JUNE CHRISTY — The Misty Miss Christy (1956-1992) Mono | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Using Anita Day as starting point -- but eschewing many of her scat-song histrionics in favor of pure tonal power and melancholic shading -- June Christy honed her singing skills with Stan Kenton's band before going solo in the '50s. Christy's relatively accessible vocal approach and blonde good looks eventually helped her gain success with such classic long players as Something Cool and The Misty Miss Christy. Less swinging than Something Cool, The Misty Miss Christy mostly stays on auto-stroll with a wealth of subtle and sophisticated orchestral charts. The jazz-pop environs come courtesy of longtime arranger Pete Rugolo and optimally frame the singer on highlights like "That's All," "I Didn't Know About You," and "Dearly Beloved." With West Coast-style brass and reed accents gliding atop the lush strings, Christy also turns in fine renditions of Monk's "Round Midnight" and Russ Freeman's expressionistically torchy "The Wind." Balancing out the predominant autumnal lull, Christy shows her swinging savvy on breezy gems like "Sing Something Simple," "There's No You," and "A Lovely Way to Spend an Evening." Both an essential Christy title and one of the best vocal albums from the '50s. Stephen Cook
Tracklist :
1    That's All 3:20
Alan Brandt / Bob Haymes
2    I Didn't Know About You 2:51
Duke Ellington / Bob Russell
3    Day Dream 2:58
Duke Ellington / John Latouche / Billy Strayhorn
4    Sing Something Simple 2:15
Herman Hupfeld
5    Maybe You'll Be There 2:50
Rube Bloom / Sammy Gallop
6    Dearly Beloved 1:36
Jerome Kern / Johnny Mercer
7    'Round Midnight 3:57
Bernie Hanighen / Thelonious Monk / Cootie Williams
8    A Lovely Way to Spend an Evening 2:22
Harold Adamson / Jimmy McHugh
9    Wind 3:46
Russ Freeman / Gladstone
10    This Year's Kisses 2:02
Irving Berlin
11    For All We Know  2:50
J. Fred Coots / Sam M. Lewis
12    There's No You 2:11
Tom Adair / George Durgom / Hal Hopper
13    You Took Advantage of Me 2:29
Lorenz Hart / Richard Rodgers
14    Intrigue 2:19
Ervin Drake / Paul Durand
Credits
Alto Saxophone – Bud Shank (tracks: 13, 14), Harry Klee (tracks: 13, 14)
Baritone Saxophone – Bob Gordon (tracks: 1 to 12), Chuck Gentry (tracks: 13, 14)
Bass – Harry Babasin (tracks: 1 to 12), Joe Mondragon
Conductor, Arranged By – Pete Rugolo
Drums – Alvin Stoller (tracks: 13, 14), Larry Bunker (tracks: 1 to 12), Shelly Manne (tracks: 1 to 12)
Flute – Bud Shank, Harry Klee
French Horn – John Graas (tracks: 1 to 12)
Guitar – Howard Roberts, Laurindo Almeida (tracks: 1 to 12)
Harp – Corky Hale (tracks: 1 to 12)
Percussion – Larry Bunker (tracks: 13, 14)
Piano – Benny Aronov (tracks: 13, 14), Claude Williamson (tracks: 1 to 12)
Tenor Saxophone – Bob Cooper
Trombone – Dick Noel (tracks: 1 to 12), Frank Rosolino (tracks: 1 to 12), George Roberts, Harry Betts, Herbie Harper, Milt Bernhart (tracks: 13, 14)
Trumpet – Conrad Gozzo (tracks: 13, 14), Maynard Ferguson (tracks: 13, 14), Pete Candoli

PEGGY LEE — Black Coffee & Dream Street : The Complete Sessions (2009) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Black Coffee (1956)
1. Black Coffee (3:09)
Written-By – Paul Francis Webster, Sonny Burke
2. I've Got You Under My Skin (2:32)
Written-By – Cole Porter
3. Easy Living (2:47)
Written-By – Leo Robin, Ralph Rainger
4. My Heart Belongs to Daddy (2:12)
Written-By – Cole Porter
5. It Ain't Necessarily So (3:26)
Written-By – George & Ira Gershwin
6. Gee Baby, Ain't I Good to You? (3:26)
Written-By – Andy Razaf, Don Redman
7. A Woman Alone with the Blues (3:17)
Written-By – Willard Robison
8. I Didn't Know What Time It Was (2:21)
Written-By – Richard Rodgers-Lorenz Hart
9. (Ah, the Apple Trees) When the World Was Young (3:21)
Written-By – Angele Uannier, Johnny Mercer, M. Philippe Gerard
10. Love Me or Leave Me (2:11)
Written-By – Gus Kahn, Walter Donaldson
11. You're My Thrill (3:26)
Written-By – Jay Gorney, Sidney Clare
12. There's a Small Hotel (2:48)
Written-By – Richard Rodgers-Lorenz Hart
13. Do I Love You? (1:37)
Written-By – Cole Porter
14. Guess I'll Go Back Home (This Summer) (3:19)
Written-By – Ray Mayer, Willard Robison
Dream Street (1956)
15. Street of Dreams (3:23)
Written-By – Sam M. Lewis, Victor Young
16. What's New (3:00)
Written-By – Bob Haggart, Johnny Burke
17. You're Blase (2:50)
Written-By – Bruce Sievier, Ord Hamilton
18. It's All Right with Me (2:24)
Written-By – Cole Porter
19. My Old Flame (2:39)
Written-By – Arthur Johnston, Sam Coslow
20. Dancing on the Ceiling (3:41)
Written-By – Richard Rodgers-Lorenz Hart
21. It Never Entered My Mind (3:02)
Written-By – Richard Rodgers-Lorenz Hart
22. Too Late Now (3:49)
Written-By – Alan Jay Lerner, Burton Lane
23. I've Grown Accustomed to His Face (2:47)
Written-By – Alan Jay Lerner-Frederick Loewe
24. Something I Dreamed Last Night (2:30)
Written-By – Herbert Magidson, Jack Yellen, Sammy Fain
25. Last Night When We Were Young (2:57)
Written-By – Yip Harburg, Harold Arlen
26. So Blue (2:14)
Written-By – Buddy G. DeSylva, Lew Brown, Ray Henderson
27. I Still Get a Thrill (Thinking of You) (2:21)
Written-By – Benny Davis, J. Fred Coots
Credits :
Arranged By – Shorty Rogers (tracks: 15 to 27), Sy Oliver (tracks: 15 to 27)
Bass – Buddy Clark (tracks: 5, 6, 11 to 14), Max Wayne (tracks: 1 to 4, 7 to 10)
Drums – Ed Shaughnessy (tracks: 1 to 4, 7 to 10), Nick Fatool (tracks: 15 to 27)
Drums, Vibraphone – Larry Bunker (tracks: 5, 6, 11 to 14)
Flute, Saxophone – Bud Shank (tracks: 15 to 27)
Guitar – Bill Pitman (tracks: 5, 6, 11 to 27)
Harp – Stella Castellucci (tracks: 5, 6, 11 to 27)
Piano – Jimmy Rowles (tracks: 1 to 4, 7 to 10), Lou Levy (tracks: 5, 6, 11 to 14)
Saxophone – Bob Cooper (tracks: 15 to 27)
Trumpet – Pete Candoli (tracks: 1 to 4, 7 to 10)
Vibraphone, Percussion – Larry Bunker (tracks: 15 to 27)
Vocals – Peggy Lee
This cd contains the complete sessions from Peggy Lee's two celebrated albums "Black Coffee" and "Dream Street", marking the first time ever that either of these LPs is released with all of the tracks from its studio dates.

Black Coffee :
1-4 & 7-10: New York, April 30, May 1 & May 4, 1953
5-6 & 11-14: LOs Angeles, April 3, 1956

Dream Street :
15-27: Los Angeles, June 5 & 7, 1956
Bass on these sessions was either played by Max Bennett or Buddy Clark.

Tracks 13, 14, 27: from the same sessions but not issued on the original LPs.

STAN KENTON AND HIS ORCHESTRA – 1945 | The Classics Chronological Series – 898 (1996) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Volume two in the Classics Stan Kenton chronology presents all of his Capitol and V-Disc recordings made between January 16 and December 26, 1945, with a pair of initially rejected Gene Howard vocal sides from 1944 tossed in as bonus tracks, out of sequence, like an afterthought. Singers would now become an increasingly important ingredient in the postwar entertainment industry. At the beginning of 1945, Kenton's featured female vocalist was sultry Anita O'Day, who later explained with characteristic gut level honesty why she quit after the session of January 16: "The band was great -- but it wasn't a swing band." June Christy began her own recording career with "Tampico" on May 4 after carefully studying the recordings of O'Day, who must have been a tough act to follow. There were occasional bouts of crooning from Gene Howard, and a Roy Eldridge disciple named Ray Wetzel sang and blew his trumpet on "I'm a Shy Guy." Kenton himself was one of four voices used on "I Been Down in Texas," an overbearing, embarrassingly contrived, campy combination of bop caricature and western novelty, grossly cluttered with imitation hepcat vernacular and hyped-up corn. On the more authentically hip side of things, "Around the Town," "Southern Scandal," "Opus in Pastels" and "Painted Rhythm" are among the better instrumental tracks from this part of the Kenton discography. Already the arrangements indicate the influence of Duke Ellington, Dizzy Gillespie, Buster Harding, Earl Hines and the Billy Eckstine Orchestra. With all of the innovations circulating in the air at that time, it was Kenton's steadily expanding ensemble that attracted much of the attention with its "modern" angularities, shrill brass and bop-flavored charts. Kenton's sax section continued to morph during this period; Stan Getz split around the same time as O'Day and Kenton's old running buddy Vido Musso was back with the band on October 15. arwulf arwulf   
Tracklist :

STAN KENTON AND HIS ORCHESTRA - 1946 | The Classics Chronological Series – 949 (1997) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Tracklist:
1    All The Time 2:56
Vocals – Gene Howard
Written-By – Freed, Fain
2    That's The Least You Can Do 2:56
Vocals – Gene Howard
Written-By – Torme, Levinson
3    Intermission Riff 3:14
Written-By – Ray Wetzel
4    Four Months, Three Weeks, Two Days, One Hour Blues 3:02
Vocals – June Christy
Written-By – Torme, Levinson
5    Rika Jika Jack 3:00
Vocals – June Christy
Written-By – Dawson, Sullivan, Hagen
6    Artistry In Boogie 2:56
Written-By – Rugolo, Kenton
7    Come Back To Sorrento    3:03
Traditional
8    Ain't No Misery In Me 2:59
Vocals – June Christy
Written-By – Gene Roland
9    Artistry In Percussion 3:11
Written-By – Pete Rugolo
10    Safranski 3:06
Written-By – Pete Rugolo
11    Artistry In Bolero 3:02
Written-By – Raskin, Rugolo
12    It's A Pity To Say Goodnight 2:52
Vocals – June Christy
Written-By – Billy Reid
13    Willow Weep For Me 3:10
Vocals – June Christy
Written-By – Ann Ronnell
14    Fantasy 2:38
Written-By – Stan Kenton
15    Concerto To End All Concertos - Part 2 3:10
Written-By – Kenton
16    Concerto To End All Concertos - Part 1 3:06
Written-By – Stan Kenton
17    Collaboration 2:44
Written-By – Rugolo, Kenton
18    Don't Want That Man Around 2:54
Vocals – June Christy
Written-By – Rizzo, Braude, Volk
19    Opus In Pastels 2:48
Written-By – Stan Kenton

STAN KENTON AND HIS ORCHESTRA - 1947 | The Classics Chronological Series – 1011 (1998) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Bucking the tide while beginning to surf on a wave of increasingly mannered modernity, Stan Kenton's orchestra maintained its popularity during the post-WWII decline of the big bands. Volume four in the Classics Stan Kenton chronology presents all of his Capitol recordings made between January 2 and September 24, 1947. June Christy continued to be the featured vocalist, often backed by Kenton's newly formed vocal group, the Pastels. Dave Lambert was the director of this ensemble and sang with them on at least the first three tracks heard here. Noteworthy instrumentalists present in Kenton's 19-piece band during 1947 were drummer Shelly Manne, trombonists Kai Winding and Eddie Bert, as well as saxophonists Vido Musso, Boots Mussulli and the largely unknown George Weidler, who demonstrated impressive skill and dexterity on the arresting "Elegy for Alto." Kenton, who is known to have been obsessed with the notion that he was "greater than Duke Ellington," had a penchant for emulating and (he thought) one-upping African-American musicians. This seems to have manifested itself in "Machito," a spiced up portrait devised by Pete Rugolo soon after Kenton's band shared the bill with Machito's Afro Cuban Salseros at a Town Hall concert in New York. Dizzy Gillespie had this to say about Kenton and the postwar big band scene: "By 1947, a lotta bands had begun to imitate our style of playing. And some of them, especially the white bands like Stan Kenton's, did better in America, commercially, than we could at that time with segregation. No one could take our style, but we had to stay in existence to keep the style alive. They had us so penned up within the concept of race that a colored big band wasn't all that economically feasible, unless you were playing and doing just what the people ordered." Living and working within this kind of a social environment, it is unfortunate that Stan Kenton sometimes exacerbated the problem by stating publicly that white jazz musicians were victims of racial discrimination! Sadly, this sort of twisted ignorant logic has survived into the 21st century. arwulf arwulf
Tracklist :

STAN KENTON AND HIS ORCHESTRA - 1947, Vol. 2 | The Classics Chronological Series – 1039 (1998) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Like its immediate predecessor, volume five in the Classics Stan Kenton chronology contains a substantial amount of material composed and/or arranged by Sicilian-American Pete Rugolo, a student of Darius Milhaud and Kenton's right-hand man during the mid- to late '40s. It was Rugolo who assisted Kenton during his experiments with modernized, "progressive" big band jazz. (Speaking of modern jazz, note the return of alto saxophonist Art Pepper on the session of October 22, 1947, which opened with Rugolo's "Unison Riff.") Following the example of Dizzy Gillespie, Kenton was now incorporating more Latin percussion and Caribbean rhythms than ever into his music, and even hired Cuban bandleader Machito to play maracas on the sessions which took place during the latter part of December 1947. Smug, contentious and successful, Kenton attracted controversy like a lightning rod. Part of the reason for this was the unusual and at times startling nature of his brand of musical futurism.
A more unsavory aspect of Kenton's reputation was his annoying habit of making what appeared to be arrogantly racist statements. The most famous example of this regrettable tendency was remembered by several eyewitnesses who claimed that Kenton, after participating in a "battle of the bands" at the Savoy Ballroom, got drunk and staggered up to Dizzy Gillespie saying "We can play your music better than you can." Diz -- to his credit -- simply shrugged, said "yeah" and walked away. Walter Gilbert Fuller adds: "He was juiced. But he was saying while he was juiced what he really meant." Here's how Gillespie assessed the overall situation: "Stan Kenton was the copyist. Stan Kenton went out and got a conga drummer after he saw me with one. He hired Carlos Vidal, lured him away from Machito, and put him along with another Latin drummer, Jack Costanzo, in his band. But Stan didn't know what to do with it. He just left it there and they made up their own minds what to play. All this happened after he came up to the Savoy and heard us while Chano Pozo was in the band. Now, I don't just take what they do and leave it there. I don't pass myself off as an expert on Latin music, but the guys who play it respect me for knowing how to take what they do, put it in with my music, and make it right. I never take nothing from nobody without delivering something in return. I think when people figured we might make a lot of money -- that started the controversy about who would get credit for creating modern jazz. My viewpoint was always that the credit should go to the ones who developed and played it best."
Interestingly, Dizzy Gillespie is heard on this disc alongside Buddy DeFranco, Bill Harris and Flip Phillips as members of the Metronome All Stars in combination with Stan Kenton & His Orchestra (a total of 28 players!) on Pete Rugolo's "Metronome Riff," which was recorded on December 21, 1947. Gillespie even toured with Kenton, sometimes leading the band. Later in life, Gillespie bluntly asserted that Kenton "left out the fundamentals," unlike Miles Davis whose music, said Diz, "is based on rhythm and also the blues." Whether or not you agree with that assessment, and while many of Kenton's recordings, including some of the examples heard on this compilation, had plenty of artistic merit, music does not exist in a social vacuum. As a member of the dominant social group, Kenton could and should have shown more respect and gratitude to the African-American artists from whom he borrowed (or swiped) ideas, textures, rhythms and inspiration. That would have been honorable. arwulf arwulf
Tracklist :

STAN KENTON AND HIS ORCHESTRA – 1950 | The Classics Chronological Series – 1185 (2001) FLAC (tracks), lossless

There is a gap in the Stan Kenton chronology. It begins with the ellipsis caused by the second commercial recording ban mandated by the American Federation of Musicians, which was in effect throughout most of 1948. Unable to continue making studio recordings, Kenton toured with his mammoth orchestra until he wore himself down and disbanded on December 14, only days before AFM president James C. Petrillo lifted the ban. Kenton apparently needed a break; it wasn't until February 1950 that he resumed making records for Capitol. Kenton's Innovations in Modern Music Orchestra consisted of 37 players; he was now straddling a 23-piece big band plus strings. The sessions that took place in Los Angeles on February 3, 4, and 5 1950 resulted in some of Kenton's most theatrical and dramatically charged recordings; more than half of them were issued on 12" 78 rpm platters, which allowed for extended durations of between four and five minutes. Pete Rugolo's suspenseful tone poem titled "Conflict" is one of the weirdest. Scored almost as if intended for a Hollywood sci-fi movie and using elements that seem to lead directly back to Anton Webern's Opus 6, "Conflict" combines oozing, queasy tonalities with unsettling percussion, sudden blasts from startled trumpets, and an eerie wordless vocal by June Christy. Kenton also continued to experiment with Latin American-flavored jazz; Neal Hefti's "In Veradero" and Laurindo Almeida's "Mardi Gras," which tap into Brazilian traditions, feature ensemble vocals generated by members of the band and their families. With players like Art Pepper, Bud Shank and Shorty Rogers on board, 1950 turns out to be one of the better installments in the Classics Stan Kenton chronology. arwulf arwulf  
Tracklist & Credits :

STAN KENTON AND HIS ORCHESTRA - 1951 | The Classics Chronological Series – 1292 (2003) FLAC (tracks), lossless

The Classics chronological volume 1951 includes the last recordings from Stan Kenton's Innovations Orchestra, which he dissolved by the end of the year. (Carrying a band of 40 pieces on cross-country tours came to a fantastic expense, and the band's heady charts prevented it from becoming a moneymaker). From a late March session, "Dynaflow" became one of the Kenton band's finest charts, though the flip side (a humorous Mexican novelty called "Tortillas and Beans") doesn't wear as well, despite some excellent work from the brass. The next session, from May, brought two bizarre sides: a trad version of "Laura," with the whole band delivering a stoic chorus vocal, and a boogie version of "Stardust" that worked slightly better. "Coop's Solo," for tenor Bob Cooper, is one of the most famous numbers associated with the Innovations Orchestra, and a six-song standards date from September included several excellent features for singer June Christy ("Easy Street," "Come Rain or Come Shine"). Roughly half-a-dozen titles make their CD debut (apart from Mosaic's unapproachable The Complete Capitol Recordings of Stan Kenton), and didn't even appear on Capitol's two-disc Innovations Orchestra set. John Bush  
Tracklist :

STAN KENTON AND HIS ORCHESTRA – 1951-1952 | The Classics Chronological Series – 1428 (2006) FLAC (tracks), lossless

This is volume nine in the Classics Stan Kenton chronology. It opens with the last recordings made by Kenton's Innovations in Modern Music Orchestra, a gigantic ensemble that included quite a number of violins, violas and celli. These fascinating episodes were recorded on December 5 and 7 1951, using ultra-modern compositions by Bob Graettinger, who had earlier made his mark upon Kenton's band with something called "Thermopylae." Many consider "City of Glass" to be Graettinger's magnum opus; it certainly occupies its own plateau within the Kenton chronology and, for that matter, in all of modern music. Gloriously dissonant, wonderfully disorienting and beautifully bizarre, this three-movement work was realized in four sections owing to the temporal limitations of the 12" 78 rpm phonograph record. What makes this particular reissue all the more exciting is the fact that the exacting chronology shuffles the order of the movements; "Third Movement -- Reflections" was recorded (and is therefore heard) first; then comes "Second Movement -- Dance Before the Mirror," and finally the "First Movement" in two parts: "Entrance into the City" and "The Structures." Although this non-linear sequence technically fractures the plot of the piece, it actually works quite well and adds up to a splendid postmodern restructuring of an already convoluted artwork. Graettinger's dystopian film noir metropolis becomes a musicological non-orientable Möbius strip, reverberating with echoes from Arnold Schoenberg tempered by premonitions of Ornette Coleman's "Skies of America." Naturally, most United States citizens who heard this music were terrified and alienated. Kenton's next move was to chuck the string section and scale his band down to 20 pieces for his "New Concepts of Artistry in Rhythm" project. Between January 21 and March 20 1952, Kenton recorded jazzier, more accessible-sounding music that went over okay with audiences interested in dancing and acting stylish. While "progressive" works such as "Modern Opus (Graettinger Moods)" would continue to surface from time to time, Kenton made stylistic concessions in order to remain solvent. In addition to a smoothly sentimental vocal by the band on "Tenderly," this compilation includes six performances by Jerri Winters, a singer who blatantly imitated Sarah Vaughan's every nuance. One of these numbers, simply titled "Yes," was composed by Viviane Greene and initially recorded by Mabel Scott; it is an uncommon example of R&B repertoire making its way into the Kenton discography. arwulf arwulf
Tracklist :

STAN KENTON AND HIS ORCHESTRA - 1952-1953 | The Classics Chronological Series – 1461 (2008) FLAC (tracks), lossless

Volume 10 in the complete works of Stan Kenton as presented in the Classics chronological series opens with more of Kenton's progressive modern jazz recorded in March 1952. Gene Roland's "Beehive" is a well-constructed and smoothly executed piece of work, well among the grooviest tracks in the entire early Kenton discography. Robert Graettinger's "A Cello," on the other hand, uses strings and woodwinds (including a bassoon) to conjure a pleasantly dissonant, five-minute chamber episode that suggests the influence of Arnold Schoenberg or Ernst Krenek. Tracks 3 through 17 represent a reissue of Kenton's New Concepts of Artistry in Rhythm album recorded in September 1952 and released shortly afterwards on the Capitol label. Bill Russo's "Prologue," which is presented here in four parts, is Kenton's attempt to claim dominance over the art of improvisation, almost as if nobody had thought of it before him. His boastful narration outlines the program in these words: "The character of the music to follow is the result of their understanding and adjustment to each other. Some of the music is written, some is improvised. There are times when a musician will express his individuality, and other moments when he will melt with the rest to create an organized sound. This is a cross-section view of this orchestra." It is supremely ironic that Kenton was making a record like this for Capitol only three years after Lennie Tristano had encountered uncomprehending and cynical resistance when he attempted to make records for that label using the principles later outlined so authoritatively by Kenton. With Tristano at that session in early 1949 was alto saxophonist Lee Konitz, and it is quite possible that Konitz actually imparted some of Tristano's teachings through Russo to Kenton, who in turn presented them to the public as more of his New Concepts of Artistry in Rhythm. When Tristano tried it at Capitol, the engineers went so far as to erase some of his work. By September of 1952, the same concept was taken seriously by the people at Capitol because it was being advanced by Kenton, who clearly relished talking it up. Several additional Russo compositions were designed for soloists in the band at that time: "Frank Speaking" spot lights trombonist Frank Rosolino, "Portrait of a Count" features trumpeter Conte Condoli, and Konitz's delivery on "My Lady" is one of the high points of the entire album. Other original compositions are by Gerry Mulligan ("Young Blood" and "Swing House") and Bill Holman, whose "Invention for Guitar and Trumpet" showcases Sal Salvador and Maynard Ferguson. Kenton's band at this point also included saxophonists Richie Kamuca and Bud Shank, as well as vocalist Kay Brown. This segment of the Kenton chronology closes with half a dozen beautifully interpreted standards dating from January 1953. The next phase of his odyssey would find the orchestra embarking on a European tour, during which the band was well received and more excellent recordings were made. arwulf arwulf

MARTY PAICH - Four Classic Albums (2015) 2CD / FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Tracklist 1 :
Tenors West (1955)
1. Tenors West (3:22)
2. There's No You (3:06)
3. The Dragon (4:14)
4. Shorty George (3:22)
5. Paichence (4:06)
6. At the Mardi Gras (3:25)
7. Take the "A" Train (3:09)
8. Ballet du Bongo (8:27)
9. Line for Lyons (3:10)
10. Jacqueline (3:34)
11. Con-Spirito (3:04)
Take Me Along (1959)
12. Overture-Take Me Along (4:46)
13. Nine O'Clock (3:09)
14. Little Green Snake (3:01)
15. Promise Me a Rose (3:22)
16. But Yours (3:32)
17. Sid, Ol' Kid (5:04)
18. Patience of a Saint (4:08)
19. Staying Young (2:49)
20. Thinkin' Things (3:45)
21. We're Home (2:47)
Tracklist 2 :
The Picasso of Big Band Jazz (1957)
1. From Now On (5:58)
2. Walkin' on Home (4:27)
3. Black Rose (5:11)
4. Tommy's Toon (4:03)
5. New Soft Shoe (3:13)
6. What's New (3:35)
7. Easy Listnin' (5:11)
8. Martyni Time (3:09)
9. Nice and Easy (4:44)
Lush, Latin & Cool (1960)
10. Honky Tonk Train (2:49)
11. Invitation (2:41)
12. Autumn Leaves (4:07)
13. Honeysuckle Rose (2:30)
14. Stella by Starlight (2:38)
15. Cumana (2:39)
16. Sabre Dance (2:13)
17. Canadian Sunset (3:39)
18. St. Louis Blues Boogie Woogie (3:36)
19. Little Rock Getaway (2:26)
20. Misirlou (3:19)
21. One O'Clock Jump (3:20) 

 All credits

GALE ROBBINS - I'm a Dreamer (1958-2001) Mp3

Sometimes the most refreshing updates of familiar standards come from the most unexpected sources, and that's certainly the case with I'm a Dreamer. Although Gale Robbins never earned the fame or renown awarded other pinups of the late 1950s, this pairing with the Eddie Cano Orchestra is an absolute delight. Though by no means a powerhouse vocalist, Robbins knows her way around a melody, and her torchy, after-hours approach lends new maturity and sophistication to familiar fare like "Them There Eyes," "They Can't Take That Away from Me," and "Ain't Misbehavin'." But the real star of the session is Cano, whose vivid arrangements frame the songs from appealing and unique perspectives. The record glows with energy and warmth.  by Jason Ankeny
Tracklist
1.  What Is This Thing Called Love
2.  Them There Eyes
3.  How Deep Is The Ocean
4.  Ain't Nothin' Wrong With That Baby
5.  Golden Earings
6.  The Nearness Of You
7.  They Can't Take That Away From Me
8.  Here I Go
9.  I'm A Dreamer, Aren't We All
10. Best Of All
11. Music, Maestro, Please
12. Ain't Misbehavin'
Recorded in Hollywood, 1957
Featuring: Eddie Cano and His Orchestra: Jimmy Salko (tp), Tony Terran (tp), John Audino (tp), Milt Bernhardt (tb), Francis Howard (tb), Lloyd Ulyate (tb), Herb Geller (as), Med Flory (as), Bob Cooper (ts), Dave Pell (ts), Marty Berman (bs), Lou Levy (p), Tommy Tede

BETTY BENNETT - Nobody Else But Me (1956-2007) Atlantic 60th / Mp3

Nobody Else But Me illuminates the dark corners of romance with rare depth and maturity -- Betty Bennett's sultry, knowing vocals further establish the palpable feeling that this is a record for adults. Shorty Rogers and André Previn share arranger duties, and both operate in a framework emphasizing nuance and restraint, enabling Bennett to articulate her tales of love and loss without embellishment or redundancy. Equal parts stylist and storyteller, she fully inhabits relatively little-known songs like "This Is the Moment" and "Treat Me Rough." by Jason Ankeny
Tracklist :
1    Nobody Else But Me 3:38
Oscar Hammerstein II / Jerome Kern
2    You're Driving Me Crazy 2:54
Walter Donaldson
3    My Man's Gone Now 3:27
George Gershwin / Ira Gershwin / DuBose Heyward
4    Island In The West Indies 2:58
Vernon Duke / Ira Gershwin
5    The Next Time I Care 3:14
Bronislaw Kaper / John Latouche
6    Tomorrow Mountain 3:29
Duke Ellington / John Latouche
7    Treat Me Rough 2:49
George Gershwin / Ira Gershwin
8    Mountain Greenery 2:33
Lorenz Hart / Richard Rodgers
9    This Is The Moment 3:20
Frederick Hollander / Leo Robin
10    You Took Advantage Of Me 2:50
Lorenz Hart / Richard Rodgers
11    Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas
Martin / Blane
12    Sidewalks Of Cuba 2:31
Irving Mills / Ben Oakland / Mitchell Parish
Credits :
Alto Saxophone – Harry Klee
Bass – Ralph Pena
Bass, Arranged By – Jimmy Giuffre
Drums – Irv Cottler
Guitar – Barney Kessel
Piano, Arranged By – André Previn
Tenor Saxophone – Bob Cooper
Trombone – Frank Rosolino
Trumpet, Flugelhorn, Arranged By – Shorty Rogers
Vocals – Betty Bennett

JUNE CHRISTY - Something Cool (The Complete Mono & Stereo Versions) (2001) FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

June Christy's Something Cool, originally released as a 10" LP in 1954, single-handedly inaugurated the cool jazz vocal movement. Christy had been a star vocalist with the Stan Kenton Orchestra in the late '40s, enjoying major hits with "Tampico" and "Shoo Fly Pie & Apple Pan Dowdy." Soon after she left the band, she began working with key Kenton arranger Pete Rugolo and a slew of top West Coast studio musicians (including her husband, tenor saxophonist Bob Cooper) on her first solo album for Capitol Records. The result was Something Cool, which is both a winning showcase for Christy's wistful style and a landmark of cool jazz modernism. From the start, Christy established herself as an artist who strove for the very best in song selection, arrangements, and notably intelligent interpretation. There were perhaps other vocalists with greater vocal equipment, but few could match June Christy's artistic integrity. The celebrated title track is the soliloquy of a female barfly of a certain age, reminiscing (and fantasizing) about better days to a fellow male patron who just might buy her another drink. It immediately became Christy's signature performance, and remained so throughout her career. Other highlights include a swinging "It Could Happen to You," "Midnight Sun," and an ambitious arrangement of Kurt Weill's "Lonely House." by Richard Mortifoglio  
Tracklist:
1 Something Cool 4:17
Bass – Joe Confort 
Drums – Frank Carlson
Flute, Alto Saxophone – Gus Bivona
Guitar – Barney Kessel
Piano – Geoff Clarkson 
Trumpet – Jimmy Zito 
Written-By – Bill Barnes 
2 It Could Happen To You 1:55
Written-By – J. Van Heusen, J. Burke 
3 Lonely House 3:56
Written-By – K. Weill, L. Hughes
4 This Time The Dream's On Me 1:29
Written-By – H. Arlen-J. Mercer 
5 The Night We Called It A Day 4:48
Written-By – M. Dennis*, T. Adair 
6 Midnight Sun 3:13
Alto Saxophone – Skeets Herfurt, Willie Schwartz 
Bass Trombone – Dick Noel  
Drums – Alvin Stoller
Guitar – Tony Rizzi
Piano – Paul Smith  
Tenor Saxophone – Fred Fallensby
Trombone – Dick Reynolds, Nick DiMaio
Trumpet – Ray Linn, Ray Triscari, Uan Rasey
Written-By – Mercer, Hampton, Burke 
7 I'll Take Romance 2:19
Written-By – B. Oakland, O. Hammerstein 
8 A Stranger Called The Blues 3:56
Written-By – M. Torme, R. Wells 
9 I Should Care 2:08
Written-By – Stordahl, Weston, Cahn
10 Softly As In A Morning Sunrise 2:13
Piano – Claude Williamson
Trombone – Bob Fitzpatrick
Written-By – O. Hammerstein, S. Romberg
11 I'm Thrilled 2:39
Written-By – S. Lippman, S. Dee
12 Something Cool 4:57
Written-By – Bill Barnes
13 It Could Happen To You 2:00
Written-By – J. Van Heusen, J. Burke
14 Lonely House 4:03
Written-By – K. Weill, L. Hughes
15 This Time The Dream's On Me 1:36
Written-By – H. Arlen-J. Mercer
16 The Night We Called It A Day 4:53
Written-By – M. Dennis T. Adair
17 Midnight Sun 3:31
Written-By – Mercer, Hampton, Burke
18 I'll Take Romance 2:20
Written-By – B. Oakland, O. Hammerstein
19 A Stranger Called The Blues 4:19
Written-By – M. Torme, R. Wells
20 I Should Care 2:11
Written-By – Stordahl, Weston, Cahn
21 Softly As In A Morning Sunrise 2:14
Written-By – O. Hammerstein, S. Romberg
22 I'm Thrilled 2:47
Written-By – S. Lippman, S. Dee
Credits:
Alto Flute – Bud Shank (tracks: 4, 5, 11), Harry Klee (tracks: 4, 5, 11)
Alto Saxophone [Soloist] – Bud Shank
Alto Saxophone, Flute – Bud Shank (tracks: 1 to 5, 7 to 22), Harry Klee (tracks: 2 to 5, 7 to 9, 11, 12, 14 to 17, 20, 21)
Arranged By, Conductor – Pete Rugolo
Baritone Saxophone – Bob Gordon (tracks: 4, 5, 10, 11), Chuck Gentry (tracks: 1, 6 to 8), Johnny Rotella (tracks: 2, 3, 9)
Bass – Harry Babasin (tracks: 4, 5, 11), Joe Mondragon (tracks: 2, 3, 6 to 10, 12 to 22)
Bass Trombone – George Roberts (tracks: 1, 12 to 22)
Drums – Larry Bunker (tracks: 12 to 22), Shelly Manne (tracks: 2 to 5, 7 to 11)
Flute – Ted Nash (tracks: 1 to 3, 7 to 9)
French Horn – John Graas (tracks: 2, 3, 7 to 9), Vincent DeRosa (tracks: 4, 5, 11, 13 to 16, 18 to 20, 22)
Guitar – Howard Roberts (tracks: 2 to 5, 7 to 11), Jack Marshall (tracks: 12 to 22)
Piano – Claude Williamson (tracks: 4, 5, 11), Joe Castro (tracks: 12 to 22), Russ Freeman (tracks: 2, 3, 7 to 9)
Reeds – Buddy Collette (tracks: 13, 18, 19, 22), Chuck Gentry (tracks: 12 to 22)
Tenor Saxophone – Jimmy Giuffre (tracks: 4, 5, 10, 11), Ted Nash (tracks: 1 to 3, 6 to 9)
Tenor Saxophone, Flute – Bob Cooper (tracks: 1 to 3, 7 to 10, 12 to 22), Paul Horn (tracks: 12 to 22)
Trombone – Frank Rosolino (tracks: 4, 5, 11 to 22), Harry Betts (tracks: 2 to 5, 7 to 9, 11, 12, 17, 21), Herbie Harper (tracks: 1, 10), Milt Bernhart (tracks: 1 to 5, 7 to 22), Tommy Pederson (tracks: 1 to 3, 6 to 9)
Trumpet – Conrad Gozzo, Conte Candoli (tracks: 10, 12 to 22), Frank Beach (tracks: 6, 12 to 22), Maynard Ferguson (tracks: 1 to 5, 7 to 9, 11), Ollie Mitchell (tracks: 12, 17, 21), Shorty Rogers (tracks: 1 to 5, 7 to 11)
Tuba – Paul Sarmento (tracks: 2 to 5, 7 to 9, 11), Phil Stephens (tracks: 13 to 16, 18 to 20, 22)
Vocals – June Christy

HOWARD RUMSEY'S LIGHTHOUSE ALL STARS - Sunday Jazz a La Lighthouse (1953) OJC / FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

For quite a few years in the 1950s, it was a tradition at the Lighthouse for music to be presented on Sundays from 2 p.m. until 2 a.m. The Lighthouse All-Stars formed the core of the all-star group, but quite often other notable players would sit in. This CD reissue presents live performances from one such Sunday. In addition to the usual bandmembers of the time (trumpeter Shorty Rogers, trombonist Milt Bernhart, Bob Cooper and Jimmy Giuffre on tenors, pianist Frank Patchen, bassist Howard Rumsey, and drummer Shelly Manne), trumpeter Maynard Ferguson, pianist Hampton Hawes, and Carlos Vidal on conga have opportunities to be heard. The music is straight-ahead, generally cool-toned, but with plenty of heat; "Viva Zapata" is a Latin romp. Virtually everyone is featured. Highlights include "Four Others," and Rogers' playing on "All the Things You Are" and "Bernie's Tune."  by Scott Yanow
Tracklist:
1 Four Others 6:01
Jimmy Giuffre
2 All the Things You Are 5:16
Oscar Hammerstein II / Jerome Kern
3 Creme de Menthe 4:30
Erroll Garner / Jimmy Giuffre
4 Viva Zapata! 8:14
Shorty Rogers
5 Bernie's Tune 5:18
Jerry Leiber / Bernard Miller / Mike Stoller
6 Solitaire 4:24
Bill Russo
7 Morgan Davis 6:03
Shorty Rogers
8 La Soncailli 9:55
Jimmy Giuffre
Credits:
Bass, Liner Notes – Howard Rumsey
Congas – Carlos Vidal
Drums – Shelly Manne
Piano – Frank Patchen, Hampton Hawes
Tenor Saxophone – Bob Cooper, Jimmy Giuffre
Trombone – Milt Bernhart
Trumpet – Maynard Ferguson, Shorty Rogers

HOWARD RUMSEY'S LIGHTHOUSE ALL STARS - Sunday Jazz a La Lighthouse

 (1953-1991) Contemporary / OJC / FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

O Púbis da Rosa

BUD SHANK QUINTET & SEXTET - New Groove / Barefoot Adventure [1961] FLAC / 2011 / Pacific Jazz

The two albums included here, New Groove, and Barefoot Adventure, present Bud Shank not only on alto sax, but also on baritone, an instrument he had played in clubs and as a sideman in sporadic studio sessions since the early 50s, but never before on his own recording dates. And while his alto has his customary command and fluency, his work on the less familiar baritone is equally impressive, the sound hard and driving, with expressive use of dynamics.

In these 1961 recordings, he fronts two similar groups, with a fresh approach, more groove-based and soulful, compared to previous works. With that in mind, he hired the young and talented trumpeter Carmell Jones, just arrived to the L.A. scene from Kansas City, whose warmth and enthusiasm on both sides are contagious. On Barefoot, the presence of Bob Cooper is felt throughout, with his tenor solos consistenly fluent and swinging.

In the rhythm, Dennis Budimir on guitar handles most of the comping chores in his puckish prodding way; Gary Peacock shows he was developing into a reliable rhythm mate; and Mel Lewis in the first date and Shelly Manne in the second, play with their celebrated taste, imagination, and musicianship.

"New Groove" 

1. New Groove (Shank) 6:44

2. The Awakening (Shank) 4:24

3. White Lightnin' (Shank) 5:20

4. Sultry Serenade (Ellington) 7:12

5. Well, You Needen't (Monk) 6:57

6. Liddledabllduya (Peacock) 3:55

O Púbis da Rosa 1

Carmell Jones (trumpet), 

Bud Shank (alto & baritone sax), 

Dennis Budimir (guitar), 

Gary Peacock (bass), 

Mel Lewis (drums).

Recorded at Rex Productions, 

Los Angeles, February 22, 1961

"Barefoot Adventure"

7. Barefoot Adventure (Shank) 4:12

8. Shoeless Beach Meeting (Shank) 4:05

9. Jungle Cruise (Shank) 4:44

10. How High the Makaha (Shank) 3:11

11. Well, 'Pon My Soul (Shank) 4:14

12. Ala Moana (Shank) 2:15

13. Bruce Is Loose (Shank) 3:23

14. Dance of the Sea Monsters (Shank) 4:07

Personnel on "Barefoot Adventure":

Bob Cooper (tenor sax), 

 Shelly Manne (drums)  replaces Mel Lewis.

Recorded at Rex Productions, 

Los Angeles, September 8, 1961

O Púbis da Rosa 2

O Púbis da Rosa 3