Ornette Coleman - The Shape of Jazz to Come

The Shape of Jazz to Come CD 1

Styles: Free Jazz
Year: 2021
Time: 73:40
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Size: 170,1 MB
Art: Front

(5:03) 1. Lonely Woman
(4:25) 2. Eventually
(9:05) 3. Peace
(6:53) 4. Focus on Sanity
(6:49) 5. Congeniality
(6:08) 6. Chronology
(5:59) 7. Monk and the Nun
(3:52) 8. Just for You
(6:40) 9. Ramblin'
(6:24) 10. Free
(7:00) 11. The Face of the Bass
(5:16) 12. Forerunner

The Shape of Jazz to Come CD 1

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The Shape of Jazz to Come CD 2

Styles: Free Jazz
Year: 2021
Time: 75:16
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Size: 174,1 MB
Art: Front

(5:33) 1. Bird Food
(6:03) 2. Una Muy Bonita
(4:43) 3. Change of the Century
(5:32) 4. Music Always
(4:54) 5. Crossroads
(4:18) 6. Invisible
(4:50) 7. The Blessing
(7:25) 8. Jayne
(5:44) 9. Chippie
(2:53) 10. The Disguise
(4:25) 11. Angel Voice
(4:17) 12. Alpha
(5:05) 13. When Will the Blues Leave?
(4:21) 14. The Sphinx
(5:05) 15. Tears Inside

The Shape of Jazz to Come CD 2

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Presented here are three seminal albums by the great Ornette Coleman (1930-2015): The Shape of Jazz to Come, featuring the debut of the splendid piano-less quartet with Don Cherry, Charlie Haden and Billy Higgins; Change of the Century, with the same personnel, and Something Else!!!!, which marked the debut recording by the Ornette Coleman Quintet, also showcasing Cherry and Higgins.

THE SHAPE OF JAZZ TO COME ****(CROWN AWARD) PENGUIN GUIDE TO JAZZ: Brash as the titles are, the music is surprisingly introspective and thoughtful. Most of the essential Coleman pieces are to be found here, though interestingly only one of them--'Lonely Woman'--has ever come close to repertory status. (Richard Cook & Brian Morton) *****ALL MUSIC: THE SHAPE OF JAZZ TO COME Any understanding of jazz's avant-garde should begin here. (Steve Huey) *****ALL MUSIC: CHANGE OF THE CENTURY An absolutely essential purchase and some of the most brilliant work of Coleman's career. (Steve Huey) ****ALL MUSIC: SOMETHING ELSE!!!!This record swings from the rafters of the human heart with the most unusually gifted, emotional, and lyrical line since Bill Evans first hit the scene. (Thom Jurek)

https://www.amazon.com/Shape-Change-Century-Something-DeluxeDigipak/dp/B07TKNGH71

Personnel:

Ornette Coleman, alto sax

Don Cherry, cornet

Billy Higgins, drums

On all tracks, plus:

CD 1 [1-8]: THE SHAPE OF JAZZ TO COME.

Charlie Haden, bass.

Hollywood, California, May 22, 1959..

Percy Heath (b), Shelly Manne (d). Los Angeles, March 9 & 10, 1959.

CD 1 [9-12] & CD 2[1-5]: CHANGE OF THE CENTURY.

Charlie Haden, bass.

Hollywood, California, October 8, 1959..

CD 2 [6-14]: SOMETHIGN ELSE!!!.

Walter Norris, piano; Don Payne, bass..

Contemporary Studio, Los Angeles, February-March, 1958..

(*) BONUS TRACK: Ornette Coleman (as), Don Cherry (pocket-tp),.

Percy Heath (b), Shelly Manne (d). Los Angeles, March 9 & 10, 1959.

https://www.jazzmessengers.com/en/81611/ornette-coleman/the-shape-of-jazz-to-come

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Dave Lambert/Jon Hendricks/Annie Ross - Sing A Song Of & Along With Basie

Styles: Swing,Vocal
Year: 2012
Time: 75:43
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Size: 176,1 MB
Art: Front

(5:21) 1. Everyday I Have the Blues
(2:29) 2. It's Sand Man
(2:44) 3. Two For the Blues
(3:04) 4. One O'clock Jump
(2:32) 5. Little Pony
(2:14) 6. Down for Double
(3:18) 7. Fiesta in Blue
(3:01) 8. Down for the Count
(3:01) 9. Blues Backstage
(2:55) 10. Avenue C
(3:22) 11. Jumpin' at the Woodside
(4:14) 12. Going to Chicago Blues
(2:41) 13. Tickle Toe
(3:17) 14. Let Me See
(3:27) 15. Every Tub
(3:10) 16. Shorty George
(3:48) 17. Rusty Dusty Blues
(3:26) 18. The King
(3:06) 19. Swingin' the Blues
(4:38) 20. Lil' Darlin'
(4:12) 21. Doodlin' (Bonus Track)
(5:33) 22. Every Day I Have the Blues (Bonus Track)

Sing A Song Of & Along With Basie

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It is fair to say that Lambert, Hendricks and Ross set standards in style and musical ability. The trio's contribution to jazz vocal cannot be underestimated and their vocal gymnastics dramatically changed the sound of other vocal groups. They were voted best vocal group in downbeats readers poll 5 years in a row.

Two complete albums on one! The first features a rhythm section based on Count Basie's "New Testament" band with the vocalese practitioners Dave Lambert, Jon Hendricks and Annie Ross executing the tricky lead and section work. Annie Ross is astonishing as she hits impossibly high trumpet parts with aplomb. Then on the second you have the thrilling, ultra swinging sound of the full Count Basie Orchestra plus appearances from Joe Williams. In fact there's enough words and music here to make it seem like some sort of crazy jazz opera.

Also including bonus live tracks "Doodlin" and "Everyday I Have The Blues" recorded with Count Basie.

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Russ Freeman Trio & Quartet

Styles: Bop, Cool Jazz
Year: 2011
Time: 79:47
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Size: 183,9 MB
Art: Front

(2:22) 1. Lullaby in Rhythm
(4:13) 2. East of the Sun
(3:25) 3. Steeplechase
(2:59) 4. Laugh Cry
(2:45) 5. At Last
(2:43) 6. You Stepped Out of a Dream
(2:38) 7. Yesterday's Gardenias
(2:50) 8. Bock's Tops
(3:08) 9. Don't Worry 'Bout Me
(2:54) 10. Backfield Motion
(3:02) 11. The Eye Opener
(2:42) 12. Bojangles of Harlem
(4:41) 13. It's a New World
(7:24) 14. Blues in the Night
(3:00) 15. The Party's Over
(3:42) 16. Joey, Joey, Joey
(5:07) 17. Woody's Dot
(3:38) 18. Namely You
(3:56) 19. Love in a Home
(3:47) 20. Progress Is the Root of All Evil
(4:00) 21. Independent
(4:41) 22. Invitation to the Blues

Trio & Quartet

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While other West Coast jazz pianists during the Fifties and early Sixties cut their shareand some perhaps more than thatof albums for a variety of recording firms, Russ Freemans output of records under his own name was nowhere near enough to reflect his enormous talent.

Thanks to his involvement in the groups of such standard bearers as Howard McGhee, Dexter Gordon, Art Pepper and Wardell Gray, he developed rapidly and when Chet Baker made his first quartet recordings in December 1952, he chose Freeman as pianist, composer and musical director. Freemans reputation also earned him a place with the Lighthouse All-Stars, Shorty Rogers Giants and, for ten years from 1955, with Shelly Manne and his Men.

This CD is dedicated to the memory of Russ Freeman (1926-2002), an extraordinary but too often underrated jazz pianist who deserves a place among the greatest.

Tracks #1-3, not issued on LP

Tracks #4-11, from Pacific Jazz LP-8 (10")

Track #12, from World Pacific JWC-501 (12")

Track #13, from World Pacific JWC-505 (12")

Track #14, from World Pacific JWC-502 (12")

Tracks #15-21, from World Pacific PJM-404 (12")

Track #22, from World Pacific JWC-511 and Stereo 1031 (12")

Personnel on #1-3: Russ Freeman (piano), Bob Whitlock (bass), Bobby White (drums). Recorded in Hollywood, at Gold Star Studios, December 15, 1952

Personnel on #4-11: Russ Freeman (piano), Joe Mondragon (bass), Shelly Manne (drums). Recorded in Hollywood, at Radio Recorders, December 27 (#4-6) & 28 (#7-11), 1953

Personnel on #12-14: Bud Shank (alto sax & flute), Russ Freeman (piano), Carson Smith (bass), Shelly Manne (drums). Recorded in Hollywood, at Music Box Theater, February 19, 1956

Personnel on #15-21: Russ Freeman (piano), Monty Budwig (assb), Shelly Manne (drums). Stu Williamson (trumpet, added on #18-21). Recorded in Hollywood, at Radio Recorders, August 12, 1957

Personnel on #22: Russ Freeman (piano), Billy Bean (guitar), Monty Budwig (bass), Mel Lewis (drums).  Recorded in Hollywood, at Sound Enterprises, March 26, 1959

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Della Reese - Della On Stage

Styles: Vocal
Year: 1962
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 42:08
Size: 97,8 MB
Art: Front

(2:21)  1. Comes Once In a Lifetime
(3:12)  2. Bye Bye Blackbird
(4:27)  3. Misty
(5:05)  4. Medley: The Lamp Is Low / After the Lights Go Down Low / Fly Me to the Moon
(4:57)  5. You Came a Long Way from St. Louis
(5:35)  6. His Eye Is On the Sparrow
(4:15)  7. Mad About Him, Sad About Him, How Can I Be Glad Without Him Bues
(3:05)  8. Ol' Man River
(4:25)  9. If Ever I Would Leave You
(4:40) 10. Someday (You'll Want Me to Want You)

Renowned as both a television star and a top-flight interpreter of jazz, blues, R&B, gospel, and straight-ahead pop music, Della Reese's many talents ensured a long, varied, and legendary show biz career. In addition to being nominated for both an Emmy and a Grammy and receiving a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, Reese was also an ordained minister in the Universal Foundation for Better Living, an association of churches she helped found in the early '80s. Born Deloreese Patricia Early on July 6, 1931, the young Reese began singing in the Baptist church choir in her hometown of Detroit at age six. In 1945, having developed quite rapidly, she caught the ear of legendary gospel queen Mahalia Jackson, who invited Reese to join her touring choir; Reese did so for the next five summers. Upon entering Wayne State University to study psychology, Reese formed a women's gospel group, the Meditation Singers, but her college career was cut short by the death of her mother and her father's serious illness. Reese worked odd jobs to help support the rest of her family; she also continued to perform with the Meditation Singers and various other gospel groups. Encouraged by her pastor, Reese began singing in nightclubs in hopes of getting a singing career off the ground; recently married to a factory worker named Vermont Adolphus Bon Taliaferro, her name was too long to fit on marquees, and she eventually arrived at her performing alias by splitting up her first name. After impressing a New York agent, who promptly signed her, Reese moved to New York and joined the Erskine Hawkins Orchestra in 1953. A year later, she had a recording contract with Jubilee, for whom she scored hits like "And That Reminds Me," a 1957 million-seller. 

Switching to RCA Victor, Reese landed her biggest hit in 1959 with "Don't You Know?," a song adapted from Puccini's La Bohème; this cemented her career, leading not only to plentiful appearances on variety shows, but successful nightclub tours of the country and eventually nine years of performances in Las Vegas, as well as recording contracts with a variety of labels over the next few decades. Building on her previous variety show experience, Reese made a small bit of television history in 1969 when she became the first woman to guest-host The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson. Later that year, she became the first black woman to host her own variety show, the syndicated Della, which ran until 1970. Following its cancellation, Reese returned to her nightclub tours, often putting in guest appearances on television shows like The Mod Squad, Sanford and Son, and Chico and the Man; after three prior failed marriages, Reese also found a lasting relationship with producer Franklin Lett, whom she married in 1978. On October 3, 1980, while taping a song for The Tonight Show, Reese suffered a brain aneurysm that nearly proved fatal; however, thanks to a successful operation, she was able to make a full recovery. She kept up her singing career and appeared on television shows like Designing Women, L.A. Law, and Picket Fences, as well as the Eddie Murphy films Harlem Nights and The Distinguished Gentleman. Reese also starred in the Redd Foxx sitcom The Royal Family from 1991-1992, and garnered what was undoubtedly her highest level of recognition in the inspirational drama series Touched by an Angel, a quite popular program that ran for nine years, between 1994 and 2003, on the CBS network. After Touched by an Angel finished its run, Reese continued to act intermittently on television through to 2014. She died at her home in Encino, California in November 2017 at the age of 86. ~ Steve Huey https://www.allmusic.com/artist/della-reese-mn0000196544/biography

Della On Stage

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PRONOUNCEMENT

 

Dear Friends and Silky Denims visitors

This is to inform you of the reason why we have decided to lock the cbox and moderate the comments on the posts, temporarily (or not).

We have been visited by a person who has no manners/class. A person who believes he/she has the right to come to the blog to offend - unfairly - those who have worked for more than 15 years to promote the good music.

Whoever it is, man or woman, is not welcome! Go and spend your time doing something worthy and not trying to tarnish/obscure/denigrate the reputation of those who work hard.

To our friends we ask that you please use this post as a place to make your requests, knowing, however, that your comments will be moderated by our team until all this is over.

If this situation persists, we will be forced to close the blog to a small number of guests/our elite of visitors.

Our sincere apologies for what happened and we hope everyone has a great Sunday.

Cheers!

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Dena DeRose - Love's Holiday

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 63:15
Size: 144.8 MB
Styles: Jazz vocals
Year: 2002
Art: Front

[4:52] 1. Lover
[4:48] 2. I Thought About You
[4:56] 3. I Didn't Know What Time It Was
[4:14] 4. The Good Life
[7:15] 5. Close Your Eyes
[4:58] 6. The Iris
[5:21] 7. On Green Dolphin Street
[7:41] 8. Birk's Works
[4:47] 9. But Beautiful
[4:46] 10. marian's mood
[4:02] 11. Lamp Is Low
[5:30] 12. The Nearness of You

Dena DeRose Piano, Vocals; Peter Washington Bass; Matt Wilson Drums; Joe Locke Vibes (4,5,6,8); Jim Rotondi Trumpet (3,6,8,11); Steve Davis Trombone (3,4,6,8,11); Tony Kadleck Trumpet/Flugel (4,6,11); Sara Della Posta French Horn (4,6,11); Brian Lynch Trumpet (9); Bill Charlap Piano (12).

To those who have seen Dena DeRose perform, it is immediately apparent that she is a compelling singer and pianist. What is not so obvious is the fact that she also arranges and often composes the tunes she performs. here Dena discusses some of the thoughts and considerations that went into five of the peformances on this recording; four classic American songbook tunes and one of her original compositions.

"In general, I try to interpret a tune by examining the relationship between its melodic/harmonic structure and the meaning of the lyric --- filtered, of course through my life experiences."

Love's Holiday

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Yelena Eckemoff - Scenes from the Dark Ages

Styles: Jazz
Year: 2025
Time: 105:05
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Size: 242,6 MB
Art: Front

( 5:38) 1. Pilgrims
( 5:18) 2. Village Tavern
( 5:41) 3. From Peasants Life
(10:37) 4. Spell-bound Fortress
( 6:56) 5. Monks in Scriptorium
( 5:30) 6. Cathedral
(11:05) 7. Legends of the Castle
( 9:42) 8. Adventures of a Knight
( 4:45) 9. Battle
( 5:29) 10. Chivalry
( 6:03) 11. Tournament
( 4:25) 12. Masquerade
( 8:36) 13. Alchemist
( 9:16) 14. Quest
( 5:58) 15. From the Life of the Lords

“I dreamed about being born in medieval times,” says composer Yelena Eckemoff.

Yelena’s newest album is not a rendering of early-music tropes in modern jazz feels. Rather, in her writing on this album Yelena synthesizes classical music constructs and her original melodies with the varied rhythmic and stylistic innovations of jazz, fusion, and world music from the 21st century. Beyond this, she invests each moment of the album with her own sense of delight in leading and performing this unique material.

Yelena recorded this album in Mantua, Italy, bringing together an ensemble perfectly suited to execute her ideas: esteemed Italian musicians Riccardo Bertuzzi on electric guitar, Carlo Nicita onflute, Eloisa Manera onviolin, Riccardo Oliva on electric bass, and legendary percussionist/drummer Trilok Gurtu.

From the first moments of “Pilgrims,” the album opener, with Gurtu’s decisive attack on the drums and Oliva’s funk vibe in the bass, the listener is put on alert that this album defies the expectations of its title. It’s when Yelena enters with a chant-like theme in the piano, however, that one first begins to understand the ingenuity of her writing—how the impact of a simple melodic notion can change depending on its context. As if to prove this point further, Yelena continues to upend the tune, first with Bertuzzi’s blazing entrance on electric guitar, then with Nicita’s seductively sweet flute lines. Astonishingly, these transitions between musical ideas are seamless.

“This project is so different from my others because it has prog-rock feel,” says the accomplished self-produced musician, who, with this latest title, has now released more than 20 critically acclaimed albums via her own label, L&H Production. “I didn’t want just guitar and bass, I wanted rock guitar and electric bass and really strong drums. On this recording you’ll hear me playing not only piano, but medieval instruments like organ, clavichord, harpsichord, and celesta. I also wanted violin and flute, and I think this somewhat atypical instrumentation gives the music another dimension.”

Yelena brings this same attention to the album’s narrative construction: one tune flows organically into the next as she weaves a vibrant sonic tableau depicting medieval life. In her vision, each tune captures a unique aspect of those far-off times much like the fairy tales that so mesmerized her as a child.

“For as long as I can remember, I was surrounded by books, growing up in the imaginary world of folk stories and fairy tales,” Yelena remembers, emphasizing how strong a hold this literature has had on her imagination. “I remember being very little, sitting on a huge sofa with stacks of books around me, scrutinizing wonderfully illustrated pages of one book after another. Then, in elementary school, I would play a game about living on a different planet, set in medieval times, where I walked among castles, horses and carriages, kings and princes. Later, in the fourth grade, I wrote a story about medieval times with music. Funny, but a couple of the melodic ideas from that effort made their way into this album.”

Those who follow Yelena’s career will not be surprised by the enormous creativity in this collection; Yelena always brings a wealth of deep thought to everything she does. What might surprise listeners, however, is how persistently this project has been forming in Yelena’s mind, resurfacing intermittently years after she wrote those first little snippets for a grade school performance.

“In my late teens I played in a progressive rock band, which influenced my composing with prog-rock idioms,” she explained. “Later, after immigrating to the United States, I was working in my MIDI studio and utilizing the rich possibilities of Kurzweil K-2000 sequencer and created a project that I called Medieval Symphony, where I mixed a medieval feel with prog-rock and fusion. This project represented my reincarnated childhood dream about medieval times how I imagined them, according to all those wonderful illustrated fairy tales I used to read and love.

“I planned to release Medieval Symphony along with my prior projects involving MIDI, like The Birth of Emmanuel, Kaleidoscope of Life, and Death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ. But I started to realize that my solo efforts—where I played all of the instruments, including drums lacked the live touch of real musicians. So, I left the project unreleased.

“New, different projects followed, recorded with various jazz musicians. And finally, I thought about going back to my unreleased medieval project, to be recorded with a live band. I reworked all of the tunes from the original Medieval Symphony, added new material, and infused it all with jazz improvisation.

“So, basically, this project started a long time ago for me, having taken root in my childhood infatuation with medieval life. Like a never-ending fairy tale, images from medieval life have continued to inspire me.”

To modern ears, these compositions will register as present-day fairy tales, sparkling with the same imagination and wonder that has kept these most beloved stories alive for centuries. Like fairy tales, too, Yelena’s work carries deeper meanings; its sophistication lies in her talent for making the complex seem simple and the simple beautiful.
https://www.allaboutjazz.com/news/prolific-pianist-composer-to-release-epic-medieval-progressive-jazz-masterpiece-scenes-from-the-dark-ages-march-28th-on-l-and-h-production/

Scenes from the Dark Ages

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Harold Land - Hard Landing

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2025
Time: 57:21
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Size: 131,9 MB
Art: Front

(7:08) 1. Grooveyard
(6:49) 2. Compulsion
(5:51) 3. One Second, Please
(4:53) 4. Don't Explain
(6:16) 5. Sims A-Plenty
(3:58) 6. You Don't Know What Love Is
(7:46) 7. Terrain
(7:13) 8. Smack Up
(7:23) 9. One Down

The West Coast saxophonist known for his associations with the masterful quintet led by trumpeter Clifford Brown and drummer Max Roach in the mid-50's and with the internationally acclaimed quintet he co-led with Bobby Hutcherson in the late '60s. He engaged in an individualistic style and an expressive tone, mixing compelling melody readings with alluring improvisations.

Land, born in Houston and raised in San Diego, moved to Los Angeles in the early '50s. In 1954, he joined the famed Brown-Roach quintet, with which he toured the United States and recorded several albums for EmArcy (all of which are available as reissue CDs). After two years with the ensemble, Land felt the need to be closer to his family, which was in Los Angeles, and so he returned and resided there ever since.

He soon began to establish himself as one of the most singular and powerful of jazzmen, making albums with bassists Red Mitchell and Curtis Counce and then, in 1958, making his solo debut (he had recorded four selections in 1949 that were released by Savoy). “Harold in the Land of Jazz,” was issued on Contemporary Records, and was followed a year later by “The Fox,” which many consider his best early recording. He did an impromptu date in the spring of 1960, rising star Wes Montgomery was living in San Francisco and the Cannonball Adderley Quintet with its Barry Harris/Sam Jones/Louis Hayes rhythm section was all brought in for a classic blowing session that resulted in “West Coast Blues.”

He also began performing with Gerald Wilson's orchestra, and with pianists Hampton Hawes and Carl Perkins, becoming an essential element in the Los Angeles jazz scene. Nonetheless, the saxophonist didn't really get much exposure outside LA until he formed a quintet with vibes player Bobby Hutcherson in the late '60s. The band recorded for Blue Note and toured the US and Europe.

Also during the '60s, Land, like so many saxophonists, became enamored with John Coltrane, and he found that both his smooth sound and his approach to improvising changed during this period. "John definitely inspired me with his intense spirit, and I usually say that spirit moved me so much that I became a little more intense in my own musical presentation," says Land. "At the same time, I was trying to maintain a certain individuality that I hope I have managed to do."

In the late '70s and '80s, Land joined the Timeless All-Stars, which also included Higgins, Hutcherson, Cedar Walton (piano), and Curtis Fuller (trombone). In and around performances with the Timeless band, Land fronted fine quintets that featured trumpeters Blue Mitchell (their “Mapenzi,” on Concord Jazz, is a classic) and Oscar Brashear (documented on “Xocia's Dance” on Muse). Land remains one of the most impressive and deep improvisers in jazz.

He recorded “A Lazy Afternoon,” (1994) a collection of soothing standards backed by a string orchestra. In 2001 he returned from a seven year recording hiatus to offer up “Promised Land,” featuring Mulgrew Miller on piano, Ray Drummond on bass, and Billy Higgins on drums. Sadly, this would be one of Higgins's last sessions, and Harold Land would also go on to pass in July of 2001.https://www.allaboutjazz.com/musicians/harold-land

Hard Landing

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Brian Simpson - Midnight Groove

Styles: Smooth Jazz
Year: 2025
Time: 38:12
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Size: 88,1 MB
Art: Front

(3:58) 1. Blue Mystique
(3:36) 2. Under The Stars
(3:45) 3. Lost In The Moment
(4:01) 4. Tropical Escape
(3:49) 5. Midnight Groove
(4:10) 6. In Search Of My Dream
(3:53) 7. A Quiet Kiss
(3:45) 8. Story of Love
(3:42) 9. Come To Me
(3:29) 10. Sunset Mirage

Smooth jazz continues to enjoy enduring appeal and this new album from one of the genre’s best loved keyboardists will find plenty of support from the ever-growing smooth jazz community.

Simpson, of course, has a CV to be proud of. He’s worked with people like Janet Jackson, Teena Marie, George Duke, Stanley Clarke, Boney James and Dave Koz and that breadth of experience can be heard across all 10 tracks of this, his new album.

The LP opens with the soulful ‘Blue Mystique’ which features some emotive sax lines from Steve Alaniz alongside Simpson’s crystalline keys. The track sets the tone for what’s to come. Alaniz, by the way, isn’t the only featured guest. Here you can also enjoy the talents of trumpeter Keyon Harrold on the sensual title track, saxophonist Isaiah Collier on the gentle ‘Under The Stars’ and Spanish guitarist Antonio Gomez who sits in on ‘In Search Of My Dreams’. The title there is a clue to the cut’s soundscape. There’s more exotica on ‘Tropical Escape’ (again, the clue’s in the title) while ‘A Quiet Kiss’ (Alaniz on sax here too) and ‘Sunset Mirage’ offer chill out moments.

What gives this album its unity is the polish and the strength of the melodies. Simpson’s mantra is “The melody is always king” and that shines clearly throughout ‘Midnight Groove’ which is out now.
https://www.soulandjazzandfunk.com/reviews/brian-simpson-midnight-groove-shanachie/

Midnight Groove

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Dena Derose - We Won't Forget You... An Homage To Shirley Horn

Size: 117,6 MB

Time: 50:27
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2014
Styles: Jazz Vocals
Art: Front

01. You Stepped Out Of A Dream (5:31)
02. Sunday In New York (3:12)
03. Quietly There (6:24)
04. A Time For Love (5:36)
05. Don't Be On The Outside (4:53)
06. You Won't Forget Me (4:35)
07. I Just Found Out About Love (3:23)
08. Big City (4:37)
09. Your're Nearer (4:31)
10. Wild Is Love (2:50)
11. The Great City (4:50)

It's no small thing to be called "The most creative and compelling singer-pianist since Shirley Horn," but that's how Joel Siegel, Washington City Paper, described Dena DeRose. It is with great pleasure that HighNote Records welcomes Dena to their roster with this debut recording. Joining her usual trio of Martin Wind, bass and Matt Wilson, drums, are trumpeter Jeremy Pelt, tenor saxophonist Eric Alexander and baritone saxophonist Gary Smulyan. Boasting an imaginative set list and varied use of instrumental color, Dena DeRose's first HighNote CD is jazz singing of the highest order.

We Won't Forget You... An Homage To Shirley Horn

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Diego Figueiredo - Tempos Bons

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 67:02
Size: 153.4 MB
Styles: Guitar jazz, Latin rhythms
Year: 2012
Art: Front

[ 5:07] 1. Na Baixa Do Sapateiro
[ 2:30] 2. El Colibri
[ 4:25] 3. Spain
[ 4:51] 4. Que Reste-T-Il
[10:42] 5. Retratos Do Nordeste
[ 3:33] 6. Carinhoso
[ 2:57] 7. Old Devil Moon
[ 5:43] 8. Granada
[ 4:19] 9. Wave
[ 6:16] 10. Lamentos Do Morro
[ 5:02] 11. Dindi
[ 4:06] 12. Round Midnight
[ 1:58] 13. Las Abejas
[ 5:27] 14. Stella By Starlight

At only 29, Brazilian Diego Figueiredo is already considered one of the world’s great guitarists. His story is that of the child prodigy who was first photographed with a guitar at the age of four. At six he received a mandolin, and he went through a succession of various other instruments, before settling down with the guitar at twelve. Soon he was performing locally, and his improvisational and har- monic talent was apparent even at this early stage. At fifteen he was playing in small concert halls and nightclubs either alone or with others. While performing with various Brazilian bands, he was also studying classical guitar and popular Brazilian music and jazz at the conservatory in his hometown Franka and in Ribeirão Preto and Tatuí. He won his first prize at a contest in South America and received a grant to study at Berklee College of Music. In 2001 Diego Figueiredo received the Visa Award for his performance of “instrumental Brazilian popular music”; and the shower of honors on this modest, but giant talent has never ceased – the first prize at Montreux Jazz Competition is but one example.

These days Diego is accompanist to vocalist and composer Belchior on tours of Brazil and abroad. He has played with Hermeto Pascoal, Sebastião Tapajos, Osvaldo Montenegro, Jair Rodrigues, Toquinho Horta, Tunai, Paulinho da Viola, Moraes Moreira, Fafa de Belém, Amelinha, Zeca Baleiro and other prominent Brazilian musicians. But he is also known outside South America, and he tours most of the world as a soloist. He is famous for his technique as well as his sensitive interpretations of South American, classical and jazz music. He is often compared with Baden Powell, Helio Delmiro and Joe Pass. After hearing his set at the Montreux Jazz Festival, George Benson exclaimed, “Diego is the best guitarist I’ve ever heard!” Pat Metheny was equally impressed, and spoke of magic moments. Next time he visits Brazil, he says he will insist on playing with Diego. Diego has released several albums, including DADAIÔ, recorded in Copenhagen with bassist Rodolfo Stroeter and legendary drum- mer and percussionist Robertinho Silva, and released on Stunt Records. The Danish critic Henrik Palle gave the CD six out of six possible stars, calling it “a lovely dream of a record... enticing and enchantingly show-offish”, tying up his review with the following statement: “contagious joy in portions large enough to make it damn hard to keep a winter depression alive”. His newspaper, Politiken, placed DADAIÔ among the year’s ten best albums.

With TEMPOS BONS, Stunt Records continues its collaboration with Diego Figueiredo. The compilation includes solo guitar selections recorded in Brazil, a trio recording, and three songs with the charming French vocalist Cyrille Aimée, with whom Diego has celebrated long, triumphant American tours. The repertoire on this compilation is varied: the Brazilian mainstay is spiced with a few jazz standards and a wonderful French song, originally made famous by Charles Trenet. Enjoy the good times – TEMPOS BONS – with Diego. Sensitive and lyrical musical postcards from genuine and imagined landscapes, where melody and rhythm go hand in hand with youthful creative prowess in joyous and sensual music.

Tempos Bons

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Ronny Whyte - Whyte Witchcraft

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2019
Time: 60:43
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Size: 140,2 MB
Art: Front

(2:24) 1. Too Good to Talk About
(4:57) 2. It Amazes Me
(4:01) 3. The Best is yet to Come
(3:13) 4. I'm Watching You
(3:55) 5. Sometime When You're Lonely
(4:37) 6. Witchcraft
(3:22) 7. Sweet Talk
(3:37) 8. On Second Thought
(4:16) 9. Why Try to Change Me Now
(3:36) 10. I've Got Your Number
(3:14) 11. I'm in Love Again
(3:36) 12. Rules of the Road
(3:16) 13. I Walk a Little Faster
(3:51) 14. You Fascinate Me So
(2:21) 15. Don't Ask a Lady
(4:04) 16. Here I Go Again
(2:19) 17. All Right I Love You

Cy Coleman (1929-2004), the jazz pianist turned theater composer, is best remembered for his string of golden Broadway scores—Little Me, Wildcat, Sweet Charity, Seesaw, I Love My Wife. But to cabaret-goers of the 1950s, Coleman was a nightclub mainstay whose songs formed a smart soundtrack to big-city life. His music, with its syncopated, conversational bounce, has a distinctly New York pulse; the lyrics of his key collaborators, Joseph McCarthy, Jr., Carolyn Leigh, and Dorothy Fields, are dazzlingly nimble and worldly-wise. In “You Fascinate Me So,” Leigh’s words have a swing all their own: “I feel like Christopher Columbus when I’m near enough to contemplate/The sweet geography descending from your eyebrow to your toe.” 

It’s a lost language of songwriting, and most of its great interpreters—Blossom Dearie, Sylvia Syms, Mabel Mercer, Bobby Short—are gone. But their urbanity and musicianship live on in Ronny Whyte, a sixty-year member of a grand tradition of New York singer-pianists. Suave but eternally boyish, with jazz chops and a breezy air, Whyte was Coleman’s friend; the composer gave him copies of many of his songs. From these Whyte has assembled his latest album, which focuses mainly on Coleman’s partnership with Leigh. 

Thousands of nights in saloons haven’t dulled the satin sheen of Whyte’s voice. On half the tracks, Cecilia Coleman (no relation), the Los Angeles-based bandleader and pianist, backs Whyte with a sixteen-piece orchestra that is strong on instrumental color but never competitive. Elsewhere Whyte performs in a trio that includes accordionist Eddie Monteiro. Singing the best of early Cy—“Why Try to Change Me Now?,” “Witchcraft,” “I Walk a Little Faster,” “The Rules of the Road”—Whyte captures the wit and the lilt in every phrase.

Whyte Witchcraft

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Chet Baker & Bud Shank - Theme Music From "The James Dean Story"

Styles: Cool Jazz
Year: 2016
Time: 42:17
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Size: 98,1 MB
Art: Front

(2:53) 1. Jimmy's Theme
(4:45) 2. The Search
(3:38) 3. Lost Love
(3:35) 4. People
(3:35) 5. The Movie Star
(4:33) 6. Fairmont, Indiana
(3:43) 7. Rebel at Work
(4:11) 8. Let Me Be Loved
(3:58) 9. Success and Then What?
(5:05) 10. Hollywood
(2:15) 11. Let Me Be Loved (Vocal Version)

Theme Music from the James Dean Story

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Presented here for the first time on CD in full Stereo sound, with detailed recording dates and complete, accurate personnel data, the splendidly varied contributions of soloists and arrangers give the album the jazz qualities that help to make it such a satisfying experience.

The famous television host, actor and jazz pianist, Steve Allen, once said that Chet Baker was, because of his general air, looks and attitude, “the James Dean of Jazz.” Since Chet also shared with Dean a similar reputation as a rebel, it seems fitting that he was chosen as co-leader on this album with Bud Shank. Originally written by Leith Stevens for “The James Dean Story” the music for the film contains that background quality, meant to amplify visual action, which gives it a cohesiveness that, in lesser hands, has the potential to make one track sound a great deal like another. However, the Johnny Mandel and Bill Holman orchestrations here simultaneously reflect the James Dean spirit, while providing a rich instrumental framework for the solo work of Baker and Shank. And if Chet plays with consistent force and lyrical warmth throughout, and sings with emotional involvement on the James Dean theme, Let Me Be Loved, it is Bud who steals the show overall with the authoritative vitality and soulfulness of his alto and flute work.

Music composed by Leith Stevens, except “Let Me Be Loved” by Jay Livingston-Ray Evans

Tracks #1-10, originally issued on the Mono 12” album

“The James Dean Story” (World Pacific P-2005)

Tracks #11 from the 7” single World Pacific X-641

Tracks #1,2,4,5,6,8,9 & 10 issued in Stereo on the

12” album “Swinging Soundtrack” (Kimberly 11016)

Personnel includes:

Chet Baker, trumpet & vocals; Ray Linn, Don Fagerquist, trumpets; Milt Bernhart, trombone; Bud Shank, Charlie Mariano, Bill Holman, Richie Kamuca, Herbie Steward, Pepper Adams, reeds & woodwinds; Claude Williamson, piano; Monty Budwig, bass; Mel Lewis, drums; Mike Pacheco, bongos.

All sessions recorded at Radio Recorders, in Hollywood, August 1957

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Charlie Mariano: Plays / Plays Alto and Tenor

Charlie Mariano Plays

Styles: Easy Listening, Cool Jazz, Contemporary Jazz
Year: 2005
Time: 63:49
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Size: 148,0 MB
Art: Front

(4:11) 1. S Nice
(4:07) 2. Clho - E
(4:41) 3. Three Little Words
(3:25) 4. Green Walls
(5:10) 5. My Melancholy Baby
(2:39) 6. You Go to My Head
(3:18) 7. Slugger
(3:09) 8. There Will Never Be Another You
(3:15) 9. Sunday
(3:21) 10. Sapphire
(3:29) 11. Don't Get Around Much More
(3:52) 12. Strike Up the Band
(3:40) 13. Just Max
(2:52) 14. Sweet Georgia Brown
(3:16) 15. I'll Never Smile Again
(3:25) 16. T. K.
(2:25) 17. Rubberneck
(3:26) 18. Jeppers Creepers

Altoist Charlie Mariano, active since the late Forties playing around his native Boston, became much better known through his stay at Stan Kenton's orchestra (1953-1955). He managed to assert his own individual quality and his own musical importance while keeping a deep-seated devotion to Charlie Parker. On these early sides, recorded in Los Angeles, Mariano blows with a great deal of emotion, authority, bite and consistency, showing why he became one of the most demanded studio sidemen in the West Coast (1953-1957) as well as one of the most important altoists in modern jazz since Charlie Parker.

Charlie Mariano Plays

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Charlie Mariano Plays Alto and Tenor

Styles: Bop
Year: 2005
Time: 54:01
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Size: 125,0 MB
Art: Front

(5:32) 1. Johnny One Note
(4:00) 2. The Very Thought of You
(3:11) 3. Smoke Gets in Your Eyes
(5:24) 4. King for a Day
(4:21) 5. Darn That Dream
(4:33) 6. Floormat
(6:43) 7. Blues
(4:12) 8. I Heard You Cried Last Night
(3:29) 9. Manteca
(4:35) 10. It's You or No One
(2:56) 11. I Should Care
(5:00) 12. Give a Little Whistle

On these 1955 quartet sessions, whether on alto or tenor saxophone, we hear Charlie Mariano play some of the strongest and most impressive sides he had recorded until then. He was backed by a solid rhythm section, featuring the stabbing and leanly imaginative pianist John Williams, the striding beat of Max Bennett, and the always tasteful drumming of Mel Lewis. All the tracks are marked by a pulse and a flow and deftness which demand satisfactory attention.

Charlie Mariano Plays Alto and Tenor

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Warren Wolf - Wolfgang

Styles: Jazz
Year: 2013
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 61:09
Size: 141,0 MB
Art: Front

(7:55)  1. Sunrise
(7:18)  2. Frankie and Johnny
(7:25)  3. Grand Central
(6:05)  4. Wolfgang
(5:34)  5. Annoyance
(5:34)  6. Lake Nerraw Flow
(6:07)  7. Things Were Done Yesterday
(6:27)  8. Setembro
(8:41)  9. Variations sur "Le carnaval de Venise"

In a succession of vibraphonists that began with Lionel Hampton and Red Norvo, Wolf has come into his own. His new album finds him with one rhythm section of veterans pianist Benny Green, bassist Christian McBride and drummer Lewis Nash and another of young musicians from his own quartet. He and the increasingly impressive pianist Aaron Diehl play duets on two pieces. With Wolf on marimba, the two defy categories in variations on the 19th century trumpet chops buster “The Carnival of Venice.” In “Wolfgang” and “Grand Central” (unrelated to the John Coltrane piece of that name) Wolf the composer writes straightforward melodic invention that is also a hallmark of his soloing. His improvisation on “Frankie and Johnny” is a bluesy joy. ~ Doug Ramsey  http://www.artsjournal.com/rifftides/2013/09/cd-warren-wolf.html

Wolfgang

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Ramsey Lewis - Them Changes

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1970
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 44:59
Size: 104,9 MB
Art: Front

(6:43)  1. Them Changes
(6:30)  2. Drown In My Own Tears
(8:18)  3. Oh Happy Day
(8:00)  4. Do Whatever Sets You Free
(5:12)  5. Something
(6:19)  6. See The End From The Beginning, Look Afar
(3:54)  7. The Unsilent Minority

Pianist and composer Ramsey Lewis has been a major figure in contemporary jazz since the late 1950s, playing music with a warm, open personality that's allowed him to cross over to the pop and R&B charts. Lewis was born in Chicago, Illinois on May 27, 1935, and was introduced to music by his father, who directed the choir at a local church and enjoyed the music of Duke Ellington and Art Tatum. Lewis began studying the piano when he was four years old, and was soon accompanying the choir at Sunday services. At the age of 15, he joined a jazz combo called the Cleffs, who played at parties and dances. Lewis was interested in a leaner, more bebop-oriented sound, and when the group splintered after several members joined the military, he formed the Ramsey Lewis Trio with two other former Cleffs, bassist Eldee Young, and percussionist Redd Holt. The trio became a fixture on the Chicago jazz scene, and they were signed to a deal with Chess Records, releasing their first album, Ramsey Lewis & His Gentlemen of Jazz, in 1956. Lewis and his trio continued to record and tour steadily over the years, building a sizable audience among jazz fans, but their career received a serious boost in 1965, when they recorded a swinging version of Dobie Gray's hit "The In Crowd" at a gig in Washington, D.C.

Chess released the track as a single, and it became a sizable pop hit, earning Lewis his first gold record, as well as a Grammy award for Best Jazz Performance. As Lewis' star rose, he returned to the pop charts in 1966 with versions of "Hang on Sloopy" and "Wade in the Water." Meanwhile, Young and Holt left Lewis' trio to form their own group, Young-Holt Unlimited, and the pianist hired a new rhythm section, Cleveland Eaton on bass and Maurice White on drums. In 1970, White resigned to form his own group, and Morris Jennings signed on as the trio's new percussionist. Lewis continued to record for Chess until 1972, when he moved to Columbia Records, and as his music developed a more contemporary groove, White's group, Earth, Wind & Fire (also on Columbia), was beginning to enjoy considerable success on the R&B charts. White produced Lewis' 1974 album Sun Goddess, in which he experimented with electronic keyboards for the first time, and several members of EWF played on the sessions; it became a major crossover hit and took Lewis to the upper ranks of the smooth jazz/fusion scene. Lewis would continue to record R&B-influenced material through the '70s, but continued to explore his roots in more traditional jazz sounds as well as Latin rhythms. In 1983, he went into the studio with Eldee Young and Redd Holt again for the album Reunion; in 1984, he collaborated with Nancy Wilson on The Two of Us; in 1988, he recorded with London's Philharmonia Orchestra for the album A Classic Encounter, and in 1989, Lewis and Dr. Billy Taylor cut a set of piano duets, We Meet Again.

In 1992, Lewis signed with the successful jazz label GRP Records, and in 1995, he launched the side project Urban Knights, in which he collaborated with a handful of successful crossover jazz stars, including Grover Washington, Jr., Earl Klugh, and Dave Koz. In 1997, Lewis added disc jockey to his résumé, hosting a popular show on Chicago's WNUA-FM that ran until 2009; the show went into syndication in 2006 under the name Legends of Jazz with Ramsey Lewis, and is still on the air. In 2005, Lewis looked back on his roots in gospel music with the album With One Voice, which earned him the Stellar Gospel Music Award for Best Gospel Instrumental Album. In 2007, he was commissioned to write a jazz ballet for the Joffrey Ballet Company, and "To Know Her …" debuted at Highland Park, Illinois' Ravina Music Festival, where Lewis is artistic director of the festival's jazz series, and helped found their Jazz Mentor Program. Lewis has also written several pieces for string ensemble and orchestra that have premiered at Ravina; highlights were featured on the 2009 album Songs from the Heart: Ramsey Plays Ramsey, his first release from Concord Records. In addition to his work as a performer, composer, educator, and disc jockey, Lewis has received five honorary doctorate degrees, won the National Endowment for the Arts' Jazz Master Award in 2007, and is one of the few noted jazz artists to carry the Olympic Torch, having briefly escorted the flame as it passed through Chicago en route to the 2002 Winter Games. Bio ~ Mark Deming  http://www.allmusic.com/artist/ramsey-lewis-mn0000334770/biography

Personnel:  Ramsey Lewis – piano, el. piano (Fender Rhodes),Phil Upchurch – el. guitar (Fender),Cleveland Eaton – el. bass (Fender), Morris Jennings - drums

Them Changes

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Deborah Silver - Glitter & Grits

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2020
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 43:24
Size: 104,5 MB
Art: Front

(3:26) 1. I got rhythm
(3:27) 2. That old black magic
(4:40) 3. I'm gonna sit right down and write myself a letter
(3:44) 4. After you've gone
(3:06) 5. Ballin' the jack
(2:34) 6. Almost like being in love
(3:19) 7. Get happy
(2:57) 8. Ac-cent-tchu-ate the positive
(3:44) 9. Embraceable you
(3:18) 10. Bill Bailey, won't you please come home
(2:44) 11. Don't get around much anymore
(3:17) 12. Fly me to the moon
(3:02) 13. Deep in the heart of Texas

I love a good surprise (except for being scared, a favorite pastime of my spouse) and the new Deborah Silver album GLITTER AND GRITS is one of the most pleasant and unexpected of surprises I've had in awhile. I guess the title should have given it away, but I truly wasn't prepared for the rock-a-billy vibe to the CD when you think about standards and Silver, you have your mind pretty much set on something a little more traditional. This is traditional alright traditional Texas swing, man! Oh my GOSH, is it refreshing! From Deborah's opening Gershwin tune, you'll have your fingers snapping and your toes tapping, and if you're not dancing within the first 90 seconds, then you're missing out on something that can only be described as pure fun. And, kids, I WAS dancing and I was at the gym, so put that picture in your head, why don't you? Do yourself the favor of allowing yourself to dance... even if you're at the gym.

Glitter and Grits is a totally appropriate title for the CD because Deborah Silver is rarely seen (in a professional capacity) in anything less than seamlessly crafted glamor, and there is no doubt that the woman has grit. An individual as a person and as a talent, Silver is also a warrior who survived a 58-day isolation with Covid-19, emerging to release the Ray Benson-produced CD. Mr. Benson, famed for an impressive artistic legacy in which he and his band ASLEEP AT THE WHEEL have earned ten Grammy Awards, has created arrangements and orchestrations to which jazz diva Silver takes as though she was born and raised in the land of cowboy boots, Mums, and grits N gravy. Without sacrificing one iota of the jazz efficacy for which she is famous, Deborah gets right down into the Southern sound, no hesitation, no tentative tendencies, she gets into it, and she gets down with it, and (I cannot stress this enough) it is incredible. It would not be a far reach to think that the team on Glitter And Grits might join forces for another album in the future, because, although they might not have dreamed of a partnership of this nature, what they have here is too special to leave at just one album.

The canon of standards that people call The Great American Songbook (a distinction that grows more, and grows more vague, with each passing year) holds specific and personal connections in the hearts and minds of every person who listens to songs like "Embraceable You" and "That Old Black Magic"; whatever their age, whatever the reason they first found this brand of music, everybody loves it for a reason that is all their own. What about the people who don't usually listen to Judy Garland and don't know the song "Get Happy"? There are country music fans who probably never heard "Almost Like Being In Love" before. Well, this CD is a perfect way to introduce those people to incredible works of art from the history of songwriting, just like there are jazz listeners and Deborah Silver fans who are going to be introduced to Texas Swing and this dude Ray Benson, who they never heard of before, and, as a result, have their own musical tastes altered. I'll be doggoned if Deborah Silver isn't only delivering to the public some damn fine music, she is providing a service by bridging a gap for lovers of different genres of music, educating folks a little, and expanding peoples' level of experience. I can't think of a sweeter way to broaden your mind and your artistic tastes.

Benson and co. are doing work on this CD that is beyond reproach; you could actually take out all of Deborah's vocal tracks and you would have a heck of an enjoyable album. Take my word for it: removing Deborah's voice from the tracks would be a mistake of epic proportion. Golly Gee Moses, is this lady special. You know how sometimes you can listen to a singer who has a gorgeous voice but you're not really sure what emotion is being conveyed, IF any emotion is being conveyed? That's not Deborah Silver. The quality of the voice is exquisite: you can tell that, even without training, this would be a pretty voice - I mean, if you were standing next to her at a party singing Happy Birthday, you would think "What a pretty voice." The thing is, though, pretty voice aside, not only has Silver had training, she has an innate instinct for styling and performance, a showomanship that serves the audience, and she has a kinship that serves the music, whether it's a cheeky "I'm Gonna Sit Right Down And Write Myself a Letter" or a down home "Bill Bailey, Won't You Please Come Home" (come on, Mama!). Then she layers in the emotion, and even though the upbeat Southern nature of the cd doesn't leave a lot of room for ballads with all the moony romantic feels, every single track here still touches the place in your heart where you can tell that Deborah Silver was smiling while recording. She was having fun. She was enjoying life.~ Stephen Mosher https://www.broadwayworld.com/cabaret/article/BWW-CD-Review-Deborah-Silver-GLITTER-AND-GRITS-Swings-Sings-and-Shines-Like-Stars-In-a-Texas-Sky-20201023

Glitter & Grits

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Mike Ledonne - Wonderful

Styles: Jazz
Year: 2024
Time: 56:01
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Size: 129,3 MB
Art: Front

(8:45) 1. Let Us Go
(8:30) 2. Lonnie's Lament
(7:19) 3. Twinkies Organ Prelude / Wonderful
(6:26) 4. Put It Back
(6:05) 5. Bridge Over Troubled Water
(5:59) 6. Ain't Nothing Like The Real Thing
(5:48) 7. Make Someone Happy
(7:06) 8. Genesis

In jazz's rich tapestry, where tradition meets innovations, there emerged a convergence exemplified by the present release Wonderful! with the virtuosic Mike LeDonne's Groover Quartet + Gospel Choir, who embark on a transcendent journey into the heart of gospel- infused jazz. The project is informed by LeDonne's desire to offer a heartfelt tribute to his wife Margaret and daughter Mary to showcase the spirited and varied nature of the disability community. Participating in this harmonious affair are the long-time members of the Quartet, including tenor saxophonist Eric Alexander, guitarist Peter Bernstein and drummer Joe Farnsworth, with special guests Daniel Sadownick on percussion and Vincent Herring on alto saxophone plus an eleven-voice gospel choir.

The session opens with the gospel song "Let Us Go," and it is a barn burner from the opening notes. Filled with an uplifting, joyful spirit emanating from the choir's voices, the quartet, enhanced by Sadownick and Herring, picks up a fiery groove that elevates with a sense of spiritual resonance. The John Coltrane composition "Lonnie's Lament" was recorded in 1964 with his Quartet for an album entitled Crescent at the same Van Gelder Recording Studio as this release. With his clear-eyed approach, the expressive tenor player Alexander is at the forefront of this chart. LeDonne and Bernstein play their part in bringing this broad-based canvas to life.

The title track, "Wonderful," is paired with "Twinkies Organ Prelude," which brings the meditative choir and the meticulously flowing sound of the quartet together in the pleasure of the music. The gospel choir continues their assertive and open-minded approach with two popular songs: Paul Simon's "Bridge Over Troubled Water" and the Ashford & Simpson number "Ain't Nothing Like The Real Thing." Farnsworth's intense shuffle drumming sets up the former as Bernstein, LeDonne and Alexander each show a head-long but intelligent approach to improvisation. The latter swings along at a striking clip, with LeDonne and the quartet showing they are a briskly assertive ensemble.

The album closes with a LeDonne original "Genesis," a slashing number with Farnsworth's propulsive drumming leading the way. Alexander, Bernstein and LeDonne are drawn into this irresistible rhythmic inquiry, responding with vital, scintillating work. The band and the gospel choir have a mission to touch all who listen.By Pierre Giroux
https://www.allaboutjazz.com/wonderful-mike-ledonne-cellar-music-group/

Personnel: Mike LeDonne - Hammond B3 organ; Eric Alexander - tenor saxophone; Peter Bernstein - guitar; Joe Farnsworth - drums; Daniel Sadownick - percussion (Let Us Go & Put It Back); Vincent Herring - alto saxophone (Let Us Go)

Wonderful

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David 'Fathead' Newman - The Blessing

Styles: Saxophone And Flute Jazz
Year: 2009
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 55:10
Size: 138,7 MB
Art: Front

(6:23)  1. SKJ
(5:47)  2. Someone To Watch Over Me
(4:55)  3. As Time Goes By
(5:27)  4. Manha De Carnival
(6:33)  5. Smile
(7:31)  6. Romantic Night
(5:59)  7. Chelsea Bridge
(5:24)  8. Whispers Of Contentment
(7:07)  9. The Blessing

What an apt name The Blessing is for David Newman's final recording before his death ended a long career last January (2009). He played for more than a decade with Ray Charles and alongside Herbie Mann, Aretha Franklin and Roy Ayers, among many others. For this last studio session he was in fine form. A Milt Jackson gem, "SKJ," is the set's opener, Steve Nelson's vibes providing glowing cascades before Newman swings in with a solo as brief in its measured warmth as it is satisfying. Here too and throughout the set Peter Bernstein's guitar is vigorous in a style that is direct as it mixes blues and bebop. In Newman's blues-drenched take on Gershwin's "Someone To Watch Over Me" (which in moments has echoes of Duke Ellington's "In A Sentimental Mood"), again there is a dazzling display of colors and tones. He begins with a statement of the original tune, albeit with little turns, pauses and a warm, floating, utterly romantic sound.

Nelson is always there with just the subtlest echoes of the melody. Newman's tenor saxophone is as gentle as it is full-bodied, with nary a superfluous embellishment. David Leonhardt's piano solo leads perfectly into Newman's bridge and the final bars. It must be noted that Newman's brand of romanticism is never mushy or sentimental. His version of "As Times Goes By" is abetted by the brisk, crystal warmth of Nelson's vibes on the bridge. Newman is authoritative and yet relaxed and it segues into "Manha de Carnival," on which his sax, Nelson's vibes and Leonhardt's piano effect a subtle tension by both anticipating and playing after the beat. It is Leonhardt's own composition, "Romantic Night," that showcases Newman at a peak on the recording and brings out the best from all hands. 

Shifting between major and minor modes, it's a beautifully structured performance. Newman gives a textbook example of a veteran player who swings easily as he makes it feel so good, yet without ever allowing things to get too cozy. The closer is the title track, Newman's own tune, this time with him on flute. It's a gospel-tinged piece that closes the set on a funky, upbeat note. As with all of Newman's music, this piece could as aptly have been called "a gift."~ Andrew Velez https://www.allaboutjazz.com/the-blessing-david-fathead-newman-highnote-records-review-by-andrew-velez.php

Personnel: David "Fathead" Newman: tenor saxophone, flute;  Steve Nelson: vibes;  David Leonhardt: piano;  Peter Bernstein: guitar;  John Menegon: bass;  Yoron Israel: drums.

The Blessing

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Simon Spillett - Up In Town (preview tracks)

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2025
Time: 13:37
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Size: 32,3 MB
Art: Front

(2:09) 1. For Members Only
(2:34) 2. A Pint Of Bitter
(2:06) 3. Opus Ocean
(2:21) 4. Grits, Beans & Greens
(2:22) 5. Souriya
(2:02) 6. Don't Fall Off The Bridge

Mister PC is Cater’s own label; its debut release featured Spillett’s big band with Cater at the batterie. Now comes this pared-down follow-on and yes, it’s the big band’s rhythm section re-purposed as the Simon Spillett Quartet and recorded live at Pizza Express Soho. And very resonantly too.

Spillett opens with a blistering, blow-torch evaluation of his hero Tubby Hayes’ ‘For Members Only’, Barron similarly charged, the whole effect like an onslaught. The crowd loved its ‘headlong excitement’ in the words of note-writer Alan Barnes. It’s an augury for what ensued for the rest of the session too. All six tracks have Hayes associations, for that is Spillett’s preferred repertoire, with four penned by TH and two by Clark Terry, and taken from their memorable 1961 New York session.

The latter’s ‘A Pint of Bitter’ is a medium-tempo groover, bass and drums in the pocket as they used to say, over its 13-minute duration, with Barron’s lengthy solo showing his bebop facility, his lines and bluesy edge yet another pointer to his class. Spillett follows, his assertive, detailed style certainly echoing that of Hayes himself yet recognisably his own. ‘Opus Ocean’ (also by Terry) kicks off at a near-frantic tempo, Spillett strong-toned in his attack, punching its riff shape home and exposing the harmonies to a searching examination, Cater breaking up the beat in clamorous fashion ahead of Barron’s Powell-like entry, the invention unflagging as tenor and drums joust to the finish.

Dankworth’s solo opens ‘Grits, Beans and Greens’, Barron and Spillett following in equally inventive form ahead of Cater’s lusty solo. ‘Souriya’ is milder, tenor banked down and mellow, Barron similarly thoughtful. So, a confident display by all four, Spillett in full command, the group as one and greatly to the taste of this crowd.By Peter Vacher
https://www.jazzwise.com/review/the-simon-spillett-quartet-up-in-town

Personnel: Simon Spillet (Saxophone), Rob Barron (piano), Alec Dankworth (double bass) and Pete Cater (drums).

Up In Town

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