Sergio Mendes - In The Key of Joy Disc 1, Disc 2

Album: In The Key of Joy Disc 1
Styles: Bossa Nova
Year: 2019
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 43:37
Size: 102,1 MB
Art: Front

(4:11) 1. Sabor Do Rio
(3:20) 2. Bora Lá
(2:54) 3. La Noche Entera
(3:56) 4. Samba In Heaven
(4:13) 5. Muganga
(3:13) 6. In The Key Of Joy
(4:15) 7. Love Came Between Us
(3:11) 8. Catch The Wave
(2:57) 9. Romance In Copacabana
(2:56) 10. This Is It (É Isso)
(4:26) 11. Times Goes By
(3:58) 12. Tangara

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Album: In The Key of Joy Disc 2
Year: 2020
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 58:00
Size: 134,6 MB

(2:39) 1. Mas Que Nada
(4:03) 2. Agua De Beber
(3:57) 3. Primitivo
(3:24) 4. Lamento (No Morro)
(3:14) 5. Pais Tropical
(4:52) 6. Reza
(3:19) 7. Consolacao
(3:05) 8. Going Out Of My Head
(2:43) 9. The Frog
(4:29) 10. Morro Velho
(2:43) 11. The Look Of Love
(3:18) 12. Constant Rain
(4:26) 13. So Many Stars
(3:25) 14. Tonga (A Tonga Da Mironga Do Kabulete)
(4:16) 15. Never Gonna Let You Go
(4:01) 16. Fanfarra – Cabua-Le-Le

With exuberant Brazilian beats variously smoldering and at full flame, In the Key of Joy (Concord Records, 2019) archives the sound and the ambiance that defines Sergio Mendes. In 2020, the composer, keyboardist and vocalist celebrates more than sixty years in the music industry with this release. No matter how many beautiful songs and engaging records Mendes has provided over the years, many of a certain age will always first conjure up Sergio Mendes and Brazil '66. The 1960s produced a musical tapestry that was near limitless in its emotional depth and diversification. Mendes firmly yet delicately grabbed hold of that joy with both hands and has never let go. He has expressed it in pop, jazz, Brazilian and beyond. In 1968 we were treated to his spicy take on Burt Bacharach's "The Look of Love" and the heartbeat of Latin romance was within us. That sound and mood has playfully filled the air ever since.

In the Key of Joy kicks off with a visit from Common on the feisty "Sabor Do Rio." This, along with the title track, with rapper Buddy, illustrate Mendes' ability to stay current and explore new territory, while never sacrificing any of his core sound. Chico Brown's catchy acoustic guitar work is augmented by vocalist Shelea on "Catch the Wave." Mendes shuns the collaborative with his own jaunty piano skills on "Romance in Copacabana." His days with bossa nova legend Antonio Carlos Jobim are remembered with pianist and co-writer Joao Donato playing a duet on the upbeat "Muganga." It's also a family affair as Mendes' wife, singer and muse Gracinha Leporace joins in the fun and Joe Pizzulo's daughter, Sugar Jones, sings "Samba in Heaven." Pizzulo himself adds a reconnect with Mendes on "Love Came Between Us." Long time collaborators Hernan Pascal and Guinga join the party as well. A true celebration of family, friends and music. On the final track, Guinga's snappy guitar grooves signify that the celebration continues.

Released in conjunction with a bright documentary of his career, In the Key of Joy is at once a homage to the past and a step forward. This is a concept record. Breezy, bright, and infectious tunes are generally not the making of a concept record. But again, Sergio Mendes does what he does best. The concept is simple. Relax, get comfortable and breathe in the joy.~Jim Worsley https://www.allaboutjazz.com/in-the-key-of-joy-sergio-mendes-concord-music-group

Personnel: Sergio Mendes: pianos; Leo Costa: drums; Andre de Santana: bass; Paul Jackson Jr.: guitar; Mika Mutti: acoustic guitar, synths & rhythm design, percussion.

In The Key of Joy Disc 1, Disc 2

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René Marie - How Can I Keep From Singing?

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2000
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 62:47
Size: 145,4 MB
Art: Front

(3:43)  1. What A Difference A Day Makes
(6:44)  2. Tennessee Waltz
(1:28)  3. Motherless Child
(6:11)  4. Four Women
(5:01)  5. The Very Thought Of You
(4:07)  6. I Like You
(6:47)  7. Afro Blue
(6:21)  8. A Sleepin' Bee
(6:04)  9. Hurry Sundown
(5:08) 10. God Bless The Child
(5:25) 11. Take My Breath Away
(5:41) 12. How Can I Keep From Singing?

A forty-something singer who retired to raise a family in the Virginia-D.C. area, Marie is making a comeback, and it's a welcome egress. She has a strong individualistic, enjoyable voice which includes parts of Ella, Sarah, Dinah, Betty Carter, Nancy Wilson, and Teri Thornton most closely Thornton. She's smooth but never slick, easy on the ears, with a good range and a deep, rich instrument that can easily belt when commanded. Pianist Mulgrew Miller, guitarist Marvin Sewell, and drummer Gerald Cleaver comprise the glue of these sessions, the ultimate musical accompanists and button pushers. Marie tackles some interesting re-arrangements, like the quick samba version of "What a Difference a Day Makes," atypical hard scattish bopping "God Bless the Child," and Sewell's Duane Allman-ish slide guitar during a bluesy swing take of "Tennessee Waltz" with Marie moaning, groaning, and yeah-ing on the bridge.

"Motherless Child" starts with Ugonna Okegwo's bass and Marie's voice, then merges to light Fender Rhodes based funk for Nina Simone's tale of the black Aunt Sarah, yellow woman/white fathered Sefronia, tan prostitute Sweet Thing, and brown toughie Peaches on "Four Women." Most in the mainstream, Marie sings with Miller in duet and trio on the ballad "The Very Thought of You," the cute, standard, easily swung "A Sleepin' Bee," and on the edge, the delineated, slow 6/8 "Afro-Blue" with jungle percussion by Jeffrey Haynes, soprano saxophonist Sam Newsome, Oscar Brown's deep lyric, and Marie's nervous oohs. As a songwriter Marie shines on the best cut of the date, "I Like You," a hip, swinging modal piano buoying an exhaustive, extended lyric where she likes this special someone more than just about anything. There's also the light bossa original, not the pop tune, "Take My Breath Away" with Sewell's acoustic guitar, and the Enya penned title track, using various pop, folk, and ethnic nuances with Newsome and hand percussion inserted. All in all this is a credible effort that should pave the way for much more, as Marie is quite capable and talented. Recommended. 

~ Michael G.Nastos https://www.allmusic.com/album/how-can-i-keep-from-singing-mw0000064441

Personnel: Rene Marie (vocals); Sam Newsome (soprano saxophone); Mulgrew Miller (piano, Fender Rhodes piano); Marvin Sewell (guitar); Ugonna Okegwo (bass); Gerald Cleaver (drums); Jeffrey Haynes (percussion).               

How Can I Keep From Singing?

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Maxine Sullivan - The Great Songs from the Cotton Club

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2014
File: MP3@192K/s
Time: 47:26
Size: 67,5 MB
Art: Front

(2:09) 1. Happy As the Day Is Long
(3:38) 2. You Gave Me Ev'rything but Love
(2:39) 3. As Long As I Live
(4:10) 4. Raisin' the Rent
(3:39) 5. Neath the Pale Cuban Moon
(5:04) 6. Ill Wind
(2:57) 7. Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea
(2:14) 8. I Love a Parade
(2:54) 9. Harlem Holiday
(2:39) 10. Get Yourself a New Broom
(3:21) 11. Stormy Weather
(3:26) 12. In the Silence of the Night
(3:18) 13. That's What I Hate About Love
(2:17) 14. Primitive Prima Donna
(2:55) 15. I've Got the World on a String

“Maxine Sullivan was in a class by herself. Sullivan gave her all to a song, and in so doing made the song a celebration of the best in classic American popular music rather than an occasion to show off her vocal prowess. It is one of her best albums, and should be heard by all.”~ Lawrence Schulman, ARSC Journal

Back in print for the first time in more than a decade, Harbinger Records’ award-winning album, MAXINE SULLIVAN: THE GREAT SONGS FROM THE COTTON CLUB BY HAROLD ARLEN AND TED KOEHLER is making it’s long-awaited debut on iTunes and other music download sites. Nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Female Vocalist and winner of the NAIRD award in the same category, the album features many previously unrecorded songs by the famous songwriting team of Harold Arlen and Ted Koehler. In addition to the first-time recordings, Sullivan interprets such standards as “Stormy Weather” and “Buds Won’t Bud” with her patented gently swinging style. Hailed on many 10 Best lists, Great Songs from the Cotton Club, brought Maxine Sullivan’s 50-year career to a highpoint and led the way to two more highly regarded recordings for Harbinger, Together: Maxine Sullivan Sings Jule Styne and The Lady’s in Love with You: Maxine Sullivan Sings the Music of Burton Lane.

Maxine Sullivan got her start at a remarkably named nightclub, The Benjamin Harrison Literary Club, in 1934. She sang with Claude Thornhill’s band and had a smash hit with her recording of the Scottish standard, “Loch Lomond.” In the ‘40s, she and her husband, jazz musician John Kirby, became the first black jazz stars to have a regular radio program. She appeared in the films St. Louis Blues and Going Places, the latter in which she and Louis Armstrong introduced the song “Jeepers Creepers.” She and Armstrong had a long friendship and appeared together in the fabled Cotton Club and on Broadway in the musical Swinging the Dream in which Maxine introduced the jazz standard, “Darn That Dream.” She later appeared on Broadway in the show My Old Friends for which she received a Tony Award nomination.

After retiring to raise her children, Maxine created The House That Jazz Built in the South Bronx where she supported programs encouraging young talent and introducing children to the world of jazz. In 1967 she returned to recordings with jazzman Bob Wilbur. Her three albums for Harbinger Records came soon thereafter giving new audiences a chance to hear one of the greatest jazz singers of all time. This long-awaited reissue brings this tremendous album to her legion of fans and to a new generation who can rejoice in the great vocals and great songs of the Cotton Club era. https://www.musicaltheaterproject.org/maxine-sullivan-the-great-songs-from-the-cotton-club.html

Personnel: Vocals – Maxine Sullivan; Alto Saxophone, Clarinet – Phil Bodner; Bass – Phil Flanagan; Drums – Jackie Williams ; Guitar – Marty Grosz; Piano – Keith Ingham

The Great Songs from the Cotton Club

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Sue Raney - Late In Life

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2015
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 49:55
Size: 117,1 MB
Art: Front

(3:05) 1. I Didn't Know What Time It Was
(4:44) 2. At Last
(2:16) 3. Till Him
(5:02) 4. Late In Life
(2:31) 5. You Are Not My First Love
(3:10) 6. The Second Time Around
(4:07) 7. It Amazes Me
(4:36) 8. You Taught My Heart To Sing
(4:21) 9. On My Way To You
(3:11) 10. Something New In My Life
(4:58) 11. My Ideal/Long Ago And Far Away
(3:30) 12. You Stepped Out Of A Dream
(4:17) 13. When I Look In Your Eyes

I will always remember the day I was with Shelly Markham and he shared his new CD, Things Ive Learned Along the Way. He especially wanted me to listen to one of the songs he had written (with lyrics by Adryan Russ) called Late in Life. I played it and began to get tears in my eyes. It was the most moving and remarkable moment. The song touched me so much, I knew I had to sing it. A few weeks later, I called Shelly and told him that I would like their song to be the title song of my new CD. I asked him, also, if he would be my music director and produce the CD. Fortunately, he said yes and we began to choose songs that followed the same subject mattersongs that tell stories of meeting someone when you least expect ita happening that becomes the most wonderful event of someones life, and the blessing of everything one has always hoped and wished for.

Shelly became not only my producer, but also my arranger and orchestrator providing his innovative musical ideas, his devotion to making everything as perfect as possible (which he did). I am grateful to him for his great talent and enduring friendship. This CD is also a dedication to my most wonderful husband, Carmen, whom I did meet later in my life and felt, when I met him (and still feel), very lucky that we found each other. Thanks to Andy Waterman and Umbrella Media for creating a perfect studio situation, and for lending his expertise to every song. From the beginning of this project to the end result, each moment of this endeavor was, without a doubt, some of the most rewarding musical adventures I have ever had the privilege of experiencing. https://www.freshsoundrecords.com/sue-raney-albums/6252-late-in-life-digipack-edition.html

Personnel: Sue Raney (vcl), Shelly Markham (p), Jeff Driskill (as, ts, cl, fl), Barry Zweig (g), Kevin Axt (b), MB Gordy (d, perc)

Late In Life

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Steve Coleman and Five Elements - Havesting Semblances and Affinities

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2010
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 52:55
Size: 121,5 MB
Art: Front

( 8:33) 1. Attila 02 (Dawning Ritual)
( 5:43) 2. Beba
( 7:26) 3. Clouds
(14:05) 4. (Middle of Water)
( 6:49) 5. Flos Ut Rosa Floruit
( 3:33) 6. Attila 04 (Closing Ritual)
( 6:42) 7. Vernal Equinox (Initiation)

As the founder of the M-Base movement, alto saxophonist Steve Coleman has been at the forefront of advances in jazz composition for 25 years. Culled from traditions with roots in the diverse music of the African Diaspora, M-Base's intricate fusion of syncopated rhythms and polyphonic harmonies has provided a vivacious, forward-thinking alternative to staid conventions for over two decades. A veteran scene leader and mentor, Coleman has aided the careers of peers like Geri Allen, Greg Osby and Cassandra Wilson, as well as nurturing the development of such heavyweight modernists as Vijay Iyer, Steve Lehman and Rudresh Mahanthappa. Coleman's seminal innovations are also manifest in the work of former students such as Ravi Coltrane and Jason Moran, yet for the past few years Coleman's own output has been relatively sparse.

A concept album inspired by the passage of time and seasonal renewal, Harvesting Semblances and Affinities is Coleman's first widely available domestic release in almost a decade, and a persuasive reminder of his visionary artistry. A philosophical polymath, Coleman transposes the cyclical progression of the seasons into a labyrinthine opus of tetrachord progressions, contrapuntal polyphony and shifting polyrhythms. Arranging these multi-layered compositions into a fluidly expansive suite, he circumvents preconceived notions of cerebral impenetrability with an accessible program that gracefully modulates from the primal ("Beba") to the sublime ("Clouds").

The album's ritualistic deportment is superbly executed by a stellar incarnation of Coleman's venerable Five Elements ensemble. Trumpeter Jonathan Finlayson, trombonist Tim Albright and vocalist Jen Shyu are veterans of this flagship unit, while bassist Thomas Morgan and drummer Tyshawn Sorey are ubiquitous rhythm partners in the New York scene. Of all the sidemen, Sorey has garnered the most acclaim as a budding composer, though his skills as an improviser remain his primary talent. Unleashing pneumatic maelstroms of unbridled virtuosity on the session's funkiest cuts, he reveals a longstanding debt to M-Base with some of his best playing on record.

Coalescing into a kaleidoscopic array of timbres, Shyu's mellifluous vocalese provides constant counterpoint to the thorny staccato interplay of the three horn frontline. Her wordless vocals, culled from folk traditions around the globe, balance the sextet's urban tonality with a humanistic air. On a lush interpretation of Danish composer Per Norgard's "Flos Ut Rosa Floruit," she transcends concepts of Eastern and Western harmony with her euphonious delivery of the Latin text, imbuing the album's sole cover with a universal spirituality.

Coleman allows his sidemen a modicum of solo space, contributing a few stunning intervallic alto runs himself. The project's focus is dynamic group interplay however, and each statement is concise and thematically related to the written material far removed from the informality of a blowing session. Filled with cantilevered rhythms, intertwining melodies and oblique harmonies, Harvesting Semblances and Affinities is one of the strongest albums of Coleman's career and compelling proof of his continued importance in the development of contemporary jazz.~Troy Collins https://www.allaboutjazz.com/harvesting-semblances-and-affinities-steve-coleman-pi-recordings-review-by-troy-collins

Personnel: Steve Coleman: alto saxophone; Jonathan Finlayson: trumpet; Tim Albright: trombone; Jen Shyu: vocals; Thomas Morgan: bass; Tyshawn Sorey: drums; Marcus Gilmore: drums (5); Ramon Garcia Perez: percussion (5).

Havesting Semblances and Affinities

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Brian Bromberg - Jaco

Styles: Jazz, Post Bop
Year: 2002
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 57:45
Size: 133,2 MB
Art: Front

(4:48) 1. Come on, Come Over
(7:40) 2. Continuum
(4:52) 3. Teen Town
(6:57) 4. A Remark You Made
(2:54) 5. Portrait of Tracy
(6:12) 6. Three Views of a Secret
(3:44) 7. The Chicken
(5:59) 8. Tears
(4:52) 9. Slang
(4:49) 10. Come on, Come Over (instrumental)
(4:52) 11. Teen Town (Piccolo Bass)

If you look closely at this CD's cover photo of acoustic and electric bassist Brian Bromberg, you'll see that it's styled exactly like that of legendary bass player Jaco Pastorius's first solo recording from 1976. For Bromberg, who played with Stan Getz, Horace Silver, and Lee Ritenour, the magical and mercurial Pastorius was to the electric bass what Jimi Hendrix was to the guitar. On this tribute, with keyboardist Jeff Lorber, saxophonists Bob Mintzer and Eric Marienthal, and percussionist and (ex-Jaco bandmate) Alex Acuna, Bromberg extends and elaborates on Pastorius's unique blend of jazz fusion, world, and soul influences. Bromberg skillfully reinterprets Pastorius's brilliant bass lines on the acoustic and electric bass and changes up the groove on a number of his compositions. "Continuum" and "Three Views of a Secret" are redone with Afro-Caribbean tinges and a funky big-band feel. The two versions of "Teen Town" rock with hip-hop-friendly backbeats, while "The Chicken" and "Come On, Come Over" recall Pastorius's love for the rhythm & blues stars Sam & Dave. The tour de force of the CD is "Slang(ish)," a solo spotlight where Bromberg shows off advanced string-tapping skills that would have made his idol proud.~Eugene Holley Jr. https://www.amazon.ca/Jaco-Brian-Bromberg/dp/B00006LHYJ

Jaco

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Jimmy Durante - The Great Schnozzle

Styles: Vocal And Piano Jazz
Year: 1998
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 72:16
Size: 166,3 MB
Art: Front

(3:07) 1. Inka Dinka Doo
(3:07) 2. Can Broadway Do Without Me?
(2:59) 3. Hot Patatta
(2:42) 4. Umbriago
(3:14) 5. Durante, The Patron of the Arts
(3:12) 6. Start off Each Day With a Song
(3:03) 7. Who Will Be With You When I'm Far Away?
(3:11) 8. So I Ups to Him
(2:48) 9. Joe Goes Up-I Come Down
(3:08) 10. Jimmy, The Well Dressed Man
(3:18) 11. There Are Two Sides to Every Girl
(3:13) 12. G'wan Home, You Mudder's Callin'
(3:01) 13. I'm Feeling Mighty Low
(3:00) 14. I'll Do the Strutaway in My Cutaway
(3:02) 15. I'm the Guy Who Found the Lost Chord
(2:56) 16. Little Bit This, Little Bit That
(3:07) 17. Chidabee, Chidabee, Chidabee (Yah! Yah! Yah!)
(3:03) 18. It's My Nose's Birthday
(3:01) 19. (I'll Never Forget) The Day I Read a Book
(3:03) 20. Fugitive from Esquire
(4:44) 21. The Song's Gotta Come from the Heart
(3:14) 22. A Real Piano Player
(2:51) 23. Inka Dinka Doo

Jimmy Durante's jokes weren't always that funny, but his personality and appearance could breathe vitality into practically any worn-out punchline. The comedy skits and songs on The Great Schnozzle are occasionally a hoot, but Durante's humor was more fun to watch, and some of the tracks leave one yearning for the visual portion. Mastered from vintage 78s and acetates from 1929-1949, The Great Schnozzle includes Durante's most famous song, "Inka Dinka Do," in two versions, and 21 other tracks of piano-pounding, word-mangling craziness. Durante was a one-of-a-kind character, and the possessor of real musical talent to boot.~ Greg Adams https://www.allmusic.com/album/great-schnozzle-mw0000046531

The Great Schnozzle

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Erin Bode - Don't Take Your Time

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2004
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 55:32
Size: 127,7 MB
Art: Front

(3:46) 1. Don't Take Your Time
(4:14) 2. Here, There and Everywhere
(5:02) 3. In The Pines
(4:51) 4. Tonight I'll Be Staying Here With You
(4:55) 5. Time After Time
(4:01) 6. But Not For Me
(3:16) 7. Junior and Julie
(4:18) 8. If It's Magic
(3:50) 9. I've Never Been In Love Before
(4:15) 10. You
(4:18) 11. I Walk A Little Faster
(3:43) 12. Gee Baby Ain't I Good To You
(4:57) 13. Count Your Blessings

Erin Bode's frail, delicate vocal delivery gives her a quality that just wants to grow on you. She's got a friendly manner, and her song selection comes from what we've grown accustomed to over the years. Cyndi Lauper, the Beatles, Stevie Wonder, Bob Dylan and older heroes of the Great American Songbook provide examples of her eclectic taste. It's popular stuff that we welcome all the time. However, Bode's limited vocal range and shallow breath support, while emphasizing her fragile demeanor, serve to restrain the emotional content of her performance.

The lightweight appearance of her vocal delivery give Bode a warm quality that works well on ballads such as "Time After Time" or "You," where folk singing and pop music combine to create lovely melodies and smooth harmony that lingers and remains pleasant to the ear long after the song is over. They're memorable. A piece that contains dramatic aspects, however, such as Bill Monroe's "In the Pines," requires natural force. Heartfelt passion is sorely missed during much of this program.

"Junior and Julie," a quaint jazz selection by Matt Dennis, provides opportunities for a singer to croon and swoon. It's one of those nightclub ballads that should be worn on one's sleeve late at night or in the wee hours. Here, the interpretation fails because a harder-hitting emphasis is needed. The same expectation comes from "Gee Baby, Ain't I Good To You," where a little hip swinging and head swaggering is called for. Instead, the performance turns this one around, with a coy smile and a shy grin.

Better are songs such as Cy Coleman's "I Walk a Little Faster," where the mood swings gaily from side to side, with whispers becoming appropriate for the lyrical message under consideration. "Count Your Blessings" also wears very well, with creative accompaniment from Bruce Barth, Larry Grenadier and Steve Nelson. Under Bode's control, the Irving Berlin chestnut lies still and personal like evening prayers, and settles in for a restful evening. Bode represents a new face on the scene. Her appeal lies in the way she relates to her audience as the quiet girl next door.~Jim Santella https://www.allaboutjazz.com/dont-take-your-time-erin-bode-maxjazz-review-by-jim-santella

Personnel: Erin Bode- vocals; Adam Maness- piano; Bruce Barth- piano, electric piano; Larry Grenadier- bass; Montez Coleman- drums; Adam Rogers- acoustic guitar; Steve Nelson- vibraphone; Meg Okura- violin; Sydney Rodway- tenor saxophone on "Don't Take Your Time"; Jerry Barnes- background vocals on "Time After Time."

Don't Take Your Time

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Patricia Barber - The Cole Porter Mix

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 56:15
Size: 128.8 MB
Styles: Jazz vocals
Year: 2008
Art: Front

[3:36] 1. Easy To Love
[5:14] 2. I Wait For Late Afternoon And You
[4:29] 3. I Get A Kick Out Of You
[3:39] 4. You're The Top
[3:47] 5. Just One Of Those Things
[4:45] 6. Snow
[3:37] 7. C'est Magnifique
[4:22] 8. Get Out Of Town
[5:02] 9. I Concentrate On You
[5:25] 10. In The Still Of The Night
[3:59] 11. What Is This Thing Called Love
[4:11] 12. Miss Otis Regrets
[4:01] 13. The New Year's Eve Song

Jazz songwriter and pianist Patricia Barber's 2006 album Mythologies, a song cycle based on Ovid's Metamorphosis, is a sprawling work of poetic and musical adventure. Upon its release, it garnered universal acclaim from critics and responsive concert audiences across the United States and Europe. After this rigorous undertaking, Barber could have been forgiven for taking a breather. And on its surface, that seems to be what the Cole Porter Mix is. But in Barber's case, this is far from true. While she claims in her bio that she's been singing his songs for years, and that he's her favorite songwriter, she does anything but a "standard" read on his tunes, though she never undermines their integrity. The album is called a "mix" because Barber has woven three of her own tunes -- written after the manner of Porter's -- into the fabric of the album. Given her austere yet highly original readings of his songs, they fit in seamlessly. She is accompanied here by her longtime backing group of Neal Alger (guitar), Michael Arnopol (bass), and Eric Montzka (drums), with drummer Nate Smith alternating on three tunes, and guest saxophonist Chris Potter appearing on five.

Commencing with the opening number "Easy to Love," with its skeletal bossa nova rhythm (Barber doesn't play in the body of the tune and only contributes a wonderfully economical piano solo), and the relative austerity of her voice, it's obvious this isn't an ordinary standards set. She is faithful to the intent of these songs both lyrically and musically, but she shifts their arrangements in such a way that they are more suited to her deliberately restrained singing voice, and her own vocation as a songwriter. It's the songwriter she is paying tribute to here -- not the tradition. "I Concentrate on You" also carries within it the kernel of bossa, but this time, with her piano fills and artfully incisive manner of accenting, to quote Porter, "how strange the change from major to minor" without invoking the blues (the standard for doing so). Barber's pianism is elegantly idiosyncratic, even enigmatic. Her "cool" singing voice peels away the weight these songs have borne over the years, and instead returns to them their subtlety and gentle sense of humorous irony. There are some wild moments here -- such as the Latin polyrhythms at the heart of "In the Still of the Night," that set up a space for some serious blowing tenor by Potter -- but the spirit of "song" is never compromised. Barber's originals are truly canny, empathic evidence of her true understanding of Porter. "Snow," with its minor-key piano intro opens with: "Do you think of me like snow/cool, slippery and white? Do you think of me like jazz/as hip, as black as night?" The mysterious, dull ache of love and lust in "New Year's Eve Song" evokes the forlorn aspect of Porter but the strange, covert voyeurism of poet Robert Lowell's "Eep Hour": "Will he/peek in the mirror while she/knowing he's watching her tease/stripping the gown with ease/bare as the New Year, she/so in love with her is he..." All the while, the sense of a taut harmonic melody is inseparable from the lyrics, unveiling the secret intent in the song for both listener and singer. The Cole Porter Mix is a very modern form of imitation, as evidenced not only by interpretation but in her evocative compositions too; they mark the greatest form of flattery. But it is also an ingenious manner of reconsidering Porter -- and Barber -- with fresh ears. ~Thom Jurek

The Cole Porter Mix

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Johnathan Blake - Homeward Bound

Styles: Jazz, Post Bop
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 43:28
Size: 104,0 MB
Art: Front

(0:59) 1. In The Beginning Was The Drum
(9:13) 2. Homeward Bound (For Ana Grace)
(7:59) 3. Rivers & Parks
(4:51) 4. Shakin' The Biscuits
(3:24) 5. Abiyoyo
(1:03) 6. On The Break
(6:10) 7. LLL
(9:44) 8. Steppin'Out

Jonathan Blake, one of the most respected and sought-after jazz drummers on the scene, carved a path through the contemporary jazz with some powerful albums released under his name (The Eleventh Hour; Trion) as well as fruitful collaborations with Tom Harrell, Kenny Barron and Dave Holland, Dr. Lonnie Smith, Jaleel Shaw and Maria Schneider. For Homeward Bound, the fourth entry in his personal discography and his debut on the Blue Note Records, he convenes a freshly formed quintet, Pentad, which features prodigious musicians such as saxophonist Immanuel Wilkins, vibist Joel Ross, bassist Dezron Douglas and pianist David Virelles.

A one-minute drum intro prepares the terrain for the title track, a beautiful theme that Blake composed for saxophonist Jimmy Greene's daughter, Ana Grace, whose life was taken at the age of six during the Sandy Hook elementary school shooting in 2012. Marvelously expressed with odd meter signature, the piece is illuminated by a slick harmonic progression and radiant melodic insight. It also encapsulates mesmerizing improvisation from Ross and Wilkins, who alternate bars with a focused sense of direction, and then Virelles, who scrumptiously blurs the picture with impeccable note choices. Blake also shines, becoming lyrically busy over a vamp marked by contrapuntal adorn.

Boasting a silky synth-soaked texture, “Rivers & Parks” has everyone swinging and grooving, but it’s Wilkins who leaps out, exploring outside boundaries and heating his vocabulary with fervid figures. His mesmeric improvised flights also come into view during the extroverted reworking (in six) of Joe Jackson’s 1982 electropop hit “Steppin’ Out”. Virelles, who enters the stage alone on this one, provides wonderful comping throughout while bass and drums embrace this delicious state of ecstasy.

The two other tunes that didn’t come from the pen of Blake are “Shakin’ the Biscuits”, a bouncy, funkified, bopish frolic written by Douglas that will put you in a great mood, and “Abiyoyo”, a traditional South African children’s song in sextuple meter whose lullabyish melody runs in circles. Blake’s “LLL”, a dedication to the late drummer Lawrence 'Lo' Leathers, is a stirring post-bop number that gives Ross plenty of time to showcase his progressive mallet prowess. The elegant drumming of Blake permeates the album. His accomplishment here is not just a direct result of an accumulated experience throughout the years, but also the refined taste that shows up in everything he does. https://jazztrail.net/blog/johnathan-blake-homeward-bound-album-review

Personnel: Jonathan Blake: drums; Immanuel Wilkins: alto saxophone; Joel Ross: vibraphone; David Virelles: piano; Dezron Douglas: bass.

Homeward Bound

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Lionel Loueke - Close Your Eyes

Styles: Vocal And Guitar Jazz
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 59:58
Size: 140,2 MB
Art: Front

(6:03) 1. Footprints
(6:41) 2. It Might as Well Be Spring
(4:16) 3. Countdown
(4:15) 4. Moon River
(3:39) 5. Solar
(6:24) 6. Blue Monk
(4:38) 7. Body and Soul
(7:44) 8. Close Your Eyes
(7:12) 9. Skylark
(5:26) 10. We See
(3:35) 11. Naima

There is so much to enjoy in Close Your Eyes, guitarist Lionel Loueke’s first ever album of standards, released (*) today. The recorded was made in September 2017 on a one-day break between overlapping tours with Chick Corea and Herbie Hancock. Loueke plays electric guitar throughout. I was first captivated by his wonderful lightness, almost weightlessness of touch in It Might As Well Be Spring. But he finds all kind of expressive possibilities and directions to take. And with bassist Reuben Rogers and drummer Eric Harland he is in top-flight company. Moon River it is all about the silences, the spaces in which to daydream and take one’s time.

Skylark and Wayne Shorter’s Footprints have been the singles which were released on streaming services in advance of today’s release, and both of those are stories with an African angle. In Skylark, the tune emerges from hi-life motifs, and Loueke has a similar way to Martial Solal of of relishing and circling round some favourite contours the tune. Footprints steps into the open from African polyrhythms and a guitar sound and technique which imitate the kora. We are in a place where disguise and surprise are the norm. Coltranes’s Naima, the album closer, is even more effectively disguised.

Solar, on the other hand, is a feverish trio work-out at a ‘you-can’t-be-serious’ tempo, with Eric Harland invited to play out an ending which feels like an elegant and stately denial that any of the ferocious mischief which has gone before it ever actually happened. Blue Monk is a slow walk, where Reuben Rogers lords the time magnificently and empathetically, Loueke finds the dirtiest of blues licks and Eric Harland has something creative, individual and apposite yet out-of-the-ordinary to add at every moment.

The longest tune is the title track Close Your Eyes at nearly eight minutes, but everything flows so easily and naturally, the time passes far too quickly. (*) To be pedantic this album is actually a re-release, in the same way that Hope was. That album had previously been part of high-end vinyl specialist Newvelle’s second season (Reviewed here), with Lionel Loueke in duo with pianist Kevin Hays, and subsequently released as a separate album on Edition Records.This new Sounderscore release is Loueke’s contribution to Newvelle’s Season Three, with this CD presentation adding three tracks to the eight which were on the original release. Sounderscore is run by Swedish/Italian New York-based bassist Massimo Biolcati. https://londonjazznews.com/2021/10/22/lionel-loueke-close-your-eyes/

Personnel: Vocals, Guitar – Lionel Loueke; Acoustic Bass – Reuben Rogers; Drums – Eric Harland; Guitar – Lionel Loueke

Close Your Eyes

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Eddie Henderson - Realization / Inside Out (Anthology: Volume 2 The Capricorn Years)

Styles: Trumpet And Cornet Jazz
Year: 1973
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 77:28
Size: 178,0 MB
Art: Front

(10:09) 1. Scorpio-Libra
( 8:53) 2. Mars In Libra
( 8:48) 3. Anua
( 2:34) 4. Spiritual Awakening
( 7:14) 5. Revelation Realization
( 9:00) 6. Moussaka
( 2:17) 7. Omnipresence
( 5:07) 8. Discoveries
( 3:34) 9. Fusion
( 7:22) 10. Dreams
( 9:27) 11. Inside Out
( 2:56) 12. Exit #1

Balancing a career in psychiatry with his love of forward-thinking post-bop and fusion, trumpeter Eddie Henderson has cut a distinctive path in modern jazz. Mentored by Miles Davis in his teens, Henderson emerged as an original member of Herbie Hancock's Mwandishi band in the 1970s, appearing on the landmark jazz-funk album Sextant. From there, he embarked on a solo career, issuing several of his own cross-pollinated funk and disco-infused albums for Capricorn, Blue Note, and Capitol Records. These albums, and especially his breakthrough U.K. hit "Prance On" from 1978's Mahal, were influential touchstones for later hip-hop, electronic, and acid jazz musicians. A licensed psychiatrist with a degree from Howard University, Henderson often split his time playing jazz and working in medicine. From the late '80s onward, he has remained a vital presence on the New York City jazz scene, releasing a bevy of well-regarded acoustic jazz albums like 2010's For All We Know and working as a member of the hard bop supergroup the Cookers.

Born Edward Jackson Henderson in New York City in 1940, Henderson grew up in a family steeped in the jazz tradition. His mother was a professional dancer at the Cotton Club, while his father was a member of the legendary Charioteers vocal group. Encouraged to play music, he first picked up the trumpet around age nine, and famously received an early lesson from Louis Armstrong, whom his mother knew from her days in Harlem. During his teens, Henderson moved to San Francisco with his family, where he continued to progress as a musician. A driven, highly disciplined student while in high school, he balanced his music practice, with studying, playing sports, and participating in competitive figure skating. It was during these years that he first met his longtime idol Miles Davis, who stayed at his parent's house when playing in the Bay Area. From the late '50s on, Davis was a heavy influence on the trumpeter's approach to jazz. It was also through Davis that Henderson first met future boss and bandmate Herbie Hancock.

After a stint in the Air Force, Henderson enrolled for medical school, earning his undergraduate degree at the University of California, and later finishing his medical studies at Howard University where he graduated in 1968. During his time at Howard, he would often spend the weekends driving from Washington, D.C. to New York to study with Freddie Hubbard and Lee Morgan. After earning his M.D., he then returned to the Bay Area where he served out a psychiatric residency and played jazz in his off-hours. While there, he was asked to join Herbie Hancock's innovative funk and fusion-based Mwandishi ensemble for a week-long run of shows in San Francisco. This led to a full-time appointment, and from 1970 to 1973, Henderson toured and recorded with the group, appearing on the influential 1973 album Sextant. As a leader, Henderson debuted with two well-regarded albums on the independent Capricorn Records label, 1973's Realization and Inside Out. Produced by Skip Drinkwater, whom Henderson met via his work with guitarist Norman Connors, these albums essentially featured the Mwandishi band with Hancock on electric keyboards, Bennie Maupin on reeds, Patrick Gleeson on synthesizers, Buster Williams on bass, and Billy Hart on drums. There were also contributions from drummers Lenny White and Eric Gravatt, as well as future-Headhunters percussionist Bill Summers. Both albums showcased a funky, avant-garde, electric fusion style similar to Henderson's previous work with Hancock. More Drinkwater-produced albums followed on Blue Note, including the psychedelia-dipped Sunburst with George Duke and 1976's Heritage, which featured a young Patrice Rushen on keyboards, sax, and flute.

Around this time, Henderson signed with Capitol Records and released three albums beginning with 1977's Drinkwater-produced Comin' Through. These productions built upon his previous efforts, but found him moving in even more of a cross-over direction with a less spacy, more dance-oriented approach to jazz-funk. In 1978, he scored a U.K. hit with the disco-infused "Prance On," off Mahal. His Capitol era culminated in 1979's equally disco- and soul-leaning Runnin' to Your Love. Although somewhat dismissed as "commercial" in the decades following the fusion era of jazz, Henderson's electric recordings enjoyed great popularity with hip-hop and electronic musicians, and are often cited (along with Miles Davis' and Herbie Hancock's work) as influential on the development of trip-hop and acid jazz. Moving to New York full-time in 1985, Henderson's solo recordings slowed somewhat as he worked increasingly as a physician. Nonetheless, he stayed active, appearing on albums with Billy Hart, Leon Thomas, Gary Bartz, and others. With 1989's Phantoms, he returned to regular recording with a series of albums that found him embracing an acoustic hard bop sound. He presence continued to grow throughout the '90s with harmonically nuanced, hard-swinging albums like 1994's Inspiration, 1995's Dark Shadows, and 1999's Reemergence. These albums still found Henderson indebted to Davis, but displaying his own brand aggressive, post-bop lyricism. It was an approach that only deepened as he entered his sixties, delivering such albums as 2004's Time and Spaces, 2006's Precious Moment, and 2010's For All We Know. Along with his own work in the 2000s, Henderson also played with the Mingus Big Band, Benny Golson, and others. He worked regularly with Billy Harper, eventually joining the saxophonist in the all-star ensemble the Cookers alongside longtime associates drummer Billy Hart, pianist George Cables, and bassist Cecil McBee, as well as trumpeter David Weiss and saxophonist Donald Harrison. A regular at New York's Smoke nightclub, Henderson has released several albums for their in-house label, starting with 2015's Collective Portrait. That same year, he celebrated his work with Hancock on 2016's Infinite Spirit: Revisiting Music of the Mwandishi Band. In 2018, he delivered his second Smoke Sessions date with Be Cool, featuring Cookers bandmate Harrison, pianist Kenny Barron, bassist Essiet Essiet, and drummer Mike Clark.~Matt Collar https://www.allmusic.com/artist/eddie-henderson-mn0000169948/biography

Personnel: Trumpet, Cornet, Flugelhorn – Eddie Henderson (Mganga); Alto Flute, Flute, Saxophone [Stritch], Tenor Saxophone, Bass Clarinet – Bennie Maupin (Mwile); Bass, Bass [Fender] – Buster Williams (Mchezaji); Congas – Bill Summers; Drums – Billy Hart (Jabali), Eric Gravatt (Kamau), Lenny White III); Drums, Percussion – Billy Hart (Jabali); Electric Piano [Fender Rhodes and Univox] – Herbie Hancock (Mwandishi); Electric Piano [Fender Rhodes], Clavinet, Organ – Herbie Hancock (Mwandishi); Saxophone [Stritch], Clarinet, Bass Clarinet, Flute, Alto Flute, Piccolo Flute, Tenor Saxophone – Bennie Maupin (Mwile); Synthesizer – Pat Gleeson; Synthesizer [ARP, Moog], Organ – Pat GleesonNotes

Realization / Inside Out (Anthology: Volume 2 The Capricorn Years)

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Jimmy Durante - September Song

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2001
File: MP3@224K/s
Time: 29:49
Size: 48,1 MB
Art: Front

(3:09) 1. September Song
(2:56) 2. Look Ahead Little Girl
(2:45) 3. Count Your Blessings Instead Of Sheep
(2:48) 4. When The Circus Leaves Town
(2:33) 5. I Believe
(2:47) 6. Young At Heart
(2:56) 7. Don't Lose Your Sense Of Humour
(2:22) 8. You'll Never Walk Alone
(4:22) 9. One Room Home
(3:05) 10. Blue Bird Of Happiness

After decades of novelty and comedy recordings, film roles and television work, Jimmy Durante was invited into the studio to record a "serious" album of standards and originals. Durante himself was uncertain about the project, but the resulting album was in every way a success. It was Durante's only album to enter the Top 40, and the title track made Billboard's Top Pop 100. Mixing Durante's utterly unique voice with lush strings and a vocal chorus, September Song is a left-field masterpiece full of wistful and affecting performances. Durante was by no means a technically accomplished vocalist, but he negotiated the sessions with aplomb and created a piece of work very different from, but just as charming as, the comedy that had made him a star.~Greg Adams https://www.allmusic.com/album/september-song-mw0000012171

September Song

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Bud Powell - The Return Of Bud Powell

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 49:36
Size: 113.5 MB
Styles: Piano jazz
Year: 1964
Art: Front

[5:56] 1. I Know That You Know
[3:53] 2. Someone To Watch Over Me
[4:53] 3. The Best Thing For You
[5:43] 4. On Green Dolphin Street
[5:41] 5. Just One Of Those Things
[4:26] 6. I Remember Clifford
[4:50] 7. Hallucinations
[4:33] 8. If I Loved You
[5:34] 9. I Hear Music
[4:02] 10. Autumn In New York

On April 26, 1962, Bud Powell recorded an LP titled "Bouncing with Bud," on the Delmark label. He was full of spark and played with the ease and swiftness that had been his trademark in his earlier years. Clearly he had rallied from the dark vales into which he had descended for years, a result of mental illness and substance misuse. Four years of a European exile had apparently helped - at least the great master of the keyboard had not fallen apart. That recording is worth seeking out and enjoying, for it was probably the last hooray of the great man.

Two years later, upon his return to New York City, he recorded this album - whose title "the return of Bud Powell" can only be interpreted in terms of his physical return to the United States. His piano playing was gone. What one hears in this recording is a very hesitant, tentative piano player whom one identifies as Bud because of his characteristic moans and groans.

There are some bright moments, such as his rendition of the "I Remember Clifford", though even here he sounds like someone pushing himself to do what would have been second nature in his earlier days.

One who has not heard his earlier versions of "Hallucinations" might find no problem with his rendition of it here. It is quite a challenge to listen to it. Yet all said, I give him great credit for trying. That he refused to give up was testament to his determination. ~Munlini Mulera

The Return Of Bud Powell

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Lyn Stanley - London Calling: A Toast to Julie London

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2018
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 66:04
Size: 154,0 MB
Art: Front

(2:45)  1. Goody Goody
(3:35)  2. Call Me Irresponsible
(2:48)  3. Bye Bye Blackbird
(5:29)  4. I Heard It Through the Grapevine
(2:54)  5. How About Me?
(4:01)  6. Cry Me a River
(5:17)  7. As Time Goes By
(5:03)  8. Summertime
(3:51)  9. It's Impossible
(3:14) 10. Blue Moon
(2:46) 11. I've Got a Crush on You
(3:33) 12. Light My Fire
(5:09) 13. Sway
(2:52) 14. Go Slow / Nice Girls Don't Stay for Breakfast
(2:21) 15. You the Night and the Music
(4:03) 16. Ev'ry Time We Say Goodbye
(6:16) 17. Summertime (Piano / Vocal)

In London Calling, Lyn Stanley is at her best. Let her beautiful sultry voice take you through Julie London covers. Her top tier jazz band created 17 live arrangements that offer a new perspective on the American Songbook. The sound is spectacular. Fans and critics are saying: "Outstanding Sound" "Incredible!" "This will become one of you favorite albums."

Lyn Stanley's London Calling…A Toast To Julie London as she reimagines 17 classic songs Award-winning, internationally acclaimed jazz vocalist Lyn Stanley follows her top-selling Moonlight Sessions albums with an ultimate tribute to Julie London in music and sound! In this stunning new collection listeners will discover a side of singer Lyn Stanley that they haven’t heard before. The 17 tunes on this recording explore phases of romance from first glance, in “Blue Moon,” to a missed chance, in “Cry Me a River.” Most of the wide-ranging material presented here was originally recorded by singer/actress Julie London, along with a couple of offerings that Stanley feels would have been perfect for the sultry songstress, such as “It’s Impossible,” and “I Heard It Through the Grapevine.” With her distinctive sound and approach, Lyn Stanley brings to mind a method actor, mining the stories and feelings in each tune and getting to the heart of the lyrics. Striving for sensitivity, Stanley stays true to these stories and portrays the experiences of people engaged in the dance of romance. Besides being a well-conceived appreciation of the popular singer/actor Julie London, in both music and album graphic presentation, London Calling marks a big step forward in Lyn Stanley’s evolution as a recording artist. She recalls that for her debut album, 2013’s Lost in Romance, her mentor Paul Smith, renowned as Ella Fitzgerald’s long-time musical director and frequent collaborator, offered a lengthy tune list and urged the fledgling vocalist to pick some she could relate to. “It was as if you had a bunch of ingredients on the table and had to decide on the spot if you are going to make ramen or spaghetti,” she muses.  Just five years later, Stanley provided a recipe of her own to bring her unique vision of the Julie London project to fruition. Not only did she have a self-curated set list, she also had a clear idea of how each tune should sound, aiming to hold true to the composers’ ideas while stirring in some of her own. Lyn Stanley always makes a practice of working with top-flight musicians, and once she communicated her ideas to them, she welcomed their input. Without any written arrangements, the brilliant results of their collaboration bring cutting-edge ideas to vintage songs. “It’s a thrill to hear something you’ve brought into life,” Stanley says. “It came to me so easily once I got my bearings.” The singer opted for an intimate sound from a stellar lineup that brings together some of the very best players on the California jazz scene:guitarist featured artist John Chiodini; pianists Mike Garson and Christian Jacob; bassists Chuck Berghofer and Michael Valerio; percussionists Luis Conte, Brad Dutz, and Aaron Serfaty (also heard on drums); and drummer Paul Kreibich. With London Calling's artful packaging, Stanley finds another way to pay tribute to her inspiration, Julie London, who said photo shoots for her albums took longer than the recording process. That's not the case with Stanley, whose audiophile bona fides and perfectionism in the studio and throughout production are well established. But the gorgeously photographed images of the elegantly clad chanteuse are an homage to London's sensuous approach that reflects Lyn's own 21st century sensibilities. Completing the package are liner notes by Scott Yanow, offering a historian’s perspective on the music, providing background on each song, and insights to how Lyn and Julie! approached the tunes.

London Calling highlights include: “Cry Me a River” This heartfelt but cool take on the quintessential London hit has an after-hours feel, touching on former feelings without longing or regret. With this strong and simple statement, Stanley knows when to dig in and when to hold back.

Joyful and tender, “As Time Goes By” is handled with delicacy and feeling, evoking the past while looking to the future. Stanley’s swinging interpretation of “Goody Goody” has a bit of a bite and a bad-girl attitude; it’s a breakup story told by someone who’s landed on her feet. “Call Me Irresponsible” gives us a peek at the vulnerable side of a sophisticate in this persuasive rendition of a classic. The crisp swing culminates in a seductive purr.  On “It’s Impossible,” Stanley portrays the sense of wonder felt at the first flush of romance with divine understatement and a slight ache in her voice. Check out the delightful collaboration with percussionists Luis Conte and Aaron Serfaty. Stanley smolders on the slow, slinky, shimmering “Sway,” making every note every pause matter. The flamenco-flavored “Light My Fire” is full of sensuous invitation. Romantic and intriguing, it’s a refreshing new look at the Doors’ hit from the late 1960s. “Summertime” is a tune so nice Stanley had to record it twice on London Calling. The ensemble rendition is spare, supple, and sultry, with her voice shining like a jewel in the lean arrangement. On a duo version, Stanley and pianist Mike Garson play at a hot-August-night tempo that’s full of haunting, hypnotic allure. You’ve never heard “I Heard It Through the Grapevine” done quite like this! The relentless rhythm of this great ensemble piece conveys an ominous undercurrent, as Stanley’s treatment of the lyric reveals an iron will in a velvet voice. A favorite among audiophiles, Stanley plans to release multiple versions of London Calling, including 17 tracks on a choice of super-audio CD or two-disc vinyl LP set. A dozen tunes will also be offered on a direct-to-disc vinyl recording. Stanley’s tradition of surrounding herself with the best comes through bright and clear in the magnificent sound of this recording, thanks to engineering by Steve Genewick, Rouble Kalpoor, and Spencer Garcia; mixing by Allen Sides, and mastering by Bernie Grundman.

London Calling…A Toast To Julie London is a culmination of Lyn Stanley’s lifetime of rich experience, both personal and professional, from her long-time enjoyment of London through her own her early perceptions of romance. For the project she tapped into communications techniques developed as a successful corporate manager along with a jazz-inspired approach to rolling with obstacles in creative and innovative ways. Besides being a state-of-the-art tribute (following both the musical ideas and marketing platforms of Julie London), it is also a revelation of Lyn Stanley's formidable chops. With a late 2018 audiophile release and Valentine's Day weekend February 15, 2019 wide release street date, London Calling…A Toast To Julie London is a gift for lovers and lovers of great music, created the way it was in the 1960s  by the musicians themselves as a band. Keep an eye out for multiple versions of the album, including standard and super-audio CDs, along with a two-disc vinyl LP set. Produced by Lyn Stanley, with Associate Producer John Chiodini. Executive Producer: A.T. Music LLC. Engineered for high fidelity using analog mixing and mastering. Engineers: Steve Genewick (tracking), Allen Sides (mixing, and Bernie Grundman (mastering). Recorded and Mixed at United Recording, Studio A in Hollywood, using the Focusrite analog console, one of only ten ever made. https://store.cdbaby.com/cd/lynstanley20

London Calling: A Toast to Julie London

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Ingrid Jensen - Vernal Fields

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 1995
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 64:48
Size: 148,7 MB
Art: Front

(7:06)  1. Marsh Blues
(5:49)  2. Spookum Spook
(7:20)  3. Vernal Fields
(8:25)  4. Ev'ry Time We Say Goodbye
(6:12)  5. I Love You
(6:13)  6. The Mingus That I Knew
(7:25)  7. Stuck in the Dark
(7:13)  8. Christiane
(9:01)  9. By Myself

Although trumpeter Ingrid Jensen has a wide range and a potentially fiery style, she holds a great deal in reserve on her debut recording, letting one peek at her emotional intensity now and then but mostly making lyrical statements. Her supporting cast (altoist Steve Wilson, George Garzone on tenor, pianist Bruce Barth, bassist Larry Grenadier, and drummer Lenny White) is quite impressive and adds a great deal to the CD without taking the spotlight away from the leader. Ingrid Jensen sounds particularly strong on "Marsh Blues" and the standards "Ev'rytime We Say Goodbye," "I Love You," and an ironic "By Myself," but all nine selections have their moments. The music is basically advanced hard bop, with Jensen (when she is playing open) sounding like a logical successor to Freddie Hubbard and Woody Shaw while resembling her teacher, Art Farmer, a bit when utilizing a mute. This is an impressive beginning to what should be an important career. ~ Scott Yanow  http://www.allmusic.com/album/vernal-fields-mw0000173581

Personnel: Ingrid Jensen (trumpet, flugelhorn); Steve Wilson (soprano & alto saxophones); George Garzone (tenor saxophone); Bruce Barth (piano); Larry Grenadier (bass); Lenny White (drums).

Vernal Fields

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Guido Di Leone Quartet - Blue Night

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 2007
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 54:15
Size: 124,4 MB
Art: Front

(6:09) 1. Bahia
(7:36) 2. Blue Night
(7:10) 3. Double Deal
(6:06) 4. Fascinating Rhythm
(7:33) 5. Moonlight In Vermont
(4:21) 6. Mad Blues
(7:14) 7. What A Difference A Day Made
(3:22) 8. L'Ultimo Valzer
(4:43) 9. Another's Wonderful

Jazz musician, guitarist, teacher, was born in Bari in 1964, where he currently lives.

Very prolific as composer, bandleader and arranger, he has recorded a hundred CDs, of which about half as leader, works published mainly for the labels "YVPMusic", "Philology", "Abeat Records" and Fo (u) r, of which he is also founder of. His renowned comping and good knowledge of jazz standards lead him to play and record frequently with well-known international artists. ( Mark Murphy , Jerry Bergonzi , Peter Bernstein , Paolo Fresu , Fabrizio Bosso , Jim Rotondi , Renato Chicco , Jim Snidero , Michele Hendricks, Tiziana Ghiglioni, Andy Watson , Claudio Fasoli, Gianluigi Trovesi,Franco Cerri , Gianni Basso , Ira Coleman , Gary Smulyan , Marco Tamburini , Dado Moroni , Mal Waldron, Trio Corrente, Gilson Silveira ...)

To these collaborations are added those with his countrymen, Larry Franco, "Con Alma Trio" ( Vito Di Modugno and Mimmo Campanale ), "Pocket Orchestra", Paola Arnesano and is often jazz soloist of the Symphony Orchestra of the Metropolitan City of Bari . In Duo with Francesca Leone, he recorded "Tudo em Bossanova" and "Coracao Vagabundo".

Despite the intense concert activity in Italy and abroad (Australia, China, USA, Cuba, Ethiopia, Sweden, Spain, Germany, United Arab Emirates, England, Syria, Belgium, Holland France, Croatia, Austria, Albania, Slovenia, Bulgaria , Romania, Poland ...), Guido Di Leone is often involved in the organization of Jazz reviews, in the conduct of musical shows and, at times, also in television musical programs. Stylistically identified in the air of Modern Mainstream, he has always shown a particular interest in the sounds and compositions of guitarist Jim Hall, so much so that he dedicated his first album in 1991, "All for Hall", well received by the great Jim.

After 25 years of record history, he re-proposes in Trio, a tribute to Jim Hall's compositions with "A lonely flower for you"; and again in 2019, the result of a national tour alongside guitarist Peter Bernstein, Dario Deidda on bass and Andy Watson on drums, the live CD, "Tribute To Jim Hall", is released on Abeat Records. 2018 is "Standards on Guitar" vol.3 "Two Sleepy People", featuring Renato Chicco, in memory of his missing parents, Bruna and the pianist Nino Di Leone . This last work follows on "Standards on Guitar" vol.1 and vol.2. July 2019 is "Parents" in drumless trio, featuring New York trumpeter Jim Rotondi.

He is director and teacher of guitar and harmony of the musical school "Il Pentagramma di Bari", which he himself founded in 1985. He also directs the " Duke Jazz Club Bari ", annexed to the school. From 2004 to 2014 he taught jazz guitar in the first and second level academic courses of the Niccolò Piccinni Conservatory of Bari. The 2002 text "Easy and complete method of Jazz Theory" published by the "Sinfonica Jazz Carish" publishing house, reprinted several times and also translated into the system for the blind "Braille". In 2012 it is the "Guido Di Leone Real Book" published by "Fo (u) r".

Personnel: Guitar – Guido Di Leone; Double Bass – Paolo Benedettini; Drums – Alessandro Minetto; Tenor Saxophone – Barend Middelhoff

Blue Night

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Peter Bernstein - Somethin's Burnin'

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 1992
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 60:03
Size: 137,7 MB
Art: Front

( 9:08)  1. This Could Be The Start Of Something Big
( 5:08)  2. Afterglow
(10:01)  3. Booker's Little Blues
( 7:18)  4. Mr. Kenyatta
( 7:02)  5. On A Misty Night
( 6:38)  6. Isn't This A Lovely Day
( 6:31)  7. Love For Sale
( 8:13)  8. Sideburns

Guitarist Peter Bernstein, who was 25 at the time, made his recording debut as a leader on this CD. He plays quite well, as does his friend, the up-and-coming pianist Brad Mehldau. Teamed with bassist John Webber and drummer Jimmy Cobb, Bernstein and Mehldau (who was almost recognizable at this early point) play three of the guitarist's originals, four jazz standards, and Lee Morgan's "Mr. Kenyatta," all in the modern hard bop style. Although Bernstein (who often sounds a bit like Wes Montgomery) and Mehldau would grow quite a bit from where they were in 1992, this was a fine start for their careers. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/somethins-burnin-mw0000110257

Peter Bernstein Quartet: Peter Bernstein (guitar); Brad Mehldau (piano); John Webber (bass); Jimmy Cobb (drums).               

Somethin's Burnin'

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Houston Person & Joey DeFrancesco - The Party

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1994
File: MP3@256K/s
Time: 53:09
Size: 97,4 MB
Art: Front

(9:59)  1. Love Me Tender
(6:06)  2. Blue Velvet
(7:17)  3. Blues for H.P.
(5:22)  4. Ceora
(5:59)  5. Impossible
(8:26)  6. Party's Over
(9:58)  7. True Blues

Good soul jazz and blues session, with young lion organist Joey DeFrancesco providing the funky undercurrent to tenor saxophonist Houston Person's thick, authoritative solos and Randy Johnston and Bertell Knox filling the spaces on bass and drums, plus Sammy Figueroa adding some Afro-Latin fiber for additional support.~Ron Wynn http://www.allmusic.com/album/the-party-mw0000278195

Personnel: Houston Person (tenor saxophone); Joey DeFrancesco (organ); Randy Johnston (guitar); Bertell Knox (drums); Sammy Figueroa (percussion, congas).

The Party

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Holly Cole - Girl Talk

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 1990
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 46:48
Size: 107,9 MB
Art: Front

(4:36)  1. My Foolish Heart
(4:33)  2. Girl Talk
(4:33)  3. Talk To Me Baby
(4:39)  4. Cruisin'
(4:44)  5. Spring Can Really Hang You Up The Most
(4:19)  6. My Baby Just Cares For Me
(5:59)  7. How Long Has This Been Going On
(4:24)  8. I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry
(5:02)  9. Melancholy Baby
(3:54) 10. Downtown

Girl Talk was recorded live to two-track using a single microphone. The liner notes state that Holly Cole's intention in doing so was to preserve the "quintessence of her live performancs," and the result is dazzlingly successful. The air of intimacy between artist and listener is so great that, if anything, the feeling of being present in the moment is greater here than on the 1996 live album It Happened One Night. On an album recorded "live in concert," the ambient noises that occur when a large number of people are gathered in one place can seem discordant or inappropriate when you're listening to the CD in your car or your living room; the atmosphere can exclude rather than include you. Put on this disc, however, and you can imagine that Holly Cole is singing for you alone. It's easy to focus on Cole's emotionally compelling delivery, and at first you can be so mesmerized that you forget that the vocalist is one part of a trio. 

Listen more carefully, and it becomes apparent that the piano and bass accompaniments are deceptively simple that they are, in fact, providing a counterpoint to the sung lyrics that is almost conversational. Suddenly, these simple arrangements feel quite complex. The most entertaining song on the album may well be Cole's interpretation of the traditionally sunny and euphoric "Downtown." In her expert hands it moves from near cynicism to a guarded openness that makes this standard seem to have a range of meaning you may never have considered. ~ Maya Geryk  http://www.allmusic.com/album/girl-talk-mw0000207577

Personnel: Holly Cole (vocals); John Johnson (saxophone); John MacLeod (trumpet); Aaron Davis (piano)

Girl Talk

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