Saturday, March 19, 2022

Erin Bode - Your Song Volume 1

Styles: Vocal
File: MP3@128K/s
Time: 51:25
Size: 48,4 MB
Art: Front

(4:49) 1. Because Of You
(2:49) 2. Happy Together
(3:50) 3. The Moon Is Ours Tonight
(3:45) 4. Be Here Now
(3:29) 5. Slide
(3:38) 6. Save The Best For Last
(4:07) 7. I Knew
(2:32) 8. You Can Close Your Eyes
(4:36) 9. The Grey Lady
(2:48) 10. My Heart Is All I Have
(2:50) 11. In My Life
(4:51) 12. One Stone
(2:42) 13. Lullaby
(4:33) 14. You Just Can't Smile It Away

Erin Bode hails from the Twin Cities, where her parents emphasized music in daily life and encouraged her to join the church choir. Her music studies continued at the University Of Minnesota and at Webster University in St. Louis. Describing herself as a positive person, Erin collects happy moments and seeks to take all things in a positive direction. Bode has released eight albums, gently walking the line between traditional Jazz and more pop based compositions.

Erin Bode has brought an entirely new concept to the world of music: when a fan approached her and asked to her to record a song for his wife on their anniversary, a world of positive possibility opened up. Erin continued to connect with fans and not just record, but also compose specific songs. In a world of massive stages and distanced celebrity, Erin Bode has developed a new space, a form of intimacy between artist and listener that truly reflect and bolster the human spirit. The music is no longer pointed AT the listener, it is OF the listener. In this way it is folk music, but in an entirely new form that establishes and fosters a unique personal experience and bond.

The aptly titled album YourSong , due out on October 15, 2021, is a curated set of songs from this ongoing project. Chosen for musical content and storyline, the songs range from those composed with Viktor Krauss to arrangements of some well known covers. Erin was connected to Viktor through an idol and friend of hers, Suzanne Cox (The Cox Family). The two immediately bonded over Erin’s concept and the opportunity to record, arrange, and write together. YourSong is an experience, offering more than just a casual listen. Bode’s voice is crisp and clear, like flowing water, and the immediate response is an uplifting feeling, a sense of joy. With each track one envisions the other person in the room, the human that requested the creation of the song. In this way Erin’s unique project continues to foster connection, which is what music is truly about. https://erinbode.bandcamp.com/album/yoursong-volume-1

YourSong Volume 1

Alyssa Allgood - What Tomorrow Brings

Styles: Vocal
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 53:38
Size: 123,7 MB
Art: Front

(4:01) 1. There Are Such Things
(3:21) 2. Enclosure
(6:53) 3. Should've Been
(4:23) 4. Memories
(4:00) 5. This Bitter Earth
(4:48) 6. Mad About the Boy
(4:18) 7. Time Found
(5:14) 8. Bridges
(3:45) 9. Try Your Wings
(4:48) 10. Light out of Darkness
(3:06) 11. For All We Know3
(4:55) 12. Passing Glance

In the chemistry lab, solvents are said to be punctilious when they have been completely purified through filtering, distillation, and chromatography. Punctilious ether, if a sound, could be compared to the perfectly polished tone generated from lead crystal when struck with a platinum spoon. This is the level of refinement heard in Alyssa Allgood's voice on What Tomorrow Brings. Allgood has been filtering and distilling her tone over three previous recordings: Lady BIrd (Self Produced, 2015); Out Of The Blue (Self Produced, 2016 ); and Exactly Like You (Cellar Live, 2018). Her tone, delivery, and performance have been honed to a fine and nuanced point. Vocally, Allgood is capable of impressive melodic expression and tautly muscular vocalese/scatting, often in the same song. Regarding the latter, Allgood shares her level of artistry with only Dorian Devins and Veronica Swift. Vocalese/scat is not for every vocalist, but for those with the knack, it offers that added level of artistry to be explored and mastered. And mastered it, Allgood has.

An additional facet in which Allgood has evolved is repertoire. Her project song choice and programming has always been from a road less taken. She chooses a song based on its creative potential for her and not the song's popularity or track record. On What Tomorrow Brings, Allgood presents the infrequently performed 1960 Dinah Washington ballad, "This Bitter Earth" (also recently featured by Veronica Swift on her album of the same title (Mack Avenue, 2021), giving the song a free and breezy interpretation properly framed by her guitar trio of guitarist Michael Allemana, bassist Dennis Carroll and drummer George Fludas. This particular format provides the singer with an improvisatory/support index well suited for her intentions. She extrapolates this approach to the remainder of this project.

Performance highlights include a punchy and fun "Mad About The Boy," and a breakneck scat break on "Time Around" that could cause whiplash, masterful and solidly swinging. Allgood continues to grow and evolve in a measured and thoughtful manner, taking well-calculated chances when the return is not necessarily guaranteed, but always pays off. It is satisfying to hear this talent bloom and take command, Allgood assuming her proper place as one of the finest jazz vocalists today.~ C.Michael Bailey https://www.allaboutjazz.com/what-tomorrow-brings-alyssa-allgood-cellar-records

Personnel: Alyssa Allgood: voice / vocals; Mike Allemana: guitar; Dennis Carroll: bass; George Fludas: drums.

What Tomorrow Brings

Art Hodes - Sweet Lorraine

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 24:57
Size: 57.1 MB
Styles: Jazz-blues piano
Year: 2014
Art: Front

[2:59] 1. Caravan
[3:06] 2. Rose Room
[3:51] 3. C Jam Blues
[3:41] 4. Blues
[3:39] 5. Perdido
[3:27] 6. Sweet Lorraine
[2:36] 7. High Society
[1:35] 8. When It Is Sleepy Time Down South

Throughout his long career, Art Hodes was a fighter for traditional jazz, whether through his distinctive piano playing, his writings (which included many articles and liner notes), or his work on radio and educational television. Renowned for the feeling he put into blues, Hodes was particularly effective on up-tempo tunes, where his on-the-beat chordings from his left hand could be quite exciting. Born in Russia, he came to America with his family when he was six months old and grew up in Chicago. Hodes had the opportunity to witness Chicago jazz during its prime years in the 1920s, and he learned from other pianists. In 1928, he made his recording debut with Wingy Manone, but spent most of the 1930s in obscurity in Chicago until he moved to New York in 1938. He played with Joe Marsala and Mezz Mezzrow before forming his own band in 1941. Hodes recorded for Solo Art, his Jazz Record label, Signature, Decca, and Black & White during 1939-1942, but he made more of an impression with his heated Dixieland recordings for Blue Note during 1944-1945 (all of which have been reissued on a Mosaic box set). During 1943-1947, Hodes edited the important magazine the Jazz Record, had a radio show, and became involved in the moldy fig versus bebop wars with Leonard Feather and Barry Ulanov; jazz on a whole lost to the latter. In 1950, he returned to Chicago, where he remained active locally and made occasional records. Hodes hosted a television series, Jazz Alley, for a time in the 1960s, wrote for Downbeat, and was a jazz educator. Art Hodes recorded frequently during the 1970s and '80s, and was widely recognized as one of the last survivors of Chicago jazz. His later recordings were for such labels as Audiophile, Jazzology, Delmark, Storyville, Euphonic, Muse, Parkwood, Candid, and Music & Arts. ~bio by Scott Yanow

Sweet Lorraine

Ralph Bowen - Dedicated

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2009
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 42:24
Size: 97,6 MB
Art: Front

(6:38)  1. Canary Drums
(5:35)  2. Pat
(7:00)  3. Qaiyam
(9:47)  4. Mr. Bebop
(9:22)  5. Prof.
(4:00)  6. E.R.

Tenor saxophonist Ralph Bowen's Dedicated is a project that was nurtured and produced by Posi-tone Records' founder Marc Free, who felt that Bowen was under-appreciated by the jazz public at large. Bowen has influenced hundreds of players through his teaching position at Rutgers, and many top jazz players know how skilled he is. Having heard him live several times, Free has long admired Bowen's sound and technical ability on his horn, and wanted people to really hear how good he was. This goal was accomplished by starting with the concept of basing the supporting ensemble around guitar, since Bowen's previous recordings were often accompanied by organ or piano. Free and Bowen discussed several names before agreeing that Adam Rogers would be a good choice, due in part to the excellent working relationship Bowen already had with Free, the musical trust they shared, and Rogers' ability to mix subtlety and intuition into an ensemble. The logical next step was to bring in John Patitucci (bass) and Antonio Sanchez (drums), since they had already played together with Rogers hundreds of times, both with Rogers as leader, and in other groups such as Chris Potter Underground. The musicians rehearsed together for 2 weeks in the making of this recording, and it was mixed for another 2 weeks, which is rare in the world of all-star jazz recordings. The well-matched timbre of the group's sound reveals that the time and care put into this project paid off. Bowen has a mastery of his instrument not unlike Michael Brecker, cites John Coltrane as his main influence, but plays with more nuance and reserve than either. He travels through the music and chooses to become part of the fiber of the group-sound, except on "E.R.," which is a solo piece that let's him weave his own song, from long drawn out tones to 32nd-note runs, syncopated triplets and reflection. That's why the choice of sidemen on this recording is so important. 

The slightly reserved modern cool that each player is able to bring to the studio matches up with Bowen's playing style, and Posi-Tone's Free as producer and engineer Nick O'Toole serve as kind of sixth and seventh men on this project. Sanchez, for example, has demonstrated in his career with the Pat Metheny Group and on his solo work as well that he can play with subtlety, and make it exciting at the same time. It's not Elvin Jones-type crash and bang drumming; Sanchez often uses a light touch and many soft to medium cymbal strokes to bring out a more reflective artistic sound, but he enhances his playing by finding varied ways to communicate. Rogers' tone on guitar is also something that blends into the collective sound. His reserved style is modern, and full of potential sparks, leaving listeners keen to hear where he will go next. But he supports the songs, and is able to soar into several important solos that would only work if they were on par with Bowen's tenor sax riffs, and they very much are. John Patitucci is able fully to support the band by playing with a style that could be described as dark, full and round. He's like a prominent tree trunk that allows the rest of the players to branch out and ascend. Sean Jones adds trumpet to the mix on "Mr. Bebop," playing counterpoint through the head, and taking off on a solo midway through, introducing a new sound to the ensemble at just the right time. Dedicated consists of just six songs with a total recorded time of 42 minutes, a throwback to the days of Blue Note discs that tended to run short, but made up for it with quality. Each tune is dedicated to one of Bowen's mentors (Keith Blackley, Pat La Barbera, Jim Blackley, David Baker, William Fielder, and Eugene Rousseau). "The recent passing of a close friend and mentor left me with the distinct awareness of my personal need to acknowledge several of my contemporaries for their support and influence on my own musical development. Dedicated is a musical message of gratitude to my mentors for their time, patience, wisdom, knowledge and friendship." (Ralph Bowen). "One way or another we all have to find what best fosters the flowering of our humanity in this contemporary life and dedicate ourselves to that." (Joseph Campbell) ~ Blaine Fallis https://www.allaboutjazz.com/ralph-bowen-dedicated-by-blaine-fallis.php

Personnel: Ralph Bowen: tenor saxophone; Sean Jones: trumpet; Adam Rogers: guitar; John Patitucci: bass; Antonio Sanchez: drums.

Dedicated

Carmell Jones - Jay Hawk Talk

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 38:11
Size: 87.4 MB
Styles: Bop, Trumpet jazz
Year: 1965/2000
Art: Front

[5:50] 1. Jay Hawk Talk
[4:56] 2. Willow Weep For Me
[8:56] 3. What Is This Thing Called Love
[5:32] 4. Just In Time
[6:17] 5. Beepdurple
[6:37] 6. Dance Of The Night Child

Bass – George Tucker; Drums – Roger Humphries; Piano – Barry Harris; Tenor Saxophone – Jimmy Heath; Trumpet – Carmell Jones. Recorded May 8, 1965.

Hard bopper Carmell Jones is in fine form on this 1965 outing, Jay Hawk Talk. Together with tenor Jimmy Heath, pianist Barry Harris, bassist George Tucker, and drummer Roger Humphries, Jones confidently tackles a half-dozen tunes. From the piano/bass riff at the beginning of "Jay Hawk Talk" to the Parker-esque kickoff of "Beepdurple," the band holds a steady, driving groove. Both of those instrumentals, plus "Dance of the Night Child," were written by Jones and stand comfortably beside the other selections on this album. Tucker kicks off a particularly affecting version of "Willow Weep for Me," with a simple descending bass run. Jones enters with a full and rich tone for a beautiful, extended solo, and is followed by Harris, who emphasizes the bluesy, late-night feel of the piece. The band turns in a nine-minute version of Porter's "What Is This Thing Called Love?" that pulls out all the stops, and gives Heath plenty of room to show that he can fly as high and play as fast as Charlie Parker himself. Throughout the album, Tucker's bass work adds greatly to the overall texture; Tucker and Humphries together provide a steady pulse with lots of charged rhythm to keep the whole project stimulating. Jay Hawk Talk will remind everyone of Jones' distinctive voice. Like Johnny Griffin, Jones moved to Europe in the '60s, greatly lowering his profile in the United States. This re-release of an old classic should help to familiarize everyone once again with a great trumpeter. ~Ronnie D. Lankford Jr.

Jay Hawk Talk

Friday, March 18, 2022

April Barrows - All You Need Is The Girl

Styles: Jazz, Vocal
Year: 2000
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 41:12
Size: 94,8 MB
Art: Front

(3:36)  1. All You Really Need Is The Girl
(2:48)  2. Idea Of Love
(3:45)  3. A Handful of Stars
(2:06)  4. Cupid Got Us Both
(4:53)  5. I Don't Want To Love You
(2:45)  6. Love Can Turn You On
(2:09)  7. (You Can't) Unring A Bell
(3:21)  8. Lover, Come Back To Me
(3:01)  9. Stay Out Of My Dreams
(2:32) 10. It's Gotta Be You For Me
(4:50) 11. Until It Happens To You
(5:19) 12. (That's When) I Saw Stars

April Barrows is an unusual jazz performer in two respects. One is that she lives in Nashville, the home of country music. The other is that she writes originals that sound as if they are swing standards from the 1930s. Her voice is lovely and sweet, a little reminiscent of a younger Maria Muldaur although having her own personality. On All You Need Is the Girl, she performs two jazz standards ("A Handful of Stars" and "Lover, Come Back to Me") along with guitarist David Hungate's "It's Gotta Be You for Me," but it is her nine originals that really stand out. Several of the songs, particularly "I Don't Want to Love You," "You Can't Unring a Bell," and "Until It Happens to You," could catch on if they were heard and adopted by other singers. 

In fact, all nine of Barrows' tunes are potential standards in need of discovery by today's vocalists, particularly those who are looking for fresh material. Backed by a few overlapping combos that include Hungate on guitar and trombone, pianist Matt Rollings, and the warm tenor sax of Dennis Solee plus a guest appearance by the late Chet Atkins on "I Saw Stars," April Barrows' vocals are infectious, sometimes touching, and always fun. She deserves to be much better known. Get this CD and see why. 
~ Scott Yanow  http://www.allmusic.com/album/all-you-need-is-the-girl-mw0000302735

Paul Weston And His Orchestra - Music For A Rainy Night

Styles: Jazz, Big Band
Year: 2016
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 36:47
Size: 85,9 MB
Art: Front

(3:05) 1. I'll Remember April
(3:02) 2. I See Your Face Before Me
(3:31) 3. Little Girl Blue
(3:08) 4. A Garden In The Rain
(3:14) 5. Dearly Beloved
(3:20) 6. Soon
(2:45) 7. Isn't It Romantic?
(3:02) 8. Fools Rush In (Where Angels Fear To Tread)
(3:07) 9. I Can't Get Started
(2:37) 10. You're Nearer
(3:26) 11. Day By Day
(2:23) 12. Why Was I Born?

Paul Weston (born Paul Wetstein, March 12, 1912, Springfield, MA) was one of the most diverse and talented arrangers and conductors of the '40s and '50s, moving from mainstream swing and jazz to instrumental easy listening pop in the course of his career. Though he began his career playing hard swing, Weston is the father of mood music lush, relaxing instrumental orchestral pop designed to provide a soundtrack to everyday events like romance and dining. Originally, Weston was an economics major at Dartmouth. While he was a student, he became fascinated with jazz, particularly swing, and began playing in various college bands. Soon, he decided to pursue a career in music.

Weston became known as a vocal arranger. His work with Rudy Vallee brought him to national attention. After arranging for Vallee, he attempted to work with Bing Crosby, but the results were unsuccessful. Following the failed Crosby venture, Weston became an arranger for Tommy Dorsey, which is where he made his reputation. While with Dorsey, he wrote jumping, swinging charts for the band and vocalists like Dinah Shore and Jo Stafford, whom he would marry in the mid-'40s.

Weston became the A&R director for Capitol Records in 1944, when the label was just beginning. Though he continued to write fast swing charts for a time, Weston noticed that the tastes of the public were beginning to move toward gentler material, so he adjusted his music accordingly. Weston released his first album of mood music, Music for Dreaming, in 1945. Music for Dreaming was decidedly calmer than his previous work, though there was a subtle swing driving the subdued music. The album was a major success, and Weston continued to record albums of smooth, string-laden music for the next five years. By 1950, the term "mood music" had been adopted by the press to describe this style of instrumental pop.

Weston left Capitol Records in 1950 for Columbia Records, where he continued to record albums of instrumental mood music. He also continued to write arrangements and conduct sessions for artists like Sarah Vaughan, Ella Fitzgerald, Dinah Shore, and Doris Day. By the end of the decade, he had returned to Capitol Records, where he stayed throughout the '60s. During this time, he and Jo Stafford recorded a handful of albums as Jonathan & Darlene Edwards. The Jonathan & Darlene albums were comedy records that parodied nightclub acts; on each record Stafford sang offkey and Weston horridly played out of time and out of key. In the early '70s, Weston and Stafford both retired. The couple began a reissue label, Corinthian Records, in the early '90s which released CD versions of their music.~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine https://www.allmusic.com/artist/paul-weston-mn0000029609/biography

Music For A Rainy Night

Hampton Hawes - Trio & Quartet 1951-1956: Live & Studio (2-Disc Set)

Hampton Hawes (p), Harper Crosby (b), Lawrence Marable (d), Joe Mondragon (b), Red Mitchell (b), Larry Bunker (d,vib), Shelly Manne (d), Clarence Jones (d), Chuck Thompson (d).

Hampton Hawes was one of the finest jazz pianists of the 1950s, a fixture on the Los Angeles scene who brought his own interpretations to the dominant Bud Powell style. In the mid- to late '40s, he played with Sonny Criss, Dexter Gordon, and Wardell Gray, among others on Central Avenue. He was with Howard McGhee's band (1950-1951), played with Shorty Rogers and the Lighthouse All-Stars, served in the Army (1952-1954), and then led trios in the L.A. area, recording many albums for Contemporary. Arrested for heroin possession in 1958, Hawes spent five years in prison until he was pardoned by President Kennedy. He led trios for the remainder of his life, using electric piano (which disturbed his longtime fans) for a period in the early to mid-'70s, but returned to acoustic piano before dying from a stroke in 1977.

Album: Trio & Quartet 1951-1956: Live & Studio (Disc 1)
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 71:39
Size: 164.0 MB
Styles: Piano jazz
Year: 2010

[4:25] 1. Buzzy
[3:13] 2. What Is This Thing Called Love
[6:32] 3. Bud's Blues
[4:12] 4. Another Air Do
[4:32] 5. All The Things You Are
[6:03] 6. Blue Bird
[4:53] 7. I'll Remember April
[2:36] 8. Where Or When
[2:26] 9. All God's Chillun Got Rhythm
[3:14] 10. Jumpin' Jacque
[4:16] 11. Don't Get Around Much Anymore
[3:45] 12. Hawes Paws
[3:50] 13. It's You Or No One
[3:09] 14. Buzzy
[3:10] 15. Just One Of Those Things
[2:28] 16. Again
[4:42] 17. What A Difference A Day Makes
[4:06] 18. Blue Bird

Album: Trio & Quartet 1951-1956: Live & Studio (Disc 2)
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 52:25
Size: 120.0 MB
Styles: Piano jazz
Year: 2010
Art: Front

[2:34] 1. Night And Day
[2:56] 2. Where Or When
[2:48] 3. Jumpin' Jacques
[2:30] 4. Don't Get Around Much Anymore
[2:43] 5. It's You Or No One
[2:40] 6. Thou Swell
[2:41] 7. Terrible T
[2:44] 8. Fanfare
[2:55] 9. Just Squeeze Me (But Don't Tease Me)
[2:54] 10. I'll Remember April
[2:54] 11. Hamp's Paws
[1:53] 12. Move
[2:32] 13. Once In A While
[2:36] 14. Buzzy
[3:22] 15. I Hear Music
[3:53] 16. All The Things You Are
[3:31] 17. I Got Rhythm
[4:11] 18. How High The Moon

Trio & Quartet 1951-1956: Live & Studio (Disc 1)(Disc 2)

Eli Degibri - Henri and Rachel

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 56:12
Size: 129,2 MB
Art: Front

(4:42) 1. Henri and Rachel
(6:48) 2. Gargamel
(6:26) 3. Like Someone in Love
(5:14) 4. Longing
(7:08) 5. Noa
(3:59) 6. The Wedding
(4:24) 7. Don Quixote
(4:46) 8. Ziv
(6:20) 9. Preaching to the Choir
(6:22) 10. Henri and Rachel (Duo Version)

“Henri and Rachel. Oxygen. Water. My compass. Unconditional love. The firm stem of a tree. Blue sky. A caressing breeze. Joy. I sing to you in the present, a burning melody that will echo into the future, eternally. We are here together now, but soon we will inevitably be separated. I will always keep searching for you, knowing that one day we will and must reunite. Until that day, I will never stop humming your melody, my beautiful daddy and mommy, Henri and Rachel.” https://www.degibri.com/henri-and-rachel

Personnel: Eli Degibri Tenor & Soprano Saxophone; Tom Oren Piano; Alon Near Bass; Eviatar Slivnik Drums

Henri and Rachel

Thursday, March 17, 2022

Saskia Laroo - It's Like Jazz

Styles: Trumpet Jazz, Bop
Year: 1994
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 47:57
Size: 110,1 MB
Art: Front

(5:41) 1. Ya Know How We Do
(6:09) 2. If Ye Got It Ye Get It
(5:20) 3. It's Like Jazz
(5:10) 4. Pocee (The Black and White Monster)
(3:21) 5. Jazzparty
(3:15) 6. Drop That Horn
(5:47) 7. Where You Going M'Am
(4:13) 8. Sunday Afternoon
(4:11) 9. Hipfunk D
(4:15) 10. Ya Know How We Do [Radio Edit Two]
(0:32) 11. Jazzparty [Reprised]

The debut album from Dutch female trumpet master combines the hippest elements of jazz & acid jazz with beefy, bottom heavy hip hop breakbeats, trancy house grooves, latin flavors, R&B & the rapping talents of Poetic Voice, Mac Maestro & QF Da Funkee P - flute (Ronald Snijders), sax (Hans Dulfer & Benjamin Herman), keys (Rob Gaasterland, also co-production, recording& editing) & vocals (Johnny Kelvin) round out the mix. https://www.allaboutjazz.com/album/its-like-jazz-saskia-laroo

It's Like Jazz

Noah Preminger - Songs We Love

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 64:18
Size: 148,1 MB
Art: Front

(5:12) 1. Satellite
(5:30) 2. Kiss Me
(3:58) 3. Bird
(2:31) 4. Meditation For NW
(4:22) 5. Burning Man
(5:02) 6. If You Could, Would You
(3:34) 7. Landslide
(6:34) 8. Len
(4:45) 9. Marcie
(5:04) 10. Still Crazy After All These Years
(5:30) 11. Don't Know Why
(3:13) 12. Things
(4:11) 13. Hallelujah
(4:45) 14. Call And Answer

Currently living in Brooklyn, NY, jazz saxophonist Noah Preminger has been making a name for himself in the music community. Noah's playing and his group's concepts are influenced by genres ranging from classic to contemporary jazz, from hard rock to ambient music. He has performed extensively all over the northeast at venues such as the Hi-Hat (Providence), Scullers, Jordan Hall, Ryles Jazz Club (Boston), Avery Fisher Hall at Lincoln Center, the Village Vanguard, Cornelia Street Cafe, Smalls Jazz Club (New York City), The Bushnell (Connecticut), Upstairs jazz club, L'absynthe (Montreal) and Twins Jazz club and Bossa Project (D.C.).

Noah has had the opportunity to perform and work with Dave Liebman, John McNeil, Steve Davis, Nat Reeves, Dave Douglas, John Mastroianni, Joel Frahm, Dave Holland, John and Bucky Pizzarelli, Marvin Stamm, Jim McNeely, Phil Grenadier, Roscoe Mitchell, Bob Nieske, Cecil McBee, Bob Moses and others. As of recently, Noah has been an important member of other groups including his own Noah Preminger Sextet, the Dana Lauren Quintet, Low Road (with Eric Lane-pianist and Ruth Lepson-poet), the Bridget Kearney Group and the Nick Sanders Quintet. Noah earned his BM at the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston. Noah's debut album, Dry Bridge Road, is now available on the Nowt Records label. You can purchase a copy at: http://www.nowtrecords.org/albums/noah-preminger-dry-bridge-road The band includes: Russ Johnson- trumpet, Ben Monder- guitar, Frank Kimbrough- piano, John Hebert- bass, Ted Poor- drums and Noah Preminger-saxophone. The album was produced by John McNeil and recorded at Park West Studios in New York. https://www.allaboutjazz.com/musicians/noah-preminger

Songs We Love

Kenny Shanker - Vortex

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 55:53
Size: 128,4 MB
Art: Front

(5:47) 1. Vortex
(4:51) 2. Lulu's Back In Town
(5:33) 3. Winter Song
(5:57) 4. Hunter
(7:05) 5. Ramble
(5:45) 6. Nightfall
(5:06) 7. The Duke
(5:25) 8. Cinnamon
(5:32) 9. Midnight Snack
(4:47) 10. Autumn Leaves

Kenny Shanker returns with a new and exciting collection of music designed to pull the listener into a satisfying aural “vortex,” whether through original compositions or reinterpretations of well-worn standards. The acclaimed and eclectic saxophonist sounds at the top of his game on Vortex, his third full-length outing on Wise Cat Records. Brimming with creativity, expressivity and vitality, Shanker is joined on Vortex by a lineup of longtime collaborators, including guitarist Daisuke Abe, pianist Mike Eckroth, bassist Yoshi Waki and drummer Brian Fishler. Trumpeter Bill Mobley adds color and flair to three of the tracks on the record.

After a brief opening line, Eckroth, Shanker, Mobley and Abe all take solos on the swirling original title track, which opens the album (and that you can hear via the player below). Collectively, the sound offers a modern take on the fabled post-bop tradition but is also peppered with more than a pinch of Afro-Cuban influence. This deep cut, upbeat and joyful, is the perfect way to open an album that testifies to the eclectic experience gathered by Shanker over the years, both as a bandleader in his own right and as a collaborator with the New World Symphony, Richard Bona, David Benoit, Shelly Berg and Lage Lund, among many others.~ Matt Micucci https://www.jazziz.com/exclusive-track-kenny-shanker-vortex/

Personnel: Kenny Shanker - Alto Saxophone; Soprano Saxophone; Bill Mobley - Trumpet; Daisuke Abe - Guitar; Mike Eckroth - Piano; Yoshi Waki - Bass; Brian Fishler - Drums

Vortex

Wednesday, March 16, 2022

Ryan Kisor - Conception Cool And Hot

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 2007
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 54:10
Size: 124,4 MB
Art: Front

(6:52) 1. Cool And Hot
(6:31) 2. Line For Lyons
(7:24) 3. Conception
(9:03) 4. You Stepped Out Of A Dream
(7:55) 5. Enigma
(8:46) 6. I Remember You
(7:36) 7. All The Things You Are

Ryan Kisor was born April 12th, 1973 in Sioux City, Iowa. He began playing in a local dance band by the age of ten, began classical lessons at 12, met and was inspired by Clark Terry at 15 (while attending the latter's summer jazz camp) and played with various high school all-star bands. In November of 1990 he won the Thelonius Monk Institute's trumpet competition at the age of just 17, beating out the likes of Nicholas Payton and Marcus Printup.After graduating from high school in 1991, he went to the Manhattan School of Music and later studied with Lew Soloff among others.

He has recorded fairly extensively both as a leader and sideman and with small and large groups. Among the highlights; the Mingus Big Band (which still plays every thursday night at “The Fez” under Time Cafe in NYC's east village), the Michel Camilo Big Band (which although only existed for the purpose of recording the album, “One More Once,” was arguably one of the best latin big bands recorded in recent memory), the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra, Gerry Mulligan, Wynton Marsalis, Wycliffe Gordon, Horace Silver, and Walter Blanding. Kisor just celebrated his 30th birthday, so the best is likely yet to come. https://www.allaboutjazz.com/musicians/ryan-kisor

Personnel: Ryan Kisor (flugelhorn,trumpet); Sherman Irby (alto sax); Peter Zak (piano); John Webber (bass); Willie Jones III (drums)

Conception Cool And Hot

Ray Blue - Transvision

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2017
File: MP3@128K/s
Time: 42:22
Size: 39,3 MB
Art: Front

( 7:52) 1. Attitude
( 8:44) 2. Classic Meeting
(10:36) 3. Softly as in a Morning Sunrise
( 5:31) 4. My Friend and I Took a Walk
( 9:36) 5. Transvision

Bauer Studios released Transvision on the Neu Klang label. I had reviewed other releases that Ray Blue and many of the personnel on Transvision participated on, (please read the Music Scene - Spirit of Life Ensemble - a little oasis), so I knew that Transvision would be tight, creative, and worth listening to; I was not wrong. I know Ray and his co-producer Daoud-David Williams personally, thus when I saw that Ray had listed the release from "Ray Blue and Cross Continental Spirits," I knew that this would be a collaboration with some of the best musicians in the industry. The personnel on Transvision work independently, and many work long international gigs, but it seems that when one of the group has a project ready to be recorded, the individuals make time to contribute; the bond that holds the personnel together is stronger than music, it is respect, admiration, and love for their fellow performer, and the music reflects this philosophy.

Transvision is five tracks that note-for-note pack a powerful sound; as Ray writes, "we recorded in a classic style, not too many tunes, make a statement and move on to the next idea." Ray Blue wrote four tracks and arranged all five tracks. Ray is a musician who knows how to blend his sound with the other musicians, and his arrangements are not about him, but about the total compilation. The lead track Attitude is full of attitude, it features some great individual solos as Ray lets the group spread their wings and loosen up, and the result is a progressive, fused sound, not a series of random solos. When I listened to the track Classic Meeting, I could feel that special feeling that I had when I happened upon my love at first sight, and love of my life, my wife, Debra C. Argen.

Classic Meeting is a beautiful and heart rendering song that shows off the true talents of the ensemble. The third track Softly as in a Morning Sunrise is a jazz standard that swings, it features Ray on saxophone and Michael Cochrane on piano; Ray takes the arrangement's tempo down a bit, but nothing is lost as this standard still pops. My friend and I took a Walk features Joan Minor providing the spoken word to complement Ray's mesmerizing saxophone; in addition, the lyrics embody the friendship between the band members. The last track Transvision takes us home with an up-tempo beat that connects all of the players musically and spiritually. Ray writes, "As our life paths intersect we experience several transformations and find elements of true friendship," this encapsulates the release Transvision. http://luxuryexperience.com/music_scene/music_artists/ray_blue_-_transvision.html

Personnel: Ray Blue: saxophonist, composer, arranger, co-producer; Daoud-David Williams: multi percussionist, co-producer; Michael Cochrane: piano; Calvin Hill: bass; Bruce Cox: drums; Willie Williams: conga-percussionist; Joan Minor: spoken word

Transvision

Jazzmeia Horn - A Social Call

Size: 131,4 MB
Time: 56:38
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2017
Styles: Jazz/Soul Vocals
Art: Front

01. Tight ( 3:02)
02. East Of The Sun (And West Of The Moon) ( 6:04)
03. Up Above My Head ( 3:35)
04. Social Call ( 2:23)
05. People Make The World Go Round ( 6:55)
06. Lift Every Voice And Sing - Moanin' ( 6:04)
07. The Peacocks (A Timeless Place) ( 8:04)
08. I Remember You ( 2:10)
09. Afro Blue- Eye See You - Wade In The Water (13:02)
10. I'm Going Down ( 5:15)

New York-based performer Jazzmeia Horn is a gifted jazz vocalist with an inventive, scat-influenced style that helped her win the 2015 Thelonious Monk International Vocal Jazz Competition. Born in Dallas, Texas in 1991, Horn grew up in a creative, spiritually minded family and was first introduced to singing by her grandmother, a gospel pianist with an abiding love of jazz. Although she sang from an early age, it wasn't until her teens attending Dallas' Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts that she developed an interest in jazz. Introduced to Sarah Vaughan by her composition class teacher, Horn fell in love with Vaughan's style and worked to learn her phrasing and inflection. From there, she began listening to other instrumentalists, including John Coltrane and Miles Davis. After high school, she honed her skills studying at Manhattan's The New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music. She already gained recognition as a formidable talent during her time in school, and took home several Down Beat student music awards. Graduating in 2009, Horn quickly immersed herself in the New York scene, performing alongside such luminaries as Billy Harper, Delfeayo Marsalis, Mike LeDonne, Peter Bernstein, Vincent Herring, and many more. Horn's profile was raised significantly when she won Newark's 2013 Sarah Vaughan International Jazz Competition. Two years later, she solidified her place as a bona fide star after taking first place in the Thelonious Monk International Vocal Jazz Competition. In 2017, as part of her Monk Competition prize, she released her debut full-length album, A Social Call, on Concord Records. ~ Matt Collar

A Social Call

Tuesday, March 15, 2022

Abbey Lincoln - A Turtle's Dream

Styles: Vocal
Year: 1994
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 69:11
Size: 158,7 MB
Art: Front

(5:44)  1. Throw It Away
(6:29)  2. A Turtle's Dream
(8:49)  3. Down Here Below
(5:05)  4. Nature Boy
(5:40)  5. Avec Le Temps
(7:58)  6. Should've Been
(5:43)  7. My Love Is You
(4:21)  8. Storywise
(7:13)  9. Hey, Lordy Mama
(5:47) 10. Not To Worry
(6:17) 11. Being Me

This release continued Abbey Lincoln's '90s resurgence. As with her preceding Verve releases, A TURTLE'S DREAM features notable guest musicians (including Pat Metheny, Kenny Baron, and Lucky Peterson), all of whom add grace to the proceedings. Her core backing trio comprises Rodney Kendrick on piano, Charlie Haden on bass, and Victor Lewis on drums. The set features primarily her originals, along with a pair of covers, including Eben Ahbez's "Nature Boy." The opening song, "Throw It Away," has a melancholy resonance that is utterly inviting as Lincoln pours herself into the lyrics with deep passion and subtle dramatics. The addition of a string section on a couple of numbers especially "Down Here Below" makes for some elegant blues. http://www.allmusic.com/album/a-turtles-dream-mw0000173450

Personnel: Abbey Lincoln (vocals); Julien Lourau (soprano & tenor saxophones); Roy Hargrove (trumpet); Pierre Blanchard, Vincent Pagliarin, Sandra Billingslea (violin); Frederic Fymard (viola); Anne-Gaelle Bisquay, Marc Gilet, John Robinson (cello); Rodney Kendrick, Kenny Barron (piano); Pat Metheny (acoustic & electric guitars); Lucky Peterson (guitar, background vocals); Christian McBride, Charlie Haden, Michael Bowie (bass); Victor Lewis (drums).

Manhattan Trinity - Charade

Styles: Jazz, Post Bop
Year: 2004
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 54:11
Size: 124,5 MB
Art: Front

(5:54) 1. Charade
(5:31) 2. Stolen Moments
(5:52) 3. I Remember Clifford
(4:59) 4. Five Spot After Dark
(6:24) 5. Round Midnight
(5:49) 6. Yesterdays
(5:27) 7. Nightingale Sang in Berkely Square
(4:33) 8. You Better Go Now
(5:53) 9. Jordu
(3:45) 10. Lotus Blossom

The seventh work in total and the fourth work in the trio organization is the "Musicians Standard" work played by the evolving black orthodox piano Cyrus Chestnut. Above all, the virtuosity of Cyrus and the heavy tone of Murat's bass, which have glimpsed the veteran territory even in elaborate arrangements such as A.C.H, resonate with my heart. Manhattan Trinity: Cyrus Chestnut (p) George Mraz (b) Lews Nash (ds): Recorded at The Studio, NYC on August 3 & 4,2004

From the perspective of a chestnut piano that follows the royal road of black main streamers, (2) (4) (9) are the favorite songs. His true essence, which has been characterized by grooves and lyrical phrases that can be said to be a direct line of Ray Bryant, is still (9). Murats are also groovy enough. (Taki) (From the CD journal database)Translate by Googlehttps://www-hmv-co-jp.translate.goog/artist_Manhattan-Trinity_000000000186454/

Manhattan Trinity: Cyrus Chestnut (p) George Mraz (b) Lews Nash (ds)

Charade

Judy Carmichael - ...And Basie Called Her Stride

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1993
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 49:34
Size: 114,3 MB
Art: Front

(3:29)  1. Christopher Columbus
(2:57)  2. Viper's Drag
(2:48)  3. Snowy Morning Blues
(2:38)  4. Lady Be Good
(4:36)  5. Jada
(2:23)  6. Rosetta
(3:50)  7. Keepin' Out of Mischief
(3:36)  8. Honeysuckle Rose
(4:02)  9. Ain't Misbehavin'
(2:44) 10. I Found a New Baby
(2:43) 11. Jitterbug Waltz
(2:45) 12. Handful Of Keys
(4:16) 13. I Ain't Got Nobody
(3:03) 14. Carolina Shout
(3:37) 15. I Would Do Anything for You

Jazz pianist Judy Carmichael, whom critics have called "astounding, flawless and captivating" (New York Times), is one of the leading interpreters of classic jazz piano. Ms. Carmichael has written two books on stride piano and numerous articles on the subject of jazz. She has received a number of grants from the National Endowment for the Arts, a Grammy nomination, and toured extensively throughout the world. She has appeared frequently on Garrison Keillor's A Prairie Home Companion, has been featured on National Public Radio's Morning Edition, CBS Sunday Morning, and Entertainment Tonight. Judy Carmichael's Jazz Inspired is produced in association with Steinway & Sons. http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/carmichaeljudy2

"Judy Carmichael's music accomplishes what all great art should - feelings of joy, delight, hope and the knowledge that what you are experiencing is very real and honest. Anyone who wants some real theatre should go to one of her concerts - lots of fun." ~ F. Murray Abraham

"Judy Carmichael's witty, ebullient pianism recalls us to the joy of spirit in classical jazz. More power to her!" ~ E.L. Doctorow

"How can this slender and elegant woman play with the strength of a truck driver and the energy of a Tom cat - some mysteries are meant not to be revealed." ~ Milton Glaser

"Judy Carmichael is a great entertainer. Her playing is masterly and her linking material show her to be a raconteur in the Ustinov mold." ~ Jonathan James Moore, BBC Radio

"...is an exhilarating positive pianist with a virtually flawless technique." The New York Times

...And Basie Called Her Stride

Chano Domínguez - Chabem

Styles: Piano Jazz
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 54:55
Size: 129,9 MB
Art: Front

(4:57) 1. Capricho de Espanha
(3:47) 2. Para Chick
(3:47) 3. Afro Flamenco
(6:15) 4. Olha Maria
(3:56) 5. Chumbulum
(7:10) 6. Zyryab
(4:49) 7. A Mi Padre
(5:56) 8. Santa Morena
(4:18) 9. Em Nome Da Esperança
(4:07) 10. Luz de Vida
(5:48) 11. Carinhoso

Spanish pianist Chano Dominguez has achieved an unusual integration between the rhythms and languages of modern jazz and the entire lineage of flamenco. While many musicians have attempted this fusion with varying degrees of success Dominguez has created a unique idiosyncratic style from them. His 20th century recordings Más Allá de Nuestras Mentes Diminutas (1978), Noche Abierta (1979), and Canción de Primavera (1980), not only established his reputation at home as a pianist and composer, they put his name on the map in Europe and Asia as a true musical innovator. Since then, Dominguez has established a groundbreaking partnership with Paco De Lucia on acclaimed albums such as 1997's En Directo. His own recordings, including 2008's Cuentos del Mundo, 2014's Chano & Josele with guitarist Niño Josele, and 2015's Soleando with WDR Big Band Cologne have forged a new direction not only for flamenco but also for modern jazz.

Born in Cadiz in 1960, Dominguez started playing flamenco guitar around age eight before moving on to the piano. In his twenties he formed the progressive Latin rock ensemble CAI, who released three albums for CBS. After the group disbanded in 1981, Dominguez pursued a solo career. He quickly garnered several awards for his innovative mix of flamenco and jazz, including First Prize in the National Jazz Competition for Young Interpreters in 1992. A year later, he released his debut solo album, Chano, and relocated to New York City. Several more well-received albums followed, including 1995's Paco de Lucia-themed 10 de Paco and 1997's En Directo. The 2000s saw Dominguez release a steady stream of forward-thinking, cross-cultural albums, including 2001's I Si!, 2002's Hecho a Mano, 2006's Acercate Mas, and 2007's New Flamenco Sound. Also in 2007, he appeared alongside saxophonist Paquito D'Rivera in the concert film Quartier Latin. A year later, he delivered Cuentos del Mundo.

In 2010, Dominguez earned a Latin Grammy Award nomination for his album Piano Ibérico. Two years later, he returned with Flamenco Sketches, a re-visioning of Miles Davis' Kind of Blue that peaked at number eight on the international jazz album chart. He then teamed with contemporary flamenco guitarist Niño Josele for Chano & Josele. In 2017, he delivered the intimate solo piano album Over the Rainbow, recorded live at Barcelona's Palau Falguera, and followed it a year later with the collaborative album Chano & Colina (with Spanish jazz bassist Javier Colina) on Sunnyside Communications. While appearing at the 2017 Jazzahead Conference in Bremen, Germany, the pianist met the acclaimed Israeli flutist Hadar Noiberg after she heard his set. She introduced herself and proposed that the two work together. Since they each lived in Brooklyn, New York and, as fate would have it, mere blocks apart they began rehearsing together informally at first, whenever they were in the city at the same time.

The duo found their approaches to music fit well together; both had backgrounds in jazz and classical music along with a love for a variety of Latin music. Dominguez's Spanish influences were not foreign to Noiberg, her background in the widely eclectic music of Israel provided touchstones to the Iberian Peninsula, and further, her own involvement with Latin American music gave her a grounding in its rhythmic ideas. Further, many of the Israeli folkloric pieces that Noiberg introduced to Dominguez reminded him of holiday tunes from his native Andalusia. After rehearsing, performing, and developing a collective sound, the pair took their new repertoire and made a formal recording at Trading 8s Studios in Paramus, New Jersey. The duo set was issued as Paramus in 2019.~Matt Collor https://www.allmusic.com/artist/chano-dom%C3%ADnguez-mn0000199906/biography

Chabem

Monday, March 14, 2022

Sue Moreno & Jack Rabbit Slim - One Track Mind

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2009
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 30:46
Size: 71,9 MB
Art: Front

(2:26) 1. One Track Mind
(2:09) 2. The Fire Is A Burnin
(2:28) 3. Too Late
(2:24) 4. Time Is a Wastin' (Sue Moreno Version)
(2:53) 5. Gone Gone Gone
(2:06) 6. Don't Hurt Me Baby
(2:24) 7. Gotta Get Back Home Somehow
(2:40) 8. What About Tomorrow
(2:01) 9. Record Hop
(1:57) 10. Good Girls Gonna Go Bad
(2:25) 11. Cinderella Story
(2:23) 12. Walkin' With Angels
(2:26) 13. Time Is a Wastin' (Duet with Bob Butfoy)

We’ve come to know Sue Moreno as a passionate vocalist, songwriter and performer who with her unique style, natural class, charisma and warm personality knows how to move her audience. Starting with a solid base of Americana, Ms. Moreno adds a variety of musical styles: Classic country & gospel, jazz and vintage pop to create her own unique sound. Her show concepts have taken her all over the world, with performances and tours in Europe and America to Scandinavia and South-America. She’s played sold-out residential shows and traveled with succesful theater tours in the Netherlands and Europe. Sue has worked with many well-known musicians and artists and can be seen & heard with her own jazz combo as well as guesting with a number of big bands and received awards for various stellar performances.

Her vocals can be heard in commercials like Flowerbomb perfume of Fashion House V&R and various themes for Otazu Jewellery. Her music has been used on the catwalk in Paris. She could be seen in campaigns for the Spanish glamour magazine ‘Imagen y Belleza’ and Sil USA. In 2014 her Glamour Calendar came out, a collaboration with star photographer Govert de Roos. Her record debut Dream You (2002) opened many doors allowing Sue to perform outside the Netherlands. Sue’s next album Drivin’ on the Highway of Love (2004) showcased her own compositions, proving her to be a formidable song writing talent. That same year she contributed to the big band album Night and Day (2004) and one of her tracks, Cry Me a River, made it to the top 10 in South-Africa. Bye Bye Blues (2006) was a collaboration with Italian guitarist Marco di Maggio. A tour in Italy followed and due to many requests the record was re-released in 2009 with extra songs.

As Sue was working hard on her jazzy lounge-nightclub shows she was noticed by producer Eddy de Clercq who asked her to collaborate with him for his outstanding Music for Catwalks project (2008). The music was performed on huge fashion events in Europe. Sue has impressed audiences with her charismatic performances during ‘the Country Music Hall of Fame’ tour throughout the Netherlands and Belgium and at gospelevents in her country. In 2008 she left for Los Angeles for a concert tour while taking songwriting sessions with studio musicians, some of which were released on One Track Mind (2009), a collaboration with the popular Uk band Jack Rabbit Slim. In both 2010 and 2011 Sue starred in a European tour with the original bandmembers of Elvis Presley.

A typical indie, do-it-yourself artist, she left for Nashville in 2012 to write & record songs with renowned musicians. The result was her acclaimed album City by Night (2014), featuring much of her own work sung with a different, pure and almost smoky sound, touched with a hint of vulnerability, colored with exotic influences. Shows followed in Nashville and The United States, as well as tours in Europe with the Nashvillians. n 2016 Sue contributed to an Elvis tribute project called Duets (2016). And showed yet another side of herself with the release of The Long and Winding Road (2018) recorded with a grand orchestra, released on her own label Heavenly Records. In 2019 Sue began writing again and set off to record in Memphis, USA. Grammy winners and legendary musicians of Royal and Stax fame have joined forces once again to collaborate with her on these recordings and to accompany her with their unmistakable Memphis Soul sound. How’s it going? To quote pianist Lester Snell ‘You Got what it takes, girl!’ Talk about respect. Says enough, yes? https://www.suemoreno.com/about-me/

One Track Mind