Candice Ivory, Charlie Hunter - When The Levee Breaks: The Music of Memphis Minnie

Styles: Vocal And Guitar Jazz
Year: 2023
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 46:00
Size: 106,5 MB
Art: Front

(3:32) 1. Me and My Chauffeur
(3:34) 2. When The Levee Breaks
(2:42) 3. You Can't Rule Me
(2:38) 4. When You Love Me
(3:48) 5. Blues Everywhere
(5:10) 6. Crazy Crying Blues
(4:32) 7. World of Trouble
(3:31) 8. Pile Driving Blues
(3:53) 9. Hole In The Wall
(4:56) 10. Hard Down Lie
(3:18) 11. HooDoo Lady
(4:20) 12. New Bumble Bee

Candice Ivory is more than a little ambitious to conceive and execute an album comprised wholly of material by blues icon Memphis Minnie. But to her credit, she has been quite resourceful in enlisting some formidable resources in the effort: guitarist/bassist Charlie Hunter serves as a player and the album producer, the latter role he also filled on the album of the steel guitarist here DaShawn Hickman.
Needless to say, camaraderie abounds throughout the dozen cuts, beginning with a flourish on "Me And My Chauffeur." Percussion from Brevan Hampden and Atiba Rorie digs a groove deepened by Hunter, over which Hickman tosses tantalizing curls of notes. The Minnie tune covered (and duly credited) by Led Zeppelin is wisely the second track and continues in the earthy realm of the opener: the multi-track vocals of Ivory conjure a ghostly atmosphere by contrast with the use of just a single voice on the refrain.

Drummer George Sluppick's presence on the anthemic "You Can't Rule Me" recalls his redoubtable stability for the initial incarnation of the The Chris Robinson Brotherhood. He is straight ahead with his kit on this cut, meshing smoothly with the rest of the band and especially so with his rhythm partners, not the least of whom is Hunter when he injects some of his mobile bass work into the mix. Fully arranged for an ensemble, that number is well-positioned as an extension of the more skeletal opening.

That track also serves as a complement to the acoustic textures of "When You Love Me." Ivory's history in a choir featuring future R&B star D'Angelo stands her in good stead as she really cuts loose with her voice here; nevertheless, she sings with more than a little nuance and thereby clearly communicates the humorous symbolism of "Blues Everywhere."

In performing with such apparent effortlessness, in tandem with her kindred spirit accompanists, Candice Ivory nevertheless posits herself as a figure of staunch independence and forthrightness comparable to the source of her inspiration. The clarity of the Benjy Johnson recordings (subsequently mastered at Lurssen) are a direct reflection of that indomitable stance.

The punchy audio throughout this forty-six minutes might belie the vintage tenor of the songs. Ultimately, however, it's indicative of how timeless is the appeal of the blues, whether in the form of the nonchalant saucy strut of "World of Trouble" or the elastic reggae bounce of "New Bumble Bee."By Doug Collette https://www.allaboutjazz.com/when-the-levee-breaks-the-music-of-memphis-minnie-candice-ivory-the-little-village-foundation

Personnel: Candice Ivory-vocals; Charlie Hunter-guitar; George Sluppick-drums

When The Levee Breaks: The Music of Memphis Minnie

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Roy Eldridge & His Orchestra - After You've Gone

Styles: Trumpet Jazz, Swing
Year: 1991
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 63:30
Size: 147,3 MB
Art: Front

(2:48) 1. After You've Gone (Alternate Take)
(2:55) 2. The Gasser
(2:42) 3. Jump Through The Window
(2:43) 4. Minor Jive
(2:28) 5. Stardust
(1:38) 6. Lady Be Good (Incomplete / Alternate Take)
(2:46) 7. I Surrender Dear (Alternate Take)
(3:18) 8. Body And Soul
(3:18) 9. I Can't Get Started
(3:03) 10. After You've Gone
(3:12) 11. Fish Market
(2:53) 12. Twilight Time
(2:23) 13. St. Louis Blues
(3:28) 14. Embraceable You
(2:45) 15. All The Cats Join In
(3:15) 16. Poor John
(2:45) 17. Hi Ho Trailus Boot Whip
(3:05) 18. Yard Dog
(3:09) 19. Lover, Come Back To Me
(2:49) 20. Rockin' Chair
(3:02) 21. It's The Talk Of The Town
(2:54) 22. Christopher Columbus

This excellent CD features the great swing trumpeter Roy Eldridge shortly after the breakup of the Gene Krupa Orchestra. Eldridge is heard leading his own recording groups (mostly big bands) and, although his own orchestra never really caught on, the trumpet solos are always quite exciting.

This CD skips over five of Eldridge's Decca sides (it should have been a "complete" set) but does include three previously unissued performances plus a recently discovered jam on "Christopher Columbus" from 1936
By Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/after-youve-gone-mw0000269940

After You've Gone

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Ed Wiley, Jr. - About The Soul

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 66:24
Size: 152.0 MB
Styles: Saxophone jazz
Year: 2006
Art: Front

[8:49] 1. Without A Song
[4:04] 2. Too Close For Comfort
[6:22] 3. Till There Was You
[5:08] 4. Play Ray
[7:49] 5. Giselle
[2:20] 6. I Couldn't Hear Nobody Pray
[2:58] 7. Somebody Stole My Gal
[6:30] 8. B Man
[7:08] 9. Bay Area Blues
[5:19] 10. Send Me Someone To Love
[4:53] 11. By Bye Blackbird
[4:58] 12. St. Theresa's Blues

The Houston-raised Ed Wiley Jr. was born into the Texas-tenor style made popular by such fellow Houstonians as Arnett Cobb and Illinois Jacquet. His soulful horn had graced numerous rhythm ’n’ blues bands by 1950 when he had a hit of his own with “Cry, Cry Baby.” Two decades later, Wiley took a long break from music, not returning to performing until the 1990s. Since 1994, he has recorded five albums, About the Soul being the latest. At 76, Wiley displays the confidence and surefootedness of the longtime performer. His technique is still sufficient to execute his earthy ideas, and his tone remains capable of expressing the intense emotion that permeates his music.

Wiley’s colleagues include some of the best in the business — pianists Kenny Barron, John Ozment and the late John Hicks; guitarists Jimmy Ponder and Kevin McNeal; bassists Keter Betts, Mike Boone and Corcoran Holt; and drummers Ben Riley, Mickey Roker and Mark Prince. ~David Franklin

About The Soul

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Ella Fitzgerald - The Complete Decca Singles Vol. 3 of 4 (1942-1949) 3-Disc Set

On June 16, 1939, it was decided that Fitzgerald would front the Chick Webb orchestra even though she had little to do with the repertoire or hiring or firing the musicians. She retained her popularity and when she broke up the band in 1941 and went solo; it was not long before her Decca recordings contained more than their share of hits. She was teamed with the Ink Spots, Louis Jordan, and the Delta Rhythm Boys for some best-sellers, and in 1946 began working regularly for Norman Granz's Jazz at the Philharmonic. Granz became her manager although it would be nearly a decade before he could get her on his label. A major change occurred in Fitzgerald's singing around this period. She toured with Dizzy Gillespie's big band, adopted bop as part of her style, and started including exciting scat-filled romps in her set. Her recordings of "Lady Be Good," "How High the Moon," and "Flying Home" during 1945-1947 became popular and her stature as a major jazz singer rose as a result. For a time (December 10, 1947-August 28, 1953) she was married to bassist Ray Brown and used his trio as a backup group. Fitzgerald's series of duets with pianist Ellis Larkins in 1950 (a 1954 encore with Larkins was a successful follow-up) found her interpreting George Gershwin songs, predating her upcoming Songbooks series.

Album: The Complete Decca Singles Vol. 3 (1942-1949) Disc 1

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s

Time: 72:20

Size: 165.6 MB

Styles: Jazz vocals

Year: 2017

Art: Front

[2:42] 1. I'm Gettin' Mighty Lonesome For You

[2:52] 2. When I Come Back Crying (Will You Be Laughing At Me)

[2:57] 3. All I Need Is You

[2:44] 4. Mama Come Home

[2:32] 5. I Can't Believe That You're In Love With Me

[2:45] 6. Can't Help Lovin' Dat Man

[3:16] 7. He's My Guy (Nobody Knows Better Than I)

[2:52] 8. (I Put) A Four Leaf Clover In Your Pocket

[3:02] 9. My Heart And I Decided

[3:06] 10. I Must Have That Man

[2:56] 11. Cow Cow Boogie

[2:46] 12. When My Sugar Walks Down The Street

[2:55] 13. Once Too Often

[3:05] 14. Time Alone Will Tell

[3:13] 15. And Her Tears Flowed Like Wine

[3:22] 16. I'm Confessin' That I Love You

[3:05] 17. A Kiss Goodnight

[3:27] 18. Benny's Coming Home On Saturday

[2:53] 19. I'm Just A Lucky So-And-So

[3:16] 20. I Didn't Mean A Word I Said

[2:52] 21. You Won't Be Satisfied (Until You Break My Heart)

[3:11] 22. The Frim Fram Sauce

[3:10] 23. Into Each Life Some Rain Must Fall

[3:11] 24. I'm Making Believe

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Album: The Complete Decca Singles Vol. 3 (1942-1949) Disc 2

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s

Time: 75:07

Size: 172.0 MB

Styles: Jazz vocals

Year: 2017

Art: Front

[2:42] 1. I'm Beginning To See The Light

[3:15] 2. That's The Way It Is

[2:39] 3. It's Only A Paper Moon

[2:44] 4. Cry You Out Of My Heart

[2:37] 5. Stone Cold Dead In The Market 2

[2:35] 6. Petootie Pie

[3:11] 7. (I Love You) For Sentimental Reasons

[2:37] 8. It's A Pity To Say Goodnight

[3:10] 9. Guilty

[3:18] 10. Sentimental Journey

[2:59] 11. That's My Desire

[3:12] 12. A Sunday Kind Of Love

[3:13] 13. Oh Lady Be Good

[2:29] 14. Flying Home

[2:25] 15. You're Breakin' In A New Heart

[3:06] 16. Don't You Think I Ought To Know

[2:32] 17. I've Got A Feelin' I'm Fallin'

[2:39] 18. My Baby Likes To Bebop (And I Like To Bebop Too)

[3:13] 19. How High The Moon (1st Take)

[2:55] 20. You Turned The Tables On Me

[3:15] 21. My Happiness

[2:40] 22. Tea Leaves

[2:36] 23. It's Too Soon To Know

[2:48] 24. I Can't Go On (Without You)

[3:05] 25. To Make A Mistake Is Human

[2:59] 26. In My Dreams

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Album: The Complete Decca Singles Vol. 3 (1942-1949) Disc 3

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s

Time: 70:14

Size: 160.8 MB

Styles:

Year: 2017

Art: Front

[3:00] 1. No Sense

[2:32] 2. Robbin's Nest

[3:15] 3. I Couldn't Stay Away From You

[3:02] 4. Someone Like You

[2:21] 5. I Want To Learn About Love

[2:39] 6. Old Mother Hubbard

[2:25] 7. Happy Talk

[2:52] 8. I'm Gonna Wash That Man Right Outa My Hair

[2:39] 9. Baby It's Cold Outside

[2:55] 10. Don't Cry, Cry Baby

[3:03] 11. Black Coffee

[3:07] 12. Lover's Gold

[3:07] 13. Crying

[2:58] 14. A New Shade Of Blues

[2:56] 15. Foolish Tears

[3:10] 16. A Man Wrote A Song

[2:36] 17. In The Evening (When The Sun Goes Down)

[2:52] 18. Talk Fast, My Heart, Talk Fast

[2:50] 19. Fairy Tales

[3:19] 20. I Gotta Have My Baby Back

[3:07] 21. Basin Street Blues

[3:18] 22. I'm Waitin' For The Junkman

[3:00] 23. I Hadn't Anyone Till You

[2:58] 24. Dream A Little Longer

The Complete Decca Singles Vol. 3 (1942-1949) Disc 1, Disc 2, Disc 3

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Linda May Han Oh - The Glass Hours

Styles: Voice
Year: 2023
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 69:10
Size: 159,0 MB
Art: Front

(6:49) 1. Circles
(6:42) 2. Antiquity
(5:33) 3. Chimera
(8:29) 4. Jus Ad Bellum
(6:37) 5. The Glass Hours
(9:15) 6. The Imperative
(7:23) 7. Phosphorus
(3:44) 8. Respite
(9:24) 9. The Other Side
(5:08) 10. Hatchling

Linda May Han Oh, a bassist and composer of enormous talent, approaches bandleading with fresh and distinctive vision. Backed by a new quintet that works really great, Oh delivers a set of pieces informed by abstract themes of the fragility of time and life, paradoxes and choices, and social issues in our world. The Glass Hours has that adventurous quality often found in her discography, creating a compound of collective exploration and deft improvisation.

The sinuous, complex melody of “Circles” is earnestly declared, side by side, by Portuguese singer Sara Serpa, whose technique is impressive, and saxophonist Mark Turner. The sounds spread within the organized structure, and we have pianist Fabian Almazan and Turner taking improvisational turns before a fearless double bass solo unfolds.

Introduced rubato by bass and piano before sliding into a 7/4 meter, “Antiquity” is a piece with lyrics centered on the weight of the past, whereas “Chimera”, taking the form of a sensual dance, mutates along the way. A swift rhythmic figure takes center stage, creating a motivically induced substratum later embellished with tasteful electronics.

Often abstract, these avant-leanings occasionally invite us to new territory, like “Phosphorous”, which is rendered with a relentless prog-rock rhythm bed. Drummer Obed Calvaire, who worked with Oh on her debut album, Entry (CD Baby, 2009), locks in with the bassist for the sake of a funk-inspired accentuation, supporting ethereal wordless vocals and saxophone cross-cuts. There’s also a more rugged than sweet keyboard solo here.

The composer delves deeply into this musical universe of linear and cyclical forms. With warfare as a topic, “Jus ad Bellum” flows rubato, later probing polyrhythmic patterns with ritualistic precision. More celebratory is the title cut, which has challenging metered cycles rising and waning periodically; Serpa is on the leading edge here, and Turner and Almazan take improvisational turns. Thematically contrary, “The Other Side” is a meditation on the afterlife, employing a push-pull strategy with well-placed staccatos that ground us in the present.

Impeccably layered with boundless energy, The Glass Hours is a mature work that positions Oh in the vanguard of progressive musical creativity.https://jazztrail.net/blog/linda-may-han-oh-the-glass-hours-album-review

Personnel: Sara Serpa: voice; Mark Turner: tenor saxophone; Fabian Almazan: piano, electronics; Linda May Han Oh: acoustic and electric bass, voice; Obed Calvaire: drums.

The Glass Hours

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Ahmad Jamal - Emerald City Nights: Live at the Penthouse 1966-1968 Disc 1, Disc 2

Album: Emerald City Nights: Live at the Penthouse 1966-1968 Disc 1
Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2023
File: MP3@160K/s
Time: 45:11
Size: 52,0 MB
Art: Front

( 4:49) 1. Gloria
( 7:33) 2. Fantastic Vehicle
(12:36) 3. Misty
(15:08) 4. Mr. Lucky
( 5:03) 5. Autumn Leaves

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Album: Emerald City Nights: Live at the Penthouse 1966-1968 Disc 2
Time: 48:35
Size: 55,9 MB

(11:01) 1. Corcovado (Quiet Night Of Quiet Stars)
( 8:36) 2. Where Is Love
( 9:30) 3. Dance To The Lady
( 6:58) 4. Naked City Theme
( 2:51) 5. Emily
( 9:36) 6. Alfie

It was a time of warring nations, either within themselves or without. John Coltrane had fallen as Miles Davis was firing up the jazz/funk. It was a time of young men screaming, their bodies on fire. Black and white images of villages savaged and children starving.

Into these unrivaled moments they had just taken down a holy man in Memphis a month before Ahmad Jamal, his uncluttered allegiance to cool, underscored syncopation, and profound ease and understanding of Erroll Garner's orchestral maneuvers, rides high the groove on Emerald City Nights: Live At The Penthouse 1966-1968 and conclusively, both then and now, takes your mind off those, and these, turbulent times.

Volume three could unarguably be the master class of the whole endeavor. Which is no small feat considering the gymnastics of Emerald City Nights: Live At The Penthouse 1963-1964 and Emerald City Nights: Live At The Penthouse 1965, (both from Elemental Music, 2022.) Here, Jamal, bassist Jamil Sulieman Nasser and drummer Frank Gant lock into that Vulcan Mind Meld thing we were hearing so much about back then, making these performances no these passing works of art that burn in the brain until only shadows remain lift the audience into a state of euphoria that is hard to explain but one damn well knows it when it hits.

Take for instance the narrative stretch of "Fantastic Vehicle" and "Misty" from September 29,1966 and "Mr. Lucky," and "Autumn Leaves" from just under a year later. True masterpieces of the form each and every one. Yet this trio plays them in an unprecedented manner and exhilarating form. It is that provocative, harmonic grace only Jamal mastered and with which Davis took great electric liberty.

This is sly, rhythmic derring-do at its best. And it is within these four performances alone that the disc becomes invaluable. "Mr. Lucky" rips with a morse code punctuation and Nasser's fast and furious double timing. Hear him rip full force again on Antonio Carlos Jobim's ageless bossa nova "Corcovado (Quiet Night Of Quite Stars)." "Misty" is just an epic performance, that whole Vulcan Mind Meld thing in full swing. These three are tight but increasingly footloose, (let the two relentless Jamal/Gant fusillades be Exhibits A and B. Let Jamal's effortlessly fascinating runs here and, as on "Autumn Leaves," serve as Exhibits C and D)

Even with the 1967-1968 performances holding to a more classical, yet no more gregarious flaunting, trio approach, Emerald City Nights: Live At The Penthouse 1966-1968 is immensely satisfying and promises to be one of those killer hot Record Store Day Black Friday releases. But that is hardly the point and probably of no consequence at all. For the music on Emerald City Nights: Live At The Penthouse 1966-1968 has a decisively no-holds-barred pulse. It may not be exactly the steady beat of the blood, but it is definitely a pulse that keeps one alive.By Mike Jurkovic
https://www.allaboutjazz.com/emerald-city-nights-live-at-the-penhouse-1966-1968-ahmad-jamal-jazz-detective

Personnel: Ahmad Jamal piano; Jamil Nasser bass; Frank Gant drums

Emerald City Nights: Live at the Penthouse 1966-1968 Disc 1, Disc 2

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Larry Schneider - Mohawk

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1994
File: MP3@256K/s
Time: 61:11
Size: 112,4 MB
Art: Front

( 4:43)  1. Mohawk
( 6:05)  2. Moose The Mooche
( 4:48)  3. She Rote
(10:39)  4. Yardbird Suite
( 2:59)  5. Donna Lee
( 7:51)  6. Anthropology
( 9:35)  7. Scrapple From The Apple
( 5:05)  8. Steeplechase
( 9:24)  9. Confirmation

Larry Schneider on this latest recording plays alto sax instead of tenor sax which is his instrument. And when a jazz saxophone player picks up alto, there is one thing in his mind: Charlie Parker. “Larry Schneider Plays Charlie Parker” is what this CD is all about. A formidable task superbly executed.

Personnel:  Alto Saxophone – Larry Schneider;  Bass – Steve LaSpina;  Drums – Anton Fig;  Piano – Andy LaVerne

Mohawk

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Ed Wiley, Jr. - In Remembrance

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2006
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 67:13
Size: 154,2 MB
Art: Front

( 5:06)  1. Nobody Knows The Trouble I've Seen
(12:03)  2. There's Blues Everywhere
( 3:02)  3. Shaw Nuff
( 9:04)  4. In Remembrance
( 6:20)  5. Lift Ev'ry Voice
( 5:17)  6. Go Down Moses
( 8:05)  7. Jesus Loves Me
(12:21)  8. Let Us Break Bread Together
( 5:52)  9. Sleepy

On this recording, tenor saxophonist Ed Wiley, Jr. pays tribute to the African-American music continuum, from Negro spirituals to bebop. Included is the classic Go Down Moses, and an emotional solo rendition of Nobody Knows which features Wiley's lush, warm tone. The passionate title track, In Remembrance, written by Wiley, captures the essence of Black struggle. Also includes Charlie Parker's up-tempo bebop tune, Shaw-Nuff. This recording features Ed Wiley, Jr. on tenor and alto sax; Milt Hinton on bass; Shirley Scott on piano; Micky Roker and Bobby Durham on drums; Terell Stafford on trumpet; Wycliffe Gordon, longtime member of the Wynton Marsalis band, on trombone. Arrangements by Ed Wiley, Jr. and Shirley Scott. ~ Editorial Reviews  http://www.amazon.com/In-Remembrance-Ed-Wiley-Jr/dp/B000EZ91FQ

In Remembrance

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Andrew Rathbun - The Speed of Time

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2023
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 58:56
Size: 135,8 MB
Art: Front

(6:48) 1. The Speed Of Time
(6:21) 2. Could It Be
(6:40) 3. Widen the Doorway
(7:19) 4. Wandering
(8:31) 5. Fast 5th
(7:01) 6. Velocity Unknown
(8:32) 7. Still A Thing
(7:39) 8. Tooth and Nail

Not one to avoid concepts and ambitious outings, Andrew Rathbun's to-date masterpiece, The Atwood Suites (Origin Records, 2018), explored the poetry of his countrywoman, writer Margaret Atwood. In 2023, he tackles time.

Time is a funny thing. Its perceived speed is malleable. It tends toward an increasing velocity as one moves into middle age and beyond. It can crawl at a snail's pace (during a root canal treatment, for example) and it can race ahead with wild abandon that raucous party under the stars around the swimming pool when the good cheer is flowing on a tidal bore of beer and wine. The Canadian saxophonist's 2023 release, The Speed of Time, an all-Rathbun batch of originals, uses the standard jazz quartet a saxophone and a rhythm section to examine the slippery concept.

First, familiarity with the backstory and the thoughts that inspired the music are not necessary. This is inspired by modern jazz in a quartet setting by four seasoned journeymen Gary Versace on piano, John Hébert on bass and Tom Rainey in the drummer's chair like Dexter Gordon or Sonny Rollins used to make. Or, to bring things into the now like saxophonists George Garzone or Virginia Mayhew make. Rathbun's tone is burnished, ringing and resonant. His articulation brings up unexpected phrasings. The title tune, that opens the disc, rides in on Hebert's implacable bass lines. Time is moving ahead at a brisk pace that pauses for Versace's sweet and lovely piano declaration, before a shift into a torrid horn/bass/drums segment. Versace sneaks back in with some spare chording. Momentum gathers.

On the other hand, "Could It Be" moves ahead at the pace of the flow of molasses in a Toronto winter. It is dark, the atmosphere foreboding. Rathbun's tenor sax is anguished. "Wandering?" finds Rathbun on his soprano sax, searching, time perhaps suspended, and "Tooth and Nail" sounds like a band of brothers scuffling down the alleyway on Rainy's ramshackle drums, throwing elbows and jockeying for position for what? Who knows. Time bumping and stumbling ahead, Rathbun sounding like the voice of reason in the melee.
An excellent album that can sit nicely on the shelf beside some of the great ones by Rollins and Gordon. By Dan McClenaghan https://www.allaboutjazz.com/the-speed-of-time-andrew-rathbun-steeplechase-records

Personnel: Tenor Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone – Andrew Rathbun; Bass – John Hebert; Drums – Tom Rainey; Piano – Gary Versace

The Speed of Time

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T.K. Blue, James Weidman - The Tide Of Love

Styles: Saxophone And Flute Jazz
Year: 2023
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 55:56
Size: 129,2 MB
Art: Front

(4:46) 1. When Sunny Gets Blue
(5:30) 2. The Peacocks
(6:42) 3. The Tide Of Love (Radio version)
(3:26) 4. Eu Sei Que Vou Te Amar (guitar)
(5:32) 5. Never Felt This Way
(6:35) 6. Luiza
(5:08) 7. That's All
(5:24) 8. A Prayer For Us (Radio version)
(3:28) 9. A Quiet Place
(4:46) 10. To Mend A Broken Heart
(4:33) 11. So Many Stars (Radio version)

T.K. Blue is an artist who is proficient on both the alto saxophone and flute; he has released a striking album entitled The Tide of Love that offers a diverse and engaging musical journey through various genres of the jazz spectrum. In this session, he is accompanied by several superb musicians, including Grammy-nominated Stefon Harris on vibes, along with pianist James Weidman, bassist Gavin Fallow, drummer Lenny Robinson and guitarist Ron Jackson. The group recorded an album of creativity, originality, and emotional impact in this eleven-track outing.

The opening track is "When Sunny Gets Blue." With a creative mode of expression, Blue offers an interesting take on the number under a cloak of restraint. The following cut is a beautiful Jimmy Rowles original called "The Peacocks." Performed as a duo with Blue and pianist James Weidman, it harkens back to the initial 1975 release of the song on an album by the composer and tenor saxophonist Stan Getz. Blue's tone has a beauty all its own, while Weidman shows a crystalline precision of each note.

The title track, "The Tide of Love," is a Blue original composition, one of several that appear on the release. Taken at a languid tempo, this emotive number has an elliptical sense of phrase with Blue, Harris, Weidman and Jackson playing notes and figures that keep the composition moving forward. Bossa master Antonio Carlos Jobim contributes two pieces to the outing; the first is " Eu Sei Que Vou Te Amar," followed by "Luiza." On the former, through overdubbing, Blue is heard on both alto sax and flute to provide an empathetic interplay with Jackson on acoustic guitar. Although subtle, the bossa effect is more pronounced on the latter.

In addition to Blue, both Weidman and Jackson, again on acoustic guitar, are very effective in their solo interventions. The popular standard "That's All" is covered with Blue, concisely stating the melody with a reflective feel. Weidman's support is sensitive to the dynamics of the number and enhances Blue's relaxed inventions. The closing track is "So Many Stars" the well-known bossa nova by Sergio Mendes and Alan & Marilyn Bergman. In this rendition, Blue confirms his ability to navigate and blend this genre to provide an expressive and sentimental side of jazz. The album shows T.K. Blue's skill, passion, and commitment to musical diversity.By Pierre Giroux
https://www.allaboutjazz.com/the-tide-of-love-tk-blue-arkadia-records

Line-up/Musicians: T.K. Blue: alto sax and alto flute, arranger, leader; Stefon Harris: vibraphone, marimba; James Weidman: piano; Gavin Fallow: bass; Lenny Robinso: drums; Ron Jackson: guitar.

The Tide Of Love

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Ed Wiley, Jr. - Sassy

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2006
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 57:45
Size: 135,0 MB
Art: Front

(4:15)  1. Room 608
(5:28)  2. Stretchin' Out
(4:07)  3. Sassy
(6:41)  4. Little Girl Blue
(4:50)  5. Lazarus
(8:29)  6. No Greater Love
(3:08)  7. Max The Maximum
(4:17)  8. Billy Boy
(5:13)  9. Do You Know A Good Thing When You See One?
(4:51) 10. Blues For Duane
(2:20) 11. Here, There And Everywhere
(4:00) 12. Sassy - (Alternate Take)

One of the tracks on Sassy, the Lennon-McCartney tune “Here, There and Everywhere,” says much about Ed Wiley’s fourth release for Swing Records. The album was compiled from three sessions recorded between 1999 and 2000 in Brooklyn, New Jersey and Pennsylvania, and mixed in two Washington, D. C., studios. Not surprisingly the results are uneven. To Wiley’s credit, the one constant is his big, soulful Texas tenor. The other constants, despite an occasional clash of styles, include the adventurous minds of trumpeter Nicolas Payton, pianist Sir Roland Hanna and guitarist Mark Whitfield. Compare styles in the two versions of the title tune-a truly sassy line-that Wiley wrote in honor of Sarah Vaughan. B-3 organist Joey DeFrancesco propels the first version, while the second, lower and slower, relies on Whitfield’s guitar, but that soul-filled, down-home cushion is missing. Elsewhere, “Room 608,” a tricky bop line by Horace Silver, finds alto player Donald Harrison stealing some of the thunder from Wiley. 

It’s not meant to be a cutting session; Wiley is consistently generous with stretch-out room for his sidemen. “Lazarus” is interesting in that it begins with solos and ends with the written head for the ensemble. Included in four front lines is trombonist Al Grey, but he solos only on “No Greater Love.” Good to hear his Vic Dickenson inspired humor, but also bittersweet: he died before the CD was released. Overall, Wiley can be proud of this release, but he shouldn’t stray too far from his roots. ~ Harvey Siders https://jazztimes.com/reviews/albums/ed-wiley-jr-sassy/

Personnel: Ed Wiley Jr. - tenor saxophone; Roland Hanna - piano; Paul Bollenback - guitar; Al Grey - trombone; Nicholas Payton - trumpet; Donald Harrison - alto saxophone; Carl Allen - drums; Davey Yarborough - tenor saxophone.

Sassy

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Greg Foat & Art Themen - Off-Piste

Styles: Soul Jazz, Jazz Fusion
Year: 2023
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 43:08
Size: 99,1 MB
Art: Front

(10:39) 1. Fresh Snow
( 3:54) 2. La Partida
( 7:44) 3. Off Piste
( 4:48) 4. Yrsno
( 8:15) 5. Sis No Hyp
( 7:46) 6. Apres Ski

Pianist Greg Foat, who has been who has been at the forefront of the UK jazz scene for the past decade, has teamed up with 83 year-old London saxophone great Art Themen on a superb new album for the Athens Of The North label, titled Off-Piste.

Admirers of each other’s work, the two were interested in recording an album together for a number of years, however the pandemic put a delay on the session for a while. Once things opened up again, they headed to highly acclaimed Edinburgh-based Chamber Studio with an exciting group of UK musicians that included guitarist Gavin Sutherland, harpist Amanda Whitingm electric bassist Philip Achille, and drummer/percussionist Nadav Schneerson.

This remarkable 6-track recording features a solid dose of breezy instrumental cosmic jazz featuring warm analog tones, meditative grooves, hypnotic effects, atmospheric textures and cinematic soundscapes. The session truly sounds like the album’s peaceful cover photo. https://www.jazzmessengers.com/en/96650/greg-foat/off-piste-s-art-themen-limited-edition

Personnel: Tenor Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone – Art Themen; Bass – Philip Achille; Drums, Percussion – Nadav Schneerson; Electric Piano [Fender Rhodes], Synthesizer [Prophet 10, Roland SH-101,MK-80,Sequential OB-6] – Greg Foat; Guitar – Gavin Sutherland; Harp – Amanda Whiting

Off-Piste

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Béla Fleck/Zakir Hussain/Edgar Meyer/Rakesh Chaurasia - As We Speak

Styles: Worldwide
Year: 2023
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 75:18
Size: 173,0 MB
Art: Front

(4:56) 1. Motion
(9:16) 2. The B Tune
(5:30) 3. Tradewinds Bengali
(6:11) 4. J Bhai
(4:47) 5. Rickety Karma
(6:17) 6. 1980
(4:33) 7. Owl’s Misfortune
(8:24) 8. Pashto
(4:53) 9. Hidden Lake
(7:00) 10. Beast In The Garden
(8:22) 11. Conundrum
(5:04) 12. As We Speak

As We Speak is an emphatic continuation of banjoist Bela Fleck's eclectic adventures dating back to his high school days. It is thus only fitting that this LP's title alludes to the ongoing artistic process wherein creativity can ensue, virtually non-stop, no matter what other dialogue(s) might be going on at the time.

In fact, the trio of Fleck, tabla master Zakir Hussain and bassist Edgar Meyer have collaborated in the past see The Melody of Rhythm (Koch, 2009). But whereas that project involved The Detroit Symphony Orchestra, this title incorporates bansurist Rakesh Chaurasia, whose instrument lends an alternately ghostly and fanciful air to the proceedings via "Motion" and "The B Tune," among others

Mirroring the mesh of blurred images on the album cover, this quartet's fusion of Indian and Western classical musics, bluegrass and jazz brings to mind the late keyboardist/composer Joe Zawinul's comment about Weather Report, the ensemble he led with saxophonist/composer Wayne Shorter; to paraphrase, Fleck, Hussain, Meyer and Chaurasia sound like they're always soloing, but never soloing.

During the fleet and graceful interactions that comprise "J Bhai," for instance, economy and self-discipline coexist with utter abandon in such a way as to ignite not only the musicians' collective and individual imaginations, but mostly likely those of listeners as well. And while "Tradewinds Bengali" conjures exotic realms, the undercurrent of gaiety within "Rickety Karma" also injects a measure of levity into the proceedings that precludes anything overly serious from radiating out of this or the total dozen tracks.

Produced by Fleck (who also co-engineered with his long-time sonic guru Richard Battaglia), various compositional combinations of the three principals supply the source material of a sumptuous seventy-five minute program worth savoring repeatedly in its entirety. It is a credit to these artists that, even when the interplay becomes frenetic, as on "Pashto," they never succumb to the temptation to outplay each other.

Likewise, in the comparatively restful form of "1989," this is music that lives and breathes as a direct expression of each musician's working experience and, to only a slightly lesser extent, the shared history of Fleck, Meyer and Hussain. And while there is a dignified formality to some intervals like that aforementioned track, a decided whimsy flows as well, again thanks in large measure to the airy textures Chausari unfurls with his flute.

In the end, the four-way generation of these colorful sounds on As We Speak is at once insinuating and transportive. These are four musicians who, above all else, simply love to play, perhaps never more than when they do here with such intuitive fluidity. By Doug Collette
https://www.allaboutjazz.com/as-we-speak-bela-fleck-thirty-tigers

Personnel: Banjo – Béla Fleck; Bansuri – Rakesh Chaurasia; Double Bass – Edgar Meyer; Tabla – Zakir Hussain

As We Speak

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Ruby Braff and The Flying Pizzarellis - C'est Magnifique!

Styles: Cornet Jazz
Year: 2007
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 74:23
Size: 171,2 MB
Art: Front

(7:49) 1. Lulu's Back in Town
(4:55) 2. Was I to Blame for Falling in Love with You?
(9:47) 3. You're a Lucky Guy
(6:03) 4. When a Woman Loves a Man
(7:03) 5. C'est Magnifique
(9:52) 6. My Honey's Lovin' Arms
(4:38) 7. I Didn't Know What Time It Was
(5:59) 8. They Can't Take That Away from Me
(4:28) 9. As Time Goes By
(8:37) 10. Sometimes I'm Happy
(5:06) 11. Dancing on the Ceiling

Ruby Braff's final studio recording sessions took place with musicians who played with the fire and inspiration required by the demanding cornetist, including familiar faces like guitarist Bucky Pizzarelli and drummer Jim Gwinn, though guitarist John Pizzarelli, bassist Martin Pizzarelli, and pianist Ray Kennedy had never before worked with him. Braff's battle with emphysema during the last few years of his life required him to use a wheelchair to get around airports to save his breath for performing, but he is still a powerful presence on this session, around two months before his illness progressed to the point that he could no longer perform.

Like any Braff-led recording, these dates include a selection of tried and true standards that he had played many times throughout his career, all played in swinging fashion and a timeless manner. The opener, "Lulu's Back in Town," is notable as he plays in short bursts, keeping the solos moving through the group to keep all the musicians on their toes, a pattern that follows in most of the selections.

Braff had a knack for reviving forgotten chestnuts like "My Honey's Loving Arms" and "You're a Lucky Guy." "C'est Magnifique" is not one of Cole Porter's best-known works, but Braff's sassy cornet and the campy vocal chorus (which includes a mix of recording session attendees, vocalist/pianist Daryl Sherman, jazz critic Dan Morgenstern, jazz author Ross Firestone, and producer Rachel Domber among them the last three likely making their recording debuts!) add to its appeal. John Pizzarelli's warm, friendly vocals are featured in both "They Can't Take That Away from Me" and "As Time Goes By," which brings up another Braff mandate: when the composer wrote an opening verse to set up a song, it shouldn't be omitted.

This rewarding session closes the career of a marvelous cornetist who kept high standards throughout his career rather than bowing to the demands of record labels, casual jazz fans, or promoters; he is missed but will not be forgotten.By Ken Dryden
https://www.allmusic.com/album/cest-magnifique%21-mw0000581925#review

Personnel: Ruby Braff - cornet; Bucky Pizzarelli - guitar; John Pizzarelli - guitar, vocal (tracks 8 and 9); Ray Kennedy - piano; Martin Pizzarelli - bass; Jim Gwinn - drums
The Oo-La-La Singers (track 5): Rachel Domber, Daryl Sherman, Adam and Dan Morgenstern, Al Lipsky, Gail and Ross Firestone

C'est Magnifique!

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Ella Fitzgerald - The Complete Decca Singles Vol. 1 (1935-1939) 4-Disc Set

"The First Lady of Song," Ella Fitzgerald was arguably the finest female jazz singer of all time (although some may vote for Sarah Vaughan or Billie Holiday). Blessed with a beautiful voice and a wide range, Fitzgerald could outswing anyone, was a brilliant scat singer, and had near-perfect elocution; one could always understand the words she sang. The one fault was that, since she always sounded so happy to be singing, Fitzgerald did not always dig below the surface of the lyrics she interpreted and she even made a downbeat song such as "Love for Sale" sound joyous. However, when one evaluates her career on a whole, there is simply no one else in her class.

Album: The Complete Decca Singles Vol. 1 1935-1939 (Disc 1)
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 56:18
Size: 128.9 MB
Styles: Jazz vocals
Year: 2017

[3:14] 1. Love And Kisses
[3:01] 2. Rhythm And Romance
[2:30] 3. I'll Chase The Blues Away
[3:02] 4. Crying My Heart Out For You
[2:33] 5. Sing Me A Swing Song (And Let Me Dance)
[2:56] 6. Under The Spell Of The Blues
[3:00] 7. A Little Bit Later On
[2:22] 8. Devoting My Time To You
[2:54] 9. If You Can't Sing It You'll Have To Swing It
[2:24] 10. Vote For Mister Rhythm
[2:41] 11. My Last Affair
[3:00] 12. Darktown Strutters Ball
[2:47] 13. Shine
[2:47] 14. Organ Grinder's Swing
[3:02] 15. The Reservation
[2:55] 16. I Got The Spring Fever Blues
[3:06] 17. Love, You're Just A Laugh
[2:50] 18. There's Frost On The Moon
[2:23] 19. When I Get Low I Get High
[2:40] 20. Oh, Yes, Take Another Guess

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Album: The Complete Decca Singles Vol. 1 1935-1939 (Disc 2)
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 67:45
Size: 155.1 MB
Styles: Jazz vocals
Year: 2017

[3:12] 1. Dedicated To You
[2:50] 2. Big Boy Blue
[2:38] 3. Wake Up And Live
[3:16] 4. You Showed Me The Way
[2:35] 5. Cryin' Mood
[3:02] 6. If You Ever Should Leave
[3:01] 7. Everyone's Wrong But Me
[2:38] 8. All Over Nothing At All
[3:15] 9. Deep In The Heart Of The South
[2:49] 10. Love Is The Thing So They Say
[2:58] 11. Just A Simple Melody
[3:09] 12. Holiday In Harlem
[3:06] 13. Rock It For Me
[3:07] 14. The Dipsy Doodle
[3:00] 15. Bei Mir Bist Du Schoen
[2:53] 16. It's My Turn Now
[2:56] 17. It's Wonderful
[2:51] 18. I Was Doing All Right
[3:18] 19. I Got A Guy
[4:28] 20. I Want To Be Happy
[4:02] 21. Hallelujah!
[2:32] 22. If Dreams Come True

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Album: The Complete Decca Singles Vol. 1 1935-1939 (Disc 3)

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s

Time: 57:57

Size: 132.7 MB

Styles: Jazz vocals

Year: 2017

[3:07] 1. This Time It's Real

[2:59] 2. You Can't Be Mine (And Someone Else's, Too)

[2:49] 3. (I’ve Been) Saving Myself For You

[3:00] 4. We Can't Go On This Way

[2:52] 5. Pack Up Your Sins And Go To The Devil

[2:44] 6. Everybody Step

[2:36] 7. A-Tisket, A-Tasket

[3:13] 8. I'm Just A Jitterbug

[2:58] 9. (Oh! Oh!) What Do You Know About Love

[2:43] 10. If You Only Knew

[2:59] 11. I Let A Tear Fall In The River

[3:04] 12. Mcpherson Is Rehearsin' (To Swing)

[2:34] 13. I Found My Yellow Basket

[2:49] 14. Ella

[3:00] 15. Wacky Dust

[2:44] 16. Strictly From Dixie

[2:51] 17. Woe Is Me

[2:53] 18. Gotta Pebble In My Shoe

[2:53] 19. F.D.R. Jones

[3:01] 20. I Love Every Move You Make

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Album: The Complete Decca Singles Vol. 1 1935-1939 (Disc 4)

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s

Time: 61:15

Size: 140.2 MB

Styles: Jazz vocals

Year: 2017

Art: Front

[2:56] 1. It's Foxy

[2:59] 2. My Heart Belongs To Daddy

[3:05] 3. I Can't Stop Loving You

[2:59] 4. 'tain't What You Do (It's The Way That Cha Do It)

[3:17] 5. Undecided

[2:58] 6. Chew Chew Chew (Your Bubble Gum)

[2:46] 7. It's Slumbertime Along The Swanee

[3:05] 8. Don't Worry 'bout Me

[3:01] 9. Once Is Enough For Me

[3:06] 10. I'm Up A Tree

[3:07] 11. Have Mercy

[3:05] 12. If You Ever Change Your Mind

[3:06] 13. If Anything Happened To You

[3:16] 14. One Side Of Me

[2:53] 15. Little White Lies

[3:06] 16. If That's What You're Thinking, You're Wrong

[3:11] 17. I Had To Live And Learn

[3:00] 18. That Was My Heart

[3:11] 19. Sugar Pie

[2:59] 20. Coochi-Coochi-Coo

The Complete Decca Singles Vol. 1 1935-1939 (Disc 1) (Disc 2)

The Complete Decca Singles Vol. 1 1935-1939 (Disc 3) (Disc 4)                              

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Judy Whitmore - Come Fly With Me

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2024
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 40:44
Size: 94,5 MB
Art: Front

(3:46) 1.It’s Nice To Go Trav’ling
(3:49) 2.Come Fly With Me
(2:44) 3.On An Evening In Roma
(4:37) 4.A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square
(2:52) 5.There’s A Small Hotel
(3:13) 6.I Thought About You
(3:40) 7.Moonlight In Vermont
(3:19) 8.April In Paris
(4:04) 9.Georgia on My Mind
(3:11) 10. Autumn In New York
(2:45) 11. Beyond The Sea
(2:39) 12. Around The World

Judy Whitmore a true modern-day Renaissance woman, heeds the call of the stage, the sky, and beyond. Her life as a vocal artist and writer has taken off, and the sky is the limit. The best-selling author, vocalist, theater producer and pilot, who also holds a Master’s Degree in clinical psychology, approaches all her endeavors with style and spirit. “When you walk alone to the center of the stage, it’s similar to flying,” she observes. “It’s exciting and it’s terrifying at the same time. You step up to the microphone, glance at your musical director, and it’s like hearing the guy in the control tower say ‘cleared for take-off,’ and somehow, you just soar.”

Named after the legendary singer Judy Garland (a friend of her grandfather from his days in the MGM Studio Orchestra), Judy was born in New York City and raised in Studio City, California. Her parents’ passion for the symphony and musical theater fueled her desire for a career in music. Her first foray as a vocal artist and performer began during college when she sang background vocals for Capitol Records in Hollywood. Although she expected to continue on this road, her journey took unexpected and often unbelievable detours.

Marrying young, she and her husband settled in Beverly Hills and had two children. Before long they were embarking on a new adventure that took them away from the glitz and glamour of that storied city. Wanting to raise their children in a more rural environment, they packed up the family and moved to the Rocky Mountain paradise of Aspen, Colorado. There, Judy learned to ski, can peaches, and saddle a horse. She maintained her love of theater, serving as president of both the Aspen Playwright’s Conference and the American Theatre Company, where under her presidency, ATC produced plays that featured Hal Holbrook, Vincent Price, and John Travolta.

It was also in Aspen Judy befriended her closest neighbors, Annie and John Denver. John coaxed her to confront her fear of flying and invited her to board his private plane, Windstar One. The experience was so powerful that it wasn’t long before Judy began to pursue and earn her pilot’s license. She eventually became a licensed commercial jet pilot and worked search-and-rescue missions for Pitkin County (Aspen) Air Rescue. She later flew seaplanes, and took up hot-air ballooning. (Listen to Judy describe her confrontation with the fear of flying and her transformation on Tim Benjamin’s “Fear of Flying” podcast.)

Lured back to Los Angeles and the stage, Judy undertook her first independent theater project as the producer of “Taking a Chance on Love” which received a rave review in Variety. From there, she headed to London to co-produce Leonard Bernstein’s “Wonderful Town,” then returned to Southern California where she met the man who would become her second husband. After settling in Pacific Palisades, Judy craved a new life experience. She went back to college, earned a Master’s degree in Clinical Psychology, and opened a private practice in West Los Angeles.

In due course, it was time for yet another new and exciting move. Judy headed to Newport Beach and enrolled in a series of writing courses at UC Irvine. Her romantic-adventure Come Fly with Me, inspired by her own life as a pilot and penned in 2013, topped the Amazon Kindle Bestseller List. She was recognized with “First Place for Women’s Fiction” at The Santa Barbara Writer’s Conference and the “Editor’s Choice Award” at the San Diego State University’s Writer’s Conference. Other literary credits include All Time Favorites: Recipes From Family and Friends and an illustrated retelling of William Shakespeare’s Romeo & Juliet.

Her passion for performing would never be too far out of sight. In 2014, she co-founded ACT THREE with her brother Billy and her neighbor Lynn. The trio brought timeless standards to life at legendary venues including The Ritz Hotel in Paris and both the Metropolitan Room and Carnegie Hall in New York. Once Upon a Dream, the award-winning documentary film, chronicled the trio’s journey to Carnegie Hall. .

“I always wanted to sing full-time, but it was never possible. I had to pack my dream of a musical career away in an imaginary box. I tucked it on the highest shelf in my closet and tried to forget about it. I loved being a pilot, and a therapist, and a theater producer, and a writer. I had done all these exciting things, and none of it was easy. But I always felt something was missing,” she admits. “I knew it was time to get that box of dreams out of the closet, cast off the lid and embrace the music career I had always wanted.”

In 2018 Judy ventured onto the stage alone with her show-stopping, cabaret-style vocal act. She’s garnered critical praise from The OC Register and Los Angeles Times who observed “[she] has a bit of a Judy Holliday comedic edge” and “tackled some tough ballads with style.” Her repertoire is diverse, extending from the great American standards to Broadway and jazz. Coming full circle, she seized the moment and returned to Capitol Studios to cut her new album, Can’t We Be Friends, alongside collaborators John Sawoski and GRAMMY® and Emmy Award-winning composer Michael Patterson. Together, they have created a love letter to The Great American Songbook. “This is the music I grew up with, and I don’t want people to forget it. I think it’s one of the most extraordinary bodies of work every created.” Judy currently serves as a member of the Board of Directors of Pacific Symphony. There’s no end in sight to her adventures.

Come Fly With Me

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Dave Stryker Trio - Groove Street

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 2024
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 53:57
Size: 124,1 MB
Art: Front

(5:14) 1.Groove Street
(6:15) 2 Overlap
(6:27) 3.Summit
(7:26) 4.Infant Eyes
(5:41) 5.Soulstice
(5:00) 6.Cold Duck
(5:44) 7.Cold Blue
(6:40) 8.The More I See You
(5:28) 9.Straight Ahead

Guitarist Dave Stryker's latest album, Groove Street, is in fact "The Dave Stryker Trio with Bob Mintzer," a combination that is a sure bet to enhance its merit and heighten its import a sentiment that is equally true when applied to any album on which the acclaimed tenor saxophonist sits in.

Stryker and Mintzer are longtime friends who somehow never recorded together, although Mintzer furnished the arrangements for Blue Soul, Stryker's splendid album with Germany's WDR Big Band. For this date, he has mapped out a pair of handsome original compositions ("Overlap," "Straight Ahead") to accompany three by Stryker and one each by Wayne Shorter, Eddie Harris and the trio's organist, Jared Gold, to chaperon Mack Gordon and Harry Warren's enduring standard, "The More I See You."

Stryker, Gold and drummer McClenty Hunter comprise the leader's working trio, which means everything on offer is not only engaging but seamless as well. This is as coeval as it gets, even as Mintzer teams up to add a collateral voice. Those familiar with Stryker should know what to expectdancing single-note runs with rare flourishes, always astute and accessible. As for Mintzer, his clean, angular phrases are never less than sharp and meticulous, while his emphatic, broad-shouldered style can be likened to that of Joe Henderson, Michael Brecker and other post-bop masters.

The session's basic mood is upbeat and breezy, best exemplified by Mintzer's twin burners, Stryker's robust "Summit" and hard swinging "Code Blue," and Harris' groovy "Cold Duck Time." Even "The More I See You" is taken at a brisker-than-usual tempo, fitting the ensemble like a proverbial glove. Shorter is represented by the tender "Infant Eyes," and Gold by the even-tempered and aptly named "Soulstice," on which he frames one of his several persuasive solos. Hunter doesn't solo as often, but when he does, he commands everyone's undivided attention.
Stryker's trio is splendid on its own, even better when enhanced by Mintzer's formidable presence all of which makes Groove Street an agreeable avenue whereon to stroll and linger long enough the sample its captivating sounds and charming ambience.By Jack Bowers
https://www.allaboutjazz.com/groove-street-dave-stryker-strikezone-records

Groove Street

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Sylvie Courvoisier - Chimaera

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2023
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 86:07
Size: 197,4 MB
Art: Front

(21:21) 1. Le pavot rouge
(13:32) 2. La joubarbe aragnaineuse
( 8:23) 3. Partout des prunelles flamboient
(15:00) 4. La chime`re aux yeux verts
( 8:40) 5. Ann​â​o
(19:09) 6. Le sabot de Venus

It says something about pianist Sylvie Courvoisier's current profile in creative jazz that she could assemble such a distinguished ensemble for her latest release, Chimaera. Augmenting her usual trio of bassist Drew Gress and drummer Kenny Wollesen are trumpeters Wadada Leo Smith and Nate Wooley, and with the always interesting Christian Fennesz completing the group on guitar and electronics, one would expect extraordinary results. And so they are worthy of a lengthy, two-CD treatment, in fact.

Courvoisier's work with Gress and Wollesen goes back to 2014, on Double Windsor (Tzadik). Since then, she's made two others with this trio, D'Agala (Intakt, 2017) and Free Hoops (Intakt, 2020), both of which are superb showcases of Courvoisier's prowess, with rhythmic intensity and improvisatory imagination galore, and with a telepathic rapport with her partners that always characterizes the best piano trios. And that is no less true of Chimaera, although listening to it the first time requires adjusting one's immediate assumption that it will be a display of the musicians' undeniable chops. What we get instead is something much more subtle and elliptical, in which mood and atmosphere are the objective rather than overt virtuosity. Indeed, part of the pleasure of this recording involves appreciating just how readily these formidable players subordinate themselves to Courvoisier's vision. Smith, Wooley, and Fennesz are outsized presences in their own right, but here their goal is to create something beyond their individual artistry; and although all six compositions are Courvoisier's, the album feels very much a group endeavor, and a superlative realization of a collective concept.

With four of the album's tracks coming in at over 13 minutes (and the first, "Le pavot rouge," a riveting 21 minutes), Courvoisier's music takes shape gradually, but with an emphasis on sustained development. This is music to get lost in, as ostinato passages and serpentine grooves meander through each cut, with a transfixing aggregative quality. Smith and Wooley are frequently at their most lyrical here, with a patience in articulation that matches the music's predilection for tempered restraint. The two engage in a gorgeous back-and-forth on "Le pavot rouge" with just a few perfectly placed notes; and when the rhythm ceases altogether for an even more muted segment as Wollesen takes up the vibraphone, the fragility of the music is striking, highlighted all the more when the captivating groove resumes. The group's use of space throughout the album is pivotal, allowing even the smallest gestures and flourishes to speak volumes.

Also crucial is Fennesz, whose crafty guitar and judicious use of electronics add indispensable texture to the music. Sometimes he floats in the background, almost imperceptibly, as on "Annâo," where he gently goads Courvoisier and the trumpets with occasional interjections. Elsewhere he is considerably more gregarious, particularly on "Partout des prunelles flambolent," easily the most dynamically enticing track on the album. Here Fennesz drives the music forward with beautiful distortion, fueling the leaps and flurries that give the piece its energy and verve. Courvoisier takes full advantage of the chance to stretch out here as well, with a glimpse of the sheer power and creativity she brings to her craft. Yet by the album's conclusion, the mysterious hold of "Le sabot de Venus" is finally released, and it is not the musicians' skill that most impresses, but rather their ability to cast a sustained spell for over eighty glorious minutes. A triumphant recording, and one of 2023's highlights.By Troy Dostert
https://www.allaboutjazz.com/chimaera-sylvie-courvoisier-intakt-records

Personnel: Sylvie Courvoisier: Piano; Wadada Leo Smith: Trumpet; Nate Wooley: Trumpet; Christian Fennesz: Guitar, electronics; Drew Gress: Bass; Kenny Wollesen: Drums, vibraphone

Chimaera

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Les McCann - Never A Dull Moment! Live From Coast To Coast 1966-1967

Never A Dull Moment! Live From Coast To Coast 1966-1967 CD 1 Styles: Hard Bop, Soul Jazz, Piano Jazz, Post-Bop, Jazz-Funk
Year: 2023
Time: 41:34
File: MP3 @ 320/s
Size: 57,5 MB
Art: Front

(5:29) 1. Blue 'n' Boogie
(6:54) 2. Could Be
(4:07) 3. The Grabber
(9:15) 4. Yours Is My Heart Alone
(5:31) 5. The Shampoo
(6:13) 6. Wait For It
(4:02) 7. This Could Be The Start Of Something Big

Never A Dull Moment! Live From Coast To Coast 1966-1967 CD 1

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Never A Dull Moment! Live From Coast To Coast 1966-1967 CD 2

Styles: Hard Bop, Soul Jazz, Piano Jazz, Post-Bop, Jazz-Funk
Year: 2023
Time: 39:28
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Size: 54,6 MB
Art: Front

(5:43) 1. Out In The Outhouse
(6:17) 2. A Night In Tunisia
(4:44) 3. Da-Da
(7:24) 4. Lavande
(7:22) 5. There Will Never Be Another You
(7:55) 6. (Back Home Again In) Indiana

Never A Dull Moment! Live From Coast To Coast 1966-1967 CD 2

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Never A Dull Moment! Live From Coast To Coast 1966-1967 CD 3

Styles: Hard Bop, Soul Jazz, Piano Jazz, Post-Bop, Jazz-Funk
Year: 2023
Time: 49:49
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Size: 68,9 MB
Art: Front

(7:12) 1. Love For Sale
(8:25) 2. I Can Dig It
(8:58) 3. Doin' That Thing
(6:08) 4. I Am In Love
(3:11) 5. Goin' Out Of My Head
(9:13) 6. Sunny
(5:00) 7. Blues 5
(1:38) 8. The Shampoo

Never A Dull Moment! Live From Coast To Coast 1966-1967 CD 3

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Les McCann - "Never A Dull Moment! Live From Coast To Coast (1966-67)" is a previously unreleased collection of live recordings from unsung piano and vocal icon Les McCann. Featuring performances at Seattle's Penthouse jazz club in 1966 with Stan Gilbert, Paul Humphrey and Tony Bazley, plus recordings by Resonance founder and co-president George Klabin from the Village Vanguard in 1967 with Leroy Vinnegar and Frank Severino. This is an official release (in cooperation with Les McCann) transferred from the original tapes and mastered for by the legendary Bernie Grundman.

CD 1-Tracks 1-7 recorded at the Penthouse Club in Seattle on January 27, 1966

CD-2 Tracks 8-10 recorded at the Penthouse Club in Seattle on February 3, 1966, Tracks 11-12 recorded at the Penthouse Club in Seattle on February 10, 1966, Track 13 recorded at the Penthouse on August 15, 1963 with Victor Gaskin (bass and Tony Bazley (drums)

Les McCann - piano

Stanley Gilbert - bass

Paul Humphrey - drums

Tony Bazley - drums (Feb. 10, 1996)

CD 3-Tracks 14-21 recorded at the Village Vanguard on July 16, 1967

Les McCann - piano

Leroy Vinnegar - bass

Frank Severino - drums

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Bruno Santos - Almmond 3: Wild West

Styles: Guitar Jazz

Year: 2023
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 54:22
Size: 125,9 MB
Art: Front

(4:12) 1. Delicious
(4:13) 2. Wild West
(4:48) 3. Calypsol
(3:49) 4. Protagonism
(4:17) 5. Daddy waltz you
(4:05) 6. Home alone
(5:40) 7. I used to got no rhythm
(3:13) 8. To preach or not to preach
(4:20) 9. My old folks
(4:43) 10. Oeste
(4:17) 11. Purple, black and more
(6:41) 12. Strawberry Jerry

With a career shaped by different projects and instrumental contexts (trio, quartet, quintet, decatet), Bruno Santos (b. 1976) is one of the most solid national jazz guitarists. With his brother André he forms the duo Mano a Mano, which has already released five albums, the most recent of which is the highly recommended “Trilogia das Sombras” (reviewed on jazz.pt here). In this project delightfully called Almmond 3, the guitarist explores the classic guitar-organ-drums format, a sound geometry that tells him a lot: «I assumed and I completely assume that the premise was to make original music, but inspired by the sound and language of the classic trios of this format", Bruno Santos begins by telling jazz.pt. «I sought out this sound openly, almost as a tribute or homage to some of my favorite guitarists», he soon adds. They are joined by Hugo Lobo on the Hammond B3 organ and the Serbian drummer Nemanja Delic, who has long lived among us, ideal companions for this adventure in Almmond 3. And the sense of humor is not just in the name of the group: we find it too in the title and cover of the album and in the names of the songs.

Bruno Santos sees this new project of his as another chapter «of a sated desire or curiosity.» Music continues to be a mystery to him. The albums released in his name have always been with different formations, although they can be seen as loose chapters that tell a story in progress, the story of the curiosity to test various formats. «With the exception of Mano a Mano and, eventually, the Hot Clube de Portugal septet, in which there is continuity (in formation and music), the rest are episodes that can be seen or heard without knowing the previous episode», highlights the guitarist. The desire to create a trio along these lines comes from way back. «I would say it's an old love, or an old relationship that finally has a happy ending!» The sound of the Hammond trio with guitar and drums was something that always attracted him. But suddenly something happened that would allow me to finally realize this drive: «For years I thought it would be complicated to record in this format, until suddenly I met Hugo Lobo and learned that he had been playing Hammond since childhood.» At the beginning of 2021, they held some sessions at the guitarist's home, who liked the result so much that he proposed doing something more consistent. The trio began rehearsing in a regular and targeted manner, somewhere between March and April of that year.

There are several challenges that this instrumental configuration poses, the biggest of which is the way in which the guitar and the Hammond connect, I would say intimately, to each other. «They complement each other, not only from a timbral point of view but in the space created for comping/soloing. I would say that it is easier, from the outset, for a guitar and a Hammond to coexist without major hiccups, than a guitar and a piano, for example», explains Bruno Santos. Hugo Lobo, who plays bass with his left hand, allows this alliance to occur between guitar and Hammond, which complement each other and become almost a single instrument. «Simply put, if Hugo is with the melody/solo, he necessarily has his left hand on the bass and his right hand on the solo/melody, making room for the guitar comping. If the guitar is on the solo, the Hammond takes over the bass (left hand) and comping (right hand)», explains the guitarist, who reinforces the «little margin for shock». But there is also the difficulty that arises from the Hammond being able to steal some timbral spectrum from the guitar, not only because it is an electric instrument and requires volume, but because «timbrally there are similarities». «And because it is an electric instrument, with volume it ends up being more “muscular” and demands more from everyone.” The format calls for high levels of interaction; the smaller the formation, the greater the scope for this to happen: «Hammond is there in the middle, he is part of the rhythm section but at the same time the soloist's accompanist. There is a constant connection between the three, fueled by Hammond.» .

The preparation process for this record was simple and smooth. «We always rehearsed at my house. I have a nice space with drums, equipped with a simple sound system», reveals Bruno Santos. The three of them recorded some rehearsals to smooth out rough edges and refine details. At one point, the guitarist suggested spending two or three days recording, in live mode, to see what happened. With just four microphones (two on drums and one for guitar and Hammond), within a short distance of each other, everything happened. In addition to the recording, the mixing and mastering of the album were also done at home by Bruno Santos himself (in the same space where “Trilogia das Sombras” was also recorded). «My curiosity also led me to this work; I mixed, mastered – the best I could, looking for what my ear wanted –, I asked a good friend and neighbor to take some photos and the album ended up being made in the neighborhood where I live, away from the chaos, in peace and tranquility. from Camp." Without the pressure of the clock and other factors inherent to studio recording, «with the time and peace of mind to experiment and record without a stopwatch.»

The music we hear in “Wild West” is bright and energetic, drawing on various referential sources, from jazz to rock, blues or soul. “It all came naturally,” he says. «The electric sound of the organ (whether Hammond or not) reminds me of bands I listened to a lot when I was a teenager (I still do), like Deep Purple or The Doors. Rock might come from there. The Hammond jazz trios, the blues that is always underlying whether in the rock or jazz format.” “Delicious” opens with groovy, processed strumming that launches into an almost Latin-swinging piece, with fluid guitar and smoking organ alternating solos; the drums provide the traction that pulls the trio resolutely forward, into the margins of rock. Full of associations with the place where it was written, in the middle of agricultural fields, “Wild West” fills us with a refreshing blues in the way the melody is exposed, with the guitar assuming natural protagonism, the organ carpeting with elegance (another great solo by Lobo) and the drums add rhythmic refinement.

Fun and fully danceable, “Calypsol” is a calypso in G major, which evokes summer in a destination with turquoise waters. The following piece has a paradoxical title: “Protagonism” is one of the themes where the interaction between the three is exponentiated, frenetic, with a fast swing, with Santos drawing a sinuous line that the organ reinforces and the drummer emphasizes with an assertive drive ( excellent at using brooms). “Daddy Waltz You”, «a waltz I did with my daughter in my head and heart», as the guitarist makes a point of pointing out, brings water to the boil with its elegant melody and “Home Alone” («take one», listen -se at the beginning), a theme in three parts, brings a lightness that resonates, with the fluidity of the leader's guitar, the comforting warmth of the organ, and the always intervening drums.

“I Used to Got no Rhythm”, built on the structure of “I Got Rhythm”, a Gershwinian emblem, here densified without giving up a vintage flavor, displays the good articulation between the three musicians; Delic solos well, without excessive adornments. “ To Preach or not to Preach”, in a soul register, precedes “My Old Folks”, a ballad with a classic feel (in the jazz sense, that is), deeply dedicated to his parents, who always accepted and supported their son's choice to be jazz musician, at a time when it was not obvious to explain that this “involved studying at home and waiting for the phone to ring.” “Oeste”, with a placid atmosphere, reveals guitarist and organist letting go with sobriety and purpose, referring to the guitarist's “west”. “Purple, Black and More”, a small tribute to one of the heroes of adolescence, the guitarist Ritchie Blackmore (Deep Purple, Rainbow), is a blues song with a strong rock'n'roll flavor. To close, the melody of “Strawberry Jerry” refers to the character of an imaginary comic strip, walking among the strawberries that were sprouting in the vegetable garden, right next to the studio.

With Almmond 3 and this “Wild West”, Bruno Santos adds a not insignificant chapter to a story that never ceases to surprise. https://jazz.pt/criticas/bruno-santos-almmond-3-wild-west-edicao-de-autor .

Almmond 3: Wild West

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