Amina Claudine Myers - Sama Rou

Size: 142,2 MB
Time: 61:18
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2016
Styles: Jazz/Gospel
Art: Front

01. Steal Away/Athan (Call To Prayer)/Fatiha (Sura Prayer) ( 7:55)
02. Down On Me ( 3:51)
03. Intro (Crossings, Pt. I, II & III) (19:33)
04. Ain't Nobody Ever Gonna Hear Us ( 5:48)
05. Nobody Knows 'de Trouble I See ( 5:19)
06. My Soul's Been Anchored By The Lord ( 3:53)
07. Sometimes I Feel Like A Motherless Child ( 5:05)
08. Go Down Moses ( 5:56)
09. Thank You ( 3:55)

Personnel: Amina Claudine Myers: piano and voice; Rene McLean: recitation.

Sama Rou

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Larry Coryell - I'll Be Over You

Styles: Jazz Fusion
Year: 1994
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 52:04
Size: 120,7 MB
Art: Front

(4:57) 1. I'll Be Over You
(4:22) 2. Redwing
(4:43) 3. Tonight Is the Night
(3:06) 4. Try a Little Tenderness
(5:17) 5. St. Louis Blues
(5:14) 6. For the Love of You
(4:50) 7. Nightshade
(4:34) 8. This Love of Ours
(4:49) 9. Before Dawn
(4:28) 10. Cumulus
(5:39) 11. Better Get Hit in Yo' Soul

As one of the pioneers of jazz-rock perhaps the pioneer in the ears of some Larry Coryell deserves a special place in the history books. He brought what amounted to a nearly alien sensibility to jazz electric guitar playing in the 1960s, a hard-edged, cutting tone, and phrasing and note-bending that owed as much to blues, rock, and even country as it did to earlier, smoother bop influences. Yet as a true eclectic, armed with a brilliant technique, he remained comfortable in almost every style, covering almost every base from the most decibel-heavy, distortion-laden electric work to the most delicate, soothing, intricate lines on acoustic guitar. Unfortunately, a lot of his most crucial electric work from the '60s and '70s went missing in the digital age, tied up by the erratic reissue schemes of Vanguard, RCA, and other labels, and by jazz-rock's myopically low level of status in certain quarters.

According to Coryell, his interest in jazz took hold at the age of four, and after his family moved from Galveston to the state of Washington three years later, he began to learn the guitar, studying records by Tal Farlow, Barney Kessel, and Johnny Smith. As a teenager, he played in a band led by pianist Mike Mandel, and by 1965 he gave up his journalism studies at the University of Washington in order to try his luck in New York as a musician. Before the year was out, he attracted much attention jamming in Greenwich Village and replaced Gabor Szabo in Chico Hamilton's band. In 1966, he made a startling recorded debut on Hamilton's The Dealer album, where his blues and rock ideas came to the fore, and that year he also played with a proto-jazz-rock band, the Free Spirits. Coryell's name spread even further in 1967-1968 when he played with Gary Burton's combo, and he was one of the most prominent solo voices on Herbie Mann's popular Memphis Underground album (recorded in 1968). He, Mandel, and Steve Marcus formed a group called Foreplay in 1969 (no relation to the later Fourplay), and by 1973 this became the core of the jazz-rock band Eleventh House, which after a promising start ran aground with a string of albums of variable quality.

In 1975, Coryell pulled the plug, concentrating on acoustic guitar and turning in a prolific series of duo and trio sessions with the likes of Philip Catherine, Emily Remler, John Scofield, Joe Beck, Steve Khan, and John McLaughlin. In the mid-'80s, Coryell toured with McLaughlin and Paco de Lucía, and in 1986 participated in a five-way guitar session with his old idol Farlow, Scofield, Larry Carlton, and John Abercrombie for the Jazzvisions series. Coryell also recorded with Stéphane Grappelli, Charles Mingus, Sonny Rollins, and Kenny Barron, and taped Brazilian music with Dori Caymmi for CTI, mainstream jazz for Muse, solo guitar for Shanachie and Acoustic Music, and (for Nippon Phonogram in Japan) an album of classical transcriptions of music by Stravinsky and Rimsky-Korsakov.

Coryell's career in the early 21st century was just as active. The year 2004 saw the release of Tricycles, an excellent trio date with drummer Paul Wertico and bassist Mark Egan. Electric from 2005 found Coryell playing jazz standards and rock anthems with Lenny White on drums and Victor Bailey on electric bass. In 2006 he released the performance album Laid Back & Blues: Live at the Sky Church in Seattle, followed two years later by Impressions: The New York Sessions on Chesky. In 2011 the guitarist joined a group of musicians closely associated with the Bay Area's Wide Hive label for Larry Coryell with the Wide Hive Players. He then returned in 2013 with The Lift, featuring organist Chester Thompson. Two years later, he delivered his third album for Wide Hive, Heavy Feel. In January 2017, Coryell announced he had reunited members of his '70s fusion group Eleventh House, including trumpeter Randy Brecker, for the album Seven Secrets. The album was slated to arrive in early June of that year, with a number of U.S. summer tour dates confirmed in support of the release. However, following a pair of weekend shows at New York City's Iridium club, Coryell died of heart failure in his hotel room on February 19, 2017. He was 73 years old. https://www.allmusic.com/artist/larry-coryell-mn0000124784/biography

Personnel: Larry Coryell - acoustic, electric, 12-string electric & Flamenco guitars; Sharon Bryant - background vocals; David Charles - percussion; Chris Parks - keyboards, programming; Carmen Cuesta - background vocals; Zach Danziger - drums; Mark Herman - keyboards, programming; Mark Sherman - vibraphone, keyboards, percussion, programming; Dan Heymann - piano; Rick Bottari - keyboards; Tracy Wormwood - bass; Steve Ferrone - drums; Chuck Loeb - guitar, electric guitar; Will Lee - bass; Grover Washington, Jr.- soprano saxophone, tenor saxophone; Peabo Bryson - vocals; Donald Harrison - vocals, soprano & tenor saxophones; Lani Groves - background vocals; Vaneese Thomas - background vocals

I'll Be Over You

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Carmen Bradford - With Respect

Styles: Jazz, Vocal
Year: 1995
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 53:15
Size: 122,3 MB
Art: Front

(4:52)  1. Even Steven
(4:08)  2. You'll Have To Swing It (Mr. Paganini)
(4:58)  3. Look Who's Mine
(5:10)  4. High Wire
(4:47)  5. Finally
(3:52)  6. Maybe Now
(4:12)  7. Little Esther
(4:43)  8. Ain't No Use
(4:43)  9. Was I In Love Alone
(5:53) 10. He comes to Me for Comfort
(5:53) 11. Nature Boy

Carmen Bradford is a belter, a singer not afraid to show off her emotions or to occasionally go over the top. She toured with Count Basie's Orchestra for nine years but somehow never achieved much fame, only recording on a very irregular basis as a singer despite her strong musicality and powerful pipes. This set is a fine all-around showcase, featuring her with a variety of small groups including ensembles with either Cedar Walton or Donald Brown on piano. Among the other prominent players are vibraphonist Steve Nelson, guitarist Dori Caymmi, saxophonist Charles Owens, and (on a closing duet version of "Nature Boy") guitarist Michael O'Neill. Although it probably was not the best idea to perform "You'll Have to Swing It (Mr. Paganini)" (since Ella owns it), Bradford sounds particularly strong on the more recent and obscure material, including Chick Corea's "High Wire," Cedar Walton's "Even Steven," and Red Mitchell's "Finally." Since she has not recorded all that often since this period, With Respect is still Carmen Bradford's definitive recording. By Scott Yanow http://www.allmusic.com/album/with-respect-mw0000174309

Personnel:  Vocals – Carmen Bradford;  Bass – James Leary, Robert Hurst;  Drums – Ralph Penland;  Flute, Saxophone – Charles Owens;  Guitar – Dori Caymmi , Michael O'Neill, Wali Ali;  Percussion – Bill Summers;  Piano – Cedar Walton, Donald Brown;  Vibraphone – Steve Nelson

With Respect

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Erroll Garner - Columbia Jazz (1950-1957)

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1996
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 53:07
Size: 124,0 MB
Art: Front

(3:10)  1. Lover
(3:16)  2. It's The Talk Of The Town
(3:43)  3. When You're Smiling (The Whole World Smiles With You)
(2:43)  4. Laura
(3:15)  5. Dancing In the Dark
(3:23)  6. How High the Moon
(2:50)  7. Easy to Love
(5:25)  8. Moonglow
(3:13)  9. Lullaby of Birdland
(3:06) 10. Poor Butterfly
(4:26) 11. If I Had You
(4:14) 12. My Heart Stood Still
(3:51) 13. Love for Sale
(3:03) 14. Dreamy
(3:22) 15. St. Louis Blues

One of the most distinctive of all pianists, Erroll Garner proved that it was possible to be a sophisticated player without knowing how to read music, that a creative jazz musician can be very popular without watering down his music, and that it is possible to remain an enthusiastic player without changing one's style once it is formed. A brilliant virtuoso who sounded unlike anyone else, on medium tempo pieces, Erroll Garner often stated the beat with his left hand like a rhythm guitar while his right played chords slightly behind the beat, creating a memorable effect. His playful free-form introductions (which forced his sidemen to really listen), his ability to play stunning runs without once glancing at the keyboard, his grunting, and the pure joy that he displayed while performing were also part of the Erroll Garner magic. 

Garner, whose older brother Linton was also a fine pianist, appeared on the radio with the Kan-D-Kids at the age of ten. After working locally in Pittsburgh, he moved to New York in 1944 and worked with Slam Stewart's trio during 1944-1945 before going out on his own. By 1946, Garner had his sound together, and when he backed Charlie Parker on his famous Cool Blues session of 1947, the pianist was already an obvious giant. His unclassifiable style had an orchestral approach straight from the swing era but was open to the innovations of bop. From the early '50s on, Garner's accessible style became very popular and he never seemed to have an off day up until his forced retirement (due to illness) in early 1975. His composition "Misty" became a standard. Garner, who had the ability to sit at the piano without prior planning and record three albums in one day (all colorful first takes), made many records throughout his career for such companies as Savoy, Mercury, RCA, Dial, Columbia, EmArcy, ABC-Paramount, MGM, Reprise, and his own Octave label.By Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/artist/erroll-garner-mn0000206967/biography

Columbia Jazz (1950-1057)

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Greta Matassa - Got A Song That I Sing

Styles: Vocal
Year: 1991
Time: 46:43
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Size: 107,2 MB
Art: Front

(5:14) 1. Fascinating Rhythm
(5:10) 2. Azure Blue
(5:50) 3. A Sinner Kissed A Polkadot
(3:14) 4. Broadway Rhythm
(3:57) 5. Zing Went the Strings of My Heart
(6:01) 6. The Lady is a Tramp
(3:22) 7. Optimistic Voices
(5:27) 8. A Woman Alone With the Blues
(4:10) 9. Fix His Wagon Blues
(4:13) 10. Fine and Dandy

In the Pacific Northwest, where she built her career, Greta Matassa wins wide acclaim; 7 times, the readers of Earshot, the Seattle jazz magazine, have voted her the best jazz vocalist in the Northwest. She was inducted into the Seattle Jazz Hall of Fame in 2014. Jim Wilke, the Seattle jazz maven and host of the syndicated "Jazz After Hours" radio program, praises her versatility. "She has a fearlessness in approaching material,” Wilke says, "that makes her like an instrumentalist in a jam session.” Bassist and producer John Clayton says “One of the best jazz singers we have to boast about these days.”

Her 40 year career has been a whirlwind of exciting opportunities and experiences. Over the last 20 years she became established as one of the greatest jazz singers of her time. Working with top jazz musicians in Los Angeles, Chicago and New York. In 2016 She was featured with bassist John Clayton’s group in a centennial tribute to Ella Fitzgerald. She has recorded 11 CD’S and travels extensively teaching and performing.

Her decision to start teaching was probably her greatest contribution to the future of the genre she loves so much. For the last 20 years Greta has become one of the most unique and respected educators in the field today. Offering individual lessons and mentorships as well as establishing loyal student bases from Seattle to Japan, From Alaska to Kauai, from Chicago to New York.

Matassa's fascination with songs began early. Her family moved frequently when she was small, but by the time she entered middle school, they had settled on Bainbridge Island in Puget Sound, opposite Seattle. This is what she said about her childhood:
"Growing up, my parents were big jazz fans and we had a lot of jazz music around the house. They were happy to encourage my interest in music. My father is a visual artist, and we used to spend hours talking about abstract expressionism and how that related to jazz.”

Although she took only a few voice lessons, she found more to be gained from directly working with the recordings of classic jazz singers from Ella to Ray Charles. “My method for learning to sing was quite simple and straight-forward, I sang along with the great jazz singers I loved so much and let them teach me everything I could learn ! I still do this every day.”

Greta began singing professionally while still in high school and as more opportunities developed, she quit school to go on the road. All through the 1980’s Greta sang in a wide variety of musical groups. From top-40 dance bands to an all original heavy metal group, she continued to explore her instrument. She was soon a featured guest artist on a cavalcade of Seattle area jazz musicians groups. At the same time she became, through her extreme versatility, a wildly successful session singer, doing voice-over for many of the areas most recognizable radio and television jingles.

She became even more diverse when in 1989 the Pacific Northwest Ballet asked Matassa to step in for Ernestine Anderson in a program based on the music of Kurt Weill. The show, in the Seattle Opera House, gave her wider exposure.

"The Weill show ran every two years for about ten years. It put me into the legit field and, eventually, led to Spectrum Dance Theater, which then got a grant and asked me to do a program with them. We debuted it in 1998. It was called ‘Voices of Jazz Danced,' a tribute to fifteen classic jazz singers.

Greta married and had two daughters in the early 90’s. She also released the first of her 11 records to date. Throughout the next decade Greta experimented with assembling a permanent group. After various combinations of some the northwests greatest jazz musicians she finally established her Quartet featuring Darin Clendenin piano, Clipper Anderson (whom she later married after divorce) and Mark Ivester drums. Later adding the amazing Saxophonist Alexey Nikolaev.

Now began a relationship with one of the top jazz clubs in the country. Tula’s restaurant and jazz club in the Belltown area of Seattle became a mainstay in the jazz scene. Greta was, and continues to be featured monthly.

For the next 20 years she began touring the US and abroad, establishing teaching bases and performing at jazz clubs, concerts and festivals.

Although it has been asked why she is not more internationally famous, She responds that she as made conscious musical choices that do not always guarantee fame and has always been more interested in the integrity of her music.

To that end she has become, over recent years, a member of a group of national and international jazz singers that actively share their resources with each other. Mostly women, these strategically placed singers (NYC, LA, Bay Area, Chicago, Kauai, Japan, Vancouver BC, Portland) help each other to travel, by sharing gigs, students and fan- bases on an entirely new organic level.

With the release of her newest CD “Portrait” on Origin Records, Greta is getting the kind of attention internationally that re-establishes her as one of the greatest living jazz singers. Source: Doug Ramsey https://www.allaboutjazz.com/musicians/greta-matassa/

Got A Song That I Sing

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Anthony Braxton And The Fred Simmons Trio - 9 Standards Quartet Disc 1, Disc 2

Disc 1
Styles: Jazz
Year: 1993
Time: 65:49
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Size: 152,8 MB
Art: Front

(14:00) 1. In Motion
(16:21) 2. Cherokee
(14:18) 3. You Go to My Head
(11:40) 4. On Green Dolphin Street
( 9:29) 5. All the Things You Are

Disc 2
Time: 51:16
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Size: 119,0 MB
Art: Front

(13:34) 1. Mr. P. C.
(13:05) 2. I Remember You
(14:26) 3. What's New
(10:10) 4. Impressions

Anthony Braxton opens this one with a blues on alto. And does he play the blues. Not the neat, buttoned-down, arrogantly self-possessed kind of blues that epitomized jazz in the '90s, but the dirty, lowdown, heavily expressionistic blues that hearkens back to the music's beginning a blues that communicates something more than just an attitude.

It's not slick, it's not pretty, but it's eminently real. This double-disc set, recorded live at Wesleyan University with the quite capable straightahead pianist Fred Simmons' trio, is full of such moments. Braxton shows one and all that he's a jazz musician, first and last if there's any doubt, listen to his incredible work on "Cherokee." Taken at an extremely burning tempo, Braxton tears the heart out of the tune and serves it up on a platter to his doubters. Amazingly, he's managed to find a fresh approach to the old warhorse, one that doesn't ignore its basics.

He makes the changes, he plays time, but not as anyone else ever has. There's not a derivative bone in the body of his improvisation, a solo characterized by great linear invention, and some of the most unusual articulations ever played by a saxophonist a tour de force that has to be heard to be believed. Braxton plays this entire live set as if he's got something to prove, and the result is very possibly the most inspired mainstream playing he's ever put on record.By Chris Kelsey
https://www.allmusic.com/album/9-standards-quartet-1993-mw0000004657#review

Personnel: Alto Saxophone [Alto Sax], Sopranino Saxophone [Sopranino Sax], Flute – Anthony Braxton; Bass – Paul Brown ; Drums – Leroy Williams; Piano – Fred Simmons

9 Standards: Quartet, 1993 Disc 1, Disc 2

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Dick Katz - Piano & Pen

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2005
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 38:06
Size: 88,0 MB
Art: Front

(5:14)  1. Timonium
(4:30)  2. Aurora
(4:34)  3. Duologue No. 1
(4:46)  4. Glad To Be Unhappy
(3:22)  5. Round Trip
(6:56)  6. Afternoon In Paris
(4:07)  7. Ain't Misbehavin'
(4:34)  8. Scrapple From The Apple

A versatile pianist and arranger, Dick Katz was responsible for many stimulating and memorable recordings through the years, often as an important sideman and/or producer. He studied at the Peabody Institute, the Manhattan School of Music, and Juilliard, in addition to taking piano lessons from Teddy Wilson. In the 1950s, he picked up important experience as a member of the house rhythm section of the Café Bohemia, with the groups of Ben Webster and Kenny Dorham, the Oscar Pettiford big band, and later with Carmen McRae. Katz was part of the popular J.J. Johnson/Kai Winding Quintet (1954-1955) and Orchestra USA, and participated on Benny Carter's classic Further Definitions album. He freelanced throughout much of his career and was a guiding force behind some of Helen Merrill's finest recordings. Katz, who played with Roy Eldridge and Lee Konitz starting in the late '60s, co-founded Milestone Records in 1966 with Orrin Keepnews. In the 1990s, Dick Katz worked both as a pianist and an arranger with the American Jazz Orchestra and Loren Schoenberg's big band. Unfortunately, he did not recorded all that frequently as a leader, cutting fairly obscure dates for Atlantic (1957 and 1959), Bee Hive (1984), and Reservoir (1992), but the jazz world was well aware of his talents. Dick Katz died in Manhattan in November 2009 at the age of 85.By Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/artist/dick-katz-mn0000821321/biography

Personnel: Piano – Dick Katz; Bass – Joe Benjamin; Drums – Connie Kay; Guitar – Chuck Wayne, Jimmy Raney

Piano Pen

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Dick Katz - Three Way Play

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1993
Time: 62:26
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Size: 144,2 MB
Art: Front

(5:14) 1. Three Little Words
(4:29) 2. Solar
(4:43) 3. You're My Thrill
(5:44) 4. Steepleechase
(4:01) 5. The Little Things That Mean So Much
(5:18) 6. Monk's Dream
(5:20) 7. Limehouse Blues
(3:15) 8. Star Crossed Lovers
(7:17) 9. Blues In My Heart
(5:57) 10. The Night Has A Thousand Eyes
(6:01) 11. Samburan
(5:02) 12. There Is No Greater Love

Dick Katz had a long career in jazz, though a relatively small discography as a leader. These 1992 sessions for Reservoir represent the next to last CD that he made under his own name, with the pianist joined by two veterans, bassist Steve LaSpina and drummer Ben Riley. While Katz has considerable chops, he is not an overly busy pianist on these selections, giving the music plenty of breathing space and room for the input of his sidemen.

His breezy take of Miles Davis' "Solar" is a playful affair, while the trio is in jaunty spirits throughout Charlie Parker's "Steeplechase," an imaginative reworking of "I Got Rhythm." There are also plenty of standards, including an intricate study of "There Is No Greater Love" that swings like mad, while his creative take of the old warhorse "Limehouse Blues"incorporates a bit of Claude Debussy's impressionism.

It's always great when a leader takes the time to put the spotlight on a contemporary's composition that isn't well-known. His adaptation of pianist/vocalist Daryl Sherman's "Samburan" is a sauntering affair that makes it seem like a perfect soundtrack for a detective show. Sadly, Dick Katz only made one more recording for Reservoir prior to his death in 2009, while this outing is easily one of his best. By Ken Dryden https://www.allmusic.com/album/3-way-play-mw0000105352#review

Personnel: Piano – Dick Katz; Bass – Steve LaSpina; Drums – Ben Riley

Three Way Play

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Kellye Gray - And, They Call Us Cowboys

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2013
Time: 42:14
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Size: 96,7 MB
Art: Front

(4:01) 1. Help Me Make It Through The Night
(4:15) 2. In The Ghetto
(4:03) 3. If I Needed You
(4:36) 4. Dang Me
(5:15) 5. Deep In The West
(5:24) 6. Sailing
(4:09) 7. Only The Lonely
(6:47) 8. Always On My Mind
(3:40) 9. Night's Lullaby

Kellye Gray is a modern day jazz singer who has been active in the recording studio and on the road since the early 1990s. She has a voice that is made for jazz and has carved out a nice little career for herself. Now, she has done what many musicians refuse to do and that is taking a chance with her music and career, which she has done on her latest album, And, They Call Us Cowboys.

Up until this point in her career, her music has never embraced her Texas heritage. She has now issued an album of well-known songs written by Texans or songwriters who have a connection to the state. She has covered compositions by such artists such as Kris Kristofferson, Mac Davis, Roger Miller, Christopher Cross, Roy Orbison, Lyle Lovett, and more. She is not shy about tackling signature songs. “Help Me Make It Through The Night,” “In The Ghetto,” “Dang Me,” “Sailing,” “Only The Lonely,” “Always On My Mind,” and “Night’s Lullaby” are all vehicles for her vocal prowess.

While jazz remains the foundation of her approach, she leaves it behind at times and transforms the songs into gospel, bossa nova, boogaloo, and blues. Her approach moves many of the songs out of their accepted norms and, which allows her to add some new textures to these old war horses.

Given her approach, she wisely kept it simple in the recording studio. Sessions were recorded live and most of the songs have no over-dubbing. What she recorded is what you hear. The sound is full but there is spontaneity, which serves her well.

And, They Call Us Cowboys is an interesting album propelled by Gray’s world-class pipes. If you are a vocal jazz aficionado but are in the mood for something a little different, then this may be a release for you.https://cashboxmusicreviews.wordpress.com/2013/10/04/and-they-call-us-cowboys-cd-by-kellye-gray/

Personnel: Kellye Gray (vocals), Jake Langley (guitar), Pamela York (keys), Kevin Lovejoy (keys), Chris Maresh (bass), Kyle Thompson (drums), John Mills (horns), Red Young (organ), Chris Lovejoy (percussion)

And, They Call Us Cowboys

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Jessica Lalonde - Spinning Daydreams

Styles: Vocal

Year: 2009
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 44:43
Size: 102,8 MB
Art: Front

(2:46)  1. Taking A Chance On Love
(3:58)  2. Imagine That
(4:34)  3. Until The Real Thing Comes Along
(4:05)  4. Isn't It Romantic
(3:42)  5. On A Slow Boat To China
(5:48)  6. It Might As Well Be Spring
(4:01)  7. Begin The Beguine
(4:21)  8. Whispering Grass
(4:09)  9. I'll Be Seeing You
(2:46) 10. Not A Care In The World
(4:26) 11. You Belong To Me

Jessica Lalonde has gone from singing since early childhood in local music festivals to making her dreams of a music career come true. With such a distinct voice, genuine natural talent and undeniable beauty, she is almost surprisingly down to earth for someone with such abilities. Leading up to the launch of her upcoming debut CD of jazz covers, she has been on a unique musical journey, making her an exceptional and already accomplished artist, who is very hard to label. A native of Midland, Ontario, Lalonde has spent her life following her passion for music, which has often led her in many different directions. She grew up with parents that listened to classic rock, yet she gravitated more towards her grandparent’s taste in music for the big band era. Soon Lalonde discovered Billie Holiday which was a very pivotal moment for her. “I literally became obsessed with her and then my musical voyage went from there,” she says. “Billie was a major influence for sheer emotional power for me.” She then also immersed herself in the music of other dynamic female artists such as Ella Fitzgerald, Jo Stafford, Helen Forrest and Nina Simone; and developed a love for opera and classical music along the way. “First and foremost, I just realized that I loved to sing,” she reflects. “Taking in a variety of genres and influences to this day keeps everything fresh for me.” While in high school an invitation from her music teacher to come do a song with the acclaimed Music Maker’s Big Band that he was part of, turned into much more than that, after the 15 year old Lalonde blew away the other skeptical band members to earn herself the permanent vocalist position. Performing with an actual big band was such a thrill and motivated her further into pursuing a life of music. 

Over the years, Lalonde has been a featured soloist at various charity venues, galas and choral concerts. She was part of the world première broadcast of Craig Galbraith’s The Spell of the Rose on CBC Radio Two’s “New Hours” and in 2006, she was the winner of the Laurier Concerto Competition, the Stratford Civic Orchestra’s Concerto Competition and the recipient of the Keith Knights Memorial Award for Performance at Laurier.Lalonde completed her Bachelor of Music in Voice Performance and attained her Opera Diploma at Wilfrid Laurier University where she studied under the direction of mezzo-soprano, Kimberly Barber. In the summer of 2007, she even traveled to Italy and participated in the renowned Centro Studi Lirica opera programme, under the direction of Joan Patenaude-Yarnell. While at Laurier, she held the title role in Puccini’s Suor Angelica and performed La Princesse in Ravel’s L’enfant et les sortilèges, Lady Billows in Albert Herring and Sarah Good in The Crucible.“It occurred to me that by studying opera I could learn to sing better and develop a fuller vocal range,” comments Lalonde. “As well, I was always drawn to artists and songs that really told stories and the world of opera is built around understanding the roles you play and stories you tell. This has definitely made me a stronger performer and more emotionally in touch with the songs I am singing.” While at Laurier, she had the opportunity to create the role of ‘Rebecca Reid’ in the première of a new Canadian opera, To Daniel, by Glenn James. “The experience was so collaborative,” Lalonde enthuses. 

“To actually be able to help develop the character was incredibly liberating. It made me want to have more creative input in what I was doing and brought me back to the jazz and crooner style of music that I always seemed to relate to the most.” In late 2007, when Lalonde made the decision to move to Toronto, she re-connected with life long family friend Rob Brooks and suddenly everything just fell into place. Brooks with over 36 years of music business experience, including 30 with international music giant EMI, was quick to sign her to his company, Bloo&Wite management. Soon after he arranged for her to meet with Bill King, one of Canada’s most respected jazz musicians. The two immediately hit it off and plans to record an album of jazz styled songs with a nostalgic feel began. “Bill King has really created a flourishing environment for many young artists to find their direction and their voice,” says Lalonde. “I feel so privileged to be developing a project I’m so passionate about with people that share a similar vision and know how to make it all happen.” This extends to the musicians that she got to work with on this album, which not only includes King (who is arranging and producing the album), but also some of Canada’s other most sought after players such as: Kevin Breit (Norah Jones, kd lang, Cassandra Wilson), Davide DiRenzo (Jacksoul, Sophie Milman, Tomi Swick), Duncan Hopkins (Diana Krall, Mark Murphy, Rob McConnell and the Boss Brass) and Ann Lindsay (Blue Rodeo, Dionne Warwick, The Chieftans). Never did Lalonde expect her first proper studio and album recording experience to involve such established artists. “It was surreal,” she admits.

The album, currently scheduled for release late summer 2008, is all covers and includes such engaging classics as “Slow Boat To China,” “You Belong To Me,” and “It Might As Well Be Spring.” The approach to deciding the material comes back to great stories again for Lalonde. “These songs take you somewhere. They connect you with such universal themes and emotions of young love and longing for those who aren’t near,” she remarks. “These are stories that take you back to another time, but still very much resonate with the world we live in today.” The chance to take these songs and bring her ‘own flavour’ to them, with the help of her new creative/musical team, has been extremely inspiring. It is especially fitting for her to cover the Stafford classic “You Belong To Me” and make it her own, as Lalonde often garners similar accolades to the beloved American pop singer. She too is often admired for the purity of her voice and for being such a versatile vocalist, the way that Stafford was in her day. The studio experience itself has been an exciting new adventure for Lalonde. “It blew my mind!” she raves. “Being in the studio provides such freedom. To be able to approach things in a gentle and creative manner so that you can fully develop your own feel to a song and story is so powerful to an artist. I’m used to performing live where you’ve got only one shot to get it right.” Although now a fan of the studio, she ultimately can’t wait to take these songs on the road, as the stage is the home she knows and loves best.Lalonde is not one to just rest on her inherent talent. Her deep-rooted love and passion for music motivates her to constantly become better at her craft. Even with the launch of her debut CD still forthcoming, those that know her already can’t wait to see and hear what she will do next. Bio http://music.cbc.ca/#!/artists/Jessica-Lalonde

Spinning Daydreams

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Randy Brecker - Toe to Toe

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 1990
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 43:42
Size: 101,3 MB
Art: Front

(5:40)  1. Mr. Skinny
(5:13)  2. Trading Secrets
(4:55)  3. It Creeps Up on You
(6:07)  4. The Glider
(4:55)  5. Toe To Toe
(5:52)  6. It's Up to You
(4:42)  7. What Is The Answer
(6:14)  8. Lost 4 Words

Jazz trumpeter and composer Randy Brecker has helped shape the sound of jazz, R&B and rock for more than four decades. His trumpet and flugelhorn performances have graced hundreds of albums by a wide range of artists from James Taylor, Bruce Springsteen and Parliament/Funkadelic to Frank Sinatra, Steely Dan, Jaco Pastorius and Frank Zappa. Born in 1945 in Philadelphia to a musical family, Randy’s musical talent was nurtured from an early age. He attended Indiana University from 1963-66 studying with Bill Adam, David Baker and Jerry Coker and later moved to New York where he landed gigs with such prominent bands as Clark Terry’s Big Bad Band, the Duke Pearson Big Band and the Thad Jones Mel Lewis Jazz Orchestra. In 1967, Randy ventured into jazz-rock with the band Blood, Sweat and Tears, but left to join the Horace Silver Quintet. He recorded his first solo album, ‘Score’, in 1968, featuring a young, then unknown 19 year-old tenor saxophonist named Michael Brecker. After Horace Silver, Randy joined Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers before teaming up with brother Michael, Barry Rogers, Billy Cobham, and John Abercrombie to form the seminal fusion group ‘Dreams’. The group recorded two adventurous and wildly acclaimed albums: ‘Dreams’ and ‘Imagine My Surprise’now collector’s items for Columbia Records before they disbanded in 1971. In the early 1970s, Randy performed live with many prominent artists including Larry Coryell’s Eleventh House, Stevie Wonder and Billy Cobham. He also recorded several classic albums with his brother under the leadership of the great pianist/composer Hal Galper. By 1975, Randy and Michael were ready to front their own group, the Brecker Brothers Band.  A band of immeasurable impact and influence, they released six albums on Arista and garnered seven Grammy nominations between 1975 and 1981. 

Their eponymous first record, which Randy wrote, arranged and produced, featured his now classic composition “Some Skunk Funk.”In 1992, exactly ten years after they parted ways to pursue solo careers, Randy and Michael reunited for a world tour and the triple-Grammy nominated GRP recording, ‘The Return of the Brecker Brothers’. The follow-up, 1994’s ‘Out of the Loop,’ was a double-Grammy winner.In 1997, ‘Into the Sun’ (Concord), a recording featuring Randy’s impressions of Brazil, garnered Randy his first Grammy as a solo artist.In 2001, Randy released ‘Hangin’ in the City’ (ESC), a solo project which introduced his alter-ego Randroid, a skirt chasing, cab driving ne’er do well, with lyrics and vocals by Randroid himself. This CD was especially well received in Europe, where Randy toured extensively with his own line-up.Randy’s next CD for ESC Records, ’34th n’ Lex,’ won him his third Grammy for ‘Best Contemporary Jazz Album’ in 2003. In May of that year he toured Europe with his Quintet in support of the CD, and in the summer went back to Europe yet again with the Randy Brecker/ Bill Evans Soulbop Band. The summer of 2003 culminated in the special headline appearance in Japan at the Mt. Fuji Jazz Festival of the reunited Brecker Brothers.2004 saw Randy touring Europe extensively as co-leader (with Bill Evans) of the band Soulbop. The WDR Big Band also celebrated Randy and his music that year in a performance at the Leverkusen Jazz Fest. The date was of special significance to Randy as it was the last time he played with his brother, who took ill shortly thereafter with a rare form of leukemia known as MDS. In 2005, with Mike unable to travel to Russia for Brecker Brothers gigs booked there, Randy’s wife Ada sat in for the first time.  Randy’s active schedule continued apace with the Randy Brecker Band performing throughout Eastern Europe and across the globe. In 2007, Randy was awarded his fourth Grammy for “Randy Brecker Live with the WDR Big Band” (Telarc/BHM), the live recording (also available in DVD format) of his performance with Michael at the Leverkusen Jazz Fest in 2004. 

Tragically, Michael passed away that same year on Jan 13th. 2007 also saw the release of a 2 CD set of live recordings of the band ‘Soulbop’ (BHM) featuring Dave Kikoski, Victor Bailey, Steve Smith or Rodney Holmes and the late great Hiram Bullock. Randy returned to his long-time love of Brazilian music in 2008 for the album ‘Randy in Brazil,’ which was recorded in Sao Paulo with a full complement of great Brazilian musicians and released on Summit Records. Chosen one of the top 10 CDs of 2008 by AllAboutJazz.com, the CD won the Grammy for “Best Contemporary Jazz Album,” bringing his Grammy total to five. A “Tribute to the Brecker Brothers” featuring Randy and recorded live at the Hamamatsu Jazz Festival in Japan with Yoichi Murata’s Solid Brass & Big Band was released by JVC Victor in Japan in late 2008. And in 2009, Randy’s roots were celebrated with the release of ‘Jazz Suite Tykocin,’ a project initiated and conceived by the Polish pianist and composer Wlodek Pawlik, featuring Randy as a soloist with members of the Bialystok Philharmonic. Tykocin is the area in Poland where Randy’s ancestors (mother’s maiden name: Tecosky) hail from, a fact that Pawlik discovered while helping to search for a bone marrow donor for Michael. 2011 saw the release of ‘The Jazz Ballad Song Book: Randy Brecker with the Danish Radio Big Band and The Danish National Chamber Orchestra,’ which garnered 4 Grammy nominations and enjoyed enthusiastic critical acclaim.  And in 2012, Sony Legacy recaptured history with the long-awaited boxed set, “The Brecker Brothers – The Complete Arista Albums Collection.” A Brecker Brothers Band Reunion tour of European festivals in the summer of 2013 in support of Randy’s newest project, Randy Brecker’s “Brecker Brothers Band Reunion,” re-introduced the familiar faces of Brecker Brothers Band members from the past and their special brand of music to sell-out crowds. 

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