Ulla Haesen - Rio

Styles: Vocal And Guitar Jazz
Year: 2018
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 41:47
Size: 97,4 MB
Art: Front

(3:37) 1. Ela È Minha Cara
(4:21) 2. Disfarça e Vem
(3:39) 3. Rio – Só Vim Matar a Saudade
(4:42) 4. Valeu
(4:32) 5. Aquelas Coisas Todas
(4:25) 6. Lembra de Mim
(3:46) 7. Os Grilos
(3:57) 8. Rio de Janeiro
(4:05) 9. O Ronco da Cuíca
(4:38) 10. Estrela Guia

Singer and guitarist Ulla Haesen's recording, 'Rio - S Vim Matar a Saudade', fuses the talents of three renowned Brazilian musicians Kiko Freitas, Lula Galvo, Nelson Faria with some of Europe's finest Decebal Badila, Alfonso Garrido, Jesse Milliner, Francesco Petrocca, Gabriel Prez, Jrgen Schuld and Hendrik Meurkens. The Portuguese word saudade means to "long for something", the melancholic feeling of missing a place or person. Ulla, consumed by a decade-long ardor for Brazilian music, travelled to Rio to meet, study, and work with some of her heroes. "I wanted to breathe the air where the music is composed and meet legendary artists like Lula Galvo. It was magical to hear this music in its home territory." There's a sparkling line-up of gorgeous compositions including contributions from Ivan Lins, Marcos Valle, Joyce Moreno, Joo Bosco, Ronaldo Bastos, Nelson Faria (who penned the title track) and Toninho Horta and it was masterfully recorded by Klaus Genuit.~ Opiniones editoriales https://www.amazon.com/Rio-So-Vim-Matar-Saudade/dp/B076LLP54J

Rio

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Mike Levine - Star Gazing

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2017
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 54:28
Size: 126,8 MB
Art: Front

(4:05) 1. Oh Yeah
(4:32) 2. Star Gazing
(3:54) 3. Rio Funk
(4:21) 4. Twilight
(3:55) 5. Road Song
(3:34) 6. Sundays Touch
(4:04) 7. Willy's Gumbo
(4:24) 8. Really Wish I Could Love You
(3:33) 9. Getting to It
(3:57) 10. City of Hope
(4:46) 11. Jaco
(4:19) 12. The Herb
(4:58) 13. Soaring

Pianist and keyboardist Mike Levine unveils his third solo project Star Gazing providing another laid back, Smooth- styled gem of a recording containing a little of everything, from the obvious relaxing mellow melodies, to some swinging sizzling funky material. An artist who has performed with some of the finest musicians on the planet, during his long-distinguished career, Levine is a mainstay, a fixture in Miami's vibrant Latin music and exploding jazz scene. A man of many talents who has delved into various music genres, he seems to gravitate to the Smooth landscape where he feels more comfortable whether on piano or the keyboards.

The pianist delivers twelve originals and one cover tune featuring eighteen musicians performing on selected tracks throughout the recording. Calling on several special guests like saxophonists Ed Calle and Andy Snitzer along with Will Lee on bass, the rhythm section just happens to be, as the pianist states, "The Nucleus of the project..." featuring the leader and bassist accompanied by drummer Lee Levin performing on all tracks except two where son Sam Levine brings the power of "L" to the third degree. Opening up with the high-spirited "Oh Yeah" and the leader on a hot piano, the tune showcases guitarist Dan Warner, and a blistering horn section of Ed Maina, Tom McCormick and Mike Brignola on the saxophones along with trumpeter Jeff Kievit and trombonist Dante Luciani all of whom appear again on the upbeat "Getting to It." The music keeps gyrating on "Willy's Gumbo" featuring the torrid saxophone of master Ed Calle around Levine's key strokes.

The title track and the warm "Twilight," display the kind of feel-good and cozy texture that defines the Smooth style of jazz. Levine and Snitzer let it all hang out on the lively and deliciously funky "Rio Funky" before moving on to the only cover track, Wes Montgomery's 1968 R&B hit "Road Song." Baritone singer LeNard Rutledge lends his marvelous vocals on "Really Wish I could Love you" in one of two vocal tracks where the leader and guitarist Warner are featured prominently. Other noteworthy tunes here are "City of Hope," "The Herb" and the beautiful finale "Soaring," capping off another delightful session of light jazz that will appeal to everyone from the casual listener to the discerning aficionado. Piano and keyboard specialist Mike Levine builds upon what he has previously documented designing another successful and highly- entertaining musical statement on Star Gazing proving the axiom, "the third time is a charm."~ Edward Blanco https://www.allaboutjazz.com/star-gazing-mike-levine-self-produced-review-by-edward-blanco.php

Personnel: Mike Levine: piano. keyboards; Will Lee: bass; Lee Levin: drums; Sam Levine: drums (3, 12); Richard Bravo: percussion; Dan Warner: guitar (1-4, 7-10, 13); Lindsey Blair: guitar (5, 6, 11, 12); Ed Calle: saxophone (2, 4); Andy Snitzer: saxophone (3); Ed Maina: saxophone (1, 7, 10); Billy Ross: saxophone (12); Tom McCormick: saxophone (1, 9); Lenard Rutledge: vocals (8); Jeff Kievit: trumpet (1, 9); Dante Luciani: trombone (1, 9); Mike Brignola: baritone saxophone (1, 9); Dana Teboe: trombone (12); Jackson King: vocals (11).

Star Gazing

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Alex Sipiagin - Upstream

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 54:54
Size: 126,9 MB
Art: Front

(5:23) 1. Call
(5:30) 2. Echo Canyon
(5:21) 3. Sight
(6:20) 4. SipaTham
(5:44) 5. Magic Square
(7:10) 6. Rain
(6:46) 7. Shura
(5:00) 8. Miyako
(7:37) 9. Upstream

Trumpeter Alex Sipiagin has grown tremendously in recent years and a record like this is a fantastic demonstration of his talents as both an instrumentals and as a composer and also as a leader of a very well-matched group! The combo is a quartet, but soar out with a spirit that makes you feel like you're hearing the energy of a much larger ensemble a quality that maybe comes in part from the work of pianist Art Hirihara, who always seems to have this grand sense of flow driven on strongly here by the bass of Boris Kozlov and drums of Rudy Royston! Sipiagin is majestic throughout able to fly to the heavens at some points, but then be very down to earth and personal at others on titles that include "Sight", "Call", "Rain", "Shura", "Echo Canyon", "Upstream", and "Magic Square". © 1996-2021, Dusty Groove, Inc. https://www.dustygroove.com/item/982443

Personnel: Alex Sipiagin - trumpet, flugelhorn; Art Hirahara - piano; Boris Kozlov - bass; Rudy Royston - drums

Upstream

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Dee Daniels - The Promise (Deluxe Edition)

Styles: Vocal
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 75:07
Size: 173,0 MB
Art: Front

(4:23) 1. Choose Me
(5:12) 2. One Moment in Time
(5:40) 3. The Promise
(5:05) 4. My Prayer
(6:18) 5. Healed
(4:49) 6. Grateful
(5:00) 7. Love Inside
(8:36) 8. I Am Forgiven
(5:33) 9. Never Alone
(5:12) 10. Dance with Me
(4:28) 11. Love is the Answer
(5:12) 12. One Moment in Time - Guitar Version
(4:28) 13. I Want Jesus
(5:04) 14. Let Freedom Ring (The Ballad of John Lewis)

A self-released set from singer Dee Daniels an artist who's been through a great personal journey in recent years, which really shows in her music! All tracks are originals, and Dee hangs effortlessly between jazz and soul with a sophisticated vibe that's maybe like Randy Crawford back in the day especially given the way that Dee can really bring a special sort of magic to her own lyrics in a jazzy setting! Most numbers have a small combo with guitar, piano, bass, and drums plus some occasional backing vocals, which underscore the spiritual currents in the music and titles include "Love Is The Answer", "Never Alone", "Choose Me", "Love Inside", "I Am Forgiven", "The Promise", "One Moment In Time", "Grateful", and "Healed". © 1996-2021, Dusty Groove, Inc. https://www.dustygroove.com/item/983001

Personnel: Dee Daniels - voice, Miles Black - keyboards, Bill Coon - guitar, Miles Hill - bass, Joel Fountain - drums

The Promise

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Meredith d'Ambrosio - Lost In His Arms

Styles: Vocal
Year: 1989
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 34:32
Size: 80,2 MB
Art: Front

(1:35) 1. Lost In His Arms
(2:54) 2. Baltimore Oriole
(2:17) 3. Land Where The Good Songs Go
(1:35) 4. In Love In Vain
(3:04) 5. Alone Together
(3:11) 6. It Never Entered My Mind
(1:53) 7. Once In A Blue Moon
(2:29) 8. Blame It On My Youth
(1:22) 9. Rip Van Winkle
(1:49) 10. Everytime We Say Goodbye
(2:34) 11. Never Never Land
(2:46) 12. I Get Alone Without You Very Well
(1:55) 13. Up Jumped Spring
(3:11) 14. Spring Is Here
(1:49) 15. Funny Girl

Meredith d'Ambrosio accompanies herself for the most part on this solo CD. She's got the perfect piano chops to back her soft but always swinging vocals, resulting in an album that often seems like the listener is eavesdropping on an artist performing alone for her own enjoyment. Part of the informal nature of these sessions is that only one of the 15 tracks exceeds three minutes in length, while several end after only a single chorus. The singer is especially effective interpreting wistful ballads like "Blame It On My Youth" and "In Love in Vain." She taps her foot a bit to "Baltimore Oriole" and the gliding treatment of "Up Jumped Spring," and delightfully restores the often omitted verse to "It Never Entered My Mind." She sings a bit more brazenly when Ray Santisi takes her place at the piano (adding bassist Chris Rathburn and an unidentified drummer playing brushes) on the brisk "Alone Together" and a waltz-time "Never Never Land." First released on LP by Spring, these memorable sessions were reissued on CD by Sunnyside in 1994.~ Ken Dryden https://www.allmusic.com/album/lost-in-his-arms-mw0000443061

Personnel: Vocals – Meredith d'Ambrosio; Bass – Chris Rathbun; Coordinator [Reissue] – François Zalacain; Guitar – Norman Coles; Piano – 1 to 4, 6 to 10, 12 to 16 (Meredith d'Ambrosio)

Lost In His Arms

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Nancy Sinatra - Nancy In London

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2006
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 40:39
Size: 95,0 MB
Art: Front

(2:47) 1. On Broadway
(2:25) 2. The End
(2:36) 3. Step Aside
(2:41) 4. I Can't Grow Peaches On A Cherry Tree
(3:43) 5. Summer Wine
(2:52) 6. Wishin' And Hopin'
(2:10) 7. This Little Bird
(2:18) 8. Shades
(2:31) 9. The More I See You
(2:51) 10. Hutchinson Jail
(3:03) 11. Friday's Child
(2:31) 12. 100 Years
(2:58) 13. You Only Live Twice
(2:26) 14. Tony Rome
(2:41) 15. Life's A Trippy Thing

Although the photo on Nancy Sinatra's third studio solo album shows the sultry singer dolled up in swinging-London mod gear, sitting on a double-decker bus, 1966's Nancy in London doesn't feature Frank's daughter covering any of the fab British Invasion hits hinted at by the album's title and cover art. But that's not to say these recordings suffer the same incongruence as the concept. Her opening rendition of Weil and Mann's "On Broadway" could very well be the best version next to The Drifters' 1963 hit. And her silky voice gives Estelle Levitt's "I Can't Grow Peaches on a Cherry Tree" a texture that's as rich as any of the flawlessly arranged strings here. But it's the uncanny chemistry between Sinatra's ethereal inflections and Lee Hazlewood's cryptic approach to songwriting that makes for the best songs on these records. Add to that the contrast of Hazlewood's gravelly singing, and songs like his "Summer Wine" and "Friday's Child" stand out like flowers growing on a cactus. This version boasts four bonus tracks, including a bookending duet with Frank. https://music.apple.com/us/album/nancy-in-london/148037474

Nancy In London

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Vincent Herring - Preaching to the Choir

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 65:55
Size: 152,0 MB
Art: Front

(6:00) 1. Dudli's Dilemma
(7:47) 2. Old Devil Moon
(6:53) 3. Ojos de Rojo
(5:56) 4. Hello
(7:37) 5. Fried Pies
(6:03) 6. Minor Swing
(6:26) 7. In a Sentimental Mood
(5:02) 8. Preaching to the Choir
(6:36) 9. Granted
(7:32) 10. You Are the Sunshine of My Life

Vincent Herring can certainly preach with his horn a deeply soulful version of alto sax that gets plenty of room to open up and speak its message here working through a set of long, lovely tracks with really great support! The group's a quartet with Cyrus Chestnut on piano, Yasushi Nakamura on bass, and Johnathan Blake on drums instantly hitting that kind of a groove that really makes Herring sound his best a level of accompaniment he doesn't always get on record but when he does, on a set like this, it reminds us all over again how much we can love his music when it finds the right sound! There's a solidity here that makes the record one of Herring's best in years – and titles include "Dudli's Dilemma", "Ojos De Rojo", "Granted", "Preaching To The Choir", "Minor Swing", "Fried Pies", and "You Are The Sunshine Of My Life". © 1996-2021, Dusty Groove, Inc. https://www.dustygroove.com/item/979454

Personnel: Vincent Herring (alto saxophone); Cyrus Chestnut (piano); Yasushi Nakamura (bass); Johnathan Blake (drums)

Preaching to the Choir

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Earl Bostic - Dance To The Best Of Bostic

Styles: Cool Jazz, Swing
Year: 2005
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 34:58
Size: 81,9 MB
Art: Front

(2:39) 1. Flamingo
(3:20) 2. Always
(2:26) 3. Deep Purple
(2:57) 4. Smoke Rings
(2:43) 5. What, No Pearls
(2:50) 6. Jungle Drums
(2:53) 7. Serenade
(3:18) 8. I Can't Give You Anything But Love
(2:42) 9. Seven Steps
(3:01) 10. I'm Getting Sentimental Over You
(3:02) 11. Don't You Do It
(3:01) 12. Steam Whistle Jump

Earl Bostic was the king of the King record label prior to the arrival of James Brown. As a disciple of Louis Jordan, Bostic's approach to the alto saxophone was a departure, straddling the line between bar walking honking and an out-and-out instrumental crooning style. This collection is a very good one in that it expresses the many types of jazz, blues and R&B Bostic embraced. And one has to remember when these tunes were recorded 1951 to 1956 years of transitions from swing and bop to race records where more sophisticated tastes were at odds with the putatively square music being presented on a new thing called television. Bostic's music, as the title suggests, was also danceable. His easy swinging big hit from 1951 "Flamingo" kicks off the set, defining smooth well before illegitimate "smooth jazz" was coined. A few jazz standards are included, with an interesting take of "Always" as Bostic comes in late, a rocking shuffle swing ideal for the normally rendered ballad "Deep Purple," a vibrato laden Bostic with shimmering vibraphone behind him during "I Cant Give You Anything but Love," and an outstanding, slow, heart melting rendition of "I'm Getting Sentimental Over You." "Steam Whistle Jump" is clearly a knock-off of "Take the 'A' Train." Where Bostic expertly excels in a manner as potent as Gene Ammons is on the soul-jazz side of things. His energetic "What, No Pearls?" is a rocking time capsule for the era, and "Seven Steps" grooves with a Latin twist. Bostic's saxophone trades quick melody snippets with guitar on the most intriguing cut of the date, the jam "Don't You Do It." Not a definitive collection, but a fine cross-section of the meatier and substantive side of Earl Bostic, with no filler or the string dominated pop style music he eventually presented.~ Michael G.Nastos https://www.allmusic.com/album/dance-to-the-best-of-earl-bostic-mw0000200856

Dance To The Best Of Bostic

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Ida Sand with Stockholm Underground - My Soul Kitchen

Styles: Vocal, Piano, Soul 
Year: 2018
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 44:16
Size: 101,7 MB
Art: Front

(3:26)  1. Take Me to the River
(3:32)  2. Where the Hell Are You
(3:02)  3. Crash & Burn
(3:42)  4. Please, Don't Hurt My Baby
(3:54)  5. I Believe to My Soul
(3:39)  6. Born on the Bayou
(4:34)  7. I Have Nothing Left for You
(3:55)  8. Just Kissed My Baby
(3:36)  9. Empty Bed Blues
(4:37) 10. If You Don't Love Me
(2:45) 11. It's Your Voodoo Working
(3:30) 12. Spooky

Soul music is such a broad genre. There’s funky soul, blue-eyed soul, neo soul, RnB, New Orleans soul, Motown-soul, etc. This album is a blend of those different types of soul music. And putting them together with my own songs, what we have made is a tasty musical stew. There is one composer/artist in particular who has had a huge impact on me and that is Ray Charles, so of course he is represented on this album. I heard Ray Charles as a kid, I think it was “Let the Good Times Roll” and I was dazzled right away. The way he treated the lyric, his rawness and that rhythmic piano really captured me. He has a way of singing from his heart, and that has been and still is my goal as a singer too. Always from the heart. In my opinion, soul music stands out as the genre that has the best voices on Earth: Stevie Wonder, Aretha Franklin, Donny Hathaway, Al Green... These voices, and others, have kept millions of people spellbound for many decades including me. When I was 17 I really wanted to go to Fasching jazz club in Stockholm to listen to Nils Landgren and his Funk Unit Henrik Janson, Lars DK Danielsson and Per Lindvall were in the band at the time (Jesper Nordenström also became part of the Funk Unit a few years later). I was excited because these were the very best musicians I knew about. But to my disappointment it turned out I was too young, and the door-man said he couldn’t let me in. I started crying, and he felt so bad for me that he did let me in, on the condition that I promised not to drink. During the show, I remember saying to myself; “Imagine if I could play with these guys some day”... And now I do! There are no words to describe the joy and privilege that it is for me to have these fellas on my CD. They have an outstanding sound, and they are such great craftsmen at what they do that it sounds fantastic on the first take every time! We spent 3 days together at the legendary Atlantis Studio and let me just say it was a smooth ride. Not only did the band deliver some great live tracks, Magnus Lindgren also showed up with some fantastic horn arrangements. To see this genius at work is such a treat. He is by far one of the most inspiring musicians I know. His mind and his playfulness with music are one-of-a-kind. Together we “cooked” an album for you: “My Soul Kitchen”. Just put a casserole on, invite some friends over, and let soul music be the soundtrack for your evening. You will have a great time I’ll guarantee ya! ~ Ida Sand, May 2018

Personnel:
Ida Sand: vocals, piano
Stockholm Underground:
Jesper Nordenström: Hammond organ, keys
Henrik Janson: electric guitar
Lars DK Danielsson: electric bass
Per Lindvall: drums, percussion
Magnus Lindgren: saxophone, flutes

Guests:
Ola Gustafsson: electric, acoustic guitar
Paris Renita: background vocals
André de Lang: background vocals
André Dahlbäck: background vocals (11)
Nils Landgren: trombone, vocals (10)

My Soul Kitchen

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Stephan Thelen - World Dialogue

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 2020
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 45:03
Size: 103,8 MB
Art: Front

(10:09) 1. Circular Lines
( 4:32) 2. Chaconne
(15:20) 3. World Dialogue
(15:01) 4. Silesia

Stephan Thelen's compositions for his band Sonar have a minimalist groove that clearly relates to other groups in the experimental sphere like Swiss pianist and composer Nik Bärtsch's band Ronin. These works for string quartet are not stylistically far removed from Thelen's Sonar music, but the classical chamber music context establishes them in the world occupied by composers like Steve Reich. Thelen's desire to compose for the Kronos Quartet was the driver for this album. He composed the title piece with them in mind, but they decided to commission a new piece for their Fifty for the Future: The Kronos Learning Repertoire project. Thus the piece Circular Lines was born. Composed in 2016, it was recorded in 2017, and opens the album with relentless rhythmic propulsion that does recall Sonar's music. With its 3-against-4-against-5 polyrhythms It is also the most rhythmically challenging piece Kronos has played (which is saying something).

The composition is also full of melody, usually riding on top of the rhythmic continuum. So it is both propulsive and lyrical. After a dramatic opening gesture the music moves gracefully through a series of events. The sound is far from monolithic: there is even a bit of a breakdown at about the eight minute mark. An insistent repeated figure brings it to an exciting conclusion. Kronos violinist David Harrington encouraged the Polish, all-women Al Pari Quartet to play Circular Lines to strengthen their internal rhythmic cohesion. Impressed by their performance of it, Thelen began working with them. They went on to record World Dialogue for this album (in place of Kronos). The piece was written in 2006 when Thelen was experimenting with additive rhythms. It is indeed fascinating rhythmically, but it has a rich harmonic structure which may be even more interesting. It is unusual for a minimalist composition to have such a large amount of harmonic movement: it moves backwards through the cycle of fifths all the way from the key of G back to G—12 key changes in all.

Thelen wrote a new piece for the Al Pari Quartet called Silesia named for the region of Central Europe (located mainly in Poland) where the group lives. They asked him to base the composition on traditional Silesian music, which gives it the most traditional sound on the album. It shares his characteristic rhythmic drive, but the Eastern European material is a bit reminiscent of Béla Bartók's string quartets. The ending is especially striking: a gradual decrescendo promises the sound of an electronic fadeout, but a final dramatic gesture provides a satisfying finale. Thelen makes a stunning debut as a New Music composer here. Hopefully the Kronos Quartet's marquee appeal will help it gain the attention it deserves.~ Mark Sullivan https://www.allaboutjazz.com/world-dialogue-stephan-thelen-rarenoiserecords

Personnel: Stephan Thelen: guitar, electric; Kronos Quartet: band/orchestra; Al Pari Quartet: band/orchestra.

Additional Instrumentation: Stephan Thelen: composer; Kronos Quartet: David Harrington: violin; John Sherba: violin; Hank Dutt viola; Sunny Yang: cello. Al Pari Quartet: Marta Lucjan: violin; Alicja Miruk-Mirska: violin; Magdalena Maier: viola; Elzbieta Rychwalska: cello.

World Dialogue

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Kate Ceberano - 19 Days in New York

Styles: Jazz, Vocal, R&B
Year: 2004
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 43:50
Size: 101,0 MB
Art: Front

(4:06)  1. Since I Fell for You
(2:31)  2. At Last
(5:14)  3. Seven Day Fool
(5:37)  4. Higher and Higher
(5:41)  5. Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow
(3:53)  6. Wanted- Lover, No Experience Necessary
(4:48)  7. A Natural Woman
(4:03)  8. Fever
(4:25)  9. I Had A Talk with My Man
(3:28) 10. Let it Be Me

It May have Only Taken 19 Days in New York, but 1960s Chess Records Legend, Billy Davis, Has Managed to Produce an Album for Kate Ceberano that Will Leave People Begging for More. '19 Days in New York' is a Sublime Album of Classic Soul / R&B Songs, Presenting Ceberano in a Completely New Light. ~Editorial Reviews 

https://www.amazon.com/Days-New-York-Kate-Ceberano/dp/B0002W18AM

19 Days in New York

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Kathy Sanborn - Peaceful Sounds

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2008
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 49:21
Size: 114,5 MB
Art: Front

(3:43) 1. Mission Accomplished
(3:48) 2. Bailando
(3:28) 3. Goin' With The Flow
(4:10) 4. Anyone Can Be Rich In America
(2:39) 5. Forever War - Vocal
(3:08) 6. Ridin' The Rails
(3:05) 7. I Wonder
(3:59) 8. Angela
(3:48) 9. You're The One I've Waited For
(3:40) 10. Déjenos En Paz
(3:48) 11. What Does It Take
(4:39) 12. Du
(2:37) 13. Forever War - Instrumental
(2:42) 14. Kissed By The Sun

Kathy Sanborn performs new age and jazz songs of love, peace, and social conscience. Her sultry vocals draw you in and her powerful message stays with you long after the music's over. Here's what others are saying about Peaceful Sounds: GRAMMY® Award winner Joanne Shenandoah says, "a beautiful voice . . ." Eric Cohen from radio station WAER 88.3 in New York says, 'Magnificent . . . One of the most original CDs I have heard all year. Kathy's voice truly is a gift from the heavens.' Author and award-winning journalist Dahr Jamail says, "Peaceful Sounds is a great CD, and Kathy has an amazing voice." Hollywood actor, director, and film producer Paul Cross says, 'Kathy is the American Enya ...with an important message.' Peace activists from the Military Project say, "Begin with a mix of Marlene Dietrich, Billie Holiday, and go on to someone new, all her own, outstanding." https://towerrecords.com/products/kathy-sanborn-peaceful-sounds

Peaceful Sounds

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Charles Lloyd and The Marvels - Tone Poem

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 69:51
Size: 160,9 MB
Art: Front

( 3:10) 1. Peace
( 4:58) 2. Ramblin'
( 6:17) 3. Anthem
( 6:30) 4. Dismal Swamp
( 9:02) 5. Tone Poem
(10:24) 6. Monk's Mood
(10:03) 7. Ay Amor - Live
(10:48) 8. Lady Gabor
( 8:34) 9. Prayer

Charles Lloyd and The Marvels' April 2017 performance at UCLA's Royce Hall, with guest vocalist Lucinda Williams, was nothing but highlights from Lloyd's dance moves across the stage as one or other of his bandmates soloed, to Williams' impassioned performances on such songs as Bob Dylan's "Masters of War" and Jimi Hendrix's "Angel." They also played a song by The Beach Boys. ("In My Room"). But the night really got going when the band played about fifteen minutes of Ornette Coleman material, shifting from a reverent version of "Peace" to an extended rendition of "Ramblin,'" the great rhythm-and-blues inflected song that Lloyd himself, in his short-lived mid-1960s quartet with Gabor Szabo, covered as "Goin' to Memphis," and which provided an occasion for Lloyd and his Marvels Bill Frisell on guitar, Greg Leisz on pedal steel, bassist Reuben Rogers on bass, and drummer Eric Harland to rock the rafters in an auditorium where, with an equally packed house, Coleman himself performed in 2010. As it turns out, Lloyd and the Marvels were warming up for 2021's Tone Poem (Blue Note), which kicks off with "Peace" and a shorter, but no less incendiary, rendition of "Ramblin.'"

With the Marvels, Lloyd seems be circling back around the repertoire of his quartet with Szabo: on its first outing, I Long To See You (Blue Note, 2016) the former group played a sizzling version of "Of Course, Of Course," the title song of the Lloyd-Gabor unit's only album; while on Tone Poem, in addition to summoning "Ramblin'" / "Goin' to Memphis," Lloyd and company revisit Gabor's serpentine, restless composition, "Lady Gabor," which the two musicians first played near the end of their tenure in drummer Chico Hamilton's group and continued to perform live circa 1965, as documented on their recorded performances with Ron Carter and Pete La Roca, released as Charles Lloyd: Manhattan Stories (Resonance Records, 2014).

None of the Marvels an ensemble of all-stars is a stand-in for members of Lloyd's 1965 quartet; nevertheless, Frisell and Leisz, with their stringed instruments, provide a tangle of sound in and out of which Lloyd's flute weaves, hypnotically, while Rogers and Harland deepen the song's rhythmic mysteries. "Lady Gabor" is the "Dark Star" of '60s jazz, but it might be more accurate to call "Dark Star" the "Lady Gabor" of psychedelic rock especially since Lloyd also played Gabor's opus with his better-known quartet of the late '60s in mainstream rock venues and pop music festivals. The version on Tone Poem is not a throwback, however, but a renewal for the twenty-first century. Although Lloyd solos memorably on "Lady Gabor," on the title song, and elsewhere on Tone Poem, the sound he and the Marvels achieve doesn't rely on any one individual's playing. Lloyd can rivet this listener's attention by simply simply playing a song's melody line, as he does on a rendition of Leonard Cohen's "Anthem." There's music for everyone on Tone Poem; and by "everyone" that doesn't mean jazz listeners only, but every human being.~ ERIC GUDAS https://www.allaboutjazz.com/tone-poem-charles-lloyd-blue-note-records

Personnel: Charles Lloyd: saxophone; Bill Frisell: guitar, electric; Greg Leisz: guitar, steel; Eric Harland: drums; Rueben Rogers: bass.

Tone Poem

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Azar Lawrence, Al McLean - Frontiers

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2017
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 72:20
Size: 166,1 MB
Art: Front

( 9:06) 1. Mystic Journey
(16:21) 2. Lonnie's Lament
( 9:37) 3. Ruby My Dear
(12:07) 4. Spirit Night
(11:03) 5. Get Up
( 5:48) 6. Round Midnight
( 8:16) 7. Up Jumped Spring

One of Canada's finest saxophonists, Montreal based Al McLean showcases an early mentor on this thrilling recording. New York based Azar Lawrence joins McLean in an all-out, take-no-prisoners session, captured 'live off the floor'. The group seethes with energy and raw passion, and a vivid performance is captured entirely in almost one take. Azar Lawrence was once tapped to fill the shoes of John Coltrane in McCoy Tyner's early '70's quintet. Fiery, spiritual, and steeped in the language of Trane, Lawrence was just 19 years old when he left the tutelage of Elvin Jones, and joined Tyner on tour. Al McLean counts Lawrence as one of his early influences, having listened intently as a young player to Tyner's 1973 "Enlightenment", and Mile's Davis' 1974 "Dark Magus", both albums featuring Lawrence. To McLean's delight, the two met in 2012 at the now defunct Lennox Lounge in Harlem, New York. This fortuitous meeting kicked off one of the most musically rich cross-border collaborations Montreal Jazz fans have seen, opening the floodgates for the pair's torrid musical offerings.
https://mvdb2b.com/s/AzarLawrenceAlMcleanFrontiers/CL073116

Personnel: Tenor Saxophone – Al McLean, Azar Lawrence; Acoustic Bass – Adrian Vedady; Drums – Greg Ritchie; Piano – Paul Shrofel

Frontiers

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Max Roach - The Max Roach Trio, Featuring The Legendary Hasaan Ibn Ali

Styles: Hard Bop
Year: 1964
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 40:45
Size: 94,3 MB
Art: Front

(5:40) 1. Three-Four vs. Six-Eight Four-Four Ways
(5:13) 2. Off My Back Jack
(3:52) 3. Hope so Elmo
(6:39) 4. Almost Like Me
(6:09) 5. Din-Ka Street
(8:08) 6. Pay Not Play Not
(5:00) 7. To Inscribe

Hardly any other musician has released so little as Hasaan Ibn Ali, born William Henry Langford Jr., in 1931, who died in 1980. Just seven titles in all are his complete output, all of which he composed himself, all of them on the present Atlantic LP, and all recorded in December 1964. The saxophonist Odean Pope, who often practised with him, talks of a second recording session in 1965 for Atlantic, but the recordings were never released because Hasaan was sent to jail shortly afterwards; rumour has it that the tapes were destroyed in a fire and it might well be that recordings with John Coltrane still exist somewhere or other.

Until then, one should enjoy the Max Roach Trio with Art Davis on the bass to the full. We have here a recording that will astound and fascinate your ears with its originality. A first impression conjures up reminiscences of Cecil Taylor and Herbie Nichols, while Hasaan himself talks of the pianist Elmo Hope as the man who brought him closer to the ‘mystery of music’. When asked how the recording session with maestro Max Roach went, Hasaan said: »They scared me to death.«

According to Odean Pope, Hasaan was not an easy person to get on with, and he was convinced of his talent to the point of arrogance. But despite this or perhaps because of this one listens spellbound to the 40 minutes on this LP, a legacy and never-fulfilled promise of an extremely talented man. We are indebted to Max Roach, who persuaded the bosses of Atlantic Records to make these recordings. For many, many years they had vanished from the record market, but fortunately they are now available as an audiophile re-release to be listened to and admired. https://lightintheattic.net/releases/5903-the-max-roach-trio-featuring-the-legendary-hasaan

Personnel: Max Roach - drums; Hasaan Ibn Ali - piano; Art Davis - bass

The Max Roach Trio, Featuring The Legendary Hasaan Ibn Ali

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Jeannette Lambert - Ask Her

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2020
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 41:16
Size: 95,8 MB
Art: Front

(3:55) 1. Givre
(3:26) 2. Someone Else
(5:12) 3. Dreamcatcher
(3:44) 4. Ask Her
(1:32) 5. Sintra Song
(3:36) 6. Alfama
(4:08) 7. Tango for One
(4:51) 8. Reminders
(3:22) 9. Salobreña
(3:50) 10. Where We Live
(3:35) 11. Winter Solstice

This is the first digital release of this newly mastered recording from 1994, a collection of songs with lyrics by Jeannette Lambert and music by the members of the band. These are torch songs and love songs coloured by the spirits of place with hints Spain, Portugal and Quebec. https://jeannettelambert.bandcamp.com/album/ask-her

Personnel: Jeannette Lambert, voice, Reg Schwager, guitar, Kiki Misumi, cello, Michel Lambert, drums. With guests Herbie Spanier, trumpet, Michael Stuart, saxophone and John McGarvie, violin.

Ask Her

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Ida Sand - Do You Hear Me?

Styles: Vocal And Piano Jazz
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 44:37
Size: 102,9 MB
Art: Front

(3:29) 1. Wasted on the Youth
(4:20) 2. Burning
(4:45) 3. Can You Hear Me Now
(5:34) 4. Waiting
(4:33) 5. Now Is Not the Time
(5:24) 6. Sweet Child
(5:15) 7. Too Close for Comfort
(4:14) 8. Don't Run Away
(3:46) 9. Let Go
(3:12) 10. Go Be with Her

Born out of the dire situation of not being able to perform or make music per se during last year’s lockdown, Swedish singer, songwriter, and pianist Ida Sand has come up with a stylish pop/soul album called “Do You Hear Me?”, to be released on the German ACT Music label this Friday. And on vinyl too! What started out as a session with her longtime keyboardist and organist Jesper Nordenström, ended up with 10 songs and a group of musicians like Per Lindvall on drums and percussion, Dan Berglund on bass, and Ola Gustafsson on guitar, rounded up with a few special guests on brass, vocals, and harmonica. The result is a singer/songwriter album with all tracks penned by Ida herself. Highlights of this pretty enjoyable set can be found midway through the album. The instant classic “Now Is Not The Time” sounds like the slickly produced, timeless West Coast blue-eyed soul pieces of the late 70s/early 80s. Ida’s voice remains to be one of the most distinguished in Europe, with a vast array of different sides, from elegant to robust, from tender to firestorm, always with a charming color which makes you want to hear more and more.

The other pivotal track here reminds me of one of the bittersweet tracks of Fleetwood Mac’s Christine McVie: “Sweet Child” is another one of those perfect pop songs you don’t find a lot these days. Instrumentation is sparse and more on the folk/indie side of things and has some Joni Mitchell elements in it as well. Some of the pieces, like the intimate “Too Close For Comfort”, are skidding towards rather slippery roads, but Ida compensates with wonderful background vocals. “Where Did All The Good Times Go”, she asks on the forceful album opener “Wasted On The Youth”, as if she wants to remind us how serious our current situation is. She turns bluesy on “Burning”, wistful on “Can You Hear Me Now”, and ruefully arcane on the soulful “Waiting”, augmented by Mats Öberg on harmonica. I like the Phoebe Snow-ish shuffle of “Don’t Run Away”, where Ida is accompanied by Goran Kajfeš on trumpet and Per Johansson on sax. Turns out to be a sunny and bright endeavor. Ida concludes with a wonderful ballad which sounds like a Swedish lullaby. “Go Be With Her” is the perfect exclamation mark to an altogether satisfying new Ida Sand experience. http://ginalovesjazz.com/ida-sand-do-you-hear-me/

Personnel: Ida Sand vocals, piano & wurlizer; Jesper Nordenström organ, keyboard & synths; Per Lindvall drums & percussion; Dan Berglund upright bass & Höfner bass; Ola Gustafsson acoustic & electric guitars Anders Von Hofsten backup vocals;Goran Kajfeš trumpet; Per “Ruskträsk” Johansson saxophone; Mats Öberg harmonica (guest on “Waiting”).

Do You Hear Me?

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Dorothy Ashby - Django/Misty

Styles: Harp Jazz
Year: 1984
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 34:03
Size: 78,4 MB
Art: Front

(5:00)  1. Django
(3:24)  2. Softly, as in a Morning Sunrise
(4:52)  3. Round Midnight
(3:43)  4. Blues for Mr. K
(5:48)  5. My Favourite Things
(4:10)  6. September in the Rain
(3:45)  7. Misty
(3:19)  8. Amor en Paz

Django/Misty is a studio album by jazz harpist Dorothy Ashby released via the Philips Records label in 1984.  The album is named after two famous jazz compositions. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Django/Misty

Personnel:  Harp – Dorothy Ashby

Django/Misty

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Perry Smith Quintet - New Angel

Size: 124,7 MB
Time: 53:44
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2018
Styles: Jazz
Art: Front

01. Rise And Fall (7:01)
02. Deep Water (6:45)
03. New Angel (7:30)
04. Lullaby For Freedom (1:20)
05. Monk's World (6:23)
06. Notes For Nostalgia (0:45)
07. The Old Road (8:41)
08. Graceful Spirit (6:37)
09. Lucid Night (7:16)
10. Hope For Peace (1:22)

At the core of everything that guitarist/composer Perry Smith does is the desire to create personal and musical connections with the artistic community. That’s true of the community he’s built around his inclusive weekly series in Brooklyn, “The Nest Session;” it’s behind his decision to use social media as a means of reaching out, not cutting off. And it lies at the very heart of his third album as a leader, New Angel — both in the close relationships he shares with his bandmates and in his desire to make the sometimes heady concepts of modern jazz something accessible and deeply personal.

New Angel marks the debut of the gifted guitarist’s stellar new quintet, which features saxophonist Jon Irabagon, pianist Glenn Zaleski, bassist Matt Aronoff and drummer Allan Mednard. While they’ve all played together in a variety of contexts, Smith’s decision to bring together this particular group stems directly from their shared experiences at Nest Sessions jams, which he and Aronoff have co-led for more than three years.

The band’s thrilling chemistry is vividly apparent from the opening moments of “Rise and Fall,” whose title makes the tune’s shifting moods and tempos sound deceptively simple. The gentle, memorable melody is prime evidence of Smith’s gift for crafting compositions that embrace the listener while providing plenty of spark for improvisation.

“Deep Water” is a much knottier outing; its title, in fact, reflects the challenge that confronts the quintet in its harmonic complexity and sharp, treacherous angles. “Playing this song can feel like, ‘We’re in deep water right now,'” Smith admits. “That’s always been a tradition in jazz: the idea that you’re pushing yourself to try to explore something new while still trying to create something musical.”

If the title track seems to hang in the air like an unanswered question, that may be due to the fact that it’s the earliest piece on the album, one that Smith started working on as he turned 30, met the woman who would become his wife, and found himself facing many of the larger “what ifs” in life. “New Angel” may be a reference to his now-wife, but more broadly it’s a reference to a spirit of freshness and change.

The spikiness of “Monk’s World” immediately evokes the keen-edged genius and eyebrow-arched joy of the great Thelonious Monk. Smith wrote the piece on the chord changes of Monk’s classic “Epistrophy” as a way of paying homage to the legendary pianist’s outsized influence. “In my experience on the jazz scene in New York,” Smith says, “musicians are always more excited about playing Monk’s tunes than anybody else’s — more than even Coltrane or Wayne Shorter or Herbie. I think it has to do with the playful nature of his songs and the cool, creative melodies that he wrote, which open a lot of freedom in the landscape.”

Presaged by Smith’s introspective, soulful “Notes for Nostalgia,” “The Old Road” is a wistful rumination on the composer’s early days growing up in the California Bay Area. A similarly reflective spirit pervades “Lucid Night,” where the incisive melody suggests a certain brooding clarity.

“Graceful Spirit” returns the album to the theme of connection and community. It was specifically inspired by the eloquence and example of former President Barack Obama, but more generally muses on the idea of grace and empathy as powerful and necessary qualities in a leader — whether of the free world or of a scintillating and passionate jazz quintet.

New Angel

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Eddie Daniels & Roger Kellaway - Duke at the Roadhouse: Live in Santa Fe

Styles: Clarinet, Saxophone and Piano Jazz
Year: 2013
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 50:54
Size: 117,1 MB
Art: Front

(7:05)  1. I'm Beginning to See the Light
(4:31)  2. Creole Love Call
(7:33)  3. Perdido
(3:22)  4. Duke At The Roadhouse
(6:20)  5. In a Mellow Tone
(9:09)  6. In a Sentimental Mood
(5:27)  7. Duke in Ojai
(4:47)  8. Mood Indigo
(2:38)  9. It Don't Mean a Thing

For a powerful adrenaline rush, it's hard to beat a full house (sixteen or seventeen single-minded musicians wailing in unison and swinging like there's no tomorrow), although there's a lot to be said for a pair of aces, too. That's the hand that's dealt on Duke at the Roadhouse: Live in Santa Fe, the aces in question being clarinetist / tenor saxophonist Eddie Daniels and pianist Roger Kellaway (with cellist James Holland raising the ante as a wild card on four numbers). As the title denotes, this is music for the most part associated with Duke Ellington, amplified by one original apiece by Daniels ("Duke at the Roadhouse") and Kellaway ("Duke in Ojai"). Ellington wrote (or co-wrote) seven numbers, the odd song out being Juan Tizol's "Perdido."

Daniels penned "Roadhouse" to honor a time in 1966 when, as a new member of the Thad Jones / Mel Lewis Orchestra, he was invited to play in a jam session with Ellington at a nightclub in Greenwich Village, an experience he has never forgotten. While Kellaway doesn't say what led him to write "Duke in Ojai," there must be a story there too. Daniels, who has become almost a full-time clarinetist since his tenure with the Jones / Lewis Orchestra, shows on "In a Mellow Tone" and "Sophisticated Lady" that he can still wield a mean tenor sax. He has "Lady" to himself (with Kellaway comping trimly), and his unaccompanied intro, lasting a minute and a half, is a gem among gems. Also worth noting is how easily Kellaway, who can swing with the best of them, slips into Ellington's more high-toned dinner jacket to produce subtle motifs that blend erudition with elegance.

The duo cut loose only on the closing theme, "It Don't Mean a Thing," and even here the customary exuberance is held somewhat in check, perhaps in deference to the session's sobriety quotient. In every respect, the temper is unmistakably Ellingtonian, from "I'm Beginning to See the Light" through "Creole Love Call," "Perdido," "In a Sentimental Mood," "Mood Indigo," Daniels' tenor showpieces and the two originals. The addition of a cello, suggested by Daniels, was enthusiastically endorsed by Kellaway, who wrote Holland's solos (he takes a couple) in advance. The album was (superbly) recorded in October 2012 at Santa Fe's Lensic Theatre as a benefit for the city's Center for Therapeutic Riding, which uses horses to help young people with disabilities recuperate. Whatever the cause, Daniels and Kellaway have dealt themselves a winning hand, one that is well worth betting on. ~ Jack Bowers  http://www.allaboutjazz.com/duke-at-the-roadhouse-live-in-santa-fe-eddie-daniels-ipo-recordings-review-by-jack-bowers.php#.VD8LAxawTP9
 

Personnel: Eddie Daniels: clarinet, tenor saxophone; Roger Kellaway: piano; James Holland: cello.

Duke at the Roadhouse: Live in Santa Fe

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