Sunday, June 12, 2022

Django Reinhardt - The Unforgettable

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 1960
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 48:50
Size: 112,8 MB
Art: Front

(3:54)  1. Sweet Georgia Brown
(2:27)  2. Minor Swing
(2:54)  3. Double Whisky
(3:45)  4. Artillerie Lourde
(2:35)  5. Saint James Infirmary
(3:34)  6. "C" Jam Blues
(3:34)  7. Honeysuckle Rose
(4:07)  8. Dream Of You
(3:47)  9. Begin The Beguine
(3:40) 10. How High The Moon
(3:28) 11. Nuages
(3:53) 12. I Can't Get Started
(3:41) 13. I Can't Give You Anything But Love
(3:25) 14. Manoir De Mes Reves

Django Reinhardt was the first hugely influential jazz figure to emerge from Europe and he remains the most influential European to this day, with possible competition from Joe Zawinul, George Shearing, John McLaughlin, his old cohort Stephane Grappelli and a bare handful of others. A free-spirited gypsy, Reinhardt wasn't the most reliable person in the world, frequently wandering off into the countryside on a whim. Yet Reinhardt came up with a unique way of propelling the humble acoustic guitar into the front line of a jazz combo in the days before amplification became widespread. He would spin joyous, arcing, marvelously inflected solos above the thrumming base of two rhythm guitars and a bass, with Grappelli's elegantly gliding violin serving as the perfect foil. His harmonic concepts were startling for their time making a direct impression upon Charlie Christian and Les Paul, among others and he was an energizing rhythm guitarist behind Grappelli, pushing their groups into a higher gear. Not only did Reinhardt put his stamp upon jazz, his string band music also had an impact upon the parallel development of Western swing, which eventually fed into the wellspring of what is now called country music.

Although he could not read music, with Grappelli and on his own, Reinhardt composed several winsome, highly original tunes like "Daphne," "Nuages" and "Manoir de Mes Reves," as well as mad swingers like "Minor Swing" and the ode to his record label of the '30s, "Stomping at Decca." As the late Ralph Gleason said about Django's recordings, "They were European and they were French and they were still jazz."

A violinist first and a guitarist later, Jean Baptiste "Django" Reinhardt grew up in a gypsy camp near Paris where he absorbed the gypsy strain into his music. A disastrous caravan fire in 1928 badly burned his left hand, depriving him of the use of the fourth and fifth fingers, but the resourceful Reinhardt figured out a novel fingering system to get around the problem that probably accounts for some of the originality of his style. According to one story, during his recovery period, Reinhardt was introduced to American jazz when he found a 78 RPM disc of Louis Armstrong's "Dallas Blues" at an Orleans flea market. He then resumed his career playing in Parisian cafes until one day in 1934 when Hot Club chief Pierre Nourry proposed the idea of an all-string band to Reinhardt and Grappelli.

Thus was born the Quintet of the Hot Club of France, which quickly became an international draw thanks to a long, splendid series of Ultraphone, Decca and HMV recordings.The outbreak of war in 1939 broke up the Quintette, with Grappelli remaining in London where the group was playing and Reinhardt returning to France. During the war years, he led a big band, another quintet with clarinetist Hubert Rostaing in place of Grappelli, and after the liberation of Paris, recorded with such visiting American jazzmen as Mel Powell, Peanuts Hucko and Ray McKinley. In 1946, Reinhardt took up the electric guitar and toured America as a soloist with the Duke Ellington band but his appearances were poorly received. Some of his recordings on electric guitar late in his life are bop escapades where his playing sounds frantic and jagged, a world apart from the jubilant swing of old. However, starting in Jan. 1946, Reinhardt and Grappelli held several sporadic reunions where the bop influences are more subtly integrated into the old, still-fizzing swing format. In the 1950s, Reinhardt became more reclusive, remaining in Europe, playing and recording now and then until his death from a stroke in 1953. His Hot Club recordings from the `30s are his most irresistible legacy; their spirit and sound can be felt in current groups like Holland's Rosenberg Trio.

Personnel: Guitar – Django Reinhardt; Alto Saxophone, Clarinet – André Ekyan;  Bass – Alf Masselier, Carlo Pecori;  Drums – Aurelio De Carolis , Roger Paraboschi;  Piano – Gianni Safred, Ralph Schécroun; Violin – Stephane Grappelli       

The Unforgettable

Houston Person - Trust In Me

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2001
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 78:08
Size: 179,4 MB
Art: Front

(7:58) 1. Chocomotive
(3:54) 2. You're Gonna Hear From Me
(7:38) 3. Close Quarters
(8:36) 4. Since I Fell For You
(7:59) 5. More (Theme From Mondo Cane)
(3:27) 6. Airegin [Bonus Track]
(5:27) 7. One Mint Julep
(4:57) 8. Trust In Me
(5:11) 9. Hey There
(4:24) 10. My Little Suede Shoes
(6:10) 11. That Old Black Magic
(6:31) 12. Sometimes I Feel Like A Motherless Child
(5:49) 13. The Second Time Around

Houston Person is generally considered a soul-jazz specialist whose tenor playing can be counted on to elevate a standard organ combo or groove-based session into something memorable. This set, however, demonstrates Person's reach well beyond funk and blues grooves. The CD, combining the 1967 dates Chocomotive and Trust in Me, reveals a multi-faceted player who has grasped the lessons of tenor greats from Coleman Hawkins to Gene Ammons to Sonny Rollins. This explains why when Person sits down with a Johnny Hammond, Eddie Harris, or Charles Earland he has a whole lot more in his bag than blues licks and an assertive tone. Pianist Cedar Walton is a major presence on both sets, providing a powerful, personal approach that falls somewhere between Horace Silver's sublime earthiness and Thelonious Monk's knotty logic.

Veteran hard boppers Bob Cranshaw and Paul Chambers share the bass spot. The drummers are lesser-knowns Lenny McBrowne and Frankie Jones. Drummer's drummer Alan Dawson is on the Chocomotive tracks in a rare but effective turn at the vibes. Space limitations mean that "Girl Talk" and "Up, Up and Away" from the original Chocomotive are not on the compilation. On the other hand, the bonus track, a brief outing on Sonny Rollins' "Airegin," serves as a prime example of Person's abilities in a probing, straight-ahead setting. A couple of tracks veer towards a blowsy lounge style, but even on "More" (a song that has not stood the test of time) Person with effective work from Walton, Dawson, and Cranshaw steers the performance to a swinging place that transcends the tune's inherent cheesiness.~Jim Todd https://www.allmusic.com/album/trust-in-me-mw0000012925

Personnel: Houston Person- tenor saxophone; Cedar Walton- piano; Alan Dawson- vibes; Bob Cranshaw- bass; Frankie Jones- drums; Paul Chambers- bass; Lenny McBrowne- drums; Ralph Dorsey- conga.

Trust In Me

Vince Giordano & The Nighthawks - Cotton Club Revisited

Styles: Big Band
Year: 2012
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 44:14
Size: 102,0 MB
Art: Front

(3:00)  1. Cotton Club Stomp
(4:29)  2. Stormy Weather
(2:48)  3. Get Yourself a New Broom
(2:52)  4. Trickeration
(4:10)  5. I've Got the World On a String
(2:35)  6. Harlem Holiday
(2:37)  7. Happy As the Day Is Long
(3:22)  8. Minnie the Moocher
(3:36)  9. Raisin' the Rent
(3:23) 10. Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea
(3:38) 11. As Long As I Live
(4:49) 12. Minnie the Moocher's Wedding Day
(2:48) 13. Truckin'

Vince Giordano & the Nighthawks once again establish a musical time warp, across 13 songs that carry listeners back to the summer of 1932, by way (mostly) of the music of Ted Koehler and Harold Arlen, with additional contributions by Johnny Hodges, Harry Carney, Duke Ellington, and Cab Calloway. The playing is inventive and impeccable, and there's not a false note anywhere. From the opening "Cotton Club Stomp" through "Stormy Weather," "I've Got the World on a String," "Harlem Holiday," "Minnie the Moocher," "Raisin' the Rent," etc. (with John Leifert providing vocals where needed), the effect is seductive if not downright intoxicating, and even veteran listeners will be thrown by the obvious new vintage of the recordings themselves.
~ Bruce Eder http://www.allmusic.com/album/cotton-club-revisited-mw0001419025

Cotton Club Revisited

Flora Purim - If You Will

Styles: Vocal
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 43:52
Size: 100,9 MB
Art: Front

(4:11) 1. If You Will
(5:27) 2. This Is Me
(6:30) 3. 500 Miles High
(3:22) 4. A Flor Da Vida
(4:55) 5. Newspaper Girl
(4:36) 6. Dandara
(4:26) 7. Zahuroo
(5:36) 8. Dois + Dois = Tres
(4:44) 9. Lucidez

Everyone loves a great comeback, and, after a lengthy hiatus, Flora Purim obliges with If You Will, the Brazilian's first studio album since Flora's Song (Narada, 2005). Released to coincide with her 80th birthday, If You Will is a somewhat nostalgic celebration that polishes a few old gems from a recording career that began under military dictatorship with the groundbreaking Brazilian jazz album é M.P.M. (1964, RCA). The production values are excellent, as are the performances from Purim and the trusted collaborators with whom she surrounds herself.

Airto Moreira's dancing percussion opens "If You Will," an uplifting tune originally penned by George Duke, and sung here by Flora's daughter, Diana Purim. Short-and-sweet solos from keyboardist Mika Mutti and electric bassist Fábio Hess come and go, but the album as whole is less about individual virtuosity and more about the collective vibe, with half a dozen percussionists and almost twice as many backing vocalists creating rich rhythmic layers and melodic textures. Mother and daughter share vocal duties on "This Is Me," a soaring, percussion-fueled slice of Brazilian jazz with call-and-response, a fine keyboard solo from Bryan Velasco and an utterly infectious vocal motif that proves impossible to shake.

The leader takes centre stage on Chick Corea's "500 Miles High," from Return to Forever's Light As A Feather (Polydor, 1973). Purim's pipes are still in remarkably good shape, her delivery of Neville Potter's lyrics as soulful and bright as it was half a century ago. Moreira's distinctive non-syllabic vocals bookend Jose Neto's breezy "Newspaper Girl." The guitarist's tasteful solo adds colorful splashes to this tune of loping rhythmic gate and sunny melodic contours. Another long-term collaborator of the leader, notably in the group Fourth World, Neto shines on Nuno Mindelis's Pino Daniele-esque blues "Dois +Dois = Tres," though it is Flora Purim who is in the driving seat.

The elegant bossa-jazz "Dandara," named for the 17th century Afro-Brazilian warrior who fought against slavery, is a family affair. Poet Judith de Souza wrote the lyrics, which grandson Felipe Machado put to music. His grandfather, singer-songwriter Filó Machado, who has worked with Michel Legrand, Jon Hendricks and Hermeto Pascoal, arranged the track, also adding acoustic guitar and backing vocals alongside Vitor Pinheiro. Flora Purim rolls back the years to makes it her own. Claudia Villela's catchy pop-samba "Zahuroo" features the leader on wordless vocals, with sizzling percussion from Celso Alberto and Moreira.

The shuffling acoustic ballad, "Lucidez," co-written by Diana Purim, Krishna Booker and Fabio Nascimento, closes the album on an introspective note. With percussion assuming a more subtle role, Flora Purim's warm vocals are to the fore, framed by Nascimento's acoustic strumming and Todd S. Simon's painterly touches on flugelhorn. Whether If You Will marks a late-career renaissance or a joyous swansong for Flora Purim remains to be seen. Regardless, it is a fine testament to a unique figure in contemporary Brazilian music.
~Ian Pattersonhttps://www.allaboutjazz.com/if-you-will-flora-purim-strut-records__722

Personnel: Flora Purim: voice / vocals.

Additional Instrumentation: Airto Moreira: percussion, drums (9), vocals (5, 7); Diana Purim: vocals (1-2, 4), backing vocals (4); Mikka Mutti: keyboards (1, 9); Fábio Hess: bass (1); Léo Costa: drums (1-2); Grecco Buratto: guitar, backing vocals (2); Bryan Velasco: piano, keyboards (2); Andre de Santanna: bass (2); Alberto Lopes: percussion (2); Gibi dos Santos: percussion (2); Krishna Booker: percussion (2, 9), backing vocals (9); Caro Pierotto: backing vocals (2); Maria Joana: backing vocals (2); Emina Shimanuki: (2); Kana Shimunaki: backing vocals (2); Mari Nobre: backing vocals (2); Niura Band: backing vocals (2); Davi Sartori: electric piano (3); Thiago Duarte: bass (3); Endrigo Bettega: drums (3-4); Stéphane San Juan: drums (4); José Neto: guitar (5, 7-8); Frank Martin: keyboards (5); Gary Brown: bass (5); Celso Alberti: drums (5, 8), percussion (7); Café da Silva: bata (5); Filó Machado: acoustic guitar, backing vocals (6); Vitor Pinheiro: backing vocals (6); Claudia Villela: vocals (7); Marcio Lomiramda: keyboards (8); Stéphane San Juan: drums (8); Fabio Nascimento: acoustic guitar (9); Todd M. Simon: flugelhorn (9); Léo Nobre: bass (9); Filipe Castro: percussion (9).

If You Will

Saturday, June 11, 2022

Denise King & Massimo Farao Trio - Musica Che Riscalda Il Cuore

Size: 178,7 MB
Time: 76:45
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2017
Styles: Jazz/Pop Vocals
Art: Front

01. And I Love Her (3:51)
02. Corcovado (4:17)
03. Dream A Little Dream Of Me (2:50)
04. Georgia On My Mind (5:14)
05. Night And Day (2:30)
06. Say You, Say Me (3:07)
07. Ain't No Way (4:17)
08. Crazy (2:29)
09. Endless Love (2:57)
10. Easy (4:20)
11. You Don't Know Me (5:15)
12. Think (2:34)
13. Unchained Melody (4:06)
14. Let's Stay Together (2:50)
15. Lately (4:09)
16. Just The Two Of Us (3:55)
17. My Funny Valentine (5:13)
18. Teach Me Tonight (4:29)
19. You Send Me (4:21)
20. I'm A Fool To Want You (3:52)

Influenced by Nancy Wilson, Marlena Shaw and Sarah Vaughan, Denise King is an expressive, big-voiced singer who combines jazz with elements of R&B, blues and gospel. King was born and raised in Philadelphia, where she was exposed to R&B as a child and discovered jazz at 12 thanks to an uncle who was an avid record collector. After graduating from high school, the Philadelphian entered the medical field and earned her living as a technician and a family-planning counselor. King was in her early 30s when she started doing club gigs around Philly, and eventually, she became a full-time singer. Though she's no stranger to standards, one of King's strong points has been her ability to provide jazz interpretations of rock and soul hits -- in fact, she has turned everything from Santana's "Evil Ways" to Ruby & the Romantics' "Our Day Will Come" into swinging acoustic jazz. King started recording in the 1990s, offering Live In Japan: I Remember You in 1993, Now Ain't That Love in 1996 and Simply Mellow in 1997. ~by Alex Henderson

Musica Che Riscalda Il Cuore

Dave Brubeck Quartet featuring Paul Desmond - Buried Treasures

Styles: Piano And Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1998
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 55:14
Size: 128,0 MB
Art: Front

( 1:30) 1. Introduction
( 7:19) 2. Mr. Broadway
( 7:21) 3. Koto Song
( 7:38) 4. Sweet Georgia Brown
( 7:22) 5. Forty Days
( 7:32) 6. You Go To My Head
( 5:10) 7. Take Five
(11:20) 8. St. Louis Blues

In 1998, Columbia reissued a bunch of CDs by the Dave Brubeck Quartet, often adding one or two previously unissued selections to the sets. Buried Treasures: Recorded Live in Mexico City, however, is something different, for none of the music had been out before. Recorded live in 1967 during a tour of Mexico that also resulted in the album Bravo! Brubeck!, the set features the classic Brubeck Quartet (with altoist Paul Desmond, bassist Eugene Wright and drummer Joe Morello) performing seven selections they had previously recorded, which was probably why this particular music stayed in the vaults for decades.

The quality is certainly quite high, with Brubeck and Desmond really digging into such songs as "Koto Song" (coming up with some inspired ideas over its vamp), "You Go to My Head," a lengthy "St. Louis Blues," and a fairly concise version of "Take Five," one of the few versions by Brubeck of the hit song that does not have a drum solo. Suffice to say, Dave Brubeck fans only need to be notified of two things: they do not already own this music, and the Quartet is heard throughout in prime form. Recommended.~ Scott Yanowhttps://www.allmusic.com/album/buried-treasures-recorded-live-in-mexico-city-mw0000600878

Personnel: Dave Brubeck - piano, arranger, liner notes; Paul Desmond - alto saxophone; Gene Wright - double bass; Joe Morello - drums

Buried Treasures

Daniel Pinilla Music - Intuiciones

Styles: Guitar
Year: 2020
File: MP3@128K/s
Time: 56:56
Size: 53,7 MB
Art: Front

(8:53) 1. En Cimientos
(4:02) 2. Como En La Luna
(5:57) 3. Paciencia
(7:05) 4. Cabrilla (Sapito)
(7:25) 5. El Cantor
(4:40) 6. Bajo Presión
(4:48) 7. Intuiciones
(8:03) 8. Quebrada
(5:58) 9. No Más

Intuitions, the debut of guitarist Daniel Pinilla, travels from the delicate and elegant Jim Hall sound to the density of the Colombian Pacific. With the company of some of the best musicians on the Bogota jazz scene, Pinilla gives himself quite a few liberties and reaches the fields of jazz/rock. A comforting recording, ideal for listening calmly.

Laura Otero: voice (9); Pablo Muñoz: alto sax (1, 5, 6, 8, 9); Pablo Beltrán: tenor sax (9); Daniel Pinilla: guitar; Alejandro Fernández: double bass; Santiago de Mendoza: drums

Intuiciones

Friday, June 10, 2022

Dutch Swing College Band - The Joint Is Jumpin'!

Styles: Jazz, Swing
Year: 1995
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 63:28
Size: 146,3 MB
Art: Front

(4:41) 1. Milenberg Joys
(3:01) 2. Grandpa's Spells
(5:49) 3. Squeeze Me
(4:46) 4. Bugle Call Rag
(5:10) 5. Peg O' My Heart
(3:36) 6. King Porter Stomp
(5:56) 7. Ballin' The Jack
(4:06) 8. Clarinet Marmalade
(4:31) 9. Drop Me Off In Harlem
(3:15) 10. Freeze An' Melt
(5:29) 11. Snowy Morning Blues
(5:26) 12. Limehouse Blues
(3:48) 13. Keepin' Out Of Mischief Now
(3:48) 14. The Joint Is Jumpin'

The Dutch Swing College Band has endured numerous personnel changes in its more than fifty-year history as one of the Netherlands' top jazz ensembles. Although no members remain from the original group, the latest lineup continues to honor the tradition-rooted approach of the founders.

Bob Kaper(1939- ) replaced clarinet player Peter Schilperoort during an illness in 1966, and remained with the band; he has led the Dutch Swing College Band since Schilperoort's death in 1990. The fourth leader in the group's history, Kaper succeeds Frans Vink, Jr. (1945-46), Joop Schrier (1955-60), and Schilperoort (1946-55; 1960-1990). Kaper previously led the Beale Street Seven, a group he founded in 1957.

An amateur group from 1945 until turning professional in 1960, the Dutch Swing College Band reached their early peak in the late '40s, when they were tapped to accompany such jazz musicians as Sidney Bechet, Joe Venuti, and Teddy Wilson. The New Melbourne Jazz Band recorded an album, A Tribute to the Dutch Swing College Band, featuring music associated with the Holland-based group.~Craig Harrishttps://www.allmusic.com/artist/dutch-swing-college-band-mn0000130996/biography

Personnel: Bass – Adrie Braat; Clarinet, Alto Saxophone, Vocals – Bob Kaper; Drums – Bob Dekker; Trombone – Bert Boeren; Trumpet – Klaas Wit

The Joint Is Jumpin'

Carmen Gomes Inc. - Up Jumped the Devil - Discovering the Music of Robert Johnson

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2020
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 45:36
Size: 136,7 MB
Art: Front

(1:20) 1. Tunica
(5:05) 2. Hellhound on My Trail
(0:44) 3. Rosedale
(5:31) 4. Up Jumped the Devil
(0:49) 5. Dark Corner Cemetery
(4:44) 6. Come On in My Kitchen
(0:47) 7. Penton
(6:20) 8. When You Got a Good Friend
(0:38) 9. Robinsonville
(4:36) 10. Ease the Pain
(0:51) 11. Hazlehurst
(5:51) 12. Love in Vain
(1:59) 13. Clarksdale 61 49
(4:08) 14. Stop Breaking Down
(2:06) 15. Martinsville

Carmen Gomes Inc. have created an album that sounds like an imaginary road movie. Listening one perceives Robert walking late at night, en route in the Mississippi Delta, reflecting back on his life.The low A, 27.5 khz, from the bowed down tuned double bass representing the Mississippi night, the drums creating the sounds surrounding the night and the guitar being Robert’s mind. More than playing parts, guitarist Folker Tettero and drummer Bert are playing moods. I actually asked Bert to play the lyrics instead of the drums, a task I knew especially he would be able to fulfill. Throughout the album Folker is in constant dialogue with Carmen’s melody line. Sometimes edging her on and at other times comforting her. Folker decided to use an electric 12 string guitar on the small miniatures. The sounds he creates adds a whole new aspect to his musicianship and emphasizes his deep affinity for the blues.

Carmen is at the top of her game here. Her never the same way twice saxophone like phrasing showing her jazz heritage and why jazz is in such great debt to the blues. Love in Vain in particular being a good example. Engineer Frans De Rond created a one mic + set up. Adding two Josephson C700 microphones to the central Josephson C700s. The benefit sound wise compared to the pure one mic setup being that Carmen’s voice and my double bass sound would not suffer when the band would at certain moments would raise the dynamic level.

Arranging Robert Johnson’s songs for Carmen Gomes Inc. turned out to be very easy. Somehow each song was telling me instantly what to do. Even When You Got a Good Friend, with it’s J.S. Bach inspired counterpoint or Love In Vain where the harmony used has more to do with Bebop than blues, where written very quickly. It was as if they materialized instead of having to be arranged. Same goes for the instrumental compositions which were made on the spot, they took no effort, they played themselves. Peter Bjørnild

‘in addition to finding the sound of this recording superb, I also found the music to be really satisfying’ Joe Whip Audiophile Style ‘Alles klopt weer in de met de hele band tegelijk opgenomen tracks waarin Carmen, zoals we van haar gewend zijn, geen vocaal trapezewerk nodig heeft om te imponeren’ jazzflitshttps://www.carmengomes.com/discografie/up-jumped-the-devil/

Personnel: Carmen Gomes - vocals; Folker Tettero - guitars; Peter Bjørnild - double-bass; Bert Kamsteeg – drums

Up Jumped the Devil - Discovering the Music of Robert Johnson

George Wallington Quintet - At The Bohemia

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1955
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 45:29
Size: 106,3 MB
Art: Front

(8:28) 1. Johnny One Note
(7:02) 2. Sweet Blanche
(6:47) 3. Minor March
(5:58) 4. Snakes
(8:43) 5. Jay Mac's Crib
(8:28) 6. Bohemia After Dark / The Peck

Superb album with George Wallington playing at the Café Bohemia in New York on September 9, 1955. The all-star lineup consists of the following: George Wallington on piano, Jackie McLean (says McClean on the back slick. Well, he sure does play clean), Donald Byrd on trumpet, Paul Chambers on double bass and Art Taylor on drums. Doesn't get much better. The sound on this is suprisingly good for a live recording from the 50's. But you don't expect less from Rudy Van Gelder who recorded this wonderful album.

This original 1st pressing is very rare to say the least. Extremely hard to find, and you almost never see it for sale. Happy of course to have it in the collection. Just listened to it, and it's a nice set of tunes on this. Favorites are "Jay Mac's Crib" and "Minor March". An energy filled performance which makes you wanna go back in time and sit there at The Bohemia, sip a drink and enjoy some magic. You should definitely check this one out if it's new to you. An original is maybe too hard to acquire, for it's rarity and price tag, but this music should make it's way into your collection, original, reissue or in another format. Superb stuff. http://www.fwrarejazzvinylcollector.com/blog/2015/3/29/george-wallington-quintet-at-the-bohemia-progressive-1001

Personnel: George Wallington on piano, Jackie McLean, Donald Byrd on trumpet, Paul Chambers on double bass, Art Taylor on drums.

At The Bohemia

Tokunbo - Golden Days

Styles: Vocal
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 39:42
Size: 91,6 MB
Art: Front

(3:56) 1. Golden days
(4:06) 2. Home again
(3:56) 3. Forgive
(3:10) 4. Near & far
(2:53) 5. Hey, island
(3:32) 6. Curtains
(3:33) 7. See you fly
(3:26) 8. On the fence
(3:29) 9. Ray
(3:47) 10. House of cards
(3:48) 11. Miles away

With the release of Golden Days (25th Feb, Inakustik), award-winning singer TOKUNBO delivers a warm-hearted blend of folk and jazzy pop, with a cheeky hint of country. Both nostalgic and forward-looking, the 11 songs capture the spirit of classic 70s songwriters like The Carpenters and Carol King, whilst adding layers of intricate guitar, shimmering soundscapes and unconventional rhythms. “I wanted to write the album that the world needs right now; an album full of optimism and assurance,” says TOKUNBO, the winner of both the International Acoustic Music Award and Global Music Award. “An album like a golden autumn day.”

TOKUNBO shot to fame as the voice of breakthrough acoustic soul jazz combo Tok Tok Tok from 1998 to 2013; a journey which included five German Jazz Awards and international touring. Golden Days marks her third album as a solo artist and continues the story of folk noir, after the release of Queendom Come (2014) and The Swan (2018). The touch of melancholy is still there, but here it seems like a small, nostalgic sigh in an otherwise optimistic world.The eleven tracks for ‘Golden Days’ were written during lockdown when Tokunbo was coping with this unpredictable situation not just as an artist, but as a young mother too.

This challenging time inspired her to conjure up a collection of songs that are warm and comforting in these sometimes dark moments. It’s earthy, luminous and gentle music for the soul, by an artist who seems at peace with herself. TOKUNBO’s warm, clear voice transmits a smile from the heart – and that certainly also applies to her fans who contributed significantly to the creation of “Golden Days” via crowdfunding. The album was written, produced and recorded with several longtime companions, which perhaps explains the warmth it exudes. The entire production is airy and clear and, in a nod to the audiophile success of her past releases, was mixed and tonally refined by industry expert Marc Ebermann. https://jazzfuel.com/project/tokunbo-golden-days/

Personnel: Tokunbo: vocals & backing vocals | Ulrich Rode: acoustic & electric guitars, pedal steel, dobro, banjo, ukulele, mandolin, keyboards & backing vocals | Christian Flohr: electric bass | Matthias ‘Maze’ Meusel: drums, percussion & programming, keyboards & piano | Anne de Wolff: violin, viola, cello, trombone, vibraphone & backing vocals

Golden Days

Thursday, June 9, 2022

Sarah Lancman - Inspiring Love

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2015
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 50:48
Size: 116,9 MB
Art: Front

(6:12)  1. Inspiring Love
(5:00)  2. Behind the Clouds
(2:19)  3. On the Other Side of the World
(6:18)  4. J'ai voulu partir
(4:17)  5. Never Say That You Love Me
(6:33)  6. The Gift
(4:26)  7. Reste là
(4:01)  8. Qui ?
(3:46)  9. Mysterious Lane
(3:37) 10. Talk to Me
(4:14) 11. Our Secret

“She is really the great new voice of Jazz“ this is what Quincy Jones said to Sarah Lancman when she won the Grand Prix of the International Competition of the Montreux Jazz Festival in 2012. 17 gold Records, Music awards, Django d’or, Grand Prix de l’Académie du Jazz Django Reinhardt, no need to introduce the italian pianist  Giovanni Mirabassi. They are now accomplices of their new album “Inspiring Love” released since November 18 whose 10 original compositions were recorded in New York, high place of this music. More... https://couleursjazz.fr/sarah-lancman-4tet-the-sunside-paris-december-26/

“Sarah Lanchman has the purity of Julie London and the depth of Shirley Horn. She is the hope and Jazz singer we all expected “~ Wendy Oxenhorn, Executive Director of the Jazz Foundation of the United States of America.

Personnel:  Sarah Lancman – voice ; Giovanni Mirabassi – piano ; Gianluca Renzi – doublebass ; Gene Jackson – drums ; Alex Sipiagin – trumpet and flugelhorn.

Inspiring Love

Kristin Berardi & James Sherlock - Guess I'll Hang My Tears Out

Size: 84,9 MB
Time: 36:12
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2014
Styles: Jazz Vocals
Art: Front

01. Change Partners (3:20)
02. Tangerine (3:16)
03. If I Only Had A Brain (4:01)
04. Embraced I (5:07)
05. The Bass (3:27)
06. Budgie (3:51)
07. Guess I'll Hang My Tears Out To Dry (3:54)
08. Charade (4:16)
09. Like A Lover (4:55)

Originally from Koumala, a tiny country town in North Queensland, jazz vocalist Kristin Berardi made National headlines when she won the Montreux Jazz Festival’s International Vocal Competition in 2006.

In 2007 Kristin was the recipient of the Music Council of Australia/Freedman Fellowship which allowed Kristin to commission some of the worlds most dynamic young composers to arrange her compositions for the Jazzgroove Mothership Orchestra.

The Kristin Berardi Band led by Kristin Berardi was the 2008 debut release. The group performs Berardi’s original compositions, showcasing her stunning voice.

2011 and Kristin Berardi Meets The Jazzgroove Mothership Orchestra is the exciting new collaboration representing many of the finest, dynamic, young improvisers in Australia, with Berardi as guest vocalist.

Kristin’s warmth and incredible vocal control have made her a favourite with Australian, European and NY audiences and has established a reputation as Australia’s finest young singer.

Kristin lectures in jazz voice at the Australian National University in Canberra and has held the position of guest lecturer in jazz studies at the Central Queensland Conservatorium of Music for the past five years.

Kristin’s debut duo release with master guitarist James Sherlock was short listed for Best Australian Jazz Vocal Album at the renowned Bell Awards.

Career Highlights:
Winner 2012 National Jazz Awards (Voice)
Winner 2012 Australian Jazz Bell Awards Best Jazz Vocal Album
Winner 2007 Music Council of Australia Freedman Jazz Fellowship
Winner 2006 Montreux Jazz Festival / Shure International Vocal Competition
3rd Place 2005 National Jazz Awards (Voice)
Invited to record in NYC (2004) with Jim Pugh and Kenny Werner

Guess I'll Hang My Tears Out

Eric Reed - Reflections Of A Grateful Heart

Size: 112,6 MB
Time: 48:20
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2013
Styles: Piano Jazz
Art: Front & Back

01. I Love The Lord (4:20)
02. In Case You've Forgotten (3:56)
03. Changed (3:33)
04. Psalm 8 (5:24)
05. 'tis So Sweet (2:25)
06. Hymn (1:16)
07. New Morning (5:44)
08. This Day (4:24)
09. God Cares (2:30)
10. Prayer (6:59)
11. Spiritual (3:12)
12. I Love You Lord Today - We Praise You Lord (4:30)

I have been tough on Eric Reed...
Eric Reed has never shied away from being tough on critics. Los Angeles times columnist Robert Hilburn always advised never becoming too close to an artist and Eric Reed may well be the poster child for why I should have listened to Bob. Personal feelings aside, Reflections Of A Grateful Heart is the finest offering from Reed since Dancing Monk and easily the creative apex of his stellar career. Eric Reed is a man of passion and conviction and occasionally this seems to have derailed some releases that wound up as self indulgent sonic flat lines that were pretty much done before they ever really got started.

Solo piano is the equivalent of tap dancing in a lyrical minefield. This stellar solo piano effort embraces the musical DNA that is Eric Reed, a soulful and soul filled spiritual offering that is an intimate self portrait of the visceral being that is Eric Reed. "I Love The Lord" from Richard Smallwood is not just reinvented but deconstructed and elevated to an organic level that gives the composition new life. The original composition "New Morning" encapsulates the prolific talent of an artist that has seemingly been lingering in that second tier of pianists for far too long.

Eric Reed first rose to prominence thanks to Wynton Marsalis.
Leader or accompanist?
Reflections Of A Grateful Heart shows the promise that Reed has never perhaps lived up to in terms of critical recognition but then again Reed doesn't care about that. The artistic integrity of Eric Reed is certainly unchallenged, provided ego and arrogance can be kept in check this could be that start of something big.

A stellar release!

Reflections Of A Grateful Heart

Wednesday, June 8, 2022

Calabria Foti - When A Woman Loves A Man

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 1999
File: MP3@224K/s
Time: 42:23
Size: 69,4 MB
Scans: Front

(3:57)  1. I Hadn't Anyone Till You
(5:01)  2. Fever
(2:46)  3. Like Someone in Love
(4:38)  4. When a Woman Loves a Man
(2:59)  5. A Fine Romance
(5:26)  6. I'm Gonna Laugh You Right out of My Lif
(3:58)  7. When Your Lover Has Gone - The Man That Got Away
(5:09)  8. All the Way
(4:40)  9. This Nearly Was Mine
(3:45) 10. By Myself

Every so often we stumble upon an artist who delivers the goods while displaying star-like qualities. In some or dare we say many instances, these artists receive the backing and financial support from giant conglomerates and their huge marketing budgets. Target marketing, sales ploys and return on investment are just ways and means of doing business while striving for that sometimes elusive profit margin in the sky. With that, we introduce someone who may represent somewhat of an antithesis to the norm or commonplace promotional initiatives as West Coast based vocalist Calabria Foti has quietly or unassumingly assembled a thoroughly enjoyable set of popular standards. Ms Foti’s charming seductiveness, crystal clear voice, acute jazz vernacular and charismatic presence shines on When A Woman Loves A Man. The vocalist’s peppery, yet smooth-as-silk delivery comes to the forefront on the swinging opener and standard, “I Hadn’t Anyone ‘Till You” which features an up-front and richly melodic tenor sax solo by West Coast sharpshooter Pete Christlieb. The musicians’ bouncy rendition of “Like Someone In Love” is further enhanced by strong solos from pianist Matt Henry and tenorist Christlieb yet it’s Ms. Foti’s endearing and quite soft tonalities along with near flawless diction that provides the excitement and joyous sentiment. 

Ms Foti’s understated warmth, relaxed groove and sensuous yet meaningful rendition of the lovely classic, “When A Woman Loves A Man” emits a contemporary feel. The magnificent trombonist Bob McChesney adds a delicately soft string arrangement that accentuates Ms. Foti’s lush incantations on “I’m Gonna Laugh You Right Out Of My Life”. On this piece, McChesney also counterbalances Ms. Foti’s harmonious vocals with a mid-toned trombone solo that casts a somber yet altogether positive vibe to the subtly cheerful proceedings. Ms. Foti and pianist Matt Henry perform sincere and tender lines with grace and passion on “All The Way” as McChesney once again summons the unidentified string section to furnish the appropriate tonal color and shade towards the coda. 

Here, McChesney works the arrangement as if he were a painter providing the dainty brush strokes to a canvass depicting a portrait or scenic landscape.....In summary, When A Woman Loves A Man is on the upswing, wonderfully recorded and an altogether well rounded affair, featuring the lovely vocals of Ms. Foti who really knows how to turn a lyric or two into something meaningful and impressionable. Based upon talent alone Calabria Foti’s star is seemingly on the rise......... Recommended. ~ Glenn Astarita  http://www.allaboutjazz.com/when-a-woman-loves-a-man-calabria-foti-faccia-bella-records-review-by-glenn-astarita.php

When A Woman Loves A Man

Oscar Peterson, Benny Carter, Ray Brown, Clark Terry - The More I See You

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1995
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 62:30
Size: 143,6 MB
Art: Front

(4:51)  1. In A Mellow Tone
(4:42)  2. Gee Baby, Ain't I Good to You
(7:00)  3. On the Trail
(8:16)  4. When My Dream Boat Comes Home
(8:04)  5. Ron's Blues
(8:37)  6. For All We Know
(9:14)  7. Blues For Lisa
(5:39)  8. Squatty Roo
(6:02)  9. More I See You

After Oscar Peterson suffered a severe stroke in the spring of 1993, it was feared that he would never again play on a professional level, but two years of intense therapy resulted in the masterful pianist returning to what sounds, on this Telarc CD, like near-prime form. For the all-star date, The More I See You, Peterson tears into seven standards and two blues and outswings all potential competitors. Altoist Benny Carter at 87 sounds like he is 47 (if Carter had retired back in 1940 he would still be a legend), and flugelhornist Clark Terry (here 74) proves to be not only (along with the remarkable 90-year-old Doc Cheatham) the finest trumpeter over 70 but one of the top brassmen of any age. 

The cool-toned guitarist Lorne Lofsky and drummer Lewis Nash are also strong assets while bassist Ray Brown (a year younger than Peterson at a mere 68) displays his typical limitless energy on appealing tunes such as "In a Mellow Tone," "When My Dream Boat Comes Home," and a medium/up-tempo version of "For All We Know." The musicians all play up to their usual high level, making this a joyous comeback album for the great Oscar Peterson. ~ Scott Yanow  http://www.allmusic.com/album/the-more-i-see-you-mw0000174149

Personnel: Oscar Peterson (piano); Benny Carter (alto saxophone); Clark Terry (trumpet, flugelhorn); Lorne Lofsky (guitar); Ray Brown (bass); Lewis Nash (drums).

The More I See You

Marilyn Maye - Meet Marvelous Marilyn Maye

Styles: Vocal
Year: 1965
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 35:57
Size: 83,4 MB
Art: Front

(2:35) 1. Get Me to the Church on Time
(3:27) 2. Misty
(3:25) 3. Washington Square
(3:41) 4. Happiness Is a Thing Called Joe
(3:11) 5. I Love You Today
(3:50) 6. Hello Dolly!
(2:24) 7. Take Five
(2:57) 8. Where Are You
(2:26) 9. Night of My Nights
(2:31) 10. Put on a Happy Face
(3:16) 11. Make Someone Happy
(2:10) 12. The Song Is You

Marilyn Maye is a highly praised singer, actress, director, arranger, educator, a Grammy nominated recording artist and a musical treasure. Her entire life has been committed to the art of song and performance. The award-winning Ms. Maye appeared 76 times on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson - the record for a singer. His usual accolade for her came after one of her show-stopping appearances on The Tonight Show when he turned to his audience of millions, Carson said, “And that, young singers, is the way it's done.”

She was “discovered” by Steve Allen who presented her various times to his national television audience. That led her to an RCA recording contract, seven albums and 34 singles. Her recent CBS Sunday Morning feature with Mo Rocca was an outstanding tribute to her career and talent. She was currently interviewed and sang on “Harry” (Harry Connick Jr.) NBC TV. Her place in American music history was assured when the Arts Council of the Smithsonian Institution selected one of her recordings, “Too Late Now” for the Smithsonian produced album of the 110 Best American Compositions of the Twentieth Century.

Ms. Maye performs many symphony and big-band concerts throughout the United States. In New York her future appearances will be Feinstein's 54 Below for eight nights, New Year's eve plus January 1 thru 5 at Birdland Theater, February 2020, six shows at Jazz at Lincoln Center and she'll celebrate her birthday for eight nights in April at Feinstein's 54 Below. In the Wall Street Journal last year, Will Friedwald wrote, “When going to hear Marilyn Maye, you'll find on one side of the room are the Broadway and cabaret people, who tend to like their singing big and theatrical, with a lot of drama and stage presence.

On the other side is the jazz crowd, who want everything hip and cool and understated, and will split the scene if anything doesn't swing. Ms. Maye is the only pop-song diva working today who can satisfy both crowds at once”. Miss Maye conducts Master Classes and coaches privately in New York and in many United State cities. Sharing the techniques and experiences of her lifelong career brings great joy and inspiration to her. https://www.marilynmaye.com/marilyn-maye-biography.aspx

Meet Marvelous Marilyn Maye

Tuesday, June 7, 2022

Carol Welsman - What'cha Got Cookin'?

Styles: Vocal, And Piano Jazz
Year: 2006
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 61:44
Size: 141,7 MB
Art: Front

(3:22)  1. Hey Good Lookin'
(3:52)  2. Stand by Your Man
(3:57)  3. Everybody's Talkin'
(5:22)  4. It's My Party
(3:37)  5. By the Time I Get to Phoenix
(4:47)  6. Your Cheatin' Heart
(3:33)  7. Just a Little Lovin'
(4:54)  8. Always on My Mind
(6:09)  9. Walkin' After Midnight
(3:43) 10. I Feel Lucky
(3:37) 11. Baby Come Easy
(4:26) 12. Daddy's Little Girl
(5:17) 13. I Can't Stop Lovin' You
(4:59) 14. I'm Walkin' the Floor over You

Although Carol Welsman has moved to the Los Angeles area, she is best known in her native Canada. While frequently identified with smooth jazz, she has also recorded vintage standards and can swing in straight-ahead jazz settings, too. Her father was a big jazz fan with a large record collection, introducing his daughter to jazz. Not only did she hear his records, but from the age of 12 she often accompanied him to concerts, developing a love for the singing of Peggy Lee, Frank Sinatra, and Mel Tormé. Welsman played guitar from the age of ten, accompanying her singing of bossa novas and folk music. She began to perform jazz more in her late teens. Welsman attended the Berklee College of Music during 1980-1981 and studied voice in France with Christiane Legrand. She started the Welcar Music label in Toronto, recording her debut CD, Lucky to Be Me, in 1995. She performed throughout Canada and also worked as a jazz vocal professor at the University of Toronto. 

During 2004-2005 she toured in Japan, Italy, and Brazil in addition to Canada and worked a bit in Los Angeles as a singer/pianist, but Carol Welsman has yet to become well known in the U.S. despite being a household name in Canada. ~ Scott Yanow https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/carol-welsman/id7239327#fullText

Personnel:  Carol Welsman - piano, Fender Rhodes, vocal;  Kevin Axt - bass (acoustic & electric);  Ray Brinker – drums;  Grant Geissman – guitars;  Randy Waldman – keyboards;  Brad Dutz - percussion

What'cha Got Cookin'?

Toots Thielemans - Sophisticated Lady

Styles: Jazz, Post Bop
Year: 2004
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 50:33
Size: 118,3 MB
Art: Front

(5:24) 1. I Just Called to Say I Love You
(3:27) 2. Serenade to Astrid
(4:52) 3. Pela Luz Dos Olhos Teus
(4:47) 4. Sophisticated Lady
(4:59) 5. Out of Nowhere
(3:53) 6. Who Can Sail Without
(3:29) 7. Imagine
(3:56) 8. Denise
(4:08) 9. Old Time Waltz
(4:55) 10. Luz Do Sol
(3:33) 11. Bibbi
(3:05) 12. Nocturne

Toots Thielemans virtually introduced the chromatic harmonica as a jazz instrument. In fact, beginning in the mid-'50s, he never had a close competitor. Thielemans simply played the harmonica with the dexterity of a saxophonist and even successfully traded off with the likes of Oscar Peterson.

Thielemans' first instrument was the accordion, which he started when he was three. Although he started playing the harmonica when he was 17, Thielemans' original reputation was made as a guitarist who was influenced by Django Reinhardt. Very much open to bop, Thielemans played in American GI clubs in Europe, visited the U.S. for the first time in 1947, and shared the bandstand with Charlie Parker at the Paris Jazz Festival of 1949. He toured Europe as a guitarist with the Benny Goodman Sextet in 1950, and the following year moved to the U.S. During 1953-1959, Toots was a member of the George Shearing Quintet (mostly as a guitarist) and freelanced for the remainder of his lengthy career in music.

He first recorded his big hit, "Bluesette" (which featured his expert whistling and guitar) in 1961, and was subsequently in great demand (particularly for his harmonica and his whistling) on pop records (including many dates with Quincy Jones) and as a jazz soloist. Toots' two-volume Brasil Project was popular in the 1990s and found him smoothly interacting on harmonica with top Brazilian musicians. Heard on numerous movie soundtracks (including Breakfast at Tiffany's and Midnight Cowboy) and also on the opening theme of television's Sesame Street, Thielemans received Jazz Master honors from the National Endowment for the Arts in 2009. He died in Belgium in August 2016 at the age of 94.~Scott Yanowhttps://www.allmusic.com/artist/toots-thielemans-mn0000159791/

Sophisticated Lady

Chris Byars - Two Fives

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2015
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 66:01
Size: 152,4 MB
Art: Front

( 5:15)  1. Little India
( 5:02)  2. Taxi Bird
( 4:45)  3. Express
( 8:03)  4. Hello Pork Pie Hat
( 5:47)  5. Berk-Bop
( 8:07)  6. Danny Boy
(10:30)  7. Seabreeze
( 5:20)  8. Soultrane
( 6:15)  9. Lady Linda
( 6:52) 10. Crazeology

A lyrically swinging set from alto saxophonist Chris Byars one that often has his own instrument balanced alongside colorful tones from the guitar of Pasquale Grasso in a way that's angular, but always easygoing! 

The blend is very nice and augmented with additional bass clarinet from Stefano Doglioni and trombone from John Mosca both of whom can come together with ensemble performances that, with a nice bottom sound, often make the album feel richer than the number of players on the date and at other times, they step out singly, but with a tonal range that separates them a bit from the union of Byars and Grasso. The rest of the group features Ari Roland on bass and Stefan Schatz on drums and titles include "Little India", "Taxi Bird", "Seabreeze", "Berk Bop", "Hello Pork Pie Hat", and "Lady Linda". © 1996-2016, Dusty Groove, Inc. https://www.dustygroove.com/item/770016

Personnel:  Chris Byars (alto saxophone) , Stefano Doglioni (bass clarinet) , John Mosca (trombone) , Pasquale Grasso (guitar) , Ari Roland (bass) , Stefan Schatz (drums)

Two Fives