, Becht usually played in ensembles that included more horns a trumpet, a trombone to go along with his soprano saxophone. If Bechet had the melody, the other guys either laid a foundation behind him or they snaked counter melodies around his main theme. This was jazz from New Orleans exuberant and bursting with life. Liebman and Stowell take his tunes and reveal their essence, and make them gentle, often understated ruminations. Bechet wrote straightforward, singable melodies that are accentuated in the one horn, one guitar renderings. As for tone on the soprano sax Bechet's was big. It has been described as emotional and reckless, intense and passionate. Liebman doesn't go that way here though he is more than capable. He instead rolls with a surprising (for him and Bechet) gentleness and deftness for the intricacies of the melodies. His tone here is more often than not clean, pure and sweet. Stowell an adept modern player with a fine discography on Origin Records lays back in a pre-bop mode himself, with shimmering rhythms and sustain and elastic single note forays. And sometimes he brings a Django Reinhardt mode into the picture. Liebman and Stowell's Petite Fleur uncovers a different side of Bechet's seminal, now-traditional sound, one that's been glowing under the shining surface all this time. ~ Dan McClenaghan https://www.allaboutjazz.com/petite-fleur-the-music-of-sidney-bechet-dave-liebman-origin-records-review-by-dan-mcclenaghan.php

Personnel: Dave Liebman: soprano saxophone, wood flute, piano; John Stowell: guitar, nylon-string guitar, fretless baritone guitar.

Petite Fleur: The Music of Sidney Bechet

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Kai Winding - More! Theme From Mondo Cane

Styles: Trombone Jazz
Year: 2019
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 28:53
Size: 67,6 MB
Art: Front

(2:01)  1. More
(2:21)  2. Hero
(1:38)  3. Gravy Waltz
(1:52)  4. China Nights
(2:24)  5. Surf Bird
(2:23)  6. Pipeline
(2:28)  7. Sukiyaki
(3:54)  8. Soul Surfin'
(2:54)  9. Tube Wail
(2:09) 10. Spinner
(2:26) 11. Hearse Ride
(2:16) 12. Comin' Home Baby

A strict surf album this is not, despite the packaging and a few titles. More is really the classic, best-selling album launching Kai Winding's mod sound. Actually, it is Claus Ogerman and Winding's sound, helped out in no small part by Kenny Burrell on guitar. Except when obviously imitating standard surf guitar, Burrell provides texture, specifically the "water sound" popularized by Vinnie Bell. Within this warm bath, as it were, the piercing electronic ondioline shimmers icily. The rhythm is basic "big beat" rock, and melody never really has a chance to escape blues figures, which is just as well. "Soul Surfin'" (also the reissue title of the album) is the longest track at 3:50, and with the others at around the two minute mark, the whole thing splashes by like a breaker. But just as a quick dip in the Pacific elicits an appetite, More leaves you hungry for, well, Mondo Cane #2. ~ Tony Wilds https://www.allmusic.com/album/more%21%21%21-the-theme-from-mondo-cane-mw0001882462

More!

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Marty Ehrlich - Just Before the Dawn

Styles: Clarinet, Saxophone And Flute Jazz
Year: 1995
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 60:07
Size: 139,4 MB
Art: Front

(2:32)  1. Spirit of JAH
(6:46)  2. Thickets
(8:00)  3. Mudpie Anthem
(6:12)  4. Dance No. 1
(8:27)  5. Flight
(7:16)  6. The Folksinger
(7:04)  7. Side by Side
(7:16)  8. Underground/Overground
(6:32)  9. Eliahu

The second Darkwoods Ensemble recording for multi-woodwind instrumentalist and composer Ehrlich is a true winner, and a progressive jazz icon for the '90s. To paraphrase Ehrlich's own description of his music "Sounds startle the air" birds call across as if the light won't come... these sounds will find a center or the center will change... metal hued breath across strings... birds in the darkness, waiting for no one... open the door, wake these sounds, just before the dawn." Ehrlich is assisted in this quest by French horn player Vincent Chancey, bassist Mark Helias, cellist Erik Friedlander, and percussionist Don Alias. 

At their most free and uninhibited, the group digs in on "Side By Side" with Ehrlich's clarinet setting off some unison lines and a cello-bass-conga groove bridge, or there's the scatter shot improv, prompted by serious bass clarinet and goofy French horn, with terpsichorean tuneful unison during "Dance #1." Elephantine clarion calls from Chancey with other animals chattering on a freely associated "Underground/Overground" is a prelude for swooping bird sounds via the strings and quite soulful unison horns in this segmented piece. Also highly developed is the risky "Flight" starting as a whack waltz, going to multi-faceted lighthouse beam spotted melodies, and an intense, free bridge that suddenly stops, making way for introspective, collective meditations. 

As complexly written is "Thickets," with haunting cello, ethnic percussion, minimalist, repeated clarinet and NYC urgent traffic motifs. A more mournful bass/cello/alto sax informs "Mudpie Anthem" with additional chamber-like counterpoint. The most tuneful asides are the wood flute/percussion Afro-Cuban groove of "Spirit Of J.A.H." (for Julius Hemphill), the heavy bass/bass clarinet ostinato of "Eliahu," and the lilting, beautiful, tuneful flute/plucked cello/shaker percussion beaut "The Folksinger." This music needs to be heard by all who love a good joust from improvising musicians who fully understand shadings, nuance, power and glory. Highly recommended, and a high point in Ehrlich's substantial discography. ~ Michael G.Nastos https://www.allmusic.com/album/just-before-the-dawn-mw0000181959

Personnel:   Marty Ehrlich - clarinet, bass clarinet, alto saxophone, flute; Vincent Chancey - French horn; Erik Friedlander - cello; Mark Helias - bass; Don Alias - percussion

Just Before the Dawn

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