SOPHIE MILMAN — Take Love Easy (2009) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Some critics might dismiss Sophie Milman as simply another pretty female singer, yet with her third CD, she continues to show an adventurous spirit, tackling standards and obscurities while also forging ahead into pop. Retaining many of the musicians from her previous release, Make Someone Happy, the upbeat alto offers a hip take of Duke Ellington's long overlooked "Take Love Easy," exuding sex appeal and backed by guitarist Rob Piltch, bassist Kieran Overs, and percussionist Mark McLean (who also arranged it), with a brief solo added on soprano sax by PJ Perry. Pianist Paul Shrofel contributed the breezy bop vehicle "That Is Love," which showcases Milman in her best light. She soars in the brisk treatment of the old chestnut "Day In, Day Out," starting in a samba setting and switching to bop, featuring alto saxophonist Wessel Warmdaddy Anderson. Her ventures into pop remain a mixed bag. "I Can't Make You Love Me" has been recorded often, just not in a jazz setting. Milman is boosted by Steven MacKinnon's chart, which adds several horns in the background, so it ends up deeper, even if there is little risk-taking by the singer. Milman can't help but be influenced a bit by Joni Mitchell as she interprets the folksinger's "Be Cool," though she remains remarkably subtle in her approach. Less successful are her renditions of Bruce Springsteen's "I'm on Fire" and Paul Simon's "Fifty Ways to Leave Your Lover," both of which are hampered by their bland melodies and forgettable lyrics. But with this generally strong release, Sophie Milman remains one of the most promising jazz singers of her generation. Ken Dryden  
Tracklist :
1.    Beautiful Love 2:59 
Haven Gillespie / Wayne King / Egbert VanAlstyne / Victor Young
2.    Take Love Easy 3:15 
Duke Ellington / John Latouche
3.    I Concentrate on You 4:17 
Cole Porter
4.    Day in, Day Out 3:24 
Rube Bloom / Johnny Mercer
5.    Be Cool 4:12 
Joni Mitchell
6.    My One and Only Love 4:35 
Robert Mellin / Guy Wood
7.    I Can't Make You Love Me 4:30 
Allen Shamblin
8.    That Is Love 2:48 
Paul Shrofel
9.    Love for Sale 4:30 
Cole Porter
10.    I'm on Fire 4:03
Bruce Springsteen
11.    Triste 3:25 
Antônio Carlos Jobim
12.    50 Ways to Leave Your Lover 4:37 
Paul Simon
13.    Where Do You Start? 4:13
Alan Bergman / Marilyn Bergman / Johnny Mandel
Credits : 
Accordion – Tom Szczesniak (tracks: 6)
Alto Flute [Additional], Flute [Additional] – Les Alt (tracks: 11)
Alto Saxophone – Wessell 'Warmdaddy' Anderson (tracks: 3, 4, 9, 13)
Bass – Kieran Overs
Bass Clarinet [Additional] – Vern Dorge (tracks: 11)
Drums – Mark McLean 
Electric Piano [Fender Rhodes] – Paul Shrofel (tracks: 6, 12)
Flugelhorn – Guido Basso (tracks: 11)
Flugelhorn [Additional] – Dave Dunlop (tracks: 7), Guido Basso (tracks: 7)
French Horn [Additional] – Richard Cohen (tracks: 7)
Guitar – Rob Piltch
Music Director – Paul Shrofel
Percussion – Rosendo (Chendy) Leon (tracks: 6, 9 to 12)
Piano – Paul Shrofel (tracks: 1, 3 to 5, 7 to 11, 13), Robi Botos (tracks: 12)
Soprano Saxophone – P.J. Perry (tracks: 2)
Trombone [Additional] – Al Kay (tracks: 4, 7), Gord Meyers (tracks: 4, 7)
Trumpet – Guido Basso (tracks: 5)
Trumpet [Additional] – Dave Dunlop (tracks: 4), Guido Basso (tracks: 4), Jason Logue (tracks: 4)
Vibraphone – Michael Davidson (tracks: 1, 5, 10)
Vocals – Sophie Milman

SOPHIE MILMAN — Sophie Milman (2006)Two Version | APE + FLAC (image+.tracks+.cue), lossless

Sophie Milman's debut reveals a gifted young jazz vocalist who swings with a surprising degree of maturity. Though born in Russia, she has called Canada home for some time and is joined by some of the country's best jazz musicians. Milman isn't afraid to take a few chances and seems to be quite comfortable with her own voice rather than copying others, as young performers have a tendency to do. Her upbeat treatment of "I Can't Give You Anything But Love, Baby" is full of spirit, while she's clearly having fun in the somewhat campy 1960s-flavored arrangement of "My Heart Belongs to Daddy." Pianist Bill King (who is also one of Milman's two producers for this project) provides superb accompaniment to the singer in "I Feel Pretty," which evolves from its original setting into a lively bop setting featuring saxophonist Pat La Barbera. Among the newer compositions, Milman excels in her interpretation of the breezy "Lonely in New York'" (briefly showcasing guitarist Reg Schwager and violinist Lenny Solomon), though the bland pop song "Back Home to Me" sounds like something taken from a Norah Jones CD. Sophie Milman clearly has the ability to turn heads in the jazz world; all she needs is the opportunity to be heard. Ken Dryden  
Tracklist :
1    Agua De Beber (Water To Drink) 3:55
Composed By – Antonio Carlos Jobim
Lyrics By – Norman Gimbel
2    I Can't Give You Anything But Love, Baby 3:24
Composed By – Jimmy McHugh
Lyrics By – Dorothy Fields
3    Guilty 4:06
Composed By – Harry Akst, Richard Whiting
Lyrics By – Gus Kahn
4    My Baby Just Cares For Me 3:34
Composed By – Walter Donaldson
Lyrics By – Gus Kahn
5    Back Home To Me 3:37
Composed By – Gavin Courtie
Lyrics By – Liz Radford
6    The Man I Love 5:33
Composed By – George Gershwin
Lyrics By – Ira Gershwin
7    Lonely In New York 3:14
Songwriter – Bob Dellaposta
8    I Feel Pretty 4:51
Lyrics By – Leonard Bernstein
Music By – Stephen Sondheim
9    La Vie En Rose 4:51
Lyrics By – Edith Piaf
Music By – Louiguy, Marguerite Monnot
10    My Heart Belongs To Daddy 4:21
Written-By – Cole Porter
11    Ochi Chemye (Dark Eyes) 2:18
Lyrics By – Yevhen Hrebinka
Music By – Traditional
12    This Time Of The Year 5:01
Lyrics By – Brook Benton
Music By – Clyde Owens
– BONUS TRACKS  For Japan –
13.    I Gotta Have My Baby Back 3:30
14.    Stormy Weather 4:30
Credits :
Acoustic Bass – Artie Roth (faixas: 1, 5, 6, 8, 10), Marc Rogers (faixas: 2 to 4, 7, 9, 11, 12)
Alto Saxophone – Pat LaBarbera (faixas: 1, 5, 6, 8, 10)
Baritone Saxophone – Phil Dwyer (faixas: 10)
Drums – Davide DiRenzo
Guitar – Reg Schwager (faixas: 1, 5, 6, 8, 10), Rob Piltch (faixas: 2 to 4, 7, 9, 11, 12)
Harmonica [Chromatic] – Guido Basso (faixas: 6)
Percussion – Alan Hetherington (faixas: 1, 5)
Piano – Bill King (faixas: 1, 5, 6, 8, 10), John Sheard (faixas: 2 to 4, 7, 9, 11, 12)
Trumpet – Steve McDade (faixas: 10)