Oscar Peterson - At Baker’s Keyboard Lounge: The Complete Recordings (Live)

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2026
Time: 138:49
File: MP3 @ 320/s
Size: 133,6 MB
Art: Front

(4:01) 1. Autumn Leaves (Live)
(7:32) 2. Django (Live)
(4:03) 3. Confirmation (Live)
(5:31) 4. Whisper Not (Live)
(2:25) 5. Closing/Billy Boy (Live)
(4:01) 6. The Touch Of Your Lips (Live)
(5:42) 7. Ill Wind (Live)
(9:40) 8. Chicago (Live)
(5:31) 9. I Love You (Live)
(2:49) 10. Closing/Blues For Big Scotia (Live)
(5:19) 11. Dancing On The Ceiling (Live)
(4:06) 12. Politics And Poker (Live)
(4:46) 13. Where Do I Go From Here? (Live)
(4:05) 14. I Didn't Know What Time It Was (Live)
(4:22) 15. Liza (All The Clouds'll Roll Away) (Live)
(5:21) 16. Yesterdays (Live)
(5:18) 17. Softly, As In A Morning Sunrise (Live)
(6:23) 18. S'Posin' (Live)
(6:42) 19. I Remember Clifford (Live)
(6:11) 20. Let There Be Love (Live)
(4:05) 21. Swamp Fire (Live)
(1:09) 22. Closing/Intros/Blues For Big Scotia (Live)
(6:48) 23. Satin Doll (Live)
(4:10) 24. Woody ’N’ You (Live)
(9:47) 25. My Funny Valentine (Live)
(5:25) 26. Scrapple From The Apple (Live)
(3:26) 27. Closing/Intros/Billy Boy/ When The Saints Go Marching In (Live)

Being a native of Detroit, Michigan and a long-time supporter of Baker’s Keyboard Lounge, one of two jazz clubs in the United States that has stayed open consistently for over nine decades, I was eager to hear these historic, lost, live recordings by the brilliant, piano genius, Oscar Peterson.

The trio opens with “Autumn Leaves.” Oscar Peterson’s fingers fly over the keys like the wings of an eagle, fluttering powerfully, moving swiftly, but with grace.

This is folwed by a very classically flavored arrangement of “Django.”a very classically flavored arrangement of “Django.” It soon transitions into a slow swing, propelled by Ed Thigpen’s powerful drums and the rich, walking bass of Ray Brown. With the snap of a finger, Oscar Peterson transforms this arrangement into a bluesy funk tune.

The trio’s rendition of “Confirmation” swings so hard and so fast, it’s like watching Muhammad Ali’s hands at the height of his career. The speed and agility of Peterson and his bandmates challenge my fingers to snap fast enough. With the musical speed of lightning, his hands strike the keys again and again, his fingers race each other up and down the eighty-eight keys.

The song, “Whisper Not,” settles them down to a sexy, semi-slow tempo, but always with a ‘kick.’ This is a simmering ‘swing’ characteristic that Peterson puts into everything he plays. It’s like that special, secret spice grandma used in her seasonings. The one that makes us wish we had the recipe.

Off and running, next comes “Billy Boy” that’s full of joy and humor.

“Ill Wind” is a favorite song of mine. To hear Peterson’s arrangement of this pretty ballad was quite a treat. He takes us on a ride through a European classical music introduction, into a more modern jazz vernacular, then settles down into a shuffle groove that reminds me of the 1940s and Billie Holiday. The dramatic roll of Thigpen’s drums ends this creative arrangement with a bang.

On the familiar “Chicago” tune, I enjoy the Ray Brown bass solo, as well as the infectious drum rhythms that Thigpen instills in the tune. When Peterson double-times the piece over the shuffle drums, I can’t pat my foot fast enough to keep up.

This is an album of historic value and a collector’s dream. Every song is performed with clarity and creativity beyond the average imagination.By Dee Dee McNeil https://www.makingascene.org/oscar-peterson-trio-at-bakers-keyboard-lounge-the-complete-recordings/

Personnel: Oscar Peterson, piano; Ray Brown, bass; Ed Thigpen, drums.

At Baker’s Keyboard Lounge: The Complete Recordings (Live)

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Champian Fulton - House Party

Styles: Vocal, Piano
Year: 2026
Time: 53:29
File: MP3 @ 320
Size: 49,6 MB
Art: Front

( 4:00) 1. The One I Love (Belongs to Somebody Else)
( 6:44) 2. I Cried for You
( 8:47) 3. Stardust
( 9:11) 4. One by One
( 7:54) 5. Get Out of Town
(10:58) 6. Billie's Bounce
( 5:52) 7. Carry Me Back to Old Manhattan

Pianist and vocalist Champian Fulton celebrates her 20th album with House Party, out April 10. Recorded live in March 2025 during an intimate evening at Turtle Bay’s headquarters, the album captures the warmth and spontaneity of a true house concert. Joined by her longtime trio bassist Hide Tanaka and drummer Fukushi Tainaka plus saxophonists Klas Lindquist and Cory Weeds, Fulton delivers a joyful set that embodies her signature swing and charm.
https://www.champian.net/news/2026/4/6/reviews-for-house-party-are-rolling-in

Personnel: Champian Fulton - Piano & Vocals; Hide Tanaka - Bass; Fukushi Tainaka - Drums; Klas Lindquist - Alto Saxophone; Cory Weeds - Tenor Saxophone

House Party

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Dida Pelled - A Missing Shade Of Blue

Size: 131,9 MB
Time: 56:58
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2016
Styles: Jazz: Guitar Jazz, Hammond Organ
Art: Front

01. Sundown (5:35)
02. I Don't Need No Doctor (5:02)
03. When I Grow Too Old To Dream (4:14)
04. Take These Chains Off My Hearth (4:38)
05. Folsom Prison Blues (3:56)
06. It's A Shin To Tell A Lie (3:59)
07. Glide On (4:20)
08. A Little Walk On Jane Street (4:10)
09. A Missing Shade Of Blue (6:05)
10. Blue Moon (4:20)
11. Five Hundred Miles (5:18)
12. Ultramarine (3:22)
13. I'll See You In My Dreams (1:53)

Guitarist and vocalist Dida Pelled previous Red Records release, Dida Pelled: Plays and Sings (Red Records, 2011) was one of my pics for Best-of-the-Year in 2011). That recording was so refreshingly organic that it has remained in my listening rotation since that time. Pelled snuck in a self-produced Modern Love Songs (2015) between Plays and Sings and the present A Missing Shade of Blue. It is as exceptional as the first recording. That said, expectations for A Missing Shade of Blue are necessarily great.

Organic. I like to use the word to describe music made with a minimum of effects and sonic engineering. Music that is like the tomato you picked off the plant in your back yard in the middle of July that is acidy tart and sporting a "realness" that is light years away from what you get at the local Walmart. It is music that is tactically genuine and real. That is the music that Dida Pelled plays. It is robust, with a freshly scrubbed sound that is both basic and advanced. Pelled is not going to dazzle you with technique save for than which is valued for what not is played. She has a Miles Davis-Count Basie bluesy brevity to her playing that makes her music irresistible.

Pelled steps out on A Missing Shade of Blue, moving well beyond the comfort zone of most jazz guitarists. Bravo that she slays the Ashford/Simpson classic "I Don't Need No Doctor" (yes, that one that Humble Pie rode to fame on Performance Rockin' The Fillmore (A&M, 1971)). But that is only the beginning. She plays a plaintive slide guitar on "Take These Chains from My Heart" and "500 Miles." This is grandly cast music, even in a jazz organ trio made up of Pelled, organist Luke Carlos O'Realy and drummer Rodney Green. This is not the 21st Century anemic attempt to capture the greasy funk of 1960's organ jazz. No, this is Pelled claiming a stake while coloring in the lines better than Wes Montgomery and Jimmy Smith.

Provocatively, the CD sleeve notes, "Dida Pelled, Guitar," which seemed curious as she both plays and sings on her previous Red Records release. It is a bit of a teaser, but Pelled does sing on the two dream-related cuts, "When I Grow Too Old To Dream" and "I'll See You In My Dreams," both showing off Pelled's remarkably plaintive and stripped down voice, full of scrubbed simplicity and genuine pathos. on "I'll See You In My Dreams," Pelled accompanies herself with her full-voiced finger- picking to a stunning solo effect. Before hearing this, I was unsure she could out-do the over-the-top creativity of her take on Johnny Cash's "Folsom Prison Blues."

Pelled cameos trumpeter Fabio Morgera and flautist Ital Kriss on Morgera's "Ultramarine," the sole bebop piece on the recording that makes a great argument Pelled's bona fides as a grand bop interpreter. As for Kriss, the flute solo on "When I Grow Too Old to Dream" is a masters class in the blues that is spectacular. Pelled is a controlled and specific artist who focuses on the simplicity of her task at hand. She digs deep into the American Southern Vernacular, extracting the blues, gospel, and country notes that swirl together like smoke formed from a fire rising. C. Michael Bailey

Personnel: Dida Pelled: guitar; Luke Carlos O’Realy: Hamnond B3; Rodney Green: drums; Fabio Morgera: trumpet (3, 6. 8, 18); Itai Kriss: flute (3, 6, 12)

A Missing Shade Of Blue mp3

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Ralph Sutton - Ralph Sutton At Cafe Des Copains

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1987
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 54:51
Size: 126,7 MB
Art: Front

(5:13)  1. Laugh Clown Laugh
(4:30)  2. You Can Depend On Me
(3:30)  3. Poor Butterfly
(4:19)  4. Snowy Morning Blues
(4:48)  5. Russian Lullaby
(5:45)  6. Sweet Sue
(5:32)  7. This Is All I Ask
(3:44)  8. Somebody Stole My Gal
(5:43)  9. St. Louis Blues
(3:14) 10. My Blue Heaven
(4:23) 11. Exactly Like You
(4:05) 12. Christopher Columbus

Ralph Sutton is such a consistent pianist that virtually all of his releases are recommended. At the top of his admittedly small field (stride piano has become an almost extinct art form), Sutton always seems to sound inspired no matter how many times he has performed a particular number. This superior solo CD features Sutton live at Toronto's Cafe Des Copains, recorded live for radio during performances in 1983, 1984, 1985 and 1987. The stride pianist's style, which was fully formed by the mid-1950s, did not change during the era, so there is a strong unity to the music (as if it had all been played the same day). Highlights include "Laugh Clown Laugh," "You Can Depend On Me," "Somebody Stole My Gal" and "Christopher Columbus." ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/at-cafe-des-copains-mw0000873850

Ralph Sutton At Cafe Des Copains

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The Jonah Jones Quartet - Swingin' Round The World/Jumpin' With A Shuffle

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s

Time: 51:49

Size: 118.6 MB

Styles: Swing, Trumpet jazz

Year: 2014

Art: Front

[1:57] 1. Arrivederci Roma

[1:54] 2. Swingin' 'round The World

[2:28] 3. South Of The Border

[1:59] 4. A Foggy Day

[2:11] 5. April In Paris

[1:53] 6. Brazil

[2:00] 7. Madrid

[1:57] 8. Chicago

[2:23] 9. Manhattan

[2:09] 10. Song Of The Islands

[2:04] 11. Isle Of Capri

[1:47] 12. Shamghai

[2:12] 13. Dream

[2:07] 14. You're Driving Me Crazy

[2:06] 15. Lazy River

[2:19] 16. More Than You Know

[2:10] 17. Nine Twenty Special

[2:13] 18. Entratter's Blues

[2:14] 19. Misty

[1:53] 20. The Great Lie

[2:31] 21. On The Sunny Side Of The Street

[2:24] 22. One For My Baby

[2:10] 23. The Lonesome Road

[2:36] 24. My Monday Date

Jonah Jones, trumpet & vocal on #3,9,15 & 21; Teddy Brannon, piano; John Brown, bass; George 'Pops' Foster, drums. Recorded in New York City, 1958 (#1,4-7 & 9-10), 1959 (#2,3,8,11 & 12); and Las Vegas 1960 (#13-24).

"I'm going to find this album very difficult to remove from my CD player! From the moment Jonah's big buttery sound filled the room I was hooked."

Warm toned and with a lively vibrato Jonah's swinging playing would suit fans of Harry 'Sweets' Edison and Buck Clayton to a tee. Seemingly simple big swinging phrases and fiery dextrous soloing, both open and in a range of very enviable mutes, show just what a star of the trumpet Jonah Jones really is.

This CD features two albums, Swingin 'Round the World and Jumpin with a Shuffle, a total of 24 delicious well-known standard tracks recorded in 1958 and 1960. Although both CDs feature just a trio with Jonah on trumpet and occasional husky-toned vocal, the accompanying trio are toe-tappingly light, swinging and tasteful, with the feel veering more towards jump jive... dare I say 'rock and roll' on tracks 13-24. Each track is no more than two and a half minutes long but this provides ample time for Jonah's infectiously joyful trumpet playing to become something you want to listen to time and again. I'd like the other six CD's now please!" ~Georgina Jackson

Swingin' Round The World/Jumpin' With A Shuffle

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Nancy Harrow - Winter Dreams: The Life and Passions of F. Scott Fitzgerald

Styles: Jazz Pop
Year: 2003
Time: 39:49
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Size: 92,2 MB
Art: Front

(2:59) 1. This Side of Paradise
(2:33) 2. You'll Never Get to East Egg
(4:13) 3. Winter Dreams
(1:59) 4. The Extra Mile
(2:38) 5. Oh God, I'm Sophisticated
(3:06) 6. Dear Max
(2:42) 7. My Swan
(3:42) 8. Beloved Infidel
(3:53) 9. Until It Comes Up Love
(3:43) 10. My Lost City
(4:25) 11. The Old Pro
(3:52) 12. Winter Dreams

WINTER DREAMS 'Harrow's writing has wit and sophistication... The songs on Winter Dreams deal with love and loss, ambition and status, lost dreams and the span of time. Poetic and moving, it's an unexpected gem.' ?Alan Lankin, Jazzmatazz ?'Harrow investigates the hopes, dreams, excitement, excesses and sadness of the great writer and the era in which he lived. The resulting work is wonderful. This completely original musical adventure is a hip and adventurous journey investigating the nooks and crannies of Fitzgerald's tumultuous life... Winter Dreams is enjoyable from start to finish with some particularly outstanding songs. 'This Side of Paradise' is a terrific, upbeat song in which Tate swings out hip lyrics...

The starry-eyed optimism of the opener is contrasted with the epic sadness of the title song and the ennui of 'My Lost City'... Harrow creates an engaging song cycle that reaches beyond the vistas of the life and times of F. Scott Fitzgerald by tapping into the emotions behind the story. Winter Dreams is a tremendous recording.' ?Michael Dominici, Whereyat ? ?'Like Nina Simone, Nancy Harrow has never known the meaning of the word compromise. She has spent four decades fighting the dragons of pop puerility. Her reward? Perhaps one percent of the recognition she truly deserves.

Harrow's latest, Winter Dreams: The Life and Passions of F. Scott Fitzgerald (Artists House), has about as much chance for widespread appeal as caviar blintzes at McDonald's. The wise minority with the wisdom to recognize the clarity of Harrow's vision will, however, be richly rewarded. The album's 12 tracks, all written by Harrow, are less a musical biography than a gallery of hand-tinted X-rays that lay bare the hopes, dreams, fears and self-loathing of Fitzgerald's checkered life. Grady Tate, surely the finest jazz baritone since Billy Eckstine, is cast as F. Scott, with Harrow playing an assortment of supporting roles, including Zelda, Sheila Graham and Daisy Buchanan.

These dozen snapshots capture a bracingly broad spectrum of emotions, extending from the youthful idealism of 'This Side of Paradise' (I'm young /I'm smart/I'm making cash from art') and naked ambition of 'You'll Never Get to East Egg' to the money-hungry tap dance of 'Dear Max' and the haunting desolation of the title track. A stunning achievement, Harrow's jazz-tinged salute to the most iconic of all Jazz Age figures is made all the more admirable by her commitment to donate all proceeds to the not-for-profit Artists House, supporting her unflagging commitment to 'rescue the recording business from egregious commercialism.'?Christopher Loudon, JazzTimes? News item: This album has now become the nucleus of an off-Broadway musical called This Side of Paradise, about the lives of Zelda and F. Scott Fitzgerald. By Editorial Reviews https://www.amazon.com/LIFE-PASSIONS-F-SCOTT-FITZGERALD/dp/B000086ET0

Personnel and Credits
Vocals: Nancy Harrow, Grady Tate (cast as F. Scott Fitzgerald), and Daryl Sherman (voice of the housekeeper).
Piano/Arranger: [Roland Hanna].
Bass: [Paul West] or [Rufus Reid] (sources differ).
Drums: [Akira Tana].
Guitar: [Jack Wilkins].
Saxophone/Flute: [Frank Wess] and [Bill Easley].
Trumpet: [Michael Mossman].
Trombone: [John Mosca].

Winter Dreams: The Life and Passions of F. Scott Fitzgerald

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Jonah Jones - Confessin'

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 2008
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 46:50
Size: 107,7 MB
Art: Front

( 5:39) 1. Love Is Just Around The Corner
( 4:46) 2. Confessin'
( 7:09) 3. Saint Louis Blues
(16:49) 4. Ellington Medley Don't Get Around Much Anymore I Let A Song Go Out Of
( 4:05) 5. The Sheik Of Araby
( 3:37) 6. Birth Of The Blues
( 4:43) 7. Confessin' (Take 2)

Born in Louisville, Kentucky in 1909, trumpet player Jonah Jones turned professional at the age of 17. After working in many bands, he formed his own quartet, the Jonah Jones Quartet, in 1955. He made a string of successful albums with Capitol in the late fifties. After that he rarely recorded again, but continued playing until his death in 2000.

Confessin'

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Earl Hines, Jonah Jones - Back on the Street

Styles: Piano And Trumpet Jazz
Year: 1972
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 60:03
Size: 138,7 MB
Art: Front

(5:04) 1. I'm in the Market for You
(4:59) 2. Back on the Street
(3:11) 3. You Can Depend on Me
(7:28) 4. A Very Slow Blues
(5:30) 5. Rose Room
(6:25) 6. Sleepy Time Gal
(8:22) 7. Pennies from Heaven
(5:42) 8. Somebody Else Is Taking My Place
(8:05) 9. Bill Bailey, Won't You Please Come Home
(5:11) 10. Wailing With Jonah

By the time trumpeter Jonah Jones teamed up with pianist Earl Hines and tenor-saxophonist Buddy Tate for this straightforward sextet date, Jones had been a star with his quartet for 15 years. On what would be one of Jones's last recording sessions from his prime, this Chiaroscuro reissue CD has a bit of slickness associated with the trumpeter's more commercial dates but also some very good jazz playing. Three previously unrelesed numbers have been added to the original seven-song program and the music falls between Dixieland and swing with an emphasis on familiar standards. A fine effort. ~Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/back-on-the-street-mw0000074124

Personnel: Trumpet – Jonah Jones; Piano – Earl Hines; Bass – John Brown; Clarinet, Tenor Saxophone – Buddy Tate; Drums – Cozy Cole; Guitar – Jerome Darr

Back on the Street

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Bill Evans - At the Montreux Jazz Festival

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1968
File: MP3@256K/s
Time: 58:59
Size: 111,9 MB
Art: Front

(5:22)  1. One for Helen
(6:05)  2. A sleeping bee
(5:14)  3. Mother of earl
(8:24)  4. Nardis
(6:00)  5. I love you porgy
(4:45)  6. The touche of your lips
(6:45)  7. Embraceable you
(6:09)  8. Someday my prince will come
(3:45)  9. Walkin' up
(6:26) 10. Quiet now

Bill Evans' 1968 release, At the Montreux Jazz Festival, marks the beginning of stylistic changes for the legendary pianist. Only one year earlier, his At Town Hall release found his approach generally more introspective and brooding. In contrast, this set is more lively, playful, and experimental. Much of this is down to the active and intense drumming of Jack DeJohnette, who had joined the trio only a short time before this concert was recorded; longtime bandmate Eddie Gomez is also featured on this album. His energetic soloing adds veracity to tunes such as "Embraceable You" and "A Sleeping Bee." DeJohnette, too, is given several opportunities to display his drumming skills. His lengthy solo on "Nardis" displays his technical prowess and four-way coordination; such acumen would later cause jazz fans and critics alike to hail DeJohnette as one of the world's premier jazz drummers. Evans, famous for a soft-spoken pianistic touch, seems driven to new vistas on this album. He experiments more with harmonic dissonance and striking rhythmical contrasts, making this his most extroverted playing since his freshman release, New Jazz Conceptions. ~ Rovi Staff  http://www.allmusic.com/album/at-the-montreux-jazz-festival-mw0000652751

Personnel: Bill Evans (piano); Eddie Gomez (bass); Jack DeJohnette (drums)

At the Montreux Jazz Festival

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Andre Previn & David Finck - We Got It Bad: An Ellington Songbook

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 72:28
Size: 165.9 MB
Styles: Piano jazz
Year: 1999
Art: Front

[5:35] 1. Take The A Train
[4:42] 2. Isfahan
[3:49] 3. I Got It Bad (And That Ain't Good)
[6:09] 4. Do Nothin' Till You Hear From Me
[6:29] 5. Chelsea Bridge
[6:51] 6. Things Ain't What They Used To Be
[5:18] 7. In A Sentimental Mood
[4:37] 8. Squatty Roo
[4:31] 9. Come Sunday
[6:36] 10. Serenade To Sweden
[6:08] 11. I Didn't Know About You
[7:43] 12. In A Mellow Tone
[3:54] 13. It Don't Mean A Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing)

Previn has always been an adept, if not brilliant, pianist whose jazz leanings have belied his classical training. Here he interprets the music of Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn lovingly and as well as any legit jazzster could, with help from the fine bassist David Finck. While this music can easily stand on its own, Previn's technical ability and heartfelt stretching of the original blueprints urge these well-worn tunes to carry new meaning and substance. If there are any stock treatments here, it's because the pianist tends to lay back and let the melodies come to him, as evidenced on the steady-paced "Isfahan," the easy "Serenade to Sweden," and the even easier swung "I Didn't Know About You." Previn wrings every emotional drop out of "In a Sentimental Mood," dismisses a time frame for the pristine "I Got It Bad" and "Come Sunday," while Finck is in late for the pensive "Chelsea Bridge." Melody is more implied with tempos at half and full speed on "It Don't Mean a Thing," Previn uses an off-minor change-up on the good swinger "Things Ain't What They Used to Be," and swaps 4/4 in the bridge for a waltzing 3/4 head and tail on "Take the A Train." Obviously an admirer of Oscar Peterson, Previn takes liberties and risks on the easy swing take of "In a Mellow Tone," trades ripped-up lines with the capable Finck, counter-punching during "Do Nothin' 'Til You Here From Me," and fervently digs into the up-tempo "Squatty Roo." Perhaps Previn's voracity is not well known, or as regarded in the modern jazz world as it should be, but on this recording it's clear how great he can be. This second CD with Finck, the previous being a Gershwin songbook "We Got Rhythm," signifies a step up for the veteran pianist, and is perhaps his shining recorded hour. Recommended. ~Michael G. Nastos

We Got It Bad: An Ellington Songbook

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Ben Wendel - Frame

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2011
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 61:21
Size: 141,5 MB
Art: Front

(5:38)  1. Chorale
(7:25)  2. Clayland
(7:06)  3. Con Alma
(5:05)  4. Backbou
(5:56)  5. Jean and Renata
(8:09)  6. Blocks
(8:20)  7. Frame
(8:08)  8. Leaving
(5:29)  9. Julia

There is a beautiful and mysterious quality to multi-instrumentalist Ben Wendel's Frame. It is as if the hot breath from one of his horns has blown some ancient film away to reveal an iridescent object that begins to oscillate and spin, changing colors and hues, mesmerizing as it spins and swings with uncharacteristic swagger. All this seems both real and unreal as Wendel's singular, hypnotic voice unfurls. The saxophonist inhabits a sound as close to singing through the reed as is humanly possible. In so doing, he has perfected vocalizing in the manner of Nat "King" Cole combined with Ben Webster. Such is the velvet and whispering nature of Wendel's tone and texture. Of course, the colors that emerge from the bell of his horn are another matter. These come from a soulful palette that includes such a myriad of hues that they are difficult to count. His musical canvas is so filled with a riot of colors that a musical carnival ensues. Wendel is also a composer of considerable invention and ingenuity. This album is not called Frame for nothing. For here, the idiom of jazz forms the outer perimeter of the music. The material in the frame is an ever changing painting a moveable feast for the ear, heart and soul. Wendel paints with fey colors; his music has the effect of fluttering gently like a diaphanous water color work that is wet and dripping as it morphs from one legato passage to another. Thus the work here appears to form a suite of songs all with beginnings and middles and ends that are tantalizing and drive into the center of the heart. The music of "Chorale," for instance, is like a shimmering dart aimed at that sweet spot in the soul where every ache is unforgettable. 

Nothing describes that feeling better than Wendel's extraordinarily touching re-imagining of Dizzy Gillespie's classic missive, "Con Alma." The saxophonist/bassoonist is a fine writer of passionate portraits. Two of his finest are "Jean and Renata" and "Julia." The former paints a playful picture of two characters. Their differences are highlighted by Wendel's inner counterpoint, the two musical lines entwined like a DNA molecule that pirouettes magically to describe the two ladies in question. "Julia" is much more circumspect, as if the composer is portraying someone whom he has a deepening respect for. His melodic line here is more somber and upward-looking. The musicians on Frame have a marvelous sympathy for, and understanding of, the overall concept of the album. Thus, they play well within themselves while supporting the thesis that the music must swirl and swoop within the framework of an idiom that is constantly changing. In so doing, they create music that is as elastic as jazz will ever be. ~ Raul D'Gama Rose https://www.allaboutjazz.com/frame-ben-wendel-sunnyside-records-review-by-raul-dgama-rose.php

Personnel: Ben Wendel: saxophones, bassoon, melodica; Gerald Clayton: piano (1-3); Tigran Hamasyan: piano (4,6,7); Nir Felder: guitar; Adam Benjamin: piano (1,4,6,7), Fender Rhodes (8,9); Ben Street: bass; Nate Wood: drums.

Frame

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Hadley Caliman - Straight Ahead

Size: 91,1 MB
Time: 39:06
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2009
Styles: Modern Jazz
Art: Front

01. Cigar Eddie (5:48)
02. Rapture (5:57)
03. You Leave Me Breathless (6:28)
04. Cathlamet (4:53)
05. Blues For Pt (3:14)
06. Lush Life (3:24)
07. Totem Pole (4:47)
08. The Night Has A Thousand Eyes (4:31)

Seattle-based saxophonist Hadley Caliman returns to the recording studio with his working band for Straight Ahead, the follow-up to his superb Gratitude (Origin, 2008). Aided by trumpeter/producer Thomas Marriott, pianist Eric Verlinde, bassist Phil Sparks and drummer Matt Jorgensen, the 78-year old Caliman charges head-on through a set of standards, jazz classics and original gems.

The disc opens with the listener-friendly "Cigar Eddie," an old school boogaloo—Caliman wrote the tune in the 1960s while living in Los Angeles—with a sly melodic line and ultra-funky groove. The clever toe tapper features brief, to-the-point blowing from Caliman, Marriott and Verlinde. Harold Land's quasi Afro-Cuban piece "Rapture" follows with even more high energy accessibility; inspired, compact solos bookended by a straightforward theme.

There is a consistent flow of lyricism from Caliman's horn on the session's two ballads, "You Leave Me Breathless" and "Lush Life." The leader handles these two harmonically-rich gems with the kind of seasoned finesse to be expected from a dedicated veteran of jazz service. Adding to these exceptional ballad performances is Verlinde's sensitive, swinging piano accompaniment.

Vibraphonist Joe Locke, who appeared on Gratitude, contributes "Blues for PT," a hard driving minor blues that finds Marriott and Verlinde in top form. The up-tempo swinger stands out as a disc highlight. Lee Morgan's "Totem Pole" is done in similar fashion to the original 1963 recording of the tune from The Sidewinder (Blue Note). Here, Caliman matches his bold tenor tone with stylized wit, recalling the hip quirkiness of Joe Henderson.

A spirited run down of "The Night Has a Thousand Eyes" closes out the proceedings with Caliman flying effortlessly through the familiar jam session staple, propelled by Jorgensen's swinging drums and Sparks rock-solid bass. The ensemble's energy is inexorable and, as the disc's title proclaims, undeniably straight-ahead. ~John Barron

Straight Ahead

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Deborah Pearl - Souvenir Of You - New Lyrics To Benny Carter Classics

Styles: Contemporary Pop
Year: 2011
Time: 58:34
File: MP3 @ 160K/s
Size: 67,2 MB
Art: Front

(4:27) 1. Happy Feet (At The Savoy) (Featuring Benny Carter & His Big Band)
(2:51) 2. Sail Away With Me
(2:57) 3. Sky Dance For Two
(5:27) 4. An Elegy In Blue
(4:20) 5. Wonderland (Isle of Love)
(5:34) 6. Souvenir of You
(5:09) 7. People Time (Forever Mine)
(5:16) 8. Sunday Morning Comes
(4:29) 9. Doozy Blues
(3:14) 10. Scattin' Back To Harlem
(3:51) 11. Anniversary Dance (Featuring Benny Carter & His Big Band)
(5:23) 12. Again and Again (I Try To Pretend)
(5:30) 13. Johnny True

Singer, actress, screenwriter and lyricist Deborah Pearl's debut is a souvenir of a very special "you": alto saxophonist and composer Benny Carter. Pearl has taken 13 of Carter's compositions, added her own lyrics, and produced a lovingly-crafted collection that's a worthy addition to the Carter canon. His instrumental presence is also stamped firmly on the album, thanks to the ability of modern technology to combine Pearl's voice with the Benny Carter Big Band on two tracks.

Pearl, Carter and his wife Hilma were friends in Los Angeles, and the two women stayed in touch following Carter's death in 2003. Indeed, Hilma gave her blessing to this project and Pearl's respect for Hilma and Benny shines clearly across all of her lyrics. Pearl's voice is a joy to hear translating the emotions of the songs with ease, whether they are joyous and fun, romantic, or tinged with regret.

Pearl overdubs her voice onto two Carter Big Band performances from a 1992 concert recording. "Happy Feet (At The Savoy)" is eminently successful, an up-tempo, lively and danceable tune. The opening verse of "Anniversary Dance" features just Pearl's vocal and Lou Forestieri on piano and is lovely but the combination of voice and big band doesn't work quite so well. Pearl seems less confident on this tune; nevertheless it's still a pleasant song.

On the rest of the songs Pearl is accompanied by Forestieri on keyboards, plus the bass and drums of Chris Colangelo and Dave Karasony, or Kenny Wild and Jimmy Branly. These small band numbers work beautifully, giving Pearl space to bring her vocals to the fore and offering Forestieri opportunities for some lyrical soloing. Carter wrote "Souvenir of You" as a tribute to the great altoist Johnny Hodges. Pearl's lyrics make it a moving tribute to Carter, too, and a fitting end to a beautiful album. By Bruce Lindsay https://www.allaboutjazz.com/souvenir-of-you-deborah-pearl-evening-star-records-review-by-bruce-lindsay

Personnel: Deborah Pearl: vocals; Lou Forestieri: piano, keyboards; Chris Colangelo: acoustic bass (3, 6, 7, 9-13); Kenny Wild: acoustic bass (1, 2, 4, 5, 8); Dave Karasony: drums (3, 6, 7, 9-13); Jimmy Branly: drums (1, 2, 4, 5, 8): Benny Carter: alto saxophone (1, 8).

Souvenir Of You - New Lyrics To Benny Carter Classics

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Rod Stewart - Fly Me to the Moon... The Great American Songbook, Volume V

Styles: Jazz
Year: 2010
Time: 39:51
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Size: 99,6 MB
Art: Front

(4:35) 1. That Old Black Magic
(3:25) 2. Beyond the Sea
(3:50) 3. I've Got You Under My Skin
(3:22) 4. What a Difference a Day Makes
(3:33) 5. I Get a Kick Out of You
(2:52) 6. I've Got the World on a String
(3:07) 7. Love Me or Leave Me
(3:38) 8. My Foolish Heart
(2:55) 9. September in the Rain
(2:45) 10. Fly Me to the Moon
(2:56) 11. Sunny Side of the Street
(2:48) 12. Moon River

Growing old gracefully is a wonderful thing, and a lot of aging rockers would do well to take the lead of people like Sting or Robert Plant when it comes to doing this. But seemingly almost giving up gracefully is another matter entirely.

Rod Stewart helped set the standard for rock ‘n’ roll adrenaline back when the competition included people like Plant, Ian Gillan and others, mainly Brits. And a few years later, like it or not, he raised the bar with poppy disco and outlandish clothes. But for the better part of a decade now – because of the amazing business acumen of Clive Davis – Stewart has been recording standards by America’s great, mostly white pop writers of the ‘30s through the ‘60s. The concept, like Stewart, is getting pretty old. Fly Me To The Moon…The Great American Songbook Volume V features Stewart performing more classics from the masters of yestercentury, including Cole Porter, Johnny Mercer, Harold Arlen and others, many of whom aren’t household names as writers, but whose songs have been covered countless times.

Produced by veteran Richard Perry (Ringo Starr, Manhattan Transfer), this album combines synthesized strings with real orchestral performances, and playing from some of the greats, including keyboardist Joe Sample of the Crusaders and L.A. jazz guitarist Larry Koontz. But even with top-notch players, this record just doesn’t swing the way that earlier versions of some of these songs by Frank Sinatra or Bobby Darin did. Not even close.

Porter’s “I Get a Kick Out of You” is okay, with a nice arrangement even if the strings are obviously too synthy; “I’ve Got You Under My Skin” has a tasty bass intro; and Sample shows some wonderful piano chops on “Love Me or Leave Me.” But enough about the music; what about the singer?

Well, Rod’s voice, from the opening note, is somewhat thin and lacking compared to the old Rod. The one place where he sounds a little like his old self is on “That Old Black Magic,” where he almost takes a chance with the melody towards the end of the song. Previous efforts in this series of classics – the first four of which have been released together in a box set – had a few famous friends drop by, like Stevie Wonder and Eric Clapton. But none of them are here for this one. This whole idea might be a little overdone for everybody by now

. It’s hard to put down somebody who’s had a career for more than four decades, someone who has successfully adapted with the times and obviously has a lot of respect for great writers. And Rod will no doubt do well with this album, selling mostly to people who survived their frat parties while listening to “Stay With Me” and are now grandparents driving Volvos with nice sound systems. But one can only hope that Rod takes a few more chances next time around, the way that his old buddies like Jeff Beck and Clapton are doing.By Rick Moore https://americansongwriter.com/rod-stewart-fly-me-to-the-moon%E2%80%A6the-great-american-songbook-volume-v/

. Personnel: Backing Vocals – Angela Michael (tracks: 1-7, 1-9, 1-11), Lauren Wild (tracks: 1-1, 1-5, 1-7 to 1-9, 1-11); Bass – Chris Golden (tracks: 1-3, 1-5, 1-6, 1-11), Reggie McBride (tracks: 1-1, 1-2), Trey Henry (tracks: 1-4, 1-7 to 1-10, 1-12); Brass [Parts] – Lee Thornburg (tracks: 1-3, 1-9); Cello – Adrian Woods (2) (tracks: 1-3, 1-6); Co-producer – Clive Davis, Lauren Wild, Rod /Stewart Drums – John Ferraro; Guitar – Aaron Kaplan (tracks: 1-3, 1-5, 1-8, 1-11), Larry Koontz (tracks: 1-1, 1-2, 1-4, 1-6 to 1-10, 1-12, 2-1, 2-5); Management – Arnold Stiefel; Piano – Alex Navarro (tracks: 1-3, 1-8,), Joe Sample (tracks: 1-1, 1- 7), Mike Thompson* (tracks: 1-1, 1- 2, 1-4 to 1-6, 1-8 to 1-12 to 2-2, 2-4 to 2-6); Tenor Saxophone, Soloist – Doug Webb (tracks: 1-1 to 1-3, 1-5, 1-7, 1-8, 1-11, 2-3, 2-6)
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Fly Me to the Moon... The Great American Songbook, Volume V

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Adelaide Ruble - Come Fly With Me

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2005
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 36:15
Size: 85,5 MB
Art: Front

(2:16)  1. On The Street Where You Live
(4:00)  2. A Nightingale Sang In Berkley Square
(2:38)  3. Come Fly With Me
(3:36)  4. Do You Know What It Means To Miss New Orleans
(4:29)  5. I've Got You Under My Skin
(2:25)  6. They Can't Take That Away From Me
(2:32)  7. I Get Along Without You Very Well
(2:25)  8. A Wink And A Smile
(3:39)  9. Don't Worry Bout Me
(2:12) 10. Devil May Care
(2:42) 11. I Thought About You
(3:16) 12. I See Your Face Before Me

Adelaide Ruble evidently makes her debut recording as a leader with Come Fly with Me. The Washington, D.C., area resident digs deeply into a number of frequently recorded gems from the Great American Songbook, backed by a strong band anchored by keyboardist and guitarist Rick Eldridge and some terrific trombone by Harry Watters. Ruble has a warm alto voice and an almost conversation approach, though occasionally with a touch of excessive vibrato that seems to come from nervous energy. She's best on the slow ballads like a heartfelt "I Get Along Without You Very Well" (a lovely duet with Eldridge on piano) and a sassy, brisk treatment of "Devil May Care" (complemented by Watters' tasty licks). Ruble avoids many of the traps that singers can fall into, like running a song into the ground with excessive choruses (only one runs past the four-minute mark), though the CD is rather brief at just over 36 minutes. Adelaide Ruble's initial release is a promising beginning to her career as a recording artist. ~ Ken Dryden  http://www.allmusic.com/album/come-fly-with-me-mw0000515926.

Come Fly With Me

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Andrew Hill - Eternal Spirit

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1989
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 67:42
Size: 155,3 MB
Art: Front

( 9:57)  1. Pinnacle
(10:24)  2. Golden Sunset
( 4:53)  3. Samba Rasta
( 6:19)  4. Tail Feather
( 7:47)  5. Spiritual Lover
( 8:44)  6. Bobby's Tune
( 7:32)  7. Pinnacle (alternate take)
( 5:16)  8. Golden Sunset (alternate take)
( 6:45)  9. Spiritual Lover (alternate take)

Andrew Hill returned to the Blue Note label (where he made many significant releases during 1963-80) for a stimulating quintet date with vibraphonist Bobby Hutcherson, altoist Greg Osby, bassist Rufus Reid and drummer Ben Riley in 1989. The pianist's six originals (which are joined by three alternate takes on the CD) his dense chords behind the other improvisers and his own unpredictable solos are not all overshaowed by his talented sideman, even Osby who is heard in particularly inspired form. 

There are no weak performances on this superb post bop effort, Andrew Hill's strongest recording in several years. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/eternal-spirit-mw0000202207

Personnel:  Andrew Hill - piano;  Greg Osby - alto saxophone;  Bobby Hutcherson - vibes;  Rufus Reid - bass;  Ben Riley - drums

Eternal Spirit

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Rachel Sutton - Trouble In Mind EP

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 25:48
Size: 59.1 MB
Styles: Jazz-blues vocals
Year: 2013
Art: Front

[2:46] 1. My Heart Belongs To Daddy
[5:35] 2. New York State Of Mind
[5:09] 3. It Ain't Necessarily So
[3:42] 4. Louisiana 1927
[2:40] 5. Trouble In Mind
[5:56] 6. Embraceable You

thank you der bajazzo for the link to the following info:

Rachel Sutton has worked as both an actress and singer. Her rich tone and unerring sense of swing coupled with her background in theatre makes her an engaging interpreter of both classic jazz and more contemporary repertoire. Rachel not only sings the music, she lives the lyric.

Rachel was born and raised in the Kent countryside and grew up listening to the romantic ballads of Cole Porter and George Gershwin, together with the soulful sounds of Stevie Wonder and Billy Joel.

A theatre student at Glamorgan University and The Welsh College of Music and Drama, she went on to play some of the lead roles in Shakespeare, touring with The Cambridge Theatre Company and Illyria across the UK and Europe. Her appearance in the award winning rock musical 'The Inconsiderate Aberrations of Billy the Kid' at Edinburgh propelled Rachel into the world of singing full time. After settling in London, Rachel worked as a backing singer with various bands before moving on to become a solo performer. She now collaborates with some of the best musicians on the jazz scene and her extensive repertoire, including her own compositions, is both exciting and moving for her audiences.

Rachel has performed sell out gigs at top London jazz clubs as well as venues and festivals across the UK and abroad. Her theatrical training is at the core of every song, and her flair for entertainment and easy rapport with an audience is gaining her a first class reputation.

Trouble In Mind

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Kenny Burrell - Blue Lights Volume 1 And Volume 2

Album: Blue Lights Volume 1

Styles: Guitar Jazz

Year: 1958

File: MP3@320K/s

Time: 34:56

Size: 80,7 MB

Art: Front

(11:10)  1. Yes Baby

( 8:00)  2. Scotch Blues

( 5:48)  3. Autumn In New York

( 9:56)  4. Caravan

Album: Blue Lights Volume 2

Time: 40:11

Size: 92,7 MB

(11:22)  1. Rock Salt

( 6:47)  2. The Man I Love

(12:13)  3. Chuckin'

( 9:47)  4. Phinupi

The music on this 1997 two-CD set was originally on two LPs and already previously reissued as a pair of CDs. Guitarist Kenny Burrell leads a very coherent jam session in the studio with a particularly strong cast that also includes trumpeter Louis Smith, both Junior Cook and Tina Brooks on tenors, either Duke Jordan or Bobby Timmons on piano, bassist Sam Jones, and drummer Art Blakey. The material consists of basic originals and standards and has excellent playing all around; six of the nine tunes are over nine minutes long. At that point in time, Cook and Brooks had similar sounds, but, fortunately, the soloists are identified in the liner notes for each song. The solo star is often trumpeter Louis Smith, who fell into obscurity after a few notable appearances on Blue Note during the period (including his own brilliant date, Here Comes Louis Smith). He was one of the finest of the Clifford Brown-influenced players of the period and deserves much greater recognition. This is a recommended reissue for hard bop collectors who do not already have the two individual CDs. ~ Scott Yanow http://www.allmusic.com/album/blue-lights-vols-1-2-mw0000024842

Personnel:  Kenny Burrell – guitar;  Louis Smith – trumpet;  Tina Brooks (Volume 1 tracks 2, 3 & 5, Volume 2 tracks 1-3), Junior Cook (Volume 1 tracks 1-3 & 5, Volume 2 tracks 1-3) - tenor saxophone;  Duke Jordan (Volume 1), Bobby Timmons (Volume 2) – piano;  Sam Jones – bass;  Art Blakey - drums

Blue Lights Volume 1 And Volume 2

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Amanda McBroom - Voices

Time: 52:46
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2017
Styles: Jazz/Pop Vocals
Art: Front & Back

01. South Bound Train (4:31)
02. Feet Of Clay (4:15)
03. The Rose (Feat. Vince Gill) (4:46)
04. Old Love (3:29)
05. Yarnell Hill (4:43)
06. The Last Thing On My Mind (3:19)
07. Welcome Home (3:18)
08. Sometimes (4:52)
09. Voices That Come Through The Wall (3:26)
10. I'm Here For Life (3:47)
11. Hope Floats (4:23)
12. Make A Memory (4:32)
13. 12th Of Never (3:18)

In her ninth recording Amanda McBroom writes and sings stories in the voices of women in transition - the bittersweet reflections of a woman travelling on a train from one life to another, the wife of a fireman in the Yarnell Hills fire in Arizona waiting for her husband to come home, the isolation and fear of a young woman hearing voices come through the wall in a family unable to express their feelings, the humor and joy of finding love at an advanced age.

As a singer and a songwriter, Amanda is not new to emotion in song. THE ROSE captured the world's heart when Bette Midler sang it for the film of the same name and earned Amanda a Golden Globe for Best Film Song, a roomful of gold and platinum records, and a wave of worldwide recordings and uses of the song including a #1 hit in the UK by boy band Westlife and a verse unexpectedly sung by Kurt Cobain in the documentary Montage of Heck. It is the outpouring of gratitude from people around the world that sing the song at weddings and funerals, with families, friends, and choirs that is Amanda's biggest reward. But anyone who has ever heard Amanda herself sing THE ROSE in her live concerts around the world - from Taiwan's Sun Yat Sen Concert Hall to Australia's Adelaide Cabaret Festival to the intimate Pheastranty in London or Carnegie Hall - would say that she captures the emotion, passion and love of her song better than anyone. When Amanda got the call to sing THE ROSE in a duet with Vince Gill, her favorite voice of America, she jumped at the chance. The call came from Fred Mollin, producer of best sellers for Jimmy Webb, Kris Kristoferson, and J.D. Souther as well as Amanda's A WAITING HEART. She listened to the voices of her friends and fans and created the project through Kickstarter. She assembled a team of social media experts, videographers and oversubscribed the project in less than 30 days.

VOICES was recorded in Nashville at the Sound Emporium.

Review:
Wounded hearts are one of the collection's pressing themes, perhaps the overarching theme. A related issue is the all-too-often transitory nature of love. Also stressed is the power of the past to affect the present not always positively. Then there's the power of hope. Singing in her pure manner, McBroom chooses songs that, as she sees it, reiterate these constants. Undoubtedly, the prolific songwriting McBroom is still best known for 'The Rose,' which she reprises in a quite different version from her initial track: She's beautifully joined by Vince McGill. Of the 13 inclusions, she wrote nine, three with frequent collaborator Michele Brourman. She opens with Julie Gold's 'Southbound Train,' including a lyric about a damaged heart 'on the baggage rack.' Songwriter Gold is still best known for supplying as with McBroom's 'The Rose' the other Bette Midler signature song 'From a Distance. This anthem demonstrates Gold's plangent strengths. Of the other songs, only 'The Last Thing on my Mind' and 'The Twelfth of Never' are well-known, but McBroom's versions of the others suggests they all should be recognized as standards. Voices was produced in Nashville. (Vince McGill was probably close at hand). When singers go to Music City (see also k. d. lang), they tend to produce something that sounds unmistakably country maybe uptown country, but country all the same. There's nothing wrong with that, as this brilliant CD completely substantiates. David Finkle The Huffington Post

Voices

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John Pizzarelli - John Pizzarelli Salutes Johnny Mercer: Live At Birdland

Size: 152,0 MB
Time: 64:52
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2015
Styles: Jazz Vocals, Guitar Jazz
Art: Front

01. I Got Out Of Bed On The Right Side (Live) (3:50)
02. Intro Dearly Beloved (Live) (0:28)
03. Dearly Beloved (Live) (4:22)
04. Goody Goody (Live) (4:03)
05. You Medley (Live) (7:21)
06. Skylark (Live) (3:53)
07. Intro I'm Old Fashioned (Live) (0:26)
08. I'm Old Fashioned (Live) (2:31)
09. Jamboree Jones (Live) (3:13)
10. Emily (Live) (3:11)
11. Accentuate The Positive (Live) (5:11)
12. Academy Award Medley (Live) (3:46)
13. Slue Foot (Live) (3:10)
14. Intro October Medley (Live) (0:31)
15. October Medley (Live) (5:33)
16. Intro Somethings Gotta Give (Live) (0:21)
17. Somethings Gotta Give (Live) (4:09)
18. Empty Tables (Live) (2:56)
19. Too Marvelous For Words (Live) (3:45)
20. And So To Bed (Live) (2:00)

Jazz guitarist/vocalist John Pizzarelli is a technically proficient fretman with a soft voice, charming stage presence, and knack for uptempo swing. Most often performing in a trio setting sans drums, Pizzarelli has found his niche covering jazz standards and American popular song in his own urbane style. The son of journeyman swing guitarist Bucky Pizzarelli, John began performing with his father at age 20 and made his recorded debut with his 1983 release, I'm Hip -- Please Don't Tell My Father. Growing up, John was exposed to the music of such jazz luminaries as Les Paul and Django Reinhardt, and he has justifiably drawn comparisons to both of these legendary guitarists.

Pizzarelli's updated old-school sound caught the ear of many jazz purists early on; notably, in 1993 the John Pizzarelli Trio opened various dates on Frank Sinatra's tour, eventually participating in the legendary vocalist's 80th birthday celebration at Carnegie Hall. Interestingly, Pizzarelli's growing popularity garnered him a lead spot in the 1997 Broadway production of Dream, a tribute to composer Johnny Mercer. His 1998 RCA release, Meets the Beatles, found him reinterpreting classic songs by the iconic Liverpool quartet, while the following year he paid tribute to one of his biggest influences, pianist/vocalist Nat King Cole, on P.S. Mr. Cole. Pizzarelli then signed with the Telarc label in 1999 and released two standards-based albums, Kisses in the Rain and Let There Be Love, in 2000.

Since then, he has recorded an album with pianist George Shearing and celebrated ten years of performing with his trio by releasing the concert album Live at Birdland in 2003. Taking a break from swing, Pizzarelli released Bossa Nova in 2004. Largely featuring the works of Brazilian composer Antonio Carlos Jobim, the album showcased the Pizzarelli Trio on such classics of the genre as "The Girl from Ipanema" and "Aguas de Marco [Waters of March]."

In 2005 Pizzarelli returned to his usual fare of American standards with Knowing You (though he penned the title track), and, backed by the Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra, paid his tribute to the Pizzarelli's updated old-school sound caught the ear of many jazz purists early on; notably, in 1993 the John Pizzarelli Trio opened various dates on Frank Sinatra's tour, eventually participating in the legendary vocalist's 80th birthday celebration at Carnegie Hall. Interestingly, Pizzarelli's growing popularity garnered him a lead spot in the 1997 Broadway production of Dream, a tribute to composer Johnny Mercer. His 1998 RCA release, Meets the Beatles, found him reinterpreting classic songs by the iconic Liverpool quartet, while the following year he paid tribute to one of his biggest influences, pianist/vocalist Nat King Cole, on P.S. Mr. Cole. Pizzarelli then signed with the Telarc label in 1999 and released two standards-based albums, Kisses in the Rain and Let There Be Love, in 2000.

Pizzarelli's updated old-school sound caught the ear of many jazz purists early on; notably, in 1993 the John Pizzarelli Trio opened various dates on Frank Sinatra's tour, eventually participating in the legendary vocalist's 80th birthday celebration at Carnegie Hall. Interestingly, Pizzarelli's growing popularity garnered him a lead spot in the 1997 Broadway production of Dream, a tribute to composer Johnny Mercer. His 1998 RCA release, Meets the Beatles, found him reinterpreting classic songs by the iconic Liverpool quartet, while the following year he paid tribute to one of his biggest influences, pianist/vocalist Nat King Cole, on P.S. Mr. Cole. Pizzarelli then signed with the Telarc label in 1999 and released two standards-based albums, Kisses in the Rain and Let There Be Love, in 2000.

Legend himself ith 2006's Dear Mr. Sinatra. With a Song in My Heart, featuring the songs of composer Richard Rodgers, followed in 2008. In 2010, Pizzarelli paid homage to legendary pianist/bandleader Duke Ellington with Rockin' in Rhythm: A Duke Ellington Tribute. The following year he appeared with his father on Family Fugue. In 2012, Pizzarelli released the album Double Exposure, featuring his take on classic jazz standards as well as contemporary pop standards from his youth, including works by Elvis Costello, Billy Joel, Steely Dan, and others.By Matt Collar

John Pizzarelli Salutes Johnny Mercer

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