Various Artists - Jazzmen Play the Blues 1923-1957 (CD 1 & 2)

Jazzmen Play the Blues 1923-1957 (CD 1)

Styles: Blues
Year: 2009
Time: 65:54
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Size: 152,9 MB
Art: Front

(3:10) 1 Louis Armstrong. West End Blues
(4:20) 2 Louis Armstrong. Back O’Town Blues
(3:45) 3 Louis Armstrong. Jack-Armstrong Blues
(3:40) 4 Tommy Ladnier. Really the Blues
(2:29) 5 King Oliver. Dippermouth Blues
(3:11) 6 Bubber Miley & Duke Ellington. Black and Tan Fantasy
(2:33) 7 Cootie Williams. Mobile Blues
(3:15) 8 Rex Stewart. Jug Blues
(4:21) 9 Sidney De Paris. The Call of the Blues
(2:44) 10 Hot Lips Page & Mezzrow-Bechet. House Party
(3:20) 11 Hot Lips Page & Don Redman. Carrie Mae Blues
(3:13) 12 Buck Clayton & Teddy Wilson. Blues Too
(3:02) 13 Kid Ory. Aunt Hagar’s Blues
(2:54) 14 Cootie Williams & Duke Ellington. Sweet Chariot
(4:43) 15 Vic Dickenson & Albert Ammons. Bottom Blues N°2
(3:23) 16 Dickie Wells. Dickie Wells Blues
(3:06) 17 Joe 'Tricky Sam' Nanton & Duke Ellington. Harlem Flat Blues
(3:06) 18 Joe 'Tricky Sam' Nanton & Duke Ellington. Saturday Night Function
(2:55) 19 Johnny Dodds & Louis Armstrong. S.OL. Blues
(2:36) 20 Johnny Dodds. Clarinet Wobble

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Jazzmen Play the Blues 1923-1957 (CD 2)

Styles: Blues
Year: 2009
Time: 67:29
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Size: 156,5 MB
Art: Front

(4:30) 1 Sidney Bechet. Blue Horizon
(2:44) 2 Mezzrow-Bechet. Gone Away Blues
(2:59) 3 Johnny Hodges. Dooji-Wooji
(2:58) 4 Johnny Hodges. That’s the Blues, Old Man
(3:05) 5 Louis Jordan. Inflation Blues
(2:45) 6 Ben Webster & Johnny Otis. One Nighter Blues
(3:11) 7 Buddy Tate. Blue Buddy
(2:36) 8 Illinois Jacquet. Goofin’ Off
(3:07) 9 Arnett Cobb & Lionel Hampton. Salty Papa Blues
(2:55) 10 Joe Thomas. Harlem Hop
(4:36) 11 Ike Quebec. Blue Harlem
(2:59) 12 Eddie Chamblee & Sonny Thompson. Long Gone Part 2
(6:02) 13 Lionel Hampton. Vibe Boogie
(2:59) 14 Milton Buckner. Mighty Low
(3:40) 15 Wild Bill Davis. I Ain’t Feeling So Long
(3:29) 16 Count Basie. Way Back Blues
(2:26) 17 Pete Johnson & Albert Ammons. Cuttin’ the Boogie
(3:06) 18 Buddy Johnson. Minglin’
(4:20) 19 T-Bone Walker. Blues for Marili
(2:56) 20 Tiny Grimes. Rockin’ the Blues Away

Not only a form of expression unique to black America, the blues is one of the major musical elements of jazz. Great jazzmen are often also great bluesmen with the gift of adapting the sound of the human voice to that of their instrument. In this album, comprising two CDs, Jacques Morgantini presents some of the most beautiful blues recorded by jazz musicians, a perfect blend of the lyricism of blues and the exuberance of jazz. (by Patrick Frémeaux)

https://www.fremeaux.com/en/2478-jazzmen-play-the-blues-1923-1957-3561302525624-fa5256.html

Jazzmen Play the Blues 1923-1957 (CD 1 & 2) (mp3 320)
Jazzmen Play the Blues 1923-1957 (CD 1 & 2) (FLAC)

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Sullivan Fortner - Solo Game Cd1, Cd2

Sullivan Fortner - Solo Game Cd1

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2023
Time: 46:38
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Size: 107,5 MB
Art: Front

(3:50) 1. Don't You Worry About a Thing
(9:24) 2. I Didn't Know What Time It Was
(4:39) 3. Congolese Children
(4:29) 4. I'm All Smiles
(4:45) 5. Invitation
(6:31) 6. Once I loved
(3:17) 7. Cute
(5:01) 8. This Is New
(4:37) 9. Come Sunday

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Sullivan Fortner - Solo Game Cd2

Time: 32:32
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Size: 75,4 MB
Art: Front

(0:15) 1. Power Mode
(5:07) 2. It's a Game
(5:28) 3. Snakes And Ladders
(1:25) 4. Hounds and Jackal
(2:04) 5. King's Table
(1:07) 6. Stag
(2:54) 7. Cross and Circle
(4:51) 8. Space Walk
(3:20) 9. Valse du petit chien
(1:56) 10. Fred Hersch, notes on Solo
(3:58) 11. Jason Moran, notes on Game

Mentored by Fred Hersch and Jason Moran, and produced by Hersch, Solo Game puts pianist Sullivan Fortner in a really good place. That is before the music even starts. Then it does start with a sly and subdued solo on Stevie Wonder's buoyant 1973 top tenner, "Don't You Worry 'bout a Thing," while dropping subtle hints to the trip ahead, forged by Fortner's quixotic self.

Fortner, who has steadily grown a discography which includes his own quartet recording Aria (Impulse!, 2015), a seven year stint with Roy Hargrove, and choice sessions with Paul Simon, Cecile McLorin Salvant (who adds her ethereal magic to the "Tubular Bells" like "Snakes and Ladders"), and Melissa Aldana just to name a few. With his perfect pitch and classic stride approach, the pianist has a long and illustrious career ahead of him.

An autumnally seasoned approach to Richard Rodgers' "I Didn't Know What Time it Was" belies Fortner's age. There is a clear sense of yearning yet knowing the years reveal as they will. Hersch's production is pristine, throwing light on Fortner's clearly articulated vision a new and most assured take on things of beauty over convenience, things with eternal presence.

The pianist does what all great artists, innovators, and true creators (not Tik Tok spin offs) do; they challenge themselves and rise well above said challenge. So, Randy Weston's "Congolese Children" sounds fully conceived and of a piece, as does Antonio Carlos Jobim's luscious "Once I Loved." Fortner is so aware of those who have mastered the keys before him that, by the time we get to singularly malleable romps through Neil Hefti's bouncing "Cute" and Kurt Weill's neo-ragtime "This Is New," visions of Art Tatum and Bud Powell are dancing in our heads.

These solo ventures can get over-wrought at times think of young Keith Jarrett's one man Restoration Ruin (Vortex, 1968) but Solo Game for the greater part avoids those youthful pratfalls. Though it does have its wrought moments, such as "It's A Game" the second track on Disc Two it runs a bit too long, predictably. Here the pianist takes on a host of instruments including vibes, celeste, chime tree, Moog, Vocoder, Rain Maker, Hammond B3, and egg shaker.

Fully composed by Fortner, the brooding Shaft-like undertow "Snakes and Ladders" falls victim to, once again, its length. "Hounds and Jackals" on the other hand, is too short. "Space Walk " is. well, the new generation watching 2001: A Space Odyssey. But, given the gravity and the gravitas of Solo Game, this is really nitpicking. These two discs are beyond question worth the time it takes to get pulled into their gracious and sustainable orbit. By Mike Jurkovic Sullivan Fortner: Solo Game album review @ All About Jazz

Personnel: Sullivan Fortner: Piano (Steinway B), Fender Rhodes, Hammond B3 Organ, Vibes, Celeste, Chime Tree, Moog, Vocoder, Rain Maker, Hand Percussion, Egg Shaker, Triangle, Vocals, Hand Claps, Shakers, Canopus Bass Drum, Mongolian Gong (2); Kyle Pool: hand claps on (2-2); Cecile McLorin Salvant: vocals on (2-3).

Solo Game (mp3 320)
Solo Game (FLAC)

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Sullivan Fortner - Southern Nights

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2025
Time: 49:19
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Size: 113,6 MB
Art: Front

(5:37) 1. Southern Nights
(5:13) 2. I Love You
(3:45) 3. 9 Bar Tune
(6:36) 4. Tres Palabras
(4:07) 5. Waltz For Monk
(7:13) 6. Again, Never
(5:26) 7. Discovery
(5:46) 8. Daahoud
(5:31) 9. Organ Grinder

There’s a smile to the music Sullivan Fortner makes. It can be über serious, but inside, it smiles because that’s Sullivan Fortner a pianist of unabashed charm and incredible technique all wrapped up in a bit of New Orleans showmanship. New Orleans. That’s where Fortner comes from even though he now lives in New York City. And New Orleans remains the center of his musical heart.

As a result, it’s not surprising that his latest recording, Southern Nights, brims with the spirit conjured by that title. Written by Allen Toussaint, truly a patron saint of New Orleans musical history, the title track became a hit for pop legend Glen Campbell back in the 1970s, but leading off this album, Fortner’s version is a breezy, lovely lope that conjures the best of that southern city on a spring morning. But don’t let that fool you. What he’s doing with his left and right hands is crazy complex yet incredibly catchy. “Southern Nights” is the opening tune on this terrific nine-song set, which includes tunes from other great composers as well.

Cole Porter’s “I Love You” kicks off with an avant garde-ish intro before taking off on a quick-paced thrill ride with Fortner backed beautifully by bassist Peter Washington and drummer Marcus Gilmore. From there, Fortner makes even more interesting song choices. Osvaldo Farres’ “Tres Palabras” sends shivers with an awesome solo by Washington; Donald Brown’s “Waltz For Monk” is quirky cool; Bill Lee’s “Never Again” shows Fortner’s love for getting inside a ballad; Consuela Lee’s “Discovery” packs in the drama and pianistic glitter; Clifford Brown’s “Daahoud” has Gilmore setting the tone with a tasteful, tight drum solo to kick off the piece; and Woody Shaw’s “The Organ Grinder” swings just right.

There’s one Fortner original on the set, “9 Bar Tune,” a Monkish tip of the cap that suits the program perfectly. Throughout, it’s amazing to listen to what this trio accomplishes: complex rhythms and chord changes, beautiful melodies and quirky “out” passages, all presented as if gliding on air. The album was recorded right after Fortner, Washington and Gilmore finished a week at the Village Vanguard in New York. So, the music was selected, rehearsed, minted and audience-approved before taking it into the studio. We’re lucky they did. It’s is a wonderful document of one of our true rising stars on the piano and a trio that refines its presentation with each live performance. Hopefully, they’ll tour.
https://www.jazzmusicarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=32157&title=sullivan-fortner-southern-nights-review

Southern Nights

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Clark Tracey - The Jazz Champions

Styles: Contemporary Jazz

Year: 2025
Time: 40:28
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Size: 92,9 MB
Art: Front

(6:06) 1. Matrix
(8:10) 2. A Sound for Sore Ears
(8:03) 3. CUCB
(6:06) 4. Euphony
(6:37) 5. Snap Crackle
(5:25) 6. We Are the Champions

Drummer Clark Tracey leads a group of outstanding quality featuring saxophonists Art Themen and Simon Allen, pianist Dave Newton and bassist Andrew Cleyndert, performing new arrangement of music by Chick Corea, Jimmy Heath, Bobby Wellins, Stan Tracey and Freddie Mercury. "In April last year I had a 24 date UK tour booked - but no band. I turned to some of my oldest and most trusted friends, and we've been playing to sold out houses ever since.

I've known saxophone legend Art Themen for over 50 years; we began playing together in 1978. Simon Allen, a remarkable musician I first met in the mid-1990s, later joined my Father's ensembles until 2013. Dave Newton, the UK's most awarded pianist, and I first worked together in the early 1980s and have shared many stages since. Andrew Cleyndert, our outstanding bassist, joined my first group as a teen and later my Father's bands in 1995.

Unwilling to call yet another band "The Clark Tracey Quintet", I wanted to show off the fact I now had the cream of a generation nearer my own. I eventually settled on "The Jazz Champions". It was later that I was listening to Freddie Mercury's lyrics on "We Are The Champions", when it dawned on me that his simple words had a poignancy to my predicament at that time. I decided to ask Simoon to write a modern arrangement of it and invite a vocalist to sing it for us for a recording. Sylvia McEwen is someone I was aware of and, knowing she'd cut it superbly, I was delighted that she agreed to record it with us." https://propermusic.com/products/clarktracey-thejazzchampions

Clark Tracey: drums

Art Themen: reeds

Simon Allen: reeds

Dave Newton: piano

Andrew Cleyndert: bass

Sylvia McEwen: vocal (track 6)

The Jazz Champions (mp3 320)
The Jazz Champions (FLAC)

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Joel Ross - Gospel Music

Styles: Post-Bop, Straight-Ahead Jazz, Vibraphone/Marimba Jazz
Year: 2026
Time: 78:22
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Size: 180,5 MB
Art: Front

(4:33) 1. Wisdom Is Eternal (For Barry Harris)
(7:20) 2. Trinity (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit)
(8:15) 3. Protoevangelium (The First Gospel)
(7:23) 4. Hostile
(5:14) 5. The Shadowlands
(3:23) 6. Nevertheless
(5:00) 7. Word for Word
(6:55) 8. Repentance
(3:04) 9. The Sacred Place
(1:25) 10. A Little Love Goes A Long Way
(3:20) 11. Praise To You, Lord Jesus Christ
(5:55) 12. Calvary
(2:56) 13. The Giver
(4:24) 14. To The Throne (The Mercy Seat)
(3:46) 15. Be Patient
(2:25) 16. The New Man
(2:57) 17. Now & Forevermore

If the title has you looking for “Take My Hand Precious Lord” on organ in 12/8, this ain’t it. In fact, vibraphonist Joel Ross’ Gospel Music is nearly two-thirds through before it shows any of the traditional hallmarks of, well, gospel music. What we hear instead is Joel Ross music: contemplative, sometimes intricate, often moody 21st-century post-bop with subtle emotional colorings.

All that said, Gospel Music is a musical retelling of the Bible, placing an epigram up top (the thoughtfully patterned “Wisdom Is Eternal (For Barry Harris)”) before diving into an analogue of Genesis 1:1 (“Trinity (Father, Son And Holy Spirit)”) and continuing through Revelation (“Now And Forevermore”). But one need not know the Old Testament to recognize the troubled mien saxophonists Josh Johnson (alto) and Maria Grand (tenor) project on “Hostile,” corresponding to humanity’s growing corruption before the Flood — though schooling in jazz probably helps one recognize the echoes of Bud Powell’s “Tempus Fugit.” The transition into hope and peace offered by “The Sacred Place,” with Jeremy Corren’s gentle piano line over Kanoa Mendenhall and Jeremy Dutton’s light bass and drums. The album liners offer chapter-and-verse citations that provide perspective, but the message is clear without them.

In that final third, not only do the familiar gospel music tropes resound (beginning with the short but quietly joyful “A Little Love Goes A Long Way”), but so do vocals. Laura Bibbs offers soft plaintiveness on “Praise To You, Lord Jesus Christ”; Ekep Nkwelle brings stately grandeur to “Calvary”; guitarist Andy Louis quietly declaims in an intimate and profoundly moving duo with Corren on “The Giver.” Gospel Music is rewriting the rules of gospel music; these moments simply place it more firmly in our grasp. https://downbeat.com/reviews/detail/gospel-music

Gospel Music (mp3 320)
Gospel Music (FLAC)

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Gerry Mulligan - Gerry Mulligan Meets Johnny Hodges

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1960/2013
Time: 33:03
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Size: 76,0 MB
Art: Front

(5:44) 1. Bunny
(3:41) 2. What's The Rush
(7:23) 3. Back Beat
(3:57) 4. What It's All About
(5:13) 5. 18 Carrots For Rabbit
(7:03) 6. Shady Side

Gerry Mulligan's 1959 studio date with Johnny Hodges is one of the most satisfying sessions of his various meetings with different saxophonists for Verve, yet it was inexplicably the last to be made available on CD. With a hand-picked rhythm section consisting of pianist Claude Williamson, bassist Buddy Clark, and drummer Mel Lewis, and three originals contributed by each of the two leaders, everything gels nicely, though several tracks took more than three takes (in spite of liner note writer Nat Hentoff's assertions) to reach their final form. Mulligan contributed the gorgeous ballad "What's the Rush" (where he sat back to enjoy Hodges' solo and never plays his own horn), the easygoing swinger "Bunny," and the brisk cooker "18 Carrots (For Rabbit)," the latter which its composer would revisit with his Concert Jazz Band. The veteran alto saxophonist contributed the low-key ballad "Shady Side," the sassy blues "Back Beat" (later re-recorded by Hodges during a still unreleased 1960 studio meeting with Ben Webster), and "What It's All About," another potent blues. Throughout the date, the two saxophonists blend beautifully and complement one another's efforts, even though this was their only opportunity to record together in the studio. Sadly, no alternate takes or unissued numbers (at least two of which exist) have been added to this long anticipated reissue. ~ Ken Dryden http://www.allmusic.com/album/gerry-mulligan-meets-johnny-hodges-mw0000029368

Personnel: Gerry Mulligan (baritone saxophone); Johnny Hodges (alto saxophone); Claude Williamson (piano); Buddy Clark (bass); Mel Lewis (drums).

Gerry Mulligan Meets Johnny Hodges (mp3 320)
Gerry Mulligan Meets Johnny Hodges (FLAC)

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Ekkehard Wölk Trio - Songs, Chorals and Dances

Styles: Contemporary Jazz
Year: 2005
Time: 66:01
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Size: 151,6 MB
Art: Front

(4:14) 1. Menuet
(4:23) 2. Der Frühling
(9:14) 3. Che Faro Senza Eurydice
(6:40) 4. Gute Nacht
(6:05) 5. Liebster Jesu Wir Sind Hier
(2:43) 6. E Lucean Le Stelle
(4:24) 7. Des Baches Wiegenlied
(5:02) 8. Ging Heut Morgen Übers Feld
(7:17) 9. An Die Freude
(8:37) 10. O Haupt Voll Blut Und Wunden
(7:19) 11. Nur Wer Die Sehnsucht Kennt

Listening to Ekkehard Wölk's arrangements of the great classics of Western music, from Mozart to Bach, from Gluck to Mahler, one repeatedly comes to the same conclusion: he has found his way. While the genre had been dominated for decades by the admittedly brilliant Jacques Loussier and his trios, Ekkehard Wölk has demonstrated since 2005 that it can be done with even greater sensitivity. His albums "Desire For Spring" and "Reflections on Mozart" have already shown how it can be done.

Today, I can present to you another product of the Ekkehard Wölk Trio, or rather, an introduction to Wölk's jazz interpretation of classical music. "Songs, Chorals and Dances" (2005) offers an inspired and vibrant selection ranging from J.S. Bach's Baroque Creed to Gustav Mahler's Songs of a Wayfarer. Two excursions into the world of opera offer encounters with Gluck's "Orpheus and Eurydice" and Puccini's magnificent "Tosca." With Ravel's "Menuet," Wölk achieves a feather-light entry into this demanding project. It is precisely this (seemingly) lightness that distinguishes his work from that of Eugène Cicero or Loussier. His Ravel possesses an almost baroque brilliance, and his arrangement of Mozart's "Sehnsucht nach dem Frühling" (Longing for Spring) set to Overbeck's "Komm lieber Mai und mache..." (Come, dear May, and make...) sparkles with swinging, jazzy cascades.

Sensitively supported by Johannes Fink's double bass, Gluck's beautiful "Ach, ich habe sie verloren" (Ah, I have lost her) resonates with the poignant intensity of its dramatic subject matter. Schubert's goodnight greeting is joyful, Bach's "Liebster Jesu..." (Dearest Jesus...) almost gospel-like, before opera takes center stage once more. "E lucevan le stelle," Cavaradossi's aria, retains its drama and brilliance even in the version arranged for jazz trio. In Schubert's "Des Baches Wiegenlied" (The Brook's Lullaby), Wölk's trusted drummer, Andrea Marcelli, demonstrates his skill as a clarinetist. Emotionally charged and thus fitting for Mahler, "Ging heute Morgen übers Feld" (I Went Across the Field This Morning) follows, featuring hints of free jazz from Fink, who seems to coax improvised sounds from his bass.

Mozart's entire soul is captured once again in the dreamlike "An die Freude" (O Joy), which, with Fink's double bass—the choice is difficult—is, for me, one of the most beautiful pieces on the album. Bach's "O Haupt voll Blut und Wunden" (O Sacred Head, Now Wounded) and Tchaikovsky's Song of Longing from Op. 6, No. 6, conclude the cycle, which has now captivated me from beginning to end for the third time. A top-notch album that jazz and classical music lovers should quickly get before it sells out.

https://www.omm.de/cds/jazz/ekkehard-woelk-songs.html

Bass – Johannes Fink

Drums – Andrea Marcelli

Piano – Ekkehard Wölk

Songs, Chorals and Dances (mp3 320)
Songs, Chorals and Dances (FLAC)

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Julia Hülsmann Octet - While I Was Away

Styles: Jazz
Year: 2026
Time: 47:53
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Size: 110,0 MB
Art: Front

(5:56) 1. Coisário De Imagens
(5:06) 2. Sleep
(4:58) 3. Up, Up, Up, Up, Up, Up
(4:19) 4. Felicia's Song
(3:51) 5. You Come Back
(4:55) 6. Walkside
(4:02) 7. Hora Azul
(4:57) 8. TicToc
(4:37) 9. Iskele
(5:08) 10. Moonfish Dance

Hülsmann’s compositions always have great respect for melody that lends depth and an enduring quality to her finest work, which with every addition to her ECM discography, keeps growing.  – Jazzwise Magazine

 

After the highly acclaimed run of quartet recordings from Not Far From Here (2019), The Next Door (2022) to Under The Surface (2025), German pianist Julia Hülsmann has decided to alter the narrative and up the ante with a newly formed octet of award-winning instrumentalists and vocalists. On While I Was Away Julia combines the line-up of a classical trio (violin, cello, piano) with a common jazz piano trio and invites three singers to join in for a programme of adventurous originals, an individual take on Ani DiFranco’s 1999 hit “Up Up…” and a breezy Brazilian tune by songwriter Zélia Fonsesca. The music is often combined with lyrics of renown writes, for instance Emily Dickinson, Margaret Atwood and E.E. Cummings. A wide pallet of musical connotations unfolds, as Brazilian dance, musical-like storytelling, chamber music dynamics and passages of dense, free improvisation colour a fluorescent picture of a fierce ensemble. The musicians of Julia’s octet are: Eva Klesse, Eva Kruse, Susanne Paul, Héloïse Lefebvre, Michael Schiefel, Aline Frazão and Live Maria Roggen.

https://ecmrecords.com/product/while-i-was-away-julia-hulsmann-octet/

While I Was Away (mp3 320)
While I Was Away (FLAC)

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Tierney Sutton: Meets Charlier/Sourisse: Talking to the Sun, featuring Serge Merlaud

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2025
Time: 55:29
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Size: 127,7 MB
Art: Front

(5:50) 1. Talking to the Sun
(5:04) 2. Que reste-t-il de nos amours ?
(7:28) 3. Modinha
(4:22) 4. Flor de Lis
(2:50) 5. Play for me (Pra Quem Quiser Visitar)
(2:33) 6. Laptop choro
(5:23) 7. Eu não existo sem você
(4:26) 8. Springtime, I'll be there
(4:59) 9. The prince of Calais
(5:57) 10. Bluesette
(6:33) 11. Les étoiles de Léa

A light choro with a pandeiro beat, a clever text and a rangy melody that winds around itself, ramping up the tempo on the final turn, "Laptop Choro" is the pick hit of Tierney Sutton Meets Charlier/Sourisse: Talking to the Sun.

Sutton's lyric, a relatable contemporary tale, offers a litany of complaints about the digital life: wasting an inordinate amount time on hold with insufferable music in order to speak with a software specialist, reboots that cause whatever progress seemed to have been made previously to revert to square one, and feelings of frustration and inadequacy for not being able to make it all work. Sisyphus at the computer.

Emotions run strong.  "I know it's only just a stupid machine, not a human thing, and yet I hate it with a passion that is burning hot, deep in the core of my soul, just like a smoldering coal," our protagonist sings, rejecting numerous ineffectual solutions and ultimately throwing in the towel.

I need to meditate, decaffeinate or maybe I should emigrate to somewhere, if it's not too late to get some vindication. I'll just reset the WiFi and start to cry. I've got to liquidate and isolate, exterminate, evaporate. I'll go where I can hibernate and have a celebration. Yes, I'll turn off the WiFi and say goodbye. I'll leave it to a younger generation. This is my annihilation from the said abomination. Please accept my resignation, over and out.

Sutton has nine Grammy nominations under her belt, but Talking to the Sun is the first of her albums as a leader to feature her own lyrics. If "Laptop Choro" is an indication, this is a fruitful new avenue for her. And a chorinho by the enduringly inventive duo of keyboardist Benoit Sourisse and drummer Andre Charlier is the perfect place to begin.

https://www.allaboutjazz.com/talking-to-the-sun-tierney-sutton-meets-charlier-sourisse-featuring-serge-merlaud-tierney-sutton-gemini-records__18356

Talking to the Sun (mp3 320)
Talking to the Sun (FLAC)

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Diane Marino - Diane Marino Live at Vitello's

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2026
Time: 64:24
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Size: 148,0 MB
Art: Front

(3:42) 1. This Can't Be Love (Live)
(7:36) 2. Just For A Thrill (Live)
(4:08) 3. How Am I To Know (Live)
(5:10) 4. Take Love Easy (Live)
(5:35) 5. Someone You've Loved (Live)
(2:45) 6. What a Difference A Day Made (Live)
(5:01) 7. Chopin Prelude Op 28 No 4 - How Insensitive (Live)
(3:58) 8. I Didn't Know What Time It Was (Live)
(4:54) 9. Never Let Me Go (Live)
(5:32) 10. Get Out Of Town (Live)
(5:48) 11. I See Your Face Before Me (Live)
(4:56) 12. I Just Found Out About Love (Live)
(5:15) 13. Too Late Now (Live)

These 13 tracks on Diane Marino’s “Live at Vitello’s” cd exemplifies a spontaneous, creative performance from five world class musicians.  After booking a date at Vitello’s in Los Angeles, we were in need of an L.A. sax/flute player and drummer. We contacted Rickey Woodard for sax and Clayton Cameron for drums for this performance. A close friend of Diane’s, trumpeter Harry Kim, also performed on a few tunes. The band was set. We were performing, with no rehearsal, for the first time with these three stellar musicians. As you will hear, it’s as if we had performed together many times!

https://dianemarino.com/diane-marino-live-at-vitellos-releasing-january-30-2026/

Arrangements by Diane Marino

Diane Marino… vocals/piano

Rickey Woodard… tenor sax/flute

Clayton Cameron… drums

Frank Marino… bass

Harry Kim… trumpet track 5

Diane Marino Live at Vitello's (mp3 320)
Diane Marino Live at Vitello's (FLAC)

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Darren Heinrich - Riddle Diddle: The Prague Sessions

Styles: Jazz Organ
Year: 2025
Time: 59:59
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Size: 137,9 MB
Art: Front

(4:55) 1. Wherever You Go
(6:02) 2. Riddle Diddle
(4:43) 3. Duplicity
(6:43) 4. A Cutting Remark
(5:22) 5. Bluebottles
(6:04) 6. Barrenjoey Boogaloo
(3:47) 7. Bowen's Lament
(4:00) 8. Blues For Bobby Pierce
(5:59) 9. What The Doctor Ordered
(5:29) 10. The Catch-Up
(6:50) 11. Claudia's Song

Darren Heinrich's Riddle Diddle: The Prague Sessions is an organ trio record rooted in swing and outstanding musicianship. The compositions are fresh, the arrangements are purposeful, and the performances show a band that understands how to use jazz language to push the boundaries of the classic organ/guitar/drums setup while keeping the music grounded and direct.

"Wherever You Go" opens the album with a graceful sense of balance. The tune is a lyrical 3/4 with a strong AABA form, arranged cleanly to let the theme do its work. Both Heinrich's organ and Libor Smoldas's guitar solos unfold naturally, patiently treating the listener to melodic, bebop-heavy playing. The head returns briefly, followed by a final organ statement that feels earned rather than appended.

"Riddle Diddle" leans harder into swing and does so with confidence. The composition is direct, and the playing stays tasteful throughout. The guitar solo carries a blues-inflected, Kenny Burrell-like economy, staying concise while still finding angular edges at the right moments. The organ's bass line and comping behind the guitar evoke a midnight-blue texture, with the groove locked in and the ride cymbal swinging relentlessly. Darren's organ solo enters with clear purpose. Nothing is excessive, and every phrase connects. The headout is in unison, built on strong intervallic writing and a blues-forward B section that lands cleanly.

"Bowen's Lament" shifts the mood inward. This ballad is defined by its sparse texture and remarkable interplay. Aside from the lyrical guitar solo, much of the tune is carried by Heinrich, handling bass, melody, and accompaniment while conversing closely with Jesse Simpson 's drums. The result is a focused, intimate performance that highlights control, independence, and deep listening. It functions as a quiet masterclass in organ playing within a trio setting.

"Blues for Bobby Pierce" brings the trio back into a more extroverted space and tempo. The theme features unison lines articulated across hands and feet, with bass and keyboard moving as a single voice. Trading eights with the drums leads into a guitar solo that explores mood and dynamics before opening into a precise, technically clean eighth-note line. The phrasing stays spacious, with chromatic ascents and Pat Martino-esque double stops and chordal punctuations placed deliberately. The organ solo takes over the second half with authority, blending bebop and blues language while the guitar shifts into sparse, supportive comping.

Two additional highlights deserve mention. "What the Doctor Ordered" is an excellent mid-tempo swing tune that oozes feel and clarity. "Barrenjoy Boogalo" closes the circle with a funk-inflected groove that stays grounded in the band's established aesthetic rather than breaking character.

Riddle Diddle succeeds because it understands proportion. Each tune and each player knows their role. Every solo serves the form. The swing feels lived-in, the writing is clear, and the performances reflect a group that values intention over display. It is a focused trio record that rewards close listening, and a strong contemporary take on the classic organ-guitar trio.

https://www.allaboutjazz.com/riddle-diddle-the-prague-sessions-darren-heinrich-self-produced

Riddle Diddle: The Prague Sessions (mp3 320)
Riddle Diddle: The Prague Sessions (FLAC)

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Bill Coon - Standard Elegance

Styles: Jazz Guitar
Year: 2025
Time: 48:17
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Size: 111,2 MB
Art: Front

(3:59) 1. All the Things You Are
(3:31) 2. Yesterdays
(3:25) 3. And I Love Her
(2:44) 4. But Beautiful
(4:11) 5. I Cover the Waterfront
(4:41) 6. Prelude to a Kiss
(3:52) 7. East of the Sun
(3:08) 8. The Nearness of You
(3:59) 9. How Deep Is the Ocean
(3:31) 10. Nuages
(3:02) 11. Fall Rain at Night
(3:38) 12. Here's That Rainy Day
(4:30) 13. We'll Be Together Again

Guitarist Bill Coon's Standard Elegance stands as a finely crafted tribute to the timeless appeal of well-made melodies and the skilled artistry needed to refresh them without losing their essence. True to the tradition of great solo jazz guitar recordings, the album finds Coon exploring familiar territory while conveying a deeply personal sense of phrasing, touch, and warm reflection. Whether he chooses his archtop electric or nylon-string instrument, Coon approaches each selection with the restraint and clarity of a musician who knows that standards flourish most when treated with respect and imagination in equal measure.

Coon begins the recital with two Jerome Kern pieces: "All the Things You Are" and "Yesterdays." On the former, he delivers a performance that highlights the tune's elegant structure. His harmonic substitutions stay true to the original flow, yet add graceful tension that brings the melody to life. On the latter, he leans into the number's minor-inflected mood, using shifts in tempo and dynamics to underscore its inward spirit. John Lennon and Paul McCartney's pop hit "And I Love Her" bridges the gap between pop lyricism and jazz sophistication. He maintains the simplicity of the melody while adding gently reharmonized passages that broaden the emotional palette.

"I Cover the Waterfront," the Johnny Green-Edward Heyman gem, offers Coon the chance to craft layers of nuance as he shapes pacing and understated chordal movements that give the piece a late-night, solitary feel. This serves as the ideal introduction to Duke Ellington's "Prelude to a Kiss," where Coon expertly employs voice-leading to highlight the romantic richness of Ellington's composition and to reveal its inner lines with crystalline clarity. Coon's lively side is evident with "East of the Sun," which he frames with a bright, lightly swinging rhythm, enabling the melody to dance freely over his steady accompaniment.

The Romani guitarist Django Reinhardt composed "Nuages," which provides Coon with a lyrical backdrop. His interpretation honours Reinhardt's nostalgic melody while shaping the jazz-manouche nuances into an intimate solo-guitar style, blending respect with personal expression. The closer is the Frankie Laine-Carl T. Fischer tune "We'll Be Together Again." It is delivered with a quiet assurance that honours the ballad's legacy. Coon's version is both an invocation and a fitting tribute to an album firmly grounded in tradition yet keenly alive in the present.

https://www.allaboutjazz.com/standard-elegance-bill-coon-cellar-music-group/

Standard Elegance (mp3 320)
Standard Elegance (FLAC)

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Hetty Kate - Jazz in Four Seasons: Vol. 1, Spring

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2025
Time: 55:03
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Size: 126,8 MB
Art: Front

(5:13) 1. Soon It's Gonna Rain
(6:11) 2. A Flower Is A Lovesome Thing
(3:07) 3. Lady Bird
(4:29) 4. Bein' Green
(4:59) 5. It Might As Well Be Spring
(4:21) 6. Another Spring / April Fooled Me
(3:06) 7. It Looks Like Rain In Cherry Blossom Lane
(4:57) 8. I Like The Sunrise
(4:36) 9. Inchworm
(3:34) 10. Lesní Studánka (Crystal Spring)
(4:45) 11. Strange Meadowlark
(5:40) 12. Spring Can Really Hang You Up The Most

Jazz in Four Seasons: Spring, Vol. 1 is the opening installment of a four-album series by British- Australian vocalist Hetty Kate. Each volume will explore a different season through recordings made in distinct cities around the world, featuring collaborations exclusively with local musicians and incorporating traditional or folk instruments alongside original compositions connected to the host country. Recorded in Prague, Czech Republic, this first volume presents 12 songs celebrating the natural world through works by Duke Ellington, Tadd Dameron, and Dave Brubeck, alongside an original composition inspired by Czech poetry. The album traces spring from its first stirrings to full bloom - from the smallest creature to the most luscious bloom, from sudden downpours to May's sunlight, capturing the season's tempestuous and tender character. The quartet of Prague-based jazz musicians is joined by guest artists on violin, flute, and cimbalom - a Central European stringed instrument similar to a dulcimer, commonly heard in the region's folk music. Its bell-like, shimmering tone adds a distinctive color to the recording. Hetty, with twenty years of international performing experience, first toured Europe as a vocalist with a concert in Prague, making this recording both a return and a new beginning. Prague as the setting reflects an intention to venture beyond typical jazz centers, exploring how this American art form has been embraced and reinterpreted across borders. Spring launches a musical journey that will continue through summer, autumn, and winter volumes, each recorded with local musicians in a different corner of the globe.

https://www.allaboutjazz.com/album/jazz-in-four-seasons-spring-vol-1-hetty-kate

Hetty Kate - Vocals

Libor Šmoldas - Guitar

Jiří Levíček - Piano

Tomáš Baroš - Bass

Tomáš Hobzek - Drums / Percussion

Special Guests

Jan Bradač - Violin on track 10

Robert Fischmann - Flute on track 11

Rob Millett - Cimbalom on track 8

Jazz in Four Seasons: Vol. 1, Spring (mp3 320)
Jazz in Four Seasons: Vol. 1, Spring (FLAC)

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Michel Portal - Minneapolis We Insist!

Styles: Fusion, Jazz-Rock

Year: 2002
Time: 78:11
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Size: 179,7 MB
Art: Front

(7:53) 1. Good Bye Pork Pie Hat (Live)
(8:04) 2. Take The Portal (Live)
(6:14) 3. On Nicollet Avenue (Live)
(8:48) 4. Domimonk (Live)
(4:33) 5. Sky Tinted Water (Live)
(5:09) 6. Matourmatourmatourmalet (Live)
(4:38) 7. MP On The Run (Live)
(5:31) 8. Solitudes (Live)
(6:31) 9. Open Season (Instrumental)
(0:18) 10. Introduction To Judy Garland (Live)
(3:37) 11. Judy Garland (Live)
(4:07) 12. Shopping For Black Shirts (Live)
(4:28) 13. Unspoken Truth (Live)
(0:37) 14. Solitudes (Live / Instrumental)
(7:36) 15. Everything Must Change (Live)

We wrote it: Minneapolis, the French wind player's previous album, is a masterpiece, one of the great jazz albums of recent years. Even the protagonist noticed this, so much so that he "insists!" (like Max Roach with Sonny Rollins' Freedom Now Suite), offering us a summary of the tour that took those songs around France, a couple of his signature standards, and some of the band's reinterpretations. Portal's backing band is an excellent but "unique" one, excelling on soprano sax and bass clarinet, but not shying away from alto and tenor: "hard" guitarist Vernon Reid, formerly of Living Colour, and Prince's "superelectric" rhythm section, as well as white pianist Tony Hyams. The same guys from the Basque musician's previous American debut, often accused of being too "classical" due to his academic training, but who proves himself free and refined, vibrant and original, intelligent and lively live. Here is a magnificent manifesto of musical and human communion between one of the greats of European improvised music and the young American talents who have chosen to accompany him in his search for an ideal music, somewhere in the middle of the Atlantic.

https://content.suono.it/en/music-review/michel-portal-minneapolis-we-insist/

Personnel:

Bass Clarinet, Soprano Saxophone, Alto Saxophone, Bandoneon – Michel Portal

Bass, Vocals – Sonny Thompson (2)

Design – Jérôme Witz

Drums – Michael Bland

Executive-Producer – Daniel Richard

Guitar – Jef Lee Johnson (tracks: 1 to 7, 9, 11 to 13)

Piano, Electric Piano [Fender Rhodes Ensoniq SD 1] – Tony Hymas

R.I.P

Born: 27 November 1935 Bayonne, France

Died: 12 February 2026 (aged 90) Paris, France

Minneapolis We Insist (mp3 320)
Minneapolis We Insist (FLAC)

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Peter Fesperanto Fessler - Lovers, Fools And Dreams

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2004
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 48:25
Size: 111,0 MB
Art: Front

(3:25)  1. If You Never Come To Me
(5:02)  2. Strangers In The Night
(4:07)  3. Blue Moon
(4:56)  4. Memories of Moments
(5:21)  5. Hello
(4:15)  6. Smoke Gets In Your Eyes
(4:13)  7. Agua De Beber
(4:51)  8. I Remember You
(4:10)  9. My Romance
(4:35) 10. Poinciana
(3:25) 11. I Wish You Love

Born in Cologne, Germany, and at the age of twelve, he began studying jazz guitar with his supporter and mentor Rick Abao. At the age of 20 he crossed the Atlantic for the first time, embarking on a musical journey that would take him into the world of sessions. Upon his return to Europe, Fessler began a concentrated shortstudy of jazz vocal technique at the renowned Cologne Music Conservatory. Soon after, Fessler became the front man and voice of the succesfull TRIO RIO - group (New York-Rio-Tokyo). Since his return to Europe he has continued to tour, performing live on the concert stage and logging numerous television and radio productions along the way. Fessler's voice can be heard by children all over Germany in the title role of the Walt Disney film "Aladdin", the German version. Following the release of his recording "Don't Tell Me", Fessler dedicated his next album-recordings to jazz and latin-jazz repertoire while simultaneously exploring the territory covered by his own compositions. Since his spectacular duet performance with Al Jarreau at the Montreux Jazz Festival, Peter Fessler has been considered the premiere jazz voice of Germany.

Randy Crawford, Bobby Mc Ferrin, Toots Thielemanns, and many other stars also recognize his unique talent and singular ability. As one of the next generation's jazz stars, he has earned his place on the international stage untill today. Fessler's recent recording and his performance as a "solophonic" musician is a breathtaking fusion of voice and classical guitar. He has found the perfect sound asthetic: High emotional, fascinating and virtuoso.

It all started for German-Canadian Peter Fessler in 1987 with the Top 10 hit "New York, Rio, Tokyo" and the band Trio Rio. Even then many of his breezy pop miniatures bore the influence of Bossa Nova legend Antonio Carlos Jobim. Today Fessler is regarded without a doubt as the most competent interpreter of modern Brazilian sounds in our European climes. A relocation to San Francisco made a decisive mark on him, promptly expressed in songs with a quintessential California "easy feeling".These years of artistic self-searching in the realms of Latin pop, jazz standards, Bach vocalizing or just the barest guitar accompanying his song miniatures have made him a sound to be reckoned with. Nowadays making his home near Cologne, Germany, the inimitably personal style of multi-voice FESSLER is ranked as the European counterpart to such grand masters as Jon Hendricks, Al Jarreau or Bobby McFerrin. Bio ~ http://www.mymusicbase.ru/PPB/ppb35/Bio_3548.htm

Lovers, Fools And Dreams

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Brian Lynch - Peer Pressure

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 1986
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 53:55
Size: 123,7 MB
Art: Front

(10:11)  1. Thomasville
( 8:44)  2. Park Avenue Petite
( 6:01)  3. Peer Pressure
( 7:00)  4. The Outlaw
( 9:00)  5. Change of Plan
( 4:59)  6. 'Nother Never
( 7:57)  7. I Concentrate on You

Lynch wrote three of the seven tracks, while Horace Silver, Benny Golson, Tommy Turrentine and Cole Porter penned one apiece. His trumpet sound definitely borrows from previous modern masters Freddie Hubbard, Lee Morgan & Bill Hardman, and the influence of Silver, Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers and those of the hard/post bop movement cannot be denied. The latin tinge is also prevalent on the Brazilian bossa inflected "Change Of Plan" and Silver's Afro-Cuban tinged classic "The Outlaw." These two selections serve Lynch well for future excursions away from strict mainstream jazz. A rock solid date from a promising musician whose star is on the rise. ~ Michael G.Nastos https://www.allmusic.com/album/peer-pressure-mw0000410785

Brian Lynch Sextet: Brian Lynch (trumpet, flugelhorn); Jim Snidero (alto saxophone); Ralph Moore (tenor saxophone); Kirk Lightsey (piano); Jay Anderson (bass); Victor Lewis (drums).

Peer Pressure

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Scott Hamilton - Italian Quartet

Styles: Jazz
Year: 2026
Time: 50:10
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Size: 115,7 MB
Art: Front

(5:50) 1. Expense Account
(5:10) 2. Con Alma
(8:12) 3. Out Of The Past
(5:14) 4. Eu Sei Que Vou Te Amar
(5:38) 5. Heartaches
(8:24) 6. Idle Moments
(6:56) 7. Keester Parade
(4:42) 8. Where Is Love

Scott Hamilton is considered the most popular saxophonist today. Born in Providence, Rhode Island, in 1954, Scott began his career during a musically wild era with a style that was then outside the public's expectations, a style that later became very common among all new performers. His sound and impeccable phrasing were rare among young talents. So, when he signed a contract and began recording albums for Concord Records, it was a source of genuine surprise and excitement among fans of the style and throughout the entire music scene. His first album for Concord, Scott Hamilton is A Good Wind Who Is Blowing Us No Ill, dates back to 1977 and takes its title from a flattering review by critic Leonard Feather. But this was only the first in a memorable series of some thirty albums, which also featured artists such as Buddy Tate, Gerry Mulligan, Ray Brown, Red Norvo, Al Cohn, Flip Phillips, and others. His membership in the groups of Benny Goodman and Rosemary Clooney definitively cemented his fame. Despite his international success, Scott continues to pursue his favorite music, the one that introduced him to jazz, demonstrating a continuous refinement of his creative imagination and the rich, deep sound of his saxophone, to which he adds an impeccable sense of swing, creating a unique atmosphere in each piece he performs. His Italian quartet, with which he has also recorded five CDs, includes Martien Oster (guitar), Marco Micheli (double bass), and Alfred Kramer (drums).

https://green-music.art/green_music/scott-hamilton-italian-quartet/

Italian Quartet (mp3 320)
Italian Quartet (FLAC)

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June Christy - Something Broadway, Something Latin

Styles: Vocal
Year: 1965
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 28:58
Size: 66,7 MB
Art: Front

(2:20)  1. Do I Hear A Waltz
(2:26)  2. Long Ago
(2:02)  3. Come Back To Me
(2:37)  4. Here's That Rainy Day
(2:36)  5. He Touched Me
(2:57)  6. The Shadow Of Your Smile
(2:10)  7. Gimme Some
(3:01)  8. What Did I Have That I Don't Have
(2:33)  9. Run For Your Life
(2:25) 10. Tell Me More
(2:27) 11. Cast Your Fate To The Wind
(1:19) 12. One Note Samba

In 1965, June Christy could look back on 20 years of great music, but her best work was definitely behind her. The voice that could whisper or bite was beginning to reveal unintentional flaws, and for her album, Something Broadway Something Latin, she resorted to a bid for the mainstream with something for everyone. As such, the songs come from a variety of sources, mostly Broadway hits of the day, sprinkled with one current movie hit (none of which quite survived to be standards, with the possible exception of the movie hit "The Shadow of Your Smile"). Producer Bill Miller and arranger Ernie Freeman looked to the pop charts for their sound (mostly Brill Building tropes), and although Christy never needed to belt out her songs to sound bewitching, she sounds a little tired and uninspired by her surroundings. The highlights come from a pair of songs perfect for her introspection, "The Shadow of Your Smile" and "Here's That Rainy Day."
~ John Bush http://www.allmusic.com/album/something-broadway-something-latin-mw0000843155

Something Broadway, Something Latin

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Jeanne Lee & Ran Blake - The Newest Sound You Never Heard Disc 1 & Disc 2

Jeanne Lee & Ran Blake - The Newest Sound You Never Heard Disc 1

Styles: Vocal and Piano Jazz
Year: 2019
Time: 56:09
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Size: 129,3 MB
Art: Front

(3:05) 1. Misterioso
(3:10) 2. Honeysuckle Rose
(4:31) 3. On Green Dolphin Street
(2:14) 4. A Hard Day's Night
(2:46) 5. I Can't Give You Anything But Love
(1:54) 6. Hallelujah, I Love Him So
(4:10) 7. Night in Tunisia
(1:42) 8. Ja Da (take 1)
(4:35) 9. Something's Coming
(2:51) 10. Just Squeeze Me
(2:15) 11. God's Image
(2:21) 12. Retribution
(2:03) 13. Smoke After Smoke
(4:13) 14. Parker's Mood
(2:21) 15. Caravan
(2:36) 16. Beautiful City
(3:19) 17. Birmingham U.S.A.
(2:44) 18. Ja Da (take 2)
(3:10) 19. Take the A-Train

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Jeanne Lee & Ran Blake - The Newest Sound You Never Heard Disc 2
Styles: Vocal Jazz, Piano Jazz
Year: 2019
Time: 53:43
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Size: 123,5 MB
Art: Front

(1:47) 1. Out of This World
(5:14) 2. Mister Tambourine Man
(4:24) 3. Round About
(2:59) 4. Moonlight in Vermont
(2:24) 5. The Frog, the Fountain, and Aunt Jane
(3:23) 6. Billie's Blues
(5:40) 7. Night and Day
(3:21) 8. My Favorite Things
(4:43) 9. Blue Monk
(4:52) 10. Lonely Woman
(2:12) 11. Caravan
(4:04) 12. The Man I Love
(2:45) 13. Something to Live For
(5:48) 14. Spring Can Really Hang You Up the Most

The Newest Sound You Never Heard was captured at the studios of Belgian radio and television station VRT and at a live performance in Brussels. The tapes remained in the VRT archives for nearly 40 years until being rediscovered. The dark sensuality of Lee’s voice and the icy, clipped notes of Blake’s piano create a mesmerizing effect, attractive and unsettling at the same time. A singular classic of voice and piano blending in a way no one has quite been able to match.
https://www.jazzmessengers.com/en/80841/ran-blake/thenewestsoundyouneverheard

Personnel: Jeanne Lee, vocals; Ran Blake, piano

The Newest Sound You Never Heard (1966-67 European Recordings)

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Ken Peplowski - Last Swing Of The Century

Styles: Big Band, Swing

Year: 1999

Time: 65:26

File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Size: 149,8 MB
Art: Front

(2:20) 1. Let's Dance
(3:27) 2. Hunkadola
(3:12) 3. Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea
(6:59) 4. King Porter Stomp
(5:17) 5. Moon Glow
(6:08) 6. Stealin' Apples
(2:32) 7. You Turned the Tables on Me
(3:07) 8. Bugle Call Rag
(3:19) 9. Don't Be That Way
(4:00) 10. Memories of You
(4:11) 11. Restless
(3:15) 12. Get Happy
(5:14) 13. Sometimes I'm Happy
(4:56) 14. China Boy
(3:29) 15. Down South Camp Meetin'
(3:53) 16. Good-Bye

Although the cliche that big bands will never come back is somewhat true, Ken Peplowski is the closest that some listeners near the end of this century will remember as bringing the music back to the ‘90s with taste, drive and creativity. Peplowski doesn’t compromise the artistic integrity of his mentor even though each soloist is playing in their own style, with no re-creations of solos from old records! Popular standards such as “Let’s Dance,” “Moon Glow,” “Bugle Call Rag,” “Don’t Be That Way,” and the “King Porter Stomp,” receive some of the very best arrangements they’ve ever had. On “Memories Of You,” Ken spotlights Bobby Pring’s trombone and the young, Frank Vignola’s mellow guitar. He duets with Vignola on one of Goodman’s favorites, “China Boy,” originally recorded with Teddy Wilson and Gene Krupa in 1936. 

The clarinet of Ken Peplowski, taken up in honor of Goodman, is brilliant on this hard-swinging set of performances by his orchestra and serves as an excellent example of what can be done and has been done to the keep the music of the Big Band Era fresh and vital. Last Swing Of The Century - Big Band Music of Benny Goodman captures the brilliant essence of Benny Goodman and is ever so essential.

By Paula Edelstein http://www.allaboutjazz.com/last-swing-of-the-century-big-band-music-of-benny-goodman-ken-peplowski-concord-music-group-review-by-paula-edelstein.php 

Musicians: Ken Peplowski, clarinet; trumpets; Conte Candoli, Bob Milikan, Randy Sandke; trombones,  Eddie Bert, Bobby Pring; saxophones,  Jack Stuckey - lead alto,  Scott Robinson - tenor,  Joe Romano - alto, Rickey Woodard - tenor; rhythm section, Ben Aronov-piano, Frank Vignola - guitar, Richard Simon - bass, Frank Capp - drums.

Last Swing of the Century

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