FLORA PURIM - Flora's Song (2005) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Throughout Flora's Song, the veteran Brazilian singer Flora Purim is heard in prime form. The ten compositions fit her style well; she swings in her own fashion and puts plenty of feeling into her vocals. In addition, there are many fine solos along the way, with the standouts including Harvey Wainapel's flute solo on "Flora's Song" and the steel drums of Andy Narrell on "E Precisa Perdoar" and "Forbidden Love." Whether any of the songs eventually become standards is open to question, but they are welcome additions to Flora Purim's repertoire. This is her most rewarding recording in several years, and she sounds quite happy throughout the excellent set. by Scott Yanow
Tracklist :
1     Las Olas 6:57
Diana Moreira Booker / Jaco Pastorius / Flora Purim
2     Less Than Lovers
Diana Moreira Booker / Lynne Earls
3     This Is Me 4:53
Diana Moreira Booker / Krishna Booker
4     Flora's Song 9:19
Flora Purim
5     É Preciso Perdoar 4:08
Carlos Coqueijo / Aleyvando Luz    
6     Silvia 6:25
Airto Moreira
7     Forbidden Love 4:46
Diana Moreira Booker / Andy Narell
8     Anjo de Mim 4:28
Ivan Lins / Vitor Martins
9     Lua Cheia 5:58
Diana Moreira Booker / Lynne Earls
10     Anjo Do Amor 4:48
Toninho Horta / Flora Purim
Credits :
Diana Moreira Booker - Arranger, Composer, Vocal Arrangement, Vocals (Background)
Krishna Booker - Arranger, Beat Box, Composer, Keyboard Programming, Vocals (Background)
Jimmy Branly -     Drums, Timbales
Gary Brown - Bass
Grecco Buratto - Guitar
Adam Camardella - Vocals (Background)
Dori Caymmi - Guitar (Acoustic)
Andre De Santanna - Bass
George Duke - Piano
Mark Egan - Bass, Bass Instrument
Rob Gardner - Vocals (Background)
Reggie Hamilton - Bass
Giovanni Hidalgo - Congas
Christian Jacob - Arranger, Piano
Gary Meek - Flute, Flute (Alto)
Airto Moreira - Audio Production, Composer, Drums, Percussion, Producer, Vocals (Background)
Andy Narell - Arranger, Composer, Keyboards, Steel Pan
José Neto - Guitar
Flora Purim - Audio Production, Composer, Producer, Vocals, Vocals (Background)
Marcos Silva -     Arranger, Keyboards
Harvey Wainapel - Saxophone

CARIBBEAN JAZZ PROJECT - The Caribbean Jazz Project (1995) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

This was the debut release by the Caribbean Jazz Project, a colorful co-op project that combines together the very different but complementary styles of Paquito D'Rivera (doubling on alto and clarinet), Dave Samuels (on marimba and vibes) and the brilliant steel drummer Andy Narell. Backed by a four-piece rhythm section, the accessible group sticks mostly to catchy group originals that range from Latin jazz to Caribbean music. The likable results are melodic and not overly predictable. This CD gives listeners an excellent example of the group's sound. by Scott Yanow
Tracklist :
1     One for Tom 5:01
Paquito D'Rivera / Dave Samuels
2     Abracadabra 6:32
Andy Narell
3     Carousel 2:43
Andy Narell
4     Como un Bolero 5:58
Paquito D'Rivera
5     Paco & Dave 6:03
Paquito D'Rivera / Dave Samuels
6     Valse Triste 6:30
Alain Mallet
7     Latin Quarter 4:58
Dave Samuels
8     Todo Aquel Ayer 4:14
Armando Becerra Guerrero
9     Three Amigos 6:31
Andy Narell
10     Afro 5:55
Paquito D'Rivera
11     Café España 4:04
Dave Samuels
Credits :
Alto Saxophone, Clarinet – Paquito D'Rivera
Bass – Oscar Stagnaro
Drums – Mark Walker
Marimba, Vibraphone – Dave Samuels
Percussion – Andy Narell, Luis Conte
Piano – Dario Eskenazi
Producer – Caribbean Jazz Project

CARIBBEAN JAZZ PROJECT - Island Stories (1997) APE (image+.cue), lossless

The second recording by this co-op group (which has three leaders in steel drummer Andy Narell, Dave Samuels on marimba and vibes and Paquito D'Rivera tripling on alto, clarinet and soprano) crosses a lot of boundaries. Designed as a musical tour through Latin America, the music ranges from a tribute to Cal Tjader and Astor Piazzolla's "Libertango" to "Andalucia" (better known as "The Breeze and I") and "Bluellespie" (which fuses together parts of several Dizzy Gillespie-associated songs). The blend between the vibes and steel drums is unique, the rhythm section (pianist Dario Eskenazi, bassist Oscar Stagnaro, drummer Mark Walker and percussionist Pernell Saturnino) is versatile and exciting, and D'Rivera's soprano playing in particular is impressive. Easily recommended to all jazz listeners. by Scott Yanow
Tracklist :
1     Bluellespie 4:26
Paquito D'Rivera
2     Sadie's Dance 6:24
Dave Samuels    
3     Calabash 9:27
Andy Narell
4     Tjaded Motion 4:56
Dave Samuels
5     Zig Zag 7:17
Andy Narell
6     Andalucia 5:55
Ernesto Lecuona
7     Shadow Play 7:32
Andy Narell
8     Libertango 5:52
Astor Piazzolla
9     The Lost Voice 6:22
Dario Eskenazi
10     Grass Roots 6:57
Dave Samuels
Credits :
Bass – Oscar Stagnaro
Congas, Percussion – Pernell Saturnino
Drums – Mark Walker
Piano – Dario Eskenazi
Producer, Marimba, Vibraphone – Dave Samuels
Producer, Soprano Saxophone, Alto Saxophone, Clarinet – Paquito D'Rivera
Producer, Steel Drums [Steel Pans] – Andy Narell

CARIBBEAN JAZZ PROJECT - Mosaic (2006) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

 Working a bright, innovative corner of Latin jazz and drawing on Jamaican, Afro-Cuban, Venezuelan, and Peruvian rhythms to create a hybrid mosaic (as the title suggests), the loose, rotating collective that is the Caribbean Jazz Project manages to be many things at once, including a dance band with a hard bop sensibility, and at times the ensemble comes close to being a new age chillout orchestra. Whatever label they wear, CJP have a bright, infectious sound, led by vibraphonist Dave Samuels' bubbling and watery tones and, on three tracks here, the amazing talking steel drums of Andy Narell. Violinist Christian Howes guests on Samuels' "Slow Dance," giving it a wonderfully eerie and wheezing feel. Other highlights in what is truly a compellingly bright mosaic are the angular "Spinnaker," the ever-expanding "Portraits of Cuba," and the interesting version of Miles Davis' "Nardis" that starts off the sequence. CJP, in whatever incarnation (and players vary here almost from track to track with Samuels as the main constant), manage to sound new and fresh, experimental and atmospheric, and yet still familiar and traditional, and often all of these things at once, resulting in music that is as fluid as a wave in the sun. by Steve Leggett
Tracklist :
1 Nardis 6:59
  Miles Davis
2 St. Ogredol 4:59
 Alain Mallet
3 Portraits Of Cuba 7:51
 Paquito D'Rivera
4 Afro Green 5:40
Dave Samuels
5 Wazo Dayzeel 8:48
 Andy Narell
6 Slow Dance 4:42
Dave Samuels
7 Spinnaker 4:39
Dave Samuels
8 Mambo De Luna (Para Cachao) 6:54
 Alain Mallet
9 Dusk 7:59
Dave Samuels
Credits :
Acoustic Bass – Boris Kozlov (tracks: 1, 2, 4 ,6, 7, 8)
Alto Saxophone, Clarinet – Paquito D'Rivera (tracks: 3, 5, 9)
Drums – Dafnis Prieto (tracks: 1, 2, 4 ,6, 7, 8), Mark Walker (tracks: 3, 5, 9)
Electric Bass – Oscar Stagnaro (tracks: 3, 5, 9)
Percussion – Pernell Saturnino (tracks: 3, 5, 9), Roberto Quintero (tracks: 1, 2, 4 ,6, 7, 8)
Piano – Alon Yavnai (tracks: 3, 5, 9)
Piano, Organ – Alain Mallet (tracks: 1, 2, 4 ,6, 7, 8)
Steel Drums [Steel Pans] – Andy Narell (tracks: 3, 5, 9)
Vibraphone, Marimba – Dave Samuels (tracks: 1 to 9)
Violin – Christian Howes (tracks: 1, 2, 4 ,6, 7, 8)

ANDY NARELL - Slow Motion [1985] FLAC [24-48]

More often than not, the steel pans are used for playing the traditional sounds of Trinidad. Andy Narell has successfully utilized them in a variety of non-traditional ways. On the ambitious and highly eclectic fusion release Slow Motion, elements of everything from Afro-Cuban salsa to Brazilian samba to African music are fair game for the adventurous, even visionary improviser (who is also heard on electric keyboards). Sometimes cerebral and sometimes romantic -- sometimes intense and sometimes reflective -- Slow Motion is one CD that cannot be accused of predictability. For those exploring Narell's music for the first time, this album would be an excellent starting point. by Alex Henderson 

♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪

1 Two Tone Shoes 6:14

2 Natty Stick 8:26

3 Slow Motion 4:40

4 Street Dancin' 3:37

5 Another Drum For Oskar 7:32

6 Trapeze 3:31

7 Once A Dancer 4:39

8 A Sea Change 6:16

♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪

Congas, Bongos, Percussion, Vocals – Kenneth Nash

Drums – William Kennedy

Guitar – Steve Erquiaga

Mixed By – Andy Narell, Steven Miller

Steel Drums, Keyboards – Andy Narell

Synthesizer – Frank Martin

Vocals – John Thomas (25)

O Púbis da Rosa

ANDY NARELL - Fire In The Engine Room [2000] FLAC

ANDY NARELL 

Fire In The Engine Room

Enhanced [2000]

O Púbis da Rosa