Gabrielle Stravelli sings Willie Nelson - Pick up my pieces

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2019
Time: 56:36
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Size: 131,8 MB
Art: Front

(4:21) 1. Lady luck - If you've got the money, I've got the time
(4:15) 2. Three days
(5:52) 3. Butterfly
(4:44) 4. Time of the preacher - I still can't believe you're gone
(5:38) 5. Stardust
(5:03) 6. Mammas don't let your babies grow up to be cowboys
(4:22) 7. Good hearted woman
(4:30) 8. Little old fashioned karma - Blame it on the times - Nobody slides, my friend
(6:09) 9. Somebody pick up my pieces - Crazy
(3:39) 10. Nightlife
(3:32) 11. Angel flying too close to the ground
(4:26) 12. Always on my mind

To say that Willie Nelson has been directly influenced by jazz is to state the obvious. Listen to the ever-reliable Stardust (Columbia, 1978) or check out any number of his latter-day releasesAmerican Classic (Blue Note, 2009), Summertime: Willie Nelson Sings Gershwin (Sony, 2016), My Way (Sony, 2018) to experience that truth in repertoire; give his meeting with Wynton Marsalis, Two Men With The Blues (Blue Note, 2008), a spin for further proof; or simply listen to the man sing or play any succinct, thematically-aligned solo on his trusty guitar, Trigger, to glean it from the notes and phrasing. Jazz runs deep in Nelson's soul, his very being, and vocalist Gabrielle Stravelli rides that influence in reverse on this smart tribute.

With a crack crew and some solidly inventive arrangements by bassist and musical director Pat O'Leary behind her, Stravelli sings her way into the heart via Nelson's art. Opening on "Lady Lucky/If You've Got The Money, I've Got The Time," she works with swing, country sass, and swagger in equal proportions. Then it's on to a funky and bluesy "Three Days," with ample space for a horn happening; off to a tenderly expressive "Butterfly," where Scott Robinson's alto flute plays the titular role to perfection; over to "Time Of The Preacher/I Still Can't Believe You're Gone," which feeds on church and high drama; and up to "Stardust," set beautifully in play by Stravelli alone at center stage.

As the program continues to unfold, more artful twists and heartfelt helpings further reinforce the strength(s) of subject and interpreter. With "Mamas Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up To Be Cowboys," Stravelli blows the roof off the place with her bebop scat chops. In "Karma Medley" she finds and defines the ties that bind "Little Old Fashioned Karma," "Blame It On The Times," and "Nobody Slides, My Friend" with swinging and swampy abandon. Through a string-suffused "Angel Flying Too Close To The Ground" she displays poise while leaning on love and pain. And with an intimate "Always On My Mind," she gives us a touching parting gift with regret written all over it. Hearing Stravelli sing these songs provides a real picture of the full Nelson as well as confirmation of her own fine craftsmanship.By Dan Bilawsky
https://www.allaboutjazz.com/pick-up-my-pieces-gabrielle-stravelli-sings-willies-nelson-gabrielle-stravelli-self-produced-review-by-dan-bilawsky

Pick up my pieces: Gabrielle Stravelli sings Willie Nelson

---

Roseanna Vitro - Softly

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 1993
File: MP3@256K/s
Time: 60:40
Size: 111,4 MB
Art: Front

(3:37)  1. Falling In Love With Love
(5:36)  2. In Summer (Estate)
(4:54)  3. A Song For Al Ages
(4:38)  4. Softly As In A Morning Sunrise
(4:24)  5. Moon And Sand
(6:05)  6. So Many Stars
(3:44)  7. I'm Through With Love
(6:17)  8. Wild Is The Wind
(4:19)  9. Life I Choose
(3:54) 10. Our Love Rolls On
(3:07) 11. Nothing Like You
(5:11) 12. Why Try To Change Me Now
(4:46) 13. I Ain't Got Nothin' But The Blues

Singer Roseanna Vitro is expert at interpreting lyrics and scats with a strong sense of adventure. Ballads predominate on her excellent Concord CD, but there are also a few cookers (including a surprisingly rapid "I'm Through With Love"). The singer covers a wide variety of material (some of it of recent vintage) with a touching version of "So Many Stars" being a high point. Vitro is greatly assisted by a fine trio starring pianist Fred Hersch; the tenors of Tim Ries and George Coleman help out on some selections. This rewarding CD gives one a fine example of Roseanna Vitro's talents. ~ Scott Yanow http://www.allmusic.com/album/softly-mw0000622618

Softly

---

Brad Mehldau - Your Mother Should Know: Brad Mehldau Plays The Beatles

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2023
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 48:31
Size: 112,2 MB
Art: Front

(4:14) 1. I Am The Walrus
(2:18) 2. Your Mother Should Know
(3:54) 3. I Saw Her Standing There
(2:28) 4. For No One
(7:19) 5. Baby's In Black
(2:42) 6. She Said, She Said
(3:58) 7. Here, There And Everywhere
(2:25) 8. If I Needed Someone
(6:42) 9. Maxwell's Silver Hammer
(8:17) 10. Golden Slumbers
(4:09) 11. Life On Mars?

This live solo album features the pianist and composer's interpretations of nine songs by John Lennon and Paul McCartney and one by George Harrison. Although other Beatles songs have long been staples of Mehldau's solo and trio shows, he had not previously recorded any of the tunes on Your Mother Should Know.

The album ends with a David Bowie classic that draws a connection between The Beatles and pop songwriters who followed. Your Mother Should Know was recorded in September 2020 at Philharmonie de Paris.
https://www.amazon.ca/Your-Mother-Should-Know-Mehldau/dp/B0BN277L5M

Personnel: Brad Mehldau – piano

Your Mother Should Know: Brad Mehldau Plays The Beatles

---

Sweet Megg & The Wayfarers - Sweet Megg & The Wayfarers

Time: 37:50
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2017
Styles: Jazz Vocals
Label: Sweet Megg & The Wayfarers
Art: Front

01. Here Comes The Man With The Jive (2:36)
02. Jitterbug Waltz (3:50)
03. Dinah (3:20)
04. Out Of Nowhere (3:49)
05. Too Hot For Words (2:28)
06. Sweet Marijuana Brown (4:22)
07. It's Like Reaching For The Moon (3:43)
08. You Let Me Down (3:50)
09. Cloudburst (2:09)
10. Solitude (5:00)
11. Jubilee Stomp (2:37)

Sweet Megg and her wayfaring musicians will transport you, not to the past but to a new world of their own making. The band is lead by the charmingly enigmatic Sweet Megg, who imbues each song with her own concoction of melancholy and euphoria that will delight you, surprise you, and break your heart all at once. The band seamlessly incorporates elements of New Orleans Swing, Harlem swing, Parisian cabaret, and gut bucket blues into one charming musical performance. Saxophonist Ryan Weisheit reimagines a world where Sidney Bechet, Lester Young, and Charlie Parker blow side by side. Together Sweet Megg, Ryan, and all the Wayfarers create a world where jazz is alive and well and living in New York.

Sweet Megg & The Wayfarers

---

Art Pepper - Art Of Art

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2024
Time: 56:35
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Size: 129,8 MB
Art: Front

(12:35) 1. Blues For Blanche
(12:41) 2. The Trip
( 8:25) 3. For Freddie
(14:03) 4. Over The Rainbow
( 8:49) 5. Landscape

Remastered from original analogue tapes by Rinaldo Donati at Maxine Studio, Milan - this is the CD edition, with the LP released exclusively for Record Store Day 2024. Recorded just a year before he died (June 1982), this superlative release is an essential purchase for all Art Pepper fans and collectors. Recorded live at the Estate Jazz Festival, Genova, Italy on July 6, 'Art of Art' features five selections, four original compositions by Pepper, plus the popular standard "Over The Rainbow" by Harld Arlen. Bebop and the blues are at the forefront of this session, superbly delivered by the leader and his all-star accompanists George Cables, David Williams, and Carl Burnett.

"Art Pepper's brilliance was not in his control, it was like a chemical combination in the laboratory; his horrible childhood and his incredible musical gift, with his desire to communicate, are things he did with great success... For Art, there was nothing better than being on stage. He lived for it. On tour he was spectacular, and he always managed to convey something, no matter what it was. The concert in Genoa shows once more how well Pepper played in the last period of his life, perhaps better than he ever did." ~ Mario Giorgi By Product Description https://www.amazon.co.uk/Art-Pepper/dp/B0CT5WKM3P

Personnel: Alto Saxophone – Art Pepper; Bass – David Williams (2) Drums – Carl Burnett; Piano – George Cables

Art Of Art

---

Hot Club Of Cowtown - Wild Kingdom

Styles: Retro Swing 
Year: 2019
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 56:54
Size: 134,3 MB
Art: Front

(4:08)  1. My Candy
(4:46)  2. Last Call
(3:29)  3. Caveman
(4:41)  4. Near Mrs.
(3:13)  5. Three Little Words
(4:19)  6. Billy the Kid
(3:20)  7. Tall Tall Ship
(3:47)  8. Rodeo Blues
(4:23)  9. Ways of Escape
(2:50) 10. Loch Lomond
(4:00) 11. High Upon the Mountain
(4:14) 12. Easy Money
(5:05) 13. Before the Time of Men
(4:32) 14. How High the Moon

Rolling into decade three, Hot Club of Cowtown hasn't released a batch of original material in 10 years. Instead, the local trio revitalized standards with their blend of modernized hot jazz and Western swing. Now, 11th LP Wild Kingdom resets the marker. Elana James cuts coy out of the gate on the frolicsome "My Candy," then blows smoky as her fiddle gently weeps on "Last Call." Vibes kick carefree and playful from Whit Smith's "Caveman" to the snappy "Near Mrs" and "Three Little Words." As such, moody outlaw ballad "Billy the Kid" stands out, especially against lackluster gospel clipper "Tall Tall Ship" and the odd swoon of "Rodeo Blues." Although the new material lacks substantial depth, the playing remains immaculate and enticing, and the trio's take on traditional "Loch Lomond" and "High Upon the Mountain" ring sharp and unique.
https://www.austinchronicle.com/music/2019-09-27/hot-club-of-cowtown-wild-kingdom/

Wild Kingdom

---

The Four Freshmen - Return To Romance

Styles: Jazz, Crossover Jazz
Year: 1971
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 27:45
Size: 64,6 MB
Art: Front

(3:06) 1. Poinciana
(2:52) 2. Fools Rush In
(2:39) 3. In This Whole Wide World
(2:06) 4. Graduation Day
(1:55) 5. Day By Day
(3:09) 6. It's A Blue World
(3:00) 7. Angel Eyes
(3:41) 8. Polka Dots And Moonbeams
(2:58) 9. We'll Be Together Again
(2:14) 10. Candy

The Four Freshmen were one of the top vocal groups of the 1950s, and formed the bridge between '40s ensembles like the Mel-Tones and harmony-based rock & roll bands such as the Beach Boys as well as groups like Spanky & Our Gang and the Manhattan Transfer. The group's roots go back to the end of the 1940s and a barbershop quartet-influenced outfit called Hal's Harmonizers, organized at the Arthur Jordan Conservatory of Butler University in Indiana by two brothers, Ross and Don Barbour. Their repertoire centered on standards such as "Moonglow" and "The Christmas Song," and they began to show an unusually free, improvisational approach to their harmony singing. A couple of membership changes brought Bob Flanigan, a cousin, into the fold alongside Hal Kratzsch, and suddenly the Four Freshmen were assembled in all but name, and that fell into place a little later.

The group struggled for a long time, living hand-to-mouth while building a repertoire and a sound many people who've heard the group's records or are familiar with their sound are unaware that they were also completely self-contained instrumentally, each member playing more than one instrument and allowing the others to switch off to different roles. They came to attention of various jazz figures of the era, including Dizzy Gillespie, Woody Herman, and Stan Kenton, and it was Kenton who took matters into his own hands, bringing the group to the attention of Capitol Records, where the bandleader had a longstanding relationship. Thus began a long and fruitful relationship with the label, initially under the guidance of arranger Pete Rugolo gigs followed on The Steve Allen Show (then one of the top-rated entertainment showcases on television) and with Ray Anthony's band; they also managed to make an appearance in the MGM movie Rich, Young and Pretty.

Their first hit single was "It's a Blue World," released in 1952, and they enjoyed further success with "Mood Indigo" (1954), "Day By Day" (1955), and "Graduation Day" (1956). They released their first LP, Voices in Modern, in 1955 (and some dozen more 12" discs over the next five years); that album was as impressive a jazz document as it was a vocal pop effort, showcasing the group members' playing as well as their singing and showing that these guys had lots of complex musical strings in their bow. It was on these albums that the quartet also showed itself to be a very smart outfit, not just in musical terms but logistically as well. Rather than simply doing any 12 songs that might have been working well in its stage act, the group made these releases into conceptual works, either musically (built around the sounds achieved by combinations of the group's sound and specific accompaniments, such as Four Freshmen and 5 Trombones, Four Freshmen and Five Guitars, etc.) or as thematic arrays of songs (such as Voices in Love and Voices in Latin).

This approach to devising and creating albums (which paralleled the kind of work that Frank Sinatra was doing concurrently on the same label) would have an influence on groups like the Beach Boys that was nearly as important as their harmony sound; it's also an important reason why, in combination with their virtuosity, their albums have held up so well across 40 years. Their sound and range were helped by the fact that their benefactor, Kenton, was on the same label, which made it possible for them to record together on occasion. Most of their late-'50s albums were good sellers most have been reissued several times on vinyl and CD and they had no shortage of top bookings and top pay to keep them going into the early '60s.

There were membership changes along the way Kratzsch left in the spring of 1953, to be replaced by Ken Errair who, in turn, was succeeded by Ken Albers in April of 1956, while Don Barbour left in 1960, replaced by Bill Comstock. That lineup lasted intact for nearly 13 years, into the 1970s, but by that time the group's influence had faded to almost nothing. The Four Freshmen had managed to stay competitive with other pop acts through the mid-'60s, and even got a very visible boost from the Beach Boys, in the form of Brian Wilson's frequent expressions of admiration for the quartet as part of his inspiration behind putting together the rock & roll group's sound, but following the arrival of the British Invasion, they were no longer anywhere near the cutting edge of pop music. They continued to record and perform, even assimilating such contemporary songs as Jimmy Webb's "By the Time I Get to Phoenix," but they were effectively relegated to the "easy listening" stations. Their contract with Capitol ended in 1964, and the group's last affiliation with a major label was in the second half of the decade with Liberty Records, which yielded four LPs but no hits. By 1977, Bob Flanigan was the last original member, and he retired in 1992. Flanigan died of heart failure at his home in Las Vegas, Nevada on May 15, 2011 and cousin Ross Barbour, the last of the original Four Freshmen, died of lung cancer in Simi Valley, California three months later, on August 20, 2011.

New lineups of the group (including the latter-day quartet of Brian Eichenberger, Curtis Calderon, Bob Ferreira, and Vince Johnson) have continued to perform into the second decade of the 21st century, however, and have been considered an artistically valid ensemble. (In 2000 the Four Freshmen were voted Vocal Group of the Year by Down Beat magazine's readers.) And in 2001, no less a label than Mosaic Records the company that issues complete catalogs of jazz legends going back to the 1930s, in deluxe packaging released a multi-CD box of the Four Freshmen's complete 1950s recordings, proudly (and even defiantly, given the label's catalog) proclaiming the quartet's validity as a jazz outfit. https://music.apple.com/us/artist/the-four-freshmen/530730

Return To Romance

---

Halie Loren - Dreams Lost and Found

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2024
Time: 50:43
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Size: 119,1 MB
Art: Front

(4:09) 1. For All We Know
(3:30) 2. How High the Moon
(4:05) 3. Dance Me to the End of Love
(3:22) 4. Sabor a Mí
(4:07) 5. All I Want
(3:36) 6. More
(2:22) 7. C'est le printemps
(3:01) 8. It Might as Well be Spring
(5:07) 9. All Night Long
(3:49) 10. Stop This World
(4:02) 11. The Fool on the Hill
(2:37) 12. Under the Same Moon
(3:56) 13. Sukiyaki (You Took Your Love Away)
(2:52) 14. I'll Be Seeing You

"A stellar voice with great tone and marvelous command of phrasing sets Loren apart from myriad of female vocalists. Old school becoming new cool in the hands of a gifted artist is a beautiful thing." Critical Jazz Halie Loren is an international, award-winning jazz vocalist/songwriter based in Eugen, Oregon. She brings a fresh and original perspective to time-honored musical paths, channeling her innate understanding of connectedness across musical boundaries to forge bonds with diverse audiences in North America, Asia, and Europe.

She sings in multiple languages including; Spanish, French, Portuguese, Italian, Japanese and Korean as well as her native English. On Dreams Lost and Found Halie's 11th album, she explores themes of longing, seeking, and seeing with new eyes - the falling away of old illusions and outgrown desires, finding new visions for love and life, allowing some dreams to die to make space for new dreams to be born.By Editorial Reviews https://www.amazon.com/Dreams-Lost-Found-Halie-Loren/dp/B0CVY1RM9T

Personnel: Vocals, Producer, Mixed By [Mixing Assistance], Artwork, Design, Liner Notes – Halie Loren; Drums – Jim Doxas; Guitar – Sam Kirmayer; Piano – Taurey Butler

Dreams Lost and Found

---

Roy Eldridge - Swing Trumpets: Roy Eldridge & Charlie Shavers

Styles: Trumpet Jazz, Swing
Year: 2024
Time: 71:47
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Size: 166,2 MB
Art: Front

(2:46) 1. After You've Gone
(2:56) 2. The Gasser
(2:47) 3. I Surrender Dear
(2:44) 4. Minor Jive
(2:29) 5. Stardust
(2:20) 6. I Can't Get Started
(2:43) 7. Jump Through The Window
(2:21) 8. Embraceable You
(2:25) 9. Body and Soul
(3:14) 10. Fish Market
(2:54) 11. Twilight Time
(2:25) 12. St. Louis Blues
(2:57) 13. Twilight Time (Alt Take 5)
(2:30) 14. St. Louis Blues (Alt Take 6)
(3:16) 15. Deuce-A-Rini
(4:38) 16. Summertime
(4:20) 17. Echoes Of Harlem
(2:48) 18. Amor
(3:15) 19. Rose Room
(3:12) 20. She's Funny That Way
(2:43) 21. On The Spot
(3:18) 22. Deuce-A-Rini (Alt Take 4)
(3:48) 23. Amor (Alt Take 1)
(2:46) 24. On The Spot (Alt Take 3)

One of the most exciting trumpeters to emerge during the swing era, Roy Eldridge's combative approach, chance-taking style and strong musicianship were an inspiration (and an influence) to the next musical generation, most notably Dizzy Gillespie. Although he sometimes pushed himself farther than he could go, Eldridge never played a dull solo.“

Roy Eldridge started out playing trumpet and drums in carnival and circus bands. With the Nighthawk Syncopators he received a bit of attention by playing a note-for-note re-creation of Coleman Hawkins' tenor solo on "The Stampede." Inspired by the dynamic playing of Jabbo Smith (Eldridge would not discover Louis Armstrong for a few years), Eldridge played with some territory bands including Zack Whyte and Speed Webb and in New York (where he arrive in 1931) he worked with Elmer Snowden (who nicknamed him "Little Jazz"), McKinney's Cotton Pickers, and most importantly Teddy Hill (1935). Eldridge's recorded solos with Hill, backing Billie Holiday and with Fletcher Henderson (including his 1936 hit "Christopher Columbus") gained a great deal of attention. In 1937 he appeared with his octet (which included brother Joe on alto) at the Three Deuces Club in Chicago and recorded some outstanding selections as a leader including "Heckler's Hop" and "Wabash Stomp." By 1939 Eldridge had a larger group playing at the Arcadia Ballroom in New York. With the decline of Bunny Berigan and the increasing predictability of Louis Armstrong, Eldridge was arguably the top trumpeter in jazz during this era.“

During 1941-1942 Eldridge sparked Gene Krupa's Orchestra, recording classic versions of "Rockin' Chair" and "After You've Gone" and interacting with Anita O'Day on "Let Me Off Uptown." The difficulties of traveling with a White band during a racist period hurt him, as did some of the incidents that occurred during his stay with Artie Shaw (1944-1945) but the music during both stints was quite memorable. Eldridge can be seen in several "soundies" (short promotional film devoted to single songs) of this era by the Krupa band, often in association with O'Day, including "Let Me Off Uptown" and "Thanks for the Boogie Ride." He is also very prominent in the band's appearance in Howard Hawks' Ball of Fire, in an extended performance of "Drum Boogie" mimed by Barbara Stanwyck, taking a long trumpet solo the clip was filmed soon after Eldridge joined the band in late April of 1941, and "Drum Boogie" was a song that Eldridge co-wrote with Krupa.

Eldridge had a short-lived big band of his own, toured with Jazz at the Philharmonic, and then had a bit of an identity crisis when he realized that his playing was not as modern as the beboppers. A successful stay in France during 1950-1951 restored his confidence when he realized that being original was more important than being up-to-date. Eldridge recorded steadily for Norman Granz in the '50s, was one of the stars of JATP (where he battled Charlie Shavers and Dizzy Gillespie), and by 1956, was often teamed with Coleman Hawkins in a quintet; their 1957 appearance at Newport was quite memorable. The '60s were tougher as recording opportunities and work became rarer. Eldridge had brief and unhappy stints with Count Basie's Orchestra and Ella Fitzgerald (feeling unnecessary in both contexts) but was leading his own group by the end of the decade. He spent much of the '70s playing regularly at Ryan's and recording for Pablo and, although his range had shrunk a bit, Eldridge's competitive spirit was still very much intact. Only a serious stroke in 1980 was able to halt his horn. Roy Eldridge recorded throughout his career for virtually every label. ~ Scott Yanow
https://www.amazon.com/On-The-Spot/dp/B0CZ16M2SS

Swing Trumpets: Roy Eldridge & Charlie Shavers

---

Linda Ronstadt with Nelson Riddle And His Orchestra - Round Midnight Disc 1 And Disc 2

Album: Round Midnight Disc 1

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 1986
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 60:31
Size: 138,7 MB
Art: Front

(3:53)  1. What's New
(3:29)  2. I've Got A Crush On You
(4:14)  3. Guess I'll Hang My Tears Out To Dry
(3:35)  4. Crazy He Calls Me
(4:12)  5. Someone To Watch Over Me
(4:10)  6. I Don't Stand A Ghost Of A Chance
(4:09)  7. What'll I Do
(4:21)  8. Lover Man (Oh Where Can You Be)
(4:50)  9. Good-Bye
(2:27) 10. When I Fall In Love
(3:11) 11. Skylark
(4:23) 12. It Never Entered My Mind
(4:13) 13. Mean To Me
(4:23) 14. When You Lover Has Gone
(4:53) 15. I'm A Fool To Want You

---

Album: Round Midnight Disc 2

Time: 61:31

Size: 141,0 MB

(2:25)  1. You Took Advantage Of Me

(3:42)  2. Sophisticated Lady

(2:33)  3. Can't We Be Friends?

(3:27)  4. My Old Flame

(2:39)  5. Falling In Love Again

(3:54)  6. Lush Life

(3:50)  7. When You Wish Upon A Star

(4:27)  8. Bewitched Bothered & Bewildered

(3:37)  9. You Go To My Head

(5:28) 10. But Not For Me

(3:01) 11. My Funny Valentine

(4:19) 12. I Get Along Without You Very Well

(2:59) 13. Am I Blue

(3:44) 14. I Love You For Sentimental Reasons

(2:15) 15. Straighten Up And Fly Right

(4:36) 16. Little Girl Blue

(4:27) 17. Round Midnight

Round Midnight is a two-disc box set that compiles all three of the traditional pop albums Linda Ronstadt recorded with Nelson Riddle (What's New, Lush Life, and For Sentimental Reasons). Only dedicated fans will need to own all three of the albums, and, for those listeners, this is a classy way to purchase them.

Credits of 'Round Midnight with Nelson Riddle and His Orchestra: Bob Magnusson Bass;  Bob Mann Guitar;  Johnny Mercer Composer;  Nelson Riddle Arranger, Performer, Conductor;  Tommy Tedesco Guitar;  Ray Brown Bass;  Dennis Budimir Guitar;  John Guerin Drums;  Jim Hughart Bass;  Linda Ronstadt Vocal;  Louie Bellson Drums.

Round Midnight Disc 1, Disc 2

---

Karen Souza - Suddenly Lovers

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2023
Time: 40:55
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Size: 95,7 MB
Art: Front

(3:37) 1. Love Is Never Too Late
(3:45) 2. One Night in NY
(3:05) 3. Ay Amor
(2:57) 4. I Am Naked
(2:47) 5. Morning Coffee
(4:15) 6. On a Clear Day
(3:19) 7. Embrujo
(3:37) 8. How Did You Get in My Dreams?
(3:38) 9. Suddenly Lovers
(3:10) 10. Show Me the Way to Go Home
(3:06) 11. Laisse Tomber Les Filles
(3:34) 12. The Way You Look Tonight

Although Karen Souza’s voice seems to be made for Jazz, her career began under different pseudonyms, writing songs and providing vocals to several electronic music producers, which made her part of many House hits, included in numerous records as prestigious as Pacha Ibiza, FTV (Fashion TV), Paris Dernier, Hotel Costes and Privé, among others.

Karen started flirting with Jazz when she was invited to participate in the first album of the Jazz & 80's series. Back then, no one could imagine how successful these series would become overnight. Her producer saw in Karen the ideal voice for this project. They worked together enthusiastically, making Karen Souza and her unique voice the core of each album in these series. This granted Karen an active participation in these bestselling and successful albums. She went on to record vocals continously for the series Jazz & 70's, Jazz & 80's and Jazz and 90´s, which bring together great pop songs from all these eras in a jazz/bossa/blues format. To the surprise of the entertainment business, these albums have earned an amazing fan base in many countries and within different age groups, which resulted in almost every record label trying to recreate the concept. Essentials, her first album, compiles Karen’s best renditions from the albums previously mentioned. It was released in march 2011, and it immediately became a sales success, to the point it was tagged as “New and Noteworthy” on iTunes.

By the middle of 2011, Karen and a classic jazz trio, began to perform all around the world. That gave the audience the chance to meet her in person. With Music Brokers, her record label, they thought it was the right time to produce new material. As a result, she went to Los Angeles to work with some of the world’s greatest songwriters, such as Pamela Phillips Oland (pamoland.com), a multiple Grammy nominee lyricist who has worked with artists as important as Whitney Houston, Earth, Wind & Fire and Aretha Franklin, among others.

In 2012, Karen Souza released Hotel Souza, an album that brings Karen back to the composition sessions, but this time her new record was produced by Joel McNeely, famous for his work with Tony Bennet and Peggy Lee. The album was a total surprice given its originality and beauty. About this album, Karen said “it’s been a pleasure working with Joel, this record represents that magical time”. Shortly after its release, HOTEL SOUZA reached the first positions in the Top 10 of the most popular record stores in Latin America, staying for months. It also reached the #10 position in the Top Jazz Albums in the US.

Because of Karen’s constant evolution and requests from her fans on her social networks, Karen embarked on a new version album. Essentials II was recorded in the city of New York and the vocals were produced by the famous songwriter, record producer and co-founder of The Orchard, Richard Gottehrer.https://www.allaboutjazz.com/musicians/karen-souza/

Suddenly Lovers

---

Art Pepper - So in Love

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1980
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 47:48
Size: 109,5 MB
Art: Front

( 6:26)  1. Straight No Chaser
( 6:49)  2. Blues for Blanche
(11:42)  3. So in Love
(12:17)  4. Diane
(10:33)  5. Stardust

This deluxe release from the classy (but long defunct) Artists House label, as with all of Art Pepper's recordings of his comeback years, is easily recommended. Actually all of the music on So in Love has been reissued in greatly expanded form in Pepper's massive 16-CD Galaxy box set. The original LP has lengthy versions of "So in Love," "Stardust," "Straight No Chaser" and two Pepper originals ("Diane" and "Blues for Blanche"). 

Assisted by two equally talented rhythm sections (pianists Hank Jones and George Cables, bassists Ron Carter and Charlie Haden, and drummers Al Foster and Billy Higgins), Pepper is in excellent form throughout the album, giving these songs heart-wrenching interpretations. 

~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/so-in-love-mw0000622404

Personnel:  Art Pepper - alto saxophone;  George Cables (tracks 2, 3 & 5), Hank Jones (tracks 1 & 4) - piano;  Ron Carter (tracks 1 & 4), Charlie Haden (tracks 2, 3 & 5) - bass;  Al Foster (tracks 1 & 4), Billy Higgins (tracks 2, 3 & 5) - drums

So in Love

---

Brad Mehldau - Après Fauré

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2024
Time: 42:52
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Size: 98,8 MB
Art: Front

(6:28) 1. Nocturne No. 13 in B Minor, Op. 119 (1921)
(6:39) 2. Nocturne No. 4 in E-Flat Major, Op. 36 (c. 1884)
(6:20) 3. Nocturne No. 12 in E Minor, Op. 107 (1915)
(3:31) 4. Prelude
(3:40) 5. Caprice
(2:43) 6. Nocturne
(2:03) 7. Vision
(8:39) 8. Nocturne No. 7 in C-Sharp Minor, Op. 74 (1898)
(2:46) 9. Piano Quartet No. 2 in G Minor, Op. 45 (c. 1887) - III. Adagio non troppo (Extract)

Grammy-award winning jazz pianist Brad Mehldau connects the dots as though they were so many 16th notes.

His two new albums, “After Bach II” and “Après Fauré,” use classical music as a foundation for solo explorations that draw a through line from Art Tatum to Thelonious Monk to Bill Evans to Keith Jarrett to Philip Glass. It all sounds like Mehldau, and it all goes back to Bach.

The hybrid sets are out Friday, May 10, and “After Bach II” is a sequel to Mehldau’s absorbing 2018 album, “After Bach.” Once again, interpretations of Bach pieces alternate with original compositions inspired by him. “Après Fauré” follows a similar format, with the French composer’s work bookending four short original Mehldau compositions.

It’s music to delight a church choir or nightclub crowd. And, as Mehldau writes in the liner notes for the Fauré album, “music that breathes austerity and weirdness.”

The Fauré set includes his final two nocturnes, minor-key pieces written in 1915 and 1921. Their restless, romantic melancholy inspires dark, discordant elements in Mehldau’s own pieces, which are filled with percussive, searching music that underscores how Fauré’s work anticipated jazz.

There’s also a link between Jelly Roll Morton and J.S. Bach, which Mehldau has long embraced and celebrated. The new Bach album features graceful, persuasive interpretations of familiar material, including five pieces from Book I of The Well-Tempered Clavier. Mehldau describes the Fugue in A minor as an exploration of Bach’s funkiness, and it unspools as freely as a jazz solo, while the familiar melody of the Prelude in E major breaks out like sunshine.

Bach was an acclaimed keyboard improviser, so it’s fitting his Goldberg Variations are treated to Mehldau’s improvised variations. The seven include two in a 5/8 time signature and one in 7/4, creating a weird and wild flow that is very 21st century.

Mehldau’s variations are bracing and daring, breathtaking and beautiful, spiritual and psychedelic. Blue notes emerge from the contrapuntal complexity as he tests the limits of Bach’s music, showing there are none. https://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/wireStory/music-review-brad-mehldau-connects-bach-faur-jazz-109958966

Après Fauré

---

Denise Donatelli - Find A Heart

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2015
Time: 57:45
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Size: 134,1 MB
Art: Front

(6:16) 1. Big Noise, New York
(5:24) 2. Love And Paris Rain
(4:21) 3. Spaced Out
(3:55) 4. Practical Arrangement
(5:30) 5. Find A Heart
(4:08) 6. Not Like This
(5:08) 7. Eyes That Say I Love You
(5:36) 8. In This Moment
(5:29) 9. Troubled Child
(6:19) 10. Midnight Sun
(5:35) 11. Day Dream

Multi Grammy nominee vocalist Denise Donatelli, unveils another gem of an album with the much-anticipated Find A Heart, collaborating once again with producer/arranger, pianist Geoffrey Keezer documenting a surprisingly new direction for the singer as she ventures into the non-standards area. The Great American Songbook will always be with us, here to stay forever as new re-interpretations of classics emerge every day. This project finds the vocalist and pianist exploring new territory as they take the music of modern pop and jazz masters like Sting, David Crosby and Russell Ferrante among others, and ask the question, Isn't it time for new standards?

One thing clearly evident on this album is, the superb cast of players that make the instrumentation such a pleasure to hear which features an all-star personnel listing that includes Brazilian guitarist Leonardo Amuedo, Cuban bassist Carlitos del Puerto, drummer Marvin "Smitty" Smith and Canadian saxophonist Christine Jensen among them. The evolution of The Great American Songbook begins with the Donald Fagen composition "Big Noise, New York" featuring an opening blast from saxophonist great Bob Sheppard before the sparkling vocals of the leader take over on what is a burning beginning to a heck of an album.

The singer finds her softer side on Ferrante's beautiful love ballad, "Love and Paris Rain" with a little help from guitarist Amuedo then jumps into a lively tempo on Keezer's own "Spaced Out (En Babia)" before returning to a gentler mood on the absolutely gorgeous "Practical Arrangement" accompanied by the magic horn of Chris Botti and the soft guitar work from Amuedo. Keezer's arrangement of the Crosby title track, turns this pop tune into a true jazz number with a touch of the Latin flavor.

Keezer and Donatelli draw on a small string section of cello and violas to convey the trials and tribulations of a "Troubled Child" and call on bassist del Puerto and percussionist Walter Rodriguez to weigh in with brisk haunting solos as the singer's crisp voice reaches and beckons the child with a little help of background vocalists Yutaka Yokokura, and Julia Dollison.

Interestingly enough, while the mission of this venture is still, to offer different songs from more recent times as possible new standards for the future, Donatelli closes the album with heartfelt emotion paying humble respect to current standards with superior renditions of "Midnight Sun," and Billy Strayhorn's "Day Dream." Find A Heart is simply put, an outstanding vocal recording that takes Denise Donatelli's performance to another level.By Edward Blanco
https://www.allaboutjazz.com/find-a-heart-denise-donatelli-savant-records-review-by-edward-blanco

Personnel: Denise Donatelli: vocals; Geoffrey Keezer: piano, arranger; Leonardo Amuedo: guitar; Carlito Del Puerto: bass; Marvin "Smitty" Smith: drums; Walter Rodriquez: percussion; Chris Botti: trumpet; Bob Sheppard: tenor saxophone; Christine Jensen: soprano saxophone; Michael Thompson; guitar; Giovanna Clayton; cello; Alma Fernandez: viola; Matt funes: viola; Darrin McCann: viola; Yutaka Yokokura: background vocals; Sy Smith: background vocals; Julia Dollison: background vocals.

Find A Heart

---

The Four Freshmen - Four Freshmen and Friends

Styles: Jazz, Crossover Jazz
Year: 2015
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 36:38
Size: 84,4 MB
Art: Front

(5:48) 1. Avalon
(5:19) 2. Moonglow
(2:06) 3. Central Park West
(7:17) 4. Don't Be That Way
(5:10) 5. Stompin' At the Savoy
(2:59) 6. Here's That Rainy Day
(5:12) 7. So Danco Samba
(2:44) 8. It's a Blue World

In 1948, four young men created a sound that forever changed the way vocal jazz harmony was heard and performed. Known as The Four Freshmen, the group started with two brothers, Don and Ross Barbour, their cousin Bob Flanigan, and friend Hal Kratzsch. With a soaring, true tenor in Bob Flanigan, the group created a sound that has endured for over 6 decades. Hal Kratzsch sang the bass part and played trumpet. He sang the bass part with a big sound, laying the foundation for the Barbour brothers to add their beautiful inner part stylings. Ross sang the 3rd part and played drums. Don sang the 2nd part and played guitar. Thus, the original Four Freshmen was born and began touring, playing bowling alleys and small clubs across the country.

Early on in their career, the Freshmen met Stan Kenton. He had heard the rumors of a vocal group that sounded like his band. The Freshmen were all fans of Kenton and in many ways, modeled their sound after the Kenton trombone section. Once Kenton heard them, he was hooked. He loved the group and believed in them so much that he approached Capitol and essentially got the Freshmen signed in 1950. This led to a fruitful partnership between Capitol Records and the Freshmen for over 10 years. During the Capitol years, the Freshmen had some of their biggest hits, including their first hit with Capitol called "It's A Blue World." https://fourfreshmen.com/history

Personel:Tommy Boynton - Lead voice; Stein Malvey - 2nd voice; Curtis Calderon - 3rd voice + Trumpet; Bob Ferreira - bass voice; Ken Peplowski - Clarinet; Chuck Redd - Vibes;Ron Eschete - Guitar; Katie Theroux - Bass; Butch Miles - Drums.

Four Freshmen and Friends

---

Kenny Barron - Beyond This Place

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2024
Time: 52:50
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Size: 123,3 MB
Art: Front

(6:34) 1. The Nearness of You
(5:35) 2. Scratch
(8:18) 3. Innocence
(6:40) 4. Blues on Stratford Road
(5:36) 5. Tragic Magic
(5:05) 6. Beyond This Place
(3:15) 7. Softly As in a Morning Sunrise
(7:10) 8. Sunset
(4:33) 9. We See

If, like me, you think you’ve known the name Kenny Barron since your earliest childhood, it’s perfectly normal, because the pianist and composer, 13-time Grammy nominee, member of the DownBeat Hall of Fame, is arguably the greatest jazz pianist currently active, with a continued link to the golden age of mid-century jazz, celebrating his 80th birthday… and having associated with other jazz greats (Dizzy, James Moody, Stan Getz, Freddie Hubbard, Yusef Lateef), offering once again an album that is totally impeccable, if not grandiose. “Beyond This Place” presents a quintet featuring one of the most talented and synergistic groups Barron has ever led. An intergenerational ensemble, it includes his longtime rhythm section, bassist Kiyoshi Kitagawa and drummer Johnathan Blake, as well as the unparalleled vibraphonist Steve Nelson, who received one of his first recording mentions with Barron on the pianist’s 1982 LP “Golden Lotus”. Also on board is 26-year-old alto saxophonist Immanuel Wilkins, whose recordings as a leader for Blue Note, “The 7th Hand” and “Omega”, have earned him deep respect and renown among critics and dedicated jazz enthusiasts. The “quartet… has become a group against which members of the younger generation can compare their own ideas,” suggests The New York Times. Wilkins’ presence also serves as a reminder of Barron’s enduring commitment to mentoring in jazz, as an employer of young talent and celebrated music educator. Indeed, the list of Barron’s school alumni is impressive, including Terence Blanchard, Jon Batiste, Aaron Parks, and Gerald Clayton, among countless others.

Immanuel Wilkins, whom Bayou Blue Radio listeners know well through his personal albums as well as his performances on the albums of other great artists, is no stranger. And don’t for a moment imagine that Kenny Barron’s compositions are retro; the pianist offers us one of the most “trendy” albums of all time here. If you have his previous album “The Source” in mind, “Beyond This Place” will surprise you. The artists here present were not chosen at random, and one can feel the improvisational elements that have benefited this project. Kenny Barron’s musical vision is perpetually in search of renewal; his great quality is not to get lost in novelty but always to impress us with his rich and precise playing. “Beyond This Place” begins with a quartet rendition of the standard “The Nearness of You,” highlighting the timeless kinship between Barron and Wilkins two modernists both forward-thinking and respectful of jazz history, with impeccable technique. “Scratch” by Barron, which the composer presented as the title track of a trio recording in 1985 with Dave Holland and Daniel Humair, is a delightfully Monk-like theme attacked here with the energy of Parker/Roach. “Innocence,” a Barron composition that lent its title to his 1978 LP for Wolf Records, is an archetypal post-bop piece, with an elegant and dark theme and a slow burning tempo; later, Barron’s “Tragic Magic” is a livelier and bolder post-bop vehicle that pays homage to his piano hero Tommy Flanagan. Blake’s contribution, “Blues on Stratford Road,” is self-explanatory in the most satisfying way a durable hard bop from a corner bar in the vein of Blue Note. (Blake is actually a Blue Note recording artist as a leader, although his dates are more decidedly contemporary.)

What’s most impressive is the marriage between a form of jazz that has become relatively “classic” and this modernity and the language that ensues. This quintet is truly exciting, full of musical propositions that are evidently the result of collective work, each member listening to and reveling in the flourishes offered by the others. One can only hope that festivals will clamor for this quintet, which for us is as “essential and indispensable” as earth, wind, and fire (and there’s no allusion here to the funk group we adore).
https://www.paris-move.com/reviews/kenny-barron-beyond-this-place-eng-review/

Personnel: Kenny Barron (Piano); Immanuel Wilkins (Saxophone); Jonathan Blake (Drums); Kiyoshi Kitagawa (Bass); Steve Nelson (Vibraphone).

Beyond This Place

---

John Colianni Trio - Blues-O-Matic

Styles: Piano Jazz 
Year: 1989
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 53:03
Size: 124,3 MB
Art: Front

(4:48)  1. Blues-O-Matic (with Lew Tabackin)
(3:19)  2. Liza
(5:37)  3. My One and Only Love
(2:38)  4. All God's Chillun Got Rhythm (with Lew Tabackin)
(5:42)  5. Exactly Like You (with Lew Tabackin)
(5:20)  6. Riding High - You Do Something to Me
(4:52)  7. After All (with Lew Tabackin)
(5:58)  8. Long Count
(5:06)  9. I Want You All the Time
(4:23) 10. Ding Ding
(5:16) 11. Slicer

Piano. Steady mainstream player, noteworthy for excellent rhythmic skills. His tastes are even further in past than most neoboppers, reaching to swing and big band era for inspiration, as well as early days of bop. ~ Ron Wynn http://www.allmusic.com/artist/john-colianni-mn0000216450/biography

John Colianni Trio: John Colianni (piano), Lew Tabackin (tenor saxophone, flute), Lynn Seaton (bass), Mel Lewis (drums).

Blues-O-Matic

---

Art Pepper - The Art Of The Ballad

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 64:52
Size: 148.5 MB
Styles: Post bop, Saxophone jazz
Year: 1999
Art: Front

[ 5:30] 1. Winter Moon
[ 5:16] 2. Body And Soul
[ 4:20] 3. Maybe Next Year
[ 7:00] 4. Blues In The Night
[ 3:31] 5. 'round Midnight
[ 5:50] 6. Imagination
[ 6:47] 7. Over The Rainbow
[ 3:35] 8. Why Are We Afraid
[ 6:32] 9. All The Things You Are
[ 4:45] 10. Come Rain Or Come Shine
[11:41] 11. You Go To My Head

Fantasy's The Art of the Ballad series continues with a chronologically wide-ranging look at Art Pepper's way with standard tunes, splitting time almost equally between the two divisions of his career and striking emotional gold frequently. As good as the Contemporary label recordings from 1956 to 1960 are, Pepper's passionate, heart-stopping playing on the 1977-1982 selections from Galaxy simply put them deep in the shade; heard side by side, the earlier dates sound almost lightweight. The disc indulges in two selections from Pepper's string album Winter Moon (the title track and "Blues in the Night," where Pepper muses on the clarinet), but the emotional rush that they produce is worth the extra emphasis. There is also a spectacularly nuanced "You Go to My Head" from this period, live at the Village Vanguard, and two duets with George Cables from a month and a half before Pepper's death. Everything here is already out on CD; there is nothing from the peak late-period album Straight Life, and the sequencing is catch-as-catch-can, but this sampler is potent enough to give newcomers to Art Pepper a depth charge. ~Richard S. Ginnell

The Art Of The Ballad

---

Tony Bennett & Diana Krall - Love Is Here To Stay (With The Bill Charlap Trio)

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2018
Time: 36:27
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Size: 85,5 MB
Art: Front

(2:50) 1. 'S Wonderful
(2:48) 2. My One And Only
(3:05) 3. But Not For Me
(2:45) 4. Nice Work If You Can Get It
(4:26) 5. Love Is Here To Stay
(1:57) 6. I Got Rhythm
(3:40) 7. Somebody Loves Me
(2:53) 8. Do It Again
(3:58) 9. I’ve Got A Crush On You
(2:41) 10. Fascinating Rhythm
(3:23) 11. They Can’t Take That Away From Me
(1:56) 12. Who Cares?

Tony Bennett and Diana Krall's partnership didn't begin with the 2018 duets album Love Is Here to Stay. Krall popped up on two prior duets albums from Bennett and the pair toured at the dawn of the 2000s, but Love Is Here to Stay marks their first full record together, and it's an elegant affair.

Conceived as a tribute to George Gershwin, the album is filled with familiar tunes, but hints of imagination lurk around the edges, such as the revival of "Fascinating Rhythm," the tune Bennett recorded for his first single in 1949. Nearly 70 years separate that version of "Fascinating Rhythm" from this 2018 rendition, and while Bennett certainly sounds older his voice is slightly raspy, he can't hit the high notes the way he used to, nor does he sing with quite as much force he still sounds spry and commanding, happily dancing through these cozy melodies, singing with as much rhythm as lyricism. “

Krall responds in kind, trading staccato phrases that are slyly complementary to Bennett's own. In the Bill Charlap Trio, the pair have empathetic support, keeping the proceedings both light and lush, helping to turn this album into a charming testament to endurance endurance of the Gershwin catalog, the collaboration between Krall and Bennett, and, especially, how Tony Bennett can still sound completely committed to songs he's spent decades singing.By Stephen Thomas Erlewine https://www.allmusic.com/album/love-is-here-to-stay-mw0003196487#review“

Tony Bennett and Diana Krall's partnership didn't begin with the 2018 duets album Love Is Here to Stay. Krall popped up on two prior duets albums from Bennett and the pair toured at the dawn of the 2000s, but Love Is Here to Stay marks their first full record together, and it's an elegant affair.“

Personnel: Tony Bennett – vocals (tracks 1, 2, 4–12); Diana Krall – vocals (tracks 1–11); arrangement (track 3).

The Bill Charlap Trio: Bill Charlap – piano, arrangement (all tracks); Peter Washington – bass (tracks 1, 2, 4–12); Kenny Washington – drums (tracks 1, 2, 4–12)“

Love Is Here To Stay (With The Bill Charlap Trio)

---

Karen Souza - Language of Love

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2020
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 39:31
Size: 91,5 MB
Art: Front

(3:57) 1. This Masquerade
(2:50) 2. Everybody Knows
(3:36) 3. Love Is Not Fair
(3:57) 4. Language of Love
(4:28) 5. Less Is More
(3:39) 6. Someone Brought Me Wine
(3:33) 7. There You Are (Second Chance)
(3:43) 8. Rhythm and Blues
(2:58) 9. It's Gonna Happen Tonight
(2:42) 10. It Will All Work Out
(4:04) 11. Autumn Leaves / Dance Me to the End of Love

Latin American jazz singer Karen Souza, who has performed and recorded under the pseudonyms Pacha Ibiza, FTV (FashionTV), and Privé, is best known for her work on the popular jazz and '80s series, which featured sultry, jazz-infused covers of '8os hits like "Do You Really Want to Hurt Me" (Culture Club) and "Personal Jesus" (Depeche Mode). Souza also contributed to '70s and '90s versions of the series as well.By James Christopher Monger https://www.allmusic.com/artist/karen-souza-mn0000917461/biography

Language Of Love

---