Wednesday, June 2, 2021

Tim Laughlin's New Orleans All-stars - New Orleans Classics

Styles: Clarinet Jazz
Year: 2009
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 77:11
Size: 179,0 MB
Art: Front

(5:15) 1. Wolverine
(9:25) 2. Fidgety Feet
(6:27) 3. Tin Roof Blues
(7:06) 4. Dr. Jazz
(4:39) 5. Royal Garden Blues
(5:36) 6. Blue Orleans
(5:42) 7. Buddy Bolden's Blues
(6:38) 8. Dumaine Street Breakdown
(5:58) 9. March of the Uncle Bubbys
(5:03) 10. Do You Know What It Means to Miss New Orleans
(5:25) 11. Milneburg Joys
(4:22) 12. Someday, You'll Be Sorry
(5:31) 13. Quincy Street Stomp

A native of New Orleans, Tim Laughlin fell in love with the sound of the clarinet before he ever held one after hearing a childhood friend practicing his clarinet. He was nine when he received his first horn and shortly after became hooked on jazz after hearing it on the radio.His first job was on a Mardi Gras float when he was only fifteen. After finishing high school he began working around town and eventually joined the musicians union where he would meet and perform with some of his most influential mentors.He has recorded a dozen solo CDs among which “The Isle of Orleans” (2003) is an award-winning collection of Laughlin originals. With this, he was the first and only New Orleans clarinetist to ever write and record an entire album of originals. The success of this CD caught the attention of "Music Minus One" and prompted Laughlin to license the master for the 2004 issue, along with “New Orleans Classics.” The CDs in the two publications include hand-picked musicians with whom students of all ages can play along.As Hurricane Katrina brought her devastation on the Gulf Coast, Laughlin and his band drove overnight to catch their flight and perform at a festival in South America.

From there, they watched the aftermath of what was to become the worst natural disaster in US history. Just a week after, the US State Department asked Tim to perform a one month goodwill “thank you” tour in Peru, Mexico and Canada. All had given aid to Katrina evacuees. The October 2005 tour included public concerts, benefits and master classes to elementary, middle and high school student as well as college students. With the students, the band performed and discussed the relevance and importance of their instruments and New Orleans Jazz, Benefits included one in Merida, Mexico, raising over $30,000 to help replace instrument and equipment for the New Orleans Center For the Creative Arts. Recently in 2009, Laughlin along with his good friend Pete Fountain opened the legendary Blue Room at the newly renovated Roosevelt Hotel in New Orleans, quickly selling out both nights. Today, you can catch Tim at some of his favorite clubs in New Orleans such as The Bombay Club, The Palm Court, Snug Harbor and The Windsor Court Hotel, where he performs every Saturday. Tim and his wife Juliet live on Royal Street in the French Quarter. They enjoy hosting small parties and jam sessions or salons for friends and visitors, keeping the old New Orleans tradition of “open house.” http://www.jazzmusicarchives.com/artist/tim-laughlin

New Orleans Classics

Plas Johnson, Red Holloway - Keep That Groove Going!

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2001
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 55:11
Size: 127,7 MB
Art: Front

(6:05) 1. Keep That Groove Going!
(4:11) 2. Stuffy
(6:47) 3. Serenade In Blue
(4:12) 4. Go Red Go
(7:22) 5. Bretheren!
(8:40) 6. Pass The Gravy
(6:33) 7. Jammin' For Mr. Lee
(5:02) 8. Cry Me A River
(6:15) 9. Dream A Little Dream Of Me

A number of shopworn lines might be used to characterize Keep That Groove Going!, a session co-led by Plas Johnson and Red Holloway. Bromides such as “A battle between two veteran tenor saxophonists,” and “A heady combination of blues and bebop” contain more than a grain of truth, yet ultimately obscure the larger picture. Beneath the emotionally charged surface of both Johnson and Holloway’s playing lies a wellspring of intelligence and good taste. Guided by an exceptionally tight rhythm section consisting of Hammond B-3 organist Gene Ludwig, guitarist Melvin Sparks, and drummer Kenny Washington, the septuagenarians tackle a diverse program that refutes the notion that there are artistic limitations in sustaining a groove.

It only takes a few bars of Johnson and Holloway’s jubilant unison statement on Coleman Hawkins’ “Stuffy” to realize something special is happening. Holloway starts the solos by digging right into the medium tempo and builds an edifice consisting of short phrases that wallow in his rich tone, leaving plenty of space for the rhythm section to fill. All the while Washington nips at his heels with prickly accents on the snare drum. Inspired by Ludwig’s comping, Johnson fashions a droll statement out of long bent notes and brief passages that flash on and off like an irregular neon sign. Using the metallic click of Washington’s hi-hat as a rhythmic guidepost, Ludwig’s all-too-brief turn swings intensely without ever breaking into a sweat.

Some of Holloway and Johnson’s most memorable playing occurs during their respective ballad features. Holloway doesn’t so much play the melody of “Serenade in Blue” as he caresses it, resembling something out of a heavenly dream. With a pointed note here and jagged phrase there, his solo moves in a virile swagger; eventually culminating in a succession of blues based declarations. Breaking out from his usual pensive manner, Ludwig follows, sounding uncharacteristically frisky by playing brisk lines that threaten to lose control before coming back into the fold. His ominous chords provide a fitting introduction to Johnson’s stunning performance of “Cry Me a River.” The first time around, the tenor saxophonist poignantly plays the initial part of the melody, hitting the first note hard and bending it before continuing as if exhausted from the effort. Johnson’s repeat of the same section is startling in its use of the bebop lexicon, sounding like a brief outpouring of anguish.~ AAJ Staff https://www.allaboutjazz.com/keep-that-groove-going-plas-johnson-fantasy-jazz-review-by-aaj-staff.php

Personnel: Red Holloway--tenor saxophone; Plas Johnson--tenor saxophone; Gene Ludwig--organ; Melvin Sparks--guitar; Kenny Washington--drums.

Keep That Groove Going!

Mike Mainieri Quartet - Insight

Styles: Vibraphone Jazz
Year: 1968
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 43:15
Size: 100,2 MB
Art: Front

(7:49)  1. Autumn Leaves
(7:53)  2. Skating In Central Park
(6:01)  3. Rain Child
(6:51)  4. On The Trail
(6:39)  5. Instant Garlic
(2:51)  6. Minnesota Thins
(5:08)  7. La Plus Que Lente

Mike Mainieri, a talented and distinctive vibraphonist, has had a productive and diverse career. He first played vibes professionally when he was 14, touring with Paul Whiteman in a jazz trio called Two Kings & a Queen. He played with Buddy Rich's bands for a long period (1956-1963) and then became a busy studio musician, appearing on many pop records. Mainieri had opportunities to work with Benny Goodman, Coleman Hawkins, and Wes Montgomery (1967-1968), among many others, and played in the early fusion band Jeremy & the Satyrs. During 1969-1972, he led a 20-piece rehearsal group called White Elephant that included the Brecker Brothers and other studio players. In 1979, he formed Steps (which later became Steps Ahead), an all-star jazz-oriented R&B/fusion band that included such players as Mike Brecker, Don Grolnick, Eddie Gomez, and Steve Gadd in its original lineup. Mainieri has revived the group several times since, with such musicians as saxophonist Bendik, Warren Bernhardt, Eliane Elias, Rachel Z, Mike Stern, Tony Levin, Victor Bailey, Peter Erskine, and Steve Smith making strong contributions. In 1992, Mainieri founded the NYC label and recorded the adventurous An American Diary. Prior to NYC, Mike Mainieri had recorded as a leader for such labels as Argo (1962), Solid State, Arista, Artists House, Warner Bros., and Elektra. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/artist/mike-mainieri-mn0000490562/biography                

Personnel:  Mike Mainieri - vibraphone, arranger;  Joe Beck - guitar;  Lyn Christie - bass;  Donald McDonald - drums;  Sonny Lester - producer.

Insight

Della Reese - Deep in a Dream

Styles: Vocal
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 44:39
Size: 102,9 MB
Art: Front

(2:56) 1. Moon Love
(2:40) 2. Softly My Love
(3:00) 3. Stranger in Paradise
(3:37) 4. My Reverie
(3:16) 5. The Touch of Your Lips
(3:33) 6. These Are the Things I Love
(2:33) 7. Don't You Know
(3:23) 8. I Wish I Knew
(3:43) 9. Two Sleepy People
(3:29) 10. That Old Feeling
(3:41) 11. Deep in a Dream
(4:20) 12. How Did He Look?
(4:22) 13. These Foolish Things

Renowned as both a television star and a top-flight interpreter of jazz, blues, R&B, gospel, and straight-ahead pop music, Della Reese's many talents ensured a long, varied, and legendary show biz career. In addition to being nominated for both an Emmy and a Grammy and receiving a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, Reese was also an ordained minister in the Universal Foundation for Better Living, an association of churches she helped found in the early '80s.

Born Deloreese Patricia Early on July 6, 1931, the young Reese began singing in the Baptist church choir in her hometown of Detroit at age six. In 1945, having developed quite rapidly, she caught the ear of legendary gospel queen Mahalia Jackson, who invited Reese to join her touring choir; Reese did so for the next five summers. Upon entering Wayne State University to study psychology, Reese formed a women's gospel group, the Meditation Singers, but her college career was cut short by the death of her mother and her father's serious illness. Reese worked odd jobs to help support the rest of her family; she also continued to perform with the Meditation Singers and various other gospel groups. Encouraged by her pastor, Reese began singing in nightclubs in hopes of getting a singing career off the ground; recently married to a factory worker named Vermont Adolphus Bon Taliaferro, her name was too long to fit on marquees, and she eventually arrived at her performing alias by splitting up her first name. After impressing a New York agent, who promptly signed her, Reese moved to New York and joined the Erskine Hawkins Orchestra in 1953. A year later, she had a recording contract with Jubilee, for whom she scored hits like "And That Reminds Me," a 1957 million-seller.

Switching to RCA Victor, Reese landed her biggest hit in 1959 with "Don't You Know?," a song adapted from Puccini's La Bohème; this cemented her career, leading not only to plentiful appearances on variety shows, but successful nightclub tours of the country and eventually nine years of performances in Las Vegas, as well as recording contracts with a variety of labels over the next few decades.

Building on her previous variety show experience, Reese made a small bit of television history in 1969 when she became the first woman to guest-host The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson. Later that year, she became the first Black woman to host her own variety show, the syndicated Della, which ran until 1970. Following its cancellation, Reese returned to her nightclub tours, often putting in guest appearances on television shows like The Mod Squad, Sanford and Son, and Chico and the Man; after three prior failed marriages, Reese also found a lasting relationship with producer Franklin Lett, whom she married in 1978.

On October 3, 1980, while taping a song for The Tonight Show, Reese suffered a brain aneurysm that nearly proved fatal; however, thanks to a successful operation, she was able to make a full recovery. She kept up her singing career and appeared on television shows like Designing Women, L.A. Law, and Picket Fences, as well as the Eddie Murphy films Harlem Nights and The Distinguished Gentleman. Reese also starred in the Redd Foxx sitcom The Royal Family from 1991-1992, and garnered what was undoubtedly her highest level of recognition in the inspirational drama series Touched by an Angel, a quite popular program that ran for nine years, between 1994 and 2003, on the CBS network. After Touched by an Angel finished its run, Reese continued to act intermittently on television through to 2014. She died at her home in Encino, California in November 2017 at the age of 86.~ Steve Huey https://www.allmusic.com/artist/della-reese-mn0000196544/biography

Deep in a Dream

George Cables - Too Close for Comfort

Styles: Piano Jazz
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 55:50
Size: 129,2 MB
Art: Front

(5:15) 1. Too Close for Comfort
(6:01) 2. Circle of Love
(5:56) 3. This Is My Song
(5:51) 4. Klimo
(8:30) 5. For All We Know
(5:34) 6. Crazy Love
(7:13) 7. Roses Poses
(5:38) 8. I've Never Been in Love Before
(4:05) 9. Teddy
(1:43) 10. A Valentine for You

The great George Cables is in wonderful form here balancing things perfectly between the boldness of his left hand on the rhythms, and the more lyrical modes that he opens up with the right serving up these effortless and beautiful tunes that make us fall in love with his music all over again! The trio's every bit as well-balanced and fluid as Cables on the keys Essiet Essiet on bass and Victor Lewis on drums although both of those artists step out for one solo track, and each handle a duo on their own with George.

And although the standard status of the title tune might make you think you're in for something pretty basic, the first note of the record argues strongly against that and keeps on making the case through tunes that include "Teddy", "Crazy Love", "Klimo", "This Is My Song", and "Circle Of Love". © 1996-2021, Dusty Groove, Inc. https://www.dustygroove.com/item/983957/George-Cables:Too-Close-For-Comfort

Personnel: George Cables (piano), Essiet Essiet (bass), Victor Lewis (drums)

Too Close for Comfort

Tuesday, June 1, 2021

The Lucinda Belle Orchestra - My Voice & 45 Strings

Styles: Vocal And Harp Jazz
Year: 2010
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 44:56
Size: 104,7 MB
Art: Front

(4:05) 1. My Voice & 45 Strings
(3:10) 2. Valentine
(4:35) 3. Keep on Looking
(4:02) 4. Northern Lights
(4:08) 5. Dodo Blues
(3:19) 6. I'll Get By
(3:48) 7. Jimmy Choo's
(3:45) 8. Rose Marie and Bobby Mcgee
(3:38) 9. These Broken Things
(3:17) 10. Unlucky in Love
(3:50) 11. Let the Tide Roll In
(3:13) 12. Right Here

The Lucinda Belle Orchestra is the sum of one harp, a harmonium, the melodica, some strings, horns, an upright bass, drums, the ukulele, a clarinet, guitar...and one quite extraordinary songwriter and front-woman. She is Lucinda Belle, and My Voice & 45 Strings is her debut album.

Lucinda Belle’s musical life began aged six, when she was dragged kicking and screaming by her mother to classical recitals at the Royal Festival Hall. Before the album was released she had already appeared on tour and record with the likes of Pet Shop Boys, Rufus Wainwright, Annie Lennox and Missy Elliot, as well as a slot as support to Robbie Williams at the Electric Proms 2009. Yet by day, Belle still owned and occasionally ran the family heirloom: a launderette in Balham, South London. The album was recorded in various locations including Nashville where Lucinda once studied jazz Los Angeles, London, Stockholm and Paris; and includes co-writes from the likes of Graham Lyle ("What’s Love Got To Do With It?") and Ed Harcourt. https://www.amazon.co.uk/Voice-Strings-Lucinda-Belle-Orchestra/dp/B0030BYWW8

Personnel: Backing Vocals – The Pilgrim Jubilees (tracks: 11); Bass – Dave Monsey (tracks: 1, 4, 6, 9, 11-12), Karl Odlum (tracks: 2), Robert Rickenberg (tracks: 7), Simon Johnson (tracks: 3, 5, 10); Cello – Amy Langley (tracks: 2, 6, 12), Matthew Sharp (tracks: 7, 10); Cello [Cello Bass] – Adrianne Wininsky (tracks: 2); Clarinet – Dave Shulman (tracks: 8), Oleg Lapidus (tracks: 3, 5, 10); Double Bass – Duncan Thompson (tracks: 8); Drums – Derrick McKenzie (tracks: 3, 5, 10), Duncan Thompson (tracks: 7), Earl Harvin (tracks: 1-2, 4, 6, 9, 11-12); Flute – Oleg Lapidus (tracks: 7); Guitar – David Odlum (tracks: 12), Duncan Thompson (tracks: 8), Simon Johnson (tracks: 1-3, 5-7, 9-12); Harp – Lucinda Belle (tracks: 1-10, 12); Lead Vocals – Lucinda Belle; Melodica – Dave Palmer (tracks: 1); Organ – Dave Palmer (tracks: 1-2, 4); Percussion – David Odlum (tracks: 2, 6,1 1-12); Piano – Ben Robbins (tracks: 3, 5, 7-8, 10), Dave Palmer (tracks: 1-2, 4, 6, 9,1 1-12), Ed Harcourt (tracks: 4); Strings – Dirty Pretty Strings (tracks: 1, 4, 9); Trombone – Harry Brown (tracks: 3, 5, 8, 10); Trumpet – Andy Greenwood (tracks: 3); Ukulele – Duncan Thompson (tracks: 8); Violin – Giles Broadbent (tracks: 8), Helen Greenham (tracks: 7); Vocals – Ed Harcourt (tracks: 2)

My Voice & 45 Strings

John Boutté - A 'Well Tempered' Boutté

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2019
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 56:03
Size: 130,6 MB
Art: Front

(4:07) 1. Nevertheless I'm in Love with You
(3:00) 2. Welcome Table
(5:22) 3. Do You Know What It Means to Miss New Orleans
(3:34) 4. My Indian Red
(3:36) 5. All the Things You Are
(3:45) 6. La Vie En Rose
(4:34) 7. Little Red Rooster
(5:57) 8. Let Them Talk
(5:06) 9. Must Be Right, Can't Be Wrong
(3:33) 10. Nature Boy
(4:54) 11. I Need Your Love so Bad
(3:49) 12. Fly Me to the Moon
(4:42) 13. The Very Thought of You

Let’s face it: if an album of John Boutté singing (mostly) standards with a jazz trio had turned out to be anything less than magnificent, anyone who knows the man’s music would have been surprised. His way with a standard is a calling card by now; most of these songs have been in his live repertoire for years, and they’re a large part of the reason people float out of his best shows instead of just walking.

So we’re glad to report that this is exactly the album you’d expect and hope for. Which is not to say there wasn’t some art involved in capturing these particular performances: The trick of making a standards album is to make the songs sound like they were written last week, and Boutté manages that here: it’s no small feat to put a thrill of discovery into songs this familiar. It’s the delight in his voice that makes “Fly Me to The Moon” fresh again, as he playfully stretches syllables and holds off on the “I love you” until the song’s very end. The Mardi Gras Indian anthem “My Indian Red” gets one of the subtler treatments it’s had; he finds the hymn within the marching song. On “The Very Thought of You” it’s the sound of his voice that delights; he becomes a muted trumped on the “my love” before the instrumental break. And on “Do You Know What It Means to Miss New Orleans”perhaps the most oft-recorded of all the songs here his high-register glide on the line “Wish that I were there” says it all about yearning. (Notably he also pluralizes the last line“I miss the ones I care for”maintaining the post-Katrina content he gave it on the Treme soundtrack).

The gamble of recording the whole album with only three players pays off, as accompanists Christopher Todd Duke (guitar), Nobumasa Ozaki (bass) and Oscar Rossignoli (piano) know when to add subtle shadings and when to step forward and swing. Guitarist Duke, who passed away soon after the sessions, carried a lot of the percussive role with his strumming, and added in some standout solos. There’s some especially nice guitar/voice interplay on “Little Red Rooster” one of the few times here when Boutté calls on his funkier R&B side.

True, it would have been nice to hear an original song here, since Boutté’s written a local standard or two himself. But this is above all a singer’s album, and you’re unlikely to hear a better vocal disc this year. https://www.offbeat.com/music/john-boutte-a-well-tempered-boutte-independent/

Personnel: John Boutté – vocals; Christopher Todd Duke – electric guitar; Nobumasa Ozaki – bass; Oscar Rossignoli – piano

A Well Tempered Boutté

Lawrence Sieberth - An Evening in Paris

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2020
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 51:21
Size: 118,4 MB
Art: Front

(7:28) 1. August
(8:17) 2. The Phantom
(7:31) 3. La Valse Parisienne
(4:15) 4. A Melody's Tale
(5:48) 5. Kinetic #8
(4:38) 6. Pastoral
(6:24) 7. The Singing Bowl Song
(6:58) 8. Lessons in the Fast Lane

New Orleans-based pianist Lawrence Sieberth is a versatile music man a bandleader, keyboard accompanist, composer, producer. A trip to Paris and a teaming with Parisian players resulted in An Evening In Paris, an atmospherically cohesive set that covers a wide range of styles. The set of eight Sieberth originals opens with "August," a tune that exudes the loveliest of straight ahead moods deceptively, perhaps. There is a gentleness and delicacy to the sound initially, saxophonist Stephane Guillaume blowing cool, in a Stan Getz-ian mode. Sieberth's piano is as lush and pretty as can be. Then the sax solo goes out there, in a nuanced way, to the edge. Then the theme resurfaces, and the intensity level cracks up, turning the tune into an anthem.

If the opener could be tagged mainstream, "The Phantom" moves over to a modern funk sound, dark and relentless, riding the rhythmic angularity of bassist Michel Benita and drummer Jeff Boudreaux. Out of this Sieberth lays down an eerie, crinkly solo that smooths out in an ominous groove, the quartet locked into each other's musical mind sets. "La Valse Parisienne" has a melancholy, late night feel, featuring Guillaume's smooth as silk soprano sax, while "A Melody's Tale" brings a brighter, more hopeful feeling.

The compelling cover art a man in a fashionable chapeau atop one of those early twentieth century bicycles with the impossibly big front wheels, about to eclipse the Eiffel Tower under a breakup of dark clouds could fool you into thinking that an old timey music is at hand. But Sieberth's artistry is anything but old timey, the prickly, driving "Kinetic #8" having twenty-first century written all over it, while "Lessons In The Fast Lane," the set's closer, opens with saxophonist Guillaume and pianist Siebert engaged in a wild chase down the freeway, before they go off road, picking their ways carefully over open fields of free jazz, skirting the boulder outcroppings and the gullies, as clouds gather and drummer Boudreaux rumbles out some thunder, until the freeway is achieved again, full speed ahead.~ Dan McClenaghanhttps://www.allaboutjazz.com/an-evening-in-paris-lawrence-sieberth-quartet-musik-blocu

Personnel: Lawrence Sieberth: piano; Jeff Boudreaux: drums; Michel Benita: bass; Stephane Gullaume: saxophone.

An Evening in Paris

Gene Ammons - Young Jug

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 58:42
Size: 134.4 MB
Styles: Bop, Saxophone jazz
Year: 1994/2009
Art: Front

[2:08] 1. Swingin' For Christmas
[2:50] 2. It's The Talk Of The Town
[3:04] 3. Stuffy
[3:23] 4. Once In A While
[3:07] 5. Pennies From Heaven
[2:44] 6. More Moon
[2:53] 7. Tenor Eleven
[3:39] 8. Goodbye
[2:58] 9. You Go To My Head
[2:47] 10. My Foolish Heart
[3:10] 11. Jug Head Ramble
[2:50] 12. Don't Do Me Wrong
[2:58] 13. Prelude To A Kiss
[2:47] 14. Baby, Won't You Please Say Yes
[2:46] 15. Happiness Is A Thing Called Joe
[2:52] 16. You're Not The Kind
[2:44] 17. I'll Walk Alone
[3:15] 18. Old Folks
[2:41] 19. Breezy
[2:56] 20. Somewhere Along The Way

A young Gene Ammons asserted his formidable ability to play the tenor saxophone in Chicago from 1948 to 1952. These sessions from the Chess label (reissued when the GRP label bought the masters) represent this coming of age in jazz contexts ranging from bop and blues to many ballads and hints of the big-band sound. While his sound is typically robust and gutsy, there's also quite a bit of evidence that Ammons was capable of playing tender and sweet, but at the base of all this music is the blues. A variety of bands are heard, but certain groups with certain sidemen are most notable, as they showcase the tenor man in distinctly different ways and means. Guitarist Leo Blevins and pianist Junior Mance are the finest contributors on the first two-thirds of this collection. Blevins uses a restrained tone mostly on chords during the classic swinger written by Coleman Hawkins, "Stuffy," and is marvelous in his restraint during the ballads "Once in a While" and "Pennies from Heaven," the latter with a featured second line from muted trumpeter Bill Massey. Mance is the best in a jazz-blues vein, whether on the slower, fully flowered tunes "Goodbye," "You Go to My Head," and "My Foolish Heart," the best small group swingers "Baby, Won't You Please Say Yes" and "You're Not The Kind," or in a larger combo aside the wailin' and boppin' of Ammons, Massey, and trombonist Matthew Gee during the quintessential Shorty Rogers number "More Moon" based on "How High the Moon" or titled "Full Moon." Energized and animated, Ammons goes to town on the hucklebuck style of "Jug Head Ramble," honking and sprawling in a call-and-response with Mance and Blevins, baritone saxophonist Sonny Stitt, and unsung drummer Wes Landers. The last four tracks again have Stitt on baritone, not tenor as he and Ammons would adopt in later life as a most famous tandem, with Massey and trombonist J.J. Johnson forming a mighty horn line. Massey's "Beezy" is the hottest and heaviest tune, "I'll Walk Alone" uses the most teamwork, and the other two, "Old Folks" and "Somewhere Along the Way" are more the sultry vehicles for Ammons with the others taking a back seat. This CD is an interesting window into the early germination period of a true jazz giant, and despite a somewhat thin production sound indicative of the era, is well worth finding and owning. ~Michael G. Nastos

Young Jug

Monday, May 31, 2021

Claire Martin - A Modern Art

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2009
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 52:47
Size: 121,4 MB
Art: Front

(3:35) 1. Everything I` ve Got Belongs To You
(3:19) 2. So Twentieth Century
(3:39) 3. Love Is Real
(4:33) 4. Lowercase
(3:11) 5. A Modern Art
(3:35) 6. Edge Ways
(3:08) 7. Love Of Another
(4:57) 8. Totally
(3:30) 9. Everybody Today Is Turning On
(4:15) 10. Sunday Morning Here With You
(3:25) 11. Promises
(4:28) 12. Things I Miss The Most
(3:33) 13. As We Live And Breathe
(3:32) 14. Nirvana

Is jazz still a modern art? It's a hundred years old, after all, and some performers and fans seem to ignore everything written after 1940. But as far as the work of Claire Martin is concerned the question has only one answer. Apart from being one of the finest singers on the current scene, Martin is constantly searching for new writers and new ways to interpret them, ensuring that her own approach to music stays resolutely in the present. A Modern Art, her thrteenth album, is an eclectic recording that showcases her talents and those of a superb collection of backing musicians it's possibly the best album of her career to date, which is saying something.

The musicians are some of the best around and all play with skill and empathy. Mark Nightingale's trombone adds a funky edge to the album, guitarist Phil Robson once again displays his ability as an accompanist his duet with Martin on David Cantor's "Nirvana" is exquisite and long-term collaborator, arranger and producer Laurence Cottle, who also plays bass, is recognizably crucial to the overall feel of these songs.

Martin's singing is exceptional distinctive, expressive and stylish. She can be smoky and sensual on Michael Franks' "Sunday Morning Here With You," for example or playful and funny. On "Edge Ways," written by Martin and Cottle, the singer is sensual and playful satirizing an egotistical and overly-talkative old friend or rival over a suitably upbeat and cheery backing. Donald Fagen and Walter Becker's "Things I Miss the Most" is given a Latin groove which, added to Martin's light-hearted vocal, gives the song a warmer, more positive feel than the original. Martin is not averse to making a small lyrical adjustment here she goes to bed with a copy of a celebrity gossip magazine, rather than the more dubious literature favored by the protagonist in the Steely Dan version.

The album highlight is undoubtedly "Love is Real." This is a gorgeous ballad, co-written by pianist Esbjorn Svensson, bassist Dan Berglund and drummer Magnus Öström (collectively known as e.s.t.), with lyrics by bassist Charlie Haden's son, Josh. Svensson died in a diving accident in 2008 and Martin sings this as a tribute to the pianist. Her vocal performance is heartbreaking, adding even more emotional intensity to an already powerful song. This is a song that stays in the memory. Given the quality of the album as a whole this is high praise indeed A Modern Art is a gem. ~ Bruce Lindsay https://www.allaboutjazz.com/a-modern-art-claire-martin-linn-records-review-by-bruce-lindsay.php

Personnel: Claire Martin: vocals; Gareth Williams: piano; Laurence Cottle: bass; Nigel Hitchcock: alto sax; Mark Nightingale: trombone; Phil Robson: guitar; James Maddren: drums; Chris Dagley: drums; Sola Akingbola: percussion.

A Modern Art

George Cables - Cables' Vision

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1979
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 40:30
Size: 93,6 MB
Art: Front

(6:48) 1. Morning Song
(8:55) 2. I Told You So
(8:49) 3. Byrdlike
(6:02) 4. Voodoo Lady
(4:24) 5. The Stroll
(5:28) 6. Inner Glow

One of the most satisfying recordings to be released in 1980 (and since reissued on CD in the OJC series), this date by pianist George Cables (who contributed four of the six group originals) features trumpeter Freddie Hubbard (who brought in "Byrdlike") and tenor saxophonist Ernie Watts in fiery form; the two horn players took time off from their much more commercial efforts for other labels. Vibraphonist Bobby Hutcherson is also in the sextet/septet with bassist Tony Dumas, drummer Peter Erskine, and sometimes percussionist Vince Charles; the one departure is "The Stroll," which is an adventurous piano-vibes duet by Cables and Hutcherson. The solos overall are concise and make expert use of each note. Cables' tunes (including "Morning Song," "I Told You So," and "Inner Glow") are generally catchy and memorable while "Byrdlike" gives the virtuosos an up-tempo blues to romp through. This logically conceived and well-paced set is a gem that is highly recommended.~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/cables-vision-mw0000085929

Personnel: George Cables - piano, electric piano; Freddie Hubbard - flugelhorn; Bobby Hutcherson - vibraphone; Ernie Watts - tenor saxophone (2, 3, 6), flute (4); Tony Dumas - bass, electric bass (1); Peter Erskine - drums; Vince Charles - percussion (2, 4, 6)

Cables' Vision

Stan Kenton - Stan Kenton Presents

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1950
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 35:52
Size: 83,0 MB
Art: Front

(5:19) 1. Art Pepper
(4:17) 2. Maynard Ferguson
(5:01) 3. Halls Of Brass
(3:44) 4. Evening In Pakistan
(4:07) 5. June Christy
(4:18) 6. House Of Strings
(4:28) 7. Shelly Manne
(4:36) 8. Soliloquy

Stan Kenton's most ambitious orchestra was his huge 1950 band. This LP has self-titled showcases for "Art Pepper," "Maynard Ferguson," "June Christy" and "Shelly Manne" in addition to such pieces as "Halls of Brass," "House of Strings" and "Soliloquy." The soloists (which also include trombonist Milt Bernhart) are very impressive but it is the writing (by Shorty Rogers, Bill Russo, Frank Marks, Johnny Richards and Kenton himself) that is most startling, combining together aspects of modern classical music with the most advanced forms of jazz. Although Kenton's Innovations Orchestra was a short-lived project and did not influence the future of jazz, its recordings still sound very adventurous over four decades later. The album was reissued on CD with the contents of the same year's Innovations in Modern Music (plus much additional material) as the two-disc set The Innovations Orchestra.~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/stan-kenton-presents-mw0000899398

Personnel: Stan Kenton – piano, arranger; Alfred "Chico" Alvarez, Buddy Childers, Maynard Ferguson, Don Paladino, Shorty Rogers – trumpet (tracks 1–4, 7 & 8); Milt Bernhart, Harry Betts, Bob Fitzpatrick, Bill Russo – trombone (tracks 1–4, 7 & 8); Clyde Brown (tracks 1–3 & 7), Bart Varsalona (tracks 4 & 8) – bass trombone; John Graas, Lloyd Otto – French horn (tracks 1–4, 7 & 8); Gene Englund – tuba (tracks 1–4, 7 & 8); Art Pepper – alto saxophone, clarinet (tracks 1–4, 7 & 8); Bud Shank – alto saxophone, flute (tracks 1–4, 7 & 8); Bob Cooper – tenor saxophone, oboe, English horn (tracks 1–4, 7 & 8); Bart Caldarell – tenor saxophone, bassoon (tracks 1–4, 7 & 8); Bob Gioga – baritone saxophone, bass clarinet (tracks 1–4 & 6–8); Jim Cathcart, Earl Cornwell, Anthony Doria, Lew Elias, Jim Holmes, George Kast, Alex Law, Herbert Offner, Carl Ottobrino, Dave Schackne – violin (tracks 1–4 & 6–8); Stan Harris, Leonard Sclic, Sam Singer – viola (tracks 1–4 & 6–8); Gregory Bemko, Zachary Bock, Jack Wulfe – cello (tracks 1–4 & 6–8); Laurindo Almeida – guitar (tracks 1–5, 7 & 8); Don Bagley – bass (tracks 1–5, 7 & 8); Shelly Manne – drums, tympani (tracks 1–5, 7 & 8); Carlos Vida – congas (tracks 1–4, 7 & 8); Jack Costanzo – percussion (track 5); June Christy – vocals (track 5)

Stan Kenton Presents

The Rebecca Kilgore Trio - The Rebecca Kilgore Trio, Vol. 1

Styles: Vocal
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 46:52
Size: 108,3 MB
Art: Front

(4:01) 1. Dear Bix
(3:28) 2. Day In - Day Out
(3:56) 3. Somebody Just Like You
(2:58) 4. Run, Little Raindrop, Run
(3:18) 5. Azure-Té / Azure
(2:55) 6. Talking to Myself About You
(2:48) 7. Old Soft Shoe
(4:25) 8. I Wanna Get Married
(3:00) 9. Like the Brightest Star
(3:51) 10. That Sunday That Summer
(3:59) 11. The Gentleman Is a Dope
(4:38) 12. Because We're Kids
(3:29) 13. There's a Small Hotel

What do "Doxy," "Cottontail," "Dear Bix" and "I Wanna Get Married" all have in common? Clues to a party game on some lost episode of Playboy After Dark? Give up? All make an appearance on Rebecca Kilgore's "swing and have fun" release, which is just what Kilgore and her co-conspirators (including her husband, Dick Titterington, on cornet) accomplish. Eclectic is the word for this marvelous compilation, whose composers run from Rube Bloom to Richard Rodgers.. But that's good. Putting the recording on and hearing "Dear Bix" was like reliving a summer Saturday night listening to Jim Cullum's "Live from the Landing" circa 1990, no small thing. But then again, Kilgore really hit the memory traces with Nat King Cole's "That Sunday, That Summer," which beats Percy Faith and "A Summer Place" for sigh, lost youth. And you thought Cole owned that song and the evocation of the summer of 1963, but he doesn't. At least not any longer.

How many ways can you sell a familiar song? Well, take "The Gentleman is A Dope," which is more ironic than disillusioned, and bright, even in its minor key, because Kilgore takes it slightly up from its customary tempo. This is what adventuresome musicians can do with "conventional" material from the Great American Songbook. It doesn't have to be dull. Maybe you never heard the "Because We're Kids" lyrics by one Doctor Seuss. Oh, oh. Trigger warning. They are, gasp, woke "Just because you wear a wallet near your heart, You think you're twice as smart, You know that isn't fair." Oh, yeah, sung up front in even quarter notes, just for emphasis. One's faith in Dr Seuss is restored. And Kilgore's ongoing project of rescuing interesting tunes from death by neglect is clearly validated..

Who doesn't like "There's Small Hotel," generally identified with Chet Baker? Kilgore takes it down a bit, in a very matter of fact way. This is the way a slightly whimsical and experienced woman who's lived a little would take the song. Her version does not record the enthusiasm of a first assignation. Kilgore does not sound like she's reading from anyone's script other than her own. Age sometimes matters, and not just in wine and cheese. Experience shows and it only deepens, rather than diminishes art. "Doxy," "Cottontail," "Dear Bix," well, you'll have to hear the CD to solve the puzzle. Hint: pianist Randy Porter does have a great sense of humor. Tom Wakeling's time and sound are never obtrusive, but are always there. Swing and have fun, indeed. You will.~ Richard J.Salvucci https://www.allaboutjazz.com/the-rebecca-kilgore-trio-vol-1-rebecca-kilgore-heavywood-records

Personnel: Rebecca Kilgore: voice / vocals; Randy Porter: piano; Tom Wakeling: bass, acoustic; Dick Titterington: cornet.

The Rebecca Kilgore Trio, Vol. 1

Sunday, May 30, 2021

Dan Barrett, Rebecca Kilgore, Eddie Erickson, Joel Forbes - Watch Out!

Styles: Jazz, Hard Bop
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 69:50
Size: 162,2 MB
Art: Front

(4:52) 1. This Could Be The Start Of Something Big
(3:22) 2. Lazy River
(4:25) 3. Lonely Moments
(4:30) 4. It Takes Time
(3:47) 5. In a Little Gipsy Tea Room
(4:42) 6. The Pearls
(4:26) 7. Im An Old Cowhand
(4:30) 8. There I've Said It Again
(3:09) 9. Bye Bye Baby
(3:26) 10. The Waiter and The Porter and the Upstairs Maid
(4:38) 11. Rockin' Chair
(4:05) 12. When You and I Were Young Maggie Blues
(3:08) 13. Watch Out
(4:18) 14. A Hundred Years From Today
(3:08) 15. Skrontch
(5:26) 16. Canadian Sunset
(3:52) 17. Fugue For Tinhorns

The cover of this CD features the foursome known as BED wearing very serious, almost menacing facial expressions. So...Watch Out! (The inside photos are much less threatening). Once again, the quartet has mined rich, largely-forgotten material from America’s great musical past. Where else could you go to hear The Waiter, The Porter, And The Upstairs Maid? Or how about Duke Ellington’s hip tribute to a Harlem dance step: Skrontch? Dan, Eddie, and Joel offer their take on Jelly Roll Morton’s one-of- a-kind composition, The Pearls. Rebecca calls their hand, and raises the pot with her Western Swing version of I’m An Old Cowhand. There are many other terrific selections in this special collection of seventeen songs. https://danbarrett.bandcamp.com/album/watch-out

Personnel: Rebecca Kilgore Vocals; Dan Barrett Trombone; Eddie Erickson Guitar; Joel Forbes Bass

Watch Out!

Enric Peidro & Jonathan Stout - Sweet as Bear Meat

Styles: Saxophone And Guitar Jazz
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 51:49
Size: 121,1 MB
Art: Front

(3:39) 1. It shouldn't happen to a dream
(2:52) 2. Exactly Like You
(4:12) 3. My Heart Stood Still
(5:21) 4. Sweet As Bear Meat
(4:16) 5. Black Velvet
(3:31) 6. Johnny Come Lately
(3:28) 7. Memories Of You
(3:39) 8. Frisky
(3:10) 9. Let The Zoomers Drool
(3:51) 10. Taps Miller
(3:04) 11. Once In a While
(4:00) 12. Surf Board
(3:41) 13. When You're Smiling
(2:58) 14. I Never Knew

In today's world of barnstorming Big Band dance groups and conservatory modern jazz ensembles, it can be easy to forget the laid-back side of Swing. The breathy, reedy, after-hours lilting of sax greats like Prez, Hodges, and Webster. The intimate musical conversations of virtuosos chilling like close friends, like family. The rhythm section sitting so far in the pocket you either want to get up and dance, or just lean back, sip a cocktail, and float in it. Enric Peidro and Jonathan Stout have clearly not forgotten. Peidro, as usual, plays the "plumbing" like butter, and Stout, unsurprisingly, turns his guitar into the perfect companion. They lilt, they swing, they chill like family. This album is 14 beautiful, living, small-group swing songs, with all the glory of modern fidelity, and the passion of new voices honoring their pioneers. It's not just music for dancing it's music for dancing effortlessly. https://enricpeidro.bandcamp.com/album/sweet-as-bear-meat

Personnel: Enric Peidro: Tenor sax; Jonathan Stout : Acoustic and electric guitar; Richard Busiakiewicz: Piano; Andrés Lizón: Bass; Simone Zaniol: Drums

Sweet as Bear Meat

Ernie Krivda & The Fat Tuesday Big Band - The Band That Swings

Styles: Saxophone Jazz, Big Band
Year: 1999
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 43:09
Size: 99,4 MB
Art: Front

(4:25)  1. 'S Wonderful
(3:07)  2. Under Paris Skies
(3:06)  3. One O' Clock Jump
(2:21)  4. Sunny Side Of The Street
(2:50)  5. I Should Care
(4:32)  6. Undecided
(3:41)  7. Boogie Blues
(2:17)  8. Watch What Happens
(8:03)  9. Irv's At Midnight
(2:32) 10. Thou Swell
(3:06) 11. Vine Street Rumble
(1:52) 12. Apple Honey
(1:08) 13. Melancholy Serenade

Tenor saxophonist Ernie Krivda has been a favorite of jazz audiences in his native Cleveland, Ohio for some time, but wider recognition has unjustly eluded him. His fourth CD for Koch (and second with the Fat Tuesday Big Band) is a masterpiece of swing with a nice mix of choice arrangements and plenty of hot solos. A very refreshing take of "'S Wonderful" avoids the obvious paths, while Ernie Wilkins' Basie-era chart of "One O'Clock Jump" is in good hands with Krivda and his band. Krivda adds a campy vocal to "On The Sunny Side of the Street" and wrote the Basieflavored "Irv's at Midnight" as well. This is a very fun date worth picking up. ~ Ken Dryden   http://www.allmusic.com/album/band-that-swings-mw0000667774.

Personnel: Ernie Krivda (vocals, tenor saxophone); George Shernit (alto saxophone, flute, clarinet); Dave Sterner (alto saxophone); Chirs Burge, Tom First (tenor saxophone); Dick Ingersoll (baritone saxophone); Keith Powell, Joe Miller, Steve Enos, Brad Goode (trumpet); Garney Hicks, George Carr, Chris Anderson (trombone); Paul Abel (bass trombone); Joe Hunter (piano); Lee Bush (guitar); Sherry Luchetti (bass); Rick Porrello (drums).

Bob Mintzer - Horn Man

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1982
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 34:17
Size: 79,4 MB
Art: Front

(4:25)  1. Horn Man
(4:47)  2. Just In Case
(4:14)  3. Latin Boogie
(3:38)  4. Whole Wheat Groove
(5:13)  5. Fancy Pants
(6:00)  6. Sambosis
(4:47)  7. Truth
(1:08)  8. Farewell

A versatile soloist influenced by Michael Brecker on tenor, Bob Mintzer gained experience playing with Deodato, Tito Puente (1974), Buddy Rich, Hubert Laws, and the Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Orchestra (1977). In addition to leading his own bands starting in 1978, Mintzer worked with Jaco Pastorius, Mike Mainieri, Louie Bellson, Bob Moses, and the American Saxophone Quartet. He has guested with several philharmonic orchestras and led a fine big band in New York since the mid-'80s. Mintzer, a member of the Yellowjackets since 1991 (where his bass clarinet in particular adds a great deal of color to the group), recorded regularly for DMP for a decade before moving to TVT for 1998's Quality Time. Homage to Count Basie followed in fall 2000. Live at MCG, which featured vocalist Kurt Elling, and Old School New Lessons, both of which were benefit albums for the Manchester Craftsmen's Guild in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, appeared in 2004 and 2006, respectively. In 2007, Mintzer released the small group session In the Moment. He returned to a big-band setting for 2008's Swing Out and 2012's For the Moment. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/artist/bob-mintzer-mn0000765221/biography

Horn Man

Kristin Korb - In The Meantime

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2009
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 52:07
Size: 120,3 MB
Art: Front

(4:42)  1. Lucky To Be Me
(4:01)  2. I Got It Bad
(5:17)  3. You Fascinate Me So
(2:50)  4. Lover Come Back To Me
(5:52)  5. Ain't Misbehavin'
(5:39)  6. Better Than Anything
(7:54)  7. Tears Of The Sun
(4:52)  8. Love Walked In
(5:27)  9. If I Am Ever Yours
(5:28) 10. Tomorrow's Another Day

This doesn’t have to be a stressful time, biting our fingernails, waiting for things to happen. Today, you could make a new friend, drive down the coast and feel the wind in your hair, or bump into the love of your life. Good stuff is just a moment away. Be open to the change, and walk into it singing. Kristin Korb’s CD: In The Meantime is meant to comfort, encourage, and elevate your spirit to be present in the world. It explores the adventures that can find you if you are open to them, in the meantime. What are you waiting for?  http://www.kristinkorb.com/album/in-the-meantime/

Personnel:  Llew Matthews (pn), Larry Koonse (g), Steve Barnes (d), Nick Mancini (v), Bob Sheppard (s),  Kristin Korb (vo)

Various - Swingin' Talkin' Verve

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 55:54
Size: 128.0 MB
Styles: Swing, Big Band
Year: 1998
Art: Front

[ 2:34] 1. Quincy Jones - Air Mail Special
[ 2:32] 2. Louis Jordan - Ain't Nobody Here But Us Chickens
[ 3:15] 3. Lionel Hampton - Flying Home
[ 3:16] 4. Buddy Rich - Dateless Brown
[ 3:19] 5. Gene Krupa Big Band - Let Me Off Uptown
[ 3:24] 6. Harry James & His Orchestra - Crazy Rhythm
[ 2:53] 7. Lionel Hampton - The Blues Ain't News To Me
[10:03] 8. Buddy Rich - Jumpin' At The Woodside
[ 2:23] 9. Harry James & His Orchestra - Back Beat Boogie
[ 3:15] 10. Louis Jordan - Is You Is Or Is You Ain't My Baby
[14:24] 11. Benny Goodman - Sing Sing Sing Pts. 1 & 2
[ 4:29] 12. Clarence 'Gatemouth' Brown - Caldonia

Verve was never much of a label for the kind of music that would sound familiar to those looking for a good swing revival compilation. Still, the label scoured its vaults and came up with Swingin' Talkin' Verve, a variant on their usual series of proto-acid jazz (read: soul-jazz, Afro-Cuban, jazz-funk, etc.). The results aren't bad at all, although several of the tracks don't date from the '40s golden age of swing. Included are Gene Krupa's "Let Me Off Uptown," Buddy Rich's "Jumpin' at the Woodside," Quincy Jones' "Air Mail Special," and Harry James' "Back Beat Boogie." ~Keith Farley

Swingin' Talkin' Verve

Various - Patchwork: A Tribute To James Booker

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 59:31
Size: 136.3 MB
Styles: Jazz-blues
Year: 2003
Art: Front

[3:55] 1. Leigh Harris - All Around The World
[3:37] 2. Henry Butler - Dr. James
[4:29] 3. Josh Paxton - Papa Was A Rascal
[3:15] 4. Marcia Ball - If You're Lonely
[3:28] 5. Tom McDermott - Keep On Gwine
[5:14] 6. Leigh Harris - Please Send Me Someone To Love
[4:52] 7. Sandford Hinderlie - Angel Eyes
[4:03] 8. Josh Paxton - On The Sunny Side Of The Street
[2:35] 9. Marcia Ball - Classified
[3:37] 10. Tom McDermott - Pops Dilemma
[3:58] 11. Josh Paxton - Minuet In Funk
[3:09] 12. Marcia Ball - All By Myself
[4:03] 13. Henry Butler - Booker Time
[2:55] 14. Joe Krown - Miss Celie's Mood
[3:01] 15. Tom McDermott - One For Booker
[3:14] 16. Leigh Harris - Providence Provides

Certainly one of the most flamboyant New Orleans pianists in recent memory, James Carroll Booker III was a major influence on the local rhythm & blues scene in the '50s and '60s. Booker's training included classical instruction until age 12, by which time he had already begun to gain recognition as a blues and gospel organist on radio station WMRY every Sunday. By the time he was out of high school he had recorded on several occasions, including his own first release, "Doing the Hambone," in 1953. In 1960, he made the national charts with "Gonzo," an organ instrumental, and over the course of the next two decades played and recorded with artists as varied as Lloyd Price, Aretha Franklin, Ringo Starr, the Doobie Brothers, and B.B. King. In 1967, he was convicted of possession of heroin and served a one-year sentence at Angola Penitentiary (referred to as the "Ponderosa"), which took the momentum out of an otherwise promising career. The rediscovery of "roots" music by college students during the '70s (focusing primarily on "Fess" by Professor Longhair) provided the opportunity for a comeback by 1974, with numerous engagements at local clubs like Tipitina's, The Maple Leaf, and Snug Harbor. As with "Fess," Booker's performances at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festivals took on the trappings of legendary "happenings," and he often spent his festival earnings to arrive in style, pulling up to the stage in a rented Rolls Royce and attired in costumes befitting the "Piano Prince of New Orleans," complete with a cape. Such performances tended to be unpredictable: he might easily plant some Chopin into a blues tune or launch into a jeremiad on the CIA with all the fervor of a "Reverend Ike-meets-Moms Mabley" tag-team match.

Patchwork:A Tribute To James Booker