Bing Crosby - Return To Paradise Islands

Styles: Vocal
Year: 1963
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 51:45
Size: 121,6 MB
Art: Front

(3:21) 1. Return To Paradise
(2:15) 2. The Hukilau Song
(3:48) 3. The Old Plantation
(2:56) 4. Lovely Hula Hands
(3:19) 5. Love And Aloha
(2:46) 6. Keep Your Eyes On The Hands
(3:17) 7. Adventures In Paradise
(2:51) 8. Frangipani Blossom
(3:25) 9. Forevermore
(3:59) 10. Farewell My Tane
(3:44) 11. Beautiful Kahana
(3:08) 12. Home In Hawaii (King's Serenade)
(1:00) 13. Return To Paradise (False Start And Studio Chatter)
(2:26) 14. My Little Grass Shack (In Kealakakua, Hawaii)
(2:15) 15. The Cockeyed Mayor Of Kaunakakai
(2:31) 16. Yaaka Hula Hickey Dula
(2:22) 17. Ukelele Lady
(2:13) 18. King's Serenade

Although a parade of pop artists recorded Hawaiian material between the '20s and '50s, none of them are as associated with it as Bing Crosby who could have (and did) populate an entire hits collection with only his Hawaiian-themed songs. In the early '60s, Crosby was briefly signed to Reprise Records, the new home for the best vocalists in traditional pop, but his only solo-billed record was this one, from 1963. It's an overlooked gem, recorded with Nelson Riddle, who understood more than any other arranger of his era how to bring exotic sounds home to American shores without proceeding directly to overkill. Riddle employs strings slightly more than on his classic arrangements, but they're sweeping and lush completely in keeping with the material. Crosby sounds not merely comfortable, but fully relaxed in these songs. The opener, "Return to Paradise," a movie theme from a few years earlier, is the perfect place to start; not with some frothy hula dances, but a warm and reflective ballad wrapped in Riddle's strings, which ebb and flow in an obvious homage to ocean shores. The rest of the record balances a few wistful ballads like the first with light novelties that employ the lap-steel guitar and ukulele that's de rigeur for a Hawaiian LP.~ John Bush https://www.allmusic.com/album/return-to-paradise-islands-mw0000837367

Return To Paradise Islands

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Lauren Hooker - Life of the Music

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2010
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 49:32
Size: 114,6 MB
Art: Front

(6:34) 1. Life of the Music / Your Music Brings Out the Poetry In Me
(3:24) 2. If That's What You Feel
(3:42) 3. Love Me or Leave Me
(4:14) 4. I Am Doing Very Well
(6:57) 5. Songs to a Seagull
(3:59) 6. I Lied
(4:47) 7. Spring Is Here
(3:52) 8. Countin' on the Blues
(3:48) 9. Hey This Is Me
(2:51) 10. Walkin' on Down the Line
(5:20) 11. Some Other Time

In 2007, vocalist Lauren Hooker turned out an impressive debut, Right Where I Belong (Musical Legends, Inc., 2007), which highlighted her solid, yet flexible, voice, and an ability to graft her own lyrics onto familiar instrumental jazz standards. Three years later, Hooker returns with a program that largely focuses on her own lyrics and music, demonstrating interests in the blues, straight-ahead jazz, funk, pop and Brazilian music. The opening track a collaboration between Hooker and poet Jeanette Curtis Rideau has some bite to it, featuring a burning solo from Scott Robinson's molten soprano saxophone. "If That's What You Feel" begins with Hooker's wordless vocals moving along with Robinson's flugelhorn, over a swaying Brazilian beat. One of the most emotionally powerful originals on the album is "I Am Doing Very Well" a break-up song that touches on all of the conflicting emotions and pain that comes with that territory. Bassist Martin Wind adds a little Brazilian bounce to "I Lied," but John Hart's guitar work is the focal point on this one. Wind and drummer Tim Horner are a solid team behind Hooker on "Countin' The Blues," which features a terrific walking-the-bar-type saxophone solo from Robinson. "Hey This Is Me" is Hooker's take on contemporary pop with a slight R&B tinge to the music and "Walkin' On Down The Line" features some funky drumming from Horner and raunchy guitar sounds from Hart. While Hooker's compositional craft is at the core of the album, she also finds time to tackle four standards, shaped to her own liking. Her vocals cut like a knife on "Love Me Or Leave Me," which features some sublime scatting, and she soars on a waltzing "Spring Is Here." The latter tune is underscored by Horner's crisp, dry and articulate ride cymbal work, and Robinson's fluttery flute is a treat here. "Some Other Time" gently glides long as Hooker is intimately accompanied by Mike Richmond on bass and Hart on guitar. Seagulls had their place on Hooker's first album with "Seagulls (Seagulls of Kristiansund)" and this particular fowl found its way onto this record through Joni Mitchell's "Song To A Seagull." Hooker manages to create wide dramatic range coming off with full throated vocals that Mitchell couldn't match when she penned this early-career classic and the pairing of cello and piano is a nice touch. While this song has a sunny veneer, darker moods seem to lurk around. Life Of The Music, with its engaging original material and intelligently crafted covers, might just get plenty of people hooked on Lauren Hooker.~ Dan Bilawsky https://www.allaboutjazz.com/life-of-the-music-lauren-hooker-miles-high-records-review-by-dan-bilawsky.php

Personnel: Lauren Hooker: vocals, acoustic piano, electric piano; djembe; Jim Ridl: acoustic piano; Tim Horner: drums, congas, pandera, shaker, whistle, flute; Scott Robinson: flute, soprano saxophone, tenor saxophone, alto saxophone, flugelhorn, trumpet; John Hart: acostic guitar, electric guitar; Jeanette Curtis Rideau: spoken word (1); Mike Richmond: cello (5), acoustic bass (11)

Life of the Music

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Júlia Karosi, Ben Monder - Without Dimensions

Styles: Vocal And Guitar Jazz
Year: 2020
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 58:20
Size: 135,7 MB
Art: Front

(6:38) 1. Without Dimensions
(4:26) 2. Rebirth
(7:08) 3. Epigrams No. 7, 8
(2:15) 4. "Only from the Purest Source" Hommage Á Béla Bartók: Bluebeard's Castle Prologue
(4:11) 5. "Only from the Purest Source" Hommage Á Béla Bartók: Mikrokosmos III, No. 92
(1:18) 6. "Only from the Purest Source" Hommage Á Béla Bartók: Romanian Folk Dances No. 3
(2:18) 7. "Only from the Purest Source" Hommage Á Béla Bartók: Outro for Romanian Folk Dances No.3
(1:45) 8. "Only from the Purest Source" Hommage Á Béla Bartók: Sorrow
(1:25) 9. "Only from the Purest Source" Hommage Á Béla Bartók: Mikrokosmos IV, No. 115
(5:08) 10. "Only from the Purest Source" Hommage Á Béla Bartók: Mikrokosmos IV, No. 113
(7:06) 11. Insomnia
(3:42) 12. Words and Beyond Pt. 1
(2:31) 13. Words and Beyond Pt. 2
(3:05) 14. Words and Beyond Pt. 3
(5:20) 15. Madeleine Moment

Júlia Karosi: "I have always wondered if music belongs to one of the dimensions as theorized in the 'Standard Model' of modern physics. I summarized my subjective answer as the title of this album. I believe that the obvious lack of dimensions of music Their unique ability to lift us humans into a sphere of existence in which we are no longer aware of time and space. I also believe that these timeless experiences are usually associated with certain events in our lives that we often experience Getting caught ignorance of their meaning - the very moments that make our lives worth living in. With the programmatic titles in my original compositions in this album, I have contemplated some unforgettable moments in my own life.Rebirth reflects on the birth of my son, followed by Insomnia (obviously), Words andBeyond is a conflict between verbal and non-verbal expressions. Madeleine Moment is a musical quote from Marcel Proust's poetic description of involuntary memory in his work In Search of Lost Time. In this album I would like to pay a "jazz homage" to two of the greatest Hungarian composers of the twentieth century, Béla Bartók and Zoltán Kodály, with arrangements and jazz transcriptions of their works. I hope you don't mind! "Madeleine Moment is a musical quote from Marcel Proust's poetic description of involuntary memory in his work In Search of Lost Time. In this album I would like to pay a "jazz homage" to two of the greatest Hungarian composers of the twentieth century, Béla Bartók and Zoltán Kodály, with arrangements and jazz transcriptions of their works. I hope you don't mind! "Madeleine Moment is a musical quote from Marcel Proust's poetic description of involuntary memory in his work In Search of Lost Time. In this album I would like to pay a "jazz homage" to two of the greatest Hungarian composers of the twentieth century, Béla Bartók and Zoltán Kodály, with arrangements and jazz transcriptions of their works. I hope you don't mind! "https://translate.google.com.br/translate?hl=en&sl=de&u=https://www.jazz-fun.de/julia-karosi-without-dimensions.html&prev=search&pto=aue

Personnel: Júlia Karosi - Vocals; Ben Monder - Guitar; Áron Tálas - Piano; Ádám Bögöthy - Double Bass; Bendegúz Varga - Drums

Without Dimensions

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Nancy Walker - Rainy Days & Mondays

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2013
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 59:50
Size: 138,3 MB
Art: Front

(3:49) 1. All by Myself
(5:45) 2. The Sound of Silence
(3:22) 3. In My Life
(4:18) 4. Don't It Make My Brown Eyes Blue
(4:36) 5. All out of Love
(4:47) 6. Help Me Make It Through the Night
(4:27) 7. If You Leave Me Now
(4:48) 8. Honesty
(4:13) 9. I'm Not in Love
(4:59) 10. I'd Really Love to See You Tonight
(3:21) 11. If
(4:09) 12. Don't Cry out Loud
(3:47) 13. So Far Away
(3:22) 14. Rainy Days and Mondays

Nancy Walker is a Canadian musician based in the Toronto area. Her work as a pianist and composer reflects her view of the times we live in at times intense, at times poignant, at times cerebral. Her most recent recording as leader is ‘Til Now Is Secret (Addo Records). Showcasing ten of her original compositions, the recording features multi-reed player Shirantha Beddage, guitarist Ted Quinlan, bassist Kieran Overs and drummer Ethan Ardelli, and was made possible with the help of the Ontario Arts Council. Nancy has been recognized Canada-wide. Winner of the 2008 National Jazz Awards Keyboardist Of The Year Award and the 2003 Montréal International Jazz Festival’s prestigious Grand Prix de Jazz, Nancy has several previous discs as leader to her credit. Her debut, Invitation, was released in 1997, and was voted one of the year’s best by Jazz Canadiana reviewers. Toronto Star critic Geoff Chapman named Luminosity (2000) one of the top jazz recordings of that year. Levitation, Nancy’s third recording (2003), was “a fine example of the modern jazz musician’s art” according to the Globe & Mail’s Mark Miller. When She Dreams was released in 2004 on Canada’s premier jazz label, Justin Time Records, and shot to the number one position on Canadian campus radio jazz charts.

In 2005, Nancy and her quartet (featuring saxophonist Kirk MacDonald, bassist Kieran Overs and drummer Barry Romberg) toured the Canadian jazz festivals. That same year Nancy was nominated in four categories at Canada’s National Jazz Awards. In 2006, Nancy’s recording Rainy Days and Mondays (Somerset/Universal) was nominated for a JUNO award in the “Instrumental Album Of The Year” category. She was also among the Keyboardist Of The Year nominees at the 2006 and 2007 National Jazz Awards. Her next recording Need Another was a trio date with Kieran Overs and drummer Ethan Ardelli. Nancy’s 2011 release New Hieroglyphics (made possible with the help of The Ontario Arts Council) featured Ted Quinlan (guitar) along with Overs and Ardelli. Nancy’s quartet toured Western Canada in the fall of 2011 in support of the recording, with the assistance of The Canada Council For The Arts. Nancy has a solid background as a pianist and keyboard player for a variety of international recording and concert acts, both in and outside the jazz idiom. She’s recorded and toured with folk artist Sylvia Tyson, children’s entertainer Raffi, pop icons The Parachute Club, balladeer Roger Whittaker, and well-loved composer (the late) Hagood Hardy, to name a few.

Over the years Nancy has built enduring jazz relationships. As the pianist in the John Geggie Trio, Nancy held the piano chair in the house rhythm section for The Ottawa International Jazz Festival’s nightly jam sessions for over a decade. With bassist Geggie, Nancy has performed in concert with drum legend Billy Hart, contemporary drum heavyweight Matt Wilson and saxophone dynamo Donny McCaslin. She has recorded and performed in concert with the cream of Canada’s jazz vocal crop, from Vancouver’s Karin Plato to Toronto’s Emilie-Claire Barlow, and has worked frequently alongside Toronto saxophonists Kirk MacDonald and Pat Labarbera. Nancy can be heard on recently released recordings by Kirk MacDonald Jazz Orchestra, Fair/Galloway Quintet, John Geggie + Donny McCaslin (this Plunge Records release garnered rave reviews and made several “Best of” lists), and Swedish guitarist Mikko Hildén.Thanks to grants from The Canada Council For the Arts, Nancy has had the opportunity to study with renowned American pianist/composers Fred Hersch, Jason Moran, and Myra Melford. https://nancywalkermusic.com/biography/

“Nancy Walker has played enough piano to know how to keep listeners interested however hard she pushes the boundaries of familiarity.”~ Geoff Chapman, The Whole Note Magazine

Rainy Days & Mondays

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Pia Zadora - All or Nothing at All

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2020
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 36:38
Size: 84,5 MB
Art: Front

(3:51) 1. All or Nothing at All
(5:40) 2. Body and Soul
(2:34) 3. The Best Is yet to Come
(3:08) 4. Witchcraft
(4:36) 5. Cry Me a River
(3:14) 6. Teach Me Tonight
(3:19) 7. Nice and Easy
(5:06) 8. Come Rain or Come Shine
(5:06) 9. Tears out to Dry

Often derided by critics in the early '80s for her starring roles in bad movies, Pia Zadora found more respect as a singer. A former child actress, Zadora became a favorite target for film reviewers who argued that her acting career was the result of being married to multimillionaire Meshulam Riklis. (Her Golden Globe award in 1982 was even investigated.) Although Zadora didn't release her first LP, Pia, until 1982, her first recording actually appeared nearly two decades earlier. In 1964, a prepubescent Zadora sang "Hooray for Santa Claus" on the soundtrack to Santa Claus Conquers the Martians. Later, in 1983, "The Clapping Song" from Pia hit number 36 on the Billboard charts. Much of Zadora's best adult music work involved covering big band and pop standards. After Zadora toured with crooner Frank Sinatra in the early '80s, he began to heavily influence the material she was performing. For 1985's Pia & Phil, she was even backed by the London Philharmonic Orchestra. Zadora collaborated with Jermaine Jackson for a modern sound; moreover, in 1988, R&B hitmakers Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis produced her album When the Lights Go Out, but it was only distributed in the U.K. When the Lights Go Out was followed by Pia Z. in 1989, which marked Zadora's return to the U.S. market. ~ Michael Sutton https://www.allmusic.com/artist/pia-zadora-mn0000846557/biography

All or Nothing at All

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Herbie Harper - Jazz Greats

Styles: Trombone Jazz
Year: 2016
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 80:00
Size: 185,6 MB
Art: Front

(4:18) 1. Jive at Five
(3:05) 2. King Porter Stomp
(2:55) 3. Dinah
(4:03) 4. Adios
(2:59) 5. Herbstone
(2:03) 6. Stars Fell on Alabama
(2:58) 7. 6/4 Mambo
(3:02) 8. Summertime
(2:13) 9. Five Brothers
(2:53) 10. Alone Together
(3:29) 11. Don't Buck It
(3:32) 12. Bananera
(2:55) 13. Julie Is Her Name
(3:38) 14. The Happy Clown
(3:15) 15. Sanguine
(5:14) 16. Jeepers Deepers
(2:55) 17. Juan Don
(3:14) 18. Now Playing
(2:32) 19. Patty
(3:08) 20. Pick Yourself Up
(2:44) 21. Skull Cap
(3:39) 22. The New York City Ghost
(3:23) 23. Jim's Tune
(3:14) 24. Godchild
(2:26) 25. Indian Summer

A fine trombonist active in the West Coast jazz scene of the 1950s, Herbie Harper spent most of his playing time after 1955 as a studio musician, although he occasionally re-emerged in the jazz world. After playing with Charlie Spivak's Orchestra (1944-1947), Harper settled in Los Angeles, where he gigged with Teddy Edwards and had short-time associations with Benny Goodman, Charlie Barnet, and Stan Kenton (1950). In addition to recording in the 1950s with June Christy, Kenton, Maynard Ferguson, Benny Carter, and Barnet, Herbie Harper led five albums of his own during 1954-1957 for Nocturne, Tampa, Bethlehem, and Mode. He mostly worked in the studios afterwards, but emerged to play with Bob Florence's big band and, in the 1980s, he recorded for SeaBreeze and with Bill Perkins for VSOP.~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/artist/herbie-harper-mn0000572512/biography

Jazz Greats

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Anne Phillips - Anne Phillips: Live at the Jazz Bakery

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2019
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 60:26
Size: 140,2 MB
Art: Front

(4:48) 1. I'm Gonna Lay My Heart on the Line
(0:07) 2. Anne Talks to Audience First Time
(3:51) 3. Born to Be Blue
(4:34) 4. Easy Street
(7:01) 5. Anne Talks to Audience Second Time
(2:10) 6. Watching You Watching Me
(4:33) 7. Hey Look Where I Am
(5:20) 8. New York Night Time Blues
(1:54) 9. Anne Talks to Audience Third Time
(3:23) 10. To Make Them Like Me
(1:30) 11. Anne Talks to Audience Fourth Time
(5:02) 12. Another Day Without Him
(0:32) 13. Anne Talks to Audience Fifth Time
(4:44) 14. After All These Years
(5:09) 15. Embraceable You
(5:41) 16. There Will Never Be Another You

Anne Phillips has had a life in music if not always on record. Her career as a jazz singer began as a high schooler in rural Pennsylvania. At Oberlin, she DJ’d a radio show and with the jazz club put on the first Brubeck at Oberlin concert. At 19, in 1954, she moved to New York City at what turned out to be a very auspicious time. She quickly found work six nights a week as a singer in the burgeoning nightclub scene and as a demo singer for aspiring songwriters. In 1959 she recorded an album, Born to be Blue, that continues to be a collector favorite. Her industry was soon disrupted by rock ‘n roll and she wouldn’t record another album under her name until 2000. Her recording career may have paused but her involvement in music never did. She worked as a singer, choral arranger, conductor, and helped produce many national television and radio commercials. She’s written a jazz opera, Bending Towards the Light A Jazz Nativity, which is performed annually in several cities with performers including Lionel Hampton, Dave Brubeck, and Tito Puente. Her non-profit, Kindred Spirits, engages children’s jazz choirs in learning Songbook material.

She’s also composed features in the classical realm and is on the faculty of the Jazz Department at NYU. Since returning to recording in 2000 she’s released several solo albums, often joined by personal friends like Marian McPartland and Dave Brubeck. 60 years after her debut album she returns to some of the same material for her latest, Live at the Jazz Bakery, released this October. The set is intermixed with stories from her years in showbusiness, and compositions she squirreled away while her career focused on songwriter demos, commercial jingles, and backup singing.Comparing 1959’s Born to be Blue with this set her voice has held up remarkably well. Her accompaniment is jazzier now than it was then, led by husband Bob Kindred on tenor sax and joined by Roger Kellaway on piano and Chuck Berghoffer on bass. Her original compositions make up most of the album with a couple of standards thrown in. Her writing captures that mid-century moment when songs and singers were appreciated. This intimate and warm album, with its engaging monologues peppered with recognizable names spanning a half-century, feels like meeting someone special. If like me you are inspired to investigate her other creative work you won’t be disappointed. https://syncopatedtimes.com/anne-phillips-live-at-the-jazz-bakery/

Anne Phillips: Live at the Jazz Bakery

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Julia Karosi - Love Is Here to Stay (Live at the Liszt Academy)

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2018
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 53:55
Size: 124,9 MB
Art: Front

(1:59) 1. Rhapsody in Blue - Partial
(4:32) 2. Love Is Here to Stay
(4:17) 3. 'S Wonderful
(4:18) 4. Who Cares
(2:35) 5. Prelude
(4:23) 6. Do it Again
(4:07) 7. He Loves and She Loves
(3:41) 8. Slap that Bass
(3:36) 9. But Not for Me
(5:49) 10. Summertime
(4:16) 11. I Got Rhythm
(6:19) 12. Fascinating Rhythm
(3:55) 13. Bidin' My Time

Júlia Karosi is one of Hungary’s top jazz vocalists. After graduating from the Franz Liszt Music Academy in Budapest, Júlia founded her own quartet in 2010. Hidden Roots (released in March, 2014 by Dot Time Records, New York) was her second CD as a leader and the follow-up to the successful Stroller of the City Streets (released in February, 2012 by Whereabouts Records, Japan). Hidden Roots contains a number of Júlia’s original compositions and as the name eludes to, arrangements of Hungarian folk songs. Júlia Karosi had a classical training which is evident not only in her impeccable technique and expressive tonalities, but in her choice of repertoire and musical universe as well. Beside her own compositions, the singer is keen to select folk songs and songs by composers such as Béla Bartók, Zoltán Kodály, or George Gershwin but always keeps her personal story in the forefront expressed through the devices of jazz music. On her forthcoming new full-length album Without Dimensions, Karosi and guitarist Ben Monder reexamine and reimagine the works of Béla Bartók and Zoltán Kodály in a contemporary jazz setting. Half original music, half arrangements of Bartók/Kodály compositions, Without Dimensions is also an extraordinary exploration of Hungarian heritage. The album will be available via Double Moon/Challenge Records in October, 2020. https://juliakarosi.com/en/

Love Is Here to Stay (Live at the Liszt Academy)

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Noah Preminger - After Life

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2019
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 59:07
Size: 135,9 MB
Art: Front

(8:53) 1. World of Twelve Faces
(6:15) 2. World of Growth
(8:07) 3. Senseless World
(9:07) 4. Hovering World
(6:10) 5. Nothing World
(5:59) 6. World of Hunger
(4:44) 7. Island World
(9:50) 8. World of Illusion

At only 33 years of age, New York based Tenor Saxophonist, Noah Preminger, already has a long list of releases as a leader and has played with some of New York’s most lauded players (Jason Moran, Ben Monder, John Patitucci…). On his latest album ‘After Life’, Noah plays alongside guitarist Max Light, trumpeter Jason Palmer, Rudy Royston on drums and Kim Cass on double bass. Despite many of album’s tracks bearing decidedly gloomy titles (‘Senseless World’, ‘World of Hunger’, ‘World of Illusion’), the album never is dreary nor militant, merely pointing to global issues and the consequences of human behaviour. Noah’s compositions are full of character and whimsy, striking with unfaltering resolve. And these musicians at the top of their game sound like they’re rightly enjoying getting their teeth into these elegant creations.There are moments to get lost in, such as on the tranquil ruminations of ‘Island World’, which cradles as the horns languish. Noah’s pensive opener ‘World of Twelve Faces’, sees his soloing take on a searching tone as if entangled in the web of Max’s fluid chords. The spritely ‘World of Growth’ contains some impressive acrobatics from Jason Palmer’s trumpet as he and Noah bounce nicely off one another, trading licks with aplomb.

The slow introspection of ‘Senseless World’ sparkles, engineered by the undulating accents of Rudy’s drums. The looser playing from the horns translates the desired emotions; weariness with an added bite. The band reaches progressive new heights on the free-form ‘Hovering World’, it is defiantly raucous and unrestrained. The distracted narrative meanders into ominous droning with rattling drums, briefly returning to a juxtaposing traditional Hard Bop spell. The sombre and balanced double bass of Kim Cass plays out with stoicism over the unassuming ‘Nothing World’. The subtle melodies of Noah, Jason and Max grow in confidence to form a passionate ballad. The band gives an aggressive, writhing performance on the brash ‘World of Hunger’. Notes cascade with urgency as if making a call to arms. It’s an agitated and relentless composition, with a discordant yet incendiary hook. In contrast, the melancholy ‘Island World’, soothes with a sustained breathy tone and a deep sentimentality. The tender approach exemplifies the musical range these artists possess. Final track ‘World Of Illusion’, sees the band concluding in an impressive fashion, with saxophone and trumpet gracefully dancing around in a sparse introduction, then turning into a brooding and elemental arrangement. The energy gathers when Max’s expansive and textured sound combines with Rudy’s thumping drums.This album holds interest throughout and like a lot of Jazz albums it requires dedicated listening to fully appreciate the emotive soloing and seamless arrangements. ‘After Life’ will leave you captivated. https://ukvibe.org/album_reviews/noah-preminger/

After Life

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Eric Dolphy Quartet - Europe, My Love

Styles: Saxophone, Clarinet And Flute Jazz
Year: 2015
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 74:11
Size: 170,5 MB
Art: Front

(13:44) 1. Laura
( 5:58) 2. Les
(11:08) 3. Don't Blame Me
(12:08) 4. When Lights Are Low
( 9:06) 5. The Way You Look Tonight
(11:45) 6. Don't Blame Me #2
(10:19) 7. Woody'n You

Eric Dolphy was a true original with his own distinctive styles on alto, flute, and bass clarinet. His music fell into the "avant-garde" category yet he did not discard chordal improvisation altogether (although the relationship of his notes to the chords was often pretty abstract). While most of the other "free jazz" players sounded very serious in their playing, Dolphy's solos often came across as ecstatic and exuberant. His improvisations utilized very wide intervals, a variety of nonmusical speechlike sounds, and its own logic. Although the alto was his main axe, Dolphy was the first flutist to move beyond bop (influencing James Newton) and he largely introduced the bass clarinet to jazz as a solo instrument. He was also one of the first (after Coleman Hawkins) to record unaccompanied horn solos, preceding Anthony Braxton by five years. Eric Dolphy first recorded while with Roy Porter & His Orchestra (1948-1950) in Los Angeles, he was in the Army for two years, and he then played in obscurity in L.A. until he joined the Chico Hamilton Quintet in 1958. In 1959 he settled in New York and was soon a member of the Charles Mingus Quartet. By 1960 Dolphy was recording regularly as a leader for Prestige and gaining attention for his work with Mingus, but throughout his short career he had difficulty gaining steady work due to his very advanced style. Dolphy recorded quite a bit during 1960-1961, including three albums cut at the Five Spot while with trumpeter Booker Little, Free Jazz with Ornette Coleman, sessions with Max Roach, and some European dates. Late in 1961 Dolphy was part of the John Coltrane Quintet; their engagement at the Village Vanguard caused conservative critics to try to smear them as playing "anti-jazz" due to the lengthy and very free solos. During 1962-1963 Dolphy played third stream music with Gunther Schuller and Orchestra U.S.A., and gigged all too rarely with his own group. In 1964 he recorded his classic Out to Lunch for Blue Note and traveled to Europe with the Charles Mingus Sextet (which was arguably the bassist's most exciting band, as shown on The Great Concert of Charles Mingus). After he chose to stay in Europe, Dolphy had a few gigs but then died suddenly from a diabetic coma at the age of 36, a major loss. Virtually all of Eric Dolphy's recordings are in print, including a nine-CD box set of all of his Prestige sessions. In addition, Dolphy can be seen on film with John Coltrane (included on The Coltrane Legacy) and with Mingus from 1964 on a video released by Shanachie. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/artist/eric-dolphy-mn0000800100/biography

Europe, My Love

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Jordana Talsky - Neither of Either

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2017
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 39:00
Size: 90,4 MB
Art: Front

(3:10) 1. Run
(3:30) 2. Spark
(4:03) 3. Around You All the Time
(4:05) 4. Wave of Emotion
(3:34) 5. Neither of Either
(5:25) 6. Ways
(3:38) 7. Don't Know
(2:30) 8. Sick
(4:02) 9. Bitter Sweet Heart
(4:58) 10. You Oughta Know

Jordana is a singer-songwriter and loop artist. Her music fuses pop, acapella, jazz, and alt influences into a unique crossover sound. Listeners cite Imogen Heap, Sara Bareilles and KT Tunstall as references. Her show weaves original material along re-imaginings of standards, often drawn from the great songwriters of her native Canada. She has toured across Canada, the U.S. and Europe with notable festival appearances, including Summerfest (Milwaukee), Winnipeg Jazz Festival, Live at Heart (Sweden) and Folk Alliance International. Songwriting credits include finalist placements in the John Lennon Songwriting Competition (2018, 2014), CBC Searchlight (2018 top 10), Toronto Independent Music Awards (2015) and Julian Award for Emerging Canadian Artists. She has enjoyed widespread airplay for her two releases Neither of Either and Standard deviation. https://jordanatalsky.com/about

Neither of Either

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Josie Falbo - Taylor St.

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2010
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 60:32
Size: 140,2 MB
Art: Front

(4:00) 1. What You Do To Me
(2:08) 2. Thou Swell
(3:21) 3. Little Jazz Bird
(4:24) 4. Pretty Blue Eyes
(4:15) 5. Only You
(4:00) 6. Love Found Me (Just in Time)
(3:30) 7. The Very Thought of You
(5:01) 8. At Last
(3:25) 9. Triste
(3:38) 10. Too Marvelous for Words
(6:05) 11. The Music That Makes Me Dance
(4:11) 12. This Is Real
(4:33) 13. Fragile, Handle With Care
(3:48) 14. Ave Maria (Intermezzo from "Cavalleria Rusticana")
(4:08) 15. Oh Happy Day

Chances are you’ve heard Josie Falbo more often than any other singer on the planet. The Chicago-based chanteuse’s voice has, over the years, been employed to sell Coca-Cola, McDonald’s, Budweiser, Sara Lee, Oscar Mayer and dozens of other name brands the world over. She has also sung behind Celine Dion, Michael Jackson, Earth, Wind & Fire, Michael Bolton and Nancy Wilson. Falbo’s age is hard to determine. The only clue available online is that she was signed to Vee-Jay (the label that hit it big with the Four Seasons but also produced some of Bill Henderson’s best work) in 1964. That puts Falbo in her 60s today-a remarkable fact given the incredible youthfulness of her voice. She can sound remarkably similar to the young Whitney Houston or Vanessa Williams. Indeed, throughout this 15-track collection, she often ventures deep into Houston or Williams territory, which makes for a decidedly schizophrenic album. Approximately half of the disc, all newer compositions, is pure pop-superb pop, but Houston-esque belting nonetheless. The balance consists of extraordinary jazz tracks. Falbo can swing hard, offering a blistering “Too Marvelous for Words,” an effervescent “Thou Swell” and a sassy “Little Jazz Bird.” She can also cuddle deep within a ballad, and delivers a delightful, rippling “The Very Thought of You” and a tender “The Music That Makes Me Dance.” Again veering from the jazz path, Falbo delivers an “Ave Maria” of incandescent beauty and, with her fellow members of the Lakeside Singers, erects a towering “Oh, Happy Day” that rivals anything Aretha Franklin has done.~ Christopher Loudon https://jazztimes.com/reviews/albums/josie-falbo-taylor-street/

Taylor St.

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Lynne Arriale Trio - Chimes of Freedom

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2020
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 48:55
Size: 113,0 MB
Art: Front

(4:48) 1. Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Child
(4:55) 2. Journey
(4:18) 3. The Dreamers
(4:53) 4. 3 Million Steps
(4:56) 5. Hope
(5:11) 6. The Whole Truth
(5:18) 7. Lady Liberty
(3:52) 8. Reunion
(4:56) 9. Chimes of Freedom
(5:45) 10. American Tune

Melodic intelligence and inner exploration are at the core of any Lynne Arriale recording. Chimes of Freedom is no exception. It does, however, have many moments which are exceptional. Once again featuring bassist Jasper Somsen and drummer E. J. Strickland, the record weighs in at a nourishing forty-five minutes of mood enhancement. Seven Arriale originals are the backbone of this ten-song project. Vocalist K. J. Denhert joins the ensemble for the final two tracks. The trio opens by leading listeners through the familiar grace of the somber yet quietly hopeful "Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Child." Arriale quickly spins in another direction with the first of seven consecutive originals, a brisk "Journey" fostered by a tight groove and a spirited tempo. Arriale's signature gliding fingers, now at the fore, indeed seamlessly glide into "The Dreamers." The mood is altered once again with this mesmerizingly elegant tune which weaves through changes in a manner perhaps more like floating through them. As melody is a crucial element to Arriale and her fan base, one may find "3 Million Steps" to be among the most important pieces on the record. It is a song which splendidly represents Arriale's distinctive sound and approach. Somsen's thoughtful bass solo is then a highlight as the trio aligns with a connective unity of "Hope," embraced with calmly joyous interaction. Picking up the pace with a piano run, Arriale has Somsen and Strickland sprinting alongside her in perfect harmony in "The Whole Truth." Throughout the record Arriale's storytelling abilities are in abundance. "Lady Liberty" demonstrates fully her heartfelt caressing of every note. Gently, but with deep emotion, her fingers sing out with her unique warmth and charismatic tone. The ever-changing and smoothly-transitioned ride becomes energetic and strident as Strickland inserts his voice with controlled exuberance in "Reunion." This tune vividly displays the fiery enthusiasm, fierce undertones, and emotional investment with which Arriale has become synonymous. Denhert then sings Bob Dylan's "Chimes of Freedom." The title track is given a form of salient expressionism which is both respectful and understanding of Dylan's intent. The trio deftly tells the story significantly through their nuanced instrumentation. The final chapter is a melancholy take on Paul Simon's "American Tune." While Denhert laments Simon's verbiage, the trio paints an ostensibly clear visionary picture of the everyman tale. Lynne Arriale has a gifted touch and authenticity which she shares every time she sits down at the piano. She can be heard as a bedtime story or as a savvy instrumentalist. As connected as she is to the piano and the melody, she is equally aligned with her bandmates. Her significant and innate melodic investment is shaped and broadened by her ability to communicate and process together as a unit. This is a true blend of arrangements, storytelling, and improvisation. It is a collective artform presented here with sincerity and sophistication. ~Jim Worsley https://www.allaboutjazz.com/chimes-of-freedom-lynne-arriale-challenge-records

Personnel: Lynne Arriale: piano; Jasper Somsen: bass; E.J. Strickland: drums; K.J. Denhert: voice / vocals.

Chimes of Freedom

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Alex Sipiagin - Nofo Skies

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 2019
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 76:51
Size: 177,6 MB
Art: Front

( 9:23) 1. Rush
( 8:59) 2. Nofo Skies
( 8:52) 3. Recovery
( 9:11) 4. Savoir
( 5:27) 5. Sky 1
(10:28) 6. Shadows
( 7:06) 7. Start Of…
( 4:00) 8. Sky 2
( 8:41) 9. Between AM's (feat. Alina Engibaryan)
( 4:39) 10. For You

An active veteran of touring stages around the world, Russian trumpeter Alex Sipiagin has sessioned with, among many, Dr. John, Elvis Costello, Dave Holland's Big Band, Michael Brecker's Sextet and Quindecet, plus the Mingus Big Band, Dynasty Band, and Orchestra. For NoFo Skies, his first disc on Blue Room, Sipiagin reassembles his crackling three-horn septet from the loudly-acclaimed Moments Captured (Criss Cross, 2017) and delivers a crackling, ten-song set of smartly-crafted, sweet-listening originals. Sipiagin and company waste no time laying down the blueprint. Fronted by a flurry of exhilarating staccato lines, tenor saxophonist Chris Potter, Sipiagin, and alto saxophonist Will Vinson, along with the ever muscular Eric Harland on drums, "Rush" in. Keyboardist/pianist John Escreet flavors the title track with an airy, playful fusion. Potter continues his acrobatics when the song breaks into a tightly-choreographed Sipiagin/Harland conversation, giving way to more trade-offs between the horns. And though it feels disruptive to the flow and vibe and holds the disc back from a higher star rating, "Recovery" is a mellow stop and the first of four tracks that return the breathy stylings of vocalist/lyricist Alina Engibaryan to the otherwise bubbling mix. Sipiagin moves away from the percolating and propulsive with the ambient minimalist explorations of "Sky 1" and "Sky 2." Harland is a skittery presence, his brush work and atmospheric cymbal work giving balance to clouds of synth and the resonant depth of bassist Matt Brewer, who un-demonstrably, holds the whole of NoFo Skies quietly together.~ Mark Jurkovic https://www.allaboutjazz.com/nofo-skies-alex-sipiagin-blue-room-review-by-mike-jurkovic.php

Personnel: Alex Sipiagin: Trumpet; Chris Potter: Tenor Saxophone; Wiil Vinson: Alto Saxophone; John Escreet: Piano and Keyboards; Matt Brewer: Bass; Eric Harland: Drums; Alina Engibaryan: Vocals (# 3, 6, 9, 10).

Nofo Skies

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Deborah J. Carter - Girl-Talking! Live in Concert

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2003
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 68:17
Size: 157,8 MB
Art: Front

(6:39) 1. My Favourite Things
(3:14) 2. Sister Sadie
(5:57) 3. New York State Of Mind
(6:24) 4. Yesterday
(5:09) 5. Red Top
(4:47) 6. Girl talk
(4:11) 7. Perfect Stranger
(4:14) 8. The Whistle Man
(5:40) 9. Ten Minutes Till The Savages Come
(3:48) 10. Between The Raindrops
(5:15) 11. Ahmad's Blues
(5:32) 12. You've Proven Your Point (Bongo Beep)
(3:43) 13. Ten Minutes In Paris
(3:38) 14. Sabado (Barri Sa Coma)

Deborah J. Carter is the epitome of a world class jazz singer. Born in the U.S. with ties in Hawaii and Japan, her home now is in Europe. Her current concert schedule agenda is a global itinerary of performances from Cristofori, Amsterdam to Madrid Spain. Her new recording, Girl-Talking!, highlights one of her live performances at the Pannonica jazz club in Hague, Holland in 2003. The concert features Carter with her working trio performing a variety of popular covers and jazz influenced songs. From her first note it's evident that Carter is a pro. With a polished and elegant voice and diva-like skills, Carter gives the audience an entertaining performance. The first set begins with a version of the classic "My Favorite Thing," which gives light to Carter's panache as she sings with playful exuberance while the band delivers equally engaging music. She's in total control when she scats, chats, and vocalizes on Horace Silver's "Sister Sadie." The modern classic "New York State of Mind" is refreshingly smooth as the trio swings along with Carter's lithe lyrics. Other gems include a moving version of John Lennon's timeless "Yesterday" where Carter soulfully expresses the haunting melody. The second set begins with the colorful "Whistle Man" as Carter's range stretches boundaries with ease. The trio aptly accentuates the singer with solid playing that leaves ample room for discovery on each tune. On the blues-themed "Ten Minute Till the Savage Comes," pianist Colen Molenaar and bassist Mark Zandvald share impressive solos and drummer Enrique Firpi displays crisp rhythmic skills on the bonus track "Sabado (Barr Si Coma)." With captivating vocals, good music, and the right atmosphere, Girl-Talking! is yet another entertaining glimpse of a jazz songstress who deserves a wider audience. It's easy to hear why Deborah Carter is popular with our fellow jazz fans across the ocean.~ Mark F. Turner https://www.allaboutjazz.com/girl-talking-deborah-j-carter-timeless-records-review-by-mark-f-turner.php

Girl-Talking! Live in Concert

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David Benoit - Right Here, Right Now

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2003
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 49:09
Size: 113,5 MB
Art: Front

(5:22) 1. Watermelon Man
(4:37) 2. Right Here, Right Now
(5:25) 3. Le Grand
(4:31) 4. Don't Know Why
(5:12) 5. Jellybeans And Chocolate
(5:44) 6. Third Encounter
(5:35) 7. Swingin' Waikiki
(4:10) 8. Don't Let Me Be Lonely Tonight
(4:31) 9. Wistful Thinking
(3:58) 10. Quiet Room

A true elder statesman of contemporary jazz (whose seminal mid-'80s recordings helped pave the way for the smooth jazz genre), pianist David Benoit stayed relevant, fresh, and funky due to three factors brilliant melodies, stylistic diversity from track to track, and working with hip, edgy producers. Rick Braun co-produced two of Benoit's recent, similarly brilliant offerings, Professional Dreamer (1999) and Fuzzy Logic (2001), and on Right Here, Right Now assumes the helm fully, guiding Benoit through a wide terrain of musical territory, sometimes adding his own trumpet expertise. There's the ongoing fun of funk/soul triumphs like "Watermelon Man" (Herbie Hancock's classic fashioned with the old-school bounce of another Benoit influence, Ramsey Lewis), the retro-minded title track, and the brassy jam "Jellybeans and Chocolate" (featuring Brian Culbertson and Euge Groove). Benoit's more thoughtful side emerges on the film score-like "Le Grand," an unofficial tribute to the ststyle of Michel Legrand featuring a dense percussion atmosphere, and the understated, melancholy "Quiet Room," a tribute to Benoit's late father (featuring Braun and guitarist Pat Kelley) and something of a sequel to his Grammy-nominated piece "Dad's Room." Benoit's other stops include hitching posts in "Swingin' Waikiki" (ah, the joy of bossa, featuring saxman Andy Suzuki) and a mystical, bass-throbbing "Third Encounter." Aside from his occasional Vince Guaraldi reduxes, Benoit with a few exceptions never much relied on cover tunes, but here includes two besides the Hancock tune a dreamy "Don't Let Me Be Lonely Tonight" with Peter White and an orchestra, and a sparse easy listening cover of "Don't Know Why." Years passed, smooth jazz radio kept playing his oldies, yet his new stuff kept getting better and better.~ Jonathan Widran https://www.allmusic.com/album/right-here-right-now-mw0000316033

Personnel: David Benoit – acoustic piano (1-10), Wurlitzer electric piano (1), arrangements (1-7, 9, 10), string pad (2), synthesizer programming (2), Fender Rhodes (5), Hammond B3 organ (5), string arrangements and conductor (8); Pat Kelly – guitar (1, 3, 4, 7-10); Tony Maiden – guitar (1, 5); Randy Jacobs – guitar (2); Peter White – guitar solo (8); Kevin Axt – bass (1, 4, 8); Nathan East – bass (3, 6); Freddie Washington – bass (5); Dean Taba – bass (6, 7, 9, 10); Land Richards – drums (1, 4, 6, 8); Bud Harner – drums (2); Steve Ferrone – drums (3, 5, 6); Jeff Olson – drums (7, 9); Paulinho da Costa – percussion (1, 3, 4, 6, 7); Luis Conte – percussion (2); Lenny Castro – percussion (5); Brad Dutz – percussion (8); Euge Groove – tenor saxophone (5); Andy Suzuki – tenor saxophone (7, 9); Nick Lane – trombone (1, 2), horn arrangements (1, 2, 5); Brian Culbertson – trombone (5); Rick Braun – trumpet (1), party and fun stuff effects (1), arrangements (1, 2, 3, 5, 6), horn arrangements (1, 2, 5), synthesizer programming (2), computer programming (6), flugelhorn (10); Wayne Bergeron – trumpet (2)

Right Here, Right Now

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Dayna Stephens - Right Now! Live at the Village Vanguard

Styles: Saxophone
Year: 2020
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 100:11
Size: 231,3 MB
Art: Front

( 6:29) 1. Smoking Gun
( 6:22) 2. Tarifa
( 6:36) 3. Ran
( 7:33) 4. Contagious
( 9:06) 5. Radio-Active Earworm
( 7:46) 6. Faith Leap
( 5:32) 7. Lesson One
( 8:06) 8. Loosy Goosy
(11:13) 9. Planting Flowers
( 9:48) 10. JFK International
( 8:02) 11. You Are Me Blues
( 7:59) 12. The Beginning of an Endless Happy Monday
( 5:35) 13. Blakonian Groove

Dayna Stephens, ranked first-place Rising Star Tenor Saxophonist in the 2019 Downbeat Critics Poll, is proud to follow up his acclaimed 2020 trio release Liberty with his 10th album as a leader, Right Now! The Dayna Stephens Quartet Live at the Village Vanguard. Recorded at the historic New York club in February 2019, Right Now! finds Stephens fronting a brilliant quartet with Aaron Parks on piano, Ben Street on bass and Gregory Hutchinson on drums. “Playing the Vanguard was so special for me,” says Stephens. “The Vanguard was the first place I saw live musicians play, a videotape of the Johnny Griffin Quartet that I saw when I was 13. To lead my own group at the Vanguard is the highest honor that I, and the 13-year-old inside of me, could have ever imagined.” Much of the Right Now! repertoire comes from Stephens’ rich catalog as a leader, beginning with his 2007 debut The Timeless Now — on which “The Beginning of an Endless Happy Monday,” “Smoking Gun” (based on Monk’s “Evidence”) and “Contagious” were first heard. “In a way I see Right Now! as perhaps the bookend of this chapter in my evolution since The Timeless Now,” Stephens remarks, hinting at new directions to come. We also hear “Radio-Active Earworm” and “Loosy Goosy” from 2012’s Today Is Tomorrow and “JFK International” from 2013’s I’ll Take My Chances, revised and reinvented on the bandstand. “Every time I count off a tune it begins a new journey, even more so with different personnel,” Stephens says.

Street, who played bass on The Timeless Now as well as Liberty, brings his deep insight and effortless flow to the music at every step, complementing Hutchinson’s supple and joyously interactive swing. There are also five songs from Liberty (including “Loosy Goosy” as well), but in contrast to Liberty’s sparser trio versions of “Tarifa,” “Ran,” “Faith Leap” and Aaron Parks’ own “Planting Flowers,” we now hear Parks added to the mix. “In trio the conversation tends to be based more around rhythm,” Stephens notes. “Aaron adds a patient rhythmic and harmonic depth that I find really engaging. His solo on ‘Faith Leap’ knocks me out every time I hear it. And ‘Planting Flowers,’ which he wrote at age 15, is just one of the most perfect tunes I’ve ever played, and it works at many different tempos and approaches.” There are new compositions as well: “Lesson One,” a fiery midtempo homage to Stephens’ Bay Area mentor John Spingarn; “You Are Me Blues,” which refers to the human tendency to “forget about our unity as a species”; and the closing “Blakonian Groove,” a dedication to Stephens’ friend, neighbor and Kenny Barron Quintet bandmate, drummer Johnathan Blake. While Stephens plays soprano on “Tarifa” and alto on “Faith Leap” and “Endless Happy Monday,” Right Now! is mainly a showcase for his distinctively warm and agile tenor, revealing traces of many pivotal influences including Charlie Rouse, Sonny Rollins, Joe Henderson, Lester Young and more. Another sound emerges as well, on “Blakonian Groove” and “Radio-Active Earworm”: the Nyle Steiner Electronic Wind Instrument (EWI), which brings a wealth of alternate textures and colors to the band’s sound. “My EWI sound is directly influenced by the Leslie speaker that comes often with a Hammond B3 organ,” Stephens explains. “I also use guitar pedals and iPad sound generators and can get lost in it for hours at a time. This period of social distancing has driven me even deeper into sound design. My next recording is with the EWI-focused band Pluto Juice and will be out sometime in winter 2020.” https://daynastephens.bandcamp.com/album/right-now-live-at-the-village-vanguard

Personnel: Dayna Stephens, saxophone; Aaron Parks, piano;Ben Street, bass; Gregory Hutchinson, drums

Right Now! Live at the Village Vanguard

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Glenn Crytzer - Focus Pocus

Styles: Swing
Year: 2013
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 25:30
Size: 59,3 MB
Art: Front

(3:00) 1. Focus Pocus
(3:28) 2. Please Don't Imagine
(3:04) 3. My Blue Apples
(5:18) 4. All That I Can Give You is a Melody
(2:52) 5. A Case of the Blues
(4:08) 6. The Grass is Always Greener (If You're High)
(3:38) 7. Spendin' All My Rainy Days With You

Glenn Crytzer is a New York City based bandleader, arranger, composer, guitarist, and vocalist who is in love with the music of the Jazz Age and Swing Era. While completing his formal training in classical composition and cello at the Cleveland Institute of Music and the Florida State University, Glenn took up dancing the Lindy Hop as a hobby. Through the Lindy his love of early jazz grew, but he lamented that there were so few musical groups that specialized authentic performance of his favorite kind of music. Glenn decided to put his musical training to use, taught himself guitar, banjo, and jazz arranging, and set about bringing to life the music he loved. Now in his mid 30s, Glenn has become a staple in New York City’s jazz scene as a guitarist and bandleader. He has released 8 albums with his big band and combos and dozens of his recordings have been featured in films and TV shows seeking to evoke the sound of the golden age of radio. In 2017 his big band was named Best Group in New York in the NYC Jazz Awards. https://www.glenncrytzer.com/glenn

Focus Pocus

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Van Morrison - His Band and the Street Choir

Styles: Vocal, Guitar
Year: 1970
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 42:18
Size: 98,5 MB
Art: Front

(3:09) 1. Domino
(3:00) 2. Crazy Face
(2:40) 3. Give Me a Kiss
(3:29) 4. I've Been Working
(3:55) 5. Call Me Up in Dreamland
(3:53) 6. I'll Be Your Lover, Too
(3:48) 7. Blue Money
(4:14) 8. Virgo Clowns
(3:18) 9. Gypsy Queen
(2:12) 10. Sweet Jannie
(3:47) 11. If I Ever Needed Someone
(4:49) 12. Street Choir

Released in 1970, Van Morrison's Moondance was a hit commercially and critically. Encouraged by his manager, Morrison and a sextet including three players from the Moondance sessions hit the studio and delivered His Band & the Street Choir in time for that year's holiday season. Morrison responded to the pressure by relaxing into it. The feel here is loose, often celebratory. He digs deep into his long-held fascination with the New Orleans R&B tradition for inspiration. "Domino" is his highest charting single. The funky guitar lick, left-hand piano rumbling, driving, Memphis-style horns, and pumping bassline kick things off in grand party style. The ballad "Crazy Face," written in 1968, melds acoustic guitar, mandolin, and piano. Morrison's brittle, bluesy saxophone line and a grooving B-3 tip the balance toward R&B. "Give Me a Kiss" has a great Zigaboo Modeliste feel in the horn charts; Fats Domino gets referenced in Alan Hand's piano stroll, and the punchy, doo-wopping tag in the chorus nods at Frankie Ford. "I've Been Working" (which dates to Astral Weeks) is Morrison at his funky best, roaring above a cooking choogle. The acoustic guitar vamp is highlighted by swirling organ, and electric Meters-esque guitar and basslines. Drummer Dahaud Elias Sharr lays down tough breaks and fills throughout as jazzy horns frame the singer. "Call Me Up in Dreamland" features the loose-knit "street choir" (musicians, wives, girlfriends, etc.). It's built on the ragged, Celtic soul-gospel template that Morrison would continue to refer to. The intimate "I'll Be Your Lover Too," adorned only by acoustic guitar and whispering drums, is haunted with the slow-burn passion that would flow so easily on 1972's Saint Dominic's Preview. Second single "Blue Money" is a Rhodes-and-brass driven blues that returns to the NOLA trick bag for fire. The poetic "Virgo Clowns" is painted in a lovely meld of 12-string acoustic guitars and bass clarinet. "Gypsy Queen" is slippery love song, with Morrison offering a gorgeous falsetto. The Celtic soul in "If I Ever Needed Someone" is highlighted by the same trio of backing vocalists that appeared on Moondance's "Crazy Love." The closing title track draws on the swaggering, testifying gospel that inspired that album's "Caravan" (and, played back-to-back, seems to grow right out of it). The street choir's backing is sweeter, balanced by eloquent sax and harmonica breaks. As an album, His Band & the Street Choir may not equal Astral Weeks or Moondance, but the aim was never that lofty. That most of these songs have endured as fan favorites is testament enough to their quality.~ Thom Jurek https://www.allmusic.com/album/his-band-and-the-street-choir-mw0000191086

His Band and the Street Choir

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Demis Roussos - My Only Fascination (Remastered 2016)

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2016
File: MP3@320K/
Time: 46:35
Size: 127,6 MB
Art: Front

(3:43) 1. My Only Fascination
(2:48) 2. White Sails
(3:11) 3. Marlene
(2:56) 4. Say You Love Me
(3:00) 5. Smile
(3:04) 6. Someday Somewhere
(3:25) 7. Lovely Lady Of Arcadia
(3:41) 8. Shadows
(3:43) 9. Reverie
(3:59) 10. We Pretend
(3:33) 11. Let It Be Me
(3:04) 12. Yellow Paper
(3:23) 13. With You
(3:00) 14. Un Dia Igual A Los Demas

Singer Demis Roussos, known for his dramatic, operatic vocal stylings, was born Artemios Ventouris Roussos in Alexandria, Egypt, on June 15, 1946, to Greek expatriate parents. In the early '60s, however, the family decided to return to their homeland, and once there, the young Roussos (who had studied trumpet and sung in the church choir in Egypt) began playing in local bands. One of these was Aphrodite's Child, which also featured Vangelis Papatanassiou and Lucas Sideras. A huge hit in Europe, especially France, the band released a handful of albums before breaking up in 1971. With his label contacts in place, however, Roussos was able to secure a deal as a solo recording artist, and later that same year issued the single "We Shall Dance," also included on the album On the Greek Side of My Mind. The 1970s were a prolific time for Roussos, and he released a number of singles and albums that charted highly on the European and Latin American charts. In 1978 the singer decided to retire, and moved to Malibu Beach, where he kept a lower profile. Eventually he moved back to Greece, however, and it was there from which he boarded TWA flight 847 to Rome on June 14, 1985. The plane was hijacked by members of Hezbollah and Islamic Jihad, and Roussos and his wife, along with the other passengers, were held captive for a few days. The experience changed his life, and he decided the best way he could help others and promote understanding in the world was by returning to music. The Story of Demis Roussos came out shortly thereafter, and for a short while the singer's career was reignited, especially in southern Europe. Demis Roussos died in Athens in January 2015; he was 68 years old.~ Marisa Brown https://www.allmusic.com/artist/demis-roussos-mn0000243851/biography

My Only Fascination (Remastered 2016)

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