Dutch Swing College Band - Dutch Swing College Band 75

Styles: Jazz, Swing
Year: 2022
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 46:17
Size: 107,7 MB
Art: Front

(2:54) 1. 2020 Rag
(3:56) 2. Lulu's Back in Town
(4:13) 3. Aunt Hagar's Blues
(2:52) 4. Oriental Strut
(4:01) 5. Rent Party Blues
(2:34) 6. Darktown Strutters Ball
(2:48) 7. The Eel
(3:16) 8. Shim-me-sha-wabble
(3:53) 9. Lazy Mood
(2:41) 10. Charleston
(3:44) 11. Quincy Street Stomp
(3:42) 12. The Mooche
(2:35) 13. Georgia Swing
(3:01) 14. Tiger Rag

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

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

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

Dutch Swing College Band 75

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Roxy Coss - Chasing The Unicorn

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2017
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 56:58
Size: 196,8 MB
Art: Front

(5:46)  1. Chasing the Unicorn
(4:40)  2. A Shade of Jade
(3:46)  3. You're There
(4:52)  4. Free to Be
(4:15)  5. Oh! Darling
(5:08)  6. Never Enough
(5:17)  7. Virgo
(5:13)  8. Unwavering Optimism
(5:57)  9. Benny's Tune
(6:00) 10. Endless Cycle
(5:59) 11. Crazy

The title of the third, and latest release of New York based saxophonist Roxy Coss, Chasing the Unicorn (Posi-Tone, 2017), enables a vision that all artists embrace-that elusive and mythical state of total expression attained by only an elite few, that which not only presents beauty and passion to the universe, but is integrated into the social and spiritual dynamic of the culture it embraces. The pursuit in itself is where sounds, sights, and emotions are gathered to create true art. In the saxophone world, this conjures up names like Parker, Coltrane, Shorter, and Henderson. This pursuit of an impossible, elusive, and ultimately expressive state is the world where saxophonist Roxy Coss resides. Known largely for her work with trumpeter Jeremy Pelt, Coss developed rapidly as a leader, and more importantly, as a composer, during her quintet's three year residency at New York's famed Smoke Jazz Club. Her musical relationship with guitarist Alex Wintz prompted a change in her approach to the traditional jazz quintet, replacing the trumpet with guitar, creating a front line partner with greater harmonic and melodic versatility. On this recording, she adds pianist Glenn Zaleski, who dwells in the modern aesthetic territory of pianists such as Brad Mehldau while echoing influences of the great Bill Evans.

This is equatable to the leader Coss, who can't seem to shake the tethers tied to masters like Wayne Shorter and Joe Henderson in her pursuit of her own distinctive sound. That being said, she achieves a wonderful blend of lyricism and inspired intensity throughout her solos on both tenor and soprano saxophones, and on her interpretation of Wayne Shorter's classic hard bop ballad, "Virgo," a daunting and pensive bass clarinet. New York firebrands, bassist Rick Rosato, and drummer Jimmy Macbride round out the quintet, and deliver as one would expect. Rosato's lovely tone, sense of timing, form, and melodic invention underpins the foundational pulse of MacBride's fluid playing, echoing the percussive sentiments of his mentor, Kenny Washington.


Coss leads the way on the title track, with a winding angular melody on soprano, switching to a harmonic role mid piece on bass clarinet. The piece personifies Coss' compositional prowess, and the wonderful rapport this quintet attains throughout this recording. Rosato and Macbride maintain the balance between form and spontaneous invention, enabling Wintz to play the role as counterpoint foil for Coss, and blending ever so deftly with pianist Zaleski to create a layered approach to harmony. Coss' original pieces are worthy palettes for musical interpretation, and throughout the course of her three albums Roxy Coss (Self Produced, 2010), Restless Idealism (Origin, 2016), and now Chasing the Unicorn, they are seemingly fleeing the constraint of her ever evolving hard bop notions of uniformity. "Free to Be" personifies this continually liberating progression for Coss, building the melody off of a melodic triad with Wintz and Zaleski. Her soprano solo builds to an improvised counterpoint exchange with Wintz, that is validation of Coss' audible vision of what she wants her quintet to sound like. Any notion that eschewing the traditional jazz quintet front line with trumpet as some sort of trivial maneuver to establish uniqueness is vanquished. Her musical bond with Wintz is comparable with any saxophone/trumpet pairing, with the added chordal, harmonic dimensional rapport. Coss' decision to cover the Lennon/McCartney classic, "Oh! Darling" makes perfect sense, being that it is built on the blues, an aspect of Coss' personal approach that is offered in exquisite fashion by her probing and soulful tenor.

The aforementioned foray into Shorter's "Virgo" displays the artist's versatility in this interpretive rendition delivered on bass clarinet. One of Shorter's more tender melodies is sublimely treated with emotive phrasing and a deep, pulsing tone, adrift with relentless romanticism. Roxy Coss' understanding of the jazz language, of identifying her personal approach as a leader continues to progress, or rather advance, utilizing giant strides rather than short, measured steps. Sure, she has spent ten years now in New York, ten years away from the west coast stronghold of jazz that is her native Seattle. In traditional terms, she has paid her dues. She has been able to create art that is emblematic of her upbringing, being the daughter of brilliant sculptor, and light and sound artist, Mary Coss. She has done so with a tenor saxophone and a passionate allegiance to the masters that have paved the way. She is willing to escape the boundaries of her fears, and continue to endeavor into that which is mythical in vision, yet tangible in form. Chasing the Unicorn is a reflection of just that.
By Paul Rauch https://www.allaboutjazz.com/chasing-the-unicorn-roxy-coss-posi-tone-records-review-by-paul-rauch.php

Personnel: Roxy Coss: tenor and soprano saxophones, bass clarinet; Alex Wintz: guitar; Glenn Zaleski: piano; Rick Rosato: bass; Jimmy Macbride: drums.

Chasing The Unicorn

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Antonio Zambrini, Andrea Di Biase, Jon Scott - Songs From The Procol Harum Book

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2010
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 48:42
Size: 111,7 MB
Art: Front

(6:51) 1. Pilgrim's Progress
(6:01) 2. Crucifiction Lane
(8:20) 3. A Salty Dog
(5:36) 4. Homburg
(7:58) 5. Fires (Which Burnt Brightly)
(5:41) 6. Quite Rightly So
(3:48) 7. Something's Following Me
(4:24) 8. A Whiter Shade Of Pale

Antonio Zambrini is esteemed one of the best italian composer. The last three recordings by Antonio Zambrini , “Quartetto”, “Due colori” and “Musica” ( all by Abeat records ) have been of great success either in critics and sales all around many countries. It’s the first time that Antonio Zambrini is recording some songs by other people’s.

To do that he choose the repertoire of Procol Harum, the band from England who, during the ‘60 and ’70 years, created some very well known songs all over the world such as “A Whiter Shade of Pale”, “Homburg”, “Salty Dog”, “Something’s following me” and many more…Elegance of touch, accurate care of choosing notes, deep but peaceful improvisation, predilection of intimate situations, makes Antonio one of the most original pianist of the Italian scene.

In this Cd Zambrini has been supported by the doublebass player Andrea Di Biase , who studied at the Guildhall School of London and by the English drummer Jon Scott. The typical italian mood of Zambrini takes more inspiration from the “British”climate of the rhithmic section.By JazzLoft

Personnel: Antonio Zambrini (piano); Andrea Di Biase (double bass); Jon Scott (drums)

Songs From The Procol Harum Book

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Rickie Lee Jones - Pieces Of Treasure

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2023
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 34:09
Size: 79,4 MB
Art: Front

(3:11) 1. Just in Time
(3:20) 2. There Will Never Be Another You
(3:26) 3. Nature Boy
(4:16) 4. One For My Baby
(2:50) 5. They Can't Take That Away from Me
(2:31) 6. All The Way
(4:08) 7. Here's That Rainy Day
(4:44) 8. September Song
(2:53) 9. On the Sunny Side Of The Street
(2:46) 10. It's All In The Game

Ever since Linda Ronstadt bravely took on the Great American Songbook with three albums back in 1983, pop singers with a rock background have taken on the classics of the first half of the 20th century and reinterpreted them for contemporary audiences. When Ronstadt sang them with the Nelson Riddle Orchestra, critics considered the act revolutionary. Rock originated as a rebellion against the mainstream pop of the 1950s. Now rock was dissenting from what it had become by embracing what it had campaigned against. Artists as varied as the once vulgar Rod Stewart (remember songs such as “You’re So Rude” from A Nod Is as Good as a Wink?) and anti-authoritarian as Bob Dylan have gone on to release multi-volume collections of smooth standards.

Now it’s Rickie Lee Jones‘ turn. As one might expect, she does it coolsville style with a jazz combo. She makes the songs her own through her combination of little girl style and wizened woman narration. When Jones sings, her vocals tell a story through her intonations as well as through the lyrics. At times, she makes one put down the whiskey and grab the cigarette from the ashtray as she wistfully recalls “There Will Never Be Another You”. In other songs, such as “It’s All in the Game”, the opposite is true. Listening to the singer’s sadness makes one want to reach for a drink.

Russ Titelman, who co-produced Jones’ 1979 self-titled debut (and her second record, Pirates), helms this production. But this is no retro album or exercise in 1970s nostalgia. The music and style are very different than it used to be. Titleman assembled a small jazz combo (Rob Mounsey on piano, guitarist Russell Malone, bassist David Wong, and drummer Mark McLean) to back Jones and let her vocals breathe. More importantly, to let the songs move in a metropolitan air where the spaces between sounds are as significant as the instruments themselves. There is a spareness to the arrangements that conveys urbane refinement. The music was recorded at Sear Sound during a five-day stint in New York City and sounds as sophisticated as the city that never sleeps.

Even the rural connotations of “Nature Boy” come across as cosmopolitan, thanks to Ara Dinkjian’s lead oud playing. The instrumental introduction situates Jones’ intonations about “the strange, enchanted boy” into something transcendent. The singer’s declaration that love is the secret of life makes perfect sense in this context.

Love is the primary topic of songs from the Great American Songbook, whether it’s the lack of it (i.e., “One for the Road”) or that it redeems (“Just in Time”), or how it’s the end all / be all (“All the Way”) or the memories of it (“They Can’t Take That Away From Me”). Jones croons about love with sweetness but never gushes too sentimentally. Her persona suggests that she’s always in control, even when she sings about being out of control.

May that's just a function of age. When she croons, “Here’s That Rainy Day”, she doesn’t seem upset about her fate (being alone) as much as accepting her destiny. The same is true of the opposite side of the coin. The young narrator of “On the Sunny Side of the Street” extols life’s positive virtues. You can feel the singer leaving her troubles at the door and walking down the avenue with a big smile on her face.

Jones’ ability to be both old and young makes her rendition of “September Song” compelling. She can identify with each lover of a May/December romance, no matter what age. Jones is a pirate who plunders the treasures of the Great American Songbook for all of its riches. The music is as timeless as she is. By Steve Horowitz
https://www.popmatters.com/rickie-lee-jones-pieces-of-treasure

Personnel: Rickie Lee Jones voice / vocals; Russell Malone guitar, electric.; David Wong bass; Mark McLean. drums; Mike Mainieri. vibraphone.

Pieces Of Treasure

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Various Artists - Colin Curtis Presents Jazz Dance Fusion

Styles: Fusion, Latin Jazz
Year: 2018
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 117:29
Size: 270,0 MB
Art: Front

(5:52) 1. What's Going On
(4:50) 2. Harolds House of Jazz
(7:43) 3. Spirit of Truth
(4:01) 4. The Angels
(6:49) 5. Spirit's Samba
(2:55) 6. Someone to Light Up My Life
(4:12) 7. Zamba
(5:52) 8. To Let You Know I Care
(7:52) 9. The Samba Express
(6:30) 10. Murilley
(3:56) 11. New York Afternoon
(5:13) 12. Empty Faces
(6:06) 13. Ponteio
(6:00) 14. Flying Colors
(8:37) 15. Image
(5:22) 16. Vera Cruz
(6:35) 17. Morning Song
(4:35) 18. El Exi-Hente
(6:45) 19. Demon Upstairs
(7:35) 20. Samba Do Brilho

Well, you wait for a decent Jazz compilation to come along and then two come along at once. In a previous review we talked about Mike Peden and Tony Higgins’ J Jazz compilation on BBE and gave it top marks and now DJ and music collector supreme Colin Curtis has compiled another blinder out now on Joey Negro’s Z Records.

Before reviewing this selection it is important to put it into a context. The Jazz scene in the UK is so strong at present with DJ events such as Shiftless Shuffle, The Return of the Illicit Groove’s nights, Another Sunday At Dingwalls and Out To Lunch. Coupled with live acts such as Sons of Kemet, Nubya Garcia, Moses Boyd and their various collaborative incarnations and we are truly living in an era which bridges the Jazz dance and Rare Grooves scenes of the 80s to the New Jazz of today. The bands featured on the Brownswood compilation ‘We Out Here’ and who appear at the weekly Jazz Re:Freshed are testament to that link.

So where does Jazz Dance Fusion fit into this? Well, first off this is not an excuse to bury oneself in a retro pique of nostalgia. Indeed, what this compilation represents is an underpinning of what is new now. Always a leftfield sub-genre within the leftfield genre of Jazz, Jazz dance was, and is, the music which bridged the gap between soul, funk and latin grooves and which gave the dancers the chance to throw down moves or simply just lose themselves in rythyms which screamed out at them.

My personal journey into this came in the 80s when, as an extremely hung over soulboy, I went into the Saturday afternoon jazz room session at a weekender expecting to be able to get a hair of the dog and nurse my way into the night to come. I have no idea who was on the decks that moment I walked in but what was playing was Charles Earland’s brilliant track Murilley and what happened was I never made it across the dancefloor to the bar. Three hours of dancing later I was hooked. This album brings that day back to me in an almost visceral way.

However, as I said earlier, this album along with other recent compilations (J Jazz, Kev Beadle’s Private Collection etc) are so important for the thriving scene that exists right now with the new acts, DJs, bands, events already outlined. From Track 1, the sublime version of Marvin’s What’s Going On by Michele Hendricks to Track 20, Bill Hardman’s Samba Do Brihlo there is a massive hint to to the new Jazz of today with rythyms and drum breaks that are clear pre-cursors to Drum & Bass, Hip-Hop and House music. The vocal tracks, Richie Cole’s seminal New York Afternoon, the aforementioned Michele Hendricks and Mark Murphy’s Empty Faces, reach out in a way that vocalists of the calibre of Asheber, Saul Williams & Zara Macfarlane do now....More
https://illicitgroove.wordpress.com/2018/03/01/colin-curtis-presents-jazz-dance-fusion-a-review-by-bob-hill/

Colin Curtis Presents Jazz Dance Fusion

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Roberta Donnay - Bohemian

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2001
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 35:31
Size: 82,7 MB
Art: Front

(4:05) 1. Crack In The Sidewalk
(5:02) 2. Fly Me In From Nowhere
(4:34) 3. Graffiti
(3:33) 4. Canada
(4:38) 5. Jody
(5:16) 6. This Train
(4:20) 7. I Will Not Be Blind
(3:59) 8. Ain't Got You

Musicians can take on the role of anthropologist, curious about what came before in music and how musicians reflected their world around them. Award- winning vocalist and songwriter Roberta Donnay is that rare species of musician who almost lives in another time, as she and her Prohibition Mob Band exist to revive the Jazz Age of America. After two very enjoyable CDs of music from the 1920s-30s, Roberta Donnay and her Prohibition Mob Band continue their exploration of early jazz and swing with a tribute to one of the most influential figures in all of jazz. Donnay is possibly the first female singer to record a full-length project devoted exclusively to Louis Armstrong.For My Heart Belongs To Satchmo, Roberta Donnay & the Prohibition Mob Band revive 15 songs from Armstrong's career. Avoiding the obvious hits, Donnay performs both superior obscurities and personal favorites.

“'My Heart Belongs To Satchmo' is such a joyful project for me,” adds Donnay, “I wanted to capture the heart of Satchmo and the love that we have of his music.” Ms. Donnay, her arrangers, and the musicians of the Prohibition Mob Band succeed at paying a loving tribute to the great Satchmo.~ Scott Yanow, jazz journalist/historian

Featured performers on the recording are Donnay’s Prohibition Mob Band: John R. Burr, piano; Sam Bevan, bass; Deszon Claiborne, drums; Rich Armstrong, coronet/trumpet; Sheldon Brown, clarinet; Mike Rinta, trombone, Matt Baxter, guitar. Guest artists: Annie Stocking, background vocals on “Pennies From Heaven”.

“Bathtub Gin”, listed as One Of The Best Albums 2015 in DownBeat Magazine, is another significant achievement in Donnay’s colorful and productive career as a producer, performer and songwriter. Always writing, Donnay has had many of her songs selected for multiple TV and film placements and has served as a music supervisor for movies. Also a producer and a journalist, Donnay understands how music can help tell the story of issues and events. Her song “One World,” an ASCAP Composer Award-winning song, was selected as a world-peace anthem for the 50th Anniversary of the United Nations and was the theme for World Aids Day in South Africa. A longtime resident of the Bay Area, Donnay has been a singer and percussionist with the iconic band Dan Hicks and The Hot Licks since 2005- 2016 and also performs still with “The Hot Licks”. Her own band, The Prohibition Mob Band, is well known out west and tours frequently.

Shares Donnay, I’m honored to have the opportunity to record and perform this music, to carry forward a piece of this legacy, and I hope I can inspire others to re-discover this music and the reasons we fell in love with jazz. Jazz was the music of the people and the music of freedom. Now, more than ever, I feel we need the encouragement, wisdom, and the courage to question authority. Time for a new renaissance! https://musicians.allaboutjazz.com/robertadonnay

Bohemian

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Enrico Pieranunzi - Pieranunzi Plays Previn

Styles: Piano Jazz
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 18:43
Size: 43,1 MB
Art: Front

(5:16) 1. Let's Go Home
(3:12) 2. Always Mademoiselle
(4:10) 3. Why Are We Afraid?
(3:04) 4. (You've Had A) Change of Heart
(2:58) 5. Coco

An acclaimed Italian jazz pianist, composer, and educator, Enrico Pieranunzi is known for his virtuosic, classical-influenced technique, nuanced sense of harmony, and elegantly restrained approach to modern post-bop jazz. Influenced heavily by Bill Evans, Pieranunzi emerged in the 1970s leading his own trio, and quickly established himself internationally as an in-demand sideman for such jazz giants as Chet Baker, Lee Konitz, Phil Woods, and others. Along with performing, he is a dedicated teacher, having worked for many years as a full professor at the Conservatorio di Musica in Frosinone. Recognized as one of the foremost Italian jazz artists, he has garnered a handful of awards, including taking home the 1997 Django d'Or as Best European Jazz Musician and winning the 2014 German Echo Jazz Award as Best International Keyboard Artist. Pieranunzi remains a highly prolific artist, moving from trio albums like 2019's New Visions, to conceptual solo dates like 2020's Jackson Pollock-inspired Frame, to vibrant collaborations like 2021's After Glow with Bert Joris.

Born in Rome in 1949, Pieranunzi was introduced to classical music and jazz by his father, guitarist Alvaro Pieranunzi. (In addition, his brother is noted classical violinist Gabriele Pieranunzi.) Encouraged to study piano from a young age, he eventually graduated university with a music degree in 1973, and began working as a teacher. However, in 1975 he left his teaching position to focus on leading his jazz trio. He debuted that same year with the album Jazz a Confronto, and followed up with a handful of well-regarded efforts including 1976's New & Old Jazz Sounds with his father, 1976's The Day After the Silence, and 1978's A Long Way.

By the '80s, Pieranunzi had gained the attention of many touring American artists, including saxophonists Phil Woods and Lee Konitz, flügelhorn player Art Farmer, and bassist Charlie Haden. He also developed a close working relationship with trumpeter/vocalist Chet Baker, a partnership that resulted in several superb albums, including 1980's Soft Journey and 1987's Silence, which also showcased Haden. In addition, the pianist released more of his own albums, including collaborations with bassist Marc Johnson and drummer Joey Baron such as 1984's New Lands. He went solo on 1985's What's What, and joined saxophonist Konitz on 1988's Solitudes. Pieranunzi capped the decade by appearing on Ennio Morricone's soundtrack to the acclaimed 1989 film Cinema Paradiso.

More work followed in the '90s, including dates with Baker, Haden, and Woods, as well as adventurous sessions with trumpeters Enrico Rava and Eric Vloeimans. As a leader, Pieranunzi recorded regularly for Enja, Timeless, and Soul Note, issuing such albums as 1995's Flux & Change, 1997's Seaward, and 1998's Ma l'Amore No. He also gained increasing praise for his work, including taking home the prestigious Django d'Or as the Best European Jazz Musician in 1997. Two years later, he paired with trumpeter Bert Joris for the quintet date Don't Forget the Poet. A duo session with pianist Bert van den Brink followed in 2000.

Pieranunzi furthered his own work over the next decade, releasing albums like 2001's Improvised Forms of Trio, 2002's Play Morricone, and 2003's Fellini Jazz. He also paired with acclaimed drummer Paul Motian for a handful of albums, including 2004's Doorways with saxophonist Chris Potter and 2005's Special Encounter with Haden. His ongoing association with bassist Johnson and drummer Baron produced a steady flow of studio and live sessions, including 2008's Yellow & Blue Suites and 2009's Dream Dance. There were also similar efforts with bassist Scott Colley and drummer Antonio Sanchez, such as 2013's Permutations and 2014's Stories.

In 2014, Pieranunzi took home Germany's Echo Jazz Award as Best International Keyboard Artist. He returned the following year alongside trumpeter Ralph Alessi, saxophonist Donny McCaslin, and bassist Matt Penman for the forward-thinking quartet album Proximity. He then joined fellow pianist Bruno Canino for the 2016 duo session Americas, and followed in 2017 with another duo date, Duke's Dream with saxophonist Rosario Giuliani. The concert album Wine & Waltzes: Live at Bastianich Winery appeared in 2018. New Visions, a trio album with bassist Thomas Fonnesbaek and drummer Ulysses Owens, Jr., arrived in 2019. The next year, Pieranunzi drew inspiration from the abstract paintings of Jackson Pollock for Frame. He also reunited with bassist Jasper Somsen and drummer Jorge Rossy in 2020 for their third trio session, Common View. In 2021, the pianist collaborated with trumpeter Bert Joris on After Glow and again paired with Fonnesbaeck for The Real You. By Matt Collar https://www.allmusic.com/artist/enrico-pieranunzi-mn0000184086/biography

Pieranunzi Plays Previn

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John Pizzarelli - Stage & Screen

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 2023
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 61:44
Size: 141,9 MB
Art: Front

(5:53) 1. Too Close For Comfort
(3:04) 2. I Love Betsy
(5:19) 3. I Want To Be Happy
(7:43) 4. Tea For Two
(6:25) 5. Just In Time
(2:36) 6. Some Other Time
(4:41) 7. Where Or When
(9:00) 8. Oklahoma Suite
(4:46) 9. Time After Time
(3:20) 10. You're All The World To Me
(4:06) 11. As Time Goes By
(4:45) 12. Coffee In A Cardboard Cup

Evoking heartfelt memories of love and longing, sunshine, laughter and more, vocalist/guitarist John Pizzarelli's Stage & Screen delivers vibrant interpretations of classic songs from Broadway and Hollywood. The album provides not only nostalgia and hopeful vibes, but what amounts to orchestral artistry by Pizzarelli, pianist Isaiah J. Thompson and bassist Mike Karn as a bonus. Pizzarelli, a Grammy award winner and long an internationally acclaimed performer and entertainer, has been credited as being a prime interpreter of the Great American Songbook and jazz standards while maintaining a repertoire including the music of those like Paul McCartney, Joni Mitchell, Antonio Carlos Jobim and the Beatles. He's played with, among many others, Rosemary Clooney, Natalie Cole, Buddy DeFranco and his father Bucky Pizzarelli.

"In thinking about some of the songs that I really love to play, it struck me how many of them come from either a Broadway show or from a movie," Pizzarelli says. "An idea like Stage & Screen frees me to explore a wide range of songwriters and eras, and it continues to offer a wealth of new possibilities." And the album celebrates the 40th anniversary of Pizzarelli's 1983 debut recording.

It features Pizzarelli's vintage, incisive strumming guitar work and is embellished by bandmates Karn and Thompson. Karn, a story in his own right, is a talented tenor saxophonist who has worked with many big names, including Joe Lovano and then switched to the bass and mastered that as well. Thompson is the prodigious pianist first eyed by Pizzarelli when Thompson was just 16. Since then Thompson, a Juilliard School graduate, has performed with Ron Carter, Steve Turre and many other jazz stars.

The trio's empathy makes Stage & Screen one of 2023's early album of the year candidates. Several of the classics are familiar, yet made special by Pizzarelli's soothing and artful, and at other times crackling and energetic vocals. "Tea for Two," "Just In Time" and "Where or When" are notably enchanting lullabies with Pizzarelli's guitar work accented by Karn's softly rumbling melodies on bass and Thompson's lyrically inventive piano ripples. Then there's "I Want To Be Happy," a romp showcasing Pizzarelli's ability and agility for not just lulling romance but also jamming, witty riffs, ably matched by Karn and Thompson's whipping runs of their own.

Two special highlights deserve mention. "Some Other Time" is a lilting Pizzarelli solo, a gem of enchanting rhythm and melancholy. "Oklahoma Suite" becomes a rich mosaic of the sights and sounds of the famed musical Oklahoma! from Karn's theme-setting bass opening, through Thompson's rollicking piano and Pizzarelli's joyful, whipping guitar strumming on "Oh What a Beautiful Morning," "The Surrey with the Fringe on Top," "People Will Say We're in Love" and others. People will say Stage & Screen makes for a lot of fun memories for many of us, and enduring music. By Steve Monroe
https://www.allaboutjazz.com/stage-and-screen-john-pizzarelli-palmetto-records

Personnel: John Pizzarelli: guitar; Mike Karn: bass, acoustic; Isaiah J. Thompson: piano.

Stage & Screen

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Peter Erskine, Alan Pasqua & David Carpenter - Live at Rocco Disc 1, Disc 2

Album: Live at Rocco Disc 1
Styles: Jazz Fusion, Post Bop
Year: 2000
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 62:44
Size: 165,9 MB
Art: Front

( 7:33) 1. To Love Again
( 8:40) 2. Riff Raff
( 6:10) 3. Caribe (intro)
( 7:56) 4. Caribe (body)
( 9:09) 5. Life Today
( 5:05) 6. Jerry Goldsmith
( 8:01) 7. Greta
(10:06) 8. Bulgaria

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Album: Live at Rocco Disc 2
Time: 61:25
Size: 160,1 MB

(13:29) 1. How About You?
( 6:18) 2. Autumn Rose
( 6:20) 3. Pure & Simple
( 9:35) 4. All of You
( 5:30) 5. Children
(11:44) 6. Milago
( 8:25) 7. Taiowa

Since 1992, Peter Erskine has been putting out exquisite piano trio music on the ECM label, in the company of pianist John Taylor and bassist Palle Daniellson. Live at Rocco is the double-disc debut of a new, equally exciting trio completed by pianist Alan Pasqua and bassist David Carpenter, both of whom, incidentally, have done stellar work with Allan Holdsworth. Erksine, Pasqua, and Carpenter have all had the fusion bug at one time or another, but the vibe here is acoustic, generally mellow, and gloriously melodic.

Pasqua, who wrote seven of the 15 tunes, has a way with hooks "To Love Again" and "Caribe" sound almost like finely crafted pop songs. "Taiowa," the vamp-based "Jerry Goldsmith," and the stately "Milagro" reveal his more adventurous side, while the two ballads "Greta" and "Children" whisper with fragility and tenderness. Carpenter's sole original, "Riff Raff," begins as a bass-driven groove and eases into bopping swing.

Erskine contributes the spritely "Bulgaria," the hypnotic and soft "Life Today," and the Jarrett-like "Autumn Rose." Impressionistic yet burning takes of "All of You" (Carpenter's solo) and the seldom-played "How About You?" fit right in with the original material. John Taylor's "Pure and Simple," the most swinging cut of the session, could have lent the album a fitting subtitle. Keeping it pure and simple was exactly the intention of these three strikingly complementary players.By David R.Adler
https://www.allmusic.com/album/live-at-rocco-mw0000067336

Personnel: Peter Erskine: drums; Alan Pasqua: piano; David Carpenter: double-bass.

Live at Rocco Disc 1, Disc 2

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Enrico Pieranunzi & Thomas Fonnesbaek - Blue Waltz

Styles: Piano Jazz, Post Bop 
Year: 2018
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 63:58
Size: 155,7 MB
Art: Front

(6:40)  1. Everything I Love
(8:53)  2. Blue Waltz
(7:02)  3. Come Rose Dai Muri
(7:30)  4. Molto Ancora
(9:46)  5. All the Things You Are
(5:07)  6. First Impression Last
(6:06)  7. Miradas
(2:43)  8. Si Peu de Temps
(5:12)  9. Tales from the Unexpected
(4:55) 10. Wimp

During my childhood and teen age it was exactly the bass the “engine” that brought me to get deeper and deeper into the jazz language. So, shortly, I placed the bass in the top position of my personal list of favorite instruments. When in 2015 I met Thomas for the first time I had a further confirmation of all this. During the set we played in duo in fact his technique and musicality really impressed me and made me think that when somebody plays the bass the way he does it it’s difficult for me placing any other instrument in that top position. However, one year after our first meeting we performed in trio with the fine drummer Stefan Pasborg. Then, in 2017, we played an entire duo concert, whose results are now accessible to all the jazz listeners and fans. Well, I’d like to say here that Danmark seems really to be a very special and productive country for bass players. All of us in fact remember and regret the great NHOP, kind of pioneer and example for many generations of fantastic Danish bass players. Thomas, in my opinion, represents at it’s best the heritage coming from him and I’m proud to have shared with him the music recorded in this CD. Enjoy! https://www.enricopieranunzi.it/discografia/blue-waltz

Personnel: Enrico Pieranunzi piano; Thomas Fonnesbæk bass.

Blue Waltz

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Shirley Scott - Queen Talk: Live at the Left Bank

Styles: Hard Bop, Soul Jazz
Year: 2023
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 97:59
Size: 228,3 MB
Art: Front

(12:32) 1. Impressions
(10:44) 2. Never Can Say Goodbye
( 9:55) 3. Like Someone in Love
(14:45) 4. Witchcraft
( 6:37) 5. Blues By Five
( 9:08) 6. By The Time I Get To Phoenix
( 9:19) 7. Smile
( 8:04) 8. You Don't Mess Around with Jim
( 8:42) 9. Girl Talk
( 8:09) 10. Blues

Queen Talk is a fitting title for the current release from the archivist label Reel to Real Records as Hammond B-3 organist Shirley Scott had the soubriquet "Queen of the organ" at the height of her career. This limited-edition hand-numbered 180 gram 2-LP set produced by Zev Feldman and Cory Weeds presents a never-before-released live 1972 recording from the Famous Ballroom in Baltimore. Other heavyweights on this outline are tenor saxophonist George Coleman, drummer Bobby Durham and, for three tracks, vocalist Ernie Andrews.

A Philadelphia native, Scott began playing in and around the area at an early age and, at twenty-one, she was in a trio with John Coltrane, supporting a vocal group called Hildy & The Peptones. By the time of this live session, she had long established her bona fides through her association with tenor-men such as Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis and Stanley Turrentine as well as several iterations of her own trio.

Side A opens with John Coltrane's composition "Impressions" and races along at break-neck speed. There are lots of long hot-tempered lines and squealing by Coleman, while Durham is a whirling dervish on the drum kit. Scott deftly works her way into this ring, punching above her weight. The other track is "Never Can Say Goodbye," with a slightly more infectious tempo which is more open, appealing and in control. Everyone has their say and for the most part is readily understood.

Side B features the session's longest track, "Witchcraft," the Cy Coleman composition which became a big hit for Frank Sinatra. However, instead of the finger snapping tempo favoured by Sinatra, the trio decides they want to test each other's endurance. It is unclear who the winner (or loser) is but, by the end of the track, Coleman has shown he is a soloist of fluency and speed.

Side C has three decidedly different compositional forms starting with the Red Garland number "Blues By Five" then the Jimmy Webb pop tune "By The Time I Get To Phoenix," and finally Charlie Chaplin's composition "Smile." It might have been expected that these disparate numbers would produce different tempos, but that is not the case. Up tempo swing is the order of the day and each player dives in with glee.

Side D is all vocalist Ernie Andrews on "You Don't Mess Around with Jim," "Girl Talk" and "Blues." Throughout the three numbers, Andrews shows his versatility, vocal flexibility, and ability to sustain and fortify the energy in the room with the strength of his personality. A fitting wind up to a to a blistering session.By Pierre Giroux
https://www.allaboutjazz.com/queen-talklive-at-the-left-bank-shirley-scott-reel-to-real-records

Personnel: Shirley Scott: organ, Hammond B3; George Coleman: saxophone, tenor; Bobby Durham: drums; Ernie Andrews: voice / vocals.

Queen Talk: Live at the Left Bank

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U-NAM - Sunshine of Mine

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 2023
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 50:28
Size: 117,0 MB
Art: Front

(4:30) 1. Sunshine Of Mine
(3:49) 2. Make A Wish
(5:07) 3. Hang On To A Star
(3:54) 4. Juicy Smile
(3:58) 5. It’s Only Love
(5:23) 6. Come With Me To Rio
(4:35) 7. Coastline
(4:38) 8. Baile Do Brasil
(4:18) 9. First Class
(6:19) 10. Little Dreamer
(3:53) 11. Sunshine Of Mine (Radio Edit)

Prolific, French-born, Los Angeles-based soul and jazz guitar man U-NAM (Emmanuel Abiteboul) is lining up a new album for release in early March. It’s called ‘Sunshine Of Mine’ and after the winter we’ve all just endured, we could do with plenty of that good ‘ole sunshine! The long player is a ten tracker, though the title track is offered across two mixes.

Eight of the tunes are originals with the covers being versions of Jon Lucien’s 1983 hit ‘Come With Me To Rio’ and Barry White’s ‘It’s Only Love’ which features Kim Chandler on sweet backing vocals. Both covers sit perfectly amongst the originals of which ‘Make A Wish’ has been chosen as the album’s lead single. This is smooth jazz guitar as it’s meant to sound sweet and lovely, a proper 90s throwback! Mind you, you could say that about almost anything here.

Try the tight and funky ‘First Class’, the high octane ‘Hang On To A Star’ or the obvious Latin groove of ‘Baile Do Brasil’. The album’s focus cut, of course, is the title tune. It’s a melodic, easy going piece that was inspired by the love the guitar man has for his six year old son Myles who, U-Nam says is “quite literally, is the sunshine of his life.” The mellower ‘Little Dreamer’ is also inspired by Myles as is the cover art work, above. Bill Buckley soulandjazzandfunk.com By Editorial Reviews
https://www.amazon.com/Sunshine-Mine-U-Nam/dp/B0BV59562D

Sunshine of Mine

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Enrico Pieranunzi - New Visions

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2019
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 56:22
Size: 129,7 MB
Art: Front

(3:25) 1. Free Visions 1
(3:20) 2. Night Waltz
(6:46) 3. Anne Blomster Sang
(6:35) 4. You Know
(2:02) 5. Free Visions 2
(4:06) 6. Free Visions 3
(6:46) 7. Alt Kan Ske
(4:08) 8. Free Visions 4
(5:07) 9. Brown Fields
(4:12) 10. Dreams and the morning
(4:40) 11. One for Ulysses
(5:10) 12. Orphanes

The story behind this recording began in the summer of 2018 when Enrico Pieranunzi played with Ulysses Owens, Jr. For the first time: two awesome concerts during the Copenhagen Jazz Festival that cast a breathtaking spell over the audience. Enrico Pieranunzi was encouraged to study music from a young age. His father was a jazz guitarist. He studied classical music until 1973 when he became a Professor of Music, and maintained that post for two years.

In 1975 he left his teaching practice and played in trios and small ensembles. He has recorded over 60 albums. He has also been prolific as a session musician. Heralded as a "powerhouse of a showman" (Glide Magazine), a "legitimate jazz triple threat" (Critical Jazz) and a drummer who "take[s] a back seat to no one" (The New York Times), performer, producer and educator Ulysses Owens Jr. #goes the limit in the jazz world and beyond. The Trio is rounded out by bassist Thomas Fonnesbaek, who has performed with and recorded alongside some of the finest musicians in the industry.By Editorial Reviews
https://www.amazon.com/New-Visions-Enrico-Pieranunzi-Trio/dp/B07TPYXP9Z

Personnel: Piano – Enrico Pieranunzi; Bass – Thomas Fonnesbæk; Drums – Ulysses Owens Jr.

New Visions

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Macy Gray - Stripped

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2016
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 51:07
Size: 118,0 MB
Art: Front

(5:11) 1. Annabelle
(5:04) 2. Sweet Baby
(4:17) 3. I Try
(5:17) 4. Slowly
(4:57) 5. She Ain't Right for You
(4:11) 6. First Time
(6:41) 7. Nothing Else Matters
(3:24) 8. Redemption Song
(5:16) 9. The Heart
(6:49) 10. Lucy

One of the most iconic and instantly recognizable voices in music history is back in a way you've never heard before. Macy Gray makes her Chesky Records debut with her new Jazz infused album, Stripped. Paired with an awe inspiring jazz ensemble that includes Ari Hoenig, Daryl Johns, Russell Malone, and Wallace Roney, Macy's voice is given the space and freedom to truly shine.

Featuring new original songs, intriguing covers, and stunning new arrangements of her classic hits like "I Try," there's something for everyone on this timeless recording. Part of the Chesky Binaural + Series, all recorded with a single microphone, the band appears right before you with this spacious, lush and multi-dimensional recording. Now headphone users will hear the same three-dimensional sound and imaging as audiophiles have for the past 25 years with Chesky Recordings.

Also these new Binaural+ Series albums capture even more spatial realism for the home audiophile market, bringing you one step closer to the actual event. You will hear some of the most natural and pure cool music ever recorded.By Editorial Reviews
https://www.amazon.com/Stripped-Macy-Gray/dp/B01ICF70B6

Personnel: Macy Gray...Vocals; Ari Hoenig...Drums; Daryl Johns...Bass; Russell Malone...Guitar; Wallace Roney...Trumpet

Stripped

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Yelena Eckemoff - Lonely Man and His Fish

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2023
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 87:14
Size: 207,8 MB
Art: Front

(6:15) 1. Lonely Man
(7:09) 2. Pet Store
(6:32) 3. First Evening at Home
(3:43) 4. Breakfast fro Two
(5:58) 5. Man and His Fish
(4:51) 6. Accident
(7:11) 7. In Hospital
(7:06) 8. Into the Wild
(5:05) 9. Life in the Pond
(6:55) 10. Survivor
(6:03) 11. Empty House
(8:59) 12. Song for Spark
(5:07) 13. Call of Friendship
(6:12) 14. Dreaming Together

A Moscow-raised, classically-trained pianist, Yelena Eckemoff made the move to the United States in 1991, after being bitten by the jazz bug via a Dave Brubeck concert she attended in Moscow in 1987. In 2010, after settling with her family in rural North Carolina, she released Cold Sun (L & H Records), a trio outing featuring bassist Mads Vinding and drummer Peter Erskine. She followed up this fine debut with several more albums, all on her L & H Label, teaming again with drummer Erskine, bassist Arild Andersen, drummers Marilyn Mazur and Billy Hart, saxophonist Mark Turner and vibraphonist Joe Locke.

So, how does a young mother from Moscow, settled in rural North Carolina, unknown in the jazz world, connect with and eventually employ such a top-of-the-line list of jazz players to help her present her artistic vision? The guess here, formed after a phone conversation with the artist, a fearless directness combined with a guileless personal approach, a bit of friendly, low-key audacity, unwavering determination, and a justified confidence in the quality of the art she is creating.

2015 was a breakout year for Eckemoff. Two of her finest albums, Lions and Everblue, both on L & H Records, came out that year two all-star ensembles showcasing Eckemoff's superior compositions and her themed approach to making albums. She continues in that tradition on Lonely Man And His Fish, music built around Eckemoff's story about a retired orchestral trumpeter player (the lonely man) and his retirement present pet fish, Spark.

Trumpeter Kirk Knuffke plays the lonely man part; Japanese flautist Masaru Koga supplies the voice of Spark. The story, included in the liner booklet, has the feel of a simple children's tale. Much of the music has a whimsical quality, with engaging melodies and complex, classical-like harmonies. Trumpeter Knuffke sounds quintessentially American, drawing from funk and New Orleans traditions; flautist Koga brings in the Eastern tinge, and the rhythm section Eckemoff, bassist Ben Street and drummer Eric Harland are impeccable and imaginative in their support and their embellishments to the story-telling.

The 2 CDs worth of music on Lonely Man And His Fish brims with joy and the exhilaration of creation. Eckemoff's theme-based offerings take another step forward in complexity and positivity. What might be next for the pianist-composer? It is impossible to say; she follows her muse from pride of lions to nocturnal animals, from colors to wildflowers, from the desert to blooming tall phloxes inspirations from unlikely places transformed into marvellous works of art. By McClenaghan
https://www.allaboutjazz.com/lonely-man-and-his-fish-yelena-eckemoff-l-and-h-production

Personnel: Yelena Eckemoff: piano; Kirk Knuffke: cornet; Masaru Koga: flute; Ben Street: bass; Eric Harland: drums.

Lonely Man and His Fish

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Tom Collier - Boomer Vibes Volume 1

Styles: Jazz, Bop
Year: 2023
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 70:39
Size: 162,2 MB
Art: Front

(6:08) 1. Magic Fingers
(6:07) 2. At Last
(6:35) 3. Both Sides Now
(5:34) 4. We Gotta Get Out Of This Place
(6:44) 5. People Make The World Go Round
(7:30) 6. Just A Little Lovin' (Early In The Morning)
(6:40) 7. There's Always Something There To Remind Me
(6:28) 8. Wild Horses
(6:09) 9. One Fine Day
(6:04) 10. Yes It Is
(6:35) 11. As Tears Go By

Boomer Vibes, the first of three volumes to be issued on Summit Records over the next 18 months, is the culmination of nearly 70 years of having a microphone (or two) placed in front of my marimba or vibraphone and committing my musical performance to 78rpm phono disc, recording tape, and lastly, computer.

Unlike all previous album projects I've recorded over the past forty years, Boomer Vibes, Volume One (and two and three) represent my first recordings of songs I didn't compose. Instead, over the past year, I recorded three albums worth of songs from the 1960's and 70's that were especially important in my life for one reason or another. This album is also my first "do it yourself" album in over ten years. I play every instrument on Boomer Vibes, Volume 1

Tom Collier: Vanderplas electric vibes, acoustic vibes, marimba, xylophone, piano, electric piano, organ, synthesizer, synth bass, drums programming https://tomcolliervibes.com/news

Boomer Vibes Volume 1

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Carlos Santana & Wayne Shorter - Live at the Montreux Jazz Festival Disc, Disc 2

Album: Live at the Montreux Jazz Festival Disc 1
Styles: Guitar And Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1988
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 56:11
Size: 129,4 MB
Art: Front

(1:55) 1. Spiritual
(9:06) 2. Peraza
(8:20) 3. Shhh...
(9:21) 4. Incident at Neshabur
(8:29) 5. Elegant People
(4:20) 6. Percussion Solo
(4:42) 7. Goodness and Mercy
(9:55) 8. Sanctuary

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Album: Live at the Montreux Jazz Festival Disc 2
Time: 68:09
Size: 157,0 MB

(8:43) 1. For Those Who Chant
(5:23) 2. Blues for Salvador
(6:26) 3. Fireball 2000
(5:10) 4. Drum Solo
(8:28) 5. Ballroom in the Sky
(7:20) 6. Once it's Gotcha
(8:23) 7. Mandela
(8:44) 8. Deeper, Dig Deeper
(6:13) 9. Europa
(3:15) 10. Interviews With Carlos Santana, Wayne Shorter & Claude Nobs

It began almost as a lark when Carlos Santana encountered his longtime friend and hero Wayne Shorter on the concert trail in Atlanta, GA, in 1987. Carlos said, "Let's start a rumor that we're putting a band together."Wayne's eyes got bigger and brighter as he smiled and then responded: "Yeah, Carlos, let's start a rumor."

A few months later the Carlos Santana/Wayne Shorter Band performed its debut concert at The Fillmore in San Francisco, the beginning of a 26-concert tour throughout the U.S. and Europe. The performance of this magnificent band was recorded at Montreux, Switzerland, on July 14, 1988, and includes interviews with Carlos Santana, Wayne Shorter and festival creator Claude Nobs. By Editorial Reviews
https://www.amazon.com/Live-1988-Montreux-Jazz-Festival/dp/B000MRA6R8

Musicians: Carlos Santana - guitar / Wayne Shorter - saxophone / Chester Thompson - keyboards / Patrice Rushen - keyboards / Alphonso Johnson - bass / Armando Peraza - congas / Jose Chepito Areas - timbales / Leon "Ndugu" Chancler - drums

Live at the Montreux Jazz Festival

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Christian McBride - KNKX 5th Anniversary Member Concert

Styles: Jazz Funk
Year: 2021
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 44:46
Size: 103,7 MB
Art: Front

(12:50) 1. SKJ
(11:16) 2. I’m Afraid the Masquerade is Over
( 8:05) 3. Sophisticated Lady
( 8:30) 4. You Already Know
( 4:03) 5. Blues is Real

With his bold, swinging style and robust sound, Philadelphia native Christian McBride is one of the foremost jazz bassists of his generation. Initially coming to prominence as a Young Lion in the early '90s, McBride was championed by elders including Benny Carter and his longtime idol and mentor Ray Brown. He gained attention playing alongside similarly inclined contemporaries such as trumpeter Roy Hargrove, pianist Benny Green, and saxophonist Joshua Redman. His early albums, 1994's Gettin' to It and 1995's Number Two Express, displayed his hard-swinging, acoustic post-bop sound. However, he quickly proved his versatility and broad stylistic influences with 1998's Family Affair and 2000's Sci-Fi, embracing electric fusion, funk, and soul influences.

Still, jazz remained his focus, with his trio and Inside Straight quintet, both of which he debuted in 2013 on Out Here and People Music, respectively. He has earned more than five Grammy Awards, including two with his big band 2017's Bringin' It and 2020's For Jimmy, Wes and Oliver and for his work in the Trilogy trio with Chick Corea and Brian Blade. As a leader, he moves easily between small group dates like 2018's Christian McBride's New Jawn to more ambitious large-ensemble projects like 2020's The Movement Revisited: A Musical Portrait of Four Icons.

He also reunited with Redman, collaborating with his fellow '90s quartet bandmates Brad Mehldau and Brian Blade on 2020's RoundAgain and 2022's LongGone; both Grammy-nominated. He was back with New Jawn, exploring a blend of post-bop and free jazz on 2023's Prime. In addition to performing, McBride is a well-known radio personality, having hosted The Lowdown: Conversations with Christian on satellite radio and Jazz Night in America on National Public Radio. His expertise has also been tapped for advisory positions, including Artistic Advisor for Jazz Programming at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC), Artistic Director for Newport Jazz Festival, and Associate Artistic Director at the National Jazz Museum in Harlem.

Born in 1972 in Philadelphia, McBride grew up in a musical family with a mother who taught school and a father who played bass with R&B bands like the Delfonics and Billy Paul, as well as Cuban percussionist Mongo Santamaria. Young McBride would often accompany his father to gigs, and it was during one of those times at the Atlantic City Jazz Festival that he saw legends Dizzy Gillespie, Dexter Gordon, and Ella Fitzgerald.

The show had a lasting impact on McBride, who started playing the electric bass around age eight after asking for one as a Christmas present. Though his parents divorced, McBride's father remained active in his musical development and gave him his first lessons on the bass. Through his father, he developed a love of funk, jazz, and soul music. By his teens, he was playing upright bass in the school orchestra and the youth ensemble at Philadelphia's noted Settlement Music School. He played his first paying gig at 13, and by age 16 was working regularly in local jazz and R&B bands. He attended the Philadelphia High School for the Creative and Performing Arts, where he rubbed shoulders with classmates like Questlove and Black Thought of the Roots, keyboardist Joey DeFrancesco, and guitarist Kurt Rosenwinkel.

In 1989, McBride moved to New York City to attend the prestigious Juilliard School in Manhattan but left after one year to play with saxophonist Bobby Watson. Gigs and albums followed with luminaries including Roy Hargrove, Freddie Hubbard, Benny Green, Mulgrew Miller, Joshua Redman, Chris Potter, and more. He also worked closely with his idol and mentor, bassist Ray Brown, forming the all-star trio Super Bass with Brown and bassist John Clayton. In 1994, McBride made his debut as leader with Gettin' to It on Verve with pianist Cyrus Chestnut. Number Two Express followed a year later and featured saxophonist Kenny Garrett, pianist Chick Corea, and drummer Jack DeJohnette, among others. There were also notable outings with Herbie Hancock, Wallace Roney, Ryan Kisor, John Pizzarelli, and more.

McBride closed out the decade with A Family Affair, in which he played the electric bass and reconnected with his R&B roots. Also around this time, he began branching out, taking on the positions of artistic director of the summer jazz program at the University of Richmond, and embarking on what would be an 11-year run as artistic director of the Jazz Aspen-Snowmass summer program. He spent five years as creative chair for jazz programming at the Los Angeles Philharmonic Association. With 2000's Sci-Fi, McBride continued to explore his love of cross-pollinated fusion and funk. It was a sound he stuck with for his move to Warner Bros. for 2003's Vertical Vision. A year later, he earned his first Grammy playing on pianist McCoy Tyner's Illuminations. The three-disc Live at Tonic arrived in 2006 and showcased an even more wide-ranging mix of styles.

Having switched labels from Verve to Warner in the early 2000s, McBride made yet another label change, releasing the more straight-ahead New York Time on Chesky in 2006. He then joined pianist Bruce Hornsby and drummer DeJohnette for the 2007 trio album Camp Meeting. Two years later, he returned with Kind of Brown, his first album with his Inside Straight band. In 2009, he garnered his second Grammy Award for his contribution to pianist Chick Corea and guitarist John McLaughlin's Five Peace Band Live.

In 2011, the bassist introduced his big band with The Good Feeling on Mack Avenue. The album, which featured vocals by McBride's wife, singer Melissa Walker, took home the Grammy for Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album. He also issued the duets album Conversations with Christian that year, which featured performances with Angélique Kidjo, Sting, Dee Dee Bridgewater, and others. He then joined pianist Makoto Ozone and drummer Jeff "Tain" Watts for My Witch's Blue. People Music arrived in 2013 and found the bassist once again working with his Inside Straight ensemble.

2013 also saw the release of McBride's Grammy-nominated trio album Out Here with pianist Christian Sands and drummer Ulysses Owens, Jr. He picked up a second Grammy that year for his work on pianist Corea's Trilogy. Away from performing, McBride stayed active hosting The Lowdown: Conversations with Christian on satellite radio and Jazz Night in America on National Public Radio. He also continued his work as Artistic Advisor for Jazz Programming at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center.

Another trio effort, Live at the Village Vanguard, arrived in 2015 and included the bassist's Grammy-winning performance of "Cherokee," which took home the award for Best Improvised Jazz Solo. He then returned to his big band for 2017's Bringin' It, which earned McBride his sixth Grammy Award for Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album. In 2018, he released Christian McBride's New Jawn, an adventurous, piano-less quartet album featuring trumpeter Josh Evans, tenor saxophonist Marcus Strickland, and drummer Nasheet Waits. A year later, he teamed up with Chick Corea and Brian Blade for the live Trilogy 2 album while earning a trio of Grammy nominations for his New Jawn LP.

In February 2020, McBride released his ambitious large ensemble work The Movement Revisited: A Musical Portrait of Four Icons, celebrating the lives of famed civil rights leaders Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Malcolm X, Rosa Parks, and Muhammad Ali. That September, he paid tribute to legendary jazz artists Jimmy Smith, Wes Montgomery, and Oliver Nelson with the Grammy-nominated big-band album For Jimmy, Wes and Oliver.

He also joined Joshua Redman for RoundAgain, a reunion of the saxophonist's '90s quartet with pianist Brad Mehldau and drummer Brian Blade. Another Live at the Village Vanguard, this time featuring a performance with Inside Straight during McBride's 2014 residency at the famed Manhattan club, arrived in November 2021. The following year, he was back with Redman's quartet for LongGone, which picked up a Grammy nomination for Best Instrumental Jazz Album. He then returned to his avant-garde-leaning work with New Jawn for the group's sophomore album, 2023's Prime.
By Matt Collar https://www.allmusic.com/artist/christian-mcbride-mn0000103600/biography

KNKX 5th Anniversary Member Concert

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Paul Robeson - Portrait of a Legend

Styles: Post Bop
Year: 2023
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 38:25
Size: 88,8 MB
Art: Front

(3:32) 1. Rockin' Chair
(2:32) 2. It Ain't Necessarily So
(3:29) 3. St. Louis Blues
(3:13) 4. Shenandoah
(2:25) 5. Deep River
(3:31) 6. River, Stay 'Way From My Door
(2:36) 7. Summertime
(3:23) 8. Lazy Bones
(3:23) 9. Mighty Lak' A Rose
(4:19) 10. Ol' Man River
(2:52) 11. Carry Me Back To Green Pasture
(3:05) 12. Water Boy

Paul Leroy Robeson (born April 9, 1898 – died January 23, 1976) was an American bass-baritone concert artist, stage and film actor, professional football player, and activist who became famous both for his cultural accomplishments and for his political stances.

In 1915, Robeson won an academic scholarship to Rutgers College. While at Rutgers, he was twice named a consensus All-American in football and was the class valedictorian. He received his LL.B. from Columbia Law School while playing in the National Football League (NFL). After graduation, he became a figure in the Harlem Renaissance with performances in The Emperor Jones and All God's Chillun Got Wings.

Robeson performed in Britain in a touring melodrama, Voodoo, in 1922, and in Emperor Jones in 1925. In 1928, he scored a major success in the London premiere of Show Boat. Living in London for several years with his wife Eslanda, Robeson continued to establish himself as a concert artist and starred in a London production of Othello, the first of three productions of the play over the course of his career. He also gained attention in Sanders of the River (1935) and in the film production of Show Boat (1936). Robeson's political activities began with his involvement with unemployed workers and anti-imperialist students in Britain, and it continued with his support for the Republican cause during the Spanish Civil War and his involvement in the Council on African Affairs (CAA).

After returning to the United States in 1939, Robeson supported the American and Allied war efforts during World War II. However, his history of supporting civil rights causes and Soviet policies brought scrutiny from the FBI. After the war ended, the CAA was placed on the Attorney General's List of Subversive Organizations. Robeson was investigated during the McCarthy era. Due to his decision not to recant his public advocacy, he was denied a passport by the U.S. State Department; his income, consequently, plummeted. He moved to Harlem and published a periodical called Freedom, which was critical of United States policies, from 1950 to 1955. Robeson's right to travel was eventually restored as a result of the 1958 United States Supreme Court decision Kent v. Dulles.

Between 1925 and 1961, Robeson recorded and released some 276 songs. The first of these were the spirituals "Steal Away" (backed with "Were You There") in 1925. Robeson's recorded repertoire spanned many styles, including Americana, popular standards, classical music, European folk songs, political songs, poetry and spoken excerpts from plays.More....https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Robeson

Portrait of a Legend

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Angelo Luster - You Are Not Alone

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2023
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 43:14
Size: 99,3 MB
Art: Front

(5:08) 1. You Are Not Alone
(5:48) 2. Miles Away
(4:53) 3. Common Threads
(5:21) 4. I Remember When (Radio Edit)
(4:57) 5. Nothin' Comes To Sleepers (Feat. Israel Sims)
(4:28) 6. Happy Family (Feat. Charlie Muse & John Jubu Smith)
(5:27) 7. Possibilities
(7:09) 8. I Remember When (Long Version)

“A rose sprung from a rock” are the words critics use to describe Oakland, California native Angelo Luster, a saxophonist whose music invites the listener to embark upon a unique spiritual journey. You will without a doubt be enraptured by the emotion conveyed through his rich soulful sound, birthed from the union of contemporary gospel and the west coast jazz movements. At age twelve, he was accepted on scholarship to the Young Musicians Program at the University of California, Berkeley, where he trained for six years in jazz and classical music.

This led Luster to realize his purpose in life, “inspire others through my music.” Luster was taught by Bill Bell and Jim Moran who previously trained Dave Ellis, Tony, Toni, Tone guitarist, John Smith, Rodney Franklin, and Benny Green. Luster, like his classmates, got a range of experience after high school through performances in jazz festivals throughout the United States and Europe. Musical Experiences Luster received a scholarship to Grambling State University where he achieved the position of featured saxophone soloist. He also earned the honor of being spotlighted with such artists as Boyz II Men.

He was favored as one of the top college musicians of America and chosen to play in the All American College Marching Band by the Walt Disney Company in 1993, and the Company’s All American Jazz Band in 1994. Luster spent his summers playing in big bands behind such greats as, Rosemary Clooney, Mercer Ellington, Maynard Ferguson, Diane Schurr, Della Reese, Billy Taylor, Joe Williams, and other seasoned performers. After obtaining his Bachelor of Music degree from Southeastern Louisiana University in 1996, Luster returned home and began to perform internationally with St. Gabriel’s Celestial Brass Band. WORKS IN PROGRESS Luster celebrated the release of his first solo CD entitled “Face 2 Face” in July, 2004 and in 2007 he released Face 2 Face The Vocal Sessions.

The CD is an intimate reflection of his spirituality and desire to lead listeners into the presence of God. For this musical work, Luster was voted Best Male Jazz Artist of 2005 by Urban Gospel Industry Award, American Gospel Music Awards * Jazz Artist of the Year 2006 and 2007 Bay Area Black Music Awards* Best Gospel Musician. In addition to the CD, Luster performs in a host of venues with his band, which exemplifies the diverse sounds of his upbringing.https://angeloluster.com/bio

You Are Not Alone

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