Tuesday, May 16, 2023

Pete Candoli, Conte Candoli - Girls, Girls, Girls

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 2015
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 34:23
Size: 79,7 MB
Art: Front

(1:29) 1. There Is Nothing Like a Dame
(3:05) 2. Diane
(2:46) 3. Gigi
(2:37) 4. Dinah
(3:10) 5. Georgia on My Mind
(3:12) 6. Alouette
(2:36) 7. Candy
(3:23) 8. Valentine
(3:08) 9. Mary Lou
(2:41) 10. Ida! Sweet as Apple Cider
(3:22) 11. Margie
(2:49) 12. Anna

It would seem that Pete Candoli has been biding his time in the wings all these years. While Louis Armstrong, Dizzy Gillespie, Freddie Hubbard, Miles Davis, etc. have long enjoyed broad public recognition; Pete has finally attained the level of popular acceptance that the quality of his talents as a jazz trumpeter deserves.

Within the Music World Pete Candoli is regarded as one of the most precise and eloquent interpreters of jazz. He and his trumpet playing brother Conte have what amounts to a cult following among aficionados.

A trumpet player of major importance, Pete's association with top bands reads like a "Who's Who" of jazz. He has been featured with Tommy Dorsey, Glen Miller, Woody Herman, Stan Kenton, Les Brown, Count Basie, Freddy Slack, Charlie Barnet, etc... in fact, he has played with over 27 of the top named bands.

Although Pete Candoli is best known for the jazz trumpet, his musical background and experience is as varied as it can be. He is equally expert with classical music and pop. He has conducted music seminars and concerts at some (30) universities and colleges when he is not playing a jazz festival, concert, or nightclub somewhere. To date he has worked over (5000) record dates.

He has composed and arranged music and conducted for Judy Garland, Ella Fitzgerald, and Peggy Lee among others. Having played first trumpet for Igor Stravinsky’s “Ebony Concerto” written for the Woody Herman Orchestra. Pete has received much acclaim for his versatility as a solo trumpeter.

Pete Candoli has won awards as outstanding trumpet player from Downbeat and Metronome Magazines, the 20 most prestigious publications in the music business. Pete also won the Esquire Magazine and the Look Magazine Awards as one of the (7) all-time outstanding jazz trumpet players. The (6) were Louis Armstrong, Bix Biederbeck, Harry James, Bunny Berigan, Dizzy Gillespie and Bobby Hackert, there is more. Pete and his brother Conte won The International Jazz Hall of Fame award in 1997, and was honored with The Big Band award in 2003.

Pete began playing lead and jazz for Sonny Dunham’s Orchestra in 1941, followed by a long string of other name bands including Woody Herman’s famed “First Herd.” Pete settled into the studio scene in the 50’s after tenures with Herman, Tex Beneke, Jerry Gray and Stan Kenton among others. He and Conte also co-led a band (1957-62). As a preeminent lead trumpeter, Pete played for the Orchestras of Alex Stordahl, Gordon Jenkins, Nelson Riddle, Don Costa, Michel LeGrand, Henry Mancini, as well as Frank Sinatra.

Pete’s exuberant premier lead work and dashing high note specialty is fueled with gratifying surprises always. His sharp, peppered trumpet recalls the brilliance of Louis Armstrong and Roy Eldridge bulking peaks and climaxes. As for jazz, “I’m radical! I never play the same jazz thing twice!” asserts Pete. “I’m like a chameleon and I play what I feel, although I may favor some patterns. Also, I’m a little staccato... on edge of my fiery type of playing.” In summary both bothers define jazz force at it’s best.
https://www.allaboutjazz.com/musicians/pete-candoli

Girls, Girls, Girls

Etta James - Time After Time

Styles: Vocal
Year: 1995
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 64:37
Size: 149,0 MB
Art: Front

(5:02) 1. Don't Go To Strangers
(5:03) 2. Teach Me Tonight
(4:31) 3. Love Is Here To Stay
(6:36) 4. The Nearnes Of You
(4:26) 5. Time After Time
(5:50) 6. My Funny Valentine
(6:55) 7. Imagination
(4:01) 8. Fool That I Am
(6:27) 9. Willow Weep For Me
(5:19) 10. Ev'rybody's Somebody's Fool
(4:19) 11. Night And Day
(6:01) 12. Someone To Watch Over Me

Casual fans of Etta James most often thought of her as a blues singer, and she was, when that was what she wanted to do, but she also sang straight girl group pop, belted out R&B and soul tunes, and she also, when she chose, took herself uptown and sang jazz.

That's the case here, as James elegantly delivers her versions of vocal jazz standards like Sammy Cahn and Jule Styne's "Time After Time" and Hoagy Carmichael's "The Nearness of You," in front of a tight and fluid big band comprised of Josh Sklair (guitar), Eddie Harris and Herman Riley (tenor saxophone), Ronnie Buttacavoli (trumpet, flügelhorn), Kraig Kilby (trombone), Cedar Walton (piano), John Clayton (bass), Paul Humphrey (drums), and Donto Metto James (shakers). It's all graceful and uptown, and James' singing is hauntingly beautiful. By Steve Leggett
https://www.allmusic.com/album/time-after-time-mw0000175382

Personnel: Vocals – Etta James; Bass – John Clayton (tracks: all except 6); Drums – Paul Humphrey (tracks: all except 6); Flugelhorn – Ronnie Buttacavoli (tracks: 6, 7, 8, & 9); Guitar – Josh Sklair; Piano – Cedar Walton (tracks: all except 6); Tenor Saxophone – Eddie Harris (tracks: 2, 3, 5, & 12), Herman Riley (tracks: 4, 7, 9, 10, & 11); Trombone – Kraig Kilby (tracks: 2, 3, 5, 7, 9, 10, & 12)

Time After Time

John Patitucci - Soul of the Bass

Styles: Jazz fusion, Post-bop
Year: 2019
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 37:47
Size: 90,3 MB
Art: Front

(2:23) 1. Soul Of The Bass
(2:37) 2. Seeds Of Change
(2:00) 3. Morning Train (Spiritual)
(3:30) 4. The Call
(3:40) 5. Mystery Of The Soul
(1:44) 6. Morocco
(2:27) 7. Elvin
(3:14) 8. Earth Tones
(2:48) 9. Seeds Of Change Reprise
(5:44) 10. Allemande in D minor
(3:51) 11. Sarab
(1:47) 12. Trust
(1:55) 13. Truth

Take a look at the long musical lineage paved by the titans of bass, and invariably there's a point where each turns inward to express themselves with just their hands and their instrument, unaccompanied. ForJohn Patitucci that time is now. Soul of the Bass, Patitucci's 16th solo record, is his most intimate and revealing.

Centered around melodic, concise improvisations on acoustic bass, the sound of wood, skin on string and open air serve to heighten the expressiveness of the melodies. Patitucci explains, "I think as you get older you prioritize the sound and the feel of everything you play, which if rendered with integrity, will result in a clarity that communicates to the listener and draws them in."

Patitucci continues his trailblazing ways on his 6-string electric bass guitar, offering a stirring interpretation of the Allemande from Bach's "Cello Suite No. 5," and exploring new sonic terrain by applying his six as a color to some of his acoustic bass inventions. In the record's most dramatic departure, John throws down an R&B groove with drummer Nate Smith, layering additional bass guitars on top, in a historic nod to the instrument.By Editorial Reviews https://www.amazon.com/Soul-Bass-John-Patitucci/dp/B07NRH6PZJ

Personnel: John Patitucci, six-string electric bass, electric bass, piccolo electric bass, bass; Nate Smith, drums (4, 9); Greisun, vocals (11); Isabella Patitucci, vocals (11); Sachi Patitucci, cello (13).

Soul of the Bass

Steve Davis - Dig Deep

Styles: Trombone Jazz, Post Bop
Year: 2009
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 60:30
Size: 140,3 MB
Art: Front

(5:46) 1. One For All
(6:54) 2. Dig Deep
(7:47) 3. Little Boy's Bossa
(6:26) 4. Blues Noble
(5:18) 5. Detour Ahead
(7:06) 6. I Should Care
(7:02) 7. Summertime
(7:04) 8. Payne's Window
(7:02) 9. Trippin'

Steve Davis, currently a member of the Jackie McLean Quintet, is one of the major new voices on the trombone. On this, his 2nd leader date for Criss Cross, he shines in the company of the friends he usually plays with: Eric Alexander, Jim Rotondi, David Hazeltine, Nat Reeves and Joe Farnsworth.
By Editorial Reviews https://www.amazon.com/Dig-Deep-Steve-Davis/dp/B0000020OO

Personnel: Trombone – Steve Davis; Saxophone – Eric Alexander; Trumpet, Flugelhorn – Jim Rotondi; Bass – Nat Reeves; Drums – Joe Farnsworth; Piano – David Hazeltine

Dig Deep

Monday, May 15, 2023

Art Pepper - Winter Moon

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1980
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 57:41
Size: 132,2 MB
Art: Front

(5:32)  1. Our Song
(5:21)  2. Here's That Rainy Day
(4:52)  3. That's Love
(5:33)  4. Winter Moon
(5:48)  5. When The Sun Comes Out
(7:00)  6. Blues In The Night
(6:48)  7. The Prisoner (Love theme from 'The Eyes of Laura Mars')
(5:34)  8. Our Song (alternate)
(4:57)  9. The Prisoner (alternate)
(6:13) 10. Ol' Man River

Ever since Artie Shaw and Charlie Parker, most jazz musicians have had a desire to record at least once in their lives with strings, often considering it a prestigious honor. Altoist Art Pepper finally had his chance on this album and fortunately the string arrangements (by Bill Holman and Jimmy Bond) do not weigh down the proceedings. Pepper sounds quite inspired performing seven strong compositions highlighted by Hoagy Carmichael's "Winter Moon," "When the Sun Comes Out" and a clarinet feature on "Blues in the Night." This material (plus four alternate takes and two other songs from the same sessions) is included in the massive Art Pepper Galaxy box set. ~ Scott Yanow  http://www.allmusic.com/album/winter-moon-mw0000188534

Personnel: Art Pepper (alto saxophone); Howard Roberts (guitar); Stanley Cowell (piano); Cecil McBee (acoustic bass guitar); Carl Burnett (drums).

Steve Dobrogosz - Charts Demos, Pt. 1

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2023
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 178:52
Size: 411,4 MB
Art: Front

(4:43) 1. Carolina
(4:47) 2. Grain
(4:43) 3. Rolling Back the Sea
(6:27) 4. Maria of the Roses
(2:21) 5. Seduction
(5:06) 6. In Magic
(5:21) 7. Torch
(3:30) 8. Over the Hill
(5:17) 9. Quail Corners
(5:56) 10. Momentum
(1:41) 11. My
(4:16) 12. Siberia
(2:51) 13. You and I
(6:48) 14. Astronomy
(2:25) 15. Congregation
(3:29) 16. Anyday Now
(4:28) 17. Old Moses
(2:54) 18. Bring That Good News
(4:48) 19. Drawing the Bow
(4:13) 20. The Azures
(5:43) 21. Come Alive
(4:22) 22. Folkmass
(4:07) 23. The Look
(4:21) 24. Desdemona
(2:41) 25. Family
(3:33) 26. Christians and Lions
(3:36) 27. The Hopeless Bottle
(4:19) 28. The Pride
(4:32) 29. The Right Side
(2:37) 30. Welcome
(4:07) 31. Surf
(1:49) 32. Five Red Frogs
(2:25) 33. Sunflowers
(2:33) 34. Raggy
(4:00) 35. When She's Been Near
(3:07) 36. Open Heart
(3:34) 37. American Bible
(3:37) 38. Holyland
(2:53) 39. Limbo
(4:31) 40. Elmer Fudd's Secret Plan
(3:33) 41. The Cavern Clubs
(4:47) 42. Across the Sea
(2:30) 43. Poland
(4:05) 44. Speak
(5:00) 45. Cuernavaca

Steve Dobrogosz composer//pianist (1956 - Bellefonte, Pennsylvania, USA)

Steve Dobrogosz grew up in the American south (Raleigh, NC), trained as a classical pianist and interested in the popular music of the day. While studyiing at Berklee College of Music in Boston he met his Swedish wife and in 1978 moved to Stockholm, quickly becoming active in Sweden's jazz scene with the Steve Dobrogosz Trio and as sideman with popular Scandinavian jazz groups. In the mid 80s he focused on his main interest, songwriting, and began a series of successful vocal collaborations (see: the “Anthology” album with singer Berit Andersson), while also venturing into choral and orchestral composition.

Dobrogosz’s production (now over 1400 pieces) incorporates a wide spectrum of genres. His oeuvre now includes a 2-hour oratorio of Shakespeare sonnets, a symphony, a choral Requiem and several Masses, an oboe concerto and other Americana, gritty rock piano albums, a pop-jazz songbook, sultry background music, jigs, bluegrass fiddle, 300 jazz charts, music for Spanish guitar, a song cycle, and a book of childrens' rhymes.

His 1982 duo album with singer Radka Toneff "Fairy Tales” was voted all-time Best Norweigian Album in an artists poll. His “Mass” (1992) has been performed in 45 countries and is a staple in international choral repertoire. His 2006-2008 recordings with singer Anna Christoffersson recieved Swedish Grammy nominations and critical acclaim. The Gothenburg Post compared his music to Gershwin and Porter, writing "Dobrogosz's songs are melodic masterpieces, with a harmonic sophistication seldom found in music today.”

"Dobrogosz does not play complicated, but each tone is meaningful and the keyboard is a seamless extension of what must be spirit in conjunction with matter... Steve Dobrogosz plays in an alloy of genres without clichés in a way that is almost shockingly complete"
By Lira Magazine https://www.dobrogosz.com/bio.htm

Charts Demos, Pt. 1

Saturday, May 13, 2023

Miles Davis - Workin' with the Miles Davis Quintet

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 1956
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 42:07
Size: 97,8 MB
Art: Front

(5:24) 1. It Never Entered My Mind
(7:13) 2. Four
(5:43) 3. In Your Own Sweet Way
(1:59) 4. The Theme (take 1)
(8:33) 5. Trane's Blues
(7:24) 6. Ahmad's Blues
(4:46) 7. Half Nelson
(1:02) 8. The Theme (take 2)

Trumpeter Miles Davis led several sessions for Prestige Records between November 1955 and October 1956 with his legendary "first" quintet, featuring tenor saxophonist John Coltrane, pianist Red Garland, bassist Paul Chambers, and drummer Philly Joe Jones. The sessions represent an incomparable musical legacy. Impeccably engineered by Rudy Van Gelder, the music was released on five albums that provide a unique glimpse at how five brilliant instrumentalists coalesced into one of the most extraordinary ensembles in modern jazz.

Workin' presents an easy going program that balances ballads with the blues and includes quintet performances of originals by Davis ("Four," "Half Nelson"), Coltrane ("Trane's Blues"), and Dave Brubeck ("In Your Own Sweet Way"); an interpretation of the standard "It Never Entered My Mind" without saxophone; and a piano-trio version of Ahmad Jamal's "Ahmad's Blues." Coltrane's melancholy solo on Brubeck's tune and Garland's spry excursion on Coltrane's are two of this classic's many highlights. By Mitchell Feldman https://www.amazon.com/Workin-Miles-Davis-Quintet/dp/B000000YGI

Workin' with the Miles Davis Quintet

Radka Toneff & Steve Dobrogosz - Fairytales

Styles: Vocal And Piano Jazz
Year: 1986
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 41:11
Size: 95,7 MB
Art: Front

(3:14) 1. The Moon Is A Harsh Mistress
(3:25) 2. Come Down In Time
(4:23) 3. Lost In The Stars
(4:22) 4. Mystery Man
(5:53) 5. My Funny Valentine
(5:47) 6. Nature Boy
(4:14) 7. Long Daddy Green
(5:10) 8. Wasted
(2:29) 9. Before Love Went Out Of Style
(2:10) 10. I Read My Sentence

Chances are you have neither heard of this album or Radka Toneff. But the album is recognised as a jazz classic in Scandinavia, is Norway's best-selling jazz album of all time and was voted Norway's Best Album of All Time in a poll of Norwegian musicians in 2011. Toneff graduated from the Oslo Musikkonservatorium in 1975.

Seven years later she was dead from an overdose. A highly original singer, she made an enormous impression on Norwegian (and Scandinavian) jazz during her brief lifetime, and her influence still continues to be felt through singers such as Sidsel Endresen, Solveig Slettahjell and Torun Eriksen. This is her finest work, and when it was originally released it became something of an audiophile classic, since it was recorded on one of the first digital tape machines.

Remastered using MQA technology from the 16-bit/50.35 kHz master-tapes, it appears here as a 16-bit Hybrid SACD (meaning Super Audio CD), the combination of piano and voice captured with astonishing clarity. Many pundits have described these performances as breathtaking and it is hard to disagree; the grain of Toneff's voice combined with a less-is-more delivery beguiles with its intimacy and enjoys a second life in the memory long after the CD has been played.

Ultimately, it is limiting to call this remarkable album ‘a classic of Norwegian jazz’; quite simply it is a contemporary jazz classic.
https://www.jazzwise.com/review/radka-toneff-and-steve-dobrogosz-fairytales

Musicians: Steve Dobrogosz (p), Radka Toneff (v)

Fairytales

Friday, May 12, 2023

Maria Schneider & Dawn Upshaw - Winter Morning Walks

Styles: Jazz, Big Band 
Year: 2013
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 52:11
Size: 127,2 MB
Art: Front

(3:34)  1. Perfectly Still This Solstice Morning
(1:54)  2. When I Switched On a Light
(3:51)  3. Walking by Flashlight
(2:45)  4. I Saw a Dust Devil This Morning
(3:57)  5. My Wife and I Walk the Cold Road
(2:20)  6. All Night, in Gusty Winds
(1:25)  7. Our Finch Feeder
(2:24)  8. Spring, the Sky Rippled with Geest
(6:05)  9. How Important it Must Be
(4:27) 10. Prologue
(4:48) 11. The Dead in Frock Coats
(3:49) 12. Souvenir of the Ancient World
(6:10) 13. Don't Kill Yourself
(4:35) 14. Quadrille

Maria Schneider proved her genius as a composer and arranger beyond any doubt with Concert in the Garden (ArtistShare, 2004), and she did it again on her second masterpiece of orchestral jazz, Sky Blue (ArtistShare, 2007). With Winter Morning Walks, Schneider introduces her first works with major orchestras, the Australian Chamber Orchestra on the nine part "Winter Morning Walks," and the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra on "Carlo Drummond de Andrade Stories," both in partnership with soprano Dawn Upshaw. "Winter Morning Walks," puts music to the poetry of Ted Kooser, the Poet Laureate of the United States from 2004 to 2006. These short, clear, simple and profound pieces were composed during his recovery from cancer treatment. Upshaw's vocals soar.

The Australian Chamber Orchestra along with long time Schneider compatriots Frank Kimbrough (piano), Scott Robinson (reeds), and Jay Anderson (bass) caress the words, inject small surprises inside the pastel string washes, violins and violas whispering like soft breezes through the prairie grass, making the canopies of the tall trees sing. After the subtle magnificence, the hushed beauty of "Winter Morning Walks," it's probably best to take a break, or to perhaps listen to the work again. It is an experience to be savored before moving on to "Carlos Drummond de Andrade Stories." Carlos Drummond de Adrade (1902 to 1987) was one of Brazil's greatest poets. His writing was most often rooted in the everyday, often featuring contrasts between moods of darkness and light. The St. Paul Chamber Orchestra features a broader palette of colors, with the strings joined by woodwinds and brass embracing the vocals. The backdrop behind Upshaw is more colorful here, though the moods are often darker. "The Dead in Frock Coats" throbs with a deep, aching melancholy; while "Don't Kill Yourself" floats back and forth between whimsey and deep despair, narrated by the poet's street-wise and somewhat detached yet sympathetic even loving voice.

Winter Morning Walks features two major works by a major artist. Trumpeter Wynton Marsalis has long been an advocate for Duke Ellington as the greatest composer/arranger that the United States ever produced. That's a hard point to argue against. We may now, with the release of "Winter Morning Walks" and "Carlos Drummond de Andrade Stories," have to acknowledge Maria Schneider as our greatest "living" arranger/composer. ~ Dan McClenaghan https://www.allaboutjazz.com/winter-morning-walks-maria-schneider-artist-share-review-by-dan-mcclenaghan.php

Personnel: Winter Morning Walks: Maria Schneider: composer; Dawn Upshaw: vocals; Jay Anderson: bass; Frank Kimbrough: piano; Scott Robinson: alto clarinet, bass clarinet; The Australian Chamber Orchestra. Carlos Drummond de Andrade Stories: Maria Schneider: composer; Dawn Upshaw: vocals; The St. Paul Chamber Orchestra.

Winter Morning Walks

Tineke Postma - The Dawn of Light

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2011
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 56:35
Size: 129,9 MB
Art: Front

(6:38)  1. Canção de Amor (Suite I Na Floresta do Amazonas)
(7:10)  2. Falling Scales
(4:19)  3. Before the Snow
(5:37)  4. Leave Me A Place Underground
(6:59)  5. The Observer
(5:47)  6. Off Minor
(4:22)  7. Newland
(4:49)  8. The Man Who Stared At Coats
(4:37)  9. Beyond Category
(6:12) 10. Tell It Like It Is

Since her 2004 debut as a leader, Dutch saxophonist Tineke Postma has released records almost like clockwork every alternate year, with The Traveller (EtceteraNow, 2009), as strong a statement as she's made, featuring a quartet of Americans including drummer Terri Lyne Carrington constant companion since Postma's sophomore For the Rhythm (Munich, 2005). The Dawn Of Light returns to an all-Dutch lineup for the first time since First Avenue (Munich, 2004), with the exception of Grammy Award-winner Esperanza Spalding, whose sweetly appealing voice helps keep the irregularly metered "Leave Me a Place Underground" eminently accessible.  The Dawn of Light reunites Postma with keyboardist Marc Vanroon and bassist Frans van der Hoeven from 2007's A Journey That Matters (Foreign Media). Gigging together since 2006, this is the first time Postma has recorded with this group, which also features drummer Martijn Vink, last heard with her on First Avenue. If artists like drummer Han Bennink and pianist Misha Mengelberg put The Netherlands on the map in the 1960s with their New Dutch Swing, then this new generation of Dutch players is equally forward-thinking, but even more liberal when it comes to the palette from which they work, and the styles from which they draw. 

On this largely acoustic session, which features six Postma compositions written specifically for the group, the aptly titled, tempo-shifting "Beyond Category" one of two tracks written by van Roon goes against type, mixing the keyboardist's Fender Rhodes with some retro synth textures; even van der Hoeven turns on, feeding his double bass through an octave divider for a short but commanding solo in the relatively short track's final moments. The Dawn Of Light may have more limited instrumentation than A Journey, which ran the gamut from quartet to octet, but the greater chemistry of this consistent lineup is apparent from the opening moments of Postma's free-spirited interpretation of Heitor Villa-Lobos' "Canção de Amor." Blending instantaneous spontaneity, rubato lyricism reminiscent of pianist Keith Jarrett's 1970s American Quartet, and lithe contrapuntal elegance all supported with simmering energy by van der Hoeven and Vink Postma's alto solo sets an early high bar which van Roon, on acoustic piano, matches and then raises. Postma's compositional skills continue to develop, whether it's on relative sketches like "Falling Scales," where she provides little more than a roadmap, or the episodic "The Observer," which ebbs and flows in dynamics and tempo, Postma's soprano soaring into fluttering passages that occasionally reach into the stratosphere piercing but pure leading to a stop-and-start piano solo that van Roon mixes with the occasional synth line. Postma recently participated on Terri Lyne Carrington's all-female Mosaic Project (Concord, 2011), which deserves to give her some additional and deserved North American exposure. 

But as strong a performance as the saxophonist turns in there, it's in the context of her own music that her growth is most palpable. Rendering accessibly melodic music with an intrepid spirit that's unafraid to let the music unfold where it may, The Dawn of Light is Postma's most integrated and fully realized album to date; and with the saxophonist still only in her mid-thirties, only time will tell where she goes next. ~ John Kelman  http://www.allaboutjazz.com/the-dawn-of-light-tineke-postma-challenge-records-review-by-john-kelman.php#.VEAIWBawTP8
 
Personnel: Tineke Postma: alto and soprano saxophones; Marc van Roon: Steinway grand piano, Korg MS 20 synthesizer, Fender Rhodes Mark I; Frans van der Hoeven: double bass; Martijn Vink: drums; Esperanza Spalding: vocals (4).

Thursday, May 11, 2023

Maria Schneider Jazz Orchestra - Evanescence

Styles: Big Band, Contemporary Jazz
Year: 1994
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 72:55
Size: 168,2 MB
Art: Front

(10:29) 1. Wyrgly
(11:23) 2. Evanescence
( 9:02) 3. Gumba Blue
( 5:52) 4. Some Circles
( 8:08) 5. Green Piece
( 7:09) 6. Gush
( 4:53) 7. My Lament
( 7:30) 8. Dance You Monster To My Soft Song
( 8:24) 9. Last Season

Maria Schneider's debut as a leader is quite impressive. Her complex arrangements of her nine originals are most influenced by Gil Evans and Bob Brookmeyer, although her own musical personality shines through. There are strong solos from tenors Rick Margitza and Rich Perry, trumpeter Tim Hagan, altoist Tim Ries, and particularly pianist Kenny Werner, but it is the moody ensembles that most stick in one's mind. Schneider's arrangements are often dense, a bit esoteric, and thought-provoking; this music may need several listens for one to grasp all that is going on. By Scott Yanow
https://www.allmusic.com/album/evanescence-mw0000114781

Personnel: Maria Schnieder – conductor; Mark Vinci – alto saxophone, flute, alto flute, clarinet, piccolo; Tim Ries – alto saxophone, soprano saxophone, flute, clarinet; Rich Perry – tenor saxophone, flute; Rick Margitza – tenor saxophone; Scott Robinson – baritone saxophone, bass saxophone, bass clarinet, clarinet; Tony Kadleck – trumpet, flügelhorn; Greg Gisbert – trumpet, flügelhorn; Laurie Frink – trumpet, flügelhorn; Tim Hagans – trumpet, flügelhorn; John Fedchock – trombone; Keith O'Quinn – trombone; Larry Farrell – trombone; George Flynn – bass trombone, tuba; Ben Monder – guitar; Kenny Werner – piano; Jay Anderson – bass guitar; Dennis Mackrel – drums; Emidin Rivera – percussion on "Gush"; Bill Hayes – flexatone on "Gush"

Evanescence

Tineke Postma - For The Rhythm

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2005
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 63:44
Size: 147,6 MB
Art: Front

(5:23)  1. Summersong
(3:04)  2. Voyage
(5:44)  3. Comprehension
(4:41)  4. Pump It Up!
(8:08)  5. Dialog
(6:40)  6. Song For Sea-Tee
(6:08)  7. New Life
(7:07)  8. Wandering
(5:49)  9. Goodbey
(5:15) 10. Love Theme
(5:40) 11. For The Rhythm

Driving with plenty of contemporary excitement all around her, Dutch saxophonist Tineke Postma provides the kind of tension and release that makes modern jazz swing. Not quite thirty, but experienced through rigorous educational programs in both the United States and Holland, she has combined a strong foundation with her natural inclination for jazz's mainstream. Eight of the eleven pieces on this, her second album as leader, come from her composing pen. Saxophone influences such as Cannonball Adderley and John Coltrane show up in each of the selections, as well as evidence of Postma's mentorships with Chris Potter, Dick Oatts, and Dave Liebman. Look at the common denominator: it all comes from the heart. A dreamy piece written for her mother, "Song for Sea-Tea features alto and guitar in a comfortable unison that floats melody upon melody, while Terri Lyne Carrington's drum set swirls surround them with a rhythmic stutter. Pump it Up! features a similar formula, but with Fender Rhodes in a contemporary adventure that sizzles with dramatic fire. The blues is built in, giving Postma a free-flowing dialog that speaks to a broad audience. Dialog, on the other hand, eschews the blues and goes for the jugular. Here, Postma and guitarist Edoardo Righini bring their fire to a boil gradually, giving it plenty of time to age. 

Her soprano saxophone "dialog reaches far and wide. Additionally, pianist Rob van Bavel turns in a superb solo section on this one that builds from the ground up, unleashing the passion through finely articulated phrases. Carrington ties it all together with her swarming rain of percussive torrents. Goodbye comes at us on slow feet rubato, legato, and reeling like the bartender at 3 am. This tender alto saxophone intimacy works its magic on this standard theme, which is interpreted alone with piano. If the album weren't so darn good to begin with, this piece could be called her best shot. Another intimate arrangement brings us the "Love Theme from Spartacus through the voices of bass, drums, and alto. Pared down for a lyrical affair, Postma's ensemble stretches out with pride. The song itself brings majesty, while the trio adds a warm overcoat to its soul. Closing out with the title track, the full ensemble swings hard in a fresh adventure that smokes behind the leader's blazing alto. The new year has only just begun, and already we're faced with a candidate for our 2006 top ten lists. For the Rhythm comes highly recommended; it reveals a powerful new voice on the mainstream jazz scene that makes the new year look pretty bright. ~ Jim Santella  http://www.allaboutjazz.com/for-the-rhythm-tineke-postma-215-music-munich-records-review-by-jim-santella.php#.VEWfXMlNeKU
 
Personnel: Tineke Postma: alto saxophone, soprano saxophone; Rob van Bavel: piano, electric piano; Edoardo Righini: guitars; Darryl Hall, Jeroen Vierdag: double bass; Terri Lyne Carrington: drums.

Joscho Stephan Trio - Four of a Kind

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 2023
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 48:37
Size: 112,0 MB
Art: Front

(3:16) 1. Swing News
(3:58) 2. One for Max
(3:47) 3. Rambos Armada
(4:36) 4. Tears
(5:05) 5. Funk 22
(3:47) 6. Just a Gigolo
(2:15) 7. Limehouse Blues
(3:47) 8. Beautiful Love
(3:30) 9. It Don't Mean a Thing
(4:08) 10. Blue Moon
(2:41) 11. Valse de la Mer
(4:21) 12. They Remind Me Too Much of You
(3:19) 13. Struttin' with Some Barbecue

Young fingerstyle guitarist from Germany, Joscho Stephan belongs to a new generation of guitar virtuosos who are introducing fresh stylistic elements into Gipsy Swing.

His debutalbum was named CD of the month by the American magazine Guitar Player and critics found Joscho as virtuoso young musician working in the swing tradition of Django Reinhardt.

Stephan’s music is a mixture of slow melodic jazz and fast, jolly gypsy music. Throughout his music Stephan’s incredible skill and technique can be heard from his vibrato to his incredible runs up and down the guitar neck. Recently Stephan has completed a tour around the world with the great Tommy Emmanuel. https://www.veojam.com/players/joscho-stephan

Four of a Kind

Antonio Zambrini - Quietly

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2023
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 49:06
Size: 116,9 MB
Art: Front

(4:18) 1. Olha Maria
(8:19) 2. Alfie
(6:22) 3. Gaia
(4:20) 4. Heyoke
(6:54) 5. First Song
(5:30) 6. Ola Martinho
(5:17) 7. Meu Bem
(8:05) 8. Goodbye

Antonio Zambrini: Jazz pianist and composer from Milan, Zambrini, has drawn the attention of critics and musicians, especially with his “songs,” published his several trios and quartet recordings, as well as reprised and played by various musicians in the jazz area.

Trumpeter and composer Ron Horton had Zambrini guest in his Cd “It’s a gadget world,” recorded in New York in 2006, including some of Zambrini’s songs. Pianist Stefano Bollani opens with a tune by Zambrini, his solo album produced by ECM, the famous label in Germany, issued in 2006.

Mr. Lee Konitz recorded a series of Zambrini’s tunes in a sequence of three CDs they realized together for the label “Philology” in 2008. English pianist John Law dedicated to Zambrini’s music his cd “The moment” in 2002. Zambrini was a guest in several broadcastings by National Radio and he was for 7 years partner of Cineteca Italiana, Milan, improvising live piano soundtracks of silent movies.

More recent projects are regarding young guitarist Filippo Cosentino, with an out coming cd along with Jesper Bodilsen and Andrea Marcelli, a new trio with bass player Paolino Dalla Porta and French drummer Manhu Roche, a cd entitled "Dois Lugares," with the great Samba composer and performer Moacyr Luz. Several concerts in the last two years with this "Dois Lugares " project, led by Italian vocalist Francesca Ajmar and with Moacyr Luz himself, who wrote most of the music for this project.

Also, about Brasil, a long collaboration with the choir director from Sao Paulo, Martinho L. Galati De Olivera, Kept Zambrini through several concerts, finally in Sao Paulo in 2014, playing with some great names of that scene's music like Teco Cardoso, Lea Frerie, and Fabiana Cozza.

Among others, Zambrini performed with Lee Konitz, Mark Murphy, William Parker, Tiziana Ghiglioni, Enrico Rava, Ron Horton, Nenna Frenlone, Hamid Drake, Claudio Fasoli, Tiziano Tononi, Ben Allison, Gabriele Mirabassi, Kyle Gregory, Rita Marcotulli, Javier Girotto, Eliot Zigmund, Jesper Bodilsen, Maria Pia De Vito, Pietro Tonolo, Manhu Roche, Paolino Dalla Porta, Andrea Marcelli, Fabrizio Bosso.
https://www.highresaudio.com/en/album/view/a63fp3/antonio-zambrini-jesper-bodilsen-martin-maretti-andersen-quietly

Quietly

Wednesday, May 10, 2023

Lee Wiley - Night in Manhattan

Styles: Vocal
Year: 1951
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 71:16
Size: 168,2 MB
Art: Front

( 3:26) 1. Manhattan
(37:21) 2. I've Got a Crush on You
( 3:18) 3. I Don't Stand a Ghost of a Chance With You
( 3:10) 4. Oh! Look at Now
( 2:53) 5. How Deep Is The Ocean
( 2:50) 6. Time on My Hands
( 3:15) 7. Street of Dreams
( 3:33) 8. A Woman's Intuition
( 3:10) 9. Sugar
( 2:28) 10. Anytime, Anyday, Anywhere
( 2:34) 11. Soft Lights and Sweet Music
( 3:12) 12. More Than You Know

Sensual and dignified, sophisticated and warm, Lee Wiley has inspired outbursts of sheer poetry from many a captivated listener. Her sound induces a "marvelous," "ticklish" sensation, akin to "running your hand over a piece of fine Harris tweed," marveled producer Dave Garroway. She "blows smoke rings, each note a puff that melts into wisps of vibrato," conceptualized author Will Friedwald. Her voice and style "have long since made me extremely eager to go to bed with her," disclosed critic James Frazier. Not content with this daring confession, he also bluntly labeled her "one bitch of a singer."

Protested singer and Wiley scholar Barbara Lea: "She had more fire, more rhythm, more roughness, more silkiness, more deep personal warmth, than the job description of Pop Singer called for." Asked writer Richard Hadlock, in an open letter to Wiley, "Lee, have you ever wondered why so many… from road-tough musicians to jaded pub-crawlers, act like kids on Christmas when they hear you sing?" (Wiley did wonder.) The eulogies could go on for pages, but the point is clear enough: Lee Wiley is a singer with a certain mystique.

The Wiley mystique was generated by both personal and professional circumstances, and further fed by some willful biographical manipulation by her musical associates, her record labels, and the artist herself. Nicknamed "Pocahontas" and characterized as regal by her friends, Wiley descended from the princess of a Cherokee tribe and from an English missionary who married an American parishioner... according to publicity material. Her birth date remains uncertain - initially given as 1915, then moved back to 1910, still more recently to 1908 - and revisionism has taken over the more sensational aspects of her biography (running away from home in the late 1920s, temporary blindness after a fall from a horse in the early 1930s, a near encounter with tuberculosis in the mid-1930s, etc,).

Her looks most certainly contributed to the Wiley allure. Her brother Ted once reported that everybody wanted to marry the tall, strikingly attractive Oklahoman with corn-colored hair and olive skin. ("Everybody" included the eight-times-married bandleader Artie Shaw, whose offer was declined by the twice-married singer.) One motivation for her long retirement (from about the age of 50 until the years preceding her death from cancer, in 1975) was the apparently high price that Wiley placed on physical attractiveness. It was her contention in 1971 that "singing includes a number of things ... aside from the voice ... these girls who are trying to get up on the bandstand at forty years old ... doesn't make any sense to me."

An enigmatic personality likewise fueled the fascination. Various oral and written accounts paradoxically depict her as difficult and easy to work with; proud and/or bitter about the treatment received from the music business; heavily addicted to alcohol but outspokenly intolerant of other musicians' addictions; foul-mouthed, even unkind to other singers yet fiercely loyal to those within her own circle; hesitant while speaking though assured when singing. Friends and colleagues further portray her as a woman with a strong sense of integrity and a fierce sense of independence, traits that caused her to give up on various "golden" opportunities to further her career. The best documented of such opportunities happened in 1935 when she departed from a feature role in the top-rated Kraft radio show because its producers refused to give billing to composer Victor Young, who was then personal and musical partner.

Wiley's relatively small discography further contributes to her mythic status. Over a four-decade career, she recorded less than ten albums and about 40 singles; live and radio broadcasts make up for the remainder of her material in circulation. Thus her mystique stems not only from her biography and her persona, her looks and her sound, but also from a sort of bittersweet adoration accorded to great but under-recorded artists.
https://www.allaboutjazz.com/musicians/lee-wiley

Night in Manhattan

Michel Sardaby, Monty Alexander - Caribbean Duet

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1985
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 55:49
Size: 128,7 MB
Art: Front

(6:04) 1. Jamaica Farewell
(6:48) 2. Yellow Bird
(4:10) 3. Like Someone In Love
(6:57) 4. Nocturne Dance
(5:08) 5. Fuchsia - Hibiscus
(7:27) 6. Antony
(6:15) 7. Happy Talk
(4:52) 8. Macouba
(8:06) 9. Eleuthera

Caribbean-born pianist/composer Michel Sardaby is an adept jazz performer with a warm, sophisticated post-bop style. Born in Fort de France, Martinique in 1935, Sardaby grew up surrounded by music: His father owned a cafe and sold pianos. As a result, he played piano from a young age, and quickly revealed himself as a prodigy. Blanching under the strict tutelage of his private instructor, Sardaby initially stopped his piano studies, choosing instead to study art at the Boulle School in Paris. He eventually returned to his instrument full-time, and worked regularly throughout the '60s, playing with his own groups, and backing blues artists like T-Bone Walker, and Sonny Boy Williamson. As a leader, he made his recorded debut in the late '60s with the quartet session Five Cat's Blues and the live date Blue Sunset.

By the '70s, Sardaby was spending more time working in New York. His output picked up during this period with albums like 1970's Night Cap, a trio date featuring bassist Percy Heath and drummer Connie Kay. More well-regarded albums followed including 1974's Gail, recorded with bassist Richard Davis and drummer Billy Hart, and 1977's In New York, again with Davis as well as drummer Billy Cobham and percussionist Ray Barretto. These albums showcased both his lyricism and his growing interest in Latin and funk rhythms.

Although Sardaby stayed active, his recordings slowed over the next few years, before he returned with Caribbean Duet, a collaboration with pianist Monty Alexander. Going Places, a trio date with bassist Rufus Reid and drummer Marvin "Smitty" Smith, followed in 1989. A year later, he paired with bassist Jay Leonhart for Night Blossom. Straight On, a rare quintet date featuring trumpeter Louis Smith, saxophonist Ralph Moore, bassist Peter Washington, and drummer Tony Reedus, appeared in 1993. Sardaby then moved to the Japanese label Sound Hills for a handful of efforts in the late '90s including Intense Moment, Classics & Ballads, and Voyage with bassist Ron Carter.

Since the early 2000s, Sardaby has recorded intermittently, issuing 2003's trio session Karen featuring bassist Reuben Rogers and drummer Dion Parson, and At Home: Tribute to My Father, with bassist Ray Drummond and drummer Winard Harper. In 2006, the pianist celebrated his 70th birthday and a 50-plus-year career with the concert album A Night in Paris. By Matt Collar
https://www.allmusic.com/artist/michel-sardaby-mn0000890212/biography

Personnel: Piano – Michel Sardaby, Monty Alexander

Caribbean Duet

Art Pepper - Art Pepper + Eleven

Styles: Saxophone, Clarinet Jazz
Year: 1959
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 54:36
Size: 125,5 MB
Art: Front

(3:27)  1. Move
(3:24)  2. Groovin' High
(3:13)  3. Opus de Funk
(3:34)  4. 'Round Midnight
(3:00)  5. Four Brothers
(3:00)  6. Shaw 'Nuff
(2:46)  7. Bernie's Tune
(3:32)  8. Walkin' Shoes
(3:20)  9. Anthropology
(3:02) 10. Airegin
(5:17) 11. Walkin'
(3:24) 12. Donna Lee
(5:00) 13. Walkin' (alternate take 1)
(5:02) 14. Walkin' (alternate take 2)
(3:26) 15. Donna Lee (alternate take)

Only a handful of jazz recordings can be described as truly classic. Art Pepper + Eleven: Modern Jazz Classics is a member of that handful. Recorded between March and May 1959, + Eleven has the distinction of being excellent on multiple planes. One is Pepper himself. A journeyman multi-reedist who was already a veteran of big bands lead by Gus Arnheim, Benny Carter, and Stan Kenton, Pepper was reaching his first pinnacle as an artist when + Eleven was recorded. This recording falls chronologically between Art Pepper Meets the Rhythm Section (Contemporary CCD-7532-2) and Gettin' Together (Contemporary OJCCD-169-2) in the Contemporary catalog. This trilogy alone would have established Pepper's reputation as the finest post-Parker alto saxophonists, let alone all of his exceptional comeback recordings of the late '70s and early '80s that followed a decade of incarceration because of Pepper's well known heroin addiction. Pepper's tone during this period was dry ice-cool, very expressive and brilliant. A second source of excellence in this recording is the presence of the late Marty Paich as the arranger. It was a monumental task that Mr. Paich undertook to mold these often craggy bebop tunes into the engaging big band vehicles they became under his pen. 

Denzil Best's "Move" simply jumps from the speakers. It is comparable to Miles Davis 1949 Nonette recording of the same song, except that Paich and Pepper add a hard shine to the soft bop of the song. Paich's French Horns on Monk's "'Round Midnight" recalls both Gil Evans and Claude Thornhill before him, ensuring that lineage of thought remained intact. "Four Brothers," "Bernie's Tune," "Walkin' Shoes," and "Anthropology" are all treated as high art by artist, arranger and band alike. Speaking of the band, this is the third mark of excellence in this recording. A Who's Who of West Coast musicians, it is fairly easy to pick out Pete Condoli's and Smiling Jack Sheldon's trumpets or Bill Perkins's tenor saxophone. Russ Freeman provides the piano as he did on several other Pepper offerings. A Big Band in all but name, this group of musicians was as essential to the historic significance of this recording as the leader and arranger. This release of Art Pepper + Eleven: Modern Jazz Classics is part of Fantasy's effort to release remastered masterpieces from its vaults. All of the alternate takes are released, as they have a several earlier offerings. The sonics of this release are exceptional. The drums and bass are clear and apparent and the space around Pepper and the other soloists is well defined. ~ C.Michael Bailey https://www.allaboutjazz.com/art-pepper--eleven-modern-jazz-classics-art-pepper-contemporary-review-by-c-michael-bailey.php

Personnel: Art Pepper: Alto And Tenor Saxophones, Clarinet; Al Porcino, Jack Sheldon, Pete Candoli: Trumpet; Dick Nash: Trombone; Bob Enevoldsen: Tenor Saxophone, Valve Trombone; Vince De Rosa: French Horn; Charlie Kennedy, Bud Shank, Herb Geller: Alto Saxophone; Richie Kamuca, Bill Perkins: Tenor Saxophone; Med Flory: Baritone Saxophone; Russ Freeman: Piano; Joe Mondragon: Bass; Mel Lewis: Drums.

Art Pepper + Eleven

Tineke Postma - Aria

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2023
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 54:30
Size: 126,9 MB
Art: Front

(5:00) 1. Sankalpa
(5:13) 2. Frede
(4:12) 3. The Sky Is Everywhere
(4:36) 4. Still Another Day
(3:48) 5. Lion's Roar
(6:10) 6. Vibe Shift
(4:11) 7. Idyll for Ellemis
(6:13) 8. Hymn for Hestia
(5:35) 9. Mysterious Duty
(6:17) 10. Leaning Into The Afternoon
(3:11) 11. Loft

Renowned Dutch saxophonist sets out on a journey of exploration and creative expression, accompanied by her new group featuring the talented and acclaimed Ben Monder, Robert Landfermann, and Tristan Renfrow.

Tineke Postma, the highly acclaimed bandleader, composer, and saxophonist, is set to release her eagerly awaited 8th album Aria in May 2023 via Edition Records. Aria reflects Tineke's personal musical journey since the release of her "Freya" album in February 2020, featuring new compositions, including pieces inspired by the Bimhuis Composition Assignment 2021. The title "Aria" represents Tineke's passion for incorporating breath and space in her music, which, she feels, is more important than ever in today's world. It also signifies melody, and is a musical form central to opera, an influence on Tineke and one she holds dear: in particular the expressive and lyrical singing of Maria Callas.

The appeal of the word Aria lies in its versatility. It means "song" or "melody" in Italian, and literally translates to "air," a musical term used for an elaborate vocal solo in opera. Tineke holds a fond memory of hearing legendary opera singer Maria Callas for the first time at age 10, which left a lasting impression on her and shaped her love for strong lyrical melodies. The lyricism, drama, and intensity in Callas' singing has stayed with Tineke ever since and remains a foundation of her musical style. As Tineke explains; “My saxophone playing style, as an instrumental expression closest to the human voice, has always been influenced by the melodic vocal lyricism in the music of greats like Maria Callas.

The word "Aria," meaning "air," also inspires me to allow my music to breathe, whether it's intense or serene. One of the things we as musicians can do for the community and humanity as a whole is to let peace, awareness and the beauty of music and life resonate through our compositions and playing.” There is so much going on in our world right now; we all can use some space, breath and air when we create and deal with life.”“Through the years I’ve come to realise that AIR is the most important element I need as a horn player and human being. I try to always ask myself before I pick up my horn; how am I feeling right now? Do I feel grounded? Breathing properly gets me into a zone of focus and relaxation in order to be as creative and play as well as possible.

This album is a mix of instant composed ensemble improvisations and composed music by Tineke. Besides lyrical melodies and adventurous rhythms, she focuses on musical elements such as sound, space, textures, ambience and orchestration inspired by the music of Ben Monder, Bill Frisell, Paul Motion, electric music from the 1970s by Miles Davis and the full oeuvre of her hero Wayne Shorter.

For some of her “compositions” Tineke used clear musical forms based on certain Aria forms, with a clear beginning and end, some shorter and longer or through composed Aria forms. Until 1400 the Aria signified a style of singing, after 1700 it referred to an instrumental form. Back then the Aria consisted of three parts. One of Tineke’s compositions, called The Sky Is Everywhere is influenced by this. After 1850 a concert Aria was a song which stood alone without being part of a larger work with one mood and one tempo. Leaning Into the Afternoons, Those Who Are Closely and Ballad are good examples of this concept. The Aria part of an opera is the moment of reflection and expression of the story. As Tineke always says; “I like to tell stories with my work and playing”.

Aria

Tuesday, May 9, 2023

Kathrine Windfeld Big Band Plays Thomas Agergaard - Black Swan

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2018
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 56:56
Size: 132,0 MB
Art: Front

(6:44) 1. Black Swan
(5:02) 2. Human Be Legends
(7:03) 3. Different Corner
(5:57) 4. Hast
(4:04) 5. Air Born Lotus
(3:48) 6. Op-us 1 Suite, Dream Society
(5:10) 7. Op-us 1 Suite, History Talks
(2:33) 8. Op-us 1 Suite, Fixing Room
(3:32) 9. Op-us 1 Suite, For Nick
(6:11) 10. Op-us 2 Suite, Storm P
(3:20) 11. Op-us 2 Suite, Testing
(3:27) 12. Op-us 2 Suite, Why Why Why

Do opposites really attract? Danish big band leader Kathrine Windfeld's compositions are meticulously worked out in advance, whereas saxophonist Thomas Agergaard, her collaborator on this gig, takes a different, more spontaneous approach.

"Thomas writes quite differently than I do," says Windfeld. "He thrives on the energy of the moment. This is beneficial to the music, but it is also a challenge when we are so many together and have to make something work within a limited time frame."

Some of the numbers on this album are reworkings of old compositions but others were put together in the studio just before the recording was made. The gentle, meditative ballad "Airborne Lotus" the most interesting song in the collection is an example of the latter approach. Agergaard's tenor states the theme over Windfeld's subdued piano accompaniment. "Dream Society," which follows, features Agergaard on alto flute and is darker and more intricate. It's part of a suite that includes three more songs, the most interesting of which is perhaps the brooding "For Nick."

It's all a bit hit and miss. There are some interesting bits and pieces but the suite and the CD in general, lacks overall musical coherence. The first suite is followed by a second which culminates in "Why Why Why," an existential cry of pain the listener may well feel like echoing.

After the session Windfeld said, "It's been exciting for the band and not least of all for myself, to have a different kind of repertoire." The impression was that she'd nonetheless be glad to return to more familiar if less exciting modus operandi in future. When opposites attract, perhaps it's only for a limited amount of time.By Chris Mosey https://www.allaboutjazz.com/black-swan-kathrine-windfeld-big-band-storyville-records-review-by-chris-mosey

Personnel: Kathrine Windfeld: piano; Gøran Abelli, Mikkel Aagaard, Anders Larson: trombone; Magnus Oseth, Andre Bak, Rolf Thofte Sørensen: trumpet; Thomas Agergaard, Jakub Wiecek, Roald Elm Larsen, Ida Karlsson, Toke Reines: saxophone; Viktor Sandstrøm: guitar; Johannes Vaht: bass; Henrik Holst Hansen: drums.

Black Swan

Maria Schneider - Days Of Wine And Roses

Styles: Jazz, Big Band
Year: 2005
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 57:39
Size: 132,5 MB
Art: Front

(8:46)  1. Lately
(7:07)  2. The Willow
(5:33)  3. That Old Black Magic
(7:20)  4. My Ideal
(2:49)  5. Last Season
(8:46)  6. Days Of Wine And Roses
(7:22)  7. Over The Rainbow
(9:53)  8. Bird Count

Originally released in a limited edition boxed with two bottles of Riesling wine the reissue of this unique CD is a welcome event for fans of Maria Schneider. There's no wine this time but it still includes a fascinating taste of her older arrangements. There are three that reach back more than twenty years to her studies at the Eastman School of Music: the originals: "Bird Count and "Last Season, and her chart of the standard "My Ideal.  Her composition "Lately dates from 1987 and was originally intended for Mel Lewis but never submitted to his orchestra. "'The Willow' was written as a dedication of love and gratitude to Mel, according to Schneider's notes. Her close friend and teacher Bob Brookmeyer commissioned the arrangements of "That Old Black Magic and "Over the Rainbow for a project with the Cologne Radio Orchestra. Ivan Lins' "Começar de Novo and the title selection come from a 1994 collaboration with Toots Thielemans and the Norrbotten Big Band."This album is like a double-exposed photograph, she writes in the liner notes, referring to the pre-Orchestra arrangements from the 1980s through the 1990s juxtaposed with the late January 2000 edition of her own large ensemble, recorded live to two-track at the Jazz Standard by the brilliant engineer David Baker. Days of Wine and Roses is dedicated to Baker, who recently passed away. He also co-produced the recording with Schneider. The magnificent sonic clarity, depth and definition serve as a fitting remembrance of his loving attention to detail and keen hearing; he was likely the premier recording engineer of his time.The Maria Schneider Orchestra's previous recordings tended to concentrate primarily on a diaphanous quality in the writing, leading many commentators to pigeonhole her as a colorist, an orchestral impressionist akin to Gil Evans, with whom she apprenticed and to whom Evanescence was dedicated. Days of Wine and Roses demonstrates conclusively that this is but one facet of her talents as a composer, arranger and orchestrator. "Lately is a relaxed yet propulsive swinger in a latter-day Basie groove that would have been right at home in the Mel Lewis Jazz Orchestra book. The bustling "Bird Count brings the Charles Mingus of "Gunslinging Bird to mind, as well as its namesake Charlie Parker, with preaching reeds plus testifying trumpets and trombones massing in gospel-esque fervor.

It might be said that the arrangements are the true "stars of this organization, but there are some beautifully conceived and fully formed solos as well. One that must be singled out is Scott Robinson's baritone saxophone tour de force on "The Willow. A portion of this tenderly limned melody bears a fleeting resemblance to Duke Ellington's "Prelude to a Kiss, and a similar mood is evoked as well. The baritone solo begins in pensive pastels, lightly burred at times, with pianist Frank Kimbrough's gently probing accompaniment and the stirring brushes of drummer Tim Horner. Schneider's arrangement gradually brings in the other horns, building the dynamic level, and Robinson rises with them, an eagle riding a thermal, judiciously applying split tones and a range from the bottom of the horn to the near-falsetto register. He flies up and "out without losing sight of the ground then gradually glides back down, meshing mesmerizingly with the orchestration. It's a dramatic performance, ranging from tenderness to passion and back again. The title is certainly an apt one. Like a willow, this composition, arrangement and interpretation have a tensile strength that nonetheless bends with the breeze, never brittle and unyielding, always motile and mutable. "Last Season is a fetching miniature, performed as a solo piano reflection by Frank Kimbrough, which segues seamlessly to the saudade orchestral intro of "Começar de Novo. Soprano saxophonist Tim Ries is the featured soloist on this piece, which is a gorgeous ballad rather than a bossa nova or samba despite its Brazilian pedigree.

Rick Margitza takes "That Old Black Magic at a brisk pace, the chart buoying along a fleet tenor saxophone solo with some particularly pungent lower brass exclamation points. Greg Gisbert's mellifluous flugelhorn is showcased on "My Ideal, which opens and closes as a ballad with a lightly swinging medium-tempo portion at the midpoint. "Days of Wine and Roses is transformed from an evocation of cocktail lounge ennui to an up-tempo romp in this arrangement, with solos from Ries whose soprano tone is here a touch too austere for my taste and Rich Perry on tenor. Schneider's rhapsodic chart of "Over the Rainbow is graced with an eloquent solo by alto saxophonist Charles Pillow, who has some of the spicy snap of latter-day Art Pepper in his sound and ideas here. Pepper also recorded a nakedly emotional interpretation of this classic Harold Arlen melody. The closing "Bird Count has a string of solos, with Frank Kimbrough on piano and Ingrid Jensen on trumpet the standouts. It's too bad that there isn't more of Jensen's solo work on the program; she is a superb player. In the five-plus years since Days of Wine and Roses was recorded there have been a few changes of personnel in the orchestra, but the majority of musicians (thirteen by my count) are the same as on 2004's Concert in the Garden. Pianist Frank Kimbrough is one of the constants, as is guitarist Ben Monder. Although the latter doesn't solo in this program, he is an essential part of the rhythm section, while the former is a marvelously incisive, expressive soloist and one of the leading accompanists in the business. The continuity and cohesion of the ensemble are exemplary. Days of Wine and Roses presents a snapshot of the 2000 edition of the Maria Schneider Orchestra in performance, and it's a gladly received document of another side or perhaps one should say other sides of her estimable talents. This recording is available only through Maria Schneider on the web. ~ Bill Bennett https://www.allaboutjazz.com/maria-schneider-orchestra-days-of-wine-and-roses-live-at-the-jazz-standard-by-bill-bennett.php

Personnel: Maria Schneider: composer, arranger, conductor; Tim Ries: alto and soprano saxophone, clarinet, flute; Charles Pillow: alto and soprano saxophone, clarinet, flute; Rich Perry: tenor saxophone, flute; Rick Margitza: tenor saxophone, flute; Scott Robinson: bass and baritone saxophones, bass clarinet, clarinet, flute; Tony Kadleck: trumpet, flugelhorn; Greg Gisbert: trumpet, flugelhorn; Laurie Frink: trumpet, flugelhorn; Ingrid Jensen: trumpet, flugelhorn; Keith O'Quinn: trombone; Rock Ciccarone: trombone; Larry Farrell: trombone; George Flynn: bass trombone; Ben Monder: guitar; Frank Kimbrough: piano; Tony Scherr: bass; Tim Horner: drums.

Days Of Wine And Roses