Paolo Fresu, Richard Galliano, Jan Lundgren - Mare Nostrum II

Styles: Jazz, Bop
Year: 2016
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 55:21
Size: 127,8 MB
Art: Front

(5:03) 1. Apnea
(5:09) 2. Blue Silence
(3:57) 3. Aurore
(3:51) 4. Kristallen den fina
(5:08) 5. Gisele
(4:30) 6. E varie notti tre vie notai - per Etule, l'amico più fragile
(4:47) 7. Farväl
(4:47) 8. Gnossienne No. 1
(3:42) 9. Lili
(4:02) 10. Leklåt
(4:11) 11. Le livre d'un père sarde
(6:10) 12. Si dolce è il tormento

Trumpeter Paolo Fresu is Sardinian, accordionist Richard Galliano is French, and Jan Lundgren, the pianist, is Swedish: three virtuosi who create entirely European music using jazz techniques. One comes up with an idea and all three contribute to the final result. These 12 pieces, with their hints of French chanson, Scandinavian folk dance, Italian love song and universal, dreamy ballads, belong to no particular category. Two of them are adapted from classical originals, one by Monteverdi and the other by Erik Satie, poles apart in time and sensibility, but here they sit happily side by side. With each piece lasting about four minutes, and the mood changing subtly from one to another, it’s a deeply enjoyable listen.

… as you’re joining us today from Canada, we have a small favour to ask. Tens of millions have placed their trust in the Guardian’s fearless journalism since we started publishing 200 years ago, turning to us in moments of crisis, uncertainty, solidarity and hope. More than 1.5 million supporters, from 180 countries, now power us financially keeping us open to all, and fiercely independent. Unlike many others, the Guardian has no shareholders and no billionaire owner. Just the determination and passion to deliver high-impact global reporting, always free from commercial or political influence. Reporting like this is vital for democracy, for fairness and to demand better from the powerful. And we provide all this for free, for everyone to read.

We do this because we believe in information equality. Greater numbers of people can keep track of the global events shaping our world, understand their impact on people and communities, and become inspired to take meaningful action. Millions can benefit from open access to quality, truthful news, regardless of their ability to pay for it. https://www.theguardian.com/music/2016/feb/28/mare-nostrum-2-fresu-galliano-lundgren-review-european-jazz

Personnel: Paolo Fresu / trumpet & fluegelhorn; Richard Galliano / accordion, bandoneon & accordina; Jan Lundgren / piano

Mare Nostrum II

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Frank Foster - The Frank Foster Non Electric Company

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1979
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 64:14
Size: 147,5 MB
Art: Front

(12:34) 1. Chiquito Loco
(10:04) 2. Theme for Ernie
( 8:17) 3. Joy Spring
(10:40) 4. Shiny Stockings
(12:43) 5. A Blues Ain't Nothing But a Trip
( 9:54) 6. Simone

Frank Foster, a saxophonist and composer/arranger best known for his longtime association with the Count Basie Orchestra, has died. He passed away in his sleep early Tuesday morning at his home in Chesapeake, Va., according to his widow and manager, Cecilia Foster. He was 82. Foster was a key member of the "New Testament" Basie band the large ensemble Basie led in the 1950s and beyond. In addition to his playing on tenor saxophone and other woodwinds, he contributed many melodies and arrangements. At least one of those tunes, "Shiny Stockings," became a jazz standard. "One of the core things about that band was that wonderful reed section, the saxophone section," says Dan Morgenstern, director of the Institute of Jazz Studies. "That was such a wonderful sound that that section had, and Frank was so much a part of that."

Foster was born Sept. 23, 1928, and raised in Cincinnati, Ohio. After playing in local dance bands as a teenager, he spent some years at Wilberforce University and moved to Detroit, where many future jazz stars were evolving concurrently with a new musical language called bebop. Foster was later conscripted into the Korean War. Not long after returning to Detroit, Foster was conscripted by an employer he much preferred: William "Count" Basie. He spent 11 years with the Basie band the first go-round; he later led the Count Basie Orchestra after Basie's death for nine years, winning two Grammy awards in the process. In between, he found work as a freelance saxophonist, composer/arranger and music educator.

Foster also convened his own ensembles, including a big band, which sometimes used the name Loud Minority. He said he was especially proud of his work writing for large ensembles. "I want to make the biggest statement with the biggest group, the big band, because that's just something that's in my blood from the time I was coming up," Foster said in an interview for the Smithsonian's Jazz Oral History Program. "It has never left. I don't care what the economic conditions of the nation or the world become, or how they affect how we live and work and whatever. I have to make a statement with a big band, or there ain't going to be no statement."

In 2002, Foster was named an NEA Jazz Master. In recent years, after he again left the Basie band, NPR has followed Foster's career. After a 2001 stroke left him unable to perform, he was left with minimal pension and Social Security benefits, the result of many years of being paid in cash for his services. Additionally, Foster had given away many of his publishing rights in youthful ignorance, which deprived him of substantial royalty payments over the years. Last year, a team from Rutgers School of Law helped him win back his rights to collect royalties for his compositions, including "Shiny Stockings." Now, the family Frank Foster worried about for so many years will finally be able to collect on the fruits of his legacy. https://www.npr.org/sections/ablogsupreme/2011/07/27/138722196/frank-foster-jazz-saxophonist-and-arranger-has-died

Personnel: Tenor Saxophone – Frank Foster; Bass – Earl May; Drums – Billy Hart; Guitar – Ted Dumbar ; Piano – Mickey Tucker

The Frank Foster Non Electric Company

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Scott Wendholdt - Jam Session Vol.5

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 2003
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 62:30
Size: 157,0 MB
Art: Front

( 6:27)  1. Dig
( 8:22)  2. Up jumped spring
( 5:51)  3. Body and Soul
( 8:02)  4. Strikezone
( 4:47)  5. If you could see me now
( 5:57)  6. After Thought
( 4:31)  7. The Duke Ellington Sound Of Love
(10:01)  8. World Wide Web
( 8:27)  9. Onion Straw

The Danish Steeplechase imprint has long recognized the fertile dynamics of jam sessions, fronting the resources for many in its roster of players to convene in just such supportive surroundings. Volumes 5 and 6 in the continuing series offer up vernal combinations and surprises while upholding producer Nils Winther’s credo of “positively no rehearsal.” Volume 5 follows the template of past entries, at least in theory, focusing on a single frontline instrument, in this particular case the trumpet. Earlier volumes, incidentally, have focused on saxophone and guitar. Fortunately Wendholt, Gisbert and Ballou are markedly different stylists on their respective brass and the resulting diversity dispels any sense of homogeneity from the bandstand. The first two players have close ties to the mainstream tributaries of bop and hard bop, while Ballou straddles these strains and also shows a strong affinity for freer forms of improvisation. Laverne heads up the rhythm section with sensitivity and poise, while Anderson and Drummond fulfill their support roles in equally amicable fashion. 

Miles Davis’ “Dig” delivers perfect fodder for the three front men to flex their embouchres and each solos brightly in loose succession. Gisbert’s tart tone contrasts with Ballou’s more rounded note runs, but it’s Wendholt who proves the smoothest of the three, peeling off buttery streams that dance and cavort against the bustling rhythm before a string of expressive exchanges takes the tune out. Freddie Hubbard’s statuesque standard “Up Jumped Spring” serves as well-chosen follow-up, as Ballou and Wendholdt don their mellow ballad hats and blow soothingly through the tune’s demulcent changes. Laverne’s elegant but understated comping acts as accommodating foil. All three also enjoy a tune apiece, individually. Wendholt steps up first, trying his hand at a romance-laden rundown of “Body and Soul,” and the rhythm section shines right alongside him, fitting his solo improvisations like hand in glove. For Gisbert it’s a lovely reading of the Tad Dameron chestnut “If You Could See Me Now.” Reclining on the plush changes, the trumpeter eases back into a solo of measured restraint and makes full use of his instrument’s satin tone. Ballou proves the most adventurous of the three, tackling Mingus’ “The Duke Ellington Sound of Love” and capturing the spirit of both departed composers in the gilded bell of his horn. A pair of Laverne-penned originals provides clever interludes while still fitting seamlessly into the overall programmatic scheme. On “Afterthought” Ballou’s pitch-perfect appraisal of the theme paves a path for the composer’s own brief but beguiling variation and a stately unison close. The somewhat regrettably titled “World Wide Web” belies the triviality of its name through another circle of outstanding brass statements and even a rare solo turn from Anderson. Everything comes together on the closer, Ballou’s “Onion Straw,” a modal tune built on dark structures reminiscent of Andrew Hill’s Sixties work for Blue Note, opening plenty of space for blowing. Trumpet fans take note: this disc is chock full of the sort of spot on playing that the instrument was designed and built for. ~ Derek Taylor https://www.allaboutjazz.com/jam-session-volume-5-various-steeplechase-records-review-by-derek-taylor.php

Personnel: Scott Wendholt- trumpet; Dave Ballou- trumpet; Greg Gisbert- trumpet; Andy Laverne- piano; Jay Anderson- bass; Billy Drummond- drums.

Jam Session  Vol.5

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Manhattan Trinity - Misty

Styles: Jazz, Post Bop
Year: 2002
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 52:15
Size: 120,1 MB
Art: Front

(5:59) 1. All of Me
(5:04) 2. Misty
(5:53) 3. Li'l Darlin'
(4:04) 4. You Are My Sunshine
(6:38) 5. The Happy Saint
(7:29) 6. Shiny Stockings
(6:42) 7. Tenderly
(4:44) 8. Through the Fire
(6:44) 9. The Very Thought of You
(5:39) 10. Take the a Train

This all-star ensemble featuring Cyrus Chestnut, Lewis Nash, and George Mraz has been performing and recording off and on since the mid-90s. The musical inspiration for the band is "The Great Trio" from the 70s featuring Hank Jones, Ron Carter, and Tony Williams. This ensemble has such a tight connection, that the performances can only be described as sublime.https://www.jazzmusicarchives.com/artist/manhattan-trinity

Personnel: Cyrus Chestnut (piano); George Mraz (bass); Lewis Nash (drums)

Misty

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Sam & Dave - The Best Of Sam & Dave

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 54:54
Size: 125.7 MB
Styles: Soul
Year: 1969/1990
Art: Front

[2:53] 1. A Place Nobody Can Find
[2:44] 2. Goodnight Baby
[2:30] 3. I Take What I Want
[2:34] 4. Sweet Home
[2:37] 5. You Don't Know Like I Know
[2:32] 6. Hold On! I'm Comin'
[2:34] 7. Said I Wasn't Gonna Tell Nobody
[2:47] 8. You Got Me Hummin'
[3:15] 9. When Something Is Wrong With My Baby
[2:36] 10. Small Portion Of Your Love
[2:29] 11. Soothe Me
[2:36] 12. Soul Man
[2:37] 13. May I Baby
[2:43] 14. I Thank You
[2:29] 15. Wrap It Up
[2:39] 16. Still Is The Night
[2:07] 17. You Don't Know What You Mean To Me
[2:22] 18. This Is Your World
[2:23] 19. Can't You Find Another Way (Of Doing It)
[2:27] 20. Soul Sister, Brown Sugar
[2:52] 21. Come On In

This music is so fiery that merely listening to will bring sweat to your brow. But the creators of such classics as "Soul Man" and "Hold On, I'm Coming" won't stand just for listening. The energy between Sam and Dave is infectious enough to propel you to your feet. Their harmonies are tight, echoed by thrilling horn riffs, bursts of guitar solos, and when it's all about to explode, they settle back with a ballad like "When Something Is Wrong with My Baby" that's every bit as moving as their uptempo tracks. This is what happens when church music goes clubbing. ~Robert Gordon

The Best Of Sam & Dave

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Dan Levinson & His Swing Wing - At The Codfish Ball

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 75:46
Size: 173.5 MB
Styles: Traditional jazz combo, Swing
Year: 2008
Art: Front

[3:27] 1. At The Codfish Ball
[4:49] 2. A Garden In The Rain
[4:02] 3. Old Man Moon
[3:51] 4. Hot Club Stomp
[3:27] 5. The Wraggle Taggle Gypsies, O!
[5:09] 6. Promenade Aux Champs-Elysees
[2:20] 7. Last Night
[4:18] 8. Arabian Rhapsody
[5:24] 9. I Didn't Know About You
[4:34] 10. Keep Smiling At Trouble (Trouble's A Bubble)
[4:35] 11. The Milkman's Matinee
[2:53] 12. Oh Peter (You're So Nice)
[4:47] 13. Mis'ry And The Blues
[5:34] 14. Dr. Heckle And Mr. Jibe
[4:03] 15. Ten Cents A Dance
[4:33] 16. Copenhagen
[4:45] 17. A Brown Bird Singing
[3:06] 18. The Lorelei

"At the Codfish Ball" is the culmination of many years of preparation, during which time producer/arranger/musician Dan Levinson collected material and wrote arrangements. He has brought together an all-star lineup of talent to produce a tour de force that combines driving rhythm, lush harmony, and timeless melodies. Although most of Dan's previous CDs have focused on ragtime and early jazz, "At the Codfish Ball" is decidedly SWING, a prominent aspect of his musical persona virtually unexplored in his own recordings.

PERFORMERS: Dan Levinson, Randy Reinhart, Jim Fryer, Mark Shane, Matt Munisteri, Mike Weatherly, Kevin Dorn, Molly Ryan.

At The Codfish Ball

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Kellye Gray - Purple Gray

Styles: Vocal
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 42:06
Size: 97,1 MB
Art: Front

(5:58) 1. All the Critics Love U in New York
(4:16) 2. I Would Die 4 U
(5:16) 3. Kiss
(5:38) 4. Gotta Broken Heart Again
(4:53) 5. How Come U Don't Call Me Anymore
(5:39) 6. Anotherloverholenyohead
(5:03) 7. Nothing Compares 2 U
(5:20) 8. The Beautiful Ones

With her stunning musicality and warm, enveloping voice, Texas native Kellye Gray is one of the most accomplished jazz vocalists on the national scene. Gray’s profile continues to grow by leaps and bounds, recording over half-dozen albums as a leader and logging performances nationally and internationally at world-class venues and festivals including Lincoln Center, the Spoleto Festival, Yoshi's, SFJAZZ. Kellye has been honored to share the stage with legends Ray Charles, Dizzy Gillespie, Etta James, to name a few.

Her debut release, Standards In Gray (Justice Records) broke her onto mainstream radio in 1990 landing the fledgling, indie release into the top twenty. Her sound, crafted over years of live performance, comes from her belief that the voice is an instrument. "The real deal", says KCSM's Alisa Clancy. Gray began songwriting by 17. Self-taught on guitar she produced one-woman shows in art galleries to present her original compositions. By 19 years old she was working as a professional improvisational comic actor. Her skills landed her in the prized Stage Manager position where she learned the art of foley sound. She was using the voice in ways other than singing doing sound effects.

By 12 her parents were dragging her to blues bars and strip clubs in Dallas' Deep Ellum district or to Gulf Coast roadhouses where they would dance to unknown acts like Clifton Chenier and B.B. King. You hear the blues and rhythm at the core of every note Gray sings. It would be her dad's record collection that 'accidentally' taught her about jazz. She hung upstairs in her room with Zepplin and the Doors, Aretha and James Brown while her parents hung downstairs with Monk, Sarah and MJQ. It would be her sleepless nights that had her downstairs digging through the stacks in the living room, looking for something to help her sleep. It wouldn't be until she was 27 years old that those nights of sub-conscious jazz chords would be revealed onstage in her primal journey through her first scat solo.

Being a child of the 60's, television and radio were her gods. Television exposed her to the vaudevillian performers, comics, singers, musicians, dancers and entertainers becoming mentors and guides. She is a natural born entertainer. Rendering (Grr8 Records) the latest release is a double-disc CD package celebrating the 25th Anniversary of Gray's career alongside her new ownership rights to her debut recording, Standards in Gray (Grr8 Records). She includes a newly remastered Standards inside the Rendering package to illustrate her journey along the career highway. Rendering was recorded live inside a recording booth in front of an audience of 30. One long concert. No rehearsals. No retakes. Open mics. No headphones. A challenge for any singer, but Gray raises the bar walking the edge of improvisation in total.

All About Jazz gushes, “On Standards in Gray she emerges fully formed and precocious, with the most accomplished chops, vocal, vocalese, and scat. She is the complete package, from beginning to end. What emerges on Rendering is the only thing that can maturity, poise, and accomplishment. It is nothing short of a divine revelation to listen to the former after the latter.” http://kellyegray.com/bio

"Simply the most exciting singer to debut" says USA Today

"This is a jazz singer of rare air.” says the International Music Review.

Purple Gray

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Katrine Madsen, Jan Lundgren - My Secret

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2013
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 58:47
Size: 135,5 MB
Art: Front

(6:06) 1. Let's Make Music
(6:03) 2. Life
(5:29) 3. Once There Was You
(7:49) 4. My Secret
(5:04) 5. Take the Air That I Breathe
(6:01) 6. Pearls and White Ponies
(6:48) 7. Waltz for Thor
(5:29) 8. I Hear a Rhapsody
(4:49) 9. Eagle Flight
(5:02) 10. Today and Tomorrow

"Katrine Madsen is a true Danish Queen of Jazz. The nearest we get to a Shirley Horn in this part of the world...she reaches new heights with her dark toned, sensual and wide ranged alto voice. She has an expressive depth in her voice which is an inborn communicative gift seldom to be heard." JazzSpecial (Danish Jazz Magazine)

"The simpler, the better. Jazz does not have to be long, complicated solos. When jazz is at its best it presents itself as a brilliant banality. Naked music with a soul. Katrine Madsen knows the art of turning jazz into something which everyone can relate to. No academic prerequisites are needed. Everything seems straight forward and so easy. When Katrine Madsen sings we do not ask for anything else. Everything is said and every word is heard. When she sings we listen with our breath drawn in order not to disturb." BT (Danish National newspaper)

"Katrine Madsen sings with a down played and at the same time glowing expression and she writes songs which effortlessly mingle with well recognized works." Berlingske Tidende (Danish National Newpaper)

"She is exciting not only as a singer, but also as a composer and she demonstrates both talents brilliantly. Here her bluish voice vibrates with an anxious sweetness and an exhausted melancholy. Both deeply felt and teasing, with an eye for choosing the direction which others wouldn’t – and that is meant as a big compliment. There’s an unexpected maturity in her voice, daring phrasing and an almost understated reserve of energy." EKSTRA BLADET: (Danish national newspaper) https://www.highresaudio.com/en/artist/view/df41751f-8011-463f-b124-d5b017e46549/katrine-madsen

My Secret

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George Evans - Movie Songs

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 55:26
Size: 126.9 MB
Styles: Vocal, Jazz vocals
Year: 2004
Art: Front

[3:46] 1. The Way You Look Tonight
[3:17] 2. Beginner's Luck
[4:17] 3. Change Partners
[5:48] 4. I'm Getting Sentimental Over You
[3:21] 5. A Lot Of Livin' To Do
[3:54] 6. Dearly Beloved
[4:59] 7. It Was Written In The Stars
[7:42] 8. You Won't Forget Me
[5:06] 9. I Will Wait For You
[3:42] 10. I Dream Too Much
[5:32] 11. The Shadow Of Your Smile
[3:55] 12. Lover

George Evans is a well-known Canadian jazz vocalist and entertainer. A dual citizen of the US and Canada, he appears with regularity on both sides of the border. George has released 8 projects under his own name, and all but one on his own M-Swing Music label. Since 1997 he has enjoyed the support of the CBC and other national outlets, performing both live in concert and in studio, both on radio and televisionA background in music, theatre, broadcasting and journalism makes George a multi-disciplinary artist. His passion for vocal music has driven him to become a recognized archivist, with major label credits in A&R.

Movie Songs

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Christian McBride - The Q Sessions

Styles: Jazz, Post Bop
Year: 2021
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 31:03
Size: 71,9 MB
Art: Front

(11:18) 1. Blues Connotation
(14:47) 2. On Green Dolphin Street
( 4:56) 3. Brouhaha

Seven-time Grammy® Award-winning jazz artist Christian McBride partnered with Qobuz, the Hi-Res streaming and download service, last year to produce The Q Sessions EP. Released exclusively through their streaming platform last year, the project is now available across all platforms.

The release comes on the heels of Christian McBride & Inside Straight's Live at the Village Vanguard album, as well as the GRAMMY® Award nomination for his 2020 Christian McBride Big Band release, For Jimmy, Wes and Oliver. Additionally, McBride is touring internationally through March and will return to the US with performances through the end of June. You can see a complete schedule here.

More Information on The Q Sessions: McBride visited NYC’s Power Station last year to record three start-to-finish Hi-Res songs commissioned by Qobuz. The project was created with top-notch equipment at 24-bit/192kHz quality, and the final product streams and downloads with the exact same sound, tones and touches in which it was first recorded.

The EP features three McBride performances, played in a quartet with saxophonist Marcus Strickland, drummer Eric Harland, and guitarist Mike Stern. Comprised of one blues improv, one standard and one new original commissioned by Qobuz ("Brouhaha," a song inspired by the then-recent passing of Chick Corea), The Q Sessions was custom-designed for the jazz fans who turn to Qobuz for the best quality sound. This EP joins Qobuz’s already established catalog of exclusive content expert penned “panorama” interactive essays, artist-created playlists, liner notes and lyric booklets to add to the platform’s reputation for the best listening experience in the field.

“What a pleasure it was to put together a special group featuring one of my favorite guitarists of all time, Mike Stern. It was a great day in the studio with Mike, Marcus and Eric not only jamming a couple of tunes, but to also record a new original of mine, 'Brouhaha,'" said McBride. https://bassmagazine.com/artists/christian-mcbride-releases-the-q-sessions

Personnel: Acoustic Bass, Electric Bass – Christian McBride; Drums – Eric Harland; Guitar – Mike Stern; Tenor Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone – Marcus Strickland

The Q Sessions

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George Evans - Bewitched

Styles: Jazz, Vocal
Year: 2006
Time: 59:13
File: MP3 @320
Size: 136,1 MB
Art: Front

(3:18) 1. You're Gonna Hear From Me
(4:59) 2. Don't Be That Way
(5:35) 3. Bewitched
(4:05) 4. To The Ends Of The Earth
(2:38) 5. Believe It, Beloved
(4:52) 6. Watch What Happens
(5:23) 7. Lazy Afternoon
(3:44) 8. You Leave Me Breathless
(4:09) 9. I'm Old Fashioned
(4:19) 10. La Belle Vie - The Good Life
(5:03) 11. In Love In Vain
(5:54) 12. All Too Soon
(5:08) 13. Tonight May Have To Last Me All My Life

Singer George Evans has made a strong impression first in Canada and then in the US through his CDs and his live performances. Evans, who was born in the US, relocated to Montreal from New York in 1991. The pasture was greener in Canada and Evans made a mark in radio before he hit the live circuit. His growing reputation as a fine interpreter of songs was cemented with the release of his first album, Moodswing (M-Swing, 1997).Evans sits in a comfortable niche between jazz and cabaret. His vocal technique is carved to bring out the best of both, and he makes sure his CDs have a generous helping of the styles. Bewitched is no exception.The CD grew from three sessions. The main, comprising six of the tracks, was commissioned by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) for their radio program Jazz Beat, in 2004. Two of the songs come from 2002. They were to appear on a CD which was aborted following the death of drummer Jerry Fuller. The remaining tunes were recorded while touring Canada. Evans opens appropriately with "You're Gonna hear From Me", swinging in briskly. His inflections and the way he shapes the words weave a spell that is extended by the band, particularly Michael Stuart. He brings an undeniable character to his playing, flowing freely as he does here, or hewing close to Evans as he scats on "Don't Be That Way.Another bright spark is lit on the lilting "You Leave Me Breathless". Evans dips into the marrow of the lyrics, swinging deliciously while Reg Schwager adds the depth. He is a loquacious guitarist who constantly weaves fascinating tapestries, on this track as on many others. Evans closes with a warm ballad, "Tonight May Have to Last me All My Life". He is at the top of his calling, his singing deeply impassioned, his voice wistful and awash with hurt.Evans and his outstanding band work in close harmony to bring songs from that Great American Songbook to life. And to leave the listener bewitched.

Personnel: George Evans: vocals; Nancy Walker: piano; Mark Eisenman: piano; Steve Wallace: bass; Neil Swainson: bass; Archie Alleyne: drums; Jerry Fuller: drums; Reg Schwager: guitar; Michael Stuart: tenor sax.

Bewitched

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George Evans - Live At The Cellar Vol. 1

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2008
Time: 53:05
File: MP3 @320K
Size: 121,9 MB
Art: Front

(4:04) 1. This Can't Be Love
(6:35) 2. Baubles, Bangles And Beads
(5:40) 3. Secret Love
(5:16) 4. On A Clear Day You Can See Forever
(4:08) 5. The Best Thing For You
(4:54) 6. I've Got A Feeling I'm Falling
(5:58) 7. Autumn Serenade
(6:14) 8. Que Feras-Tu De Ta Vie?
(4:55) 9. Seems Like Old Times
(5:17) 10. I'll Close My Eyes

The popular Toronto vocalist performs a set of jazz favorites before a live Vancouver nightclub audience. Though a raucous and highly swinging program overall, the ballads in the set surprise with their intimacy. 

Personnel: George Evans (vocals); Cory Weeds (alto saxophone); Tilden Webb (piano); Jesse Cahill (drums). 

Recording information: The Cellar, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada (05/13/2006).

Live At The Cellar  Vol. 1

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Bert Kaempfert - Let's Swing

Styles: Jazz, Big Band, Swing
Year: 1995
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 43:51
Size: 104,2 MB
Art: Front

(3:58)  1. Opus One
(3:11)  2. Tuxedo Junction
(2:44)  3. Jumpin' Blue
(3:03)  4. Wake Up And Live
(2:58)  5. Night Train
(3:04)  6. Easy Glider
(3:14)  7. Take The ''A'' Train
(3:34)  8. Walkin' And Shoutin'
(3:08)  9. The Continental
(2:52) 10. Perdido
(3:10) 11. Free And Easy
(2:30) 12. Choo Choo Ch'Boogie
(3:08) 13. Tea And Trumpets
(3:12) 14. Skyliner

“I want to make music for everyone. It’s meant to give people pleasure. If it doesn’t, it’s failed in its purpose.” (Bert Kaempfert)

Long before the Liverpool sound even existed, it was Bert Kaempfert who, with My Bonnie, made the Beatles into recording stars as early as 1960 preparing the ground for Paul McCartney, John Lennon & Co.: phenomenal international career: they had the benefit of his knowledge, his skills and that creativity which he so undogmatically imparted.  The list of the solo artists who scored success after international success with Kaempfert’s inimitable compositions reads like a Who’s Who of light music: Frank Sinatra, Al Martino, Dean Martin. Ella Fitzgerald und Shirley Bassey. Sarah Vaughan und Peggy Lee. Nat “King” Cole, Herb Alpert, Johnny Mathis. Brenda Lee, Caterina Valente, Andy Williams, Nancy Wilson to name but a few.  Quite simply, they all felt at ease with the melodies this Hamburg composer and arranger created, melodies as light and unforced as their construction was inspired. Whether intentionally or not, he clearly knew how to reproduce in his music the nature of the person he was: likeable, unassuming and restrained yet, at the same time, infectious, expressive and brimming with joie de vivre. In short, melodies that do you good.  The biography of the man whose ideas occupy a firm place in the annals of music history began more than eighty years ago in a working-class district of Hamburg. http://kaempfert.de/en/biography/

Let's Swing

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Mario Biondi - Romantic

Styles: Vocal
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 58:36
Size: 135,0 MB
Art: Front

(4:37) 1. The Creator Has A Master Plan
(2:42) 2. Romantic Song
(4:14) 3. Fino All'ultimo Respiro
(3:22) 4. If I Love You
(2:59) 5. Going Out Of My Head
(3:24) 6. Loneliness
(2:32) 7. Prisoner
(3:50) 8. What's Your Name
(6:17) 9. What's Going On
(4:20) 10. You'll Never Find Another Love Like Mine
(4:54) 11. Tu Malatia
(2:45) 12. Papa Loves Mambo
(3:31) 13. Would You Believe In Me
(3:30) 14. Ricuordate (Feat. Lina Sastri)
(5:31) 15. Take It As It Comes (Prendila Così)

As the war in Ukraine shakes the soul with its frightening noises of death and violence, Mario Biondi gives birth to her disc ‘Romantic’ which is a balm. An enchantment from the first to the last track that does not fail to surprise with a song in Neapolitan ‘Ricuordate’ (text by Sergio Iodice and music by Paolo Moscarelli) with the participation of Lina Sastri, the only ‘guest’ item within the project. “This record in some songs reflects the sound and the character of the 70s, the years in which music reminded us that war is only a source of pain. Each of us has a romantic streak and hopes that the problems will be solved with the common sense, with love of neighbor, not with violence or hostility “, says the artist.

‘Romantic’ the new album by Mario Biondi dedicated to love in all its forms, from the couple bond to the fraternal one, to the love for parents and children like a shower head it spreads the romance that is needed more and more in this world and now more than ever. This is the fil rouge of the 12 tracks on CD and 15 tracks in digital and cassette and LP (available from 25 March) that make up this new project, specifically 6 unreleased and 9 reinterpretations chosen mainly from the international repertoire. ‘Romantic’ is strongly characterized by the production curated by Mario Biondi himself with Massimo Greco and David Florio: all the songs were recorded in an analog way, a choice that gives a very warm and authentic sound to the entire album that strongly recalls the sounds of the years. ’70. The tracks were recorded, as was the case at the time, with collective takes in which all the musicians played together in the same room, enhancing the magic of sharing and the interplay effect. This direction made the studio experience unique and was established right away to recreate the original atmospheres of the songs that have been reinterpreted.

As for the trackist of the six unpublished four are in English: “Romantic Song”, “If I love you”, “Loneliness”, “Prisoner”, one in Italian “Up to the last breath” written by Maurizio Fabrizio, and one in Neapolitan, “Ricuordate”, already mentioned in the introduction. Among the 9 reinterpretations “The Creator Has a Master Plan” (Leon Thomas and Pharoah Sanders), “Going Out of My Head” (Dionne Warwick’s version of Little Anthony’s The Imperials made famous by Frank Sinatra), “What’s Your Name “(Leon Ware),” What’s Going On (Les McCan’s version of Marvin Gaye’s famous song), You’ll Never Find Another Like Mine “(Lou Rawls),” Papa Loves Mambo “(Perry Como),” Would You Believe in Me “(Jon Lucien),” Take It As It Comes “(the English version of” Take it like this “by Lucio Battisti), and the song” Tu Malatia “in Sicilian language to which Mario is very attached because it is written by his father Stefano Biondi.

From today,“Romantic All Around Selection” is also available, a mini EP containing 3 tracks from the Romantic album in the Dolby Atmos version, parallel to the disc dedicated to audiophiles for a superior sound experience. These are the three tracks that will be available in spatial audio: “The Creator Has a Master Plan”, “Until the Last Breath” and “What’s Going On”. On March 30 Mario Biondi will also start, with the first part of the international tour organized by International Music and Beyond which will engage him until April 26 in the UK, Switzerland and Spain, a tour that will then follow in summer and autumn with new dates in Croatia, Serbia, Albania, Germany, Austria and Hungary. Finally, from May 5, the 2022 theatrical tour in Italy produced and organized by Friends & Partners will start. Tickets are in advance on www.ticketone.it and in the usual sales points. Radio Monte Carlo is the official radio of the tour.https://www.ruetir.com/2022/03/18/while-the-war-screams-mario-biondi-enchants-the-soul-with-romantic/

Romantic

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Kenny Barron, Cyrus Chestnut, Benny Green, Eric Reed - Festival de Jazz de Vitoria-Gasteiz 2017

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2017
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 54:26
Size: 126,1 MB
Art: Front

( 3:47) 1. Thelonious
( 4:01) 2. Bye-Ya
( 5:56) 3. In Walked Bud
( 3:31) 4. Teo
( 5:35) 5. Reflections
( 6:35) 6. Light Blue
( 6:13) 7. Monk's Dream
(12:06) 8. Smoke Gets In
( 6:37) 9. Blue Monk

Kenny Barron, the highest peak of modern jazz piano that fascinated many giant stars such as Dizzy Gillespie and Stan Getz, a rich gospel feeling and a swing feeling unique to jazz. Top acoustic piano runner, Cyrus Chestnut, master of jazz piano tradition, Benny Green, leaders such as "Pure Imagination" ranked in the US jazz chart, and many other masterpieces The pattern of the jazz festival in 2017 Spain by Eric Reed and others who announced the above is recorded with high image quality and high sound quality. We cannot miss the stage of the famous pianists who have added further aging. The recording time will be 50 minutes. Live at 41 Festival de Jazz de Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain, July 12th, 2017 https://monotone--extra-co-jp.translate.goog/SHOP/dvdj-301.html?_x_tr_sl=ja&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en&_x_tr_pto=sc

Personnel: Kenny Barron --piano; Cyrus Chestnut --piano; Benny Green --piano; Eric Reed – piano

Festival de Jazz de Vitoria-Gasteiz 2017

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The New Brubeck Quartet - A Cut Above

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1978
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 70:32
Size: 161,9 MB
Art: Front

( 5:38) 1. Unisphere
(16:44) 2. Ellington Medley: The Duke/'C'
( 4:05) 3. Three to Get Ready
(19:31) 4. Forty Days/Sermon on the Mount
( 7:08) 5. Blue Rondo A La Turk
( 5:46) 6. Unsquare Dance
(11:36) 7. Take Five

There was an earlier post about direct to disc recordings which peaked my interest. I've heard some good and some not so good in the past. After doing an eBay search, A Cut Above! came up and a copy found it's way to my place.

The is a later Dave Brubeck playing with his three sons.Not all of the tracks do it for me but a couple are really stand out.Forty Days-Sermon on the Mount is fantastic. Darius Brubeck plays snyth and these tracks really pull you in, highly recommended.The second is their version of Take Five.The original has always been a favorite of mine but this is special.The Take Five is on YouTube and linked below.https://forum.bottlehead.com/index.php?topic=13048.0

Personnel: Dave Brubeck (piano); Darius Brubeck (electric piano); Chris Brubeck (electric bass, bass trombone); Danny Brubeck (drums)

A Cut Above

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Harry Allen - My Reverie by Special Request

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 53:15
Size: 122,6 MB
Art: Front

(4:52) 1. The Rose Tattoo
(4:18) 2. Love, Your Magic Spell is Everywhere
(5:26) 3. La Rosita
(4:35) 4. Boulevard of Broken Dreams
(4:52) 5. Carioca
(5:29) 6. My Reverie
(7:09) 7. I Surrender Dear
(5:12) 8. Close as Pages in a Book
(5:08) 9. Lilacs in the
(6:09) 10. St. James Infirmary

A swinging jazz saxophonist, Harry Allen is a highly regarded performer whose musical inspiration and interpretive approach come from the giants and innovators of mainstream saxophone, including Coleman Hawkins, Ben Webster, Stan Getz, Illinois Jacquet, and Lester Young. Unlike many of his contemporaries, Allen has generally eschewed the modern, avant-garde, and impressionist schools of jazz of John Coltrane, Archie Shepp, and Ornette Coleman. Born in Washington, D.C. in 1966, Allen grew up in a musical family as the son of big-band drummer Maurice Allen. He started off with accordion lessons before there was a fortuitous switch to saxophone. Attending Rutgers University, Allen studied with Sahib Shihab, Bob Mintzer, and John Purcell.

While there, he got his first gig with the help of master bass player Major Holley, replacing Zoot Sims in a studio recording with John Bunch, George Masso, Bucky Pizzarelli, and Ruby Braff. Wholley also led Allen to Oliver Jackson, whom Allen subsequently accompanied on several tours to Europe. A 1986 session with Kenny Barron was Allen's first recording date. After that, Allen made his debut as a leader on 1988's How Long Has This Been Going On?

From there, he delivered a steady stream of recordings under his name for such labels as Progressive, Audiophile, and Nagel-Heyer. Later, his recordings were with major-label RCA-Victor, including 1999's Harry Allen Meets the John Pizzarelli Trio and 2000's Plays Ellington Songs. Three of his albums were awarded a Gold Disc by Swing Journal magazine, and his CD Tenors Anyone won both the Gold Disc and New Star awards. He has also recorded as a sideman with Bucky Pizzarelli (with whom he performs quite frequently), Warren Vache, and Jeff Hamilton.

Allen continues to record extensively and makes frequent appearances at jazz festivals and concerts. Highly prolific, he delivered a slew of well-regarded albums for BMG in the 2000s before moving back to boutique labels like Arbors, Sackville Records, and Challenge for albums like 2007's Cocktails for Two with Joe Temperley, 2009's New York State of Mind, and 2010's When Larry Met Harry with pianist Larry Goldings. He then paired with longtime associate Scott Hamilton for 2012's 'Round Midnight, and explored bossa nova rhythms on 2015's Something About Jobim. The following year he delivered The Candy Men: Harry Allen's All-Star New York Saxophone Band, featuring fellow saxophonists Grant Stewart, Eric Alexander, and Gary Smulyan.~Dave Nathanhttps://www.allmusic.com/artist/harry-allen-mn0000668457/biography

My Reverie by Special Request

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Kirk Lightsey Trio With Chet Baker - Everything Happens To Me

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1983
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 40:38
Size: 93,3 MB
Art: Front

( 4:52)  1. Rays Ideas
(10:45)  2. Everything Happens To Me
( 6:08)  3. Girl With The Purple Eyes
( 6:57)  4. Speak No Evil
( 5:00)  5. Inner Urge
( 6:54)  6. Fee-Fi-Fo-Fum

For some, the most important part about this recording will be the two tracks ("Ray's Ideas" and "Everything Happens to Me") on which Chet Baker blows trumpet and sings. While Baker is not in top form, he is a fine complement to the group sound. Lightsey's trio (with bassist David Eubanks and drummer Eddie Gladden) picks an interesting collection of pieces for the remainder of the program, with his well-known Wayne Shorter emphasis. A largely uneventful, if nonetheless relaxingly swinging set, Lightsey deftly walks through the chords with consummate skill. An underrated performer, the pianist is a skillful interpreter of American song, a performer who understands the meanings of tunes and infuses them with his own interpretations. Not terribly innovative, Lightsey is one of those few serious mainstream jazz piano soloists who pushes the edges ever so slightly but feels comfortable smack dab in the middle of traditional interplay. ~ Steve Loewy http://www.allmusic.com/album/everything-happens-to-me-mw0000877567

Personnel: Kirk Lightsey (piano); Chet Baker (vocals, trumpet); Eddie Gladden (drums).

Everything Happens To Me

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Benny Carter - Benny Carter Songbook Vol II

Styles: Saxophone Jazz 
Year: 1997
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 76:04
Size: 174,4 MB
Art: Front

(3:26)  1. My Mind Is Still On You - Joe Williams
(5:10)  2. Echo Of My Dream - Dianna Krall
(6:00)  3. Rock Me To Sleep - Ruth Brown
(4:04)  4. Stop Me Before I Fall In Love Again - Billy Stritch
(8:33)  5. He Doesn't Need Me Now - Nancy Marano
(6:05)  6. Doozy - Jon Hendricks
(5:10)  7. Nevermore - Billy Stritch
(7:05)  8. Malibu - Lainie Kazan
(5:53)  9. Blue Moonlight - Marlena Shaw
(5:30) 10. Evening Star - Kenny Rankin
(4:46) 11. Slow Carousel - Nancy Marano
(4:05) 12. Whisper To One - Barbara Lea
(5:56) 13. I'm The Caring Kind - Weslia Whitfield
(4:16) 14. When Hilma Smiles

The 1997 release of this CD helped Benny Carter celebrate his 90th birthday, featuring 14 of his original ballads by a dozen guests, in addition to a warm tribute to his wife of many years, "When Hilma Smiles," sung by Carter himself in a friendly, unpretentious manner. His smooth alto sax hasn't lost anything over the decades, and the top-notch cornet of Warren Vaché is also a nice touch. 

The highlights among the guest vocalists' contributions include Nancy Marano's emotional version of "He Doesn't Need Me Now" and Wesla Whitfield's sassy take of "I'm the Caring Kind." ~ Ken Dryden https://www.allmusic.com/album/songbook-vol-2-mw0000028108

Personnel: Benny Carter (vocals, alto saxophone); Joe Williams, Weslia Whitfield, Ruth Brown, Billy Stritch, Nancy Marano, Jon Hendricks, Lainie Kazan, Marlena Shaw, Kenny Rankin, Barbara Lea, Diana Krall (vocals); Warren Vache (cornet); Chris Neville (piano); Steve LaSpina (bass); Sherman Ferguson, Roy McCurdy (drums)

Benny Carter Songbook Vol II

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Dave Brubeck, Chris Brubeck & Darius Brubeck - Two Generations Of Brubeck/Brother, The Great Spirit Made Us All

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 36:26
Size: 83.4 MB
Styles: Piano jazz, West Coast jazz
Year: 1974/2005
Art: Front

[2:43] 1. Mr. Broadway
[7:17] 2. Forty Days
[2:44] 3. The Duke
[5:54] 4. It's A Raggy Waltz
[2:42] 5. Sky Scape
[8:16] 6. Temptation Boogie
[2:49] 7. Ragaroni
[3:58] 8. Christopher Columbus

These two mid-seventies Brubeck Family albums (Dave and sons, along with Jerry Bergonzi and Peter 'Madcat' Ruth) were combined, for a brief time, on to a single cassette tape. ~Sean Westergaard

Two Generations of Brubeck: This very interesting set features the pianist with three of his sons (Darius on keyboards, Chris doubling on trombone and bass and Danny on drums), and a wide variety of musicians including tenor-saxophonist Jerry Bergonzi, clarinetist Perry Robinson and Peter "Madcat" Ruth on harmonica. To hear numbers performed by these younger players casts new light on the durability and flexibility of these classic Brubeck songs.

Brother, The Great Spirit Made Us All: Pianist Dave Brubeck and three of his sons (keyboardist Darius, drummer Danny and Chris on trombone and bass), with the assistance of such players as Jerry Bergonzi (on tenor and soprano), clarinetist Perry Robinson and Madcat Ruth on harmonica, perform colorful treatments of a wide variety of swinging pieces. Highlights include "It's a Raggy Waltz," "Temptation Boogie" and "Christopher Columbus"; Dave Brubeck takes "The Duke" solo. This fine music was last available on LP.

Two Generations Of Brubeck/Brother,The Great Spirit Made Us All

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