Eliane Elias - Brazilian Classics

Styles: Vocal, Piano, Brazilian Jazz, Bossa Nova
Year: 2003
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 72:45
Size: 169,2 MB
Art: Front

(5:10)  1. Passarim
(3:50)  2. Chega De Saudade
(5:08)  3. Carioca Nights (Noites Cariocas)
(3:54)  4. Garota De Ipanema (Girl From Ipanema)
(7:50)  5. Milton Nascimento Medley
(4:46)  6. Waters Of March / Aqua De Beber
(4:23)  7. One Note Samba
(4:14)  8. Crystal And Lace
(2:09)  9. Jazz 'n' Samba (So Danço Samba)
(4:59) 10. Brazil (Aquarela Do Brasil)
(3:10) 11. Iluminados
(5:14) 12. Jet Samba (Samba Do Aviao)
(3:46) 13. Wave
(6:39) 14. Black Orpheus (Manhã De Carnaval)
(5:48) 15. Dindi
(1:37) 16. O Polichinelo (Clown)

Now that longtime Blue Note pianist/singer Eliane Elias has left the label for RCA/Bluebird, several compilations of her work are being released, including the present item, Brazilian Classics. A cynic might note “just in time for Christmas,” but even if its release is motivated mainly by marketing concerns, the CD provides a useful, focused troll through Elias’s back catalogue. Although Elias has ranged far and wide in her recordings (which include hard bop, pop-jazz, and classical pieces), this is the music with which she is most associated  bossa/jazz classics from the songbooks of Jobim, Nascimento, and others from her native Brazil. Elias is at home with this material and her piano work is muscular and confident. As such, the best tracks on the album are the instrumentals that feature her in a trio setting, mostly with bassist Eddie Gomez and drummer Jack DeJohnette. Throughout punchy and inventive takes on “Passarium,” “One Note Samba,” and “Black Orpheus,” Elias goes toe-to-toe with the rhythm section, with exciting results. Her tendency to introduce subtle reharmonizations and rhythmic variations keeps these well-worn tunes from sounding like boring retreads.

Somewhat less successful are the tracks featuring her vocals. While her thin yet husky delivery is appropriately unstudied on Só Danço Samba,” it can’t quite carry “Chega De Saudade” or “Girl From Ipanema” convincingly. Having Elias’s young daughter sing on “Ponta de Areia” was not the wisest of decisions either, bringing to mind, as it does, grade school recitals best left forgotten. That said, however, Brazilian Classics is an appealing listen, thematically unified and impeccably produced. The hardcore jazz fan may do better with Elias’s Plays Jobim album, from which many of the best tracks with Gomez and DeJohnette are taken. But bossa nova fanatics, or maybe those wishing for a warm Brazilian breeze in the dead of winter, will enjoy this generous selection of Elias’s work.By Joshua Weiner https://www.allaboutjazz.com/brazilian-classics-eliane-elias-blue-note-records-review-by-joshua-weiner.php

Personnel: Eliane Elias, piano, vocals; Eddie Gomez, Marc Johnson, bass; Jack DeJohnette, Peter Erskine, drums; Michael Brecker, sax; Cafe, percussion

Brazilian Classics

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Billy Eckstine - Everything I Have Is Yours: The Best Of The MGM Years (2-Disc Set)

This two-CD set improves upon the original two-LP package by adding 14 more songs. The pop side of Billy Eckstine was emphasized during his period with MGM and many of these selections (including hit versions of "Everything I Have Is Yours," "Blue Moon," "Caravan," "My Foolish Heart," and "I Apologize") feature his warm baritone backed by string sections. There are some exceptions, including "Mr. B's Blues" (which gives Eckstine a chance to solo on valve trombone), dates with Woody Herman and George Shearing, eight numbers on which the singer is accompanied by the Bobby Tucker Quartet, and a pair of wonderful performances with the Metronome All-Stars in 1953 (a group that includes trumpeter Roy Eldridge, both Lester Young and Warne Marsh on tenors, and vibraphonist Terry Gibbs). Although not as essential from the jazz standpoint as Billy Eckstine's earlier big-band dates, this two-fer features the singer at the peak of his powers; five ballad duets with Sarah Vaughan are a highlight. ~Scott Yanow

Album: Everything I Have Is Yours: The Best Of The MGM Years (Disc 1)
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 58:08
Size: 133.1 MB
Styles: Standards, Vocal jazz
Year: 1994/2002

[3:12] 1. Everything I Have Is Yours
[2:58] 2. Fools Rush In
[3:09] 3. Blue Moon
[2:27] 4. Mr. B's Blues
[2:54] 5. Temptation
[3:12] 6. Somehow
[2:48] 7. Caravan
[3:12] 8. Bewildered
[2:53] 9. Body And Soul
[3:02] 10. My Foolish Heart
[2:56] 11. Ev'ry Day (I Fall In Love)
[2:38] 12. Fools Rush In
[2:43] 13. Dedicated To You
[3:04] 14. You're All I Need
[2:55] 15. I Wanna Be Loved
[2:37] 16. You've Got Me Crying Again
[3:00] 17. I've Never Been In Love Before
[2:51] 18. I Apologize
[2:47] 19. You're All I Need
[2:40] 20. I Left My Hat In Haiti

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Album: Everything I Have Is Yours: The Best Of The MGM Years (Disc 2)
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 74:25
Size: 170.4 MB
Styles: Standards, Vocal jazz
Year: 1994/2002
Art: Front

[3:08] 1. Here Comes The Blues
[2:41] 2. Life Is Just A Bowl Of Cherries
[2:52] 3. Wonder Why
[3:05] 4. Blue Moon
[2:37] 5. Taking A Chance On Love
[3:07] 6. You're Driving Me Crazy (What Did I Do )
[3:17] 7. Early Autumn
[3:40] 8. Temptation
[3:36] 9. One For My Baby (And One More For The Road)
[3:23] 10. If You Could See Me Now
[3:40] 11. Smoke Gets In Your Eyes
[3:15] 12. Laura
[3:30] 13. Mister, You've Gone And Got The Blues
[3:37] 14. Ill Wind
[3:05] 15. April In Paris
[3:06] 16. Coquette
[2:55] 17. Send My Baby Back To Me
[5:19] 18. How High The Moon Pts. 1 & 2
[6:18] 19. St. Louis Blues, Pts. 1 & 2
[2:30] 20. Don't Get Around Much Anymore
[2:56] 21. Lost In Loveliness
[2:37] 22. Passing Strangers

Everything I Have Is Yours: The Best Of The MGM Years (Disc 1, Disc 2)

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Sam Miltich & The Clearwater Hot Club - Some Of These Days

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 33:20
Size: 76.3 MB
Styles: Gypsy jazz
Year: 2007
Art: Front

[3:58] 1. Honeysuckle Rose
[3:42] 2. Sorriso De Crianca
[5:05] 3. In A Sentimental Mood
[5:01] 4. The Mooche
[4:25] 5. Nuages
[2:49] 6. Flambee Montalbanaise
[2:42] 7. Anouman
[2:52] 8. Some Of These Days
[2:41] 9. Improvisation #6

Featuring guitarist, Sam Miltich, and saxophonist, Don Vidal, "Some of These Days" includes traditional American jazz, a Brazilian choro, and a French mussette in the style of Django Reinhardt.

Michael Dregni, author of "Django Reinhardt and the Illustrated History of Gypsy Jazz" (Speck Press,2006) wrote, "Sam Miltich was just eighteen when he first appeared on the jazz scene, playing guitar as if he was channeling Django's spirit!His Minnesota-based Clearwater Hot Club is one of the most exciting and joyful of Gypsy bands anywhere." The Grand Rapids, Minnesota based Clearwater Hot Club was formed in the summer of 2003. The following November they released their first album, "Sammo". The group released a second CD in 2004 entitled "May Rain". Since that time, the Clearwater Hot Club has toured in the U.S., Canada and Japan including appearances at Django Fest Northwest and at the Ginza International Jazz Festival in Tokyo, Japan, with Connie Evingson. Sam has also played with Paul Mehling and the Hot Club of San Francisco, and was part of Amoeba Music's "Gypsy Caravan" tour with David Grisman and the Robin Nolan Trio. Sam has also toured with violinist, Randy Sabien,and performs with Peter Ostroushko.

Since releasing their last CD, "May Rain," Clearwater Hot Club lost their band-mate and song-writing collaborator, violinist, Raphael Fraisse, to leukemia in May 2006. The CWHC began to perform with saxophonist, Don Vidal, music educator, member of Mr. Pumpkinhead, and the Grand Rapids Community Big Band. "Some of These Days" showcases Don Vidal's versatile saxophone along with Sam's guitar work. The saxophone and guitar combination is a variation of the "hot club" sound as Django Reinhardt played with horn players when he and violinist, Stephane Grappelli were separated during WWII.

As on their last CD, Sam's sister, Mateya M. Miltich, created the cover art for the new CD. "Some of These Days" is dedicated to the memory of Raphael Fraisse and the spirit of joy he communicated in his playing.

Some Of These Days

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Joan Chamorro & Friends - Jazz House Sessions with Scott Hamilton

Styles: Mainstream Jazz, Big Band
Year: 2023
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 74:42
Size: 172,2 MB
Art: Front

(6:12) 1. Blues Up and Down
(4:57) 2. Prisoner of Love
(6:39) 3. If I Should Lose You
(3:07) 4. Você Vai Ver
(7:30) 5. Groove Yard
(5:34) 6. Alone Together
(4:28) 7. Dizem que o Amor
(5:37) 8. Tickle Toe
(5:11) 9. Old Folks
(4:40) 10. Groovin' High
(3:45) 11. Este seu Olhar
(6:40) 12. Lotus Blossom
(4:43) 13. É Preciso Perdoar
(5:33) 14. Lester Leeps in

Since 2013 there have been many collaborations with the great tenor saxophonist Scott Hamilton. In Jazz House we have had him on many occasions. This new CD brings together themes from four sessions, themes that have not formed part of any of the albums already published:

1- A tenor battle with Joan Martí and Marçal Perramon, former musicians of the Sant Andreu Jazz Band, which recreates the atmosphere of this type of session, just as Dexter Gordon, Gene Ammons, Sonny Stitt, Johnny Griffin, Eddie Lockjaw Davis, Al Cohn, Zoot Simms, John Coltrane, Sonny Rollins, Paul Quinichette, Lester Young and Scott Hamilton himself, along with other great tenor saxophonists, played in their day

2- Some unreleased tracks from the session "Èlia Bastida meets Scott Hamilton".

3- Tracks recorded during the recording sessions of the album "Joan Chamorro presenta Alba Esteban".

4- A couple of Brazilian songs from a session we did with Alba Armengou and Vicente López.

In total, 14 songs in which Scott shows why, today, he is still one of the great tenors of the world jazz scene.https://joanchamorro.com/album/jazz-house-sessions-with-scott-hamilton

Jazz House Sessions with Scott Hamilton

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Taylor Swift - Speak Now

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2023
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 104:45
Size: 247,9 MB
Art: Front

(3:51) 1. Mine
(4:21) 2. Sparks
(4:54) 3. Back To December
(4:02) 4. Speak Now
(6:45) 5. Dear John
(3:58) 6. Mean
(4:27) 7. The Story Of Us
(4:52) 8. Never Grow Up
(5:53) 9. Enchanted
(3:40) 10. Better Than Revenge
(5:01) 11. Innocent
(4:05) 12. Haunted
(6:09) 13. Last Kiss
(5:18) 14. Long Live
(3:55) 15. Ours
(4:35) 16. Superman
(4:26) 17. Electric Touch
(4:12) 18. When Emma Falls in Love
(4:33) 19. I Can See You
(5:06) 20. Castles Crumbling
(5:11) 21. Foolish One
(5:21) 22. Timeless

Speak Now, the third of Taylor Swift's albums she's re-recorded in their entirety, belongs among her earliest work the last of the three albums Swift made while still in her teens, her last to be aimed primarily at a country audience. These distinctions are lost, or at least softened, on Speak Now (Taylor's Version), which pairs a re-recording of the original 14-track album with two re-cut bonus tracks and six new tunes excavated "From the Vault."

Much of the shift is due to Swift revisiting these songs when she's a woman in her early thirties. Maturation has brought a hint of a grain to her voice, and she's gained control as a vocalist, two elements that give Speak Now (Taylor's Version) an appealing sense of distance; she sings as an observer, commenting on the emotions of the songs instead of inhabiting them. It's a subtle difference but it's especially notable on such songs as "Mine," "The Story of Us," and "Dear John," which benefit from the slight sense of increased gravity.

Apart from a lyrical change on "Better Than Revenge," the primary change on the 2023 version of Speak Now is Swift's vocals the arrangements are generally the same which means the main attraction is the six new songs added to the end. Swift brings in Fall Out Boy's Patrick Stump and Paramore's Hayley Williams to duet on two separate songs, cameos that help push the album as a whole closer to pop than country, a shift that the ballad "When Emma Falls in Love," the sprightly radio-ready "I Can See You," and bubbling adult contemporary tune "Foolish One" underscore.

This understated makeover casts Speak Now not as the final Taylor country record but as the first pop album from the singer/songwriter, a revision that offers its own gentle revisions. By Stephen Thomas Erlewine https://www.allmusic.com/album/speak-now-taylors-version--mw0004015858

Speak Now

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Taylor Swift - Midnights

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2022
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 69:30
Size: 161,2 MB
Art: Front

(3:22) 1. Lavender Haze
(3:38) 2. Maroon
(3:20) 3. Anti-Hero
(4:16) 4. Snow On The Beach
(3:14) 5. You're On Your Own, Kid
(2:54) 6. Midnight Rain
(3:30) 7. Question...?
(2:44) 8. Vigilante Shit
(3:14) 9. Bejeweled
(4:08) 10. Labyrinth
(3:24) 11. Karma
(3:08) 12. Sweet Nothing
(3:11) 13. Mastermind
(4:00) 14. The Great War
(3:38) 15. Bigger Than The Whole Sky
(3:16) 16. Paris
(3:51) 17. High Infidelity
(2:28) 18. Glitch
(4:20) 19. Would've, Could've, Should've
(3:45) 20. Dear Reader

Midnights is the tenth studio album by American singer and songwriter Taylor Swift, released on October 21, 2022, through Republic Records.

Swift announced the name of each track on the standard edition of the album through TikTok in a series called Midnights Mayhem with Me. Target revealed the name of each track on the lavender edition on October 13. On October 21, after the standard edition of the album came out, Swift announced that an additional seven tracks would be released at 3AM EST, in a digital-exclusive 3AM edition.

On May 24, 2023, Swift announced that there would be two new editions of Midnights released. The deluxe edition of the album, Midnights (The Til Dawn Edition) was released on May 25, 2023, and the Midnights (The Late Night Edition) was released on May 26, 2023 as an on-site exclusive for ticket holders at the East Rutherford shows of The Eras Tour.
https://taylorswift.fandom.com/wiki/Midnights

Midnights

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Irakere - The Best of Irakere

Styles: Latin Jazz
Year: 1994
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 75:09
Size: 177,9 MB
Art: Front

( 5:46) 1. Gira gira
( 6:05) 2. Claudia
( 9:20) 3. Ilya
( 6:04) 4. Añunga Ñunga
( 7:49) 5. Ciento años de juventud
( 4:59) 6. Aguanile
(17:39) 7. Misa negra (The Black Mass)
( 5:46) 8. Adagio on a Mozart Theme
( 6:14) 9. Xiomara
( 5:22) 10. Por romper el coco

For Latin jazz fans, this is a succinct and nearly complete roundup of Irakere's two North American albums, a brief peek through Cuba's door before politics slammed it shut again for another generation. Irakere is represented by four tracks, including the lengthy, uncut "Black Mass," and Irakere II by six tracks. The live Irakere was an exciting breakthrough, a real advance in the alliance between Afro-Cuban and American jazz that took into account the electronic developments in music since politics isolated Cuba from the U.S.

Irakere II, a studio product, is not nearly as startling; the sound and arrangements are slicker, there are strings and voices on some cuts, super-trumpeter Arturo Sandoval was encouraged to show off his pretty tone as well as his fire, and the Cubans even tried to churn out a disco beat on some tracks, negating all of those wild, wonderful Afro-Cuban cross rhythms. Still, there are passages where the more commercially motivated grooves take off, as in the central section of "Ciento Anos De Juventud," and "Xiomara" is a killer in the old Cuban tradition.

Interestingly, when Irakere made their belated American comeback at the Playboy Jazz Festival at Hollywood Bowl in 1996, some of their innovative edge was gone, replaced by overt attempts to get the crowd up on their collective feet. All the more reason to cherish this CD which has become the only option one has to sample this Cuban band at or nearly at their peak. By Richard S. Ginell
https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-best-of-irakere-mw0000111499

The Best of Irakere

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Martina Dasilva & Dan Chmielinski - Milky Way

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2023
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 43:05
Size: 98,9 MB
Art: Front

(4:13) 1. Twin Flame
(3:37) 2. Just Squeeze Me
(3:46) 3. To Each Their Own
(4:51) 4. Take a Picture of the Moon
(5:35) 5. Life on Mars
(2:02) 6. Manhã De Carnaval
(5:17) 7. It Never Entered My Mind
(5:45) 8. If You Want the Rainbow, You Must Have the Rain
(3:14) 9. On The Sunny Side of the Street
(4:41) 10. My Universe

Jazz vocalist Martina DaSilva, a New York City native, captivates audiences with her signature blend of daring technical virtuosity and expressive emotional sensitivity. Drawing equally from the styles of early jazz, opera, and chamber music, her musicality transcends conventional genre labelling.

As a Brazilian-American, Martina also has a passion for performing the works of Brazilian composers. DaSilva actively performs with her own group in addition to leading the jazz vocal harmony group, The Ladybugs. Martina has received high praise for her performances at the Kennedy Center, the Bern International Jazz Festival, the Blue Note Jazz Festival, the NYC Hot Jazz Festival, Jazz At Lincoln Center’s Generations in Jazz Festival, and the NY Winter Jazzfest.
https://www.allaboutjazz.com/musicians/martina-dasilva/

Milky Way

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Terry Gibbs Legacy Band - The Terry Gibbs Songbook

Styles: Jazz, Post Bop
Year: 2023
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 71:52
Size: 167,0 MB
Art: Front

(4:58) 1. Let's Go to Rio
(4:33) 2. Those Eyes, Those Lips, That Nose, That Face, That Girl
(5:08) 3. I Was Loved
(5:54) 4. Now's the Time to Groove
(4:10) 5. The House That Might Have Been
(4:27) 6. Nina
(4:47) 7. I Can Hardly Wait for Saturday Night
(5:02) 8. If I Were You
(3:18) 9. Play and Sing
(4:27) 10. Lonely Days
(4:57) 11. And That's Why They Call It the Blues
(4:33) 12. Say Goodbye
(5:53) 13. Stay with Me Tonight
(3:58) 14. If I Knew Then
(5:41) 15. Sweet Young Song of Love

Legacy Band? At age ninety-eight, vibraphonist Terry Gibbs the last remaining member of a legendary group of jazz musicians who defined the big-band era in America and helped expand and sharpen the music's vocabulary hasn't finished writing his own legacy, which is why this album is subtitled "The Terry Gibbs Songbook."

Although best known as a player, Gibbs, as it turns out, is a splendid composer as well, and wrote every one of the album's fifteen songs, adding lyrics to a couple, with verses elsewhere courtesy of Michael Dees, Arthur Hamilton, Bobby Troup, Steve Allen and Jerry Gladstone. He even sings (in his own sweet way) and plays two-finger piano on the well-named "Now's the Time to Groove." As no lyricist is named on the ballad "If I Knew Then," the presumption is that Gibbs wrote both music and lyrics to that one.

Speaking of vocalists, Danny Bacher is the main man here, and he proves an admirable fit, giving every lyric its due and sparring playfully with Gibbs on "Now's the Time." When Bacher isn't holding court, the tunes are in the capable hands of the six-member Legacy Band, trimly anchored by Gibbs' son, drummer Gerry, with the marvelous Tom Ranier on piano, Mike Gurrola on bass and a superlative two-tenor front line consisting of Scott Hamilton and Harry Allen (whose solos are unlisted but essentially interchangeable).

As for the elder Gibbs' themes, they are bright and pleasing with an emphasis on soulfulness and emotion and a handful ("Let's Go to Rio," "And That's Why They Call It the Blues," "Stay with Me Tonight," "Sweet Young Song of Love") that stand out among the herd. That's not to say that anything else is less than engaging, as each one of Gibbs' songs has a temperament and charm of its own, and his ballads are well worth one's time and awareness.

As Terry Gibbs explains in his liner notes, he never intended that an album of his music should be recorded; he simply wanted to hear one of the songs he had written while in his nineties performed by professional musicians. But after sending a copy to lyricist Alan Bergman, he writes, one thing led to another...and now fifteen of his more than two hundred compositions have been recorded by the Legacy Band. While Gibbs calls that "a fluke," most listeners would call it a stroke of good fortune. Legacy or no, these songs deserve to be heard, and Terry Gibbs' stature as a jazz legend has grown even larger because of them.
https://www.allaboutjazz.com/the-terry-gibbs-songbook-terry-gibbs-legacy-band-whaling-city-sound__8441

Personnel: Scott Hamilton: saxophone, tenor; Harry Allen: saxophone; Tom Ranier: piano; Danny Bacher: voice / vocals; Mike Gurrola: bass; Gerry Gibbs: drums.

The Terry Gibbs Songbook

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Chris Connor - Chris

Styles: Vocal
Year: 1956/2019
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 33:53
Size: 79,3 MB
Art: Front

(3:01) 1. All About Ronnie
(2:47) 2. Miser's Serenade
(2:19) 3. Everything I Love
(2:58) 4. Indian Summer
(2:21) 5. I Hear Music
(2:47) 6. Come Back To Sorrento
(2:57) 7. Out Of This World
(2:56) 8. Lush Life
(2:31) 9. From This Moment On
(3:26) 10. A Good Man Is A Seldom Thing
(2:36) 11. Don't Wait Up For Me
(3:11) 12. In Other Words

Chris Connor has won every conceivable critical and popular accolade in her half century reign as one of the most gifted and distinctive vocalists in jazz history. Born in 1927 in Kansas City, Missouri, Connor studied clarinet, but her career direction was clear at an early age. “I always knew I wanted to be a singer,” she said, “I never wanted to be anything else.” After completing her schooling, she took a secretarial job while commuting on weekends to the University of Missouri to perform with a Stan Kenton-influenced college jazz band. An admirer of Kenton singers Anita O’Day and June Christy, Connor recalls, “I had my sights set on singing with Kenton.”

Frustrated by the lack of vocal musical opportunities in her hometown, Connor pulled up stakes and headed east in 1949. She was hired by Claude Thornhill and spent the next five years touring with his orchestra. Then, while appearing with Jerry Wald’s band, she received the phone call she had been dreaming of. June Christy, Stan Kenton’s current vocalist, had heard Connor on a radio broadcast and recommended her to the orchestra leader, who chose her from dozens of other vocalists eager for the job. “My voice seemed to fit the band,” Connor said, “with that low register like Anita’s and June’s.

Connor’s ten-month stint with Kenton during 1952-53 won her national recognition. Her haunting recording of Joe Greene’s ballad “All About Ronnie” announced the arrival of a fresh new artist. But the years of one-night stands, fast food and interminable bus rides soured Connor’s enthusiasm for life on the road. “By that time, I’d endured about six years of one-nighters and I’d just about had it.” To this day she values the musical training she received with Kenton, especially the skills relating to time, phrasing and “how to come in on exactly the right note while 18 or 20 musicians are playing their parts.”

Determined to forge a career as a solo artist, Connor returned to New York and signed with Bethlehem Records in 1953. Her three albums for that independent label, featuring Ellis Larkins, Herbie Mann, Kai Winding and J.J.Johnson, established her as a major jazz voice. In 1956, she began a six-year association with Atlantic Records that produced a string of chart-topping recordings arranged by Ralph Burns, Al Cohn, Jimmy Jones and Ralph Sharon, showcasing a host of jazz legends - John Lewis, Oscar Pettiford, Lucky Thompson, Phil Woods, Kenny Burrell, Milt Hinton, Clark Terry, Oliver Nelson and, in a particularly memorable pairing, Maynard Ferguson’s big band.

The rock youthquake of the late ’60s and ’70s derailed the careers of many jazz artists, but Connor persisted, performing in clubs, touring Japan and recording for a variety of labels. The early ’80s resurgence of interest in jazz singing revitalized her career, leading to a brace of highly-acclaimed Contemporary CDs. In the ’90s she began to record for the Japanese label Alfa. Connor recorded two CDs with jazz pianist Hank Jones and his trio, “Angel Eyes” and “As Time Goes By.” She then recorded two additional CDs with her own quintet, “My Funny Valentine,” arranged by Richard Rodney Bennett, and “Blue Moon,” a collection of movie songs, arranged by Michael Abene.

The new Millennium brought the timeless singer into yet another recording agreement, signing with the New York based High Note Records in 2000. Her first release, “Haunted Heart,” also arranged by Michael Abene, was released September 2001, and a second CD "I Walk With Music," was released in 2002, also with Michael Abene arranging and producing.

Chris then returned to another Japanese label and recorded "Lullaby Of Birdland" for King Record Co.Ltd, with pianist/arranger David Matthews. It was released in September 2003.

Of her current singing, Connor said, “I haven’t changed my approach, although my voice has become deeper and softer, and I don’t experiment as much. When you’re young, you overplay as a musician and you over-sing as a singer because you’re trying all these ideas, and I was throwing in everything but the kitchen sink. I’ve eliminated a lot of things I used to do. The simpler it is, the better it works for me.” She remains, as critic Larry Kart proclaimed in the Chicago Tribune, “a dominating vocal presence whose music is full of hard-earned wisdom and truth".
https://www.allaboutjazz.com/musicians/chris-connor/

Chris

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Martina DaSilva, Dan Chmielinski - Constellations

Styles: Vocal, Bop
Year: 2022
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 43:32
Size: 100,4 MB
Art: Front

(2:25) 1. I Want to Be Happy
(3:43) 2. As Praias Desertas
(4:09) 3. Deep Night
(4:24) 4. Smile
(2:44) 5. Nice Work If You Can Get It
(1:35) 6. Twin Flame
(4:25) 7. I'll Never Be the Same
(4:20) 8. It's All in Your Mind
(2:28) 9. Cold Cold Heart
(4:35) 10. My Universe
(3:52) 11. Trouble in Mind
(4:47) 12. Lush Life

ChimyTina first captured international attention in 2014 with the release of eye-catching duo performance videos, racking up thousands of views on social media. In 2019, the duo released their critically acclaimed debut A Very ChimyTina Christmas, which was praised by Rolling Stone and the New York Times for their “flexible chops and a gut-level creative connection”. Now, ChimyTina returns with Constellations, their second full length venture due out for release on all digital platforms on June 17, 2022. On June 14th, the duo will present the album at Joe's Pub in New York City.

Constellations aims to expand ChimyTina’s already far-reaching musical sphere with notes of introspection and solitude paired with hopeful optimism. The duo introduces audiences to evocative arrangements of deeply swinging, soulful songs that span the decades of the jazz songbook to a pair of original compositions by DaSilva. Alongside the two charismatic bandleaders, Constellations features performances by a handful of very special guests including vibraphonist Joel Ross, trumpeter Marquis Hill, saxophonist Grace Kelly, guitarist Andrew Renfroe, saxophonist Lucas Pino, and cellist Ken Kubota.

Advertisement:“A good word for this album is trust,” reflects Chmielinski, thinking back to their recording sessions in April 2021. “We’re trusting that the world will return, that we’ll be able to do what we love again. It was a very visceral, raw reaction to what was happening to us.” Constellations is an LP that looks inward while also, befitting of its name, draws on an almost cosmic perspective of the human experience.

A jovial start to the record, Chmielinski and DaSilva both strongly identified with the optimism and upbeat nature of the familiar jazz standard “I Want To Be Happy”. Marquis Hill, with his buttery tone and phrasing perfection was an obvious choice for the track. The call and response section introduces the interplay and lyrical fun both DaSilva and Chmielinski enjoy including in their singular arrangements. Also featuring Hill is Chmielinski and Martina’s take on the Chaplin-penned classic “Smile”. A half time 6/8 feel is introduced by the bassline in this piece, which remains consistent throughout, followed by a double-time second half of each section, as if to state that the happier times always seem to move faster. Remembering to smile and be grateful for all that one has during times of strife is something that resonated with both musicians, and the sensitive stylings of Marquis Hill was yet again an obvious choice for the poignant song.

A common thread throughout the ChimyTina discography is the nod to Martina’s Brazilian heritage. Here, this is realized on “As Praias Desertas,” a lesser known Antônio Carlos Jobim composition. Augmenting this entrancingly beautiful arrangement is Ken Kubota whose versatility as both a classical cellist and accompanist, with his guitar-like strumming mastery, shaped the arrangement into a full-fledged spectacle that paints a vivid image of “deserted beaches”.

DaSilva’s original compositions “Twin Flame” and “My Universe” present an ethereal theme to the release, and demonstrate her stunning acuity for composition. “Twin Flame” has a classic sound and a fullness that comes from DaSilva’s warm vocals and the support of multi-tracked bass. DaSilva’s lyric reflect’s life’s search for answers, looking to the spirits, questioning the stars and searching for facts, stating that “science is her guiding light”; a principle she wished more people would have adopted throughout the pandemic. “My Universe” features renowned vibraphonist Joel Ross, and is a dark, emotional reflection of the New York experience. The piece, written many years ago by the vocalist, felt apropos in light of recent events. The magical stylings of Ross help solidify an emotional ballad that carries both the gravity and awe felt by both bandleaders during their time in the Big Apple.

“Deep Night” and “It’s All In Your Mind”, both featuring guitarist Andrew Renfroe, are reimagined jazz compositions from yesteryear that seem to delve into the inner world of the composer while “Deep Night” makes allusions to the night sky, fitting for the theme of this release. Renfroe fits into the duo’s sound with ease, supporting DaSilva’s soaring vocals and giving the pieces new life with the addition of his unique and melodic sound. Classic jazz standards “I’ll Never Be The Same” and “Nice Work If You Can Get It” are interpreted here with the addition of saxophonist Lucas Pino who offers shimmering countermelodies and virtuosic improvisation. Another highlight is the classic “Trouble in Mind”, delivered with saxophonist Grace Kelly. “Inspired by the Nina Simone rendition, this take is a reminder that music is one of the most cathartic expressions of joy in the face of strife. It is clear throughout that the joy and improvisatory nature of the song exudes an attitude of rolling with the punches and continuing to be grateful for the lives we live,” shares DaSilva.

The album finale features a triple-bass arrangement of a song near and dear to both Chmielinski and DaSilva: Billy Strayhorn’s “Lush Life”. Here, Chmielinski aims to invoke awe, reflection and elegance in a fresh take on a classic recorded so many times. Inspired by his bringing around bass ensembles, the bassist demonstrates both accompaniment, lyrical bowing and a virtuosic solo aiming for nothing short of an authentic relationship that he has to this song.

Constellations is a welcomed return to ChimyTina’s musical ethos,with thoughtful arrangements and original compositions that, threaded with cosmic themes of the outer world,offer audiences a soulful journey through the inner world of this innovative, of-the-moment musical duo. https://bassmagazine.com/artists/bassist-dan-chmielinski-and-vocalist-martina-dasilva-announce-new-album-constellations

Constellations

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Michael Blake - Fulfillment

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2016
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 54:49
Size: 126,7 MB
Art: Front

(7:21) 1. Sea Shanty
(6:35) 2. Perimeters
(7:05) 3. The Ballad of Gurdit Singh
(4:44) 4. Arrivals
(5:49) 5. Departures
(7:34) 6. Battle at Baj Baj
(9:28) 7. Exaltation
(6:09) 8. The Soldier and the Saint

Saxophonist Michael Blake's previous concept album Kingdom of Champra (Intuition, 1997) is based on his experiences living with his family in Vietnam. On Fulfillment, the artist centers his focus on India, namely an incident that occurred when a Japanese freighter, transporting hundreds of East Indian immigrants was denied entry into the port of Vancouver, Canada in 1914. Another source of interest is that Blake's great grand uncle H.H. Stevens was instrumental in engaging the Canadian Parliament to take action.

Blake's manifold tactics are structured on contrasting modal processes and clever arrangements amid heartwarming, melodic choruses; straight-four jazz rock cadenzas, several reengineering exercises and shades of East India. Each piece encompasses a standalone storyline. And this positive attribute offers a sense of intrigue as Blake diversifies these arrangements with great depth, marked by his deeply personalized vision and so forth. For example, "Departures" poses a combination of glee and solace, commencing with Chris Gestin's brisk piano solo, and a linear horns and cello arrangement, amped by perky accents. The musicians bounce between free-jazz and modern mainstream, gelled with catchy phrasings and spunky soloing jaunts.

"Battle at Baj Baj," features a somber current, launched by drummer Dylan van der Schyff's rolling mallets and cymbals extrapolations, while Blake's dusky tonal range and commanding presence initiates the expansive movements with a touch of angst towards closeout. Other works are designed with climactic passages and guitarist Ron Samworth's distortion- streaked solos, but several regions of sound are softened with gentle overtones. Indeed, Blake's creative and imaginative sparks are in full force and he's undoubtedly at the top of his game here. By Glenn Astarita
https://www.allaboutjazz.com/fulfillment-michael-blake-songlines-recordings-review-by-glenn-astarita

Personnel: Michael Blake: tenor & soprano saxophone, compositions; J.P. Carter, trumpet, electronics; Peggy Lee, cello; Chris Gestrin, piano, MicroMoog; Ron Samworth: electric guitar, banjo; André Lachance: bass; Dylan van der Schyff: drums, percussion. Special guests -Aram Bajakian: acoustic & electric guitar (1, 6, 7); Emma Postl, voice (1, 3); Neelamjit Dhillon, tabla (7).

Fulfillment

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Mark Colby - Tenor Reference

Styles: Saxophone Jazz br /> Year: 2001
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 65:14
Size: 150,2 MB
Art: Frontbr

( 9:56) 1. Beautiful Love
( 7:22) 2. Blues of a Kind
(10:35) 3. My One and Only Love
( 9:50) 4. Softly As in a Morning Sunrise
( 8:11) 5. Riley's Thang
( 6:45) 6. Bloom's Room
( 4:51) 7. Bar Room Ballad
( 7:42) 8. Sabra

Mark Colby, saxophone, is a popular jazz artist in Chicago. He was music director and featured soloist with Maynard Ferguson for several years and has appeared and recorded with Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett, Bob James, Jaco Pastorius, Arturo Sandoval, and Ramsey Lewis, to name a few. He can be heard on the 1999 release "Reunion" with pianist, Vince Maggio and on his album "Tenor Reference" both on Hallway Records. He has performed as a soloist with the Milwaukee Symphony and the Miami Philharmonic. Under the sponsorship of Selmer and Sugal Mouthpieces he gives high school and college concerts and clinics throughout the U.S.
https://www.amazon.com/Tenor-Reference-Mark-Colby/dp/B00005RRG0

Personnel: Tenor Saxophone – Mark Colby; Bass – Eric Hochberg; Drums – Bob Rummage; Piano – Vince Maggio; Trumpet – Rob Parton (tracks: 5 and 6 only)

Tenor Reference

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Houston Person - The Lion and His Pride

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1994
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 60:34
Size: 139,3 MB
Art: Front

( 9:32) 1. Dig
( 7:32) 2. I Remember Clifford
( 8:06) 3. Dear Heart
( 6:26) 4. Sweet Love (Theme From Black Orpheus)
( 6:52) 5. You Are Too Beautiful
( 7:11) 6. Like Someone In Love
( 4:45) 7. Our Day Will Come
(10:06) 8. Captain Hook

With his robust sound and swinging style, tenor saxophonist Houston Person has kept the hard bop and organ-soaked soul-jazz traditions alive. Emerging from organist Johnny "Hammond" Smith's group, Person established his reputation as one of the Big Boss tenors in the Gene Ammons style with albums like 1968's Blue Odyssey, 1969's Goodness!, and 1970's Person to Person! He further embraced a funky, soulful vibe in the '70s with albums like 1972's Broken Windows, Empty Hallways and 1976's Stolen Sweets. From the '80s onward, he balanced his love of groove-based R&B with more hard-swinging acoustic sessions, joining contemporaries like Ron Carter and Teddy Edwards, as well as younger players like Joey DeFrancesco and Christian McBride. He recorded extensively with singer Etta Jones and has remained a torchbearer for the big tenor sound, releasing warmly attenuated standards and soul-jazz dates like 2015's Something Personal and 2021's Live in Paris.

Born in 1934 in South Carolina, Person started out on piano before picking up the tenor sax in his youth. After high school, he studied at South Carolina State College and then enlisted in the Air Force. Stationed in West Germany, he played in a service band that also included such jazz luminaries as Eddie Harris, Lanny Morgan, Leo Wright, and Cedar Walton. Following his discharge, he finished his studies at Connecticut's Hartt College of Music. In the early '60s, Person was a member of organist Johnny "Hammond" Smith's group, appearing on albums like 1963's A Little Taste, 1965's The Stinger, and 1968's Nasty! It was also during his time with Smith that he first met vocalist and longtime musical companion Etta Jones.

As a leader, Person made his solo debut with 1966's Underground Soul on the Prestige label, featuring organist Charles Boston. More vibrantly earthy albums followed for the label, including 1967's Chocomotive, 1967's Trust in Me, and 1968's Blue Odyssey, all of which found him working with pianist Cedar Walton. Throughout the late '60s and early '70s, he released a handful of albums that all featured exclamation-point titles, starting with 1968's Soul Dance! and ending with 1970's Person to Person! Marked by the inclusion of organist Sonny Phillips, each record grew increasingly funky as Person dipped further into soul and R&B sounds. There were also gritty sessions with Charles Earland and Don Patterson.

Throughout the '70s, Person continued to pursue a soul-oriented crossover sound, as on 1971's large-ensemble Houston Express and 1972's Sweet Buns & Barbecue. Following his time with Prestige, he recorded for a bevy of independent labels, releasing 1973's The Real Thing and 1975's Get Out'a My Way! on the Detroit-based Eastbound and Westbound labels, respectively. He then moved to Mercury for two mid-'70s dates, 1976's Pure Pleasure and 1977's Harmony. He also recorded with equally funk-centric players like Grant Green, Richard "Groove" Holmes, Bernard Purdie, and others. In addition, there were numerous sessions with vocalist Jones, a partnership that would continue for much of Person's career. Toward the end of the decade, he found a home at Muse, releasing a handful of equally earthy soul-, blues-, and hard bop-inflected dates, including Stolen Sweets, Wild Flower, and The Nearness of You. More albums followed for Muse with 1980's Suspicions, 1982's Heavy Juice, and 1985's Always on My Mind.

While funk and soul would remain an integral part of his sound, Person began to incorporate more straight-ahead acoustic jazz back into his work by the late '80s. He released a warm standards date with 1987's Basics and paired with bassist Ron Carter for both 1989's Something in Common and 1990's Now's the Time. He also recorded several albums featuring then up-and-coming young lions, including organist Joey DeFrancesco and a pair of siblings, trumpeter Philip Harper and drummer Winard Harper, as on 1990's Why Not! A year later, he released The Lion and His Pride, which again featured the Harper Brothers, along with pianist Benny Green and bassist Christian McBride.

In 2015, Person delivered the rootsy and soulful Something Personal. The saxophonist then again paired with Carter for the 2016 duo album Chemistry. The following year saw Person issue the soulful Rain or Shine, which marked his 50th year as a combo leader. After 2018's Remember Love, his sixth album of duets with Carter, he returned with the full-band set I'm Just a Lucky So and So. The concert album Live in Paris arrived in 2021 and featured his group with guitarist Peter Bernstein, organist Ben Paterson, and drummer Willie Jones III.
By Matt Collar https://www.allmusic.com/artist/houston-person-mn0000827320/biography

Personnel: Houston Person - tenor saxophone; Philip Harper - trumpet; Benny Green - piano; Christian McBride - bass; Winard Harper - drums; Sammy Figueroa - percussion (except #1); Special Studio Guest: Etta Jones

The Lion and His Pride

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Wilma Baan - Look At Me Now!

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2023
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 48:11
Size: 112,1 MB
Art: Front

(3:32) 1. Oh! Look At Me Now
(4:12) 2. The Windmills Of Your Mind
(3:52) 3. Somewhere In The Hills (Favela)
(3:52) 4. The Great City
(4:09) 5. Waltz for Debby
(3:55) 6. the Day It Rained (Chuva)
(3:45) 7. Old Devil Moon
(5:06) 8. Bein' Green
(4:44) 9. Born To Be Blue
(3:29) 10. When In Rome
(4:29) 11. Never Let Me Go
(3:04) 12. A Beautiful Friendship

Originally from The Netherlands and now settled in the UK, vocalist Wilma Baan's story is one of perseverance. Mid-way through her singing career in the '80s, she was diagnosed with a condition that meant gradually worsening hearing loss. Although she could still hear high tones, she had little choice but to pause her career. Fortunately, in the late '90s, technological breakthroughs in digital hearing aids and Bluetooth enabled her to re-capture enough of the sound that had been lost so she could start singing again.

Baan finds inspiration in classic jazz songs and has made some interesting selections for Look At Me Now! Her musicians on this album include pianist and arranger Graham Harvey, bassist Jeremy Brown and drummer Sebastiaan de Krom. There are also guest appearances from guitarist Nigel Price, vibraphonist Nat Steele, trumpeter James McMillan and percussionist Tristan Banks. This is her second album, following on from her debut So Nice (Self Release, 2019), both albums having been produced by Claire Martin.

Baan's crystal clear diction is immediately apparent in the opening track, "Oh! Look At Me Now." She sings with a smile in her voice over nicely judged piano, with a bass break from Brown and de Krom picking up the beat at exactly the right time. "The Windmills Of Your Mind," originally written for the film, The Thomas Crown Affair, won an Oscar in 1969 for Best Original Song. Baan introduces small changes in timing and intonation to create interest and deviate cleverly from the original. "Somewhere In The Hills" is a highlight, with a pulsing piano and trumpet introduction, a Latin tempo and Baan's fast phrasing showing impeccable diction and timing. Flowing piano and trumpet breaks together with lyrical bass add further interest.

Bill Evans' "Waltz for Debby," was first recorded as a short piano instrumental on his album New Jazz Conceptions (Riverside, 1957), and then in trio format on his live recording, Waltz for Debby, (Riverside, 1961). Evans' friend, Gene Lees, added lyrics with versions by and Tony Bennett proving popular. Here, Baan's mellow tone is well suited to the song, and Steele's vibraphone lifts it into new territory. "Old Devil Moon," from the 1947 musical Finian's Rainbow, finds Baan in fine form with Brown adding a neat bass break.

"Bein' Green," perhaps best known as the signature song of Kermit the Frog, is half sung, half spoken, over de Krom's brushwork, with Steele's vibraphone adding colour. Harvey's arrangement, together with nicely judged guitar from Price, add to the Brazilian flavour of "The Day It Rained." Other highlights include Baan's charming delivery of the upbeat and swinging, "A Beautiful Friendship" and the smoky "Born To Be Blue."

The musicianship is top quality throughout and provides the perfect foil to Baan's homage to the American Songbook. Baan uses inflection, warmth and timing as the tools which allow her to own the songs. Immaculate arrangements, interesting song choices, elegant vocals, there is a lot to like here. By Neil Duggan
https://www.allaboutjazz.com/look-at-me-now-wilma-baan-self-produced

Personnel: Wilma Baan: voice / vocals; Graham Harvey: piano; Jeremy Brown: bass; Sebastiaan de Krom: drums.

Look At Me Now!

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Martina DaSilva - Living Room 1

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2021
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 51:29
Size: 119,1 MB
Art: Front

(4:08) 1. I've Got A Woman
(3:09) 2. Where or When
(4:13) 3. Lovefool
(7:23) 4. Invitation
(3:01) 5. Garota de Ipanema
(5:49) 6. Crazy
(3:14) 7. Tú Me Acostumbraste
(3:42) 8. Retrato em Branco E Preto
(3:31) 9. Perfidia
(3:10) 10. Por Causa de Você
(6:09) 11. That Lucky Old Sun
(3:54) 12. Sometimes I'm Happy

Early in 2020, Martina DaSilva set a goal for herself. Once a week, the jazz singer and New York City-native decided she would invite a group of friends and collaborators over to her house, and they would shoot a live performance of a song. She would organize everything, coordinate the band, pick the music, craft the look of the footage, then release it on social media. And she would do it all on a shoestring budget. Over six months later, having stayed true to her weekly plan, DaSilva is now bringing together all of her recordings to date, releasing them in three artistic, deeply enjoyable compilations the first of which, Living Room 1, will arrive on October 8.

At the heart of Living Room 1’s track list are DaSilva’s gorgeous vocal performances. The singer has a keen sense of her own tastes “I like really lyrical music,” she says with frankness, “I choose songs with beautiful melodies.” This leads her to a delicious array of material: she finds her melodies in jazz, bossa nova, 90s pop, and everything in between. As a result, Living Room 1 has treats for listeners of all stripes. And no matter the genre, DaSilva’s ability to work wonders with a melody, and her sheer charisma as a performer, remain dazzling constants.

DaSilva also took Living Room 1 as a chance to embrace the full scope of her creative interests, appointing herself director, production designer, editor, and more. She immersed herself in the smallest visual details, obsessing over colors and the feel of the camerawork. The videos she’s created have a distinct look hip, DIY, fun that draw you in. “I come from a family of visual artists,” she explains, “that was my first artistic language.” After spending a decade intensely focused on the jazz world, she felt a need to reincorporate her other passions. “To me, I’m half a visual artist, half a musician. It took me a long time to be brave enough to embrace both parts of myself, and to realize that doesn’t diminish my musicality, it actually expands it. Doing this made me feel like an artist again.”

Quite intentionally, Living Room 1 also functions as a visual piece about the New York jazz community today, and the people who are part of it. “I think some of the best musicians alive are in this community,” DaSilva says, “and I felt it wasn’t being documented in a contemporary way that could bring in a larger audience. And I would like it to have a larger audience.” For her, this means removing the distance between spectator and musician she literally brings us into her living room alongside her and her band as they play. Short of sitting front row in a club, DaSilva’s videos offer one of the most authentic, intimate and enjoyable views you can get of jazz as it exists today in New York.

Living Room 1

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Eastern Rebellion - Simple Pleasure

Styles: Bop, Post Bop
Year: 1993
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 56:20
Size: 129,5 MB
Art: Front

(5:31) 1. In The Kitchen
(6:36) 3. Dear Ruth
(6:09) 4. Simple Pleasure
(5:24) 5. Sixth Avenue
(7:18) 6. My Ideal
(6:24) 7. All The Things You Are
(7:04) 8. My Man's Gone Now
(4:29) 9. Theme For Ernie

A wonderful title for this album of understated brilliance a strong early 90s offering from Walton's Eastern Rebellion group, done in a mode that's very similar to their initial Timeless recordings of the 70s! The quartet this time around features Walton's piano alongside the drums of co-founder Billy Higgins plus bass by David Williams, and tenor by Ralph Moore, fresh off of some excellent work as a leader for the Landmark label in the late 80s.

The tracks are all long and inventive soulbop at its best, with titles that include "Roni's Decision", "In The Kitchen", "Dear Ruth", "Simple Pleasure", and "Sixth Avenue". © 1996-2023, Dusty Groove, Inc.
https://www.dustygroove.com/item/514346/Eastern-Rebellion:Simple-Pleasure

Personnel: Cedar Walton on piano, Billy Higgins on drums, David Williams on bass, and Ralph Moore on saxophones

Simple Pleasure

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Sam Miltich & Friends - Live At The V.F.W. (2-Disc Set)

Sam Miltich, lead guitar; Mike Miller, rhythm guitar, drums; Matthew Miltich, upright bass; Pat Downing, trombone - Disc 1, Tracks 3, 7; Disc 2, Tracks 3, 7, 9, 10; Featuring:Tony Balluff, clarinet; Connie Evingson, vocals; Doug Haining, saxophone, clarinet; Patrick Harison, accordion; Dave Karr, saxophone; Mark Kreitzer, guitar; Martha Larson, cello; Charmin Michelle, vocals; Sara Pajunen, violin; Gary Schulte, violin.

The album is a snapshot of what has become an arts phenomenon in the community of Grand Rapids, Minnesota: a weekly jazz night at the local VFW Post regularly featuring some of the best musicians in the state. Hearing these musicians perform anywhere would be a pleasure, but in Itasca County – 200 miles from the state’s major Metro area – it is a truly unexpected treat.

A Note from Sam: This recording is the culmination of what my band and I have been doing every Wednesday night for the past three years. It is a record of what is, not something imagined or patched together in a studio. This is who we are and what we really sound like: some guys in a small town bar playing music for the joy of it (and hopefully bringing some joy to others as well). We had such a good time playing each week that we started inviting guest musicians up from the Twin Cities to join us not just because we love to play with them but also to share some great music with people in northern Minnesota. We call ourselves friends because that’s what we really are. Each guest is not only a fine musician but a dear friend as well. As I reflect back on each relationship, I am particularly struck by the kindness and generosity that each person has brought to me. Whether it be a bed to sleep in, a ride to a gig in the big city, a good meal, or just good counsel, each one of these friends has truly touched me.

Album: Live At The V.F.W. (Disc 1)
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 78:28
Size: 179.6 MB
Styles: Gypsy jazz, Swing
Year: 2014
Art: Front

[7:35] 1. In A Mellow Tone (Feat. Dave Karr)
[4:44] 2. I Wished On The Moon (Feat. Charmin Michelle)
[5:34] 3. Si Tu Vois Ma Mére (Feat. Tony Balluff)
[4:53] 4. Limehouse Blues (Feat. Patrick Harison)
[8:13] 5. For Sephora (Feat. Gary Schulte)
[7:10] 6. Flirty Bird (Feat. Doug Haining)
[5:11] 7. Dinette (Feat. Tony Balluff)
[2:31] 8. Metsakukkia (Feat. Sara Pajunen)
[8:17] 9. Cotton Tail (Feat. Dave Karr)
[5:21] 10. Do You Know What It Means To Miss New Orleans
[6:28] 11. Bossa Dorado (Feat. Martha Larson)
[5:34] 12. I'll Get By (Feat. Doug Haining)
[6:50] 13. Moten Swing (Feat. Doug Haining)

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Album: Live At The V.F.W. (Disc 2)
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 69:42
Size: 159.6 MB
Styles: Gypsy jazz, Swing
Year: 2014
Art: Front

[8:16] 1. Oh, Lady Be Good (Feat. Dave Karr)
[3:50] 2. The Joint Is Jumpin' (Feat. Charmin Michelle)
[5:54] 3. Georgia Cabin (Feat. Tony Balluff)
[4:37] 4. Swing Gitan (Feat. Patrick Harison)
[5:42] 5. Homesick
[5:33] 6. Minor Swing (Feat. Mark Kreitzer)
[5:24] 7. Meditation (Feat. Pat Downing)
[5:11] 8. Nuages (Feat. Connie Evingson)
[4:19] 9. Rose Room (Feat. Tony Balluff)
[3:44] 10. Nearness Of You (Feat. Pat Downing)
[5:35] 11. Broadway (Feat. Doug Haining)
[5:36] 12. East Of The Sun, West Of The Moon (Feat. Charmin Michelle)
[5:56] 13. In Walked Bud (Feat. Dave Karr)

Live At The V.F.W.(Disc 1), (Disc 2)

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The 14 Jazz Orchestra - Nothing Hard Is Ever Easy

Size: 176,0 MB
Time: 76:01
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2015
Styles: Jazz
Art: Front

01. Ummg (5:22)
02. Palladium (4:44)
03. John And Mary (Feat. Ed Calle) (8:14)
04. Black Narcissus (Feat. Ed Calle) (7:36)
05. Donna Lee (In Disguise) [Feat. Ed Calle & Marko Marcinko] (9:13)
06. Pools (Feat. Ed Calle & Marko Marcinko) (9:35)
07. Hit The Road Jack (4:52)
08. Take My Hand Precious Lord (6:00)
09. With A Little Help From My Friends (Feat. Ed Calle & Will Lee) (4:24)
10. Windows (Feat. Ed Calle & Mark Egan) (7:39)
11. You're Under Arrest (Feat. Marko Marcinko) (8:17)

Under the direction of arranger/conductor and educator Dan Bonsanti, The 14 Jazz Orchestra delivers its debut recording with Nothing Hard Is Ever Easy presenting a repertoire of contemporary jazz containing and offering of mainstream, fusion, pop, gospel-styled and classical-tinged elements that make this first effort, one varied musical statement. This fourteen-piece light ensemble is comprised of the finest professionals and educators from the South Florida area—all alumni of the prestigious Frost School of Music from the University of Miami—performing in Miami and throughout Southern Florida since October of 2013.

While boasting an A-list of players, the band is augmented by three special guest which include bassists Will Lee and Mark Egan as well as drummer Marko Marcinko—all UM attendees as well. Though Bonsanti provides the arrangements for the selection of the recording, the music opens up with a muscular version of the Clare Fischer arrangement of Billy Strayhorn's classic "U.M.M.G." featuring splendid solo moments from Ed Maina on the alto, trombonist Dante Luciani and pianist Jim Gasior.

Bonsanti—who also provided arrangements for the Jaco Pastorius Big Band—pays tribute to the spirit of the late renegade bassist by including a couple of tracks with which he is associated with particularly, Wayne Shorter's "Palladium," recalling the bassists contribution to the tune when playing with the jazz fusion group Weather Report and this rousing treatment of Pastorious' dedication to his children "John and Mary," featuring Gasior, Ed Calle on soprano and Matt Bonelli on bass.

One of the stand out tunes on the disc is Joe Henderson's "Black Narcissus," with Calle on a sprite tenor saxophone, Jack Ciano on the drums and Gasior again on the keys and the entire band providing an exceptional rendition of the old classic. The contemporary sound continues with nice reads of Charlie Parker's "Donna Lee (In Disguise)," and Don Grolnick's "Pools" before the band ventures into different territory with a bluesy take of the pop classic "Hit The Road Jack" and a Gospel-styled romp of the Tommy Dorsey piece "Take My Hand Precious Lord" featuring spirited solos from trumpeter Ray Chicalo and baritone saxophonist Peter Brewer.

Saxophonist Calle and guest artist bassist Will Lee, provide the solo moments on Bonsanti-arranged jazz version of Paul McCartney's hit song "With A Little Help from My Friends." Chick Corea's beautiful waltz "Windows' and guitarist John Scofield's funky-flavored "You're Under Arrest" closes out the session leaving one wanting a tad more from this impressive ensemble. Nothing Hard is Ever Easy is not only a common phrase we are all familiar with, it just also happens to be a spectacular musical articulation of contemporary big band jazz with an exclamation point. Kudos to band leader Dan Bonsanti and his amazing cast of players for providing one heck of a performance and testament to their unquestioned steller musicianship. ~Edward Blanco

Personnel: Dan Bonsanti: conductor, synthesizer bass (5); Ed Maina: alto saxophone, flute; Ed Calle: tenor saxophone, soprano; Neal Bonsanti: tenor saxophone; Peter Brewer: baritone saxophone; Stephen Reid: trumpet; Cisco Dimas: trumpet; Ray Chicalo: trumpet; Dante Luciano: trombone; Major Bailey: trombone; Jim Gasior: piano, keyboards; Tom Lippincott: guitar; Matt Bonelli: bass; Jack Ciano: drums; Will Lee: bass (9); Mark Eagan: bass (10); Marko Marcinko: drums (5, 6, 11).

Be Nothing Hard Is Ever Easy

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Chris Connor - The Rich Sound Of Chris Connor

Styles: Vocal
Year: 1967/2021
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 64:19
Size: 163,7 MB
Art: Front

(2:18) 1. Jeepers Creepers!
(2:39) 2. If I Should Lose You
(2:40) 3. And The Bull Walked Around, Olay!
(2:50) 4. All About Ronnie
(2:42) 5. I Get A Kick Out Of You
(3:25) 6. Where Flamingos Fly
(2:44) 7. Miser's Serenade
(2:44) 8. Ask Me
(2:47) 9. Chiquita From Chi-Wah-Wah
(2:43) 10. Blue Silhouette
(2:16) 11. Everything I Love
(2:18) 12. Gone With The Wind
(2:32) 13. How Long Has This Been Going On?
(2:27) 14. Stella By Starlight
(2:23) 15. Lullaby Of Birdland
(2:20) 16. I Hear Music
(2:55) 17. Out Of This World
(2:54) 18. Lush Life
(2:29) 19. From This Moment On
(3:07) 20. In Other Words
(2:35) 21. A Cottage For Sale
(2:53) 22. Spring Is Here
(2:56) 23. Indian Summer
(2:32) 24. Goodbye

Chris Connor (November 8, 1927 - August 29, 2009) was an American jazz singer known for her distinctive style and expression. Born in Kansas City, her father was an eminent musician and Chris soon studied and became proficient in the clarinet. Chris joined the "Snowflakes", a vocal group of Claude Thornhill's band, and moved on to become Stan Kenton's lead singer. She recorded for Bethlehem records originally and then began a long association with Atlantic records. Her trademark songs are well known to most people familiar with jazz of the 50s and 60s; among them are "Lullaby of Birdland" and "All about Ronnie."
https://www.jazzmusicarchives.com/artist/chris-connor

The Rich Sound Of Chris Connor

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