Monday, October 21, 2019

Lee Konitz Quartet - Tranquility

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2015
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 34:08
Size: 79,5 MB
Art: Front

(3:56)  1. Stephanie
(3:12)  2. Memories of You
(4:57)  3. People Will Say We're In Love
(3:48)  4. When You're Smiling
(3:27)  5. Sunday
(5:26)  6. Lennie Bird
(6:10)  7. The Nearness of You
(3:09)  8. Jonquil

Lee Konitz' Verve label debut remains the purest expression of the sculpted, geometric aesthetic the altoist honed throughout the Eisenhower era crafted with startling precision and economy, Tranquility extols the virtues of mood and shape with Talmudic zeal, towering astride thought and expression. Supported by the bedrock rhythm section of bassist Henry Grimes and drummer Dave Bailey, Konitz and guitarist Billy Bauer weave melodies as intricate and ephemeral as spider webs. Rarely is music so profoundly cerebral also so deeply heartfelt. ~ Jason Ankeny https://www.allmusic.com/album/tranquility-mw0000765548

Personnel: Lee Konitz – alto saxophone; Billy Bauer – guitar; Henry Grimes – bass; Dave Bailey – drums

Tranquility

Chuck Hedges - Chicago Live

Styles: Clarinet Jazz 
Year: 2005
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 64:35
Size: 149,3 MB
Art: Front

(7:57)  1. Blue Skies
(6:08)  2. I Want A Little Girl
(6:17)  3. Get Happy
(7:43)  4. Scuttlebutt
(4:48)  5. In A Sentimental Mood
(5:24)  6. I Hear Music
(4:30)  7. Daydream
(5:56)  8. Avalon
(5:17)  9. Sweet And Lovely
(3:28) 10. I Surrender Dear
(7:03) 11. Undecided

Chuck Hedges explained that he wanted this CD to give full credit and exposure to each member of the band and to give the listener a personal experience of how the music sounds in a live concert, undiluted by the technical guru's best intentions. For this he assembled a group of the best veteran Chicago area musicians, all of whom know each other's playing intuitively, and then personally supervised the sound mixing for the desired result. So hitch up your chair on-stage, look out at the live audience and, listen carefully to what it really sounds like to be in the middle of the band where you can hear everything, all of the time. For the full experience, we recommend you listen with your eyes closed and your ears open. In his early 20's Chuck Hedges remembered that he once played clarinet in high school and, wouldn't it be cool if he got it out again to see if he remembered how to play it. Then, apparently he jumped on-stage with some local Chicago guys like George Brunies, Muggsy Spanier and Danny Alvin and headed out on a half-century career which has taken him all over the world and launched him into the ranks of the best jazz clarinetists on planet Earth. https://store.cdbaby.com/cd/hedges

Personnel: Clarinet: Chuck Hedges; Guitar: Dave Sullivan; Vibes: Duane Thamm; Piano: Steve Behr; Drums: Charlie Braugham; Bass: John Bany

Chicago Live

Philip Catherine - End Of August

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 1982
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 38:02
Size: 88,3 MB
Art: Front

(5:12)  1. Petit Nicolas
(5:09)  2. Grand Nicolas
(9:26)  3. Janet
(6:17)  4. September Start
(4:57)  5. Goodbye
(2:53)  6. Birth Of August
(3:14)  7. End Of August
(0:50)  8. Presque

An immensely gifted Belgian guitarist, Philip Catherine is a highly regarded performer known for his harmonically nuanced, deeply lyrical playing and crisply rounded fretboard touch. Born in London in 1942 to an English mother and Belgian father, Catherine moved to Brussels with his family at a young age. As a teenager, he became interested in the guitar, influenced at the time by French singer/songwriter and poet George Brassens. By age 14 he was taking lessons, and learning the basic elements of jazz improvisation when he discovered Django Reinhardt. He quickly absorbed the jazz legend's distinctive style, and eventually picked up other influences, including Belgian guitarist René Thomas. He also immersed himself in albums by such luminaries as Art Blakey, Clifford Brown, Max Roach, and others. Catherine began playing gigs while in his teens, working in a trio with American Hammond B-3 specialist Lou Bennett and drummer Oliver Jackson. There were also stints with Belgian saxophonist Jack Sels and Philadelphia-born/Brussels-based drummer Edgar Bateman. In 1970, violinist Jean-Luc Ponty asked him to join his band and, inspired by contemporaries like John McLaughlin and Larry Coryell, Catherine stayed with Ponty for a year, dedicating himself to the progressive fusion sound. Also during this period, he attended formal music classes at Berklee College of Music in Boston. 

After returning to Belgium, Catherine found himself in high demand and developed a bevy of connections, including playing with Klaus Weiss, Les McCann, Karin Krog, Dexter Gordon, and others. As a solo artist, he made his debut with 1971's Stream, a funky, inventive mix of acoustic and electric jazz. He followed up in 1975 with Guitars and September Man, both also highly inventive, fusion-influenced albums. Sessions with Herb Geller, Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen, and Charles Mingus followed, as did a duo tour with guitarist Coryell. Also during the '70s, he paired with close associate saxophonist Charlie Mariano for a handful of sessions, and rounded out the decade with his own Nairam, which also featured Mariano, along with trumpeter Palle Mikkelborg and others. During the '80s, Catherine's profile continued to rise as he released several more well-regarded efforts, including Babel, End of August, and Trio with guitarist Christian Escoude and violinist Didier Lockwood. There also were dates with Aldo Romano, Stéphane Grappelli, and Kenny Drew. Also in the '80s, he gained attention for his work with legendary West Coast trumpeter/vocalist Chet Baker, touring and appearing on such albums as 1983's Mr. B and 1985's Strollin'. Although his 1986 album, Transparence, layered keyboards into his atmospheric sound, his work with Baker pointed toward a more acoustic-leaning aesthetic. It was a sound he further embraced on 1990's I Remember You. 

Dedicated to Baker (who died in 1989), the album also featured trumpeter/flügelhornist Tom Harrell. Throughout the '90s, Catherine released a steady stream of albums for smaller jazz labels like Enja, Criss Cross, and Dreyfus, including albums like Moods, Vol. 1, Spanish Nights, and 1999's Guitar Groove. In 2001, he returned with Blue Prince, which found him balancing his love of acoustic jazz and electric fusion. Joining him were trumpeter Bert Joris, bassist Hein van de Geyn, and drummer Hans Van Oosterhout. Joris was also on board for 2002's Summer Night. The orchestral album Meeting Colours followed three years later. The more intimate Guitars Two appeared in 2008. He then joined bassist van de Geyn, pianist Enrico Pieranunzi, and drummer Joe La Barbera for the 2010 live album Concert in Capbreton. A year later, he delivered the trio date Plays Cole Porter, followed by 2013's warmly sophisticated Côté Jardin. The duo album New Folks with bassist Martin Wind followed a year later. He then joined the Orchestre Royal de Chambre de Wallonie for 2015's The String Project: Live in Brussels. ~ Matt Collar https://www.allmusic.com/artist/philip-catherine-mn0000287463/biography

Featuring: Philip Catherine (guitar), Trilok Gurtu (percussions), Charlie Mariano (saxophone), Toots Thielemans (harmonica), Nicolas Fiszman (bass) & electric

End Of August

Bill Frisell - Gone, Just Like a Train

Styles: Guitar Jazz 
Year: 1998
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 69:56
Size: 161,9 MB
Art: Front

( 5:18)  1. Blues for Los Angeles
( 3:10)  2. Verona
( 4:38)  3. Godson Song
( 3:38)  4. Girl Asks Boy - Pt. 1
( 4:12)  5. Pleased to Meet You
(10:20)  6. Lookout for Hope
( 4:58)  7. Nature's Symphony
( 5:07)  8. Egg Radio
( 3:23)  9. Ballroom
( 2:19) 10. Girl Asks Boy - Pt. 2
( 2:51) 11. Sherlock Jr.
( 5:31) 12. Gone, Just Like a Train
( 5:50) 13. The Wife and Kid
( 3:24) 14. Raccoon Cat
( 4:18) 15. Lonesome
( 0:51) 16. Blues for Los Angeles "reprise"

Drawing from all over the musical spectrum, Frisell selects drummer Jim Keltner (best known for his records with George Harrison, Eric Clapton and other rock stars) and bassist Viktor Krauss (a fixture in Lyle Lovett's country band), and comes up with an immensely likable, easy-grooving CD that defies one to put a label on it. If anything, Frisell leans toward a drawling country twang heavily indebted to Chet Atkins in his guitar work here, but there is a freewheeling jazz sensibility at work on every track. Keltner contributes the heavy rock element with his emphatic strokes, occasionally pushing Frisell in that direction on the title track and the lengthy "Lookout for Hope." Yet Keltner is also capable of surprising subtlety, and Krauss provides firm, unflashy underpinning. Above all, this is thoughtful, free-thinking, ear-friendly jamming that was recorded in bustling Burbank, CA. but sounds as if it was laid down in a relaxed cabin in the hills. ~ Richard S.Ginell https://www.allmusic.com/album/gone-just-like-a-train-mw0000031842

Personnel: Bill Frisell – guitar; Viktor Krauss – bass; Jim Keltner – drums

Gone, Just Like a Train

The Tierney Sutton Band - ScreenPlay

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2019
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 67:51
Size: 157,7 MB
Art: Front

(5:31)  1. The Windmills of Your Mind
(4:40)  2. Moon River / Calling You
(4:05)  3. On a Clear Day (You Can See Forever)
(5:48)  4. What Are You Doing the Rest of Your Life?
(4:29)  5. I've Got No Strings
(5:59)  6. If I Only Had a Brain
(5:31)  7. The Sound of Silence
(2:27)  8. Goodbye for Now
(3:23)  9. Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend
(4:11) 10. Hopelessly Devoted to You
(5:01) 11. You're the One That I Want
(4:20) 12. How Do You Keep the Music Playing?
(2:59) 13. Ev'ry Now and Then
(6:24) 14. It Might Be You
(2:55) 15. Arrow

Cinema-related "standards" have been fertile territory for musicians to harvest ever since Al Jolson walked miles for smiles. With Screenplay, 8-time Grammy-nominated vocalist Tierney Sutton here as the Tierney Sutton Band takes a fascinating retrospective, delivering fifteen tunes we have often heard  but never this creatively. The result is a showcase that is unique, engaging, and in terms of how Sutton, pianist Christian Jacob, bassists Trey Henry and Kevin Axt and drummer Ray Brinker collectively speak brilliant. "The Windmills of Your Mind" spins slowly with a Brinker cymbal "drone," Jacob's keys sparkling, and Sutton poetic. "Moon River" is paired with the lesser-known "Calling You" in which Sutton's lyric and dynamic delivery is Siren-seductive, drawing us in to both rainbow's end and desert zephyrs. "On a Clear Day" is a swinger with Sutton and Henry whipping up a tempest before a torrid Jacob trip and Brinker burning. Sutton inquires "What Are You Doing the Rest of Your Life" fairly straightforwardly in a stunningly beautiful duo with Jacob. The rarely heard "I've Got No Strings," here a ballad, adds those of guitarist Serge Merlaud to Sutton's truth-telling. With "If I Only Had a Brain" Sutton cooks soulful with funkster Kevin Axt's electric bass and Henry's arco working a savvy complement. Simon and Garfunkel's "Sound of Silence" plays like a Medieval chanson with Sutton the trobairitz. 

Stephen Sondheim's "Goodbye for Now" is a dark, deep farewell. "Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend" dazzles with Sutton scat singing over Brinker's Fred Astaire like brushes. "Hopelessly Devoted to You," taken slower than usual, and the rhythmically driving "You're the One That I Want" are interesting no-ham cuts. Alan Bergman makes a cameo appearance with Sutton on "How Do You Keep the Music Playing?" and it is a touching entendre. Sutton and Jacob haunt on "Ev'ry Now and Then" and "It Might Be You." Both those tracks are gems. "Arrow," which Sutton and Jacob wrote for Clint Eastwood's Sully (Warner Bros. 2016) soundtrack closes the session dream like. Sutton's vocal chops and her phrasing are impeccable. Not only is she dead-on pitch, but, her instrument and the way she handles it across the dynamic spectrum enables her to derive new imagery from the vintage material. The effect is so stunningly beautiful and emotionally profound that it seems as if we are hearing these classics come prima. As expected, the support work of Jacob, Henry, Axt and Brinker is superb. 

Additionally, the arrangements are so creative, so colorfully savvy, that the ensemble takes on the dimension of a "vocalized orchestra."  The Tierney Sutton Band does much more than revive memories. Through the creative efforts of these masterful musicians, glorious melodies and their poetic lyrics are elevated and brilliantly honored. It is an aural Oscar. With Screenplay the play is indeed the thing. ~ Nicholas F. Mondello https://www.allaboutjazz.com/screenplay-tierney-sutton-bfm-jazz-review-by-nicholas-f-mondello.php

Personnel: Tierney Sutton: vocals; Christian Jacob: piano; Kevin Axt: bass; Trey Henry: bass; Ray Brinker: drums/percussion; Serge Merlaud: guitar (5, 12, 14); Alan Bergman: vocals (12).

ScreenPlay

Sunday, October 20, 2019

Courtney Pine - Modern Day Jazz Stories

Styles: Saxophone And Flute Jazz
Year: 1995
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 59:00
Size: 136,1 MB
Art: Front

( 1:24)  1. Prelude - The Water Of Life
( 4:21)  2. The 37th Chamber
( 4:56)  3. Don't 'Xplain
( 8:48)  4. Dah Blessing
( 5:58)  5. In The Garden Of Eden - Thinking Inside Of You
(10:36)  6. Creation Stepper
( 7:33)  7. Absolution
( 3:50)  8. Each One - Must) Teach One
( 6:39)  9. The Unknown Warrior - Song For My Forefathers
( 3:41) 10. I've Known Rivers
( 1:09) 11. Outro - Guiding Light

On his return to Antilles and his debut with the Verve Group, Courtney Pine reaches out to unchartered musical zones, reflecting the sound of the street in a modern mix of pop, hip hop and jazz music. Described as Courtney's most focused album to date, Modern Day Jazz Stories combines the worlds of jazz and hip hop, utilizing the traditional sounds of jazz instruments simultaneously with turntables, but without overdubs. Full album to ship to jazz and college radio. ~ Editorial Reviews https://www.amazon.com/Modern-Jazz-Stories-Courtney-Pine/dp/B000004703

Personnel: Saxophone [Tenor], Saxophone [Soprano], Flute – Courtney Pine; Double Bass – Charnett Moffett; Drums, Percussion – Ronnie Burrage; Guitar – Mark Whitfield; Piano [Acoustic], Organ [Hammond B3] – Geri Allen; Trumpet – Eddie Henderson; Voice – Cassandra Wilson

Modern Day Jazz Stories

Kellylee Evans - Come On

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2015
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 34:45
Size: 79,9 MB
Art: Front

(3:05)  1. Come On
(3:17)  2. Tell Me What You Like
(3:47)  3. Right To Love
(3:29)  4. Hands Up
(3:52)  5. These Arms
(2:59)  6. Know His Worth
(3:22)  7. Alright Maybe
(3:31)  8. Find Your Heart
(3:41)  9. I Do
(3:36) 10. Unbreakable

Six albums deep and Juno Award winner Kellylee Evans is still shaking it up on Come On, her latest Decca album. The stylistic connoisseur has tackled everything from jazz to R&B and pop in such previous tasty classics fight or flight?, Nina, her Juno-winning tribute to the legendary Nina Simone and I Remember When. Praised by the Latin Jazz Network for a "gorgeous voice (that) rises to the heavens in rapturous wonder as if in consanguinity with a chorus of angels" and by the Yukon Arts Centre for "a stunning crystalline voice, both powerful and emotive," Evans now pushes her muse firmly into the soulful pop territory with Come On: a wonderfully refreshing album about love and life that comes on the heels of two nearly career-ending accidents: a freak lightning strike in her Ottawa kitchen and further effects of a concussion suffered during a fall at her home. However, Evans is nothing if not resilient: the runner-up of the 2004 Thelonious Monk Competition offers views on love and loss in an alluringly rhythmic approach that has touches of psychedelic pop, resonating soul groove and that je ne sais quoi that is strictly Kellylee and forged by her jazz discipline. From the stirring soul-stomper "Come On" which combines an effervescent Motown feel with traces of psychedelia and the funky groove-a-liciousness of "Hands Up" to the string-and-horn-spiced magnetism of "Know His Worth," the 10 songs of Come On find Kellylee at her most magically potent. Produced and co-written by Eric Legnini (Stefano Di Battista), this is post-romantic soul at its finest; a project of strong vision and great execution that signals the return of Kellylee Evans as a bold explorer and interpreter. It only gets better when you experience her live, in her element. Kellylee Evans' time is nigh, and Come On is just the catalyst to get her there. http://www.kellyleeevans.com/bio/

Come On

Wolfgang Haffner - Zooming

Styles: Jazz, Post Bop
Year: 2004
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 55:41
Size: 128,4 MB
Art: Front

(6:20)  1. Zooming
(5:24)  2. The Day Before Yesterday
(5:54)  3. Trip
(3:57)  4. Somewhere Else
(4:54)  5. Facing West
(6:47)  6. Metropolis
(5:19)  7. Shape of Peace
(4:59)  8. Momo's Dance
(5:43)  9. Seventy Five
(6:19) 10. Corazon

"Besides his virtuosity as an instrumentalist, Wolfgang Haffner is an excellent songwriter, arranger and producer.His current release literally "takes the cake" .He successfully manages to create a convincing blend of innovative sounds, catchy melodies and brilliant group tightness, for the first time, bears purely European traits. Much like the proverbial chef de cuisine, he has taken the creme de la creme of European jazz musicians and formed a dish that has all the makings of a classic recipe: shimmering guitar riffs from Martin Koller, electronic effects by the ultra-manipulated sounds of saxofonist / bass clarinetist as a reminiscent of the best up-to-date Scandinavian productions, a taste of uncompromising rock here and there and naturally well-laced jazz solos at their finest. Till Brönner, Rebekka Bakken and Nils Landgren are among the colourful gang of characters." 

Personnel: Wolfgang Haffner (drums), Johannes Enders (tenor saxophone), Rebekka Bakken (vocals), Till Bronner (trumpet), Nils Landgren (trombone), Vladyslav Sendetzki (keyboards)

Zooming

Kevin Hays - 7th Sense

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1994
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 63:55
Size: 147,2 MB
Art: Front

(5:50)  1. Take The D Flat Train
(6:57)  2. Seventh Sense
(7:13)  3. Three Pillars
(8:24)  4. My Man's Gone Now
(5:47)  5. Interlude
(7:08)  6. Space Acres
(5:06)  7. Little B's Poem
(7:57)  8. East Of The Sun
(4:33)  9. Makyo
(4:57) 10. Black Narcissus

Pianist Kevin Hays' style mixes together the influences of Bill Evans and McCoy Tyner and he helps define the modern mainstream on this Blue Note disc. The quintet set also features plenty of solo space from vibraphonist Steve Nelson and the excellent tenorman Seamus Blake. 

Opening with three Hays originals and also including Hindermith's "Interlude" (which finds the group sounding a little like the Modern Jazz Quartet) and such standards as "My Man's Gone Now" and "East of the Sun," the music pays tribute to the past without becoming predictable or overly derivative. It's a fine release. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/seventh-sense-mw0000114092

Personnel: Kevin Hays - piano;  Seamus Blake - tenor saxophone; Steve Nelson - vibraphone; Doug Weiss - bass; Brian Blade -drums

7th Sense

Bill Evans - Smile With Your Heart: The Best of Bill Evans on Resonance

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2019
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 69:27
Size: 159,8 MB
Art: Front

(5:13)  1. Someday My Prince Will Come
(5:07)  2. Yesterdays
(4:21)  3. Mother of Earl
(3:32)  4. You're Gonna Hear from Me
(4:51)  5. Baubles, Bangles and Beads
(6:58)  6. My Funny Valentine
(8:34)  7. Nardis
(5:14)  8. Very Early
(4:53)  9. Turn out the Stars
(3:53) 10. Polka Dots and Moonbeams
(8:49) 11. RE: Person I Know
(7:57) 12. Waltz for Debby

In celebration of its 10-year anniversary, Resonance is launching a series of compilations culled from its vast catalog highlighting both living artists as well as jazz greats of the past. The artwork for the first 4 titles in the series is by the acclaimed Japanese artist, Takao Fujioka, who is also the chief editor of Way Out West magazine in Japan. His artwork has graced countless album covers, and he has had exhibitions all over the world. Smile With Your Heart focuses on the jazz icon Bill Evans and includes material from his four album releases on Resonance Records. ~ Editorial Reviews https://www.amazon.com/Smile-Your-Heart-Evans-Resonance/dp/B07QXTFT7Q

Personnel: Bill Evans: piano; Eddie Gomez: bass; Marty Morell: drums (1-3, 10-12); Jack DeJohnette: drums (4-9).

Smile With Your Heart: The Best of Bill Evans on Resonance

Saturday, October 19, 2019

Fapy Lafertin, Tim Kliphouse - Fine & Dandy

Styles: Guitar And Violin Jazz 
Year: 2006
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 50:11
Size: 116,3 MB
Art: Front

(3:00)  1. Eveline
(3:16)  2. Blue Lou
(3:59)  3. Tango For Django
(4:29)  4. Lover Man
(3:02)  5. Coquette
(2:41)  6. Fine & Dandy
(4:06)  7. Aurore
(4:26)  8. I Love You
(2:32)  9. Caravane Rabouine
(3:26) 10. Exactly Like You
(3:08) 11. Charleston
(5:29) 12. I Can't Get Started
(2:49) 13. How High The Moon
(3:42) 14. Fleur De Lavande

Fapy Lafertin may not be as well known Stochelo Rosenberg or Bireli Lagrene, but aficionados of Gypsy jazz guitar have regarded him as one the true masters of the style since he first arrived on the scene in the late 1960s. On Fine & Dandy he showcases his relaxed, melodic manner of playing on a well-chosen selection of tunes including David Grisman's composition "Tango for Django," the charming waltz "Caravene Rabouine," and Lafertin's own homage to Django Reinhardt, "Aurore." Lafertin is joined by Tim Kliphouse, an excellent fiddler who plays with considerable panache. The flurry of impeccably executed notes on lively tunes like "How High the Moon" and "Charleston" show that Lafertin and Kliphouse have technique to burn, but they reveal their true command of the music on the slower selections such as "I Can't Get Started." Fine & Dandy is state-of-the-art Gypsy jazz from one of the finest musicians to ever pick up a Selmer guitar. ~ Michael Simmons - Editorial Reviews https://www.amazon.com/Fine-Dandy-Lafertin-Quintet-Kliphouse/dp/B00008US1H

Personnel: Fapy Lafertin - guitar; Tim Kliphouse - violin; Simon Planting - double bass; Jan Brouwer - rhythm guitar; Reinier Voet - rhythm guitar

Fine & Dandy

Heather Masse - Many Moons

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2008
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 23:57
Size: 55,4 MB
Art: Front

(5:25)  1. Moon River
(5:12)  2. Moon Medley
(3:51)  3. Our World
(4:57)  4. Secret Love
(4:31)  5. Stars

New York-based singer song-maker Heather Masse grew up in rural Maine and began singing at an early age. Having taken a degree in Jazz Voice from the New England Conservatory of Music, Heather is steeped in the jazz tradition, which informs her distinct approach to singing music of all sorts. She is a member of the acclaimed Juno-award winning Canadian band “The Wailin' Jennys”, and has performed at 100s of venues across the country including appearances on Garrison Keillor’s A Prairie Home Companion. She has performed with the renowned contemporary bluegrass band "The Wayfaring Strangers," and has appeared at venues including NPR's World Cafe, and Boston's Symphony Hall, sharing the stage with the Boston Pops Orchestra. In 2006, she recorded an eponymous album with the Boston-based group "Joy Kills Sorrow" a modern string band that finds it home in the cracks between bluegrass, jazz, old-time, and pop styles as well as a self-released EP Tell Me Tonight, a collection of original songs performed with her own Brooklyn-based outfit “Heather and the Barbarians.” Heather’s rich, soulful, voice elegantly moves through numerous styles organically and with sincerity- A quality learned from some of her early influences disparate as Ray Charles, Bonnie Raitt, Joni Mitchell, and Chet Baker. Heather’s newest project, The Heather Anne Band plans to record a full-length album of Heather’s original songs and music this coming winter. https://store.cdbaby.com/cd/heathermasse

Many Moons

Matt Dennis - Dennis, Anyone?

Styles: Vocal And Piano Jazz
Year: 1998
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 41:29
Size: 96,0 MB
Art: Front

(3:41)  1. Where Do We Go From Here?
(2:56)  2. The Land Of Danger
(3:18)  3. Old Uncle Fud
(2:55)  4. Relax
(3:32)  5. I'm The Boy Who Takes Her Home
(3:27)  6. Devil Talk
(3:22)  7. That's How Close I Want To Be To You
(3:32)  8. Too Late For Love
(3:08)  9. Enchanted Memory
(3:15) 10. A Thousand Years Ago
(3:02) 11. Bless You, Little Sleepyhead
(5:15) 12. Show Me The Way To Get Out Of This World (Cause That's Where Everything Is)

Matt Dennis' first live LP, recorded in Hollywood in 1955 and also including a dozen Dennis compositions, doesn't have quite the songwriting firepower of Sings and Plays Matt Dennis. Instead of "Violets for Your Furs" and "Angel Eyes," listeners get "Old Uncle Fud" and "Bless You, Little Sleepyhead." Still, Dennis is just as suave and sentimental (though not as humorous), singing clever ballads like "I'm the Boy Who Takes Her Home" and the unexpectedly optimistic "Where Do We Go From Here?." A few do fall flat, including one ("That's How Close I Want to Be to You") whose references to then-current events and obscure personalities barely made it out of the '50s. Also, it's difficult to escape the fact that many of Dennis' performances are nearly identical. Undoubtedly an entertaining performance for a night out during the mid-'50s, Dennis, Anyone? exists for digital-age listeners as an interesting curio of lounge-act finesse. ~ John Bush https://www.allmusic.com/album/dennis-anyone-mw0000215634

Personnel:  Piano, Vocals – Matt Dennis; Bass – Ray Leatherwood; Drums – Alvin Stoller; Guitar – Bill Pitman

Dennis, Anyone?

Billy Eckstine - Broadway Bongos and Mr. B

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2014
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 32:26
Size: 75,8 MB
Art: Front

(2:22)  1. From This Moment On
(2:06)  2. I Could Write a Book
(2:49)  3. If Ever I Would Leave You
(2:57)  4. I've Got You Under My Skin
(3:06)  5. Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin'
(2:45)  6. Tonight
(2:24)  7. Stranger in Paradise
(2:17)  8. Get Out of Town
(2:56)  9. Old Devil Moon
(2:45) 10. On the Street Where You Live
(2:44) 11. There's a Small Hotel
(3:09) 12. Something I Dreamed Last Night

Broadway, Bongos and Mr. B is a 1961 studio album by the American singer Billy Eckstine. It was arranged by Hal Mooney, and marked Eckstine's return to Roulette Records. The album features Latin tinged arrangements of popular Broadway show tunes, with a percussion section of xylophones, marimbas and bongos. In their July 1961 review of Broadway, Bongos and Mr. B, Billboard magazine wrote that "This is one of the best albums made by Billy Eckstine in many years", and that he was "singing with confidence again in his own style". The review concluded that it was "A strong new album that could help win back many of Mr. B's fans". This was the third of Eckstine's Mercury Records albums to use the same photograph of him. It had previously graced the covers of Billy's Best! (1958) and Billy Eckstine's Imagination (1958). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Broadway,_Bongos_and_Mr._B

Personnel:  Billy Eckstine - vocals; Hal Mooney - arranger, conductor

Broadway Bongos and Mr. B

Mike LeDonne - Partners in Time

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2019
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 53:31
Size: 123,3 MB
Art: Front

(6:04)  1. Lined with a Groove
(6:34)  2. My Funny Valentine
(8:33)  3. Saud
(6:46)  4. Lament
(7:30)  5. Recovery Blues
(4:36)  6. Here's That Rainy Day
(7:39)  7. N.P.S.
(5:46)  8. Bopsolete

Mike LeDonne is on piano this time around not his more-familiar Hammond organ and he's working in a really fantastic trio with Christian McBride on bass and Lewis Nash on drums! Both players have made lots of wonderful records over the years, but there's something really special about this one as if LeDonne's bold approach to the piano seems to unlock even more energy in their rhythms maybe in part because Mike's always partially tuned to the needs of a bassist, which he sometimes handles with his feet on the pedals of the Hammond. Obviously, that's not the case this time around but he does often play in these bold, blocky ways that are perfect for Nash and McBride to augment on titles that include "Saud", "Lined With A Groove", "Recovery Blues", "Here's That Rainy Day", "NPS", and "Bopsolete".  © 1996-2019, Dusty Groove, Inc. https://www.dustygroove.com/item/921006/Mike-LeDonne:Partners-In-Time

Personnel: Piano – Mike LeDonne;  Acoustic Bass – Christian McBride; Drums – Lewis Nash

Partners in Time

Friday, October 18, 2019

Hank Jones - Piano Solo (a.k.a. Have You Met Hank Jones)

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2008
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 40:10
Size: 92,4 MB
Art: Front

(3:16)  1. It Had to Be You
(3:15)  2. Heart and Soul
(2:26)  3. Let's Fall in Love
(2:54)  4. But Not for Me
(3:14)  5. Kankee Shout
(3:41)  6. Body and Soul
(2:32)  7. How About You
(3:19)  8. Gone with the Wind
(3:08)  9. Teddy's Dream
(3:16) 10. Have You Met Miss Jones
(4:12) 11. You Don't Know What Love Is
(4:52) 12. Solo Blues

Savoy jazz director, Ozzie Cadena, was the first a&r man to give Hank Jones the amount of record time he deserved. In addition to Joness steadying presence as a sideman on many sessions, Cadena saw to it that he was finally brought before a wider audience than at any previous point in his career. 

This time Cadena chose to present him as a solo performer, an inspired choice, since Jones is a complete jazz pianist in that he can be his own rhythm section if he has to. Underneath the flowing gentleness of his lines is a firm, two-handed beat that sometimes distils stride traces of his early influencesWaller, Tatum, Wilson, and Nat Cole. And because of the intelligence and emotional acumen of his musicianship, he can make even the venerable standards included here sound freshly minted and personal again. https://www.freshsoundrecords.com/hank-jones-albums/4923-hank-jones-piano-solo.html

Personnel: Hank Jones - Piano.

Piano Solo  (a.k.a. Have You Met Hank Jones)

Jane Morgan - The American Girl from Paris

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2001
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 39:16
Size: 91,2 MB
Art: Front

(3:23)  1. It Might as Well Be Spring
(3:16)  2. I'll Be Seeing You
(3:35)  3. Better Luck Next Time
(2:51)  4. J'attendrai
(2:57)  5. It's Easy to Remember
(4:18)  6. Thanks for the Memory
(3:23)  7. If I Loved You
(3:34)  8. When the World Was Young
(2:55)  9. A Woman Needs to Be Told
(3:03) 10. I Can Dream Can't I
(3:04) 11. Insensiblement
(2:52) 12. I Didn't Know What Time It Was

Vocalist Jane Morgan is known best for her lone Top Ten hit, "Fascination," drawn from the 1957 Billy Wilder film Love in the Afternoon. Born in Boston (as Jane Currier) but raised in Florida, Morgan was an early success as a singer in France. She made the transition back to America as a nightclub act, and signed to Kapp in the mid '50s.  Jane Morgan made her chart debut late in 1956, appearing alongside Roger Williams on "Two Different Worlds." One year later she hit number seven with her theme "Fascination," based on the old French composition "Valse Tzigane." Both "The Day the Rains Came" and "With Open Arms" followed "Fascination" into the Top 40 during the late '50s, but Morgan had disappeared from the charts by the turn of the decade. (Her last hit was also a movie theme, for 1959's Happy Anniversary, directed by David Miller and featuring David Niven.) She continued recording for Kapp until 1962, and resurfaced four years later on Epic for Fresh Flavor, a rock-crossover LP that was only slightly embarrassing (her cover of "Good Lovin'" is a minor moment of kitsch). ~ John Bush https://www.allmusic.com/artist/jane-morgan-mn0000181618/biography

The American Girl from Paris

Sérgio Mendes - Encanto

Styles: Brazilian Jazz
Year: 2008
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 58:01
Size: 135,8 MB
Art: Front

(3:59)  1. The Look Of Love
(4:00)  2. Funky Bahia
(3:58)  3. Waters Of March
(3:50)  4. Odo-Ya
(4:00)  5. Somewhere in the Hills (O Morro Nao Tem Vez)
(4:16)  6. Lugar Comum
(4:43)  7. Dreamer
(4:19)  8. Morning in Rio
(4:18)  9. Y Vamos Ya (...Let's Go)
(3:50) 10. Catavento (Catavento e Girassol)
(4:27) 11. Acode
(4:02) 12. Agua De Beber
(3:53) 13. Waters of March (Les Eaux de Mars) - French Version
(4:19) 14. E Vamos La (...Let's Go)

Though he's always been at the front of the show, Sergio Mendes has often gotten by with the help of his friends. As in 1965, so in 2008. The newest update of Sergio Mendes & Brasil '66 feel free to call it Brasil '08 has a varied cast, led by co-producer will.i.am, who adapts his style well to urban and Brazilian forms. It also includes will.i.am's Black Eyed Peas bandmate Fergie, doing "The Look of Love" in a version that may never reach the heights of the original, but never becomes as embarrassing as "My Humps." Surprisingly, it's a good performance from Fergie; although she never approaches the sultriness of Dusty Springfield's original, her quick-paced singing on the verses is some kind of career highlight. Elsewhere, Mendes deserves most of the credit, especially since will.i.am only bookends the album (he produces the first two tracks and the last two). Encanto makes room for a parade of excellent musicians, including Carlinhos Brown, Ledisi, Natalie Cole, and Herb Alpert. (Not to be left out is the rhythm section, anchored by bass veterans Alphonso Johnson or Liminha.) The material breezes over quite a few Brazilian classics of the bossa nova era, and gives them just enough freshness to sound new. "Waters of March," with Johnson's nimble bass, makes room for a fine Ledisi vocal (granted, it's difficult to fail on that song). Mendes takes several solos on acoustic piano or Rhodes, best on the Herb Alpert feature "Dreamer." Overall, Encanto is a difficult record to judge; from the cover and the first two tracks, it appears to be urban all the way. The bulk of the album, however, is modern Brazilian jazz-fusion with an array of excellent musicians. Hopefully, its two potential audiences dance or hip-hop fans and Latin jazz listeners aren't steered away from it by thinking it's only concerned with one or the other. ~ John Bush https://www.allmusic.com/album/encanto-mw0000788394

Encanto

Brian Blade & The Fellowship Band - Body And Shadow

Styles: Jazz, Post Bop 
Year: 2017
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 31:44
Size: 73,2 MB
Art: Front

(3:03)  1. Within Everything
(3:09)  2. Body and Shadow - Noon
(4:32)  3. Traveling Mercies
(1:20)  4. Have Thine Own Way, Lord - Solo
(1:14)  5. Have Thine Own Way, Lord - Band
(1:43)  6. Body and Shadow - Morning
(8:21)  7. Duality
(2:57)  8. Body and Shadow - Night
(5:20)  9. Broken Leg Days

Brian Blade & The Fellowship Band celebrates its 20th anniversary in 2017. Body and Shadow is only their fifth album: they have not recorded prolifically, but each one has been worth the wait. The group occupies a unique space: the sound of Americana (chiefly folk music) is dominant, but played with a jazz sensibility. Despite the considerable technical firepower in the band, it has always kept the focus on the ensemble sound rather than on soloists. For this outing drummer Brian Blade and keyboardist Jon Cowherd have nearly equal compositional input, and the group welcomes a new member in Denver-based guitarist Dave Devine. Blade gets the first word with "Within Everything," an elegiac slow tune with a haunting melody. The first of the "Body and Shadow" entries is next Noon, later followed by Morning and Night. These are gentle explorations of similar material, rather minimal until a theme finally appears in the last one. Cowherd's first contribution is "Traveling Mercies," another folksong-like tune which nonetheless includes a dramatic, contrasting bridge. The feeling of contrast is even stronger in the aptly-titled "Duality," which is made up of two contrasting sections. The longest selection by far, it also has the most pronounced jazz feel. The first half features a long, joyful piano solo by the composer; the second half spotlights alto saxophonist Myron Walden in an electrifying solo turn.  The group's previous album Landmarks (Blue Note, 2014) featured a rare cover, a hymn-like treatment of the traditional song "Shenandoah." This time they up the ante with an actual hymn: "Have Thine Own Way, Lord." Cowherd plays it solo on harmonium first, then the entire band continues the feeling with Blade's arrangement. That it fits in with the original music so well is a testament to the deep traditional roots of the Fellowship Band's music. They have never been a long-winded bunch, but this is an especially succinct collection: the nine tracks run only a little over half an hour. Not a minute is wasted. ~ Mark Sullivan https://www.allaboutjazz.com/body-and-shadow-brian-blade-blue-note-records-review-by-mark-sullivan.php

Personnel: Brian Blade: drums; Jon Cowherd: piano, harmonium, mellotron; Chris Thomas: bass; Melvin Butler: tenor saxophone; Myron Walden: alto saxophone, bass clarinet; Dave Devine: guitar.

Body And Shadow

Thursday, October 17, 2019

Rick Braun - Beat Street

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 1995
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 53:32
Size: 124,4 MB
Art: Front

(4:36)  1. Groovis
(5:14)  2. Papa Dee
(5:06)  3. Club Harlem
(5:25)  4. I'll Be There For You
(5:51)  5. Philadelphia
(4:26)  6. Cadillac Slim
(4:49)  7. The Promises
(4:09)  8. Natalie
(4:28)  9. Ian's Blues
(4:57) 10. Walk The Walk
(4:26) 11. Marty's Party

This good-natured release is a very enjoyable compilation of funk-inflected light jazz that fits Rick Braun's trumpet and flugelhorn around some excellent guitar playing (with lots of wah-wahs on show), steady bass and drums, and supportive keyboards (Braun also contributes the keyboard beds, but this aspect of his production tends not to be showy). Braun and his assorted players (who include Boney James, Jeff Golub and Peter White) have crafted some entertaining melodies that are often built on swaying, sneaky rhythms "Cadillac Slim" for one, and the devious "Papa Dee" for another. Braun's liner notes mention War (the band) more than once, and you can certainly pick up that influence this time around. In terms of approach, Braun kept things loose and improvisational for the recording no charts, no formalities, just a few ideas and a collaborative impulse that's paid off in the way the album flows together. Nice warm work that sneaks in under the guards. ~ Steven McDonald https://www.allmusic.com/album/beat-street-mw0000173372

Personnel: Rick Braun - Flugelhorn, Keyboards; G. Chang (track: 3) - Organ [B3];  Matt Harris (track: 7,10), Curtis Brengle (track: 9,11) - Piano; Boney James (track: 1) - Featuring, Tenor Saxophone; Jimmy Roberts (track: 7) - Tenor Saxophone; David Woodford (track: 11) - Tenor Saxophone, Baritone Saxophone; Lee Thornburg (track: 11) - Trumpet;  Nick Lane (tracks: 4,11) - Trombone; Carl Verheyen (tracks: 1,4), Jeff Golub (tracks: 5,6,11) - Guitar; Peter White (track: 3) - Acoustic Guitar; Carl Verheyen (track: 3,6,9) - Guitar [Wah Wah]; Stan Sargeant (track: 1) - Bass [On End]; Dave Morotta (tracks: 1,4,9), Cliff Hugo (tracks: 2,5-7,10,11), Jack Daro (track: 3) - Bass; Brad Dutz - Percussion (tracks: 1,7,8), Bongos (track: 3); Dave Palmer (tracks: 1,4-7,9,10), Dave Karasony (tracks: 2,11) - Drums. Fred White (tracks: 4,7) - Vocals.

Beat Street