Charlie Parker - The Savoy 10-inch LP Collection Disc 1, 2, 3, 4

Album: The Savoy 10-inch LP Collection Disc 1
Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2020
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 22:37
Size: 52,6 MB
Art: Front

(3:17) 1. Now's The Time
(2:35) 2. Donna Lee
(2:47) 3. Chasin' The Bird
(3:10) 4. Red Cross
(2:57) 5. Ko-Ko
(2:37) 6. Warmin' Up A Riff
(2:45) 7. Half Nelson
(2:24) 8. Sipping At Bells

---

Album: The Savoy 10-inch LP Collection Disc 2
Time: 22:42
Size: 52,8 MB

(3:11) 1. Billie's Bounce
(3:00) 2. Cheryl
(2:38) 3. Milestones
(2:41) 4. Another Hair-Do
(2:58) 5. Thriving From A Riff
(2:32) 6. Buzzy
(2:53) 7. Little Willie Leaps
(2:45) 8. Klaunstance

---

Album: The Savoy 10-inch LP Collection Disc 3
Time: 17:13
Size: 40,0 MB

(2:53) 1. Bluebird
(2:38) 2. Bird Gets The Worm
(3:04) 3. Parker's Mood
(3:06) 4. Steeplechase
(2:34) 5. Perhaps
(2:55) 6. Tiny's Tempo

---

Album: The Savoy 10-inch LP Collection Disc 4
Time: 16:16
Size: 37,9 MB

(2:29) 1. Constellation
(2:27) 2. Merry Go Round
(3:12) 3. Confirmation
(2:30) 4. Barbados
(2:53) 5. Ah-Leu-Cha
(2:42) 6. Marmaduke

Charlie Parke is one of the most important musicians in jazz history and a household name even for people who never listen to jazz. His music is like a textbook for aspiring jazz musicians, and it still sounds modern even after more than a half century since its creation. 2020 marks the centennial of Parker's birth, and to help commemorate the anniversary, Craft Recordings has released a vinyl box set containing the first four "The New Sounds in Modern Music" series, featuring recordings from 1944-1948. Without question, this is essential listening for anyone who wants to get a taste of some of Parker's most influential sessions. As the liner notes say, these are "the breakthrough recordings that essentially defined bebop."

Of course, these recordings have been reissued many times over the years, so what makes this release so special? Well, there are a few points to consider... First, the set contains exact replicas of the Savoy 10-inch album releases. Everything is precisely reproduced down to the last detail. As the liner notes mention, the producers "intentionally left any typographical errors intact for the sake of historical, rather than factual, accuracy." Just taking these discs out of their sleeves and putting them on a turntable is an experience you can't reproduce in a digital format. Next, the sound quality is excellent. The tracks have been remastered, and each has impressive fidelity considering that they were originally recorded during the 1940s. Along with the overall sound, the songs are genuine classics. The set contains Parker standards such as "Billie's Bounce," Ko-Ko," "Now's the Time," and "Donna Lee," and he is accompanied by musicians such as Miles Davis, Dizzy Gillespie, Bud Powell, Max Roach and Tiny Grimes.

Finally, the set contains a booklet with excellent liner notes by Grammy-winning writer, Neil Tesser. He not only provides background information into the recordings, but also discusses Parker's continued influence on contemporary artists. Of course, some might wonder why these albums are being released on 10-inch discs rather than the more conventional 12-inch versions. Tesser explains that at the time these recordings originally came out, "the 10-inch records vastly outsold their larger cousins." Packaging the reissue albums in the original format seems to give a more authentic feel of the overall package. For jazz vinyl collectors, this set is about as cool as it gets.~ Kyle Simpler https://www.allaboutjazz.com/the-savoy-10-inch-lp-collection-charlie-parker-craft-recordings

Personnel: Charlie Parker: saxophone, alto; Miles Davis: trumpet; Dizzy Gillespie: trumpet; Bud Powell: piano; Max Roach: drums.

The Savoy 10-inch LP Collection Disc 1, Disc 2, Disc 3, Disc 4

---

John Surman - Withholding Pattern

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1985
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 42:37
Size: 98,0 MB
Art: Front

(6:05)  1. Doxology
(9:26)  2. Changes Of Season
(2:58)  3. All Cat's Whiskers And Bee's Knees
(4:59)  4. Holding Pattern I
(4:56)  5. Skating On Thin Ice
(2:00)  6. The Snooper
(3:52)  7. Wild Cat Blues
(8:17)  8. Holding Pattern II

A saxophone workout from '85 by outstanding British player John Surman. While solo sax can be extremely tiring, Surman mixes enough elements of rock, free, blues, and hard bop to keep the songs varied. His aggressive style, especially on baritone, keeps the energy level high. ~ Ron Wynn https://www.allmusic.com/album/withholding-pattern-mw0000188818

Personnel:  John Surman – baritone and soprano saxophones, bass clarinet, recorder, piano, synthesizer

Withholding Pattern

---

Roy Brooks - Duet In Detroit

Styles: Jazz, Post Bop
Year: 1993
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 69:50
Size: 170,5 MB
Art: Front

( 0:56)  1. Introduction
( 8:12)  2. Zulu
( 6:26)  3. Waltz For Sweetcakes
(12:07)  4. Elegy For Eddie Jefferson
( 2:37)  5. Jeffuso
( 0:36)  6. Introduction
(11:45)  7. Forever Mingus
(15:00)  8. Healing Force
( 4:33)  9. Samba Del Sol
( 7:33) 10. Duet In Detroit

This CD features drummer Roy Brooks (who also plays musical saw on one piece) on two duets apiece (recorded live over a period of six years) with trumpeter Woody Shaw and pianists Randy Weston, Don Pullen and Geri Allen. The music is full of surprises and generally holds one's interest with the trumpet-drums duets being the most unusual. 

~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/duet-in-detroit-mw0000095280

Personnel:   Roy Brooks - drums, percussion, musical saw, composer;  Randy Weston - piano, composer;  Woody Shaw - trumpet, composer;  Don Pullen - piano, composer;  Geri Allen - piano, composer

Duet In Detroit

---

Quincy Jones - Swinging the Big Band

Styles: Swing, Big Band
Year: 2006
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 57:16
Size: 131,6 MB
Art: Front

(2:46)  1. Comin' Home Baby
(2:56)  2. Desafinado
(3:36)  3. Invitation
(3:20)  4. Hard Rock Dance
(4:23)  5. Quintessence
(3:12)  6. Bossa Nova USA
(2:27)  7. Straight, No Chaser
(5:32)  8. Chega de Saudade (No More Blues)
(2:56)  9. Baby Elephant Walk
(2:42) 10. Jive Samba
(3:08) 11. Moanin'
(3:12) 12. I Never Has Seen Snow
(3:30) 13. Take Five
(2:04) 14. Samba De Una Nota So (One Note Samba)
(2:29) 15. Strike Up The Band
(3:04) 16. The 'In' Crowd
(3:32) 17. Caravan
(2:19) 18. The Gentle Rain

In a musical career that has spanned seven decades, Quincy Jones has earned his reputation as a renaissance man of American music. Jones has distinguished himself as a bandleader, a solo artist, a sideman, a songwriter, a producer, an arranger, a film composer, and a record label executive, and outside of music, he's also written books, produced major motion pictures, and helped create television series. And a quick look at a few of the artists Jones has worked with suggests the remarkable diversity of his career Miles Davis, Frank Sinatra, Count Basie, Lesley Gore, Michael Jackson, Peggy Lee, Ray Charles, Paul Simon, and Aretha Franklin.  Jones was born in Chicago, Illinois, on March 14, 1933. When he was still a youngster, his family moved to Seattle, WA, and he soon developed an interest in music. In his early teens, Jones began learning the trumpet, and started singing with a local gospel group. By the time he graduated from high school in 1950, Jones had displayed enough promise to win a scholarship to Boston-based music school Schillinger House (which later became known as the Berklee School of Music). After a year at Schillinger, Jones relocated to New York City, where he found work as an arranger, writing charts for Count Basie, Cannonball Adderley, Tommy Dorsey, and Dinah Washington, among others. In 1953, Jones scored his first big break as a performer; he was added to the brass section of Lionel Hampton's orchestra, where he found himself playing alongside jazz legends Art Farmer and Clifford Brown. Three years later, Dizzy Gillespie tapped Jones to play in his band, and later in 1956, when Gillespie was invited to put together a big band of outstanding international musicians, Diz chose Quincy to lead the ensemble. Jones also released his first album under his own name that year, a set for ABC-Paramount appropriately entitled This Is How I Feel About Jazz. In 1957, Jones moved to Paris in order to study with Nadia Boulanger, an expatriate American composer with a stellar track record in educating composers and bandleaders. During his sojourn in France, Jones took a job with the French record label Barclay, where he produced and arranged sessions for Jacques Brel and Charles Aznavour, as well as traveling American artists, including Billy Eckstine and Sarah Vaughan. Jones' work for Barclay impressed the management at Mercury Records, a American label affiliated with the French imprint, and in 1961, he was named a vice president for Mercury, the first time an African-American had been hired as an upper-level executive by a major U.S. recording company. Jones scored one of his first major pop successes when he produced and arranged "It's My Party" for teenage vocalist Lesley Gore, which marked his first significant step away from jazz into the larger world of popular music. (Jones also freelanced for other labels on the side, including arranging a number of memorable Atlantic sides for Ray Charles.) In 1963, Jones began exploring what would become a fruitful medium for him when he composed his first film score for Sidney Lumet's controversial drama The Pawnbroker; he would go on to write music for 33 feature films, including In Cold Blood, In the Heat of the Night, Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice, and The Getaway. In 1964, Jones' work with Count Basie led him to arrange and conduct sessions for Frank Sinatra's album It Might as Well Be Swing, recorded in collaboration with Basie and his orchestra; he also worked with Sinatra and Basie again as an arranger for the award-winning Sinatra at the Sands set, and would produce and arrange one of Sinatra's last albums, L.A. Is My Lady, in 1984.    

While Jones maintained a busy schedule as a composer, producer, and arranger through the 1960s, he also re-emerged as a recording artist in 1969 with the album Walking in Space, which found Jones recasting his big-band influences within the framework of the budding fusion movement and the influences of contemporary rock, pop, and R&B sounds. The album was a commercial and critical success, and kick started Jones' career as a recording artist. At the same time, he began working more closely with contemporary pop artists, producing sessions for Aretha Franklin and arranging strings for Paul Simon's There Goes Rhymin' Simon, and while Jones continued to work with jazz artists, many hard-and-fast jazz fans began to accuse Jones of turning his back on the genre, though Jones always contended his greatest allegiance was to African-American musical culture rather than any specific style. (Jones did, however, make one major jazz gesture in 1991, when he persuaded Miles Davis to revisit the classic Gil Evans arrangements from Miles Ahead, Sketches of Spain, and Porgy and Bess for that year's Montreux Jazz Festival; Jones coordinated the concert and led the orchestra, and it proved to be one of the last major events for the ailing Davis, who passed on a few months later.) In 1974, Jones suffered a life-threatening brain aneurysm, and while he made a full recovery, he also made a decision to cut back on his schedule to spend more time with his family. While Jones may have had fewer projects on his plate in the late '70s and early '80s, they tended to be higher profile from this point on; he produced major chart hits for the Brothers Johnson and Rufus & Chaka Khan, and his own albums grew into all-star productions in which Jones orchestrated top players and singers in elaborate pop-R&B confections on sets like Body Heat, Sounds...And Stuff Like That!!, and The Dude. Jones' biggest mainstream success, however, came with his work with Michael Jackson; Jones produced his breakout solo album, Off the Wall, in 1979, and in 1982 they teamed up again for Thriller, which went on to become the biggest-selling album of all time. Jones was also on hand for Thriller's follow-up, 1987's Bad, and the celebrated USA for Africa session which produced the benefit single "We Are the World" (written by Jackson and Lionel Richie), and he produced a rare album in which Jackson narrated the story of the film E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial.

Having risen to the heights of the recording industry, in 1985 Jones moved from scoring films to producing them; his first screen project was the screen adaptation of Alice Walker's novel The Color Purple, which was directed by Steven Spielberg and starred Whoopi Goldberg. In 1991 he moved into television production with the situation comedy The Fresh Prince of Bel Air, which gave Will Smith his first starring role. Jones' production company also launched several other successful shows, including In the House and Mad TV. He also produced a massive concert to help commemorate the 1993 inauguration of president Bill Clinton, and at the 1995 Academy Awards won the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award, a prize that doubtless found its place beside Quincy's 26 Grammy awards. In 1996 Jones performed at the Montreux Jazz Festival to celebrate his 50th anniversary in the music business. The concert was captured on video and released as a DVD by Eagle Rock. Jones spent the rest of the '90s and first decade of the new century concentrating on his music publishing business and being an "unofficial" cultural ambassador for the United States.   In 2004 he helped to launch the We Are the Future (WAF) project, benefiting children in conflict-inhibited situations all over the globe. The program is the result of a strategic partnership between the Glocal Forum, the Quincy Jones Listen Up Foundation, and Hani Masri, with the support of the World Bank, UN agencies, and corporations. Jones personally lobbied President Barack Obama to create a secretary of the arts position in his cabinet. He also spent considerable time in Brazil, and in 2009 announced his plans for a film about Carnival and some of the nation's musicians and producers. In 2010 Jones released Q: Soul Bossa Nostra through his Qwest imprint, his first album in 15 years. The set featured appearances by popular vocalists Amy Winehouse, Usher, Tyrese, Tevin Campbell, and LL Cool J, among others. Ludacris and Naturally 7 reprised Jones' 1962 hit "Soul Bossa Nova"; the album's lead single/video was a cover of "Strawberry Letter 23" with lead vocals from Akon. In 2013, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a recipient of the Ahmet Ertegun Award. ~ Mark Deming https://www.allmusic.com/artist/quincy-jones-mn0000378624/biography

Swinging the Big Band

---

Oliver Nelson - Swiss Suite

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2014
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 44:45
Size: 102,9 MB
Art: Front

(26:51)  1. Swiss Suite
( 8:38)  2. Stolen Moments
( 3:15)  3. Black, Brown & Beautiful
( 5:59)  4. Blues & The Abstract Truth

Recorded at the 1971 Montreux Jazz Festival, this big-band outing features a mostly all-star band and altoist Oliver Nelson (who wrote all of the arrangements and compositions) and trumpeter Danny Moore on remakes of "Stolen Moments," "Black, Brown & Beautiful" and "Blues and the Abstract Truth." However it is the nearly 27-minute "Swiss Suite" that dominates this album and although tenorman Gato Barbieri has a couple of raging solos, it is a five-minute segment when guest altoist Eddie "Cleanhead" Vinson plays the blues that is most memorable. Vinson's classic spot alone is worth the price of this hard-to-find LP. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/swiss-suite-mw0000739505

Personnel:  Oliver Nelson - alto saxophone, arranger, conductor; Charles Tolliver - trumpet, flugelhorn; Danny Moore, Richie Cole, Bernt Stean, Harry Beckett - trumpet; Buddy Baker, Bertil Strandberg, Donald Beightol, C.J. Shilby, Monte Holz, John Thomas - trombone; Jim Nissen - bass trombone; Eddie "Cleanhead" Vinson, Jesper Thilo, Ozren Depolo - alto saxophone; Gato Barbieri, Michael Urbaniak, Bob Sydor - tenor saxophone; Steve Stevenson - baritone saxophone; Stanley Cowell - piano; Victor Gaskin, Hugo Rasmussen - bass; Bernard Purdie- drums; Bosko Petrovic - drums, vibraphone, tarabooka; Na Na - berimbau; Sonny Morgan - congas

Swiss Suite

---

Roy Brooks, Woody Shaw - Understanding

Styles: Post Bop, Trumpet Jazz
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 123:33
Size: 283,6 MB
Art: Front

( 0:25) 1. Introduction
(21:34) 2. Prelude to Understanding
(20:10) 3. Understanding
(21:06) 4. Billie's Bounce
(23:18) 5. Zoltan
(32:25) 6. Taurus Woman
( 4:31) 7. The Theme

Roy Brooks was a preeminent hard-bop drummer who early on participated in seminal recording dates led by Horace Silver, Yusef Lateef and Sonny Stitt. In this release entitled Understanding, produced by Cory Weeds and Zev Feldman for Reel To Real Records, Brooks is documented live by The Left Bank Jazz Society at The Famous Ballroom in Baltimore on November 1, 1970. The limited-edition 180 gram 3-LP gatefold set of previously unreleased material, features a stellar band including trumpeter Woody Shaw, tenor saxophonist Carlos Garnett, pianist Harold Mabern and bassist Cecil McBee.

The start of the 1970s set out a movement towards freer improvisation to offer a path for expansion in harmony, structure and character. As a result, the listener was expected to adopt a new set of standards for listening, comprehending and dissecting the music. The five compositions that are presented in this recording fall into this category, and while they may appear to be arbitrary and unstructured, they do have a fundamental and textural construct. Additionally, the compositions are unusual in length, each taking the complete side of the LP. The playing is intense and demanding and the rhythm is propulsive, with Brooks ferocious behind the drum kit.

Disc One features two Brooks compositions, "Prelude to Understanding" and "Understanding." On the first, following a rubato introduction, the band begins its lengthy excursion into the lines, harmony and character of the number. Shaw is exhilarating, with intense playing for an extended period. He hardly seems to draw a breath. Mabern and McBee work together to build a rapport, while Brooks is working overtime to create a dynamic of rhythm, accents and shapes to move the number forward. With "Understanding," the style shifts to a 16+16 bar form with a Latin rhythm. Garnett dives into the fray with his high-tailing sound and fluent approach. McBee offers an extended fleet-fingered solo that has some similarities to flamenco strumming. Shaw and Mabern continue to demonstrate that they are soloists of energy and quicksilver brilliance.

Disc Two rides the Charlie Parker composition "Billie's Bounce" for a full twenty-one minutes. This bebop classic was written as a 12 bar blues, but the version offered here is a far cry from the original intent. The last two tunes are Shaw's "Zoltan" and Garnett's "Taurus Woman." The former is a 32 bar structure in the Lydian mode. Shaw is in full control as he tears through the changes. Brooks pushes the tempo up throughout the number, almost leaving Mabern behind. Garnett, of Panamanian heritage, is the key player in his own composition, one evolves into a Latin groove with Afro-Cuban references as created by Brooks. Garnett's tenor solo is coherent for the most part, although it does include what you might consider to be unnecessary squeals and squawking. The twenty page high-gloss booklet that accompanies this set is a treasure trove of information about the recording and the participants. There are photos, interviews, essays and stories, all of which add to the experience.~ Pierre Giroux https://www.allaboutjazz.com/understanding-roy-brooks-reel-to-real

Personnel: Roy Brooks: drums; Carlos Garnett: saxophone, tenor; Woody Shaw: trumpet; Harold Mabern: piano; Cecil McBee: bass.

Understanding

---

Dina Blade - Shall We Dance?

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2019
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 56:39
Size: 131,6 MB
Art: Front

(2:42) 1. The Best Things Happen While You're Dancing
(2:56) 2. I Could Have Danced All Night
(2:52) 3. Comes Love
(3:27) 4. Sway
(3:03) 5. Rhythm Town
(4:33) 6. Cry Me a River
(3:51) 7. Night and Day
(3:35) 8. Charade
(3:32) 9. You're the Boss
(3:35) 10. Quando Quando Quando
(3:54) 11. Dance Me to the End of Love
(2:26) 12. Alright Ok You Win
(3:02) 13. Dream
(3:26) 14. Shall We Dance
(2:25) 15. I Don't Know Enough About You
(3:27) 16. So Nice to Come Home To
(3:43) 17. Our Love is Here to Stay

I thought I’d share this photo which was taken at a “Victory Dance” in 1946 at the end of World War II (my parents are on the far left). It was a time of celebration, hope and promise. Many more dances would follow, as well as careers, marriages and children. While I was growing up, my parents would regularly have the neighbors over to “relax with a few highballs” before going over to the parish dance at our church’s social hall. They danced well into their eighties, and instilled a love of dancing in all 4 of us kids. Sooo, two weeks from today, on Saturday, May 18th, I would be delighted if you would help me celebrate the release of my new CD “Shall We Dance?”. This is a dream come true for me, and I am especially proud of the band’s cohesively beautiful, swinging sound. Big fun awaits you! Arrive early and take the free dance lesson or just show up to watch and listen, but if dancing is in your future, please save one for me! Your toe-tappin’ finger-snappin’ pal, Dina Blade. https://www.dinablade.com/shall-we-dance/

Shall We Dance?

---

Barbara Dennerlein - The Best Of Barbara Dennerlein

Styles: Jazz, Post Bop
Year: 2006
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 70:18
Size: 161,9 MB
Art: Front

( 5:18)  1. Odd Blues
( 6:29)  2. Give It Up
(11:16)  3. Samba And The Drum Stick
( 4:27)  4. Victory Blues
( 3:49)  5. Bo Peep
( 5:22)  6. Satisfaction
( 7:50)  7. Farewell To Old Friends
( 3:57)  8. Fly Away
( 6:22)  9. Bloody Mary
(10:00) 10. Take Off
( 5:23) 11. Walk On Air

2006 Anthology of Recordings for Universal Associated Labels by the Acclaimed German Hammond Organist who Has Garnered Numerous Awards in her 30 Year plus Career, Including Being Named Downbeat Magazine's Best Tdwr Organist Three Years in a Row from 1991-1993. Over the Years She Has Recorded and Performed with Exceptional Musical Personalities Such as Don Alias, Ray Anderson, Bob Berg, Randy Brecker, Dennis Chambers, Thomas Chapin, Roy Hargrove, Howard Johnson, Frank Lacy, Joe Locke, David Murray, Tony Reedus, David Sanchez, Andy Sheppard, Mitch Watkins, Friedrich Gulda and Joe Zawinul Among Many Others. Barbara Dennerlein's Wide Musical Spectrum also Includes Recordings with the Munich Philharmonic Orchestra, Vienna Symphonic, the Sfb String Orchestra (Berlin), the Big Bands of Ndr, Hr, Wdr and the Landesjugendorchester Hessen. ~ Editorial Reviews  https://www.amazon.com/Best-Barbara-Dennerlein-BARBARA-DENNERLEIN/dp/B000GB7EUW

The Best Of Barbara Dennerlein

---

John Di Martino, Janis Siegel - Cryin' in My Whiskey

Styles: Post Bop, Vocal
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 39:53
Size: 92,5 MB
Art: Front

(4:27) 1. Whenever You Come Around
(5:15) 2. Always on My Mind
(4:41) 3. I Fall to Pieces
(4:17) 4. Are You Alright
(3:43) 5. Where Do I Put His Memory
(4:25) 6. Hard Candy Christmas
(4:02) 7. He Stopped Loving Her Today
(4:49) 8. Break It to Me Gently
(4:11) 9. Don't It Make My Brown Eyes Blue

Night is Alive is thrilled to release Cryin’ In My Whiskey, a cross-genre collaboration that brings together country western and jazz in the very best way possible. Cryin’ In My Whiskey has something for everyone, mingling the two genres in a way that still preserves the essence of the nine country tunes. This is one special release you won’t want to miss! https://www.jazziz.com/new-releases/cryin-in-my-whiskey/

Personnel: JANIS SIEGEL VOCALS; JOHN DI MARTINO PIANO, HAMMOND B3, KEYBOARDS; AARON HEICK SOPRANO & ALTO SAXOPHONES, CLARINET, FLUTE, ALTO FLUTE; HARRY ALLEN TENOR SAXOPHONE, JESSE LEWIS ACOUSTIC & ELECTRIC GUITARS; LONNIE PLAXICO ACOUSTIC & ELECTRIC BASS; ROSS PEDERSON DRUMS & PERCUSSION; AMY CERVINI BACKUP VOCALS

Cryin' in My Whiskey

---

Corey Wilkes - Drop It

Styles: Trupet And Cornet Jazz
Year: 2008
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 67:43
Size: 156,3 MB
Art: Front

( 2:44) 1. Trumpet Player
( 5:53) 2. Sonata in the Key of Jack Daniels
( 3:54) 3. Drop It
( 6:31) 4. Remy's Revenge
( 0:55) 5. Prelude: Touch
( 5:30) 6. Touch
( 6:18) 7. Return 2 Sender
( 7:42) 8. Searchin'
( 8:24) 9. Ubiquitous Budafly
( 8:50) 10. Funkier Than A Mosquita's Tweeter
(10:58) 11. Drop It - Live

As the man who took on Lester Bowie's mantle in the Art Ensemble of Chicago, Corey Wilkes is clearly not averse to a challenge. He's also a musician with an above average grasp of where the music's come from and a clear idea of where he wants to take it. As a trumpet player he's already got a lot of what it takes, a personal way of phrasing and an acute ear for a melodic line, and on this his debut disc he sets out his stall while putting down a marker for the future.

That said, there is a particular sheen to some of the music here which makes it a little anonymous, as on "Sonata In The Key Of Jack Daniels" where both Wilkes and tenor saxophonist Chelsea Baratz's telling solos are undermined somewhat by their backing and the fade does little to enhance the appeal of the piece.

The following title track is a better indication of how widely Wilkes has listened and learned with his deft use of electronic alterations on a sound that's indicative of a musician for whom the term Renaissance man might have been invented. Jabari Liu's alto sax is also telling here, the work of another musician with his own thing going on. "Remy's Revenge" takes things a little further in the best possible way, the music coming together in a way that nails the groove and compelling solos. Wilkes is all over his horn on this one, seemingly gambolling in the wide open spaces like a man who's undergone some form of rebirth.

"Searchin'" pulls off the not inconsiderable feat of sounding both contemporary and creative, and it might well be telling that Baratz joins Wilkes in the front line again. There's something quietly compelling about the way their respective sounds seem to merge, and the intimacy of their unisons is a thing in itself. Robert "Baabe" Irving III's piano on this one is compellingly sparse and it has the pleasingly odd effect of lending the music greater depth than it might otherwise have possessed.

There is however the impression of too much ground being covered here, though that could be down to nothing more pressing than "first album syndrome." Certainly the impression abides that Wilkes is a man with an infinite future in terms of where he chooses to go next, and in skillfully avoiding the hype. So far he's already proved himself adept at valuing the music far more than the marketing. In times like these that's no small achievement.~ Nic Jones https://www.allaboutjazz.com/drop-it-corey-wilkes-delmark-records-review-by-nic-jones.php

Personnel: Corey Wilkes: trumpet, flugelhorn, cornet, percussion (10); Jabari Liu: alto sax (3, 7, 9, 10, 11); Chelsea Baratz: tenor sax (2, 4, 5, 7, 8, 10); Kevin Nabors: tenor sax (3, 5, 6), percussion (10); Robert "Baabe" Irving III: electric piano, piano; Junius Paul: acoustic & electric bass; Jeremy "Bean" Ciemons: drums; Miyanda Wilson: spoken word (1); Scott Hesse: guitar (3); Dee Alexander: vocals ( 9, 10); Justin Dillard: organ (10).

Drop It

---

Eva Cassidy - Nightbird Disc 1 And Disc 2

Disc 1
Styles: Jazz, Vocal
Year: 2015
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 68:28
Size: 157,6 MB
Art: Front

(2:43)  1. Blue Skies
(3:29)  2. Ain't Doin Too Bad
(3:36)  3. Ain't No Sunshine
(4:48)  4. Fields of Gold
(5:10)  5. Baby I Love You
(3:16)  6. Honeysuckle Rose
(2:54)  7. Route 66
(5:38)  8. Bridge Over Troubled Water
(0:57)  9. Eva introduces the band
(4:38) 10. Chain Of Fools
(4:10) 11. Fever
(4:52) 12. Autumn Leaves
(4:03) 13. Fine And Mellow
(3:57) 14. Cheek To Cheek
(2:36) 15. Don't Mean A Thing
(3:52) 16. Late In The Evening
(3:08) 17. Next Time You See Me
(4:33) 18. Waly Waly

---

Disc 2

Time: 71:46

Size: 165,2 MB

(3:55)  1. Take Me To The River

(6:18)  2. Nightbird

(3:30)  3. People Get Ready

(5:02)  4. The Letter

(3:41)  5. Son Of A Preacher Man

(5:51)  6. Stormy Monday

(4:02)  7. Tall Trees In Georgia

(3:55)  8. Something's Got A Hold Of Me

(4:28)  9. Time After Time

(5:41) 10. Over The Rainbow

(3:55) 11. You re Welcome To The Club

(5:51) 12. Caravan

(5:09) 13. You've Changed

(5:28) 14. What a Wonderful World

(4:53) 15. Oh Had I A Golden Thread

Nightbird is Eva Cassidy s ultimate tour-de-force...33 songs recorded in one night at the Washington, DC area Blues Alley jazz club. Encompassing the full spectrum of Eva s gospel, blues, jazz and folk roots, Nightbird showcases the breadth and depth of one of the world s greatest singers. Together for the first time since the magic night they were recorded on January 3, 1996, this Nightbird collection of the Complete Blues Alley recordings is the best evidence of the genius of Eva Cassidy. ~ Editorial Reviews http://www.amazon.com/Nightbird-Eva-Cassidy/dp/B0161H1K8G

Nightbird Disc 1, Disc 2

---

Scott Hamilton, Duke Robillard - Swingin' Again

Styles: Saxophone And Guitar Jazz
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 52:22
Size: 120,9 MB
Art: Front

(4:24) 1. I Never Knew
(5:04) 2. I'm Putting All My Eggs in One Basket
(4:56) 3. Never Mind
(3:03) 4. Steady Daddy
(6:57) 5. All I Do Is Dream of You
(7:19) 6. Blue Lou
(6:05) 7. Pennies from Heaven
(5:22) 8. You Can Depend on Me
(4:17) 9. Esquire Bounce
(4:49) 10. One-O-Clock Jump

Scott Hamilton – Swingin’ Again (Blue Duchess): “After leaving Roomful of Blues, the gifted guitarist Duke Robillard has made several jazz recordings, naturally all infused with the blues. This time out Duke enlisted the magnificent jazz tenor saxophonist, Scott Hamilton to co-lead the band through an exquisite set of jazz and blues standards. Three of the album’s ten selections are vocal, this is a true foot-tappin; and finger snappin’ delight.” (https://www.kuvo.org/new-music-monday-jimi-swingin-again-la-source-codes/)

“Tenor sax giant Scott Hamilton and blues guitarist Duke Robillard get together with the Duke Robillard Band for a Swingin’ set of classic jazz and blues that are bound to make you tap your feet while mixing a classic cocktail. With special guests Sugar Ray Norcia, Jon-Eeik Kellso, Sunny Crownover and Tim Ray!” (https://www.dukerobillard.com/) Smooth swing. I regret I am not able to find any samples to post. https://www.wtju.net/new-jazz-news-762021/

Personnel: Scott Hamilton - Saxophone; Duke Robillard - Guitar

Swingin' Again

---

Carlo Uboldi Trio, Emanuele Cisi - Looking Beyond

Styles: Piano And Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2019
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 57:19
Size: 133,1 MB
Art: Front

(5:55) 1. Malupa
(4:22) 2. Lady K
(4:43) 3. Oh, beh!
(6:52) 4. Invitation
(6:12) 5. Looking Beyond
(4:19) 6. The Opener
(3:29) 7. Walkin' Over
(4:24) 8. Sibelia
(6:22) 9. Times Does It
(5:36) 10. Circus
(5:01) 11. Panegra

The pianist Carlo Uboldi is a veteran of Italian jazz who, with perseverance and dedication, makes us listen to music with roots in tradition, rich in swing, which we listen to with pleasure. For this new recording he introduces us a special guest together with his trio, the Turin tenor saxophonist Emanuele Cisi , to complete the group are Valerio Della Fonte on double bass and Massimo Manzi, drummer known on countless recordings of Italian jazz. Aside from Bronislaw Kaper's Invitation and Bill Evans' The Opener , there are all compositions by the leader and double bass player, along with Lady K.di Cisi, dedicated to his colleague Richie Kamuca.

The quartet works perfectly on a common language, it is a timeless mainstream where the musicians give their best with measured solos, very compact during the performances. Some compositions of the leader, such as Panegra which closes the album, are very listenable, Looking Beyond which gives the title to the album, has something fascinating, faced by the leader with a lot of swing and by Cisi with a fluid and bewitching sound on the saxophone. An album that is happy to listen to in the background, but on which you can focus on carefully because it is full of important moments. Translate By Google http://www.musiczoom.it/?p=30639

Looking Beyond

---

Nicki Parrott - Great 70's

Styles: Vocal, Post Bop
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 61:16
Size: 141,8 MB
Art: Front

(3:27) 1. Lotta Love
(4:39) 2. You're So Vain
(3:48) 3. Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow?
(5:12) 4. Your Song
(4:17) 5. If You Leave Me Now
(4:42) 6. My Love
(5:22) 7. Killing Me Softly With His Song
(4:32) 8. Alone Again Naturally
(4:39) 9. Imagine
(4:16) 10. Chuck E.'s In Love
(4:21) 11. How Deep Is Your Love
(4:09) 12. You Are The Sunshine Of My Life
(3:37) 13. Laughter In The Rain
(4:08) 14. We're All Alone

A cover of the golden 70's Billboard Greatests hit's masterpieces with a new sense of Nikki jazz style. Venus Records' signature singer / bassist, Nicki Parrott's latest work! Nikki's charm is in full bloom! (Neil Young, Carly Simon, Elton John, Carole King, Chicago, Boz Scaggs, Roberta Flack, Paul McCartney, Gilbert O'Sullivan, John Lennon, Rickie Lee Jones, Neil Sedaka, Beezies , Stevie Wonder).

Celebrated as an instrumentalist and a vocalist, Australian artist Nicki Parrott has earned acclaim as one of the most engaging talents to emerge on the jazz scene in the 21st century. Born in Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia in 1970, Parrott had a precocious talent for music, first learning to play the piano when she was four years old. She would become proficient on piano and flute, but when her sister Lisa, who plays saxophone, was looking for a bassist for her jazz combo, Nicki took up the double bass, and fell in love with the instrument. At the age of 16, Parrott earned a scholarship to attend the Pan Pacific Music Camps, and after completing high school, she relocated to Sydney to enroll at the New South Wales Conservatorium of Music. Parrott was soon performing with a number of leading Australian jazz musicians (including Mike Nock, Paul Grabowski, and Dale Barlow), as well as American artists Chuck Findley and Bobby Shew. In 1994, Parrott left Australia for New York City thanks to an Arts Council grant, and she began studying bass with Rufus Reid. In 2000, Parrott landed an especially prestigious gig -- she became bassist with Les Paul's combo for the legendary guitarist's weekly performances at the Manhattan jazz spot Iridium. Paul became her mentor, and encouraged her as a vocalist as well as a bassist. (https://www.allmusic.com/artist/nicki-parrott-mn0000108314/biography)

Personnel: Nicki Parrott (vocals, bass); John Di Martino (piano); Dave Blenkhorn (acostic & electric guitar); Quentin Baxter (drums)

Great 70's

---

George Kahn - Secrets From The Jazz Ghetto Disc 1 And Disc 2

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2010
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 76:06 (CD 1)
Size: 179,5 MB (CD 1)
Time: 79:57 (CD 2)
Size: 188,3 MB (CD 2)
Art: Front + Back

Disc 1

(4:47)  1. Sombras De Noite (Night Shadows)
(6:25)  2. Over The Rainbow
(5:03)  3. Waltz For Diana
(6:09)  4. My Funny Valentine
(6:28)  5. See Cruise
(7:11)  6. Say Goodbye
(5:56)  7. Benji
(7:55)  8. Freedom Vessel
(4:12)  9. Open House
(4:43) 10. Out Of Time
(4:14) 11. One Moment Of Your Life
(7:08) 12. 5 To Get Ready, 10 To Go
(5:50) 13. The Hero's Journey

---

Disc 2

(6:44)  1. Too Much Sax
(7:36)  2. The Big 4-0
(5:43)  3. Millennium Schmellenium
(4:58)  4. Evan's Seven
(4:53)  5. A Bop For Billy
(5:50)  6. Swiss Cheese
(5:27)  7. Midnight Brew
(4:58)  8. Mercedes The Lady
(5:59)  9. Gnomesayin'
(5:22) 10. Wes' Coast
(6:42) 11. Mitchell's Blues
(6:14) 12. Evan's Eleven
(9:27) 13. Wayne's World

West Coast jazz pianist George Kahn revisits past successes on Secrets From The Jazz Ghetto selecting some of his best compositions from five of his previous six albums for this compilation recording. This seventh outing contains 26 pieces covering a range of styles from contemporary to bebop, and from Bossa Nova to Latin and Cool jazz. Though the main repertoire on this two-disc set album reprises music recorded between 1998 to 2008, there are seven new recordings revealed here as the first of Kahn's secrets. The music is quite varied, accessible and challenging to the core, an obvious conclusion after a sampling of the album and that's no secret. The first four pieces on disc one (Nightside), are new recordings beginning with the Brazilian-shaded "Sombras De Noite" (Night Shadow) featuring Luba Masonon vocals and guitarist Pat Kelly. 

Harold Arlen's classic "Over The Rainbow" is the next piece enjoying another new interpretation that showcases saxophonist Andy Suzuki and Kahn on delicate solos. The third tune, "Waltz For Diana" is special for Kahn, penned for his wife, to whom the entire album is dedicated and is five minutes of pure West Coast bop pleasure. The pianist is masterful on "My Funny Valentine" both on the keys and in the unique arrangement he provides. The melody is painted with glowing soprano lines from Suzuki and a bit of improvisation on his part makes the tune just a tad challenging to discern. Vocalist Tierney Sutton appears on a couple of originals, including "One Moment of Your Life" which had been previously recorded, but unreleased until now. "Evan's Eleven" comes out swinging with a funky perky beat behind M.B. Gordy's strong stick work on the last gyrating number of the set. "Wayne's World" takes a more contemporary road ending the album on a high note, an expansive nine-minute plus finale featuring brilliant tenor lines once again from Suzuki, tantalizing piano play from the leader, and stellar bass lines from Karl Vincent. Kahn draws on five tracks from Midnight Brew (Playing Records, 2002) including "A Bop for Billy," "Swiss Cheese" and the title track, with saxophonist Eric Marienthaland trumpeter Bobby Rodriguez. 

"Say Goodbye" and "The Big 4-0" are two pieces showcasing trumpeter Wayne Bergeron among the four charts taken from "Out of Time (Playing Records, 1998). The balance of the album contains selected pieces from Freedom Vessel (Playing Records 2000), Compared To What? (Playing Records, 2004), and his highly acclaimed Cover Up (Playing Records, 2008). For those not familiar with George Kahn's music, Secrets From The Ghetto is the perfect vehicle to get acquainted with one of the finest pianist and composers in the jazz world today. Delivering a variety of styles recorded with some of the best jazz musicians in the world, this album provides a good bang for the buck with a number of outstanding musical scores included. That's the real secret here. ~ Edward Blanco http://www.allaboutjazz.com/secrets-from-the-jazz-ghetto-george-kahn-playing-records-review-by-edward-blanco.php#.U7gOzbF8eM0

Personnel: George Kahn: piano; Karl Vincent: bass (CD1#1-3, 10-12, CD2#5-7, 12, 13); Richard Reed: bass (CD1#5-7, CD2#2); Brian Bromberg: bass (CD1#12, 13, CD2#1, CD2#9-11); Dave Carpenter: bass ( CD1#8, CD2#3, 4); Pat Kelley: guitar (CD1#1, CD2#10); Jerry Kalaf: drums (CD1#1); M.B. Gordy: drums, percussion (CD1#2, 3, 8-11, CD2#3-7, 12, 13); Billy Higgins: drums (CD1#5-7, CD2#2); Joe LaBarbera: drums (CD2#3, 4); Alex Acuna: drums (CD1#12, 13, CD2#8-11); Andy Suzuki: saxophone (CD1#2-4, CD2#12, 13); Eric Marienthal: saxophone (CD1#5, 7, 8, CD2#1-7); Justo Almario: saxophone (CD1#11, 12, CD2#8); Wayne Bergeron: trumpet (CD1#10, 12, 13, CD2#3-7); John Fumo: trumpet ( CD2#8-11); Luba Mason: vocals (CD1#1); Tierney Sutton: vocals (CD1#10, 11); Kevin Ricard: percussion (CD2#7).

Secrets From The Jazz Ghetto Disc 1, Disc 2

---

The Western Swing Authority - Big Deal

Styles: Jazz, Swing
Year: 2020
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 33:30
Size: 79,3 MB
Art: Front

(2:26) 1. Mississippi (feat. Jane Monheit)
(3:32) 2. Dance With Who Brung Ya (feat. Ray Benson)
(2:59) 3. Extraordinary (feat. Jason McCoy)
(2:49) 4. In the Middle of the Song (feat. Carolyn Martin)
(3:47) 5. Big Ball's in Cowtown
(3:44) 6. Big Deal (feat. Bruce Bouton & Buddy Spicher)
(4:06) 7. After the Leavin'
(3:14) 8. Swingin' from the Rafters
(2:45) 9. My Window Faces the South (feat. Jason Blaine)
(4:02) 10. This Old Bar

The Western Swing Authority is Canada's most recognized and awarded authentic Western Swing group. Made up of a collection of some of the country's finest touring and studio musicians, they came together to play the timeless style of music they love. Seamlessly combining stellar musicianship and vocals with traditional country and jazz standards and their own “new vintage” originals, they have created a sound that is truly their own.

WSA have been recognized with awards and nominations in both Canada and the United States and are reintroducing the Western Swing sound to an entire new generation of music lovers with every performance.

Recently, they caught the attention of a few of the music industry's most legendary icons, receiving an invitation to play a private party in Nashville in March of 2018 for none other than Garth Brooks and his manager Bob Doyle. In October 2019 the WSA released their 4th studio album, “BIG DEAL”, that includes guest appearances by 9x Grammy winner Ray Benson of Asleep at the Wheel, Grammy nominated Jazz sensation Jane Monheit, Canadian Country Stars George Canyon and Jason McCoy, along with many more amazing artists who have added their support and talent. https://grandmusiclive.com/wsa/

The Western Swing Authority is led by husband-and-wife duo Shane Guse (fiddle, vocals) and Stacey Lee Guse (vocals). The others are Ed "Pee Wee Charles" Ringwald (steel guitar), Dan Howlett (fiddle, vocals), Paul "Chappy" Chapman (guitar and vocals), Matthew Lima (standup bass) and Jimmy Boudreau (drums). https://www.therecord.com/entertainment/2018/12/20/western-swing-authority-s-big-deal.html

Big Deal

---

Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers - Jazz Messengers '70

Styles: Jazz, Hard Bop
Year: 1970
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 49:19
Size: 113,1 MB
Art: Front

( 5:49) 1. Moanin'
( 4:57) 2. Blues March
( 6:34) 3. Whisper Not
(10:14) 4. It's Only A Paper Moon
( 6:51) 5. What The World Needs Now Is Peace And Love
( 5:25) 6. Politely
( 9:26) 7. A Night In Tunisia

One of only two albums recorded by Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers during 1967-71, this LP is quite unusual, for not only does it feature veteran trumpeter Bill Hardman, but the avant-garde tenor of Carlos Garnett and pianist Joanne Brackeen (the first female member of The Jazz Messengers). Mostly performing durable standards such as "Moanin'," "Whisper Not" and "A Night in Tunisia," the quintet casts new light on these tunes, making them sound fresh and flexible. This unusual set is recommended to longtime followers of Art Blakey; it deserves to be reissued on CD.

Personnel: Bass – Jan Arnet; Drums – Art Blakey; Piano – Joanne Brackeen; Tenor Saxophone – Carlos Garnett; Trumpet – Bill Hardman

Jazz Messengers'70

---

Miho Sasaki Trio - From My Heart

Styles: Piano Jazz
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 59:46
Size: 137,4 MB
Art: Front

(6:17) 1. There Will Never Be Another You
(6:27) 2. How Deep Is the Ocean?
(7:09) 3. Room 81
(7:44) 4. Under the Water
(5:33) 5. I Wish I Were with You
(9:57) 6. But It's Alright
(5:53) 7. Lush Life
(5:48) 8. Struttin' with Some Barbecue
(4:53) 9. From My Heart

Japanese-born pianist Miho Sasaki put down some productive roots in the United States, studying piano with Donald Vega at SUNY Purchase College, where she earned a James Moody Scholarship. The challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic sent her back home to Tokyo, where she live streams her music and teaches online. But the challenges of Covid did not prevent her from recording and releasing her debut CD, From My Heart.

The first impression coming from the album's first spin is that even though Japan is a long way, geographically and culturally, from the birthplace of jazz Sasaki's music sounds American, as if the DNA of the Great American Songbook, jazz standards and the blues are embedded deep down in her bones. She and her trio open with the familiar "There Will Never Be Another You," starting out in a somewhat hushed and languid manner, laying down a loose groove while searching for a tighter one, certain it will coalesce. It does, after an initial improvisation on the theme which shifts gears in an eye blink, incited by a sharp snare drum hit, with bassist Yoshimisa Otsuka and drummer Yoshifumi Nihonmatsu gelling into a more assertive forward momentum which enlivens Sasaki and the entire trio dynamic.

Irving Berlin's "How Deep Is The Ocean" rolls the same way, a relaxed opening which moves into a relentless up-tempo romp, followed by the first of five Sasaki originals, starting with "Room 81," a buoyant sound that brings Ahmad Jamal to mind, in Sasaki's playing and composing. Asked about her influences, Sasaki said, "I basically like bebop pianists like Wynton Kelly, Barry Harris, Tommy Flanagan and Red Garland." The Garland mention seems especially appropriate as"Room 81" even includes to go along with Sasaki's Garland-esque light touch and keyboard sparkle a particularly deft arco bass solo by Otsuka, reminiscent of Paul Chambers approach, in his work in the Red Garland Trio.

Billy Strayhorn's "Lush Life" get a beautifully reverent treatment, with Sasaki sounding especially pensive, leading into "Struttin' With Some Barbecue," which was recorded by Louis Armstrong in 1927, and sounding here, in 2021, like a rollicking good time down on Bourbon Street. Sasaki closes with her original, the disc's title tune, music fittingly titled to describe the pianist's purity of purpose and focused artistic vision on a fine debut. Sasaki closes with her original, the disc's title tune, music fittingly titled to describe the pianist's purity of purpose and focused artistic vision on a fine debut.~ Dan McClenaghan https://www.allaboutjazz.com/from-my-heart-miho-sasaki-self-produced

Miho Sasaki is a jazz pianist originally from Japan. Born in Tokyo, she began to play piano at the age of 5 and continued studying music through high school. After her exposure to jazz and enrolling in a jazz program for two years, she began her musical career. She has performed in many venues and has taught in Tokyo. In 2016, she received a scholarship from the Rotary Foundation to study abroad, which led her to the jazz program of SUNY Purchase. Approaching her third year in the program, she was selected as the prestigious James Moody Scholarship recipient. She has performed at many jazz venues in New York City, such as Tomi Jazz, Cleopatra's Needle, and Knickerbocker Bar and Grill. In 2018, she led her trio on a tour in Japan. And she also attended a historical jazz competition in Tokyo, called the “38th Asakusa Jazz Contest,” and her trio won third place. In 2021, she released her album “From My Heart”. https://musicians.allaboutjazz.com/mihosasaki

Personnel: Miho Sasaki: piano; Yoshimasa Otsuka: drums; Yoshifumi Nihonmatsu: bass, acoustic.

From My Heart

---

Jeff Denson & Joshua White - I'll Fly Away

Styles: Hymns and Spirituals
Year: 2014
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 50:11
Size: 115,8 MB
Art: Front

(4:34) 1. I'll Fly Away (Version One)
(5:19) 2. Lord, I Want to be a Christian
(5:22) 3. Down at the Cross
(5:47) 4. Amazing Grace
(3:52) 5. I'll Fly Away (Version Two)
(6:10) 6. What a Friend We Have in Jesus
(4:11) 7. When the Saints Go Marching In
(3:57) 8. Just As I Am
(3:09) 9. Crying in the Chapel
(5:03) 10. In the Garden
(2:41) 11. I'll Fly Away (Version Three)

Jeff Denson has been alto saxophone legend Lee Konitz's bassist of choice for the past several years, and it's easy to see why on this superlative duet album of gospel music with the explosive pianist Joshua White, who, at age 28 appears ready to take the world by storm. White has almost twenty years of experience playing gospel music obvious by the great liberties he uses to transform this music while retaining a visceral authenticity. There are three radically different versions of the title track here, but the opening take on I'll Fly Away, is a stunner. Over the dark and wood-grain pulse of Denson, White expounds like a player-piano infused with the holy spirit, as well as a liberal dash of Cecil Taylor to keep it real.

Indeed, much of what makes this disc so satisfying is the open embrace of dissonant textures and audacious harmonic choices which add depth to a program imbued with joyous consonance. Denson's pizzicato intro to "Down at the Cross," is deep, dark and soulful and White's sparkling lyricism compares very favorably to similar work by Keith Jarrett. The bassist begins his solo tour-de-force on "Amazing Grace," with throaty bowed harmonics that cut into the ether and it only gets deeper from there.

The tender exchange on "What a Friend We Have in Jesus," might have lapsed into the maudlin, but the pensive dialog sails clear with White's melodic cascades and Denson's resonant, Charlie Haden like tone. "When the Saints Go Marching In," emerges drastically retooled, and the two improvisers exploit the altered form as a vehicle to dart in and around oncoming traffic with spontaneous ideas. White's unbridled virtuosity is loosed on "Just As I Am," as waves of impressions pile atop each other in dense, violent layers.

Beautifully recorded by Adam Munoz at the iconic Fantasy Studios, in Berkeley, California, this recording captures Denson's huge sound in great detail, especially in the solo bass reading of "Crying in the Chapel," where it moans like a wounded leviathan. The delicate waltz of the penultimate tune, "In the Garden," begins with almost classical gestures, but by the time the body of the tune emerges—a more modern exchange of singing voices dominates. One of the finest bass and piano discs to surface in a long time, I'll Fly Away, is worth seeking out.~ Robert Bush https://www.allaboutjazz.com/ill-fly-away-jeff-densen-and-joshua-white-pfmentum-review-by-robert-bush.php

Personnel: Jeff Denson: double-bass; Joshua White: piano

I'll Fly Away

---

The Bordertown Bootleggers - Western Swing Allstars

Styles: Wester Swing
Year: 2010
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 41:19
Size: 95,8 MB
Art: Front

(4:23) 1. Minor Imposition
(4:18) 2. Lonesome
(4:26) 3. Limehouse Blues
(2:24) 4. Fidoodlin
(4:40) 5. String Theory
(4:45) 6. Skylark
(3:55) 7. Two Of A Kind
(3:53) 8. Almost To Tulsa
(4:01) 9. Turnin' The Corn
(4:30) 10. Little Rock Getaway

In the style of Speedy West, Spade Cooley, and the Texas Troubadours The Bordertown Bootleggers join the ranks of bands like The Time Jumpers and Asleep At The Wheel to keep the Texas Western Swing tradition. alive.The Bordertown Bootleggers are a lounge and dance band from an age gone by. A hard swinging band that remains true to the roots of Western Swing , Classic Country and Jazz featuring classics by Bob Wills, Les Paul and Mary Ford, Ernest Tubb, Hank Williams, Spade Cooley, Speedy West, The Texas Troubadours as well as a few original finger twisters.

The Bordertown Bootleggers are quickly becoming "thee" band to see and hear in Austin for Western Swing music and dance fans. The band features jazz guitarist Jake Langley, as well as Asleep at the Wheel alumni and Grammy award winners, Cyndi Cashdollar on lap steel and dobro, Danny Levin on fiddle and Floyd Domino on piano. Rounding off a killer rhythm section is Rob Kazanel on drums and Kevin Smith on upright bass (Wille Nelson, Heybale, Dwight Yokam). Our vocalist Naomi Emmerson sings all the hits of yesteryear and has been known to cut a rug with the audience when she can.

Western Swing Allstars

---