IRENE KRAL — Gentle Rain (1978-2001) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Hearing this set of cool, restrained ballads, it is difficult to believe that this was singer Irene Kral's final recording and that she only had a year left to live before her death from breast cancer. Throughout her second set of duets with pianist Alan Broadbent, Kral is almost up to the same emotional level as her previous effort, Where Is Love. Broadbent takes "What's New" as a complex and introspective exploration. Otherwise, Kral and Broadbent interact on five ballads, including two by Dave Frishberg, and memorable renditions of "The Gentle Rain," "Something to Live For," and "If You Could See Me Now," plus a four-song "Antique Medley." Few other singers could interpret a full program of slow ballads and hold one's interest throughout. Scott Yanow
Tracklist :
1    The Gentle Rain 5:27
Written-By – Luis Bonfa, Matt Dubey
2    The Underdog 4:47
Written-By – Al Cohn, Dave Frishberg
3    You Are There 4:27
Written-By – Dave Frishberg, Johnny Mandel
4    Something To Live For 5:35
Written-By – Billy Strayhorn
5    If You Could See Me Now 5:35
Written-By – Tadd Dameron
Written-By [Uncredited] – Carl Sigman
6    What's New 5:05
Written-By – Bob Haggart
Written-By [Uncredited] – Johnny Burke
The Antique Medley (What's Old)     (7:45)
7a    Remember
Written-By – Irving Berlin
7b    Someday I'll Find You
Written-By – Noel Coward
7c    I'll See You Again
Written-By – Noel Coward
7d    All Alone
Written-By – Irving Berlin
8    Blue Gardenia 5:23
Written-By – Bob Russell, Lester Lee
Credits :
Piano – Alan Broadbent
Vocals – Irene Kral

CHARLIE HADEN QUARTET WEST — Sophisticated Ladies (2010) FLAC (tracks+.cue) lossless

Bassist extraordinaire Charlie Haden has always prized diversity in his music, whether reaching for the outer limits with Ornette Coleman a half-century ago, leading his own experimental Liberation Music Orchestra or, in 2008, celebrating his roots in what's now called Americana onRambling Boy, a Grammy-nominated album that featured contributions from Elvis Costello, Béla Fleck, and others. As they mark their 25th year together, Haden's Quartet West -- not so much a side trip at this point as a comfy base to occasionally return to -- offers up Sophisticated Ladies, a collection split between collaborations with superstar female vocalists and rich instrumentals, nearly all of it heavily orchestrated. The set expands upon the concept Haden first explored in 1999 on The Art of the Song, which utilized vocalists Shirley Horn and Bill Henderson on various film songs and standards. This time, with tenor saxophonist Ernie Watts, pianist/arranger Alan Broadbent (both mainstays of the quartet), and drummer Rodney Green, Haden goes for a lush, all-embracing sound that suggests a warm, cozy mood that reflects a time -- which may or may not ever have existed -- when life was much less hectic. The recording largely pays tribute to the romantic balladry of the mid-20th century, and Haden's choices of both material and guest artists allow him to bring that concept to fruition gloriously. Diana Krall, leading the back-to-back "Goodbye" and "Wahoo," closes out the album: the first is a whispery take on the Gordon Jenkins number that served as Benny Goodman's theme song, and the latter an uptempo swinger written by Benny Harris. Norah Jones was a natural pick for a set that values classiness and sensuality, and her "Ill Wind," penned by Harold Arlen and Ted Koehler and arranged by Haden, exudes a smoky nightclub ambience, Broadbent's piano lending a blues touch to Jones' soothing delivery. Cassandra Wilson is another inspired pick, and her interpretation of Johnny Mercer's "My Love and I," bathed in strings and elegance, is a highlight of the set. The album's other vocal performances -- by Melody Gardot, Renée Fleming, and Ruth Cameron -- are also memorable, but not to be overlooked are the non-vocal tracks. Hank Jones' bluesy "Angel Face" is simultaneously sweet and melancholy, while Steve Khun's fiery "Today I Am a Man" is the swingingest number here. And of course, Haden couldn't very well title his album Sophisticated Ladies without including Duke Ellington's "Sophisticated Lady," which matches Watts' bold saxophone licks to another luxuriant orchestration. Sophisticated Ladies does fall just short at times of mimicking a brand of saccharine faux-post-big-band jazz that flourished in the '50s and early '60s, but Haden and his team are too masterful to allow their tribute to lose its stylishness and, of course, its sophistication. Jeff Tamarkin
Tracklist :
1. If I'm Lucky - 5:40
Vocals [Vocal] – Melody Gardot
Written-By – Eddie De Lange, Josef Myrow
2. Sophisticated Lady - 4:29
Written-By – Duke Ellington, Irving Mills, Mitchell Parish
3. Ill Wind - 4:25
Arranged By – Charlie Haden
Vocals [Vocal] – Norah Jones
Written-By – Harold Arlen, Ted Koehler
4. Today I Am A Man - 5:23
Arranged By – Charlie Haden
Written-By – Steve Khun
5. My Love And I - 4:14
Vocals - Cassandra Wilson
Written-By – David Raksin, Johnny Mercer
6. Theme From 'Markham' - 4:40
Written-By – Stanley Wilson
7. Let's Call It A Day - 5:52
Vocals - Ruth Cameron
Written-By – Lew Brown, Ray Henderson
8. Angel Face - 4:09
Written-By – Hank Jones
9. A Love Like This - 5:13
 Vocals - Renée Fleming
Written-By – Ned Washington, Victor Young
10. My Old Flame - 5:35
Arranged By – Charlie Haden
Written-By – Arthur Johnston, Sam Coslow
11. Goodbye - 5:49
 Vocals - Diana Krall
Written-By – Gordon Jenkins
12. Wahoo - 4:53
Arranged By – Charlie Haden
Written-By – Bennie Harris
Credits
Arranged By [Quartet Arrangements By] – Charlie Haden
Arranged By [String Orchestra Arranged By], Conductor [String Orchestra Conducted By] – Alan Broadbent
Band – Charlie Haden Quartet West
Contractor [String Contractor: String Orchestra Los Angeles, May 20th and 21st, 2010, Capitol Studios] – Marcy Vaj
Contractor [String Contractor: String Orchestra New York, June 4th 2010, Avatar Studios] – Jill Dell'Abate
Double Bass – Charlie Haden
Drums – Rodney Green
Featuring – Cassandra Wilson, Diana Krall, Melody Gardot, Norah Jones, Renée Fleming, Ruth Cameron
Musician [String Orchestra Los Angeles], Cello – Elizabeth Wright, Jodi Burnett, Tim Loo
Musician [String Orchestra Los Angeles], Cello [Principal] – Steve Richards
Musician [String Orchestra Los Angeles], Viola – Margot Aldcroft, Robert Berg, Susanna Giordano
Musician [String Orchestra Los Angeles], Viola [Principal] – Karen Elaine
Musician [String Orchestra Los Angeles], Violin – Adriana Zoppo, Anatoly Fosinsky, Cameron Patrick, Eric Gorfain, Kevin Kumar, Kirsten Fife, Maria Newman, Marina Manukian, Michael Ferril, Pam Gates, Ruth Buegger Johnson*, Susan Chatman
Musician [String Orchestra Los Angeles], Violin [Principal] – Margaret Wooten
Musician [String Orchestra Los Angeles], Violin, Concertmaster – Marcy Vaj
Musician [String Orchestra New York], Cello – Diane Barere, Ellen Westerman, Jeanne Leblanc, Jerry Grossman
Musician [String Orchestra New York], Viola – Dov Scheindlin, Karen Dreyfus, Todd Low, Vincent Lionti
Musician [String Orchestra New York], Violin – Avril Brown, Cecelia Hobbs Gardner, Hae Young Ham, Jonathan Dinklage, Joyce Hammann, Karen Karlsrud, Katherine Fong, Katherine Livolsi*, Laura McGinniss, Narciso Figueroa, Una Tone, Yuilo Kamakari, Yuri Vodovoz
Musician [String Orchestra New York], Violin, Concertmaster – Elena Barere
Piano – Alan Broadbent
Tenor Saxophone – Ernie Watts

ALAN BROADBENT — Live at Maybeck Recital Hall – Volume 14 (1991) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

When Alan Broadbent was given a chance to shine in this solo setting in the Berkeley hills, he kept things relatively spare and to the point, unlike most of the finger-busting pianists in the Maybeck series. But flashier is not necessarily better, and Broadbent gets a lot more music out of fewer notes in these 13 selections. Among them are three originals, the longest of which, "Woody 'N' I" (no doubt a memorial to his late employer, Woody Herman), climaxes in mighty waves closer in idiom to Rachmaninoff than jazz per se. Broadbent is especially adept at getting some great solo breaks with walking bass going, particularly on "Strollin'," "Sweet and Lovely," and "Upper Manhattan Medical Group." Elsewhere, "I Hear a Rhapsody" contains echoes of "Along Came Betty," "Oleo" relies on some unison octave work, "Lennie's Pennies" has deliciously twisting right-hand bop lines, Horace Silver's "Strollin'" harkens back somewhat to an earlier locked-hands era, and yes, "Parisian Thoroughfare" finally turns on the technique in a torrent. Richard S. Ginell
Tracklist & Credits :

ALAN BROADBENT | GARY FOSTER — Recorded Live At Maybeck Recital Hall (1997) Concord Duo Series – Volume 4 | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

This combination works quite well. Pianist Alan Broadbent and altoist Gary Foster have worked together many times through the years and they are quite familiar with each other's playing. On this set, recorded live at the now-legendary Maybeck Recital Hall, Broadbent and Foster perform creative versions of such songs as "Speak Low," Lennie Tristano's "317 East 32nd Street," "In Your Own Sweet Way," and Hoagy Carmichael's "One Morning in May," plus two of Broadbent's originals. Foster, who sounds a bit like Lee Konitz on alto, switches to tenor on a few numbers where he emulates Stan Getz. On either horn, he acts as a third hand for the very self-sufficient Broadbent and they consistently inspire each other. Highly recommended. Scott Yanow     Tracklist & Credits :

THE ALAN BROADBENT TRIO — Pacific Standard Time (1995) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Long a fixture in the Los Angeles area, Alan Broadbent is greatly in demand as an arranger and conductor but he has also continued to grow as a pianist. Teamed with bassist Putter Smith and drummer Frank Gibson, Broadbent digs into such standards as "Easy Living," "Easy To Love," ‘Beautiful Love" and Barry Harris' "Reets & I" in addition to his own "This One's For Bud." Bud Powell is one of the influences on Broadbent's style but he had long ago found his own voice in the swinging modern mainstream. This is one of his better all-round efforts. Scott Yanow   Tracklist & Credits :

THE ALAN BROADBENT TRIO — Personal Standards (1997) FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

Since gaining fame as a member of Charlie Haden's excellent Quartet West, Alan Broadbent has seen his own catalog rise in stature. A welcome development, since a wider audience should check out the many fine recordings this unique pianist/composer/arranger has made. And in spite of the admission that his highly lyrical bent and soft touch come out of the work of Bill Evans, Red Garland, and Nat "King" Cole, among others, Broadbent is able to produce fresh solo conceptions and plenty of original material of his own. In fact, as the title implies, Personal Standards consists almost entirely of self-penned cuts, save for one by bassist Putter Smith. (This seamless piano trio is rounded out by drummer Joe LaBarbera.) Along with material also heard on various Quartet West recordings like "The Long Goodbye" and "Song of Home," the disc features a nice mix of ballads ("Ballad Impromptu"), mid- to up-tempo swingers ("Consolation"), as well as some blues ("Uncertain Terms"). And even though Broadbent favors slow and melancholy numbers, he can still vigorously turn on the technique, especially on the faster numbers here. In addition to his solo piano outing for the Maybeck Recital Hall series, Personal Standards offers a great introduction to Broadbent's work. Stephen Cook    Tracklist & Credits :

V.A. — The Music of Eric von Essen, Vol. I (2000) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

West Coast bassist/composer Von Essen died prematurely in his sleep of a heart attack at age 43 but left behind some 100 compositions, and many bandmates are dedicated to making sure his music gets heard. This is one of three proposed volumes that will assure Von Essen's sounds are known to a jazz public that probably never heard of him. That will change, for this is a wonderful initial outing, played by five different groups. Pianists Alan Pasqua and Alan Broadbent lead trios on two tracks apiece. Pasqua, with Dave Carpenter on bass and Peter Erskine on drums, uses an urgent ticktock to a light beat under a languid, beauteous piano melody on "Silvana," while "Blues For Carin'" is an easily swung, ultra-melodic number with Pasqua using Chick Corea or Thelonious Monk-like techniques. Broadbent swings "Blues Puzzle" with Putter Smith's bass way up in the mix, while the lament "Nowhere" starts with solo 88s, then Smith and drummer Kendall Kay join on this most pristine ballad. Electric guitarist Nels Cline and pianist David Witham lead a quartet for the urgent, modal to swinging "Peacemaker," as familiar a theme as the public might recognize, and the easy flowing waltz "For Me" sports some lustrous unison lines. Violinist Jeff Gauthier and acoustic guitarist Cline in finger-style mode use a chamber-style approach à la Oregon for "Incomplete Circle" in phrases of seven and four beats, while the slow waltz "Departure" has Gauthier in mournful yet optimistic spirits. Stacy Rowles plays poignant trumpet or flugelhorn with Larry Koonse's tender electric guitar in separate lines on the contemporary ballad "Love Song For Kirsi" and works in tandem on the easy, straight-ahead swinger "Benny" for Benny Golson, using phraseology from Golson's "Whisper Not." Tom Warrington, in Von Essen's spirit, evokes the composer's persona with a deftly plucked bass solo. If this is only a portent of future volumes to come, it's quite an auspicious starting point. One can only look at future issuance of Von Essen's musical brilliance with hope and grand expectation. Highly recommended. Michael G. Nastos   Tracklist & Credits :

V.A. — The Music of Eric von Essen, Vol. II (2001) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

The second of three projected volumes of music by the late bassist/composer Eric von Essen, who passed away at the age of 43, is -- like its predecessor -- a purposely mixed bag. A composer of straight modern jazz tunes to gypsy blues-jazz to pop to pieces that border on theater and classical music, von Essen was nothing if not a lover of diverse musics, and well-versed in their compositional vocabularies. All of his work was equally possessed of movement, however; there was no stasis in his compositional language. Five different ensembles ranging from quintet to trio perform two pieces each, and add more to the mystery of von Essen the virtuoso musician. The first two pieces, "Blues for John" and "K," are post-bop tunes that soar with the aegis of modern electric post-bop jazz. Larry Koonse's electric guitar and Stacy Rowles' trumpet and flügelhorn are perfect foils for one another. As Koonse takes the edges and makes them sharper, Rowles rounds them into tight pockets of harmony. On "Petit Rayon" and "9/8/29," brothers Nels and Alex Cline, on acoustic guitar and drums respectively, team with Jeff Gauthier and Michael Elizondo on violin and bass to reveal the impressionistic side of von Essen's personality. Both pieces feel like sketches for orchestral pieces; they hold within their melodic lines large harmonic sonances. The primary strings, guitar and violin, are bridged by the counterpoint melody of the bass. Both works -- though their movement is fluid and medium tempoed -- are restrained until each of them cuts loose into a kind of modern gypsy swing with Django Reinhardt on one side and Pat Metheny on the other. The trio with Peter Erskine is the least successful here, but the material is not the problem. This group took exactly the same hushed approach to this type of material on the first volume, and it's a bit wispy to come completely to life on a recording. To take the record out, the Cline brothers electrically team with David Witham and Joel Hamilton, on piano and bass respectively, for a straight-up jazz romp with hot solos all around ("BC/Jezebel") and a ballad ("Marry Me") of such lyrical tenderness that it almost floats through the air without the music attached. It's gorgeous, hypnotic, and based on open tunings, so that a drone plays a large part in the body of its architecture. If it wasn't for the line coming back over and over again, you would swear you heard this tune inside your heart instead of through your stereo speakers. Not as overwhelming as the first volume, this disk -- aside from the two trio pieces -- is solid nonetheless. It also begs the question of just how deep von Essen's abilities ran because, so far, they seem boundless.
-> This comment is posted on Allmusic by Thom Jurek, follower of our blog 'O Púbis da Rosa' <-
Tracklist & Credits :

ALAN BROADBENT — You and the Night and the Music (2003) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

The two-time Grammy winning arranger (for Natalie Cole and Charlie Haden featuring Shirley Horn) is used to working with big band charts and multi-harmonic orchestral arrangements, but at heart he's a pianist with a great love for standards and all things jazz. The idea on this beautiful trio date is to go small, strip down to the basics of seven classics and see what he -- long a believer in the often unpredictable joys of improvisation -- can do with the swinging help of bassist Brian Bromberg and drummer Joe La Barbera. For those who love piano trio music, the answer is, quite a lot. The tunes range in time from six-and-a-half to nine minutes, plenty of time to have intricate emotional conversations that dash on unexpected journeys. The title track starts out like a ballad, but within minutes becomes a spirited, jaunty stroll with rushes of flurried ivories keeping pace above the brushes and Bromberg's cool throb. They play "I Wish I Knew" a little simpler, as a graceful romance, but pick up the pace with the odd locomotive meters and snappy basslines of "With the Wind and the Rain in Her Hair." "What's New" begins with a low register cadenza underpinning some wild upper register movement before settling into a tender, reflective pocket. It's beautifully played, but the most remarkable feature is the choice of material which draws more obscure selections from familiar names. All the more open palette for the trio to play with. Jonathan Widran     Tracklist & Credits :

ALAN BROADBENT — 'Round Midnight (2004) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Long considered a very valuable pianist, arranger, and conductor behind the scenes, whether accompanying singers (including his classic recordings with Irene Kral) or as part of bands (most notably Charlie Haden's Quartet West), Alan Broadbent tends to be underrated as a pianist/leader. In the Los Angeles area he occasionally performs in clubs where his trio work is quite spontaneous. For 'Round Midnight, he simply gathered together two of his favorite players (bassist Brian Bromberg and drummer Joe LaBarbera), decided on a list of tunes (including two of his originals), and played. Although the results are quite logical, nothing was arranged in advance. It just worked out this perfectly on a moment's notice. Whether swinging on bebop standards, digging into J.J. Johnson's "Lament," or transforming "Serenata" into jazz, everything works well on this easily recommended trio outing. Scott Yanow    Tracklist & Credits :

ALAN BROADBENT — Every Time I Think of You (2006) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Alan Broadbent has long been appreciated as a fine pianist and arranger, talents he combines on this studio effort with bassist Brian Bromberg and drummer Kendall Kay, along with background color by the Tokyo Strings. "Autumn Variations" is a superb workout of the chord changes to the standard "Autumn Leaves." The pianist's lyrical setting of the longing ballad "Bess, Oh Where's My Bess" and the sparse treatment of "Last Night When We Were Young" are simply masterful. Broadbent's scoring of notable jazz compositions proves to be equally effective. He sets up a very deliberate tempo for the ballad "Lover Man," alternating the piano and the strings in the foreground as the rhythm section plays sparingly. But his best effort may be his lush arrangement of the modal masterpiece "Blue in Green." Broadbent also includes three strong originals: "E. 32nd Elegy" (a moody tribute to Lennie Tristano), the breezy Latin-flavored "Nirvana Blues," and an affectionate ballad salute to his late boss Woody Herman called "Woody 'N' Me," which suggests the end of another long night as the weary musicians pile into the bus to hit the road to the next gig. Impeccably recorded and mixed, Alan Broadbent's Every Time I Think of You is the perfect CD for unwinding at the end of a long, demanding day. Ken Dryden    Tracklist & Credits :

ALAN BROADBENT — Heart to Heart (2013) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Tracklist & Credits :

ALAN BROADBENT WITH THE LONDON METROPOLITAN ORCHESTRA — Developing Story (2017) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Tracklist & Credits :

LEE KONITZ WITH ALAN BROADBENT - Live-Lee (2003) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

This intimate live program pairs two Lennie Tristano disciples: Lee Konitz, in his eighth decade and at the height of his powers, and the distinctive, calmly extraordinary pianist Alan Broadbent. The clarity and expressiveness of these performances from the Jazz Bakery in Los Angeles make it difficult to accept this was the duo's first time playing together. In working out how best to interact with Konitz, Broadbent found that less is more. Supporting Konitz with supple, swinging, spacious structures, he frees the saxophonist to create and explore. Liberated, Konitz gives himself over to the flow of his ideas and impulses, his sound and phrasing natural, unforced. Not that Broadbent is confined to the supporting role; he and Konitz each have considerable space for unaccompanied playing, joint extemporizing, and situations where the lead moves in subtle shifts between the two. In their transformations of familiar material, Konitz and Broadbent take a very non-bop approach to the discovery of new and unexpected patterns and points of view in repertoire conceived or extensively exploited by bop players. Their tactics pose intriguing possibilities for other pieces from the bop canon or for post-bop classics such as Miles Davis and Victor Feldman's "Joshua" or Sonny Rollins' "Blue 7." While Broadbent said it took a few sets for him and Konitz to get to know each other during their week-long run together, the luminous performances captured on this October 2000 recording suggest that any meeting between the two would be rewarding. Listeners who enjoy either of these masters will be hoping there is more where this came from. Jim Todd  
Tracklist :
1     I'll Remember April 5:47
Gene DePaul / Patricia Johnston / Don Raye    
2     Sweet and Lovely 6:43
Gus Arnheim / Jules LeMare / Harry Tobias
3     Sequentialee 5:03
Lee Konitz
4     If You Could See Me Now 5:31
Tadd Dameron / Carl Sigman
5     Cherokee 5:59
Ray Noble     
6     Gundula 7:15
Lee Konitz
7     Keepin' the News  3:47
Lee Konitz    
8     Easy Living 6:04
Ralph Rainger / Leo Robin    
9     317 East 32nd Street 6:56
William H. Bauer / Lennie Tristano    
10     Ex Temp 5:04
Alan Broadbent / Lee Konitz    
11     Subconscious Lee 7:11
Lee Konitz
Credits :
Alto Saxophone – Lee Konitz
Piano, Liner Notes – Alan Broadbent
Producer, Liner Notes – Orrin Keepnews

DIANA KRALL - Live In Paris [2002]

Tracklist

1 I Love Being Here With You

2 All Or Nothing

3 Let's Fall In Love

4 The Look Of Love

5 Maybe You'll Be There

6 Deed I Do

7 Devil May Care

8 Cry Me A River

9 Under My Skin

10 East Of The Sun

11 I Get Along

12 Pick Yourself Up

13 S'Wonderful

14 Love Letters

15 I Don't Know Enough About You

16 Do It Again

17 A Case Of You

Bonus Videos

1 The Look Of Love

2 Let's Face The Music & Dance

Concert Rehearsal

1 Do It Again

2 The Look Of Love

3 Love Letters

Credits

Acoustic Bass – John Clayton

Acoustic Guitar – John Pisano

Bass – Christian McBride

Conductor [Guest] – Claus Ogerman

Conductor, Directed By – Alan Broadbent

Drums – Jeff Hamilton, Lewis Nash

 Guitar – Anthony Wilson

Keyboards – Rob Mounsey

Percussion – Luis Quintero, Paulinho Da Costa

Tenor Saxophone – Michael Brecker

Vocals, Piano – Diana Krall

Notes

Recorded live at the Paris Olympia, December 2, 2001

Label: Eagle Eye Media ‎– EE19012

Format: DVD-Video, NTSC 

O Púbis da Rosa