Frank Foster & SDR Big Band - A Fresh Taste Of The Blues

Styles: Big Band, Swing
Year: 1996
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 66:36
Size: 153,3 MB
Art: Front

(6:38) 1. Victorious Blues
(7:51) 2. Easin' It
(5:00) 3. Love Handles
(8:11) 4. Mirror Lake
(6:16) 5. Brotherly Shove
(8:02) 6. Lady In Lace
(5:22) 7. Didn' You
(5:18) 8. Ode To Joe Newman
(5:10) 9. Winners
(8:45) 10. A Fresh Taste Of The Blues

Frank Foster (b. 21 September 1928) is an American tenor and soprano saxophonist, arranger, and composer, who is best known for his work in different periods with the Count Basie orchestra, as well as under his own name. His playing style has been influenced by that of John Coltrane, but has remained very much his own.

Foster was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, and educated at Wilberforce University. In 1949 he played in Detroit with local musicians such as Wardell Gray, and on finishing his military service in 1953 he joined Basie's big band. Aside from his tenor playing, Foster contributed both arrangements and originals to the band's book (his best-known composition being "Shiny Stockings"), and when he left Basie in 1964, he worked as a freelance composer, providing material for such stars as Sarah Vaughan and Frank Sinatra. His time with Basie had also seen him work outside the band, most significantly a session with Thelonious Monk in 1954.

From 1970 to 1972 (and on occasional later dates) he played with Elvin Jones, and in 1972 and 1975 with the Thad Jones Mel Lewis big band. He has also led small groups, as well as the Living Color and The Loud Minority big bands, with which he toured Europe and Japan. He co-led a quintet with Frank Wess in 1983, and toured Europe as a member of Jimmy Smith's quintet in 1985. In 1986, Foster succeeded Thad Jones as leader of the Basie band, with which he stayed until 1995, since which he has led various small groups and revived The Loud Minority. User-contributed text is available under the Creative Commons By-SA License and may also be available under the GNU FDL. https://www.jazzmusicarchives.com/artist/frank-foster

Personnel: Frank Foster (sax, cond, arr); Thomas Vogel (tp); Don Rader (tp); Karl Farrent (tp); Lubomir Rezanina (tp); Rudolf Reindl (tp); Marc Godfroid (tb); Ludwig Nub (tb); Ian Cumming (tb); Georg Maus (tb); Bernd Rabe (sax); Axel Kuhn (sax); Peter Weniger (sax); Andreas Maile (sax); Rainer Heute (sax); Klaus Wagenleiter (p, el-p); Henning Sieverts (b ); Klaus-Peter Schopfer (g); Keith Copeland (ds)

A Fresh Taste Of The Blues

---

Miles Davis - Blue Period

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 1953
File: MP3@128K/s
Time: 19:04
Size: 17,9 MB
Art: Front

(9:56) 1. Bluing
(2:51) 2. Blue Room
(6:16) 3. Out Of The Blue

Blue Period is the third studio album by jazz musician Miles Davis. It was released in 1953 as a 10" LP, his second released by Prestige Records, recorded over the course of two 1951 recording sessions at New York's Apex Studio.

Bluing" and "Out of the Blue", two Davis compositions, were recorded on October 5, 1951, at the same session as the material for his first album The New Sounds (PRLP 124). "Blue Room", composed by Rodgers and Hart, was recorded earlier that year, at the same January 17 recording session as the three tracks used on the various artists LP Modern Jazz Trumpets (PRLP 113). This earlier session was Davis' first for Prestige.

The tracks on Blue Period were split when Prestige reconfigured its recordings for 12-inch LP. "Bluing" and "Out of the Blue" are featured on Dig (PRLP 7012), and two versions of "Blue Room" (including an alternate take) are on the CD of Miles Davis and Horns (originally PRLP 7025). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue_Period_(album)

Personnel: Miles Davis – trumpet; Jackie McLean – alto saxophone; Sonny Rollins – tenor saxophone; Walter Bishop, Jr. – piano; Tommy Potter – double bass; Art Blakey – drums

On "Blue Room": Miles Davis – trumpet; Sonny Rollins – tenor saxophone; John Lewis – piano; Percy Heath – double bass; Roy Haynes – drums

Blue Period

---

Jim Hall - Jazz Impressions of Japan

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 1976
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 42:43
Size: 120,5 MB
Art: Front

(6:56) 1. Light
(6:20) 2. Careful
(8:36) 3. Kyoto Bells
(2:29) 4. Without Words
(6:44) 5. Echo
(5:59) 6. Young One, For Debra
(3:02) 7. Two Special People
(2:34) 8. Something for Now

A harmonically advanced cool-toned and subtle guitarist, Jim Hall was an inspiration to many guitarists, including some (such as Bill Frisell) who sound nothing like him. Hall attended the Cleveland Institute of Music and studied classical guitar in Los Angeles with Vicente Gómez. He was an original member of the Chico Hamilton Quintet (1955-1956), and during 1956-1959 was with the Jimmy Giuffre Three. After touring with Ella Fitzgerald (1960-1961) and sometimes forming duos with Lee Konitz, Hall was with Sonny Rollins' dynamic quartet in 1961-1962, recording The Bridge. He co-led a quartet with Art Farmer (1962-1964), recorded on an occasional basis with Paul Desmond during 1959-1965 (all of their quartet performances are collected on a Mosaic box set), and then became a New York studio musician. He was mostly a leader during the following years and, in addition to his own projects for World Pacific/Pacific Jazz, MPS, Milestone, CTI, Horizon, Artist House, Concord, MusicMasters, and Telarc, Jim Hall recorded two classic duet albums with Bill Evans. A self-titled collaboration with Pat Metheny followed in 1999. A flurry of studio albums, reissues, and compilations followed throughout the next few years, with the exceptional Jim Hall & Basses standing out for its bass/guitar duet format. Jim Hall died at his apartment in Manhattan on December 10, 2013; he was 83 years old.~Scott Yanowhttps://www.allmusic.com/artist/jim-hall-mn0000286483/biography

Personnel: Guitar – Jim Hall; Bass, Piano – Don Thompson ; Drums – Terry Clarke

Jazz Impressions of Japan

---

Freddie Hubbard - This Is Jazz #25

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 52:17
Size: 119.7 MB
Styles: Fusion, Trumpet jazz
Year: 1970/1997
Art: Front

[12:07] 1. Red Clay
[ 9:08] 2. Spirits Of Trane
[ 7:34] 3. Sky Dive
[ 7:03] 4. In A Mist
[11:06] 5. Take It To The Ozone
[ 5:16] 6. Here's That Rainy Day

Freddie Hubbard's installment of Sony's This is Jazz series is devoted to his fusion records from the early '70s. While these recordings won't be of much interest to fans of his hard bop classics, Hubbard nevertheless skillfully navigated the funk grooves and soul vamps of fusion, creating music that truly grooved. This disc contains many of the highlights from his CTI records, and is a good sampler for the curious. ~Stephen Thomas Erlewine

This Is Jazz #25

---

Matt Dusk And Florence K - Quiet Nights

Styles: Vocal Jazz, Bossa Nova
Year: 2016
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 55:55
Size: 128,5 MB
Art: Front

(4:45)  1. Quiet Nights of Quiet Stars
(5:30)  2. Girl from Ipanema
(3:25)  3. Ces mots stupides / Somethin’ Stupid
(6:09)  4. 'Deed I Do
(4:46)  5. Gee Baby, Ain't I Good to You
(4:01)  6. You Are the Sunshine of My Life
(4:57)  7. Your Kiss Is on My List
(4:23)  8. How Insensitive
(4:52)  9. This Masquerade
(4:22) 10. Our Love Is Here to Stay
(5:11) 11. They Can't Take That Away from Me
(3:28) 12. Just the Two of Us

Matt Dusk and Florence K revisit great standards like Somethin’ Stupid, Sunshine of My Life and The Girl From Ipanema with their own jazzy sound. Quiet Nights is a bright, glamorous sounding album which surrounds the listener with the soft comfort of the two artists warm voices. It is the perfect gift for lovers and will hit the shelves just before Valentines Day. Reprenant des grands standards allant de Somethin’ Stupid à Sunshine of My Life en passant par The Girl From Ipanema, le duo Matt Dusk et Florence K revisite ces classiques à la sauce jazz. 

Quiet Nights est un album ensoleillé, « glam » où les voix chaudes des deux artistes enveloppent l’auditeur dans un doux confort. Sorti quelques jours avant la Saint-Valentin, l’album Quiet Nights est le cadeau idéal des amoureux. Le premier extrait, Somethin’ Stupid, s’accompagne d’un vidéoclip en diffusion à la télévision. La popularité des deux artistes (et notamment de Florence K au Québec depuis la sortie de son livre Buena Vida) ainsi que le son « rétro » de cet album très en vogue actuellement devraient lui promettre un beau succès. http://www.amazon.ca/Quiet-Nights-Matt-Dusk/dp/B01AKUX75O/ref=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1454048230&sr=1-1

Quiet Nights

---

Dan Nimmer Trio - Yours Is My Heart Alone

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2007
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 68:08
Size: 156,2 MB
Art: Front

(4:28)  1. Yours Is My Heart Alone
(5:41)  2. Jambangle
(5:39)  3. Just Us
(5:36)  4. Ray
(5:52)  5. Speak Low I
(5:26)  6. Poinciana
(4:29)  7. Blues Etude
(3:56)  8. Road Song
(5:15)  9. Squatty Roo
(4:33) 10. Only Trust Your Heart
(6:05) 11. Falling In Love With Love
(5:30) 12. Speak Low II
(5:33) 13. Whims Of Chambers

Pianist Dan Nimmer needs to change his name to Dan Nimble for agile are his fingers as he navigates through a selection of pop and jazz standards as well as a couple of originals on this trio album with bassist Peter Washington and drummer Lewis Nash along for the ride. And what a ride it is. Nimmer's choice of material encompasses a wide range of composers including Oscar Peterson, Wes Montgomery, Johnny Hodges, Gil Evans and Paul Chambers as well as selections from the great American songbook. Since Nimmer is a master of styles, each track reveals the extent of his mastery. The title track is a fast-paced version where Nimmer switches from single notes to chordal playing with ease. 

His original "Ray," full of fast-played triplets, and Chambers' "Whims of Chambers," are both bop workouts. Kurt Weill's "Speak Low" is treated in two different ways: The first is funky, with Nimmer playing against Washington's bass figure, and the second a Latin version with a nicely built piano solo. Nimmer pays homage to the late Peterson with an expert treatment of "Blues Etude." Most notable is an inventive, exciting version of "Poinciana," which jumps off the CD ripe for lots of airplay. Along with Nimmer's performances, there are lots of moments where Washington's melodic bass work is emphasized, as on "Ray" and "Squatty Roo." Nash keeps a solid beat all the way through, making some swinging statements on "Yours Is My Heart Alone" and the aforementioned "Squatty Roo." Nimmer's trio is having a great time here and it's contagious. ~ Marcia Hillman  http://www.allaboutjazz.com/yours-is-my-heart-alone-dan-nimmer-venus-records-review-by-marcia-hillman.php
 

Personnel: Dan Nimmer: piano; Peter Washington: bass; Lewis Nash: drums.

Yours Is My Heart Alone

---

Pee Wee Ellis - Yellin' Blue

Styles: Saxophone Jazz

Year: 1995

File: MP3@320K/s

Time: 65:00

Size: 149,6 MB

Art: Front

( 4:18)  1. Lazy Bird

( 8:31)  2. Do Dee Dum Diddy

( 9:52)  3. Sophisticated Lady

( 6:58)  4. Like Sonny

( 9:42)  5. Yellin' Blue

( 6:10)  6. Groovin' High

(11:24)  7. In A Mellow Tone

( 8:03)  8. Tag Alone

Saxophonist Pee Wee Ellis was the architect of James Brown's era-defining soul classics of the late '60s, introducing the dynamic arrangements and punishing rhythms that would define the emerging language of funk. Born Alfred Ellis in Bradenton, FL, on April 21, 1941, he was raised in Lubbock, TX, and was playing professionally by the time he reached middle school. In 1955, his family relocated to Rochester, NY, where he collaborated with classmates (and fledgling jazzmen) Chuck Mangione and Ron Carter. Ellis spent the summer of 1957 under the tutelage of sax giant Sonny Rollins, and after graduating high school he returned to Florida to form his own R&B combo, Dynamics Incorporated. The experience honed his skills as a writer, arranger, and multi-instrumentalist, and after a brief stint with the Sonny Payne Trio he joined the James Brown Revue in 1965. Assigned alto sax and organ duties, Ellis quickly proved himself an invaluable contributor to arrangements and horn charts as well, and when Nat Jones quit the lineup in early 1967, Brown named Ellis his new musical director, resulting in significant refinements to the Godfather of Soul's sound. Ellis channeled the lessons of his jazz background to strip Brown's music to its bare essentials, showcasing bold, precise horns and repetitive rhythms with a minimum of melodic embellishment -- hits like "Cold Sweat," "Licking Stick-Licking Stick," and "Funky Drummer" redefined the sound and scope of soul, pointing the way for its transformation to funk. Ellis went on to co-write and arrange a series of James Brown smashes, including "Say It Loud, I'm Black and I'm Proud" and "Mother Popcorn," as well as issuing a handful of solo singles on Brown's label King, among them "Little Green Apples" and "In the Middle." He resigned from Brown's band in the autumn of 1969, and after settling in New York City he signed to the Nashville-based Sound Stage 7 label and issued the rare groove classic "Moonwalk." Ellis also emerged as a sought-after session player, contributing to dates headlined by everyone from soul-jazz great Brother Jack McDuff to a latter-day blues-rock incarnation of the Blues Magoos. He then served as musical director and arranger for the CTI label's influential fusion imprint Kudu, overseeing sessions for Esther Phillips, George Benson, and Hank Crawford.

Ellis next teamed with the studio group Gotham to record the LP Pass the Butter for Motown's Natural Resources subsidiary before resuming his solo career with his first-ever full-length effort, the 1976 Savoy release Home in the Country. After relocating to San Francisco, Ellis formed a short-lived fusion quintet with soprano saxophonist Dave Liebman, also playing on and producing Liebman's 1977 A&M release Light'n Up Please! With 1979's Into the Music, he was named arranger for blue-eyed soul mystic Van Morrison, a collaboration that spanned until 1986 and included a series of well-regarded albums including Common One and Inarticulate Speech of the Heart. Ellis spent much of the late '80s touring behind longtime Brown backing vocalist Bobby Byrd in tandem with fellow J.B.'s alums Fred Wesley and Maceo Parker as the JB Horns, debuting on disc with the 1990 release Pee Wee, Fred and Maceo. Subsequent efforts include I Like It Like That and Funky Good Time/Live. After the JB Horns went on hiatus in 1992, Ellis reunited with another Brown alum, drummer Clyde Stubblefield, for the album Blues Mission. He then returned to his jazz roots with 1993's acclaimed Twelve and More Blues, a live set cut in Köln, Germany, with bassist Dwayne Dolphin and drummer Bruce Cox. That summer, Ellis also headlined a week of sold-out dates at Ronnie Scott's in London, an experience that shaped both his movement into acid jazz with 1994's Sepia Tonality and subsequent relocation to western England. With the move overseas, Ellis also resumed his partnership with Van Morrison on the latter's 1995 effort, Days Like This, serving as musical director of Morrison's studio and stage crew for years to follow; Ellis also formed his own band, the Pee Wee Ellis Assembly, for 1996's A New Shift. The group remained active in concert and on record for years to follow, confining most of its activities to Europe and pursuing a direction Ellis dubbed "smunk" i.e., smooth funk. ~ Jason Ankeny http://www.allmusic.com/artist/pee-wee-ellis-mn0000305424/biography

Personnel: Bass – Dwayne Dolphin;  Drums – Bruce Cox;  Tenor Saxophone, Producer – Pee Wee Ellis

Yellin' Blue

---

Ramsey Lewis - Do What You Wanna (2 Parts)

World-famous jazz musician and composer Ramsey Emmanuel Lewis, Jr. was first given piano lessons at age four. He was born in Chicago on May 27, 1935, to hard-working, self-educated Southern farm workers who met in church.

Lewis attended Chicago Music College Preparatory School from 1947 to 1954. He credits his music teacher, Dorothy Mendelsohn, with teaching him how to listen with his inner ear. Other than his father’s Duke Ellington, Art Tatham and Mead Lux Lewis records, Lewis had no special exposure to jazz. After graduating from Wells High School in 1954, Lewis’ first music job was as an accompanist at the Zion Hill Baptist Church. He enrolled in Chicago Music College, but left at age eighteen to marry. In 1956, he formed the Ramsey Lewis Jazz Trio and signed with Chess Records in 1957 for the Trio’s first album. The Trio, composed of Eldee Young and Red Holt, played in famous New York jazz clubs and toured as full-time jazz musicians. Lewis recorded for Columbia Records from 1971 to 1974 and signed with GRP Records in 1991. He is the winner of three Grammy Awards, and from 1967 to 1976 earned five gold records. His major hits include “The In Crowd,” “Wade in the Water” and “Hang On Sloopy.”

Album: Do What You Wanna (Part 1)
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 90:17
Size: 206.7 MB
Styles: Piano jazz
Year: 2016
Art: Front

[5:23] 1. Do What You Wanna
[3:49] 2. Wade In The Water
[5:50] 3. The In Crowd
[4:01] 4. Hey Mrs. Jones
[3:03] 5. Function At The Junction
[3:09] 6. Look-A-Here
[3:11] 7. Spanish Grease
[3:25] 8. 1-2-3
[3:07] 9. Hang On Sloopy
[3:12] 10. Uptight (Everything's Alright)
[4:04] 11. Bold And Black
[2:44] 12. Sexy Sadie
[5:03] 13. A Hard Day's Night
[2:38] 14. Here Comes Santa Claus
[4:20] 15. Blue Bongo
[2:52] 16. Carmen
[2:48] 17. Soul Man
[4:31] 18. Black Bird
[2:47] 19. Christmas Blues
[2:36] 20. Cielito Lindo
[4:51] 21. Wanderin' Rose
[3:39] 22. I Got Plenty O' Nutin'
[2:40] 23. The Breeze And I
[3:33] 24. Thanks For The Memory
[2:50] 25. Dancing In The Street

---

Album: Do What You Wanna (Part 2)
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 87:41
Size: 200.8 MB
Styles: Piano jazz
Year: 2016
Art: Front

[2:48] 1. Here 'tis
[3:46] 2. My Cherie Amour
[3:11] 3. Day Tripper
[3:08] 4. Summer Samba
[2:05] 5. Sometimes I Feel Like A Motherless Child
[3:12] 6. Cast Your Fate To The Wind
[2:41] 7. Black Eye Peas
[2:57] 8. Ain't That Peculiar
[3:50] 9. Cry Baby Cry
[3:15] 10. The Caves
[6:34] 11. Balle Del Alma (Dance Of The Soul)
[5:26] 12. Delilah
[3:38] 13. Blues For The Night Owl
[2:14] 14. Uhuru
[3:13] 15. Everybody's Got Something To Hide Except Me And My Monkey
[3:58] 16. The Shelter Of Your Arms
[3:15] 17. Back In The U.S.S.R
[3:50] 18. Consider The Source
[3:31] 19. Felicidade (Happiness)
[2:23] 20. Limelight
[4:01] 21. My Babe
[2:58] 22. Lonely Avenue
[4:54] 23. Dear Prudence
[3:43] 24. Down By The Riverside
[3:00] 25. Cecile

Do What You Wanna (Part 1),(Part 2)

---

Pee Wee Ellis - Blues Mission

Styles: Saxophone, Jazz Funk
Year: 1993
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 38:51
Size: 89,8 MB
Art: Front

(3:47)  1. Zig Zag
(3:23)  2. Gotcha!
(5:36)  3. Cold Sweat/Mother Popcorn
(3:11)  4. Yellin' Blue
(4:10)  5. One Mint Julep
(6:23)  6. Texas Sweet
(4:15)  7. Ham
(4:40)  8. Fort Apache
(3:20)  9. Blues Mission

Longtime James Brown arranger and band member Pee Wee Ellis took the spotlight on this set of hot instrumentals, blues-based uptempo numbers, and inspired covers. Ellis' tenor sax solos are strong, exuberant, and tight. His band members include guitarist Jean-Paul Bourelly in a more restrained role than usual, while Tyrone Jefferson provides the trombone fills and effects much as Fred Wesley did in The JBs. The group pays homage to Ellis' past with the stinging "Cold Sweat Mother Popcorn," rivaling the original Brown orchestra in their execution, funk, and energy. ~ Ron Wynn  

http://www.allmusic.com/album/blues-mission-mw0000099231

Personnel: Pee Wee Ellis (tenor saxophone), Jean-Paul Bourelly (electric guitar), Jack Walrath (trumpet), Tyrone Jefferson (trombone), Masabumi "Poo" Kikuchi (Hammond B-3 organ), Jean-Paul Bourelly (electric guitar), Darryl Jones (Fender bass), Clyde Stubblefield (drums).

Blues Mission

---

Hilton Ruiz - Manhattan Mambo

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1992
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 52:23
Size: 120,3 MB
Art: Front

( 5:04)  1. Mambo Numero Cinco
( 6:36)  2. Sure Thing
( 4:30)  3. Michael's Mambo
( 5:20)  4. Home Cookin'
( 7:38)  5. Overtime Mambo
( 6:20)  6. Giovanni Speaks
(10:16)  7. Impressions
( 6:36)  8. Showtime

Pianist Hilton Ruiz is heard with a superior group of musicians adept at playing both bebop and Latin jazz. With a front line of trumpeter Charlie Sepulveda, David Sanchez on tenor and trombonist Papo Vazquez in addition to four percussionists, Ruiz's nonet displays plenty of fire on a set of originals, Pérez Prado's "Mambo Numero Cinco" and John Coltrane's "Impressions."~ Scott Yanow http://www.allmusic.com/album/manhattan-mambo-mw0000083168

Personnel: Hilton Ruiz (piano); David Sanchez (tenor saxophone); Charlie Sepúlveda (trumpet); Angel Papo Vasquez, Papo Vazquez (trombone); Steve Berrios (drums, cowbells, timbales, percussion); Ignacio Berroa (drums, timbales); Giovanni Hidalgo (congas, cowbells, bells, gong); Joe Gonzalez (bongos); Andy González (cowbells)

Manhattan Mambo

---

Warren Vaché - Dream Dancing

Styles: Vocal And Cornet Jazz
Year: 2004
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 62:01
Size: 143,4 MB
Art: Front

(5:19) 1. Close Your Eyes
(4:05) 2. Too Late Now
(4:52) 3. Quasimodo
(6:28) 4. Lover Come Back To Me
(9:50) 5. Dream Dancing
(3:04) 6. Blue Lou
(5:56) 7. Some Other Time
(4:39) 8. You're A Lucky Guy
(4:36) 9. You're All The World To Me
(4:01) 10. What's New
(4:05) 11. I'm Shooting High
(5:00) 12. Not Exactly Paris

Cornetist Warren Vache has been a mainstay of the New York jazz scene since the mid-1970s. He frequently appeared and recorded with Scott Hamilton's combo and developed a lengthy recording contract with Concord Records as well as appearing on the local club circuit. Vache is perhaps the prime mover in the stimulation of the continued interest and growth of post-war small combo swing and prior to his own groups worked with Benny Goodman and Kenny Davern. Most recently his continued work with Arbors and prolific past five years with Nagel-Heyer Records have been evident.

The quintet assembled for this session features frequent partner pianist Bill Charlap, who has attained stardom over the past few years as a pianist of choice insofar as lyricism and respect for the melody are concerned. Reedman Harry Allen plays tenor sax on four tracks. The rhythm is supplied by Dennis Irwin's bass and Eddie Locke's drums. The twelve songs reflect largely entries from the Great American Songbook and the presentation is partially in a "society jazz" format. These tunes, like the opening "Close Your Eyes," are played in a straightforward swing style as Vache's beautifully shaped tones lead the way for the combo.

The cornetist throws a musical bone to the bebop crowd with a tasty version of Charlie Parker's "Quasimodo," in which his horn takes on an almost puckish quality. Harry Allen, another Gotham favorite of many, is heard effectively on the title tune first stating the melody and then steping aside for Vache's similar reading. Allen's tenor solo shows his Getz-ian style and makes the most of it and he also gets a similar opportunity on the ballad "What's New?". Bill Charlap gets his share of well placed and effective solos on the album but is also an excellent feeder for the group. Vache gets a chance to vocalize on "Not Exactly Paris" to close the session.~MICHAEL GLADSTONE https://www.allaboutjazz.com/dream-dancing-warren-vache-arbors-records-review-by-michael-p-gladstone

Personnel: Warren Vache, cornet, vocal; Harry Allen, tenor sax; Bill Charlap, piano; Dennis Irwin,bass; Eddie Locke,drums

Dream Dancing

---

Matt Dusk - My Funny Valentine: The Chet Baker Songbook

Size: 110,1 MB
Time: 47:15
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2013
Styles: Jazz/Pop Vocals
Art: Front

01. My Funny Valentine (Feat. Arturo Sandoval) (4:52)
02. Time After Time (Feat. Arturo Sandoval) (4:21)
03. Angel Eyes (3:50)
04. Embraceable You (Feat. Emilie-Claire Barlow) (4:16)
05. Come Rain Or Come Shine (4:07)
06. Deep In A Dream (4:03)
07. All The Way (4:06)
08. There Will Never Be Another You (3:17)
09. That Old Feeling (3:19)
10. Let's Get Lost (Feat. Arturo Sandoval) (3:32)
11. Someone To Watch Over Me (Feat. Guido Basso) (4:21)
12. I Fall In Love Too Easily (Ryan Ahlwardt) (3:05)

Vocal tributes to Chet Baker have, of late, become a mini-industry. While the vast majority of interpreters have gotten it wrong, confusing Baker’s personal pathos with his music, crooner Matt Dusk succeeds by resisting the temptation to don a misrepresentative mask of tragedy. Instead, he opts to simply be himself. My Funny Valentine could just as easily be a tribute to Sinatra, with whom several selections, including “Angel Eyes” and “All the Way,” are more closely associated.

Across 12 tracks, Dusk alternates between swingin’ loose and light, à la Sinatra’s early Capitol days, and making more grandiose musical statements, as the Chairman was wont to do during his later Reprise years. The arrangements, variously crafted by Shelly Berger, Rick Wilkins and Ryan Ahlwardt, add additional distance, recalling the vibrant Nelson Riddle and Billy May charts that were essential to Sinatra’s midcareer rebound.

Still, Baker’s presence is occasionally felt, the haunted beauty of his horn playing evident on three tracks skillfully embellished by Arturo Sandoval, including a deliciously sultry “Let’s Get Lost,” and on a fragile “Someone to Watch Over Me” gently propelled by Guido Basso. Conversely, Ahlwardt’s attempt to echo Baker’s vocal etherealness while backing Dusk on the closing “I Fall in Love Too Easily” proves misguided, sounding instead like an over-stylized Art Garfunkel. ~By Christopher Loudon

My Funny Valentine

---

Arturo Sandoval - A Time for Love

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 2010
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 68:13
Size: 158,1 MB
Art: Front

(5:09)  1. Apres un Reve (After the Dream)
(4:26)  2. Emily
(4:37)  3. Speak Low
(4:01)  4. Estate
(5:06)  5. A Time for Love
(5:14) 6. Pavane Pour Une Infante Defunte (Pavane for a Dead Princess)
(5:15)  7. I Loves You Porgy
(5:26)  8. Oblivion (How to Say Goodbye)
(4:52)  9. Pavane
(4:02) 10. Smile
(4:05) 11. All the Way
(4:24) 12. Smoke Gets in Your Eyes
(5:35) 13. Windmills of Your Mind
(5:54) 14. Every Time We Say Goodbye

Years ago, on The Tonight Show, host Johnny Carson asked guest Frank Sinatra what music he enjoyed listening to when "in those romantic moments." Sinatra, to the host's surprise, said he particularly enjoyed the hearing works of Debussy, Ravel and other Impressionists and Romantics. With A Time for Love, trumpet legend Arturo Sandoval steps away from the fast, hard-swinging Afro-Cuban and bebop con fuego jazz for which he is known and delivers a 14-cut romantic love letter con alma. This is fine listening, no matter what the moment might be or what Sinatra who certainly knew his trumpeters might have enjoyed.  With A Time for Love, Sandoval once again grabs the crown as a king of the trumpet. Leveraging luscious, intelligently refined orchestral arrangements by string wizard Jorge Calandrelli and the always terrific Shelly Berg, Sandoval uses his mile-wide sound, engaging tone and utter mastery of dynamic and melodic nuance to envelop these Great American Songbook, popular and classical selections in warmth and soul. Since Charlie Parker did it decades ago with Charlie Parker with Strings (Mercury, 1950), jazz musicians have placed themselves in more sedate environments, emulating concert artists by being accompanied by string orchestras. Clifford Brown was one of the first pure jazz trumpeters to do so. Wynton Marsalis and Roy Hargrove followed decades later. More commercially, the Jackie Gleason albums which featured Bobby Hackett's sound did same.

For a jazz player working in this type of environment, one of the displays of maturity is restraint: the ability to take things down tempo-wise, play with the lyric and through the melody to weave wonder with sound. Sandoval does all of this brilliantly. And, as Louis Armstrong, Bunny Berigan, Chet Baker and Jack Sheldon also did, Sandoval also sings ("Estate"). Chris Botti, another trumpet star who has played the ballad and romance game well, appears as a guest artist. Monica Mancini, a marvelous vocal talent who doesn't play on her pedigree, offers a very nice rendition of "Oblivion." There could be a tendency to schmaltz it up in the orchestral scenario, falling prey to saccharine sliding strings and unnecessary overplay. Not here. Sandoval commands the horn and the date, emitting nothing but soul through his buttery flugelhorn, open horn and Harmon-muted trumpet. The arrangements frame him marvelously throughout. The rhythm section is beautifully understated, yet musically supportive, with Berg's piano a golden touch. The only minor critique is the CD's enormity twelve selections plus two bonus selections (which feature pianists Berg and Kenny Barron, respectively). While the music is terrific, it's a bit too much of a very good thing.  A Time for Love is an elegant, beautiful work of musical artistry by a true master. While now might be Sandoval's time for love, his work here is a wonderful labor of same. So, lower the lights, drink up and savor and, for tonight, leave Frank on the shelf. ~ Nicholas F.Mondello https://www.allaboutjazz.com/a-time-for-love-arturo-sandoval-concord-music-group-review-by-nicholas-f-mondello.php

Personnel: Arturo Sandoval: trumpet, flugelhorn, vocals; Shelly Berg: piano; Chuck Berghofer: bass; Gregg Field: drums, percussion; Chris Botti: trumpet (6); Monica Mancini: vocals (8); Kenny Barron: piano (14).Jorge Calandrelli: conductor; Bruce Dukov: concertmaster; Natalie Legget: violin; Phillip Levy: violin; Charlie Bisharat: violin; Darius Campo: violin; Liane Mautner: violin; David Ewart: violin; Tamara Hatwan: violin; Razdan Kuyumijian: violin; Searmi Park: violin; Songa Lee: violin; Kevin Connolly: violin; Tiffany Yi Hu: violin; Robin Olson: violin; Darren McCann: viola; Harry Shirinian: viola; Keith Greene: viola; Alma Fernandez: viola; Dennis Karmazin: cello; Vanessa Freebairn-Smith: cello; Trevor Handy: cello; Christine Ermacoff: cello.

A Time for Love

---

Dan Nimmer Trio - Modern-Day Blues

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2010
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 57:41
Size: 134,2 MB
Art: Front

(5:07)  1. Blue Bossa
(6:34)  2. Love Is A Many-Splendored Thing
(2:55)  3. Cleopatra's Dream
(5:36)  4. Out Of The Past
(5:11)  5. Black Pearls
(4:29)  6. Le Coiffeur
(6:04)  7. Wabash
(6:47)  8. How Could You Do A Thing Like That To Me
(5:16)  9. Uh Huh
(4:09) 10. I'm An Old Cowhand
(5:30) 11. Modern-Day Blues

Dan Nimmer was born in 1982 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. An old soul in a young body, Mr. Nimmer plays with the spirit, the passion and the soul of someone who has been on the planet much longer. With prodigious technique and an innate sense of swing, his playing often recalls that of his own heroes, specifically Oscar Peterson,Wynton Kelly, Erroll Garner and Art Tatum. As a young man, Mr. Nimmer's family inherited a piano and he started playing by ear; he was, if you will, "called" by the instrument.He studied classical piano and eventually became interested in jazz. At the same time,he began playing gigs around Milwaukee. Upon graduation from high school, Mr. Nimmer left Milwaukee to study music at Northern Illinois University. It didn't take him long to become one of Chicago's busiest piano players. He was working a lot on the Chicago scene so Mr. Nimmer decided to leave school and make the big move to New York City where he was immediately emerged into the New York scene.

In 2005, after being in New York for about a year and playing with many different musicians, Mr. Nimmer got hired by Wynton Marsalis to become a member of his Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra and the Wynton Marsalis Quintet, both in which he has been member ever since. In addition to Wynton Marsalis, Mr. Nimmer has performed and or recorded with Jimmy Cobb, Norah Jones, Willie Nelson, Paul Simon,Chick Corea, George Benson, Houston Person, Eric Clapton, Tom Jones, Jon Faddis, Benny Golson, Brian Lynch, Lewis Nash, Peter Washington, Fareed Haque and many more.

Nimmer has appeared numerous times on television including the The Tonight Show w/ Jay Leno, The Late Show w/ David Letterman, The View, Good Morning America, The Early Show, The Kennedy Center Honors, Live From Abbey Road, and Live From Lincoln Center PBS. You can also see him in Apple's video iPod commercial "Sparks".He has released five of his own albums on the Venus label (Japan). Nimmer has played at the White House, The Royal Albert Hall (London), Salle Pleyel (Paris),Disney Hall (LA), the Hollywood Bowl and many other renowned venues and festivals around the world.
Dan Nimmer is a Yamaha Artist.  http://www.dannimmer.com/new%20bio1.html

Personnel:  Dan Nimmer – Piano;  David Wong – Bass;  Pete Van Nostrand - Drums

Modern-Day Blues

---

Merry Christmas !!!!!

Anne Sofie Von Otter & Elvis Costello - For The Stars

Styles: Vocal And Guitar Jazz
Year: 2001
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 63:43
Size: 146,6 MB
Art: Front

(3:37)  1. No Wonder
(3:12)  2. Baby Plays Around
(2:50)  3. Go Leave
(3:56)  4. Rope
(3:12)  5. Don't Talk (Put Your Head On My Shoulder)
(4:06)  6. Broken Bicycles/Junk
(3:36)  7. The Other Woman
(5:03)  8. Like An Angel Passing Through My Room
(4:37)  9. Green Song
(2:52) 10. April After All
(3:09) 11. You Still Believe In Me
(2:41) 12. I Want To Vanish
(2:00) 13. For No One
(3:46) 14. Shamed Into Love
(4:18) 15. Just A Curio
(4:38) 16. This House Is Empty Now
(3:17) 17. Take It With Me
(2:45) 18. For The Stars

For the Stars is the kind of record rock critics tend to instinctively praise because they just aren't sure if they get it, and they're afraid to lay themselves on the line. If they pan it, well, they're just junk-addled boors. If they praise it, they risk seeming uninformed, since they don't really know if it works as a classical work or not. The thing to remember is, that these kind of rock/classical crossovers belong to neither realm. They exist outside of both worlds, which is their charm and their curse. 

This is what plagued The Juliet Letters, Elvis Costello's 1993 collaboration with the Brodsky Quartet, which managed to delicately walk the line between chamber music and baroque pop. For the Stars, a collaboration with opera vocalist Anne Sofie von Otter, is more accessible, yet it isn't as successful, largely because its mannerisms are front and center. This is a deliberately "classy" project, pitched squarely at the NPR audience the very audience that embraced Painted From Memory because it helped put Bacharach in the context of the great composers. This won't likely do the same for von Otter, because its execution is a little haphazard, even if it is exactly what the two planned. For the Stars winds through a number of pop songs, ranging from new Costello songs to pop standards, from old Elvis favorites to covers of the Beach Boys, Paul McCartney, Ron Sexsmith, ABBA, and Tom Waits. Most of this is executed in a manner similar to The Juliet Letters, finding a middle ground between classicist pop and chamber music without bowing to the conventions of either. Above all, this is frequently interesting music, but that's not really the same thing as compelling. 

It's easy to appreciate the passion and craft behind this music, but it often feels unfulfilled, even when it feels complete. This is not the fault of either musician von Otter's performances are always impassioned, Costello's few vocals are strong, the selection of material always makes sense, and the production is suitably understated. Still, this is a record that clicks cerebrally, not emotionally, and while it has its own character, it's hard to envision fans of either artist returning to it all that often. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine http://www.allmusic.com/album/for-the-stars-anne-sofie-von-otter-meets-elvis-costello-mw0000001209

Personnel : Elvis Costello (vocals, baritone guitar, Lowrey organ, bass); Annie Sofie Von Otter (vocals); Johan Lindstrom (acoustic & pedal steel guitars, clarinet, accordion, loops); Svante Henryson (celtar, cello, upright bass); Billy Bremner, Ola Gustafason (acoustic guitar); Bebe Risenfors (clarinet, tenor saxophone, accordion); Steve Naive (piano, celeste, organ); Mats Schubert (piano, harmonium, Moog bass); Bengt Forsberg (piano, Hammond B-3 organ); Benny Andersson (piano, Synclavier); Magnus Pierson, Michael Blair (vibraphone, bass drum, percussion).

For The Stars

---

Dave Stryker - Keystone

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 2009
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 69:58
Size: 161,0 MB
Art: Front

( 8:26) 1. Keystone
( 8:49) 2. Can't Buy Me Love
( 8:31) 3. Sentinelese
( 5:25) 4. Lady Sings The Blues
( 6:43) 5. The Rose
( 9:20) 6. First Strike
(10:01) 7. Tenderly
(12:38) 8. Watch What Happens

Since earning his spurs playing with Jack McDuff during the 1980s, guitarist Dave Stryker has recorded frequently and effectively as a leader in the decades that followed. Keystone is a solid session with tenor saxophonist Stephen Riley, drummer Quincy Davis, plus up-and-coming organist Jared Gold. Stryker touches many familiar bases, including a driving, funky setting of the Beatles' "Can't Buy Me Love" and a lush ballad setting of "Lady Sings the Blues" (penned by the neglected pianist Herbie Nichols with lyric by Billie Holiday), the latter showcasing Riley's whispering vibrato-laden sax. The standard "Tenderly" has long been a favorite of jazz musicians. This easygoing midtempo rendition features Riley with a breezy background, though it changes to a strutting flavor once Stryker steps into the spotlight. The guitarist has his band stretch out in their performance of "Watch What Happens," giving everyone a taste in a snappy arrangement that never loses steam. The leader's originals also command attention. "Keystone" evolves from a simple riff into a breezy, infectious blues. "The Rose," written for a friend who died far too young, gently sways with tenor and guitar in unison, followed by Stryker's introspective solo. This is yet another outstanding CD in Dave Stryker's vast discography.~Ken Dryden https://www.allmusic.com/album/keystone-mw0002062826

Personnel: Guitar – Dave Stryker; Drums – Quincy Davis; Organ [Hammond B3 Organ] – Jared Gold; Tenor Saxophone – Stephen Riley

Keystone

---

Roy Haynes, Rene Thomas, Frank Foster, Henri Renaud - The 1954 Paris Sessions

Styles: Jazz, Bop
Year: 1954
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 78:22
Size: 180,7 MB
Art: Front

(3:52) 1. Red Rose
(4:35) 2. A Mountain Sunset
(2:42) 3. Laffin' and Cryin'
(5:08) 4. Minor Encamp
(3:02) 5. Subscription
(3:34) 6. Dillon
(5:09) 7. Burt's Pad
(2:52) 8. Chicago
(3:00) 9. Autobuzz
(2:03) 10. Indiana
(3:30) 11. Get Ou Of Town
(4:28) 12. 'Tis Autumn
(4:27) 13. Thomasia
(6:08) 14. My Heart Stood Still
(4:53) 15. Fat Shoes
(5:25) 16. I'll Take Romance
(4:42) 17. Escale A Victoria
(4:03) 18. The Things We Did Last Summer
(4:40) 19. Just 40 Bars

A veteran drummer long overshadowed by others, but finally gaining recognition for his talents and versatility, Roy Haynes has been a major player since the 1940s. He worked early on with the Sabby Lewis big band, Frankie Newton, Luis Russell (1945-1947), and Lester Young (1947-1949). After some engagements with Kai Winding, Haynes was a member of the Charlie Parker Quintet (1949-1952); he also recorded during this era with Bud Powell, Wardell Gray, and Stan Getz. Haynes toured the world with Sarah Vaughan (1953-1958); played with Thelonious Monk in 1958; led his own group; and gigged with George Shearing, Lennie Tristano, Eric Dolphy, and Getz (1961). He was Elvin Jones' occasional substitute with John Coltrane's classic quartet during 1961-1965, toured with Getz (1965-1967), and was with Gary Burton (1967-1968). In addition to touring with Chick Corea (1981 and 1984) and Pat Metheny (1989-1990), Haynes has led his own Hip Ensemble on and off during the past several decades. When one considers that he has also gigged with Miles Davis, Art Pepper, Horace Tapscott, and Dizzy Gillespie, it is fair to say that Haynes has played with about everyone.

He led dates for EmArcy and Swing (both in 1954), New Jazz (1958 and 1960), Impulse (a 1962 quartet album with Roland Kirk), Pacific Jazz, Mainstream, Galaxy, Dreyfus, Evidence, and Storyville. In 1994, Haynes was awarded the Danish Jazzpar prize, and two years later, he received the prestigious French Chevalier des l'Ordres Artes et des Lettres. In the late '90s, Haynes formed a trio with pianist Danilo Perez and bassist John Pattitucci, and they released their debut album, The Roy Haynes Trio Featuring Danilo Perez & John Pattitucci, in early 2000 on Verve. Haynes' son Graham is an excellent cornetist. Haynes paid tribute to Charlie Parker in 2001 with Birds of a Feather, his fourth release for the Dreyfus Jazz label, which was subsequently nominated for a Grammy in 2002; Fountain of Youth followed two years later. Also released in 2004, Quiet Fire compiled two of his prior releases for Galaxy (1977's Thank You Thank You and 1978's Vistalite) into one back-to-back record. Whereas appeared in mid-2006, and it earned Haynes a Grammy nomination for Best Jazz Instrumental Solo.~Scott Yanowhttps://www.allmusic.com/artist/roy-haynes-mn0000290464/biography

Personnel: Baritone Saxophone – Jay Cameron; Bass – Jean-Marie Ingrand, Joe Benjamin; Drums – Jean-Louis Viale, Roy Haynes; Guitar – Jimmy Gourley , René Thomas; Piano – Henri Renaud; Tenor Saxophone – Barney Wilen, Frank Foster; Trumpet – Buzz Gardner

The 1954 Paris Sessions

---

Fred Hersch - Let Yourself Go: Live at Jordan Hall

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1999
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 60:18
Size: 138,2 MB
Art: Front

(8:06)  1. Black Is The Color / Love Theme From Spartacus
(7:58)  2. Speak Low
(6:35)  3. My Old Man
(7:01)  4. I Loves You Porgy
(7:39)  5. Moon & Sand
(6:41)  6. ...Departed
(4:41)  7. Let Yourself Go
(6:45)  8. Blue monk
(4:46)  9. The Nearness Of You

Fred Hersch is a well-respected session pianist and bandleader who has taught at the New School and is currently on the faculty of the New England Conservatory in Boston. This disc documents a faculty recital he played in October of 1998, a concert that was never intended to be released commercially. But Hersch, who hadn't played a full concert in public for over six months before his recital at Jordan Hall, was so pleased with this performance that he agreed to allow Nonesuch to issue it on CD. He was right. The program opens with a gently stunning rendition of the folk song "Black Is the Color of My True Love's Hair," which then segues into the love theme from Spartacus, a tune generally associated with the late Bill Evans, and one which Hersch plays with an impressionistic delicacy that harks back explicitly to Evans. There are other standards, including the Gershwin classic "I Loves You Porgy" and Hoagy Carmichael's "The Nearness of You," as well as a rather meditative rendition of Thelonious Monk's "Blue Monk," on which Hersch uses open chords in manner that evokes the Balkan modalisms of Bartok.

One of the more touching performances here is his piano arrangement of the Joni Mitchell song "My Old Man." Everything is played with virtuosic flair, but Hersch never shows off his technique or lapses into noodling self-indulgence. The result is a solo album of rare insight and musicality. Highly recommended. ~ Rick Anderson  http://www.allmusic.com/album/let-yourself-go-live-at-jordan-hall-mw0000239170

Personnel: Fred Hersch (piano).

Let Yourself Go: Live at Jordan Hall

---

Emily Remler - Retrospective Volume One: "Standards"

Styles: Bop, Cool Jazz
Year: 1981
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 61:33
Size: 141,0 MB
Art: Front

(5:20) 1. Daahoud
(8:33) 2. How Insensitive
(5:33) 3. Strollin'
(5:45) 4. Hot House
(4:56) 5. In Your Own Sweet Way
(5:50) 6. Joy Spring
(8:24) 7. Softly, As In A Morning Sunrise
(2:28) 8. Afro Blue
(6:50) 9. Del Sasser
(7:49) 10. In A Sentimental Mood

This is the first of two CDs issued by Concord Jazz compiling some of the best tracks from Emily Remler's sessions for that label. Cut short at a far too early age by a heart condition while touring in Australia, Remler had all the talent necessary to carve herself a niche in the jazz world as a premier jazz guitar interpreter and performer. Retrospective, Vol. 1 is probably the superior of the two volumes, as it includes, among other gems, an enticing unaccompanied rendition of "Afro Blue." Remler had the ability to be expressively warm with a romantic ballad, as on "In a Sentimental Mood," but she excelled on tunes that allowed her to bring out her hard bop credentials, especially in the company of similarly tough-minded rhythm sections.

She displays those credentials on several tracks, such as "Hot House" and "Daahoud," where she is joined by the inestimable Hank Jones on piano and Marvin "Smitty" Smith on drums. "Del Sasser" is the sole representative from that intriguing album she made with trumpet player John D'earth. On this cut, D'earth plays muted trumpet under a clean, straight-lined Remler guitar with a rather unusual scrimpy, but pleasing, sound as the result. Indeed an appropriate testimonial to a fine guitarist, this album is recommended for those who want an overview of the work by Remler without having to buy all the albums from whence the selections came.~Dave Nathan https://www.allmusic.com/album/retrospective-vol-1-standards-mw0000262616

Retrospective Volume One "Standards"

---