James Moody - The Teachers

Styles: Flute, Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1970
File: MP3@256K/s
Time: 39:34
Size: 73,2 MB
Art: Front

(8:04) 1. The Teachers
(2:05) 2. Rest Sweetly, Brother Dove
(6:06) 3. Unchained
(4:34) 4. The New Spirit
(3:41) 5. Hello Goodbye
(5:32) 6. Behind Every Good Man
(9:28) 7. Street Talk Suite

We've always been enormous fans of this LP, which features Moody backed by The Albert, a "progressive" funk/rock group. This Perception release is a righteous concept LP dedicated to "revolution" and "change". And more importantly, there is indeed some totally righteous playing here, with the standout groovers being "Unchained" and "The Teachers". Very cool die-cut gatefold, suitable for framing.© 1996-2023, Dusty Groove, Inc.
https://www.dustygroove.com/item/3642/James-Moody:Teachers

Personnel: Flute, Soprano Saxophone, Alto Saxophone, Tenor Saxophone – James Moody; Guitar – Paul Dickler, Steve McCord; Piano – William Chelf; Piano, Organ, Drums, Producer – Howard Wyeth; Tenor Saxophone – Joe Brazil; Trombone, Producer – Michael Gibson; Trumpet – Bob Summers , Jay Silva, Jay Thomas, Richard Meisterman; Tuba – Adam Ippolito; Valve Trombone, Producer – Jon Huston

The Teachers

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Keiko Matsui - Euphoria

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2023
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 58:29
Size: 134,5 MB
Art: Front

(4:20) 1. Steps On The Globe
(4:40) 2. The Choice (Feat. Michael Stern)
(4:37) 3. Prairie Morning
(5:57) 4. Neo (Feat. Randy Brecker)
(4:29) 5. Love And Nothing Less (Feat. Lalah Hathaway & Grégoire Maret)
(4:47) 6. Luminescence (Feat. Kirk Whalum)
(3:46) 7. Rosso Cantabile
(4:34) 8. Legend Of Yaguarón
(5:25) 9. Mossy Mountain
(4:26) 10. Blue Water
(6:39) 11. Euphoria (Feat. Joel Ross)
(4:43) 12. New Passage

Pianist and composer Keiko Matsui has been making records since 1991, but it somehow seems surprising that Euphoria is her 30th album. Matsui makes music that embraces and balances tradition, modernity, and the contemporary in jazz, classical, and pop. She is relentless in adding harmonic and rhythmic invention and imagination to virtually everything she does, yet keeps her music (mostly) readily accessible. Euphoria is no exception. Conceptually, she focuses on music's inherent potential to deepen human experience. With her studio and road bands, and co-producer Bud Harner, she worked at Hollywood's Studio A, while her guests added their individual parts in studios across the country.

Opener "Steps on the Globe" juxtaposes big-band horns, contemporary jazz piano, and a Rhodes (by arranger Ron Pedley) with lithe funk thanks to some killer guitar vamping. The swing quotient is high with a horn section soaring above the groove. Guitarist Mike Stern assists on "The Choice"; he tracks Matsui's knotty vamp and rides above Alex Al's rubbery bassline as drummer Greg Bisonette drives them all. Funk meets elegant contemporary fusion, with brief solos by the principal and guitarist. Trumpeter Randy Brecker appears on "Neo." Piano, bubbling percussion, and bass grooves deliver the vamp before Pedley's Rhodes colors the body. Brecker enters unhurriedly playing and improvising on the melody.

The conversation he shares with Matsui as the tune ratchets is a set highlight. Immediately following is the single "Love and Nothing Less," featuring vocalist Lalah Hathaway and harmonica player Grégoire Maret. It's a silvery, tender ballad rife with intimate atmosphere, simmering passion, and grace. The interplay between singer, pianist, and harmonicist is seamless. The third consecutive guest spot belongs to contemporary jazz saxophonist Kirk Whalum on "Luminescence." Soulful horns, sweeping piano, organ, and Rhodes gather the groove intensity; it's the perfect vehicle for Whalum's tenor solo before trading canny fours with Matsui's hard-bopping blues. "Rosso Cantabile," featuring percussionist Luis Conte, balances traditional tango with Astor Piazzolla's tango nuevo atop brooding groove jazz and classical strings in the set's most dramatic track. "Legend of Yaguarón" is finger-popping, Latin-tinged contemporary jazz that showcases dazzling interplay between Matsui, Conte, and flutist Brandon Fields, whose Dave Valentin-esque solos are breathtaking. Vibraphonist Joel Ross guests on the dramatic title track.

Introduced by strings and piano stating the theme, its rhythmic pulses on drums and percussion instruments are syncopated, shifting time signatures with startling regularity. Ross initially paints the changes while Matsui appends and extrapolates her harmonic reach on the melody, before Ross grounds it in blues in his killer solo. Buoyed by Michael Thompson's electric guitar and arranger John Beasley's synth, Matsui grabs Ross' blues and builds on them, pushing the harmony toward the transcendent. In Matsui's vast discography, Euphoria stands apart for its edifying compositions, musical diversity, and careful yet seamless integration of musicians and themes.
By Thom Jurek https://www.allmusic.com/album/euphoria-mw0003913489Co

Euphoria

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Brandee Younger - Brand New Life

Styles: Harp Jazz
Year: 2023
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 37:02
Size: 86,4 MB
Art: Front

(3:58) 1. You’re a Girl for One Man Only
(4:32) 2. Brand New Life feat. Mumu Fresh
(2:22) 3. Come Live With Me (interlude)
(4:58) 4. Livin’ and Lovin’ in My Own Way
(1:07) 5. Running Game (intro)
(4:39) 6. Running Game
(4:21) 7. Moving Target
(4:36) 8. Dust feat. Meshell Ndegeocello
(2:56) 9. The Windmills of Your Mind feat. 9th Wonder
(3:29) 10. If It’s Magic

Harpist Brandee Younger is defying expectations. Over the past fifteen years, she has worked relentlessly to stretch boundaries and limitations for harpists. In 2022, she broke new ground by becoming the first black woman ever to be nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Instrumental Composition. Ever-expanding as an artist, her album, Brand New Life, builds on the already rich oeuvre, seamlessly transcending genre.

As the title of the album suggests, Brand New Life is about forging new paths–artistic, personal, political, and spiritual.“We're bringing new life to [Dorothy Ashby’s] old compositions. We're creating new life…for the instrument,” Younger said. The album includes original works by Brandee Younger, reinterpretations of Dorothy Ashby classics, along with a couple of covers that redefine the category.
https://jazz.centerstagestore.com/collections/20-promo-1-14/products/brandee-younger-brand-new-life-cd

Brand New Life

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Monty Alexander Trio - Jazz In Duketown 2019

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2019
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 67:42
Size: 156,7 MB
Art: Front

( 9:22) 1. The Work Song
(12:18) 2. Hurricane Come and Gone
( 7:14) 3. Night Mist Blues
( 7:15) 4. Look Up
( 9:23) 5. Django
(11:22) 6. Renewal
(10:45) 7. Running Away

Jamaica-born pianist Monty Alexander is a sophisticated, prolific performer with an urbane swinging style informed by the bop tradition as well as the reggae and Caribbean folk he grew up with. Influenced by pianist Oscar Peterson, Alexander initially garnered attention performing in night clubs in the late '50s. Following a move to Miami, he gained wider renown with 1965's Alexander the Great and 1976's Live! Montreux Alexander. Over the years he has continued to explore a vibrant, cross-pollinated sound, moving from straight-ahead acoustic jazz to Jamaican sounds on albums like 1980's Trio, 1994's Jamboree: Monty Alexander's Ivory and Steel, and 2011's Grammy-nominated Harlem-Kingston Express. In 2019, he brought all these influences to bear on the Thelonious Monk-inspired Wareika Hill Rastamonk Vibrations.

Born in Kingston, Jamaica in 1944, Alexander first started playing piano around age four and took classical lessons from age six. By his teens, however, he had discovered jazz and was already performing in nightclubs. His early career found him covering pop and rock hits of the day, as well as working with various ska, reggae, and calypso groups, including Clue J & His Blues Blasters. However, it was his love of jazz-oriented artists like Oscar Peterson, Duke Ellington, Frank Sinatra, and Nat King Cole that brought him the most inspiration. In 1961, he moved with his family to Miami, Florida to better pursue his musical ambitions. It was there that Alexander met restaurateur and Frank Sinatra associate Jilly Rizzo, who eventually hired him as the house pianist at his New York nightclub, Jilly's. For the next several years, Alexander lived in New York and worked at Jilly's, where had the opportunity to befriend and perform with a bevy of stars including Sinatra, Ray Brown, Milt Jackson, and others. Buoyed by this success, in 1964 he traveled to Los Angeles, where he recorded several well-received albums for the Pacific Jazz label, including Alexander the Great and Spunky. A handful of additional efforts followed, including 1967's Zing! on RCA and 1969's This Is Monty Alexander on Verve. In 1969 he also appeared on vibraphonist Milt Jackson's That's the Way It Is.

In the '70s, Alexander built a long-lasting relationship with Germany's MPS (Musik Produktion Schwarzwald) label and released a steady stream of albums, including 1971's Here Comes the Sun, 1974's Perception!, and 1977's Cobilimbo with longtime friend and collaborator Ernest Ranglin. These albums found Alexander pushing his sound in new directions and often combining jazz with elements of the Caribbean musical traditions of his youth. During this period he formed working relationships with bassist John Clayton and drummer Jeff Hamilton. As a trio, they debuted to much acclaim on 1976's Live! Montreux Alexander, and would continue to work together in various configurations over the next several decades. The pianist also continued to record with Milt Jackson, and made appearances on albums by Quincy Jones, Dizzy Gillespie, Phyllis Hyman, and others.

The '80s were also a fruitful period for Alexander, who continued to combine his love of straight-ahead jazz and Caribbean music with the release of such albums as 1983's The Duke Ellington Songbook, 1985's The River, and 1986's Li'l Darlin'. He also reunited with Clayton and Hamilton on 1983's Reunion in Europe and paired with bassist Ray Brown for several dates, including 1985's Full Steam Ahead and 1987's The Red Hot Ray Brown Trio. More albums followed, including 1994's Live at Maybeck and 1995's reggae-inflected Yard Movement. He rounded out the decade with 1997's Frank Sinatra-inspired Echoes of Jilly's and 1999's Stir It Up: The Music of Bob Marley.

In 2000, Alexander's artistic achievements were recognized by the Jamaican government with his designation as a worldwide music ambassador and as Commander in the Order of Distinction for outstanding services to Jamaica. That same year, he collaborated with reggae giants Sly Dunbar and Robbie Shakespeare on Monty Meets Sly & Robbie, followed in 2001 by Caribbean Duet with pianist Michel Sardaby. He then paired again with Ray Brown and guitarist Herb Ellis for 2002's Triple Scoop and 2003's Straight Ahead. Two tribute sessions followed with 2008's The Good Life: Monty Alexander Plays the Songs of Tony Bennett and 2009's Calypso Blues: The Songs of Nat King Cole.

Alexander then highlighted his fusion of reggae, ska, R&B, and jazz on 2011's Grammy-nominated Harlem-Kingston Express and 2014's Harlem-Kingston Express, Vol. 2: River Rolls On, both recorded at Dizzy's Club Coca-Cola at Lincoln Center. In 2019, he celebrated his longstanding love of Thelonious Monk on Wareika Hill Rastamonk Vibrations, reworking many of the pianist's songs with Caribbean-flourishes. Featured on the album were guest spots by saxophonists Wayne Escoffery, Ron Blake, and Joe Lovano.By Matt Collar
https://www.allmusic.com/artist/monty-alexander-mn0000589256/biography

Jazz In Duketown 2019

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Martin Sasse Trio, Peter Bernstein - A Groovy Affair

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2002
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 65:34
Size: 152,1 MB
Art: Front

(6:43) 1. A Groovy Affair
(8:16) 2. Winter Waltz
(7:18) 3. Search For Love
(6:18) 4. Blues 4 H & H
(6:09) 5. Clear The Dex
(8:49) 6. Nightbirds
(7:07) 7. Body And Soul
(8:27) 8. There's A Small Hotel
(6:23) 9. The Modal Thing No. 2

Pianist Martin Sasse is a talented bop-based player and his trio with bassist Henning Gailing and drummer Hendrik Smock is excellent. However, on this set their guest, guitarist Peter Bernstein, consistently steals the show. Bernstein's solos on the straight-ahead material are fiery and inventive, and swing hard. Sasse contributed six of the nine numbers, several of which are based on common chord changes, including "The Modal Thing No. 2" (which is essentially "Impressions"). A medium-tempo version of "Body & Soul" is one of the many highlights on this fine modern hard bop date.By Scott Yanow
https://www.allmusic.com/album/a-groovy-affair-mw0000041587

A Groovy Affair

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Scott Hamilton & Martin Sasse Trio - Live In Cologne

Styles: Piano And Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2023
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 64:01
Size: 150,4 MB
Art: Front

(11:47) 1. A Beautiful Friendship
(10:43) 2. Talk to Me Baby Tell Me Lies
(14:37) 3. Poinciana
( 7:45) 4. Lady Luck
( 5:02) 5. Pure Imagination
( 7:26) 6. Summer Wind
( 6:39) 7. Sweet Georgia Brown

The American saxophonist Scott Hamilton is one of the last world stars of swing. He inherited the genre of role models and associates such as Coleman Hawkins, Lester Young and Gerry Mulligan. Martin Sasse is one of the most celebrated jazz pianists in Europe.

His trio is permanently engaged with Henning Gailing on bass and Joost van Schaik on drums. They frequently work with internationally renowned jazz musicians such as Peter Bernstein and Steve Grossman. With Hamilton they even played the most famous compositions so captivatingly that one was willing to believe being on a journey back through time into the great era of swing.
https://martinsasse.de/project/martin-sasse-trio-feat-scott-hamilton-en

Personnel: Martin Sasse — Piano; Scott Hamilton — Tenor Saxophone

Live In Cologne

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Maysa - Music for Your Soul

Styles: Vocal, Soul
Year: 2023
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 82:02
Size: 189,7 MB
Art: Front

(4:26) 1. Relax Your Mind
(4:06) 2. Music for Your Soul
(4:08) 3. Whatever
(4:09) 4. Down With Me
(2:31) 5. Beautiful
(4:17) 6. Time Can Heal (A Broken Heart)
(3:43) 7. One Step Away
(5:27) 8. Spirit 222
(3:55) 9. Make Sure You're Sure
(4:06) 10. Just Stay
(5:10) 11. I Don't Mind
(4:40) 12. Runnin' from Myself
(4:36) 13. I Still Believe
(6:14) 14. His Love
(3:48) 15. I Wanna Believe
(3:35) 16. Love Life
(4:19) 17. You Know How to Love Me
(3:54) 18. Let You Down
(4:49) 19. Lord I Thank You

Maysa voice sultry, jazzy and soulful powered Incognito to international superstardom on a series of albums in the 1990s “Tribes Vibes a Scribes,” “Positivity,” “Beneath the Surface” and “No Time Like the Future.” Maysa seamlessly made the transition to a solo career that has yielded 14 highly acclaimed albums and sold-out live performances, cementing her reputation as one of the best artists working in the game today.

Now as Maysa prepares to release her highly anticipated 14 th studio album “Music For Your Soul” the public will see her in a different and fuller light. What’s different? Maysa adds the title of label executive to a resume that includes lead and backing vocalist, songwriter and producer. Maysa established Blue Velvet Soul in 2018 to exercise fuller control over all creative and commercial aspects of music making.

“I wasn’t getting the kind of publicity or marketing backup for my albums that I thought I deserved, and I just thought if they are going to just throw my music out there, I might as well just throw it out there too and own it,” Maysa recalled. “That is what prompted me to start my own record label. I thought why not.”

The learning curve was steep. Maysa knows every aspect of the production side from songwriting to video production. However, she had a lot to learn about distribution and promotion. Fortunately, a mentor and longtime advisor helped her set up the label. The Blue Velvet Soul Records rollout began in 2018 when she released the songs “You Are Not Alone,” “It’s Gonna Be Alright,” “Loving You is Easy” and “Soft Words” as singles and then as a four song EP titled “The Fab First Four.”

The carefully planned rollout of Blue Velvet Records will culminate with the release of “Music For Your Soul” early next year. Sporting 19 songs, “Music For Your Soul” is ambitious in scope. Maysa worked hard to get these 19 songs ‘in the can,’ and could have easily dropped a couple of EPs on various streaming platforms. That is what many people urged her to do. “My colleagues told me don’t do this,” Maysa recalled. “Don’t put 19 songs on the album because nobody has that kind of attention span anymore.”

Maysa stood firm because her vision for “Music For Your Soul” is rooted in an idea that hearkens back to a time when music was more than a commodity. With Music “For Your Soul, Maysa” seeks to create an experience that will be the soundtrack for cleaning the house on a Saturday morning, musical sustenance for the long-haul trucker driving down a lonely highway or a mood creator for lovers spending a quiet evening together.

While Maysa plans to release “Music For Your Soul” in early 2023, but she’s blessed fans by dropping three singles from the album this year. The single “Whatever” is climbing charts and filling dance floors on both sides of the Atlantic. Aimed directly at the steppers set, “Whatever” is a percolating, percussive, breezy, mid-tempo jam that finds Maysa seductively telling her love interest that she has a single-minded focus on making him happy.

The simmering R&B ballad “Just Stay” finds Maysa taking a conversational but sultry tone that finds her dispensing with all pretenses as she asks her man to follow his heart and surrender to love. The Stevie Wonder ballad “Make Sure You’re Sure” holds a special place in Maysa’s heart. That tune appeared on the “Jungle Fever” soundtrack and Maysa served as a backing vocalist on that project. Maysa showcases her jazz chops on this tune as her torchy vocals and the piano engage in a dance.

Maysa notes that she always loved the album and plays it frequently, However, her decision to record “Make Sure You’re Sure” and include the tune on her new album were deeply personal. “I went through a little bit of a heartbreak during the pandemic, and that song just jumped out at me, so when I was going through what I went through I decided that I would remake this song.”

Maysa is crafting a masterpiece with “Music For Your Soul,” and the world will see that mastery when the album drops on March 31. In the meantime, Maysa released the latest single, “I Don’t Mind,” to commercial and critical acclaim. The song has been a mainstay at the top of the UK Soul Charts since its January release.
https://news.theurbanmusicscene.com/2023/02/maysa-to-release-new-album-music-for-your-soul/

Music for Your Soul

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Bill Charlap Trio - Live At Flushing Town Hall

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2021
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 65:36
Size: 152,4 MB
Art: Front

( 4:46) 1. Godchild
( 5:49) 2. All Through The Night
( 5:49) 3. Sophisticated Lady
( 6:09) 4. An Affair To Remember
( 5:53) 5. Not A Care In The World
(10:05) 6. Too Late Now
( 7:41) 7. In The Still Of The Night
( 5:22) 8. Groovin' High
( 3:18) 9. Body And Soul
( 3:24) 10. Stay Right With It
( 7:16) 11. What Are You Doing The Rest Of Your Life

Flushing Town Hall presents the GRAMMY award-nominated Bill Charlap Trio, with GRAMMY award-winning pianist Bill Charlap, bassist Peter Washington and drummer Kenny Washington. Praised by The Guardian as“one of the best piano trios ever,”the Bill Charap Trio which celebrates its 25th anniversary in 2022, is considered one of the leading jazz groups. The trio’s most recent recording features them with Tony Bennett & Diana Krall on the chart-topping, GRAMMY-nominated Love is Here to Stay. The Bill Charlap Trio tours all over the world, and their New York engagements include regular appearances at Jazz at Lincoln Center and the Village Vanguard.
https://www.wbgo.org/community-calendar/event/bill-charlap-trio-at-flushing-town-hall-13-12-2021-11-36-36

Personnel: Bill Charlap - piano; Peter Washington - bass; Kenny Washington - drums

Live At Flushing Town Hall

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Mike Westbrook Brass Band - Mike Westbrook Brass Band Plays "For The Record"

Styles: Vocal And Piano Jazz
Year: 1975
Time: 55:30
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Size: 129,5 MB
Art: Front

(1:21) 1. Tuba Gallicalis
(1:16) 2. Le Ballet Comique De La Reine
(2:13) 3. Fortune Song
(2:10) 4. Brigitte Bardot
(2:01) 5. Punchinello
(3:25) 6. Brother Can You Spare A Dime
(2:59) 7. Come Sunday
(3:07) 8. London Song
(9:05) 9. Let The Slave
(1:30) 10. Shall We Gather At The River
(2:38) 11. Jelly Roll Blues
(1:35) 12. Captives Rejoice
(3:11) 13. Bartlemy Fair
(3:48) 14. Kanonen Song
(4:10) 15. Noboddy Knows You When You're Down And Out
(3:33) 16. Round Midnight
(2:56) 17. A Poison Tree
(4:24) 18. I See Thy Form

Mike Westbrook is primarily known as a jazz pianist, but he assembled his brass band to incorporate a wide range of unusual material. He primarily plays euphonium for these sessions, as he's joined by Dave Chambers (tenor and soprano saxes), Kate Barnard (tenor horn and piccolo), Paul Rutherford, and trumpeter Phil Minton, each of whom take turns with the vocals.

Even just focusing on the jazz compositions, there is a broad range of material, from Jelly Roll Morton's "Jelly Roll Blues" to Duke Ellington's "Come Sunday" and Thelonious Monk's "'Round Midnight," all of which are striking in a brass-only setting. The Depression-era "Nobody Knows You When You're Down and Out" and "Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?" sound very different in a brass band setting, even with the vocals intact.

But Westbrook also explores earlier centuries, including putting music to several poems by poet William Blake (where he finally plays a bit of piano) and the 16th century "Le Ballet Comique de la Reine." This music is extremely difficult to classify, though it consistently proves intriguing. But this English LP on the Transatlantic label may be somewhat difficult to find. By Ken Dryden
https://www.allmusic.com/album/release/for-the-record-mr0001929802

Personnel: Euphonium, Piano, Vocals, Liner Notes – Mike Westbrook; Euphonium, Trombone, Vocals – Paul Rutherford; Soprano Saxophone, Tenor Saxophone, Vocals – Dave Chambers; Tenor Horn, Piccolo Flute, Vocals – Kate Barnard; Trumpet, Vocals – Phil Minton

Mike Westbrook Brass Band Plays "For The Record"

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Nat King Cole - The Very Best Of Nat King Cole

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 79:46
Size: 182.6 MB
Styles: Vocal, Easy Listening
Year: 2006
Art: Front

[3:14] 1. Stardust
[3:07] 2. Sweet Lorraine
[3:00] 3. (Get Your Kicks On) Route 66
[2:24] 4. Straighten Up And Fly Right
[2:51] 5. (I Love You) For Sentimental Reasons
[3:01] 6. What'll I Do
[2:55] 7. Morning Star
[3:04] 8. Penthouse Serenade
[3:52] 9. Candy
[2:38] 10. Walkin' My Baby Back Home
[3:10] 11. Unforgettable
[3:14] 12. Mona Lisa
[2:38] 13. Nature Boy
[2:51] 14. Somewhere Along The Way
[2:52] 15. Smile
[2:31] 16. A Blossom Fell
[3:13] 17. Can't I
[2:43] 18. Let There Be Love
[1:51] 19. Almost Like Being In Love
[2:48] 20. Ballerina
[2:34] 21. I'm Gonna Sit Right Down (And Write Myself A Letter)
[2:23] 22. Let's Face The Music And Dance
[2:33] 23. Autumn Leaves
[3:08] 24. When I Fall In Love
[3:10] 25. That Sunday, That Summer
[2:25] 26. Looking Back
[2:30] 27. L-O-V-E
[2:54] 28. I Wish You Love

Commemorating the 40th anniversary of Nat King Cole's death in 1965, this compilation is the CD companion of an excellent DVD/documentary. Produced with the blessing of his estate, this disc is a thorough survey of his timeless genius--all recorded on the Capitol label. It captures his sumptuous and soothing tenor voice crooning on the pop tunes he made famous, like the ethereal "Nature Boy," the melancholy "Mona Lisa," and the bouncy "Straighten Up and Fly Right," and "Route 66." It also features Cole's often-overlooked skills as an Earl Hines-style pianist. "Quizas, Quizas, Quizas (Perhaps, Perhaps, Perhaps)," and "Darling, Je Vous Aime Beaucoup," attest to his international appeal, and see if you can keep a dry eye when you listen to Natalie Cole's posthumous, digitally-enhanced duet with her father on "Unforgettable." From strings to big bands, Nat King Cole is never out of style. ~Eugene Holley, Jr.

The Very Best Of Nat King Cole

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Emilie-Claire Barlow - Spark Bird

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2023
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 35:56
Size: 83,0 MB
Art: Front

(4:11) 1. Over The Rainbow
(4:02) 2. Fais Comme L'oiseau
(4:35) 3. Skylark
(4:55) 4. Bird Of Beauty
(5:13) 5. O
(4:29) 6. Where Will I Be?
(4:06) 7. Little Jazz Bird
(4:22) 8. Pájaros De Barro

Two-time Juno Award winner Emilie-Claire Barlow is about to release Spark Bird, her first full recording in five years.

The multiple Juno Award winner’s 13th studio album was conceived during the dark days of the pandemic, when she questioned whether she would ever even want to make another record. But during that time, a daily visit from a yellow-winged cacique that is native to the southern Pacific coast of Mexico eventually inspired her to dedicate an entire album of songs to birds of all shapes and varieties.

So far, we've been treated to four singles from Spark Bird, with the album to be released on March 31. She joined us to talk about the process of finding her new muse and making the new record.
https://soundcloud.com/jazzfm91/interview-emilie-claire-barlow-2023

Spark Bird

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Tom Jobim - International Jazz Festival, Montreal '85

Styles: Vocal, Brazilian Jazz
Year: 2022
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 52:06
Size: 119,9 MB
Art: Front

(3:27) 1. Agua de Beber
(4:08) 2. Chega de Saudade
(4:43) 3. Two Kites
(3:01) 4. Wave
(4:37) 5. Borzeguim
(3:18) 6. Falando de Amor
(9:03) 7. Gabriela
(4:32) 8. A Felicidade
(3:41) 9. Samba do Aviao
(4:16) 10. Waters of March
(4:31) 11. Girl from Ipanema
(2:44) 12. Canção do Exilio / Samba de uma Nota So

Antonio Carlos Jobim was born in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, to cultured parents. His father was a diplomat, and his mother founded a primary school. He began formal music studies in his teens, eventually foregoing the idea of becoming an architect. His early influences were the big bands of the ‘40s, West Coast jazz of the ‘50s, composers such as Debussy, Stravinsky, Chopin, Villa-Lobos (introduced to him by his German piano teacher), and, of course, the Brazilian samba.

Jobim played piano in nightclubs and made his first recording in 1954, backing a vocalist as “Tom” and His Band. With poet Vinicius de Moraes and vocalist/guitarist Joao Gilberto, Jobim created a new musical style which became known as the bossa nova. It borrowed from the samba, jazz rhythms, and European harmonies. He scored de Moraes’ play Orfeu do Carnaval in 1956 which became the film Black Orpheus in 1959, scored by Jobim and Luis Bonfa. It won both the Academy Award and Golden Globe for Best Foreign Film and the Cannes Film Festival Palme d’Or for its director Marcel Camus. Most importantly, its music fueled the bossa nova fad.

In the meantime Gilberto had recorded Jobim’s songs to popular acclaim in 1958, and Jobim’s “Desafinado” from Jazz Samba by Stan Getz and Charlie Byrd became a hit in America in 1962. Jobim was among several Brazilians to perform that year at Carnegie Hall. The following year Astrud Gilberto, Joao’s wife, scored a mega hit with Jobim’s “The Girl from Ipanema.”

Jobim’s gentle guitar, romantic rhythms, and warm vocal style epitomized the sensuality of his music. He recorded with orchestrators Claus Ogerman and Nelson Riddle, vocalist Frank Sinatra, and several jazz musicians. Many of his songs became well-established in the jazz repertoire and were given English lyrics by various writers: “Corcovado” (“Quiet Nights of Quiet Stars”), “Wave,” “Chega de Saudade” (“No More Blues”), “One Note Samba”, “Amor Em Paz” (“Once I Loved”), “How Insensitive,” “Triste,” “Waters of March,” “Dindi,” and “A Felicidade.”

When interest in the bossa nova waned at the end of the ‘60s, Jobim turned to scoring Brazilian films. A resurgence of interest in the music brought him back to the international scene in the mid-‘80s when he toured with his own group that included his wife, son, and daughter. Just before his death in 1994, he recorded a collaboration with pop star Sting.
By Sandra Burlingame https://www.jazzstandards.com/biographies/biography_222.htm

International Jazz Festival, Montreal '85

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Nara Noïan - Merci Eternal French Songs

Styles: Vocal And Piano Jazz
Year: 2022
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 58:46
Size: 135,2 MB
Art: Front

(3:30) 1. Et Moi Dans Mon Coin
(4:44) 2. La Bohème
(4:02) 3. Emmenez-moi
(4:14) 4. La Vie En Rose
(4:27) 5. Les Moulins De Mon Cœur
(3:13) 6. Göttingen
(4:10) 7. Mourir D’aimer
(3:28) 8. Padam, Padam
(4:20) 9. Quand Tu M'aimes
(3:54) 10. Les Parapluies De Cherbourg
(5:41) 11. Comme Ils Disent
(5:05) 12. La Mamma
(3:47) 13. Je Sais
(4:06) 14. Je M’voyais Déjà

All her life, Nara has been an artist with all her soul: by her parents, her relatives and the surroundings of her childhood in Armenia, by her studies or by her numerous creations.

Born in January 1971 in Erevan, Nara took from her 14th, both piano and accompanying lessons at the High Academy of Music "Komitas" and stage interpretation at the High Academy of Dramatic Art of Erevan. An outstanding feat! Even more, she gets the same year, in 1990, a first prize in both academies!

It’s in theater that she starts her professional life, since she entered in 1986 as a comedian in the National Theater of Stanislavsk, Erevan. But music followed straight away, as she started teaching in 1988 at the Academy of Ararat, Armenia.

As if it wasn’t enough, she made quite an instant entry in the movies world in 1990. She held the supporting role in the movie "Les Maudits", directed by Keussayantz (studio Armenfilm).

But for Armenia too, France is one of the most influential cultures. She got the leading role, this time in a 1993 Franco-Armenian movie by Mourad Djanibekian (studio M.J.N.) : « Double barrière ».

Nara still had a strong foothold in music, as she was teaching in the Academy "Jardin de Musique" in Courbevoie, France, from 1991 to 1993, then became the principal and teacher at the music school "Monde musical Anna Pavlona" in 1994, in Maison-Alfort, still in France.

1998 is a significant year for Nara: she plays the leading part in the movie "Nostalgie", directed by Frounsé Dovlatian (studio Armenfilm). She receives the women’s performance first prize at the movie festival of Kouibychev, Russia. The movie Nostalgie was projected in Centre Pompidou, within the cycle of "Armenian cinema".

Later, Nara came to Belgium. At first, she was headmistress and teacher at the "Monde de la découverte", an artistic center in Brussels, between 1998 and 2000. Nevertheless, music never left her. She accompanied a certain number of tours: Maria Kern (2000 -2001), le Bernard L’hoir ensemble (2000 -2003), before setting up her own bands.

Composer, it is only natural to find her on many projects: 2 CD’s of Christian Merveille (1,2,3 piano) in 2000 and « Si c’est comme ça » in 2001, and also a CD sponsored by the Chief Representative of the Children’s Rights, Claude Lelièvre in 2002: « Félicien le magicien »

Nara then started her band in 2003, « Bradyaga » (Nomad) (Home Records), performing on stage and ending up in a first CD « Promesses » in October 2005. All her musicians are big names.

Encounters were on the increase: she composed the entire soundtrack (amongst others, verses sets to music) of Jacques Mercier’s poetic show « Passage », created at the Théâtre le Public in Brussels, in 2006. The show runs, with Nara at the piano and the Bradyaga singer Laurence Waters, in the entire French-speaking world with a huge success.

In September 2006, a tour attracted a lot of attention: « Leyla and Majnun », with the singer from Uzbekistan Sévara Nazarkhan (Realworld Records – Peter Gabriel), and the singer from Tunisia Ghalia Benali, under the leadership of Gerry De Mol (Oblomov - …)

Nara has many projects in every artistic field she’s already tackled. Like "Doucha", a repertoire of which the original compositions are inspired from Armenian, Slavic and Oriental music, a threesome on stage with Laurence Waters and Tigran Ter Stephanian.
https://www.last.fm/music/Nara+No%C3%AFan/+wiki…

Merci Eternal French Songs

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Isabelle Bodenseh & Lorenzo Petrocca - Jazz à la Flute: Essenza

Styles: Flute And Guitar Jazz
Year: 2020
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 52:19
Size: 120,1 MB
Art: Front

(5:21) 1. Incompabilididade de Genios
(4:07) 2. Secret Love
(6:38) 3. Lonnie's Lament
(5:44) 4. Captain Marvel
(6:25) 5. Time After Time
(5:43) 6. Tico Tico No Fubá
(5:04) 7. Tu si 'na cosa grande per me
(5:12) 8. Waltz for Debby
(3:36) 9. Essenza
(4:25) 10. Birk's Works

One thing is for sure: the duo "Essenza" with Isabelle Bodenseh (flutes) and Lorenzo Petrocca (guitar) may, with its program "Jazz à la flute" full of passionate, virtuosic music played with wit and passion, be one of the most extraordinary in the current jazz scene be counted. Whether it's their own compositions, jazz standards or pieces that are regarded as world cultural heritage, the music always develops in a fascinatingly different way at every concert, because the musical communication between the two instrumentalists is audibly unique and closely interwoven. Already during the first piece, the audience experiences the intensity, devotion and great developmental wealth with which the congenial partners play together. This is how musical adventures emerge from the compositions, which carry both the musicians themselves and the audience away.

The spirited half-French Isabelle Bodenseh (teacher for jazz flute at the Frankfurt University of Music) brings with her a huge pool of sound possibilities thanks to her immense flutist experience in numerous projects, in the field of studio recordings and long study stays in Frankfurt, Los Angeles and Havana (one-year DAAD scholarship). Whether jazz greats like Richie Beirach and Michael Sagmeister or well-known classical ensembles like La Serena or Verquer, Isabelle Bodenseh convinces them all with her stylish and very personal sound.

The enormous experience of Lorenzo Petrocca is proven by worldwide tours and countless CD recordings. In 2001, during a tour of America, he was awarded honorary citizenship by the city of New Orleans. Even today, companions such as Peter Herbolzheimer, Anne Sophie Mutter or Monty Alexander are amazed at his extraordinary development from boxer (1981 Württemberg boxing champion) to top guitarist.Translate By Google https://www-esse--musicbar-ch.

Personnel: Isabelle Bodenseh (Flute), Lorenzo Petrocca (Guitar)

Essenza

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Pat Healy - Sings Just Before Dawn · Her Complete Recordings

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2023
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 58:45
Size: 136,3 MB
Art: Front

(0:28) 1. Bobby Troup Introduces Pat Healy
(1:33) 2. I Wish I Were In Love Again
(2:38) 3. Bobby Troup Interviews Pat Healy
(1:42) 4. The Siren Song
(3:47) 5. Don't Ever Leave Me
(3:54) 6. The Siren Song
(3:38) 7. I'm A Dreamer, Aren't We All?
(1:39) 8. Boys And Girls
(2:47) 9. Naughty But Nice
(3:35) 10. Isn't It A Pity
(4:09) 11. When I Fall In Love
(4:07) 12. Nobody Else But Me
(2:21) 13. Easy Come 
(3:13) 14. Every Time
(3:26) 15. You Never Knew About Me 
(0:22) 16. Bobby Troup Introduces Pat Healy
(2:24) 17. Blue Moon
(3:51) 18. I've Got It Again
(0:55) 19. Bobby Troup Introduces Pat Healy
(1:38) 20. They All Laughed
(0:17) 21. Bobby Troup Introduces The Next Song
(1:40) 22. The Siren Song
(2:00) 23. Ever Since You Went Away (Bonus Track)
(2:30) 24. Bill Bailey Won't You Please Come Home (Bonus Track)

Miss Pat Healy (1927-2020) was born in Cleveland but at age 22 she settled in Los Angeles. She spent years filling various jobs before having the courage to make impromptu appearances at some local nightclubs. Finally in 1957 spirited by pianist Joe Marino, she quit her job and soon emerged as a praised and applauded singer by the audiences, winning soon her first professional contract as a guest vocalist on the television show Stars of Jazz, backed by the Paul Bley trio. As a consequence of her performance, she was offered to record for World Pacific Records.

On Just Before Dawn, her debut album, Pat sang eleven standard songs, some of them quite unusual, backed by cellist Fred Katz’s intimate approach to arranging and conducting, and by Joe Marino’s quartet. In both settings, she revealed herself as a vocalist with clarity of sound, style, sensitivity, and the ability to sing difficult songs, with the right accompaniment, resulting in this distinctive album, the first and only she recorded.The remaining recordings come from two later appearances of Pat in Stars of Jazz, where she can be heard with the backing of the Keith Williams orchestra, and finally, alone with her favorite accompanist, Joe Marino.By Jordi Pujol
https://www.amazon.com/Sings-Just-Before-Dawn-Recordings/dp/B0BXFSTGF4

Personnel: Pat Healy (vcl), Fred Katz (arr, dir), Paul Horn (as, bcl, fl), Paul Bley, Gerald Wiggins, Joe Marino (p), John Pisano, Howard Roberts (g), Charlie Haden, Hal Gaylor, Richard Von Holberg (b), Lenny McBrowne, Chico Hamilton, Shelly Manne (d)

Sings Just Before Dawn · Her Complete Recordings

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Stan Kenton - Journey Into Capricorn

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1976
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 39:56
Size: 93,1 MB
Art: Front

( 5:10) 1. Too Shy To Say
( 4:58) 2. Pegasus
( 4:36) 3. Granada Smoothie
( 6:11) 4. 90° Celcius
( 6:54) 5. Journey Into Capricorn
(12:05) 6. Celebration Suite

Journey Into Capricorn is the last studio album by American jazz musician Stan Kenton and his orchestra, released in late 1976, by Creative World Records. Recording sessions for the album took place in Hollywood, California on August 16–18, 1976. The initial release of the album titled both the album and the individual tune Journey To Capricorn. The later release reworked the cover art and corrected both titles to Journey Into Capricorn

Though written by Mark Taylor, Granada Smoothie is very reminiscent of Hank Levy's compositions. Taylor's well thought out arrangement of Too Shy To Say is a clever transformation of Stevie Wonder's pop music hit, the chart represents a continued push to keep Kenton's musical direction moving forward.

During the sessions two compositions were recorded but never got issued on the release: Ken Hanna's "Sensitivo" and Alan Yankee's arrangement of "Lush Life". Producer Bob Curnow, "I have an uneasy feeling that the takes were not really the best on any of their unreleased material, but still it would be nice to have them out after all these years." Curnow is unclear who now possesses the unissued Creative World masters; whether the masters were part of the deal with Gene Norman or if they are in possession of the Kenton estate.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Journey_Into_Capricorn

Musicians: piano and leader: Stan Kenton; saxophones and flutes: Alan Yankee, Bill Fritz (track: 6), Dave Sova, Greg Metcalf, Roy Reynolds, Terry Layne; trumpets: Dave Kennedy, Jay Sollenberger, Joe Casano, Steve Campos, Tim Hagans; trombones: Allan Morrissey, Dick Shearer, Jeff Uusitalo, Mike Egan, Doug Purviance (bass trombone); tuba: Mike Wallace; acoustic and electric bass: John Worster; drum set: Gary Hobbs; percussion: Ramon Lopez

Journey Into Capricorn

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Betty Roché - Singin' & Swingin'

Styles: Vocal
Year: 1960
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 30:35
Size: 71,5 MB
Art: Front

(3:52)  1. Come Rain or Come Shine
(3:40)  2. A Foggy Day
(3:57)  3. Day by Day
(3:21)  4. When I Fall in Love
(3:04)  5. Blue Moon
(2:59)  6. Where or When
(2:12)  7. September Song
(4:14)  8. Until the Real Thing Comes Along
(3:13)  9. Billie's Bounce

Betty Roché should have been much more famous. She had two barely documented periods with Duke Ellington's orchestra and recorded three excellent albums as a leader from 1956-1961 (all of which are available on Cd), but then faded away into complete obscurity. This reissue (which is mistakenly given the incorrect date of January 24, 1961, which was actually Roché's following release) matches the singer with tenor saxophonist Jimmy Forrest, organist Jack McDuff (near the beginning of his career), guitarist Bill Jennings, bassist Wendell Marshall, and drummer Roy Haynes. Roché performs nine famous standards, coming up with fresh variations in her phrasing to such numbers as "Come Rain or Come Shine," "When I Fall in Love," "Blue Moon," and "Billie's Bounce." Recommended, as are all of the other recordings in her slim discography.

~Scott Yanow http://www.allmusic.com/album/singin-swingin-mw0000615285

Personnel: Betty Roché (vocals); Bill Jennings (guitar); Jimmy Forrest (tenor saxophone); Jack McDuff (organ); Roy Haynes (drums).

Singin' & Swingin' 

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Buddy & Monk Montgomery - The Mastersounds

Styles: Jazz, Cool
Year: 1960
File: MP3@128K/s
Time: 77:17
Size: 72,6 MB
Art: Front

(9:46) 1. Golden Earrings
(6:09) 2. People Will Say We´re in Love
(5:35) 3. (There Is) No Greater Love
(5:25) 4. West Coast Blues
(8:32) 5. I´ve Never Been in Love Before/Don´t Blame Me
(5:16) 6. I Could Write a Book
(6:43) 7. Whisper Not
(4:32) 8. Fink, Fank, Funk
(4:06) 9. It Could Happen To You
(5:48) 10. Try It
(4:48) 11. Alone Together
(5:06) 12. For now
(5:23) 13. Surrey With the Fringe on Top

This compilation combines the final two studio recordings by the Mastersounds (Swinging With the Mastersounds and A Date With the Mastersounds), minus one track, as all of the music wouldn't fit on a single CD. Vibraphonist Buddy Montgomery and his brother Monk Montgomery (on acoustic bass, rather than electric bass as shown on the cover photo) are joined by pianist Richie Crabtree and drummer Benny Barth for music that ranges from the laid-back take of "Golden Earrings" to a driving "People Will Say We're in Love" to an understated arrangement of "Whisper Not." This quartet primarily falls into bop, though it can be considered cool on several of the tracks due to its often reserved but melodic nature. The music is enjoyable, though not especially innovative. Since few of their recordings have been reissued in the CD era, the re-emergence of these two nearly complete sessions should be welcomed.~Ken Drydenhttps://www.allmusic.com/album/the-mastersounds-mw0000219122

Personnel: Vibraphone, Arranged By – Buddy Montgomery; Bass – Monk Montgomery; Drums – Benny Barth; Piano – Richie Crabtree

The Mastersounds

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Hailey Brinnel - Beautiful Tomorrow

Styles: Trombone And Vocal Jazz
Year: 2023
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 39:25
Size: 90,7 MB
Art: Front

(3:41) 1. There's A Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow
(5:11) 2. I Might Be Evil
(4:12) 3. The Sound
(3:18) 4. Walk Between Raindrops
(2:54) 5. Tea For Two (Feat. Terell Stafford)
(4:20) 6. Wayfaring Stranger
(4:54) 7. A Cottage For Sale
(3:12) 8. There Will Never Be
(4:48) 9. I Want To Be Happy
(2:49) 10. Candy

Trombonist, vocalist, and educator is based in Philadelphia, PA. At the age of 12 she began performing throughout New England with her father Dave Brinnel. Brinnel was a finalist in the 2021 Sarah Vaughan International Jazz Vocal Competition, and featured on Spotify's 'Best Vocal Jazz of 2022' editorial playlist. She has performed at venues around the world, having played with artists such as The Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra, The Philly Pops, Sherrie Maricle and the DIVA Jazz Orchestra, Ingrid Jensen, Anat Cohen, Tony Glausi, Haley Reinhart, Camille Thurman, and Pell.

As part of the Temple University Jazz Band led by Terell Stafford, she has played and recorded alongside many of today's top jazz artists, including Sean Jones, Ken Peplowski, Jimmy Heath, Ann Hampton Callaway, Jon Faddis, Luis Bonilla, Wycliffe Gordon, René Marie and Dick Oatts. In addition, she shared the stage with Maurice Hines and The DIVA Jazz Orchestra as part of the national tour of the Hines' off-Broadway production "Tappin' Thru Life".

Hailey Brinnel's performance highlights include prestigious venues such as Dizzy’s Club, The Kennedy Center, The North Sea Jazz Festival, The Kimmel Center, Alice Tully Hall at Lincoln Center, Birdland, The XPoNential Music Festival, The Lake George Jazz Festival, World Cafe Live, The Springfield Jazz and Roots Festival, and The Washington Women in Jazz Festival.

Her debut album, I'm Forever Blowing Bubbles peaked at #13 on Amazon's 'Jazz New Release' chart, and #44 on the website's Jazz Best-Seller chart. Brinnel's music is rooted firmly in the original intentions of 1920s-1940s jazz, arranged such that the energy is preserved but new life is undoubtedly breathed into them. Acclaimed trumpeter Terell Stafford praises Brinnel for “honoring the history of this music” and sounding “so pure and soulful” that “I can’t stop listening!” Her critically acclaimed sophomore album Beautiful Tomorrow was released in March of 2023, and features trumpeter Terell Stafford.

As an educator, Brinnel has worked in a variety of settings spanning early childhood, elementary general, secondary instrumental and vocal, private lessons, master classes, as well as collegiate-level education courses. She is currently on faculty at The University of the Arts, The Kimmel Center, and works as a guest clinician to bring jazz education to classrooms throughout the city. She was also a featured clinician in the 2020 National Jazz Conference with her workshop A Melodic Approach to Scat Singing.

Hailey Brinnel is a B.A.C. Musical Instruments Performing Artist and a signed artist on the New York based Outside in Music record label.
https://www.haileybrinnel.com/bio

Beautiful Tomorrow

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Harold Vick - The Caribbean Suite

Styles: Hard Bop, Soul Jazz
Year: 1967
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 43:17
Size: 103,6 MB
Art: Front

(4:31) 1. Mango Walk
(1:57) 2. Saga Boy
(5:04) 3. Bongo Chant
(4:36) 4. Dance of the Zombies
(5:33) 5. Wha' Hupp'n?
(3:32) 6. Tiempo Medio Lento
(3:21) 7. Beguine
(3:06) 8. Haitian Ritual
(2:55) 9. Barbados
(3:10) 10. Jamaica Farewell
(5:26) 11. Leticia

Harold Vick led relatively few record dates of his own, but this little-known session is one of his better efforts. Known primarily for his work as a tenor saxophonist, Vick also plays soprano sax and flute on this mid-'60s RCA Victor album. Most of the disc is devoted to British tenor saxophonist Kenny Graham's eight-part "Caribbean Suite," which consists of musical impressions of various islands in the West Indies.

Joining Vick are trumpeter Blue Mitchell, vibraphonist Bobby Hutcherson, pianist Albert Dailey, guitarist Everett Barksdale, bassist Walter Booker, and drummer Mickey Roker, along with Latin percussion by Montego Joe and Manuel Ramos. Like other boppers who delved into Afro-Cuban music, Vick's arrangements of this obscure suite work very well. He also adds a fine take of Charlie Parker's "Barbados" and his own "Letitia," both of which fit in rather nicely with the album concept. Long out of print, this LP may be difficult to acquire. By Ken Dryden
https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-caribbean-suite-mw0000670014

The Caribbean Suite

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