Ruby Braff Trio - Me, Myself And I

Styles: Cornet Jazz
Year: 1988
File: MP3@224K/s
Time: 51:28
Size: 83,1 MB
Art: Front

(4:39) 1. Muskrat Ramble
(3:34) 2. Let Me Sing And I'm Happy
(4:10) 3. You've Changed
(4:10) 4. You're A Lucky Guy
(5:01) 5. Honey
(2:43) 6. No One Else But You
(3:21) 7. Me, Myself And I
(4:52) 8. Dream Dancing
(3:20) 9. When You're Smiling
(4:12) 10. When I Fall In Love
(4:32) 11. Swan Lake
(3:16) 12. That's My Home
(3:34) 13. Jubilee

Although often overlooked in popularity polls, cornetist Ruby Braff during the 1980s and '90s recorded many classics and near-classics. For this trio set with guitarist Howard Alden and bassist Jack Lesberg, Braff's repertoire ranges from the dixieland tunes "Muskrat Ramble" and "When You're Smiling" to superior popular numbers such as "You've Changed," "When I Fall in Love" and "You're a Lucky Guy." As usual he brings an individual sound, swing, melodic creativity and passion to each of his improvisations.~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/me-myself-i-mw0000204639

Personnel: Cornet – Ruby Braff; Bass – Jack Lesberg; Guitar – Howard Alden

Me, Myself And I

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Ralph Sutton - I Let A Song Go Out Of My Heart

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2015
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 49:12
Size: 113,4 MB
Art: Front

(8:02)  1. If I Could Be with You, Jitterbug Waltz, Say Yes, Slightly Less Than Wonderful
(3:07)  2. Morning Air
(7:48)  3. St. Louis Blues
(2:17)  4. I've Got The World On A String
(4:17)  5. Shine
(2:55)  6. Honky Tonk Train Blues
(4:30)  7. Old Fashioned Love
(2:46)  8. Handful Of Keys
(2:16)  9. Ain't Nobody's Business If I Do
(4:46) 10. I'm Gonna Sit Right Down And Write Myself A Letter
(6:23) 11. I Got Rhythm

Ralph Sutton was the greatest stride pianist to emerge since World War II, with his only close competitors being the late Dick Wellstood and the very versatile Dick Hyman. Nearly alone in his generation, Sutton kept alive the piano styles of Fats Waller and James P. Johnson, not as mere museum pieces but as devices for exciting improvisations. Although sticking within the boundaries of his predecessors, Sutton infused the music with his own personality; few could match his powerful left hand. Ralph Sutton played with Jack Teagarden's big band briefly in 1942 before serving in the Army. 

After World War II he appeared regularly on Rudi Blesh's This Is Jazz radio show and spent eight years as the intermission pianist at Eddie Condon's club, recording frequently. He spent time playing in San Francisco, worked for Bob Scobey, moved to Aspen in the mid-'60s, and became an original member of the World's Greatest Jazz Band with Yank Lawson, Bob Haggart, and Bud Freeman. In the 1970s, he recorded many exciting albums for the Chaz label and then cut albums for quite a few labels. Despite suffering a stroke in the early '90s, Sutton kept a busy schedule through the mid-'90s, playing at jazz parties and festivals. He died suddenly on December 29, 2001, in his car outside a restaurant in Evergreen, CO. Although he would have received much greater fame if he had been born 20 years earlier and come to maturity during the 1930s rather than the 1950s, at the time of his death it was obvious that Ralph Sutton had earned his place among the top classic jazz pianists of all time. ~ Scott Yanow  https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/ralph-sutton/id1579569#fullText

I Let A Song Go Out Of My Heart

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Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra - Groove Shop

Styles: Jazz, Big Band
Year: 1990
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 52:07
Size: 119,9 MB
Art: Front

(3:20)  1. Georgia
(5:35)  2. Rain Check
(3:31) 3. 'Tain't What You Do (It's the Way That You Do It)
(5:27)  4. Brush This
(3:30)  5. How Great Thou Art
(5:48)  6. Groove Shop
(6:06)  7. Sashay
(5:34)  8. Melt Away/A Time for Love: Melt Away / A Time For Love
(3:22)  9. I Won't Dance
(9:52) 10. Night Train

This Capri CD was the debut of the Clayton-Hamilton Orchestra, a notable L.A.-based big band co-led by bassist John Clayton, altoist Jeff Clayton, and drummer Jeff Hamilton. The 18-piece group has many top soloists, most notably the three co-leaders; tenor saxophonist Rickey Woodard; trumpeters Snooky Young, Clay Jenkins, and Oscar Brashear; and trombonist George Bohanon. However, it is the arrangements of John Clayton that give the orchestra its own sound. Highlights include "Raincheck," Young's vocal and trumpet feature on "T'Aint What You Do," Hamilton's showcase on "Brush This," Oscar Brashear's "Sashay" (which has a Clayton chart that recalls Thad Jones), and "Night Train." Highly recommended. ~ Scott Yanow  http://www.allmusic.com/album/groove-shop-mw0000273728

Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra: Jeff Clayton (soprano & alto saxophones, flute, oboe); John Clayton (acoustic bass); Jeff Hamilton (drums); Bill Green (alto saxophone, clarinet, flute); Ricky Woodard, Bob Hardaway (tenor saxophone, clarinet); Lee Callet (baritone saxophone, bass clarinet); Bobby Bryant, Snooky Young, Oscar Brashear, Clay Jenkins (trumpet, flugelhorn); George Bohanon, Ira Nepus, Thurman Green (trombone); Maurice Spears (bass trombone); Mike Lang (piano); Doug MacDonald (guitar); Herb Mickman (acoustic bass).

Groove Shop

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Alan Broadbent - Broadbent plays Brubeck

Styles: Piano Jazz
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 62:47
Size: 144,6 MB
Art: Front

(6:00) 1. The Duke
(4:58) 2. One Moment Worth Years
(5:09) 3. Bossa Nova USA
(5:56) 4. Summer Song (feat. London Metropolitan Strings)
(4:55) 5. Blue Rondo A La Turk (feat. London Metropolitan Strings)
(7:20) 6. Strange Meadowlark (feat. London Metropolitan Strings)
(7:48) 7. In Your Own Sweet Way (feat. London Metropolitan Strings)
(4:58) 8. Weep No More (feat. London Metropolitan Strings)
(5:40) 9. When I Was Young (feat. London Metropolitan Strings)
(5:39) 10. Theme for June
(4:21) 11. Home at Last

In 1961 when Alan was 14 he found Howard Brubeck’s transcriptions, in two volumes, of Dave Brubeck’s solo album “Brubeck plays Brubeck” in a music store in Auckland, New Zealand. By this time he was aware of Dave Brubeck as “Take 5” was the rage on the radio, even in the then remote corner of the world where Alan lived. He had no idea how the music was supposed to be played, having no reference to Dave’s LP, which was impossible to find anyway. So being a good sight reader, Alan began to play the pieces as written, without any knowledge of, or feeling for, jazz rhythm. From the first pages, beginning with “The Duke”, to the last, “Swing Bells”, Alan was enthralled with the harmony and melodies. He had never heard such rich and beautiful chord progressions before. So he played his heart out, lingering over passages, savoring a chord here, dwelling on a bar there, finding meaning and expression in the music that Dave probably didn’t know was there. In fact, many years later, before the youtube encyclopedia of music, Broadbent finally got his hands on an old, well-worn, LP and was surprised, shocked really, at how Dave would nonchalantly rush through a bar that he had had a religious experience with.

Then Alan found the music to “Strange Meadowlark” and others that he has included in “Broadbent plays Brubeck”, as well as one by Dave’s brother, Howard; a tribute to him and his hard work (without the aid of digital devices!) that enabled that young fellow down under to revel in the music. Alan Broadbent has sought, in his arrangements, to recreate those feelings about these pieces that have never left him in all these years and to offer another dimension to them through the expressiveness of the peerless musicians of The London Metropolitan String Orchestra. Again “Broadbent plays Brubeck” is a dream come true album for 2-time Grammy Award winner Alan Broadbent, much like Alan’s earlier Album „Developing Story“. Long time partner and close friend Ralf Kemper, a Grammy winning producer, invited Alan again to record „Broadbent plays Brubeck“ at Abbey Road Studios in London. Alan accepted and the recording took place in 2018 at the famous Abbey Road Studio 2. Alan recorded the piano part a little later at Ralf’s Riverside Studios Cologne in Germany.

Alan has received 14 Grammy Award nominations and won 2 Grammy Awards for “Best Orchestral Arrangement Accompanying a Vocal", one for Natalie Cole and one for Shirley Horn. He was nominated for "Best Improvised Jazz Solo" alongside Keith Jarrett, Herbie Hancock and Wayne Shorter. Alan has arranged and conducted for Sir Paul McCartney, Diana Krall, Pat Metheny, Linda Ronstadt, Michael Bublé and many more.

The London Metropolitan Orchestra is one of the best symphonic orchestras in London and is regularly booked by major Hollywood studios and record companies, including live performances with artists such as Paul McCartney, U2, Eric Clapton, Annie Lennox, Sting, Bryan Adams, Quincy Jones, Pink Floyd, Jon Bon Jovi, Vangelis, Simply Red, Pet Shop Boys etc. Ralf Kemper shares mixing and mastering credits with Jonathan Allen. In 2013 Jonathan won the BAFTA Sound Award for the recording and mixing of the movie "Les Misérables". He recently also recorded for Gregory Porter and Eliane Elias. The producer, Ralf Kemper, is himself a Grammy Award winner in 2010 for Best Instrumental Record and Best Producer Of The Year at the Latin Grammys for Arturo Sandoval’s “A Time For Love". His film “Jimmy Scott: I Go Back Home“ premiered at the prestigious SXSW festival, was introduced by Quincy Jones at the 50th Montreux Jazz Festival and has won several awards at international film festivals. All songs composed by Dave Brubeck except „Theme for June“, composed by Howard Brubeck https://riverside-studios-cologne.com/news/detail/broadbent-plays-brubeck

Alan Broadbent – arranger, conductor & piano; Harvie S – bass; Hans Dekker – drums; David Juritz – Concertmaster and Solo Violin on "Strange Meadowlark"; London Metropolitan Strings

Broadbent plays Brubeck

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Ida Landsberg - Jazz Sessions

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2018
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 39:54
Size: 92,6 MB
Art: Front

(4:57)  1. Blue Moon
(3:26)  2. They Can't Take That Away from Me
(3:34)  3. Angel Eyes
(4:20)  4. Fly Me to the Moon
(3:40)  5. From This Moment On
(4:09)  6. Close to You
(3:42)  7. How High the Moon
(3:43)  8. Cry Me a River
(3:54)  9. Don't Take Your Love from Me
(4:25) 10. Night and Day

Music is in my life since I can think.In my case music always had been present but for a long time it wasn’t at the centre of my thinking and activities yet. It was more an accompaniment of every of my daily actions, an accessory, an atmosphere, a song to sing or an open ear for sounds and noises. I always had a very sensible ear that hated rumors and couldn’t tolerate notes that weren’t perfectly clean. Who loved high and clear voices and memorized melodies quickly. I didn’t grow up in an artist environment even though my grand-grandmother, from which I had my name Ida, was a sculpturist and lived surrounded by famous 19th Century painters in Kleinmachnow just outside Berlin. One of her friends were Max Liebermann. I know her only from my father’s tellings.

I passed my childhood and adolescence by studying languages, literature and science, but music was my everyday companion, my friend, my breathe. That doesn’t mean that I wouldn’t have been in constant contact with music making. In my earliest childhood, I sang on my grandmother’s balcony and the neighbors listened to me. At the age of 6 I started to play piano, to sing in a church choir and to be part of a children dance theatre.  Also my family enjoyed music. My grandmother played piano, my father accordeon and my mother guitar. They wanted to give us a good musical education. My mother was the one who raise my love for classical music as she took me to the opera house since I was a child. I knew all the arias of Mozart’s “Magical Flute” by heart and sang them the whole day long. She was also the one who forced me to practice piano everyday when I was about to quit at the age of 13. I couldn’t be any more thankful that she insisted.

I was very active at school performances. After a long and intense 70s musical rebel period in my adolescence at the sound of the The Doors, Janis Joplin and the Beach Boys, I discovered jazz music which would have been my strongest passion. Charlie Parker and Dave Brubeck had become my new heroes, Nina Simone and Ella Fitzgerald my idols.  Soon the desire of letting music be a central part of my life became concrete. I was admitted to the Berlin University of Fine Arts and studied music pedagogy there until I left Germany for a student exchange program. My time at the UdK was one of the greatest I can remember. I had a female a cappella trio, sang in different choirs and we made plenty of University productions. It was a busy and fun period. http://www.idalandsberg.net/about-me/

Jazz Sessions

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Geri Allen, Dave Holland, Jack DeJohnette - The Life Of A Song

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2004
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 65:29
Size: 150,6 MB
Art: Front

(5:55)  1. LWB's House (The Remix)
(8:08)  2. Mounts & Mountains
(8:15)  3. Lush Life
(6:13)  4. In Appreciation - A Celebration Song
(7:12)  5. The Experimental Movement
(4:40)  6. Holdin' Court
(4:05)  7. Dance Of The Infidels
(5:19)  8. Unconditional Love
(5:24)  9. The Life Of A Song
(4:33) 10. Black Bottom
(5:40) 11. Soul Eyes

Life of a Song is Geri Allen's first recording under her own name in six long years. She teams with the rhythm section of bassist Dave Holland and drummer Jack DeJohnette, whom she worked with on the late Betty Carter's stellar live date Feed the Fire in 1993. Allen composed eight of the album's 11 cuts, and the covers include Bud Powell's "Dance of the Infidels," Billy Strayhorn's "Lush Life," and Mal Waldron's "Soul Eyes." This last selection is augmented by the participation of Marcus Belgrave on flugelhorn, saxophonist Dwight Andrews, and trombonist Clifton Anderson. The album's title reflects the depth of commitment to the song forms inherent in jazz. Allen is in fine form here, and one can hear her various instrumental and vocal influences. The album swings, but looks underneath swing for its subtleties and its edges, too. The set opens with a playful, pianistic dissonance on "LWB's House (The Remix)" and lest punters be alarmed, the tune is not "remixed" at all, but is actually an earlier composition reworked. The bluesy funk here is augmented with Afro-Cuban rhythms and a series of tonal shifts where Allen is trying to emulate the African stringed instrument, the kora. Swing is inherent in every chorus, and Holland and DeJohnette keep the pace relaxed yet deeply focused. The interplay between Holland and Allen on "Mounts and Mountains" particularly during the bassist's solo passage are remarkable as she responds with a contrapuntal solo that draws on both Herbie Hancock and Ahmad Jamal. Elsewhere, on the Powell tune her facility to usher it in a relaxed, easy way, and then dazzle with her two-handed counterpoint in the solo showcase Allen's quick wit and dazzling chromatic command. The title cut, with its obvious Hancock homage in the head and swinging head, is one of the album's many high points. This is a trio date that has all the elements: an indefatigable lyricism and honesty of emotion, as well as beautiful colors and deft, even uncanny engagements among the three principals. What a welcome return for Allen, who expertly displays she's been refining her chops and listening deeply to her Muse these past six years. ~ Thom Jurek http://www.allmusic.com/album/the-life-of-a-song-mw0000151431

Personnel:  Geri Allen – piano;  Dave Holland – bass;  Jack DeJohnette – drums;  Marcus Belgrave – flugelhorn;  Dwight Andrews – saxophone;  Clifton Anderson – trombone.

R.I.P.
Born:  June 12, 1957 
Died:  June 27, 2017

The Life Of A Song

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Nina Simone - Here Comes The Sun

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 66:27
Size: 152.1 MB
Styles: Jazz vocals
Year: 1971/2015
Art: Front

[3:32] 1. Here Comes The Sun
[4:48] 2. Just Like A Woman
[3:14] 3. O-O-H Child
[4:58] 4. Mr. Bojangles
[4:41] 5. New World Coming
[3:29] 6. Angel Of The Morning
[6:16] 7. How Long Must I Wander
[5:07] 8. My Way
[3:25] 9. Tanywey
[1:39] 10. My Father Dialog
[8:10] 11. Jelly Roll
[3:49] 12. Tell It Like It Is
[8:41] 13. 22nd Century
[4:31] 14. What Have They Done To My Song Ma

Just past the point where a great artist reaches too far for new material, 1971's Here Comes the Sun presented Nina Simone in a contemporary setting with eight covers of recent rock hits. Though the title track isn't very embarrassing -- her voice betrays a few technical faults -- there are few successes with the rest of the material. Simone's versions of "O-o-h Child," "Mr. Bojangles," "Just Like a Woman," and "My Way" are historical curiosities and sound terribly dated (the furious bongos and sweeping strings on the last is a dénouement). Much of the problem lies with the arrangements, though several times these passable rock songs get the best from Simone's interpretive skills. ~John Bush

Here Comes The Sun

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Geri Allen - Timeless Portrait And Dreams

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2006
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 58:27
Size: 134,3 MB
Art: Front

(1:52)  1. Oh Freedom
(7:07)  2. Melchezedik
(2:27)  3. Portraits And Dreams
(5:22)  4. Well Done
(4:21)  5. La Strada
(2:23)  6. I Have A Dream
(4:27)  7. Nearly
(5:40)  8. In Real Time
(2:48)  9. Embraceable You
(4:51) 10. Al-Leu-Cha
(4:21) 11. Just For A Thrill
(5:59) 12. Our Lady (for Billie Holiday)
(5:05) 13. Timeless Portrait And Dreams
(1:38) 14. Portrait And Dreams, reprise

There's a certain purity, perhaps innocence, about jazz that's played without the bells and whistles of modern technology and untainted by commercial trappings. When that purity is combined with superb songwriting, you have the makings of a recording that will never sound old. So it is with Timeless Portraits and Dreams.  A native of Detroit, Geri Allen began taking piano lessons at age eleven. She graduated from Howard University with a degree in jazz studies, and she later earned a master's degree in ethnomusicology from the University of Pittsburgh. Her professional career has included professorships in music at Howard and the University of Michigan; she has earned several awards. As a recording artist, she has collaborated with Mino Cinelu, Mary Wilson and the Supremes, Tony Williams, Ron Carter and Betty Carter, among others. On Timeless Portraits and Dreams, Allen delivers nearly an hour's worth of musical elegance. The stage is set on the opening tracks, "Oh Freedom and "Melchezedik, two originals that feature Allen on solo piano and then joined by her rhythm section of bassist Ron Carter and drummer Jimmy Cobb. On the latter piece, Carter stretches out. Allen is backed by the Atlanta Jazz Chorus on "Well Done, which features guest vocalist Carmen Lundy. Donald Walden introduces "I Have a Dream with a soft tenor sax solo. George Shirley, the first African-American tenor to sing at the Metropolitan Opera, sings lead on this tribute to the famous speech of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., accompanied by the Atlanta Jazz Chorus. 

Trumpeter Wallace Roney takes the lead on "In Real Time, an upbeat original penned by Allen and Roney. Allen's solo in the middle is one of the finer points of the album, aided by Carter's bass. Though he plays in the background for much of the album, Cobb steps up with a drum solo on the cover of Charlie Parker's "Ah-Leu-Cha. Throughout Timeless Portraits and Dreams, Allen's piano and Carter's bass keep the listener engaged. Cobb's drum work is subtle but effective. Lundy, Walden, Roney, Shirley and the Atlanta Jazz Chorus supplement the trio with great results. The collection includes a bonus CD single, "Lift Every Voice and Sing, which features Shirley and the Atlanta Jazz Chorus. Together, they form a gallery of emotions, thought-provoking messages and good jazz.~ Woodrow Wilkins https://www.allaboutjazz.com/timeless-portraits-and-dreams-geri-allen-telarc-records-review-by-woodrow-wilkins.php

Personnel: Geri Allen, piano; Ron Carter, bass; Jimmy Cobb, drums; Carmen Lundy, vocals; Wallace Roney, trumpet; George Shirley, vocals; Donald Walden, tenor saxophone; Atlanta Jazz Chorus, directed by Dwight Andrews.

Timeless Portrait And Dreams

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Donald Brown - Autumn in New York

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2000
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 65:06
Size: 151,3 MB
Art: Front

(6:48) 1. Make Sure You're sure
(7:47) 2. I Can't Give You Anything but Love
(5:14) 3. Strange
(5:41) 4. Miro's Flight
(6:32) 5. I Was Just Thinking About You
(6:20) 6. Dorothy's Love Letter
(8:18) 7. If I Should Loose You
(6:27) 8. Willow Weep for Me
(6:20) 9. Killer Joe
(5:39) 10. Autumn in New York

In spite of a lengthy discography of recordings as a leader, pianist Donald Brown remains a talent deserving of wider recognition. Whether it is due to his soft-spoken nature or the fact that his series of excellent recordings for the French label Space Time is not yet widely enough distributed in the U.S., Brown's abilities as a player, composer, and arranger are never in question. On this trio date with bassist Essiet Essiet and drummer Billy Kilson, the veteran catches listeners off guard with a laid-back opener, a dreamy take of Stevie Wonder's ballad "Make Sure You're Sure." His off-kilter approach to the old warhorse "I Can't Give You Anything but Love" and wailing treatment of "If I Should Lose You" add new life to these time-tested standards. Perhaps his most intriguing arrangement is the bluesy saunter through "Willow Weep for Me." The bright and somewhat funky "Dorothy's Love Letter" is among the three superb originals which Brown contributed to this very enjoyable CD.~Ken Dryden https://www.allmusic.com/album/autumn-in-new-york-mw0000235054

Personnel: Piano, Liner Notes – Donald Brown; Acoustic Bass – Essiet Essiet; Drums – Billy Kilson

Autumn in New York

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Gloria Lynne - Encore (Remastered)

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 25:16
Size: 57.9 MB
Styles: Jazz vocals
Year: 2010
Art: Front

[2:23] 1. They Didn't Believe Me
[1:58] 2. It Just Happened To Me
[2:45] 3. Bali Ha'i
[2:27] 4. Indian Love Call
[2:58] 5. Please Be Kind
[2:34] 6. One Step From Heaven
[2:37] 7. My Reverie
[2:41] 8. My Prayer For You
[2:17] 9. Intermezzo
[2:31] 10. Try A Little Tenderness

Truly one of America's greatest jazz vocalists, Gloria Lynne was the first jazz artist to have hits in the jazz, r&b, and pop categories simultaneously. She has influenced countless singers with her unique "Soul Jazz" style and continues to inspire new fans with her classic performances. This collection focuses on some of the best performances from her early years for the audiophile Everest label, from the late 1950's through the early 1960's. Featuring "Try A Little Tenderness," "Indian Love Call," "One Step From Heaven" and more. All selections newly remastered.

Encore (Remastered)

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John Surman - Proverbs And Songs

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1997
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 49:32
Size: 114,7 MB
Art: Front

(3:11)  1. Prelude
(4:55)  2. The Sons
(6:41)  3. The Kings
(7:39)  4. Wisdom
(4:50)  5. Job
(7:42)  6. No Twilight
(5:00)  7. Pride
(4:06)  8. The Proverbs
(5:24)  9. Abraham Arise!

Multi-reedist John Surman returns to his chorister roots and lays bare his compositional prowess with this oratorio commissioned by the Salisbury Festival and premiered in June of 1996. The Salisbury Festival Chorus, founded in 1987 by Howard Moody (of whose compositions the Hilliard Ensemble and Trio Mediaeval have been strong proponents) approaches its Old Testament sources as the composer sets them: that is, with panache, a flair for syncopation, and raw intensity. Add to this pianist John Taylor in an unexpected turn on cathedral organ, and you’ve got a recipe for one of Surman’s most intriguing catalogue entries to date. Despite the forces assembled, it is he who dominates the palette. The “Prelude” immediately places his cantorial baritone amid a wash of organ in a free-flowing Byzantine mode, thereby establishing a rich narrative quality from the start. Our first foray into choral territory comes in the form of “The Sons,” a robust piece that works men’s and women’s voices in an iron forger’s antiphony toward genealogical harmony. At first, the thicketed singing feels more like a shoreline along which reed and pipes crash in pockets of light and bas-relief. Yet as the “The Kings” soon proves, it is capable of the jaunty togetherness at which Surman excels. “Wisdom” has its finger most firmly on this pulse of greater fellowship, for there is a wisdom of Surman’s own in the brushwork of his soprano, which dances for all the world like the world. This being a live BBC Radio 3 recording that was later mixed down at Oslo’s Rainbow Studio, the quality is rather compressed. 

Then again, so is the music, the message of which is as dense as its King James texts. The album’s space is left to Taylor, its images to the voices, its method to Surman’s winds. There is a rusticity to the album’s sound that matches the unadulterated emotions of the music. We hear this especially in “Job,” which like its scripture upholds divine reason in the face of hardship. The chanting here is a form of punctuation, the snaking baritone lines its restless grammar. “No Twilight” continues to unravel the sopranic weave in what amounts to the heart of the album, both in spirit and in execution, and places the voices at the slightest remove to haunting effect. Surman’s streaks of sunlight here the voices of reason add depth of field to this vision, so that the whimsical shallows of “Pride” emphasize the frivolity and fragility of their eponym. The truth comes out in the ruminative organ solo that epilogues the piece. “The Proverbs,” with its ominous recitation, is the freest and builds eddies of judgment and self-reflection (note Surman’s brilliant evocation of the dissenter) until the rays of sacrifice blind with “Abraham Arise!” In light of the stellar body of choral work that ECM has produced, Surman’s forays into the same are not life-changing, if only because they are about unchanging life. True to the lessons at hand, it is more descriptive than it is aesthetic. Its juxtaposition of distinct sonic color schemes is pure Surman, and represents not a detour from but a dive into the kaleidoscope of his discography…and one well worth taking, at that. https://ecmreviews.com/2013/02/15/proverbs-and-songs/

Personnel: John Surman baritone and soprano saxophones, bass clarinet; John Taylor organ

Proverbs And Songs

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Cheryl Bentyne - Let's Misbehave: The Cole Porter Song Book

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2012
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 54:56
Size: 126,5 MB
Art: Front

(5:16)  1. Love For Sale
(4:08)  2. It's Alright With Me
(3:14)  3. My Heart Belongs To Daddy
(3:21)  4. I Love Paris
(3:03)  5. You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To
(4:14)  6. Night and Day
(2:17)  7. Just One of Those Things
(3:36)  8. What is this thing called Love
(3:34)  9. Begin the Beguine
(3:37) 10. All of You
(6:40) 11. I Concentrate on You
(3:53) 12. It's Delovely
(5:44) 13. Ev'ry Time We Say Goodbye
(2:12) 14. Let's Misbehave

Cheryl Bentyne has maintained an active solo career in addition to her work with the Manhattan Transfer. Let's Misbehave is a fresh look at the Cole Porter songbook, featuring a baker's dozen of his best-known compositions, and showcasing a terrific band including pianist/organist Corey Allen, guitarist Larry Koonse, saxophonist/clarinetist Doug Webb, and bassist Kevin Axt (a member of Tierney Sutton's band), among others. Bentyne's sassy take of "Love for Sale" is buoyed by the piano/organ backdrop and Webb's soulful tenor. She devours the playful, hip Cuban setting of "My Heart Belongs to Daddy," while her interpretation of "I Love Paris" is pure magic. Her vocal gifts can especially be appreciated in "Begin the Beguine," with drummer Dave Tull as her sole accompanist. 

The late James Moody is a special guest on tenor sax for the breezy setting of "What Is This Thing Called Love" and the haunting, deliberate "Ev'ry Time We Say Goodbye," the latter of which Bentyne sings the words as if she's lived them. Let's Misbehave is clearly one Cheryl Bentyne's best recordings. ~ Ken Dryden https://www.allmusic.com/album/lets-misbehave-the-cole-porter-songbook-mw0002392520

Personnel:  Vocals – Cheryl Bentyne; Acoustic Guitar – Octavio Bailly, Tom McCauley; Bass, Tuba – Kevin Axt; Drums – Dave Tull; Guitar [Guitar Solos] – Larry Koonse; Mandola – Tom McCauley; Piano, Keyboards, Banjo – Corey Allen; Saxophone, Clarinet – Doug Webb; Tenor Saxophone – James Moody; Trumpet – Chris Tedesco

Let's Misbehave: The Cole Porter Song Book

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Bob James - Once Upon A Time: The Lost 1965 New York Studio Sessions

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2020
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 51:01
Size: 117,4 MB
Art: Front

(5:45) 1. Serenata
(7:00) 2. Once Upon A Time
(7:36) 3. Lateef Minor 7th
(6:22) 4. Variations
(4:42) 5. Airegin
(5:09) 6. Indian Summer
(5:22) 7. Solar
(9:01) 8. Long Forgotten Blues

Most people have heard the music of Bob James. He wrote "Angela," the theme song for the popular television comedy Taxi. The show ran from 1978 to 1983, and reruns are ongoing. The Bob James became one of the fathers and most successful purveyors of the smooth/fusion jazz sound, in recordings under his own name, with the group Foreplay and in teamings with saxophonist David Sanborn. Once Upon A Time: The Lost 1965 New York Studio Sessions takes us to Bob James back in the beginning, in a way we perhaps haven't heard him, before he hit the groove which took him into a lucrative and still vibrant career. The first impression: the music sounds so un-Bob James-y no R & B funk moods, no lush and gorgeous backdrops, no high-polish production, no synthesizer sweetenings. Instead, the two sessions are two-thirds straight ahead piano trio jazz not too far from what pianist Bill Evans was doing at that time mixed with some unexpectedly far out avant-garde.

The first session, laid down in January '65, opens with Leroy Anderson's "Serenata," first recorded in 1949 by the Boston Pops Orchestra. James' take features the bright, light-stepping melody in front of the bounce and shuffle of bassist Larry Rockwell and drummer Robert Pozar. The disc's title tune, a James original, is painted with darker hues than those of the opener wistful and sad, with a shift into an anguished segment of angular piano searchings and arco bass that re-convenes into the engaging melody. Joe Zawinul's "Lateef Minor 7th" begins in a mainstream mode, but shifts into clamorous, low-key disarray, with vocalizations which sound as if they issued from unsettled minds, before the tune finds its way back home. "Variation," another James-penned tune, begins in a stately manner that evolves via the off-kilter instrumental machinations of drummer Posner and bassist Rockwell, along with some more indecipherable vocalizations into straightforward weirdness, with the piano trying mightily to retain a mainstream mood.

The second session, from October 9, 1965, is straight through, straight ahead: Sonny Rollins' "Airegin," the standard "Indian Summer," Miles Davis' "Solar," "Long Forgotten Afternoon," composing attributed to "Unknown," all nicely rendered, with pizzazz. The set, considered in its entirety, seems to say Bob James could have taken a number of different paths in his jazz journey: one on the sunny side of the street as a melodically bright, Ahmad Jamal-style piano trio guy, or taking a wild ride along a zig zagging road to a Stockhausen-esque avant-garde approach, instead of following his muse to wonderful success in the creation and the shaping the fusion/smooth jazz sound. And, it should be mentioned, the guy who recorded these two sessions was George Klabin, founder and co-president of Resonance Records, who was nineteen years old at the time, and continues to find great music from the past, from Eric Dolphy, Bill Evans, Wes Montgomery, Nat King Cole to Bob James and more. ~ Dan McClenaghan https://www.allaboutjazz.com/once-upon-a-time-the-lost-1965-new-york-studio-sessions-bob-james-resonance-records

Personnel: Bob James: piano; Larry Rockwell: bass; Robert Pozar: drums; Bill Wood: bass; Omar Clay: drums.

Once Upon A Time: The Lost 1965 New York Studio Sessions

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Billy May and His Orchestra - You May Swing (Remastered)

Styles: Jazz, Swing
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 33:16
Size: 77,5 MB
Art: Front

(2:43) 1. Bouncin' Runners
(2:47) 2. Second Chance
(3:02) 3. You May Swing
(2:32) 4. Novo Amor
(2:49) 5. You Ain't Makin' It
(2:07) 6. Jornal Do Brasil
(2:54) 7. Silvery Cloud
(2:56) 8. I Don't Know Where I'm Goin'
(3:02) 9. Sunset Colours
(2:43) 10. Santa Lucia
(2:41) 11. Fingers
(2:55) 12. Sooper Sloop

The last of the great arrangers who wrote regularly for Frank Sinatra, Billy May had several varied careers in and out of jazz. His first notable gig was as an arranger/trumpeter with Charlie Barnet (1938-1940), for whom he wrote the wah-wah-ing hit arrangement of Ray Noble's "Cherokee." Later, he worked in the same capacities for Glenn Miller (1940-1942) and Les Brown (1942) before settling into staff jobs, first at NBC studios, then at Capitol Records, where he led his own studio big band from 1951 to 1954. His arrangements for Sinatra, beginning with Come Fly With Me (1957) and ending with Trilogy (1979), are often in a walloping, brassy, even taunting swing mode, generating some of the singer's most swaggering vocals. May also did extensive scoring for television, film, and commercials. Although May was largely inactive in the '80s and '90s , he unexpectedly surfaced in 1996 with some typically bright big band charts for comic Stan Freberg's The United States of America, Vol. 2 (Rhino), 25 years after his contributions to Vol. 1. The veteran arranger died quietly at home on January 22, 2004 at the age of 87.~ Richard S.Ginell https://www.allmusic.com/artist/billy-may-mn0000769388/biography

You May Swing

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Charlie Watts - Warm & Tender

Styles: Jazz, Bop
Year: 1993
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 71:14
Size: 163,5 MB
Art: Front

(4:49) 1. My Ship
(3:48) 2. Bewitched
(4:46) 3. My Foolish Heart
(5:40) 4. Someone to Watch Over me
(3:42) 5. I'll Be Around
(4:07) 6. Love Walked In
(4:44) 7. It Never Entered My Mind
(4:38) 8. My One and Only Love
(4:26) 9. I'm Glad There is You
(4:05) 10. If I Should Lose You
(4:56) 11. Ill Wind
(4:10) 12. Time After Time
(4:04) 13. Where Are You
(4:25) 14. For All We Know
(4:19) 15. They Didn't Believe Me
(4:26) 16. You Go To My Head

Drummer Charlie Watts is the engine that’s kept the Stones rolling for more than half a century. As the band's most unassuming, workmanlike, and reliably dapper member, he has always projected an air of cool nonchalance that contrasts sharply with Mick Jagger’s peacocking swagger and Keith Richards’ outlaw mystique. But his wrist-cracking snare thwacks are what give early signature singles like 1965’s “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction” their agitated energy, while his hard-driving rhythm amplifies the apocalyptic menace of “Gimme Shelter.” And when you consider the Stones’ various stylistic experiments over the years the loose Latin-psych jamming of “Can’t You Hear Me Knocking,” the seedy disco of “Miss You,” the strobe-lit club grooves of “Undercover of the Night” it’s Watts’ steady hand anchoring every muse-chasing moment. Outside the Stones, Watts (born in London in 1941) has indulged a life-long love of blues and jazz that predates his career in rock. In 1991, he formed a quintet in tribute to another Charlie Parker and released a series of albums that reinvigorate bop standards, illustrating his foremost dedication: serving the music. "I don't know what show biz is,” he told the San Diego Union-Tribune that year. "There are people who just play instruments, and I'm pleased to know that I'm one of them.” https://music.apple.com/us/artist/charlie-watts/64374085

Personnel: Alto Saxophone – Peter King; Drums – Charlie Watts; Orchestra – Metropolitan Orchestra; Piano – Brian Lemon; Trumpet – Gerard Presencer; Vocals – Bernard Fowler

R.I.P.
Born: 2 June 1941

Died: 24 August 2021

Warm & Tender

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Richard Galliano - Sentimentale

Styles: Accordian Jazz
Year: 2014
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 66:06
Size: 153,0 MB
Art: Front

(4:38) 1. Armando's Rumba
(6:35) 2. Canto Invierno
(7:08) 3. In a Sentimental Mood
(4:43) 4. The Jody Grind
(5:05) 5. Ballade Pour Marion
(6:32) 6. The Island
(5:47) 7. Plus Fort Que Nous
(5:35) 8. Why Did I Choose You
(5:21) 9. Verbos Do Amor
(5:01) 10. Naima
(4:33) 11. Mantiqueira
(5:03) 12. Lili

Accordionist Richard Galliano is a true innovator of both the extemporized role of his instrument and of the fusion of French folk music with jazz. His breathtaking instrumental facility combined with a creative ingenuity makes his oeuvre, particularly the series of superb albums on Dreyfus Jazz, uniquely satisfying. In view of this, his release on the non-for-profit Resonance Label, Sentimentale is a bit of a letdown. A couple of Galliano compositions, and a few jazz, Bossa Nova and pop standards are among the dozen of tracks that constitute the album. Despite the diversity of their origins the superlative quintet's interpretation of these songs makes for a thematically cohesive recording. The musicians, however, both as individuals and as a group, play it safe and do not expand a great deal on the melodies and motifs inherent within each piece.

Saxophonist John Coltrane's "Naima" gets a breezy makeover with Galliano's eloquent solo merely adding some harmonic adornments to the classic. Guitarist Anthony Wilson brings a tad of intrigue with his Indian flavored strums as he takes his turn in the spotlight. Wilson and pianist Tamir Hendelman let loose an elegant cascade of notes on pianist Dave Grusin's effervescent but ultimately lightweight melancholic ballad. Galliano serenades the band with a sublime romanticism. His own impressionistic "Ballade Pour Marion" features his ardent yet subtle performance that conjures images of intimate cafes and a late night ambience. On Brazilian pianist Joao Donato's popular "Verbos Do Amor" Galliano successfully blends European sophistication with South American passion. Drummer Mauricio Zottarelli's energetic beats and bassist Carlitos del Puerto's vibrant thrums drive this sunny, sashaying tune.

The lyrical Galliano penned "Lili" is a hauntingly gorgeous duet between Wilson and Galliano and although short on spontaneity it closes the disc with a refined and poetic touch. Despite being disappointingly smooth and rather superficial in improvisational rigor Sentimentale is highly enjoyable and charming work. This is primarily due to the seamless camaraderie among the band members and their high caliber musicianship. ~Hrayr Attarian https://www.allaboutjazz.com/sentimentale-richard-galliano-resonance-records-review-by-hrayr-attarian.php

Personnel: Richard Galliano: accordion; Tamir Hendelman: piano; Anthony Wilson: guitar; Carlitos Del Puerto: bass; Mauricio Zottarelli: drums.

Sentimentale

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Conrad Herwig - The Latin Side of John Coltrane

Styles: Trombone Jazz
Year: 1996
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 70:04
Size: 161,0 MB
Art: Front

(1:17)  1. Blessing
(6:05)  2. A Love Supreme (Supremo Amor)
(6:52)  3. Blue Train
(9:38)  4. Afro-Blue
(4:41)  5. Naima
(7:59)  6. Satellite
(6:37)  7. Africa
(4:36)  8. After the Rain
(7:26)  9. Impressions
(7:44) 10. India
(5:43) 11. The Drum Thing
(1:20) 12. Blessing (Reprise)

A great idea beautifully executed by New York trombonist Conrad Herwig. The trombonist/arranger/musical director chooses Coltrane's most accessible material from a period that arguably spawned his best, most memorable work (1958-1964), devised simple, exploratory frameworks for each (recalling veteran Chico O'Farrill), then assembled an outstanding collection of musicians. In addition to Herwig's sinewy trombone, there's Brian Lynch on trumpet, Dave Valentin on flutes, Ronnie Cuber on baritone, Richie Beirach (who contributed to some of the arrangements), Danilo Perez and Eddie Palmeri on piano, Andy Gonzalez (from the Fort Apache Band) on bass and Milton Cardona on vocals and percussion. Selections are outstanding: "A Love Supreme," "Blue Train," (where Lynch trades fours with Herwig), "Afro Blue" (great flute solo by Valentine), "Naima" (beautifully featuring Beirach), "After The Rain," "Impressions" and "India." Throughout, Herwig solos flawlessly, with a sensitivity and fire that's reminiscent of the source of his tribute. Herwig's record, more than Joe Henderson's recent big-band event, sounds like a natural conclusion. The arrangements and performances work well together and the Latin environment seems a logical foundation for Coltrane's passions. One last note: Astor Place has done a beautiful job packaging The Latin Side of John Coltrane , sparing no expense for trendy art direction that recalls some of the very expensive covers Limelight Records put out in the mid 60s. Recommended. ~ Douglas Payne https://www.allaboutjazz.com/the-latin-side-of-john-coltrane-conrad-herwig-astor-place-review-by-douglas-payne.php

Personnel: Conrad Herwig - trombone, musical director;  Brian Lynch - trumpet;  Alex Sippiagin - trumpet;  Mike Ponella - trumpet;  Ray Vega - trumpet;  Dave Valentin - concert flute, alto flute, bass flute;   Ronnie Cuber - baritone saxophone;  Gary Smulyan - baritone saxophone;   Danilo Pérez - piano; Eddie Palmieri - piano;  Edward Simon - piano;  Richie Beirach - piano;   John Benitez - bass;   Andy González - bass;  Adam Cruz - drums;  Jose Clausell - timbales, percussion;  Richie Flores - congas;   Milton Cardona - vocals, bata, congas, percussion;  John Coltrane - tribute to, composer

The Latin Side of John Coltrane

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Melvin Sparks - I'm Funky Now

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 1976
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 34:31
Size: 80,0 MB
Art: Front

(4:34) 1. I'm Funky Now
(4:25) 2. Disco Booty
(5:02) 3. Make It Good
(3:33) 4. Love Tones
(7:09) 5. The Truth Hurts
(3:47) 6. You're Gonna Make It
(5:57) 7. I'm Gonna Funk You Up

Melvin Sparks (1946–2011) was a talented American Soul Jazz, Hard Bop, Blues and Funk guitarist. The Texas native picked up a guitar at age 11 and was only 13 when he sat in with B.B. King. As a high school student he first joined Hank Ballard and the Midnighters, and then the Upsetters (a touring band formed by Little Richard, which also backed Curtis Mayfield, Sam Cooke and Marvin Gaye). Sparks and his guitar were very much in demand during the 60ies-70ies and he was featured on sessions by Idris Muhammad, Lonnie Smith, Charles Earland, Ceasar Frazier, Bernard Purdie…and many others.

During his career Mr. Sparks recorded multiple albums for renowned labels such as Prestige, Muse & Savant and worked as a session musician for Blue Note Records. Melvin Sparks’ songs were sampled countless times by DJ’s and Hip-Hop outfits (including Grandmaster Flash) over the decades.In 1973 Sparks moved into funkier directions and joined the Westbound/Eastbound family where he recorded some of his all-time classics (‘Texas Twister’ & ‘75’). A third record with Westbound was planned for 1976 (called I’m Funky Now) but was never released (although a sequenced production master & and a limited number of acetates were produced) because of the major changes that took place in the music industry at that particular time…clubs were suddenly going for DJ’s instead of bands and the much loved (but less obvious) genre/scene that Melvin Sparks was part of suddenly fell out of grace.

For the I’m Funky Now album Melvin Sparks recorded seven new tracks in Detroit with some of the finest session musicians. Very little is known about the band that backed up Sparks on these recordings, but it’s thought that some of the musicians were from the Funkadelic and Parliament family. The producing credit on this album goes to Westbound/Eastbound veteran Bernie Mendelson, known for his work with Houston Person, Donald Austin and Albert Washington. Over the seven tracks, Melvin Sparks and his band flit seamlessly between soul-jazz, proto-boogie, disco and funk. There are some über-funky dancefloor tracks on this album which would have been destined to become DJ favorites. I’m Funky Now pays lip service to the then-current success of disco-music but doesn’t pander…what you get here is a heavily funky and orchestrated version of his trademark style, with some sweet JB styled basslines and beautiful mellow moments thrown in the mix. Tight rhythm sections, dueling horns, dreamy smooth jazz…Melvin Sparks truly unleashes a genre-melting musical masterclass here. A CD version was produced in 2017 and now after a 45-year wait, Tidal Waves Music is proud to be releasing it for the very FIRST TIME on vinyl.https://lightintheattic.net/releases/6973-i-m-funky-now

I'm Funky Now

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Supersax - Supersax Plays Bird

Styles: Jazz, Bop
Year: 1973
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 36:54
Size: 85,4 MB
Art: Front

(3:23) 1. Ko Ko
(3:20) 2. Just Friends
(3:31) 3. Parker's Mood
(4:11) 4. Moose The Mooche
(3:36) 5. Star Eyes
(3:43) 6. Be-Bop
(3:05) 7. Repetition
(4:23) 8. A Night In Tunisia
(2:55) 9. Oh, Lady Be Good!
(4:44) 10. Hot House

Supersax's debut recording is still their best. The unusual group, who plays Charlie Parker solos harmonized for a five-piece saxophone section but with no individual sax solos (at least not on record; live they always did stretch out), found their own niche. With Conte Candoli as the trumpet soloist and a rhythm section comprised of pianist Ronnell Bright, bassist Buddy Clark (who along with altoist Med Flory was the original co-leader), and drummer Jake Hanna, on this recording they brought back quite a few of Bird's classic solos, including "Just Friends," "Parker's Mood," "Lady Be Good," "Hot House," and most notably the rapid "Ko-Ko."

Personnel: Alto Saxophone – Joe Lopes , Med Flory; Baritone Saxophone – Jack Nimitz; Bass – Buddy Clark; Drums – Jake Hanna; Piano – Ronnell Bright; Saxophone – Jay Migliori, Warne Marsh; Trombone – Charley Loper, Ernie Tack, Mike Barone; Trumpet – Conti Candoli, Larry McGuire, Ralph Osborn, Ray Triscari

Supersax Plays Bird

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Danish Radio Big Band, The - Charlie Watts Meets The Danish Radio Big Band

Size: 119,9 MB
Time: 51:53
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2017
Styles: Jazz Rock
Art: Front

01. Elvin Suite Pt. 1 (9:16)
02. Elvin Suite Pt. 2 (5:53)
03. (Satis) Faction (6:10)
04. I Should Care (8:00)
05. You Can't Always Get What You Want (7:10)
06. Paint It Black (7:43)
07. Molasses (7:36)

A film director once said that you can't make a great film with a weak script. The same goes for bands of any kind be it jazz or rock or any kind. You can't have a great band without a great drummer. A band can get by with an average bassist or guitarist, but not with an average drummer. It's the heartbeat of any band. One of the things that has made the band Rolling Stones what they are is drummer Charlie Watts and his exceptional and unusual drumming skills. For more than 50 years, Watts has been the propulsive engine that has driven this juggernaut. Few other drummers were as integral to the development of rock and roll music by creating rollicking grooves that were executed with an unhurried elan. Watts is a player you can listen to for his sound alone as he balances the smooth and the jagged with great ease. Contemporary musicians don't come much more graceful in sound or execution than that.

Apart from his long stint as the drummer of one of the most successful and certainly the longest running rock and roll band in the world, it's not a secret Watts's true love has always been jazz and that he has always had a deep appreciation and admiration for this music which hasn't been that much exploited by the press. During the '50s and '60s, Watts fell in love with jazz music through 78 rpm vinyls and the music of musicians like saxophonists Charlie Parker, Sonny Rollins, John Coltrane, Gerry Mulligan, trumpeter Miles Davis, to name but a few as well as the drummers they employed. Since then, he has been a passionate jazz aficionado whose knowledge about this music sits between the reverential and encyclopedic. During his sojourn with a marketing agency, he even penned an illustrated book about Charlie Parker as a tribute to him and has been collecting old drum sets used by drumming legends. During the day he would work at the agency and during the night he would play local gigs. And as many of his generation, he has learnt his trade both by listening to record and by observing jazz drummers in the London's London's jazz circles.

As a result, his drumming style has always been unorthodox and original. When he joined the Rolling Stones he used his jazz chops in order to invent his style of playing rock and blues rock that the Stones became known for and is the reason why he is so revered these days. When the Stones played in New York for the first time during their first American tour, he went to Birdland to see performances by his bassist Charles Mingus and saxophonist Sonny Rollins, and the latter would play years later with the Stones on a song named "Waiting on a Friend."

So it wasn't until the '80s and the '90s that Watts began fronting his own jazz bands whenever the demanding tours and work with the Stones would let him. Since then he has formed a number of jazz, boogie-woogie and big band outfits, including Rocket 88, the Charlie Watts Quintet and the Charlie Watts Tentet. Probably that is best portrayed in the thriller movie "Blue Ice" with actor Michael Caine playing a jazz club owner and Watts' band was the house jazz combo that brilliantly rocked the house. Charlie Watts meets the Danish Radio Big Band was instigated in 2009 by English trumpeter Gerard Presencer, who is also a member of the band. The Band had four days of rehearsals and then had a performance at the then newly opened Danish Radio Concert Hall in Copenhagen. All but two of the pieces here are rewrites of earlier, previously recorded selections either with the Rolling Stones or a selection of suits from his duet record with another drumming legend Jim Keltner. But to make a big band work has really very little to do with "star power" and has really everything to do with hard work. If it is played too conservative then everything will sound predictable and everyone will get bored. For a start, this record doesn't break any new ground. The emphasis is more on moods, harmonies and at moments the arrangements do nod at Gil Evans' or Mingus' styled approaches.

The date opens with two parts of "Elvin Suites" which as an original tune from the project with Kelter is a single composition. The original is an African styled piece with African harmonic voices meshed with piano flashes and cymbals. All of that is beautifully arranged here with dry hissing of Watts' brushes that drives the first part. It is indeed difficult to discern between what's arranged and what is spontaneous. The band's rapport is impressive and everything it plays sounds right. The second part emphasizes the drums and there are polyrhythmic runs that drive this piece with saxophonist Uffe Markussen taking the lead and soon the band steps on the gas and ups the game loud.

The Rolling Stones classics are beautifully rearranged and reharmonized. Nothing in these arrangements would hint at the original songs but a solo instrument would take a lead and directly reference the original melody. Even though named as "Faction" as soon as one hears the melody on the flugelhorn it becomes clear that this is "Satisfaction." Watt's subtle and non-flashy rhythm playing is utterly flawless and galvanizes the band. The same goes for the other two Stones classics "You Can't Always Get What You Want" and "Paint it Black." By no means is this a tribute of faithful recreations of these songs. The arranger shows a daring flair for reimagining these songs. Each of them is rethought and remodeled in order to come out with a vibrant new music. With its imaginative blend of melodies and grooves and colorful textures and timbres, these songs are a launchpad for the big band and its soloists to shine.

"I Should Care" is one of the hidden gems in this collection. There is a certain easiness and flow in this composition, but no blandness at all. The various soloists are stimulating and attentive conversationalists, always listening and often picking up on each other's quips. The album closes on a high note with a beautiful stomp "Molasses." Everything here is filled with movement. It's rich and sticky in rhythm and harmony and is exciting and boiling with energy.

This project feels good in the body and soul. The collaborative energy of this band is exhilarating and a joy to listen. More of this, please. ~by Nenad Georgievski

Personnel: Charlie Watts: drums; Per Gade: guitar,Anders Gustafsson: trumpet; Vincent Nilsson: trombone; David Green: acoustic bass; Peter Jensen: trombone; Steen Rasmussen: fender rhodes, piano; Uffe Markussen: tenor sax; Gerard Presencer: flugelhorn; Lars Møller: tenor sax; Steen Nikolaj Hansen: trombone; Nicolai Schultz: flute

Charlie Watts Meets The Danish Radio Big Band

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