Sue Raney - All By Myself

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 35:36
Size: 82.9 MB
Label: Blue Note
Styles: Standards, Torch songs
Year: 2006
Art: Front

[2:10] 1. Some Of These Days
[3:55] 2. Trouble Is A Man
[2:25] 3. Don't Let The Sun Catch You Crying
[3:06] 4. I'm Gonna Laugh You Right Out Of My Life
[4:09] 5. Here's That Rainy Day
[2:43] 6. What Is This Thing Called Love?
[2:54] 7. All By Myself
[2:44] 8. No Place To Go
[2:34] 9. Just A-Sittin' And A-Rockin'
[3:27] 10. How About Me
[2:21] 11. Maybe You'll Be There
[3:03] 12. Burnt Sugar

In 1963, Capitol Records producer Lee Gillette was looking for a way to amp up the singing career of young crooner Sue Raney. Impossibly young when she entered the music business, Raney nevertheless had the talent, looks, and delivery of a star -- she just needed to shake that "little girl" aspect and tap into a more "adult" vein. Gillette tried to secure Stan Kenton as her backing arranger (for the album that would become All by Myself), but when that fell through, Capitol house arranger Ralph Carmichael was brought on board, and he channeled that stabbing, boisterous Kenton vibe to a T. In fact, the arrangements proved so volatile that Raney wondered how she was going to compete. Well, she mostly succeeded. Some tracks (like the explosive opener, "Some of These Days") find Raney struggling to overcome the blasting brass, which all but bury her vocal line. She was not as forceful as Anita O'Day, nor did she have the shrewd phrasing talents of, say, June Christy, but Raney did have a sweet, sweet voice -- maybe not powerful enough to blast through the more bombastic numbers, but on slow burners (like the über-sensual "Don't Let the Sun Catch You Crying" or the appropriately melancholy "Here's That Rainy Day") her breathy delivery is stunning. The album's title track is without a doubt the most successful venture here. By peeling away the flash and getting down to an intimate purr, "All By Myself"'s comely arrangement allows Raney to whisper in your ear, which is ultimately the best way she comes across on record. ~J. Scott McClintock

All By Myself

---

Mose Allison - Jazz Profile

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 55:31
Size: 129.4 MB
Label: Blue Note
Styles: Jazz blues, Hard Bop, Vocal jazz
Year: 1997
Art: Front

[4:50] 1. Ever Since The World Ended
[4:23] 2. Top Forty
[3:10] 3. Putting Up With Me
[3:14] 4. I Looked In The Mirror
[4:27] 5. Getting There
[3:28] 6. What's Your Movie
[3:15] 7. Ever Since I Stole The Blues
[4:12] 8. Was
[4:12] 9. The Getting Paid Waltz
[3:40] 10. My Backyard
[4:18] 11. Certified Senior Citizen
[3:20] 12. This Ain't Me
[4:50] 13. You Can't Push People Around
[4:07] 14. The Earth Wants You

This single CD has highlights from Mose Allison's three Blue Note albums of 1987-1993 (Ever Since the World Ended, My Backyard, and The Earth Wants You). Although it would be preferable to acquire the complete records instead (and Allison's greatest material was actually recorded in earlier years), there are plenty of gems on this set, including "Ever Since the World Ended," "I Looked in the Mirror," "Ever Since I Stole the Blues," and "Certified Senior Citizen." Joined by a variety of all-star players (including Bennie Wallace on tenor, altoist Arthur Blythe, and guitarist John Scofield), Allison's singing, witty delivery, piano playing, and insightful (yet humorous) lyrics easily steal the show. ~Scott Yanow

Jazz Profile

---

Anita Bryant - Kisses Sweeter Than Wine

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 36:42
Size: 84.0 MB
Label: Columbia
Styles: Traditional pop
Year: 1961/2011
Art: Front

[2:51] 1. True Love
[2:49] 2. My Heart Cries For You
[3:32] 3. Unchained Melody
[3:06] 4. Have I Told You Lately That I Love You
[3:05] 5. In The Chapel In The Moonlight
[3:02] 6. I Can Dream Can't I
[2:48] 7. Kisses Sweeter Than Wine
[3:55] 8. Vaya Con Dios
[2:48] 9. Please Help Me I'm Falling
[2:41] 10. Love Me Tender
[2:45] 11. The Twelfth Of Never
[3:14] 12. May You Always

A popular singer of the '60s, Anita Bryant has been known as a beauty queen, a singer, a Florida citrus spokeswoman, and later an advocate against homosexuality. Her hits, which made both the British and American charts, include "'Till There Was You," "Paper Roses" and "In My Little Corner of the World."

Born in Oklahoma, Bryant's musical career began at a very early age. She first performed on stage at the age of six, and three years later she won her first talent show. It was after this victory that she won a spot on Arthur Godfrey's talent show on television. From there her musical career blossomed, and the singer -- known as Oklahoma's "Red Feather Girl" -- made her recording debut in 1956 with the single "Sinful to Flirt."

In 1958, she was crowned Miss Oklahoma and moved on to the Miss America pageant, where she came in third thanks to her musical talents. "'Till There Was You" from The Music Man was Anita Bryant's first chart-topping hit in 1959. She released three albums on the Carlton label (Anita Bryant, In Your Home Tonight and In My Little Corner of the World), and hit number one again in 1960 with Bert Kaempfert's "Wonderland of Night." (Marie Osmond later recorded another of Bryant's songs, "In My Little Corner of the World," for her own hit.)

In 1962, Anita Bryant switched to Columbia and recorded a series of inspirational titles as well as standard pop albums. During the '70s, she recorded several albums for the religious label Wood, though the transition never lacked the boisterous singing style that had already been associated with her.

In the '80s and '90s, Anita Bryant's interests again changed. Although she still enjoyed singing and performing, she became an advocate against homosexuality and began working as a motivational speaker. She continued to sing in numerous performances throughout the season at The Anita Bryant Theater in Branson, MO, and later at her own theater in Pigeon Fork, TN. ~bio by Kim Summers

Kisses Sweeter Than Wine

---

Steve Turre - Rhythm Within

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 68:47
Size: 157.4 MB
Label: Polygram
Styles: Hard bop, Latin jazz
Year: 1995
Art: Front

[12:58] 1. Funky "T"
[ 8:56] 2. Morning
[ 5:38] 3. Since I Fell For You
[ 8:18] 4. Rhythm Within
[ 3:22] 5. Twilight Dreams
[ 9:05] 6. All Blues
[ 3:00] 7. Montuno Caracol
[ 8:28] 8. Body And Soul
[ 8:59] 9. African Shuffle

Trombonist Steve Turre obviously put a lot of work into this CD for each of the nine selections has its own purpose and the personnel changes on every cut. Turre doubles on the conch shells and on a few numbers utilizes a "shell choir"; in addition there are often three percussionists, other notable trombonists (including Britt Woodman, Frank Lacy and Robin Eubanks) and such guest soloists as trumpeter Jon Faddis, tenor-saxophonist Pharoah Sanders and pianist Herbie Hancock. With highlights including "Funky-T," Yusef Lateef's "Morning," "Since I Fell for You" (a Woodman feature) and "All Blues," this is a particularly memorable and well-conceived set, one of Turre's best. ~Scott Yanow

Rhythm Within

---

Lisa Loeb - Cake And Pie

Styles: Adult Contemporary
Label: Interscope
Year: 2002
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 42:40
Size: 97,7 MB
Art: Front

(3:58)  1. The Way It Really Is
(3:29)  2. Bring Me Up
(3:01)  3. Underdog
(4:01)  4. Everyday
(3:22)  5. Someone You Should Know
(3:00)  6. Drops Me Down
(3:00)  7. We Could Still Belong Together
(2:47)  8. Kick Start
(3:50)  9. You Don't Know Me
(4:42) 10. Payback
(3:09) 11. Too Fast Driving
(4:14) 12. She's Falling Apart

There was a gap of about five years between Loeb's second and third albums, which is enough time for some sort of significant growth or stylistic alternation to have taken place. There's not much of such things on Cake & Pie, however. Loeb remains an above-average major-label singer/songwriter, given to pensive self-reflection that doesn't quite cross the line into self-absorption. The emphasis is on intense examination of the motives that drive, maintain, and sometimes erode relationships, passionate without boiling into a rage. 

Perhaps she should get a little more uncoiled once in a while, though, as the hardest-rocking numbers here, like "Payback" and "Too Fast Driving," deviate enough from her established brainy-yet-emotional persona to command a little more attention than usual. On the more expected acoustic-colored numbers, "She's Falling Apart" is, again, a standout in that it strips down the production to enough basics that the arrangement has an unguarded edginess on par with the wary uncertainty of the lyrics. Otherwise the melodies and playing tend too much toward average modern rock, albeit with more heart and intellect than most. As a singer, she remains pleasant and confident, but not so unique or fiery that she burns into the synapses as well as the best storytelling songwriters do.~Richie Unterberger(http://www.allmusic.com/album/cake-and-pie-mw0000214445).

Personnel includes: Lisa Loeb (vocals, acoustic & elctric guitar, harmonica); Anne Previn (whistling, background vocals); Dweezil Zappa (acoustic & electric guitars); Randy Scruggs, Rusty Anderson (guitar); Michael Sherwood (piano); Jim Cox (keyboards); Leland Sklar (bass); Ronny Crawford (drums, percussion); Matt Chamberlain (drums); Steve Forman (percussion).

Recording information: Bitch Stevenson Sound; Capitol Studios, Hollywood, CA; Chateau Marouatte; Conway Studios; Extasy Studios; Royaltone; The Village, Los Angeles, CA.

Cake And Pie

---

Linnzi Zaorski & Delta Royale - Hotsy-Totsy

Styles: Gypsy Jazz
Label: Self Released
Year: 2004
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 52:59
Size: 121,8 MB
Art: Front

(3:50)  1. Better Off Dead
(4:43)  2. Undecided
(5:36)  3. Hernando's Hideaway
(3:20)  4. It Don't Mean A Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing)
(4:38)  5. Sugar
(3:17)  6. All Of Me
(6:12)  7. Caravan
(4:37)  8. If You Were Mine
(2:35)  9. When I Get Low I Get High
(3:56) 10. I Can't Give You Anything But Love
(3:36) 11. Nice Work If You Can Get It
(2:36) 12. If I Could Be With You One Hour Tonight
(3:57) 13. Evenin'

Somewhere in New Orleans ninth ward is an exceptional torch singer that appears to be a cross between Cyndi Lauper and Betty Boop. Her name is Linnzi Zaorski, and in the broad field of New Orleans Jazz artists she is an extreme breath of fresh air. Her voice maybe somewhat high pitched and she might be playing it all up as camp, but Linnzi Zaorski is a unique musical commodity and her CD, 'Hotsy Totsy'is a sheer delight to listen to. Ms. Zaorski is the kind of artist that you find standing in front of a 1940s style microphone, in a long flowing black gown, gardenia in her hair, and lighted so gently as to only see two pair of fire red lips belt out the tunes of Duke Ellington, George and Ira Gershwin, and Johnny Mercer to a smoke filled cabaret. She and her 'Hotsy Totsy'CD are a throwback to an era that many might have forgot.(http://www.cduniverse.com/productinfo.asp?pid=7334048&style=music&fulldesc=T).

Personnel : Linnzi Zaorski - vocals; Seva Venet - guitar; Charlie Fardella - trumpet; Robert Snow - bass; Matt Rhody - violin; Chaz Leary - washboard

 Hotsy-Totsy

---

Julia Fordham - Under the Rainbow

Styles: Jazz Pop
Label: Right Track Distribution
Year: 2013
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 51:00
Size: 116,8 MB
Art: Front

(4:35)  1. Skipping Under the Rainbow
(4:33)  2. Porcelain
(4:26)  3. Happy Ever After
(3:47)  4. Where Does the Time Go?
(3:23)  5. Lock and Key
(3:54)  6. More Than I Can Bear
(3:43)  7. Manhattan Skyline
(4:52)  8. Girlfriend
(3:52)  9. Towerblock
(4:49) 10. I Thought It Was You
(3:08) 11. Concrete Love
(2:42) 12. Behind Closed Doors
(3:11) 13. Invisible War

Having sold millions of records around the world, critically acclaimed singer songwriter Julia Fordham returns with a brand new album Under The Rainbow. Recorded with long time collaborator, producer and pianist Grant Mitchell, Julia revisits hits and fan favourites with stripped down arrangements for piano and voice. Featuring the brand new song Skipping Under The Rainbow, the album will be released to coincide with Julia's first UK tour in twenty years. After living in Los Angeles for many years, Julia is thrilled to be coming home to sing her songs again around the country.~(http://www.amazon.co.uk/UNDER-THE-RAINBOW-Julia-Fordham/dp/B00DCQ2D90).

Under the Rainbow

---

Jay Leonhart/Gary Burton/Joe Beck/Terry Clarke - Four Duke

Styles: Jazz

Year: 1995

File: MP3@320K/s

Time: 64:42

Size: 148,1 MB

Art: Front

(4:18)  1. In a Mellow Tone

(5:45)  2. Rockin' in Rhythm

(5:48)  3. C. Jam Blues

(5:23)  4. Love You Madly

(4:54)  5. Azure

(5:45)  6. Cottontail

(5:14)  7. Creole Love Song

(4:55)  8. Take the 'A' Train

(5:21)  9. Squeeze Me

(6:29) 10. Caravan

(5:40) 11. Ishfahan

(5:04) 12. Satin Doll

This swinging session focuses on a dozen standards from the vast Duke Ellington songbook. Bassist Jay Leonhart sings along with his bass a la Slam Stewart to open "In a Mellotone" and "C Jam Blues." A loping "Azure" features Joe Beck's brash guitar contrasting with Gary Burton's bluesy vibes. Burton and Leonhart's smoking duo version of "Take the 'A' Train" and a soft pretty take of "Isfahan" (omitting Beck) are the top tracks of the date. A pleasant, if not essential CD.~Ken Dryden(http://www.allmusic.com/album/music-of-duke-ellington-mw0000411014).



Personnel: Jay Leonhart (bass); Joe Beck (guitar); Gary Burton (vibraphone); Terry Clarke (drums).

Four Duke

Lindsey Webster - Lindsey Webster

Styles: Jazz Vocals
Label: Maxophone Records
Year: 2013
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 53:05
Size: 122,6 MB
Art: Front

(5:12)  1. Be Cool
(5:25)  2. Free
(3:56)  3. I Do
(3:04)  4. Static
(3:52)  5. Soul Records
(3:31)  6. Denied
(4:23)  7. Press Rewind
(3:42)  8. In the Right Place
(4:49)  9. Don't Go
(3:12) 10. Choices
(7:08) 11. Soul Salvation
(4:44) 12. In the Moment

"Wow"~ Sting

"Absolutely Incredible"~ Michael Bolton
"Lindsey has got a world-class singing ability and really knows how to win the audience's heart"~ Jay Collins (Levon Helm, Dukes Of September, Jay Collins Band)

At just twenty-five years, Lindsey Webster has completed her debut CD, shared the stage with Grammy-award winning musicians and artists and has sung on a grammy nominated CD (with the Jimmy Sturr Orchestra). Now, Lindsey is gradually laying the bricks for a path of success all her own. Lindsey Webster's new CD, self-titled "Lindsey Webster", is a wide-range collection of original material, with most of the songs written by Webster and Keith Slattery. Other song contributions were made by Scott Sharrard, Jay Collins, Joey Eppard, and Joanna Teters/Ben Carr. "This is a very eclectic collection of music. It ranges from jazz to rocking songs with blistering guitar solos to slow ballads" says Lindsey about the brand-new release. "There were moments of pure ecstatic joy and all out tears", Webster explained about the making of the record. "We tracked the first song on the CD at Applehead Studios in Woodstock, NY and the rest at Clubhouse Studios in Rhinebeck, NY. That all happened in about 4-5 days.

But after that, we only had our home and closet to finish over-dubs and vocals. So a wonderful and amazing year later, after sending mixes between Las Vegas (The Studio at the Palms) and Woodstock, NY, we finally have our finished product. My debut CD!" Lindsey has traveled across the country, playing in famed venues such as Carnegie Hall, Musikfest, Summerfest, The Elephant Room/Austin, Falcon Live, The Bearsville Theater, The Brooklyn Bowl and many more. With a powerful four octave vocal range, Lindsey's sound is a blend of Soul, Jazz, and R&B, with soulful blues influences. Scott  Sharard, the lead guitarist of the Gregg Allman Band, claims that "Miss Webster's got soul to burn" and that "Lindsey's got the kind of pipes that will peel the paint of a Cadillac and will make a blind man leave home".

(http://www.cduniverse.com/productinfo.asp?pid=8974646&style=music&fulldesc=T).

Lindsey Webster

Akiko Tsuruga - NYC Serenade

Styles: Jazz
Label: Self Released
Year: 2008
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 63:20
Size: 145,0 MB
Art: Front

(6:53)  1. Sister Sadie
(5:10)  2. Arthur's Theme (Best that you can do)
(6:00)  3. When You Wish Upon A Star
(6:38)  4. The Way You Look Tonight
(6:39)  5. Driftin'
(4:38)  6. Portrait of Jennie
(5:46)  7. Easy Walker
(5:52)  8. 24 Mill Street
(6:00)  9. Ricado Bossa Nova (The Gift)
(5:02) 10. Bluesette
(4:39) 11. Gator's Time

Through the expression of her personal song, one is deeply impressed by how sincere she is about her music.~Nobunari Takai

New York-based jazz organist Akiko Tsuruga's new quartet recording features the great Jimmy Cobb together with her familiar guitarist Eric Johnson and rising star Wayne Escoffery on tenor saxophone. Tsuruga selected all of her favorite tunes from her repertoire, and the recording starts off with a Horace Silver number, while tracks number seven and eleven are both original compositions. Tsuruga and Johnson are both presently members of Lou Donaldson Quartet, and Tsuruga writes regularly in her blog of all the fun she has playing together with the group. She is making the most of the great opportunities she has playing with these living legends, and you couldn't ask for any greater experience as an organist. As Japanese jazz fans, it is a delight to see her doing so well. By now, her talent and ability are self-evident.

This recording is a reflection of Tsuruga's success. Known for his playing with the Miles Davis quintet, the Wynton Kelly trio, and many others, legendary drummer Jimmy Cobb's marvelous ride cymbal beat is a priceless treasure. Johnson's guitar and Escoffery's tenor are impressive throughout, and Tsuruga's organ playing feels incredibly natural. Her playing is not a forced rehashing of older styles, nor is it a copy of other well-known players. Through the expression of her personal song, one is deeply impressed by how sincere she is about her music. Her music is clear and tasteful, as well as elegant. Hearing her play from her favorite repertoire, one can feel the hot, swinging excitement that she generates.

~(http://www.cduniverse.com/productinfo.asp?pid=8201810&style=music&fulldesc=T).

NYC Serenade

---

Aaron Neville - Nature Boy: The Standards Album

Styles: Jazz Vocals, R&B
Label: Verve
Year: 2003
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 49:18
Size: 112,9 MB
Art: Front

(3:42)  1. Summertime
(4:11)  2. Blame It On My Youth
(4:30)  3. The Very Thought Of You
(3:37)  4. The Shadow Of Your Smile
(4:33)  5. Cry Me A River
(2:42)  6. Nature Boy
(4:19)  7. Who Will Buy?
(4:57)  8. Come Rain Or Come Shine
(4:13)  9. Our Love Is Here To Stay
(4:50) 10. In The Still Of The Night
(5:08) 11. Since I Fell For You
(2:29) 12. Danny Boy

Aaron Neville's voice exists in that rarefied air occupied by only the most lyrical musicians, including Paul Desmond's alto saxophone and Miles Davis' muted trumpet. Sweet and throaty, reedy and always crying, it's capable of bewitching anyone within hailing distance including, in some cases, the singer himself. Nature Boy: The Standards Album, his first record for Verve, is naturally a jazz/vocal date; Neville tackled a dozen songs from the popular songbook, with accompaniment from a backing trio comprised of pianist (and arranger/conductor) Rob Mounsey, bassist Ron Carter, and drummer Grady Tate (plus one or two appearances each from Roy Hargrove on trumpet, Ry Cooder on guitar, and Ray Anderson on trombone). Though he has never recorded an album of pre-rock standards before, over the four decades of his career Neville has gained a deep familiarity with songs of this weight "Summertime," "Our Love Is Here to Stay," "In the Still of the Night," and "Cry Me a River." 

Understanding their power, he treats them with the utmost respect, a measure of feeling and devotion that causes him to always meet expectations but, unfortunately, never exceed them. Any Aaron Neville fan will know exactly what to expect from his version of "Summertime" or "Nature Boy" or even "Danny Boy," and Neville never displays the focused interaction between song and singer that's necessary to pull off a standard with decades of baggage attached. On several tracks, he does approach deserving the lofty term of jazz singer; he and Linda Ronstadt use their shared affection to anchor "The Very Thought of You," and the burly singer goes along for a splendid ride when the band adds a delicious hint of suspense into "The Shadow of Your Smile" (Neville's voice usually sounds better on darker material, lending a chill as when the sun passes behind a cloud). The American songbook should belong to him, an exceptional vocalist with such a deeply rooted performing persona, but it will do so only when he recognizes that the singer should never humble himself before the song.~John Bush(http://www.allmusic.com/album/nature-boy-the-standards-album-mw0000717783).

Personnel: Aaron Neville (vocals); Rob Mounsey (vocals, guitar, piano, organ, keyboards, drums, percussion); Linda Ronstadt (vocals); Ry Cooder (guitar, acoustic guitar, electric guitar); Anthony Wilson (guitar, classical guitar); Emily Mitchell (harp); Donna Tecco, Masako Yanagita, Yana Goichman, Marti Sweet, Catherine Livolsi, Maura Gianini, Anahid Ajemian, Elena Barere, Cenovia Cummins , Richard Sortomme, Carol Webb, Ann Leathers, Jan Mullen, Yuri Vodovoz (violin); Julien Barber, Kenneth Burward-Hoy, Crystal Garner, Juliet Haffner, Jill Jaffe, Vince Lionti (viola); Diane Barere, Jeanne LeBlanc, Richard Locker (cello); Lawrence Feldman (alto flute, bass flute, tenor saxophone); David Tofani (alto flute, tenor saxophone); Dennis Anderson (alto flute); Gil Goldstein (accordion); Ronnie Cuber (bass clarinet, baritone saxophone); Michael Brecker, Charles Neville (tenor saxophone); Roy Hargrove (trumpet, flugelhorn); Randy Brecker (flugelhorn); Dave Bargeron, Ray Anderson, Birch Johnson Verve(trombone); Grady Tate (drums); Bashiri Johnson (congas, percussion).

Recording information: 333 Recording, NY (01/05/2003-01/17/2003); Avatar Studios, New York, NY (01/05/2003-01/17/2003); Jim Brady Studios, Tuscon, AZ (01/05/2003-01/17/2003); Sound City Studio, Van Nuys, CA (01/05/2003-01/17/2003).

Nature Boy: The Standards Album

---

George Gee & His Make Believe Ballroom Orchestra - Swingin' Live

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 59:00
Size: 135.1 MB
Label: Swing 46
Styles: Big Band, Swing
Year: 2005
Art: Front

[5:38] 1. Come On In
[4:53] 2. Blues For Stephanie
[5:20] 3. Down For The Count
[2:30] 4. Let The Good Times Roll
[4:57] 5. Where Or When
[6:27] 6. Shiny Stockings
[5:19] 7. Four-Five-Six
[4:26] 8. Street Of Dreams
[5:09] 9. April In Paris
[4:23] 10. Here's That Rainy Day
[6:37] 11. Wailin' Caylen
[3:17] 12. Splanky

Principally recorded live at Irving Plaza, New York, New York on January 26, 1997. Includes liner notes by George Gee. This is the first recording by THE GEORGE GEE BIG BAND (formerly known as The Make-Believe Ballroom Orchestra) recorded live at a big band swing dance for The New York Swing Dance Society in January of 1996 at Irving Plaza in New York City. Features selections arranged by legendary jazz writer Frank Foster and two songs sung by 1999 Grammy-nominee jazz vocalist Carla Cook.

George Gee (leader); Carla Cook (vocals); Cleave Guyton (piccolo flute, alto saxophone); Ed Pazant (alto saxophone); Lance Bryant, Marshall McDonald, Benny Russell (tenor saxophone); Al Acosta (baritone saxophone, bass clarinet); Dave Stahl, Kenny Rampton, Walt Szymanski, Irvin Stokes (trumpet); Charles Stephens, Eddie Bert, Joe Fiedler (trombone); Wayne Coniglio (bass trombone); Richard Liberson (guitar); Jon Cowherd, Sara Jane Cion (piano); Daryl Hall (bass); Dave Gibson (drums).

Swingin' Live

---

Various - Come Together: Guitar Tribute To The Beatles

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 58:42
Size: 136.1 MB
Label: NYC Music
Styles: Album rock, Alternative rock, Guitar jazz
Year: 1993
Art: Front

[4:51] 1. Mark Whitfield - Come Together
[6:04] 2. Toninho Horta - She's Leaving Home
[5:54] 3. Ralph Towner - Here, There, And Everywhere
[8:19] 4. Steve Khan - Within You, Without You/Blue Jay Way
[5:13] 5. Zachary Breaux - Eleanor Rigby
[2:16] 6. Adrian Belew - Blackbird
[5:24] 7. John Abercombie - And I Love Her
[4:54] 8. Allan Holdsworth - Michelle
[5:53] 9. Leni Stern - Norwegian Wood
[5:41] 10. Larry Coryell - Something
[4:09] 11. Toots Thielemans - Yesterday

Strictly speaking, this isn't just a guitar tribute to the Beatles, although stringed instruments that are plucked, strummed, and otherwise manipulated are in abundance, representing styles and sounds that will recall Django Reinhardt at one moment and the Mahavishnu Orchestra at the next. Toots Thielemans adds some astonishingly tasteful harmonica (and whistling) to "Yesterday" and Thomas Dawson's organ is almost a lead instrument on "Come Together." But it's the guitars (plus some superb bass) that make up the core of this delightful recording. Larry Coryell, Steve Khan, Ralph Towner, Adrian Belew, John Abercrombie, Allan Holdsworth, Toninho Horta (whose Brazilian-flavored rendition of "She's Leaving Home" is worth the price of admission by itself), and others do what they do best, and the results are revelatory and dazzlingly entertaining. This reviewer's favorite cut was Khan's medley of "Within You, Without You/Blue Jay Way," but that's just because it's that much more unexpected than anything else here. Mark Whitfield's lead work on the title cut, which is also the leadoff track, sets the bar pretty high for the rest of the CD, but everyone clears it and then some, each in his own way. One only wishes there'd been a follow-up album. ~Bruce Eder

Come Together: Guitar Tribute To The Beatles

---

Stan Getz - Big Band Bossa Nova

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 33:29
Size: 77.3 MB
Label: Verve
Styles: Saxophone jazz, Bossa Nova
Year: 1962, CD in 2008
Art: Front

[5:46] 1. Manha De Carnaval (Morning Of Carnival)
[2:59] 2. Balanco No Samba
[4:40] 3. Melancolico
[2:58] 4. Entre Amigos
[4:09] 5. Chega De Saudade (No More Blues)
[4:55] 6. Noite Triste
[3:26] 7. One Note Samba
[4:32] 8. Bim Bom

Fresh from the sudden success of Jazz Samba and "Desafinado," Stan Getz asked the 28-year-old, strikingly gifted Gary McFarland to arrange a bossa nova album for big band as a follow-up. Getz is always his debonair, wistful, freely-floating self, completely at home in the Brazilian idiom that he'd adopted only a few months before. McFarland usually keeps things nice and spare (although "One Note Samba" is uncharacteristically cluttered and a bit too discordant for the material), letting his pungent voicings stab the air now and then, while allowing the soloists all the room they want within the confines of producer Creed Taylor's tight timings. Four of the eight songs are by McFarland (none of which would become standards), and Getz makes relaxed impressions with "Manha de Carnival" and "Chega de Saudade." Jim Hall takes the role of acoustic guitarist from Charlie Byrd with his usual fluidity, and Hank Jones ruminates in a boppish way on piano. This album also charted quite respectably (number 13) in the first flush of the bossa nova boom. ~Richard S. Ginnell

Big Band Bossa Nova

---

Sylvia McNair - Romance: A Collection Of Latin Love Songs

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 46:47
Size: 107.1 MB
Label: IUMusic/LAMC
Styles: Latin vocal jazz
Year: 2012
Art: Front

[5:03] 1. Dindi
[4:12] 2. The Boy From Ipanema
[3:09] 3. Perfidia
[4:07] 4. Besame Mucho
[5:29] 5. Faceira
[2:54] 6. Corcovado
[2:59] 7. Chorinho Pra Ele
[4:19] 8. Insensatez
[4:15] 9. Agua Debeber
[4:12] 10. Quizas, Quizas, Quizas
[3:18] 11. Solamente Una Vez
[2:43] 12. Sway

Featuring Grammy-award winning vocalist Sylvia McNair, and the stellar performances of Indiana University Jacobs School of Music jazz faculty Tom Walsh, Jeremy Allen and Luke Gillespie, Romance takes us through the soulful and intoxicating experience of Latin American love songs. Romance conjures images of platonic, playful, and contented love along with stories of passion, betrayal, and heartache, told through the rhythms of bossa nova, bolero and cha cha cha from Brazil, Cuba, and Mexico. Produced by IU's Latin American Music Center, with participation by the young leaders of its Latin American Popular Music Ensemble under the direction of Guido Sanchez-Portuguez, Romance includes famous songs by Antonio Carlos Jobim, Agusti­n Lara, and Consuelo Velasquez among several other classics of the genre. Singing in English, Portuguese, and Spanish, Sylvia McNair shows us a new facet of her vocal virtuosity, and joins the ranks of famous American singers like Frank Sinatra, Nat King Cole and Linda Ronstadt in their embrace of the great Latin love songs.

Romance is an IUMusic-LAMC production from the Indiana Jacobs School of Music.

Romance: A Collection Of Latin Love Songs

---

Fats Waller & His Rhythm - A Handful Of Keys

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 58:46
Size: 134.6 MB
Label: Buddha
Styles: Piano jazz, Traditional jazz
Year: 1999
Art: Front

[1:05] 1. Ain't Misbehavin'
[3:01] 2. The Joint Is Jumpin'
[3:01] 3. Inside (Aka Inside This Heart Of Mine)
[2:15] 4. I Had To Do It
[2:49] 5. E Flat Blues
[2:28] 6. Hold My Hand
[2:54] 7. Stop Beatin' 'round The Mulberry Bush
[2:31] 8. What's The Matter With You
[1:35] 9. Hallelujah!
[3:26] 10. What's Your Name
[2:38] 11. I Simply Adore You
[2:29] 12. My Best Wishes
[1:57] 13. Handful Of Keys
[3:16] 14. The Sheik Of Araby
[4:01] 15. The Flat Foot Floogie
[1:58] 16. St. Louis Blues
[3:34] 17. Pent Up In A Penthouse
[3:40] 18. Honeysuckle Rose
[2:37] 19. I Got Rhythm
[2:12] 20. Some Of These Days
[2:01] 21. After You've Gone
[3:10] 22. Yacht Club Swing

A HANDFUL OF KEYS features previously unreleased live radio transcriptions originally broadcast in 1938. Recorded live at NBC Studios and The Yacht Club, New York, New York in 1938. Includes liner notes by Will Friedwald. As a label, the U.K. 's Proper does a pretty decent job of assembling a great cross-section of tracks, decent sound, and fairly annotated notes (though labels names seldom if ever appear either in liner notes or in track notations, only catalog number... hmmmm) all for a really great price. Hardcore fans of most artists will either have most or all of the material in their boxes, but those curious enough to look deeper into an artist than a single- or double-disc hits package will want to investigate Proper's catalog. This set of Fats Waller material covers the years 1922 -1943, virtually his entire professional career. Each disc has its own title and runs basically chronologically, from his solo work through his many ensembles. This is a laymen's collection, and is hardly exhaustive of any period, rather merely representative. True fans will want to seek out the RCA sets which are exhaustive in their research, presentation and execution. This is a fine introductory package, but that's it. ~ Thom Jurek

Fats Waller (vocals, piano); Gene Sedric (tenor saxophone, clarinet); Herman Autrey (trumpet); Al Casey (guitar); Cedric Wallace (bass); Slick Jones (drums). Producers: Mike Ragogna, Glenn Korman, Will Friedwald.

Recording information: NBC Studios, New York, NY (07/05/1938-10/18/1938); Yacht Club, New York, NY (07/05/1938-10/18/1938).

A Handful Of Keys

---

Poncho Sanchez - Keeper Of The Flame (2-Disc Set)

Released in 2001, Keeper of the Flame isn't a compilation, an anthology, or a best-of. Instead, this package finds Concord reissuing Poncho Sanchez' first two Picante dates, 1982's Sonando and 1983's Bien Sabroso, as a two-CD set. Those albums weren't Sanchez' first ones ever -- before signing with Concord, the conguero recorded two LPs for Discovery in 1979 and 1980, respectively. Neither Sonando nor Bien Sabroso ever went out of print, and those who already have those albums on CD have no reason to acquire Keeper of the Flame. However, this double-CD is well worth obtaining if you don't have those albums on CD.

Back in 1982-1983, Sonando and Bien Sabroso set the tone for Sanchez' Concord output -- like his subsequent albums, both are dominated by instrumental Latin jazz but contains a few salsa vocal numbers as well. The noteworthy salsa tracks on Keeper of the Flame include the spirited "Este Son" (featuring vocalist Jose Perico Hernandez) and the infectious cha cha "Sonando," which is based on Ray Barretto's "Cocinando." As solid and rewarding as this material is, Sanchez would only get better as the 1980s progressed. But Keeper of the Flame reminds listeners that his association with Concord got off to a promising start with Sonando and Bien Sabroso. ~ Alex Henderson

Recorded at United/Western Studios, Hollywood, California in August 1982. Includes liner notes by Leonard Feather & Virginia Escelante.

Poncho Sanchez (congas, percussion, background vocals); Dick Mitchell (flute, saxophone, tenor saxophone); Gary Foster (flute, saxophone); Steve Huffsteter (trumpet, flugelhorn); Mark Levine (trombone, valve trombone); Charlie Otwell (piano); Ramon Banda (drums, timbales); Luis Conte (bongos, bata, percussion, background vocals); David Romero (bongos); Tony Banda (background vocals).

Album: Keeper Of The Flame (Disc 1)
Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 42:12
Size: 97.7 MB
Label: Concord
Styles: Latin Jazz
Year: 2001
Art: Front

[4:07] 1. A Night In Tunisia
[5:33] 2. Sonando
[4:35] 3. The Summer Knows
[5:29] 4. Con Tres Tambores Bata Un Quinto Y Un Tumbador
[5:52] 5. Este Son
[5:14] 6. Almendra
[3:13] 7. Sueno
[3:55] 8. Cal's Pals
[4:10] 9. Peruchin

Keeper Of The Flame (Disc 1)

---

Album: Keeper Of The Flame (Disc 2)
Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 40:08
Size: 93.0 MB
Label: Concord
Styles: Latin Jazz
Year: 2001
Art: Front

[3:55] 1. Ahora
[4:09] 2. Bien Sabroso (Very Tasty)
[4:44] 3. Nancy
[5:44] 4. Keeper Of The Flame
[3:39] 5. Brisa
[4:13] 6. Sin Timbal
[4:13] 7. Una Mas
[3:22] 8. Half And Half
[6:04] 9. Ican

Keeper Of The Flame (Disc 2)

---

Ottmar Liebert & Luna Negra - Rumba Collection 1992-1997

Time: 52:30
Size: 122.9 MB
Label: Epic
Styles: Flamenco, New Age
Year: 1998
Bitrate: 320K/s
Art: Front

[4:56] 1. Reaching Out 2 U (Todos Bajo La Misma Luna) Salsa 4 Peace
[3:52] 2. Snakecharmer
[4:32] 3. Montana Walking
[4:10] 4. Havana Club
[4:54] 5. Merengue De Alegrias (Candy 4 My Soul)
[4:52] 6. Butterfly + Juniper 4 Kelly
[4:10] 7. Turkish Night (with fade)
[3:40] 8. 'Black Hair In The Wind'
[4:06] 9. Ocean Blvd. / Miami
[4:44] 10. Lone Rider (4 slick) (with fade)
[4:47] 11. Tremulo (De Mi Corazon) (Unreleased Edit)
[3:42] 12. Barcelona Nights/Speed Merengue '97 (Unreleased Version)

Rumba Collection: 1992-1997 is an excellent summation of Ottmar Liebert's rumba recordings of the '90s, capturing some of his very best performances of the decade. Ten of these tracks are drawn from his popular albums for Epic -- Solo Para Ti, The House Between Night and Day, Viva! and Opium -- while two other cuts are previously unreleased: an edited version of "Tremulo" and a "speed merengue" version of "Barcelona Nights." ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Rumba Collection 1992-1997

---

Bette Midler - Jackpot: The Best Bette

Time: 67:40
Size: 154.9 MB
Label: WEA/Rhino
Styles: Adult Contemporary, Soft rock
Year: 2008
Bitrate: 320K/s
Art: Front

[2:41] 1. In The Mood
[3:06] 2. This Ole House
[3:48] 3. Beast of Burden
[3:55] 4. Just My Imagination [Running Away With Me]
[3:35] 5. The Rose
[4:59] 6. When A Man Loves A Woman
[1:31] 7. I've Still Got My Health
[5:31] 8. Spring Can Really Hang You Up The Most
[4:18] 9. Hello In There
[3:17] 10. The Glory Of Love
[3:12] 11. Tenderly
[4:55] 12. Wind Beneath My Wings
[2:44] 13. Do You Want To Dance
[2:27] 14. Baby Mine
[4:39] 15. From A Distance
[2:18] 16. Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy
[2:55] 17. Friends
[5:11] 18. Something Your Heart Has Been Telling Me [Demo Version]
[2:29] 19. Cool Yule

This 20-track collection is the second "Best of Bette" collection & is a good overview of Bette's career. Early hits like "Do You Want to Dance?," "In the Mood," & her signature song "Friends" are balanced with newer recordings like "Cool Yule," which went to #1 on my personal top ten last Christmas. Always, fans will have favorites songs like "In These Shoes," "Shining Star" or "Mambo Italiano" that were not included. However, this volume is well-engineered. The booklet is informative. Several tracks from films are included like the Carole King-David Foster-Carole Bayer Sager tune "My One True Friend" & "Baby Mine" from "Beaches." The previously unreleased demo from 1984, "Something Your Heart Has Been Telling Me," is a delightful track co-penned by Bette, "Last night I heard you calling, I heard you calling out a name I did not know." Two tracks shine here in replay, the Rolling Stones' "Beast of Burden" pops out of the speakers with some burning electric lead guitar; and the Temptations' #1 hit "Just My Imagination (Running Away With Me)" shimmers delightfully. "Jackpot!" is an excellent overview from this consummate actress-singer. Bravo! ~Lee Armstrong

Jackpot: The Best Bette

---

Wes Montgomery - A Day In The Life

Time: 34:53
Size: 79.9 MB
Label: A&M
Styles: Guitar jazz
Year: 1967/1990
Bitrate: 320K/s
Art: Front

[5:49] 1. A Day In The Life
[2:45] 2. Watch What Happens
[2:55] 3. When A Man Loves A Woman
[2:32] 4. California Nights
[2:50] 5. Angel
[3:08] 6. Eleanor Rigby
[4:35] 7. Willow Weep For Me
[2:22] 8. Windy
[4:28] 9. Trust In Me
[3:25] 10. The Joker

As is usual on Wes Montgomery's later recordings, underneath all the orchestrated strings, horns, and windwinds, there's a killer rhythm section hard at work, and A DAY IN THE LIFE is no exception, with Herbie Hancock, Ron Carter, and Grady Tate holding everything together. It's hard not to measure everything Montgomery did after 1963 against the four years of cooking, small-group albums he made for Riverside starting in 1959; the later, more arranged material is certainly less pure in terms of jazz content.

But the Verve and A&M albums were conscious attempts to market the guitarist to a wider audience, and as successful pop records, they gave Montgomery some degree of financial security after years of struggling to support a family of six on a jazzman's income. What's remarkable in retrospect is the amount of blowing that does occur here. On "Eleanor Rigby," of all places, the band lays down a groove for Wes to riff over before the strings come cascading back in, and good things happen also on the two standards, "Watch What Happens," and "Willow Weep For Me."

Recorded at Van Gelder Studios, Englewood Cliffs, New Jeresey on June 6-8 & 26, 1967.

Wes Montgomery (vocals); Margaret Ross (harp); Harry Glickman, Lewis Eley, Julius Brand, Harry Urbont, Tosha Samaroff, Leo Krucczek, Sylvan Shulman, Peter Buonconsigilio, Mac Ceppos, Jack Zayde, Harry Katzman, Gene Orloff (violin); Harold Coletta, Emanuel Vardi (viola); Stanley Webb (bass flute, woodwinds); George Marge, Joe Soldo, Romeo Penque (bass flute); Phil Bodner (woodwinds); Ray Alonge (French horn); Herbie Hancock (piano); Grady Tate (drums); Jack Jennings, Joe Wohletz, Ray Barretto (percussion).

A Day In The Life

---