Saturday, June 26, 2021

Banu Gibson - Let Yourself Go

Styles: Vocal
Year: 1988
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 36:06
Size: 83,1 MB
Art: Front

(2:36) 1. Let Yourself Go
(3:47) 2. Moonburn
(2:34) 3. The Panic Is On
(2:59) 4. Love Me Or Leave Me
(2:48) 5. 'Tain't So, Honey,'Tain't So
(2:43) 6. I Got Rhythm
(2:39) 7. Lulu's Back In Town
(3:28) 8. Keepin' Out of Mischief Now
(2:49) 9. (We've Got To) Put that Sun Back in Sky
(3:37) 10. The Man I Love
(2:57) 11. Concentratin' (on You)
(3:04) 12. What a Little Moonlight Can Do

Most singers who attempt to interpret tunes from the 1920s come across as either nostalgia acts, campy or corny. Banu Gibson is a major exception for she sings creatively within the idiom, her voice is both powerful and versatile, and she swings without "modernizing" or simplifying the style.

This CD from her Swing Out label (along with Swing Out 104) is quite definitive for the material is superior (with "Let Yourself Go," "Love Me or Leave Me," an inventive version of "I Got Rhythm" and "Put That Sun Back in the Sky" being among the highlights), there is lots of room for solos from her "New Orleans Hot Jazz Orchestra" (cornetist Charlie Fardella, trombonist David Sager, pianist David Boeddinghaus, bassist James Singleton and drummer Hal Smith) and there are plenty of heated and exciting ensembles.

This release is highly recommended to fans of classic jazz.~ Scott Yanow http://www.allmusic.com/album/let-yourself-go-mw0000247399

Let Yourself Go

Christina von Bülow - West of the Moon

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2013
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 72:32
Size: 168,9 MB
Art: Front

(8:30) 1. East of the Sun
(8:08) 2. Sail Away
(8:29) 3. With a Song in My Heart
(6:40) 4. Isfahan
(6:39) 5. 317 East 32nd
(6:08) 6. Silhouette
(5:43) 7. Decent Eyes
(6:08) 8. Tunnelbanelåten
(2:48) 9. Dig
(2:31) 10. Sand i Mit Øje
(2:01) 11. Jag Ligger På En Äng
(1:56) 12. Visa Från Järna
(6:44) 13. Joanne Julia

I grew up with jazz, as my father, Fritz von Bülow, was a jazz guitarist and developed a great love for brazilian music too, along with the jazz music that was already a natural part of my life. In my teenage years I started playing flute and later changed to the alto saxophone, which has been my main instrument ever since. From 86-90 I studied at the Rythmic Music Conservatory in Copenhagen.In 1990 I had the rare opportunity to take private lessons with Stan Getz at his home in Malibu, one year before he passed away. He welcomed me with great hospitality, we met several times and I spent many inspiring hours with him during my two months stay in Los Angeles. He became like a mentor for me.

Another important mentor has been the great alto saxophonist, Lee Konitz, who I’ve been lucky to meet many times in Copenhagen, participating in his great clinics, taking private lessons and playing concerts together at several occasions. Latest at two beautiful concerts in Denmark, March 2011. Forever an inspiration in the art of improvisation. I still feel the same passion for the ‘classical’ jazzmusic as I did 30 years ago, and never get tired of playing a standard tune or another good melody, and when the atmosphere is right and the reed is too, I just love the singing sound of an altosaxophone.

We happen to have a lot of wonderful musicians around Copenhagen and I am lucky to be playing with some of them in my different bands. I’ve been leading my own groups for decades, and had the first ‘break through’ with my own trio, Christina von Bülow Trio (Jacob Fischer, guitar, Jens Skou Olsen, bass) when we in 1993 started to work with swedish star trumpeter, Jan Allan with whom I recorded my first album in own name in 1994. Over the years I recorded 4 cd’s with this trio, and later 2 more cd’s with a newer band with pianoplayer Ben Besiakov, Bülow/Besiakov Quartet. This group has been working together through many years with another swedish star, tenor player Bernt Rosengren, and bass and drums are taken care of beautifully by Daniel Franck and Frands Rifbjerg.

In 2007 I had the great opportunity to record a cd with the unique pianist Horace Parlan together with bassplayer Jesper Lundgaard. (‘My Little Brown Book’). We even got to play a few concerts together, a rare and beautiful experience I will keep close to my heart always. Among newer projects I’m working with is Silhouette, a quintet I lead together with Fredrik Lundin (tenor, bary) and both a duo and a trio with pianoplayer Søren Kristiansen, with whom I also lead the group Time Out, a Tribute to Dave Brubeck. During the years I have also been playing with musicians like: Rune Gustafsson, Georg Riedel, Herlin Riley, Allan Botschinsky, Putte Wickman, Doug Raney, Marilyn Mazur, Mikkel Nordsø, Danish Radio Bigband etc. https://christinavonbulow.dk/bio

West of the Moon

Julien Daïan Quintet & Dj Borz - Behind the Reef

Styles: Saxophone
Year: 2013
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 55:40
Size: 128,8 MB
Art: Front

(3:13) 1. American Dream, Pt.1
(6:36) 2. If You
(2:52) 3. Spinning Wheel
(9:01) 4. Behind the Reef
(5:46) 5. Tom's Diner
(4:13) 6. American Dream, Pt.2
(4:38) 7. Last Round
(6:45) 8. Menahem
(3:41) 9. The Melody You Say Was Wrong
(4:54) 10. Under the Bridge
(3:55) 11. The Tale

It was in 2005 that Julien Daïan founded his quintet bringing together a group of sympathetic friends with the look of dunces (but beware of dunces, they are often the most creative) to offer a resolutely modern and mixed jazz that refuses to shut itself up. in a single musical genre: a French-style New York meltin'pot in a way! The source of this creation can be summed up in one word: pleasure. That of playing together and, like what it was in the 1930s and 40s, to bring Jazz to an audience in demand for music that makes you want to free yourself, travel, dance . It emerges from the music of Julien Daïan and his friends an obvious love of life, a remarkable spontaneity and above all, a generous and communicative dynamism. Together they create a kind of meltin 'jazz as they like to define it. Composer, saxophonist and multi-instrumentalist, Julien Daïan started learning music on his own, then joined the Jazz class at the Paris IX Conservatory, directed by Emil Spanyi.

It was there that he met the future members of the quintet, all students a little rebellious, turbulent and on the fringes of academic standards. Boris Jeanne alias Dj Borz , with whom Julien Daïan had already developed a first electronic music project "Erneste", quickly joined the JDQ and gave him the opportunity to perfect this musical mix and to assert his singularity thanks to the contribution of his sam-crying, decks and effects. If he draws his inspiration from the heart of New York hard bop jazz of the 60s, he is nonetheless an eclectic artist, curious to marry his universe with other music as diverse as they may be. With the contribution and the personality of each of the musicians of the group [ Aristide Goncalves / Trumpet, Thomas Cassis / Piano, Tommaso Montagnani / Double bass and Octave Ducasse / Drums], Julien Daïan fully succeeds in realizing and bringing to fruition his musical philosophy of meltin ' jazz, making the JDQ a real group united in all stages of creation.

“French Paradox” , a self-produced album published in 2010, met with real success with critics and gave Julien Daïan first visibility both with a young audience, still growing, and with music professionals and institutions. Since 2009, Julien Daïan has been the guest of numerous Jazz festivals in France and abroad, he takes over most of the Parisian stages (Le Divan du Monde, Le Sunset, Opus Café, l'Entrepôt, le Duc des Lombards etc ...). He also collaborates as a composer with various advertising and event agencies. He produces several musical creations for promotional evenings / tours for brands, participates in the writing of music for short films, composes sound illustrations for exhibitions (Palais de Tokyo, Hype Gallery) and music for commercials for Nespresso , l'Oréal, SFR, Renault, or even Orange. In June 2011, he crossed paths with Bonsaï Music who decided to sign him and produce his new album, “Behind The Reef” , with the help of Lilian Goldstein, head of current music within the cultural action of the Sacem, which allows him to benefit from a career support plan. “Behind The Reef” will be released on March 26, 2013.

The repertoire of “Behind The Reef” is in the image of Julien Daïan and the members of the quintet: eclectic and anxious to marry their universe to other musical sources. We find mostly original compositions , punctuated by covers ranging from Blood Sweat & Tears (Spinning Wheel) to Red Hot Chilli Pepers (Under The Bridge) via Suzanne Vega (Tom's Diner). On this new album, quality artists from different universes have come to lend their voices to the compositions. We will thus meet David Linx and his velvet voice on an original song by Julien Daïan (The Melody You Say Was Wrong), the very talented Maureen Angot and her so soulful voice on covers of Blood Sweat & Tears and Suzanne Vega or the rapper American Tejan Karefa on the title American Dream part 2, thus completing this quintet of young talented musicians and celebrating together the marriage of this young modern jazz to current music.

The JDQ and Dj Borz will present their new opus “Behind The Reef” on stage on April 2, 2013 at New Morning in Paris and at Cou-tances on the occasion of the Jazz Sous Les Pommiers Festival on May 10, 2013 . Two first concerts during which they will be given the opportunity to present to their audience their philosophy of an uninhibited and sincere, energetic and communicative live. Yes, “Behind The Reef” , the new album by Julien Daïan and his collective is an album that is both demanding and enjoyable, sincere and festive.~ Translate By Google https://www.capcampus.com/musique-et-cd-1351/julien-daian-quintet-et-dj-borz-behind-the-reef-a24404.htm

Behind the Reef

Tommy Flanagan - Solo Piano

Styles: Piano Jazz
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 46:32
Size: 107,4 MB
Art: Front

( 3:33) 1. Parisian Thoroughfare
( 2:35) 2. Wail
( 3:34) 3. Isn't It Romantic
( 4:43) 4. Sleepin' Bee
( 3:26) 5. Yesterdays
( 4:39) 6. Stompin' At The Savoy
(11:47) 7. Strayhorn Medley
( 3:04) 8. Con Alma
( 3:23) 9. If You Could See Me Now
( 2:59) 10. Ruby My Dear
( 2:43) 11. Lover

Tommy Flanagan was known for his tasteful, flawless and swinging piano playing. He added class to every session that he was involved with and fortunately it was well documented during the latter part of his career. Solo Piano was not initially released until decades after its 1974 recording. It is significant historically because this outing was the pianist’s first recording as a leader in 13 years and, most importantly, because it is very good music.

Until the long delayed release of Solo Piano, it was believed that Tommy Flanagan’s “comeback” began with 1975’s The Tokyo Recital for the Pablo label and that his only full-length album of unaccompanied piano solos was 1977’s Alone Too Long which was released by Denon in Japan. Solo Piano forced a slight readjustment of the jazz history books and, most importantly, offers listeners some very enjoyable music from the great pianist. It also includes a few surprises, particularly for those listeners who think of Flanagan as primarily a bop stylist.

When swing was succeeded by bop as jazz’s modern mainstream, the function of the piano changed from being a timekeeper to take part of the rhythm section. While the pre-1945 styles of jazz piano had the pianists keeping time with his or her left hand, usually by striding back and forth between bass notes and chords, in bebop that role is usually handled by the string bassist. Bop pianists use their left hands to hit chords on a more unpredictable basis, accenting beats like a drummer “dropping bombs,” while their right plays hornlike lines.

That approach works perfectly in trio settings but can leave some pianists sounding incomplete when taking unaccompanied solos. Bud Powell, the leader in the field, was able to imply the beat and slightly adjust his style when playing solos. In the case of Tommy Flanagan, his ability to play swing was a major asset and in a solo setting he often added a modified stride, as can be heard on his version of “Sleeping Bee.” On swing-oriented numbers such as “Isn’t It Romantic,” “Sleeping Bee” and “Yesterdays,” Flanagan always kept the melody close by even while creating improvised variations. One never has a problem knowing where the pianist is for he builds his improvisations off of the melody rather than simply discarding the theme in favor of jamming over its chord changes. He follows those classic songs with an infectious version of “Stompin’ At The Savoy” that manages to sound both vintage and modern.

To conclude the enjoyable program, Flanagan performs a song apiece by three great composers of the bebop era (Dizzy Gillespie’s “Con Alma,” Tadd Dameron’s “If You Could See Me Now,” and Thelonious Monk’s “Ruby, My Dear”) before ending the set with a joyful rendition of “Lover.” By the time Tommy Flanagan left Ella Fitzgerald’s backup band in 1978, his series of trio recordings had reminded the jazz world that he was a brilliant and very musical pianist. He worked steadily during the next 23 years, touring Europe and Japan while being based in New York and remaining one of the most consistently satisfying of all jazz pianists. Flanagan passed away on Nov. 16, 2001 at the age of 71 but he has never been forgotten. Tommy Flanagan is remembered with love, respect and admiration for his playing and his classy nature. Solo Piano adds to his impressive musical legacy. https://storyvillerecords.bandcamp.com/album/solo-piano-2

Solo Piano

Friday, June 25, 2021

Enric Peidro Quartet - Swingin' All The Way

Styles: Saxophone Jazz, Swing
Year: 2020
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 52:45
Size: 121,5 MB
Art: Front

(4:03) 1. Gettin' some fun out of life
(5:00) 2. Rockin
(4:08) 3. In for the night
(4:06) 4. Pennies from Heaven
(3:37) 5. With 'em
(5:37) 6. Easy living
(6:19) 7. If I didn't care
(2:39) 8. Kansas City Local
(3:35) 9. What a wonderful world
(5:19) 10. Opening blues
(8:16) 11. Topsy

A collection of live and unreleased tracks featuring tenor sax player Enric Peidro with several units ranging from his well-know Swingtet to his quartet featuring world-class singer and Enric's close friend Randy Greer (Sonny Greer's grandson..! Yes...Duke Ellington's drummer!) as well as some other unnissued tracks featuring legendary trombone player Dan Barrett. A terrific selection, that even belonging to different sessions, concerts and locations, has a remarkable sound quality. https://enricpeidro.bandcamp.com/album/swingin-all-the-way

Swingin' All The Way

Banu Gibson - You Don't Know My Mind

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 49:44
Size: 113.9 MB
Styles: New Orleans jazz vocals
Year: 1990
Art: Front

[2:41] 1. I've Got My Fingers Crossed
[2:24] 2. There's Honey On The Moon Tonight
[3:53] 3. I Must Have That Man
[2:43] 4. He Ain't Got Rhythm
[3:33] 5. Don't Blame Me
[3:27] 6. It's Too Hot For Words
[3:32] 7. I Cover The Waterfront
[3:49] 8. The Way You Look Tonight
[2:21] 9. Why Do I Lie To Myself About You
[2:47] 10. You Don't Know My Mind Blues
[2:36] 11. Ol' Pappy
[3:21] 12. A Sailboat In The Moonlight
[2:43] 13. I Wish I Were Twins
[3:51] 14. Willow Tree
[3:06] 15. Here's Love In Your Eye
[2:51] 16. Truckin'

Banu Gibson ranks at the top of her field, one of the very few creative singers in the 1990s interpreting music from the 1920s in the older style without directly copying any of the past greats. There are plenty of exciting solos on this CD from cornetist Charles Fardella, trombonist David Sager, the reeds (clarinet, tenor, and alto) of Tom Fischer, and pianist David Boeddinghaus, while the hot rhythm section often sounds like Fats Waller's group. Gibson always swings hard and she has a particularly strong (yet appealing) voice that is quite versatile. The material is highlighted by "I've Got My Fingers Crossed," "I Cover the Waterfront," "Ol' Pappy," and "Truckin'," but each of the 16 selections are quite rewarding. All classic jazz collectors should be aware of Banu Gibson and this CD (along with Swing Out 103) features her in prime form. ~Scott Yanow

You Don't Know My Mind

Joan Crowe - In The Key of Comedy

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2009
Time: 56:38
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Size: 133,5 MB
Art: Front

(2:59) 1. Devil May Care
(1:05) 2. Introductions
(4:12) 3. The White Girls Can't Sing Blues, Blues
(3:23) 4. Sit Down You're Rocking The Boat
(3:04) 5. Twee, Twee, Tweet
(1:18) 6. Cab Calloway Interlude
(6:13) 7. They're Coming To Get Me
(2:58) 8. Nukular
(3:12) 9. Eyelashes
(2:44) 10. Audience Improv
(3:47) 11. Short People
(6:02) 12. Louisiana 1927
(4:11) 13. Small Day Tomorrow
(4:08) 14. Right On My Way Home
(0:25) 15. Nasty Introduction
(3:20) 16. Boom Boom
(0:44) 17. Thank Yous
(2:46) 18. Ding Dong The Witch Is Dead

New York Newsday called her “as polished as a diamond." Joan Crowe is a versatile performer who can not easily be put in a category. As a vocalist, she possesses an extensive repertoire of jazz, standards, pop, rock, blues, R&B and folk. Her talents have made her equally at home leading her popular society band, High Society Rhythm, in the recording studio, on stage, TV and in film and performing in intimate jazz clubs or large corporate events. Joan’s comic ability earned her the 2002 MAC Award (Manhattan Association of Cabaret and Clubs) for Female Musical Comedy. https://showmelyrics.com/artist/joan-crowe#!artist-lyrics-by-albums

In The Key of Comedy

Karel Boehlee Trio - At the Beauforthuis

Styles: Piano Jazz
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 67:50
Size: 155,9 MB
Art: Front

(6:33) 1. Yuka
(8:00) 2. Passage of Jaco
(7:40) 3. Below the Surface
(5:35) 4. Goodbye Cerbaia
(8:13) 5. Poggi Bonzi
(5:59) 6. Twillight
(4:52) 7. Eternal Moonlight
(6:02) 8. Mystery of Reason
(5:13) 9. Get Your Frinch Back
(5:58) 10. End of an Illusion
(3:39) 11. In My Dreams

On top of being a pianist, Karel is a very original composer as well. Over the years he has written quite a large repertoire of strongly individual originals. And I must say that it is through his original compositions that I hear most clearly what Karel wants to portray. To put it in words is not easy, so it seemed best to me to record it on my label, and share my enthusiasm with the listeners in this way. Our pal Hans van Oosterhout was excited as well and so we found a few free dates in our calendars. Lidwien Vork, the wonderful owner of the Beauforthuis in Austerlitz, was more than hospitable to have us come and record at her place. We recorded in the daytime, and invited some people as audience at night. Chris Weeda was our more than capable engineer. I must say I am happy, more than happy to present to you the musical world of one of my favourite pianists: Karel Boehlee. Enjoy!

Karel Boehlee is perhaps Holland's best-kept secret. I remember hearing him play in the early eighties, when I just returned from the United States. He was the first pianist of this kind of modern class I had ever heard in Holland. And on what level! Over the years Karel has improved and improved. The lines became more thoughtful, the harmony more precise; the rhythm was always very strong, but became larger, more in the pocket. Yet underneath all these ingredients there was always something more powerful: the sound! Karel's sound is unique; his touch just seems to reach you right in the centre of where music enters the soul. With impeccable taste Karel will always come up with something fresh, something his own and makes it sound so good.

So why is he a well kept secret? Well, Karel is a real player; he simply loves to go out and play. He will play with his old pals in little cafés, he will play with young and upcoming musicians, he will play with the best pop singers. Karel is a musician at heart. And the business doesn't know how to deal with this. The business wants exclusivity, wants to put a label on someone, wants an image. And somehow Karel is not playing that game. He is not chasing record deals; he is not showing his face at the right spots at the right time, he doesn't search for journalists to do interviews with him. He is busy doing what a musician should do: play music!

It takes people with a broader outlook to recognise Karel's sublimity. He has recorded seven CD's for a Japanese label; they keep coming back. Karel is the favourite pianist of the legendary Toots Thielemans. Karel is loved by wonderful Dutch pop singer Trijntje Oosterhuis, who will seek him out whenever there is a chance. Real people know that behind this humble appearance a great pianist is residing.~ Opiniones editoriales https://www.amazon.com/At-Beauforthuis-Karel-Trio-Boehlee/dp/B000TEK7GE

Personnel: Piano – Karel Boehlee; Bass – Hein Van de Geyn; Drums – Hans Van Oosterhout

At the Beauforthuis

Thursday, June 24, 2021

John Boutte' & Paul Sanchez - Stew Called New Orleans

Styles: Vocal, Guitar
Year: 2009
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 47:03
Size: 110,4 MB
Art: Front

(4:31) 1. Stew Called New Orleans
(4:23) 2. Two-five-one
(3:23) 3. Hey God
(3:33) 4. I Thought I Heard Buddy Bolden Say
(4:39) 5. Call Me Superstitious
(6:03) 6. An Empty Chair
(4:04) 7. Don't Smoke Around Susie
(5:02) 8. Wakes Me Up to Say Good-bye
(3:15) 9. A Meaning or a Message
(4:00) 10. Be a Threadhead
(4:04) 11. American Tune

Friendship has its privileges, and in the case of singer John Boutte and Paul Sanchez, that means getting together and knocking out a record in a single session. What you hear on this well-played, extremely well-sung yet laid back session of singer-songwritery, blues jazz is not ambition so much as confidence in each other’s abilities and the easy grace that comes from music making in a town and in a “stew” of genres you love and understand. An engaging, one-two meld of Sanchez’ songwriting and Boutte’s reedy, Sam Cooke-like voice, this varied collection waggles back and forth from “Two-Five-One, (a Sanchez send-up of the jazzman’s chords) through a not-done-to-death Jelly Roll Morton cover, “I Thought I Heard Buddy Bolden Say,” to a beautifully realized version of Paul Simon’s “American Tune,” with let’s git legit!“harmonies by J.S. Bach.”

Both players outdo themselves in the singing department with Boutte delightfully wending his way through lyrical tangles like those in the Todd Duke/Paul Sanchez tune, “Don’t Smoke Around Suzie,” easily this set’s strongest number. He kills funny, angular couplets like, “You can huff glue ’til you’re comatose / eat fried chicken and Oreos you can clog your arteries ’til you stop your heart / but smokin’ ’round Suzie will tear you apart.” For support the pair took no chances, booking top shelf trumpeter Leroy Jones, who began music as a teenager with Danny Barker and went on to star with Harry Connick, Jr.’s band. His horn’s dance with Boutte’s vocals on “Call Me Superstitious,” is a highlight. Boutte’s longtime guitar player Todd Duke and bassist Peter Harris complete the quintet.

The missteps here are not fatal. Whether the world, let alone Louisiana needs another stab at an iconic New Orleans song like the title cut, one that piles on the well-worn NOLA clichés while encouraging listeners to “brings your greens” to the town “where the good times roll,” is debatable. And it’s easy to understand how “Be a Threadhead,” an advertisement for the non-profit label putting out the record made the cut, but it’s still a sop. But those quibbles aside, the connection between Boutte and Sanchez is real. The piquant blend of their simpatico philosophies on life and music, so charmingly mixed in these 11 cuts, is the kind of splendid soul that speaks best for itself. By Robert Baird https://www.offbeat.com/music/john-boutte-and-paul-sanchez-stew-called-new-orleans-threadhead/

Line-up/Musicians: John Boutte - vocals, tambourines; Paul Sanchez - vocals, acoustic guitar; Leroy Jones - trumpet; Todd Duke - electric guitar; Peter Harris - bass

Stew Called New Orleans

Tony Williams Lifetime feat John McLaughlin - Live In New York 1969

Styles: Jazz, Post Bop
Year: 2017
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 38:32
Size: 88,5 MB
Art: Front

( 6:56) 1. To Whom It May Concern
(12:24) 2. Emergency
( 7:01) 3. Unknown Title
( 6:43) 4. A Famous Blues
( 5:27) 5. Something Spiritual

Having fearlessly merged rock rhythms with jazz during a close association with Miles Davis, in 1969 the great Tony Williams founded Lifetime, featuring John McLaughlin at his innovative best, and the mighty organist Larry Young. The trio instantly won acclaim for their fiery, uncompromising improvisations, which are typified on this amazing performance. Recorded for radio broadcast in New York at the close of the year, the FM entire broadcast is presented here, digitally remastered, with background notes and images. https://www.directaudio.net/products/tony-williams-lifetime-featuring-john-mclaughlin-live-in-new-york-1969-vinyl-lp

Musicians: Tony Williams, drums; John McLaughlin, guitar; Larry Young, organ

Live In New York 1969

Lisa Kirchner - Charleston for You

Styles: Vocal
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 49:44
Size: 114,9 MB
Art: Front

(2:17) 1. Dying to Confess
(6:13) 2. The Man I Love - Live
(4:21) 3. Riverside
(3:39) 4. Marie Laveau
(4:10) 5. Blue by the River
(4:08) 6. Jessie
(3:58) 7. L’accordéoniste
(3:41) 8. Charleston for You
(3:23) 9. Lights of L.A.
(4:48) 10. Red Wine and White Lies
(3:49) 11. Phat Hat
(5:11) 12. Coracão Vagabundo / Berimbau

Lisa Kirchner comes from the Toni Tenille / Olivia Newton-John / Paul Williams / Rita Coolidge / Judy Collins segment of the music world, encanting with a studied sonorous voice in Charleston for You, a collection of standard, self-penned, and other tracks cohered through their readings, the most affecting of which is a take on Janis Ian's Jesse. Aiding her is a rather impressive collection of well-known names: Tommy Mandel, Lonnie Plexixo, John Miller, Sue Evans, and quite a few others. Her handling of French, as in L'accordeoniste, may in fact be her strongest card, so much does she cut into a truly perfect reading of the language. Think Piaf.

There are quite a few mainstream tracks here, many of which would go well on radio, Lights of L.A. the strongest candidate either for soft jazz, adult contemporary, or The Wave type dial positions. Interestingly, no production credits are given for this disc, but whoever helmed the effort didn't steer the recording process as well as might have been desired nor quite push Kirchner to her limits (listen to the tail end of Lights if you want an illustration of just where her ace card lies beautiful!). Thus, I suspect Lisa herself produced the CD…and shouldn't have, as musicians aren't often the best judges of their own strengths and weaknesses. That she has all the attributes necessary for a really solid outing is obvious, but that's not met here despite any number of very good passages. While certain parts are great, the sum of the whole is median, requiring either more woodshedding or better discretion on the technical end, probably both. https://www.acousticmusic.com/fame/p08074.htm

Charleston for You

Bob Cooper, Bud Shank - In Germany

Styles: Swing,Jazz, Bop
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 71:28
Size: 164,7 MB
Art: Front

( 7:57) 1. Boop-Boop-Be-Doop
(14:13) 2. I'll Remember April
( 6:42) 3. Indian Summer
( 4:37) 4. Polka Dots and Moonbeams
( 5:43) 5. Yardbird Suite
( 5:26) 6. Vielaf
( 4:24) 7. For Bud
( 6:33) 8. Mademoiselle Butterfly
( 7:29) 9. A Night in Tunisia
( 8:17) 10. Medley: Stairway to the Stars/ That's All/ Easy Living/ Lover Man

One of the great West Coast tenors, Bob Cooper made even the most complex solos sound swinging and accessible. “Coop” joined Stan Kenton's big band in 1945, and he was a fixture with several of the editions (including the Innovations Orchestra) through 1951; in 1947, he married Kenton's singer, June Christy. After leaving Kenton, Cooper settled in Los Angeles, where he was a busy studio musician for the next four decades. He was a regular member of the Lighthouse All-Stars from 1952-1962, sometimes playing oboe and English horn (being the first strong jazz soloist on both of those instruments).

The cool-toned tenor (whose sound fit into the “Four Brothers” style) was on many records in the 1950s (including those of Shorty Rogers, Pete Rugolo, and June Christy), and continued working steadily in Los Angeles-area clubs up until his death. He appears on records with the big bands of Frank Capp/Nat Pierce, Bob Florence, and the '80s version of the Lighthouse All-Stars; and participated in the 1991 Stan Kenton 50th-anniversary celebration. As a leader, Coop recorded for Capitol in the 1950s, Contemporary, Trend, Discovery, and Fresh Sound. https://musicians.allaboutjazz.com/bobcooper

Bud Shank began his career pigeonholed as a cool schooler, but those who listened to the altoist progress over the long haul knew that he became one of the hottest, most original players of the immediate post-Parker generation. Lumped in with the limpid-toned West Coast crowd in the '50s, Shank never ceased to evolve; in his later years, he had more in common with Jackie McLean or Phil Woods than with Paul Desmond or Lee Konitz. Shank's keening, blithely melodic, and tonally expressive style was one of the more genuinely distinctive approaches that grew out of the bebop idiom.

Shank attended the University of North Carolina from 1944-1946. Early on, he played a variety of woodwinds, including flute, clarinet, and alto and tenor saxes; he began to concentrate on alto and flute in the late '40s. After college, Shank moved to California, where he studied with trumpeter/composer Shorty Rogers and played in the big bands of Charlie Barnet (1947-1948) and Stan Kenton (1950-1951). Shank made a name for himself in the '50s as a central member of the West Coast jazz scene. In addition to those named above, he played and recorded with bassist Howard Rumsey's Lighthouse All-Stars, tenor saxophonist Bob Cooper, and Brazilian guitarist Laurindo Almeida, among others. Shank made a series of albums as a leader for World Pacific in the late '50s and early '60s.

Shank ensconced himself in the L.A. studios during the '60s, emerging occasionally to record jazz and bossa nova albums with the likes of Chet Baker and Sergio Mendes. Shank's 1966 album with Baker, Michelle, was something of a popular success, reaching number 56 on the charts. Film scores on which Shank can be heard include The Thomas Crown Affair and The Barefoot Adventure. In the '70s, Shank formed the L.A. Four with Almeida, bassist Ray Brown, and, at various times, drummer Chuck Flores, Shelly Manne, or Jeff Hamilton. Shank had been one of the earliest jazz flutists, but in the mid-'80s he dropped the instrument in order to concentrate on alto full-time. During the last two decades of the 20th century, he recorded small-group albums at a modestly steady pace for the Contemporary, Concord, and Candid labels. Shank's 1997 Milestone album, By Request: Bud Shank Meets the Rhythm Section, presented the altoist in top form, burning down the house with a band of relative youngsters who included neo-bopper pianist Cyrus Chestnut. Three years later, Silver Storm was released.

Shank continued performing and recording after the turn of the millennium, undertaking the challenging task of forming the Los Angeles-based Bud Shank Big Band in 2005 and making his recording debut as a big-band leader with Taking the Long Way Home, released the following year by the Jazzed Media label. In 2007 Jazzed Media issued Beyond the Red Door, a duet recording by Shank and pianist Bill Mays. Shank's passion for jazz remained strong to the very last days of his life; he died at his home in Tucson, AZ on April 2, 2009 of a pulmonary embolism shortly after returning from a recording session in San Diego. Shank's doctors had reportedly warned the saxophonist who had moved to Tucson for health reasons that playing the session could be life-threatening. Bud Shank was 82 years old.By Chris Kelsey https://www.allmusic.com/artist/bud-shank-mn0000636382/biography

In Germany

Wednesday, June 23, 2021

Hot Swing Sextet - Hot Swing Sextet

Styles: Swing,Jazz
Year: 2015
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 36:34
Size: 85,0 MB
Art: Front

(4:05) 1. Ain't She Sweet
(4:03) 2. Deed I Do
(5:17) 3. Down by the Riverside
(5:17) 4. Flat Foot Floogie
(4:12) 5. I Can't Give You Anything but Love
(3:11) 6. I'm Gonna Lock My Heart
(3:31) 7. Petite fleur
(3:37) 8. Who's Sorry Now
(3:18) 9. Saint James Infirmary

"We forget too that in the 20s, the Roaring Twenties , the Roaring Twenties , jazz was dance music, popular music. The Hot Swing Sextethe remembers it and he brings the swing back to life in this last album, this music that swings and cannot leave you still. Absolute standards are offered to us on which the Hot Swing Sextet mixes the tone of the trumpet and the clarity of the clarinet with the gypsy pump of the guitars all on an impeccable rhythm. Jazz to dance of course but also to listen to thanks to the original arrangements and the perfect interpretation. "Translate By Google https://www.hotswingsextet.com/albums.php?lang=en

Personnel: Thibaud Bonté: trumpet; Jérôme Gatius: clarinet; Erwann Muller: guitar; Ludovic Langlade: guitar; Franck Richard: double bass; Jéricho Ballan: drums

Hot Swing Sextet

Bettye LaVette - Blackbirds

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2020
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 40:18
Size: 93,3 MB
Art: Front

(5:01) 1. I Hold No Grudge
(5:22) 2. One More Song
(3:46) 3. Blues For The Weepers
(3:40) 4. Book Of Lies
(4:18) 5. Romance In The Dark
(5:36) 6. Drinking Again
(4:14) 7. Strange Fruit
(4:50) 8. Save Your Love For Me
(3:28) 9. Blackbird

No argument here if you thought Things Have Changed, Bettye LaVette’s 2018 tribute to Bob Dylan, deserved its two Grammy nominations, and perhaps even a mantle-size trophy to boot. Still, for all its merits, that album is no match for Blackbirds, the 74-year-old vocalist’s remarkable follow-up.

Reuniting her with drummer/producer Steve Jordan, Blackbirds provides an unwaveringly soulful excursion into R&B, jazz, and pop waters. What’s more, because so many things have indeed changed in 2020, for better or worse, some of the album’s most compelling tracks now resonate in ways that LaVette and Jordan couldn’t possibly have imagined during their collaboration.

Following the murder of George Floyd in May, for example, fans got an early peek at Blackbirds when a quick shift in plans triggered the release of the album’s first single, “Strange Fruit.” Inextricably linked to Billie Holiday’s legacy, the anguished ballad sparks an emotionally searing performance that ranks with LaVette’s career highs no small thing. “Strange Fruit” is an outlier here, though. Most of the tunes on Blackbirds hew to smartly retooled Southern soul and funk grooves.

Not surprisingly, LaVette and Jordan seem connected at the hip in this setting, but the evocative (and often colorfully nuanced) support they receive from their session mates, especially guitarist Smokey Hormel and keyboardist Leon Pendarvis, adds to the album’s numerous charms. There’s also no mistaking the emotional connection LaVette and Jordan forged with the songs they chose for the occasion. In prime, raspy, expressive form, the singer salutes her guiding lights the short list includes Nina Simone (“I Hold No Grudge”), Ruth Brown (“Book of Lies”), and Della Reese (“Drinking Again”) with a potent mix of defiance, passion, joy, and despair. By Mike Joycehttps://jazztimes.com/reviews/albums/bettye-lavette-blackbirds-verve/

Personnel: Bettye LaVette: voice / vocals; Smokey Hormel: guitar; Leon Pendarvis: keyboards; Monte Croft: vibraphone; Tom Barney: bass; Steve Jordan: drums.

Blackbirds

Brook Benton - Endlessly

Styles: Vocal, Easy Listening
Year: 1959
Time: 32:44
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Size: 75,8 MB
Art: Front

(2:21) 1. People Will Say We're in Love
(3:20) 2. Because of You
(2:17) 3. More Than You Know
(2:37) 4. Blue Skies
(3:08) 5. Time After Time
(2:41) 6. A Lovely Way to Spend an Evening
(2:18) 7. Endlessly
(3:32) 8. The Things I Love
(2:39) 9. (It's No) Sin
(2:45) 10. Around the World
(2:36) 11. May I Never Love Again
(2:24) 12. You'll Never Know

Silky smooth: that was Brook Benton's byword from his first record to his very last, as the singer parlayed his rich baritone pipes into seven number one R&B hits and eight Top Ten items. Stints on the gospel circuit preceded Benton's first secular session for Okeh in 1953, but his career didn't begin to take off until he teamed with writer/producer Clyde Otis. Benton co-wrote and sang hundreds of demos for other artists before frequent collaborator Otis signed his friend to Mercury; together they pioneered a lush, violin-studded variation on the standard R&B sound, which beautifully showcased Benton's intimate vocals.

Benton crashed the top spot on the R&B charts in early 1959 with his moving "It's Just a Matter of Time," then rapidly encored with three more R&B chart-toppers: "Thank You Pretty Baby," "So Many Ways," and "Kiddio." Pairing with Mercury labelmate Dinah Washington, their delightful repartee on "Baby (You've Got What It Takes)" and "A Rockin' Good Way" paced the R&B lists in 1960.

The early'60s were a prolific period for Benton, but he left Mercury a few years later and bounced between labels before reemerging with the atmospheric Tony Joe White ballad "Rainy Night in Georgia" on Cotillion in 1970. Benton later made a halfhearted attempt to cash in on the disco craze, but his hitmaking reign was at an end long before his death in 1988.By Bill Dahl https://www.allmusic.com/artist/brook-benton-mn0000524239/biography

Endlessly

Tuesday, June 22, 2021

Dick Hyman - Mad About The Boy

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2016
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 38:15
Size: 88,6 MB
Art: Front

(2:14) 1. Dance, Little Lady
(3:14) 2. A Room With A View
(3:24) 3. I'll Follow My Secret Heart
(2:29) 4. Any Little Fish
(2:04) 5. Play, Orchestra, Play
(2:23) 6. Nevermore
(1:45) 7. Mad About the Boy
(2:24) 8. Poor Little Rich Girl
(2:14) 9. Zigeuner
(1:12) 10. Polka
(3:11) 11. World Weary
(3:05) 12. We Were Dancing
(3:47) 13. You Were There
(2:15) 14. Ladies of the Town
(2:27) 15. Twentieth Century Blues

Throughout a busy musical career that got underway in the early '50s, Dick Hyman has functioned as pianist, organist, arranger, music director, and composer. His versatility in all of these areas has resulted in film scores, orchestral compositions, concert appearances and well over 100 albums recorded under his own name. While developing a masterful facility for improvisation in his own piano style, Mr. Hyman has also investigated ragtime and the earliest periods of jazz and has researched and recorded the piano music of Scott Joplin, Jelly Roll Morton, James P. Johnson, Zez Confrey, Eubie Blake and Fats Waller, which he often features in his frequent recitals. Other solo recordings include the music of Irving Berlin, Harold Arlen, Cole Porter, George Gershwin, Richard Rodgers and Duke Ellington. Some of his recordings with combos are From The Age Of Swing, Swing Is Here, Cheek To Cheek, and If Bix Played Gershwin, plus numerous duet albums with Ruby Braff, Ralph Sutton and others. In a different vein, Mr. Hyman was one of the first to record on the Moog synthesizer, and his ?Minotaur? landed on the Billboard charts.

Mr. Hyman's concert compositions for orchestra include his Piano Concerto, Ragtime Fantasy, The Longest Blues in the World, and From Chama to Cumbres by Steam, a work for orchestra, jazz combo, and prerecorded railroad sounds. A cantata based on the autobiography of Mark Twain was premiered with the choral group, Gloria Musicae, in Sarasota. In a growing catalogue of chamber music compositions, his most recent pieces are Dances and Diversions for the Kinor String Quartet, and Parable for a Parrot, a trio for the Palisades Virtuosi. Earlier compositions include a violin/piano sonata, a quintet for piano and strings, and a sextet for clarinet, piano and strings. Mr. Hyman has been heard in duo-piano performances with Derek Smith, in Three-Piano Crossover with Marian McPartland and the late Ruth Laredo, and in pops concerts under the direction of Doc Severinsen. In 2004, after serving as artistic director for the acclaimed Jazz in July series at New York's 92nd Street Y for twenty years, he stepped down, as he has from a similar role in the annual Oregon Festival of American Music. He continues his Jazz Piano at the Y series in New York.

In addition to his activities in the jazz and concert worlds, Mr. Hyman has had a prolific career in New York as a studio musician and won seven Most Valuable Player Awards from the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences. He acted as music director for such television programs as Benny Goodman's final appearance (on PBS) and for In Performance at the White House. He received an Emmy for his original score for Sunshine's on the Way, a daytime drama, and another for musical direction of a PBS Special on Eubie Blake. He is a member of the Jazz Hall of Fame of the Rutgers Institute of Jazz Studies and the New Jersey Jazz Society.

In years past, Dick Hyman was music director for Arthur Godfrey and orchestrator of the hit musical Sugar Babies. He has served as composer/arranger/conductor/pianist for the Woody Allen films Zelig, The Purple Rose of Cairo, Broadway Danny Rose, Stardust Memories, Hannah and Her Sisters, Radio Days, Bullets Over Broadway, Mighty Aphrodite, Everyone Says ?I Love You?, Sweet and Lowdown, The Curse Of The Jade Scorpion and Melinda and Melinda. Other scores have included Moonstruck, Scott Joplin?King of Ragtime, The Lemon Sisters, and Alan and Naomi. His music has also been heard in The Mask, Billy Bathgate, Two Weeks Notice, and other films. He has been music director of the production The Movie Music of Woody Allen, which premiered at the Hollywood Bowl.

In the dance field, Mr. Hyman composed and performed the score for the Cleveland/San Jose Ballet Company's Piano Man, and Twyla Tharp?s The Bum?s Rush for the American Ballet Theater. He was also the pianist/conductor/arranger in Ms.Tharp's Eight Jelly Rolls, Baker?s Dozen, and The Bix Pieces and similarly arranged and performed for Miles Davis: Porgy and Bess, a choreographed production of The Dance Theater of Dallas. A recent premier, a dance based on Mark Twain's Tom Sawyer, was presented by the John G. Shedd Institute of Eugene, Oregon, and danced by the Eugene Ballet Company.

Dick Hyman?s 100 Years Of Jazz Piano, an encyclopedic CD-ROM, soon to be available in a set of audio CDs, is based on his frequent recital-lecture. New recordings include three duo-piano albums with Ray Kennedy, Bernd Lhotzky, and Chris Hopkins; a trumpet/piano duet album with Randy Sandke; and Lost Songs of 1936 with Bucky Pizzarelli and Jay Leonhart. Dick Hyman is a Yamaha artist and endorses all of their keyboard products. https://musicians.allaboutjazz.com/dickhyman

Mad About The Boy

Lionel Hampton - Lionel Hampton & Friends - Rare Recordings Vol. 1

Styles: Vibraphone Jazz
Year: 1977
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 64:31
Size: 151,6 MB
Art: Front

(6:29) 1. Seven Come Eleven
(6:07) 2. Line For Lyons
(7:27) 3. Cherokee
(4:35) 4. So Long Eric
(4:21) 5. I Know That You Know
(9:22) 6. Stardust
(7:00) 7. Cute
(6:23) 8. Sweet Sue
(5:07) 9. Slop
(7:34) 10. Gerry Meets Hamp

During the mid-to-late '70s, Lionel Hampton sought to recapture the magic of his classic '30s all-star recordings with a series of albums featuring his vibes with musicians who he normally did not encounter in his travels. This particular CD draws one or two selections apiece from seven of these albums (originally on the Who's Who label), all but one from 1977. The lone exception, a version of "Stardust" from 1965, has quite a lineup (trumpeters Clark Terry and Thad Jones, trombonist J.J. Johnson, Lucky Thompson on soprano and tenor great Coleman Hawkins) and is quite listenable but does not live up to its potential.

The same can be said for most of these performances which include meetings with pianists Earl Hines and Teddy Wilson, a workout with baritonist Gerry Mulligan, a version of "Cherokee" featuring Steve Marcus's soprano and drummer Buddy Rich, two selections with Dexter Gordon (who has a rare outing on soprano during "Seven Comes Eleven") and a pair of numbers from what would be bassist Charles Mingus's final recording date. Hopefully, these interesting sessions, even though they do not reach the creative heights of Hampton's earlier recordings, will eventually be reissued on CD complete and in chronological order.~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/lionel-hampton-friends-rare-recordings-vol-1-mw0000309774

Lionel Hampton & Friends - Rare Recordings Vol. 1

Sophie Alour - Insulaire

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2005
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 68:08
Size: 156,3 MB
Art: Front + Back

( 6:07)  1. Septembre
( 8:15)  2. Les samourais
( 7:19)  3. Almost Paradise
( 7:42)  4. You've Changed
( 5:41)  5. At First Sight
( 4:31)  6. Doctor C.
( 3:37)  7. Black Narcissus
( 6:43)  8. Cheer Up!
( 6:30)  9. Oraison
(11:37) 10. Dedale

Alour Sophie learns the clarinet from 13 years in a music school in Quimper . Learning saxophone begins later, around 19 years, mainly self-taught in courses taken in the Parisian schools and jazz music, CIM and IACP . The young saxophonist truly begins on the jazz scene in 2000 participating in the new group called the Vintage Orchestra. This year, she is also associated with trumpeter Stephane Belmondo to form a sextet and occurs in various Parisian clubs. It also participates in orchestra Christophe Dal Sasso. Sophie Alour 2004 integrates a quartet of musicians, led by organist Rhoda Scott , along Bilberry Besson and Julie Saury, allowing him to further develop his game to the saxophone. During the year it also attracts the attention of trumpeter Wynton Marsalis who chooses to engage his orchestra . It is also asked to participate in a project of drummer Aldo Romano and noted for his interpretation on the big stage of Jazz in Vienna in 2004. The following year she released Islander, a first album as a leader that is well appreciated by critics.

She collaborates again with the Vintage Orchestra group recording the album Thad. In 2006, she participated in the recording of the album Christophe Dal Sasso Opening and Belmondo brothers. In 2007, the quintet saxophonist accompanied by pianist Alexandre Saada when recording his album Be Where You Are. This year, she published her second album Uncaged receiving good evaluations by critics. For 2 years she performed in various cities in France and abroad. In 2010, Sophie Alour presents his third album Opus 3, a trio along with bassist and drummer Yoni Zelnik Karl Jannuska, two musicians on his previous album. The following year she participated in the recording of the album Christophe Dal Sasso pretexts. In 2012 saxophonist released a new album entitled The geography of dreams. Sophie Alour form a new quintet with two musicians she knows well, Yoann Loustallot and Nicolas Moreaux, and two new Frédéric Pasqua on drums and vibraphone Stéphan Carracci. ~ Translate by Google   http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sophie_Alour

Personnel:  Sophie Alour - tenor saxophone; Huggo Lippi – guitar; Guillaume Naud - piano, Fender Rhodes; Sylvain Romano – bass; David Grebil – drums;  Emmanuel Bex - Hammond B3 organ (#4,8);  Stephane Belmondo - flugelhorn (#9)

Insulaire

Paul Bollenback - Double Vision

Styles: Guitar Jazz
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 53:00
Size: 122,5 MB
Art: Front

(4:55) 1. I Am Singing
(5:44) 2. Open Hand
(6:54) 3. Danny
(7:33) 4. Breaking the Girl
(5:07) 5. Reflections of Jaco
(3:16) 6. Lush Life
(6:00) 7. After the Love Has Gone
(6:35) 8. Thank You Mr. Hancock
(6:54) 9. Let Her Cry

Award-winning jazz guitarist Paul Bollenback developed a taste for the exotic over the course of a three-year period when his family lived in India. He was 11 years old when the family traveled to New Delhi, and years later the sounds and experiences of that early journey found their way into his first album from Challenge Records, Original Visions. His next release, Double Gemini, continued to stir up a buzz among critics, and it drew honors as CD of the Month from both WBGO, a Newark jazz station, and 20th Century Jazz Magazine. Bollenback remained with Challenge for his next project, Soul Grooves.

The guitarist first got his hands on an instrument with nylon strings when he was seven years old. The guitar was a gift from his dad, who adored music as much as the younger Bollenback and also played the trumpet. At the age of 14, the budding guitarist headed home to the states with his family, where he discovered the delights of rock & roll. Around this time he started to play the electric guitar, another gift from his dad. When he discovered Miles Davis, it was a major turning point in his musical development.

Bollenback's education includes music studies at the University of Miami. He continued his studies with eight more years of private instruction under the tutelage of Asher Zlotnik in Baltimore. In 1993, the year that he embarked on a European tour, he received a National Endowment for the Arts grant, in conjunction with the Virginia Commission on the Arts, for "New Music for Three Jazz Guitars." The Washington Area Music Awards dubbed him Musician of the Year in 1997, the same year that he joined the music faculty at American University. SESAC honored two of his original pieces, "Romancin' the Moon" and "Wookies' Revenge," both of which were included on the album Reboppin' by Joey DeFrancesco, who returned the favor by appearing on Bollenback's Soul Grooves.

The Litchfield Jazz Festival Summer Music School installed Bollenback as artist-in-residence. He also is a featured artist on the bill of the Summer Guitar & Bass Workshop offered by Duquesne University. The guitarist has performed on numerous television programs, among them Entertainment Tonight, The Tonight Show, The Today Show, Joan Rivers, and Good Morning America. He has shared the stage with a long list of musical artists, including Charlie Byrd, Arturo Sandoval, Herb Ellis, Stanley Turrentine, Spyro Gyra's Scott Ambush, and Della Reese. ~ Linda Seida https://www.allmusic.com/artist/paul-bollenback-mn0000746344/biography

Personnel: Paul Bollenback - guitar; Joey DeFrancesco - organ; Ed Howard - bass; Terri Lyne Carrington – drums

Double Vision

Monday, June 21, 2021

John Boutté - At the Foot of Canal Street

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2001
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 51:20
Size: 119,1 MB
Art: Front + Back

(3:27) 1. Sisters
(4:49) 2. At the Foot of Canal Street
(4:22) 3. A Change is Gonna Come
(5:05) 4. Battle Hymn of the Republic
(6:22) 5. Black Orpheus
(5:10) 6. Someone to Watch Over Me
(3:05) 7. Didn't it Rain
(7:39) 8. This Masquerade is Over
(3:31) 9. Just a Little While to Stay Here
(3:29) 10. All These Things
(4:16) 11. If I Had My Life to Live Over

The Canal Street that John Boutté is referring to in this album's title isn't the one that runs through Lower Manhattan it is the Canal Street of New Orleans, where he grew up. Boutté is not an easy singer to categorize; parts of this superb CD (which was recorded in 1998 and released in 2001) are pure Crescent City soul, but other parts of it are vocal jazz or African-American gospel. Boutté, whose influences range from Sam Cooke and Aaron Neville to Little Jimmy Scott, is a convincing soul singer on "Sisters," the title song, and Cooke's "A Change Is Gonna Come." But he is equally believable and equally expressive as a torchy jazz singer on "The Masquerade Is Over," the Gershwin standard "Someone to Watch Over Me," and Luiz Bonfa's "Manha de Carnaval" (which is listed as "Black Orpheus" in the credits and is also known as "A Day in the Life of a Fool").

Meanwhile, Boutté favors African-American gospel (as opposed to white country-gospel or modern Christian R&B) on "Didn't It Rain" and "Just a Little While to Stay Here." As unpredictable as this album is, Boutté never comes across as unfocused or confused. Boutté genuinely appreciates a variety of music, and his eclectic nature serves him well on this impressive, consistently rewarding CD. ~ Alex Henderson https://www.allmusic.com/album/at-the-foot-of-canal-street-mw0000119758

Personnel: John Boutte – Vocals; Loren Pickford – Piano, Alto Sax; Bill Huntington – Bass; John Bagnato – Guitar; Joe Vinnittell – Drums

At the Foot of Canal Street