Charlie Watts Quintet - A Tribute To Charlie Parker With String

Styles: Jazz, Bop
Year: 1992
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 76:16
Size: 174,9 MB
Art: Front

(0:24) 1. Intro
(6:06) 2. Practicing, Practicing, Just Great
(5:10) 3. Black Bird, White Chicks
(4:28) 4. Bluebird
(5:46) 5. Bound For New York
(3:57) 6. Terra De Pajaro
(4:58) 7. Bad Seeds - Rye Drinks
(3:54) 8. Relaxing At Camarillo
(7:11) 9. Going, Going, Going, Gone
(0:43) 10. Intro To The Second Set
(3:18) 11. Just Friends
(3:16) 12. Cool Blues
(3:24) 13. Dancing In The Dark
(5:37) 14. Dewey's Square
(4:05) 15. Rocker
(6:33) 16. Lover Man
(7:18) 17. Perdido

Charlie Watts, the Rolling Stones drummer, was no fish out of water Thursday night at the Palace, leading his quintet, plus an eight-piece orchestra, through a program of tunes from that complicated yet most appealing art form, be-bop. Watts deftly broad-jumped genres as he and his cohorts played selections from his recent, first-rate release, “A Tribute to Charlie Parker With Strings.” The concert included such Parker compositions as “Cool Blues,” played by the quintet, and “Dewey Square,” played with strings added. Additionally, one heard songs associated with Parker, such as a re-creation of the classic “with strings” version of “Just Friends,” and originals written for the ensemble by its musical director, the compelling English alto saxophonist Peter King. While Watts isn’t a true bopper in the manner of a Max Roach or a Roy Haynes, that didn’t prove a detriment to his performance. Employing a tidy, non-flamboyant style, he kept the beat with crisp ride cymbal attacks, and occasionally whacked his snare drum to add propelling accents. The leader preferred to stay in the background, simply providing accompaniment, smiling or nodding his head in empathy as he played.

And while the moderate-size audience may have been watching Watts, it was King who stole the show. The 52-year-old horn man, who speaks Parker fluently, played with brio, delivering swooping and sweeping forays that were packed with choice notes as well as gritty little blues phrases that made you want to say, “A-men.” His originals, exemplified by the Latin-based “Terra de Pajaro,” were of the be-bop era, yet sounded fresh. Trumpeter Gerard Presencer, pianist Brian Lemon and bassist David Green were the other logs in this nicely burning fire. Session singer Bernard Fowler served as the evening’s narrator, reading Watts’ children’s book about Parker, “Ode to a High Flying Bird,” as a segue between tunes and singing “Laura” and “Loverman.” https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1992-07-25-ca-3707-story.html

Personnel: Charlie Watts - drums; Peter King - alto saxophone, musical director; Gerard Presencer - trumpet; Brian Lemon - piano; David green - acoustic bass: Bernard Fowler - narration, vocals on "Loverman"

String Section: Jim David - violin; Arnold Goodger - violin; Andrew Hughes - violin; Adrian Staines - violin; Nicola Akeroyd - viola; Sylvia Knussen - cello; Robert Johnson - harp; Julie Robinson - oboe

A Tribute To Charlie Parker With String

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Willis Jackson - Legends Of Acid Jazz

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1959
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 76:47
Size: 176,0 MB
Art: Front

( 9:16) 1. Blue Gator
( 6:01) 2. Try a Little Tenderness
( 3:43) 3. Gator's Tail
( 4:33) 4. This Nearly Was Mine
(10:04) 5. East Breeze
( 5:14) 6. She's Funny That Way
( 9:04) 7. Mellow Blues
( 4:51) 8. Sportin'
( 4:05) 9. When I Fall in Love
( 8:19) 10. Cookin' Sherry
( 5:45) 11. Where Are You?
( 5:47) 12. Contrasts

Willis "Gator" Jackson's initial reputation was made as a honking and screaming tenor saxophonist with Cootie Williams' late-'40s orchestra and on his own R&B-ish recordings. By 1959, Jackson had de-emphasized some of his more extroverted sounds (although they occasionally popped up) and had reemerged as a solid swinger influenced by Gene Ammons and (on ballads) Ben Webster. This CD reissue from 1998 brings back in full two of Jackson's 1959-60 LPs: Blue Gator and Cookin' Sherry. Some of the music (which often falls into the soul-jazz genre) is reminiscent of the funky groove music that would become popular in the late '60s. Jackson sounds fine and is joined throughout by guitarist Bill Jennings, organist Jack McDuff, one of three bassists, one of two drummers, and sometimes Buck Clarke on conga. The accessible music alternates between warm ballads and jump tunes.~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/legends-of-acid-jazz-mw0000037065

Personnel: Willis "Gator" Jackson - tenor saxophone; Bill Jennings - guitar; Jack McDuff - organ; Alvin Johnson, Bill Elliot - drums; Buck Clarke - congas

Legends Of Acid Jazz

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Lavay Smith & Her Red Hot Skillet Lickers - One Hour Mama

Styles: Vocal, Swing, Big Band
Year: 1996
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 48:03
Size: 110,3 MB
Art: Front

(3:10)  1. Oo Poppa Do
(3:51)  2. Blue Skies
(6:24)  3. New Blowtop Blues
(4:01)  4. What's The Matter With You?
(4:38)  5. Squeeze Me
(2:48)  6. And Her Tears Flowed Like Wine
(4:58)  7. Going To Chicago Blues
(3:11)  8. Between The Devil And The Deep Blue Sea
(5:24)  9. Downhearted Blues
(4:07) 10. Walk Right In, Walk Right Out ('The Walking Blues')
(5:25) 11. One Hour Mama

The current swing revival, a very healthy development that has given younger dancers an opportunity to jitterbug to four/four music has, ironically, resulted in quite a bit of erratic music. Some of the so-called swing bands are really just playing rockabilly, '50s pop, or mere imitations of Louis Prima and Cab Calloway mixed in with R&B from later periods. But there are a few groups that really are playing swing, including singer Lavay Smith & Her Red Hot Skillet Lickers. The talented Smith has an appealing voice that sometimes sounds close to Dinah Washington's, but it's also flexible enough to handle material ranging from Bessie Smith to Anita O'Day. And, although the singer gets top billing, her instrumentalists are just as strong. The debut set by the Red Hot Skillet Lickers features heated and romping solos by trombonist Larry Leight, altoist Bill Stewart, tenor Harvey Robb, and Noel Jewkes on tenor, clarinet and baritone, along with a driving four-piece rhythm section. Pianist/arranger Chris Siebert is responsible for the inventive charts, which are sometimes a combination of earlier recordings and always leave space for solos. The material includes some blues, swing standards (such as "Blue Skies," "Squeeze Me" and "Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea"), and lots of riffing. The music is a joy. The fact that Lavay Smith's San Francisco ensemble has been able to benefit from the swing revival shows that it is possible to perform music that is both popular and quite swinging. ~ Scott Yanow http://www.allmusic.com/album/one-hour-mama-mw0000035527

Personnel: Lavay Smith (vocals); Noel Jewkes (clarinet, tenor saxophone, baritone saxophone); Bill Stewart (alto saxophone, tenor saxophone); Chris Siebert (piano); Dan Foltz (drums).

One Hour Mama

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Karrin Allyson - Yuletide Hideaway

Styles: Holiday
Year: 2013
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 42:52
Size: 100,0 MB
Art: Front

(3:24)  1. Yuletide Hideaway
(3:37)  2. Winter Oasis
(3:26)  3. Christmas Bells Are Ringing
(3:45)  4. Winter Wonderland
(3:30)  5. Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!
(4:01)  6. This Time Of Year
(3:11)  7. Snowbound
(3:33)  8. Christmas Time Is Here
(3:12)  9. It's Love, It's Christmas
(3:22) 10. Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas
(2:28) 11. You're All I Need For Christmas
(2:32) 12. I Like Snow
(2:44) 13. The Christmas Song

Four-time Grammy nominee, singer/pianist Karrin Allyson, released the sophisticated ‘Yuletide Hideaway’ on November 1st. The 13-song album is a combination of original Holiday songs and Christmas standards, and features Allyson’s trademark elegant, dreamy vocals. From ‘Let It Snow’ and ‘Winter Wonderland’ to Allyson’s stunning original title track and more, the album is at times playful, introspective, spirited  a timeless classic-in-the-making  as Allyson’s understated sophistication suggests a cozy, contemplative December evening by the fireplace, perhaps alone, perhaps with loved ones by our side.  http://www.birdlandjazz.com/event/410971-karrin-allysons-yuletide-new-york/

Yuletide Hideaway

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Dave Young - Two By Two 2

Styles: Jazz, Post Bop
Year: 1995
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 69:37
Size: 161,2 MB
Art: Front

(6:48)  1. Dolphin Dance
(3:29)  2. Blowin' The Blues Away
(6:04)  3. Make a Pallet on the Floor
(6:33)  4. Moment to Moment
(5:15)  5. Bass Blues
(5:12)  6. Self Portrait in Three Colours
(4:36)  7. One Finger Snaps
(8:04)  8. Loverman
(6:38)  9. Nascimento
(5:09) 10. Pendulum At Falcon's Lair
(6:07) 11. I'm All Smiles
(5:36) 12. Peaceful

After recording duets with five master pianists in early 1995 for Two by Two, Vol. 1, bassist Dave Young brought six more keyboardists into the studio for a follow-up volume later in the same year. The elegant interpretation of Herbie Hancock's "Dolphin Dance" with Ellis Marsalis is taken at a deliberate tempo, showcasing a long solo by the leader. There's no mistaking the gospel background of Cyrus Chestnut in the rollicking take of "Make Me a Pallet on the Floor," though Young's lively accompaniment makes it sound like he is steeped in church music as well. The bassist contributed the constantly shifting post-bop vehicle "Bass Blues" for the meeting with Oliver Jones, with whom he has worked on many occasions. Kenny Barron is on hand for the lush treatment of "Loverman." Young alternates between playing arco and pizzicato with Barry Harris in Oscar Pettiford's delightful (but infrequently performed) "Pendulum at Falcon's Lair." The young Canadian pianist Renee Rosnes is on hand for the playful jazz waltz arrangement of "I'm All Smiles." Fans of these sessions will find an additional track from each of these duo dates on Side by Side, Vol. 3.~ Ken Dryden https://www.allmusic.com/album/two-by-two-vol-2-mw0000184497

Two By Two 2

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The Ruby Moon - Vicarious Pleasures

Styles: New Orleans Jazz
Year: 2013
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 49:23
Size: 114,0 MB
Art: Front

(3:25)  1. I Want a Little Sugar in My Bowl
(3:27)  2. It Doesn't Matter
(4:26)  3. I'm On to You
(3:49)  4. A Good Man Is Hard to Find
(3:37)  5. Kiss of Fire
(3:18)  6. It's Best You Met Somebody Else
(4:34)  7. Spanish Wine and Black Coffee
(4:02)  8. Can't Help Loving That Man of Mine
(3:53)  9. House of the Rising Sun
(2:48) 10. The Clowns Are Taking Over
(3:41) 11. Softly, As in a Morning Sunrise
(4:50) 12. St. James Infirmary
(3:27) 13. Redemption Is the Long Way Around

An album by a master New Orleans jazz singer with modern sensibilities, an adventurous spirit, a soulful delivery, and a heart as big as a house. Billie Holiday meets Tom Waits meets Bart Ramsey (the latter a composer of a half dozen of these songs). The musicians on the record are all virtuosos and the spirit of the music is high, taking New Orleans music to a fresh place. http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/rubymoon

Vicarious Pleasures

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Karen Marguth - A Way With Words Disc1 And Disc 2

Born in Minneapolis, raised in the San Francisco East Bay, Karen has been active as a performer throughout her life. Her professional background includes choreographing, directing, and performing in regional theatres and touring shows, singing in rock, blues, and jazz bands, doing voice-overs and studio work, and teaching dance and theatre with children and adults. She enjoys performing a wide variety of styles of music, being drawn primarily by lyrics, she says. “Any song that has unexpected, interesting, or simply profound lyrics draws my attention. It is the storytelling part of singing that I love best.” Karen has also worked as an educator since 1986, working as a classroom teacher in public elementary and middle schools, as an instructor for pre-service teachers at CSU Hayward, as a private consultant in school districts throughout California and for the UC Berkeley Writing Project. Her classroom methods have been the subject of two national research studies, and she received San Joaquin County’s CTA Outstanding New Educator Award in 1990. Currently, she is serving Central Unified Schools as an Instructional Support Coach for the Arts and Writing.

“Music, theatre and education merge quite logically for me,” Karen says. “Teaching and singing are both performance arts, the goal being to convey to the audience what’s important in the lesson or the song.”

In 1999, when she moved to Central California, Karen began to seek out opportunities to meet and work with local musicians. Happily, with jazz stations like KFSR and organizations like Jazz Fresno, she found it easy to find out about local musical events. By 2001, the Blue Street Jazz Band had started using her as a substitute vocalist, and that’s when her work in jazz performance began to blossom. Blue Street performs around the country at Jazz Festivals, and Karen soaked in all she could by listening to and talking with musicians and audience members at the festivals. People would recommend vocalists for her to study, and study she did. Though she still considers herself to be “low on the learning curve” about jazz, she has embraced jazz’s call to free oneself from the goal of creating “perfect” performances. Rather, jazz demands that an artist who is grounded in the structures of music theory let go and play with the music to create something new.

In 2008, Karen suggested to KFSR’s station manager, Joe Moore, that it might be fun to create a show focused on female vocalists. He agreed, and KFSR’s Vocal Hour was born, which airs every Friday at 2pm Pacific Time. In 2010, she released her eponymous album which received critical acclaim from European and American jazz writers, and she began performing more often, including at festivals in France and at southern California venues such as Dizzy's San Diego, Catalina's, and Charlie O's. Her 2013 release, "A Way With Words," is a two-disk set which is a tribute to the songs of Carroll Coates, and features Richie Cole and Gilbert Castellanos. Her goals are to continue to grow as a vocalist, to travel and perform as much as her day-job will allow, and start working on her next recording project. http://jazztimes.com/guides/artists/14504-karen-marguth

"Great big talent, much too small a pond. Her name is Karen Marguth, one of the finest American jazz vocalists you've likely yet to discover." ~ Christopher Loudon, Jazz Times

"Just You, Just Me is Karen's newest and perhaps most courageous work...to go into the world with just an acoustic bass man - the redoubtable Kevin Hill - at her side." ~ John McDonough, NPR

Disc 1

Styles: Jazz, Vocal
Year: 2013
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 42:58
Size: 99,2 MB
Art: Front

(2:25)  1. You'll See
(6:02)  2. No One Ever Tells You
(3:39)  3. A Miracle
(5:15)  4. Afterglow
(3:19)  5. A Way With Words
(4:53)  6. Rainy Afternoon
(3:36)  7. Swing Song
(3:21)  8. I Have a Feeling / Hay Sentimientos
(4:12)  9. London By Night
(6:11) 10. Better to Have Loved

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Disc 2

Time: 40:36
Size: 93,8 MB
Art: Front

(4:11)  1. G Is One Sharp Key
(5:16)  2. So I Love You
(4:03)  3. Later for Love
(2:41)  4. Love Comes and Goes
(5:18)  5. It's Time, High Time
(3:55)  6. Hay Sentimientos (Alternate Version)
(3:59)  7. Someone Else's Sweetheart
(4:25)  8. Spring Has Sprung
(4:21)  9. Madness
(2:24) 10. Alone By the Sea

A Way With Words  Disc 1, Disc 2

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Dave Young - Two By Two

Styles: Jazz, Post Bop
Year: 1995
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 66:28
Size: 152,4 MB
Art: Front

(5:44)  1. OP & D
(5:44)  2. Younger Than Springtime
(6:04)  3. NPS
(6:00)  4. Smoke Gets In Your Eyes
(6:36)  5. Milestones
(8:49)  6. In a Sentimental Mood
(6:45)  7. Stablesmates
(6:10)  8. Passion Flower
(8:08)  9. One By One
(6:24) 10. Hot House

It is easy to understand why Dave Young is the one of the most in-demand bassists in Canada. With a fat tone and a gift for melodic solos similar to Ray Brown and Niels Pedersen, Young is joined for a pair of tunes by five different pianists. Oscar Peterson, with whom Young first recorded as a sideman in 1980, contributed a bluesy original ("OP & D") for the date, while he is also more than willing to take a backseat to Young. The bassist plays arco with Cedar Walton in a warm rendition of the venerable standard "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes"; this session marked their first recording together. Tommy Flanagan provides an elegant backdrop for Young during "In a Sentimental Mood." The sparks fly in his duet with John Hicks of Benny Golson's "Stablemates." 

The masterful duet with Mulgrew Miller of the classic bop tune "Hot House" uncovers new facets within this decades-old jewel. Anyone who enjoys these duo sessions will find an additional duo track by each of the pianists with Young (from the same studio dates) on the CD Side by Side, Vol. 3.~ Ken Dryden https://www.allmusic.com/album/two-by-two-mw0000030533

Two By Two

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Dakota Staton - An Invitation

Styles: Vocal
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 28:57
Size: 67,1 MB
Art: Front

(2:50) 1. Broadway
(2:44) 2. Trust in Me
(2:40) 3. Moonray
(2:40) 4. Ain't No Use
(2:34) 5. The Late, Late Show
(2:10) 6. Summertime
(2:35) 7. Misty
(3:09) 8. Invitation
(2:16) 9. Give Me the Simple Life
(2:48) 10. You Showed Me the Way
(2:25) 11. The Party's Over

Described by influential critic Leonard Feather as "a dynamic song stylist recalling at times elements of Dinah Washington and Sarah Vaughan," Dakota Staton never enjoyed the widespread acclaim or commercial success of her reference points, but she remains one of the most soulful and commanding jazz singers of the postwar era. Born outside of Pittsburgh on June 3, 1930, Staton began singing and dancing as a child, later attending the Filion School of Music. At 16, she starred in the stage show Fantastic Rhythm and two years later joined local bandleader Joe Wespray. From there, Staton headlined a lengthy residency at Detroit's landmark Flame Show Bar, followed by years traveling the Midwest club circuit. Eventually she settled in New York City, and while performing at Harlem's Baby Grand she captured the attention of Capitol Records producer Dave Cavanaugh, who extended a contract offer. Staton's debut single, "What Do You Know About Love?," appeared in 1954, and a year later she claimed jazz magazine DownBeat's Most Promising Newcomer award.

By no means strictly a jazz act, however, Staton was also a bold, brassy R&B singer and performed alongside Big Joe Turner and Fats Domino at legendary disc jockey Alan Freed's first Rock 'n' Roll Party showcases. Freed regularly played Staton's "My Heart's Delight" on his daily WINS show, and when her long-awaited full-length debut, The Late, Late Show, finally hit retail in 1957, it proved an enormous crossover hit, peaking at number four on the Billboard pop charts. Its 1958 follow-up, The Dynamic Dakota Staton!, reached the number 22 spot and more importantly heralded the beginning of her long collaboration with arranger and conductor Sid Feller.

After marrying trumpeter Talib Ahmad Dawud in 1958, Staton converted to Islam and for a time performed under the name Aliyah Rabia. She was also an active member of Dawud's advocacy group the Muslim Brotherhood, which existed in large part to combat the radical politics of Black supremacist Elijah Muhammad. The Muslim Brotherhood found itself the center of controversy when Muhammad claimed, "they should be ashamed of trying to make fun of me and my followers while serving the devil in the theatrical world." The resulting media attention undermined Staton's commercial momentum, and while 1959's Crazy He Calls Me still charted, she never again enjoyed the crossover success that greeted her previous records. After ten Capitol dates, culminating in 1961's live Dakota at Storyville, she jumped to United Artists for 1963's From Dakota with Love. After two more UA sessions, Live and Swinging and Dakota Staton with Strings, she exited the label and did not cut another record for eight years. Upon relocating to Britain in 1965, Staton worked hotels and cruise ships, and was largely forgotten by the time she returned to the U.S. in the early '70s, signing to Groove Merchant and cutting the 1972 comeback attempt Madame Foo Foo with soul-jazz great Richard "Groove" Holmes. Sessions for Muse and Simitar followed, and in 1999 she signed with High Note for her final studio date, A Packet of Love Letters. Staton's health declined slowly but steadily in the years to follow, and she died on April 10, 2007, at the age of 76.~Jason Ankeny https://www.allmusic.com/artist/dakota-staton-mn0000668932/biography

An Invitation

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Simone Kopmajer, Paul Urbanek & Reinhardt Winkler - Soulmates

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2015
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 54:34
Size: 126,6 MB
Art: Front

(5:32) 1. All Along The Watchtower
(3:17) 2. Brazil
(3:54) 3. The In Crowd
(3:53) 4. All You Need Is Love
(3:54) 5. The Beat Goes On
(4:56) 6. Imagine
(4:38) 7. What's Going On
(4:32) 8. Angie
(3:48) 9. Never Said
(3:25) 10. Time After Time
(3:04) 11. But Not For Me
(3:34) 12. Jeepers Creepers
(6:02) 13. Time

A cool-toned Austrian jazz vocalist, Simone Kopmajer sings in flawless English. She had classical piano lessons starting at the age of eight and at 12 began playing saxophone. She performed in a youth big band and sang regularly in her father's band as a teenager. At 17 she studied with Sheila Jordan, who encouraged her. Kopmajer also studied with Mark Murphy, Jay Clayton, and Michele Hendricks. Since earning a Masters from the University of Music and Dramatic Arts in Graz, Austria, Kopmajer has toured the Netherlands twice with the Euro Big Band, appeared at European jazz festivals, and recorded three CDs: Moonlight Serenade (for the Japanese Venus label), her best-known set Romance (for Zoho), and her privately released Taking a Chance on Love. Each CD emphasizes her own fresh versions of standards.~Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/artist/simone-kopmajer-mn0001897290/biography

Personnel: Simone Kopmajer - vocals; Paul Urbanek - piano, keyboards, keyboard-bass; Reinhardt Winkler - drums; Patrice Héral - percussion, background vocals; Herfried Knapp - upright bass; Beate Wiesinger - bass

Soulmates

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Bill Evans & Jim Hall - Undercurrent

Styles: Piano And Guitar Jazz
Year: 1962
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 52:58
Size: 122,0 MB
Art: Front

(5:24) 1. My Funny Valentine
(4:40) 2. I Hear a Rhapsody
(4:34) 3. Dream Gypsy
(5:23) 4. Romain
(5:24) 5. Skating in Central Park
(5:09) 6. Darn That Dream
(5:41) 7. Stairway to the Stars
(4:17) 8. I'm Getting Sentimental Over You
(6:57) 9. My Funny Valentine (Alternate Take)
(5:24) 10. Romain (Alternate Take)

This is the first of two superb albums recorded by Bill Evans, and guitarist Jim Hall, and it was recorded over two sessions in April and May 1962. Arrangements simply for piano and guitar are rare in Jazz, and it is even more seldom that the results are truly inspiring and as musically worthwhile as in this case. It is usual for intuitive musical relationships to develop over a number of years, but here we find two musicians who clearly shared an immediate understanding. Both men are on absolute top form here Bill Evans was on fire throughout the early and mid sixties, nd after the tragic death of his previous musical partner, virtuoso bass player Scott Le Faro (at the age of 23), he was searching for new directions.

Jim Hall is a guitarist of tremendous skill and powerful technique, with a highly developed rhythmic and harmonic sense that shines through on this album. What is so special about the performances here is an almost telepathic anticipation of where the music is heading both musicians contribute equally, and there is a constant exchange of ideas, each reacting to the other with apparent ease, whatever the mood. This is a brilliant jazz album, of great depth and tremendous atmosphere, and both players express some exceptional ideas. Highly recommended.~Dominic L Brown https://lightintheattic.net/releases/3466-undercurrent

Personnel: Piano – Bill Evans; Guitar – Jim Hall

Undercurrent

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Ben L'Oncle Soul - Ben L'Oncle Soul

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2010
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 55:43
Size: 127,7 MB
Art: Front

(2:59) 1. Seven Nation Army
(3:44) 2. Soulman
(4:13) 3. Petite Soeur
(3:50) 4. Mon Amour
(4:05) 5. Elle Me Dit
(4:23) 6. I Don't Wanna Waste
(3:47) 7. Come Home
(4:48) 8. L'ombre D'un Homme
(3:51) 9. Ain't Off To The Back
(4:17) 10. Lise
(3:07) 11. Demain J'arrête
(4:11) 12. Partir
(3:34) 13. Lose It
(4:48) 14. Back For You

Ben l'Oncle Soul is a French soul singer with a retro style who made his eponymous Top Five hit album debut in 2010. Born Benjamin Duterde in 1984 in Tours, Indre-et-Loire, France, he took his name and look from Uncle Ben, the fictitious elderly African-American man dressed in a bow tie who serves as the brand image of Uncle Ben's Rice. The moniker Ben l'Oncle Soul was chosen rather than Uncle Ben to avoid any charges of trademark infringement. Years before Duterde adopted the Ben l'Oncle Soul moniker, he got his professional start as a vocalist in the Fitiavana Gospel Choir, which he joined in 2004. The Tours-based gospel choir made its album debut with I Have a Dream (2009), a collection of English-language soul classics such as "Killing Me Softly," "Lean on Me," and "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman."

In turn, Duterde was offered a solo recording deal with the French division of Motown Records. Billing himself as Ben l'Oncle Soul, he made his solo recording debut with the Soul Wash EP (2009). Comprised of cover material, the majority of it sung in English, the six-track EP is performed in a retro style informed by the Motown and Stax sounds of the 1960s. A cover of the Gnarls Barkley smash hit "Crazy" was released as a single. A half-year later, Duterde made his full-length debut with the eponymous album Ben l'Oncle Soul (2010). Produced by Guillaume Poncelet and Gabin Lesieur, the album is comprised entirely of original material, plus the cover version of the White Stripes hit "Seven Nation Army" from the Soul Wash EP. With "Seven Nation Army" released as its lead single, Ben l'Oncle Soul was a Top Five hit on the French albums chart.~ Jason Birchmeier https://www.allmusic.com/artist/ben-loncle-soul-mn0002459668/biography

Personnel: Backing Vocals – Crystal Night, Lisa Spada; Baritone Saxophone – Frank Deruytter; Bass – Jérémie Coke, Olivier Carole; Bass [Synth Bass] – Guillaume Poncelet Cello – Anaël Rousseau; Drums – Arnaud Renaville; Guitar – Hailé Jno-Baptiste; Lead Vocals, Backing Vocals – Ben L'Oncle Soul; Piano, Keyboards, Programmed By – Gabin Lesieur; Piano, Keyboards, Programmed By, Trumpet – Guillaume Poncelet; Tenor Saxophone – Christophe Panzani; Trombone – Alain Palizeul; Trumpet – Olivier Bodson; Viola – Cédric Rousseau

Ben L'Oncle Soul

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Clark Terry - Clark After Dark: The Ballad Album

Styles: Jazz, Big Band
Year: 1978
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 52:20
Size: 122,1 MB
Art: Front

(5:33) 1. Misty
(4:26) 2. Nature Boy
(5:25) 3. Georgia On My Mind
(5:07) 4. November Song
(6:16) 5. Clark After Dark
(5:50) 6. Willow Weep For Me
(4:27) 7. Yesterdays
(4:33) 8. Emily
(5:34) 9. Angel Eyes
(5:06) 10. Girl Talk

Clark Terry's 1977 studio date with an orchestra conducted by Peter Herbolzheimer might very well fall into the easy listening category were it not for his brilliant improvisations on fluegelhorn, which he plays throughout the session. Most of the material consists of classic songs that Terry was undoubtedly very familiar with by the time of this 1977 recording, including "Misty," "Willow Weep for Me," "Angel Eyes," and "Yesterdays," with the arrangements all having pretty much a low-key, late-night feeling, hence the album title. Producer Mike Hennessey co-wrote "November Song" with Willi Fruth, a ballad with swirling strings; and Herbolzheimer contributed "Clark After Dark," a tasty blues that is a good deal looser than most of the rest of the album, which also features great solos by pianist Gordon Beck and trombonist Dave Horler, as well as some great muted horn from Terry. The loping "Girl Talk" showcases tenor saxophonist Tony Coe and guitarist Martin Kershaw briefly. While this isn't one of Clark Terry's most essential LPs, his flawless playing make it a worthwhile investment if you can only find it.~ Ken Dryden https://www.allmusic.com/album/clark-after-dark-the-ballad-album-mw0001182361

Personnel: Flugelhorn – Clark Terry; Alto Flute – Stan Sulzman; Alto Saxophone – Al Newman, Roy Willox; Baritone Saxophone – Ronnie Ross; Bass – Chris Laurence; Bass Clarinet – Al Newman; Cello – Alan Dalziel, Bram Martin, Derek Simpson, Vivien Joseph; Clarinet – Ronnie Ross, Roy Willox, Tony Coe; Concertmaster [Violin, Leader] – Tony Gilbert; Double Bass – Arthur Watts, Rodney Stratford; Flute – Roy Willox, Stan Sulzman, Tony Coe; French Horn – Terry Johns; Guitar – Martin Kershaw; Piano – Gordon Beck; Tenor Saxophone – Stan Sulzman, Tony Coe; Trombone – Cliff Hardy*, Dave Horler, Nat Peck, Ray Premru; Trumpet – Dave Hancock, Derek Watkins, Eddie Blair, Kenny Wheeler, Tony Fisher); Viola – Ken Essex, Luciano Jorio, Margaret Major, Rusein Gunes; Violin – Bela Dekany, Charles Vorzanger, Dennis McConnell, Derek Solomon, Desmond Bradley, Diana Cummings, Fred Parrington, Hans Geiger, Homi Kagnga, Jim Archer, John Willison, Max Salpeter, Michael Jones (6), Paul Sherman (3), Peter Benson, Bill Armon, Bill Reid

Clark After Dark: The Ballad Album

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Miho Hazama & Metropole Orkest Big Band - The Monk: Live at Bimhuis

Styles: Bop, Big Band
Year: 2018
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 50:09
Size: 115,3 MB
Art: Front

(6:42) 1. Thelonious
(8:36) 2. Ruby, My Dear
(6:58) 3. Friday the 13th
(6:51) 4. Hackensack
(7:53) 5. 'Round Midnight
(7:52) 6. Epistrophy
(5:14) 7. Crepuscule with Nellie

Thelonious Monk effortlessly referenced disparate developments in jazz history, moving from bop back to stride during any given session. And it’s the capacious nature of his practice that conductor Miho Hazama captures in her seven arrangements of Monk tunes for the Metropole Orkest Big Band.One of the date’s most endearing musical moments, though, comes during a sprightly spotlight: Most of the band drops out, leaving just the rhythm section and a lone trumpeter to linger in the chords behind “Ruby, My Dear.” Of course, Hazama’s conducting seamlessly brings the entire band back to lovingly ply the well-worn work in the end. “’Round Midnight” rarely has sounded as forlorn as it does a few tracks on, and “Epistrophy,” as wonky as ever, swings with blustery humanism. This is a work of fellowship and camaraderie, and it’s readily apparent. The source material, of course, was a good place to start, but Hazama’s previous efforts Journey To Journey (2013) and Time River (2015) bolster a blossoming reputation. Even if this had arrived without her past work for context, The Monk: Live At Bimhaus comes off as a good-natured reflection of both its namesake’s personality and Hazama’s as she charts an astute course through the jazz landscape. https://downbeat.com/reviews/detail/the-monk-live-at-bimhuis

Personnel: Miho Hazama – conductor; Jan Bastiani, Jan Oosting, Louk Boudesteijn – trombone; Martin van den Berg – bass Trombone; Martijn de Laat, Nico Schepers, Ray Bruinsma – trumpet; Leo Janssen, Marc Scholten, Max Boeree, Paul van der Feen, Sjoerd Dijkhuizen – saxophone, clarinet; Hans Vroomans – piano; Rik Mol [nl] – trumpet, flugelhorn; Peter Tiehuis [de] – guitar; Aram Kersbergen – bass; Marcel Serierse [nl] – drums

The Monk: Live at Bimhuis

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The Royal Bopsters - The Royal Bopsters Project

Styles: Jazz, Big Band
Year: 2015
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 62:22
Size: 144,5 MB
Art: Front

(4:36) 1. Music in the Air - Wildwood' as an instrumental
(5:33) 2. On the Red Clay - 'Red Clay' as an instrumental
(4:57) 3. Peace
(5:58) 4. Basheer, the Snake and the Mirror
(4:54) 5. Señor Blues
(6:22) 6. Invitation
(4:15) 7. Bird Chasin' - Chasin' The Bird as an instrumental
(6:21) 8. Music Is Forever
(4:59) 9. Bebop Lives - 'Boplicity' as an instrumental
(6:12) 10. Just Set Right Up
(4:24) 11. Nothing Like You Has Ever Been Seen Before
(3:45) 12. Let's Fly

New York’s The Royal Bopsters, formed in 2012, bring a new and refreshing approach to the art of vocal jazz. Vocalists Amy London, Holli Ross, Pete McGuinness, and Dylan Pramuk pay tribute to their jazz heroes through intricate harmonies and energetic delivery, bringing jazz classics and bebop style to the next generation and beyond. Their debut recording, The Royal Bopsters Project (Motéma, 2015), featuring vocal jazz legend Mark Murphy and NEA Jazz Masters Jon Hendricks, Annie Ross, Sheila Jordan, and Bob Dorough, garnered accolades from DownBeat Magazine (4.5 stars), JazzTimes (top 2015 releases), All About Jazz (top picks) and The New York Times (weekend picks) as well as rave reviews from Europe and the UK. The Royal Bopsters soon began performing at major festivals and notable clubs across the U.S. and Europe. Their sophomore release, Party of Four, celebrates both the proud history and the bright future of vocal jazz. A hard-swinging amalgam of vocal virtuosity, electrifying group chemistry, and masterful arranging, Party of Four displays the group’s stunning facility to swing deeply and sing passionately while navigating incredibly precise four-part harmonies. The album is dedicated to Bopster Holli Wasser Ross, o who sadly passed away in the late spring of 2020.

Cited as “expert practitioners of vocalese” in The New Yorker, The Royal Bopsters’ performances are masterclasses in the art of vocal jazz and vocalese, demonstrating the dazzling possibilities of four voices coming together as one. NEA Jazz Master Sheila Jordan - who began her career singing with Charlie Parker, and who now, with the passing of Annie Ross this July, has become the reigning Queen Matriarch of Vocal Bop, has commented “The Bopsters are my favorite vocal group.” The love is mutual, and The Bopsters include Sheila as a guest in their live shows wherever possible. Bob Dorough, who is most famous for writing Schoolhouse Rock, also guested frequently until his sudden death in 2018. He, Annie, vocalese master Jon Hendricks, and the inimitable Mark Murphy are all much loved and sorely missed by the Bopsters. Amy London, Pete McGuinness, and Dylan Pramuk are all renowned jazz educators, and collectively they instruct at the entire gamut of excellent jazz programs in the NYC area: The New School (London was a founder of the program), NYU, William Paterson, Manhattan School of Music, Montclair State, City College, Hofstra, and Jazz House Kids. The group’s vast collective knowledge of the history and technique of the art form of vocal jazz shines through on every note. http://royalbopsters.com/bios-2

Singers: Amy London, Holli Ross, Dylan Pramuk, Darmon Meader (on recording and has since been replaced by) Pete McGuinness.

Featured singers: Mark Murphy, Jon Hendricks, Annie Ross, Sheila Jordan, Bob Dorough. Band: Steve Schmidt, Sean Smith, Steve Williams, Steve Croon, Cameron Brown

The Royal Bopsters Project

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Nils Landgren - Nature Boy

Styles: Trombone Jazz
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 44:55
Size: 103,5 MB
Art: Front

(2:52) 1. Morning Has Broken
(4:07) 2. Nature Boy
(3:33) 3. A Minor
(4:31) 4. In A Sentimental Mood
(3:37) 5. Solitude
(2:56) 6. Värmlandsvisan
(3:19) 7. Allt Under Himmelens Fäste
(2:55) 8. Der Mond Ist Aufgegangen
(3:11) 9. Nu Sjunker Bullret
(2:05) 10. Din Klara Sol Går Åter Opp
(3:17) 11. Som Stjärnor Små
(3:23) 12. Den Blomstertid Nu Kommer
(2:58) 13. Jag Lyfter Ögat Mot Himmelen
(2:05) 14. Sov På Min Arm

Born in 1956, Nils Landgren began playing drums at the age of six, before at last discovering the trombone at 13. Between 1972 and 1978 Nils studied classical trombone at the music college in Karlstad with David Maytan and at the university in Arvika with Ingemar Roos. Meeting the legendary Swedish Folk-Jazz pioneer Bengt-Arne Wallin as well as the fantastic trombonist Eje Thelin persuaded Nils to move from strict classical studies to improvisation and to begin the development of his own approach. After his graduation Nils moved to Stockholm to work as a professional trombone player. He was soon touring with the most successful Swedish pop star of that time, Björn Skifs’ “Blue Swede” who got to number 1 in the US pop charts with “Hooked on a feeling”. In 1981 Thad Jones invited the Swede into his new big band project “Ball of Fire”, to take the lead-trombone chair. Ever since that time Nils Landren has been involved in most styles equally: jazz and rock, soul and hip hop, big band sessions, and by his own reckoning, at least 500 albums including such internationals stars as ABBA, The Crusaders, Eddie Harris, Bernard “Pretty” Purdie, Wyclef Jean and Herbie Hancock.

In 1983 Nils’ debut album “Planet Rock” was released, followed by “Streetfighter” in 1984, “You are my Nr 1? in 1985, “Miles from Duke” with Bengt-Arne Wallin in 1987, “Chapter Two 1?, in 1987, “Chapter Two 2? and “Follow your heart” in 1989. Between 1985 and 1987 Nils also performed as actor, singer, trombonist, and dancer in over 360 performances of the Swedish “play of the year”, SKÅL, as well as appearing in several TV-films as an actor. 1992 saw the first performances and recording of the Nils Landgren “Unit”. The final breakthrough beyond Scandinavia came first in 1994: it was at the Jazz Baltica Festival at Salzau in Germany that the “Unit” became the “Funk Unit”. The album “Live in Stockholm” (ACT 9223-2) was released that year and was the foundation for the collaboration with Siegfried Loch and his then young ACT label.

The next Funk Unit release, “Paint It Blue” (ACT 9243-2), was one of 1997's most successful albums and received Germany’s Jazz Award. The following tour of over 100 dates gave Nils Landgren and the Funk Unit their breakthrough in Germany. Inspired by his mentor Bengt-Arne Wallin, Nils Landgren ventured into non-funky realms with a re-working of traditional Swedish folk songs: “Swedish Folk Modern” (ACT 9257-2), his first duo with the pianist Esbjörn Svensson, followed up by “Layers of Light” (ACT 9281-2), an even gentler evocation. Between January 1998 and January 2001 Nils Landgren was also a member of the NDR Big Band in Hamburg, but continuously touring throughout with the Funk Unit worldwide. During this time three albums were released: after “Live in Montreux” (ACT 9265-2) appeared in 1999 “5000 Miles” (ACT 9271-2) and in September 2001 “Fonk da World” (ACT 9299-2), which was presented live at a special 3 day festival in Hamburg dedicated to Nils Landgren’s music. The “grooving band, which encouraged the younger members of the audience into a dance frenzy, but which was also taken seriously by the greying jazz snobs” (Spiegel), proved that it could be counted as “the best funk band in Europe today” (Stereo).

As artistic director of the illustrious Berlin Jazz Festival in 2001 Nils Landgren set up a concise overview of the current directions in Scandinavian jazz and was awarded the “Tore Ehrling Prize” by the Swedish Composers’ Federation for his “special contribution in bringing worldwide attention to Swedish jazz”.A further aspect of Landgren’s multi-facetedness has been shown since 1993, when the album “Ballads” (ACT 9268-2) was recorded, and on its release in Germany in 1999 showed for the first time his talent as an emotional ballad singer. With his tasteful tenor voice he has been compared to the introverted style of Chet Baker. In 2002 he undertook a recording of a sequence of love songs on a “Sentimental Journey” (ACT 9409-2) which was enthusiastically received by public and critics alike. “We want more of this” proclaimed the WOM Journal and so was able to follow this through the production of the album “I Will Wait For You” (ACT 9418-2) where the singer Rigmor Gustafsson having previously made her name as a guest on “Sentimental Journey” – took centre stage. It stormed into the jazz charts in Sweden and Germany, reaching number 1 and number 2 respectively.

In 2004, after a self-imposed sabbatical of almost two years, Landgren went full steam ahead with his Funk Unit and produced the acclaimed Platinum „Funky Abba“ album (ACT 9430-2); his own personal hommage to one of the greatest pop bands in history. 2005 marks the new album “Creole Love Call” (ACT 9707-2) together with the legendary keyboarder Joe Sample of The Crusaders, in which Nils Landgren can be heard again primarily as a vocalist. In December 2005, Nils Landgren celebrated Christmas in a church in Stockholm with some friends from the Scandinavian music scene and thus fulfilling a long-time dream. This unique recording of the most beautiful Christmas songs from the middle ages to our time was released in December 2006 on CD and DVD, went gold in Sweden and Germany within a month of its release, and climbed to #2 of the German Jazz charts: “Christmas with my Friends” (ACT 9454-2).

2007 brings the Funk Unit back again. The eighth funk album demonstrates the same killer groove as its award-winning predecessors lead us to expect. Nils Landgren definitely has it: the “Licence to Funk” (ACT 9455-2). Given the resounding success of JazzFest Berlin ’01, Landgren has been nominated again in 2008 as artistic director of the JazzFest Berlin for the coming three years. At the end of 2008 he will release a sequel of his successful first Christmas album: “Christmas With My Friends II” (ACT 9476-2). Music knows no borders, music is freedom this is Nils Landgren’s credo. For every record of his new Funk Unit album “Funk For Life” (released in spring 2010) sold, one Euro goes to the Funk Unit Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors without borders) project ”Funk For Life” in Kibera Nairobi. By purchasing the CD the buyer will contribute in making life for people in Kibera just a bit easier. And he helps to guarantee that from now on, music will be a central part of the education in Kibera. https://www.allaboutjazz.com/musicians/nils-landgren

Nature Boy

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Ben L'Oncle Soul - Under My Skin

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2016
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 57:57
Size: 133,6 MB
Art: Front

(4:20) 1. A Very Good Year
(3:41) 2. All The Way
(3:51) 3. Fly Me To The Moon
(4:13) 4. The Good Life
(5:26) 5. Moonlight Serenade
(3:27) 6. I Love Paris
(6:10) 7. My Way
(4:32) 8. New York New York
(3:54) 9. The Way You Look Tonight
(4:41) 10. I've Got You Under My Skin
(4:39) 11. Witchcraft
(3:09) 12. All The Way (Version Acoustique)
(5:48) 13. I've Got You Under My Skin (Version Acoustique)

Ben l'Oncle Soul is a French soul singer with a retro style who made his eponymous Top Five hit album debut in 2010. Born Benjamin Duterde in 1984 in Tours, Indre-et-Loire, France, he took his name and look from Uncle Ben, the fictitious elderly African-American man dressed in a bow tie who serves as the brand image of Uncle Ben's Rice. The moniker Ben l'Oncle Soul was chosen rather than Uncle Ben to avoid any charges of trademark infringement. Years before Duterde adopted the Ben l'Oncle Soul moniker, he got his professional start as a vocalist in the Fitiavana Gospel Choir, which he joined in 2004. The Tours-based gospel choir made its album debut with I Have a Dream (2009), a collection of English-language soul classics such as "Killing Me Softly," "Lean on Me," and "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman."

In turn, Duterde was offered a solo recording deal with the French division of Motown Records. Billing himself as Ben l'Oncle Soul, he made his solo recording debut with the Soul Wash EP (2009). Comprised of cover material, the majority of it sung in English, the six-track EP is performed in a retro style informed by the Motown and Stax sounds of the 1960s. A cover of the Gnarls Barkley smash hit "Crazy" was released as a single. A half-year later, Duterde made his full-length debut with the eponymous album Ben l'Oncle Soul (2010). Produced by Guillaume Poncelet and Gabin Lesieur, the album is comprised entirely of original material, plus the cover version of the White Stripes hit "Seven Nation Army" from the Soul Wash EP. With "Seven Nation Army" released as its lead single, Ben l'Oncle Soul was a Top Five hit on the French albums chart.~ Jason Birchmeier https://www.allmusic.com/artist/ben-loncle-soul-mn0002459668/biography

Personnel: Ben L'Oncle Soul - vocals; Benjamin Waxx Hekimian - guitar, bass guitar; Matthieu Joly - keyboards; Maxime Pinto - sax, trumpet; Christophe Lardeau - acoustic guitar

Under My Skin

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Gary Bartz - Music Is My Sanctuary

Styles: Jazz Funk
Year: 1977
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 36:02
Size: 83,5 MB
Art: Front

(6:22) 1. Music Is My Sanctuary
(5:57) 2. Carnaval De L'Esprit
(4:11) 3. Love Ballad
(6:53) 4. Swing Thing
(5:55) 5. Oo Baby Baby
(6:42) 6. Macaroni

Surrounding himself with a world-class ensemble of disco-jazz-fusion musicians and armed with the Mizell brothers at the production console (who were near the peak of their careers around this time), Gary Bartz took the route of Donald Byrd and brought new elements of funk, soul, and a foreshadowing of the soon-to-be-commercial disco craze all into a 40-minute workout on Music Is My Sanctuary. While purists shook their heads in disapproval and disdain at Bartz's new direction (one emulated by several jazz pioneers at the time), those who could take off their traditional jazz mufflers would find Bartz and the Mizells making some highly infectious, soulful music. Further accentuated by the addition of Syreeta Wright on vocals, the Mizells took Bartz into nearly uncharted territories for jazz musicians. The results of this experimentation more than paid off, with the dividends being Bartz's most polished, focused releases.~ Rob Theakston https://www.allmusic.com/album/music-is-my-sanctuary-mw0000027322

Personnel: Gary Bartz - Saxophone (Alto, Soprano), Piano, Electric Piano, Synthesizer, Vocals; Larry Mizell - Keyboards, Vocals; George Cables - Piano; David T. Walker, John Rowin, Juewett Bostick, Wah-Wah Watson - Guitar; Curtis Robinson, Jr., Welton Gite - Bass; Howard King, James Gadson, Nate Neblett - Drums; Bill Summers, James Mtume - Percussion; Eddie Henderson, Ray Brown - Trumpet; Sigidi, Syreeta Wright - Vocals

Music Is My Sanctuary

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Curtis Fuller - Four On The Outside

Styles: Trombone Jazz

Year: 2008

File: MP3@320K/s

Time: 46:27

Size: 106,5 MB

Art: Front

( 4:49)  1. Four on the Outside

(12:58)  2. Suite Kathy

( 5:06)  3. Hello Young Lovers

( 7:44)  4. Little Dreams

( 8:14)  5. Ballad For Gabe-Wells

( 7:33)  6. Corrida Del Torro

While Curtis Fuller may have reached his peak in the 1960s, he continued to be an important voice well into the 1970s and beyond. This delightful set features him in a front line with Pepper Adams, and the trombone-baritone saxophone combination was a natural. (Curiously, few others have followed this intriguing coupling.) While there is no new ground broken, Adams and Fuller negotiate tunes mostly written by Fuller, with simple, yet elegant heads. The version of "Hello Young Lovers" is characteristically conservative, yet sharp and well rehearsed. Fuller's nasal tone, machine gun-like spurts, and focus on the middle range on his horn complements Adams' angular, boppish lines. The fine rhythm section of pianist James Williams, bassist Dennis Irwin, and drummer John Yarling never gets in the way, but lets the horns spread their wings. ~ Steve Loewy  http://www.allmusic.com/album/four-on-the-outside-mw0000464545

Personnel: Baritone Saxophone – Pepper Adams;  Bass – Dennis Irwin;  Drums – John Yarling;  Piano – James Williams;  Trombone – Curtis Fuller

Four On The Outside

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Jane McDonald - Let The Light In

Styles: Vocal
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 47:31
Size: 110,4 MB
Art: Front

(3:30) 1. You Don't Know What You Got
(3:14) 2. Step Outside The Door
(3:24) 3. I'll Not Be Beaten
(4:30) 4. I See It In Your Eyes
(3:43) 5. The Hand That Leads Me
(3:36) 6. Shallow
(4:04) 7. Let The Light In
(3:58) 8. This Is Me
(3:57) 9. You & I Could
(3:26) 10. Never Enough
(5:31) 11. You Still Lead Me
(4:33) 12. You're My World

Jane McDonald brings together new songs and fan favourites on her latest album ‘Let The Light In.’ The record marks the first time the powerhouse singer has recorded with her live band and replicates the united, cohesive sound of her live shows. It’s a format reflected in the song selection; four of which appeared on her last LP ‘Hold The Covers Back’, along with three covers from her live show, two reworked tracks and three new compositions. As a collection, the album showcases Jane’s vocal prowess, which is as strong now as it was 25 years ago when cameras rolled for BBC’s ‘The Cruise’.But what’s disappointing is that half of the 12 tracks are already widely available albeit in different configurations leaving essentially a six-track EP of new cuts. Moreover, the new songs are so good, including the country-tinged You Don’t Know What You Got, funk-driven You & I Could and You Still Lead Me, perhaps her strongest self-penned offering to date. Covers of ‘The Greatest Showman’tunes This Is Me and Never Enough, and Shallow from ‘A Star is Born’, add to her recorded repertoire, and it’s hard not to want for more. That’s not to knock the quality of the record; the original material is career-best work and, if there’s one thing to be taken from ‘Let The Light In’, it’s that Jane McDonald remains at the top of her game. https://retropopmagazine.com/jane-mcdonald-let-the-light-in-album-review/

Let The Light In

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