Brent Jensen - More Sounds of a Dry Martini

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2021
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 50:05
Size: 115,6 MB
Art: Front

(6:06) 1. Take Ten
(6:11) 2. Desmond Blue
(5:50) 3. Look for the Silver Lining
(4:55) 4. These Foolish Things
(5:37) 5. Alone Together
(4:20) 6. Three to Get Ready
(4:20) 7. Bossa Antigua
(5:22) 8. Autumn Leaves
(7:20) 9. Just Squeeze Me

Two decades have passed since alto saxophonist Brent Jensen recorded his debut album for Origin Records, Sounds of a Dry Martini: A Tribute to Paul Desmond, in 2001. To Jensen's surprise, the album became so enormously popular that the possibility of a sequel was envisioned. There was, however, one large stumbling block by 2007, Jensen had sold his alto sax and switched to soprano. It was not until 2017, after he had moved to Seattle, Washington, and bought another alto, that the idea of sharing a second Dry Martini moved from the realm of unlikely to plausible.

Fortunately, guitarist Jamie Findlay, Jensen's friend and sidekick on that earlier homage to Desmond, had also moved to Washington state, bringing plausible closer to inevitable. After enlisting a bassist (Chris Symer) and a drummer (two actually Stefan Schatz and John Bishop), the plan to record a second tribute to Dave Brubeck's alter ego took flight in September and October 2020. Jensen chose to open the session with a pair of Desmond's compositions, "Take Ten" and "Desmond Blue," and add a third, "Bossa Antigua," to complement Brubeck's "Three to Get Ready," Duke Ellington's "Just Squeeze Me" and the standards "Look for the Silver Lining," "These Foolish Things," "Alone Together" and "Autumn Leaves."

It is clear from the outset that Jensen's admiration for Desmond is heartfelt, and his endeavor to reproduce the peerless Desmond sound comes perhaps as close as anyone has. On the other hand, there was only one Paul Desmond and, even though the differences between the two may be slight, they are nonetheless apparent, and no one who is familiar with Desmond would confuse Jensen's sound and style, comparable as they may be, with the maestro's. Having said that, it should be noted that anyone who is familiar with Desmond ought to find Jensen's facsimile remarkably perceptive and highly enjoyable. His solos, even though not quite as "dry" and detached as Desmond's, are consistently sharp and engaging, as are Findlay's. The quartets work well together, and everyone swings as earnestly as the playbook requires.

"Autumn Leaves" is especially intriguing, its melody barely perceptible as everyone works overtime to make its natural charms as seductive as possible. Old standbys "Look for the Silver Lining" and "These Foolish Things" are among the other highlights, as is Desmond's melodious "Bossa Antigua." Another Dry Martini is a treat not only for fans of Desmond but for anyone who appreciates the alto sax played with impressive warmth and uncommon intelligence.By Jack Bowers https://www.allaboutjazz.com/more-sounds-of-a-dry-martini-brent-jensen-origin-records

Personnel: Brent Jensen: saxophone, alto; Jamie Findlay: guitar; Chris Symer: bass; Stefan Schatz: drums.

More Sounds of a Dry Martini

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George Coleman Quartet - I Could Write A Book: The Music Of Richard Rogers

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1998
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 59:35
Size: 140,6 MB
Art: Front

(5:14)  1. Falling In Love With Love
(6:20)  2. My Funny Valentine
(6:50)  3. Lover
(5:20)  4. Bewitched
(4:51)  5. I Didn't Know What Time It Was
(6:06)  6. My Favorite Things
(7:57)  7. Have You Met Miss Jones
(3:38)  8. People Will Say We're In Love
(7:11)  9. I Could Write A Book
(3:47) 10. Medley: There's A Small Hotel / Where Or When / The Sweetest Sounds
(2:15) 11. Thou Swell

Inspired by a guest spot in a Carnegie Hall Jazz Band tribute to Rodgers and Hart, Coleman organized an entire album around the theme with a touch of Hammerstein too. It's a mostly mainstream hard bop session, with Coleman's slightly dry, plain-spoken tone on all three of his instruments soprano, alto and tenor lending an appropriately lyrical bend to the collection of well-known Rodgers standards; well, its mostly hard bop, "My Favorite Things" is cast perhaps inevitably in the modal Coltrane mold, with Coleman on soprano for good measure, and once in a great while, Coleman lets fly outside the changes. 

A fine, flexible rhythm section of veterans two fellow Memphis colleagues (pianist Harold Mabern, bassist Jamil Nasser) and one Angeleno drummer (Billy Higgins) sends Coleman on his way in style. As if in tribute to his rhythm section, Coleman sits out "People Will Say We're in Love" entirely and dukes it out with Higgins on a brief "Thou Swell." This is almost an echo of fellow saxman Joe Henderson's successful tribute formula of the early 1990s, although Henderson's CDs were somewhat more emotionally involving than this.~ Richard S.Ginell https://www.allmusic.com/album/i-could-write-a-book-the-music-of-richard-rodgers-mw0000039620

Personnel: Saxophone – George Coleman; Piano – Harold Mabern;  Bass – Jamil Nasser; Drums – Billy Higgins

I Could Write A Book: The Music Of Richard Rogers

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Barney Kessel with Shelly Manne and Ray Brown - The Poll Winners

Styles: Jazz
Year: 1957
Time: 40:42
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Size: 93,2 MB
Art: Front

(3:31) 1. Jordu
(6:34) 2. Satin Doll
(4:28) 3. It Could Happen to You
(6:32) 4. Mean to Me
(4:38) 5. Don't Worry 'bout Me
(4:04) 6. On Green Dolphin Street
(4:25) 7. You Go to My Head
(3:21) 8. Minor Mood
(3:06) 9. Nagasaki

There’s a striking new reissue from Craft Recordings I’m sure many jazz fans and collectors are as excited about as I am: 1957’s The Poll Winners. This LP features three of the greatest jazz musicians of their time (as well as the immediate future) Barney Kessel on guitar backed by Shelly Manne on drums and Ray Brown on bass. From the liner notes, we learn all three of these fine musicians won the three major American jazz popularity polls in 1956 in Down Beat, Metronome, and Playboy magazines.

Understand the album title better now? Long before the Internet was even a glimmer of an idea, reading print publications a.k.a., physical newspapers and magazines was how people learned about new music they might have heard on the radio or in a record store. In the 1950s, there were some significant publications tracking the world of jazz that had a lot of influence on the music world. (Times have changed.)

At any rate, getting these artists together for a recording session was an obvious stroke of opportunistic genius. So popular was this trio, in fact, that they went on to record four more albums in this series. First, some background. The central focus here is, of course, Barney Kessel, one of the all-time great guitarists in jazz history, a fantastic player who crossed many cultural/societal and musical boundaries in his career. He recorded with everyone from Chico Marx and Charlie Parker to Lester Young, Oscar Peterson, and Art Tatum. But Kessel’s career did not end there, and by the early 1960s, he was a much in-demand session player, one of the first-call musicians in that now-beloved aggregation known as The Wrecking Crew. You can hear his work on many pop and rock hits by the likes of Sonny & Cher, The Monkees, The Beach Boys, The Coasters, and Sam Cooke.

Shelly Manne was also one of the go-to session and live players in his day, a regular on the West Coast Jazz scene and a prominent figure at Contemporary Records. They issued many albums with him backing others as well as by his own band (Shelly Manne & His Men). You can hear Shelly on recordings with Stan Getz, Hampton Hawes, Benny Carter, and even on the first Ornette Coleman album. He also worked on many film soundtracks.

Bassist Ray Brown is often remembered for his work with Oscar Peterson and Ella Fitzgerald, but if you poke around in your collection, you’ll probably see his name on many other sessions and liners. He’s played with everyone from Dizzy Gillespie to Steely Dan. (He’s on their second album, July 1973’s Countdown to Ecstasy.) And Brown also put out many albums as a bandleader himself.

So now you have some understanding of who these players are, why they were hot in 1957, and hopefully, with this perspective why they’re still popular enough today to warrant a premium reissue like this new QRP pressing from Craft Recordings.

Before I get to how this sparking new reissue of The Poll Winners sounds compared to my original pressing, I must point out that simply finding a fairly clean original stereo (or mono) copy of this particular album is not an easy task. For example, at the time of this writing, there were six mono and five stereo copies (at best, in VG+ condition) on Discogs selling for upwards of $50. It took me many years and several upgrades along the way to find a fairly decent copy, and even that has its moments of click, ticks, and pops. But I don’t really mind, as the recording is excellent and timeless.

This is probably a good time to mention a bit about Contemporary Records, a label many newer collectors seem to overlook in favoring releases on Blue Note, Impulse, and Prestige. That said, many audiophiles and jazz collectors know Lester Koenig’s Contemporary Records is home to some of the best-sounding recordings of the times, equal to if not exceeding the best platters from Blue Note and Prestige. One of the label’s “secret sauce” ingredients setting them apart was engineer Roy DuNann, who brought a great sense of musicality and fidelity to his work (and I can’t always say this about every Prestige and Blue Note title, as great as the music may be). But pretty much every album on this label I’ve heard sounds great. (Just sayin’)

Another interesting detail about The Poll Winners is it was originally released at the dawn of stereo recordings. Initially issued in 1957 in mono on the Contemporary Records branded label (which was bright yellow), it was issued in stereo in 1958 on a new and short-lived subsidiary label non-ironically titled “Stereo Records.” Eventually, the Stereo Records label went away and just became a black label Contemporary Records variation, but for that year or so, it was a thing. They issued quite a number of well-recorded albums, mostly in the jazz realm. However, they did issue some classical albums, and I see on Discogs they even issued some 45rpm singles. Talk about being ahead of their time, issuing stereo singles. . .

But now, back to the reviewing. I’m sure by now, you’re wondering how The Poll Winners album sounds and compares to my original. In short, it is pretty fantastic. The Poll Winners is generally a great-sounding recording to begin with, and some of you might even want to consider using this as a demo disc with its simple but sweet stereo soundstage. This recording is a classic West Coast jazz trio setting, with these sensitive players performing swinging versions of now-classics like “Satin Doll,” “On Green Dolphin Street,” and “Mean to Me.”

However, some of that dynamic might have been pulled back on the low end a bit, so as to not cause mistracking on average turntables of the period. Thus, the new edition is much bigger-sounding in many ways, notably on the low end. Ray Brown’s bass here is richer and rounder than on my original. The high end on my original is a wee bit better, but that isn’t surprising if you understand the nature of magnetic tape it deteriorates over time, losing bits of information with every pass of the tape. I’m no doubt splitting hairs as the new edition sounds excellent, all things considered. And I think that, at the end of the day, I’d rather have richer, rounder lows and mids than worry about a slightly brighter high end.

Kudos to Bernie Grundman for his fine finesse on this all-analog mastering from the master tapes. The 180g black vinyl Contemporary Records Acoustic Sounds Series pressing from QRP is well-centered, dead-quiet, and, ultimately, musically invisible. All these factors are easily checked off my list.

In fact, I was so pleased with the reissue that I was almost prepared to purge my original. But then I noticed one little physical incongruity that makes the completist collector in me want to hold onto my old copy namely, the cover and the label designs are a smidge different!

The album designs are pretty much identical, but if you look closely, you’ll see they had to invoke some production alchemy on the title text over in order to make room for the longer album ID number there. It’s really quite clever what they did, as it is easy to overlook. The label design is period-accurate and similar to my original “deep groove” version, but it too shows some variance. If you care about that sort of “OG” minutiae [I do! MM], do take note.

I’m more than happy to keep my original as a reference copy, but will likely play the new Craft Recordings issue from here out for regular listening. And that’s the best compliment I can offer: I’ve enjoyed listening to this fine reissue of The Poll Winners featuring Barney Kessel, Shelly Manne, and Ray Brown. I suspect you will too.
https://www.analogplanet.com/content/poll-winners-win-again-barney-kessel-shelly-manne-and-ray-brown-score-craft-recordings-qrp

Barney Kessel with Shelly Manne and Ray Brown - The Poll Winners

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Fred Hersch - Solo

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2015
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 60:39
Size: 140,5 MB
Art: Front

(12:39)  1. Olha Maria - O Grande Amor
( 7:42)  2. Caravan
( 8:50)  3. Pastorale
( 7:57)  4. Whirl
( 7:54)  5. The Song Is You
( 7:30)  6. In Walked Bud
( 8:04)  7. Both Sides Now

Pianist Fred Hersch is celebrating his sixtieth birthday year in style, with a week of performances at the legendary Village Vanguard, his debuts at the Newport Jazz Festival and Jazz at Lincoln Center, and the release of Fred Hersch Solo. The achievement of surviving six decades is noteworthy, poignant and auspicious considering Hersch's near-communion with death in 2008, when he was placed in a medically-induced coma for 40 days as part of a fight against HIV-induced dementia. But Hersch survived, and has come back with an artistic zest, releasing since that medical crisis six excellent sets, in trio, duo or solo. Fred Hersch Solo is as graceful and beautiful set as any he has done since his recovery, a post 2008 discography that begins with Fred Hersch Plays Jobim (Palmetto, 2009), and rolls through to 2014's Floating (Palmetto), and visits in between one of his finest trio outings, Whirl (Palmetto, 2010).  Fred Hersch Solo is a set that puts the pianist's technical expertise front and center. His is an approach rich in emotion, with a nimble delicacy of touch. The set opens with a floating medley of Antonio Carlos Jobim's "Olha Maria" and "O Grand Amour," a Brazilian journey that drifts in the beginning then gains strength and sense of urgency. Hersch takes the familiar "Caravan" into quirky and unfamiliar territory, and lays down a gorgeously stately homage to Robert Schumann on "Pastorale." Thelonious Monk's "In Walked Bud" is an ebullient romp, and Joni Mitchell's "Both Sides Now" sounds as if it drifted up out of a prayer book. The "sound" of the music, recorded in a Catskills church, is warm and resonant, with a reverential tint, and Hersch, with now ten solo recordings in his discography, is in splendid form. Another jewel of a post-coma recording Fred Hersch.~ Dan McClenaghan https://www.allaboutjazz.com/fred-hersch-solo-fred-hersch-palmetto-records-review-by-dan-mcclenaghan.php

Personnel: Fred Hersch: piano

Solo

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Keith Jarrett - Bordeaux Concert (Live)

Styles: Piano Jazz

Year: 2022  
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 71:26
Size: 163,7 MB
Art: Front

(12:18) 1. Part I (Live)
( 4:18) 2. Part II (Live)
( 4:04) 3. Part III (Live)
( 7:18) 4. Part IV (Live)
( 5:47) 5. Part V (Live)
( 3:58) 6. Part VI (Live)
( 6:59) 7. Part VII (Live)
( 5:17) 8. Part VIII (Live)
( 4:15) 9. Part IX (Live)
( 2:25) 10. Part X (Live)
( 5:40) 11. Part XI (Live)
( 5:01) 12. Part XII (Live)
( 4:00) 13. Part XIII (Live)

Like so much of his renowned canon including Köln Concert, Bremen-Lausanne, La Scala, A Multitude of Angels (ECM, 1975, 1973, 1997, 2016) Bordeaux Concert feels like it has always been there. In the air, in the heart, in the quiet turnings of a world at large. Just waiting for one to encounter it and come to the greater understanding of just how beautiful, how peaceful, this life can be.

Communicative on every level, Bordeaux Concert places the listener front row center, concerned only on Jarrett and his muse at the moment he took to the L'Auditorium in Bordeaux stage on July 6, 2016. The lights go down and Jarrett, especially possessed this night by the silent imaginings with which he has transfixed and transported audiences since day one, creates an all encompassing, stunningly fluent, hauntingly lyrical thirteen-part suite.

Coming as it does between the assured exhilaration of Munich 2016 (ECM, 2019) and the textural heartiness of Budapest Concert (ECM, 2020) this night holds its own as Jarrett delves deeper into his own curious spirit without exploring the two or three standards that had become part of his repertoire since the late 1990s. But he does wax nostalgic on the insightful rumination "Part III," examining the total breadth and scope of his seemingly endless creativity. Emerging gently, it serves both as a summation and a beginning, evolving into its own abiding standard. The rolling arpeggios of "Part IV," the bluesy connotations of "Part VIII," the expansive wit and restraint of "Part VII," and the majestic classicism of "Part XIII," just make Bordeaux Concert a remarkable listen.
By Mike Jurkovic https://www.allaboutjazz.com/bordeaux-concert-keith-jarrett-ecm-records

Personnel: Keith Jarrett: piano.

Bordeaux Concert (Live)

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Martial Solal - Coming Yesterday [Live at Salle Gaveau 2019]

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2021
Time: 66:17
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Size: 152,3 MB
Art: Front

( 6:55) 1. I Can't Get Started (Live)
(11:40) 2. Coming Yesterday (Live)
( 7:05) 3. Medley Ellington (Live)
( 4:36) 4. Sir Jack (Live)
( 6:38) 5. Tea for Two (Live)
( 4:35) 6. Happy Birthday (Live)
( 9:25) 7. Lover Man (Live)
( 4:54) 8. I'll Remember April (Live)
( 5:59) 9. My Funny Valentine (Live)
( 4:26) 10. Have You Met Miss Jones (Live)

In 2010, a British writer travelled to Paris to interview the pianist Martial Solal. The address he had been given was in the affluent suburb Chatou. On arrival, Solal's house struck the writer as something quite unlike the home of any other jazz musician he had ever visited, an haute bourgeoisie villa surrounded by an ornamental garden full of mature trees, the whole surrounded by a high metal fence. The French take their artists seriously and, on the evidence of this house, thought the writer, appeared to reward even jazz musicians generously. Others before him had probably been similarly surprised. "Jean-Luc Godard can be thanked for this," said Solal with a smile, referring to the film director who commissioned him to write the soundtrack for his 1960 arthouse classic A Bout De Souffle (aka Breathless).

Solal, who in 2010, aged eighty-two years, was still receiving royalties from Godard's movie, went on to say that being offered the commission had been for him like winning the lottery, for at the time he was the modestly paid house-pianist at the St Germain des Prés jazz club, living a life as financially precarious as any lower-rung jazz musician anywhere in the world. As singular and asymmetrical a pianist and composer as, say, Thelonious Monk, Solal had no expectations of ever having money in the bank, much less an upmarket home in Chatou. The ongoing income from A Bout De Souffle helped him to continue to put artistic integrity before commercial considerations. For which jazz lovers can be as grateful as he was.

Coming Yesterday Live At Salle Gaveau 2019 is, says Solal in 2021, his final album. He did not know it would be that at the time, imagining instead that it might be the start of a new trajectory in which he would concentrate on standards, eight of which he transforms on this album (the other two tracks, "Coming Yesterday" and "Sir Jack," are originals). But, now aged ninety-three years, Solal has decided to retire while he is still ahead. The album is an elegant and idiosyncratic valedictory in which "Lover Man," "My Funny Valentine" and "Have You Met Miss Jones" are among the tunes given treatments as fresh as the day they left their composers' hands. Solal even succeeds in making "Happy Birthday" sound interesting and unusual for four and a half minutes. Bon voyage, maestro. Enjoy your retirement.
https://www.allaboutjazz.com/coming-yesterday-and-151live-at-salle-gaveau-2019-martial-solal-challenge-records

Personnel: Martial Solal: piano.

Coming Yesterday [Live at Salle Gaveau 2019]

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Ulysses Owens Jr. Big Band - Soul Conversations

Styles: Instrumental Jazz
Year: 2021
Time: 72:48
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Size: 167,5 MB
Art: Front

(8:53) 1. Two Bass Hit
(5:59) 2. London Towne
(8:37) 3. Beardom X
(7:29) 4. Red Chair
(6:32) 5. Giant Steps
(5:51) 6. Language of Flowers
(8:20) 7. Human Nature
(4:46) 8. Girl Talk
(9:44) 9. Harlem Harlem Harlem
(6:33) 10. Soul Conversations

Drummer Ulysses Owens, Jr.'s Big Band comes out swinging on its debut recording, Soul Conversations, thundering through Michael Dease's incendiary arrangement of the Dizzy Gillespie/John Lewis flame-thrower, "Two Bass Hit." For more such heat, however, the listener must move forward to Track 5, John Coltrane's impulsive "Giant Steps," thence to Track 9 for Charles Turner III's earnest homage to "Harlem Harlem Harlem," on which he doubles as vocalist.

That's not to say that everything in between is less than pleasing, only more sedate. That includes a trio of charts by Owens ("Beardom X," "Red Chair," "Soul Conversations"), trumpeter Benny Benack III's sunny "London Towne," bassist Yasushi Nakamura's shapely ballad, "Language of Flowers," John Bettis/Steve Porcaro's multi-layered "Human Nature" (featuring guest vibraphonist Stefon Harris, as does "London Towne") and Neal Hefti's shopworn and patronizing "Girl Talk." Dependable as they are, one senses that the band is capable of more, but as Owens chose the material that must have been his purpose, and the outcome should be weighed on that basis.

Another aspect that must be considered is the circumstance under which the album was recorded: in concert at Dizzy's Club Coca Cola in New York. While that usually poses no problem, in this case the color and balance do the band no favors. The sound isn't for the most part displeasing; on the other hand, as with the choice of material, the over-all impression is that it could have been better. An accent here, a blemish there it all adds up to a sonic cushion that may be tolerable but is at times less than supportive.

There is no doubting, however, the band's aptitude or enthusiasm. There's an abundance of musical talent in New York, and Owens has stocked the band with proven heavyweights, a benefit that is readily apparent from the outset. "Two Bass Hit" could have set the tone, with spirited blowing by the ensemble and vigorous solos by tenor Diego Rivera, bass trombonist Wyatt Forhan, trumpeter Walter Cano, trombonist Dease, baritone Andrew Gutauskas and Owens himself, but the leader chose another route, moderating the pace and ardor considerably on "London Towne," "Beardom X" and "Red Chair" before re-engaging the accelerator on "Giant Steps," wherein Rivera and tenor Daniel Dickinson trade sturdy blows before Owens and trumpeter Giveton Gelin add earnest solos.

Alto Alexa Tarantino is showcased on "Language of Flowers," Gelin on "Girl Talk," and there are admirable solos elsewhere by Benack, trombonist Eric Miller, alto Erena Terakubo and trumpeter Summer Camargo (muted on "Harlem"). It's a sometimes choppy maiden voyage but one whose strengths far outnumber its weaknesses. Recommended for the exuberant flag-wavers, first-rate solos and sizeable number of impressive moments on the less-than-emphatic numbers.
https://www.allaboutjazz.com/soul-conversations-ulysses-owens-jr-big-band-outside-in-music

Personnel: Ulysses Owens, Jr.: drums; Walter Cano: trumpet; Benny Benack III: trumpet; Summer Camargo: trumpet; Giveton Gelin: trumpet; Alexa Tarantino: saxophone, alto; Erena Terakubo: saxophone, alto; Diego Rivera: saxophone; Daniel Dickinson: saxophone; Andrew Gutauskas: saxophone, baritone; Michael Dease: trombone; Eric Miller: trombone; Gina Benalcazar: trombone; Wyatt Forhan: trombone, bass; Stefon Harris: vibraphone; Takeshi Ohbayashi: piano; Yasushi Nakamura: bass; Charles Turner III: voice / vocals.

Soul Conversations

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Carmen Lundy - Fade To Black

Styles: Vocal
Time: 56:42
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Size: 130,8 MB
Art: Front

(8:06) 1. Shine a Light
(3:31) 2. So Amazing
(5:39) 3. Daughter of the Universe
(3:19) 4. Ain't I Human
(5:19) 5. Lonesome Blue Butterfly
(4:41) 6. Spell of Romance
(7:15) 7. Say Her Name
(5:21) 8. Transition (To A Promised Land)
(3:49) 9. Privacy
(5:51) 10. Reverence
(3:45) 11. Rest In Peace

Fade To Black is Carmen Lundy’s 16th album and one of her most personal to date. Grammy® Nominated for her previous album Modern Ancestors, these 11 original songs, written and arranged by Carmen Lundy, were conceived during the challenging months of the pandemic and reflect this time of great loss, sorrow, healing, and hope for a brighter, more inclusive future for us all. Tackling the difficult social issues of our time while also musing on the joys of love and relationships, this stunning set of songs takes us on an emotional journey that culminates in the extraordinary hymn-like ballad titled “Rest In Peace”.

Carmen Lundy explains, “I approached the writing of this work from being in this moment in time not necessarily looking back, but observant of the times we live in NOW. Traditional Jazz composition involves understanding its evolution and the spirit of improvisation. In this complete oeuvre, I wanted to explore different approaches to harmonic progressions, extended forms, and subtle rhythmic concepts while providing plenty of space for the lyrics and melodies to sing and tell stories without necessarily feeling the need to represent preconceived ideas about vocal jazz, harmonies and rhythms.” This project was funded in part by a New Jazz Works grant from Chamber Music America (CMA). All songs written and arranged by Carmen Lundy (Carmen Lundy Publishing/BMI).
https://carmenlundy.com/product/fade-to-black/

Personnel: Carmen Lundy: vocals, keyboards, guitar, percussion, horn arrangements, backing vocals. Julius Rodriguez: piano. Matthew Whitaker: organ, keyboards, string arrangements, programming. Kenny Davis: acoustic bass, electric bass. Curtis Lundy: acoustic bass. Terreon Gully: drums. Andrew Renfroe: guitar. Wallace Roney Jr.: trumpet. Giveton Gelin: trumpet. Camille Thurman: tenor saxophone. Morgan Guerin: tenor saxophone.

Fade To Black

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Muriel Grossmann - Quiet Earth

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2020
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 40:17
Size: 92,8 MB
Art: Front

(11:05) 1. Wien
( 9:09) 2. African Call
( 8:34) 3. Peaceful River
(11:28) 4. Quiet Earth

Anyone familiar with Tibetan Buddhism will know that once their spiritual leader or Dalai Lama dies, officials set off in search of his reincarnation, interviewing and examining potential postulants. Listening to Quiet Earth by Austrian saxophonist Muriel Grossmann one cannot help but ask if she might be the reincarnation or avatar of the late John Coltrane. Certainly that is one heavy label to place upon Grossmann but, a few minutes into the opener "Wien," and there is little doubt this artist has the proper bona fides.

The composition carries that A Love Supreme (Impulse!, 1965) vibe with a reverence for the ethereal. She is backed by her longtime collaborators, guitarist Radomir Milojkovic, bassist Gina Schwarz, and drummer Uros Stamenkovic, plus organist Llorenc Barcelo who came aboard for the previous release Reverence (2019). Both recordings are available as CDs from Dreamlandrecords or as 200 gram LPs from RR GEMS. "Wien" doesn't parrot that Coltrane masterpiece, it expands upon the concept with Barceló's organ pointing towards the spiritual jazz of Larry Young, and Milojkovic's guitar chewing on some Delta blues.

Like every succession of the Dalai Lama, Grossmann's music carries not just the previous incarnation but also its lineage. "African Call" travels back to the roots of jazz to its motherland, Stamenkovic and Schwarz laying down the rhythms that fuelled the birth of blues, jazz, and rock. If one need more proof of Grossmann's incarnation, "Peaceful River" first finds her on soprano before swapping to tenor saxophone, as its Gospel blues expands into a kind of awakened devotional music where Stamenkovic works his ride cymbal very much in the manner of Elvin Jones. The title track opens with Grossmann drawing first from Ornette Coleman's sound before returning to the Coltrane spirit with her soprano saxophone. Her quartet blossoms with sleek solos by Milojkovic and Barceló before a brief saxophone, bass and drums improvisation acts as a kind of coming attractions preview. By Mark Corroto https://www.allaboutjazz.com/quiet-earth-muriel-grossman-rr-gems-dreamlandrecords

Personnel: Muriel Grossmann: saxophone; Radomir Milojkovic: guitar, electric; Gina Schwarz: bass; Uros Stamenkovic: drums; Llorenc Barcelo: organ, Hammond B3.

Quiet Earth

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Peggy Connelly - Hollywood Sessions

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2018
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 46:56
Size: 108,4 MB
Art: Front

(3:03)  1. You Make Me Feel So Young
(2:42)  2. Trouble Is a Man
(3:08)  3. Where Did the Gentleman Go
(2:26)  4. I Have Said Goodbye to Spring
(2:54)  5. What Is There to Say
(2:30)  6. Trav'lin' Light
(3:18)  7. Ev'rytime We Say Goodbye
(3:17)  8. Alone Together
(2:42)  9. I Got Plenty o' Nuttin'
(2:25) 10. Fools Rush In
(2:10) 11. Ev'rytime
(2:47) 12. Gentleman Friend
(4:27) 13. It Never Entered My Mind
(2:59) 14. Why Shouldn't I
(3:14) 15. That Old Black Magic
(2:45) 16. He Was Too Good to Me

By the time she was 15, Peggy Connelly (1931-2007) had a lovely voice that won her jobs singing with competitive big bands in her hometown of Fort Worth, Texas. At 18, she went in search of work as a model and singer, and after a difficult start, she moved to Hollywood. Once there, she landed two significant opportunities. The first involved her appearance in motion pictures and TV shows. The second and more important opportunity was the start of her career as a single recording artist. When she sang, Connelly put to good use her beautiful, round tone and commendable lack of artifice to project the intent of any song with lucidity. She was Frank Sinatra’s girlfriend for over two years, and their relationship opened many doors for her with musicians and the Hollywood studios. Even though Connelly had few significant opportunities in her career to show off her talent as a singer, the times she did resulted in these magnificent recordings. Sinatra, not very fond of praising his colleagues, had no qualms about praising Connelly. When he first heard her sing Ev’ry Time We Say Goodbye, he said: “Hi, beautiful lady, you are wonderful.” https://www.freshsoundrecords.com/peggy-connelly/6707-hollywood-sessions.html

Personnel:  Peggy Connelly (vcl), Marty Paich, Russell Garcia (dir), Conte Candoli, Pete Candoli, Stu Williamson (tp), Russ Cheever (ss), Charlie Mariano (as), Bill Holman (ts), Jimmy Giuffre (bs), Al Hendrickson (g), Jimmy Rowles (p), Harry Babasin, Max Bennett (b), Roy Harte, Stan Levey (d), Jack Costanzo, Ramón Rivera, Willy Gallardo (perc)

Hollywood Sessions

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Joey DeFrancesco - Joey DeFrancesco Plays Sinatra His Way

Styles: Hard Bop, Soul Jazz
Year: 2004
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 53:25
Size: 122,9 MB
Art: Front

(5:38) 1. I Get a Kick out of You
(5:58) 2. Teach Me Tonight
(5:23) 3. Pennies from Heaven
(6:47) 4. What's New
(6:05) 5. Witchcraft
(5:37) 6. What Now My Love
(6:21) 7. Don't Worry 'Bout Me
(5:22) 8. Falling in Love with Love
(6:09) 9. Angel Eyes

Although he’s been on the Concord label for several years now, it seems that the well spring of material that Joey DeFrancesco cut for Joe Fields’ HighNote imprimatur continues to be harvested with the latest offering being this 1998 session recorded in 24-bit digital splendor by the legendary Rudy Van Gelder. Don’t look for the title on this one to provide much more than a unifying element for the tunes included, which just happen to be numbers that ‘Ol’ Blue Eyes’ recorded at some point during the span of his career. Known to vocalize somewhat himself, DeFrancesco does no singing here either. The emphasis is on the type of hard swinging groove music that has always been this organist’s main form of expression.

In the company of Houston Person (who led DeFrancesco to the Muse label many years ago), guitarist Melvin Sparks, and longtime drummer Byron Landham, our leading man delivers nine selections that all clock in at around the five to six minute length. With its clever opening vamp, “Pennies From Heaven” finds DeFrancesco at his boppish best, with Sparks weighing in with his own juicy chords in support (as well as a solo that includes a clever “shave and a hair cut” quote to boot). At the start of his career I happened to interview Joey and he commented on how much he dug the bass lines of Groove Holmes. That he’s developed his own way with those foot pedals is clear on this performance alone.

There’s really no need to analyze each individual track here, as anyone even remotely familiar with DeFrancesco will be aware of his mastery of the mighty B-3. Van Gelder’s sound job brings Joey and the guys right into your living room. This no frills affair may be short on the revolutionary, but it will surely please fans of DeFrancesco, Person, and Sparks.
By C. Andrew Hovan https://www.allaboutjazz.com/plays-sinatra-his-way-joey-defrancesco-review-by-c-andrew-hovan

Personnel: Joey DeFrancesco (organ), Houston Person (tenor sax), Melvin Sparks (guitar), Byron Landham (drums)

Joey DeFrancesco Plays Sinatra His Way

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Judith Owen - Come On & Get It

Styles: Vocal And Piano Jazz
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 51:09
Size: 127,7 MB
Art: Front

(3:28) 1. Blossom's Blues
(2:52) 2. Satchel Mouth Baby
(3:37) 3. The Spinach Song
(2:55) 4. Tess's Torch Song
(5:57) 5. He's a Tramp
(3:52) 6. He's a Real Gone Guy
(3:03) 7. Big Long Slidin' Thing
(3:16) 8. Fine Brown Frame
(2:47) 9. Everything I've Got Belongs to You
(4:12) 10. Come on & Get It, Honey
(4:57) 11. Nice Girls Don't Stay for Breakfast
(3:28) 12. Why Don't You Do Right?
(3:03) 13. Snatch & Grab It
(3:36) 14. Long John Blues

Welsh singer-pianist Judith Owen now lives in New Orleans. She’s recorded and toured with Richard Thompson and she supported Bryan Ferry during his UK tour.

Owen became intrigued as a young girl by the risqué lyrics of female vocalists after finding records by Nellie Lutcher and Julia Lee that had been hidden by her father. Come On & Get It (Owen’s 13th album) celebrates these and kindred singers like Dinah Washington and Blossom Dearie who delivered similarly suggestive songs in the 40s and 50s. One of them, Julie London’s Nice Girls Don’t Stay For Breakfast, was actually first recorded in 1967, but no one’s complaining.

In keeping with the spirit of things, just as Julia Lee’s band was called “Her Boyfriends”, Owen refers to hers as “Her Gentlemen Callers”. On cornet is Kevin Louis who’s played with Jimmy Heath, Carmen Lundy and Gary Bartz amongst others. His splendid accompaniments are much in the manner of John Chilton’s trumpet playing with that other salty songster, George Melly. The excellent David Torkanowsky (Cyrille Aimée) is on piano; Lex Warshawsky (Cyrille Aimée and Adonis Rose) is on bass and in-demand Pedro Segundo (Ronnie Scott’s All Stars, Dennis Rollins and Kansas Smitty) is on drums. For a taste, try this: Blossom’s Blues.

Every song on the album is a gem delivered with crystal clear intonation by Owen and superb musicianship from the band. There are guest artists along the way who I understand to include 89-year-old Preservation Hall Jazz Band reedsman Charlie Gabriel, Donald Harrison Jr, Jason Marsalis, Nicholas Payton, Evan Christopher and saxophonist Ricardo Pascal. I think they mostly feature in the recording’s three big-band numbers and there’s great saxophone playing on some of the tracks but unfortunately there’s a lack of detail about any of the artists on the promotional CD that I received. Perhaps more information will be on the commercially available issue. Either way, it’s a smashing album and highly recommended.https://jazzjournal.co.uk/2022/10/04/judith-owen-come-on-get-it/

Come On & Get It

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Dmitry Baevsky - Soundtrack

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2021
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 65:38
Size: 150,6 MB
Art: Front

(4:46) 1. Evening Song
(3:58) 2. Vamos Nessa
(5:17) 3. Baltiyskaya
(5:22) 4. Grand Street
(4:30) 5. The Jody Grind
(5:27) 6. La Chanson De Maxence
(4:02) 7. Over and Out
(4:29) 8. Le Coiffeur
(3:47) 9. Invisible
(6:51) 10. Autumn in New York
(5:37) 11. Stranger in Paradise
(6:16) 12. Tranquility
(5:11) 13. Afternoon in Paris

A collection of songs, some of which are likely to be included in aficionados' play lists; interpretations that don't stray very far off the beaten path; and a band of players who share a vision of how the material should be handled. It's the recipe for many recordingspast, present and future within the mainstream of jazz. So, why does alto saxophonist Dmitry Baevsky's Soundtrack, an entry that readily fits this pattern, stand out from the crowd?

In Baevsky's scheme the melodies of popular songs from the 20th century, such as "La Chanson de Maxence" (AKA, "You Must Believe in Spring"), and "Stranger in Paradise," are worthy of special consideration. Though he possesses a jazz musician's proclivity for reconfiguring a melodic line, oftentimes minimal modifications are sufficient to put the song across. Two consecutive trips through "Evening Song" sound as if Baevsky is encouraging the listener to savor the differences. The often covered "Autumn in New York" succeeds on account of his deft blend of the melody and bop-influenced enhancements.

The same attention to detail applies to Baevsky's treatments of an array of tunes by venerable jazz musicians: Sonny Rollins' "Grand Street," Horace Silver's "The Jody Grind," Dexter Gordon's "Le Coiffeur," Ornette Coleman's "Invisible," Ahmad Jamal's "Tranquility" and John Lewis' "Afternoon in Paris." One distinguishing characteristic of Baevsky's approach to the jazz material (as well as the popular songs) is his regard for dynamics. In contrast to many contemporary saxophonists who sound as if they're demanding to be heard, he's more likely to come way down in volume then to roar, bark or bellow. For instance, the first time around "Grand Street" sounds as if Baevsky is revealing a soulful secret. Joined to his sensitivity to dynamics is the capacity to sound at one with the band on the heads. The music is all the better for his willingness to forsake being the center of attention. A couple of prime examples are "The Jody Grind" and "Tranquility."

"Evening Song" and "Afternoon in Paris," the tracks that bookend the record, best represent Baevsky's virtues as a soloist. The three choruses on "Evening Song" gradually move away from the haunting melody, as he leans into the medium tempo pulse, fashions edgy, well-proportioned lines, and integrates the sprinting runs that are an essential feature of his style. A rendering of "Afternoon in Paris" with only bass and drums displays a more adventuresome disposition. While the solo ultimately remains on solid ground, Baevsky scatters pithy comments throughout and, as if harnessing all his strength, reaches a startling climax at the beginning of the second chorus.

For all Baevsky's capabilities as a song interpreter and improviser, a considerable amount of the success of Soundtrack is due to the contributions of a first-rate band comprised of pianist Jeb Patton, bassist David Wong and drummer Pete Van Nostrand. Their united approach to "The Jody Grind" feels like a deeply grooving assembly of component parts. The breezy Latin quality they bring to "Le Coiffeur" amounts to an invitation to dance. The amiable, medium tempo swing of "La Chanson De Maxence" advances without any signs of stress or strife. Van Nostrand epitomizes good timekeeping, precise sticking, tasteful fills, as well as his placing strokes slightly beneath the bass line. Patton's perceptive accompaniment buoys the ensemble without taking up too much space. Wong's firm, muscular lines make a deep impression while working in tandem with Van Nostrand. Soundtrack is Baevsky's most accomplished recording to date, a sophisticated, invigorating piece of work that makes one look forward to his future endeavors.By David A. Orthmann https://www.allaboutjazz.com/soundtrack-dmitry-baevsky-fresh-sound-records

Personnel: Dmitry Baevsky: saxophone, alto; Jeb Patton: piano; David Wong: bass; Pete Van Nostrand: drums.

Soundtrack

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Jacqui Dankworth - For All We Know

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2000
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 48:21
Size: 111,2 MB
Art: Front

(2:57)  1. Nobody's Fault But Mine
(3:11)  2. Song
(4:54)  3. Mad Song
(4:21)  4. And Did Those Feet in Ancient Time
(5:30)  5. It Might as Well Be Spring
(4:00)  6. Rose Girl
(4:10)  7. If I Were a Bell
(5:33)  8. So Many Stars
(4:13)  9. Love Is Here to Stay
(3:57) 10. Sitting on Top of the World
(5:30) 11. For All We Know

English vocalist Jacqueline Dankworth has teamed with her regular pianist James Pearson for a live performance of a well-selected program of standards, originals and traditional songs. Although For all We Know is her debut as a soloist, Dankworth is by no means a novice entertainer. She has appeared in London's West End theatres in musical productions, was featured with the BBC Orchestra in a program of newly arranged Gershwin material, stinted with her brother Alec Dankworth, (not John), as a jazz singer and is a seasoned traveler, having worked from Hawaii to Hong Kong with stops in Indonesia and New Zealand. For the last couple of years, she has had her own pop group, Field of Blues. Dankworth brings her performing diversity to this album which rebuffs efforts to categorize her. Suffice it to say, she has perfect pitch, excellent diction and phrasing. Her voice is lighter than one usually hears in contemporary jazz singers (more like a folk singer of yore), and has an airy, ethereal feeling. 

She helps to dispel the notion that to be passionate and emotional, the singer must be loud, as she shapes each song with her own special charisma. Compare, for example, the relatively somber Nina Simone penned "Nobody's Fault but Mine" with the carefree "If I Were a Bell." The latter, by the way, highlights the piano of James Pearson, who also can be contemplative in a classical music sort of way. Celestial qualities are brought to the forefront coming through soft and clear on "So Many Stars." Risk taker that she is, Dankworth extracts words from Dyonysis Sophistes putting a contemporary twist to them in "Rose Girl. 

She has been down this artistic road before having put the poetry of A. E. Houseman in a jazz setting with the New Perspectives Ensemble. Unfortunately, Dankworth's softness works against her as either bad mike placement, bad mixing or some other technical problem results in having Pearson's piano overwhelm Dankworth to the point where it is almost inaudible on some tracks. But this is a good album anyway. ~ Dave Nathan http://www.allmusic.com/album/for-all-we-know-mw0000622214

For All We Know

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Paul Smith - Cool And Sparkling

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1956/2021
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 35:47
Size: 81,9 MB
Art: Front

(3:20) 1. I Remember You
(2:57) 2. Kempy The Painter
(3:50) 3. A Young Man's Fancy
(2:28) 4. Dandy Randy
(3:32) 5. Alone Together
(2:39) 6. The Grump
(2:25) 7. You And The Night And The Music
(3:32) 8. I'll Take Romance
(2:08) 9. Little Evil
(4:18) 10. Can't Help Lovin' Dat Man
(1:55) 11. Murphy's Light
(2:38) 12. Have You Met Miss Jones

While its title and cover certainly suggest a record firmly in the bachelor pad/lounge music camp, Cool and Sparkling: The Liquid Sounds of Paul Smith nevertheless boasts a melodic ingenuity and technical emphasis that reward deeper listening. What keyboardist Smith dubs "liquid sound" is in fact a space-age pop precursor to soul-jazz, with an energy and groove all its own.

Aided by clarinetist Abe Most, guitarist Tony Rizzi, and bassist Sam Cheifitz, Smith is too good a player and too clever a composer to settle for mere background music structure is as important here as sound, and while Cool and Sparkling blends effortlessly with its surroundings, it never sacrifices substance for style. By Jason Ankeny https://www.allmusic.com/album/cool-and-sparkling-mw0000520186

Personnel: Paul Smith - Piano; Sam Cheifitz - Bass; Tony Rizzi - Guitar; Ronnie Lang - Sax; Julie Kinsler - Flute; Irving Cottler - Drums.

Cool And Sparkling

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Boney James - Detour

Styles: Smooth Jazz
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 40:35
Size: 93,9 MB
Art: Front

(4:08) 1. Detour
(3:36) 2. Bring It Back
(3:53) 3. Sway
(4:07) 4. Memphis
(4:05) 5. Tribute
(3:40) 6. Coastin’ (feat. Lalah Hathway)
(3:53) 7. The Loop
(4:34) 8. Northern Lights
(3:47) 9. Intention
(4:47) 10. Blur

Four-time GRAMMY nominee, multiplatinum-selling saxophonist Boney James' new album, Detour, marks his 18th release as a leader. Following the success of his 2020 album, Solid (#1 Billboard Contemporary Jazz Chart, #10 Billboard Top Albums Chart), Boney's new record showcases 10 original tracks including "Coastin'" featuring iconic vocalist Lalah Hathaway. Also featured is trumpeter Dontae Winslow, known for his work with the West Coast Get Down.

The new 10-song collection is a subtle stylistic turn that builds on the commercial success of 2020’s Solid, James’ highest charting release ever on the pop charts, peaking in the Top 10 on the Billboard 200.

Featuring vocals from 5-time Grammy winner Lalah Hathway, Detour was recorded largely at Boney’s L.A. home studio (live drums and percussion were tracked at venerable Sunset Sound). The album was produced by Boney with co-production from in-demand writer/producer, Jairus “J-Mo” Mozee (Anderson.Paak, Nicki Minaj, Anthony Hamilton) among others. Additional musicians on the album are keyboardist Tim Carmon (Eric Clapton), longtime drummer Omari Williams and bassist Alex Al, renowned percussionist Lenny Castro and guitarists Big Mike Hart and Paul Jackson Jr.

During his 30-year career, Boney James has released a staggering 18 studio albums – including a pair of Christmas records -with 1995’s Seduction, 1997’s Sweet Thing and 1999’s Body Language all RIAA certified gold. In 2015, Boney’s futuresoul spent 11 weeks atop the Billboard Contemporary Jazz Chart and was the best-selling Contemporary Jazz Record of 2015. Boney has earned four Grammy nominations (“I’m not gonna lie… I’d still love a statue,” he says), two NAACP Image Award nominations and a Soul Train Award, while a dozen of his albums have landed at #1 on Billboard’s Contemporary Jazz Album chart. His collaborators in the past include a Who’s Who of R&B and soul: Raheem DeVaughn, Faith Evans, George Benson, George Duke, Dwele, Al Jarreau, Philip Bailey, Anthony Hamilton, Jaheim, Eric Benét, Dave Hollister, Stokley Williams, Kenny Lattimore and Angie Stone. http://news.theurbanmusicscene.com/2022/08/boney-james-to-release-18th-new-album-detour/ 

“We’ve all been on a detour these last few years,” says Boney. “This album reflects how my music and I have been affected by the times we’re in.”

Personnel: Tenor Saxophone, Producer – Boney James;Bass – Alex Al; Drums – Omari Williams; Guitar – Paul Jackson Jr.; Percussion – Lenny Castro; Piano – Tim Carmon; Trumpet – Dontae Winslow; Vocals – Lalah Hathaway

Detour

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Mary LaRose - Out Here

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2021
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 52:26
Size: 120,8 MB
Art: Front

(6:59) 1. Gazzelloni
(5:07) 2. 245
(5:00) 3. Out There
(6:49) 4. Music Matador
(7:00) 5. Gw
(5:39) 6. Serene
(6:08) 7. Out to Lunch
(4:39) 8. Love Me
(5:01) 9. Warm Canto

Vocalist Mary LaRose has explored the instrumental music of jazz artists in the past, penning lyrics to the music of Thelonious Monk,Ornette Coleman, Albert Ayler, and Charles Mingus. Also included in her previous releases is the music of Eric Dolphy, who has always been a spirit guide for LaRose. With Out Here, she dedicates an entire album to Dolphy's compositions, plus a couple pieces tied to his legacy.

This session reminds you of the great Carmen McRae's Carmen Sings Monk (Novus, 1990). Like that recording, LaRose adds insight into and new appreciation of some classic compositions. Alongside partner Jeff Lederer, who plays clarinets, LaRose's ensemble includes Tomeka Reid (cello), Patricia Brennan (vibraphone, electronics), bassist Nick Dunston, and drummer Matt Wilson. Blending sung, spoken word, and scatting vocalese, the music is packed with ceaseless animation, with the arrangements by Lederer. LaRose's wordless duet with Wilson's drums opens "Gazzelloni" which blossoms into an infectious groove. Lederer's solo on clarinet (instead of Dolphy's choice of flute) pairs nicely with the solos of Reid, Brennnan, and Dunston. That funny word (a dedication to Italian flutist Severino Gazzelloni) is repeated, parsed, and spun as if in a blender, creating an addictive cocktail. LaRose emulates Annie Ross' surfing vocalese with "245" and "GW," the latter piece featuring Brennan's vibraphone skew wiffed with electronics. We also hear two poems.

Mal Waldron's "Warm Canto" is decorated with Patricia Donegan's "Lover's Wish," which LaRose speaks over the intertwined clarinets of Lederer, Isaiah Johnson and Cameron Jones, and Hallie Lederer's "Syncopation" becomes the spoken/sung lyrics to Dolphy's "Serene." Matt Wilson's contagious march informs the intricate classic "Out To Lunch," punctuated by Lederer's clarinet, Reid's cello, and LaRose's twisted tongue recital. Maybe the best tribute to Dolphy is the cover of Prince Lasha and Sonny Simmons' "Music Matador." LaRose matches the composition with acrobatic lyrics sung over the Afro-Caribbean sounds of salsa trombonist Jimmy Bosch and percussionist Bobby Sanabria with additional vocals by Maya Rose Lederer. Everybody, let's dance.
By Mark Corroto https://www.allaboutjazz.com/out-there-mary-larose-little-i-music

Personnel: Mary LaRose: voice / vocals; Jeff Lederer: saxophone, tenor; Tomeka Reid: cello; Patricia Brennan: vibraphone; Nick Dunston: bass; Matt Wilson: drums; Jimmy Bosch: trombone; Bobby Sanabria: drums; Isaiah Johnson: drums; Cameron Jones: clarinet; Maya Rose Lederer: voice / vocals.

Out Here

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Betty Roché - Take The 'A' Train

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 41:33
Size: 95.1 MB
Styles: Jazz vocals
Year: 1956/2014
Art: Front

[3:10] 1. Take The A Train
[4:00] 2. Something To Live For
[2:26] 3. In A Mellow Tone
[3:01] 4. Time After Time
[3:14] 5. Go Away Blues
[3:37] 6. Can't Help Lovin' Dat Man
[4:32] 7. Route 66
[3:45] 8. All My Life
[2:36] 9. I Just Got The Message Baby
[4:04] 10. All Too Soon
[3:15] 11. You Don't Love Me No More
[3:48] 12. September In The Rain

Conte Candoli/Trumpet; Eddie Costa/Vibraphone; Whitey Mitchell/Bass; Donn Trenner/Piano; Davey Williams/Drums; Betty Roche/Vocals.

This CD (put out by Evidence) brings back singer Betty Roché's definitive session. Although she had sung briefly with Duke Ellington on two occasions in 1943 and the early '50s, fame had eluded Roché. After this album she would record two more records (available in the Original Jazz Classics series) over the next few years and then disappear back into obscurity. Assisted by vibraphonist Eddie Costa, trumpeter Conte Candoli, pianist Donn Trenner, bassist Whitey Mitchell, and drummer Davey Williams, Roché is heard at her best on this set of standards. Highlights include a remake of "Take the 'A' Train" (she had previously recorded a classic version with Ellington), "Something to Live For," "Route 66," and "September in the Rain." Two additional versions of "Go Away Blues" round out the excellent release. ~Scott Yanow

Take The 'A' Train

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Banu Gibson & Bucky Pizzarelli - Steppin' Out

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 55:34
Size: 127.2 MB
Label: Swing Out
Styles: Contemporary Jazz vocals, Easy Listening
Year: 2002
Art: Front

[4:16] 1. I Don't Know Enough About You
[3:19] 2. This Year's Kisses
[3:08] 3. Love's A Necessary Thing
[3:22] 4. Steppin' Out With My Baby
[4:08] 5. Memphis In June
[3:45] 6. It's A Woman's Prerogative
[3:19] 7. Put The Blame On Mame
[3:38] 8. Remember
[4:07] 9. There's A Lull In My Life
[5:15] 10. Me And The Blues
[3:56] 11. September Song
[5:07] 12. There Will Never Be Another You
[5:16] 13. Winter Moon
[2:50] 14. What'll I Do

This set is a change of pace for singer Banu Gibson, who is usually heard with her New Orleans Hot Jazz Band. Instead, she is accompanied by a quartet comprised of guitarist Bucky Pizzarelli, her regular pianist David Boeddinghaus, bassist Bill Huntington, and drummer Jake Hanna, with occasional appearances by trumpeters Connie Jones or Jon-Erik Kellso and Brian Ogilvie on tenor and clarinet. Also a bit different is the repertoire, which, instead of being from the 1920s and '30s, dates primarily from the late '30s and 1940s. What is the same as in the past is the consistent high quality of Gibson's vocals and her enthusiasm and sensitivity for the music. Among the highlights are "I Don't Know Enough About You," "Memphis in June," "Put the Blame on Mame," "There's a Lull in My Life," and "There Will Never Be Another You." ~ Scott Yanow

Recorded on February 13-14, 2002.

Banu Gibson (vocals); Bucky Pizzarelli (guitar); Brian Ogilvie (tenor saxophone, clarinet); Jon-Erik Kellso, Connie Jones (trumpet); David Boeddinhaus (piano); Bill Huntington (guitar, bass); Jake Hanna (drums).

Steppin' Out

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Bill Evans & Robben Ford - Common Ground

Styles: Jazz Fusion
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 56:05
Size: 129,2 MB
Art: Front

(4:20) 1. Ever Ready Sunday
(5:42) 2. Crabshaw Don't Care
(6:26) 3. Sentimental Mode
(8:11) 4. Hearts of Havana
(4:15) 5. Common Ground
(6:11) 6. Passaic
(7:27) 7. Stanley
(6:42) 8. Dennis the Menace
(6:46) 9. The Little Boxer

MPS is proud to announce the release of the newest project by Robben Ford and Bill Evans, called Common Ground on September 30th, 2022. The multiple times Grammy nominees Ford and Evans have shared the stage in Europe, North America and even Japan and already released a collaborative album called The Sun Room together in 2019 (earMUSIC). With the jazz rock album Common Ground they continue their creative relationship as Evans explains.

“Every now and then, like-minded musicians are able to get together in the studio or on the same stage and create interesting music together. It’s the blending of each other’s influences and styles, and the will to create something new and fresh that can turn this ‘creative meeting’ into something special. I believe myself and Robben share that same ideology. We both love all kinds of music whether it’s classic blues, soul, rock and roll, you name it. This openness to combine different kinds of music and create something musical and special is what brought me and Robben together in the first place. Robben composed some of the most inspiring music I’ve played in a long time. Our writing styles blend seamlessly.”

The first single and title track that was digitally released today features the vocals of popular German singer Max Mutzke, who finds the kindest words for this collaboration. “When I was a little boy, I went to Bill Evans concerts with my father. I listened to his music over and over. Bill has always been a musical inspiration for me. Now he is my friend and that is an incredible joy for me. What a great person. At his request, I am singing a song on his and Robben’s album. It's a dream come true.”

Recorded in Nashville, the jazz rock album features a first-class rhythm section with bassist Darryl Jones (recording and touring with the Rolling Stones since 1993 and former sideman of Miles Davis and Sting) and drummer Keith Carlock (currently a touring member of Steely Dan). It was produced by Bill Evans and Clifford Carter, who also took over the piano and organ on the title track.

Robben Ford about the recording: “It’s always a great and sought-after pleasure to work with some of the best musicians in contemporary music, and making this record was for me one of those occasions. We have, each of us, worked with one another in different configurations in the past, so, there is a comfort level in that. But more importantly, everyone involved is a dedicated musician who’s first thought is to make the best music possible in any situation. Such a joy for me, personally, to play with these gents! Bill and I have worked quite a lot together over the past several years. But, the opportunity given to us by Edel to finally document the music has happily resulted in two recordings that we are very proud of the first being “Sun Room" released on earMUSIC and now Common Ground on MPS.

I feel the music presented here is “fresh" in both composition and performance with all of the musicians being versatile, true improvisers and having a strong sense of groove, as well. These are the qualities that make you want to play! I’m so happy to have been a part of what lead to this record.”

About Robben Ford: Robben Ford is an American rock, blues and jazz guitarist. Ex-member of fusion pioneers Yellowjackets, he is admired for his solo works but also known for his collaborations with giants of music like Miles Davis, Joni Mitchell, George Harrison and many others. He comes from a generation of Californian musicians who contributed to eliminate boundaries between different genres, often writing and performing timeless music that will stand the test of time.

About Bill Evans: Bill Evans is an American saxophonist, pianist and producer who has recorded 26 solo albums to date. He has played, toured and recorded with artists such as Miles Davis, Herbie Hancock and John McLaughlin to name a few before spending the last 30 years touring with his own groups worldwide and receiving wide recognition as a true renaissance man.
By MPShttps://www.allaboutjazz.com/news/robben-ford-and-bill-evans-new-album-common-ground-out-on-september-30th-on-mps/

Personnel: Saxophone, Keyboards [Keys] – Bill Evans; Guitar, Mellotron [Mellowtron] – Robben Ford; Bass – Darryl Jones; Drums – Keith Carlock

Common Ground

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