Charles Mingus - Mingus Three (feat. Hampton Hawes & Danny Richmond)

Styles: Contemporary Jazz
Year: 1957
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 38:22
Size: 88,7 MB
Art: Front

(4:16) 1. Yesterdays
(5:31) 2. Back Home Blues
(6:31) 3. I Can't Get Started
(3:55) 4. Hamp's New Blues
(4:40) 5. Summertime - 1997 Remaster
(6:54) 6. Dizzy Moods
(6:33) 7. Laura

Most often heard in large ensembles and rarely in a trio context, Charles Mingus joined forces with pianist Hampton Hawes for this 1957 studio date. It features four standards, two originals by the bassist, and a jam by the group credited to Hawes. While there's nothing particularly arresting or startling about the date, the relationship between the two ostensible co-leaders is a good case study in group dynamics when deference between two strong-willed individualists turns into a certain amount of compromise. Drummer Danny Richmond is not so much the peacemaker or even mediator, and he is the one with the most common sense who actually pulls this triad into a simpatico unit, cooling the embers with his steady, willful-in-its-own-right playing. As complex as the music of Mingus tends to be, it's nice to hear what he does in a more simplified area.

His "Back Home Blues" is so basic as his bass leads out, while the Mingus chart "Dizzy Moods" is deeper within an easier swing, allowing darker colors to fully but slowly blossom. Richmond favors the tambourine on "Dizzy Moods" and the hip "A Night in Tunisia"-styled take of "Summertime," while a faster "Hamp's New Blues" bops along effortlessly, chided by the drummer's accents. Hawes shines in his gilded, rearranged concept of "Yesterdays," intentionally messing up the changes for the first few bars before settling in, while slowing the Vernon Duke evergreen "I Can't Get Started" (always a personal staple of the Mingus book) to a crawl. The most intriguing selection comes at the end, as "Laura" sounds derived from "Tea for Two," with the hardy upright of Mingus sallying forth about this imaginary woman made real through this poignant song. Some six years later, Mingus, Duke Ellington, and Max Roach would record the controversial trio effort Money Jungle, so in many ways this album is a prelude to that all-star combination, both one-shots and definitely sidebars to the careers of all of these brilliant jazzmen.~ Michael G.Nastos https://www.allmusic.com/album/mingus-three-mw0000309628

Personnel: Bass – Charles Mingus; Drums – Danny Richmond;Piano – Hampton Hawes

Mingus Three (feat. Hampton Hawes & Danny Richmond)

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Gretchen Parlato - Flor

Styles: Vocal
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 46:44
Size: 108,2 MB
Art: Front

(5:56) 1. É Preciso Perdoar
(4:11) 2. Sweet Love
(4:10) 3. Magnus
(4:32) 4. Rosa
(5:55) 5. What Does a Lion Say?
(4:11) 6. Roy Allan
(6:02) 7. Wonderful
(5:45) 8. Cello Suite No. 1 BWV 1007 Minuet I II
(5:57) 9. No Plan

After an absence of six years dedicated to motherhood, Gretchen Parlato returns with a masterful album for the balance she expresses between refinement, lyricism and intact drive to creatively reformulate the songs. At the head of a new staff enriched by Gerald Clayton on piano and keyboards, Mark Guiliana on drums and Airto Moreira on percussion and voice, as guests the singer from Los Angeles confirms in Flor her position as an absolutely personal interpreter, which is not he can "fear" nothing from the arrival of the splendid last generation vocalists. The path is even more eclectic than the previous records but the result is very homogeneous and mature. Gretchen Parlato expresses her jazz style with always sophisticated choices (repertoire and interpretations) and a compelling vocal style for the play of timbre shading and pauses, for the sensual emotional tension and the refined timing.

The title in Portuguese immediately refers to her great love for bossa nova and other Brazilian music that she sings in the original language with its slightly nasal timbre and that indolent gait that is not so easy to assimilate. The connection with Brazil is accentuated by the staff comprising guitarist Marcel Camargo and drummer Leo Costa, two artists of high value and experience while the presence of the eclectic Armenian cellist Artyom Manukyan is ideal for forays into the classical universe (up to Johann Sebastian Bach). Other valuable reinterpretations come from the repertoires of David Bowie ("No Plan"), Anita Baker ("Sweet Love"), Pixinguinha ("Rosa") and other authors.

The record begins with a bewitching version of "È Preciso Perdoar," a classic by Joao Gilbertowhich Gretchen Parlato interprets in English and Portuguese, supported by an iterative rhythmic base of acoustic guitar and cello underlining. A lively fusion atmosphere, enhanced by Clayton's presence at Fender Rhodes, characterizes the reinterpretation of "Sweet Love" and gives the singer the opportunity to improvise using the voice as an instrument.

Each song is a discovery. The stage of a path carefully conceived on the ground of a colorful and at the same time precious research. A splendid example is the interpretation of "Rosa," a great classic of Brazilian music that Gretchen interprets by vocalizing, in a sumptuous integration with Bachian atmospheres. Another particularly compelling performance is "What Does a Lion Say," a gracefully drawn waltz enhanced by a precious arrangement and intense solos. We can't talk about all the themes but it's really hard to leave out the radiant carioca exuberance of "Roy Allen," song composed by Roy Hargrove.which sees Airto Moreira as a guest, the original reading of a part of Bach's "Cello Suite No. 1, BWV 1007" or the intense and dramatic interpretation of David Bowie's "No Plan". One of the best vocal jazz albums of recent years, and therefore certainly album of the week.

Personnel: Gretchen Spoken : voice / vocals; Marcel Camargo : guitar; Artyom Manukyan : cello; Leo Costa : drums; Mark Guiliana : drums; Gerald Clayton : plan; Airto Moreira : percussion.

Flor

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Frankie Ortega - Strange Music

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2013
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 32:03
Size: 74,1 MB
Art: Front

(2:25) 1. Anema e Core
(2:55) 2. Summertime in Venice
(2:14) 3. Sevilla
(2:20) 4. The Swedish Rhapsody
(1:58) 5. Sabre Dance
(2:23) 6. Strange Music
(2:26) 7. The Third Man Theme
(2:27) 8. Take Me in Your Arms
(2:30) 9. C'est si bon
(2:31) 10. My Bonnie Lassie
(2:48) 11. The Gypsy
(2:45) 12. Anna
(2:16) 13. Swingin' Abroad

Frankie Ortega (November 27, 1927 – February 7, 1994) was an American jazz piano player and bandleader with the Frankie Ortega Trio during the 1950s and 1960s.He was born on November 27, 1927 in Alhambra, California, United States. Ortega released Swingin' Abroad on Jubilee Records in 1958 and he composed the theme music for the TV series King of Diamonds in 1961. He may be best remembered for the trio's frequent appearances as the house band at Dino's Lodge on 77 Sunset Strip. He died on February 7, 1994 in Anaheim, California. https://peoplepill.com/people/frankie-ortega/

Strange Music

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Barbara Morrison - Warm and Cozy

Styles: Vocal
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 57:35
Size: 134,3 MB
Art: Front

(4:21) 1. Detour Ahead
(4:23) 2. Body and Soul
(2:31) 3. Them There Eyes
(4:15) 4. Don't Explain
(3:34) 5. Never Let Me Go
(2:44) 6. The Touch of Your Lips
(4:43) 7. Crazy He Calls Me
(4:26) 8. You Can Have Him
(2:26) 9. Red Top
(4:56) 10. I Wonder Where Our Love Has Gone
(4:16) 11. Last Night When We Were Young
(2:18) 12. Don't Get Around Much Anymore
(4:15) 13. The Music That Makes Me Dance
(3:39) 14. Darn That Dream
(4:40) 15. Stormy Weather (Keeps Rainin' All the Time)

Born in Ypsilanti, Michigan and raised in Romulus, Michigan, Barbara Morrison recorded her first appearance for radio in Detroit at the age of 10. Well known in the Los Angeles area for her duo and trio dates Ms. Morrison also tours extensively, blazing a trail as a Jazz and Blues legend in her own right across the Continental United States, Western Europe the Far East and “Down Under,” wowing audiences with her band.

Fresh off a 33 US City tour, co-headlining in an all-star tribute to legendary composer Harold Arlen (most recognizable for his genius behind the music for the classic film, The Wizard of Oz), Barbara now celebrates her 30th year in the music industry. Over the years she has performed with a virtual “who's who” of the Jazz and the Blues worlds. That list includes legends like; Dizzy Gillespie, Ray Charles, James Moody, Ron Carter, Etta James, Esther Phillips, David T. Walker, Jimmy Smith, Johnny Otis, Dr. John, Kenny Burrell, Terence Blanchard, Joe Sample, Cedar Walton, Nancy Wilson, Mel Torme, Joe Williams, Tony Bennett, and Keb' Mo. Additional, Ms. Morrison guest stars with the Count Basie Orchestra, the Clayton-Hamilton Orchestra and Doc Severinsen's Big Band.

The dazzling Barbara Morrison has been featured on over 20 recordings. She has dazzled fans of a wide aray of genres from traditional Jazz and Blues to Gospel and Pop. Her melodic voice, with its two-and-a-half-octave range, is known worldwide, as are her rich, unique, soulful and highly spirited interpretations of both, familiar Jazz and Blues classics and original contemporary tunes. Equally as striking is Ms. Morrison's ability to belt out down-home, soul-stirring Blues. Her impassioned renditions of old and favorite torch songs are nothing short of breathtaking.

In addition to her multiple solo recordings, fans have experienced the pleasure of Barbara Morrison's rich and vibrant tones on such notable film and television appearances as; the movie sound track for The Hurricane (starring Denzel Washington), Goin' Home: A Tribute to Duke Ellington and Johnny Otis's CD “Ooo Shoo Be Dooo”. Additional credits include the hit NBC TV comedy The Naked Truth, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno and The Dennis Miller Show.

In additional to her gigs with other Jazz and Blues groups and legends, Barbara Morrison also performs at the more renown Blues and Jazz Festivals around the world. Her many outstanding appearances, including those at Montreaux, Nice, Pori, Carnegie Hall, North Sea, Monterey, Long Beach, as well as her Salute to Dizzy Gillespie and her Tribute to Benny Golson, are fondly remembered by Morrison fans who return again and again to share her rare, unique and exceptional vocal gifts.https://musicians.allaboutjazz.com/barbaramorrison

Warm and Cozy

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Veronica Swift - Confessions

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2019
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 51:33
Size: 119,6 MB
Art: Front

(3:47) 1. You're Gonna Hear from Me
(3:41) 2. A Little Taste
(5:12) 3. Interlude
(5:01) 4. Forget About the Boy
(6:22) 5. A Stranger in Town
(3:08) 6. I Don't Wanna Cry Anymore
(4:23) 7. I Hope She Makes You Happy
(6:43) 8. Confession / The Other Woman
(3:44) 9. Gypsy in My Soul
(3:34) 10. No Not Much
(2:24) 11. I'm Hip
(3:28) 12. No Regrets

Times change. In the Me Too era it is clearly politically incorrect for a female singer to sidle up to the microphone and huskily breathe "My Heart Belongs To Daddy" like Julie London used to do. Or even, for that matter, to lustily proclaim "Diamonds are a Girl's Best Friend" like Marilyn Monroe. But a residue of that sort of thing (it's called sex appeal) needs to remain, regardless. Veronica Swift is the epitome of a modern female jazz singer. She can wear figure-hugging evening gowns and high heels, but she'll look her audience in their collective eye and state defiantly, "You're Gonna Hear from Me."

That's the one that goes, "Move over, sun and give me some sky; I've got these wings I'm eager to try." She comes back down to earth with a fine interpretation of Billie Holiday's "I Don't Want to Cry Anymore": "Oh, why can't I forget you; I know so well what is in store. A moment or two up in the clouds with you, Then back where I was before." "Forget About the Boy" and her own bittersweet "I Hope She Makes You Happy" leaven the mix: love seen from different angles. Talking of which, there's "Confession/The Other Woman," an angle on love that is rarely celebrated in song. Veronica Swift chooses her songs with great care. She grew up touring with her parents, jazz pianist Hod O'Brien and singer Stephanie Nakasian. So she knows the score.

She made her first appearance at Jazz at Lincoln Center when just 11 years old. In 2015 she won second place in the Thelonious Monk Jazz Competition and a year later headlined at the Telluride Jazz Festival. A residency at Birdland in New York followed, and in 2018 she began touring with trios fronted by pianists Emmet Cohen and Benny Green, both featured on this album. Her songs are marvelously well-crafted performances rooted in tradition, but up-to-the-minute in execution. When Johnny Hodges wrote "A Little Taste" in 1947, he surely never expected that a vocal version would ever be sung by a woman. In his day, when you wrote songs about them, you put women on pedestals.~ Chris Mosey https://www.allaboutjazz.com/confessions-veronica-swift-mack-avenue-records-review-by-chris-mosey.php

Personnel: Veronica Swift: vocals; Emmet Cohen Trio: Emmet Cohen, piano; Russell Hall, bass; Kyle Poole, drums (1, 2, 4-6, 9-12); Benny Green Trio: Benny Green: piano; David Wong: bass; Carl Allen: drums (3, 7-8).

Confessions

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Brian Charette - Power from the Air

Styles: Jazz, Post Bop
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 72:02
Size: 166,4 MB
Art: Front

( 7:12) 1. Fried Birds
( 5:42) 2. Elephant Memory
( 5:35) 3. Harlem Nocturne
( 7:25) 4. Silver Lining
( 5:41) 5. As If To Say
( 6:56) 6. Power From The Air
(13:49) 7. Cherokee
( 8:55) 8. Want
( 5:17) 9. Frenzy
( 5:25) 10. Low Tide

Armed with an extended knowledge of tradition, NYC organist Brian Charette reunites his groovin' sextet to perform a selection of eight color-rich originals and two jazz standards. The group appears here reformulated with some new members Kenny Brooks on tenor, Karel Ruzicka on bass clarinet, and Brian Fishler on drums replace Joel Frahm, John Ellis and Jochen Rueckert, respectively, while altoist Mike DiRubbo and flutist Itai Kriss remain in their positions. Graciously melding hard-bop and soul jazz, “Fried Birds” spurs the same swinging motion and harmonic pulsation that brought fame to Lou Donaldson in the ‘60s. Working on top of a monumental groove, the soloists, one after another, explore their melodic pliability, which culminates with Fishler’s brief spread of chops over a final vamp. Also packed with multiple stretches is the familiar “Cherokee”, one of the two covers on the album. The other one is “Harlem Nocturne”, a romanticized yet mysterious piece written by Earle Hagen in 1939 for the Ray Noble Orchestra. The screaming tremolos sustained by the Hammond B3 are supplemented with adrenaline-fueled horns in concurrent spiraling movements.

Avoiding sounding tired, the group takes a couple of pieces to a more interesting rhythmic level. While “As If to Say” is initially delivered in nine and then reshapes into a regular uptempo swing, “Silver Lining” has its main melody sliding comfortably over a groove in 11. However, it was the eclectic aesthetics of “Power From the Air” that really grabbed me. The asymmetrical form of the theme doesn’t impede an irresistible soul jazz steam from gushing forth out of the structure’s surfaces. Other stylistic cross-pollinations include “Want”, a shifting number where the classical suggestions diverge to funk, and “Frenzy”, whose gospelized glee inspires us to dance. This album illustrates how extremely versatile Charette is. https://jazztrail.net/blog/brian-charette-power-from-air-album-review

Personnel: Brian Charette: organ hammond B3; Mike DiRubbo: alto saxophone; Kenny Brooks: tenor saxophone; Itai Kriss: flute; Karel Ruzicka: bass clarinet; Brian Fishler: drums.

Power from the Air

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Carol Duboc (Feat.Jeff Lorber) - Restless

Styles: Vocal
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 38:28
Size: 88,8 MB
Art: Front

(3:57) 1. Restless
(3:56) 2. Universe
(3:58) 3. Swept Away
(4:05) 4. Aftershock
(3:32) 5. Stay Awake
(3:33) 6. Love Don't Get in the Way
(3:43) 7. If You Still Have Eyes
(4:21) 8. Shadow Dance
(3:26) 9. Philosophy
(3:53) 10. Metanoia

Jeff Lorber teams up with jazz vocalist/songwriter, Carol Duboc, just two years after winning the Grammy for Best Instrumental album. Duboc’s 9th solo album entitled, “Restless,” is produced and co-written by Lorber and Duboc. The album also features legendary flutist Hubert Laws, guitarist Paul Jackson Jr, and drummer Gary Novak. Many critics agree this is Duboc’s best album to date! http://carolduboc.com/store/

Personnel: Carol Duboc - Vocal; Hubert Laws - Flute Paul Jackson Jr - Guitar; Gary Novak - Drums

Restless

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Cæcilie Norby - Cæcilie Norby Synger Toppen Af Poppen

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2019
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 23:05
Size: 53,5 MB
Art: Front

(4:10) 1. Sittin' In A Window
(3:14) 2. Frit Land
(4:38) 3. Pleasure This Pain
(3:10) 4. Pletfri Solskin
(4:40) 5. Jalousi
(3:10) 6. Josephine

Cæcilie Norby in the music show "Toppen af Poppen" airing on danish TV2 in the of Fall 2019. Norby and a handful of other top names in the danish music industry are rendering eachothers original music in new compositions. Danish jazz and rock singer, 54 years old, born 9 September 1964 in Frederiksberg in Copenhagen, Cæcilie Norby was a member of the pop group OneTwo from 1985-1994, where she and Nina Forsberg were singers. The group released three albums, which together sold about 250,000 copies in Denmark alone. Among the biggest hits was the song 'The best time is with you'. After the time in One Two, she went solo as a jazz singer. In 1995, she was the first European artist to sign a contract with the prestigious American jazz label Blue Note Records, where she released her first four solo releases. Since then, five more solo records have arrived. In January, she released her 11th album in her own name, collaborating with female jazz musicians. In 2019 and 2020, it will be touring around Europe. http://caecilienorby.com/toppop.php

Cæcilie Norby Synger Toppen Af Poppen

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Schapiro 17 - New Shoes: Kind of Blue at 60

Styles: Jazz Funk, Big Band
Year: 2020
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 95:14
Size: 219,1 MB
Art: Front

(11:53) 1. Boiled Funk
( 3:04) 2. Foiled Bunk
(14:02) 3. So What
( 3:54) 4. Boiled Funk 2: Dark of Night
(10:02) 5. Blue in Green
( 2:26) 6. Boiled Funk 3: Worth Your While
(12:08) 7. All Blues
( 5:14) 8. Boiled Funk 4: Old Feet, New Shoes
( 9:52) 9. Flamenco Sketches
( 5:41) 10. Boiled Funk 5: A Smile
(12:25) 11. Freddie Freeloader
( 4:28) 12. Boiled Funk / Theme

2019 marked the sixtieth anniversary of the Miles Davis sextet's acclaimed album, Kind of Blue (Columbia). While the tributes didn't exactly pour in, New York-based composer / arranger Jon Schapiro took it upon himself not only to revisit that classic session but to re-orchestrate it for a large ensemble (the Schapiro 17) and flesh it out with half a dozen compositions of his own and another by pianist Roberta Piket. In keeping with the spirit of the occasion, all of Schapiro's themes (and Piket's) on the splendid two-CD set New Shoes are anagrams of Kind of Blue "Boiled Funk" 1-5 by Schapiro, "Foiled Bunk" by Piket. The last four of Schapiro's essays include subtitles: "Dark of Night," "Worth Your While," "Old Feet, New Shoes" and "A Smile." There is a closing theme, also labeled (not surprisingly) "Boiled Funk."

Of course, the five movements in the original album aren't overlooked, simply reshaped by Schapiro to accommodate his superb seventeen-member ensemble, not in pursuit of the unlikely goal of improving upon the memorable performance of Davis, John Coltrane, Bill Evans and their colleagues but instead saluting their historic endeavor while refreshing and amplifying it for a new generation of listeners. To that end, the five longest tracks on New Shoes are those on the seminal Kind of Blue: "So What," "Blue in Green," "All Blues," "Flamenco Sketches" and "Freddie Freeloader." The end result is an anthology that not only lends added color to the original but in some cases (dare it be said?) swings even harder.

Disc 1 opens (naturally) with Schapiro's prefatory "Boiled Funk," whose shifting tempos accommodate agile solos by tenor saxophonist Paul Carlon and trombonist Deborah Weisz. "Foiled Bunk," which follows, is a showcase for Piket's inquisitive solo piano and leads to a burnished, angled version of "So What," with Alex Jeun shining on trombone and Rob Wilkerson faring likewise on soprano sax. Piket's tasteful piano introduces the meditative "Dark of Night," on which Wilkerson, again on soprano, spreads his intuitive wings, before CD 1 closes with "Blue in Green," a horn-driven anthem whose genial midsection features tenor Rob Middleton. Disc 2 opens on a fiery note as trumpeter Andy Gravish's blistering solo enlivens "Worth Your While." The swinging continues apace on "All Blues," an up-tempo spree enclosing ardent solos by tenor Carlon, trombonist Alex Jeun and trumpeter Eddie Allen and zealous work by the ensemble. Alto Candace DeBartolo is exceptionally keen and resourceful on the fast-moving "Old Feet, New Shoes," while guitarist Sebastian Noelle is loose and eloquent on the easygoing "Flamenco Sketches."

Piket makes a charming reappearance on "A Smile," soloing with her usual insight and assurance. Schapiro's lustrous arrangement of "Freddie Freeloader," the last of the five songs reprised from Kind of Blue, calls to mind the great Henry Mancini whose jazz works were invariably hip and engaging. Its shifting tempos are subdued by a number of able soloists including Piket, Gravish, Harris, Carlon, bassist Evan Gregor and baritone Matt Hong. Speaking of swing, the square-shouldered finale, "Boiled Funk: Theme" has that in abundance, pressing implacably onward (alongside brief echoes of Jimmy Forrest's "Night Train") behind crisp solos by Piket, Middleton, Carlon, Gravish and trombonist Nick Grinder. Before closing, praise must be accorded to Jon Wikan for his sharp and tasteful drumming and to Gregor for his exemplary timekeeping, each an indispensable component of the album's success, as are Schapiro's bright and impressive charts. And even though Schapiro's warmhearted homage to Kind of Blue was completed some sixty years after the fact, it would surely have warranted an appreciative bow and earnest tip of the hat from the maestros who did it first.
~ Jack Bowers https://www.allaboutjazz.com/new-shoes-kind-of-blue-at-60-schapiro-17-summit-records

Personnel: Jon Schapiro: composer/conductor; Bryan Davis: trumpet; Andy Gravish: trumpet; Eddie Allen: trumpet; Noyes Bartholomew: trumpet; Rob Wilkerson: saxophone, alto; Ben Kono: woodwinds; Candace DeBartolo: saxophone, alto; Paul Carlon: saxophone, tenor; Rob Middleton: saxophone, tenor; Matt Hong: saxophone, baritone; Deborah Weisz: trombone; Alex Jeun: trombone; Nick Grinder: trombone; Walter Harris: trombone; Roberta Piket: piano; Sebastian Noelle: guitar; Evan Gregor: bass; Jon Wikan: drums.

New Shoes: Kind of Blue at 60

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Dave Brubeck, Paul Desmond - Reunion (Remastered) 1957/2006

Styles: Piano And Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2006
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 38:32
Size: 88,6 MB
Art: Front

(3:18) 1. Strolling
(6:05) 2. Shouts
(3:52) 3. Prelude
(5:14) 4. Divertimento
(4:14) 5. Chorale
(5:17) 6. Leo's Place
(4:32) 7. Darien Mode
(5:56) 8. Pieta

Tenor-saxophonist Dave Van Kreidt, a former member of Dave Brubeck's octet in the late '40s, had a reunion with the pianist, altoist Paul Desmond and bassist Bob Bates for this unusual session; Brubeck's new drummer Joe Morello made the group a quintet. Van Kreidt supplied all of the compositions (some of which are fairly complex), giving this set a sound very much different than the usual Brubeck Quartet outing. Interesting if not essential classical-influenced music that predates the Third Stream movement.~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/reunion-mw0000308129

Personnel: Dave Brubeck, piano; Paul Desmond, alto sax; David Van Kriedt, tenor sax; Norman Bates, bass; Joe Morello, drums

Reunion

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Chet Baker, Stan Getz - West Coast Live Disc 1, Disc 2

Album: West Coast Live Disc 1 - Live At The Haig,Los Angeles,CA.,1953

Jeanette Lindström - Queen on the Hillside

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2019
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 48:37
Size: 112,5 MB
Art: Front

(3:45) 1. Queen on the Hillside
(4:38) 2. Fragments
(5:09) 3. Falling
(4:24) 4. Vem
(4:10) 5. That Cloud
(4:21) 6. This Is How
(5:09) 7. Somehow
(2:08) 8. Commence
(6:34) 9. Breathe
(5:13) 10. Try to Be
(3:00) 11. North

Jeanette Lindström is one of those artists who gained my admiration and recognition just moments after hearing a few phrases. She is also one of those that comes from my favorite Scandinavian world saturated with female jazz. Often compared to Dianne Reeves, Lindström is one of the leading singers there.

The latest album " Queen on the Hillside " is exactly a decade away from the last " Attitude & Orbit Control ". This album, released in 2009, was a huge commercial success, and the critics admired and admired it, which could also affect the long waiting time for the next material. Once the extreme is caught up, it's very hard to hold that position, let alone improve it. In 10 years, a lot has happened in music. Returning too late is always associated with a greater risk of failure. Unless, like with Jeanette, it is not necessary to ask for applause and approval. Her voice is so noble and dignified that the mere appearance of it is a promotion in itself.~ Translate By Google https://jazzsoul.pl/2020/03/11/recenzja-jeanette-lindstrom-queen-on-the-hillside/

Queen on the Hillside

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Ann Hampton Callaway - Signature

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2005
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 50:27
Size: 116,9 MB
Art: Front

(4:27) 1. Tenderly
(3:36) 2. You Turned the Tables On Me
(3:47) 3. Route 66
(3:05) 4. A Kiss To Build A Dream On
(4:09) 5. The Best Is Yet To Come
(5:06) 6. For All We Know
(3:49) 7. Mr. Paganini
(4:17) 8. In The Wee Small Hours Of Morning
(4:16) 9. Is That All There Is?
(3:25) 10. Twisted
(6:16) 11. Good Morning Heartache
(4:08) 12. Pick Yourself Up

With each release, cabaret singer, Broadway performer and apparently soon to become TV star with her own show on PPBS, Ann Hampton Callaway amazes with her versatility. Becoming even more adventurous than ever on this latest release with a play list that brims with interesting and varied material, from the Vocalese gem, "Twisted", made famous by Annie Ross, to the Louis Armstrong favorite "A Kiss to Build a Dream on" with lots of good stuff in between. On top of that, Callaway has managed to garner some of the top musicians around including Wynton Marsalis, Rodney Jones, Kenny Barron, Frank Wess and Lewis Nash. They provide the instrumental underpinning for the singer as she recognizes the great ones who have gone before. It turns out that one of the more poignant, and unintentionally melancholy, tributes the is the one to the irreplaceable Peggy Lee who died after this album was recorded. Callaway does Lee's "Is That all There Is?" and includes the narrative recitation that Lee used.

There's some fine Dan Block clarinet on this cut. Other singers whom Callaway celebrates include Billie Holiday ("Good Morning Heartache"), Sarah Vaughan ("Tenderly") and Ray Charles and Betty Carter ("For All We Know"). Freddie Cole shows up to duet with Callaway on this tune. Marsalis does an especially ardent solo on "Good Morning Heartache" as does Frank Wess on "Tenderly", while Kenny Barron's piano lay down a soft, supple cushion for Callaway on virtually all the cuts. It's important to recognize that while this is a tribute album, Callaway doesn't simply duplicate what these singers who helped make the music famous. She stamps her own imprimatur on each of them. So you have the best of two worlds. Music made famous by great artists sung by another of similar caliber backed by some of the best musicians in the business. Signature is one of the first really outstanding vocal albums for 2002 and is easily recommended. Visit Ann's web home at www.annhamptoncallaway.com.~ Dave Nathan https://www.allaboutjazz.com/signature-ann-hampton-callaway-n-coded-music-review-by-dave-nathan.php?width=1920

Personnel: Ann Hampton Callaway, New York Voices*, Freddy Cole** - Vocal; Kenny Barron - Piano; Rodney Jones - Guitar; Wynton Marsalis - Trumpet; Frank Wess - Alto Sax; Dan Block - Clarinet; Ben Wolfe - Bass; Lewis Nash, Neil Smith - Drums

Signature

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Dave Stryker - Baker's Circle

Styles: Guitar
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 57:21
Size: 132,4 MB
Art: Front

(7:27) 1. Tough
(7:39) 2. El Camino
(5:25) 3. Dreamsong
(6:11) 4. Everything I Love
(4:59) 5. Rush Hour
(3:40) 6. Superstar
(4:18) 7. Baker's Circle
(5:46) 8. Inner City Blues
(5:20) 9. Love Dance
(6:32) 10. Trouble (No. 2)

After last years successful big band outing, Blue Soul, guitarist Dave Stryker is back with his hard-driving, deep- grooving B3 organ group on his new recording Baker s Circle. With the addition of cutting-edge tenor player Walter Smith III, Baker s Circle features Stryker s originals as well as a couple Eight Track gems and a tip of the hat to his former boss Stanley Turrentine. Along with Smith III, this fresh recording features Dave s working band of Jared Gold on organ and McClenty Hunter on drums and adds Cuban percussionist Mayra Casales to three tracks as well.~ Opiniones Editoriales https://www.amazon.com/Bakers-Circle-Dave-Stryker/dp/B08SYW33Z3

Personnel: Dave Stryker - guitar; Walter Smith III - tenor sax; Jared Gold - organ; McClenty Hunter - drums; Mayra Casales - percussion (2,7,8)

Baker's Circle

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Frank Morgan All-Stars - Reflections

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1989
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 52:36
Size: 121,6 MB
Art: Front

(7:37) 1. Old Bowl, New Grits
(7:16) 2. Reflections
(6:12) 3. Starting Over
(6:51) 4. Black Narcissus
(9:10) 5. Sonnymoon For Two
(6:15) 6. O.K.
(9:12) 7. Caravan

Altoist Frank Morgan leads an all-star group on this excellent hard bop set. With tenor saxophonist Joe Henderson, vibraphonist Bobby Hutcherson, pianist Mulgrew Miller, bassist Ron Carter and drummer Al Foster also in the sextet, it is not surprising that Morgan sounds a bit inspired. The musicians all play up to their usual level, performing "Caravan" (which was added to the CD version) and Sonny Rollins' "Sonnymoon for Two," plus a song apiece by Thelonious Monk ("Reflections"), Miller, Hutcherson, Henderson and Carter. Recommended.~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/reflections-1988-mw0000654231

Personnel: Frank Morgan – alto saxophone; Joe Henderson – tenor saxophone; Bobby Hutcherson – vibes; Mulgrew Miller – piano; Ron Carter – bass; Al Foster – drums

Reflections

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Art Tatum, Ben Webster - The Album (Remastered + Bonus Tracks)

Styles: Piano And Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1956/2010
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 64:42
Size: 150,4 MB
Art: Front

(7:12) 1. All the Things You Are
(4:45) 2. Gone with The Wind
(4:46) 3. Have You Met Miss Jones?
(5:27) 4. Night and Day
(6:24) 5. Where or When
(7:14) 6. My Ideal
(6:15) 7. My One and Only Love
(6:04) 8. All The Things You Are
(3:04) 9. Gone with The Wind
(4:51) 10. Have You Met Miss Jones?
(3:17) 11. Night and Day
(5:17) 12. Where or When

The only album-length collaboration between pianist Art Tatum and tenor saxophonist Ben Webster (accompanied by a rhythm section of Red Callender, bass, and Bill Douglass, drums) was this September 11, 1956, session under the auspices of Norman Granz's Verve Records label. (It was also Tatum's last recording session before his death.) Granz probably suggested the repertoire of standards by the likes of Kern and Hammerstein, Rodgers & Hart, and Cole Porter, but the melodies, of course, only provide a framework. On each track, Tatum leads things off, with Callender and Douglass coming in discreetly (and low in the mix). Then, at a certain point, Webster appears in the foreground, playing comparatively few notes and sticking much more to the melody than his partner. This is a good approach, since Tatum never subsides to simple comping; he just keeps soloing away under Webster's rich tenor tones until Webster stops playing, and then keeps on to the end. So, although this is billed as a group effort, it's not a group of equals or really one in which the players are cooperating with each other. Tatum might as well be playing solo, since he takes very little account of what's happening around him. Granz makes it work by varying the volume of the different instruments in the mix, and the result is a fascinating study in contrasts.
~ William Ruhlmann https://www.allmusic.com/album/art-tatum-ben-webster-quartet-mw0000660477

Personnel: Art Tatum (p), Ben Webster (ts), Red Callender (b), Bill Douglass (d)

The Album

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Tommy Flanagan - In His Own Sweet Time

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2020
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 53:01
Size: 122,5 MB
Art: Front

(6:20) 1. Smooth as the Wind
(6:53) 2. If You Could See Me Now
(5:25) 3. Untired Blues
(4:37) 4. Some Other Spring
(4:46) 5. How Long Has This Been Going On
(4:23) 6. Who Can I Turn To
(4:37) 7. Just Squeeze Me
(5:04) 8. Daydream
(5:06) 9. Valse Hot
(5:46) 10. Goodbye

With a name revered in the jazz world but almost totally unrecognised elsewhere, Tommy Flanagan, who died in 2001 aged 71, was the complete pianist. In the late 50s he played on John Coltrane’s Giant Steps and Sonny Rollins’s Saxophone Colossus, followed by years as accompanist to Ella Fitzgerald and Tony Bennett. It wasn’t just that he was reliable; Flanagan made even the very best sound better. When, finally, he emerged as a leader in his own right, the full extent of his brilliance became clear. He was much admired for his touch, a quality difficult to define but easy to recognise.

It’s certainly in full bloom on this 1994 live album, one of his few completely solo recordings (although not his only one, as the notes here imply). This is its first release. The 10 tracks, all slow-to-moderate in tempo, include such rare delights as Tadd Dameron’s If You Could See Me Now and Billy Strayhorn’s Day Dream. Flanagan takes his time, as the album title suggests, but every movement is so purposeful, every phrase so judiciously rounded, that you can almost hear the audience holding its collective breath.~ Dave Gelly https://www.msn.com/en-gb/entertainment/music/tommy-flanagan-in-his-own-sweet-time-review-%E2%80%93-a-masterly-touch/ar-BB1ejvx6

Personnel: Piano – Tommy Flanagan

In His Own Sweet Time

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Ake Johansson Trio - Chet & Toots

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2016
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 63:52
Size: 146,9 MB
Art: Front

( 9:57) 1. Beatrice
(10:28) 2. Lament
(11:10) 3. All the Things You Are
( 5:50) 4. When I Fall In Love
( 7:20) 5. Broken Wing
( 8:47) 6. For Minors Only
(10:18) 7. My Foolish Heart

Chet Baker was recorded so extensively in Europe that if you're a completist, you can expect to spend a fortune trying to acquire all of the European releases he is documented on. Recorded live at Sodra Teatern in Stockholm on February 26, 1985, this Swedish release finds the Åke Johansson Trio (which also includes bassist Kjell Jansson and drummer Rune Carlsson) joined by two visiting players, American Baker and Belgian harmonica player Toots Thielemans. Because Johansson is such a lyrical pianist, Baker and Thielemans were ideal choices for him. Melodic, subtle lyricism is the rule during this set, and the Scandinavian and American players enjoy a strong rapport on relaxed performances of Sam Rivers' "Beatrice," J.J. Johnson's "Lament" and the standard "All the Things You Are." Baker lays out on a sentimental version of "When I Fall in Love," while Thielemans is the one who lays out on Richie Beirach's "Broken Wing" and "My Foolish Heart." Baker's only vocal during the set comes on the latter, which underscores the fact that while he didn't have a fantastic range as a vocalist (especially after losing his teeth in the '60s), his singing could be incredibly soulful and expressive. On a few occasions, Baker's trumpeting becomes uncertain. But for the most part, the musicians are in good and sometimes excellent form on this CD.~ Alex Henderson https://www.allmusic.com/album/%C3ke-johansson-trio-with-chet-baker-and-toots-thielemans-mw0000432096

Personnel: Piano – Åke Johansson; Bass – Kjell Jansson; Drums – Rune Carlsson; Harmonica – Toots Thielemans (tracks: 1-4,6); Trumpet, Vocals – Chet Baker (tracks: 1.3,5-7)

Chet & Toots

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Harry Allen, Mike Karn - Milo's Illinois

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 60:36
Size: 140,6 MB
Art: Front

(5:39) 1. Love Is Just Around the Corner
(6:20) 2. Just One of Those Things
(6:06) 3. A Time for Love
(7:52) 4. O Grande Amor
(4:50) 5. Tea for Two
(4:41) 6. Gypsy Sweetheart
(4:14) 7. Tenderly
(4:40) 8. Milo's Illinois
(5:08) 9. Just Pickin' out Ditties
(5:01) 10. The Song Is Ended
(6:00) 11. How Insensitive

The COVID pandemic has changed many things about daily life, creating something of a new, mutated "normal." This is no more apparent than in many of the "outside-the-box" methods that performance artists have used to subsist and ply their trade during a virtual lockdown. In particular, tenor saxophonist Harry Allen took the pandemic head on by cutting a European tour short in March 2020, returning to New York City. But rather than simply wait to see what happened, Allen jumped headlong into two ambitious projects. Taking advantage of some newly acquired recording equipment and computer software, the saxophonist recorded a "solo" recording, The Bloody Happy song (GAC Records, 2020). This recording featured Allen alone, appearing in a variety of computer-generated virtual formats, from solo horn to little-big band. The results were swinging and impressive

Extrapolating this method, Allen enlisted the guitarist Dave Blenkhorn , with whom he had been touring in Europe on the eve of the pandemic, to make a trans-Atlantic recording: Allen in New York City and Blenkhorn in Bordeaux, France (consider the romance of those locales!). This resulted in Under A Blanket Of Blue (GAC Records, 2020). Both projects successfully showed that creativity is adaptable as necessary, and , at its best, brings everything closer together, in spite of temporal circumstances. Allen's most recent projects highlight the good. They also restore that bit of mystery that is still able to make even the most jaded and cynical among listeners.

Take, for instance, Allen's third pandemic project, Milo's Illinois, recorded in Allen's home with double bassist Mike Karn. The title itself is filled with questions. Who is Milo and why in Illinois? Only part of this is revealed but that part is worth it. In numbers, Milo's Illinois is made up of nine standards and two originals. The subject matter is from across the map, from the hopeful "Love Is Just Around The Corner" to the resigned "Just One of Those Things," to the sepia-toned "Tea For Two." The songs are captured with an intensely relaxed spirit, one of making the best of a marginal situation with intimacy and empathy.

Allen's tone remains as sweet and confident as ever, adopting a piquant character when applied to Antonio Carlos Jobim ("O Grande Amor," "How Insensitive"). Karn meets Allen head on, anticipating the saxophonist and guiding him. Karn provides the introduction to several pieces, giving "Tea For Two" his most thoughtful consideration before kicking things off in a swinging fashion with Allen's entry. Mitchell Parish's rarely recorded "Gypsy Sweetheart" is provided a rounded treatment with saxophonist and bassist clicking along effortlessly. Irving Berlin's "The Song Is Ended" is submitted, upbeat and strolling in a steadfast 4/4, rolling into "How Insensitive," providing Karn is greatest, and most inventive, solo space.

"Milo's Illinois" is the Karn contribution to the recording, a circuitous bebop piece with an impressive head and compelling interior. Milo turns out to be a dog, a small one. And, "'Milo's Illinois" is a song about keeping a small dog warm, bringing this project to its peaceful and positive close with questions still unanswered. Praise the small and simple. They will never disappoint and it's been a long winter.~ C.Michael Bailey https://www.allaboutjazz.com/milos-illinois-harry-allen-gac-music

Personnel: Harry Allen(sax); Mike Karn(double bass)

Milo's Illinois

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Emil Viklicky Trio - What's New

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2003
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 63:13
Size: 145,6 MB
Art: Front

( 6:40) 1. You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To
( 5:55) 2. Enfance
( 8:50) 3. I'll Remember April
( 7:41) 4. Porthcawl
( 9:39) 5. Cherokee
(10:01) 6. What's New
( 9:01) 7. C.T.A.
( 5:22) 8. Going to Chicago

Emil Viklicky was born on the 23rd November 1948 in Olomouc, where in 1971 he graduated from the Palacky University in mathematics. Whilst a student he devoted much time to playing jazz piano. In 1974 he was awarded the prize for best soloist at the Czechoslovak Amateur Jazz Festival, and in that same year he became a member of Karel Velebny's SHQ ensemble. In 1976 he was a prizewinner at the jazz improvisation competition in Lyon and his composition Green Satin (Zeleny saten) earned him first prize in the music conservatory competition in Monaco, where in 1985 his Cacharel won second prize in the same competition. In 1977 he was awarded a year's scholarship to study composition and arrangement with Herb Pomeroy at the jazz school of the Berklee College of Music in Boston. He then continued his composition studies with Jarmo Sermila, George Crumb and Vaclav Kucera. Since his return to Prague he has been directing his own ensembles (primarily quartets and quintets), composing and arranging music and - since the death of Karel Velebny - working as director of the Summer Jazz Workshops in Frydlant. He has also lectured at a similar workshop event in Glamorgan, Wales. Between 1991 and 1995 Viklicky was President of the Czech Jazz Society, and since 1994 he has worked with the Ad lib Moravia ensemble, whose performances combine elements of Moravian folk music, modern jazz and contemporary serious music. In 1996 the ensemble undertook a highly successful concert tour of Mexico and the United States.

As pianist Viklicky often performs in international ensembles alongside musicians from the USA and other European countries - with the Lou Blackburn International Quartet and the Benny Bailey Quintet, for example, and with multi-instrumentalist Scott Robinson. He has made frequent appearances in Finland (with the Finnczech Quartet and in particular with Jarmo Sermila) and Norway (with the Czech-Norwegian Big Band and Harald Gundhus) and has performed in the USA, Japan, Mexico, Israel, Germany, Luxembourg, the Netherlands (at the North Sea Festival) and elsewhere. The editor of Rolling Stone wrote of Viklicky that "It was a delightful surprise to see such first-class, top-of-the-line jazz in Prague. As composer Viklicky has attracted attention abroad primarily for having created a synthesis of the expressive elements of modern jazz with the melodicism and tonalities of Moravian folk song that is distinctly individual in contemporary jazz. Besides this, however, he also composes 'straight-ahead' modern jazz as well as chamber and orchestral works that utilize certain elements of the New Music, and at times his music requires a combination of classical and jazz performers. He also composes incidental and film music and has produced scores for several full-length feature films and television series. Throughout the 1990s he has devoted an increasing amount of time to the composition of contemporary classical music for a great variety of instrumental combinations ranging from small chamber ensembles and electronic instruments to symphony orchestras and choruses. Viklicky's work has gained him quite a number of prestigious awards. https://www.jazzmusicarchives.com/artist/emil-viklicky

What's New

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