Lenny McBrowne And The 4 Souls - Complete Recordings feat. Gloria Smyth (Disc 1) And (Disc 2)

Album: Complete Recordings feat. Gloria Smyth (Disc 1)

Styles: Jazz, Post Bop
Year: 2010
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 47:13
Size: 109,9 MB
Art: Front

(6:27)  1. Soul Sisters
(6:30)  2. Invitation
(4:51)  3. Dearly Beloved
(6:27)  4. Lazinka's Tune
(5:44)  5. Cerise
(2:49)  6. I Married An Angel
(4:04)  7. McBrowne's Galaxy
(2:32)  8. It Don't Mean A Thing
(3:29)  9. Sometimes I'm Happy
(2:14) 10. Running Wild
(2:02) 11. Sometimes I Feel Like A Motherless Child

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Album: Complete Recordings feat. Gloria Smyth (Disc 2)

Time: 43:41

Size: 101,3 MB

(4:32)  1. Saudi

(5:45)  2. No Consideration

(6:15)  3. I Don't Know The Melody

(5:27)  4. Like Someone In Love

(7:41)  5. Eastern Lights

(4:16)  6. Even Dozen

(5:02)  7. Tryin' And Cryin'

(4:39)  8. Chicago Preferred

When Lenny McBrowne and the 4 Souls began gigging in Sacramento and San Francisco clubs they were critically hailed as the greatest promise for the future of West Coast jazz. The leader had gained much of his experience working with Harold Land and playing engagements with Sonny Rollins, Benny Golson and Curtis Fuller. His renowned finesse as a drummer was acquired while mastering the subtleties of his mentor, Max Roach.  In these sessions for Pacific Jazz and Riverside, he showed he had become one of the top drummers on the jazz scene, and his young musiciansaverage age 25swing hard as a unit. Terry Trotter, Don Sleet and Daniel Jackson are here on top of the demands he placed on them. 

They also gave singer Gloria Smyth strong support in the session she recorded with them, lending distinctive backing to launch the career of this fine young talent. But what stands out here above all is the rare gift of cohesion, thoroughly mastered by Lenny McBrowne and the 4 Souls. https://www.freshsoundrecords.com/lenny-mcbrowne-albums/5470-lenny-mc-browne-and-the-4-souls-complete-recordings-2-lps-on-2-cds-bonus-tracks.html

Personnel: Lenny McBrowne (d), Donald Sleet (tp), Daniel Jackson (ts), Terry Trotter (p), Herbie Lewis (b on CD-1), Jimmy Bond (b on CD-2). Gloria Smyth (vcl on CD-1 #8-11).
Disc 1, Track #11 features only Gloria Smyth accompanied by Terry Trotter and Herbie Lewis.

Complete Recordings feat.Gloria Smyth (Disc 1),(Disc 2)

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Conte Candoli - Conte-Nuity

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 1999
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 68:42
Size: 158,0 MB
Art: Front

(5:28) 1. Ray's Idea
(3:44) 2. Do Nothin' Till You Hear From Me
(5:11) 3. Jive at Five
(5:36) 4. Easy Street
(5:41) 5. Caravan
(7:38) 6. Nostalgia
(6:00) 7. Little Jazz
(6:19) 8. Stockholm Sweetnin'
(4:54) 9. You're a Lucky Guy
(7:30) 10. Rockin' Chair
(6:41) 11. Tun Up
(3:56) 12. Serenade to Sweden

This is another wonderful recording documenting the trumpet artistry of another great trumpet legend. Conte plays with elegance, skill and a tone that is so distinct. The label fresh sounds had done it again to only produce the best in jazz. Conte is a Ray Brown to trumpet players, he is so versatile and has been recording with only the best in the business. To have a solo album featuring Conte you are guaranteed to get the best quality in jazz you can listen to. Conte you are a true legend and this cd is a real gem. This this cd before it gets deleted. https://www.freshsoundrecords.com/conte-candoli-albums/1139-conte-nuity.html

Personnel: Conte Candoli (trumpet); Jan Lundgren (piano); Chuck Berghofer (bass); Joe LaBarbera (drums).

Conte-Nuity

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David Benoit - A Midnight Rendezvous

Styles: Piano Jazz
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 45:10
Size: 105,5 MB
Art: Front

(4:37) 1. A Midnight Rendezvous
(3:57) 2. Pioneer Town
(4:07) 3. The Bones
(5:08) 4. Floating
(4:14) 5. Long Journey Home
(3:21) 6. @Home
(4:59) 7. You Make Me Smile
(5:49) 8. Generations
(5:20) 9. Waiting For Spring
(3:35) 10. Cabin Fever

After a musical career spanning more than 40 years, pianist and composer David Benoit can rightfully be called a legend. He has always eluded stylistic classification, yet his works circle between contemporary jazz, smooth jazz and jazz. Thus, his new album A Midnight Rendevous, which will be released on February 18, 2022 on Shanachie Entertainment, also offers a colorful bouquet of melodies of different styles. The album is one of those rare today, which with concentrated manpower, implement his musical ideas. Details of the musicians involved in the recording can be found in the credits. To top it all off, the album closes with three recordings made with a big band under Benoit's direction.

The theme of the midnight hour has already occupied Benoit with his famous album and song Freedom At Midnight (1987) and has not let him go since. Thus, tying in with this, he opens his album with the title A Midnight Rendezvous. Berry Gordy, legendary founder of Motown Records loved jazz, smooth harmonies, pretty melodies: "When I heard the song, I clapped my hands and thought: My Goodness!" In effect David Benoit has written such a hit with this new song, that immediately puts you under its spell.

On Pioneer Town David meets keyboardist Jeff Lorber who not only accompanies David's superb piano performance with discreet keyboard sounds and his well-known synth bass, but also refines it in a nuanced way. The Bones is a very attractive song by American singer Maren Morris for her album Girl (2019). Regardless of the profound and uplifting lyrics, the melody deserves a very own autonomy, perfectly staged by David Benoit and his friends. With Floating David Benoit returns to the realm of melodious contemporary jazz which hides a story for which storyteller David Benoit is so well known. Justin Klunk sets some smooth accents on soprano sax. Long Journey Home, a collaboration with bassist Roberto Vally, spreads the aura of a crime film score.

The soulful @Home is anew dominated by Justin Klunk's soprano sax who skillfully accompanies David's thoughtful piano playing. Dave Koz has written You Make Me Smile for his album Lucky Man (1993) and presented a fresh version on his album Live From The Dave Koz Cruise (2019). David takes on the theme in his very own way, internalizing it in his contemplative piano playing. The album closes with three pieces that show the most diverse facets, but have one crucial thing in common. The orchestral buildup in a big band arrangement that seamlessly follows the great big band days of the 50s. David Benoit stays true to himself and his style with A Midnight Rendevous and offers his loyal fans exactly what they expect from him. This is what makes him so successful over the many years. http://www.smooth-jazz.de/firstview/Benoit/AMidnightRendezvous.htm

Personnel: David Benoit-Piano, Conductor, Arranger, Orchestrator; Eric Marienthal-Alto sax, Contractor; Sal Lozano-Alto Sax; Gordon Goodwin-Tenor Sax; Jay Mason-Baritone sax; Wayne Bergeron-Trumpet; Dan Fornero-Trumpet; Dan Rosenblum-Trumpet; Francisco Torres-Trombone; Charlie Morillas-Bass trombone; Dan Schnelle-Drums; Roberto Vally-Acoustic Bass; Kei Benoit, June Benoit-Music Preparation

A Midnight Rendezvous

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Jack Jezzro - Best Of Green Hill Music: The 50s Collection

Styles: Guitar Jazz
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 74:25
Size: 173,7 MB
Art: Front

(4:11) 1. Only You
(3:48) 2. My Special Angel
(4:07) 3. Theme From 'A Summer Place'
(3:31) 4. Put Your Head On My Shoulder
(3:58) 5. Love Letters In The Sand
(4:08) 6. Earth Angel (Will You Be Mine)
(3:18) 7. The Great Pretender
(4:19) 8. All I Have To Do Is Dream
(4:25) 9. Dream Lover
(4:53) 10. I Only Have Eyes For You
(4:50) 11. Donna
(4:12) 12. Blueberry Hill
(4:19) 13. Twilight Time
(4:21) 14. In The Still Of The Night
(4:06) 15. Secretly
(4:15) 16. Young Love
(3:43) 17. Since I Met You Baby
(3:54) 18. True Love Ways

Jack Jezzro is a musician and producer who has enjoyed a long and successful career as a studio musician, accompanying a wide variety of major artists on their recordings, as well as crafting his own albums in which he shows off his talent and versatility as a guitarist. Jezzro was born in Rivesville, West Virginia on December 2, 1957. He had a keen interest in music from an early age, starting to play the piano when he was just three. He taught himself to play guitar from listening to records by Chet Atkins, and in his teens, he learned to break down the individual parts from songs he loved by Simon & Garfunkel, James Taylor, and the Doobie Brothers. After high school, Jezzro studied at West Virginia University; their music school didn't have a program for the guitar, but Jezzro could also play the bass, and his skills on the instrument led to him to a membership in the Charleston Symphony Orchestra while still attending WVU.

Jezzro went on to attend the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, New York, where he was mentored by noted bassist James VanDemark. Just as he did at WVU, Jezzro soon joined the local symphony, the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra, as a bassist, while also honing his chops as a jazz guitarist. In 1981, he relocated to Nashville, Tennessee, where he became the bassist with the Nashville Symphony Orchestra, a position he held for ten years. In the mid-'80s, he made his way into the prestigious world of session work when he became part of the Nashville String Machine, a string section for hire that regularly appeared on recordings by some of the major stars of country and pop music, from Garth Brooks and Faith Hill to Bruce Springsteen and Matchbox 20. In 1988, Jezzro stepped out as a solo artist with the release of his first album as a headliner,

Step on It,which was released in Japan by Pony Canyon Records.(A revised edition of the disc was released in the United States as A Day's Journey.) Over the next 30 years, Jezzro would release a steady stream of jazz, country, pop, Latin, and inspirational albums (most through the Green Hill label) that focused on his tasteful but expert guitar work and his interplay with other musicians. Jezzro also continued to work steadily as a session player and a producer, overseeing his own sessions as well as those of other Green Hill artists. His work as an artist and producer has earned him one Grammy nomination and seven Dove Award nominations to date. The prolific bassist has played on or produced over 300 albums, and in 2017 alone, he produced By Request: Most Requested Songs for jazz pianist Beegie Adair, released his own album Sinatra on Guitar, and brought out a sequel to his 2010 album Christmas Jazz titled Christmas Jazz 2.~Mark Deming https://www.allmusic.com/artist/jack-jezzro-mn0000779112/biography

Best Of Green Hill Music :The 50s Collection

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Nancy Wilson - Live At The Syracuse Jazz Disc 1, Disc 2

Album: Live At The Syracuse Jazz Disc 1
Styles: Vocal
Year: 2003
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 50:18
Size: 116,9 MB
Art: Front

(16:30) 1. Night in Tunisia
(16:00) 2. Manteca
( 7:36) 3. Things To Come
( 3:32) 4. Strike Up The Band
( 6:37) 5. More Love

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Album: Live At The Syracuse Jazz Disc 2
Time: 40:10
Size: 94,1 MB

( 4:10) 1. I Let a Song Go Out of My Heart
( 5:49) 2. I Can't Make You Love Me
(10:09) 3. It Don't Mean a Thing If it Ain't Got that Swing
( 5:09) 4. All Of Me
( 8:34) 5. You'll See-My Funny Valentine
( 6:16) 6. False start-Announcements-Day in, Day Out

American jazz singer Nancy Wilson, an award-winning singer whose beguiling expressiveness in jazz, R&B, gospel, soul and pop, made her a crossover recording star for five decades and who also had a prolific career as an actress, activist and commercial spokeswoman. Wilson resisted the label of “jazz singer” for much of her career, although jazz was the form to which she returned time and again and in which she had her greatest critical and popular success. She considered herself above all “a song stylist,” she once told The Washington Post. “That’s my essence,” she said, “to weave words, to be dramatic.”

She sought to meld the seemingly incongruous styles of her two greatest influences: the ethereal Jimmy Scott and the penetrating and sultry Dinah Washington. Wilson’s singing was at once regal and vulnerable, and she inspired two generations of singers, including Patti LaBelle, Anita Baker and Nnenna Freelon. “She has such a classy sound, but she’s never afraid to be a woman, or to tell it like it is,” Freelon once told the San Jose Mercury News.

Jazz historian and critic Will Friedwald, in his volume “A Biographical Guide to the Great Jazz and Pop Singers,” called Wilson a formidable presence in pop, jazz and blues - “the most important vocalist to come along after these three genres were codified and move freely among them.” She passed away in 2018 at the age of 81.http://bigozine2.com/roio/?p=5343

Live At The Syracuse Jazz Disc 2

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Roland Hanna - Swing Me No Waltzes

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1979
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 68:33
Size: 157,7 MB
Art: Front

(6:10) 1. I Hear You Knockin' But You Can't Come In - Blues
(1:59) 2. Some Kind Of Folk Song
(3:40) 3. A Little Sweetnin' For Sweden
(4:38) 4. Free Spirit - Free Style
(4:19) 5. Everything But You
(4:04) 6. Swing Me No Waltzes
(4:22) 7. Lullabye For Cedric
(4:35) 8. Antecipacion
(7:08) 9. Roses Not Mums
(2:27) 10. Love For Sale
(3:09) 11. Blue Lou
(5:23) 12. Afterglow
(1:26) 13. Blue Lilly
(3:37) 14. Miles Ahead
(7:00) 15. Autumn Leaves
(4:30) 16. Pastel

This CD reissue brings back the original LP (recorded in 1979) plus seven compatible selections from 1973 that were previously unreleased. Throughout, Hanna (who is usually heard in a trio) plays unaccompanied piano solos. Of the 16 selections, ten are by Hanna, and he proves to be an underrated composer whose songs deserve to be covered by others. Hanna's roots are in swing and Duke Ellington, and that aspect of his musical personality is here, along with some more adventurous moments. A strong outing by a brilliant and distinctive pianist.~Scott Yanowhttps://www.allmusic.com/album/swing-me-no-waltzes-mw0000609492

Personnel: Piano – Sir Roland Hanna

Swing Me No Waltzes

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Melissa Errico - Sondheim Sublime

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2018
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 59:55
Size: 138,6 MB
Art: Front

(3:34)  1. Sooner or Later
(3:49)  2. Loving You
(4:27)  3. I Remember
(3:56)  4. No More
(4:05)  5. The Miller's Son
(4:50)  6. Losing My Mind
(4:06)  7. Send in the Clowns
(3:42)  8. Not While I'm Around
(4:32)  9. Not a Day Goes By / Marry Me a Little
(4:16) 10. Children Will Listen
(3:35) 11. Isn't He Something
(3:39) 12. Move On
(2:36) 13. Goodbye for Now
(3:20) 14. With so Little to Be Sure Of
(5:21) 15. Children and Art

In Sondheim Sublime, Melissa Errico shows us a side of Stephen Sondheim’s music that no singer has explored so completely before. It’s not the satiric or slyly disillusioned Sondheim – it’s the soulful Sondheim, the heartfelt, hungering Sondheim, author of songs of aching love and slowly dawning wisdom, the exalted, and reflective Sondheim: Sondheim Sublime. Accompanied by pianist Tedd Firth, Errico sings in a tone by turns hushed, electric and ecstatic, giving us a new understanding of the emotional intensity that has always equaled Sondheim’s virtuosic verbal magic. It’s a program of songs of love and life lessons, including a perfectly protective mother’s version of “Not While I’m Around” – while still having time for a provocative “Sooner or Later.” An album to place alongside her earlier Legrand Affair and Lullabies & Wildflowers as part of a uniquely lyrical and romantic library, Sondheim Sublime is an Errico album meant for the three-o-clocks in the mornings of the soul, when love is lost and wisdoms sought from one wise friend. Bio: Melissa is best known for her starring roles on Broadway in the musicals My Fair Lady, Anna Karenina, High Society, Dracula, White Christmas and Amour, which won her a Tony nomination for “Best Actress” and began a longtime association with its composer Michel Legrand. She has also been a recording artist and concert singer, releasing several solo albums and working with some of the world’s best symphonies and in jazz and cabaret spaces. More recently, she has been establishing a reputation as a writer, publishing essays in The New York Times and beyond. Television roles include the series Central Park West by Darren Star, recurring roles on Steven Soderbergh’s The Knick, and Showtime’s Billions. Melissa has also recently finished shooting a role in The Magnificent Meyersons, an Eric Oppenheimer film with Kate Mulgrew. ~ Editorial Reviews https://www.amazon.com/Sondheim-Sublime-Melissa-Errico/dp/B07HC5H94C

Sondheim Sublime

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Dave Brubeck, Tony Bennett - Vocal Encounters

Styles: Vocal, Piano Jazz
Year: 2001
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 57:02
Size: 133,9 MB
Art: Front

(3:18)  1. That Old Black Magic
(3:14)  2. Summer Song
(3:58)  3. My Melancholy Baby (with Jimmy Rushing)
(1:56)  4. It's a Raggy Waltz
(3:06)  5. The Real Ambassador
(2:37)  6. My One Bad Habit
(3:17)  7. Because All Men Are Brothers
(2:06)  8. There'll Be Some Changes Made
(2:48)  9. Weep No More
(4:38) 10. Cultural Exchange
(2:54) 11. Travelin' Blues - Live
(3:21) 12. Ain't Misbehavin' (with Jimmy Rushing)
(5:27) 13. They Say I Look Like God
(2:29) 14. In The Lurch
(2:21) 15. Autumn In Our Town
(2:31) 16. Since Love Had Its Way
(4:37) 17. Blues in the Dark (with Jimmy Rushing)
(2:15) 18. Take Five (with The Dave Brubeck Quartet) - Single Version

Dave and Iola Brubeck wrote most of the songs on this vocal compilation, including excerpts from their show The Real Ambassadors. Culled from several early 1960s releases, each selection features a singer or singers. Two previously unreleased tracks are included: a take of “It’s A Raggy Waltz” with Carmen McRae and an arrangement of “Autumn In Our Town” with whispery singer Ranny Sinclair. The refreshing “Raggy Waltz” works well as a vocal number, while “Autumn In Our Town” proves to be much less effective. The combination of Sinclair’s pure, young and innocent voice alongside harsher pickups of guitar and piano creates problems. Precious moments include Paul Desmond’s few appearances, Tony Bennett’s “That Old Black Magic” thrill, the firm confidence of both Rushing and McRae, Louis Armstrong’s storytellin’ and LHR’s dazzling scat display. Brubeck and Desmond both provide examples of their best solo work on “Ain’t Misbehavin’” with Rushing. Lambert, Hendricks and Ross work hand in hand with Armstrong on The Real Ambassadors selections to remind the world that jazz is indeed a universal language. Featuring its own cast of expressive singers, the Vocal Encounters compilation offers the reader an interesting program  on CD. ~ Jim Santella https://www.allaboutjazz.com/vocal-encounters-dave-brubeck-columbia-records-review-by-jim-santella.php

Personnel: Dave Brubeck- piano; Paul Desmond- alto saxophone; Eugene Wright- bass; Joe Morello- drums; Danny Barcelona- drums; Trummy Young- trombone; Joe Darensbourg- clarinet; Louis Armstrong- trumpet, vocal; Tony Bennett, Lambert, Hendricks & Ross, Jimmy Rushing, Carmen McRae, Peter, Paul & Mary, Ranny Sinclair- vocals; other instrumentalists.

Vocal Encounters

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Jay Azzolina - Past Tense

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 2000
File: MP3@128K/s
Time: 62:12
Size: 58,1 MB
Art: Front

( 8:35) 1. Ben Hur, Ben Him
( 7:42) 2. Inside Pies Eyes
( 8:57) 3. Black Waltz
( 7:31) 4. Lil' Red
(10:24) 5. The Totem
( 5:53) 6. Rhythms Change
( 6:53) 7. Marvelous Marvin
( 6:14) 8. My Ship

Known for his pop-fusion work with Spyro Gyra, Michael Franks, and others, guitarist Jay Azzolina steps into the straight-ahead jazz arena with this record. The lineup is heavy: Chris Potter on sax, Charles Blenzig on piano, John Patitucci on bass, and Adam Nussbaum on drums. Fleet-fingered lines and burning swing abound on "Ben Hur, Ben Him" and "Rhythms Change." Darker, more delicate sounds emerge from "The Totem" and "Black Waltz." "Inside Pies Eyes" and "Marvelous Marvin" recall the pared-down trio music of John Scofield’s Shinola and Out Like a Light, while "Lil’ Red" recalls the piano/guitar duels of Scofield’s Rough House. Indeed, Azzolina’s writing and edgy guitar sound owe much perhaps a little too much to Scofield. At times his style is derivative, his tone a bit thin and nasal.

Also on the down side, Azzolina closes the album with a hopelessly cheesy version of Kurt Weill’s "My Ship," featuring his wife Jill Azzolina on vocals. It’s the final uneven moment of this somewhat uneven album. However, Azzolina’s prowess as a player is not in doubt, and his alliances with musicians like Potter and Patitucci promise better things to come.~David Adler https://www.allaboutjazz.com/past-tense-jay-azzolina-double-time-jazz-review-by-david-adler

Past Tense

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Franco Ambrosetti - Cycladic Moods

Styles: Jazz
Year: 2012
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 62:11
Size: 146,8 MB
Art: Front

( 8:38)  1. Instant Correlation
( 3:34)  2. Cycladic Suite: Mystic Dawn
( 6:19)  3. Cycladic Suite: Agean Waves
( 3:52)  4. Cycladic Suite: Seven Bofors
( 2:49)  5. Cycladic Suite: Where the Sun Never Sets
( 6:59)  6. In Real Time
(21:31)  7. Mirobop
( 4:56)  8. Blues for My Friends
( 3:28)  9. Peace

If piano is the instrument on which Europeans are most prominent in jazz, trumpet is next: Think Tomasz Stanko, Enrico Rava, Kenny Wheeler and, more recently, Mathias Eick. Franco Ambrosetti is in that mix. He often works in groups led by bassist Miroslav Vitous, where his selective contributions can be striking in their off-center lyricism. But Ambrosetti’s latest album as a leader is more nice than striking. In the current jazz marketplace, flooded with CDs, nice does not get you noticed. In his liner notes, Ambrosetti says that working with Vitous exposed him to “a different, wider and surprising world ... away from the well-known orthodoxy.” Yet Cycladic Moods is often predictable, even generic, within in its category of postmodern modal jazz.

Competency is not an issue. Pianist Geri Allen sounds somewhat under wraps, but her measured forays are poetic. Tenor saxophonist Abraham Burton is conventional yet muscular and fluent. Ambrosetti’s own solos, in his wide range of trumpet colors, are always personal. Drummer Nasheet Waits makes this refined music snap. The only weak link is Ambrosetti’s son Gianluca, with his thin, unattractive soprano saxophone tone. The centerpiece is not the suite that gives the album its name, but “Mirobop,” a 21-minute breakout on a line by Vitous. This is the track intended to embody the ensemble objectives announced by Ambrosetti in his liner notes: “free improvisation” and “unexpected new paths” based on “intense listening to each other.” But because the spontaneous exchanges conform to familiar patterns of the free-jazz genre, they are less exciting than Ambrosetti intends. But then you come to the last song, a lovely, fervent reading of Horace Silver’s “Peace” by Ambrosetti and Allen, and you think, perhaps there is no such thing as too many nice jazz albums.

 ~ Thomas Conrad  

http://jazztimes.com/articles/54359-cycladic-moods-franco-ambrosetti

Cycladic Moods

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Massimo Farao,' Francesca Tandoi - La musica di Franco Califano

Styles: Vocal And Piano Jazz
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 37:30
Size: 86,4 MB
Art: Front

(6:40) 1. Un Tempo Piccolo
(4:05) 2. Tutto Il Resto E' Noia
(4:51) 3. Semo Gente Di Borgata
(5:02) 4. La Mia Liberta'
(3:30) 5. Io Me Mbriaco
(4:45) 6. L'Ultimo Amico Va Via
(3:56) 7. Tac
(4:38) 8. La Vacanza Di Fine Settimana

MASSIMO FARAO'"The blackest of Italian pianists" was born May 16th, 1965, in Genoa. He studied piano with Maestro Flavio Crivelli and began his career collaborating with musicians from the Genoa Area, especially with the bassist Piero Leveratto. In 1993 he was invited for the first time in the USA. He plays with Red Holloway and Albert "Tootie" Heath on a tour on the West Coast. In the same year he founded "We love Jazz" Workshop, now become one of the biggest events in Europe for jazz teaching.

In 1994 he was hired by "Monad Records" in New York and back in the United States as pianoplayer and music director of Shawnn Monteiro's band, with Keter Betts and Bobby Durham. He has played in several european tours with the Nat Adderley Quintet, composed by Antonio Hart, Walter Booker and Jimmy Cobb. In 2001 he joined the Archie Shepp's "Just in Time" Quartet with Wayne Dockery and Bobby Durham. Since 2001 he is the artistic director for the jazz division of AZZURRA MUSIC label. In 2003 he played at "Jazz Piano Festival" in Lucerne.

In November 2004 he played in Japan, where his albums have become bestsellers. He played in Italy, France, Germany, Corsica, Switzerland, Hungary, Austria, USA, Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Finland, Dubai, Luxembourg, Spain, Japan, Yugoslavia,Canada. From 2014 he recorded 12 cd for Venus Records the famous japanese jazz label. He has recorded more than 2 hundred Cds with many Italian and foreign musicians.More.. https://www.massimofarao.com/massimofarao1

Personnel: Massimo Farao - piano; Francesca Tandoi - vocals; Davide Palladin - guitar; Cesare Mecca - trumpet; Nicola Barbon - bass; Bobo Facchinetti - drums

La musica di Franco Califano

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Pat Martino & Gil Goldstein - We Are Together Again

Styles: Guitar And Piano Jazz
Year: 2013
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 57:55
Size: 133,0 MB
Art: Front

(7:13) 1. Body and Soul
(7:02) 2. Before You Ask
(5:31) 3. Footprints
(4:46) 4. In a Sentimental Mood
(4:28) 5. City Lights
(7:40) 6. Round Midnight
(6:21) 7. Pompy
(5:12) 8. Portrait
(9:38) 9. Peace

An all-time favorite of guitar players and Martino fans, We’ll Be Together Again has finally been reissued on CD by Joel Dorn’s 32 Jazz, which last year obtained the entire catalog of Muse Records. An intimate duet with pianist Gil Goldstein from a 1976 Muse session, it highlights the guitarist at the peak of his interpretive powers just a few years before the life-threatening aneurism and follow-up brain surgery that would sideline him through the ’80s.

In the context of mostly ballads and backed only by the sparse, sustained chords of Golstein’s atmospheric Fender Rhodes electric piano, Martino speaks eloquently and gracefully, plumbing the depths of emotion in a song’s lyric while occasionally leaping into double-time flurries of those signature breathtaking lines that he spins with such ease.~ By Bill Milkowskihttps://jazztimes.com/archives/pat-martino-well-be-together-again/

Personnel: Guitar – Pat Martino; Piano, Electric Piano – Gil Goldstein

We Are Together Again

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Matthew Shipp - I've Been To Many Places

Size: 137,6 MB
Time: 58:44
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2014
Styles: Jazz: Piano, Modern Jazz
Art: Front

01. I've Been To Many Places (5:21)
02. Summertime (4:32)
03. Brain Stem Grammer (3:58)
04. Pre Formal (1:57)
05. Web Play (3:31)
06. Tenderly (2:56)
07. Life Cycle (4:23)
08. Brain Shatter (3:48)
09. Symbolic Access (3:51)
10. Waltz (2:00)
11. Reflex (3:15)
12. Naima (4:18)
13. Where Is The Love (1:26)
14. Light Years (3:13)
15. Where Is The Love (Reprise) (2:28)
16. Blue Astral Bodies (3:37)
17. Cosmic Wave (4:03)

But is it Jazz? That question gets lobbed at pianist Matthew Shipp's music all the time. Perhaps, "propelled" or "launched" are better terms. His approach to music, whether working with saxophonists David S. Ware and Ivo Perelman or with DJs, is to play authentic music, that which is a bona fide representation of his nature, or better yet his soul. This solo offering, I've Been To Many Places delves deep into that spirit and does (depending on where you stand) nothing, or everything to resolve the question, "is it jazz?"

Shipp is (has been) a lightning rod for neocon reaction to his music. Maybe it's their defining jazz music by a certain set a parameters that actually limits the creativity. Same criticisms were once tossed at Thelonious Monk, Cecil Taylor, and Keith Jarrett. Shipp's music is original, intriguing, and always outré. He reveals his genetic code with original music and covers of John Coltrane's "Naima" and George Gershwin's "Summertime," plus the pop tunes "Where Is The Love" (from the 1970s) and "Tenderly" (1946). Heard here, the pianist reconfigures sound like writer Colson Whitehead reimagines the zombie apocalypse.

In a solitary setting, Shipp lays out the architectonics of his music and the standards are a guide. "Summertime" opens with the familiar, before flowering into a thunderous open- ended expedition. Same for "Naima," which is reimagined as Béla Bartók might have. Shipp lays these out as guides so that when he conjures his original pieces like "Symbolic Access" and "Reflex," the language doesn't change, just the listener's familiarity with the composition. He plays "Waltz" like Bill Evans' "Waltz For Debby" as comfort food for the ears, a familiar road that also leads into his personal forest. The careful mix of recognizable with the original can draw the new listener in, like his soulful take on Roberta Flack's hit "Where Is The Love." But it's the unique pieces that bring everything into perspective. The pianist's piano language is pioneering, unconventional, and well, isn't that a working definition of jazz? ~Mark Corroto

I've Been To Many Places

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Ted Heath - Fever!

Styles:  Big Band, Swing 
Year: 1965
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 36:41
Size: 84,4 MB
Art: Front

(3:30)  1. Fever
(2:26)  2. More
(4:18)  3. Hello, Dolly!
(2:29)  4. Theme from 'A Summer Place'
(2:49)  5. Never on Sunday (Jamais le Dimanche)
(3:02)  6. Wives and Lovers
(2:34)  7. Mack the Knife
(2:22)  8. Moon River
(3:31)  9. Misty
(2:46) 10. The Girl from Ipanema
(3:31) 11. People
(3:16) 12. Fly Me to the Moon

Bert Ambrose and Nat Gonella notwithstanding, arguably the finest band to come out of England was led byTed Heath. He was almost as well known in the United States as he was in the United Kingdom. He started coming to the US in 1956 as he and Stan Kenton arranged an exchange to satisfy union requirements of both countries. The band's popularity was sustained and enhanced through personal appearances and their many recordings beginning in 1944 and running through to 1977 when the band was under the leadership of Don Lusher. Although heavily influenced by Kenton, Heath managed to avoid his excesses, while at the same time his arrangements were bright and upbeat as the band featured blaring brass work. Heath made two basic types of albums tribute albums, such as the one for Glenn Miller, and those he called "my music," which were distinctively his own. This CD was in the latter category and comes toward the end of his involvement in the band while suffering heart problems in the late 1960's. He was always able to attract top flight musicians and this group was no exception. Long time Heath trumpet player Bert Ezard, sax players Ronnie Chamberlain and Bob Efford (who was to work with Benny Goodman and Marty Paich), and drummer Kenny Clare. Most of the tunes on this album were favored by vocalists, such as "Fever" by Peggy Lee, "Mack the Knife" by Louis Armstrong and Bobby Darin, and even "Moon River," Andy Williams's big hit. But these singers would have a hard time keeping up with fast tempos of the band. Excellent playing, tight arrangement, and sound dynamics, this album is part of the large portfolio of big band music that is Heath's legacy. ~ Dave Nathan http://www.allmusic.com/album/fever-mw0000190181

Fever!

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Stockholm Swing All Stars - Stockholm Swing All Stars Dance ! !

Styles: Swing
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 62:08
Size: 144,5 MB
Art: Front

(2:56) 1. Moten Swing
(3:58) 2. Don’t Get Around Much Anymore
(2:41) 3. Shirley Steps Out
(4:41) 4. Wings and Things
(3:28) 5. Dans på distans
(2:30) 6. I Owe You Buster
(3:33) 7. Mr. Sven
(3:35) 8. Sideways
(2:31) 9. The Sky Fell Down
(2:54) 10. Such Sweet Thunder
(3:48) 11. I Can't Give You Anything but Love
(2:33) 12. Knock Out
(3:02) 13. A Pound Of Blues
(3:23) 14. Way Back Blues
(3:51) 15. Segue In C
(6:08) 16. The Preacher
(3:14) 17. After Hours
(3:13) 18. Night Train

The idea was to form a band featuring the top jazz and swing players in Stockholm. The four horn players in the front line play an important role in the band. With cleverly written arrangements, mostly by Klas Lindquist and Fredrik Lindborg, the band can play softly like a small group and seconds later explode in a big band fortissimo. The rhythm section gives the band a bouncing ground for the solos and ensembles.

The members of the Stockholm Swing All Stars are considered among the best in their field in Sweden. The band plays swing and jazz music suitable both for concerts and for dancing. They often play at lindy hop and other dance events as well as in concert halls. Scandinavia, and sell out the Stockholm Concert Hall and the Gothenburg Concert Hall regularly. https://www.stockholmswingallstars.com/about/

Personnel: Karl Olandersson – trumpet and vocals; Klas Lindquist –reeds ; Fredrik Lindborg – reeds ; Dicken Hedrenius – trombone; Daniel Tilling – piano; Göran Lind – double Bass; Mattias Puttonen – drums

Stockholm Swing All Stars Dance!

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Mary J. Blige - No More Drama

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2002
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 77:15
Size: 182,3 MB
Art: Front

(2:46) 1. Love
(4:25) 2. Family Affair
(4:27) 3. Steal Away
(5:37) 4. He Think I Don't Know
(4:51) 5. P.M.S.
(5:26) 6. No More Drama
(4:36) 7. Rainy Dayz [feat. Ja Rule]
(4:33) 8. Where I've Been [feat. Eve]
(3:34) 9. Beautiful Day
(3:24) 10. Dance for Me [feat. Common]
(4:05) 11. No More Drama (P. Diddy/Mario Winans Remix) [feat. P. Diddy]
(4:59) 12. Flying Away
(4:03) 13. Never Been
(4:45) 14. 2U
(4:14) 15. In the Meantime
(1:41) 16. Forever No More - Poem
(5:00) 17. Testimony
(4:41) 18. Girl from Yesterday

Mary J. Blige has come a long way since 1992's breakthrough, What's the 411?, and that's made very clear on this solid disc. The singer/songwriter has blossomed into an all-out R&B diva with a hip-hop edge full of soul and command. Her songs on this recording exude the wisdom of a woman who's seen it all and has found her center. The woman's voice is truly inimitable. It's husky, strong, soulful, and full of maturity. She can still flow like no one's business, too; just check out the bouncy album opener "Love."

While love is a common theme, No More Drama is essentially a personal journey through evolution and spirituality. The final cut, "Testimony," best summarizes the album's theme: finding what's real in life. For Blige, that's self-love and God. Blige has a killer instinct for penning lyrics that people can relate to and creating gritty, thick, and soul-infused R&B fare. Her music is more than heard. It is felt, and audiences would be hard-pressed to not surrender to her groove. [No More Drama was re-released in early 2002 with a handful of different tracks.]~Liana Jones https://www.allmusic.com/album/no-more-drama-mw0000658167

No More Drama

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Franco Ambrosetti - Close Encounter

Styles: Flugelhorn,Trumpet Jazz
Year: 2014
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 43:20
Size: 100,4 MB
Art: Front

( 8:29) 1. Close Encounter
( 5:46) 2. Napoleon Blown Apart
( 8:21) 3. Sad Story Of A Photographer
(14:36) 4. Morning Song Of A Spring Flower
( 6:07) 5. Rumba Orgiastica

Franco Ambrosetti's debut for Enja (his previous releases were all for Italian labels) finds the talented cool-toned flugelhornist holding his own with the notable sidemen (Bennie Wallace on tenor and soprano, pianist George Gruntz, bassist Mike Richmond and drummer Bob Moses). The sometimes episodic repertoire (two Ambrosetti originals and one apiece by his father Flavio, Gruntz and Kuhn) is quite obscure and generally hard bop-oriented. Everyone plays well on this lesser-known but enjoyable effort.~Scott Yanowhttps://www.allmusic.com/album/close-encounter-mw0000906992

Personnel: Franco Ambrosetti – flugelhorn, trumpet; Bennie Wallace – tenor saxophone; George Gruntz – piano; Mike Richmond – bass; Bob Moses – drums

Close Encounter

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Bobby Scott - Scott Free

Styles: Piano, Vibraphone Jazz
Year: 1955
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 43:37
Size: 100,1 MB
Art: Front

(3:31) 1. Two Toes
(2:45) 2. What's New
(4:53) 3. Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea
(3:07) 4. Summer Night
(4:16) 5. Over the Rainbow
(3:05) 6. Squaw Rock
(4:14) 7. Potatoe Zalud
(4:17) 8. These Foolish Things
(3:49) 9. Milt Shake
(6:06) 10. Skyline
(3:30) 11. Richard the Lion Hearted

Robert William Scott (January 29, 1937 – November 5, 1990) was an American musician, record producer, and songwriter. Scott was born in Mount Pleasant, New York, United States, and became a pianist, vibraphonist, and singer, and could also play the accordion, cello, clarinet, and double bass. He studied under Edvard Moritz at the La Follette School of Music at the age of eight, and was working professionally at 11. In 1952, he began touring with Louis Prima, and also toured and performed with Gene Krupa, Lester Young, and Tony Scott in the 1950s. In 1956 he hit the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 with the song "Chain Gang", peaking at number 13. (This was not the same song as the 1960 pop hit "Chain Gang" by American singer/songwriter Sam Cooke.) It sold over one million copies, and was awarded a gold disc.

As a bandleader, he did sessions for Verve, ABC-Paramount, Bethlehem, and Musicmasters. As a songwriter, he won a Grammy Award for Best Instrumental Composition for the song "A Taste of Honey". In addition to "A Taste of Honey", Scott also co-wrote the song "He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother". In the 1960s he became a music teacher and studied again under Moritz, but occasionally recorded as well, including a Nat King Cole tribute album released in the 1980s. He also composed film soundtracks, including the scores to Slaves (1969), Joe (1970), and Who Says I Can't Ride a Rainbow! (1971). During the 1980s he composed music for classical guitar, harp, and piano. He also arranged for jazz and easy listening musicians such as Les and Larry Elgart. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bobby_Scott_(musician)

Personnel: Bobby Scott (p, vib), Whitey Mitchell, Jim Corbett, Nabil 'Knobby' Totah (b), Will Bradley Jr., Al Levitt (d)

Scott Free

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Maureen Budway - Sweet Candor

Size: 147,3 MB
Time: 63:08
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2015
Styles: Jazz Vocals
Art: Front

01. I'll Close My Eyes (5:58)
02. Sweet Lover No More (4:12)
03. Del Sasser (5:11)
04. Trav'lin' Light (5:22)
05. The House I Live In (4:38)
06. White Cliffs Of Dover (3:40)
07. Hard Times Come Again No More (3:51)
08. Say It With Firecrackers Song Of Freedom (4:46)
09. Gershwin Medley (How Long Has This Been Going On, Fascinating Rhythm, Someone To Watch Over Me, The Man I Love) (9:00)
10. Spring Is Here (6:26)
11. Aquas De Março (5:25)
12. Lonely Cane (4:33)

Maureen Budway's Sweet Candor is a masterclass in style and elegance.

A former editor once gave me some sage advice about interjecting too much personal opinion unless there was some relevance to the release. Sweet Candor is the first release from Budway and sadly the last as this lyrical warrior lost her twenty year fight with cancer. I too am fighting cancer but this is not a sad occasion as Budway delivers an exemplary performance moving effortlessly through a variety of genres with a range most singers can only hope they achieve.

Budway passed on January 27, 2015 and Sweet Candor was delivered to their families on Christmas Eve. Powerful and the personification of true passion on a shiny silver disc her critically acclaimed brother David Budway joins her on piano. The best releases result in reviews that write themselves and Sweet Candor is no exception. The eclectic diversity includes the David Frishberg tune "Sweet Lover No More" featuring Sean Jones on trumpet and "Aquas De Marco" from Antonio Carlos Jobim. The Rogers and Hart classic "Spring Is Here" takes wings as this harmonic chameleon weaves a melodic spell that is captivating.

This is not a release you review but a release that you savor, embrace and cherish. A reminder of the joy of making music and the reality that life while fleeting is indeed a gift. This is Maureen's lasting gift and she will never be forgotten.

Sweet Candor

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Sadao Watanabe - Jazz & Bossa: Live At Suntory Hall

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 67:10
Size: 154,8 MB
Art: Front

(4:38) 1. Laura
(4:24) 2. Beautiful Love
(5:19) 3. In The We Snall of the Morning
(5:55) 4. Stallon Moments
(5:19) 5. Echo
(5:02) 6. Carnaval Morning
(5:42) 7. Prelude Samba
(4:59) 8. Butterfly
(4:46) 9. Talk To The Moon
(4:31) 10. I Love To Say Your Name
(5:35) 11. Water Colors
(5:09) 12. Manhattan Paulista
(2:40) 13. Flowers Blom
(3:04) 14. Carinhozo

One of the most well-known Japanese jazz musicians of his generation, Sadao Watanabe is an adept, bop-influenced saxophonist with a deep love of Brazilian bossa nova. Watanabe initially gained global fame in the 1960s with Bossa Nova Concert and Sadao Meets Brazilian Friends, showcasing his warm tone and lyrical, swinging sound. His subsequent recordings, highlighted by 1974's Round Trip, 1984's Rendezvous, and 1999's Remembrance, found him traversing such varied styles as funk, fusion, and crossover pop. Since the 2000s, Watanabe has focused largely on acoustic post-bop, Brazilian traditions, and straight-ahead jazz, as on the 2017 orchestral concert album Encore!

Born in 1933 in Utsunomiya, Japan, he grew up in a musical family and initially played clarinet in high school, a choice purportedly inspired by seeing Bing Crosby play the instrument in 1941's Birth of the Blues. However, Watanabe soon picked up the alto saxophone after discovering the bebop recordings of Charlie Parker. Upon graduating high school, he relocated to Tokyo, where he gained his first professional experience playing with dance bands. In 1953, he joined pianist Toshiko Akiyoshi's group, ultimately taking over the ensemble after Akiyoshi moved to the United States. Watanabe eventually followed suit, attending Berklee College of Music in Boston from 1962-1965. While at Berklee, he broadened his stylistic scope, investigating Brazilian music and performing with luminaries like Chico Hamilton, Gary McFarland, and others. It was also during this period that he made his recorded debut, appearing on a handful of albums including a 1961 self-titled album and 1965 follow-up, Sadao Watanabe Plays.

Moving back to Japan in 1965, Watanabe split his time between teaching and performing, appearing on 1966's Going Home: A Modern Jazz Album and joining fellow saxophonist Charlie Mariano on 1967's Iberian Waltz. He also displayed his love of Brazilian traditions on a steady stream of bossa nova-steeped albums, including 1967's Bossa Nova Concert and 1968's Sadao Meets Brazilian Friends. He also began appearing more regularly around the world, including a high-profile appearance at the 1970 Newport Jazz Festival, and developed into a highly regarded, world-renowned jazz performer. Watanabe's albums during these years reflected his eclectic musical taste and found him moving from straight-ahead dates like 1976's I'm Old Fashioned to expansive Brazilian fusion sessions such as 1977's Autumn Blow, and even breezy crossover pop affairs like 1979's Morning Island.

The '80s were also a fruitful time for Watanabe, who toured heavily, making numerous festival appearances. As a recording artist, he continued to embrace a crossover, funk, and R&B-influenced sound on albums like 1981's Orange Express, 1984's Rendezvous, and 1985's Maisha. That said, he never gave up his love of Brazilian music, as evidenced by his 1990 collaboration with singer/songwriter Toquinho, Made in Coracao. More successful pop-influenced albums followed with 1991's Sweet Deal and 1994's Earth Step. While the saxophonist certainly enjoyed mainstream appeal, he always remained indebted to his bebop roots, and peppered his discography with acoustic jazz dates like 1997's Go Straight Ahead 'n Make a Left and 1999's Remembrance, both on Verve.

As Watanabe entered his fifth decade as a recording artist, he continued to balance his time between exploring his love of bossa nova and his longstanding dedication to acoustic bop-influenced jazz on such albums as 2003's Wheel of Life. In 2006, he reunited with saxophonist Charlie Mariano for Sadao & Charlie, followed by 2007's Basie's at Night. Two years later, he joined pianist Gerald Clayton for Into Tomorrow and once again returned to gorgeously rendered Brazilian jazz for both 2011's Come Today and 2013's Outra Vez. The intimate and urbane Naturally appeared in 2015. In 2017, he delivered the orchestral-tinged live album Encore! Recorded at Tokyo's Bunkamura Orchard Hall, the album featured appearances by Dave Grusin, Robben Ford, and others. Also that year, Watanabe released the studio album Re-Bop, which he revisited in 2018 with the companion live album, Re-Bop the Night. Another concert album, Sadao 2019: Live at Blue Note Tokyo, arrived in 2019 and showcased his group with bassist John Patitucci, pianist Russell Ferrante, and drummer Steve Gadd.~Matt Collarhttps://www.allmusic.com/artist/sadao-watanabe-mn0000282544/biography

Personnel: Sadao Watanabe(as), Masaki Hayashi(p), Kiichiro Komobuchi(b), Ittetsu Takemura(ds), Marcelo Kimura(g), Takayuki Oshikane Strings (strings section)

Jazz & Bossa Live At Suntory Hall

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