Ernie Krivda - Requiem For A Jazz Lady

Size: 116,6 MB
Time: 50:27
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2015
Styles: Jazz
Art: Front

01. The Remarkable Mr. Black (6:44)
02. I'll Close My Eyes (8:36)
03. Questions (7:08)
04. Emerald (8:14)
05. Great Lakes Gumbo (5:39)
06. Little Face (7:37)
07. Requiem For A Jazz Lady (6:24)

It's been over 40 years since tenor saxophonist Ernie Krivda first appeared on record. In a career going back six decades he's released around 30 albums under his own name and appeared on many more. His tenor sound, often plaintive, is distinctive and affecting. On Requiem For A Jazz Lady the tenor is given a quartet setting, an ideal format in which Krivda's instrument can shine.

The Jazz Lady of the album title is not, as one might expect, a legendary vocalist like Billie Holiday or Sarah Vaughan. It's actually 16-year-old High School student Beverley Jaroz, who was killed in Krivda's home town of Cleveland in 1964. Her murder was never solved and contact with her sister 50 years on re-kindled Krivda's memories of the event—he refers to Jaroz as "Cleveland's Black Dahlia." "Requiem For A Jazz Lady," which closes this album, is an atmospheric tribute to the teenager, played hauntingly by the band.

The album sleeve quotes Grego Applegate's assertion that Krivda's "tone sets him apart from other saxophonists." It's certainly true that Krivda has a very distinctive sound. Tough, strong, with what might be called an "extended vibrato," it might seem a little harsh to ears attuned to the softer tones of many tenor players. Krivda's tone is emotive and very personal—once those ears adjust they'll reveal a sound that's both distinctive and open, placing Krivda's heart unashamedly on his musical sleeve.

Requiem For A Jazz Lady brings Krivda together with long-term collaborators Marion Hayden on bass and Renell Gonsalves on drums. They're joined by pianist Lafayette Carthon , a relatively new partner for Krivda. This is definitely the leader's album, but his bandmates' talents give him the foundation for his creativity and when the opportunity arises each musician solos with verve. The funky "Questions," for example, gives Carthon and Hayden the chance to take two excellent solos.

There's just one cover tune here. Carthon opens Buddy Kaye and Billy Reid's "I'll Close My Eyes" with an Art Tatum-esque flourish before the tempo settles down to a slow and gentle pace befitting this lovely ballad. It's mostly a showcase for the leader's controlled, measured, playing but Carthon's solo is beautifully judged. Krivda's own compositions take in the blues (the slinky "Great Lakes Gumbo"), a romantic waltz ("Little Face") and the swing of "The Remarkable Mr Black." "Emerald" is a straight-ahead tune notable for relaxed playing, a lovely melody and a fine ensemble performance—it's probably the most impressive tune on what is in its entirety an impressive work. ~Bruce Lindsay

Personnel: Ernie Krivda: tenor saxophone; Lafayette Carthon: piano; Marion Hayden: bass; Renell Gonsalves: drums.

Requiem For A Jazz Lady

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Lizz Wright - Shadow

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2024
Time: 50:10
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Size: 115,4 MB
Art: Front

(6:34) 1. Sparrow
(3:29) 2. Your Love
(3:13) 3. Root of Mercy
(5:34) 4. Sweet Feeling
(5:05) 5. This Way
(4:29) 6. Lost In The Valley
(3:13) 7. I Concentrate On You
(4:49) 8. Circling
(3:34) 9. No More Will I Run
(5:46) 10. Who Knows Where The Time Goes
(4:19) 11. I Made A Lover's Prayer

Lizz Wright’s studio album Shadow explores her vocal artistry and musical vision, set for release on April 12, 2024. The album is a rich tapestry of soulful melodies, intimate lyrics, and collaborative genius, particularly highlighted in the second single from the album, “Your Love,” which features the exceptional talent and the unique contributions of Meshell Ndegeocello and Brandee Younger.

“Your Love” shows Wright’s adeptness at blending genres, weaving blues, gospel, and jazz elements into a compelling R&B groove. The track opens with the unmistakable rhythm of Ndegeocello’s bass deep, resonant, and perfectly in the pocket setting the stage for a musical experience that’s grounding in its pulse and transcendent in its melodic unfolding. Younger’s harp punctuates the arrangement, adding a layer of ethereal beauty that elevates the song beyond its roots.

Wright’s vocal delivery on “Your Love” is profoundly expressive and imbued with soul, bearing a distinct resonance of her gospel roots melded seamlessly with the expansive expressiveness of jazz and soul music. The straightforward structure of the song invites listeners to sink into its medium-slow groove, enabling a deep appreciation for the delicate equilibrium between Wright’s voice and the accompanying instrumentation. The chorus, enriched by opulent vocal harmonies, demonstrates Wright’s remarkable capacity to dominate the listener’s attention with her commanding presence. An A cappella phrase, gracefully positioned at the conclusion of the chorus, serves to underscore the sheer beauty and purity of her vocal tone.

Beyond “Your Love,” Shadow as a whole is a celebration of Wright’s evolution as an artist and touches on themes of intimacy, loss, community, and healing resonate throughout its tracks, reflecting Wright’s personal journey and her reflections on love and grief. Her collaboration with Angelique Kidjo, Meshell Ndegeocello, and other talented musicians adds depth and diversity to the project, making it a collaborative triumph.

Produced by Chris Bruce and recorded with engineer Ryan Freeland, Shadow benefits from a production approach that prioritizes authenticity and emotional honesty. Wright’s decision to release the album on her own label, Blues & Greens Records, free from external pressures, has allowed her to craft a work that is true to her vision and voice. This independence is evident in the album’s sound, which is both polished and profoundly personal.

The anticipation for Shadow is heightened by Wright’s innovative approach to music and her commitment to creating a sustainable, artist-centered ecosystem through Blues & Greens Records. Her dedication to uplifting humanity through music and sound business practices is a model for the industry.

In conclusion, “Your Love” highlights what is to come in Shadow, encapsulating the essence of Wright’s artistry her ability to blend genres, her emotive vocal delivery, and her collaboration with like-minded artists. As Wright celebrates 20 years of musical excellence, Shadow offers listeners a deeply resonant and enriching musical experience, all led by Wright’s ever-soulful and powerful voice. By Stamish Malcuss https://jazzsensibilities.com/jazz-vocals/lizz-wright-shadow-review/

Shadow

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Katharine Whalen And Her Fascinators - Madly Love

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2011
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 35:08
Size: 82,8 MB
Art: Front

(4:15)  1. Madly Love
(3:17)  2. Roses And Pine
(4:04)  3. Chief Thunder
(2:48)  4. When I Dream
(2:24)  5. Same Turning In Place
(4:30)  6. I Know You Well
(2:28)  7. Elevate
(3:08)  8. Gasoline
(5:31)  9. Mother's Day
(2:40) 10. With You

Katharine Whalen seems like a time traveller out of a long-gone, idyllic Southern past. She resides on a farmhouse, complete with tin roof, in her native North Carolina, where she spends her time writing whimsical songs on her banjo. That is, when she’s not building dollhouses. This doesn’t make her an over-polite dame or make her music lighter than goose down. Rather, it lends a timeless authenticity to Madly Love, her first album in five years. Whalen got her start as a founder of the Squirrel Nut Zippers, an eclectic neo-folk/jazz/swing/etcetera band best known for their 1996 hit “Hell”. After the Zippers split, she released Katharine Whalen’s Jazz Squad in 1999. That album was what the title suggested, a straight-up cocktail jazz affair. Whalen took a seven-year break before returning with Dirty Little Secret, a contemporary yet unfocused take on adult alternative pop. It’s good to hear Whalen getting back to her more rustic roots on Madly Love. She finally sounds completely in her element, in no small thanks to the production. Simple yet full, the guitar/bass/drums sound is direct and positively anachronistic in its total lack of electronically-assisted studio sheen. The rich, unvarnished guitars rock and ripple as necessary. In more than a few places, you’re reminded of the Velvet Underground in their more studied moments.


This approach allows plenty of space for the songs themselves, as well as Whalen’s voice. The rub is that Madly Love is one of the many albums that gets off to a great start and spends the rest of the running order trying to measure up. The title track introduces everything with Whalen’s unaccompanied voice. This is a suiting start because that voice, which is warm and velvety when Whalen chooses to tame it but is usually thrillingly all-over-the-place, is the true centerpiece of the album. Eventually, a hard double-time rhythm kicks in with staccato guitar stabs. By the time it gets to Nathan Golub’s shivering, Link Wray-in-Hell guitar solo, “Madly Love” has indeed gone quite bonkers. Brilliant, as is the juxtaposition with “Roses & Pine”, which follows it. The album’s best track, “Roses & Pine” begins as a gentle, waltz-time lullaby, which has no problem recalling Lou Reed’s most affecting ballads. As the chorus swells, Whalen’s voice takes on a more sinister, shrill quality, which fits with the lyrics about “Naughty Jack” and the like. Something about this song, well, everything about it, conjures up that farmhouse, barn doors swinging as a storm rolls in. “Chief Thunder” takes a more straightforward, melancholic alt-rock approach, but is nearly as strong, thanks again to Whalen’s singing and storytelling along with strong playing and an arrangement that recalls vintage Go-Betweens. There’s an ‘80s reference you can get behind.

Having laid out such a powerful manifesto with those first three tracks, Madly Love then really has nowhere to go but to offer inferior, though hardly futile, variations on them. “Same Turning in Place” adds pedal steel to the pop for an alt-country vibe, and “Elevate” works a “Devil In Disguise”-type cha-cha-cha rhythm to fun effect. “I Know You Well” is the best of the rest, though. Like “Roses & Pine”, it starts out slow and twinkly before getting noisier, and like “Chief Thunder” features an “oooh”-ing, wordless refrain. The elements come together nicely. Though it doesn’t quite deliver on the promise of that opening trifecta, Madly Love is always rewarding. This is due mainly to Whalen’s voice. Within the same line, she can sound delicate as a little girl or as tough and sexy as Debbie Harry, whom she has been compared to. Yet she rarely overdoes it. The Fascinators, led by Golub’s sharp, multifaceted guitar work, also live up to their billing. They manage to get their own character into each song without overshadowing Whalen. If you want an easy reference point for Madly Love, imagine a less contrived She & Him, with Southern grit taking the place of all the coyness. Sounds pretty good, doesn’t it?
http://www.popmatters.com/review/144175-katharine-whalen-her-fascinators-madly-love/

Personnel: Katharine Whalen (vocals, tambourine); William Dawson (vocals, guitar, melodica, piano, organ, vibraphone, bass guitar); Nathan Golub (electric guitar, 12-string guitar); Thom Canova (whistle, hand claps); Brad Porter (bodhran, tambourine, percussion).

Madly Love

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Sonny Greenwich - Sun Song (The Music of Sonny Greenwich)

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 1975
Time: 40:07
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Size: 91,8 MB
Art: Front

( 7:15) 1. Lily (Lotus)
(12:08) 2. Peace Chant
(20:43) 3. Starlight/Parting

A gem of a record from the great Sonny Greenwich an open-toned guitarist with a style that's unlike anyone else we can think of a Canadian player who never got much exposure down here in the US, but who really stands apart from most of the jazz guitarists of his generation! There's this unusual sense of color and phrasing that really makes Sonny stand out chords that almost feel as if they're broken open and exposed from a Wes Montgomery sort of tightness able to move with a sense of fluidity, but a unique sense of rhythm that's definitely Greenwich's own.

The rest of the group here really match the spirit of his music maybe more so than on any other record of his as a leader a great lineup that includes Don Thompson on electric and acoustic piano, Rick Homme on bass, Terry Clarke on drums, and Clayton Johnson on percussion. All tracks are nice and long and titles include "Peace Chant", "Lilly Lotus", "Parting", and "Starlight". © 1996-2024, Dusty Groove, Inc.https://www.dustygroove.com/item/994223/Sonny-Greenwich:Sun-Song

Personnel: Guitar – Sonny Greenwich; Bass – Rick Homme; Drums – Terry Clarke; Percussion – Clayton Johnson; Piano – Don Thompson

Sun Song (The Music of Sonny Greenwich)

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Charlie Pyne Quartet - Nature Is A Mother

Styles: Contemporary Jazz
Year: 2024
Time: 49:43
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Size: 114,5 MB
Art: Front

(6:40) 1. On The Shore
(7:28) 2. Am I Doing It Right?
(5:02) 3. Blackberries
(6:38) 4. A Fistful Of Keys
(5:37) 5. Sisters
(5:45) 6. KP's Parrot
(3:06) 7. Solstice
(4:27) 8. Nature is a Mother
(4:56) 9. Gratitude

British jazz is currently blessed with vocal talents. Bandleader Charlie Pyne is just one sample from a spectrum that embraces big band fan James Hudson, who includes a cool version of Disney’s Feed the Birds on his second album of standards, Moonray, and songwriting diva Sarah L King, whose new album Fire Horse comes steeped in soul influences such as Nina Simone.

Charlie Pyne is different again, a bass player with her own quartet and, on this second album, a set of originals drawn from her experience as a woman and mother. Pyne sings with a high, bright voice that can soar when she chooses, though she is also happy to punch out her lyrics in tandem with her bass parts.

The quartet meld easily; drummer Katie Patterson urgent without being noisy, and pianist Liam Dunachie contributing melodic solos alongside Luke Pinkstone’s tenor (and occasional soprano) sax. On standout Am I Doing It Right? Pyne frets about motherhood, celebrating its triumphs on the title cut. Blackberries salutes autumn joyously while A Fistful of Keys provides a moodier moment, the keys in question being poised ready for a would-be assailant. An enjoyable, effervescent set.https://www.theguardian.com/music/2024/apr/06/charlie-pyne-quartet-nature-is-a-mother-review-soaring-effervescent-jazz

Nature Is A Mother

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Laura Fygi - The Lady Wants To Know

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 1994
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 61:43
Size: 145,9 MB
Art: Front

(4:05)1. Corcovado (Quite Nights Of Quiet Stars)
(4:35)2. It Might As Well Be Spring
(4:16)3. Dindi
(4:58)4. The Lady Wants To Know
(4:02)5. Triste
(4:32)6. If You Went Away
(4:03)7. You Do Something To Me
(3:16)8. Each And Everyone
(3:35)9. Something About Him
(3:38) 10. How Insensitive
(4:23) 11. Disse Alguem
(4:19) 12. Tell Me All About It
(2:52) 13. Oh Telephone
(3:28) 14. Sabor A Mi
(2:48) 15. Baubles, Bangles And Beads
(2:44) 16. Till There Was You

Like Marisa Monte, the beautiful Laura Fygi is one of the great pretenders to the Astrud Gilberto throne. " The lady wants to know " is a wonderful collection of bossa nova and movie classics which reminds me of the magic I felt in the sixties when I first heard this kind of music for the first time courtesy of the album " Astrud Gilberto ." Joining Laura on the album amongst others, are ' Toots ' Thielemans, Michael Franks and Clark Terry. It oozes the music of Tom Jobim (Dindi, Corcovado, Triste, How Insensitive) and the full sound of strings featuring our own London Studio Orchestra.Like Pamela Driggs of Brasilia, Laura is equally at home singing in English or Portuguese and offers beautiful renditions of the movie tracks, Rodgers and Hammerstein classic " It might as well be spring " from the movie ' State Fair ', " Baubles, Bangles and Beads " from ' Kismet ', ' Cole Porter's ' " You do something to me " from ' Fifty Million Frenchman ' and ' Meredith Willson's ' standard " Till there was you " from ' The Music Man '. Laura sings the stunning but , all too short, ' Everything but the Girls ' classic " Each and Everyone " written by Ben Watt and Tracey Thorn in the early eighties and features the acoustic guitar playing of ' Leonardo Amuedo ', a sound reminiscent of Ricardo Silveira. Michael Franks shares a duet with Laura on the Franks penned " Tell me all about it " If there was ever one person that could influence and assist your career in the music of Brazil, Laura has found him in Michael Franks whose own classic " Antonio's song " from his ' Sleeping Gypsy ' set is one of my all time bossa classics.

This is an album for bossa nova connoisseurs from the old school, it is simple, it has good arrangements, beautifully sung and ' oh so pleasing ' to my ears. This is the kind of music that turned me on to bossa nova music all those years ago and I don't care if this is " nothing new ", it is wonderful music performed by a much under-rated vocalist. My advice on this one is, ' Don't let it pass you by, get out there and try and find a copy. By AAF Staff https://www.allaboutjazz.com/the-lady-wants-to-know-laura-fygi-mercury-records-review-by-aaj-staff.php

Personnel: Laura Fygi (vocals); Leonardo Amuedo (guitar); Ferdinand Povel (tenor saxophone); Clark Terry (trumpet); Hans Vroomans (piano); Marcel Serierse (drums, percussion).

The Lady Wants To Know

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Joe Henderson - Power To The People (Remastered 2024)

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2024
Time: 42:41
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Size: 97,9 MB
Art: Front

(4:51) 1. Black Narcissus
(7:04) 2. Afro-Centric
(4:56) 3. Opus One-Point-Five
(4:55) 4. Isotope
(8:44) 5. Power To The People
(4:36) 6. Lazy Afternoon
(7:32) 7. Foresight And Afterthought

The late sixties were an exciting time for jazz, although not a lucrative one. Faced with a declining market share due to the popularity of rock music, jazz musicians were forced to find an audience by pursuing new avenues in composition and instrumentation.

Joe Henderson, a much beloved player for the Blue Note label was dropped in the late sixties. Orrin Keepnews, who certainly could recognize great talent when he saw it, signed him to his newly formed Milestone label. This 1969 release finds Henderson with a near perfect rhythm section. It features imaginative compositions that easily make it a highlight of the accomplished musician's career.

Power to the People is an appropriate title for a session filled with the sense of urgency and charisma found here. Henderson took a page from the compositional methods of the Miles Davis quintet from a few years back in that many of the compositions feature the same dark corners and ambiguous chord structures of that famous group. Only "Incognito" harkens back to an earlier time in Henderson's career.

Henderson has, for the most part, abandoned the harsh tone of his earlier releases for a more smoothed over sound, giving up nothing in confidence. Herbie Hancock and Ron Carter are session musicians here, featured both on acoustic and electric instruments.

Jack DeJohnette, another master who would contribute heavily to Miles' electric period, provides skilled drumming in the background. As an added bonus, two selections feature Mike Lawrence, a promising trumpeter who died in 1983.

As part of the Keepnews Collection, the sound on this release is superb. Carter is served especially well every note is clearly heard. Hancock's electric piano, at times both burbling in the background and providing an acid sting, is also crisp.

While signed to the Blue Note label, Henderson provided seminal releases in the accepted format. On many levels, Power to the People is more satisfying, a neglected gem that showcases an artist reaching for all that he can accomplish. By David Rickert
https://www.allaboutjazz.com/power-to-the-people-joe-henderson-review-by-david-rickert

Personnel: Joe Henderson — tenor saxophone; Mike Lawrence — trumpet (2, 5); Herbie Hancock — piano (3, 4, 6), Fender Rhodes (1, 2, 5); Ron Carter — double bass (1, 3, 4, 6, 7), electric bass (2, 5)Jack DeJohnette — drums

Power To The People (Remastered 2024)

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Chris Potter - Eagle's Point

Styles: Contemporary Jazz
Year: 2024
Time: 40:56
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Size: 94,2 MB
Art: Front

(5:39) 1. Dream of Home
(7:05) 2. Cloud Message
(7:18) 3. Indigo Ildikó
(7:36) 4. Eagle's Point
(6:15) 5. Aria for Anna
(7:40) 6. Other Plans
(8:28) 7. Málaga Moon
(6:39) 8. Horizon Dance

The question that comes to mind after listening to Eagle's Point is this: why have the four musicians, who have known each other since the 1990s, never recorded together before? For the combination of Chris Potter, Brad Mehldau, John Patitucci and Brian Blade is a real meeting of minds; the stars are in perfect alignment.

Potter's previous release, Got The Keys To The Kingdom (Edition, 2023), was a live set, recorded at New York's Village Vanguard, and consisted entirely of covers. Eagle's Point is a studio recording and all the tunes are originals written for the occasion by Potter.

There is no bling to be heard here, no b.s., just gutsy substance. Across the album, Potter's writing and performance has an emphasis on exuberance but from time-to-time touches on the kind of gentle delicacy associated with pianist Bill Evans or composer Erik Satie; within every track, and indeed within most of the solos, the atmosphere moves between outgoing and intense to introspective and softly spoken (hear opener "Dream Of Home" on the YouTube below).

The quartet, each member listening hard to whoever is center stage, moves through these changes in perfect symmetry, like a small murmuration of starlings wheeling over a landscape. It is all gloriously consonant; the only suggestion of dissonance comes from Potter's broken notes in the final few seconds of the closing "Horizon Dance," a Sonny Rollins-esque romp which promises to break into a straight Saturday night calypso at any moment, but never quite does so.

Like all Potter's albums, Eagle's Point is something which will reward multiple replays, revealing new facets with every spin. By Chris May https://www.allaboutjazz.com/eagles-point-chris-potter-edition-records

Personnel: Chris Potter - Tenor saxophone, soprano saxophone, bass clarinet; Brad Mehldau - Piano; John Patitucci - Double Bass; Brian Blade - Drums

Eagle's Point

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Patty Lomuscio - Further To Fly (Sings Simon & Garfunkel)

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2016
Time: 55:22
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Size: 130,5 MB
Art: Front

(5:11) 1. The sound of silence
(7:13) 2. American tune
(4:36) 3. Further to fly
(7:35) 4. Scarborough Fair
(7:12) 5. The boy in the bubble
(6:09) 6. Can't run but
(4:56) 7. (What a) Wonderful world
(5:45) 8. Bridge Over Troubled Water
(6:40) 9. Slip slidin' away

Patty Lomuscio, singer and cellist. In 2016 she recorded her first album as a leader "Further To Fly" with ALFAMUSIC-ROME-, a DISC recorded in September 2015 in New York with Gianluca Renzi on double bass, Jon Davis on piano and Vince Ector on drums..a record entirely dedicated to Paul Simon & Art Garfunkel. Finalist at the Premio Targhe Tenco 2016 with the album Further to fly She is currently Professor of Jazz Singing at the Conservatory of Music "Duni" of Matera She has been Professor of Jazz Singing at the Conservatory of Music "T. Schipa"-Lecce

She was a Jazz Singing Teacher at the Conservatorio "Benedetto Marcello" Venezia She was a Jazz Singing Teacher at the Conservatorio di Musica "N.Piccinni"-Bari She was a Jazz Singing Teacher at the Liceo Musicale Parabita (le) She began singing at an early age. Already at the age of eight, she won city competitions. She then also began studying the cello after winning a scholarship, first in her home town and then at the 'N.Piccinni' Conservatory in Bari, where she graduated with Maestro M.Nicola Fiorino.

She perfected her study of jazz, graduating with top marks, in JAZZ MUSIC, at the N.Piccinni Conservatory in Bari, with her teacher M.Gianna Montecalvo, Roberto Ottaviano, Davide Santorsola,Andrea Gargiulo, Luigi Giannatempo,Vitandrea Morra. In the United States (New York) in November 2011 he perfected and expanded his study of Jazz with pianist M.Jon Davis. In 2002 she attended workshops and seminars with Rachel Gould, Guido Manusardi, Sandro Gibellini. In summer 2003 she won the first "Andria Jazz" competition for young emerging talents in jazz. In summer 2004 she attended the NUORO JAZZ seminar, whose artistic direction was entrusted to PaoloFresu, with jazz singer Maria Pia De Vito, also winning a scholarship.

He published a thesis on 'Charlie Parker and the ballads' in the Nuoro Jazz magazine in 2005. That same year, again at Nuoro Jazz, she illustrated her thesis in front of all the students and teachers at the Nuoro Jazz 2005 seminar. On the occasion of the "Chicco Bettinardi Jazz Competition" held in Piacenza in January 2005, in conjunction with the Piacenza Jazz Festival, she won the "Premio al Femminile" as best female artist competitor. At Nuoro Jazz 2005 she again won the scholarship as best singing student, awarded by Maria Pia De Vito. Also in Nuoro, she attended Uri Caine and John Abercrombie's master classes. In March 2008, she attended a jazz singing seminar with singer Michele Hendricks
https://m.highresaudio.com/en/artist/view/2285a8cc-76d4-4d4c-b606-e3b7c7f3b7d3/patty-lomuscio

Further To Fly

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Chris Standring - As We Think

Styles: Smooth Jazz
Year: 2024
Time: 47:42
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Size: 109,7 MB
Art: Front

(3:58) 1. Chocolate Shake
(5:11) 2. Good Gracious
(4:11) 3. Come Closer
(3:44) 4. Top Hat & Tails
(4:25) 5. Alphabet Soup
(4:26) 6. Bedtime Story
(4:52) 7. Michael's Watch
(4:07) 8. This Life
(4:35) 9. Monday Madness
(4:28) 10. Swings & Roundabouts
(3:39) 11. Too Good To Be True

The title of Chris Standring's new album As We Think is derived from a book written by James Allen in 1902 called As A Man Thinketh. Chris sees the album as an expression of his positive thinking, whereby the fact that Chris is releasing a new album is in itself a reason for optimism.

One could now pontificate about the miserable state of the music industry, especially in the field of instrumental jazz. But let's instead take up the positive attitude of the guitarist, who originally hails from the UK.

Well-known musicians such as Andre Berry (bass), Chris Coleman (drums), Rodney Lee (Rhodes), Lenny Castro (percussion), Dino Soldo (tenor sax, harmonica), Terry Disley (piano), Larry Steen (upright bass), Aaron Janik (trumpet), Brandon Fields (alto sax), Katisse Buckingham (tenor sax) and Ido Meshulam (trombone) contributed to the album.

The album starts with Chocolate Shake and, like the deliciously sweet drink, Chris refreshes us with new guitar sounds. Whereby a pinch of Talkbox should spice up the song a little.

Good Gracious continues in a relaxed and fluffy manner, with keyboard chords and guitar riffs rapidly circling the melody. The horn section and strings provide the necessary rounding off. Rodney Lee sets his own accents with his Rhodes, which bring in something British. Come Closer cannot be denied a certain recognition value. Fans of EWF will be delighted with the horn quotes.

Top Hat and Tails is a phrase commonly used to describe a formal dress code for men. It refers to the combination of a top hat and a tailcoat, typically worn for very formal events such as weddings. Now you should know that Chris married a beautiful woman last year and this song radiates the happiness they both experience in their togetherness.

Alphabet Soup refers to a type of soup that contains small pasta letters or shapes that resemble letters of the alphabet. Alphabet Soup is often used as a metaphor to describe a situation or environment that is complex and filled with a wide variety of elements or influences. Special guest on this tune is Dino Soldo presenting a brilliant bit of tenor sax.

Bedtime Story is a gentle melody that invites you to dream like a tale told by a mother to her child. We don't know who Michael is or what kind of watch he wears. What we do know is that Michael's Watch is a lively uplifting tune.

Reggae is a genre of music which often carries messages of peace, unity, and resistance against oppression. It has a laid-back and uplifting vibe that reflects the relaxed lifestyle and positive outlook of the Jamaican people. Now you understand why Chris has transfered this music style into the groovy This Life.

Monday Madness is a condition we are confronted with every Monday. With his music, Chris has developed his own strategy to make the best out of the beginning of the week. Let me add funky, funky.

The British use the phrase Swings and Rundabouts to describe a situation in which everything evens out in the end. Recognizing this result gives rise to the typical serenity with which everyday things are approached.

The last track Too Good To Be True also reflects this inner calm. Even though Chris views his current life situation with a healthy degree of skepticism, he is enjoying this moment to the full. Dino Soldo makes his second contribution on the harmonica creating an eclectic sound.

Behind the phrase As We Think is the idea of sharing one's thinking with others through publication and thereby contributing to progress in the world.This idea can also be applied to Standring's music, which, with its positive basic structure, hopefully contributes to the right development. But if not, it also has its raison d'être, best entertainment.
http://www.smooth-jazz.de/firstview/Standring/AsWeThink.htm

Personnel: Chris Standring, guitar/composer; Andre Berry, bass; Chris Coleman, drums; Terry Disley, piano; Larry Steen, double bass; Lenny Castro, percussion; Aaron Janik, trumpet; Brandon Fields, alto saxophone; Katisse Buckingham & Dino Soldo, tenor saxophone/harmonica; Ido Meshulam, trombone; Rodney Lee, organ; Walter Murphy, horn arrangements.

As We Think

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Kandace Springs - Run Your Race

Styles: Vocal, Soul
Year: 2024
Time: 57:15
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Size: 169,7 MB
Art: Front

(5:18) 1. Run Your Race
(3:56) 2. So Far So Near
(5:12) 3. Chasing Shadows
(3:52) 4. What Was I Made For?
(3:44) 5. Broken Keys
(5:02) 6. We'll Find A Way
(4:12) 7. Closer To Me
(4:19) 8. Wild Is The Wind
(4:34) 9. Pulse
(3:17) 10. Look
(3:32) 11. Precious Love
(2:44) 12. My Poor Heart
(3:15) 13. Still Lonely
(4:12) 14. If I Had My Way

We already knew it, Kandace Springs possesses one of the most beautiful voices today, navigating through a highly personal style that blends jazz, soul, and blues. I’m not the only one saying this, as The Washington Post declared: “Kandace Springs’ voice is undeniable. She is one of those generational voices; from the first note, you know she’s special.” Accompanied by fantastic musicians on this album: Caylen Bryant on Bass, Camille Gainer on Drums, Carl Sturken, Bob Palmieri on Guitar, Caylen Bryant, Theo Griffin on Cello, Elena Pinderhughes on Flute, Cindy Mizelle, Theo Griffin, Caylen Bryant, Christie Moran on Background Vocals, Jeannette Williams on Cajon, David Mann on String arrangements.

The album features 12 original compositions because Kandace is not just an extraordinary performer but also an excellent pianist and composer. She delivers a very personal album here, with a title dedicated to her father, whom she deeply loved and respected, who passed away in 2021. He was a great athlete, hence the title of this album and its song.

The album and its titular song pay homage to her late father, Kenneth “Scat” Springs, a former collegiate track star who later led his own R&B band and sang backup for artists ranging from Garth Brooks to Aretha Franklin. This album also features two covers, including her surprising rendition of “What Was I Made For?”, the theme song from the Barbie movie, nominated for an Oscar. But what truly marks this album is the emotional depth present in each track.

One notable title is “Closer To Me,” a classic R&B ballad clearly influenced by Prince, who invited her to perform with him at Paisley Park for the 30th anniversary of the Purple Rain album after seeing a video of Kandace performing Sam Smith’s “Stay With Me”. Thus began a close mentorship between Kandace and the “Purple One,” as she continues to call him. They wrote songs together and shared insights on all things musical.

Family is the central point of her life. If “Run Your Race” is dedicated to her father, here’s what Kandace said about her previous album: “Of course, with an album titled The Women Who Raised Me, we would be remiss not to talk about Springs’ mother, Kelly. While Dad arranged for her to learn from professionals like the Wooten Brothers, Mom actually drove young Kandace to these lessons in the family van while listening to the local easy-listening station. That’s where she first heard Dusty Springfield (Springs’ version of “What Are You Doing the Rest of Your Life” is rich in sorrow and drama) and, repeatedly, the aforementioned Bonnie Raitt hit. She learned the latter in her late teens while working at a local hotel.” Run Your Race is the follow-up to her 2020 album, The Women Who Raised Me, which was praised by The New Yorker, Paris-Move, DownBeat, NPR, and many others. The album featured Kandace interpreting music by female vocal icons like Billie Holiday, Nina Simone, Sade, Bonnie Raitt, and Ella Fitzgerald (with Norah Jones joining her on Fitzgerald’s “Angel Eyes”).

In the case of both albums, what makes them successful is evidently the sincerity, a sincerity of the music, lyrics, and her qualities as a great performer, because singing in this manner isn’t something you can fake; it requires an absolute inner richness. In total, this new album features 14 tracks that will resonate in your ears, most likely becoming classics quite quickly, as the secret to a great album is knowing how to package a singer on the basis of acoustic instruments. These are the only albums that endure over time, and this is also generally what makes good blues albums, because the voice is a fragile instrument, and the risk-taking on stage is real when the arrangements are made in such a way as to serve an interpretation of this quality.

Kandace Springs’ artistic consciousness goes much further, extending to recording and mixing, admirable in its simplicity and effective in the best sense of the term, because again, don’t look for big effects; the technique focuses on the essential, purity. Among other highlights of the album are the lush “So Far, So Near,” adorned with strings, and the beautiful and thoughtful “Look,” which Kandace wrote as a teenager. “Chasing Shadows,” which she wrote with Sturken and Rogers, comes alive with a bubbling groove provided by her longtime rhythm section, drummer Camille Gainer-Jones and bassist Caylen Bryant, and with an added edge brought by flutist Elena Pinder-Hughes (Herbie Hancock). She co-wrote the catchy “Pulse” with Gregg Wells (Katy Perry).

To complete the picture regarding this artist, let’s review her history, as it all began for Kandace in 2014, with her first EP for Blue Note Records, produced by Pop & Oak. “Love Got in the Way” was her first music video. Notable collaborations include with Ghostface Killah on his 2014 single “Love Don’t Live Here No More.” She performed on various TV shows such as The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon and Later… with Jools Holland. Prince asked her to perform with him on stage.

In 2016, her album Soul Eyes was released. Continuing to work with Sturken and Rogers, she also attracted producer Larry Klein. On ballads like “Place to Hide” and relaxing mid-tempo songs like “Talk to Me,” she accompanied herself on piano. Collaborating artists included trumpeter Terence Blanchard, guitarists Dean Parks and Jesse Harris, and drummer Vinnie Colaiuta. Her 2018 album, Indigo, was produced by Karriem Riggins. With R&B influences and a trumpet solo by Roy Hargrove.

“Run Your Race,” although very different from her previous albums, is in my view a major work, showcasing Kandace’s ability to reinvent herself without missteps, which is the mark of great artists…https://www.paris-move.com/reviews/kandace-springs-run-your-race-eng-review/

Run Your Race

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Carmen McRae - For Lady Day, Vol. 2

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 1983
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 50:30
Size: 119,0 MB
Art: Front

(3:29)  1. Intro
(2:06)  2. Laughing At Life
(3:48)  3. You Ain't Gonna Bother Me No More
(2:53)  4. Easy Livin'
(4:41)  5. Yesterdays
(6:18)  6. My Old Flame
(2:50)  7. Nice Work If You Can Get It
(4:48)  8. Billie's Blues
(3:27)  9. Travelin' Light
(5:46) 10. Medley: If You Were Mine / It's Like Reaching For The Moon
(1:36) 11. I'm Painting The Town Red
(5:31) 12. You've Changed
(3:12) 13. Mean To Me

The second volume of Carmen McRae's heartfelt tribute to Billie Holiday, like the first, comes from a broadcast taped by WBGO-FM at the Blue Note in New York City on New Year's Eve, 1983. McRae takes a few minutes to explain the evolution of her tribute and she hardly attempts to sing Holiday's material in the same way, but utilizing her own powerful, emotional approach, often lagging behind the beat. McRae also delves into songs that Holiday performed but are not as readily associated with her, such as "Laughing at Life" and "You Ain't Gonna Bother Me No More." Her rhythm section, including pianist Marshall Otwell, bassist John Leftwich, and drummer Donald Bailey, provides strong support, with the occasional appearance of tenor saxophonist Zoot Sims (especially on "My Old Flame" and "Mean to Me") providing an added bonus. Like the first volume, this Novus CD was not released until after McRae's death, while this outstanding set makes jazz fans wonder why record labels don't mine public radio live broadcasts for similar performances more often.~Ken Dryden http://www.allmusic.com/album/for-lady-day-vol-2-mw0000176927

Personnel : Carmen McRae (vocals); Zoot Sims (tenor saxophone);  Marshall Otwell (piano); John Leftwich (bass);  Donald Baily (drums).

For Lady Day, Vol. 2

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Ronnie Cuber Quartet - Airplay

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1994
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 68:20
Size: 157,8 MB
Art: Front

( 8:12)  1. Bread And Jam
( 7:23)  2. New Orleans 1951
(10:42)  3. Pit Inn
( 4:58)  4. One For Hank
(10:59)  5. Jazz Cumbia
( 7:31)  6. Passion Fruit
(10:49)  7. Trane's Waltz
( 7:42)  8. Airplay

A powerful baritone saxophonist with a huge, deeply emotive sound, Ronnie Cuber is a highly respected New York bandleader and session musician with a decades-long career playing in the jazz, pop, and Latin scenes. Initially emerging as a gifted jazz soloist in New York in the 1960s, Cuber quickly distinguished himself playing a wide-ranging mix of hard bop and Latin jazz, including hits with Maynard Ferguson, Dr. Lonnie Smith, Lee Konitz, Eddie Palmieri, Mario Bauza, and others. He also became an in-demand session player and sideman, working with a list of marquee artists like Frank Zappa, Chaka Khan, and Billy Joel. While his 1976 debut, Cuber Libre, is an underappreciated Latin jazz classic, he has also contributed to such landmark albums as Paul Simon's Graceland, Steely Dan's Gaucho, and J.Geils Band's Freeze Frame, just to name a few. Cuber remains an active studio and touring performer while continuing to pursue his own jazz interests, playing regularly with the Mingus Big Band and releasing his own well-regarded albums such as 2009's Ronnie. Born in 1941 and raised in Brooklyn, New York, Cuber grew up in a musical family with a mom who played piano and a dad who favored the accordion. By his teens, the gifted tenor saxophonist had grabbed the attention of noted musician and jazz educator Marshall Brown, who selected him to play with the Newport Youth Band at the Newport Jazz Festival in 1959. Around this time, Cuber switched to baritone as his main instrument, drawing upon Gerry Mulligan and Pepper Adams as influences. By the early '60s, he was working professionally, playing first with Slide Hampton, and then joining Maynard Ferguson's band for several years. It was with Ferguson that he made his recorded debut, appearing on albums like 1963's The New Sound of Maynard Ferguson, and 1965's Color Him Wild. Stints with Woody Herman and Lionel Hampton followed, as did session and gig work playing Latin music with legendary bandleaders like Eddie Palmieri, Charlie Palmieri, and Mario Bauza. By the '70s, Cuber was recording regularly, appearing on soul-jazz sessions with George Benson, Dr. Lonnie Smith, Grant Green, and others. As a leader, he made his recorded debut on 1976's Cuber Libre!, a swaggeringly propulsive, Latin jazz date with pianist Barry Harris, bassist Sam Jones, and drummer Albert "Tootie" Heath. 

The album showcased his distinctive style, mixing an aggressive, meaty tone, with fluid, harmonically rich lines. He quickly followed-up with the more post-bop-leaning The Eleventh Day of Aquarius, which also featured trumpeter Tom Harrell. As well during the '70s, Cuber developed a fruitful relationship with saxophonist Lee Konitz, with whom he recorded several albums. He also recorded alongside R&B sax legend King Curtis. There were also notable hits with Idris Muhammad, Terumasa Hino, and more. The baritonist began branching out into pop and rock during this period, playing on Frank Zappa's Zappa in New York, and building his reputation as a reliable studio player with albums like Average White Band's Soul Searching, Chaka Khan's Chaka, Patti Austin's Havana Candy, and more. During these years, he also continued his vibrant Latin work, appearing with Dom Um Romao, Ismael Miranda, Willie Colon, and others. Cuber's reputation as a go-to session player grew throughout the '80s as he appeared on albums by bevy of marquee artists including Aretha Franklin, Chic, and Luther Vandross. He played on Paul Simon's classic Graceland, put his R&B-experience to use on J. Geils Band's breakthrough Freeze Frame, and contributed to Steely Dan's Gaucho. He also worked with Billy Joel, appearing on albums like 1983's An Innocent Man and 1986's The Bridge. Also during this period, he appeared on television as a member of the Saturday Night Live Band. 

Despite his busy schedule, he found time to record his own projects, bringing all his varied experience to bear in a jazz setting on 1981's New York Jazz, 1985's Passion Fruit, and 1987's Pin Point. Into the '90s, Cuber played regularly with the Mingus Big Band (of which he was a founding member), and furthered his long association with Dr. John, touring and arranging for the singer during the summer. In 1993, Cuber returned to his solo work with The Scene Is Clean on Milestone, a lush, string-accented, Latin-jazz session featuring organist Joey DeFrancesco, pianist Geoff Keezer, and others. He then issued handful of albums for SteepleChase, including 1994's Airplay, and 1996's In a New York Minute. 

He also organized an all-baritone Gerry Mulligan tribute band, and in 2000, again joined Dr. John on tour, alongside organist and longtime-friend Dr. Lonnie Smith. As a leader, Cuber stayed busy for SteepleChase, issuing 2009's Ronnie, and 2012's Boplicity. In 2018, he returned with the standards-heavy Ronnie's Trio, with bassist Jay Anderson and drummer Adam Nussbaum. ~ Matt Collar https://www.allmusic.com/artist/ronnie-cuber-mn0000331319/biography

Personnel:   Ronnie Cuber - baritone saxophone;  Geoff Keezer - piano;  Chip Jackson - bass;  Ben Perowsky - drums

Airplay

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Candy Dulfer - Saxuality

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1991
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 53:00
Size: 208,6 MB
Art: Front

(4:21)  1. Lily Was Here
(3:50)  2. Pee Wee
(4:12)  3. Saxuality
(5:00)  4. So What
(4:21)  5. Jazzid
(4:08)  6. Heavenly City
(5:18)  7. Donja
(3:55)  8. There Goes The Neighbourhood
(4:57)  9. Mr. Lee
(4:15) 10. Get The Funk
(4:11) 11. Home Is Not A House
(4:27) 12. Lily Was Here (DNA Remix)

Dutch smooth jazz saxophonist Candy Dulfer's debut album, 1990's Saxuality, made a splash both critically and commercially upon its release and helped propel her to global stardom. The daughter of saxophonist Hans Dulfer, Candy Dulfer had performed since she was an adolescent and by her early twenties was opening for Madonna and Prince. Saxuality builds upon these experiences with productions from multi-instrumentalist Ulco Bed that are equal parts Prince, David Sanborn, and '80s Miles Davis. Although Dulfer's slick approach here fits squarely in the pop-jazz vein, she was inspired early on in her career by such players as Sonny Rollins and Maceo Parker. Consequently, these influences help make Saxuality a more funky and engaging listen than many similar albums of the time. While not exactly innovative, Bed's mix of programmed beats and synths next to actual instruments was fairly inspired and the album works as a bridge between the club-oriented acid jazz coming out of Europe in the late '80s and the radio-friendly smooth jazz of American artists like George Benson and Spyro Gyra. Not only did Saxuality perform well for Dulfer, selling well over a million copies worldwide, but it also garnered a Grammy Award nomination for Best Contemporary Jazz Album.~Matt Collar http://www.allmusic.com/album/saxuality-mw0000262954

Personnel:  Patricia Balrak, Wies Ingwersen, Hugh Kanza - Backing Vocals & Vocal Ad-Libs;  Ulco Bed - Guitars, Keyboards, Drum Programming, Synth Bass;  Candy Dulfer - Saxophone, Keyboards, Vocals;  Hans Dulfer - Tenor Saxophone;  Frans Hendrix - Percussion, Programming;  Edwin Rath – Drums; Dave Stewart – Guitars;  Michel Van Schie, Dimitri Veltkamp – Bass;  Fred Anindjola, Bobby Van De Berg – keyboards;  Martino Latupeirissa – percussion;  Bill "Funky Cold" Malina - engineer

Saxuality

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Kenny Drew Jr. - The Rainbow Connection

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2017
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 57:58
Size: 134,5 MB
Art: Front

( 5:42)  1. Confrontation
( 5:54)  2. There Is No Greater Love
( 7:07)  3. Serenity
( 4:18)  4. Boo Boo's Birthday
( 6:26)  5. Nelson Avenue Morning
( 6:20)  6. Coral Sea
( 5:18)  7. Rhythm - A - Ning
( 5:16)  8. The Rainbow Connection
(11:34)  9. Invitation

Kenny Drew, Sr. was so legendary a pianist that Kenny Drew, Jr. was bound to be compared to his father, however hard he fought to establish his own identity. And the fact that they played the same instrument didn't exactly discourage comparisons. But the son is very much his own man, and his individuality asserts itself on The Rainbow Connection, which was recorded when he was a month away from his 30th birthday. Drew has competent support in bassist Charnett Moffett, drummer Cody Moffett and trumpeter Terence Blanchard, and he proves that he's no clone of his father on material ranging from "Invitation" to the Thelonious Monk classics "Rhythm-A-Ning" and "Boo Boo's Birthday" (a difficult tune that, unlike "Rhythm-A-Ning," is far from well-known). Especially revealing is his interpretation of his father's haunting "Serenity." If anything would have encouraged Drew, Jr. to emulate Drew, Sr., it would be "Serenity," but he manages to do his own thing with it. Initially released by the Japanese Jazz City label, this decent post-bop/hard bop date was reissued on CD by Evidence in 1998. ~ Alex Henderson https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-rainbow-connection-mw0000035007

Personnel: Piano – Kenny Drew Jr.; Bass – Charnett Moffett; Drums – Codaryl "Cody" Moffett; Trumpet – Terence Blanchard

The Rainbow Connection

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Django Reinhardt And The Swingbands Of Paris - Avec Django À Montmartre

Styles: Gypsy Jazz
Year: 2024
Time: 51:17
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Size: 118,8 MB
Art: Front

(2:17) 1. A.B.C.
(2:15) 2. Le Sheik
(2:12) 3. Margie
(2:18) 4. Finesse
(2:40) 5. Blues primitif
(2:43) 6. Honeysuckle Rose
(2:58) 7. Crazy Rhythm
(2:36) 8. A Pretty Girl Is Like A Melody
(2:21) 9. Swing Guitar
(2:38) 10. Sérénade D'Hiver
(2:37) 11. Oriental Shuffle
(3:09) 12. Tel Quel
(3:05) 13. After You've Gone
(2:54) 14. Are You In The Mood?
(2:36) 15. Zuidersee Blues
(3:01) 16. Topsy
(2:31) 17. I Know That You Know
(2:54) 18. Jumping At The Woodside
(3:16) 19. Porto Cabello
(2:46) 20. Babik

The man who became the 1st European jazz giant was born Jean Baptiste Reinhardt on January 24 1910 in a Gypsy encampment at Liberchies Belgium. His father was a traveling entertainer so he lived with his mother and her tribe. His early childhood was spent in and around Liberchies. At age 8 he moved with his mother and her clan to France and settled in a camp outside the gates of old Paris. He first started playing music on an old banjo/guitar at age 12 and soon started playing in cafes and dance halls in Paris accompanying and accordionist. He made his first recordings under the name of Jiango Reinhardt when he was in his late teens.

On November 2nd, 1928 a fire destroyed the caravan that Django Reinhardt shared with his wife together with all their belongings and severely burnt his left hand and his right leg. Despite initial hesitation to seek medical attention on his part and talk of amputating the leg by the first physician he saw, proper care received in a nursing home helped save his leg but permanently scarred his left hand.

During the 18 months spent convalescing he created a new technique in playing the guitar that made up for the extremely limited use he had of his 4th and 5th fingers. In 1934 Django and other musicians including Stéphane Grappelli, whom Django had met during an intermission when both were playing at a local hotel, Louis Vola, Roger Chaput and Django's brother Joseph formed the Quintette du Hot Club de France. They recorded their first jazz sides under that name and these early 78s propelled them into stardom.

They created the concept of lead guitar backed by a rhythm guitar and they also used their string instruments to create percussion like sounds since they lacked any percussionists or drummers in their group. After this initial success they continued to record and tour Europe. They started recording material composed by Django himself and American standards. Django did not know how to read and write music and only later in life taught himself how to read and write French. They also played and recorded with expatriate and visiting American musicians such as Coleman Hawkins, Benny Carter, Rex Stewart and Louis Armstrong.

When World War II broke the Quintet was touring England. Django and other returned to Paris but Grappelli stayed in England thus ending the first incarnation of the Quintette du Hot Club de France. Clarinetist Hubert Rostaing was hired to replace Grappelli. Django somehow survived the dark years of Nazi rule when many of his people perished in concentration camps. Jazz was banned under Hitler.

Django was only allowed to play his music because of the aid of a Luftwaffe official who loved jazz and admired his skill. After the war he rejoined Grappelli and they continued to tour even visiting the US and playing in 1946 with Duke Ellington. He stayed in New York for a while but in 1948 returned to France and played mostly electric guitar except on his later days masterpiece Djangologie which he recorded together with Grappelli and a trio of Italian musicians.

In 1951 he retired to to Samois sur Seine, near Fontainebleau France. He lived there until May 16, 1953, when, collapsed outside his house and was declared dead from a brain hemorrhage on arrival at the hospital in Fontainebleau.https://www.allaboutjazz.com/musicians/django-reinhardt/

Avec Django À Montmartre

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Raul De Souza - Sweet Lucy

Styles: Trombone Jazz
Year: 1978
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 41:31
Size: 95,5 MB
Art: Front

(5:27)  1. Sweet Lucy
(3:19)  2. Wires
(7:34)  3. Wild And Shy
(4:18)  4. At Will
(4:57)  5. Banana Tree
(6:17)  6. A Song Of Love
(4:25)  7. New Love
(5:09)  8. Bottom Heat

Raul De Souza is one of the mysteries of the jazz world. In the 1970s, it was obvious that the Brazilian trombonist had a lot going for him: a distinctive and appealing tone, major chops, versatility, and a lot of soul and warmth. So why did he mysteriously fade into such obscurity in the 1980s? In an ideal world, De Souza would have built a huge catalogue. But regrettably, his recording career was short-lived. Produced by George Duke, 1977's Sweet Lucy is the first of three albums that De Souza recorded for Capitol in the late '70s. Vocal-oriented funk jams like "Wires" and the title song (both written by Duke) are catchy, but the fusion and pop-jazz instrumentals are where De Souza really shines. When he stretches out on "Bottom Heat," "Wild and Shy," and other pieces that he composed himself, De Souza shows a great deal of potential as a soloist. The LP's weakest track is a performance of the Brazilian ballad "New Love (Cancão do Nosso Amor)," which finds De Souza attempting to sing. 

The song is gorgeous, but De Souza doesn't do it justice because, quite honestly, he can't sing calling his voice thin is being charitable. Besides, De Souza doesn't need to use his vocal chords to sing; he does plenty of "singing" with his trombone, and his command of that instrument makes Sweet Lucy an LP that is excellent more often than not. ~ Alex Henderson http://www.allmusic.com/album/sweet-lucy-mw0000869231

Personnel:  Trombone – Raul De Souza;   Backing Vocals – Deborah Thomas (tracks: 1, 2, 5), Lynn Davis (tracks: 1, 2, 5), Sybil Thomas (tracks: 1, 2, 5), Victoria Miles (tracks: 1, 2, 5);  Bass – Byron Miller, Embamba (tracks: 6, 7);  Drums – Leon Ndugu Chancler;  Guitar – Al McKay;  Keyboards – Dawilli Gonga (tracks: 1, 2, 6), Patrice Rushen;  Trumpet, Flugelhorn – Freddy Hubbard* (tracks: 2, 3, 8)

Sweet Lucy

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Carmen McRae - For Lady Day, Vol. 1

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 1983
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 51:15
Size: 117,5 MB
Art: Front

(3:32)  1. Intro
(2:34)  2. Miss Brown to you
(4:21)  3. Good morning heartache
(4:24)  4. I'm gonna lock my heart and throw away the key
(6:23)  5. Fine and mellow
(1:26)  6. Them there eyes
(6:18)  7. Lover man
(2:20)  8. I cried for you (now it's your turn to cry over me)
(6:42)  9. God bless the child
(2:57) 10. I hear music
(3:17) 11. I'm pulling through
(4:06) 12. Don't explain
(2:50) 13. What a little moonlight can do

Carmen McRae always considered Billie Holiday to be the most important influence not only on her singing but on her life. Six years before she recorded her monumental tributes to Thelonious Monk and Sarah Vaughan, McRae performed a Billie Holiday set at New York's Blue Note Club that was broadcast over the radio; on the first of two volumes, McRae, who talks movingly about Lady Day at the beginning of the set and accompanies herself on piano on "I'm Pulling Through," is heard in prime form, combining the power and range of her earlier years with the emotional depth and behind-the-beat phrasing of her last period. Accompanied by her rhythm section of the time (pianist Marshall Otwell, bassist John Leftwich, and drummer Donald Bailey) and occasionally the tenor of Zoot Sims, McRae really digs into the material, interpreting the songs in her own style but with a knowing nod toward Holiday. This wonderful set is far superior to most of the Billie Holiday tribute albums and reminds one how much Carmen McRae is missed.~Scott Yanow http://www.allmusic.com/album/for-lady-day-mw0000123562

Personnel: Carmen McRae (vocals, piano), Zoot Sims (tenor saxophone), Marshall Otwell (piano), John Leftwich (bass), Donald Bailey (drums).

For Lady Day, vol. 1

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Ronnie Cuber - Live at JazzFest Berlin

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2013
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 63:15
Size: 145,0 MB
Art: Front

(12:31)  1. Tokyo Blues
( 6:11)  2. Coco B
( 9:28)  3. Things Never Were What They Used to Be
( 8:27)  4. Passion Frui
( 8:45)  5. Tell Me a Bedtime Story
( 8:18)  6. Perpetuating the Myth
( 9:31)  7. Arroz con Pollo

Baritone saxophonist Ronnie Cuber’s third release for SteepleChase predates his association with the label, and might be thought of as a happy accident. At the titular fest, in 2008, Cuber’s quartet-with pianist Kenny Drew Jr., electric bassist Ruben Rodriguez and drummer Ben Perowsky-played a two-set show that the four remembered as a highlight of their European tour. Unbeknownst to them, the concert was recorded for a radio broadcast, and Cuber subsequently opted to give the music an official release. He had good instincts: The seven tunes culled from the evening have Cuber and co. in fine form, with the saxophonist, underappreciated pianist Drew and the in-sync rhythm section excelling on blues, swing and Latin-oriented tunes, including four originals.

The band romps from the get-go with Horace Silver’s “Tokyo Blues,” its call-and-response head opening up into an extended solo for Cuber, who incorporates artful repetition, syncopation, overblowing effects and a Gershwin reference before turning it over to Drew. He proceeds to build a dizzying, masterful solo, and Rodriguez and Perowsky also shine on the 12 1/2-minute tune. The samba rhythms of Clare Fischer’s bright, catchy “Coco B” fuel sterling improvisations by Drew and Cuber. So, too, do the fertile Afro-Caribbean grooves of Cuber’s “Passion Fruit,” the title track from the saxophonist’s 1985 album, which opens up for a high-energy montuno section, and his “Arroz con Pollo,” bolstered by Rodriguez’s fleet-fingered workout. 

The quartet also takes on Herbie Hancock’s melancholy, slowly shifting “Tell Me a Bedtime Story” and two originals from Drew: the funk-edged “Things Never Were What They Used to Be,” a nod to the Mercer Ellington tune, and “Perpetuating the Myth,” a strolling, twisting, bluesy piece with a bari-and-piano unison melody that nods to Monk. Fat, gritty tone? Check. Agile, clever improvisations? Check. Cuber still has it. ~ Philip Booth https://jazztimes.com/reviews/albums/ronnie-cuber-live-at-jazzfest-berlin/

Personnel: Ronnie Cuber: baritone saxophone; Kenny Drew Jr.: piano; Rubén Rodríguez: bass; Ben Perowsky: drums.

Live at JazzFest Berlin

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Christian McBride/Edgar Meyer - But Who's Gonna Play the Melody?

Styles: Jazz Fusion
Year: 2024
Time: 66:15
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Size: 152,8 MB
Art: Front

(5:56) 1. Green Slime
(4:43) 2. Barnyard Disturbance
(3:29) 3. Bebop, of Course
(5:15) 4. Bass Duo #1
(3:59) 5. Solar
(4:33) 6. Canon
(3:25) 7. Philly Slop
(1:55) 8. Interlude #1
(4:18) 9. FRB 2DB
(6:01) 10. Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered
(6:08) 11. Bass Duo #2
(5:05) 12. Lullaby for a Ladybug
(5:35) 13. Days of Wine and Roses
(1:45) 14. Interlude #2
(4:02) 15. Tennessee Blues

It is not known exactly how many duets of this nature have fallen into the lackluster bin of audio history. But rest assured that But Who's Gonna Play The Melody? is as far from that incalculable number as the moon is from the sun.

Emblematic of Christian McBride's whole groove credo, everything falls into place quickly, smoothly, and easily on But Who's Gonna Play The Melody?. On the bassist's gazillionth high spirited musical offering, McBride soul-teams with finger-snapping, bluegrass-bred, classical composer & bassist Edgar Meyer who has previously played with Joshua Bell, Bela Fleck, and Yo-Yo Ma for a most rousing revelry. Both virtuosos with a keen sense of humor, McBride and Meyer curate their heartland musical idiosyncrasies, resulting in some very sweet moments such as the hip swaying "Green Slime" and the see-sawing "Barnyard Disturbance," both mischievous Meyer originals.

McBride answers those compositional hijinks with "Bebop, Of Course" and, as the duo reels and rolls from that throbbing bounce-a-thon, they willingly engage in "Bass Duo #1," a complex yet informal and actively conversational Meyer invention. In the overall scheme of things, it comes as no surprise that the duo follow up with a romping take on Miles Davis's richly languid "Solar" (Miles Davis Quintet, Prestige, 1954.)

"Canon," with its chamber echoes and achingly emotive arching, catches the lift and frees itself with "Philly Slop," a noir jump-hop which the ever- agile duo jitterbug merrily through. On "FRB 2DB" Meyer thoroughly enjoys his time on the grittier side of the classical tracks and McBride is gleeful to be his bro-boy companion.

With McBride sidling over to the piano to provide delicate guardrails, an extremely wistful "Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered," gracefully unravels as Meyer takes his bow to the tune and soars. "Bass Duo # 2" pops as elegantly and playfully as its predecessor, with the two masters slurring, walking, giving way. It is a six-minute lesson in the art of being human, ready to compromise for the better of all, here and now, ready to support, to huddle, to move forward towards a more perfect union. And that is what But Who's Gonna Play The Melody? is really all about.By Mike Jurkovic https://www.allaboutjazz.com/but-whos-gonna-play-the-melody-christian-mcbride-mack-avenue-records

Personnel: Christian McBride – acoustic bass (all tracks except 8, 12); piano (tracks 8, 12); Edgar Meyer – acoustic bass (all tracks except 10, 14); piano (tracks 10, 14)

But Who's Gonna Play the Melody?

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